A birth in our society is always happiness laden; just the excitement with which it is feted varies depending upon the species to which the new entrant belongs to. A pup’s birth, pray not a stray one, evokes high decibels of joy and is sure to add cheer in the face of its master. Joyful he or she is for the practical purposes, commercial purposes or for the true love to rear it by making it share their living space. Regardless of the pup being cared by its owner the bitch never lets it go off its fold and the young ones too oblige as they are immobile in their nascent stage and the maximum motion possible for them would be feeding on the mother’s milk towards which they are attracted for its flavor and smell. The milk provides all the essential nourishments to invigorate their physical growth in their budding stage.

Gestation period of the puppies within the mother’s womb before making exit or rather an entry into world is of 9 weeks. Triplets, quadruplets during a single pregnancy never make head lines in the canine world as it is considered to be very normal to deliver more than two pups. The mother’s licking of the pups is crucial in the post natal phase in that to a certain extent it plays a role in shaping them physically apart from the cozy atmosphere which wraps them while clinging to the mother’s body. This also helps them to be reclusive from the weather considered to be hostile to the newborns. The nature calls are entirely attended by the mother in this neo natal phase as the pups never have control over their genitals.

Puppies are born deaf and blind but not dumb as is inferred from their birth. The eyelids are jelled in the initial stage when they are born and the cleavage appears approximately on the 12th day leading to complete opening of the lids with the appearance of blue colored eyes. By this time they are already well into crawling when they get vision that is confined to shades. Bright light is considered to be hazardous at this juncture when the eyes have just started to make out the things around them and also taking a little more time for recognition. Around the same time the pup double their body weight and are all set to enter into the transitional period where they tread the natural course to learn other acts. The puppies respond effectively to human calls in this transitional period and the taming of the animal could be carried out with sustained efforts.

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Female Dogs: The Pros

• Generally speaking, female dogs are easier to train then male dogs and are more likely to listen to all members of the household, not just the person they consider to be the head of the house!
• Most dog experts feel that female dogs are more affectionate then their counterparts. Again, this is not always the case as many male dogs love having belly rubs and sleeping next to their owners.
• Female dogs tend to be more docile and less aggressive towards strangers or with other dogs. Depending on the circumstances, this can be a major consideration for people living in highly urban areas, have children and their friends around the house, prefer a dog that is everyone’s ‘best friend’, or looking at a specific breed of dog that may already have a genetic predisposition towards aggression.
• Female dogs are more likely to become friends with other animals or small children in the house.
• Female dogs are easier to housetrain and can hold their bladders for longer.
• Like humans, the female within a breed will usually be smaller then the male.
• Female dogs do not tend to ‘mark’ their territory and void their bladders entirely in one stop.

Female Dogs: The Cons

• Female dogs can be more nervous and high-strung then male dogs.
• The cost of spaying a female dog is greater then that of a neutering a male dog.
• Female dog urine ‘burns’ or kills grass, leaving lawn with a patchwork of yellow rings throughout your yard.

Male Dogs: The Pros

• Male dogs tend to be more protective of their ‘stuff’ and their family. This can be both a pro and a con depending on the circumstances. For many of us, one of the reasons why we want a big dog is for protection but often the impression left by a German Shepherd or a Doberman Pinscher is enough to waylay a bad guy whereas the protective temperament that can go along with a male of some breeds could be more then you want to live with on a daily basis.
• The male of a breed tends to be larger, more robust, and with a higher level of endurance then the female, making them more attractive as working dogs and canine athletes.
• Male dogs tend to have greater energy and enjoy ‘horseplay’ more then females.
• Neutering a male dog is far less expensive then spaying a female dog.

Male Dogs: The Cons

• Early training is required to help stop the guarding of food and objects.
• Male dogs lift their leg to urinate, marking their territory. This can mean damage to bushes, shrubbery, flowers, and buildings.
• Male dogs are harder to housetrain and are more prone to ‘accidents’.
• Males are larger and require more calories meaning they eat more food.

The Two Dog Family

Although there are many cases of two dogs of the same gender being the best of friends, this is not often the case. Usually there are extenuating circumstances like the dogs are littermates, raised together since puppyhood, or one dog is entirely submissive to the more dominant dog.

