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  to the New and Improved Pet Island Puppy Thread. Please take 30 seconds to review the thread rules and the post outline below. The outline will help you quickly find answers to specific questions in many cases, or at least allow you to frame your question in an appropriate context. Instant Jellyfish and I have spent a number of weeks planning and writing this thread so I hope you will all find it informative and helpful. I’d also like to say thank you to the other individuals who contributed.  Please remember, no one (with few exceptions) posting in this thread is a vet, and the few that are will NOT be giving you formal veterinary advice on your pet online. This means that everything said should not be construed as professional or veterinary advice, but rather the words of some dog nerds on the internet. If you are in doubt or are concerned about your pet, please seek professional help from a licensed veterinarian or behaviorist.  There are only three very basic rules for the thread, and they are very easy to follow, so it should not be hard to keep them in mind as you post. Khelmar and Bamzilla have read and approved these rules and stated that violations will result in bans. You have been warned.
pre:I. Introduction
a. Welcome
b. Disclaimer
c. Thread Rules
II. Are you ready for a puppy?
a. Lifestyle & Relationship Status
b. Household
c. Other Pets
d. Costs
III. Finding Your Puppy
a. Breeders vs. Adoption
b. Finding and vetting a good breeder
c. Finding and vetting a good shelter or rescue organization
d. Things to specifically avoid when finding your dog
IV. Choosing Your Puppy
a. Matching a breed to your lifestyle
b. Volhardt Aptitude Test
V. Before You Get Your Puppy
a. Picking out a crate
b. Appropriate Puppy Toys
c. Training Tools
d. Dog Food
i. Foods/Items to Avoid & Common Poisons
ii. Choosing a Food
e. Home References & Books You’ll Want
f. Picking out a veterinarian and a trainer
VI. First Weeks at Home
a. Crate Training
b. Playtime
c. The Basic Tricks
i. Name Game
ii. Sit
iii. Down
VII. First Two Months at Home
a. Socialization & Puppy Kindergarten
b. Vaccinations
c. Spaying & Neutering
VIII. Common Problems
a. Housetraining
b. Mouthing/Biting
c. Inappropriate Chewing
d. Diseases/Parasites
e. The Multi-dog HouseholdMrFurious fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Mar 14, 2012 |
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Mar 11, 2012 18:07
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 Before you get a puppy, you should consider very carefully whether, firstly, a dog of any kind is appropriate for your situation, and secondly, if you are truly prepared to handle a puppy. As an owner, you have a responsibility to care for your animal and make sure that its needs are met. Each of us approaches this differently, but we have tried to assemble a basic checklist to establish if your situation can accommodate a puppy. If your situation doesn’t lend itself to a puppy, you should consider adopting an older dog from your local shelter.  Puppies require a great deal of supervision. This can be overwhelming for a single person to take on, unless they have a lifestyle that lends themselves to being available for the majority of every day. If you work a standard 9 to 5 job, or anything that resembles it, this is very, very unlikely to be you. Lots of people think that they can come home on their lunch break to let the dog out to go to the bathroom. If this describes your situation, chances are high that you do not have the time to dedicate to a puppy. Unless you are willing to pay for doggy day-care or a daily dog-walker, you should reconsider getting a dog. Leaving the dog out in the back yard all day while you are gone is not a responsible solution. If, instead, you are a college student, you may have gobs of time on your hands, but a puppy is still a poor choice for you at this point in your life. In a few short years, your life will be upended as you move on to a career. This can be a very stressful time for you as an individual so just imagine what it can do to your dog. Couples with a long, stable relationship can be fine, but in the event that you are not married, it is imperative that one of you be the primary owner/caretaker and that the necessary registration records reflect this. I personally know breeders that will not sell to unmarried couples simply because of the obvious concern over long term stability for the dog. Military personnel should also consider their lifestyle. If you work long or rotating shifts, that is additional stress on the dog when you are not away, in addition to more time he has to wait to be let outside or be fed. New orders come every few years, which can easily be a cross-country move, or worse. Travelling with the dog is often difficult for both of you, and can be extremely expensive. Worse, if you’re being stationed overseas, you’ll frequently have to complete quarantine procedures for the animal. The details of this vary from place to place, but it can range from staying at home with you and avoiding all other animals for 6 weeks to being placed at a shelter for up to 6 months.  You also need to consider your living arrangement. Obviously, the ideal situation would be with a married couple who own their own home, but it isn’t essential. Here are some dangers to watch out for: Roommates If you live in a situation with roommates, a puppy is a poor choice for you. People have been known to make it work, but it tends to be difficult for everyone. Sit down and ask yourself if you really trust your roommates to be alone with your new family member. If these individuals are responsible adults, everything could be gravy. If your roommates are college students who are regularly taking bonghits and throwing parties, these are not good housemates for your puppy, and it’s just a matter of time until something unfortunate happens. Apartments Apartment living with dogs is possible -- I currently do it. But it is not ideal. Bear in mind that your new friend, especially if he or she is a puppy, will do damage to the property, whether that means tearing up the carpet, the walls, or the cabinetry. You will be held financially responsible for these damages. Also, apartments frequently have breed restrictions, so make sure that you check into this with your landlord and understand the rules. Attempting to cheat the rules can get you evicted. Lastly, bear in mind that apartment neighbors are closer to you than neighbors in a home, so you are more likely to have noise or other complaints about your dog, or neighbors that constantly disturb your dog while you aren’t home, leading to problems such as separation anxiety.  The other cohabitants of your home need to be taken into account as well. If you have 3 cats already that don’t get along well with dogs, a puppy is going to cause a great deal of strife at home and isn’t fair to your other pets. Likewise, keep in mind that young children can be rough on animals. A rambunctious toddler can terrorize a young puppy and cause a great deal of behavioral trauma that may become a lifelong problem.  Dog ownership is expensive. I have seen estimated yearly costs of ownership ranging from $200 to $500 and I personally believe these to be very low. These costs vary with the level of care you are going to provide as well as the source of your puppy. A shelter adoption can be as low as $50 for the animal, whereas a well-bred puppy can easily cost you $1500. That doesn’t even include the first year vet costs, toys and other necessary items you’ll have to purchase. When my wife and I adopted our puppy two years ago, we put together a detailed budget to cover all the items we expected to buy in the first year and all of the yearly recurring costs. We ended up being very, very close to our budgeted numbers. Our budget predicted that first year costs would be roughly $4500 and yearly costs thereafter would be roughly $1500. Ask yourself very, very seriously if you can afford to take on a pet. Sacrifices can always be made, but that doesn’t mean it is the wise decision to make. Lastly, if you are looking to save costs on ownership, an easy place to do so is on dog food -- that doesn’t make it right. You shouldn’t feed your dog the cheapest quality kibble for the same reason that you shouldn’t be eating every meal at Taco Bell. Additional sources: http://www.aspca.org/adoption/pet-care-costs.aspx http://www.akc.org/pdfs/press_center/costs_of_dog_ownership.pdf
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Mar 11, 2012 18:07
