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Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!

Kerfuffle posted:

They breed "Maltipoos". Stay away.

Is there a reason it has to be from a local or in state breeder?

Why is breeding maltipoos a bad thing? This is a question of sheet ignorance on the matter

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Shebrew
Jul 12, 2006

Is it a party?

Veskit posted:

Why is breeding maltipoos a bad thing? This is a question of sheet ignorance on the matter

They're a designer breed that's only done for the stupid name (a Maltese plus a poodle). Designer breeds don't have any standards set for them, so the only people who breed them are those who do it for money, not to improve the breed at all. People who breed for money tend to care about money way more than their dogs, and its the dogs that usually suffer.

2tomorrow
Oct 28, 2005

Two of us are magical.
One of us is real.

Orange_Lazarus posted:

Just because it makes sense to check in state before going out of state, although the poodle club I was directed to by the AKC covered both NC/SC so both were ruled out.

edit: Heh... Why aren't breeds like that illegal? There just isn't any real regulation is there?

No, there's no real breed-based regulation in the US that I'm aware of. Some states have anti-puppy mill laws or require a breeding license to have intact animals/produce litters for sale, but they're not regulating the quality of the dogs, just the manner in which they're kept and managed, and sometimes how many are produced.

AKC registration means virtually nothing in my experience. I've never done AKC shows and only had a few AKC-registered dogs in my time (that I know of, anyway), so someone may correct me but my impression is that essentially all the AKC does when it comes to registration is show that your dog is purebred. It can still be a crazy lame genetic mess because it isn't judged on whether it meets breed standards, just whether or not it is purebred.

I don't have much experience with AKC breeder listings but if they're at all like the equine breed organizations I have experience with, any breeder can pay to be listed on their site. It's essentially just an advertisement, not an endorsement. It isn't a bad starting point but it doesn't imply anything about the quality of the breeder.

edit: just to be clear, when I say there's no breed-based regulation in the US, I'm talking about things like outlawing "designer breeds" and things like that. There is breed-specific legislation. For example in the city I grew up in, it is illegal to breed pit bulls. It's still not a quality thing, though, just an OMG DANGEROUS DOG PROTECT THE CHILDREN thing. Still stupid, though.

2tomorrow fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Sep 30, 2012

Engineer Lenk
Aug 28, 2003

Mnogo losho e!

Orange_Lazarus posted:

A couple of months ago my wife and I baby-sat a poodle. My wife and I both liked the puppy so much that we started looking for a poodle. I contacted someone from our local toy poodle club and was told most of the toy poodle breeders have either died off or have retired and I haven't been able to find anyone in SC either. Needless to say I can't seem to find any responsible breeders in my area. It looks like everyone just sells their puppies to stores or lists them on the web instead of participating in clubs. I suppose there isn't much regulation.

Are you sure you want a puppy? If you're flexible then you can find all sorts of toy or miniature poodles (and designer poodle mixes) in shelters or breed rescue.

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~

Engineer Lenk posted:

Are you sure you want a puppy? If you're flexible then you can find all sorts of toy or miniature poodles (and designer poodle mixes) in shelters or breed rescue.

Hell you can probably find puppies. Poodles are a pretty popular breed. But I do understand wanting to get one from a good breeder, good luck on your search.

Konstantin
Jun 20, 2005
And the Lord said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
Here is a list of adoptable poodles and poodle mixes from a SC poodle rescue.

coyo7e
Aug 23, 2007

by zen death robot

Kerfuffle posted:

Hell you can probably find puppies. Poodles are a pretty popular breed. But I do understand wanting to get one from a good breeder, good luck on your search.
Yeah, for real. There's a pit bull rescue in my town which had an entire litter of toy poodle pups up for adoption, from some high-kill shelter in CA.

Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!
What's the difference between a toy and miniature poodle besides the severity of how annoying the barks are, and 5-15 pounds give or take?

