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Puppy In Training Timeline Part 3

March 2, 2010 By 3 Comments

The Puppy In Training Timeline is a series of articles chronicling my life with dogs and puppies.  Basically it’s the long version of my “About Me” page and helps to show the influences in my life that led to where I am today with my dogs, puppies, and my writings on the Puppy In Training website.

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | and beyond…

1997 – 2004 – The Dog-less years

A time without dogs.  In 1997 I left Tucson, Arizona and headed back home to Orange County leaving behind the two little puppies, Stinky and Pepper.  Maffy, our family dog was in his senior, senior years.  If you recall Maffy passed in 2002.  After a short stay with my parents I moved out to an apartment of my own.  Over the next 7 years I drudged away in corporate America and had little time to take care of a dog.  It was during this time that I was dog-less, but I still had dogs in my life…as a Dog Sitter!

I dog sat many different breeds including a Border Collie mix, Great Pyrenees, Mini Doberman Pinscher, Dachshund mix, Maltese, Miniature Poodles, German Shepherd, and Various Mutts (not too sure of the breed).  Here are a few of the dogs that help influence my decision to get my first dog.

Quincy the Miniature Poodle


image by Amy McCartney

Way back in 1997 I started working in corporate America and shortly after starting that job the CEO of our company got a Miniature Poodle named Quincy.  Back then I didn’t know too much about puppy mills and getting puppies from pet stores and neither did my boss.  Quincy came from a local pet store, but regardless of possibly coming from a puppy mill and having to live at the pet store for a short time he was and is an absolutely wonderful dog.  I’ve watched, house sat, dog sat, picked him up from the veterinarian, and dog walked him over the past 13 years.  He has a great little personality, he’s very easy going, and is very easy to take care.  Also, did I mention that he does not shed?

Every once in a while Quincy comes into the office and greets all the employees.  After watching and taking care of Quincy I new I wanted to get a dog of my own someday.  One other thing I like about Quincy is he doesn’t have that funny Poodle haircut.

Emfur the German Shepherd

image by jutuzga

Emfur was my brother’s ex-girlfriends dog. A purebred German Shepherd, he looked exactly like the K9 police dogs you see on television or working on the street.  He looked intimidating, had a deep bark, and weighed in at over 100 pounds.  I remember when he’d stay at our house my friends were sometimes scared to come in the door.  Emfur loved to bark at people at the front door and scared the poop out of people until they got into the house.  Once you were in the house he became your best friend.  The problem was no one wanted to come in the house after hearing Emfur’s roar.

Emfur was a very well-behaved dog in the house, but probably an even better watch/guard dog.  He was usually easy to walk around the neighborhood except for one time when I remember he nearly pulled my arm out of it’s socket.  However, most other times on his walk he’d do funny things like lay down on the ground when he saw some of our small neighborhood dogs.

I watched him several times at my condo and he had a fairly severe case of separation anxiety.  He didn’t bark or chew things, but when my brother’s ex would leave the house Emfur would sit at the front door for hours on end waiting for her to come home.  He was definitely a very faithful one person dog.

I’m sad to say that I heard Emfur passed away a couple years ago.  I’m sure Emfur is doing well playing with his friends at the Rainbow Bridge.

Kona the Dachshund Mix


image by jasontucker

In 2004 one of my best friends and his wife  lost their senior rescue dog, Barley to old age.  A few months later they adopted another rescue dog.  This time they got a puppy that was shaped a lot like a Dachshund, but may also have been mixed with a German Shepherd.  I was lucky enough to be a big part of Kona’s life.  In her early life I puppy sat Kona nearly every time my friends left town.

Kona was a great puppy and I believe I was a big part in her upbringing.  I remember working with her on car rides.  She used to hate the car, but today she jumps right in when it’s time for a car ride.

Helping raise Kona was one of the big reasons I decided to rescue my first rescue puppy, Linus.

Sam the Maltese

Maltese Puppy

image by yasmapaz & ace_heart

Not long before I picked up Linus from the Carson Shelter I met one of my co-workers dogs named Sam.  Although Sam had a little bit of separation anxiety he was a great dog and came to the office once in a while.  I never formally watched Sam, but during his visits to the office I would keep in eye on him now and then.

Sam had a great temperament and seeing a well-behaved dog in the office made me want a well-behaved dog of my own.  After seeing Sam’s good behavior in the office I was intent on properly training my own dog to be well-behaved in all social situations similar to a dog like Sam or like the behavior of a service or guide dog.

