Before You Get A Dog

Posted: February 16th, 2011 |  Comments Off

Adding a dog or puppy to your home is a serious undertaking. It should not be done on a whim (i.e. your kids torturing you). Dogs come in all shapes, sizes and temperaments. Each specific breed has characteristics that most dogs of that breed will exhibit. Doing your homework and selecting the right breed for your family is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a happy ending for both you and your pet.

"Sssshhhhhh... look cute, here they come."

Here are a few simple questions to ask yourself before you pile into the mini-van and head off to the shelter or pet store (heaven forbid).

1) What am I looking for in a dog?

Are you looking for a yippy little thing to sit in your lap and keep you company while watching Judge Judy? If so, a Bichon or a Chihuahua might be your best choice. Or maybe, you’re looking for a jogging partner. If that’s the case, a Siberian Husky or an Irish setter will run along side of you until your Nikes and your knees turn to dust.  If you’re in the witness protection program, perhaps a big fanged German Shepherd or Rottweiler will do the trick. Whatever your needs are for a dog, I assure you there is a breed best suited for the job you want to give it.

2) What is my family’s lifestyle?

Do you have an active household with lots of people coming and going or does your living situation more closely resemble that of the Unibomer? Dogs like Golden Retrievers and Labradors generally love people and thrive in active households. Other breeds such as the Doberman Pinscher or Kuvasz are typically better suited to less active homes without a large number of shady strangers coming and going.

Another important factor to consider is who lives in your home. Are there small children in the house? How about frail senior citizens with highly breakable bones? One overexcited Old English Sheepdog can inadvertently squash a small child and take out both Grandma and Grandpa’s hips without even noticing. Do your best to match the breed to your specific lifestyle and you’ll greatly enhance your chance of success.

3) What are my living arrangements?

Do you live in a small apartment or do you have a large home with a big yard? Will your new puppy sleep in a crate in the kitchen or on your bed? Where will you put the puppy when you’re not at home? These are important questions that should answered before you start opening cans of Purina Puppy Chow. You’d be surprised how many people acquire a dog and then think about all these things later. Later is usually early Monday morning as they’re frantically trying to wall-off their kitchen before rushing off to work. The prudent dog owner gives very careful consideration to where their new dog will sleep and stay when unsupervised… well before his cute little paws hit the floor. Take my advice, a little thought and consideration here will save your sanity, your Persian rug and quite possibly your marriage.

Once you have some solid answers to the above questions and everyone in your family is in agreement, you’re ready to start looking for your new canine companion.

Crate Training and Puppy Love

Posted: February 2nd, 2011 |  Comments Off

The single most important thing you can do with a new puppy is crate training. If you can make your puppy love his crate, you’re well on your way to having a great family pet. If not, be prepared for your living room rug to suddenly develop new stains and odors.

The crate is also a very important tool in helping you manage your dog’s behavior until is he is a well-trained pup. So, just how do you get your new puppy to love his crate? The first thing is to commit to it from day one. Do not put a new puppy in your bed or you’ll never get him out.

To help your puppy learn to love his crate, you want to make his crate a comfortable safe place. For a brand new puppy, I would hold off on the Orvis dog bed until you can trust your puppy not to eat it. In the beginning, an old towel does just fine.

"Really kid, it's for your own good."

Location is another key point. You want to place the crate in a central location in your home where the puppy can be near the family. You also want it nearby so you will use it. Usually a kitchen or family room is a good place to put the crate. If you want to have a crate in the bedroom for nights, that’s fine with me. Just make sure you have a crate in the main area of the house as well.

Inside the crate, I like to have one or two things for the puppy to chew on or play with. In the beginning, be careful not to put too many things in the crate because there is a high likely hood of them being urinated on.

Introduce your puppy to the crate by tossing a couple of treats into the back of the crate. Let the puppy wander in after the treats and close the door. Let him back out after a minute or so and then repeat. I like to shake the treat bag before I toss the treats in the crate. The puppy learns to come running to the crate when he hears this sound. For the next month, every time you put your puppy in the crate, toss one or two treats in the back. You’ll soon find you new puppy coming in the house and running to his crate.

At some point, you’re going to have to leave your puppy in the crate for longer than he will like. He will most likely start whining a little or even giving a little puppy bark. What you do when he starts whining will determine your future success. Never let a whining, barking puppy out of the crate. If you do, you’re teaching him that in order to get out, he has to whine for an extended time (usually at night).

In the beginning, your puppy may have an accident or two in his crate. Don’t worry; you’re not setting the puppy’s development back. He is just learning how to hold it. Don’t forget, the reason you’re using the crate in the first place is so he isn’t going to the bathroom in your house. I would much prefer my puppy pee in his crate rather than in my living room.

Most puppies catch on to the crate pretty easily. In order to make this task easier, make the crate comfortable, have something for the puppy to do in the crate and use it often. You’ll have a much better behaved puppy for it.