Archive for the ‘New Puppies’ Category
Can’t control the monster dogs!
February 17th, 2010
It isn’t something that many people mention to their friends but many people inadvertently allow their house to go to the dogs. Because of our busy lifestyles, training and maintenance of dogs can become a burden. Whether it’s housebreaking problems or simply puppy mischief, dogs can ruin a person’s life and they can ruin relationships and peaceful households.
Most people have no idea what I’m talking about right? Wrong! With the popularity of inside dogs and dog children, many people don’t know how to control the dog situation in their homes.
While dogs range in their levels of innate naughtiness, it is always the owner’s job to rein it in and make living together possible. Moms really shouldn’t expect the kids to do (any of) the cleaning. Face it when we were eight, we all said we’d take care of the puppy but did you really mean it?
The best way to keep the house livable for humans is to confine the dogs and limit the areas they have access to when home alone.
Housebreaking
Dogs pooping and peeing in the house is a huge problem. If dogs are completely confined to the house for 10 hours, how can it be expected to hold it? And when the dog finally gives up and goes, that spot becomes the designated ok to poop in spot. And there the battle is lost. Doggy will think of that spot as a good spot to go in until he is corrected.
The easiest way to prevent doggy from deciding to hell with housebreaking is to come home early and take doggy out at lunch. As most people, myself included, can’t do this it becomes a real challenge to completely housebreak a dog when leading a busy lifestyle with no accessible yard. In my life, being busy often leads to inconsistency, which leads to problems with my dogs which then leads to everyone hating me.
If puppy needs to be left unattended for an extended period of time, he should be confined to an appropriate area with access to water, shade, and a bathroom. Appropriate areas may include an outdoor dog run, a securely enclosed yard, the kitchen (if you’re willing to clean), a patio, a dog pen or anywhere that is easy to clean, safe, and ok to get dirty. A puppy pad or toilet can help to confine mess that makes life unbearable but frankly those get old.
When the humans come home, dogs can come out and play but when they are unsupervised they need to be in an area that is puppy proof and easily cleaned. The dogs will be safe and for our sake only allowed to destroy their own space.
100% of poop being made outside is of course the ideal but if that isn’t looking possible right now, the easiest thing to do is to quarantine it.
Naughty dogs
As I’ve written before, Eppie is a naughty and curious dog. And while I am endeared to her because of that, it also creates a lot of messes. She likes to open things and spread things everywhere! My dog are allowed free reign down stairs and I always move everything that I do not want destroyed or eaten at least five feet off the ground.
Ideally, when a naughty dog is left alone it should be confined to a sparsely furnished room with easy to clean floors. In my home, grout is my worst enemy as is the carpet! Leave only dog items in the room that are allowed to be chewed, scratched, or otherwise maimed. Let me be the first to tell you that leaving cardboard, a crocheted blanket, human food, or anything else fun in the room will most likely result in a tornado. Don’t leave the dog in the garage if the garage is the designated storage area!
I suppose after all of that my message is that some people have problems living with their dogs. The true goal of co-habitating is to set your dog up for success by limiting their ability to wreck the whole house. Remove all valuables and food from reach and make a designated pet potty if needed. It isn’t the dog’s fault that there was so much to be played with!
Holistic Housebreaking tips for a new puppy
February 10th, 2010
A new puppy almost always begins a relationship with its owners by peeing on the floor. Occasionally, they leave even more considerate gifts for us. It isn’t really puppy’s fault that that spot happened to be convenient for peeing! But either way, new family members need to be housebroken or retrained.
When getting a previously house-broken dog, it is wise to expect a few mistakes in their first few days as they’ve just been uprooted from their former lives. Try not to let the new dog wander over anything that it would be a tragedy to pee on. This goes for puppies too. Expect a few mistakes as they don’t have the best control over their bladders yet. Doggy needs to learn where exactly is appropriate for its private business.
The best way to remove poop from inside and coax it outside is to have a regular schedule that includes walking. Feeding dogs at the same time every day sets them up for a regular pooping schedule then a walk will help move it all out before you leave for work. The physical activity seems to warm everything up. Walk morning and night.
Certain new foods may create upset stomachs when feeding home cooked foods. Keep a stable diet for dogs during housebreaking, limiting the amount of new foods. When a new diet is being introduced make sure to allow for ample opportunity to go potty while you are home! If fed in the morning, may it not come as a surprise that puppy couldn’t wait!
Even worse than poop, pee travels along floorboards and grout lines. It stinks and can be hard to clean. When home do not allow dogs that are not house broken out of sight and take them to the designated grass every hour at first. Most dogs will not pee right at your feet and if it does, it can be interrupted and taken to the right place. Be conscious of bathroom body language like sniffing, crying, or circling or the beginnings of a squat. If there are mistakes, clean them up and remove all smells that may encourage a repeat offense. Once puppy knows the house is not for peeing, she will know to hold it.