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  If you have decided a puppy is going to be totally worth the lack of sleep and destruction of personal property, you now get to start the process of choosing your new addition. This dog is going to be a part of your family for the next 10+ years so it is in your own best interest to put a lot of thought into where you acquire your puppy. While the little cockashipoo in the pet store window looks tragically adorable there is a good chance it will bring you nothing but heartbreak and financial woes in the long run. The best places to find your future puppy are at an animal shelter, rescue, or responsible breeder depending on your needs and desires. Despite common perceptions, PI loves it when people buy puppies from breeders as long as the breeder is responsible. If you have very specific requirements for a puppy, want to be certain of a puppy’s background, are dead set on a breed that is uncommon or may not have an appropriate temperament if from an uncertain source, can wait for a litter to be bred that suits your needs and are willing to spend more (think up to $2,000+ for some breeds), then a good breeder might be for you. If you are more flexible in your requirements and mostly just want a good family dog then look into a rescue or shelter. It’s cheaper, often comes with some veterinary care, there are always puppies available somewhere, and you get the warm fuzzy feeling of saving a life. Shelters and rescues even occasionally have purebred puppies available if that is something that is important to you, especially for common breeds such as labs, hounds, chihuahuas etc depending on your area.  If you’ve decided that a puppy from a breeder is just what you need, you need to take the time to go find one. A good place to start is googling [breed] club of [country/region/state]. Many breed clubs have lists of breeders that ascribe to a certain code of ethics or have individuals who have volunteered to help potential puppy buyers find breeders in their area. Just remember that being AKC/CKC/UKC etc registered means nothing about the quality of the dog so you will need to look closely at any breeder recommended. Many people in PI love nitpicking breeder websites so feel free to post and ask us our opinions. Just be willing to listen to what we might have to say. Another good way to find a breeder is to attend shows or working competitions that feature the breed of your choosing. This is especially true if you are looking for a puppy from working lines or you are hoping to become active in a particular sport with your future puppy. While you are there talk to the participants, get to know the lines that are common in that event, and ask for breeder recommendations when you have a good idea of what you want. Volunteering for events is a great way to begin to get involved in a breed community and be sure that that breed is going to fit in to your lifestyle. Once you think you’ve found a good breeder you’re going to want to ask them a bunch of questions. Breeders are notoriously bad at the internet so don’t be surprised if they want you to call or meet in person instead of going through email. A good breeder is going to be judging you just as much as you are judging them so be prepared to do a lot of talking before a puppy even comes in to the picture. Also keep in mind that a breeder may suggest that a specific breed is not suited to your lifestyle. Understand that they have a lot of passion towards a breed and want the best for both you and their puppies. Here are some questions you may want to bring up when you think you have found a good breeder:
If a breeder will not allow you to meet the dogs in their possession or see their breeding environment, alarm bells should be clanging in your brain. Additionally, a good breeder will only send home a puppy between the ages of 8-16 weeks. If the breeder is focused on doing their own socialization for their puppies, this will change to 12-16 weeks, but this is both rare and, in general, the sign of a good breeder.  If you’ve decided to rescue a puppy, good for you! There are a number of different options for adoption to consider.
Animal Shelters When you adopt from a shelter you may not have any background on the puppy, especially if it is brought in without a mother. You may not know what its personality is going to be, or what size it is going to grow to, or what early experiences it might have had before it got to the shelter. It may need to be neutered/spayed and vaccinated before it is released to you no matter how young or you may just give someone your cash and get a puppy in return. It all depends on the facility. A puppy from the shelter may be more likely to have an undiagnosed illness than one that has been in a foster home so you should take it in for a vet check within 24-48 hours of adopting it (this is a good idea and often a requirement no matter where you may get a puppy). Those might all seem like big giant cons against adopting a pound puppy, but the pro is that you are honestly saving a life. Even puppies are at risk of getting put down at many shelters due to crowding or easily treatable illness. Be aware that just because a shelter claims a “No-Kill” policy does not automatically make it a good shelter or resource for pets, care or information. In some cases, this policy prevents them from euthanizing terminal animals such as the cat that was run over by a car and has no chance to survive. Instead he will spend hours in pain before he slowly dies. Shelters who euthanize and are staffed by good volunteers and employees are that much more motivated to adopt healthy animals into good homes. Private All-breed rescues Private rescues are less likely to put down puppies in most circumstances and many use foster homes to get to know the personality of the pups before they adopt them out. They generally have received vet care and are less likely to have an undiagnosed communicable illness like kennel cough. A rescue may have more information about the puppy’s background but may have just picked them up from a shelter to give them a better chance. If you live somewhere with strict breed or size restrictions a puppy from a shelter or rescue may not be the best choice for you as there is no guarantee that the little puppy will grow up to fit those restrictions. There is a big difference between an Australian shepherd, a Catahoula leopard dog, and a Chihuahua as adults but they all might look like a little blue puppy potato at 8 weeks. If you have size or breed restrictions you may want to look for an older pup so you have a better idea of what they will look like as an adult. Puppy adoption fees from rescues may be higher than those of older dogs but those funds generally go directly to helping more dogs in need. Breed Specific Rescues Breed specific rescues are a good option if you have requirements or limitations in what breed or size of dog you can have but still want to rescue. They are a lot less likely to have very young puppies available, but may have young dogs that have hit the age of being a butthead or have worn out their cuteness. With a breed specific rescue you may have a higher adoption fee and a more rigorous application process but you are much more likely to get a dog that fits specific needs such as size, shedding, and temperament. Red Flag Indicators Some rescues are actually a front for backyard breeders or puppymills. Here are some red flags that may indicate that a rescue is not what it seems.
 Puppy mills and pet stores Puppy Mills or Puppy Farms are prevalent throughout the world. Here dogs are housed and treated like livestock and puppies are sold to anyone who will produce the cash. They may sell puppies directly to consumers either on property or through websites or they may wholesale puppies to brokers who provide them to pet stores. Puppy mills may be advertised as USDA inspected, this merely means they have met minimum health standards such housing dogs in cages at least 6 inches larger than the dog itself, not keeping more than 12 dogs in one cage, and feeding the dogs at least once a day. This is only for breeding facilities and not for brokering facilities, direct to consumer facilities, or pet shops. Pet stores are generally unregulated or minimally regulated. Even when a facility is inspected it does not need to pass inspection in order to keep its kennel license and regulations have generally been found to be ineffective. Pet stores will frequently advertise that they get their puppies from good, local breeders but the vast majority of pet store puppies come from mills either directly or through a broker or auction. No good breeder who does health testing and breeds to improve their chosen breed would choose to sell their beloved puppies to strangers in pet stores. Since the puppies in a pet store are not from good breeders they may have expensive genetic problems, poor temperaments, a lack of any sort of positive socialization, contagious diseases, and the potential for short, tragic lives. While you may feel like you are saving a dog’s life by purchasing it from a pet store or puppy mill you are actually giving the industry more money to continue. While that particular puppy may now have a new home, he will be replaced by another and his mother will continue to be bred to death until there is no more market for pet store puppies. While it may be heartbreaking to leave a puppy to an uncertain future it is the only way to stop the industry as a whole. PetSmart and PetCo These two chains don’t fit into the above category. To my knowledge, they never sell puppies or dogs in the store, but they will frequently have “Adoption Days” in which a local rescue or shelter will bring in volunteers and animals in an effort to rehome them. Do some research on the organization the animals are coming from, but we consider this a Good Thing. For more information look at: http://www.pupquest.org http://www.prisonersofgreed.org http://www.petshoppuppies.org To report a suspected puppy mill, contact: 1-877-MILL-TIP or go to http://www.humanesociety.org/forms/report_a_puppy_mill.html BackYard Breeders BYBs are generally not the depressing hellholes that puppy mills are. They usually are just John Q Public down the street who had an unfixed bitch and decided she should have a litter to “settle her down”. They may be breeding Fluffums because she’s just so friendly and everyone wants one of her puppies. They may feel like those snobby show breeders are too expensive and just want to provide cheap family pets to honest, hardworking folks. The problem is when they do not do appropriate health testing and are not familiar with their dog’s lines and history. A checkup at the vet will not clear a lab for hip dysplasia or a boxer for thyroid disorder or a dalmatian from unilateral deafness. Even if they have had the forethought to get their bitch tested they may not know about their dog’s grandfather who died at 4 of cancer or that all of her siblings had to be put down for biting people. This means that you don’t know what genetic problems your new pup may end up with, either physical or behavioral. Purchasing a pup from a BYB may also encourage them to continue to breed because they made money the first time.
