Lessons From Marley & Me Part 1 - The Perfect Dog and Buying Puppies

Today I began reading Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog and wanted to relate some of my experiences with puppies and dogs as I read through the book. The book starts off with the perfect dog and buying puppies.

The Perfect Dog

Many of us have grown up with what we percieved as the perfect dog. In the preface John Grogan covers his perfect puppy/dog named Saint Shaun. Saint Shaun was very easily trained, never did anything wrong, the envy of all his friends, and to top it all of would back into the bushes to do his business (it all sounds a little over the top to me).

What do I think of the preface and the perfect dog? Saint Shaun may very well have been perfect, but as kids I don’t think we’re always exposed to all the responsibilities of owning a dog. If we forget something such as picking up after our dogs, brushing, washing, or grooming the dog our parents will often cover for us. Often times as kids, we don’t even realize all the responsibilities involved with dogs. I guess what I’m trying to say is there is a big difference between the family pet we owned as kids and the puppy/dog we buy/own as an adult. The full responsibility of owning a dog is something we should consider with great care. Of course not everyone thoroughly thinks through dog ownership and this can be seen by the ever increasing number of dogs and puppies that are euthanized at the shelters.

Buying Puppies

In Marley & Me Grogan’s wife researches the newspaper classifieds to find the perfect dog. Is this the best way to buy a dog? I don’t claim to know the best way to get the perfect dog, but I have talked to many people and currently own two dogs of my own. Check out Dedicated to my dog Linus to see some of my writing on dog adoption. I was considering a pure bred golden retriever or labrador retriever before I picked up Linus from the shelter. It was recommended to me that I attend dog shows to find a reputable breeder and not to find a breeder by looking through the classifieds. I was told that a good reputable breeder has no need to advertise their puppies.

However, I did look at classified ads and did visit some of the puppies in the ads. The second thing I was told about buying a dog was that before you buy a pure bred find out what genetic defects the breed may have and make sure the parents are certified. By the way, it is very difficult not to take home all the puppies when you see, touch, and play with the litter. I highly recommend using Grogan’s strategy when looking at litters, but unlike Grogan stick to it!

From Marley & Me:

The deal I had struck with Jenny when I agreed to come here was that we would check the pups out, ask some questions, and keep an open mind as to whether we were ready to bring home a dog ‘This is the first ad we’re answering’ I had said. ‘Let’s not make any snap decisions.’ But thirty seconds into it, I could see I had already lost the battle. There was no question that before the night was through one of these puppies would be ours.

I’m going to reiterate…please don’t give in and stick to the plan!

Meet the Parents

As you can see Grogan and his wife choose one of the puppies from the first litter they visit. It is a backyard breeder who has AKC certified puppies. However, Grogan does not mention whether the puppies parents have certified hips, elbows, and eyes which is very important when buying a pure-bred labrador retriever (yellow lab was the same dog I was researching before I found Linus).

Parents are a good indicator of how the puppies will behave. Grogan and his wife meet the mother just as they arrive at the house and describe her as “just what we pictured a lab would be -sweet natured, affectionate, calm, and breathtakingly beautiful.” The chapter ends with meeting the father…Grogans description: “…very big yellow blur…as it galloped past…soaking wet and covered up to its belly in mud and burrs…tongue hung out wildly to one side and froth flew of its jowls…odd slightly crazed yet somehow joyous gaze in his eyes…” Not exactly the perfect dog and a foreshadowing of things to come.

Let me know what you think. Have you read Marley & Me? Are you interested in buying puppies?

Released Dog Program - Canine Partners For Life

I know many of you are interested in owning a puppy and someday hope to bring home that perfect puppy to your family. There are many different ways to get a puppy as I mentioned in my article Dedicated To My Dog Linus. We’ve talked about adopting from Guide Dogs of America and Guiding Eyes For The Blind.

While scouring the web I came across an article on Adele The Life Saving Heart Alert Dog. Adele is a heart alert dog and her job is to alert her owner when there is a problem. Adele’s owner, Marty Harris, suffer from a chronic fainting disorder caused by irregular heart beats.