The most important part of housebreaking is schedule and consistency. Dogs need to know that you are coming back and that they should wait for you to come home. They need to know someone really is coming home and the house is in no way a bathroom! If the dog will be home alone for an extended period of time, it may need a doggy toilet (puppy pads etc) but walking and taking the dog out regularly minimizes the amount of poop and pee that goes into that area. I promise this will make your life easier! And if not there’s always crating.
What does Dog Registration Even Prove?
January 13th, 2010
Registration is one indicator of a responsible breeder of pure bred dogs. Many people believe that registration is the paramount of a well bred dog. It is not. It is only a first indicator when trying to find a good dog.
Just because a dog has papers does not mean that it is a great example of the breed. Dog registration and pedigree depends on the integrity of the breeder. Breeders report who the stud is and if the dogs are truly pure bred. If a breeder lies, it is very likely no one would ever be able to prove it in time. A pedigree is commonly misunderstood as proof of breed but it is only a record of ancestors who may or may not have been of the breed.
Don’t believe every registry. Not every registry is worth the same. Many registries are nearly worthless at proving a dog is pure bred or as an indicator of a well bred dog. Some deceptive breeders can use papers to trick a potential buyer into thinking the dog is pure bred and consequently paying more. Several registries like the Continental Kennel Club (CKC not to be confused with the reputable Canadian Kennel Club), and APRI will register mixed breed dogs as a “dog breed”. If one doesn’t look carefully a dog may indeed be registered but as a fake breed like a “Hawaiian Poi Dog”. These two registries are often used by puppy farmers who want papers but cannot remain in good standing with more reputable registries like the AKC or UKC that require genetic testing.
Breeders who are serious about their dogs will probably have dogs registered with the AKC, UKC, CKC (canadian!) or maybe the KC(Britain). Many of these establishments will conduct breeding facility inspections as well as DNA testing. Registration is also needed to participate in conformation, a sport that many reputable breeders use to choose dogs for their breeding programs. These breeders also should not offer every puppy under “full registration”. Not every puppy should be bred, only those that are healthy (genetic testing completed), of correct conformation, and are correct in temperament should be bred. The pet quality puppies should be offered with limited registration which protects the future of the breed by limiting those whose descendants will be recorded. Dogs sold with limited registration also usually come with a spay/neuter contract.
If one has the option to register a puppy, please do. With the AKC, a registered puppy qualifies for a free year of health insurance. It also allows the dog to participate in fun competitions like agility. Recently, the AKC has begun to register mixed breed dogs so that they may also compete in sports. These mixed breed dogs are not registered for conformation competition or for breeding so don’t be fooled if the breeder says the dog is “registered”! Signing a contract guaranteeing the type of registration that will come with the puppy can protect both the buyer and seller.
When I hear, “Pure bred dog. Parents have papers but puppies do not”, I always wonder why not? It isn’t like trying to roll over your 401k or getting a doctors appointment in Canada. Registering a litter could be done right from your computer. It really just makes me think that the breeder just “felt like” having puppies, or an accident, or wants to make a quick buck. If my dog has no papers I don’t care what it’s parents had it’s very nearly a mutt and I would not pay for that! Not to mention, it is way more trouble to go down to the vet and get all of the proper medical clearance needed for breeding than register a litter…
As stated earlier, registration does not guarantee anything. It can be used as a tool to decide if one wants to pursue a relationship with a certain breeder but the most important tool is to learn the correct conformation of a breed and what questions to ask. If one knows what the dog is supposed to look like, there is less of a chance of being fooled by a money-grubbing breeder.
Pure bred vs. Mixed Breeds
January 8th, 2010
Dogs of any decent can be great pets granted that they are raised properly and trained. There are advantages to both. Pure bred dogs have been selectively bred over many years to achieve the look and temperament of the dog. Mixed dogs may be perceived as being more healthy than pure bred dogs. With the vast majority of dogs being of mixed heritage, there are more mixed breeds that need rescue.
Pure bred dogs have been designed over many generations to have a distinctive look and personality. They have been purposely selected to do certain jobs ranging from herding to warming the laps of royalty. In some dogs, it is inevitable that the traits bred into them will emerge even if they are not in, say, a herding environment. The advantage to all of this selective breeding and the homogeneity of pure bred dogs is that a potential owner will have some idea what to expect.
