My precious Adopted Shorty

About a year and a half ago, I think about that, my husband and I adopted Shorty, a 3 year old Black Lab.  I wanted to change her name, but, my hubby liked it.  She is a petite size for her breed.  Shorty lived with an elderly lady, who passed away, the family that inherited her did not want her, so they did not look after her.

Shorty was hit by a car, badly hurt she was.  A vet did a botched up job of fixing her up.  And, when she got very badly ill, the family brought her to the humane society.  The vet at the humane society fixed her up, really, really well.  She was like new.  I have a feeling she got attacked by one of the bigger dogs there (she was there for a year I think).  She had one of those cones on, because a neck wound was just healing.

My husband who had advanced MS came with me to the pound.  They brought Shorty out, she laid her head on his lap, he was in a wheel chair, and that’s that.  They instantly adopted each other.

Shorty got along excellently with my Golden, Nikki.  But, she freaked every time another dog came into “her space”.  However, I learned from Cesar Millan…don’t make her stay in her past.  That is finished. My husband and I became pack leaders.

LITTLE by LITTLE her demeanor changed.  Then, my husband died, and Shorty was all mine.  Well, even though I did not feel strong, I decided to go and totally socialize my little vixen.  And, it worked!!!  Now two years later, I can let her loose in dog parks, and this week, I am doggy sitting a big golden lab, and, they are in harmony together.  How cool is that?

My point though.  It takes continuous work, and patience, and teaching, and yes, a lot of learning.  Please, if you own a “Shorty” don’t give up.  Miracles happen even 2 years later…and your little vixen will turn into an angel.  Really!

While the thought of becoming a dog owner is a very exciting notion, it is also one that requires commitment and responsibility. Choosing a dog is an important decision, and there are questions you should ask yourself before you commit to caring for a dog. Read on to learn a few tips that will help you choose the best dog to compliment your family, as well as ways you can help your furry addition make a smooth settlement in your home.

You must bear in mind that when you take in a dog, you are taking upon yourself the responsibility of caring for a real creature—one that thinks, feels, and loves. Make sure that you or other family members are willing to take the time to train your dog (if he isn’t already trained) and offer attention/companionship and discipline. If you’ve sorted out the particulars on that front, then the next question you should ask yourself is this: what traits do I want my dog to have? Dogs vary depending on the way they were raised and the quality of life they have had, but there are particular traits that show up in certain breeds of dog. Do you want an intelligent dog (ie: easy to train)? Do you want a dog that is good with children? Are you looking for a low-energy lap dog or a beefy high-energy dog that can keep up with your active lifestyle? These are all questions you should ask yourself to help you search for the best breed of dog.

Your lifestyle will have a huge impact upon what kind of dog is best for you, so you should really give this a lot of thought. If you have kids, research the breeds that are best known for making good family pets. German Shepherds, most any breed of Spaniel, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, and Beagles are a few breeds that are famous for their way with children. I’ve always had the best results by doing research based on a breed’s temperament. Some of the best dogs I’ve ever had were of breeds I had done thorough research of prior to bringing home. This is a great way to prepare yourself for anything that might crop up, including stubbornness (harder to train!), proneness to certain medical issues, and exercise requirements. So remember, do lots of research among different breeds of dog  before making your decision.

Once you’ve decided on a dog, try letting every member of the family meet him before you bring him home. This is a great way for your new dog to get comfortable with you while he is still in the comfort of familiar surroundings. When it’s time to bring the dog home, ask his breeder or the shelter if they have a blanket, toy, or other familiar item that your dog can bring with him. If it’s a puppy, try to obtain an item that smells like his mother or the rest of his litter. This can be a HUGE help when you’re trying to settle the little guy in his new home. Let your dog roam around the house on his own for a bit (but keep an eye on him if he isn’t potty trained!). It’s perfectly natural for a dog to want to explore new territory and scents, and it will be less stressful for him if you aren’t hovering over his back all the time.

A great way to get your dog to settle a little quicker is to entertain him with activities. Playing with him and letting him accompany you around the house while you do chores are excellent ways to involve him in family life. Also, you might consider getting a set of pet stairs and train him to use them. It doesn’t take long to teach a dog to use the steps, but the time you spend training him will encourage a bond of trust and companionship between the two of you, and this is crucial to turning your new dog into a good pet.

If you’d like to read more about caring for dogs or purchasing dog stairs, visit HelpYourPets.com.

photo credit: Marianne Perdomo

Greyhounds are excellent animal athletes. As they race and perform throughout their professional careers, they usually race until they are between 1.5 and 4 years old. During this time, they become adjusted to being walked and lead on a leash, so upon retirement from their professional careers, they make gentle pets!

As a retired athlete, they are intelligent, quiet, calm, clean, gentle, and generally good-natured and ready to adapt to a new home life. They respond well to positive attention and reinforcement and so they are a joy to train and work with for the new homes they become a part of.

They love attention and although they do want exercise, they do not need as much space to run as many might think. Inside the house, they like to curl up in a corner on a soft rug. They are quiet creatures and perfectly well behaved inside a home and around people.

Greyhounds spend most of their lives with other dogs, trainers, and handlers, so they are very sociable breed and get along well with others. Their temperament makes them an wonderful breed to be around kids. Their intelligence and dedication make them an perfect companion. And since they are well mannered, they are well behaved around company and in public.