After reading about Adele and her training I found the Canine Partners For Life website and read up on their program including their released dog program.

Canine Partners For Life

Straight from the CPL website:

Canine Partners For Life (CPL) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to training service dogs, home companion dogs, and residential companion dogs to assist individuals who have a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. Based in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, CPL places service dogs nationwide. Home companion dogs are generally placed within a 250 mile radius of the campus (sometimes further) and residential companions are place within a 100 mile radius of the campus.

Each CPL dog receives a comprehensive and customized training program to meet the specific needs of their human partner. Depending on the assigned program, the dog will receive up to two years of training before being trained to work with its person. CPL has one of the strongest follow-up programs in the industry to ensure the success of each team throughout the lifetime of the partnership.

Labrador Retrievers

Where do Canine Partners for Life puppies come from? Often puppies are donated to the program and when suitable dogs are available the group tries to rescue dogs from shelters and rescue organizations. CPL also manages a breeding program.

CPL’s breeding program consists of two female black Labrador Retrievers. They provide CPL with approximately two litters a year. Stud services are donated by carefully screened breeders.

Check out CPL’s breeding program for more information.

Released Dog Program

Some CPL dogs are not suitable for life as a service dog. Reasons for not being suitable as a service dog include physical and/or behavioral issues. If you are interested in CPL’s released dog program then please fill out the application at the CPL website.

If you are interested in this program I recommend you contact Canine Partners For Life through their website. CPL is located in Cochranville, PA which would be a bit of a drive for me out here in California, but hopefully works out well for some of my readers.

Tell me what you think. Have you ever worked or volunteered with Canine Partners For Life? Are you interested in the released dog program with CPL?

***Update 01/06/2008- I made some updates to this article as I received some additional information from Canine Partners for Life. I changed some of the verbage as CPL does not adopt out their puppies, but do have a released dog program. Please refer to the Canine Partners For Life website for additional information on their programs. Thank you Jennifer for helping clarify my article. You can see Jennifer’s comments in the comment section of this article.

Puppy Adoption - Pure Bred Yellow Lab

If you are considering puppy adoption, I highly recommend visiting one of your local puppy/dog rescues. In past articles I’ve talked to you about the puppy/dog rescue, Cuddly Canines. I want to do my best to help place these puppies by profiling each puppy, litter of puppies, and dogs on this blog.

***Note this dog may already be adopted as I will keep this information in my archive. Please check the Cuddly Canines website for the most recent puppies up for adoption.

This beautiful lady was dumped in the Riverside Shelter by her owners who are having a human baby and no longer had time for a dog (and obviously didn’t have time to have her spayed!). Porsche is a lovely girl, the foster home reports that she is very well-behaved and loving.

Stay tuned for stork updates!

Go to the Cuddly Canines website for the latest updates on Porsche and her litter.

Porsche is in Huntington Beach

Are you interested in adopting?

If you are interested in adopting Porsche or a puppy from her litter then please visit the Cuddly Canines website. Porsche and her puppies will not be immediately available (they usually keep the litter together until the puppies are at least 8 weeks old). If you happen to adopt Porsche or one of her puppies please remember, it’s never too early or too late to start them on their training. If you are interested in puppy adoption or fostering here are a few other articles you might enjoy:

Puppy Adoption And Fostering
Dedicated To My Dog Linus.

Of course, these are not the only rescue puppies being fostered by Cuddly Canines. Please visit their website to see the most current pictures of all their dogs and puppies.

I’d love to hear what you have to say about this article. Is puppy adoption in your future? Do you want to try puppy fostering? If so, please visit the Cuddly Canines website.

Puppy Adoption - Guiding Eyes For The Blind

I wrote about puppy adoption in my last article based mainly on my experience with Guide Dogs of America. While surfing the web I came across an article on Guide Dog puppy adoptions with the organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind. After reading several pages on their website I noticed there were some slight differences between the Guiding Eyes for the Blind and Guide Dogs of America puppy adoption programs.

