I have been accepted as the new Long Island Pets Examiner for Examiner.com. You’re likely aware of my passion on this subject, and now I have a forum to share that passion with the hundreds of thousands of people who are perusing Examiner.com’s content on a daily basis.

I would like to invite you to subscribe to my articles so you can stay in the loop; simply click on the subscribe link at the end of this email and you’ll be notified whenever I publish a new article. Also, feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be interested in my topic.

Thanks again for taking a moment to check out my new gig.

Warmest regards,

Michel Selmer , DVM

Click here to subscribe to my articles.

Here are some things to think about while you’re brushing your teeth:

• More than 8 out of 10 dogs and 7 out of 10 cats show signs of poor dental health by the age of three.
• Dental problems in pets – as in people – can lead to pain, tooth loss, periodontal disease, and increased bacteria in the bloodstream.
• Pets’ oral disease invariably progresses with time, as does people’s, and can result in damage to internal organs, including the heart, liver and kidneys.

Many owners are not aware of the importance of their pets’ dental health. That’s why February has been designated Pet Dental Health Month, and why we urge you to find out more about it.

Talk with us about your pet’s dental health. We can help prevent and manage pets’ oral problems before they become serious – or even life-threatening. Call today or go to your Pet Portal® to request an appointment for your pet’s dental check-up.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
The doctors and staff at Advanced Animal Care Center
Advanced Animal Care Center
260 Evergreen Ave.
Huntington Station, NY 11746
631-367-7387

The Good: Many options now exist that make the cost of insuring your pet’s health quite affordable.  Policies range from less than $300 to over $600 per year.

The Bad: You usually get what you pay for!  Policies that promise the world for peanuts and seem too good to be true almost certainly are.  Insurance companies are in business to make money, not to help pets.

The Good:  At this time, pet health insurance companies don’t restrict your choice of veterinarians or try to dictate what you can spend on services.

The Bad:  Many companies severely limit what conditions they cover or how much they will reimburse.  First example: One major company won’t cover any condition it deems genetic or congenital in nature. Second example: Another company will pay for a lifelong condition the year it is diagnosed, but excludes it the following years. Third example: Another company another limits the payment per illness to only $500.  READ THE FINE PRINT!

The Good: You don’t have to shop around for a veterinarian who “accepts” your policy.  Virtually any national company will cover you for service done by any licensed veterinarian.  (Plus, most veterinarians don’t charge for helping submit your claim.)

The Bad: You have to pay the veterinary and hospital fees up front and then seek reimbursement from your insurer.

The Good: Having the right policy could make the difference in a life-and-death decision.  If you enroll your pet at a young age, it’s possible to have coverage that lasts your pet’s entire life.

The Bad: If you wait until a condition is already diagnosed, or “forget” to renew on time, you probably won’t be covered.

The Ugly: Insurance companies are in business to make money.  Many companies have come and gone over the years – emphasis on “gone.”  Those that make it are the ones that make the most money.  Those that offer the best “deal” may mean well, but not be able to live up to their promises when you really need them.  As in every contract, read the fine print and research the company before you send money!

Still Confused? For more information, including specifics on companies offering pet health insurance, check out Pet Insurance Review at http://www.petinsurancereview.com/

Just as parents with young children must childproof their homes, people with dogs, especially young ones, need to dog-proof the premises. A child will eventually learn reasons to leave certain things alone, but the dog will never understand the value of property or the risk of getting hurt.

Training

Whenever you’re supervising your dog for housetraining, you can use the opportunity to teach safe chewing behavior. Every time you see the dog start to chew the wrong thing, redirect the chewing to an appropriate dog toy.

As the dog matures and you’ve given many, many repetitions of directing the chewing to the right items, the dog forms the habit of reaching for the right toys. Dog-proofing the house helps this process by preventing the dog from making wrong choices when you’re not supervising.

Harsh corrections don’t help the training, and in fact can interfere with it, and cause more serious problems. Instead of punishing, simply interrupt the dog’s chewing of any inappropriate item and instantly switch the dog to a suitable chew toy. Keep dog toys in easy reach in all places where you and your dog spend time, so you’ll be able to make the switch quickly.

Carefully observe what things especially interest your dog. You’ll want to be sure to make these items inaccessible to the dog when you’re not supervising.