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Mar 11, 2012 18:08
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  Let’s be honest, we all are drawn to certain breeds that we find aesthetically attractive. I’m not going to suggest that you shouldn’t be doing this, but I will strongly urge you to be realistic about your expectations. If your ideal buddy is a couch potato, do not even consider an Australian Shepherd or a Border Collie. When you accept guardianship of a puppy, realize what sort of dog that puppy is going to become and do your research. Understand the breed and what sort of situation you are getting into for the next 10-15 years. It’s very important that you do not delude yourself about what you can handle, because if you get a puppy that is more than you can handle, there are a limited number of outcomes, and none of them are good. None of us want to contribute to shelter overcrowding, so do your homework first. At a bare minimum, you need to understand the following requirements for any breed that you consider:
http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds http://www.fci.be/nomenclature.aspx http://www.purina.com/dog/breed-selector/default.aspx http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/health/breeds/dog-breeds.aspx  One of the factors that’s going to play heavily into your puppy selection, whether from a breeder or a shelter/rescue, is temperament. You, as an owner, will have certain expectations of what sort of dog you’re looking for. One way to test and examine temperament at this age is called the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) puts the puppy in a variety of situations and gauges its response to certain stimuli. Based upon the scoring provided, you can get a rough idea of the temperament of this puppy. In the past it has been generally accepted that this temperament will roughly correlate to behavior as an adult, but that has been called into question more recently in a few studies, as well as by Jean Donaldson in her book “The Culture Clash.” Our non-expert advice is that the PAT can likely give you a good idea of what type of puppy you will get for the next 6-8 months, but should not be relied upon for long-term or adult temperament. Too many other factors play a role in that mix, especially training and environment. You can read more about the PAT here: http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php MrFurious fucked around with this message at 23:06 on Mar 11, 2012 |
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Mar 11, 2012 18:08
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 Before you bring home your dog, there are some basic preparatory steps you need to take to make your home safe and make the transition for the animal as smooth and comfortable as possible. This includes things like puppy toys, a crate, wall socket protectors, cord protectors, puppy food, collars, tags, leashes, a clicker and training books. It is assumed at this point that the prospective puppy owner has taken a good, hard look at his or her lifestyle and finances and decided that yes, he or she really can afford this.  The details of crate training will be covered later in this post, but we’ll discuss puppy crates themselves here. Crates come in all shapes and sizes, and you will likely end up with several over the course of your dog’s life, but for a puppy you want a wire crate with a divider and a flat bottom so that you can ration the appropriate amount of space for crate time during house training. Additionally, the wire crate allows the dog to see their environment if necessary, and you can always drape a blanket over it if you want them to quiet down and take a nap. You can find an example of a crate like this here. They come from a variety of different manufacturers, so do some homework and find one that is both affordable and sturdy, but be prepared to pay between $50-$150 for a decent crate. You may also wish to consider a bed liner if you’re concerned about the dog getting cold -- these can complicate early house training, however, so if you don’t need it, don’t get it.  You’ll also need a plethora of entertainment tools for the young puppy. You can spend as little or as much on this as you like, but below are some recommendations for the first six months. Be careful with going overboard though, because it can confuse your puppy about what is and is not a toy. Puppy Nylabone This is a good, durable chew and gnaw toy for them to work their jaws and gums and through the teething phase. Puppy Kong Another good, soft chew for puppies. Make sure you get the puppy variety until they have their adult teeth in, as the regular Kongs are not recommended for puppies. Kong Wobbler This is a great device to feed your puppy meals out of. They have to work at it and think, so it exercises their bodies and their minds while you chill out and enjoy your coffee. Highly recommended. Rubber Balls (Ex1, Ex2) Dogs love balls. They engage their prey drive and can be a blast for them to play with. Consider ones that will fit the Chuckit! launchers or ones with squeakers inside. Avoid tennis balls because they fall apart easily and the fiber thread can damage gums and become a choking hazard. 
You’ll spend tons of money on good ideas that won’t work out, but here’s a link (NOTE: Requires subscription to Whole Dog Journal -- just get one already) that includes a list of things that you may not have thought of. Not all of these are truly required or needed, but many of them can be extremely convenient and are at least worth your consideration.  Foods/Items to Avoid & Common Poisons There are a multitude of everyday items that surround us that are toxic to dogs, and their toxicity ranges from mild stomachache to complete renal failure within days or weeks. Everyday foods for you can literally kill your dog.These items may surprise you as well -- for example, some dogs have an unpredictable reaction to grapes or raisins that results in death. You should be cautious what items are around your household and in reach of your dog, just as if you had a toddler (with sharper teeth). You can find more information about toxic items here: http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants/ http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/people-foods.aspx Choosing a Food Choosing a puppy food for your growing little buddy can be intimidating as there are a ton of different brands, and within each brand there are another dozen varieties each with confusing names. Here are the basics that you need to know - puppies require additional protein as they grow during the early months. Additionally, the food labeling industry is absolutely rife with misinformation, smoke and mirrors. You have a few resources at your disposal to handle this, and here are two of my favorites: The Pet Island Nutrition Thread Dogfoodadvisor.com Find a food that:
 There’s more information than we could possibly put in this thread that is all useful and helpful, but even if we did, you wouldn’t remember it anyways. Books can help you here, and some of them are even free. To start, I recommend a Home Veterinary Reference. This is fantastic for the 3am panic attacks that you have because your dog threw up a tennis ball, appears to be painting your walls with poop, or whatever other nightmare situation you can invent. A home vet reference can help you decide whether you need to call the Emergency Vet and pay the minimum fee just to be seen, which is usually not something to sneeze at. I personally use this one and have been very happy with it, but you should shop around and take a look at other options and make a decision for yourself. Ian Dunbar, founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), has released two short books for new puppy owners totally free for download because he is an amazing individual. I highly recommend that you download them and check them out. He is my personal favorite among the huge cast of dog experts out there today. Ian Dunbar’s Before You Get Your Puppy Ian Dunbar’s After You Get Your Puppy  This can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences for a new dog owner. All practicing veterinarians have gone to veterinary school and have degrees, but they are most certainly not all created equal. Having had to go through this all over again recently, I hope my experience can assist some of you out there and make your lives that much easier. What to look for in a veterinarian You’re actually searching for two things - both a veterinary clinic and an individual veterinarian. Keep in mind that your standard vet won’t always be available, so it may be wise to get comfortable with the idea of seeing someone else. There is a professional association for veterinary hospitals and clinics known as the American Animal Hospital Association or AAHA. Membership is not mandatory or regulated, and is not necessarily an indicator of quality of care at a facility. The clinic I am currently using is not an AAHA member and I still think they have some of the best vets I have ever met. In short, my list of qualifications for a new vet are:
What to look for in a dog trainer Picking out a good dog trainer can easily be as frustrating as the above, depending upon where you live. In an effort to keep this short and sweet, here are a list of Do’s and Don’ts for picking out a trainer. Your trainer should NEVER:
Your perfect trainer should:
You can search for KPA and CPDT trainers via their appropriate websites below: CCPDT Trainer Search KPA Trainer Search If you do not find a suitable trainer at the links above, you can also search on the APDT website, however, bear in mind that APDT membership has two different levels -- Standard and Professional Members. Professional Members MUST have a certification such as CCPDT, ACAAB, KPA, etc, while Standard Members simply pay membership fees annually and have no certifications. The APDT Trainer Search can be found here: APDT Trainer Search  Find a Behaviorist in your area below:Vet Behaviorist: http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/ IAABC: http://iaabc.org/consultants MrFurious fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Nov 19, 2012 |
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Mar 11, 2012 18:09
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  The crate is your puppy’s room. It’s his safe place, his bedroom, and, provided you structure the environment appropriately, a Good Place To Be. The articles and resources referenced previously can give you more details on why crate training works and how it relates to a dog’s environment, but we’re going to focus on when and how you should be crating during the first couple of weeks. How Do I Crate Train? The first hurdle is to make the crate a fun place and to classically condition a positive emotional response for the dog when he’s crated. Once the crate is set up and sized for the puppy, introduce him to the crate. Bring a bag of yummy treats with you. If the dog sniffs the crate, treat immediately. If and when he places a paw inside the crate, produce several rewards in quick succession. If the dog is hesitant to enter the crate, place a treat just inside the crate (start with less than an inch), and progressively increase the distance into the crate. The goal is to have the dog voluntarily entering the crate. Repeat this exercise multiple times a day throughout the first weeks you have your dog to build a strong conditioned response. If you feel that you need an extra reinforcer, try feeding meals in the crate. You can also provide special treat times during the day in the crate -- a popular example is a Puppy Kong filled with kibble and peanut butter. Put it in the freezer first to minimize the mess and make it more difficult to devour. When do I crate my puppy? The question of when to crate is fairly straight forward. During the first weeks, your puppy will be spending a great deal of time playing, pooping and sleeping, and not always in that order. Play sessions, described below, should be short, and when it’s time for a nap afterwards, make it happen in the crate. If you are cooking and can’t pay attention to the dog -- crate. If you are running to the store for less than 5 minutes -- crate. If you are running out to the back yard to do some chores and aren’t taking the dog with you -- crate. When crate training, remember to NEVER
 Puppies love to play, and playing with puppies is fun. It’s a healthy and enjoyable way to build a strong bond with your puppy and, more importantly, to exhaust them so they don’t spend their idle moments chewing holes in everything around them. There are lots of fun games to play with puppies -- hide and seek, find the toy, and tug are all excellent examples that you can both pick up quickly. Remember to keep play sessions short with young puppies. Although they have seemingly boundless reserves of energy, they need regular naps, and it’s your job to enforce them. After a 15-30 minute play session, make sure you take the dog out for a bathroom break and then put them down for a short nap.  Below are a few easy tricks to get you started on the right foot, training wise. Each of these tricks will require treats and a clicker. If these items and methodologies are new to you, please refer to the training thread. Make sure that you have “charged” the clicker before you begin. If you are interested in training more advanced tricks, it is strongly recommended that you spend some time reading the training thread and some of the books recommended within. The tricks described below are very basic and introductory in nature, but will also expose you to some of the techniques used for more advanced training. The Name Game The Name Game is an effective way of teaching your new family member his or her name. The desired behavior is to have the dog stop and look at you when you say his or her name, although some people also prefer to have an implied “come” command as well. This is up to the owner, but I recommend that you start simple. Training this behavior works best if you have two people, each with a clicker and treats. When the dog is looking away from an individual, that individual should say the dog’s name. If the dog turns in your direction at all, even a tiny bit, click and treat. The dog will then likely be focused on that first individual like a laser. That’s when the other person repeats the exercise. Ping pong the dog between the two individuals, gradually requiring more and more focus for the click and treat. If you can complete the training above, then congratulations, you have just shaped your first behavior. Shaping is one of the harder methods to train, but it generally results in more consistent results -- provided that you are consistent with the marking and rewards. Sit Sitting on command is a very easy and basic behavior that all dogs should know. In the previous example we using shaping to develop a behavior, but this time we’ll use luring -- shaping a sit can be very time consuming and tedious for a brand new puppy owner, especially if they are inexperienced. Begin with your dog in front of you, presumably standing up, with you on your knees or sitting down. Place a treat in your hand, near the tips of your fingers, and hold it just above your dog’s nose. When he reaches for the treat, don’t let him have it. Slowly move your hand further towards his eyes and even above his head. As he tries to track the treat with his eyes, he should naturally adopt a sit position when it’s almost directly over his head. The instant that his butt actually touches the ground, click and treat. Bear in mind that you haven’t said a word to him at this point. Do this a few more times until it’s clear that he’s catching on to what you want out of him. When he is sitting as soon as you get the treat above his nose, it’s time to cue the behavior verbally. Start saying “Sit” as soon as his butt hits the ground, then click and treat. Begin verbally cueing earlier and it won’t take long for him to catch the connection between the cue and the behavior. Once you have the verbal cue established, and the dog is sitting every time you verbally cue, it’s time to fade the lure. Repeat the exercise as if you’re holding a treat, but without an actual treat. Gradually move towards nothing but the verbal cue -- when it becomes reliable, you’re done. Keep in mind that dogs understand physical cues or gestures much better than verbal cues, so you may choose to use something similar to the luring motion as a gestured "sit" cue in addition to your verbal cue. Down The typical “sphinx” down is another trick taught easily via luring. Many people teach Down from a sitting position, but in this example it’s taught from a standing position. The reason for this is that in competitive AKC obedience, a formal down usually expects that the dog’s front elbows touch ground simultaneously with their back end. Begin in the same position as before, sitting down or on your knees, dog in front of you, standing up. Holding a treat as before, move your hand to directly beneath your dog’s chest. Hopefully, the dog will lean backwards and down to investigate the treat. As soon as both elbows and butt are on the ground, click and treat. You can then repeat and eventually proceed to verbal cueing as described above. If your dog refuses to lean back, you can try the “tunnel” approach. Sit down and face perpendicular to your dog. Place your feet in front of your chest with your knees bent and raised. This should create a “tunnel” underneath your legs. Adjust the height appropriately to your dog. Then lure the dog through your legs using the treat, making sure to click and treat only when his elbows and butt are fully on the ground.