If you already have a dog, always considering adopting or purchasing the opposite gender if you want to add another to your family. Most trainers will agree that the preferred combination would be a male and a female.

Always Spay or Neuter your Pets

Spaying and neutering not only helps keep from contributing to the pet overpopulation crisis, it also helps to nullify many of the pros and cons of either gender. For both genders, their attention is better focused on their owners, not on their innate desire to reproduce and a neutered male dog is less likely to be aggressive and territorial as well as easier to train. Both spaying and neutering can be done as early as eight weeks old without side effects and the old wives’ tale that it is better for a bitch to allow her to have a heat cycle or litter is just that – an old wives’ tale. Getting either genders ‘fixed’ under six months old almost guarantees your pet will not suffer from mammary, prostate, or testicular cancer respectively.

Should you get a Male or a Female Dog?

Before purchasing or adopting a dog, take some time to consider what traits fit best with your lifestyle and why you want a dog. Are you a hunter? A male dog will be a better choice, as the higher level of endurance will be a benefit. Want a dog that will care for your children and tolerate their misbehavior? A female dog is more likely to accept the tail pulling and ear poking better then a male. In fact, they may even help to gently teach your children what is acceptable and what is not. Remember, your decision is an important one and will last the lifetime of your new four-legged family member. Make sure it’s a good one!

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As hard as it is to resist those soulful puppy dog eyes, it’s important to remember that it is not always in your puppy’s best interest to give in to his begging.

Aside from the fact that feeding your dog from the table reinforces a negative behavior (begging), some human food can be harmful to your dog, even in small quantities.

While the simplest and safest solution is to not give your dog any table food, there are some foods that are fine for your dog in small quantities. Table food should never make up the majority of a puppy’s diet. Dog food is formulated with all of the nutrients and vitamins that dogs need. It is very difficult to give a dog all that he needs by feeding him only table food. But, as an occasional treat, or to break up the monotony of your pet’s diet, tossing him some of your leftovers is acceptable.

Some owners think the perfect treat for their pet is the fat they have trimmed from a roast or other meat. Fat trimmings should not be given to dogs, however, because it can cause pancreatitis. Table scraps of meat should have the fat trimmed from them and should never contain any bones.

Don’t Give Your Dog Poultry or Fish Bones

Poultry and fish bones are particularly hazardous as they are brittle and it is very easy for a dog, especially a small dog, to choke on them. Even other bones should be avoided because it is possible for the bones to cause damage to the intestines. In addition, some dogs have an allergic reaction to the bone marrow which causes severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Many foods are a danger because they can cause an obstruction in the puppy’s throat or digestive tract. Pits from peaches and plums are one example of this type of hazard.

Also to be avoided are chocolate, some types of nuts and grapes and raisins, all of which contain toxins that can be very dangerous to a puppy.

It may be difficult to resist the urge to treat your puppy with the same foods that you enjoy, but it’s important to remember that dogs have a different metabolism than humans.

There are safer ways to treat your puppy than with table scraps. Several companies offer a product to be used much like gravy. It can be poured over their food to provide a new texture and flavor. It can even be heated, so that your puppy can have a warm meal.

If you want to share YOUR dinner with your puppy, trim the fat off of a small piece of chicken or beef for the occasional treat, but to keep your dog in tip top shape, stick to the food that was made specifically to meet his needs.

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Many experts offer many different, and conflicting ideas. It’s often difficult to decide which method of discipline is best. There are, however, a few general guidelines to keep in mind when disciplining your new best friend.

Some Methods Instill Fear in Puppies

Hitting or shaking your puppy is not a good idea. While it may stop the unwanted behavior, it will also teach your puppy to be afraid of people. In addition to causing your puppy to avoid you, it can teach your puppy to be aggressive towards humans in general

If you hit your puppy, then later reach out to pet him, all he will know is the fear of that hand coming towards him. Instead, choose a method of discipline that uses rewards for proper behavior and discourages unwanted behavior by startling the puppy with a loud noise, such as shaking a can full of pennies.

Caught in the Act

If you walk up on a mess made by your puppy, and your puppy is not in sight, then this is not the time to try and teach your puppy a lesson. Unless you can correct the unwanted behavior AS IT IS TAKING PLACE then your efforts will be in vain.

If you drag your puppy over to a mess he made earlier, and tell him NO, he will likely not understand what he did wrong.

