We’ve already reviewed Disc 1 and Disc 2 from Cesar Millan’s Mastering Leadership DVD Set. The third disc covers a great subject and something we’ve talked about on occasion here at the Puppy In Training website and that subject is Your New Dog: First Day and Beyond.

All three discs covered different subjects. If you missed my first two reviews then here are links to those reviews:

Disc 1 People Training For Dogs

Disc 2 Becoming A Pack Leader

The third disc is broken up into three case studies based on the three most common way people get a dog:

1. Rescue Group
2. Shelter or Pound
3. Breeder

Here are my hints and notes from Disc 3 of Cesar Millan’s Mastering Leadership DVD set.

Adopting Your Dog From a Shelter

The first case study on Sylvia Ellis who is a single woman living in a condo with specific rules on the kind of dogs that are allowed.

Sylvia’s wishlist for a dog:

1. Energetic
2. 12 pounds or under
3. Quiet

• People often adopt the wrong dog by adopting a dog that they either feel sorry for or has the wrong energy level.
• Be honest with the reason why you are adopting a dog. If you’ve decided to adopt a dog to replace a dog who has recently passed or to help you get over a bad relationship. If you go to pick up a dog when you are in a weak state of mind or have low energy there’s a good chance the dog will quickly become the pack leader. So, when you walk in to a shelter be sure to go in with a calm assertive energy.
• A good way to meet a dog at the shelter is to come in sideways rather than facing forward this way you won’t make the eye contact. This is a non-confrontational position.
• Panting in a dog shows a low level of anxiety.
• Avoidance makes a lot of people feel sorry for a dog, but it’s not a good reason to bring the dog home.
• Pacing is not a good thing that means anxiety and often times leads to anxious barking.
• Looking for a dog with Calm-Submissive energy.
• Once you see a dog you like you need to see how they act outside their kennel.
• Does not matter if it’s a male or female to Cesar he’s most concerned with the energy level. It’s up to the human to maintain a balanced environment.
• Check the food drive to see if a dog is food motivated.
• Once you rescue a dog from the pound don’t give him affection right away, don’t put him in the car right away. Take him for a walk they can release some physical energy and will be more calm.
• Use food as a motivator instead of words and excited energy.
• If using a kennel don’t force your dog in or out of the kennel. Cesar uses food as a motivator to get dogs into the kennel.
• Don’t let your new dog pull on the leash. If he starts pulling in a direction don’t just follow him. Take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood before you bring him into the house.
• Keep the leash at the top of the neck. Don’t let it slide down to the bottom.
• On the walk Cesar has the dog sit and stay facing away from the neighborhood dogs. Make sure you reward calm-submissive energy.
• When meeting another dog get the two dogs in a calm-submissive state before they meet. Make sure you don’t keep a tense leash.
• When bringing your dog in your home first make sure your dog is in a calm-submissive state. Be sure you’re always the first one through a door or threshold. Make sure your dog is patient and calm before he enters a new place or home.
• Maintain rules. Don’t immediately let your dog off the leash when you get home. Make sure he knows your rules, boundaries, and limitations.
• Condition your dog with the door bell before you have actual company come over.

Dog Adoption Checklist for a Shelter

1. Know why you’re getting a dog and know that your getting the dog for the right reasons.
2. Visit the shelter with a calm assertive energy
3. Don’t confront the dog directly come in sideways so they can smell you and sense your energy.
4. Look for a dog that matches your energy and lifestyle. If your not an active person then don’t pick the most hyperactive dog there.
5. Don’t pick up a dog because you feel sorry for him.
6. Try to see what the dog is like outside the cage you might see a big change in the dog’s behavior and energy.
7. Make sure the dog has all the proper shots and is spayed or neutered before you go home.
8. Take the dog on a walk before you get in the car to begin establishing yourself as the pack leader.
9. Make sure you enter your home first and you determine when and where your dog can visit in your house.
10. Be committed to exercise discipline every day which means you have to be calm assertive forever.

