Most of your responses fell into four categories, so I came up with four possible guide ideas. Now, I need you to vote for your favorite one:

Dealing with Distractions - “My dog obeys perfectly – in the kitchen with no distractions!” Learn how to get your dog to listen to you even in an environment where everything else is much more interesting. I’ll teach you the slightly sneaky method of putting distractions to work FOR you.

Calming Reactive Dogs - How to help a dog who freaks out at the sight of strangers, other dogs, people in Santa hats, etc. Learn how to identify your dog’s “I’m about to lose it” threshold, and work with it so that Fido doesn’t get to that out-of-control point. We’ll give your pup some impulse control and teach him to chill out and focus.

Puppy Manners - Learn how to curb obnoxious puppy behaviors like jumping, biting, and harrassing your other pets. We’ll talk about socialization, the most important factor in raising a well-behaved dog. I’ll show you what you need to do and how to do it.

Living with Multiple Dogs - One dog is easy, two dogs are a bit of a challenge, three dogs are a pain in the- *ahem* Anyway, I’ll teach you what the three lost dogs have taught me about living with a pack. Learn how to pick a “compatible” new dog and introduce him to your current dog(s). I’ll give you some pointers on maintaining a a peaceful household.

Click here to vote

I got a lot of good suggestions for a lot of different guides, but alas, I am one person and can only work on one at a time. However, I will be using each and every response you sent me to create future guides, videos, and blog posts. So don’t worry if yours doesn’t get picked for this first project.

This will only be vote-able for the next 48 hours, so no procrastinating! Get your vote in here

If this year is anything like last year, my local Animal Care & Control will pull dozens of extra dogs off the streets in the week following Independence Day. They won’t be scrawny “street” dogs. They will be well-groomed, well-fed, well-loved family pets. Dogs who simply mistook the noisy celebrations for the apocalypse, freaked out, and ran away from home.

Even dogs with no history of phobias, anxiety or escape attempts have been known to lose their marbles on the Fourth (and New Years, and any other holiday celebrated by blowing things up).

To keep your pup from joining the ranks of newly-minted shelter dogs, here is a last-minute plan for prepping Fido for the coming not-apocalypse:

1. Make sure Fido is wearing proper ID – Snap a tag with your name and phone number to your dog’s collar and check that the collar is secure. Also, is your dog microchipped? If not, you might want to see if you can get that done at your local shelter this weekend. Many shelters/pounds will chip your pet for $15 – $25. This is a really last minute thing but well worth it. Microchipping is the best way to make sure that you’ll be reunited with your pet if he ever gets lost.

2. Prepare an escape-proofed area - like a bedroom, bathroom, or laundry room. Put Fido’s crate/bed, toys and water in here. Make sure that there’s nothing important he can chew up. If Fido is not used to being in this room, spend the next day or so letting him hang out in here, so that he doesn’t think it’s weird when you lock him up here Sunday night.

3. Prepare some food-filled toys – To keep your dog calm, you’ll want to give him something to keep his mind off the loud noises. What better way than to make him work for his dinner? Put together 3-5 (or more if you’re feeling ambitious) “smart toys:” Put peanut butter in a Kong (freeze it to make it last longer), fill an old sock with kibble. Click here for more smart toy ideas.

4. Exercise Fido a couple hours before celebrations start - What’s worse than an anxious dog? An anxious dog with energy to burn. Take him for a walk or play fetch. Nothing too strenuous (you don’t want him passing out), but 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise is good.

5. On the evening of the Fourth… As you’re getting ready to head out to your festivities, hide the smart toys in the dog-proofed area. One toy should be easy to find, the rest should require some work. Before you leave, stick Fido in his room. Key word: “casually.” If Fido senses that you’re stressed, he will freak out long before the first firework is launched. Be relaxed and upbeat: “Okay, buddy, time to go to your room. Oh, look! There’s a toy on the floor! With treats! Looks fun. Okay, Fido, seeya later!” Close the door securely behind you. If people will be in and out of the house, make sure that they know not to let the dog out.

Photo credit

So I’m going to be working on a new project for 3 Lost Dogs, and I need you to tell me what that project is.

I want to create something a bit more in depth than a regular blog post or video – I’m thinking of doing a new free mini-ebook or video series. I’ll be spending more time on this than usual, so I want to make sure that it will be as useful as possible for ya. So: What free dog training guide can I make for you?

What dog-related help do you need? Maybe you need help housetraining your dog, maybe you’re overwhelmed by your new puppy, maybe your dog refuses to obey commands when he’s distracted, etc. Whatever you need help with, let me know.

*best infomercial voice* This is your chance to get your dog problems solved, so be sure to take advantage of this limited time offer. Take the survey here: What Dog Training Help Do You Need? The survey is very short – should only take you a minute. If you’re not already on my email list, be sure to provide your email address so I can send you project updates (I promise not to spam you or anything lame like that).

The survey will be open until July 10th or so. Thanks for your help!