Sephiroth_IRA
Mar 31, 2010
My wife is pretty set on a puppy although she would be OK with getting an adopted poodle if it was only a year or so old. She told me we could call the rescue shelters though and let them know what we're interested in and they would call us back if something turns up, so we'll probably do that now and start looking for breeders outside of nc/sc.

Yeah, we're not going to support a puppy mill. Too bad there isn't real regulation for this sort of thing, it's really unfair to the animals and the people who buy them.

Veskit posted:

What's the difference between a toy and miniature poodle besides the severity of how annoying the barks are, and 5-15 pounds give or take?

No clue, the toy poodle we baby-sat hardly barked and my wife is just dead set on getting the exact same breed/style. She agrees with me that we should do things right though and not support unethical breeders.


Instant Jellyfish posted:

Ugh I thought surely I could dig up some decent poodle breeder in those states but it's just a clusterfuck of puppymills. Even the "good" ones look terrible :psyboom:

Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you are. I figured there would be a few responsible/ethical breeders but apparently they all died/retired at the same time.

Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 23:43 on Oct 1, 2012

Supercondescending
Jul 4, 2007

ok frankies now lets get in formation

Veskit posted:

What's the difference between a toy and miniature poodle besides the severity of how annoying the barks are, and 5-15 pounds give or take?

Miniature poodles can still do poo poo besides have gross weepy eyes and shiver

I grew up with a mini poodle and she was a really good dog in spite of the horrible neglect she received. Insanely smart and awesome. Most of the minis I've met have been, they're just like standards. Most of the toys I meet are horrible little shits but they're probably just products of their environment.

Scrubber
Feb 23, 2001
I'm just arguing for leniency; all she did was kill her friend.
What is the most effective method for reducing outdoor biting and inappropriate chewing?

The dog is a 10 week old Shiba Inu puppy.

We have been following the methods in the OP for reducing inappropriate chewing and biting (redirect/remove and yelp/timeout). This has shown results already, with regard to indoor biting and chewing.

But it is hard to use these procedures outside. The puppy likes to chew on random sticks and logs. She may be too young to learn the "drop it" command, as she can't actually pick up any of her toys to begin with, at least not for long. Manually removing the object from her mouth can lead to a tantrum and some nipping.

And the puppy likes to bite your pant legs during outdoor play. Yelping and leaving the area isn't effective, as she will just follow biting your pant legs.

We've been picking up the puppy and taking her inside when she does this, but that can result in a tantrum where she does some nipping. Yelp + timeout doesn't really work for nipping when the puppy is in your arms; putting her down would be giving in and you can't immediately put her in a "timeout area" when you are busy walking back to the house.

We've been avoiding dragging her around by the collar, so if she is being stubborn picking her up (and facing a nip) is the only real option. Should we be more willing to drag her around by the collar?

The nipping isn't a big deal, but we want to discourage it for later.

Azrael Alexander
Jun 24, 2011

No one ever asks if Bender would like to live in a tiny little house. Not that I would. A tiny little house that says "Bender" on it.
I will be bringing home a deaf Pitbull puppy in probably two days now. This will be my first experience owning a deaf dog (but not my first experience with pit bulls; far from it, the breed is pretty much my life). I know how to train using hand signals, and I have worked with a deaf pittie at a rescue before, but I would not say no to whatever advice experienced deafie owners would like to give me. She's 9 weeks old, spayed, microchipped, updated on shots, and all that good stuff. She stayed with her mother + littermates for the first 8 weeks of her life, and has spent the past week in foster care with her brother (also deaf) and another dog, plus a cat.

MrFurious
Dec 11, 2003
THINKS HE IS BEST AT DOGS (is actually worst at dogs!!!)

Scrubber posted:

What is the most effective method for reducing outdoor biting and inappropriate chewing?

The dog is a 10 week old Shiba Inu puppy.

We have been following the methods in the OP for reducing inappropriate chewing and biting (redirect/remove and yelp/timeout). This has shown results already, with regard to indoor biting and chewing.

