Things We Wish Everyone Knew Before They Get A Dog

Elana55 · 01-04-2009, 01:45 PM

This is an idea I got from RonE on another thread. The ideas below are RoneE's. What can you add to the list?

Dogs bark. They bark more when they're bored or scared or lonesome.

Dogs pee and poop wherever they feel like it until they learn the advantages of doing it where you want them to.

Dogs have medical emergencies, normally when your vet is closed.

Dogs are not solitary animals. (Hamsters are.)

When you buy a puppy from Petland, you are not "rescuing" it. You are lining the pockets of the Puppy Mills and encouraging them to continue.

My additions:

Impulse buying from a Back Yard Breeder is a chance to get a dog that is not healthy (disease, genetics, temperment or all of these) and keeps people breeding dogs for money in business.

Dogs need exercise (like a walk off the property for an hour and a half a day.. regardless of weather).

Dogs need training. Includes Puppy or beginner obedience classes and homework.

Dogs need socialization and training in different locations so they are used to people, kids, and other things like other dogs, bikes, shopping carts etc.

Dogs are not supposed to be aggressive/protective with their food, toys or any other thing.

blackrose · 01-04-2009, 01:59 PM

A good guard dog is not one that mindlessly attacks anything that moves...it is a dog that knows what situations are normal, which are not, and acts accordingly. The best way to acheive this is to NOT abuse and isolate your dog, but to socialize the mess out of it!

Dogs don't understand english, french, german, or any other language. You have to teach them what you want, not just expect them to get it without any training.

Dogs are not people with four legs wearing a fuzzy suite.

myminpins · 01-04-2009, 02:01 PM

Dogs NEVER do things out of spite.

Dogs will not come to their name unless you take the time and patience to train them to do so.

Shoving a dog's nose into its mess is NOT the right way to potty train a puppy.

When you first get your puppy, you cannot let it out of your sight unless it is in its crate.

The best dog food does not come from the vet or the grocery store.

Dogs nails must be clipped on a regular basis.

Crate training is not cruel.

Dogs are a 15 year commitment - don't purchase one on impulse.

All dogs should be spayed or neutered.**

There is no such thing as a stupid question on a dog forum. We are here to help your dog so ask away.

**(I know not all of you like to fix your dogs but MOST people don't have the ability, knowledge or knowhow to properly care for an unfixed dog so I think it's wise to advise fixing).

GroovyGroomer777 · 01-04-2009, 02:02 PM

I would like to add:

Dogs with hair need to be brushed and combed, unless they get a very short haircut. Just like humans... would you go 8 weeks without running a comb through your long hair?

Matted dogs are not "fluffy", they are filthy. They are also prone to get sores and hot spots. No, they do not magically appear after being shaved, they were under the matts and you just had no idea they were there.

zimandtakandgrrandmimi · 01-04-2009, 03:05 PM

Some breeds are less accepted by society than others. This does not mean they make bad pets.

Dogs have Anal Glands. Sometimes these need to be expressed.

Just because you have heard something about a particular breed does not make it true.

Dogs are animals. Period. No amount of clothes, nail polish or imperious behavior makes them otherwise.

Dogs are carnivorous animals. they have instincts. They should be supervised with small children and around other animals.

ambercober · 01-04-2009, 03:07 PM

Dogs are not people, so don't treat them like ones. They don't know what please and thank you is, nor do they need to be carried around in gucci bags,

Dogs have a long life span, so don't get one then decide your new job or new babies prevent you from looking after it.

KelliCZ · 01-04-2009, 03:30 PM

Puppies are ALOT of work

Not all dogs in shelters/rescues are *screwed up*

I feel the majority of them are there because people who have never owned a dog feel like they can *raise* the perfect pet then dump them when they realize they can't

Many 1st time dog owners would do much better with an older pup/dog especially if they work full time or have young kids

zimandtakandgrrandmimi · 01-04-2009, 04:03 PM

Someone should sticky this IMO.

blackrose · 01-04-2009, 08:02 PM

A higher price tag on a dog does NOT mean that dog is a good example of their breed (or mix).

Puppies and young children are not a "happily ever after" scenario. Forget the commercials that show a young child in the middle of a litter of Golden Retriever puppies and both puppies and child look like they are in heaven and will grow up to be best friends like Timmy and Lassie. Puppies nip, chew, bark, jump, and otherwise knock down/hurt/scare the crap out of young children. **

A bored dog is a destructive dog.

Aggressive behavior is NOT cute or tough and should never be encouraged.

** I grew up around animals and we've had animals, both young and old, around the rest of the kids in the family. This is mainly for the people who want to get a puppy for their two year old child to tote around as a stuffed animal.

winniec777 · 01-04-2009, 08:14 PM

The two most important things you can give your dog are your time and your patience. I see lots of excited threads started by people who want to know what's the best X or Y to buy, but all the fancy dishes, leashes, collars, clothes, foods, and toys are no substitute for your attention and willingness to continue giving it in a positive way not matter how much that thing he just chewed up or peed on cost you.

