Rescue, Shelter or Breeder?

In my opinion, no one else gets to have an opinion whether you get your new furry baby from a rescue organization, a shelter or a reputable breeder.  When making such an important life decision for your entire family, and for the innocent puppy, whatever is important to you to make sure that choice keeps everyone happy and healthy is the most important consideration.  For instance, while it may be considered more politically correct to adopt from a rescue organization or a shelter than to get a puppy from a breeder, if it is best for your family to get a puppy whose parents and grandparents have been bred to be calm and non-shedding, than a breeder will most likely be your best bet.  Read my blog post, "Picking your puppy -  pure of mixed breeds?" from May 8, 2010 to get more information on things to consider when you are trying to decide between a mixed and purebred puppy.

The one exception I do have is to "Puppy Stores" (see my last blog post on Mall Puppy Shops on June 10).  I see no upside to purchasing from Puppy Stores.

There are some things to expect when dealing with responsible breeders and rescue organizations.  You might be surprised to find out breeders and rescue foster parents will be extremely selective in finding who adopts their precious babies.  They most probably will ask for references (including your veterinarian) agreements to provide proof of neutering, and proof of home ownership or permission from your landlord that you can have a dog.  These are all good things.  It means the people you are dealing with value their puppies and want to provide you the best match more than they want to make money or place the puppy.

That being said, there have been instances where breeders and rescue fosters have gone overboard, doing home inspections that are more intrusive than necessary, or asking for unnecessary personal or financial information.  If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable with your puppy's seller / adoption organization, there is nothing wrong with choosing not to go forward.  It may not seem like it, but even when you have to pass up the "perfect puppy" another wonderful perfect puppy will become available.

On the other hand, please don't be taken in by the multitude of puppies for sale scams that are popping up all over the place.  Visit http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/puppy-mills/puppy-scams-cons.html to get some valuable information about the scams you can run into.

Mall Puppy Shops? Not a good choice.

I have to start with a confession. I absolutely love to go to malls that have "Puppy Shops" so I can see the little puppies in the windows. But at the same time, I feel there are so many things wrong with the business of selling puppies that way that I can't understand why anyone would buy a puppy from them.

First, the prices are ridiculous. For a purebred puppy you end up paying over $1500 for a puppy without a good pedigree and which you have no history - of their health, or their parents.  You can get some extremely well bred, closely monitored purebred puppies from a reputable breeder, and can have the history of their parents and even their grandparents in many cases.  You can even actually see the parents and watch how the parents behave in most cases.

Next, there are more and more "designer dog" mixes being sold through these stores.  Names like Puggle (pug/beagle), Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund) and Maltipom (Maltese/Pomeranian) all 'sound' cute, but in reality, they are not very different than the "mutt" mixed breed puppies you can find in at any time in any animal shelter.  It baffles me that people pay over $1000 for a puppy of this type when you can find extremely cute mixed breeds that look exactly like these designer mixes for a modest donation at the shelter or rescue organization.

Third, I can never be sure if purchasing a puppy in a mall store is supporting the awful Puppy Mill industry. Having seen and worked with puppies and moms rescued from a puppy mill, it makes my heart sad to know that the industry is still going strong.

Lastly, putting puppies on display for "impulse sale" goes against everything I believe is important for you to consider when you make the serious decision to bring a puppy into your life.  You need to understand what you are getting into.  You have to understand what type of behavior you can expect from that breed and that particular bloodline.  You have to understand what type of time commitment you will be making.

If you aren't willing to research what types of dogs would work for you, and if you aren't willing to spend the time to drive to breeders or shelters in your area to find a puppy, you probably shouldn't get one.  This is not because I feel everyone should think or act like I do when selecting a dog or puppy.  It's because I know how much effort it takes to raise a puppy, so making the right choice...and understanding that you are ready to make that commitment is more than 80% of what will make your relationship with your pup happy.

Rule #3 Choosing a Puppy means making a HUGE commitment!

No one loves puppies as much as I do, but I know I am in that rare minority of people who appreciate the opportunity to clean up poop as often as possible to keep my canine babies healthy and happy. My neighbors have gotten used to seeing me walking dogs in the middle of the night, and my family knows that when there are puppies in the house, I will be getting up to feed them every 8 hours.

