“Puppies!” by Candiss
DelCastillo
Puppies.
Who can resist the adorable little balls of fluff, round tummies and
breath that endears us to them?
Somewhat
like a combination of a 2 year old and a newborn, they are a
tremendous investment of time and money, but when raised right, the
dividends are wonderful.
There
is a lot more than you might think to these little wonders. I can’t
encourage you enough to think of owning one as importantly as you
would if a human baby were due at your house hold.
The
first place to start is around your kitchen table with the whole
family. This is where you ask every hard question and pay attention
to every red flag. Topics to be covered are:
-
Is everyone in agreement about bringing a new dog home?
-
Is everyone, even the children, willing to pitch in and help care for
this dog on a consistent basis?
-
Are there finances in the family budget to cover the expenses and
veterinary needs of the dog?
-How
long will the dog be alone each day?
-Are
you willing to spay or neuter if the dog is not going to be used for
breeding?
And
so on...
It
is essential that if your dog will be alone during the day, you are
willing to give him a 30 minute walk in the am and pm to drain the
nervous energy that builds up from being cooped up for so long, even
if he is not crated. Be prepared to do some obedience work and play
with him. Your presence in the home only after 5pm and a total of 2
potty trips in the yard before 10pm is not part of the contract you
engage in when you buy or adopt a new dog!
If
you are going to be gone excessively on a regular basis, a puppy will
not do well with this and it will lead to issues that you won’t
like. I strongly recommend that you have a friend, relative or Dog
Walker come in and check on the pup and play with him for at least 30
minutes. If the dog is older, have someone take him for a midday 30
minute walk at a robust pace.
If
you have children, it is a good idea for them to put in at least 5%
of their weekly allowance to go towards paying for your dogs needs.
When children have a monetary investment involved in a pet, they are
more likely to care about it for an extended period of time. It is
also a great character building tool for the child. Your child
should be involved in the care and feeding of your dog, as well.
Mom, do NOT under any circumstances, take over the primary role of
care giver to this animal!
I
suggest that you avoid taking on a dog that is from the powerful
breed category, such as a Doberman, German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Pit
Bull etc. if this is your first dog. While these are all wonderful
breeds, they take a special type of management that the first time
dog owner generally lacks.
It
is essential that you do not purchase a dog that has a more dominant
or upbeat energy level than your family as a whole. If you are the
curl up in front of the fire place bunch, do not purchase a Husky who
needs to run regularly. If you are the active type, do not go for a
dog that you have to coax just to get him to move at a minor fast
walk. The dog’s energy level should always be slightly lower than
yours.
Just
a tip on breeders. Choose one who has a clean living environment
both for themselves and for the pups. Also, be certain that you can
see both of the pup’s parents if they are accessible. For example,
if the father is wild eyed and overbearing, look somewhere else. It
is very possible that that tendency can be passed genetically to
your pup.
If
you can avoid having a new puppy shipped to you, do so. Being
detached from his mother and liter mates is challenging enough, but
having to be in transit for up to 12 - 48 hours makes that even
harder on the little guy. Depending on the nature of the pup, it can
traumatize them for life. If you live in the same vicinity of the
breeder you are purchasing your pup from, go to visit your pup from
time to time so he knows you when he is ready to come home.
On
the day you go to get your pup, make sure you have the whole day
booked out for it. This needs to be a calm experience for everybody,
especially him. In transit, bring a towel with the mother and liter
mate’s scent on it for the ride home so he has the smell of them in
the car. Playing soothing instrumental music can also make pups
transition home more comfortable.
If
he cries when you put him down on the ground or floor, give him some
time to work it out. If you are quick to pick him up and comfort
him, you are transmitting weak energy to him (sympathy) and teaching
him right off the bat that crying will get him picked up. Pups who
walk around more than they are carried, turn out to be more
intelligent, easier to raise dogs.
Lastly,
when you get your new pup home, confine him to only a small portion
of the yard and house. After approx 3 -5 days you can expand that
out a bit until he is comfortable with the whole place. Introduce
him to your home with you in front of him. If he is allowed to suss
out the house, he will claim it for his own and you will have
dominance issues with him from day one.
Be
prepared to lose a little sleep for the first couple of nights.
Keeping him in a crate near your bed is the best way to start. Let
him cry it out. He will eventually get used to this, and settle in.
Again, if you relent and take him out of the crate and snuggle with
him in your bed, you have just lost that match and will be dealing
with the consequences for potentially the rest of his life.
I
could write volumes on this subject, but I will close with this. A
puppy is expected to mind the rules in a pack of dogs from day one.
The adult dog’s know how to handle the puppies according to their
young age, however, they run a tight ship. In your domesticated
“Pack”, you will experience the optimum result with your pup if
you do the same.
Good
Success to you!
~Candiss
DelCastillo
www.WalksandWags.biz