DJsMom · 01-04-2009, 08:17 PM

Dogs go thru stages of life comparable to people, only in a shorter life span. They age & develop all the aches & pains that go along with aging. It can be heart breaking to watch - they need to be treated with the same patience & kindness you would show to an aging human beloved one & provided as much comfort as possible.
Barring tragedy or illness, you will some day be faced with a tough decision your dog can't make for himself. It's very hard.

Inga · 01-04-2009, 08:25 PM

Dogs are living breathing, feeling beings. If you chose to take one as a pet you owe that pet loving care for the entirety of it's life. You do not give up on this puppy when it gets old, or inconvenient. You do not give it away because you no longer enjoy it. You need to think about that before getting a dog.

Wynpyp · 01-04-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackrose

Puppies and young children are not a "happily ever after" scenario. Forget the commercials that show a young child in the middle of a litter of Golden Retriever puppies and both puppies and child look like they are in heaven and will grow up to be best friends like Timmy and Lassie. Puppies nip, chew, bark, jump, and otherwise knock down/hurt/scare the crap out of young children.

I think sometimes they are. I think it should be that puppies and children are not always a happy scenario. To add to that, puppies and/or dogs and children should NEVER be left together unsupervised.

blackrose · 01-04-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wynpyp

I think sometimes they are. I think it should be that puppies and children are not always a happy scenario. To add to that, puppies and/or dogs and children should NEVER be left together unsupervised.

Edited my post to make it a bit more clear.

rosemaryninja · 01-05-2009, 12:12 PM

Dominance is overrated. Dogs are not evil, subservient beings trying to hatch secret plans to oust their owners and become "alpha." (Not even Plott Hounds.) (Sorry, bad joke.)

Equinox · 01-20-2009, 04:34 PM

Provoking your dog or teasing it until it gets angry and growls/snarls is NOT a funny trick.

Dogs are a lifetime commitment. They are not something to dump off on the street or shelter. They are not simply something for you to "outgrow".

Shelters/rescues are not full of sickly rejects. They have wonderful dogs, many purebred, majority of them perfectly healthy, wanting another chance.

blackrose · 01-20-2009, 10:16 PM

If you don't want your adult dog behaving a certain way, don't let it get by with it as a puppy! A five pound puppy might be cute when it tugs at your shoelaces and jumps on your legs, but an 80lb dog isn't going to be cute anymore. Have rules laid out from the start and stick to them.

Rowdy · 01-22-2009, 04:02 PM

For most first time owners having a dog means a big change in your lifestyle. A lot of your free time will be taken up with the dog. Traveling will be logistically more difficult. Dogs are a big money commitment. If you can't deal with that then a dog might not be for you.

KBLover · 01-22-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroovyGroomer777

Matted dogs are not "fluffy", they are filthy. They are also prone to get sores and hot spots. No, they do not magically appear after being shaved, they were under the matts and you just had no idea they were there.

I wish I could email this to Wally's breeder and his previous owner(s)...

He had some of these on his skin because we didn't know he coat was bad and I was running/walking/training him in the summer... I felt so bad making him do all that and he was probably burning up and it might have hurt him to move. He actually had to learn how to walk again without the matted fur on his legs and "arm pits".

My Additions:
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Training a dog doesn't need to be harsh, confrontational, boring, or violent. It can be fun, free-thought, learning methods that you reward when the dog stumbles on the right behavior.

It's one thing to physically guide a dog during training, and another to be abusive and aggressive.

Training doesn't need to happen in a class, especially in this age of the internet. Not having a professional trainer or no available classes isn't an excuse (barring cases where professional specialties are required).

Before assuming that a dog is not preforming a command out of defiance, think to make sure the dog actually knows what you're talking about.

Dogs like routines and patterns. They seem to help them make sense of the world. Use it to your advantage in training. Show the dog what you would like, and then do that everytime. Like if you want the dog to sit before going out the door or up and downstairs, make her do it every time. She'll catch on.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Elana55

When you buy a puppy from Petland, you are not "rescuing" it. You are lining the pockets of the Puppy Mills and encouraging them to continue.

Actually, I think both are true. Yes, that person/family IS rescuing that dog, giving him/her a chance a truly good life.

Unfortunately, it does create money for someone who put the dog in that position to begin with.

Still, I don't think the good is crushed by the bad. It's a case where both are true, not an either or, imo.

IlovemybXrs · 02-11-2009, 04:01 PM

How about these. Dogs are not your babies to dress up, dye, and push around in strollers. They are not a fashion accessory. And also don't get a dog as a status symbol or because of the way it looks. (typical example is people who get huskies/akitas/boxers/various hunting type dogs who don't understant the concept of exercise but like the idea of having a 'cool' dog)