Definately not a sissy's dog.

On March 6th two of Smiling Dog’s very own puppies will be featured items in two local benefit auctions. One organization is the Healing Hearts Pediatric Foundation. They will have the opportunity to bid on my yellow/white lab named Tank. Tank is a man’s man kind of dog. He is going to be a very big boy and will eventually dwarf all of someone’s expensive furniture and small children. He is great with kids and other dogs.

"Please... spoil me."

The other puppy being auctioned is Tank’s little sister, Charley Girl. CG is extremely playful and affectionate. She is always looking for a comfortable lap to lay across. Solid puppy with a great temperament.

The perfect Christmas present.

With the holidays in the rear view mirror, I came across this picture sent to me by a client. Christmas 2009, The Smith family in Westport, CT became the proud owners of one of our trained Smiling Dog puppies. As timing would have it, Smiling Santa himself was able to suit up and make the delivery himself. On a personal note, once in your lifetime I encourage everyone to don an ill-fitted Santa suit and go for a drive early Christmas morning. The reactions are priceless.

Having already opened presents, the Smith children and other assorted relatives were basking in the glow of yet another successful Christmas – when the doorbell rang. The parents quickly duct taped the kids to the couch and ran to the door to meet Santa and Jack. Santa handed mom the leash and she confidently walked Jack into the family room to meet the kids that would spoil him and sneak him table food for the rest of his life.

It was a great morning for Jack and The Smiths… for Santa too.

Some dogs tolerate cold well, others not so well. As the mercury drops, keep a close eye on your dog and look for any signs of cold related trouble. It’s OK to let your dog outside, just be sure and check on him or her often. If you happen to check on your canine companion and find him rigid with all four of his paws frozen to the patio, you should seriously consider checking more often.

In addition to the temperature, other winter hazards await as well. When the ice arrives, many of us start throwing salt or other chemicals on our sidewalks and driveways. Some of these products can get stuck between the pads of your dog’s feet and actually burn your dog’s feet. Think about taking your pup with you on your weekly pedicure appointment.

"Did someone mention pedicure??"

While your Pedicurist is checking your dog’s paws for salt and chemicals, have him or her trim any excess hair around your dog’s paws.  Snow and ice have a tendency to pack up on excessive paw hair, making it painful for your pup to prance.

If you do notice your dog limping, be sure and take a close look at the pads on the bottom of his paw. Sometimes these pads can get cut or torn when a dog runs across a sharp piece of ice. The solution here is to buy your dogs the new steel-toed Timberland Pro series boot. It sure beats the sissy little sock things those Iditarod sled dogs wear.

Enjoy the weather.  “Let’s be careful out there.”

Two trained male golden doodle puppies will be ready to go to their new homes in time for Thanksgiving. Max and Jack are nearing their end of their training program. These two guys have been my first experience raising golden doodle puppies. I have to admit they have been a delight. Easily crate trained, eager to please always responsive to a recall. These dogs will quickly adapt to a busy family life. Both puppies are currently putting the finishing touches on their basic obedience. Both also realize that Thanksgiving is coming up and they both want to be happily underneath someone’s Thanksgiving table by then.

While delivering one of my pups to Illinois last week, a breeder friend of mine introduced me to a breeder friend of hers. To make a long story short, I drove home with two male 16 week old black golden doodles. You never know about puppies. Some are easy to housebreak, some are not. Some are easy to train, some are not. So far (fingers crossed), these guys have been great. No accidents in the crate and only minimal whining. They do happen to do one thing that I find extremely bizarre. When  playing on the other side of the yard and I yell… “Come!” They actually come running.

I sure the bloom will wear off the rose eventually, but so far, it looks like these guys are going to make great gentle companions for some lucky families. Pictures to follow.

"Let us out! We're sorry. How were we supposed to know that was a new couch?"

Bringing a New Puppy Into Your Home

Bringing a new puppy into your home is never easy (…unless you buy a trained puppy from Smiling Dog!). Keep in mind that a puppy is puppy until they are at least a year old. Don’t be in a big hurry to give your new puppy complete run of the house until he’s earned it. If you run into a situation where your new puppy poops in the house or chews a hole in your new leather couch, here’s what you do. Grab the nearest newspaper you can find and roll it up nice and tight. Once it’s nice and tight and shaped like a club, take that newspaper and hit yourself in the head over and over again. Hopefully, this will teach you to pay closer attention to your new puppy and not give him as much freedom as you have. Puppies can only get into trouble if we let them. The following are some general tips you should think about when your new puppy arrives.

