photo courtesy of Flickr.com/melissa22

1. Most shelter dogs have been abused

“My dog is afraid of *fill in the blank*, so I think he was abused.” If only I had a nickel for every time I heard this one. Fill in the blank with: teenagers, men, loud noises, people with hats, people taller than 5’11, people shorter than 5’11… you get the idea. My personal favorite is the “raised hand.” It’s not uncommon to see people “test” their prospective dogs by sharply lifting their arm as if to hit the dog to see if he reacts. When the dog flinches, the adopter nods knowingly. “See that? Someone used to hit him.”

You have to wonder – would that same person would flinch if you tried the same test on them?

Most dogs in shelters have never been abused, but were relinquished because their owner had no time for them, got married, had a baby, had issues with their landlord, etc. And many of today’s shelter dogs are victims of the recession, turned in because their owner could no longer afford to care for them. Animals who have suffered terrible abuse certainly do exist in the shelter system, and they’re the ones who get all the media attention, but they are a small minority among the millions of animals there because their former owner couldn’t take care of them.

If your adopted dog is skittish around certain people or situations, chances are he was simply undersocialized. Lots of shelter/rescued dogs have led pretty deprived lives, and have not dealt with many of the experiences that we take for granted.

Case in point: My dog Jonas. When I adopted him, he was five months old and extremely afraid of children. I seriously doubt that he was physically abused by a six year old, though. Instead, he’d just never really been introduced to one and was not at all sure if these mini-people were a threat or not.

2. You should hold off on training to give the dog some time to recover

This one is often an extension of the first myth. A new owner brings their new dog home from the shelter or rescue, introduces them to the household and then, well, doesn’t do much else.
They don’t teach the dog the rules of the house and don’t do any socialization or obedience training. With mental images of their poor dog being abused or otherwise traumatized in their past life, the well-meaning owner “spoils” the dog, sheltering it from the real world. The idea is to give the dog some time to recuperate before putting it through the stress of learning manners or other basic skills.

While this is perfectly well-intentioned, it is actually the worst thing you can do for your new dog.
A dog who is not taught right away the rules of his new home or how he is expected to behave in public is a very confused dog whose behavior issues will only get worse.

Training should begin the day you bring your rescue pup home. Work on teaching him things like where he will sleep, how to behave when the doorbell rings, and how not to jump on visitors. Soon after he comes home, work on basic obedience and socialization in public. As long as you use positive methods and stay away from the harsher correction-based training, training will help your dog recover, not harm him.

photo courtesy of Flickr.com/mccun934

This is the start of your dog’s new life. So instead of babying him and excusing his poor behavior by telling everyone how mistreated he’d been, concentrate on giving your dog, through socialization and basic training, the tools he’ll need to be a well-behaved, confident member of your family. It’s quite a cliche, but dogs really do live in the moment. He won’t dwell on his (maybe not-so-) terrible past if you won’t.

photo courtesy of Flickr.com/urnes

It usually happens with movie dogs like Siberian huskies from Snow Dogs, cocker spaniels from Lady and the Tramp and the star breed from 101 Dalmations. Now it looks like it’s going to happen with the Obamas’ dog breed of choice: The portuguese water dog.

It’s the phenomenon that happens whenever a particular breed is put into the public spotlight. It goes like this: People see the dog on tv, fall in love, and rush out to buy a puppy.

Fast forward six months: the now-teenaged dogs are driving their owners crazy. The hype that surrounded the breed when the movie came out (or when the president adopted it) did not paint an accurate picture of what the dogs were like, and likely made the breed sound too good to be true. Now, the owners are living with a dog that they can’t control or that just doesn’t “mesh” with them. The dogs end up in the pound.

So before you go out to get a dog just like Bo the Portie, here are some things to consider:


1. Their brains can get them into trouble
If you’ve followed the Obama Dog story at all, you’ve probably heard that Porties are very smart. As an owner of another very smart breed, the Border Collie, let me warn you that this is not always a good thing. Smart dogs have brains that never stop. You need to constantly provide them with mental stimulation, or they will find their own – like figuring out how to open the back gate, for instance.


2. They prefer to work full time
The thing about working breeds: they’re just that. No four hour work week for these guys, thank you very much. They come with a built-in need to have a job. Agility or obedience training (and a lot of it), therapy dog work, or full-time-fetching are good choices for a Portie. If you don’t give them a job, they’ll become self-employed. Jobs of choice include, but are not limited to: rearranging your garden, digging to a distant continent, chewing up every toy your kids own or hiding your shoes for safekeeping.


3. Noo! Don’t leave me!
According to the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, these are not outdoor dogs. They are loyal beasts who prefer to spend all their time with their families. Expect to keep this dog indoors with you when you are at home, and don’t be surprised if he develops separation anxiety symptoms when you’re gone.