Temptations and Tactics

Dog-proofing offers wonderful opportunities to exercise your creativity! The smarter your dog, the more interesting the creative challenges will be. Smart dogs need smart owners! Here are some ideas about things dogs are attracted to and a few possible dog-proofing solutions:

1. Garbage. This includes chicken bones and the other food refuse discarded in the average household. Dogs love this stuff and it poses serious risks to them. Many dogs will eat just about anything with food on it, including metal or glass. When you are closely watching your dog, surprise the dog with a sharp sound to interrupt a garbage raid. Particularly with a young dog who doesn’t know you’re there, this sound can make a lasting impression.

When you’re not closely supervising, though, place garbage where it is impossible for the dog to get it. A commercial-type metal garbage can with a secure closure is one solution. Putting garbage behind a securely closed door is another. You may be able to keep garbage under a kitchen counter with a childproof device on the cabinet doors. For some dogs it works to put the garbage up high, but dogs can surprise you with their jumping abilities.

Don’t trust training when it comes to unattended dogs and garbage. The instinct to get into this stuff is powerful, and every time the dog does it, the dog gets a food reward. Dogs don’t understand that eating certain things can make them sick. Dogs are highly motivated to get into garbage, and their lives can depend on us making it impossible for them to do so.

2. Trash. Trash is paper and other refuse that’s not actually food, but still may interest a dog. Some dogs are obsessed with eating paper, especially tissue. Dangerous stuff can get tossed in with paper. Dogs operate more on scent than on sight, so the dog is aware of things the people aren’t seeing and therefore aren’t thinking about. The safest course is to keep trash out of dog reach, too.

The good news about trash is that you probably have less of it to deal with, making it more practical to find places up high to keep it. The dog is less attracted to it than to garbage, so the countertop may work for trash. For safety’s sake, place anything dangerous to dogs in a more secure container.

3. Beds and sofas. You may not want your dog to get on your beds and sofas because you don’t like the shedding, or you’re allergic, or you have a fancy spread. If you keep the dog off this furniture at all times starting with puppyhood and no one ever breaks the rule, it’s conceivable you might raise a dog who simply stays off.

If your dog has tasted the forbidden fruit of getting on furniture, you’ll probably need to cordon off the area when you’re not around. Dogs like soft places to rest as much as people do. Be sure to provide your dog with ample soft places to rest. This need is legitimate for a dog, as many of them have serious orthopedic problems at some point in life.

Another issue with beds and sofas can arise when a dog starts urinating there. Sometimes it’s a territorial issue, even a dog offering to defend this family with life and limb—rather noble, really. Urinary incontinence can make a dog leak during sleep. And a dog may start urinating on the bed if urination hurts because of an infection. In cases like this, you may need to limit the dog’s access to furniture only until you get the urination problem resolved through medical or behavioral intervention.

You can use closed doors, baby gates, exercise pens, crates, and even stuff laid over the furniture to keep the dog off when you’re not supervising. In the case of a dog getting into multiple things when you’re gone, confining the dog to a crate or dog-safe room may be the best course. When the dog is only getting into one thing, you may just want to gate off that area. Creativity!

4. Countertops and Tables. Tasty food left in a dog’s reach with no one around to supervise is asking for trouble! As with garbage, the dog is tempted and gets a food reward for taking the bait. No punishment after the fact teaches the dog to leave food alone, and such punishment can damage your relationship and the dog’s temperament. [See Separation Anxiety for one problem this punishment can cause.]

Don’t leave food out unless you’re supervising, and then use the opportunity to train. Just as with the garbage, try for the element of surprise. Startling the dog at the right moment and when the dog is young and impressionable is your best training option.

After the dog has been tempted, yielded to temptation and gotten the food reward several times, you may be dealing with a lifelong behavior. Some dogs are much more accomplished thieves than others. They tend to be the smarter ones, too, and that has its rewards in other activities.

A dog’s life is too short to waste precious time with anger. If your dog requires extra supervision, just provide it and don’t let that spoil your relationship and enjoyment of your dog.

5. Holidays. Whenever things are different at the house and everyone is busy, think ahead about your dog’s needs. The holidays are prime time for dogs to get into dangerous things such as festive food, presents under the tree, decorations, and anything else you can think of—or would never think of! Dogs perceive the world quite differently from humans, and it takes experience to learn to anticipate what your dog might get into.