Puppy Adoption - Slight Differences

As far as I understand all of the puppies in a Guide Dogs of America litter are sent out to be raised by a puppy raiser. However, Guiding Eyes for the Blind starts evaluating and career changing puppies when they are 7-9 weeks old. Therefore the majority of dogs available for adoption are 7-9 weeks old.

***You can also adopt a young adult dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Why Are These Puppies Released From the Program?

According to Guiding Eyes for the Blind early test show that these young puppies do not have the potential to become guide dogs. The most common reason being that the pups are too sensitive to withstand the pressure of decision making.

About Guiding Eyes For the Blind Puppy Adoption

• Cost to adopt a released puppy - $1000 for all puppies with the exception of Golden/Lab Cross Breed and Black and Tans. They will remain at $800.
• The more flexible you are with color, sex, breed the more quickly you will receive a puppy.
• Here’s a rule of thumb list on minimum wait periods:
  • Black Lab: 6-12 months
  • Yellow Lab: 18-24 months
  • Black and Tan Lab - limited availability
  • Golden Retriever - 2-3 years (limited availability)
  • German Shepherd - 2-3 years (limited availability)
  • Golden/Lab Cross - limited availability

Do I Need to Do Anything Differently With These Puppies

Straight from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind website:

To adopt one of our pups you must agree to the following criteria:

• Adopted dogs must live inside the house with the family, not in a garage or outbuilding.
• Puppies must be spayed/neutered within 6 months of adoption and a copy of the certificate sent to us for our records.
• For genetic record-keeping purposes, families and individuals adopting from us must be willing to respond to occasional questionnaires or perhaps an evaluation.

If you are interested in one of these puppies please fill out the Released Puppy form on the Guiding Eyes for the Blind website. If you’d like more information on Guiding Eyes for the Blind Puppy Adoption then please visit their puppy adoption FAQ page.

I’d love to adopt one of these puppies, but the problem for me is that they are located in Patterson, NY and unfortunately they do not ship dogs by air (I’m in California). So, hopefully you (prospective puppy adopter) are located within driving distance of Patterson, NY.

What do you think? Are you interested in puppy adoption with Guiding Eyes for the Blind? Have you adopted a puppy from this organization in the past?

Puppy Adoption - So You’d Like To Adopt A Service Dog

Have you ever thought about Service Dog puppy adoption? I’m sure you’ve seen Service Dogs out on the streets, in your local mall, or maybe the grocery store, but did you know that you can adopt one of these beautiful, well-behaved dogs? Most of this information is based on my experience and knowledge with Guide Dogs of America.

What is a Service Dog?

According to the American Disabilities Act (federal) any dog assisting a person with a

disability is considered a service dog (exclusive of therapy dogs). Service dogs are entitled to freely access buildings and transportation (trains, planes, buses). Some of the common

service dogs are:

1. Dogs for the blind - Often referred to as “Guide Dogs” or “Seeing Eye Dogs”
2. Hearing and Signal Dogs - Dogs trained to assist deaf people.
3. Assistance Dogs - A varied category. Dogs will often help by picking things up, open and closing doors, and pulling wheel chairs
4. Therapy Dogs - Not considered by law as a Service Dog. Therapy dogs visit hospitals, care facilities, nursing homes, etc to cheer up patients. - For the re levance of this article we will not be talking about Therapy Dogs.

How Does A Puppy Go From Puppy To Service Dog?

First, it’s important to understand the process a Service Dog puppy

goes through before achieving the status of Service Dog.

1. Breeder Dogs are housed by foster families near Service Dog facilities such as Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, CA.
2. Breeder Dogs are bred and have litters at the Service Dog facility.
3. The litter stays at the facility until approximately 7-8 weeks of age.
4. At 7-8 weeks of age puppies move on to live with individuals and families called puppy raisers.
5. Puppies are evaluated and learn basic obedience throughout the puppy raising period for approximately 18-22 months.
6. At 18-22 months the puppies are brought back to the Service Dog facility for formal training.
7. Puppies attend formal training for 4-6 months. During formal training puppies learn advanced commands specific to the disability they will assist.

