Talk to me about getting a dog..

[rose angel]

DH has been hinting that he would like to get a dog at some point. I have never had a dog, and don't know the first thing about training them, picking one out, etc. Any advice? What should people think about before getting a dog? We have cats, but I am guessing dogs are different :LOL

[Ruthla]

Woof, woof, woof, woof.

Arf arf arf arf

Bark bark bark woof

Woof woof arf arf

meow????

[bri276]

It's a big decision.
-Small breeds will live up to 15 yrs, larger breeds will live up to 10 (in general), so it's a commitment

-Puppies will need to be housebroken, which is very time consuming and can be difficult. They need to be taken out many times a day for the first few weeks/months you own them. They have to have consistency and there will be some accidents, so be prepared to clean up poop and pee on your floor and sometimes furniture.

-They will also need to be trained to: not jump, not bite and chew on people and things, sit, stay, walk on a leash, and more.

-They have to be bathed, and if you have a dog with long hair, they need to be brushed and go to a professional groomer from time to time.

-They need people around. Bored dogs destroy things to pass the time. If no one is home all day, who will take the dog outside to go to the bathroom? Who will make sure it has food/water? Who will walk the dog late at night and early in the morning? Having a fenced in yard helps immensely, but dogs still need to be walked around the neighborhood from time to time.

If you decide you can handle all this, (in the beginning, having a puppy is a lot like having a 2 year old with sharp teeth), then there is the question of where to buy the dog and what breed is right.

Pet stores are notorious for buying puppies from "puppy mills"- places where dogs are bred to bitches who aren't well taken care of, the temperment and health of the parents is not guaranteed, and though most of these dogs have papers and are considered purebred,that doesn't guarantee you a good specimen of the breed.

AKC registered breeders (www.akc.org) will be a good bet on getting a good example of the breed you want. That website also explains the classifications of the breeds and which one would make the right pet for you. Size isn't everything, some small dogs need more exercise than certain large ones, and other things to take into consideration are the temperature of your area, the size of your home and yard, the amount of time you want to spend training (some are much easier than others), and if there is anything else you want the dog for than a pet. A dog that is bred to be a hunter or shepherd isn't going to be happy in a small backyard. A dog that is known to be easy going and lazy isn't going to want to run around the park all day.

Animal shelters are also fine places to get puppies and older dogs. Sometimes the only reason the dogs are there is because the owner moved or died- the dog is perfectly fine- or someone's dog had puppies they didn't want. You can even find purebred dogs in shelters. Thousands of them are killed every day. It's worth checking out.

sorry to write you a novel!!! just happens to be one of my areas of interest!!

[LilithParker]

Check out a breed guide first. Behavior, exercise needs, and trainability vary greatly depending on breed. I have this (which I got after getting my greyhound, LOL), and it's a good general guide to breed characteristics and for all the stuff you'll be thinking about (feeding, training, hygene, socialization, etc.).

Once you've picked your ideal breed, check out rescue groups and animal shelters. When you find a dog you like, have a staring contest. When it meets your eyes, don't look away. Stare as long as it takes to get a reaction. If the dog growls or moves towards you, don't get that dog. If the dog looks away, backs up, or whines a little, it's more submissive and willing to let you be the Alpha. This makes training much easier.

Next, do a touch-test. Pick up each paw and hold it for a minute. If you can do this without the dog squirming, nail-trimming is going to be a piece of cake. Pet the dog, rub its ears, touch its tail, and see if there's anything it doesn't like. Open its mouth and check its teeth. If you can hold its "lips" back and touch its gums without it squirming, brushing its teeth will be easy. If you can't, that's okay... you can work on it.

Finally, the compatibility test. Bring all of your other animals to meet the new dog before you buy/adopt it. The cats will probably not be happy, but as long as they're not screaming, you should be okay. If the dog snarls or acts like it wants to dig the cats out of their carriers, find another dog.