Embrace the crate.
The crate is your best friend. The crate is a safe place for your puppy when you can’t keep a close eye on him or her. While it may be tempting to have a cute puppy sleep on your bed, don’t do it. Get them used to sleeping in their crate from the first night on. You may have to sleep with a pillow over your head the first night or two, but do it. It will be well worth it in the long run. The crate isn’t a forever type of thing. Use it until your puppy can be trusted.

Freedom should be earned.
Let your puppy earn his place in the pack. Letting a new puppy on your furniture, your bed or have free run of the house is a big mistake. Bad habits are formed when you are on the phone, watching TV or otherwise not paying attention. At Smiling Dog, for most of the first month our puppies are either in their crate or on a leash when they are in the house. This teaches them that when they are inside the house, they need to be calm and under control. Once you can trust your puppy not to use your house as a toilet or your new leather chair as a chew toy, you can start to gradually give them more and more freedom.

Be the Leader of the Pack.
Dogs are pack animals. The most important thing for a dog is to know his place in the pack. They don’t care where in the pack they are; they just want to know where they are. It is important to recognize the signs of dominance and to correct them when your pup is trying to be dominant over you or anyone in your family.

Use positive reinforcement.
To a puppy, positive reinforcement can be many things. It can be a tasty treat. It can be a scratch on the head or a simple sweet voice saying, “Good Puppy.” When your puppy is being good, give them all the positive reinforcement you want. Be careful not to give positive reinforcement when your puppy is exhibiting unstable or nervous behavior. A perfect example of this is an owner trying to calm their puppy when it is scared or nervous. By giving positive reinforcement to a scared or nervous puppy, you are actually telling the puppy its OK for them to be scared or nervous. What you should really do is to totally ignore them while they are in this state.

Challenge bad behavior.
Jumping, nipping and running around the house with your underwear in their mouth is cute when it’s a puppy doing it. Not so cute when it’s a full-grown dog. The sooner you let your dog know the Pack Leader doesn’t approve of that behavior the sooner it will end.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Puppies aren’t perfect and neither are puppy owners. Having a new puppy in the house is an experience the whole family should enjoy. If you find your experience more closely resembles a CIA water boarding, then I suggest you call a professional trainer to help turn your experience into a  positive one. The good news is, when given the proper reinforcement all puppies are trainable. The bad news is, not all puppy owners are. If you have any questions about your new puppy, contact us at info@smilingdogpetservices.com.

"You two look that way, I'll look this way!"

Trained Golden Retriever Puppies ready for their new homes! Check out our Trained Puppies for Sale page. These beautiful pups have nearly completed their Smiling Dog Puppy PHD six-week training class. I have 4 females and 1 male. Two of the females are reddish in color. The male and two other females are lighter. All have undergone extensive training and socialization. They have been regular visitors to downtown Westport and Bethel. They are particularly fond of Aspetuck Wildcat football games. They are trained to ride comfortably in cars and are on-leash obedience trained to Heel, Sit, Down, Stay and Come. They are also crated trained and have a well-established housebreaking routine. One comment I get over and over again is, “I can’t believe how mellow these puppies are.” Most people believe that puppies are supposed to jump, nip and bark all the time. Untrained puppies do. I’m sure mine would as well… if I let them. Great puppies don’t happen by accident, they are created and positively nurtured. If you’re looking to add a new pet to your household but don’t have the inclination to go through the first stages of puppydom, I encourage you to take a look at our Smiling Puppies. A Smiling Puppy equals a Smiling Owner.

The puppies are coming!

Here we go again. Arriving in mid-August 2009 are three beautiful female golden retriever puppies. I will be making the cross country trek to Iowa (Is this heaven?) to personally pick these puppies up. Chris Ries is the breeder. She has been breeding goldens for over 15 years. She has been extremely helpful in helping me select just the right puppies. The father of the puppies has had his hips checked. They check out as “good.” The mother (Molly) has not had hers checked, however, Molly’s mother lived with Chris until she was 13 and never had any hip problems whatsoever. Chris’s line of dogs are proven to be physically healthy and of sound temperaments.  All of Chris’s dogs live in the house with her and her daughters. These puppies will be terrific additions to any family that is lucky enough to get them. The golden girls will begin their training as soon as they arrive in my home on or about August 15th, 2009.  They should be ready to go to their new homes in late September. One of the puppies has already been sold so two are available as of today.  If you’re contemplating bringing a new dog into your home, I guarantee you there’s no easier way.