When dogs are cross bred between different breeds this advantage is immediately lost. The dogs do not necessarily inherit both of the good aspects of its parents. One possible example is the American Mastiff. From what I understand, the American mastiff is a cross between a traditional English Mastiff, known for its size and amazing drooling ability and the Anatolian shepherd, a dog prized for its guardian instinct and lack of drooling skills. The hope of this combination is to create a dog that is large like an English Mastiff but without the loose lips that contribute to the excessive slobbering. Anatolian shepherds are fairly primitive dogs that are used for guarding flocks in central asia. They are smart and think for themselves. They also are known for their aloofness and caution of strangers. This wariness of humans combined with the massive size of the English mastiff (up to 200 lbs) could be a disaster waiting to happen. While some puppies in a litter may have the combination of desired traits, not all will and some may be combinations that are particularly unwanted.
Buying mixed breed dogs is a waste of money. People who sell dogs as “designer puppies” are full of crap basically. In the end, the puppy is a mixed breed that should not command the full price of a registered pure bred. I’ve seen these dogs advertised as “rare” and sold for $2000, more than even the majority of pure bred dogs. Often the people who sell their dogs as mixed breeds are selling irresponsibly small dogs (under 2 lbs). Commonly, a chihuahua is crossed with a non-shedding breed of dog to produce an uncommonly small, non-shedding dog. That doesn’t mean the dog will be hypoallergenic OR small. With such a high demand these dogs will continue to be produced and people will continue to be take advantage of.
Buying mixed bred dogs from people who were too lazy to get their dogs fixed encourages the continuation of the breeder’s irresponsible behavior. They are known as back yard breeders. This isn’t to say that all pure bred dog breeders are responsible. The vast majority of dog breeders breed dogs for the wrong reason. The ONLY reason to breed dogs if for the betterment of the breed. For this reason, finding a reputable breeder is incredibly important. Examples of bad reasons: money, “I want my children to see the miracle of birth”, by accident, I think my dog is awesome. And seriously people do actually use that last reason.
Many pure bred dogs do have health problems. This might be a reason for some people to prefer a dog of mixed heredity. The gene pool of pure bred dogs is understandably narrow. Maybe only one puppy per litter was utilized in a breeding program or one champion stud was used multiple times to sire puppies. This leads to a concentration of unwanted genetic problems in certain breeds of dogs without proper testing. Under the argument of hybrid vigor, a mixed bred dog will be stronger than its pure bred counter part if it is truly a distant genetic mixing. However, any dog that has a smashed (brachycephalic) face will have some level of breathing issues even if it is a mixed breed. Any large, deep chested dog could suffer from bloat. Many health problems can be traced to the actual anatomy of the dog regardless of its heritage.
If one decides to adopt a mixed breed dog, the most responsible course of action is to adopt a dog from the local pound. These dogs need homes and exemplify the problem of over breeding dogs and the over population that results. Besides, the dogs there may have been the dog that that breeder was trying to sell you for 400 dollars!
Adult dog or a puppy?
January 6th, 2010
Let me just state now that I am a huge advocate for the adult dog. They are under appreciated and considered less desirable than puppies and besides puppies don’t need any help to find a new home.
I once suggested to a friend that they get a grown dog from the pound over purchasing a new puppy. I explained the reasonable evidence that this was a great option for her particular life style. I was quickly rebuffed and dismissed with the phrase “My dogs have been with me since the beginning and I don’t want a dog that wasn’t”. I had to bite my tongue to not snap back that , well, look at your dogs. A dog some one else raised couldn’t be any worse (one of their dogs ate all the wood in their house, yes including the walls, gates, and chairs!).
Many people prefer to get a puppy dog over an adult dog. Puppies are cute and lovely and fluffy and everything they do is adorable. There are many exciting factors in getting a new puppy but there is just as much value in adopting an adult dog. Many adult dogs are dogs who need a new home out of necessity. They’ve been evicted and cast out of their family! They really need a friend and would be forever grateful for a new start. A good dog can quickly settle into a new home without too much trouble.
If you as a new owner have limited time or money, please consider adopting an older dog. Puppy’s require a lot of care. Puppies often need to be house broken, socialized properly, fed multiple times a day, crate trained, and taken to puppy school. The vet costs of a new puppy are also very high. In its first year, a puppy will need to be dewormed at least twice, given three sets of puppy shots, evaluated for any problems or congenital disease, and get fixed. Some possible other medical expenses that are more likely to be incurred during puppy hood are fixing hernias, hip and joint xrays for large dogs especially, baby teeth removal, or stomach tacking to prevent bloat.
Older dogs frequently come house trained and socialized. An adult dog usually has a developed temperament and is fully grown so you know exactly what to expect. They also are passed their puppy terribles. Any dog can bond with its owner no matter what its age. Older dogs are frequently rescues and you will be saving a life! Not to mention, an adult dog usually commands a lower price tag and with the exception of catching up on vaccines or a teeth cleaning need much less vet care than a puppy.