That might seem obsessive, but the truth is, it is not. Taking care of puppies is like taking care of any newborn. If you don't stick to a schedule, if you don't keep their glucose levels from dipping, you can expect behavioral and possibly physical problems. So, if you are deciding to get a puppy, you have to commit to making the pup's schedule your priority for several months. If you don't make this commitment, you aren't doing your puppy or yourself any favors, and both of you will suffer.

Another thing to consider is the entire family and environment you will be bringing the puppy into. I intentionally looked for an adult dog for the first dog we got my kids. My youngest was petrified of all animals and we knew we had to nip that problem in the bud before that fear became permanent. As cute and small as puppies may be, they can have needle sharp teeth and nails, and need to be taught not to chew on kids or kids' toys. They also have to be taught not to jump up. Can you imagine what would have happened if a puppy jumped up and nipped at my daughter's face? Also, as much as I love puppies and my kids I love myself as well, and I didn't think I deserved having to potty train a child and a puppy at the same time.

I got a wonderful 3 year old adult dog, fully leash and potty trained. She never chewed on a stuffed animal or sock, and daughter and dog became close friends, and my daughter's fear was gone forever.

If you still want a new puppy, and circumstances make it so you can't make the kind of commitment right now that a puppy requires, consider starting with an older dog. There are breeds that are very puppy-like in how they look and act. Papillions, Pomeranians and Shetland Sheepdogs are some of my favorites. Some of my friends like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or the ever-popular Chihuahuas. There are wonderful small mixed dogs at most shelters, and many of these may already be leash and potty trained.

So remember Rule #3 when you think about getting a puppy...you owe it to yourself.

Appropriate for first-time owners, maybe not!

The internet is a wonderful advancement for matching potential puppy parents with their new babies. The immediacy between availability and widespread notification of the puppy's availability has sped up the matching process immensely and undoubtedly helped to save many lives.

I have noticed that some of these internet listings include the phrase "appropriate for first-time dog owners." This has always bothered me. Like all puppies, all new owners are not created equal, so I am uncomfortable with anyone making the blanket statement that a particular puppy will do well with anyone who has had zero dog ownership experience.

From my perspective, first-time owners should NEVER get a puppy that is not already solidly potty-trained and doesn't yet have the fundamental sit, come, no biting and don't jump up commands down pat. That's because these are the behaviors that will create the most unhappiness when a person experiences them and doesn't have the tools to modify any improper behavior.

The result is that much too often pups will be punished inappropriately (for instance, shoving the puppy's nose into his poop) or puppies are returned, or puppies are unfortunately relegated to banishment outdoors.

So, if you are thinking about getting a dog for the first time and are attracted to the 'cuteness' of a puppy, think about these alternatives:
- Consider a slightly older, already trained puppy, 6 months to a year old; there are many of these puppies available at shelters and through rescue groups.
- Consider adopting an adult from a smaller breed that maintains 'puppy-like' qualities; for example, a Norfolk or Norwich Terrier or mix.
- Prepare to have an experienced trainer do in-depth work with both your puppy AND your family, at least until all the basics are completely under control

You will get the most enjoyment out of your puppy by having patience and waiting for the one that has the size, physical traits, age (there is a world of difference between 8 weeks and 12 weeks), behaviors and training level that will minimize your stress. Maximize your joy!

The fearful or highly submissive puppy

The extremely shy, reluctant or nervous puppy. Sometimes we pick them because our heart goes out to them, the underdog so to speak. Sometimes we pick them because we think they will be calmer, more docile and easier to control.

My feeling is that puppies that have this personality trait should never be adopted by a first-time dog owner. A fearful puppy can be much harder to train and require much more patience and understanding. In some cases, fearful puppies become more reactive and potentially more aggressive towards other dogs and people -- especially those they are meeting for the first time.

Warning signs of a fearful puppy can include the following:

• inordinate amount of shaking when approached
• hesitant or overwhelmed when approached
• immediate rolling over and showing his/her belly when you go near or touch the puppy
• overactive startle reflex in response to sound or movement
• reflex urination when approached
• fear of hands reaching out to the puppy
• refusing to go forward, backing up or freezing in place when on the leash

Overly submissive pups require a lot of patience, a calm environment and constant attention to socialization with new people and other dogs. However, fearfulness can be reduced significantly, making for a happy, enjoyable friendship. Unfortunately, if not handled correctly, it can escalate into high-anxiety for both you and your dog, and, sometimes highly aggressive behavior. If you suspect your dog may be fearful, if you take the time to get some help on socialization from an experienced dog trainer, you may save yourself a lot of frustration in the long run.