* Set up a feeding and watering schedule. Feed and water your dog at the same times every day.

* Leave food down for fifteen to twenty minutes; even if it is not finished, pick it up.

* It is recommended that puppies under 6 months of age be fed times 3 per day. From 6 to 12 months feed 2 times per day. Dogs 1 year and older can be fed 1 or 2 times per day.

* Consider initially making water available 5-6 times per day, rather then leaving water down all of the time. (especially with dogs who frequently urinate in the home). Do not leave water in the crate, as your dog may drink it and then need to eliminate soon thereafter (except in extreme heat).

* Remove water two hours before she goes in the crate for the night (except in extreme heat).

2. Get your pup outside!

* Establish an area outside where you want your dog to eliminate. Every time you go out, bring your dog on leash to the elimination area and give you dog a cue such as “do your business!”

* Reward proper elimination immediately after with a treat and exuberant praise.

* Your dog should be taken outside:

• First thing in the morning
• 10-20 minutes after consuming food or water
• Immediately after coming out of the crate (especially if she has been in for a long period)
• After napping
• After or during high energy play.
• Right before she goes in to the crate for an extended period of time.

* If your dog does not eliminate outside on leash, return her to the crate and try again twenty or thirty minutes later.

3. Use a crate

* Crate Size: the crate should be at least big enough for your dog to stand up, lie down (with legs extended), and turn around. The crate should not be too much bigger, otherwise your dog may begin to use one corner of a large crate as an elimination area. If she does eliminate in the crate, decrease the size of the crate by placing a box in the back of the crate.

* Most dogs enjoy being in their crate if it is properly introduced (they are den animals).

* Make sure your dog is comfortable being in the crate; be sure to introduce the crate in a calm and patient manner. Do not introduce the crate by forcing your dog in and leaving. If your dogs begins to bark or whine, do not let him out until he quiets down. You should leave desirable toys or bones inside the crate to keep her occupied.

* Your pup should be in the crate when unsupervised. This includes overnight. Having the leash on inside the house is often helpful in maintaining a closer eye on your dog; it may also prevent her from wandering off and getting into trouble. This way you pup does not have to spend as much time in the crate and will remain under your supervision. If there is another safe location where your dog never eliminates, then you may substitute that area for the crate.

4. Address improper elimination

* If, and only if, you catch your dog in the act of urinating or defecating inside startle her by slapping your hands together; say “NO!” and immediately escort your dog to the proper elimination area and reward if she eliminates there. Never rub his nose in the mess! If you did not catch her in the act, you should not reprimand her.

* Clean the area thoroughly and treat with an enzyme activated solution such as Nature’s Miracle.

* Figure out why this happened. Did you forget to let her out in time or forget to keep an eye on her?

Continue this program completely until your dog is not having any accidents in the house for at least several weeks. Gradually, allow your dog to spend more time unsupervised out of the crate, perhaps limited to the kitchen or some other confined, easily cleaned space.

There are no words more frightening out of a child’s mouth than, “Mommy, I want a puppy!” This sentence is usually followed by a blood oath-like pledge to take care of the puppy through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, until death do they part – or until the next Sponge Bob episode is on. Mommies across the globe shudder at these words because they know what their child really means to say is, “Mommy, I want you to get a puppy so I can play with it until I get bored.”

Upon hearing these words, the Savvy Mom will typically feign a heart attack or small stroke. This will usually buy her some time, but unfortunately for her, not nearly enough. Eventually, her above-average children, little Timmy and Annie, will figure this out and employ a more demanding approach. Similar to Chinese water torture, they will keep chanting their request, in stereo, over and over again until they get some kind of response out of Mom. Most often this response resembles a nervous breakdown.

Once the kids have mom’s attention, the real pleading begins. Little Timmy loudly whines, “I promise, I’ll take care of the puppy. You won’t have to do a thing…please, please, please!” Savvy Mom will usually respond to this barrage with calm reason, “You know kids, puppies are a lot of work. They need to be fed, walked and brushed everyday. Are you going to do all this?” To this, a quivering lipped Annie replies, “Mommy, why do you hate puppies? Didn’t you have one when you were growing up?” It is at this point Mom can feel her grip slipping. Formerly Savvy Mom goes out of body and hears herself saying, “Go ask your father.”