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Mar 11, 2012 18:09
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  Socialization with your new puppy is a critical part of his development. This cannot be stressed enough. Dr. Ian Dunbar believes that socialization should begin within the first two weeks of birth, and the puppy should meet over 100 new people and dogs within the first 8 weeks of life. Obviously this is an intimidating and difficult task to achieve for a new puppy owner, so you shouldn’t feel guilty if this is beyond your reach, and most or all of this period is out of your control anyways.. By the same respect, socialization behaviors are learned very early in life and tend to “stick” from that point forward. The important thing for new owners to focus on is to aggressively socialize their new family members with as many people and dogs as possible, but to also structure these situations to be positive. Use people and dogs that you know and trust whenever possible and attempt to enroll in puppy kindergarten as well. Use the guidelines for finding trainers above to locate a puppy kindergarten class and trainer that you trust. When selecting a class, make sure that the class is off-leash. Many puppy classes are not off leash and this tends to lead to increased frustration for both owners and puppies as they attempt to deal with the restraint. Puppy kindergarten is about socialization more than training. For more details on what is and is not advised in regards to socialization, please check out this article on Karen Pryor's website: http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3953  As soon as possible after obtaining your puppy, you need to arrange to see your veterinarian and take care of vaccinations. The recommended vaccinations for your puppy will vary based upon location and other risk factors, so talk to your veterinarian. A list of the diseases that are commonly vaccinated against is available in the Diseases and Parasites section. Note:We frequently hear from people that their vet has recommended that their dog stay indoors and not mean anyone until they have finished all rounds of their vaccines. This is a statement made by the vet who has the best interests of the dog's medical health in mind, but is frequently phrased such that owners may be ignoring the behavioral consequences of this advice if taken at face value. Topoisermaese has an excellent post on the subject here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3471773&userid=114370#post414850980 In summary, socialization at a young age is key, and you must balance it with a safe environment that is not going to increase the risk of disease to your young puppy. This is best accomplished by finding a good puppy socialization or kindergarten class that will require all dogs to provide proof of vaccination before entering the classroom. What is MDR1 and why does it matter? MDR1, or Multi-Drug Resistance 1, is a genetic mutation affecting herding breeds. Specific breeds are more or less predisposed to the condition, and you can find a complete list here. In general, this should not be something of concern to you, even if you own one of these breeds, but feel free to discuss it with your vet. MDR1 affects the performance of a variety of different drugs and you need to be aware of these issues for the safety of your dog. One of the most common problems is with Ivermectin, a de-wormer and antiparasitic often used on young dogs. Dogs with the MDR1 mutation that take Ivermectin can suffer permanent neurological damage as a result. You can find a more comprehensive list of drugs that are affected by the MDR1 mutation here. If you have a herding breed, be sure that you talk to your vet and consider testing for the MDR1 mutation. Khelmar(a vet) posted:The current dosages of ivermectin in prescription heartworm preventatives aren't high enough to cause issues, even in dogs with an MDR-1 mutation. The only time it's an issue NOW is generally when people try to make their own HW preventative from injectible cattle Ivomec, which is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. Frankly, if it's a Sheltie or a Collie, we just assume it's an MDR-1 mutant and go from there.  If you obtained your new puppy from a rescue organization or shelter, it has likely already been spayed or neutered. If that’s the case, feel free to skip this section. The question of when in your puppy’s life to spay and neuter is a matter of some debate. Ultimately the decision is between you and your vet, but here’s a brief rundown of some of the talking points. Traditionally, spaying/neutering has been performed just before the first heat cycle, usually at 6 to 9 months of age, but newer studies are beginning to promote spaying at an earlier age. Earlier spaying appears to reduce the risk of breast cancer in females (dramatically if it’s before the first heat cycle). There is some evidence of behavioral benefits in male dogs neutered at a younger age as well, although there appear to be some trade-offs to these benefits -- dogs neutered at early ages are often described as longer limbed, suggesting that there are growth hormone effects as a result of the procedure. An expansive starter article can be found here (Thanks to Ceridwen). MrFurious fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Jun 11, 2013 |
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Mar 11, 2012 18:10
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  Housetraining is very, very easy in terms of mechanics. The problems people have with housetraining are almost invariably due to a misunderstanding of canine behavior or a lack of consistency and dedication on their part. In 90% of all housetraining cases, the problem lies with the humans rather than the canine and it is an issue of communication. In the other instances, there is usually an underlying medical condition complicating the issue. I’ve written an additional document that is freely available here. I have worked very hard in an attempt to make this as close to an all-encompassing guide as is feasible. If you have a specific question that you don’t feel has been answered, feel free to post for assistance. MrFurious’ Housetraining Guide Mouthing and biting with puppies is a very common issue. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to fix, the bad news is that the fix takes time. First and foremost, owners need to understand and bear in mind that, for very young puppies (3 months and less), biting and mouthing is a critical part of their development. This is the only time that you can train a soft mouth with your dog, so take advantage of that. To teach bite inhibition and soft mouthing to your dog, you need to react the same way as another puppy would during play. If your dog is mouthing on you gently, it’s okay to tolerate this (though not necessarily encourage it). When, instead, your dog greets you with a firm chomp on your fingers, let out a loud yelp. Most people recommend that you make a high-pitched yelp much like a puppy in pain would. The intent is that this should generate a startle response and immediately stop the mouthing. It has been my experience that this rarely works, and that’s backed up by the experience of Pat Miller. Your response to inappropriate mouthing and biting should be to immediately stand up and calmly remove yourself from the room. Running will invoke a chase game, so it’s very important that you do this slowly but confidently. Completely ignore the dog on your way out of the room and stay out for a minimum of 60 seconds. Crating your dog in situations like this is a mistake. It doesn’t tie the consequence to the behaviour in the brain of the dog very well, and it’s also an excellent way to “poison” the crate, impeding or eroding progress you’ve already made with crate training. The rule of thumb with mouthing, biting, and any other inappropriate behavior is that when it occurs, the game ends. In this case, this means that the “toy” (this is you) disappears.  Chewing on things like power cords, furniture, walls and everything else in your home is another common issue for puppies. This is usually due to puppies teething and trying to relieve the pain in their gums that results, but sometimes it’s just fun. You treat these issues by redirecting on to appropriate objects and removing the opportunity to chew on the things they shouldn’t be. When you catch your little buddy chewing on the extension cord, start by getting the dog’s attention and handing him a chew toy. If he takes it, immediately praise heavily. Rinse and repeat as often as possible. At the same time, make sure that you adjust the environment to prevent chewing on the object in the future. If it’s a cord, cover it with a cord protector or re-route it. If it’s your shoes, make the effort to put them in the closet and close the door. In some cases, you can’t remove the object, such as the kitchen table leg. If you’re not getting the results you need, you can up the ante with a mild positive punishment as well. Start with an aversive spray such as Grannick’s Bitter Apple. You can also use chili powder, white vinegar or hot sauce -- all dogs are different (mine loves hot sauce for example). Coat the chewed item in the spray (don’t spray the animal -- your timing will never be appropriate) and hope for the best.  Puppies, like babies, have a tendency to get sick. If you are socializing them right they will be exposed to all manner of people and dogs and even with all the precautions you can take there is a good chance they will pick something up. If your puppy seems sick you need to call your veterinarian. This is merely a list of common ailments. Diseases commonly vaccinated against:
Potential Vaccine Reactions to be Aware of Currently there are a lot of unwarranted feelings of distrust towards vaccinations of both people and pets. Vaccines will not cause your pet to become autistic and “vaccinosis” has no clinical research supporting it. If you are concerned about the number or frequency of vaccinations your puppy is getting please discuss it with your vet. A mild fever, mild lethargy, and a decreased appetite for 1-2 days aren't a reaction to the vaccine - that shows the vaccine worked. Vaccines work by stimulating a response from the immune system, which causes fever and a mild malaise. If you notice vomiting, hives, facial swelling, itching, increased noise while breathing, or difficulty breathing, you need to call your vet right away. Those are signs that the immune system is over-reacting, and can develop into a life-threatening problem within a few hours. Puppy Warts Puppy warts, or canine oral papilloma virus, are common in puppies that are well socialized and spend a lot of time visiting places with other dogs. The warts generally appear on the mouth and lips and are more common on dogs under 2 than in adult dogs. They are not dangerous, although they can be painful, and usually subside within 6 weeks. If the warts impede your puppy’s eating a vet may recommend removing them. Puppy warts are not transmissible to people but you may not be able to bring your dog to daycare or socialization classes until they clear up depending on facility guidelines. UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) UTIs are common in dogs, especially females. The infections are painful and can cause frequent urination in inappropriate locations. If your puppy is difficult to housetrain or has regressed suddenly it is important to bring in a urine sample to your vet to rule out a UTI. Other symptoms are increased thirst, incontinence, whimpering during urination, and bloody or strong smelling urine. Untreated UTIs can lead to kidney infections or worse, resulting in a much more expensive trip to the vet (and subsequent recovery) than the $30 worth of antibiotics. Parasites
 Introducing a new dog (puppy or otherwise) into your home when you already have at least one canine companion can be tricky. If you are concerned about this, here are some steps to follow from fellow poster alifeless:
If you see any of the following behavior between the two dogs, be sure to interrupt them both and separate them:
MrFurious fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Mar 17, 2012 |
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Mar 11, 2012 18:10
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Mar 11, 2012 18:18
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a life less posted:I'm not sure if this will be helpful: http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/health/breeds/dog-breeds.aspx Added. I was also thinking about doing some quick youtube videos for the basic tricks because I'm not that satisfied with the written descriptions. Plus they're just so difficult to follow anyways.