This is just a short step-by-step and does not include every detail in a Service Dog Puppy’s training.

How Can I Adopt A Service Dog Puppy?

Service Dog training programs are very rigorous and not all puppies will become Service Dogs. At Guide Dogs of America it is said that approximately 40% of the puppies who start the program will not make it as a Guide Dog. So what happens to the puppies that are career changed (don’t make the guide dog program)? The puppy raiser has the first choice to keep the puppy. If the puppy raiser declines to keep the puppy then the puppy is adopted out. Who gets to adopt the puppy? Currently at Guide Dogs of America there is a 5 year wait list for people interested in adopting a retired or career change guide dog. They are not accepting new applications.

Guide Dogs are not working service dogs their entire lives. Working Guide Dogs can be retired due to health problems or old age. The blind partner has the first option of adopting his/her retired working Guide Dog. The puppy raiser has the second option of adopting the retired Guide Dog. Finally, if neither opt to adopt the dog then the dog is adopted out to a family/individual who applied for puppy/dog adoption.

What about other Service Dog Groups?

There are many other Service Dog groups and their policies and procedures for puppy adoption are probably similar to Guide Dogs of America. However, other groups may be accepting applications for new adoption families. Here are a few groups I’ve come across on the web with headquarters in California:

Guide Dogs of America

Guide Dogs for the Blind

Guide Dogs of the Desert International

Canine Companions for Independence

Are you interested in Service Dog puppy adoption? Have you ever raised a Service Dog puppy or adopted a Service Dog? I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Guide Dog Training - How To Become A Guide Dog Puppy Raiser

Are you interested in Guide Dog Training? You should try getting a taste of guide dog training by starting off as a guide dog puppy raiser. About two years ago I decided I wanted to raise a guide dog puppy, but thought…where do I start? Here’s my journey to becoming a Guide Dogs of America Puppy Raiser.

My Rescue Dog Linus

I’ve always had a love for dogs and about three years ago rescued an Australian Shepherd Black Lab mix from the Carson shelter. If you want to read more about my rescue dog Linus take a look at this article: Dedicated to My Dog Linus. We always had family dog when I was growing up, but Linus was MY first dog, MY responsibility. Raising Linus was a real joy for me and really stoked my interest in dogs. I started researching rescues, shelters, and service dogs.

The Pet Expo

A couple years ago I attended the Pet Expo in Costa Mesa, CA. It’s a great event located on the OC fairgrounds with tons of dog and animal products, exhibitions, booths, rescue groups, and food (for people). After visiting and seeing the many dedicated volunteers at the Pet Expo I decided that I should dedicate some of my free time to helping these non-profit organizations.

Cuddly Canines

Several months after the Pet Expo I contacted one of our local Puppy/Dog Rescues named Cuddly Canines. Cuddly Canines is a wonderful rescue group that saves mostly litters of puppies from the Riverside Animal Shelter in Southern California. I sent them my information and told them I’d be interested in fostering a litter of puppies and what do you know a couple days later I brought home 7 German Shepherd puppies from the Riverside Shelter.

The puppies were adorable, a little malnurished, but absolutely adorable. Take a look at my article on Puppy Adoption and Fostering to see a picture of the Shepherd mixed puppies I fostered.

Poopies

Sorry to get off subject, but one thing I learned about puppies (or maybe it’s just shepherds) is that when one goes poop they all go poop. Kind of like BackDraft (if you saw the movie: “You go, We go”. I learned this first hand on the ride home from Riverside. Almost immediately after we left the shelter one of the puppies pooped in the crate. Of course, this was a sign for the others to poop (7 poops + 1 crate = lots of poop in the fur) …ehhhhh…disgusting!!! To make matters worse it was one of the hottest days of summer and even though we wanted to run the air conditioner we had to open the windows to breathe. Cleaning poop off of puppy fur is not a fun job.