As we all know, fathers are very little help in matters such as these. In fact, they often will become allies to the children and tip the balance against Savvy Mom. It usually starts with dear old dad telling the kiddies about the perfect dog he had growing up, Sparky. By the time Dad is done, everyone actually believes old Sparky was smart enough to help Dad with his math homework and was instrumental in getting Dad his first kiss with his 7^th grade crush, Susie Sandberg. With renewed confidence and a swagger to their skip, Timmy and Annie loudly scream, “Yea!! Dad says its OK!”  The water boarding begins again, “We’re getting a puppy! We’re getting a puppy! We’re getting a puppy!” Mom quietly asks herself, “Where the hell did I put the Xanax?”

Pleasantly medicated, Savvy Mom now concludes the puppy is inevitable. It’s only a matter of picking the right puppy. In Mom’s mind, the puppy will be small, hypo allergenic and non-shedding. Unfortunately, after hearing about good old Sparky, your kids have their heart set on one just like it – a Saint Bernard / German Shepherd mix. After all, Annie needs help with her homework and Timmy is eager to start making out.

Wanting to slow down this doggie freight train, mom agrees to go look for a puppy. In her mind, she hopes she can keep the family looking until she is safely tucked away in the blissful blanket of Alzheimer’s disease.

One thing mom knows is that, much like annoying children, there are already way too many dogs in the world. The one concession Savvy mom has won from her canine crazed clan is to look for a puppy at an animal shelter. As the profusely panting pack piles into the minivan, they begin their quest for the perfect dog. Halfway to the shelter, Savvy mom glances into her rearview mirror and notices her entire family has their heads sticking out the windows. She continues to monitor her family for the rest of trip and is quietly relieved she doesn’t catch them sniffing each other’s butts.

“Now remember,” mom stresses as they pull into the parking lot of the shelter, “We’re only here to look. It could take us years to find the right puppy!”  Before the car can come to complete stop, dad and the kids jump out the windows and begin an impromptu game of tag in the parking lot. Savvy Mom watches in disbelief as Dad chases after little Timmy, bites his sweatshirt sleeve and drags him to the ground. Worried that they’ll run into the road and get hit by a car, Savvy Mom whistles loudly and waves a roll of cherry lifesavers at the pack. The all come running to her practically knocking her down to get a tiny tidbit of her tasty treats.

Sufficiently calmed, mom starts walking to the door of the animal shelter with her husband and kids nipping at her heels. She can’t help but feel relieved as the door shuts behind them and the danger of the busy road is a fading memory. The noise inside the shelter is deafening. Loud barking, howling and growling fills her ears. She silently prays that her family will quiet down when they enter the kennel area so they don’t frighten the dogs.

As the heavy metal door swings open, the family scampers into the large kennel building. As far as the eye can see, there are rows and rows of kennels each filled with wide-eyed tail wagging dogs of different shapes, sizes and colors. Savvy Mom can tell her family is very excited not only by the expressions on her children’s faces, but also by the fact that her husband is unconsciously humping her leg.

After dumping a bucket of cold water on her husband’s head, Mom and the pack head for the first row of adorably, smelly dogs. For the next two hours the family sniffs out every corner of the kennel yelling to the rest of the pack, “Come here, look at this one,” “Mommy, this one likes me,” and the inevitable from dad, “Kids, look at the size of that poop!”

“Maybe we can come back next week and look again” mom suggested.  Screaming, crying and a major tantrum ensued. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the kids and mom were able to calm dad down. “Maybe we could look for a few more minutes,” little Timmy pleads.

As the family rolls around the corner heading to the last row of kennels, the kids all stop, “Look at this one! He’s so cute,” daughter Annie squealed. Timmy yelled, “He is so cool looking! I love the long hair.” Dad took one look at his feet, “Wow, look at the size of those paws! If he grows in to those babies, we’ll never have to worry about being robbed!” Savvy Mom is about to lay down the law and say no way, when it happens. Big Foot tilts his head ever so slightly. Then staring deeply into Savvy Mom’s eyes… he winks. “Did you guys see that?” mom asked excitedly. “See what?” said the kids.