Once you find your dog, rejoice! That was the easy part! :LOL

My biggest tips:

- Train early, train often, train consistently, and have everyone in the household, even the kids (starting around age 4-5) help with training. If you're confused about training, get a clicker training video.

- Cheap food is not good, and good food is not cheap. If the ingredients list includes "by-products" of any kind, find another food. Foods with meat instead of meal or grain as the primary ingredient are better... the dog will get more nutrition from less food.

- Dog-proof the house. They can dig, they can chew, they can rip things to shreds if they want to. Be careful where you leave things, what doors you leave open, what food or chemicals are within reach... basically all the same stuff you do with kids and cats.

- Play! Set aside time each day to play with the dog. Dogs are social animals and they love you. Not all dogs like tennis balls or tug ropes... experiment until you find something your dog enjoys. Do not get rawhide bones; the chips and slivers the dog breaks off can get stuck in it's throat and do very, very bad things. NylaBones and similar brands are much safer. If your dog gets bored easily or has separation anxiety, get a Kong and fill it with peanut butter, cream cheese, or something equally tasty and sticky so the dog can focus on that for a while.

- Bad breath probably means plaque and/or tartar buildup. Time for a cleaning. Depending on the breed, your dog may need a cleaning every six months to a year, but you can lengthen that time a bit by getting a dental kit (complete with meat-flavored toothpaste) and brushing the dog's teeth every day.


Wow, that came out longer than I thought it would. I know it seems like a lot, but you'll get into a routine soon enough. Have fun!

[boricuaqueen327]

Previous posters have covered most of the bases great so I wont repeat that BUT i will say this, if you haven't had a dog before, you might want to check into a breed rescue for whatever breed you decide is best for you. sometimes they will have adult dogs that are already housebroken, know some basic obedience, and are used to being around people so it wont be as stressful as having a puppy that is teething, housebreaking, and has endless energy. Animal shelters are good places to find dogs too, i volunteer at our city's humane society and lots of the dogs are great, housebroken, and know basic commands. for example, there is a golden retriever there becuase his owner was deployed to Iraq and he had no wife or family to take him in. The dog is housebroken and knows commands like sit, down ,and stay. Something like that would be good for you guys if ou are weary of training a puppy yourselves.

Either way, dogs are great additions to your family. Good luck in your decision and good luck on your research too.

[coopnwhitsmommy]

Research Research Research.

[DesireeH]

It's a big decision.
-Small breeds will live up to 15 yrs, larger breeds will live up to 10 (in general), so it's a commitment

-Puppies will need to be housebroken, which is very time consuming and can be difficult. They need to be taken out many times a day for the first few weeks/months you own them. They have to have consistency and there will be some accidents, so be prepared to clean up poop and pee on your floor and sometimes furniture.

-They will also need to be trained to: not jump, not bite and chew on people and things, sit, stay, walk on a leash, and more.

-They have to be bathed, and if you have a dog with long hair, they need to be brushed and go to a professional groomer from time to time.

-They need people around. Bored dogs destroy things to pass the time. If no one is home all day, who will take the dog outside to go to the bathroom? Who will make sure it has food/water? Who will walk the dog late at night and early in the morning? Having a fenced in yard helps immensely, but dogs still need to be walked around the neighborhood from time to time.

If you decide you can handle all this, (in the beginning, having a puppy is a lot like having a 2 year old with sharp teeth), then there is the question of where to buy the dog and what breed is right.

I agree. Also, do you like to travel? Go camping for the weekend? Who will watch your pets? (This is my hardest thing.) It's nice to have trustworthy family/friends that actually LIKE dogs who can help (or a trustworthy kennel but this can be very expensive.) Other things to consider: is vet care going to be a burden financially? Food expenses, etc? My 2 dogs eat through a 22 pound bag of dog food a week (2 dogs)......that's over 50 bucks a month right there just for food (depending on what kind we buy.)