But it is hard to use these procedures outside. The puppy likes to chew on random sticks and logs. She may be too young to learn the "drop it" command, as she can't actually pick up any of her toys to begin with, at least not for long. Manually removing the object from her mouth can lead to a tantrum and some nipping.

And the puppy likes to bite your pant legs during outdoor play. Yelping and leaving the area isn't effective, as she will just follow biting your pant legs.

We've been picking up the puppy and taking her inside when she does this, but that can result in a tantrum where she does some nipping. Yelp + timeout doesn't really work for nipping when the puppy is in your arms; putting her down would be giving in and you can't immediately put her in a "timeout area" when you are busy walking back to the house.

We've been avoiding dragging her around by the collar, so if she is being stubborn picking her up (and facing a nip) is the only real option. Should we be more willing to drag her around by the collar?

The nipping isn't a big deal, but we want to discourage it for later.

We had a big problem with this when we first got our puppy. Unfortunately I wasn't nearly as knowledgeable then, so it took a long time to sort out. If I had this to do over today, this is what I would do:

1 - Reduce opportunities to practice the bad behavior. Setup a situation you can actually manage and have a chance to control. If you have a backyard, pick it up before you go outside and only leave one or two risk objects for training. For the pant tugging, wear shorts.

2 - I'm going to assume you've started some clicker training. If you haven't, start, and make sure the clicker is well established. Bring some very high value treats outside with you. When she sniffs one of the objects but doesn't pick it up, click and reward. This is a difficult exercise in timing and body language, because you want to reward when she has decided that the object is boring. At the same time, if she does have an object, start trading up for it and giving her a "give" or "trade" command. Use high value treats, put them right on her nose, give the word, then let her have the treat when she drops the object. The idea here is that bringing you objects gets her rewards. So rather than chewing on them, she's making a game out of showing them to you.

3 - Make sure she has plenty of access to chew toys outdoors as well as indoors. Sometimes texture makes a big difference here. I would assume the sticks she likes are softer than whatever you're giving her, so you might look at changing to something new. As I stated in the OP, I don't really think the yelping works. It's removing your attention that really seems to drive home the message to most dogs. If this is hard outside, tether to something immovable (decent tree) and make sure there are no sticks in reach.

vvv - I would not recommend this.

MrFurious fucked around with this message at 15:09 on Oct 2, 2012

Thwomp
Apr 10, 2003

BA-DUHHH

Grimey Drawer

Scrubber posted:

But it is hard to use these procedures outside. The puppy likes to chew on random sticks and logs. She may be too young to learn the "drop it" command, as she can't actually pick up any of her toys to begin with, at least not for long. Manually removing the object from her mouth can lead to a tantrum and some nipping.

In addition to what MrFurious said above, you're dog is never too young to learn drop it. Just bring a super-high value treat with you outside (Linus likes canned chunk chicken) and if your pup has a stick, say "drop it" and put a treat right in front of her nose. The pup should go for the treat and drop the stick. Repeat as necessary for anything you want your puppy to drop.

Also, nipping on pants for us couldn't be solved by yelping/leaving the room (we tried really hard). We ended up having to say "NO BITES!" and physically pick up our puppy and hold him over our heads for 30 seconds. When he's calm, we put him back down and pet him and make up but he's gotten much, much better and understands "no bites" clearly now.

I know not all puppies can be picked up like that but it may work for you.

Thwomp fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Oct 2, 2012

Splat
Aug 22, 2002
Somewhat new issue:

We've been trying to brush our dog's teeth as much as we can, and normally she doesn't really like it and we don't do a super thorough job as she's moving her head all over and just trying to chew on the brush, but she'd sorta been calming down about it. Last night though she got very upset at the attempt and even started baring teeth and growling. My wife got worried she was going to snap at my face, and I wasn't quite sure what to do. I tried to get her just less uptset with me holding her firmly by cramming her face with treats, and it calmed her down some, but it's hard to give her treats while simultaneously trying to brush teeth. Is it possible she's just going through a painful teething step and I need to lay off for a week or so? She's lost all 4 canines over the past ~2 weeks or so.

