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Dog Owner's Come in: I NEED HELP!
DH and I will be getting a dog in a few weeks. We know the vet we are going to use, but still need to choose a few other places for these things:
Doggy Daycare (won't be on a regular basis, just once in a while)
Dog Training
Pet Insurance
Your favorite dog parks and why
Any other places you use for your dog
I would love all the info you can give! I want to have some places chosen (or narrowed down), so that when we get interviewd by places, I want to be prepared for anything and look responsible.
ETA: I live in Anderson, so east side would be best, but please reply even if you place isn't on the east side.
Re: Dog Owner's Come in: I NEED HELP!
OOHHHH!! Dogs are so fine. What kind of dog are you guys getting?!
Doggy Daycare- never done it. However my SIL worked at Red Dog and loved it
Dog Training- Scott Nordgren. He does in home training and is absolutely amazing. He has trained all 3 of our dogs, including protection training for our GS. If you want his number, let me know. He's also on myspace under "in Home Dog Training".
Pet Insurance- don't use it. Don't feel it's worth it, but have never looked too closely into it.
Favorite dog park isn't really a dog park. It's a nature trail in Indian Hill/ Terrace Park called Redbird Hollow. It's the norm for people to walk their dogs off leash, so dogs get a lot of socialization and you get the pretty view. There's even a creek that pools up under a bridge at one point so the dogs can swim. You get exercise, too.
I get all of our food and treats from Newtown Feed and Supply. They will order anything you want, they carry better foods than you can find at Petsmart or any big chains, and I love that I can support a local business. However, if you MUST go to a chain sort of place, Tractor Supply is typically way cheaper than any of the pet stores.
We love the Otto Armleder dogpark. It's in the Linwood area. It is large, and they rotate between a couple of areas so it doesn't get too muddy.
I am currently using the Puppywood doggy daycare (275 & Montgomery). It is expensive, BUT you can often get gift certificates on half-offcincy.com, so basically I usually pay $50 for 5 days of daycare. This last time I paid $25 for 5 days of daycare.
We use Nutro dog food. You should look at the ingredients in whatever dog food you decide to use. The first two ingredients should be meat. They should not be corn or meal.
We used Petsmart for puppy training. The classes worked well for us, we have a very well behaved dog that walks off leash.
I highly recommend using a certified trainer. One of my dogs is um, difficult, and I am so thankful for the trainer's help. I went to this place (it's in Centerville so you want something closer) but they explain how to pick a good trainer. They used to have a day care too, too bad my stinker would get kicked out of day care!
http://www.pawsitivepetsolutions.com/cert.cfm
I've never used doggie insurance (not sure if it covers routine care-that's our biggest expense).
In Cincy I've used the Mt. Airy dog park (lots of shade, some owners who ignore their dogs) and the West Chester dog park.
Not really a place, but I would get a crate for the dog and some Kong toys. They'll save your sanity when the pup gets wild!
Just for what it's worth, be very cautious with Nutro. They've been known to change their "recipe" with no notice or warning and it has made a lot of dogs sick. They are also making their bags smaller and their prices higher. They had to halt production of their lamb food for awhile because the people they bought their lamb from, in New Zealand, refused to stop working with them.
We used to feed Nutro, but because the quality went downhill, we switched to Taste of the Wild. It is grainfree, roughly the same price, and the dogs eat less of it as it has no fillers. Just trying to be helpful, not bratty.
Daycare - We have used Camp Bow Wow in Blue Ash for a few years and they are wonderful but a tad expensive. One opened near us in Maineville called Four Paws which we like and is cheaper (though it's nowhere near you).
Insurance - www.gopetplan.com. We haven't had to make a claim yet but we made the decision that it was worth it for us.
Puppy Training - We went to a 6-week class at Petsmart which was good and the rest was self-taught (us, not Roxy!).
Dog Parks - We don't use them often. Roxy gets walked 2 miles nearly every day and I can't stress enough how important it is and how helpful it has been for us. Having said that, I did try out Wags which is near you (private = $). We got a 3 day pass and it was fun but we don't live close enough to even consider it.
Grooming - We take Roxy to Creative Pet Designs in Loveland and Julie is really good at what she does. $45 a visit.
Boarding - We don't board her much but we have tried both Red Dog and Camp Bow Wow. Red Dog has better kennels but I seem to recall it was more expensive than Camp Bow Wow. Either way, we won't board her at a place that doesn't have daycare at least 6 days a week.