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Mar 11, 2012 23:07
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Malalol posted:His is a bizarre request but couldnthis possibly be hosted on a separate website (instead of being related to SA forums and goons) so i can throw the link at people? Ive been trying to throw links together for new puppy wners at work but this would be perfect. Heres a slip of paper with the link, its got almost everything info you need. That kinda thing. I actually explored that idea previously a little bit for very similar reasoning, but decided it wasn't worth the effort because it would take a huge effort up front (more than this thread, which took me several months juggling between new job and other volunteering), and it would require a lot of time to keep up to date. Also, having spoken to a lot of new puppy owning coworkers, I can tell you that it doesn't matter what you say to them, they will ignore you 90% of the time. They aren't talking to you about their new dog because they want to solve problems, they want to either brag or commiserate.
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Mar 12, 2012 04:24
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Yay, it's finally done! Great job, Furious. I was thinking about that this morning. The base document you and I were working on is largely intact. It needs a wipe of formatting -- removing bbcode tags and making sure the other formatting is consistent. I guess I can take a stab at that, but I'm not going to promise any kind of date on it. Might be a couple months unless someone wants to step up -- I just don't have the time.
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Mar 12, 2012 17:14
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Kerfuffle posted:Oh yeah. I pdf'd the flea megathread since it slips into archives. I did take out all the poster names just to make it more accessible to non-SA/internet people though. Can you put it on GoogleDocs? That way people can just read it. I'll edit the link in.
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Mar 12, 2012 23:59
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pat_b posted:Beagle mix problems The beagle that doesn't love food hasn't been invented yet. Have you guys been to the vet yet? I assume that's on the dockett very soon to make sure something else isn't going on. Like Andohz said, some of this is settling in to his new environment. As far as shutting down with the clicker, it's impossible to say what's causing that, but you should be able to counter-condition it with the right treats after he gets more comfortable at home. In addition to what you've already tried I'd recommend that you try boiled chicken, peanut butter and different cheeses. If you tried slices of American, try string cheese or vice versa. ButWhatIf/Riiseli posted:We hate the Volhardt test
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Mar 20, 2012 16:14
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Riiseli posted:words I just want to make sure that I am understanding your posts correctly. First you're against the section on the Volhardt test (disclaimers included) because you think the best advice is to find a good breeder -- which we have a large section on already. But in your last post you indicate that, if you were working with an uninformed breeder, you would consider using a Volhardt test to judge puppy temperament. Have I misunderstood? That seems like precisely the steps we have recommended and outlined in the OP. If you have something more complete and informative to add on crating in Europe I'd be happy to consider adding it, but I'm not going to engage in any nitpicking.
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Mar 21, 2012 16:23
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Opentarget posted:Puppy stuff ALL touched on all the right issues, as usual. Given that you already have the dog, in your shoes I would make sure the vet is aware where you got the animal from. A good vet can likely read between the lines and it will alert them to be on the lookout for health issues that he or she might not be looking for otherwise. On the other hand, Khelmar may pop in here and tell us that he assumes worst case for all dogs until proven otherwise. The other general advice I would offer is to identify problematic behavior and deal with it right away before it becomes entrenched. Resource guarding on week two with a new puppy is way, way easier to deal with than the dog that's been doing it for over a year successfully. If you can find a puppy kindergarten go to it. Even if it's not the ideal outlined in the OP, the socialization will be invaluable over the long haul. Aside from that, go over the OP and don't hesitate to ask if you have questions, we're here to help. And remember, you can start training on day one, so there's no reason to wait.
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Mar 27, 2012 03:06
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Opentarget posted:carpet chewing It's ultra bad. This is exactly the sort of behavior I was referring to when I said to stop it early. Chewing on things that aren't chew toys is not okay, period full stop. Anytime she's doing this, redirect her to something else. Stuff a chew toy in her mouth and praise heavily. Turn it into a game of tug, whatever. Do not allow chewing to become habitual or reinforcing. In regards to easing into the crate, there are a few things to try. The first step is making it a fun place, as referenced in the OP. You've tried some of that and struggled, so the next thing I would do is try hand feeding in the crate. Block out some time during her meal schedule and go sit in front of the crate with her. Don't force her to do anything, but place some of her kibble right in front of the crate with the door open. If she takes it, put one just inside the door. If she puts a paw in, deliver treats directly to her mouth, one at a time, six or seven times. Incrementally draw her in further. If she's not taking treats at all near the crate, there are two possibilities: 1) She's not hungry enough -- if this is the issue, it's likely due to overfeeding. Visit the nutrition thread and find some calorie calculators online and adjust the amounts of her meals accordingly. 2) You're too close and she's over threshold. Start further back away from the crate. My money, what with you being a new owner, is on #1, but there is probably some of #2 mixed in for good measure. String cheese and boiled chicken are usually good treat motivators as well. If this continues to be an issue for training near the crate, skip a meal and try it again later in the day when you know she's hungry. As far as leaving her in there at night, I would put an old ratty t-shirt in there with her that smells like you, in addition to a safe chew toy. For us this is a red rubber bone-shaped Kong. I recommend a softer chew personally because it's quieter and there's no risk of chipping teeth or opening up gums on an edge, but just make sure it's not a choking hazard.
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Mar 27, 2012 19:58
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Opentarget posted:Also, for the record, when you say kibble, are you just referring to the individual pieces of dog food? Just trying to make sure if I have to get something with "kibble" on the side of it. I'm assuming the food you're feeding is a dry dog food kibble. Maybe the appropriate response to your question is "What are you currently feeding your dog?"
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Mar 27, 2012 23:51
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Opentarget posted:Crate and mom stuff Try this: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/crate_training.html Your mom might respond better to a more well known source, but if you read it the material is exactly the same. The family dynamic is frustrating because you're going to quickly become the dog expert but never be recognized as an authority figure -- if you can find a way to amend that, it will help you in the future. In regards to the vet, I am extremely skeptical of any vet that would enter into a partnership with a pet store like that. I've never seen it before and it sets off all kinds of red flags, but I don't have any personal experience to draw from there. Let me PM Khelmar and see if he has anything to add to that aspect of the discussion.
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Mar 28, 2012 14:48
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Duxwig posted:puppy crying at night question. The rule of thumb for puppies is roughly 1 hour per month of age between bathroom breaks. Asking him to hold it all night is far too long at that stage, and you need to be prepared to take him out in the middle of the night. I'd do it on a schedule rather than when he whines so he doesn't associate whining with being let out. I'd also review the housetraining guide and consider restricting water an hour and a half prior to bedtime so he's not going into his crate with a full bladder.