2004 was a monumental year for me.  It was at this time that I decided to take a sabbatical from work.  It wasn’t just a break from work, but a chance to change my career.  I wanted to learn more about web development/design and internet marketing.  It was during this time away from work that I would have a chance to get a puppy of my own.

Check out Part 4 of the Puppy In Training Timeline.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

February 16, 2010 By 4 Comments

The Puppy In Training Timeline is a series of articles chronicling my life with dogs and puppies.  Basically it’s the long version of my “About Me” page and helps to show the influences in my life that led to where I am today with my dogs, puppies, and my writings on the Puppy In Training website.

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | and beyond…

1991 – 1997 – The College Years

In 1991 I graduated from high school and started my adventures in college at the University of Arizona.  Arizona was a big change from my home back in Orange County – no beaches, desert weather (often exceeding 110 degrees), monsoons, and the freedom to do as I pleased.  Even though I had the freedom to do as I wanted I still didn’t want to take on the responsibility of a dog.  The extent of my personal pets in college were gold fish and an ant farm.

On the other hand several of my friends did have dogs and that was enough for me during this time in my life.

Denali – Siberian Husky Mix

image by tequilamike

Near the end of my second year of college my girlfriend had the opportunity to adopt a Siberian Husky mix puppy from her manager at one of our favorite campus restaurants, Kippy’s. Unfortunately Kippy’s and most of the other mom and pop restaurants near the University of Arizona campus have been taken over by the corporate giants.  Excited to have a dog of her own my GF jumped at the opportunity to adopt a little puppy that she named Denali.

Denali was an adorable little puppy and one of my first memories was him peeing on the carpet in my apartment.  Unfortunately, after only a couple of days playing with little Denali I headed back to Orange County for summer break.  By the  time I got back to school Denali was nearly full grown and already house trained.  He was a great dog and on occasion I helped out with his upbringing.  I last heard that Denali moved back to California with my ex-girlfriend and her son.  I’m not sure if he’s still with us, but if he is he’d be the ripe old age of 17!

Gus – the Wiry Haired Mutt


My third year of college we moved into the Bean Street House along with a wiry haired mutt named Gus.  Gus was a very shy, timid dog much like Linus only multiply by 100.  He did have one guilty pleasure and that was chasing cats.

My first memory of Gus was returning from summer vacation in the summer of 1993.  I knew we were going to have a new shaggy haired roomate, but when I got to the house I couldn’t find a soul around.  I started moving a few of my things into the house and after about an hour I decided I should look for this so called dog named Gus.  After searching every room  I heard a scratching sound in one of the bedroom closets.  Low and behold in the back of the closet was Gus shaking from fear.  I guess he wasn’t much of a guard dog.

Gus was an older dog probably somewhere between four and six years old, well-behaved, and house trained.  My role with him was strictly as part time caretaker in the Bean Street House.

Gus lived in the house for the next couple years and at the end of school year in 1995 he moved back to Denver for the remainder of his life.

Daly – A Collie Mix…I think?


image by sebrenner

That’s an actual picture of Daly!

Daly belonged to our neighbor and was probably about 6 months old when she entered our life.  A bundle of joy and energy our neighbors could no longer keep her and she was destine for the local shelter.  One of my roomates stepped forward and saved her from a possible terrible fate.

Still very much a puppy, but the size of a dog, Daly was full of joy and I think she drove old Gus nuts…she certainly drove her other roomates nuts.  Unfortunately, with puppyhood came chewing and destruction….the couches turned into white foam scattered around the house.  Our roomate Jeremy’s favorite hat became Daly’s favorite chew toy.

As I look back now Daly probably needed a little more exercise and attention during those early years which would have most likely curbed her destructive behavior.  Lucky for me I moved out of the house only weeks after Daly became a permanent fixture.  I did spend many a day backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking with her.

If Daly is still with us she is approximately 15 years old and I’m sure much calmer then those early days in college.

Stinky the Doberman Mix & Pepper the Australian Shepherd Mix


image by jilbean3

Shortly after graduating college I got a job, not a real job of course, but working part time as a skate guard at the local ice rink. The pay wasn’t good…I think I made minimum wage, but I got to play ice hockey for free. Along with the new job I moved to a new upscale house! Actually it was my friends house and was shared between three roomates. Once again dogs would enter my life.

My roomate Ryan and his girlfriend ended up getting a little Doberman mix puppy named Stinky.  Now you might think Stinky was a cruel name, but she had terrible gas and the name suited her.  Not long after the arrival of Stinky came another little puppy an Australian Shepherd mix named Pepper.

Stinky came from the pet store (hopefully not the puppy mill, but I’ll never really know).  Pepper was a stray and picked up off the street.  Both dogs were great, but not house trained and never really got the hang of it during my time with them.