Congratulations on getting a dog! I hope you guys are all really happy. Roxy changed my life, without a doubt, so I hope you guys have the same experience.
I don't really use any of these things. I have a 2 lb dog and I don't take her to doggy parks because I am afraid other dogs will be too big and try to play with her and wind up hurting her.
but... I do live on the east side and I have see Doggy Daycare on 125 right across from BW3's in Beechmont. I want to say it's $20 a day but that is all just here say so you will want to call to check that. I believe it's called Dog Days Daycare.
I trained my dog on my own and I don't use insurance, I have never looked into it thoroughly.
I do have to say have lots of chew toys ready when you bring home the puppy and be ready with some Resolve carpet cleaner. I think dogs are ALOT of work, but they are worth every minute of it!! Also, make sure this is something both you and DH want so you can share the chores, it will make your life and marriage so much easier.
AHHH!! I love animals! Can't wait to see some pictures of the new addition to your family
As for your question:
Doggy Daycare: Never used it, sorry I'm no help!
Dog Training: We did this ourselves. I had two weeks off (we were in school) and did most training during this time. Luckily MIL used to train/show dogs, so she really helped. I HIGHLY recommend training your dog to use "potty bells" Our dogs ring them everytime the need to go out!
Pet Insurance: We used Banfield (a vet located inside Pets Mart) for the first year. It covered all visit costs, vaccines, spay/neutering. I think we paid around $300 for one year of coverage. Well worth all those vaccines the first year!
Dog Parks: I can't remember which ones we went to when we lived there..sorry, again no help! I know we went to one in KY.. I will get back to you on the name!
Good luck with everything! Can't wait to hear all about your new dog!
You live in Anderson right? I have lots of suggestions for the east side!
To buy all of your pet supplies DO NOT GO TO PETSMART. Go to Anderson Township Family Pet Center. They are on Clough Road, and they are wonderful! They also do grooming and boarding.
We buy our dog food there. You want to buy a high quality, grain free dog food. IAMS AND OTHER DOGFOODS ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOUR DOG. We buy Dog Lovers Gold Dog food from Anderson Family Pet Center. It's a fantastic food and very healthy. It is for puppies and adult dogs. Our dogs LOVE it.
Also, we go to Otto Amleder dog park (or however it's spelled) on Wooster Pike near Beechmont. Our dogs love it there and generally all the dogs there are well behaved.
Lastly, DO NOT GO TO BANFIELD for your vet. We got to Batavia Animal Hospital in Eastgate (closer to Newtown, actually) and we are very happy there. Actually, we took Mia there because she had diarhea a few weeks ago, and the vet actually called me a week later to check on her. I thought that was fantastic service. I like it there very much. They also do boarding and grooming. I am going to drop my dogs off there for a bath and nail clip this week! (They need it!)
Thanks for all the info ladies! DH and I aren't sure of the type of dog we are getting yet. We are going to Pet Palooza at River Down's on Sept. 16th and hope to find a dog there. If we don't, we will begin a very extensive search.
We can't wait to get a dog! We've been waiting until all our summer trips are over, which they are now. Right now my parents dog eats Natural Balance, so I'm thinking about that. I'm glad to hear the information on Nutra, because we were seriously considering that food.
I've read up a lot on dog food, but haven't decided yet on which type. What I do know is that it won't be any of the food like Iams, etc.
We are planning on using Beechmont Pet Hospital as our vet. They are just a few blocks away from us and we have lots of neighbors who use them.
I'll make sure to post pictures when we get our furbabby!
my MIL is a trainer at http://www.positivepaws.net/PositivePaws.net/Home.html
her dogs are great so i assume she's pretty good!
i have never had a dog in my life so i don't know about any of your other questions.
happy hunting for your furbaby!
Congrats on making the decision to get a dog! It sounds like you're going to rescue, which is even better!
Now, to answer your questions:
Daycare: We don't use daycare, so I can't help you out there.
Training: We did training ourselves for our first dog. Our second dog we rescued was a wild man with no training or social skills, so we had to get a behaviorist. She was great, and after she came, he had learned enough to get private lesson training at Circle Tail - let me know if you want more details.
Pet Insurance: We don't have it, nor do we plan to get it.
Dog Parks: We used to go to the one in Mason a ton, but now there's one closer to our house near Little Miami High School.