MrFurious
Dec 11, 2003
THINKS HE IS BEST AT DOGS (is actually worst at dogs!!!)

Splat posted:

Somewhat new issue:

We've been trying to brush our dog's teeth as much as we can, and normally she doesn't really like it and we don't do a super thorough job as she's moving her head all over and just trying to chew on the brush, but she'd sorta been calming down about it. Last night though she got very upset at the attempt and even started baring teeth and growling. My wife got worried she was going to snap at my face, and I wasn't quite sure what to do. I tried to get her just less uptset with me holding her firmly by cramming her face with treats, and it calmed her down some, but it's hard to give her treats while simultaneously trying to brush teeth. Is it possible she's just going through a painful teething step and I need to lay off for a week or so? She's lost all 4 canines over the past ~2 weeks or so.

You need to counter-condition the tooth brushing.

Start by picking out some chicken flavored toothpaste, then put it aside because you won't be using it for a while.

Get something very high value (boiled chicken is a good place to start) then reach for her muzzle (do not touch). Then treat immediately afterward from your other hand. No clicking here -- shoot for having the food in her mouth in less than a second from your reach. Then proceed to touching and manipulating her lips with your fingers. Then do a reach with the toothbrush in your hand, maybe even let her lick or eat the toothpaste. Then go for a touch to her teeth. Then scrub for less than 5 seconds.

Keep each session short - less than 10 minutes, and practice roughly two or three times a day. Be patient and give this a couple of weeks. This will be a three steps forward, two steps back situation.

Tiny Faye
Feb 17, 2005

Are you ready for an ORGAN SOLO?!

Orange_Lazarus posted:


Sadly this is apparently the best I can find :| Does her website scream "puppy mill" or is it just me? I've talked to the woman on the phone, and although she seems like a nice lady I have the impression she isn't doing things right either.

http://www.hiltonspoodlesplus.com/contact.html

I'm starting to get the impression most people get their poodles from stores or breeders like this.

I wouldn't necessarily scream "puppy mill" at this lady, but crazy BYB hell yeah....I mean...just look at the warranty (or lack thereof really) section. She also advertises teacup pups which is screwed up.

You know that poodles require a ton of regular grooming right? Get ready to factor in a dog groomer into your monthly expenses.

Captain Foxy
Jun 13, 2007

I love Hitler and Hitler loves me! He's not all bad, Hitler just needs someone to believe in him! Can't you just give Hitler a chance?


Quality Pugamutes now available, APR/APRI/NKC approved breeder. PM for details.
Yeah that's a requirement, not an option for poodles and poodle mixes. They need daily combing to avoid serious mats and skin conditions, and regular (every 4-6 weeks) professional grooming, which can add up. If you don't have time or $ to groom a poodle, definitely don't get a poodle. Even missing one day of combing can lead to an instant knot or a mat, and they have very sensitive skin so any tangles will cause them pain and discomfort. Don't be one of those owners that has to have their dog shaved down because they didn't realize how much grooming it needed.

Start scoping out your groomers ahead of time and sometimes you can find a poodle-specific groomer, which is your best bet, and some groomers offer discounts for repeat customers, since they know poodles need to be seen regularly.

pienipple
Mar 20, 2009

That's wrong!

Scrubber posted:

The dog is a 10 week old Shiba Inu puppy.

Yeah, Shibas are VERY headstrong and will push boundaries as far as possible. Start teaching her drop it right away. Getting her to swap an item with you is a perfect way to start on that. Maybe start on stay or down stay and try to get her to do that when she starts ankle nipping. After she's calm for a moment treat and try to get her interested in another game or toy, the nipping is play behavior (my friend's 3 Shibas all do it to each other when playing) so redirecting it into an acceptable form of play is going to work better than just trying to make her stop.

They're very smart and my experience is that they pick things up quickly, but will play dumb if they think they'll get away with things that way. I'm the only sitter all 3 of my friend's Shibas will listen to, NILIF was very helpful there. If they want a treat they have to do something before they can have it, even if it's just a sit. If they pre-emptively sit they have to do something else. Frequent little training sessions where I try to get them to do a new thing or reinforce commands they know reinforce the relationship. They will still try to get one over on me occasionally and act innocent and then pitiful when caught.

