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How To Donate Food To Animal Rescues For Free

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

“Today, you have given the value of .6 bowls of food to rescued animals.”

That was the message I just received for clicking on a link on the Animal Rescue Site.

“You have just donated another 10 pieces of free kibble!”

That was the message I received for clicking on a link at the FreeKibbleKat and the FreeKibble websites.

How To Donate Food To Animal Rescues For Free

We’ve written about these sites before, but just this morning I came across an article at the Carolina Mountain Dog website reminding us about the importance of visiting these websites.  Each visit to the Animal Rescue Site, FreeKibble, and FreeKibbleKat results in food donations to animal rescues.  It’s a simple process:

  1. Click on the the Animal Rescue Site
  2. On the Animal Rescue Site click on the purple box that says: “Click here to give – It’s FREE!”

or you can donate at the FreeKibble or FreeKibbleKat websites.

  1. Click on the FreeKibble or FreeKibbleKat website.
  2. On the FreeKibble or FreeKibbleKat website answer the trivia question in the middle of the page.
  3. Whether you get the answer right or wrong FreeKibble will donate 10 pieces of kibble to an animal rescue.

As I mentioned earlier, a while back we had a complete write up about the FreeKibble.com website.  If you have a moment I highly recommend you take a look at the About section on the FreeKibble.com website.  It’s a pretty cool story about how the site was started and something we talked about here on Puppy In Training over a year ago.

Did you get a chance to make a free donation today?  If not please visit on of these three sites:

Filed Under: Rescue Dogs, Shelter Dogs Tagged With: , , , ,

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: , , , , , , ,

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: , , ,

Orange County Super Pet Adoption 2009

May 18, 2009 By 2 Comments

The third annual Orange County Super Pet Adoption Event at the Irvine Animal Care Center is just around the corner.  We were at the Super Pet Adoption Event last year and plan on checking out the festivities again this year.  If you’re interested in adopting a pet then this is a must see event as there are over 40 rescue groups in attendance with approximately 700 homeless dogs, cats, and rabbits.  I even saw several pigs, chickens, and goats at last years Pet Adoption.

Here are some more details on this years Super Pet Adoption:

OC Super Pet Adoption 2009

WHAT: Orange County Super Pet Adoption EventOrange County Super Pet Adoption
WHEN: Sunday, June 7th 10am – 5pm
WHERE: Irvine Animal Care Center, 6443 Oak Canyon Road, Irvine, CA 92618

More than 40 rescue groups will bring about 700 homeless dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Other activities include:

  • Food Court
  • “Ask the Vet” booth
  • “Ask the Trainer” booth
  • Silent Auction
  • Raffle
  • Low-cost Microchips
  • Vendors
  • Special Guest Appearance by Snoopy from Knott’s Berry Farm

This is one of the larger pet adoption events in Orange County.  If you enjoyed the Orange County Pet Expo back in April we highly recommend visiting the Irvine Animal Care Center June 7th for the Orange County Super Pet Adoption

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

What is Big Black Dog Syndrome?

November 7, 2008 By 4 Comments

Have you ever heard of big black dog syndrome? Until just recently I never thought twice about the color of my dogs fur then I heard about big black dog syndrome. I was amazed when I heard that big black dogs were euthanized at a much higher rate then other dogs.

What Is Big Black Dog Syndrome?

As mentioned earlier Big Black Dog Syndrome is basically the fact that big black dogs get euthanized at a much higher rate then other dogs.

There are many ideas and theories as to why black dogs don’t get adopted as easily:

  1. They don’t show in kennels as well – features on a black dog can often times not be seen very well when shown in a kennel.
  2. Grey hairs show more easily on their coat making them appear older then they actually are
  3. Superstitions and bad press – stories, poems, movies have often portrayed black dogs as fearsome and evil.
  4. Teeth on a black dog can look whiter and more menacing
  5. Black dogs aren’t photogenic – we even mentioned this one in a post about Stetson: 4 Steps To Avoid In A Puppy Group Photo

Which Labrador Retriever would you choose?

Stetson and his siblings – from left to right Stetson, Stuart, Salem, and Sukie.

Linus the Big Black Dog

Linus is more of a medium sized dog at 55 pounds, but he’s tall and lean and therefore looks a little bigger then he really is.

I wasn’t sure what kind of dog I was going to get when I picked up Linus from the shelter, but the color of his fur was just one minor detail amongst the different criteria I planned on using to choose my next pet. Before choosing Linus I visited several breeders and had my eye on one particular chunky little yellow Labrador Retriever we visited out in Riverside, CA.

However, a few days after putting a deposit down on the little yellow lab I saw pictures of a couple puppies at animal shelter in Carson, CA. The puppies were mixed Australian Shepherds and in the picture one had a the tri-color look (black, tan, and white) and the other was solid black with a small white spot on his chest.

When we saw the two puppies I remember commenting on how beautiful the tri-color puppy was and was instantly taken by her beautiful coat. However, I still was intent on testing personality over looks (isn’t that what we always do when starting a relationship). After putting both puppies through several personality tests I thought both dogs passed with flying colors, but I was leaning towards the solid black puppy versus the tri-color. In the end I ended up taking home the solid black puppy and named him Linus. While I was much more attracted to the tri-color coat I ultimately (and now happily) went with the dog I thought matched my personality best.