After a long silence, mom breaks,  “I guess if we’re getting a dog, this one might as well be it.” Everyone begins screaming and hollering. In fact, dad is so excited, the only way Savvy Mom can settle him down is to lay him on the ground and scratch his belly.

As Big Foot and his new family jump into the mini-van and start their journey home, Dad asks, “I wonder what type of dog this is?” As mom thinks about that magical wink, she replies, “The perfect type for our family! Now wipe your slobber off the armrest and get your head back in the window. You’re scaring the puppy.”

** Is mom right? Did the Savvy Family find the perfect dog?

(A Better Way)

Did the Savvy Family find the perfect dog? The answer is… I don’t know. Maybe, but probably not. While there are many things to look for when selecting a puppy the ability to wink, in my experience, is nowhere near the top of that list. Imagine a year from now, coming home from a long day in the salt mines to find that your now 200 lb little bundle of joy has just eaten your favorite chair and is halfway through the sofa as you walk through the door. As shock turns to horror, the dog lifts his head and looks you in the eye… then winks. Everything’s all better, right?

In the world of instant gratification that we live in, it’s no wonder when we decide that we want something, many of us simply go out and get it… now. We tell ourselves that we’ll figure the rest of it out later. Speaking from experience, this strategy rarely works. Just ask my ex-wife.

Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that many families put more thought into selecting a brand of toothpaste than they do selecting a family pet. The irony is, in many of those families, I find the tube of toothpaste actually lasts longer than the dog does. Perhaps someday your children will learn what the CIA now knows, water boarding is not the best long-term solution.

It’s no wonder that some people make snap decisions when it comes to adding a dog to the family pack? I have a cousin who decided to have a baby because she loves how babies smell. Being the father of three boys I warned her that while children do continue to smell for a lifetime, that cute baby smell goes away on the second box of Pampers! Be careful what you wish for.

So, how should you go about picking the perfect puppy for your family? Great question, I’m glad I asked it. While I have no magic beans, there are some things you can do to greatly improve your odds of having a successful adoption. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of families training their puppies and dogs. Most call me when they realize that little wink thing isn’t working. Based on my experience, let me give you a few things to consider before you go out and thrust your family dynamics into chaos for the next 15 years.

The good new is, when it comes to canines, your choices are almost unlimited. 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 is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a happy ending to this four-legged story.

Before simply giving in to the kiddy water torture, take some time and ask yourself a few simple questions:

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 chances 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 they rush 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.

Where to find the right canine…

So where do you go to find the perfect dog for your family?  Unfortunately, there isn’t a single right answer to this question. If you ask your friends and neighbors where they got their dogs, I doubt you’ll get a consensus. There are many ways a dog can find his way to the foot of your bed. Keep in mind, adding a new puppy to your family should be an informed decision not an emotional one. That being said, I understand this is a process where it is very easy to get sucked in to making an emotional decision. After all, those puppies are so darn cute!

Listed below you will find the most popular places where you can acquire your next canine companion along with some of my thoughts about each.

Pet Shops: No one likes to admit they bought their puppy at a pet shop. It is common knowledge that these places are run by evil people. Like you, I learned this by watching the Oprah episode on puppy mills. Popular opinion is that anyone who supports these enterprises should be spayed or neutered without anesthesia. While there may be some truth to this, I don’t believe it is that black and white. There are an awful lot of puppies purchased every day at pet shops across the country. If the dogs coming out of pet shops were truly as horrific as we are made to believe, there wouldn’t be near as many of them as there are. That being said, know that pet shops are like Wedding Chapels in Las Vegas; it’s a place where emotional decisions are made.

When cruising the local mall, who can resist walking into the pet store to look at the puppies?  Seeing those cute little puppy dog eyes staring at you through the glass can rip a hole in your sentimental heart. One can only imagine how horrible it must be for this poor little puppy to have a chirping Cockatiel for a neighbor. Being the Good Samaritan you are, you know that for only $1200, you can swoop in and save this puppy’s pitiful life of living in a cage. Who knows, you might even get invited to be on Oprah.

Before you go and pull the trigger on your checkbook, take a look around. Is the store clean? Are the puppy’s cages clean? How much information on the puppy can you get? How old was the puppy when it left its littermates?  You should ask yourself these questions because you could end up dealing with the consequences of the answers for a long time.