They are also rewarding and have lots of love to give but they are also ALOT of work. One dog was easier than 2 though.

I see you are in California, anywhere near LA? Have you check out the LA Boxer Rescue? They have some wonderful dogs and they come to you already spayed/neutered and sometimes housetrained. You can also get them a little older so they arent so hyper and in the puppy phase. LOL

http://www.boxer-rescue-la.com/Adoption/adoption.htm

(There are other breed rescues as well, boxers are just my favorite so I look all the time) LOL

[Ilaria]

All of the above! Puppies are a huge commitment!

Get a rescue dog or one from a shelter. There are WONDERFUL pet swaiting for an owner, their only fault being loser owners! I founded the lab rescue in AZ and we always had great dogs to adopt out...puppies, young ones, older ones...

[shannon0218]

I'm going to disagree with one statement made by a previous poster. You should NEVER, EVER stare down an adult dog you don't know. I don't care what kind of dog it is. If you don't know the dog it frankly tells you nothing about how this dog will accept your authority. If a dog is super submissive he's likely to back away/look away from a staring contest with a stranger--super submissive can lead to fear biting which is the reason for most bites incurred by children. Respect with a dog is earned just like it is with people, if the dog doesn't know you, he has no reason to respect you. If you met another human who on first meeting you immediately began bossing you around and establishing control before ever building any trust with you--if you did submit to his authority--would it be fear or would it be respect?? Many dogs that make excellent family pets, would not let a complete stranger stare them down. I can tell you right now I'd be very disappointed in my dogs if they allowed a stranger to stare them down. Just like a dog who doesn't know you should not make aggresive overatures, nor should a human just meeting said dog.

There are a number of books to help you with choosing a breed. I'm quite sure there's an US equivilant to the Dog's in Canada Annual. Also Paws to Consider by Brian Kilcommons, I believe Ian Dunbar also has a book out on the subject. An excellent book about dog ownership in general is How to be Your Dog's Best Friend by the Monks of New Skete

Some questions to answer first...

1) How much excercise are you willing to give the dog and where (ie, backyard, walk, dog park)
2) Are you willing to use a professional trainer?
3) How much grooming do you want to do?
4) Do you require a dog that doesn't shed or sheds very little?
5) What age are your children?
6) I know you haven't owned a dog before, but is your husband an experienced dog person?
7) Are there professionals around you can trust? (trainer, vet, kennel, dog walker, groomer)
8) What is the reason you would like a dog (ie, companionship, company while jogging, protection-does the dog need to actually be protective or would you be happy with an alarm bark)
9) If you travel, would you be able to bring the dog with you, kenneling at a good place is expensive (I know, I make a lot of money boarding dogs ) Do you have a friend who just can't wait for you to get a dog so they can look after it?? (hey it happens)
10) Are you willing to use a crate to help with housebreaking and are you willing capable of sometimes being a bit "mean" to establish dominence once the dog is in your home? If not, then the more dominent breeds or the super smart ones are not for you, because they will take over.
11) How are your children around dogs presently?
12) How much time do you have to spend with a dog?

[boongirl]

I would go to the library and check and out and reserve a bunch of books to read with your dc. It will be fun, you will learn a lot, and you will find out about all kinds of dogs. Then, maybe visit a friend who has a dog and ask to dogsit for a day or two. Start out slow. It is a life changing thing to bring a dog into your home.

[Livie'smomma]

I just got a puppy from a shelter a few weeks ago...just to give you my experience...we wanted a puppy because we knew it wouldn't come with much baggage and if we mess it up (which we hope not to do), it is our fault. We have done lots of reading on training pups and I think we are doing a good job. Our major issues that we are dealing with are 1) housebreaking and 2)the nipping. We are very fortunate to have a dog that signals us by going to the front door when she needs to pee/poo. If we don't see her there, sometimes we find a present on the carpet. We have been picking up her water bowl by 8pm and trying to let her out VERY frequently throughout the day and for the last time between 10 and 11pm. She sometimes has to go in the middle of the night (so one of us gets up and takes her out) but lately she has been holding her bladder until 6 or 7 am.