Adopting Your Dog From a Rescue Group

Couples Wishlist:

1. Basset Hound
2. Good with other dogs
3. Good with cats
4. Adopt from a Rescue Group

• When you’re rescuing a dog breed you need to do your research and that doesn’t just mean looking at one dog, or reading a few pages on a website. Visiting a rescue group you can find out many things about the breed that you won’t find on a website.
• Most research says that a Bassett Hounds are lazy dogs and lay around. That might be true of some of them, but Bassett’s are hunting dogs and scent dogs and are high energy.
• The main reason Basset Hounds end up in a rescue is because people think they’re adorable as puppies, but they don’t realize they are getting a 60 pound drooling shedding dog that needs to be in doors. You can’t just stick them in the back yard and ignore them.
• They can howl, dig, and become aggressive with humans if they’ve been ignored.
• Bringing a dog in should be very easy as long as you don’t bring in a higher energy dog. That will create friction right away. Therefore the new pack member should have lower energy than the rest of the pack.
• If you don’t drain your dogs energy, you can create a frustrated dog.
• Enter the rescue with calm assertive energy – no touch, no talk, no eye contact rules when first entering the rescue. If you implement these you won’t create instability when entering the rescue.
• If you come into the rescue with excitement then your will create a riot among the dogs.
• Take notice of the dog’s energy during first meetings.
• A pack walk – make sure the dogs walk behind you and you are the pack leader and keep a calm assertive energy

Dog Adoption Checklist from a Rescue Group

1. Make sure they are reputable – check there non-profit status or their business record.
2. Check www.petfinder.com or www.pets911.com – help find rescue groups
3. Make sure dog has all the necessary shots and has been examined by a vet. If not make sure the dog see’s a vet and gets proper medical attention
4. The dog should be spayed or neutered
5. Many rescue groups will have you fill out an application and some have you sign a contract
6. Try to find out any background information the group has about the dog
7. Don’t feel sorry for the dog while you’re visiting the rescue group. Your weak energy can affect your relationship with the dog.
8. Take the dog for a walk before you leave the shelter and before you take the dog in your house
9. Don’t feel bad if you don’t find the right dog for you the first time out.

Getting Your New Dog From A Breeder

Families Dog Wishlist:

1. Purebred German Shepherd
2. Good with Children
3. Protection

• Read up and do your research when choosing a breed. Base your choice on your energy and match that energy with the dog you choose.
• Advantage of getting a dog from a breeder is they know the DNA background of their dogs. Some will breed for high level energy and some for low level energy. Dogs that are bred for Police work or drug dogs are higher energy because they have to do 8 hours of work.
• We’re looking for a low to medium energy dog for the family.
• Before taking your dog into the house take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood.
• A dog does not naturally live behind walls that’s why it’s important to take him on walks beyond those walls
• Where to put a crate? You want to choose a room that is calm and relaxing. Don’t put the crate in an area of excitement such as a transition room or they area where the family eats. Provide a piece of clothing with scent on it. Make sure the dog has a positive experience with the kennel. Don’t force her into the crate. Wait for the right moment to close the door. Try to control your dog with silence this keeps the excitement level down.
• Affection is the reward for a calm state of mind.

Checklist From a Breeder

1. Make sure the breeder has a good reputation.
2. Learn about the breed.
3. Make sure all your family members are on the same page about getting a dog
4. Make sure you have the proper time and commitment for your dog. The includes one and preferably two walks a day.
5. Look at as many dogs as you can to find the dog that finds the dog that best matches your dogs energy.
6. Before bringing the dog in your home take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood to establish a calm assertive energy.
7. Find a quiet place for your dog to sleep
8. Teach your dog rules boundaries and limitations from day 1
9. Reward with affection only when your dog is behaving the way you want
10. You don’t always need to direct your dog with your voice. Energy and body language are the best tools to establish the pack leader connection with your dog.

Those are my notes from the disc 3 of Cesar Millan’s Mastering Leadership DVD Set. It’s a great disc if your thinking about getting a new dog. Cesar give you tons of great hints on the things you should do before, during, and after you get your new dog.

Hopefully my notes are legible, but if not please feel free to leave me a comment below.