Instead reserve discipline for when you catch him in the act. Keep some type of noisemaker handy. Pet stores and online pet supply sites sell special whistles that can be used for this purpose. Just as effective is the aforementioned can of pennies, a shrill whistle or simply a loud NO from the owner.

The noise should startle the puppy enough that he stops the behavior. Then, after he has been distracted, redirect the puppies attention to a more acceptable behavior.

Accentuate the Positive

Enforcing the behavior you want is just as important as discouraging behavior you don’t want. When drawing your puppy away from unacceptable behavior and pointing them toward acceptable behavior, reward your puppy when he acts appropriately. When you happen upon him mauling his chew toy instead of your favorite chair, reward him verbally and, perhaps, with a treat.

By reinforcing the behavior you want, you are providing one more reason for your dog to behave appropriately.

Prevention is the Best Medicine

It is more difficult for your puppy to misbehave if he is not left alone in tempting situations. Until your puppy has learned what is acceptable, supervision is key. Keep an eye on your puppy when he is roaming free through the house. Work on crate training, so that when you are away, your pet has a safe place to rest while he waits for your return. This not only provides limits for your pooch, it also protects your belongings!

Another reason that supervision is important was discussed earlier: For discipline to be effective, the puppy must be caught in the act of misbehaving.

What will work depends a lot on the personality of your puppy. Some methods that work well for one puppy will not work so well for another. Just keep trying different methods until you find one that works for you.

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Most puppies go to a new home when they are between seven and 12 weeks of age. This is a good time for them to leave their mother and littermates. They are able to start bonding with a human family at this time. However, at this age they don’t know much about house training. The first few weeks of their life their mother has washed them and cleaned up after them. After that, they learned to leave the sleeping area when they needed to use the bathroom, but they aren’t house trained. Add to that the fact that puppies at this age have very small bladders and need to potty frequently, and you can see why puppies have very little control, at first, over where they potty.

It will be up to you to teach your puppy what he needs to know. You will need to teach him with lots of patience and kindness. Puppies learn best with praise and rewards, not with punishment or anger. Remember that at this age your puppy is just a baby. He doesn’t always understand what you are trying to teach him. If he makes a mistake it may be due to the fact that he doesn’t understand, or he can’t physically do what you want him to do at this age. He will be house trained, eventually, so just hang in there and keep working on the process of “house training my puppy.”

Put Your Puppy on a Schedule

You can start by putting your puppy on a good schedule. If you get your puppy in the habit of eating, going outside, and pottying at certain times, it will go a long way toward helping him avoid having accidents. Take your puppy outside to relieve himself as soon as he wakes up in the morning and after every meal. Take him outside after every big play session. Exercise usually makes a puppy need to potty, so if you and your puppy have a big wrestling match in the floor you should plan on taking your puppy outside shortly afterwards. And, you will need to take your puppy outside to potty before bedtime.

Even if you have a fenced yard it’s best if you take your puppy outside to potty during these first few weeks. Accompany him when he goes to relieve himself. That way you can make sure that he is spending time pottying and not just sniffing the grass or chasing bugs. You can also be on hand to praise him and even give him a treat when he potties. People often get upset when their puppy has an accident, but they fail to praise and reward their puppy for doing what they want and relieving himself outside as they wish. Go outside with your puppy and let him know that he’s being a good puppy by pottying outside. If you don’t have a yard and you walk your puppy, make sure that you praise him and give him a reward when he relieves himself on walks.

No matter how well your puppy’s house training progresses, or how diligent you are about taking your puppy out on a good schedule, it’s likely that your puppy will have a few accidents. Virtually every puppy has an accident at some point. If your puppy does have an accident you should not be too hard on him. Unless you actually see your puppy in the act of having an accident in your home, you should not reproach him for it. Your puppy has a very short memory and attention span at this age. Once he does something, he’s forgotten it two minutes later. It won’t do any good for you to yell at your puppy, and rubbing his nose in a mess or anything else would simply be cruel. Your puppy would have no idea why you were angry or acting like a crazy person. You would only be harming your relationship with him.

If you do find a mess that your puppy has made you should do your best to clean it up entirely. Make sure that no odor remains. You can use an enzymatic cleaner or a product such as Nature’s Miracle to remove any odor. Vinegar and water also makes a good cleaner. It is the odor from the accident which could cause the puppy to return to the spot and repeat the act, so make sure that the spot is thoroughly cleaned.