As a part time worker I was home almost all the time and really the only caretaker of Stinky and Pepper.  I worked on their training.  Not very well since I didn’t know much.  I groomed and bathed them, made sure they had daily walks, and played with them in the backyard.  In essence these two little girls were my dogs.  I was not much of a dog trainer, but they loved me and they were great companions.

In the summer of 1997 I headed back to Orange County and had to leave Stinky and Pepper behind.  I seriously thought about asking if I could take them with me, but even though I took care of them they weren’t my dogs.  Unfortunately, I later found out that because of a lack of time they were given to another family.  If I was still around I would have taken them in an instant!

Today, if these two little girls are still around they would be about 13 years old.

Check out Puppy In Training Timeline Part 3

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Puppy In Training Newsletter

February 10, 2010 By 1 Comment

I’m revamping the Puppy In Training newsletter and thought I’d shoot off a quick post to encourage any of my RSS subscribers or daily web visitors to join today.  In case you hadn’t noticed I haven’t had our newsletter sign up form in the sidebar for a while, but I’m working to redesign this website and make it much easier to find things like newsletter sign up form, RSS subscription counts, and all the other important information you expect to find on the Puppy In Training website.

If you have any suggestions for the website redesign or upcoming newsletters then please contact me via our contact form…or just leave us a comment in the comments section below.

In the mean time if you want to get the latest and greatest puppy training information then join our newsletter by filling out the form below:

Filed Under: Shelter Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 1

February 9, 2010 By 5 Comments

The Puppy In Training Timeline is a series of articles chronicling my life with dogs and puppies.  Basically it’s the long version of my “About Me” page and helps to show the influences in my life that led to where I am today with my dogs and my writings on the Puppy In Training website.

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 1

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | and beyond…

Since I was a young boy I’d always had a love for animals especially dogs and cats.  Growing up I can’t remember a time when we didn’t have a dog, cat, hamster, guinea pig, bird, lizard, etc.  I feel like I would have been most comfortable growing up on a farm.  My life and love for animals began years before I was born.

Pre-1972 – Before I was born there was dog…

I’d be remiss to start my story without taking a little bit of time to talk about my parents and their experiences with puppies and dogs before I was born.  Well, their life as I know it that is…

My parents were married in 1969 and it’s my understanding that before they had children they had dogs.  Maybe it was an experiment to see how a family of dogs would be before a family with children or perhaps just a love for animals, but in their early years as a couple my parents had two mutts named Bonnie and Clyde.

image by FreeWine

And it doesn’t end there…before I was born (and my brother before me) Bonnie and Clyde had a litter of puppies under my parents care.  Bonnie, Clyde, and their litter of puppies were the first children (my siblings) in our family.  However, shortly after my brother was born Bonnie and Clyde had to be given to another loving family.

1972 – 1991 – The Early Years

Kiko – A Purebred Golden Retriever


image by jsmjr

I was born two years after my brother on December 5th 1972.  I suppose I was lucky considering all the practice my parents had first raising two dogs, then a litter of puppies, and finally my older brother.  I guess the challenge of two infants wasn’t enough for my parents because 10 months after I was born they brought home a Golden Retriever puppy named Kiko.

We had Kiko, a purebred Golden Retriever for the next 10 years and he was an amazing family dog.  Kiko was a very tolerant dog and was definitely a dog good with children.

Three years after Kiko came to our family  my sister Miko was born and everyone thought she looked like a monkey (just kidding…only Justin thought that).

In 1979 we moved from Culver City to Fountain Valley.  Looking back it amazes me how much trouble it must have been to move our family.  At the time I was 6 years old, my brother was 8 years old, my sister was 2 years old, and Kiko was 5 years old.  I’m guessing that even back then Kiko was no problem at all for my parents while us three bratty kids were probably their biggest concern during the move.

Kiko was a great family dog and enjoyed being around our family and even put up with us little kids pulling at his fur and trying to ride him like a horse.  He was a great retriever and loved to chase a tennis ball around the yard.  I have fond memories of him running to grab a ball off of our swimming pool cover, I’m sure much to the dismay of my parents.  If you’re looking for a wonderful family dog that is good with children I’d highly recommend Kiko’s breed – the Golden Retriever.

Remember the scene in Marley and Me when Marley passes away?  Do you remember your first pet?  Thinking back to the day I heard that Kiko had to be put to sleep because he had an inoperable brain tumor was one of the saddest days of my early life.  I guess having pets is a way for parents to teach children about death, something that we all inevitably have to face throughout our lives.  It’s a difficult lesson to learn, but one that we all experienced way back in 1983.