Consider confining your dog on busy holidays, either with a designated handler watching over the dog in a safe place for the dog to hang out, or perhaps by gating off all the festive areas. Some dogs are better off at grandma’s house or boarded for a few days until the excitement is over.

Visiting children under school age are another reason to take extra-special care with holiday visitors. Never leave the kids alone with the dog, and it’s better if there is one child-skilled adult handling the child while a dog-skilled adult handles the dog.

6. Guests. Whether it’s one guest, a dinner party, a kid’s birthday party or a backyard barbecue, guests at the house can create completely unexpected dog-proofing issues. Anything in a visitor’s purse may tempt your dog. Guests likely are not accustomed to keeping their food out of dog reach, and you may be too busy to watch the dog.

Have two options ready to use on no notice: a leash hanging by the entry door, and a confinement area ready and waiting. One option or the other will handle most situations where you just don’t have control of the behavior of the people in your home.

7. Door Security. Until your dog is trained not to exit your door without permission, use a double-barrier system at the door. This means that you secure the dog in some other way—such as behind a barrier or on a leash—before opening the door that leads to an outdoor, unfenced area. Do this every single time until the dog is reliably trained not to dash out the door. The temptation to dash out a door is just too much for dogs new to a home, and it causes the death of many.

8. Special Temptations. Things that carry your scent are especially appealing to your dog. It’s a compliment to you, but of course not something you want happening. These items include your bottles of medication, remote controls, shoes, children’s toys, gloves, eyeglasses and clothing—especially underwear.

Leaving stuff on the floor makes the dog think it’s all dog toys. A house with a dog needs to be kept picked up. Don’t try to “train” the dog by chasing, cornering, and punishing for picking up human stuff. This approach causes serious problems, even aggression.

If you slip up and your dog gets something of yours and starts to run with it, run AWAY from your dog. Encourage the dog to chase you, and swap something nice for that toy. This is a golden opportunity to teach your dog to retrieve.

9. Outdoor Hazards. Does it sound like all the trouble happens indoors, so your best bet is to just stick the dog outside to live? Chances are your dog would be in more danger there, have opportunities to do just as much damage, and put you at risk of having to deal with the authorities over issues such as noise that illegally disturbs the peace. People teasing your unattended dog through the fence can ruin the dog’s temperament, too.

The safest way to handle outdoor hazards is to supervise your dog whenever the dog is out there. Eventually there’s a good chance your dog can stay safely unattended loose in your house, but it’s less likely the dog would be safe unattended in your yard.

Time is on Your Side

As your dog matures, develops good chewing habits from your training and supervision, and settles down a bit, dog-proofing gets easier. Keep noticing your dog’s current interests and removing those particular temptations whenever you can’t watch over the dog. This is less work than cleaning up afterward, and less traumatic than having a dog injured by getting into the wrong stuff.

If your dog suddenly starts getting into the wrong things more than usual, consider a physical problem. Check your dog’s weight and condition out with your veterinarian and have any indicated testing done.

An increase in scavenging and destructive chewing can also accompany anxiety and other disruptions to a dog’s schedule or life. It’s a natural reaction to various physical and emotional stresses. Try to find and eliminate that stress—whether it’s a physical problem or an emotional one–before the new mischievous behavior becomes a habit. That will reduce risks as well as the time it takes to return your dog to safe habits.

Are you a parent or doting grandparent, aunt or uncle considering giving a child that pet she or he has been begging you for? Do you know someone considering buying a pet for their child or niece or nephew, godchild, grandchild or cousin? Encourage them to talk to the parents first…and to encourage the parent to do some research into the suitability and care requirements before they approve of such a gift.

The holidays are a time of giving, but please, don’t make a present of a living animal, especially to children. Instead, why not make a gift of a book about an animal they are interested in, the latest pet care video, give them a gift subscription to a pet magazine, or a gift certificate for books or equipment and supplies?

Every year, pets are given to people as gifts without those people knowing the first thing about them. Thousands are dumped every year on shelters.

Don’t assume that the parents of a child are willing or interested in caring for any pet. No matter how well you think you know the parents or the child, always ask the parents first, and give them time – and pet care information to read – to carefully consider it. If they say no, please respect their wishes. It really is a matter of life or death.

Animals are not disposable playthings. They are a lifelong commitment – both the life of the owner and the animal.