If you do catch your puppy in the act of having an accident, you need to shout, clap your hands or make some noise to get your puppy’s attention and make him stop what he’s doing. Then scoop him up and take him outside. Don’t waste time fussing at him. Instead, wait until he’s outside and praise him for finishing up out there. Always try to praise the positive instead of punishing the negative.

You will need to watch for signs that your puppy is looking for a place to potty inside, especially if he has had a previous accident.

Watch for these signs that your puppy needs to potty:

• Your puppy may go back to the site of a previous accident
• He may sniff the floor
• He may look for a private, secret spot, such as behind furniture
• He may glance at the door
• He may give you looks, trying to let you know he needs to go out

If you notice your puppy doing any of these things you should take him outside right away. It could be a false alarm, but it’s also likely that your puppy really needs to relieve himself and he doesn’t yet know how to let you know he needs to go outside. As he gets older he will get better about learning how to communicate with you that he needs to go out.

You can help your puppy get through the night by feeding him his final meal no later than 7 pm. He should be ready to potty for the night by 10 or 11 pm. You should also remove his water for the night by around 9 pm. Otherwise he may need to go outside during the night or he may have an accident in the house overnight. You may also wish to consider crate training your puppy to help him with his house training.

“House training my puppy” won’t seem so bad if you follow these simple suggestions. Most puppies are fairly easy to house train. It usually just takes a few weeks to house train most puppies. You may feel frustrated at times but if you hang in there and keep taking your puppy outside, and giving him praise and rewards for pottying correctly, your puppy will be house trained in no time.

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You know that you have a little while to go before he is completely housebroken, but you don’t have time to keep cleaning the floor three or four times a day. Consider paper training your puppy. Not only will it make clean up a lot easier, but paper training can also help to simplify the process of housebreaking your new pet.

Puppy training pads can be purchased at most pet supply stores. These pads are great because they absorb the mess along with much of the unpleasant odor. Messes cannot soak through the pads, so your floors or carpets are completely protected. The only downside is that the pads are not reusable, so you will need to continue to purchase pads until the puppy is housebroken.

There are premium pads that come at a premium price, but the store brand pads are much cheaper and work just as well as the more expensive ones. Still, if puppy pads are not in your budget, you can accomplish pretty much the same thing by using plain old newspaper.

While newspaper will be better for your budget, there is a downside. It is possible for messes to soak through the paper and get on your floor or carpet. Also, clean up is going to be a bit more challenging if you use newspaper instead of puppy pads.

Other than the differences noted above, paper training is the same no matter if you use newspaper or puppy pads. Below is a quick course in how to paper train your puppy.

Placement of the Paper/Pads

You should place the pad in one place (until you begin moving it as described in step 3). This will help the puppy to know exactly where to go to find the paper/pad when he needs to use it.

Show Him What The Paper/Pads Are For

Some puppy pads are already scented so that your dog will be attracted to them as a spot on which to eliminate. If you are using unscented pads or newspaper, you can achieve the same effect by placing feces from the puppy on the paper or pad. When he eliminates in other parts of the house, gently pick him up and place him on the paper/pad.

Give Frequent Potty Breaks

Ideally, you should let your puppy outside every 2-3 hours. This isn’t always possible, but you should let the puppy outside as often as possible. As he get older, he will be able to ‘hold it’ longer, but puppies are not yet able to do this.

Confine Puppy While You are Away

Do not let your puppy have free run of the house while you are away. Instead, he should be confined in a crate that is big enough for him to stand up and turn around in, but not much bigger. The reason that you don’t want to use a bigger crate is that puppies generally do not like to eliminate in the place where they sleep. If you give them too big of a crate, they will sleep at one end and eliminate at the other end. By putting the puppy in a smaller crate, he is more likely to wait to be let outside to go to the bathroom. If you choose not to crate train your puppy, then use baby gates to confine him to the one room where the paper/pads are located. That way, he will at least have the option of going on the paper while you are away. As soon as you come home, the first thing you should do is let the puppy outside.

Begin to Move the Paper/Pad

Once you see that your puppy is using the paper/pads on a consistent basis, you can begin to move the pad closer to the door that you use when you let dog outside. Every few days you can move the pad a little closer to the door. Finally, you can move the pad outside.