Guide Dogs Organizations

I loved raising the Shepherd puppies. It was a lot of work, but well worth the effort. I next set my sights on becoming a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser. I researched the internet to find as much information as possible and found three Guide Dog Organizations in California:

1. Guide Dogs of the Desert International - Palm Springs, CA
2. Guide Dogs for the Blind - Campus’s in San Rafael, CA and Boring, OR
3. Guide Dogs of America - Sylmar, CA

I was unable to find a puppy raiser application on the Guide Dogs of the Desert International website, but did send an email to the puppy department. Unfortunately I never heard back from their organization.

While flipping through the OC Register Pet Section I came across a short classified ad on Guide Dog Puppy Raising with a contact phone number. I called the number and spoke with the Orange County Guide Dogs For the Blind group leader. This group was comprised of mostly young adults in a 4-H group. I did get the chance to attend meetings, but ended up not joining the group.

When I first started my search to become a puppy raiser I sent a puppy raiser application to Guide Dogs of America. After about four months I was contacted by the Orange County GDA group leader. It seemed like a perfect fit. The puppy raiser meetings and puppy training were held 5 minutes from my house. Our group leader came to the house, interviewed me, and inspected my house to make sure it was puppy safe. Finally, I received my a manual on how to raise a GDA puppy. One month later I picked up Stetson from Sylmar.

Becoming A GDA Puppy Raiser

My step-by-step process to become a GDA puppy raiser:

1. Go to the website and fill out an application.
   • I’d also read through the website and try to absorb as much information as possible.
2. Wait until a GDA group leader contacts you
   • I contacted the puppy raising department twice by email to try and speed up the process - I had nearly given up hope…BE PATIENT!
3. Have meeting with GDA group leader for interview and house inspection.
4. Attend group meetings and be sure to sign in.
   • I was told that people who attend meetings regularly have priority on getting their puppies

You can probably speed up this process if you know someone (ME) who is currently raising a puppy or working with Guide Dogs of America.

Are you interested in Guide Dog Training or Puppy Raising? Do you want to train Guide Dog Puppies? Let me know what you think.

Puppy Adoption - Shepherd Mix

If you are considering puppy adoption, I highly recommend visiting one of your local puppy/dog rescues. In past articles I’ve talked to you about the puppy/dog rescue, Cuddly Canines. I want to do my best to help place these puppies by profiling each puppy, litter of puppies, and dogs on this blog.

***Note this dog may already be adopted as I will keep this information in my archive. Please check the Cuddly Canines website for the most recent puppies up for adoption.

Maui is an extremely smart, eager-to-please gal who was a great mom to her babies, but now needs a home to call her own. Around 2 years old & 65 pounds, Maui adores kids & gets along great with other dogs. She is currently in a foster home with 2 kids & a Golden Retriever. Maui loves to go for walks, and is quickly learning her basic commands. She is going to make a wonderful
family pet.

Maui is in Huntington Beach

Are you interested in adopting?

If you are interested in adopting Maui then please visit the Cuddly Canines website, fill out an application, and email it to them. If you happen to adopt this beautiful shepherd mix please remember, it’s never too early or too late to start them on their training. If you are interested in puppy adoption or fostering here are a few other articles you might enjoy:

Puppy Adoption - A Home For The Holidays
Puppy Adoption And Fostering
Dedicated To My Dog Linus.

Of course, these are not the only rescue puppies being fostered by Cuddly Canines. Please visit their website to see the most current pictures of all their dogs and puppies.

I’d love to hear what you have to say about this article. Is puppy adoption in your future?

Dog Products - Backseat Barrier Pet Protector

Today I’m continuing my review of dog products with the Backseat Barrier Pet Protector. How many times have you seen or experienced a dog bouncing back and forth from the frontseat to the backseat of a car? Hundreds of times maybe? Well, if you happen to own an active dog who thinks the inside of your car is his personal playground then the Backseat Barrier Pet Protector might be the dog product for you.