The cleanliness issue deals with getting a healthy pup or a sick one. Newborn puppies are like Petri dishes for viruses and bacteria. More than one client of mine has brought home their perfect puppy from the pet store, only to have it end up at the doggie hospital for an extended period of time while it was battling Parvovirus or other dog diseases. When this happens, the kids are devastated and the $1200 you spent to buy the puppy is a drop in the bucket compared to having your new pup on life support for a week.

My other main concern about pet shop puppies is their age when they leave their littermates. In order to have a well-adjusted puppy, most research suggests not taking a puppy away from its mother and littermates prior to eight weeks of age. Puppies go through various stages of development and you really want them to get the entire eight weeks before you traumatize them by exposing them to your crazy household. While there is doggie Prozac, it’s usually much better if your puppy can make it au natural!

Can you get a decent dog from a pet shop? Many people do but many others have problems. Pet shops are certainly not my first choice.

Animal Shelters: Acquiring your next pet from an animal shelter is a noble gesture. There are far too many dogs out there already that don’t have good homes. Taking a dog out of a shelter and sparing it the death penalty makes us all feel good. My only concern here is that you don’t know what you’re getting. In many cases, the dogs are mixed breeds and you would need extensive genetic and DNA testing to unravel exactly the kind of dog you have. You also don’t know the dog’s prior history. Was he neglected? Was he abused? These are all important questions to ask, especially if you have children in your house. The bottom line is, you just don’t know. In my opinion, if I had small children in the house, I would never get a dog that I didn’t know its background.

You would think that with a dog guy like me in the family, no relative of mine would ever have a bad dog experience. Well, think again. Recently my niece called to tell me that her family (which consists of her husband, six-year old son and a new baby due in four months) was getting a dog. When I asked if they wanted help in finding the right dog, she said that her husband already found one. It turns out the husband, an Army Ranger just back from Iraq, always wanted a dog and had his heart set on a dog like him… a macho muchacho. While visiting a shelter he fell in love with a year and a half old intact male Rottweiler. He was told the dog was in the shelter because the couple he had been living with was getting a divorce and couldn’t keep their five dogs. He was also told the dog came from the very best bloodlines and had been raised with children.

To make a long story short, about a week later while my niece was chatting on the phone she heard a blood-curdling scream from the living room. As she ran into the room she saw this large dog from the finest background with her small son’s arm in his mouth shaking him from side to side. Needless to say, the dog is now back in a shelter and the family is somewhat traumatized by the whole ordeal. You can bet their next family pet will be a hamster or maybe even a pet rock.

I purposely left my usual wit out of this section to drive home a point. If you have kids, brining an adult dog into your house is very serious business. Do not leave unsupervised children alone with a dog you don’t know inside and out. This is not a story unique to animal shelters. It could be from a newspaper ad, an online rescue group or a stray dog that shows up in your backyard. If you’re not sure of the dog’s background, move on down the road and keep looking, you can always meet Oprah later.

Can you find a good dog at a shelter? With a little homework and some time looking, of course you can. If you’re an adult household, I don’t have any problem with you picking a shelter dog. If you have young rug rats running around your house and you like them, I don’t recommend it.

Newspaper Ads / Backyard Breeders: Local newspaper ads can sometimes be a good place to find a nice pet. The advantage here is that the majority of these ads are placed by local people that occasionally breed their own personal dogs. When you visit these puppies you are usually able to see the parents along with the puppies. In this situation you are able to observe the temperament of the father and the mother. You are also able to observe the puppies in relationship to the rest of the litter. Is the puppy you’re considering shy and reserved or bold and rambunctious?  Look closely; chances are his personality as a puppy will be his personality as an adult. Again, health is an important consideration here as well. Both of the puppy’s parents should be in good health and both should have had their hips and their eyes cleared for genetic defects.

If these conditions are met, you’ve greatly enhanced your odds of having a well-adjusted, healthy pet. If you end up with a screwed up schizophrenic dog, you can rest assured it is your fault not the breeders.