Maffy – Border Collie? Labrador Retriever? A Mutt!

image by shortCHINESEguy

We still had cats, lizards, hamsters in and around the house, but for two years we didn’t have a dog.  After much begging and pleading from my sister Miko and I our Dad took us on a trip to the local shelter and we saw the smartest black dog in the entire world…and he even had a name already…Maffy!  He new all of his commands from sit to down to stay to shake hands.  He looked like a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Border Collie.  Miko and I wanted him so bad, but unfortunately someone else had already claimed him for adoption and were due to pick him up later in the week.

Several days had passed and my father decided to stop by the shelter on his way home from work just to see if Maffy had been picked up yet.  Apparently, no one came to pick him up and he was scheduled to be euthanized in a couple days.  My dad quickly filled out the paperwork and got him in the car for his first ride to see his new family.

Before making a stop at home my dad took Maffy to the local park to give him a chance to stretch his legs and run around a bit.  He let Maffy off leash and he ran like a gazelle…straight into the lake!

It turns out that Maffy was very much the water dog as he learned to play with us in the swimming pool on a daily basis in the summers and even when we weren’t playing in the pool Maffy would jump in and play on his own.

Maffy was a special dog and loved to run.  In fact one of our first outings at our local school he chased his tennis ball and sideswiped me to the ground then continued to do the same to my dad and my sister.  On occasion our gardener would leave the side gate sligthly open.  Maffy, being the smart dog would nudge the gate open and run from our house to the school park to play with the kids on the playground.  If ever we noticed Maffy was missing we always new where to find him…on the school playground.

I headed off to college in 1991 and Maffy stayed home with my sister and parents.  He was two years old when we picked him up from the shelter in 1985.  By the time I left for college he was 8 years old and considered a senior dog.  However, he still acted like a puppy!

Maffy lived an amazing life and was with our family from 1985 to 2002 and passed away a couple days after my 30th birthday.  Maffy had severe arthritis and even suffered what was possibly a stroke or canine vestibular disease.  In the end, in his mind Maffy wanted to stay with us, but his body could no longer support him.  He could barely stand or walk and my parents new it was time to put him to sleep.

Check out Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

February 4, 2010 By 2 Comments

When I first decided to get a dog I didn’t know much about dog breeders, pet stores, rescue dogs, or why adopting a shelter dog might be a better alternative.

After you’ve made the decision to bring a dog into your life you have many options as to where you will get a dog.  Here are a few of the choices I thought about before making my final decision:

  1. Adopt A Dog From The Animal Shelter
  2. Adopt A Dog From A Rescue
  3. Buy A Dog From A Breeder
  4. Buy A Dog From The Pet Store

I’m going to go in depth on my reasoning for getting Linus from the animal shelter.  However, I don’t plan on going into detail on why you should or should not go with any of the other three options on this list.  If you are looking for a dog I’d recommend either getting a dog from the animal shelter or from an animal rescue.  If you’re looking for a specific breed you can find dog rescues dedicated to just about any breed.  I’ve also read that 25% of the animals at the shelter are purebred dogs.  Try looking for rescue and shelter dogs at Petfinder.com.

image by bcgrote

We think you should highly consider adopting from a shelter or rescue and if you’re looking for a specific breed as I said try looking for a breed specific rescue.  However, we do know that some might choose to purchase a dog from a breeder.  If you decide to get your dog from a breeder make sure you do your due diligence.  Do some research on how to find a good breeder.   After you know how to find a good breeder make sure you apply that information when looking for your next dog.

I’d highly recommend not purchasing a dog from the pet store as many of their dogs come from puppy mills.  Read more about puppy mills at Stop Puppy Mills if you’ve been considering purchasing a dog from the pet store.

Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

If you’ve been following this blog for a while then you probably know all about my story and how I adopted Linus from the local animal shelter.  Now the question is why did I decide to go with a shelter dog and not any of the other three methods of obtaining a dog.

I had heard for years never to get a puppy from the pet store because they came from puppy mills.  Puppy Mills are horrible places where breeding dogs are kept in cages (usually their entire lives) and churn out puppies like factories with no regards to the health of the puppies or breeding dogs.

We considered a breeder and actually visited several backyard breeders.  The breeders we visited were found via the local newspaper classified ads.  Each breeder had varying levels of professionalism.  Some had both parents on the premises, AKC paperwork, hip and elbow certification.  Some of the breeders had none of this information.  If your considering a breeder I’d recommend you read the chapter on Where Can I Find My Puppy? in  Puppies For Dummies.  This section not only tells you about breeders, but rescues, pet stores, and other ways of getting a dog.  Ultimately, we decided getting a dog from a breeder was not for us.  I was more interested in saving a dog from a shelter.