I guess Linus wasn’t a big puppy, but I knew he was going to be a medium to large dog. If you plan on getting a dog take a good look at the black dogs as well as the other colored dogs. A black dog can be just as good a pet as a golden, white, tri-color, blue merle, and any other color you can think of.

Have you heard of black dog syndrome? Do you have a black dog and why did you choose him or her?

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Pure Bred Dogs, Rescue Dogs, Shelter Dogs Tagged With: ,

Who Would My Dog Vote For: Obama or McCain?

November 4, 2008 By 5 Comments

Happy Election Day! With all the hoopla surrounding the election today I decided to get a political post up on the puppy in training site and try and find out who my dogs would vote for.

I’m not a very political person and while I do keep my ears open to the election, candidates, and coming propositions for the most part I try not to get into those heated political debates. However, my dogs on the other hand may argue otherwise. After doing a little online research I came across some striking differences between Senator Obama, Senataor McCain, and their pet ownership.

Senator Barrack Obama Has No Dogs Or Any Pets

After researching with Google I found out that the Obama’s don’t have any pets! This could be disastrous for the candidate if they were trying to pull the pet lover vote (looks like they obviously are not). However, possibly to try and sway the dog/pet lover vote Obama win-or-lose has promised his two daughters a dog after the election.

Following the report the AKC launched a poll to choose a breed of dog for the Obama’s. From the AKC website:

The Poodle clinched the nomination after the breed battled it out with the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier in a race almost as tight as Clinton and Obama’s run for the Democratic nomination for president. The Poodle won by a (dog) hair, with just a few hundred votes separating the top two contenders.

Might I suggest adopting any breed of dog mixed or pure-bred from one of the many impacted shelters across the nation as we talked about in Tough Times For Cat And Dog Adoptions.

Is the promise of a dog after the election enough to sway the pet lovers vote…

Senator John McCain Owns A Whopping 24 Pets

After reading about McCain’s stable of 24 pets I’d have to say that he’s on the complete opposite side of the spectrum compared to Senator Obama’s pet ownership policy. A report from the Times Online website:

He (McCain) has four dogs, including Lucy and Desi, named after the black-and-white television sitcom I Love Lucy, which rather dates the 71-year-old candidate. He also has a cat, a parakeet and a shoal of fish, including one called Lucky, and once owned a ferret and an iguana named Henry, who turned out to be Henrietta and laid an egg.

Okay, now we may be going a little over board with 24 pets. Being the dog lover that I am I dug a little deeper to find out exactly what breeds of dogs live in the McCain household. From WikiAnswers:

  1. An English Springer Spaniel named Sam
  2. A Yorkshire Terrier named Lucy
  3. A Yorkshire Terrier named Desi
  4. A Mixed breed named Coco

Linus, Stetson, and Derby’s Choice For President Is…

My dogs liked this bit from the Times Online on the importance of a dog in the White House:

A dog is an essential tool of government. There is nothing like a furry friend to feature in a distracting publicity photo during a domestic or international crisis and to provide private consolation when times are hard.

As my dogs pointed out to me their choice for President was clear. John McCain is the pet lovers choice in this election. While the number of pets a candidate has seems like a very insignificant and silly way to choose a candidate…if you’re on the fence on which candidate is the correct choice then this may be the one reason that pushes your vote in one direction or the other.

What do you think? Did you vote today?

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Dog Humor, Pure Bred Dogs, Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

Fun And Excitement At OC Market Place Pet Days

October 13, 2008 By 1 Comment

Did you guys visit Pet Days at the OC Market Place this past weekend? I hope some of you were in attendance. I know my mom, dad, and sister made it out there. I even heard my mother purchased a new cat tower that almost reaches her ceiling.

I also made it to the event, but unfortunately Derby had to stay at home. After much deliberation (in my mind) I decided it might not be a great activity for Derby as there would be lots of strange dogs and people that at 5 months of age could be a little overwhelming for a puppy. Anyways, as our Guide Dogs of America group leader told me Derby doesn’t have to do everything you do.

Pet Days

Anyhow, back to the Pet Days event. It was a little smaller than I expected, but had a nice turn out during the time I was there. There were several cool things going on besides the pet adoptions. The main stage was showcasing puppies and dogs who needed homes. I also was lucky enough to catch the Le PAWS Pet Agency do a little obedience and trick work on the stage.

While dogs seemed to be the main attraction they were not the only pets on display. We ran into booths from dog breed specific, to pet product booths, dog sitting and boarding, Parrot rescues, Guinea Pig rescues, and of course cats and kittens were up for adoption as well.

Another popular attraction were the soccer collies. A couple soccer loving collies were willing to take on anybody who could kick the ball on a giant inflatable arena.

Thanks To All The Rescues

I did have a chance to talk to several of the volunteers at the different rescues and I’d just like to say thanks to everyone working so hard to find these animals a home. As one volunteer mentioned to me “Aren’t these people amazing…how much they love these animals and gather to help them find a good home.”