I have a 13 month old daughter and the nipping puppy has been a lot to get used to for her. She isn't crying as much from the barking or nipping as she did in the beginning which is probably both from getting used to the pup and the pup getting better about not nipping her so hard. I am constantly on guard because the baby is always trying to take out whatever the pup is chewing on, which causes the pup to nip at the absconded item, but sometimes gets her hand instead.

Occasionally I wonder what posessed me to get a pup with such a young babe, but it really is nice to have a dog that will grow up with my dd and with the other kids in the neighborhood. Hopefully they will all be good friends and we will get through this puppy addolescence unscathed.

Good Luck!

[LaLaLuna]

Three kids; you haven't dealt with cleaning up enough poop in your life?
:LOL

(this is the sad reason why I don't have a dog yet... not enough years since the diaper days)

[polka123]

also "THe Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete

(see Shannon just 1 more thing )

Pets are a lifetime commitment-never should they be disposible "if they don't work out"

ditto everything said by pps.

if tou decide to take the plunge, choose RESCUE.

look on www.petfinder.com for rescues in your area.

[tug]

just another plug for wonderful shelter animals and rescue dogs. my first mutt is from a san diego shelter. actually, a family got rid of her because she was too much for their kids (nipping, chasing, jumping) when she was THREE months! now, almost fifteen years later, she is a totally mellow angel with my 2 yr old. it was love at first sight. my second dog is a greyhound rescue. she is also wonderful and mellow, but scared of my 2 yr old. both my dogs were a little older and so were already potty trained. both still did some chewingin the beginning and had to be trained out of it. the mutt was pretty wild and took years and years of, as the pp said, consistent training. she eventually, at 7 yrs old, became a visiting pet for nursing homes and made lots of elderly people very happy!

i will note that my dogs don't get: bathed enough, shaved enough (hot summers for the mutt), clean enough bedding (that gets kind of stinky), walked enough, or played with enough (anymore, because of kids), so take into account what your energy level for a dog is as well. i totally love my dogs, but sometimes i feel overwhelmed by how many beings rely on me right now.

good luck.

[shannon0218]

Leslie--hang some bells on your front door at puppy nose level (sleigh bells are great as they are not a hazzard for your dd) before opening the door for puppy, direct her nose to the bells--she will soon learn that when the bells ring the door opens--this way you will have warning she is at the door.

[Emilie]

They are alot of work. Everything you do will take even longer- or you will have to do it more often.
That is what I have to say.
dog hair sucks.
Emilie

[chersolly]

You miss them when they are gone; the family bed is never the same without your pooch.

RIP Qui.

[mother nurture]

Originally Posted by Emilie

dog hair sucks.
Emilie

:LOL I say this everyday!!!! We have a mutt that we got from a shelter before dd was even conceived. He is GREAT!!!! So gentle w/ dd, we already got through all the house breaking, nipping, chewing, etc. that came w/ a younger dog. As far as the dog hair and germs...I was really neurotic when dd was born. Most of it has faded, but the dog hair gets to me. I have to vacum EVERYDAY!!!! Also, think about the commitment and the cost of having a dog. Best of luck...definitely research, like the other mamas recommended. My vote is definitely for a shelter dog. We had bad luck w/ older ones, but if you find a great adult, I'd recommend that over a younger one!

[PancakeGoddess]

A dog barking will wake up a baby. Just one bark is all it takes. Babies do not necessarily "get used to it." It wakes them up every freaking time.

[tug]

my dogs don't bark much, but it also doesn't seem to wake the kids up unless they're at the tail end of sleep time.

get something like a poodle and you won't have a hair problem. or, do what we do with our shepherd mix and shave him/her in the summer - no hair problem!

another vote for the great monks of skete!