We didn’t not consider getting a dog from a local rescue.  After we decided not to go with a breeder I kept my eye on Petfinder.com checking out lists of adoptable dogs and puppies from both local rescues and shelters.  One day I saw Linus and his siblings at the Carson Shelter.  I immediately thought he might be the one.  Petfinder.com showed three dogs and if you’re interested in finding out how I chose Linus then check out the article on How To Choose A Puppy.  Later that day I brought home my new puppy.

So why exactly did I adopt a shelter dog?

  1. I definitely did not want a puppy from the pet store after reading about pet stores and puppy mills.
  2. Because there are so many dogs euthanized in shelters I chose not to get a dog from the breeder and rather rescue from a shelter.
  3. If I found the perfect puppy at a rescue than I would have had no problem getting a rescue dog.
  4. I found my perfect puppy via Petfinder.com and rescued him from the Carson Shelter in Los Angeles.

Ultimately, I weighed my four options for getting a dog and decided that dog rescue was the best way for me to get a dog.

I’m so happy I chose to rescue Linus from the shelter.  He brings me tons of joy.  Every day I return from work I’m excited to see him and he’s excited to see me.  He’s my companion when I’m home alone.  He impresses my friends with his tricks.  He encourages me to exercise every day.  He comforts me when I’m sad.  He cuddles up next to me when I’m cold.  Rescuing Linus was one of the best decisions I made in my life.  Those are the answers to the question: Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

Have you rescued a dog from the shelter?  What has your experience been like?

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , , ,

The Importance Of Puppy Training

February 3, 2010 By 1 Comment

I read a short article today about Five Commands Every Dog Should Know and found the article on Google Alerts.  Google Alerts is a great way to find the latest news on puppy training.  Just go to http://www.google.com/alerts.  Fill out the form by adding the following:

  • Search Terms
  • Type
  • How Often
  • Email Length
  • Deliver to

Here’s the form as I filled it out:

Click the “Create Alert” button and just let the emails come to your inbox.  That’s how I found the article: What five commands must every dog be trained to know?

Five Commands Every Dog Should Know

So what are the five commands every dog should know?

  1. Sit
  2. Down
  3. Stand
  4. Stay
  5. Come

All of these commands are included in our list of commands we teach our guide dog puppies in training and I would agree that they are very important for not only guide dogs, but for every dog to know.

The Importance Of Puppy Training

One other item I gleamed from this article had to do with the importance of puppy training.  Here’s the statement I’m talking about:

Behavior Specialist Dayton Vance says:

“Once you get a puppy, if he grows up and isn’t trained the likelihood of him going to animal control is so much greater.”

This is something we’ve been harping on since the inception of this blog.  Puppies are adorable there’s no question about it, but it is oh so important to make sure you train your puppies so they grow up into well-behaved dogs.

A second quote from Vance:

He said being rigorous in training could even have a long-term positive effect on welfare as there would be fewer creatures in adoption and rescue centres.

One of our goals here at Puppy In Training is to try and reduce the number of dogs ending up at the animal shelters.  We believe that we can make a small difference by dispensing dog training tips and information in the hopes that our little contribution will save one dog from ending up at an animal shelter.

Are you involved in dog rescues or shelters?  We’d love to here what you think about the importance of puppy training and the impact on our local shelters.

Filed Under: Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

How To Choose A Puppy From A Litter

January 22, 2010 By 8 Comments

Yesterday we talked about How To Choose A Puppy?  Today we’re going to discuss How To Choose A Puppy From A Litter.  First here is a quick summary of the steps we went through in the first article:

  1. First of all, make sure you’re ready for the responsibility of taking care of a puppy/dog for the next 10+ years.
  2. Research your puppy.  We recommend reading Puppies For Dummies
  3. Ask yourself more questions: What breed suits your lifestyle?  Should you save your dog from the shelter or rescue?  Should you go to a breeder?  Why shouldn’t you go to the Pet Store.
  4. Find your puppy on Petfinder.com.