The dominant puppy

As mentioned in my previous blog, many litters will have a dominant puppy -- one who is more aggressive and potentially more active than the others. This is the natural order in wild dog packs and is critical to ensure the order and ultimately the health of the entire family. There is no time for debate. A leader has to emerge and proactively take charge. And successive generations have to keep producing 'heirs' to the leadership so there is a leadership succession, and when leader ages and is no longer the best to lead, a new leader that the rest of the pack respects needs to be available to take over.

What does the dominant puppy look like? The answer to that is not based on size or gender. It is not necessarily the first born. In fact, in my Aussie's litter, the dominant puppy was the smallest female pup, number 5 in the birth order. The only way you can determine which puppy is the dominant one in a litter is by observing their behavior. You will start to see, even when their eyes and ears are closed, certain puppies will push their way nurse first. Once they are mobile and active, you'll see them start to take control...pushing their will onto the other puppies. They will likely be quicker to react to perceived aggression, and move to the front when the food bowl is put down.

So, is it a good or bad thing to choose a dominant puppy? It all depends on what you are looking for. On the plus side, a dominant puppy will be more apt to be curious, to try things and by doing so, speed up training. They are also by definition, less timid, which can help with socialization with people.

Potential issues to be aware of include the tendency for dominant dogs to be overly aggressive with other dogs and potentially with people, especially small children. They may be very possessive of toys, sleep areas, food and of 'you'...their parent (which can cause problems with new human relationships you might start).

My feeling is that there is no good or bad about dominance. It's just helpful that you note if your puppy exhibits dominant behavior and keep mindful of that throughout your puppy's training. One very important thing (and this goes for all puppies, not just the dominant ones) is that you make sure your puppy knows that he/she is NOT the alpha, or ultimate leader of the pack. You have to be consistently and blatantly clear that the puppy, while loved and cuddled by everyone in the family, will never be allowed to exhibit dominance behavior on the humans in your family's 'pack.' If you fail to do this, your relationship with your dog will never be optimal, and can develop into serious problems.

Be aware that having ONLY you, the puppy parent higher on the dominance heirarchy can be an equally serious problem. I have seen situations where people think it is cute that the dog listens only to the mom or dad in the family, and doesn't respect the spouse or children. If the dog does have any aggressive, or even fearful tendencies, situations where the dog perceives danger or is stressed can result in the dog attacking the other family members...even if the dog had never attacked or shown aggression towards any family member.

Another very important issue to control for dominant pups is to make sure you pay attention to socialization with other dogs. It's a good idea to have your puppy 'on leash' when introducing him/her to another dog, especially for the first time, and maybe for the first few minutes even after the first meeting. Watch how your puppy reacts to the new dog. For his/her first dog acquaintance, it may help to choose a docile, low-energy dog. The size of the visiting dog may not be as critical, only that the dog doesn't show aggression towards the puppy or move in a manner that may startle the puppy.

My female Aussie was kept for awhile in a dogrun with a Rottweiler and a German Shepherd when she was young, before we got her. She was the dominant puppy of her litter, and that behavior was exacerbated during that time as she had to demonstrate to the other larger dogs that they could not steal her food. She was successful, and was respected by other dogs, but for the rest of her life, I had to take special care socializing her with other dogs, and I could never let down my guard when she came near dogs she never knew.

But even if you have a small dog who doesn't live with any other dogs, be mindful if your puppy exhibits dominant or aggressive or dominance behavior. If you notice aggressive behavior such as growling, barking and posturing, stop the behavior immediately. Also be extra careful when you take a dog with this type of personality on a walk or to a dog park. An overly dominant puppy or dog who has never been challenged by other dogs, especially one who has been taken from its mother early, may not know how to behave in the presence of other dogs. What he/she and you think is normal verbalization and high energy could be perceived by the other dogs as an outright challenge which could precipitate an altercation.

Dominance or submissiveness in a puppy does not determine how happy you will be with your puppy, or how happy your puppy will be. The responsibility for this lies with you, the puppy parents to provide the right socialization and training, and take care not to place your puppy in a situation that will instigate unwanted aggressive behavior.

Picking your puppy, part two: individual differences

Beyond picking what breed of puppy you want, it's equally important to study your specific prospective puppy for individual characteristics. It never fails to surprise me what a wide range of personalities exist in each litter I come into contact with. Since dogs are pack animals, there is often a dominant puppy. The dominant puppy will act and react differently, and sometimes more aggressively, than the others...and can act totally differently when it's only with humans than when it's with its siblings or other dogs.