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Apr 3, 2012 15:41
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Duxwig posted:Maybe it was TL,DR but my question was about puppy crying at night in his crate. We take him to potty right before his bed time, has a toy, goes voluntary, etc. Just sad to be alone, etc. It was less TL;DR, and more just incomprehensible. You will get a variety of different opinions on how to deal with this situation, and at the end of the day that's all they are -- opinions. You have to find a comfortable compromise for yourselves in terms of teaching your puppy to be confident with being left alone and also limiting his stress during the night. Consider other reasons that he might be distressed at night -- whether he's cold, lonely, or just bored. You might consider leaving a safe chew toy (one that is not a choking or gum hazard such as a Kong) or some ratty old clothes that smell like you in the crate for him as well.
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Apr 3, 2012 18:52
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Crooked Booty posted:I have an assortment of questions. The pup in question is a 6-month-old shepherd mix, and he's so darn laid back that it's easy to forget he's a puppy. That's an extremely long stretch. I wouldn't go longer than 4-5 hours at a time. I realize that this is the exception in your schedule, but I would strongly recommend you find someone to look in on him if you can. quote:2. We're working on getting him to not chase my cats. When he's indoors, not crated, and the cats are loose in the house, I have him on a leash for the cats' safety. Unless a cat runs past him, I don't have to even touch the leash most of the time -- he will follow me if I move to another room, etc. Am I going to make him neurotic by having him glued to me all the time indoors? When I have my fiance man the leash, the puppy pulls to follow me and stares at the doorway until I come back, but he's not freaking out or anything. Tethering him is fine. You should have your fiancee start doing it too. If he's obsessing over you in particular, have her start feeding his meals and working on some training with him as well. More below. No need to worry about neuroses, as long as you're not seeing any signs of separation anxiety, but wanting to be close to you is not a symptom of SA. quote:3. Similarly, how do most couples deal with training? We are clicker training him, and I am going to be the primary trainer, but we want him to listen to and love my fiance, too. Should we both work with him separately every day, or should I wait until he has mastered a behavior for me before my fiance asks him to do it? Should we both work with the clicker, or is that too confusing? You should both be training as long as it's fun and productive. I think you're asking about both of you using the same clicker -- if that's the case, it doesn't matter. Just as long as the same person who clicks is also doing the training and the treating. A slightly longer answer regarding who trains and when -- my advice is that one person should work on one behavior at a time until it's starting to firm up. If you are working on sit, for example, and he's sitting 90% of the time, but not 100% of the time, start changing it up and see if your wife can get the same results. This will proof the behavior such that it generalizes to multiple individuals. quote:4. Anyone have tips for fun/busy treats that are safe without supervision? I know like every toy ever says it requires supervision, but I'd like to have more stuff I can put in his crate with him when I'm gone. He loves his Kong, but I feel like he needs supervision with bully sticks or bones because he tries to swallow big chunks (and I am a paranoid person). I ordered one of those bottle/rope puzzle things for kibble, but I think he's going to figure it out really quickly and not be entertained very long. A frozen Kong is pretty safe, and should last him a while. There's a bit of an art to it though. More liquid is better, and you'll want it to freeze hard. I'm with you on bully sticks, rawhides and antlers. I don't let them go unsupervised for all the reasons you stated with my own dog as well. I love the Tug-A-Jug, but be warned that if you put kibble in it of any kind, it's eventually going to break. Dust builds up from the food and gets lodged in the threads at the bottom. Eventually it'll cause the bottle or the lid at the bottom to crack -- just be on the lookout and replace when it does. Since you're going to be crating so much, feeding his meals via toys like that is a good way to tire him out with the time you have so he's calmer in his crate while you're away. Hope this helps.
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Apr 8, 2012 21:17
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Crooked Booty posted:One more question: Do most people leave water in the crate with a puppy overnight? I wouldn't, personally. Just makes holding it that much harder if they have a full bladder. Make sure he gets plenty to drink 30 minutes before you leave, then give him time for it to settle in his bladder, then take him out right before you crate him and leave. Duxwig posted:Training and recalls I wouldn't work on a real recall right now. I'd reward heavily for any time he stops and comes to you, but I would not prompt it. Specifically, if "come" is your recall cue, I would not utter it to the dog at ALL right now until you get better at training. A good recall is very difficult and takes a great deal of painstaking training. Screwing it up now means that your cue will get poisoned and you'll have to start from scratch with a new cue. The best starter book I can recommend to you is Pat Miller's The Power of Positive Training. That's my go-to for beginners. Socialization is key -- the sooner you get into classes the better. If you want the sits to be a default behavior - do NOT cue them. Just wait for them. For example, if you want him to sit before going out the door, leash him up then stand in front of the door. Don't move a muscle (this includes no cueing, no prompting, no leash corrections whatsoever) until he drops into a sit, then light praise and open the door. If you've got more questions, pick one or two specifics and focus on those first.
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Apr 9, 2012 02:28
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dogflaps posted:Hey guys, I'm facing a bit of a dilemma and I'd really like some input. You need to consider the financial aspect of dog ownership. An older dog like that would probably be fine at home for that length of time, provided you discuss it with the shelter and they don't know of any behavior issues that he may struggle with as a result (such as SA, poor housetraining, etc). But, because he is older, he's likely to start developing health problems -- possibly due to old age, perhaps his breeding/background, or his history that you simply don't know about. What you want to do is admirable, just make sure you can afford to take care of him when he starts needing regular medications for arthritis, or you can afford an emergency surgery in the event that the bloats.
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Apr 12, 2012 18:16
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TwoQuestions posted:What should I do about a puppy that screams whenever crated? In addition to everything ALL said, make sure you're playing some crate games during the day to make it a fun place to be too.
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Apr 16, 2012 23:45
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Koth posted:What are some good brands of puppy shampoo? Without recommending an actual brand, all you need to worry about is the pH balance of the shampoo. It needs to either be pH formulated for dogs, or it needs to be pH neutral (baby shampoo is fine in this respect). There has been some discussion in the past over what does and does not constitute an acceptable dog shampoo, but, having done some research, I have not been able to find any credible evidence of issues other than allergic reactions (rare) and pH issues. Keep in mind that dogs really don't need to be bathed that often, so if you're doing it once a week, it's definitely overkill.
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Apr 22, 2012 18:52
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Koth posted:Thanks. My wife and I adopted a puppy from a foster family. He was just a little bit smelly (probably something to do with his 9 other siblings all being fostered together) when we went to see him so we're going to give him a bath when we pick him up later this week. Charlee-Bears (the normal flavor) are liver, and are pretty good as a low calorie treat. You should be able to find them at PetSmart, not sure about PetCo, but probably there too. I'm sure there are some others, but those are fine to use. I don't know if these are what he's referring to, but he will likely never mention any product by name intentionally. If your dog is fairly food motivated you can also use his kibble as his training rewards and train throughout the day for the whole or majority of his meal. Not mandatory, but certainly optional.
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Apr 23, 2012 01:14
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Koth posted:I have a question about house-training. My ultimate goal is to have our puppy pee and poo outside in the back yard, but I'm a little confused as to how I go from having the puppy know to pee and poo on a pad in his long-term confined area to having him bark at the door when he needs to go out. As alifeless stated, I don't really understand how a pee pad came into the mix to begin with. Did you read the house-training guide in the OP?