I agree, they are amazing people and I’m so happy they organize events such is this one.

Here are a few pictures of puppies I saw while visiting the different booths:

This little guy was up for adoption at the Cuddly Canines Rescue and I believe it said that he had a Chow Chow mommy. It sure looks like he didn’t get the Chow Chow fur:

A couple more puppies from the Cuddly Canines Rescue. These little guys had a Shepherd mommy and from the looks of these two and their siblings may have have had two different daddy dogs.

Animal Assistance League of Orange County

Another thanks to the Animal Assistance League or Orange County for coordinating the event. As it says on their website:

The Animal Assistance League of Orange County is a non-profit no kill humane society dedicated to aiding lost and homeless pets, helping people with pet related problems, promoting responsible pet-ownership and pet population control, and preventing cruelty to animals through educational programs.

I always enjoy going to these pet related events and hopefully some of you made it to the Pet Days at the OC Market Place as well. My mother made it to the Pet Days on Sunday and told me: “We’re hoping the OC Market Place has a Pet Day at least once a month. It’s such a good way to promote pet adoptions.”

Did you go to the Pet Days at the OC Market Place last weekend? If so, what did you think?

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

Have You Ever Fostered Dogs Or Puppies? – Puggle And Terrier Mix

August 21, 2008 By 3 Comments

I was visiting the Cuddly Canines website today and found out that there are two pregnant dogs slated to be euthanized unless they can find a foster family to care for the dogs and (future) puppies.

It’s so sad to see neglectful people let their dogs get pregnant and then just drop them off at the shelter because they don’t want to take care of the litter of puppies.

Here are pictures of the dogs and the short blurb from the Cuddly Canines website.  The dog on the left is a Puggle and the dog on the right is a Terrier Mix.

Puggle And Terrier Mix

URGENT FOSTER HOMES NEEDED

Both of these dogs are slated to die! The shelter is very overcrowded right now & has no place to put either of these dogs. Right now, they are in the general population in cages with several other dogs. Both girls are very pregnant & will be euthanized if we cannot find foster homes for them ASAP. Please e-mail if you can foster & help save either of these precious dogs & their unborn babies. These girls shouldn’t have to pay the price for having neglectful & careless owners.

If you are interested in adopting or know anyone who might be interested then please go to the Cuddly Canines website and contact them immediately by email.  Their email address is CuddlyCaninesRescue [at] yahoo [dot] com.

As I’ve mentioned several times in this blog, fostering is a very rewarding thing to do.  You have the opportunity to save the lives of the mother and the unborn puppies.  It’s definitely a lot of work, but to me it’s well worth it.

Filed Under: Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

Can A Litter Of Puppies Have More Than One Father?

July 31, 2008 By 49 Comments

Can a litter of puppies have more than one father?

I’m not sure when I first heard about a litter of puppies having more than one father, but I do recall hearing that it is a true statement…A litter of puppies can most definitely have more than one father.

Why was I thinking about this? Well, last Saturday at the pet adoption I saw two puppies at the Cuddly Canines booth that looked totally different, but were said to be siblings. Here’s a picture:

Chow Chow Labrador Retriever Mix

Koa and Sequoia

Picture from Cuddly Canines Website

Here are some photos I took at the Orange County Super Pet Adoption:

These precious baby boys were born around June 1st to what appears to be a Chow-Lab combo. They are indeed brothers, although they look nothing alike. Koa looks like he just hopped out of the clothes dryer after a quick spin through the fluff cycle, and Sequoia has beautiful short flaming red hair! Both boys are sweet & cuddly.

By the way, I looked today and these two are still up for adoption. If you’d like to adopt one or both puppies go to the Cuddly Canines website and fill out an application.

Now I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I think these two puppies may have had different fathers.

Another Multiple Father Example

Here’s a picture of a litter of puppies we rescued from the Riverside Shelter a couple years ago:

These puppies were German Shepherd mix, but two of them looked more like Labrador Retriever then German Shepherd. Once again I think there were multiple fathers involved with this litter. DNA test anyone?

Answers From Yahoo Answers

I read this on the Yahoo Answers site and also on many other sites across the internet:

A female dog can have as many different fathers for her puppies that bred with her. Dogs can release multiple eggs and they can be fertilized by whichever dog’s semen is present. If more than one male bred her, that’s how many fathers the puppies can have. the main reason everyone gets a fair shot at the eggs is because the semen wait a day or two before fertilizing the eggs.

When a dog ovulates the eggs are not totally mature. They finish maturing as they enter into the uterine horns. Then whatever dog’s semen is present releases from the uterine lining and heads for the eggs.

Now one single puppy cannot have two different fathers. Each puppy will get half of it’s DNA makeup from Mom and one Father, but since often dogs have litters it’s possible for two puppies from the same litter to have 2 different sires.

Have you had or seen any litters of puppies with multiple fathers? If you have some stories or photographs please send them to me. I’d love to post them to my blog.

Filed Under: Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , ,
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