Alternatives to Live Animal Gifts

Charitable Donations

Individuals and organizations who do animal rescue, housing and rehoming of pet animals, as well as those involved strictly with domestic wildlife rescue and rehab, are always in need of funds, equipment, and supplies. If there is an organization your gift is particularly supportive of, or you know of one in need (and there isn’t one that isn’t in need!), then consider making a donation of money or goods. Most such organizations have a “wish list” of items they desperately need, with entries ranging from food for their patients and residents, to enclosures, heating and lighting supplies, veterinary supplies, etc. While some of these organization have a separate facility and so are listed in the phone book, many are completely volunteer run organizations. Reference librarians and the local volunteer center (check the County listings in the phone book) usually keep comprehensive lists of all nonprofit organizations in the area.
Pet Sitting and Go-fering

Sometimes our hearts exceed the depth of our bank accounts and so we must be more creative in our gifting. Consider giving a card entitling the bearer to a weekend, or even a week, of quality pet sitting (by you!) while they go on a much-needed vacation or business trip. Or, volunteer to make pet store runs for food and supplies, or to chauffeur people who do not have ready access to a car and who may have a problem lugging a sack full of food  on the bus or subway, especially during the icy, snowy winter months. Equally needful are rides to the vets for sick animals when the keeper doesn’t have a car or can’t take their pet on the bus and taxis, for some reason, never seem to find their address on time…

Pet Store Gift Certificate

If the store your gift recipient regularly goes to does not have gift certificates, you can easily create your own, by hand or on the computer. Tuck it into a holiday card, decorate the envelope, and voila! a safe and sane gift! The nice thing is that pet owners can use the certificate to buy something their pets need, or special treats for them they wouldn’t otherwise buy, or they can apply it towards the purchase of a future pet or pet supply purchase.

Common household hazards for your pets:

• Antifreeze that contains ethylene glycol has a sweet taste that attracts animals but is deadly if consumed in even small quantities; one teaspoon can kill a seven-pound cat. I recommend pet owners use a safe antifreeze in their vehicles. Look for antifreeze that contains propylene glycol, which is safe for animals if ingested in small amounts. Ethylene glycol can also be found in common household products like snow globes, so be sure to keep these things out the reach of animals.
• Cocoa mulch contains ingredients that can be deadly to pets if ingested. The mulch, sold in garden supply stores, has a chocolate scent that is appetizing to some animals.
• Chemicals used on lawns and gardens, such as fertilizer and plant food, can be easily accessible and fatal to a pet allowed in the yard unsupervised.
• De-icing salts used to melt snow and ice are paw irritants that can be poisonous if licked off. Paws should be washed and dried as soon as the animal comes in from the snow. Other options include doggie boots with Velcro straps to protect Fido’s feet, and making cats indoor pets.
• Cans and garbage can pose a danger when cats or smaller dogs attempt to lick food from a disposed can, sometimes getting their head caught inside the can. To be sure this doesn’t happen, squeeze the open end of the can closed before disposing.
• Traps and poisons. Pest control companies frequently use glue traps, live traps and poisons to kill rodents.  Even if you would never use such methods to eliminate rodents, your neighbor might.  Dogs and cats can be poisoned if they eat a rodent who has been killed by poison (called secondary poisoning).
• Grapes and Raisins Just a handful of grapes or raisins can damage your pet’s kidneys or even prove deadly. Even small amounts in trail mix or snack boxes can be dangerous
• Sweeteners Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol., a sweetener that is acutely toxic to dogs. Ingestion can cause vomiting, weakness, a life threatening drop in blood sugar, loss of muscle control, seizures and liver failure.
• Caffeine Coffee, tea, energy drinks, dietary pills or anything else containing caffeine should never be given to your pet, as they can affect the heart, stomach, intestines and nervous system.
• Onions and Garlic Large amounts of onions and garlic in any form-even powdered-can endanger your pets health. Effects can range from mild gastrointestinal upset to severe anemia.
• Chocolate Cocoa and chocolate contain theobromine, a chemical that can affect heart rhythm and cause vomiting, diarrhea and seizures, if ingested by pets.
• Yeast Dough Uncooked dough that contains yeast can expand and release gasses in your pets stomach or intestines, resulting in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even life threatening bloat and a twisted stomach. Some yeast dough also ferments into alcohol, which can cause alcohol toxicity.