Any other places: Our vet is Dr. Sieber at Hyde Park Vet Clinic - we can't recommend him enough. We moved about 25 miles north of Hyde Park and tried a different vet, but it didn't work out. We'll never use anyone else in Cincy! For boarding, we used to use PetSuites, but NEVER AGAIN. (Please PM me if you want more details.) We now drive up to Tipp City for boarding - the drive is worth it because they treat our dogs like their own and can even handle our wild man
A few more suggestions - if you're getting a puppy (a dog one year old or less), they cannot handle a pure protein food. If the dog is over a year, the pure protein food should be fine. The girls on the pet board are AWESOME and will be glad to steer you in the right direction with food, although it sounds like you've already done some research! ALSO, I can't stress enough the importance of DAILY EXERCISE for your pup - sounds like you've already thought about it though, by asking about daycare and dog parks.
Good luck and keep us posted when your little furbaby arrives!
I will ditto everything that brodiesmom said. Obedience training is good for pups, but you need to make sure to be consistent. When behavioral problems, creep up you will need a behaviorist on hand to help.
You can check out www.dogfoodanalysis.com for a list of dog foods that are 4 to 6 star foods. I wound not recommend any of the grocery brands - Eukanuba, Science Diet, Beneful, Iams, Purina, etc. Most are full of corn fillers, and your dog will poop a lot. I would hop over to the Pets board and get their opinion on what to feed your pup. I agree with brodiesmom - the ladies over there are AWESOME.
I wouldn't recommend going to Banfield, they are not only over priced but they over immunize. I LOVE our vet off of US 27 by NKU, they are awesome.
I will say to make sure to keep your dog exercised - physically and mentally. Walks are great ways to exert some energy, and some interesting toys help as well. Buster Cubes, Kongs, Tug a Jug, Treat Balls, etc. On rainy days when your dog doesn't want to go outside, you will be thankful you have these things.
GL with your puppy search!
I use or have used most of the resources that are recommended above at one time or another. If you don't find a dog to adopt at the event you're attending, consider Animal Care Center. They have several locations - we adopted both of ours from the Rt. 4 location in Fairfield.
If you choose a breed that has a strong prey drive (ie - husky, GS, rotts), I would steer clear of giving ANY stuffed toys. Once they learn to pull the stuffing out - which a teething puppy will learn quickly - they will not limit themselves to pulling the stuffing out of just toys. Our GS had her bedding replaced multiple times before we wised up and got her a carpet scrap. At 4-yrs old we were finally able to reintroduce a stuffed comfy bed about a month ago - so far, so good.
Finally, not to stir the pot - but I just want to say that it is completely possible to be passionate about what you feed your dog and all the reasons why your food choice is a good choice without slamming the choices of others. We feed Purina One, Purina regular, and Beneful mixes for reasons that we have considered. It is not that I am not knowledgeable about dog food - it is that we have chosen what is best for our household. People should be able to make choices that are good for them without being made to feel like they are abusing their animal for not choosing what someone else did when it comes to feed. If you know me at all, you would be well aware that I would NEVER make choices for my animals that I considered harmful to them.
Congrats to getting a dog! We have two and we love them. I look forward to seeing what kind you get. We have a black lab and then a basset hound/dalmation mix. Our lab is a great dog and we would get another in a heartbeat. Alot of black dogs get left behind and they consider it black dog syndrome. She is very loyal and loving. Our lab/basset is very hyper but is only 10 months old. She is a cutie and is still learning all the ropes but i have a feeling will also be a great dog.
What kind of dogs are you thinking of? We got our lab in the paper - free to good home. Our mix we got her at the fairfield vet office. http://www.animalcarecenters.net/adopt-a-pet. Just remember that with puppies, they chew ALOT! Anything they can reach if it be shoes, cell phone cases, your toes, electrical cords or your dinner. Just make sure you crate train them (I know it is hard but very it does help alot) and they need alot of safe chew toys. Kong toys are great!
Food - We use Beniful...the all natural kind makes out pups sick!
Doggy daycare - never used it.
Dog Training - need to start using it for our own puppy.
Pet Insurance - we also do not have this.
Dog Parks - Since we just moved a few months ago we are playing alot in our own yard till we find a good park as well. We are also going to be putting a fence up so we can let them run alot more freely.
Other places - for getting their nails trimmed we have used petsmart, but it seems we always have to remind them of something that is in the package. We are looking for a new place for this as well.
GOOD LUCK!
When I was in high school, we got my dog from one the Animal Care Center locations. She's an AMAZING dog!
I would like to add to this that we had a dog growing up that lived to be 18 years old. Yes - 18. We got her when I was in Kindergarten and finally had to put her down the year after I graduated from college. That dog ate purina dog food everyday of her life.