Meanwhile, I’m trying to keep a straight face. I’m usually tempted to laugh and say, “me too! Tell me when you find this magical creature.” Instead I bite my tongue and politely explain why they should maybe lower their expectations. In an effort to combat this Fairy Tale Dog syndrome, here are some things that shelter/rescue workers and dog trainers everywhere would like people to understand.

1. Puppies are so irresistibly adorable for a reason
Pure survival. It’s so we don’t toss them out on the street when they drive us insane with all the biting, chewing, peeing, and crying at all hours of the night. Puppies are hard work, boys and girls. You will be sleep deprived. You will be up to your ears in pet stain remover. You will lay awake at night wondering if you’ve met your puppy’s socialization and training requirements for the week (at least, you should).

If puppies actually LOOKED like the little gremlins they are, there is no way we would ever work this hard.

2. Most first-time dog owners would be better off with an older pup or adult dog
Did that last bit make you nervous? It should have. Taking on responsibility for any dog is a big commitment, but young puppies around 2-4 months of age are an enormous commitment. It’s easy for a beginner to get overwhelmed. Older pups and adult dogs make wonderful pets without the risk of puppy-owner burnout.

3. Dogs make TERRIBLE gifts
Thinking of surprising your child/spouse/fill-in-the-blank with a furry bundle of joy? Don’t. Just don’t. You are setting yourself up for trouble. A dog is not a Wii. When the recipient gets bored or just doesn’t connect with the dog, you will be the one responsible for the care and training. Instead of a surprise gift, involve your giftee in the process. Discuss it with them, make sure everyone is on the same page, and let them pick their own dog.

4. Dogs are really expensive
Even if you get one free or cheap from a friend or shelter. For the next 8-15 years, you’ll be spending money on dog food, pet supplies and vaccinations. And what happens when Fido gets sick, hit by a car or swallows something he shouldn’t? Before you get a dog, consider how you will pay for unexpected medical bills.

5. Dogs do not do well in solitary confinement
Dogs need to be with their family. If you work or are at school all day, will the dog be left alone? It isn’t fair to leave these highly social creatures to fend for themselves for ten hours a day. All kinds of behavior problems will arise. Either work out a way for someone to visit with the dog in the middle of the day, or consider a cat instead. Or perhaps a hamster.

6. Dogs shed
Even the short haired ones. Once you have a dog, hair EVERYWHERE becomes as certain as death and taxes. You’ll find dog hair on your good clothes, in your food and up your nose. If this thought makes you ill, consider an American Hairless Terrier, poodle, or goldfish. If the idea of dog hair EVERYWHERE is annoying but tolerable, then you can have a dog, just stay away from the double coated types. Dogs like German shepherds, huskies, akitas, malamutes, etc are SERIOUS shedders. Try a thin- or curly-coated breed.

7. Dogs bark
Especially if left alone all day. See No. 5 above. Dogs bark when the doorbell rings, when they hear other dogs barking, and when they’re bored. If you’re really lucky, you’ll end up with a dog like mine who likes to bark at contrails.

8. Your dog will pee/poop/puke on your carpet
When you get a dog, you will almost certainly need to housetrain him yourself. In the meantime, there will be accidents. And your dog will occasionally eat something bad and puke or get diarrhea. And he’ll do it in the worst place possible, like on your antique rug or on the newly installed carpeting. This is one of those weird laws of the universe.

9. Dogs need socialization, training, and exercise
Dogs are not born knowing how to be a perfect member of society. They do not automatically know that they should come when you call them. They do not always understand that the guests at your party are people that you know and invited and not, in fact, scary monsters. And dogs of all breeds need exercise. Letting them run around in the backyard is not enough.

Want a well-behaved dog? You gotta work for it! Proper socialization, training and exercise are crucial.

10. Dogs who get bored get destructive
If you don’t give your dog something to do, she will find something to do. Usually, it’ll be something you don’t want, like digging, tearing up the sofa or barking at contrails. This is especially true if you get one of those dogs who come with a strong work ethic: herding breeds like border collies, German shepherds, Australian shepherds, cattle dogs; working breeds like dobermans, rotties, or Portuguese water dogs.

So, as you’ve probably worked out by now: Don’t get a dog without putting in some serious thought. Do your research. Learn about the characteristics and requirements of your chosen breed. Learn as much as you can about training and socialization. You can even take a trial run. Sign up with your local shelter (which you can find here) as a volunteer or foster parent. Volunteers get hands-on experience with a variety of dogs. Foster parents are usually given puppies who are too young to be adopted, or adult dogs who need to take a break from the shelter system. This lets you take a dog home for a couple weeks and get a taste of what it takes to be a dog owner.

Dog ownership takes work. The good news is that if you’re willing to put in the work, you will be rewarded with a fun, loyal, awesome new friend. Unconditional love, and all that.

Hey dog trainers, rescue people and battle-scarred dog owners: What else should first-time dog adopters know? Let me know in the comments.

Want more? Check out 14 Quick and Easy Ways to Keep Your Dog Occupied

Music by Jason Shaw at Audionautix.com