animalbehavioralconsultants@yahoo.com

remember the families and seniors we will be delivering to require food, treats, sweaters, beds, collars, leads. and dont forget our small furry, andnon furry friends birds, fish , rabbits, guniea pigs,lizards, turtles,hamsters etc….. So please consider them as well on your shopping list as well

Thank You

A puppy is a baby dog. Like many other species of babies, baby dogs are built to appeal deeply to the emotions of adults. The normal human response to a baby is a deep desire to nurture the young one. This is good for the survival of babies. However, it’s not good for you in making the best decisions about adopting a new dog. This creature in a baby suit is a real live dog concealing 10 to 15 years of serious responsibility, including emotional highs and lows, more expense than most people would believe, changing your life, and hard work that tends to come without the opportunity to plan. Thus the first thing to know about selecting a puppy is to stay away from puppies while you research! Don’t lay eyeballs on a puppy until all the questions have been answered and you are as sure as you can possibly be that you are ready to take on this responsibility. Puppy adoptions are usually made without proper preparation. The type of research for the right refrigerator doesn’t work with puppies. And let’s remember, we are talking about DOGS, because there is a dog inside that puppy who will take over the body in just months! Then will your housetraining and puppy-biting of humans be solved? Maybe some puppy problems will be solved, if you’ve done your homework, though it’s definitely no sure thing. But adolescence makes it obvious that puppyhood was, well, child’s play. Many dogs lose their homes in this phase when the body is nearly full-sized and the brain requires a knowledgeable human’s management and training. After adolescence, the dog matures, and if there’s any aggression lurking in there, you may have a dog you absolutely cannot control. Female dogs are often fairly mature by age two years, males by age three. Small dogs may mature younger. Aggression is a problem with any size dog, but the large dogs are the ones who seriously hurt people, and on rare occasions kill. Small dogs more frequently lose their homes over housetraining, which takes longer and may never reach the reliability it can in large dogs. Larger dogs lose homes over destructively chewing human possessions, knocking people down, and biting humans. Adopting a puppy you are not equipped to raise, train, and manage for the dog’s entire lifespan is not fair to the puppy. Doing that keeps the dog from having a chance to be adopted by someone who would provide lifelong care. Every aspect of responsible dog ownership turns on the adoption of the dog in the first place. So when you consider any particular puppy for yourself, ask “Am I the right person to take care of this dog for the next 10 to 15 years? Do I know the strengths, weaknesses, habits and needs of this kind of dog? Do I want a puppy for now, or do I want to become a person with a dog family member I will care for until death?” You can see that questions like these are impossible to answer objectively when cuddling and cooing over a cute puppy. So stay away from puppies while you carefully consider getting one.

Skipping Puppyhood

One way to get the baby stars out of your eyes is to skip past puppyhood to the adult dog. You could go to the adolescent dog, if you’re a glutton for punishment. You need to be a pretty good trainer to happily handle an adolescent dog, or have good training help available quickly. It’s best to have both. Adolescence involves jumping up on people, dragging you on the leash, the major destructive chewing stage, sexual maturity, and a temperament that may change when the dog finishes maturing and from day to day in the meantime. Proper training of a puppy is complicated and requires that you seriously know what you’re doing. Proper training of an adolescent is all that, plus the potential of being dangerous. Don’t forget that the puppy you adopt will be an adolescent in a matter of months. Experts and those who diligently work with experts to raise their puppies can make adolescence go more smoothly by correct handling of the puppy before adolescent age is reached. But that’s not usually what happens when owners don’t make carefully considered decisions in puppy adoption. Anybody who’s ever been in love with an incompatible person—due to differences in values or serious personality conflicts—knows that “love is not enough” to make a marriage work. Love is not enough to raise a puppy successfully, either. To succeed in your home, the puppy has to have a sound temperament that falls within the parameters of your resources, early-life handling that has not done irreparable damage beyond your ability to cope, and correct handling from you. Being a different species, a puppy requires far different handling than what works to raise a human baby. Thus, many people do better skipping the complicated puppy stage and the mercurial adolescent stage to go straight to having a grown dog. If your motive is to save a dog, here’s where it happens. The puppy you pass by will surely be adopted by someone else. The adult dog very well may not be. The adult dog has a mature temperament that can be much more accurately assessed. Size, coat grooming, activity level and most other aspects of what you will need to be able to handle to live with that dog are apparent in the adult. In the puppy, these factors are carefully hidden, like the legendary warriors hiding in the gift of the magnificent Trojan horse statue. Through the miracle of growth, all the traits of an adult dog are cleverly compacted into that soft little puppy body. No wonder we’re fooled. Everybody loves puppies, but do consider skipping puppyhood. A whole lot of good things happen when people are willing to adopt adult dogs. You and the dog will both be winners if you make this choice. It’s a much better and safer choice than a puppy when adopting a dog to live with young children, too.