4. No energy drinks required
Porties were designed to be fishermen’s assistants. They were required to jump in and out of boats to herd fish into nets, swim from ship to ship as couriers, and dive underwater to retrieve lost equipment. They did this all day long. Does this give you an idea of how much energy these dogs possess? A leisurely walk around the block every day won’t cut it. Serious exercise like jogging, running alongside a bicyclist or participation in some dog sport (or all of the above) is needed to keep them happy. (See “Five Ways to Calm Hyper Dogs”)

Now that I’ve sufficiently put you off from the breed, let me qualify this by saying that Porties can and do make great companions. But they are best suited for families and individuals who enjoy lots of physical activity, and are willing and able to put in all the work required to turn these potentially rambuctious dogs into well-behaved pets. Before you decide on any breed, make sure you do your research. Getting a dog just because its breed is in style at the moment is never a good idea.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com/jlhbrown

Getting a puppy can be an overwhelming experience. No matter how much or how little planning you did beforehand, when the pup arrives home, it’s common for new owners to freeze up and go, “what do I do now?”
The following is a list of four critical steps. Work on each one, and you’ll lay the foundation for a great life-long relationship with your new friend.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com/bdollproject

A crate is the most valuable piece of dog equipment you will ever buy. Really. So if you haven’t purchased one yet, your first step should be to get one.

A crate (kennel) makes house breaking much easier. It’s a safe place to keep your puppy when you can’t supervise. Many people resist the idea of crate training because they think it’s like putting the dog in jail. “I wouldn’t want to live in a cage” is a common refrain. Your puppy will not share this reluctance with you, though. Dogs are den animals and while you see a cage, your pup (and later your adult dog) sees a safe, comfortable retreat from the stress of the outside world. Here’s a good crate training how-to from the HSUS.

2. Socialize, Socialize, Socialize

If your pup is under the age of four months, congratulations! You have a great opportunity here. The age of four to sixteen weeks is generally known as a puppy’s “critical socialization window.”

What she learns about the world now will have a strong effect on her personality the rest of her life. Introduce her to as many new people, places and things as possible. Make it a positive experience. Give her treats and praise her in potentially scary situations – at ball games, in pet stores, when strangers bend over her to tell her what a cute puppy she is, etc.

Socialization Don’ts:

-Don’t let any new experience overwhelm the pup. For example, If she is wary of children, don’t just plop her down with a group of kids and expect her to be okay.

-Don’t use the dog park for socialization. In addition to putting your under-vaccinated puppy at risk for whatever canine diseases are going around the neighorhood, the majority of dogs at dog parks are poorly behaved. Your pup could learn all the wrong things. Not to mention that if she meets an aggressive dog that hurts her, it could “scar her for life.”

3. Schedule a Vet Visit 

Establish a relationship with your vet right off the bat by scheduling a check up within a couple weeks of bringing your new charge home. If the puppy hasn’t been spayed/neutered yet, you can discuss setting up an appointment. If you got him from a shelter or rescue group he’s probably had his first shots, but your vet can tell you which ones he’ll need next. Most importantly, this is another opportunity for socialization. Taking your pup to the vet early on will get him used to the whole experience. Try to make it positive and not scary, and your pup will start to get into a good vet visit habit and be easier to handle at the vet’s office when he’s older and larger.

4. Start Training 

Photo courtesy of flickr.com/togood2b4gotton

The earlier you begin basic training, the better. See, your adorable little fluff ball is cute and innocent – now. He happily follows you everywhere, and enjoys doing what you ask of him. But eventually, this wonderful time will come to an end. When he’s about six months old, he’ll enter his adolescent phase. And, as anyone who has ever been a parent to a teen or preteen knows, he’ll start to think he knows better than you. When you ask him to do something, instead of “okay!” his new response will be, “um, no.” So get a head start on basic obedience training now, before he becomes a teenager.

Also, now is your chance to nip any behavior problems in the bud before they become unmanageable – better to teach your lab puppy not to pull on leash now than to try to fix a pulling problem when he’s nine months old and weighs sixty pounds.

Puppy training games.

Here’s a tip that I didn’t use with my own puppies, but now that I know better, I really wish I had. Consider enrolling in a puppy kindergarten (or puppy preschool) class. These classes are not just obedience classes for younger dogs, but they put the focus on basic manners, and introducing puppies to other puppies, people, and things. You get socialization and training, all rolled into one. Since every pup in class is required to be up to date on their shots, you don’t have to worry about your pup getting sick.




Summary

• Get a crate and start using it
• Take your puppy to the vet
• Start basic training and
• Socialize, and socialize some more

These are the four essential elements to raising a happy, healthy dog.