On the other hand, exceedingly submissive or physically inferior puppies also have behaviors that should be watched and dealt with to prevent problems from developing.

Also, each puppy has its own physical make-up. I had one litter of puppies that were labrador and border collie mixes. All three were extremely well-behaved, but one seemed to lag in size. This smallest puppy was, at the same time, extraordinarily smart and loving. It turned out that that puppy had a congenital heart defect, a valve didn't close as it should. Luckily, for that puppy there were special funds put aside for rescued puppies just like him. However, the family that adopted him had to understand that this puppy would have to have annual exams to monitor his heart. He was matched with a family that had no problem dealing with that requirement, and a little boy and girl who now have an amazing friend.

If you are picking from a litter or selecting from a pen of various puppies, spend time watching it carefully with the other puppies, with you alone and if possible, around other grown dogs. Talk to them, handle them, and ask for any background information that might be available. Don't let yourself be pressured into taking a puppy because "there won't be anymore like this ever." This much I know is true. There will always be plenty of breeders and unfortunately, there will always be new rescued puppies available. Practicing a little self-control and choosing not to take a puppy that seems 95% right but something doesn't quite mesh will benefit you both in the long run.

Picking your puppy - pure or mixed breed?

At any time, my house is home to two pedigreed purebred Australian Shepherds, a rescued calico ragdoll mix kitty and various rescued mix-breed puppies. Time and circumstances as well as lifestyle and intent led me to make my choices of having both pure and mixed breed dogs. However, what is crucial for our happiness (and yours) is that we knew exactly what we were looking for before we make each pet selection.

There are characteristics predominant in the Aussies that make them perfect for us and terrible for our neighbors. From an attitude, activity, maintenance, time and resource perspective, the Aussies can be far easier or far more difficult to deal with than some of my short-haired tiny chihuahua mix foster babies. Knowing those differences and picking what is important to me in my life, at that time, results in everyone being happier, and training that is more appropriate and effective. You may be able to "train" an active dog to be less active. But that dog will likely be less happy and it will have taken you more effort than you would want to take.

Just like picking a spouse, you most likely will start with physical actractiveness - there's nothing wrong with starting there. But once you determine that, do your research. Find out if that puppy has the temperament and characteristics that match your lifestyle and attitude (good with kids, good in an apartment, etc.). Also, when dealing with puppies, learn what the puppy will grow up to look like. I have seen many people enamored with the insane cuteness of a baby bulldog, only to be put-off when that scampering puppy grows up to be the stocky lumbering adult. People who felt my Australian Shepherd puppies were "to die for" suddenly balked when I told them about the massive amounts of hair that needed to be brushed, and when they 'blew their coats' how often they would be vacuuming. Personally, I always wanted a Great Dane. But when I found out their life expectancy was so relatively short, I knew I personally couldn't get one.

Of course the internet is a great resource. However, I think it's a good idea to have a resource that you can page through to study breeds side by side. I love 'The Encyclopedia of the Dog' by Bruce Fogle, D.V.M., but there are several other very good resources that are equally good. One of the things I like best about Dr. Fogle's book is that it goes into a discussion about 'randon-bred' dogs, or what I call mixed breeds. There are lots of reasons why mixed breeds are easier to deal with than purebred puppies. For one, mixed breed puppies are hybrids, and hybrid populations will tend to be healthier and less prone to genetic issues because of the cross breeding.

But there are also things to watch out for as well, such as possible increased anxiety caused by living in a shelter. With puppies, there is less time for bad behavior to be built-up, and good foster programs can actually prepare abandoned mixed breed puppies better than purebred dogs whose breeders don't have the time or inclination to socialize and train the individual puppies.

If you decide to get a mixed breed puppy, find out how it was raised and if possible, what breeds went into its make-up. This is important to gauge appropriateness for your lifestyle. For example, mixed breed herding dogs still tend to exhibit herding behavior, just as chow mixes may tend not to be the best for families with small children. The breed heritage investigation doesn't have to be scientific. Asking what the parents looked like, how the puppy behaves and how quickly it has grown will go a long way to determining possible donor breeds. For those who want more definitive information, there are now canine DNA testing services that can more precisely determine a dogs breeding. These generally cost up to $100 to $200, so ask yourself if this is really necessary.