Where are the Puppies?

Shelters place puppies in homes easily. Some have such demand for puppies that they transport them from other states and even from other countries in order to have puppies on hand for adoption. One concern with shelter puppies is the risk to the puppies’ health and temperaments from going through such a system at critical development stages. You get the same problems that happen with pet shop puppies. Pet shop puppies have also been transported, and like shelter puppies they have been exposed to illness from other dogs. They have had unfortunate experiences that will damage them for life. Some of these puppies will succeed as companion dogs. The risk is high, though, of early death because they can’t survive what they have been through, along with health and temperament problems due to their genetics and exposures. The most humane way to raise and place puppies is very personal. A good breeder makes extremely careful choices, knows what she is doing with all phases of the process, and breeds only the number of puppies she can properly handle. A good breeder’s puppies are healthy and your risk of extreme veterinary expenses (beyond the puppy well-baby checks, vaccinations, and spay/neuter at the right time) is greatly reduced. Your risk of the puppy dying soon after adoption is much lower than with shelter and pet shop puppies, too. The good breeder will want to know you well enough to determine that you’re able to give the puppy a good home. You should also want to know her well enough to determine that you can trust her. This means you and the breeder need to have a relationship. The puppy will have a lifelong safety net, since the good breeder will help one of her puppies at any age if the puppy needs a new home. When you have questions after adopting your dog—and you should!—the good breeder will make herself available to answer them. The breeder knows a lot about her dogs, because she knows their mothers and fathers and aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins. You may be surprised how much it comes to mean to you that you can know the dogs who are related to your puppy. When the time comes that you lose your dog to death, you can go back to that family to adopt your next dog. The good breeder and her peers in the breed will be there to help you find the next dog. One of the mercies of losing a dog comes when it is possible to have another, if our life circumstances allow us to take up that responsibility all over again. Good breeders help make this possible. Keep in mind that the good breeder who takes care of any puppy she has produced if the dog ever needs a new home, throughout life, is going to have adult dogs available for adoption from time to time, too. These are marvelous adoptions, with all the advantages of known genetics and history as well as missing the chaos of puppyhood. Don’t think of adding a puppy to your life as a “purchase.” You don’t buy “puppy flesh,” if you make a responsible decision. Instead, you adopt a companion animal. Wherever you get your puppy or dog, any money that changes hands is a separate matter from what really happens when you get a dog. A puppy is not a good gift. Imagine giving someone a human baby without knowing if they want one. Giving them a puppy or dog isn’t much different, except in degree. It’s a huge responsibility that each person must choose to take or not take. Good breeders do not knowingly sell dogs to be placed in their real homes by other people. It is important to preserve the link between the breeder and the dog so that whoever is caring for the dog can get the breeder’s help when needed.

What Research Works?