Dealing with Mistakes

Do not expect perfection, and don’t be surprised if your puppy makes a few mistakes, even after several days of doing great. don’t yell at, hit or otherwise punish your puppy when he makes a mistake. Instead, say ‘no’ in a firm voice and move the puppy to the paper/pad. This is only effective if you catch the dog in the act. If you find the waste after the puppy has moved on, just clean it up and keep on with the training.

Rewards

While you are training, you shouldn’t just let your puppy outside by himself. Instead, you should always go outside with him and make a very big deal out of it anytime he goes to the bathroom outside. Lots of verbal praise and some treats should do the trick. Also, when you let the puppy outside, use a verbal cue such as ‘Go potty’. Be consistent with whatever phrase you choose and the puppy will begin to associate that cue with going potty.

Before long, your new puppy will be completely housebroken. But there is another use for paper training. For dogs that must be alone at home for long periods of time, paper training provides a way for them to eliminate in an area designated by you. Properly trained to use the paper or pads, they will not eliminate on the floor, so when you are home simply do not leave a pad or paper on the floor and they will wait for you to let them outside to do their business.

Paper training and housebreaking your puppy is not the most pleasant aspect of dog ownership. But with consistency and lots of praise, you and your puppy can master it in no time!

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One thing that is overlooked by many who care for orphaned pups is the importance of colostrum, the first milk produced by the mother dog after giving birth. It is colostrum that provides much needed antibodies that will protect the puppies against disease. To be effective, colostrum must be ingested within the first 12 hours of life. If not, then the puppy will be unable to fight off diseases as well as other pups.

One way to compensate for the lack of colustrum is to hand feed the puppy oral doses of blood plasma from a healthy dog. If this is not possible, then it is vital to provide extremely sanitary conditions for handling the puppy.

Buying Milk for a Puppy

There are several brands of milk to choose from. Talk to your vet or to a knowledgeable sales person at your pet supply store for help in selecting the best milk for your puppy.

it’s best to mix the formula just before use. Mix well and be sure to shake or stir out any lumps. When feeding, the formula should be slightly above room temperature. Most bottles available for nursing a puppy hold up to 4 ounces of formula. Be sure there are not too many holes in the nipple, or too large of a hole, because if the flow is to fast the puppy may have trouble ingesting the formula.

While it may be tempting to cradle a puppy the way one would a human infant, this is not ideal. Consider the way a puppy would feed naturally on its stomach. As the puppy is resting on its belly, gently insert the nipple into the puppies mouth. If the puppy is very small, and it seems the nipple is too large, a syringe can be used in place of a bottle. In a few weeks, when the puppy is a bit larger, switch from the syringe to a bottle. Always boil between uses for sterilization.

When deciding how much to feed, refer to the directions on the formula you have selected. The amount will be based on body weight. it’s important not to overfeed a puppy. Overfeeding can result in diarrhea and vomiting. If you are unsure if you are feeding the proper amount, consult your vet or other animal care specialist.

Puppies should be fed every 3-4 hours. If a puppy is hungry, he will let you know! Do not ignore a puppies cries, even if it is a little before feeding time. After feeding, burp the puppy in much the same way you would a human infant. Hold it upright against your body and gently pat its body until it burps.

Because a newborn puppy can become dehydrated very quickly it is important to seek help immediately if the puppy will not take any milk. If the puppy does not begin to suck on its own, there may be a problem that needs to be addressed by a vet, and your puppy should be seen as soon as possible.

By taking the time to properly care for an orphaned puppy, you will be help ensure that he has the chance to live a long and healthy life.

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Before you run off to the shelter or breeder to bring home your new bundle, take a look around your home. Chances are there are plenty of places for your new little addition to find trouble. Puppies are notorious for their ability to find trouble in the most unlikely places, so let’s take a moment from our perspective and look around.

Plants can be hazardous both to your clean house and your puppy’s health. House plants, especially those in large pots with plenty of potting soil are a fast favorite. To a puppy, it’s the perfect indoor toy that you left in the most surprising places. He can satisfy both his love of digging and his need to chew all in one convenient package. Some plants however, can be poisonous to dogs. Besides making a large mess, your new little bundle may end up ill, or worse.