The Details

Straight from Amazons website:

A dog moving around freely about the car is a safety hazard for the driver, passengers and other dogs. The Backseat Barrier Pet Protector keeps everyone safe by creating a strong wall between the front and back seats of the car. This wall keeps your dog safely in the backseat when the car stops quickly and restricts excited pups from moving between the front and back seats of the vehicle. The Backseat Barrier Pet Protector also has an extra partition, which separates passengers from dogs in the backseat. Great for long trips, or just traveling around town. Benefits: Protects dog from launching forward during quick stops. Protects passengers and cargo from roaming dogs. No need to remove when passengers ride in backseat. Front seat stays clean of dog hair. Universal fit for most vehicles from a compact to a SUV. Simple installation / removal (and looks good enough to make it permanent). Dimensions: Package: 7w x 14h x 3d. Universal fit for most vehicles. Materials: 600 D Nylon. Ultrasuede. Color: Black with Tan Details.

My Conclusion

My parents own a little yellow terrier that I swear has springs on the bottom of his feet. This barrier would be perfect anytime they take him on a car ride. Lucky for me, my two dogs are very well behaved and either wear a seatbelt or ride on the passenger side floorboards. I may purchase this one for my parents this holiday season and if so I’ll be sure to have them write a more comprehensive review.

Are you interested in this dog product? Do you already own a Backseat Barrier Pet? I’d love to hear what you have to say?

Puppy Adoption - Rescue Mix

If you are considering puppy adoption, I highly recommend visiting one of your local puppy/dog rescues. In past articles I’ve talked to you about the puppy/dog rescue, Cuddly Canines. I want to do my best to help place these puppies by profiling each puppy, litter of puppies, and dogs on this blog.

***Note these puppies may already be adopted as I will keep this information in my archive. Please check the Cuddly Canines website for the most recent puppies up for adoption.

Rescue Mix - Max

Max is an 8 month old who is looking for a home to call his own. This cute boy weighs in around 40 pounds. Max gets along great with other dogs & loves to go for walks or hikes. Max is housebroken & knows how to use a doggy door! He knows his basic commands, such as sit & stay!

Max is in Orange, CA

Are you interested in adopting?

If you are interested in these puppies then please visit the Cuddly Canines website, fill out an application, and email it to them. If you happen to adopt one of these puppies remember, it’s never too early or too late to start them on their puppy training. If you are interested in puppy adoption or fostering here are a few other articles you might enjoy:

Puppy Adoption - Australian Shepherd Mix
Puppy Adoption - A Home For The Holidays
Puppy Adoption And Fostering
Dedicated To My Dog Linus.

Of course, these are not the only rescue puppies being fostered by Cuddly Canines. Please visit their website to see the most current pictures of all their dogs and puppies.

I’d love to hear what you have to say about this article. Is puppy adoption in your future?

Dog Products - Silicone Travel Bowl

The Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Bowl is a silicone travel bowl that looks and acts like a regular dog bowl, but can also be folded up for dogs who like to travel. This stow and go design is perfect for backpacks, duffle bags, and glove boxes.

The Details

The Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Bowl only weighs 5.9 oz and comes in 4 colors: Water Blue, Grass Green, Fire Red, and Sun Orange. This product is made of food-grade quality silicone, is dishwasher safe, and holds up to 8 oz.

My Conclusion

Unfortunately, I don’t own the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Bowl and can’t vouch for this product. I myself do have a nylon travel bowl with a waterproof inner lining. I must say the nylon bowl works great for most of my travel needs. However, I have noticed that the bowl needs to be thoroughly dried after use. The inner lining will often stay wet and sometimes end up with a mildew smell. The one big drawback I see with this product is the capacity of the bowl. My nylon bowl can hold up to 2.5 quarts of water (80 oz) where as this bowl can only hold 8 oz.

Here are some other dog product articles:

My Dog Eats So Fast He Vomits
Dog Products - Jet Setter Airline Approved Dog Carrier

I’d love to hear what you think of this product. Do you own the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Bowl? Do you think a nylon travel bowl is better than the silicon travel bowl?

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