Professional Breeders: These are people that have devoted a big part of their lives to a specific breed of dog. They all believe their breed of dog is the absolute best. They are located all over the country and generally have multiple litters of puppies available throughout the year. Let me caution you, these people are serious about their dogs and are all just a little bit crazy. They invest a great deal of their time and money in trying to breed the healthiest dogs they possibly can. When you call to inquire about buying one of their puppies you are likely to be grilled like you’re interviewing for a job with Homeland Security. There is also a good chance they will make you sign a contract agreeing not to breed the dog you’re getting, unless they say its OK. By the time you’re done talking to them, you’ll be asking yourself why you don’t just go to the pet store. Hang it there and don’t give up. When you buy from a reputable breeder, they stand behind the dogs they sell. They will take the dog back if it doesn’t work out or a serious health issue arises. In my experience, professional breeders really do care about their animals and they want the best for them. This is not an emotional way to buy a dog. The breeders won’t allow it. Like it or not, they will make damn sure you know every possible thing about that breed before any cash trades hands.

One word of caution here, not every dog produced by a breeder is perfect. Be somewhat leery if the breeder says something like, “I have one puppy left, but I’m thinking about keeping it for myself.” Or, “I just had one puppy returned by someone who changed their mind.”  Two questions that would pop into my head are, “Why is this puppy the last one? And “Why was this puppy really returned.”  If the breeder can’t give you a comforting answer, seriously think about continuing your search. Searching for the perfect dog only takes a finite period of time. Living with an unstable crazed animal can last considerably longer.

To find reputable breeders, buy a copy of Dog World or Dog Fancy magazine and look in the breeder’s section. Breeders that are serious about their dogs advertise here. If a breeder is looking to make a quick buck, they’re not going to spend the money for an ad in these magazines. Pick up the phone and talk to as many of them as you can. You can also check online with the specific breed national associations. Many of these sites have lists of their breeders. The bad news with going the professional breeder route… Don’t expect to be a guest on Oprah any time soon.

Picking the Right Puppy: So what do you do once you find yourself in front of a litter full of ridiculously adorable bundles of fur? Again, put your emotions in your back pocket. You might think about picking the sad little puppy quietly sitting off by himself. Maybe this pathetic pup reminds you of your own troubled adolescence. Resist the temptation to try to save this unstable animal. After all, years of expensive psychotherapy didn’t help you; it won’t help this puppy either. The downside here is you run the risk of having an adult dog that is shy, skittish and may have a tendency to fear bite.

The other extreme is picking the most active dominant pup or the alpha dog. The alpha dog is in charge of everything. If you don’t have an alpha personality yourself, this dog will be in charge of you, your family and everything associated with you. When your friends come to visit you with their own dogs, you’ll have the sheer pleasure of learning how to break up dog fights. You will also learn how much money a veterinarian can really make.

After identifying the two most extreme puppies, take a close look at the remaining litter mates. Pick each puppy up and remove them from the rest of the pack. Examine their eyes, they should be clear and not runny or full of gunk (scientific term). As you’re holding the pup, roll him on his back and hold him there. He should struggle briefly then submit and settle down. Lightly touch and squeeze the pup’s feet and toes. He should object politely but not snap or bite at your hand. Set the puppy on the ground and walk away. See if he comes to you when you squat down, clap your hands and give him some embarrassing high pitch baby talk, “Dat’s a good baby, boy! Good boy!” Finally, stand up and drop your keys on the floor a few feet away from the puppy. He should startle but then show some interest in the keys. If he urinates and runs into the other room, check out the next puppy.

Spend some quality time with each pup and you will start to pick up on subtle differences. Remove the emotions from the equation a pick a pup that did not react to the extremes of your tests. Have I taken all the fun out of picking a puppy? If you think I have, try this.  Go visit the puppies by yourself, put them through your paces and narrow your choice down to two or three. Then, have the rest of your family come look at the puppies you’ve already picked. At this point, any of the pups that give your family that magical wink will be a good pick.

The Verdict: There is no 100% absolutely correct way to assure you of getting the next Lassie. Great family pets can come from all of the above-mentioned sources. Nightmare pets can also come from the same sources. That’s why it is so important to do your homework, leave the emotions on the kitchen table and do everything you possibly can to pick the right type of dog for your family. If you follow my suggestions, your chances of having a terrific new family member are great!

The Savvy Family picked their dog, Big Foot, in a completely emotional manner. Will this method have a happy ending? Will Timmy and Annie keep their blood oath pledge? Will Savvy Mom have to keep popping the Xanax? Will Savvy Dad start excitedly urinating on the floor when the doorbell rings? We’ll just have to wait and see.