July 2009 Weddings
reenie83
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Moms of Pups
So we're looking to adopt a doggy in the next few weeks (once I get out of school for the year). Not sure yet how old the dog will be; most in the shelters around here are between a month and 2 years old. If any of you have advice on what products are must haves or tips on training for those first few weeks, I'd love it!
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Re: Moms of Pups
Way more information than you need...
Small bite-sized treats for training are awesome. Keep them in your pocket or a fanny pack (haha, but really) and treat anytime they do what you want. We also keep a canister of them by our back door to treat Dex anytime he ignores the neighbor dog. When they were young we had bowls of them all over the house. Also, use hand signals with the verbal commands. Each dog is different, but Maggie is 1000x better for hand signals, and Dexter prefers verbal signals. So weird.
After my fiasco over the weekend, "Come" is the most important thing to teach them. We have also found "leave it" (to get them to put their attention back on you so you can divert them from something) to be very helpful. We use it to keep them from eating something icky on the beach to getting Dexter to leave alone the tree with a bird nesting in the hollow to just getting them to stop smothering someone.
As for toys, my dogs love rubber rings. One of ours is Maggie's baby and she likes to sleep with it and cuddle it. Dexter has fluffy toys that he babies. Ropes were great in the puppy stages, but once Maggie's adult teeth came in, she learned to shred them and digest the strings, which don't poop out so great... We also recently found wool toys, and they especially love the wool balls. I like them because they make no noise in the house when we play fetch.
We use rawhides to keep them occupied when we have company over and to prevent boredom on down days. We also LOVE nylabones, but you have to be careful they don't get them worn down too much. Once they start ripping chunks off we throw them out.
A trainer once told us that the best thing you can do with a new dog is get on the floor and rub their chest for 15 minute sessions multiple times a day. Rubbing their chest both shows them you are alpha and soothes them at the same time. We do this with Dex regularly still, and I can make him melt into a snuggly little baby even when he is all worked up over something just by starting to scratch his chest.
Another tip: when you react to something, they will react to it. It is of course nearly impossible to hide your emotions, but something to keep in mind. If I am worried or start to panic, Maggie starts to pace and eventually starts to whine and cry (our tsunami evacuation is prime example, she was inconsolable because I had a bunch of pent up panic and adrenaline/fight or flight rush that I was holding in to keep Pong clam, but she could sense it).
Also, trust your dogs instincts, within reason. Maggie barks differently or a stranger at the door (like UPS guy), a suspicious stranger at the door (like random salesman trying to clean my carpets), to a bear getting in the garbage. I don't know how she does it, but it's awesome. When we were almost broken into once (someone opened the front door late at night while we were home), Dexter reacted much more aggressive than how he does when someone just knocks on the door. Maggie also does more warning barks when David is at work and I am home alone, than when he is here. Freaky stuff, but dogs are smart.
Other awesome things we use:
- these bowls help them slow down when eating
- an absorbent bath mat under their water dish, they splatter a lot
- baby gates
- PediPaws to do their nails at home
- Vitamin E supplement (just an OTC one for humans) - we throw it in their food dish and they eat it just fine. Helps with their skin and coat
- ear cleaner - depending on what kind of dog you get, I highly recommend cleaning their ears at least weekly. We do Maggie's almost daily because she gets chronic ear infections (common for labs). The cleaner we use we drop into her ear and then massage the base of her ear and use qtips to wipe out the gunk. We have noticed a correlation between swimming and more gunk, so if you don't have a water dog it might not be an issue.
- Benadryl - yep, human OTC Benadryl. The recommended dose from our vet is 25 mg per 50 lbs of dog. So we only give one pill to each dog (they are around 60 lbs). Even this dosage is strong! We have given it to Maggie when she has puffed up from a bug bite or bee sting, and it knocks her out. Like dead to the world. Shake her and she doesn't wake up. We have also used it to sedate Dexter during rough days of his activity restrictions (like when he was so bored he started thrashing in his crate). I know some people use it on Fourth of July to keep them calm during fireworks.
- speaking of fireworks, we have found that when they are scared, a heavy blanket on top of them and a dark room calms them down. Every dog is different, but something to try.
- Oatmeal Shampoo - for dry skin
- Comfortis - flea pill from the vet. Only treats fleas, but since it's oral we find it lasts much longer than any topical stuff. We do this year round in Oregon.