Tassels are a common culprit of temptation that we tend to miss until we catch Little Rex destroying our bedspreads and tablecloth. The tight construction of tassels feel good in a puppy’s little teeth, and the soft fabric is easy for them to destroy. Until your puppy learns to only chew on his toys it is recommended that the tassels return to the closet.

Stairs are a hazard that we often take for granted. We recognize that small children are susceptible to falling down the stairs, but unsupervised puppies are likely to take a nasty tumble as well. While it is important that your little one be able to negotiate the stairs, a gate is still a good idea for those times when you might not be able to give your full attention to your puppy’s activities.

While you’re standing there and looking around, notice the items on the floor that might be a temptation to your puppy and a loss to you if it gets destroyed. Baskets that contain sewing items and magazines, decorative artifacts, and even throw rugs are all items that can easily find their way into your new puppy’s mouth. Children’s bedrooms are a goldmine of teething apparatus. It is better to have children close their doors. While it would be nice to be able to explain to them that they need to clean up in order to keep their belongings and the new puppy safe, but children have a way of lapsing into moments of forgetful messiness.

Limit Where Your Puppy Can Go

It is also better to start with your puppy confined to potion of the house, one that the family spends most of their time in, and blocking off the rest of the house except under supervised access. Limiting free movement makes it more reasonable to keep those areas puppy proof than the whole house. Just because you do it once doesn’t mean that you didn’t miss something, that life won’t make a mess, or that forgetful children won’t leave something behind. Puppy proofing is a daily activity.

Now that you are pretty sure that everything you can see has been put away or picked up out of Fido’s reach, now lie down on the floor and look around. The change in perspective can be quite shocking. One of the first things you should be able to notice is the landscape of wiring that becomes obvious from this perspective. Even if you doubt your puppy can reach all of them, puppies have a way of surprising their human families. The wires need to be contained and lifted as far out of reach as possible.

While you’re down there, take notice of the little things have made their way under the furniture. It’s not a bad time for a thorough cleaning. You don’t want to end up with a sterile living room, and it is important that your puppy be given the chance to learn what not to touch as well as what is acceptable. The goal of puppy proofing is to provide a safe environment for your puppy to learn in, leaving room for the human error of not being able to give your little guy constant attention.

As your puppy grows he will be able to reach higher and land himself in more trouble. If he is a large breed he will reach new heights very quickly and you will need to stay on top of his sudden new abilities. Smaller breeds aren’t quite as challenging, but a bored puppy will go looking for trouble if they are not receiving adequate stimulation.

If you brought home a dog who will grow to be thirty pounds or more, he will eventually discover the beautiful treasures you leave for him in the trash can. Unfortunately, some of the things we drop into the trash are not safe for their gutter dog antics. Regardless of the size of the puppy, never ever throw used razors in the bathroom trash. Bathroom trash can be just as delectable to you puppy, and for some breeds, the only garbage delicacy they will ever have access to. Soap will make your dog sick, but a disposed razor can kill him.

Likewise, be careful about throwing away cleaning products and ant chemical form of waste. Used oil, bleach, bait salt, antifreeze, and detergents all have the potential to be lethal. Disposing of them properly and well out of harm’s way is one of the most important over looked puppy proofing items on the checklist.

If by chance your little whiz manages to find his way into trouble and you are unsure of the health effects, call your vet at once. You are not bothering them with unimportant questions. It is always better to check with a professional than to wait it out and see. Likewise, if your puppy is experiencing a sudden change in behavior such as lethargy, tremendous anxiety, sudden extreme pacing, or listlessness place an immediate call to the vet. Chances are he found something you overlooked. Naturally the same is true if he develops sudden diarrhea or vomiting.

Give him time. The dramatic changes you may have had to make in your house won’t last forever. Eventually your puppy will learn what he can touch and what he can’t and hopefully grow into a trustworthy dog. In the mean time take great care to see to his safety, and enjoy him. He won’t stay this little and boisterous for very long.

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However, some dogs do not gain this confidence. They may have been left alone too long as puppies and were traumatized by it, or they were neglected or abused and are insecure. These dogs often wreak havoc on a house – chewing on doorways, destroying furniture, barking and scratching incessantly on the door. They end up in shelters. Well-meaning people adopt them, but still they carry low self-esteem and exhibit their learned behavior of separation anxiety.