That brings us to today’s discussion on How To Choose A Puppy From A Litter.

image by pellaea

How To Choose A Puppy From A Litter

Our story ended yesterday with me finding a group of Australian Shepherd Labrador Retriever mixed puppies through Petfinder.com.  Here’s the continuation from yesterday (to read the entire story go back to Part 1):

…After searching for Australian Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers in the Petfinder.com database I found a litter of three Australian Shepherd Labrador Retriever mixed breed puppies:

  • A tri-colored female
  • A black male
  • A black male with a white spot on his chest

Obviously I was very excited.  Not only did I find a litter of puppies, but the litter was mixed with two of my three target breeds – Labrador Retriever and Australian Shepherd.  The puppies were not far away about 30 minutes at the Carson Shelter in Los Angeles.  I grabbed my Puppies For Dummies book and reviewed the section on temperament testing and how to determine dominant and submissive puppies in a litter.

Our goal was to find the perfect puppy in the litter and according to the book we were looking for not an overly dominant or an overly submissive puppy.  Both those types are considered much more difficult to raise for a first time puppy owner.  Puppies for Dummies lists five personality types:

  1. Top Dog
  2. Next In Line
  3. Middleman
  4. Passive Pup
  5. Shy Pup

We wanted to avoid the “Top Dog” and the “Shy Pup” and ultimately our goal was to try and identify a “Middleman.”  How were we going to find our little “Middleman”?  Well, we were armed with seven personality tests to help determine our future puppy’s temperament.

When we arrived at the shelter we were happy to see two adorable fluff balls sleeping on the hard concrete kennel floor – a tri-colored female and a black male with a white spot on his chest.  The third one we found on Petfinder.com was already adopted.  We got permission to take the two puppies out of the kennel and perform our temperament testing.  Here’s what we did:

  1. Observe – We tried to observe the two puppies out of the kennel, but they were very lethargic and really just wanted to rest.
  2. Uplift – Cradle mid body and suspend the puppy several inches from the ground.  Both puppies allowed us to do this and were quite relaxed without struggle.  Check them both for “Middleman” or “Passive Pup”
  3. Flip-Flop – Cradle the puppy in your arms belly up like a baby. Black with white dot settled right in with no struggle – check mark for “middleman” or “passive”.  Tri-color struggled for a moment then settled in.  Check mark for “Next In Line”
  4. Gentle Caress – Just sitting next to the puppy and pet them.  Both puppies just lied there and let me pet them.  Check mark “Middleman” or “Passive”
  5. Wacky Walk – Stand up and shake leg and clap hands to try and get the puppy to follow you.  Both were somewhat lethargic and not super eager to follow or jump.  Mark both for “Passive”
  6. What’s That – Shake your keys above the puppies head and observe the reaction.  Both puppies noticed, but were not eager to jump up nor scared.  “Middleman” or “Passive”
  7. Crash Test – Step several paces from the puppy and fall to the floor like you hurt your knee…observe the reaction.  Neither puppy got real scared nor overreacted.  Once again “Middleman” or “Passive”

After running through all the tests we determined both puppies would make great pets and Black with a white dot was probably somewhere between a “Middleman” and a “Passive Pup”  while little miss tri-color was probably a “Middleman” with possibly some “Next In Line.”

Once again, how do I choose a puppy from the litter?  Here are the questions raising through my mind:

  • Do I want a male or a female? I had my choice of boy or girl.
  • Do I want a larger or a smaller puppy?  Black with white dot male was considerably smaller then his sister.
  • Do I want a tri-color or a mostly black puppy?  I had a choice of colors.
  • Do I want a more passive or more dominant dog?  Neither of the dogs were overly dominant or overly submissive however between the two one was more dominant then the other.
  • One final question.  Why not bring them both home?

I had heard that male dogs were easier to take care of them female dogs so I planned on getting a male.  Since these little puppies were mixed breeds with big feet I preferred a smaller dog (we were guessing they’d be anywhere from 50 – 80 pounds).  I liked the look of the tri-color puppy.  I was guessing the more passive dog would be easier to train.  I really had a tugging inside of me to bring both dogs home and my original intention and hope was to find a male and female puppy to raise together a-la Where the Red Fern Grows one of my favorite childhood books.

I was at edge about to take the tri-color, but decided deep down I was mainly going for looks and that I should probably take home the smaller black puppy with the white spot on his chest.  Why didn’t I take home both?  Well, I was always told that raising two puppies together would result with a strong bond between the two puppies and not as strong a bond between your puppy and you.  I also heard that you should separate the two dogs from time to time to keep them from becoming too attached to each other.  This attachment was confirmed when we went to puppy class with two Siberian Huskies who couldn’t even be separated by 20 feet in our training class before one would start whining.

After much debate we brought home the little black puppy with the white spot on his chest and it was one of the best decisions we ever made.  Here’s one of the first pictures we took of my new little puppy, Linus…

If you want to see more of Linus’s puppy pictures then check out the Cutest Puppy Ever!