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Apr 24, 2012 03:52
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Koth posted:No, I got it from Dr. Ian Dunbar. He writes that you should use a pee pad in the puppy's long-term confinement area. The implication in his book there is that you're gone for an extended period of time, longer than the dog can hold it at that age -- hence a pen, rather than just the dog's crate. In addition, note that in the picture he uses a small square of sod, rather than a pee-pad. This is because dogs essentially train themselves to go in certain spots based upon a combination of smell and texture. Pee-pads encourage soiling on them because they smell like more pee. The reason for using sod is to train the dog that the appropriate place to relieve themselves is in the grass. If you haven't done so already, I would strongly recommend that you read the Housetraining Guide I wrote and linked in the OP.
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Apr 24, 2012 14:46
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dog days are over posted:I don't really understand where the idea of puppy pee pads came from. I don't understand why it wouldn't always be better to teach a dog right from the off that outside = toilet, and inside = no toilet at all ever. I mean I know the training is a pain in the rear end (I won't forget two weeks of getting up four times every night in a hurry) but it was just two weeks of inconvenience, whereas pee pads might affect a dog's toilet training for a drat long time. I know some breeders use pads when the dogs are very, very young. At that age they really have no bladder control, just like human babies, but the scent of the pads tends to provoke relieving themselves. As the dogs get older that pad will move closer to the door and eventually outside, so that at 6 weeks, they may even be fully housetrained. Also, keep in mind that some people own dogs in very urban areas and don't have access to a yard, or fast access to the outdoors. And I've covered bell cues in the housetraining guide.
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Apr 24, 2012 16:20
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Koth posted:Yes, I did read it. It's very similar to Dr. Ian Dunbar's method. But you make a point of saying not to free-feed, and Dr. Dunbar says you should only feed your puppy with the use of Kong toys for the first while so they develop good chewing habits. How long are you gone during the day? If it's a standard work day, Dunbar's method is appropriate, but if we're talking about just a couple of hours while you run errands or something, then you're overthinking it and just a crate will do.
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Apr 25, 2012 14:51
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Koth posted:He will be alone for five hours in the morning before I come home for lunch. Then another two hours after I go back to work and before my wife gets home. If the dog is older than 5 months, you can stick with just a crate, with the assumption that you are punctual during your lunch break. Otherwise, the confinement area is probably best for now.
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Apr 26, 2012 14:50
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Andohz posted:So our 9 month old staffy has started barking at noises from the neighbours (we live in an apartment building). It started as a bark and then a few low volume coughy barks and now it's pretty much several barks in a row. I'm not really sure what to do about it or how we should react. Are you familiar with the Premack Principle? If this is not familiar to you, check the training thread or Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed book. This is a concept that takes a while to gel in your brain, but actually makes a great deal of sense. I'm not entirely certain that this is appropriate to try here, though, only because the dog will go over threshold with the neighbors when you're not home, but I still think it's worth a shot. Start with your partner/roommate/whatever in another room. Lie down near the dog, have some treats and the clicker at the ready (I assume you guys have done at least some clicker training). Figure out where the dogs threshold is by having your roommate bang on the wall (or whatever) in your own apartment. Make sure you work UNDER that threshold. Barking gets no treats and no clicks. The whole basis of Premack is that acknowledging (but not wigging out over) the distraction earns a reward. As this idea takes hold, it becomes a game and the distracting object loses value as a distraction. When your helper makes noise and the dog perks up but doesn't actually bark, click and treat. Make sure that you are clicking immediately as he orients or alerts on the noise, the timing is very important. Early on, you may have to stuff treats into his mouth until he gets it. You want to work to the point that as soon as he hears the click, he orients back to you for the food. Do this several times, and if it's working, you should see response times get shorter. If you think you're there at the given threshold level, you can test it by making the noise, then waiting to see if he orients back to you on his own. If he does, you're ready to raise the volume one notch. Try this and see where you get.
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Apr 30, 2012 22:50
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Rixatrix posted:Just to clarify so no one gets confused, you're probably describing McDevitt's Look At That game applied to sounds. The Premack principle states that more likely behaviors can be used to reinforce less likely behaviors which happen just before. Examples of applying the Premack principle would be eating your vegetables so you get dessert or coming when called when a dog sees a squirrel, then being released to chase said squirrel. You're right, good post. Speaking of her book, she references that she teaches a loose heel and a "go away" signal at the same time, but I've never been able to find any information on that. It reads like she uses "go away" as a release, but I'm not sure that's the case. Has anyone seen any information on that?
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May 1, 2012 20:07
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Eegah posted:Go over the housetraining guide again. Every time he makes a mistake, he's strengthening that behavior. Get your egg timer and get on the ball with the housetraining. This is not him struggling, this is you struggling.
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May 2, 2012 15:45
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tiddlez posted:I just have a small question about doggy humping. Campbell hasn't ever done it, should I be concerned about that? Is that weird? He's almost 9 months, and we meet all these puppies at 5/6 months that are humping everyone, and he has never done it. Not that I am complaining ofcourse, I just want to know if thats normal? Be proud of your dog. Some people consider humping normal dog behavior. It's definitely considered bad manners at the dog park. My dog is a small golden retriever, so she is always a prime target for humping, and I am frequently hip-checking dogs off of her while their bimbo owners look on with drooling smiles. Generally, I believe it's a sign of poor or under-socialization of the dog doing the humping. You might also look to see how many of those humping puppies have been neutered, though, as I'm sure there's a correlation with testosterone levels.
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May 4, 2012 14:36
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Eegah posted:How long after the 3rd round of shots (parvo booster I think among others) is it safe for a puppy to go out pimpin'? Tater's is two weeks from Wednesday and I'm trying to see if he can get some serious dog time in over Memorial Day weekend. Depends on who and where -- I covered this in the OP. If they are dogs you know have had their vaccinations, you're pretty safe. If you've had your first set of shots, you're still pretty safe. At the Humane Society where my wife and I teach, puppy kindergarten just requires that they've had their first round of vaccinations and we encourage them to get in there as soon as possible because of the socialization benefits. My advice to you would be not to wait. The risk of pathogen is fairly minimal at this stage, and the benefits to training outweigh the risks. As stated in the OP, if you have a good Puppy Kindergarten class available to you, enroll as soon as possible.
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May 9, 2012 14:37
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micnato posted:I adopted my friend's awesome dog (a border collie named Riot) about a month ago and things are going great, but yesterday she developed a problem. I took her out and played ball with her for a while when I got home from work, then went inside and started making dinner. The whole time I was cooking, Riot wouldn't walk beyond the threshold of the kitchen. I thought maybe she was just passive-aggressively telling me we should go back out and play, but when I called her over, she would take a couple tentative steps, whimper, sniff the floor, then back up into the other room. After picking her up and carrying her into the kitchen, I realized that for some unknown reason, she can no longer walk on the hardwood floor. She constantly slips and scrambles to stay on her feet or just falls down. You nailed it. She's worried about the floor and doesn't like it because she can't get any traction on it. There are a few things you can do. Make sure her nails are trimmed properly and frequently to start. Also make sure her paws are trimmed, as you said. You can also grab some cheap throws or mats and throw these down in the kitchen so she has something to walk on.
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May 10, 2012 14:35
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Up until this point, she would cheerfully run through the kitchen with no problem.
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Just switch to the new food you're going to feed gradually. Start with a 10-90 mix, then go 25-75 after a couple of days, then 50-50, etc. I usually wait to make sure there aren't any poop issues and it usually takes between a week or two.
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May 10, 2012 16:27
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prom candy posted:Makes sense. The people at the pet food store also said to switch very slowly. I think that strays into the boundaries of advice we're not officially qualified to give. You'll have to balance the socialization/pathogen risk decision and come up with something you're satisfied with.
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May 11, 2012 14:32
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