Mixed breed puppies can grow into wonderful dogs. The healthiest mixes are those who are a cross between two purebred dogs. This is a hybrid and may have some genetic benefits. It will likely have the most extreme temperament traits of both breeds, though, so you need to research both breeds diligently and make sure you can handle all the possibilities. Most people are better off with a puppy from an established breed. The best breeders are found there, too. A mixed breed puppy is not a good choice for a first-time dog owner or for any situation where the dog’s temperament is extremely important. The major situation in which people make this mistake is adopting a mixed breed puppy to live with children, especially young children. You need the best possible temperament for that situation, not an unknown. If the children are younger than school age, it’s better to adopt an adult dog, or wait until they are older. A baby dog growing up with baby humans quite often doesn’t keep that home because of what happens to the puppy at critical development stages. Little kids cause pain and fear to puppies, and the puppies don’t react strongly enough for the parents to realize what terrible damage is happening. As the puppies mature into their adult instincts, they start protecting themselves because the parents didn’t know enough to protect them. This is a critical problem with any puppy, but when you don’t know what size the dog will grow to, how much guarding instinct, how reactive, and many other traits, the mix becomes a bigger risk. And of course there probably won’t be a good breeder to help you, because the best breeders do not breed mixes. If you want a mixed-breed dog, skipping puppyhood with your adoption will greatly improve both your chances and the dog’s chances of a successful life. Before deciding on any breed (or mix of breeds), spend significant time in personal, direct contact with dogs of that breed and people knowledgeable about them. Stay away from puppies! Puppies are not supposed to be at dog shows, so dog shows can be one place to research. Going to one dog show is not doing enough homework to choose a breed. It’s just one step. Buy a catalog to help you identify breeders you may wish to approach when they are not busy, to arrange a convenient time for a more educational meeting. Read about the breed, too, of course. Read more than one book, talk to as many people as you can who know the breed, and be sure to talk to rescue as well as breed club education officers. You can find the contact information for many of these people on the Internet, but Web surfing is not adequate research. You need to know so much more than you can find out that way. People like to talk about their dogs and to have other people admire them, so if you work at it, you can find the information you need from living and breathing people and dogs in person. When you have done this, it can be a reasonable option to get your dog from another geographical area. You should go there in person before committing to a dog, though.

The Bold Pup, the Shy Pup, the “Runt:” How to Choose

So now you’ve come down to a breed and a breeder, and a litter of puppies is available. How do you choose which to adopt? The best case is not to make that choice yourself. A good breeder knows her breed, the parents of these puppies and their relatives, and has studied these puppies as they’ve developed. She has also done her homework about YOU, and has a good idea what you can handle and what you need. You trust this breeder, right? Otherwise, what are you doing here? Leave! You need the right dog, and that dog is waiting for you somewhere. Don’t take the most available dog, the cheapest dog, the easiest dog to get quickly. Don’t let yourself down, and don’t let the right dog down, either. So, here you are with that breeder you trust. How to pick? Simple, she’ll pick your puppy. Of course you will have decided some things to guide her, such as whether you especially want or need one sex rather than the other and what training you plan to do with the pup. A pup destined to be a child’s playmate needs different traits than one who will be training for police work or high-powered dog sports. A pup you want to show, earn titles with, and breed needs many different attributes than a pup you will spay/neuter. Some wonderful dogs are unlikely to reproduce themselves well, or they have traits that will not interfere with your lifestyle but should not be bred on to become major aspects in the breed’s gene pool. Breeding dogs properly is a highly demanding calling and seldom profitable. Some people love it, while others would totally hate it. Living with intact male and female dogs of some breeds is a daunting task for many people. Giving up the pups is wrenching. Having mother dogs and puppies die in the birth process brings breeders terrible grief. Breeders who do the job well are heroes. Many of us would rather find other ways to serve humankind, while enjoying our dogs in a less complex lifestyle than breeding demands. Since the decision of whether or not to breed your dog often needs to be made at least tentatively when adopting a puppy, this is more research for you to do!

Deadlines Don’t Work

Getting a puppy for Christmas or Hanukkah is usually a terrible idea. You need the right puppy. The holidays are often the wrong time to find that puppy and also the wrong time to take on the extra work and lack of sleep that goes with adopting a new puppy. In the months following the holidays, a lot of people who didn’t do their research properly are giving up those puppies. This may well be the best time of year to adopt. Researching breeds is fun if you take your time. Doing it in a fever trying to get a dog on some schedule not only takes the fun out of it, but causes you to cut some critical corners. It takes time to meet people, talk to them, get to know them, and find the right opportunities to interact with and learn about the dogs. Remember that you’re forming relationships. You’re getting to know the other dog owners who will share a family tie of dogs with you. You’re finding out how these dogs smell, how they need their coats tended, what ear care they need, and how much money to set aside in a savings account for your dog’s veterinary expenses. Does this breed have a high incidence of hip dysplasia? What behaviors do you need to train? What activities is the breed well suited for, and which of those activities do you enjoy? The research takes you into the life you’ll be living with a dog of this breed (or breeds, in the case of a mix). It’s not preliminary time, but rather it’s the beginning of that life. It has its own rewards. Don’t skip past it or rush it. When selecting a dog, always remember the old saying “Marry in haste; repent at leisure.” Rushing ahead on emotion without doing the real-life research might accidentally find you the right dog. Your chances are reduced, though, and you miss too much of the good stuff!

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”