That’s not all…you may know how to choose a puppy from a litter, but now what?  The adventure is only beginning.  We were not prepared to take our little Aussie Lab home yet and the shelter said they needed to microchip him before we left.  This gave us a chance to run to the local Petsmart and get our first puppy supplies.  So our next question was:  What Are The Supplies I Will Need For A Puppy?

We’d love to hear about your puppy experiences.  Did you temperament test your puppy before bringing him home?  Leave us a message in the comment section below.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , ,

How To Choose A Puppy

January 21, 2010 By 1 Comment

“How to choose a puppy” was the first question I asked when I decided I finally had the time, maturity, and was responsible enough to raise a puppy on my own.  Throughout my life we’ve had family dogs and puppies.  My roomates and girlfriends also brought home puppies during my college years.  However, I always thought it was such a huge responsibility and commitment that I never brought home a puppy or dog of my own until five years ago.

How To Choose A Puppy?

As I mentioned earlier the first question I asked myself was “How to Choose a puppy?” or How should I choose a puppy?  Before I even considered bringing home a new member of the family I made sure I had three things:

  1. Time - for the first time eight years I was not working a full time job.  In fact I was on winter break after attending my first semester back at college.  This was very important because a puppy requires a good portion of your time during those first few months.
  2. Maturity - was I responsible enough to take care of this little guy.  I’ve given up a lot since adopting my first puppy.  Although I do still go out and have fun some night.  Many a night I stay home with my dog rather than bar hop with friends.  Also, during the puppy stage I spent practically 100% of my time taking care of the puppy.
  3. Money - initial expenses aren’t the only thing involved when bringing home a puppy (a purebred puppy can cost as much as $2,000).  There are recurring monthly expenses, vet bills (these can be extensive depending on the health of your dog), toys, treats, grooming,  and the list goes on and on.

Does A Puppy Make A Good Gift?

It all started out on my birthday a little over five years ago.  My girlfriend new I loved dogs and thought that a new puppy would make a great gift.  By the way, you might think twice about getting someone a puppy as a gift.  Check out this article on whether or not a Christmas Puppy makes a good gift.  I digress…anyhow, lucky for me she went about it the smart way and made an appointment for us to meet with several Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever puppy litters.  I was very hesitant about getting a puppy for my birthday and thought I really needed to know more before choosing a puppy from a litter.  However, even though we did not choose a puppy on that first day of puppy shopping it was a lot of fun with much cooing and baby puppy talk.

Research Before You Choose A Puppy

After our fun day of puppy browsing I decided I should find all I needed to know before choosing the perfect puppy for me.  After all it’s a very personal decision and even though a puppy is cute and cuddly when it’s young it will most definitely grow up into a dog that may have habits or tendencies that you do not approve of.

What was my next step?  A trip to the bookstore, lots of research on the internet, and talking to friends and family about the different dogs they have had during their lives.  An absolutely invaluable tool for me at the time was picking up the Puppies For Dummies book and reading it from cover to cover.  If there’s one book you should get before choosing a puppy I highly recommend this one.

Some of the most important things I learned in this book:

  • Choosing the correct breed for your lifestyle.  I was looking at three different breeds based on my previous background, but I also made sure to research each breed to make sure that breed suited my lifestyle.  The three breeds I chose were Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, and Australian Shepherd.  All of these breeds are highly intelligent, athletic, and need exercise to stay out of trouble.  Don’t choose a breed strictly on their nice looks.  This is a recipe for disaster.  If you don’t like exercising your dog then an athletic, high energy dog is probably not for you.
  • Staying away from the pet stores.  Hopefully most of you already know that many pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills.  Puppy mills are horrible places where people churn out puppies like a factory.  The dogs and puppies are treated very poorly and often the breeding stock never have a chance to leave their tiny cages.  It’s a horrible scene.  If you want to learn more about puppy mills then check out the stop puppy mills website.
  • Backyard Breeders – People who breed dogs just for the sake of it or to make a little money.  It’s not a good idea to pick up your puppy from a backyard breeder mainly because the backyard breeder does not consider possible faults, genetic defects, or whether their breeding stock are a good representative of the breed.

How To Find The Perfect Puppy

After reading through Puppies For Dummies we decided even though there definitely are good breeders out there we’d rather rescue a puppy from a shelter or rescue.  At the time I didn’t really thing about it, but the first step in raising a green dog is to get a recycled dog or puppy from your local pet shelter or rescue and a good way to find your perfect match is to search for your new puppy on Petfinder.com.  By the way, if you’re interested in purebred dogs, approximately 25% of the dogs at the shelter are purebreds.