There is certainly a local Greyhound Pets of America association near you. So think about adopting a former Greyhound athlete. For more details, check out the Tucson greyhound dog track. Different chapters have different expectations and fees, but each will welcome you to come visit and learn more about whether a Greyhound might be right for you!

Please help by volunteering your time. Most local chapters need volunteers to help with funding, vet appointments, and even just shopping for doggie supplies. Of course, financial donations are also valuable, but your time and love is needed most!

photo credit: mutts and such

If you have you adopted an older dog with some behavior problems, you can still train it some new tricks. Although it is preferable to know about the dog you will adopt, sometimes you may not have that opportunity. Adopting an older dog means he may already have some problems with behavior when he arrives. Your new pet may have problems such as barking too much, urinating in the house, or even be an aggressive dog. Whatever problems your newly adopted pet may have, you can use a good training regimen to solve those problems, and have a well behaved new addition to your household.

photo credit: mutts and such

Be sure to check out your new pet for behavior issues when you first get him. One of the first things to check for would be to see if your dog has  problems with aggression towards other dogs, people or over food or territory. If he has aggression problems, you must control them right away to avoid any potential biting problems.  In addition to checking for aggression, try to find any other behavior issues needing correction, and whether the dog has previously been trained or not. Check for any former training by giving him some commands and checking out his response to them. If he doesn’t know  the right responses to the basic commands, you’ll know he hasn’t been given any training. If your dog reacts with fear to your commands, you may have a dog that was trained with harsh negative techniques. Make sure he is totally house trained to avoid nasty surprises. It is smart to check out your dog thoroughly to find out whether it has problems, so you know what behaviors need solutions first.

By following the step by step techniques found in a great dog training program, you can easily retrain an older dog. A good training program helps you avoid making the same mistakes everyone always seem to make. Each of the best training programs emphasizes using positive training techniques. By giving your dog rewards and praise for doing his exercises correctly, you are positively reinforcing him to always do the right thing. A good training program will also teach you how to communicate with your dog using body language and vocal tones your dog will best understand. By using the right boy language and voice, you can train your dog much more effectively.

Becoming your dog’s Alpha leader, the one in charge, is the key to successful training your older dog. After you have earned his trust and respect as the alpha dog, he will be happy and eager to listen to your commands. This works because of every dog’s natural desire to please the pack’s leader.

For the older dog’s new training to work, the whole family needs to learn to be consistent with the training, to avoid confusing your dog. If you use the right training methods, it won’t be long before your new pet has become well behaved, and fits in with his new pack-you and your family. By establishing yourself as the Alpha dog, your dog’s alpha leader, your training will reap much quicker results.

By training your older dog to be well behaved, he will be a welcome family member, you can rely on to always behave his best in any situation. You adopted your new pet to be a fun new member of your family, so don’t let any behavior issues stop that from happening. Therefore, be certain to make the effort to train your older dog some new tricks, and soon he will  be the great pet you were hoping for.

Please click here for more helpful articles on dog obedience training and solving your dog”s behavior problems.

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I know all about these amazing canines. I have had them almost all my life…young and old. They are always worth it!  this is a picture of my 7 year old Nikki.

Those of you who want a Golden Retriever but aren’t ready to go through the trials and tribulations of a puppy, should look into adopting an older Golden. Older Golden Retrievers are mature, and prove to be great in homes where they need to spend a quality amount of time by themselves. They are a very adjustable breed, being good tempered. No matter how old the Golden may be, he will quickly become a valued member of your family in little to no time at all.

Many times, breeders will have older dogs for sale. There are several reasons for this, which include show dogs that have lost their potential, studs that have been used for breeding, female Golden’s that have been bred a few times then retired, or other types of special conditions where a breeder is helping a friend get rid of his Golden Retriever. There are other reasons as well, although whatever they may be – the adult Golden Retriever will be available for anyone who wants him.

Most older Golden Retrievers are already housebroken, and known a lot of behavior patterns and how to adapt to a new and loving family. Although it will be a little hard on your new dog at first, if you give him plenty of love, attention, and patience, he’ll be just fine. You need to keep reassuring your new Golden on a regular basis, and let him know that you are his new owner and that you love you and you are glad he’s a member of your family.

If you have been thinking of adopting an older Golden Retriever, you should make sure that you learn everything you can about him. You should also determine his temperament, and whether or not it’s compatible with your family. You should also learn important things as well, such as his diet, likes, dislikes, daily routine, and his habits. Before you decide to take him, you should always make sure that the members of your family meet him as well, so you can talk it over and decide whether or not everyone wants the dog to be a member of your family.

With an older dog, you need to take care of him for the first days, and let him know where everything in your home is. You’ll need to show him where he sleeps, where he should use the bathroom, and where his food is. Take your time and be patient with him, as will normally take him a few days to learn how things in your home work.

You should always give your new Golden Retriever at least a month or so to get used to his new environment, before you start his new obedience training. Even though your new dog may have some prior obedience training, you should still enroll him in a new class. This way, he can brush up on training and you can work with him to help him understand. Once you have finished training, he’ll understand your commands better and you and him will get along just fine.

All Golden Retrievers, regardless of their age, love attention. Older Golden’s on the other hand, may have medical problems that you aren’t aware of. You shouldn’t let this stop you from getting one though, simply because the rewards that you’ll find are far greater than any cons that may come to mind. Although many people don’t give a lot of thought to getting an older Golden Retriever – they are perfect for families who don’t want to put up the time and troubles of raising a puppy.