Letter To My Master:

Selecting The Breed Of Dog For Your Family:

Before choosing the puppy, you must choose the right dog. Tailor the breed to your needs, expectations of behavior and the environment you can provide. Focus on the dog the puppy will become – by 8 weeks its personality becomes apparent. A little forethought is necessary in choosing the right dog.

Choosing the right dog means a better life for you and the dog.

Choosing the right dog includes considering health care, grooming, exercise requirements, size and level of commitment.

Dogs are abandoned when the owner did not choose the right dog.  Incompatible matches to avoid:
•    Family with toddlers — nervous temperament;
•    Permissive person — dominant instinct;
•    Neat family — heavy shedder;
•    Social family — aloof personality.

People often select dogs for the wrong reasons.

People select dogs on looks, size, color, coat hair. However, choosing the right dog involves selecting a dog that is compatible to your lifestyle. Not all large dogs are aggressive, not all small dogs are calm. Some small breeds are great for children, others are excitable. Large dogs are excellent family companions but their size warrants adequate training to prevent damage to persons and property. The personality of a dog is fixed by genetic code from the parents. Training and environment accentuate or detract from traits, but basic personality remains.

Choosing the right dog for kids.

Some medium and large breeds are known for protective instincts toward children. The right dog chosen should be solidly built, amenable to roughhousing by children, patient and gentle. A common mistake is choosing the right dog by size or cuteness rather than temperament.

Consider selecting an older puppy for the family dog, 6-10 months. These puppies are past the nipping period and may be housebroken.

Introduce the family dog when children are 5 years or older — they are more emotionally independent and excited about the family addition. Under 5 years, child and puppy will compete for your attention. A young child might hug the puppy like a stuffed animal, causing it to become fearful and defensive.

The challenges of dog guardianship are easier when the right dog is chosen.

Small (20-25 pounds and up to 15 inches) is easier. Smaller requires less room, exercise area, and food; easier to pick up, cleanup, and transport.  However, the medium-sized dog has the advantage of being small enough to travel in small cars but large enough to engage in active outside activities.  Large dogs make excellent family companions, and with adequate training are protective of owners and property. Their presence deters crime.

Male or female?

In general, females are smaller than their male counterparts and more easily trained at earlier ages. Not all females will retreat when facing danger, not all males will be defensively aggressive.

Do not choose the right dog based on gender. A reputable breeder will not place a puppy solely on gender, unless you are certain you will be breeding.  “We may breed later” rarely happens, and the dog may be unable to breed anyway. Besides, we are better off not adding to the dog overpopulation.

Purebred dogs.

Purebred temperaments can be extreme – very energetic, very demanding, very stubborn.  But, dogs are as individual as people, so a particular dog may not have the temperament typical of its breed. Much depends on the parents’ exhibited temperament. When choosing the right dog from a breeder, observe the parents interacting with the breeder. Or, minimize any uncertainty; acquire an adult dog, where you see the temperament.

Purebreds have higher incidence of genetic defects.

Purebred dogs have a higher potential for cancers and disorders of: bones, joints, eye, heart, immune system, nervous system, blood and skin. Most breeds are built on limited gene pools, so the same set of genes reproduces over and over without introducing new genes. Weaker animals with health problems often results. Certain physical characteristics predispose breeds to health problems and shorter life spans. Bulldogs and Pugs are cute but do not breathe well due to their short faces. Long bodies (e.g. Dachshunds) are prone to back problems and paralysis. Non-pure breeds tend to have good genetic diversity and better health prospects.

Non-purebreds.

The term “mixed breed dogs” is misleading — it suggests a MIX of purebreds. Unless you know a puppy has purebred parents, you are guessing “what breeds are in it”.  More accurately, mixed breeds should be called non-purebreds. If you do not see the parents, you cannot assume the temperament of the puppy. A good solution when choosing the right dog is to select an adult that has the appearance and temperament you want. And, you might be saving a life.

Dog Training Tips

What To Know When Training Your Dog

Some dogs, due to their personalities or past abuse, may come to you with excessively shy, fearful or submissive behaviors. This can affect everything from their willingness to be petted to their ability to enjoy going for walks.

As you can imagine, the quality of the dog's life and his or her relationship with you will be greatly affected if these problems aren't addressed A.S.A.P.

Before we discuss the appropriate training methods, let's take a quick look at some of the most common signs of fear-based behavior in dogs:

1. Yawning -  If it's the end of a long day and your dog is relaxed, then a yawn is natural. However, yawning can also be a sign of stress and anxiety. The key is to look at your dog's body language. Nervous yawns are usually quick and accompanied by tense body language.

2. Ears Pinned Back -  Happy, confident dogs keep their ears upright or pinned forward most of the time. Slight pinning is normal and not a source for concern so long as the dog's body language is otherwise normal.

However,  if your dog pins her ears back when you approach and leaves them that way, it is a clear sign of anxiety an apprehension.

