Dog section: What is the largest piece of advice that you offer new dog owners?

What's one of the most important things for them to keep in mind?





Thanks in advance!Dog section: What is the largest piece of advice that you offer new dog owners?
Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is: DON';T GIVE UP! Having a puppy for the first time ever can be very difficult - I can guarantee that everybody who went through this agrees - there will be a point when you will be pulling your hair out and asking yourself why did you ever want a puppy.





But keep in mind that it will pass and after he grows up a little, your pup will make you forget all the bad moments or the fact that he just chewed up your brand new 200$ shoes.





Another important thing is do your research. You can never know too little stuff about dogs - especially for a new owner is vital to research the breed and how puppies need to be brought up.





Crate training %26amp; house training - these are strongly connected and if you do not have the patience to solve house training as soon as the pup gets home, it is going to be a bumpy ride.





Puppies need all your attention and for a couple of weeks you will need to wake up in the middle of the night to let the dog out to potty, you will need to clean up the accidents he has, put up with puppy hystericals, play with him and teach him proper manners.





Good luck and remember, don't give up!Dog section: What is the largest piece of advice that you offer new dog owners?
Ohhhh where do we start? In no specific order...





1) Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into! Research the breed you are looking to get before you just go out and get it. Make sure that your activity level, climate, time, and finances are a good match with the dog you plan to get. If you have children, make sure your children are ready for a new dog and make sure the breed is generally good with children.





2) Even though I work with a rescue, do foster care through a rescue, and got my own personal dog through a rescue, PLEASE research the rescue you are getting from if you go this route. Not all rescues are good ones, and not all rescues claiming to be rescues are anything more than people pulling dogs and making a quick buck by calling themselves a rescue.





3) Make sure you have the proper items for a dog. I recommend stainless steel bowls, a crate, rope toys, and tennis balls. If you are bringing home a new puppy, do not give them ANY treats other than puppy treats and use them sparingly/with training. I ask new pet owners ';would you give your six week old baby a steak?';. It's the same with puppies. Stay away from pig ears and other really rich treats until they are at least six months old. Stay away from rawhides period. These can get slick and cause huge chunks to slide down your dogs throat requiring emergency surgery because of bowel obstruction.





4) Be consistant with your new family member. If you aren't consistant, the dog will pick up on it and become unsure. An unsure dog can lead to an aggressive, dominant dog trying to take control.





5) TRAINING classes. These can be a life saver.





6) Keep your dogs up to date on shots and heart worm preventative. Keeping them up to date is much cheaper than having to deal with the medical aftermath. Parvo is deadly and it's rampet. Parvo treatment normally costs $1000 at minimum depending on the size of your dog, and it's not a guaranteed thing that your dog will survive. The shots to prevent it? Total? $300. Same with heart worms. Deadly. Chances of your dog surviving are not great. Preventative? Maybe $100 a year. Treatment? THOUSANDS.





7) Until you KNOW your dog is up to date on all shots, do not take your dog to dog parks, play groups, day care, etc... Very bad. Very dangerous.





8) Speaking of playgroups, day care, dog parks... GREAT time/money investment. Started at an early age, it helps with socialization and also wears your dog out and leaves less time for destruction to your personal affects around the home.





9) Food- Look for wheat/corn/dye free foods. Just like humans, dogs can have allergies to these items. Most skin problems are due to cheap food full of fillers (corn/wheat). Also, personally, I'd suggest you stay away from Iams. Iams tests on animals, and not in a nice way. In fact, it's down right horrid. I'm totally against that.
Make sure you are capable of handling the commitments that come with a dog. It's a life long commitment, which means when your puppy chews up your entire house, pees all over the place, ect., you still have to be there. And make sure you can afford having a dog, it's expensive!
1. Nonviolent methods work. You don't have to hit your dog to make it behave. House-training takes time and patience. Crate-training is great but don't keep the dog in there forever. Teach the dog basic commands (sit, stay, wait, etc...). If you can't teach then enroll the dog in puppy training. It's not about tricks. It's about having a well-behaved and attentive animal.





2. Give your puppy toys and they wont chew your furniture and shoes.


Bored dogs tend to be destructive.





3. If you don't allow a large dog to get away with bad behavior (jumping up on, growling, biting, charging and other aggression behavior)...do NOT take it from a little dog. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've been charged and bitten by more Yorkie's and Chihuahua's than Pit Bulls.


...and Poms? Beautiful animals but I've never encountered a Pomeranian that wasn't a dominant, nippy, barky little Lap Monster.


Can't blame the dog, though.


As with children, a dog's bad behavior reflects on the 'pet parent', imo. Some small breeds will have strong protective instincts. Some think they're bigger than they are. Still...that Napolean Syndrome and yappy-ness usually associated w/small dogs tend to occur because the dog's owner is weak. Resist the urge to coddle and baby your dogs especially if they're toy breeds. I'm a huge Toy lover. Mine have their own room. So yeah -- I love my dogs. They're family -- but they aren't humans. They're dogs. It's better if you treat them like it.





4. Nothing wrong with dog clothes. I'm not talking abotu tutus and sundresses and tuxedoes and sh*t. LOL Dogs are affected by the elements too. A little sweater keeps a short-haired breed warm during winter walks. Booties keep their feet dry in the rain...and cool on the pavement in the middle of summer. I use the PAWS disposable booties. The others are too bulky and uncomfortable looking





5.Either secure some good pet insurance or set up a dog fund. Emergencies and accidents happen. If you think about insurance...get it when the pet is small and don't forget to do your research.


I carry Embrace, tw.


http://petinsuranceguideus.typepad.com/P鈥?/a>


http://www.petinsuranceguideus.com/





Oh yeah...and buy breed books. You need to educate yourself. Always...
WALK OR EXERCISE YOUR DOG!!!!





we take our dog, deigo (7 month old german shepherd), for a 1 hour walk twice a day and if we run out of time and can't walk him or something, HE ACTS CRAZY!!!





large dogs ,especially, need to be walked... at least 20 minutes of heavy panting!
Patience and Consistency.





Too many people, as evidenced here daily, have not done the proper research and are shocked when their 10 week old puppy that they've had for 2-3 weeks is not completely house, crate, or obedience trained.
Use your own head when you make a decision re your dog(s).


Advice on Y/A should be looked at as a ';suggestion'; at the very most, since most of it is far from correct and might cause more damage than good.





lol...educate yourself
RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. Have a nest egg for emergencies, Establish a relationship with your vet and ask zillions of questions from the old dog owners
Love them. They are not disposable. Treat them humanely and kindly and they will live a long,happy life.
CONSISTENCY! Make sure you use this with all of your training.
That the dogs are not mini humans. Treat your dog exactly like a dog, do not expect too much too soon.
The three keys of doggy success:





1. Training


2. Socialization


3. Exercise
Make sure the dog knows you are the boss.
Housebreak 'em first!
http://www.apdt.co.uk/
that physical contacts on dogs shouldn't be allowed because it causes fear and then aggression in a dog that's the number one advice i give to dog trainers.