- Vectra 3D - a topical pest treatment we use in the summer that treats fleas, tics, and other bugs. We have found it to be the most waterproof
- crate - we don't use them anymore, but we did when they were puppies and now its reassurance that we have one and they are comfortable with it should they have an injury or need it for some reason
- for food, we use Nutro... it's expensive, but we have special needs
- we also give our dogs fresh fruits and veggies as treats. It's cheaper, better for them, and they love it because they feel like they are getting human food.
- a Chuck It. Greatest.Invention.EVER.
- It took us a million tries to find a bed that Maggie wouldn't chew up. They had just blankets for a long time, and they would chew those too. I recommend going to a second hand store and just loading up on fleece style blankets. We now have a bed that is a fabric cover and not a soft or fuzzy cover, and so far no chewing.
I'll pretty much second everything Cole said.
When we got Finn we signed him up for a 6 week puppy/beginner's training class at Petsmart because Steve and I had no idea what we were doing when it came to training. I highly recommend taking a class like that if you can. You'll learn some great techniques and your pup will get socialization.
Google dog friendly resources in your area like dog parks, dog friendly beaches, restaurants, etc. It is always handy to know what is available around you and to provide different situations for your dog to socialize. The more socialized your dog is, the happier all of you will be.
Doggy daycare is also a great option for socialization and just to help keep your dog from getting bored if you have to be gone for a long time during the day. I know you said you would be getting your pup while you are home for the summer, but when school starts it might be worth it to send your dog once a week or so. It also really helps for them to be familiar with daycare if you have to put them in boarding when you go out of town. They are less stressed if they know the building and know they will have fun while they are there.
Take some time to research different types of dog food. It really is worth it to pay a little more for a good quality food. Setting up a feeding schedule is also a great idea.
I'm so excited that you are getting a dog! If I think of anything else to add I'll let you know. Can't wait to see pictures of your new furbaby!
ETA: we got Finn when he was 13 weeks old and hadn't been potty trained. We found the easiest thing to do was to take him out every two hours the first two days we had him (a weekend) to the same "potty spot" and give lots and lots of praise when he went potty. We also made sure to say "potty" a lot while we were out there so he associated that word with the activity. It worked really well.
During the week he would stay in his crate while we were at work, but even now he goes out to potty as soon as we wake up, right before we leave for work, as soon as we get home, and right before bed. Always. He has only ever had two accidents in the house and both times were because Steve and I didn't stick with the schedule.
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I think they covered it pretty well!
I don't know if it was just my dog or what, but the dog parks ruined him. Naismith was such a friendly dog and very outgoing until we started going to a dog park. He started becoming very possesive of Rusty and especially me. We no longer take him to any dog parks and every time we have people over we have to take him to our in laws. I would never take a dog to a dog park again.
My biggest regret with Nora was not taking her puppy obedience class, so I definitely recommend that! I had to scan through the other posts quickly but if no one mentioned Kongs, then definitely get those! You can either mush up food and put it in the freezer and then give it to them later, or you can put peanut butter in it and it'll keep the puppy busy for quite awhile!
I also recommend crate training for when you leave the house. Nora is the type of dog who tears up the house to get her energy out, so we crate trained her from the beginning and she goes in it at night and when we're not home. This past weekend I was laying on the couch and she actually went into the crate and laid down to relax, so she considers it a safe place. I've been told before the crate training helps too because some dogs get anxiety if they're home alone, thinking they have to protect the whole house, so having their own small space (either blocking them into one room, or putting them in a crate) can help relieve that anxiety. It really depends on the dog though b/c Dougie hated crate training and does fine being left out on his own (as long as there's nothing on the floor for him to get into lol).
TWO WORDS... Crate Training
Google it
I trained both of my girls that way. In the "potty training" days, each of them had ONE accident in the house. I also used the puppy pads for Cricket but didn't for Payton. It basically gives them a sense of their natural state, the "den" or the "crate." They sleep in their crate at night and it makes them feel more secure (also, neither dog cried much as puppies. It's a cycle:
Crate
Potty
Playtime
Crate
Repeat
Once the pup leaves the crate, carry him/her out to where YOU want them to go potty. You have to show them immediately where potty place is b/c they don't know. They'll just go whenever they feel the urge until you physically show them. Let them go potty immediately after eating, then into the crate and then potty again. It shouldn't take long.