After searching for Australian Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers in the Petfinder.com database I found a litter of three Australian Shepherd Labrador Retriever mixed breed puppies:

  • A tri-colored female
  • A black male
  • A black male with a white spot on his chest

Now a new task was at hand…How to Choose A Puppy From A Litter?

We’d love to hear your experiences on how to choose a puppy? or how you chose your puppy?  Leave us a comment below.

We didn’t want to go to long with this article so check out part two at How to Choose A Puppy From A Litter.

Also if you want to check out one of my earlier recollections on picking up Linus from the shelter take a look at A Shelter Dog Named Linus.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Featured Tagged With: , , ,

Dogs Who Ate Owners Are Now Up For Adoption

December 18, 2009 By 2 Comments

Wait…it’s not as bad as it sounds…Did you ever see the movie Alivestarring Ethan Hawke back in the early 1990′s?  If not, let me give you a quick summary:

In 1972 a chartered plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby squad and various family members crashed in the Andes. The real-life against-all-odds odyssey made worldwide headlines when it became known that the survivors ate their own dead to survive.

Our story today is similar to the movie Alive.  Two pugs were abandoned by their owners when the owners both decided to take their own lives.  The dogs had to fend for themselves for several days and eventually their instincts kicked in.  They resorted to eating the only thing in the house that they could to survive — the bodies of their owners.  Check out this video for a little more information:

As the video mentions these dogs have been evaluated.  Here’s a short quote from the video:

“They have no food aggression. They have no aggression toward people. They don’t have aggression toward other dogs. They don’t have any affiliation issues,”

One other point that I thought was interesting was how she mentioned that as your body decomposes the smell changes to the point where you no longer smell like “Pam” or in my case “Colby” and instead you just smell like another decomposing animal.  So, I wonder if that means that the two pugs really didn’t know they were eating they’re owners, but instead just thought they were feasting on some rotting animal flesh.

An interesting story and headline.  They look like great dogs in the video and hopefully they get adopted soon.

Here’s a link to the full my fox story on the dogs who ate their owners.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , ,

IAMS Home 4 The Holidays Aims To Place 1.5 Millions Pets

December 14, 2009 By 2 Comments

Last weekend we attended the Home for the Holidays Pet Adoption at the Irvine Animal Shelter.  It was great to see all the wonderful volunteers working to get animals placed before the holidays.  While dogs seem to dominate the pet adoption there were also cats, birds, bunnies, and even a pig.

We do our best here at Puppy In Training to promote our local shelters and rescues and also advertise upcoming adoption events including the aforementioned Home for the Holidays Pet Adoption, the Super Adoption, and the OC Pet Expo.

This year we were contacted to participate in a larger adoption event.  The IAMS Home 4 the Holidays and Hillary Swank aim to place 1.5 million pets in homes this holiday season.   This is a very admirable goal and we are all for people adopting homeless animals from our shelters and rescues.

IAMS Home 4 the Holidays

IAMS Home 4 the Holidays

Here are some facts from the IAMS Home 4 the Holidays website:

  • As many as 8 million animals are homeless in the U.S.
  • Nearly 4 million orphaned dogs and cats will be euthanized this year due to shelter over-crowding and lack of awareness about the importance of pet adoption.
  • More than 25 percent of all dogs in shelters are purebreds.
  • IH4TH helped 1,202,751 pets find homes last year alone.
  • In Oct. 2008 Hilary Swank adopted Rumi through IH4TH at a Los Angeles shelter.
  • Over the past decade more than 3 million pets –1,638,515 dogs, 1,505,690 cats and 134,062 “other” animals – have been adopted through IH4TH.

Those numbers are staggering and for those of you looking for a purebred dog – “25% of all dogs in shelters are purebred.”

Even though we are advocates of pet adoption we would also like to point out that you should carefully plan and evaluate your own situation before you make the decision to adopt a new pet.  A new pet in your family is a tremendous responsibility and adopting a cat or dog is usually a 10+ year commitment.

One final thought…If your thinking about getting a dog, cat, puppy, kitten as a gift then please read my article on Christmas Puppies before you make that decision.  A pet as a gift is usually not a wise decision.

We’re happy be a part of the IAMS Home 4 the Holidays blogging program and hope to see them reach their goal of 1.5 million pets adopted this holiday season.

We did receive one update notifying us that 621,034 pets had been adopted since October 1st, 2009.  That’s great!  We’re well on our way to reaching the 1.5 million goal.

Please leave us a comment if you adopt a pet in the coming weeks.  We’d love to hear about your experience and see some pictures of your new pet.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Featured Tagged With: , , ,
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