One of the first questions you need to ask yourself is how athletic is your lifestyle? If you have young children under the age of five, I’d assume you cannot commit to running three miles a day, and therefore you want to avoid breeds that require a lot of exercise. These include most sporting breeds, such as pointers-Weimeraners and Vizlas-water dogs, some spaniels, and herding breeds-such as Australian Shepherds or Border Collies. Labradors and retrievers are also sporting breeds and need exercise, but they can be excellent family dogs, which is why they are so popular. They can be happy with a moderate amount of exercise and can also tire themselves out by playing fetch, i.e. retrieving, the skill for which they were originally bred. You know how toddlers want to do things again and again, so just give your child a ball, set the kindred spirits out into the backyard, and everyone will have a better nap afterwards.

The process of teaching dogs with separation anxiety to be alone requires a lot of time, patience, and positive reinforcement.

To start, change your routine before you leave. Try to make it less drawn out. Put your keys in your purse ahead of time, for example, and have your shoes ready to put on at the door. Dogs know the routine of leaving, and if it’s drawn out they become increasingly anxious.

Leave the house promptly and don’t make a big deal out of leaving. Emotional comings and goings cause more anxiety. If you make leaving a big deal, by petting your dog excessively and cooing to it, this reinforces the dog’s sense that it is a big deal when you leave. Instead, ignore the dog ten minutes before you leave, and when you leave, just say “take care of the house,” a phrase that means “I am leaving and I’ll be back.” Then turn around and come back after thirty seconds to a minute and go about your day, ignoring the dog again for ten minutes.

Leave and come back about a dozen times the first day, and increase your time each time you leave. If you come home and your dog is exhibiting anxious behavior, cut the time in half, then increase it again once the anxious behavior disappears.

Make sure you take all the factors of your lifestyle into account before coming to a decision. Then go to your local shelter and find the dog right for you. By all means do not feel that you need to get a purebred dog. There are far too many good mixed breeds in shelters that just need the right home.

It’s best to work on these exercises when you have a vacation or during the weekend, because it takes a lot of time and commitment. As you begin to see success, start varying the time you are gone. Leave for thirty minutes, then two minutes, then an hour.

In addition to this program, there are other things you can do to build your dog’s confidence. A basic obedience class can be beneficial even if your dog is already trained, because he leans he can handle new situations, and he gains confidence in you as “leader.” Also, spending quality time with your dog in the course of a day is also essential, consisting not of babying or cuddling but activities that build a strong leader/dog relationship, such as agility, playing fetch, hide and seek, all beneficial for the psychological well-being of your dog.

Doggy daycares are great resources for people who work full time. If your dog spends two to three days of the week in the company of other dogs, chances are she’ll be more tolerant of being left alone the other days. For some dogs, it’s asking too much to expect them to stay alone all day, five days a week. In general, even if your dog doesn’t have separation anxiety, I advise you to find a way to give your dog company during long days. Another great option is finding playmates to spend the day at your house, other dogs who would also be left alone. The last option would be acquiring another dog, but this option requires a commitment you might not be ready for.

Another suggestion is to keep your dog occupied working for his food while you’re away. Buster cubes, contraptions that your dog rolls around in order to dispense kibble, are great for keeping your dog busy. You can choose to feed your dog exclusively from it when you leave, so that she’ll actually look forward to your departure! Kongs or shank bones filled with frozen wet food or other treats will also occupy the time while you’re gone. Avoid leaving your dog with rawhide, or other chew objects that disintegrate, however, because they can cause blockages. If your dog is busy nosing and chewing safe objects, she will be less likely to chew on the sofa or a doorway. Separation anxiety has various degrees of severity. I have had cases where all it took was providing chew toys and following the ten-minute ignoring rule and the problem was solved. Other cases required extensive desensitization to the rituals of leaving the house. More severe cases required doggy daycare five days a week. A veterinarian can provide medication, and Bach flower remedies, such as Heather or Chicory, can help, but they must be accompanied by behavior modification. Every solution will be different. For some dogs distractions like toys will work. My own dog does well in situations where he is working. I tell him to “guard the house” when I leave, so when I’m gone he has a job. The key is to take the time to find what works best for you and your dog. Remember that dogs are different animals than we primates-they’re pack animals, and being left alone is hard for them.