3. Tucking Tail Between Legs - Extreme apprehension.

4. Shaking - This is a sign of extremely high stress.

5. Crouching -  Often accompanied by the tail between the legs, this sign represents a seriously fearful dog. This is a sign of complete submission intended to convey “Please Don't Hurt Me.”

6. Submissive Urination (and/or defecation) -  In the wild, submissive dogs will sometimes show their submission to a threatening alpha dog by urinating or defecating. It is close to the human equivalent of losing control of your body due to fear, and is really involuntary on your dog's part.

If your dog is displaying any of these signs, it's time to desensitize him. The process can be slow, and it is vitally important that you approach your dog gently and patiently.

The first rule in dealing with fearful dogs is that it is better to focus your (and their) attention on the positive behaviors you want to enforce, while ignoring the behaviors you want to eliminate.

Additional methods that you may want to try:

1. Change your petting style. The least threatening way to approach a dog for touch is to lower your hand beneath his head and give him a quick scratch on the chin or chest.

2. Pay attention to posture. Some training books will tell you to get down on the ground at the dog's level, but this is not always the best approach, particularly with smaller dogs. Try to determine what makes your dog the most comfortable (to see you sitting, standing, etc), then slowly work to desensitize him to your movements from each position.

3. Don't carry.  The only time you should pick up and carry your dog is when there is an obvious threat of danger from a larger dog. Otherwise, make sure your dog has all four paws on the ground when you go for walks and do not give in. Keep walks short in the beginning, and close to home.

Reward your dog with plenty of praise and attention when he is behaving in a calm and confident manner. Ignore him when he has peed on the floor or is trembling under your attention, and resist the urge to comfort him.

Giving your dog attention when he is displaying fearful behavior only reinforces the behavior. This sounds harsh, but it is actually best for both of you in the long run!

Exercise Your Dog For

Longevity, Mind, Body and Spirit

Exercise is important for everyone including your dog or pet. As most people know, being able to move around is stimulating to the mind and body. Too much confinement can result in stress, and emotional and behavioral problems.

Emotional stress and loneliness alter neurochemical and vascular functions, and these changes can increase susceptibility to major diseases.

A lack of exercise leads to obesity, poor muscle tone, and heart and bone problems.

The opposite scenario is produced with exercise. Exercise leads to longer life, increased strength and endurance. Your dog will rest more calmly and be less nervous when left alone. Exercise can improve your dog’s bone and joint health, heart and lung function.

Your dog’s metabolism is geared for field work, pulling sleds, or other vigorous tasks. Pent-up energy demands an outlet and it is up to the responsible dog caregiver to channel this energy constructively through exercise.

The most effective exercise engages both mind and body.

It would be good to understand what your dog’s instinctual traits are and incorporate them into activities and exercise. For a working breed, performing a task would be naturally satisfying, possibly pulling a wagon or carrying a pack with your water bottle. For a retriever, engage your dog in ball throwing and retrieving.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that dogs need a big yard to get plenty of exercise.

The truth is that most dogs do not exercise when they are by themselves outdoors or indoors; they spend most of their time lying in a comfortable spot waiting for "their guardians" to play with them.

Exercising with your dog creates a human-dog bond in which your dog will sense that you care as a good pack leader, and this will make your dog happy.

A brief daily walk sometimes is not enough. The exercise you choose for your dog should depend on age, weight, health and breed characteristics. For small dogs, vigorous play activity for exercise can be accomplished indoors; for larger breeds, outdoor activity needs to be given. Daily exercise is recommended unless there is a medical problem or a pregnancy.

Healthy dogs need interaction with other dogs and people for proper socialization. Dog parks are great for this and some of them allow the dogs to play and walk unleashed. If you participate in off-leash activities, be sure you have the control to summon your dog when required.

Your exercise should include activities the dog finds stimulating and enjoys — games of catch, long walks, jogging, swimming and biking. A Ruff Dawg K9 flying disc is similar to a Frisbee, only more rugged, flexible and non-toxic for on-land or in water. Try a simple game with a rope tug toy, a Hyper Disc which is floatable, durable and soft on your dog’s mouth, or a Hyper Ball Launcher that allows you to launch a ball up to 220 feet. These and other quality dog exercise toys are available HERE.

Caution should be used when exercising in the hot weather.

Dogs do not get rid of heat the way we do. Sweat cools our skin; however, dogs do not sweat. They have a few sweat glands in their feet, but mostly they dissipate heat through their paws and mouths.

This means that dogs do not dissipate heat as fast as we can, making heat stroke a real possible danger. While they are having fun, many dogs will run themselves even to the point of collapse, which can prove to be fatal.

People assume that if your dog is in water, your pet won't overheat. This just isn't true when the water temperature gets much above 75 degrees and if the dog is working hard in the water.

Keep in mind that searing hot asphalt is not good for your dog’s paws.

Consult your veterinarian before you decide on a fitness program for your pet