Do not let "cute" things be "cute," like chewing up stuff. As a pup,they dont do a ton of damage, but if they learn it's ok, they'll tear stuff up as an adult.
A lot depends on the breed/size.
LOTS of play/run time... maybe dog park to socialize him/her (after the vet clears the pup with shots to be around other dogs).
Something to chew on... larger breeds go with the Kong
I probably have more but have to go.
I did think of two things to add...
we used a training harness to teach Finn how to walk on a leash. It is a soft harness that goes under the front legs and you clip the leash to the harness. If the dog pulls during the walk, the harness puts gentle pressure on the legs to prevent the dog from continuing to pull. It is a great way to teach them not to pull so they don;t accidentally chok themselves while walking on a leash with you.
We also used bitter apple spray on the one chair Finn decided to chew on when he was about 6 months old. It's cheap and you can buy it at Petsmart. It keeps the dog from chewing because it makes the item you spray taste bitter.
Also, Bed Head shampoo makes great smelling dog shampoo. It's amazing and relatively inexpensive.
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This sounds cheesy but watch Dog Whisperer, lol. He really does have good stuff.
The whole central theme of training is the idea of creating a master/submission role. You are the leader of the pack. You must keep it that way and not let the puppy run the roost. Personally, I dont allow dogs on furniture but I do believe you can be the leader if you want dogs on furniture but I also do a few things. Humans eat first, for example. In the dog world, the leader of the pack eats first. I also do not give ANY human food/treats to the dogs. First, it isn't healthy for them. Second, it teaches them what human food is and to want it (esp if it is like a 'treat') so then every dinner/human meal is a begging fiasco. So, my dogs just lay on the ground until we finish eating and then I feed them. Second, for puppies, do not leave them unattended, ever! If you have to leave them, crate him/her. The rule of crating is one hour for every month they are old up to a certain amount (that part is debateable). Once they are left alone, they learn new (mis)behaviors. You have to teach them the right way to do everything and can't if they are left to run the roost while you're gone.
Get the kind of food bowl like Cole said or at least one with rubber bottoms so they dont scoot it across the floor. I have these plastic "boot" things that are like a little doggie "placemat" b/c food gets everywhere, lol.
Have fun but remember you're the boss and the puppy is a student. Rules, routines and procedures go for them too.
Keep us posted on what you get!!
One more thing... do some research about breeds. While a lot of a dog's behavior is conditioning/training, there are certain traits for breeds that are common. For example, certain breeds shed more or bark more or need more/less exercise than others, etc. Beagles, for example, are very vocal and need a lot of interaction... I am pretty good with knowing breeds and if you google it, there are some online "quizzes" to see what breeds might be best for your family...
Personally, I'm biased to labs (as I think Cole is) but they are big dogs and need a lot of exercise so I wouldnt recommend them to certain lifestyles.
Petfinder.org can also help you find rescues in your area, including at most pounds/shelters.
Crate training is definitely something we'll be doing. It's great that I'll have the summer with the puppy, but sadly I'll have to return to work and so they'll have to get used to that. I'm a complete dork and already found a doggy daycare that Dan passes on his way to work everyday, so we were thinking of doing that maybe one day a week too.
We're looking at a beagle mix, so probably a medium sized dog. Although today I saw a beagle/shepherd mix that was adorable and those can get rather large.
I am loving all these ideas and I'm sure once the time has come I'll be asking for even more advice.
I would caution you away from beagles. They are known for barking and needing a lot of attention but shepherd mixes are good. Shepherds need exercise and do well with "jobs."
If you get a shepherd type, here's a trick... if they start getting rambunctious and full of energy (you know like the wound up energizer bunny), just throw a handful of dry food out in the yard. It'll take up physical and mental energy for him to search it all out.
Doggie day camps are awesome! Do it early-mid week so they get all that energy out. My girls will sleep for a full day after day camp!
If you do end up getting a shepherd mix, treat puzzles and aromatic treats will be your best friend. Finn has one and will literally spend 45 minutes playing "soccer" with us to get the treats out lol.
Good luck looking for your furbaby! Once you find the right one you will definitely know it.
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