About the Author – Kika Dorsey has been working with animals since a child. She has trained dogs for adoption at the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter in Boulder and has worked with dogs of all sizes and with all kinds of behavior problems. She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the International Association of Canine Professionals. She is certified by the IACP’s president Rocky Boatman. A Ph.D. in Literature and having worked as a horse wrangler for two years , Kika brings her wide range of skills into her work-analysis, writing, and experience with a wide array of animals and behavior problems of different species. Kika lives in Boulder with her husband, children, and dog Dexter.

Kika Dorsey, Ph.D.
701 University Ave.
Boulder,CO 80302
(303)442-3353

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However, getting a puppy is not something you or your family should rush into. It is a decision that must be well thought through as making a mistake can hurt you and your family as well as that little ball of fur everyone is dreaming about. Consider how you want to raise the pup, what type of dog works best for your family, the individual ramifications of buying from a breeder or adopting from a shelter and the long-term effect a dog could have on your family.

The responsibility of raising the family dog falls on the parents guaranteed. Yes, the kids may enjoy playing with the pup and they should be involved with training the pup. However, no matter what the age, most kids do not have the level of commitment that is required to raise a happy, well-trained dog. And why should they? They are kids after all! It is important that the kids have a hand in the choosing and rearing of the pup but it is not realistic to expect them to do all the work.

Do You Have the Time for a Puppy?

So be honest with yourself, do you have time to raise a pup? It means getting up earlier to take the dog for a walk before work and school, a walk in the evening, feeding schedules, sleepless nights, obedience class once a week and the ongoing struggle of housetraining. If you live near work, coming home for lunch can mean less of a mess at the end of the day as you can get the pup out for some midday exercise and a bathroom break. If you cannot come home then at the end of the day you have to expect a mess, a hyperactive and bored puppy with an evening of tiring him out so that you can sleep for at least part of the night.

The first few months are usually the most difficult so pick a time of the year where school, work and social commitments are less. Bringing the pup home at the beginning of summer holidays for the kids has the advantage of good weather and fewer distractions so the kids will be more inclined to help raise the pup.

Choosing the right breed can make the most significant impact on how well your family adjusts to the four-legged bundle of fur. Consider the size, exercise requirement, grooming needs and temperament that would best fit into your lifestyle and read up on breeds that suit your family. Many people are sold on the looks of a breed and do not look beyond them to whether the dog is a good family pet, how much exercise they require, how big they will get or whether they are good with children other then their own. Labrador Retrievers are the number one breed right now for families but they are a big dog – can your four-year old handle a rambunctious seventy-pound pup running around the house?

There are good dog breeders, average breeders and breeders that do it to generate an income that do not have the good of the breed or their pups in mind – it is only a business. It takes research and talking to people within the breed to find out the difference between the breeders. Go to a dog show and watch the various breeds parade around the ring. Most participants are happy to talk to legitimately interested people and will answer any questions you may have on their dogs. Ask who are the good breeders and they will quickly point you in the right direction.

Adopting a pup from a shelter is another option. Shelters are always looking for good homes and are happy to work with ‘newbies’. Shelter dogs are usually mixed breeds, which often are healthier then purebred dogs. However, not knowing the ancestry of the dog can run into some interesting quirks – no true idea how big the pup will get, what kind of natural instincts it may exhibit or what traits it will have. When kids are involved, you do need to know whether the pup has, for example, any Border Collie in it as their natural herding instinct can mean that they will nip at the ankles of running children.

Adding a puppy to the family will change the dynamics, usually for the better but the long-term effects should be considered just the same. If your family travels overseas a lot, then owning a dog means kenneling it when you are away whereas camping, boating and driving trips are well suited for a many breeds of dogs. For the busy family that is rarely home, a dog can become an unwanted frustration as everyone fights over whose responsibility it is to stay home and look after the dog. What is the expected lifespan of the breed of dog and will that having a positive or negative effect on the family? These are all small things to consider but important. Plans for handling these complications as they arise should be in place before you bring the pup home to help keep the conflict to a minimum through the years.

For many families, the addition of a puppy is a wonderful experience that everyone will enjoy and appreciate in their own way as the years go by. However, do your research and discuss the various ramifications before your bring the pup home to make sure it is the right decision for your family.

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