You have to be the immovable object that must be listened to. If you give an inch, they will take a mile. If you let them slide once, they will try to do it every time. If they decide they don't like you, they will do whatever the hell they want because they know better.

Splat
Aug 22, 2002
Ugh, 2 weeks no accident streak ended last night, somehow Amelia crapped in the kitchen without letting us know. I guess we need to be cautious the days she's at the dog park/day care to keep an eye out. She'd been so good at letting us know too :-/ Time to restart the counter!

In positive news, she had a blast at the dog park:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnpINKWUwOU

Cuatal
Apr 17, 2007

:dukedog:
The puppies are healthy and vaccinated now. Want to get them fixed soon, but we're still having one problem:

All the things they don't do when we're home they do when we're not at home. We come home to ripped up newspaper and poo poo all over the floor, but they would never dream of doing that if we were around. How do we get them to cut this poo poo out, besides putting them in their cages?

Also, how do we get them to stop complaining in their cages, just keep ignoring them?

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~

Cuatal posted:

All the things they don't do when we're home they do when we're not at home. We come home to ripped up newspaper and poo poo all over the floor, but they would never dream of doing that if we were around. How do we get them to cut this poo poo out, besides putting them in their cages?

Also, how do we get them to stop complaining in their cages, just keep ignoring them?

Why would you not put them in their cages while you aren't home? That is kind of one huge key purpose of kenneling. It keeps the dogs AND your stuff safe.

And yes. Ignore ignore ignore, don't give in. Keep making the cage a good positive place with crate games and special treats and what not.

Supercondescending
Jul 4, 2007

ok frankies now lets get in formation
Yeah kind of the whole point of kenneling is keeping stuff safe when you're not around. I would only leave very mature dogs home alone uncrated, if at all. Never puppies, no matter how well they're doing when you're watching them.

Cuatal
Apr 17, 2007

:dukedog:
The problem is we're in an apartment building and we don't want the neighbors to kills us if the little assholes bark their heads off :/

We always feed them and give them treats in their cages and they like sleeping in there, but when we close the doors they freak out.

Supercondescending
Jul 4, 2007

ok frankies now lets get in formation
Puppies usually wear themselves out and stop yelling after a few days of being ignored. Every time you let them out and they're not quiet, it prolongs the amount of time they'll yell because they've learned that if they yell long enough someone will let them out eventually.

When I raised a puppy in an apartment I gave my neighbors a heads up and told them it would likely only be a few days of noise and to let me know if it got bad. They were cool with it.

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~
Can you keep them contained in like a sectioned off area or something? And yeah talk to your neighbors. I don't know how China feels about the whole crating thing but it's worth telling them that they're getting used to be left home alone or something.

Cuatal
Apr 17, 2007

:dukedog:

Superconsndar posted:

Puppies usually wear themselves out and stop yelling after a few days of being ignored. Every time you let them out and they're not quiet, it prolongs the amount of time they'll yell because they've learned that if they yell long enough someone will let them out eventually.

When I raised a puppy in an apartment I gave my neighbors a heads up and told them it would likely only be a few days of noise and to let me know if it got bad. They were cool with it.

I always count to ten very slowly before I let them out, and if they bark or whimper or something I start counting from zero again.

Captain Foxy
Jun 13, 2007

I love Hitler and Hitler loves me! He's not all bad, Hitler just needs someone to believe in him! Can't you just give Hitler a chance?


Quality Pugamutes now available, APR/APRI/NKC approved breeder. PM for details.
Dogs don't get used to being crated during the day unless they have to get used to being crated during the day.

Bacon Terrorist
May 7, 2010

to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022
Hey, I'm new here! We have a family Drakeshead Labrador who's 18 months old. We crate trained him to the point where any treat offered to him in the kitchen (where his crate is) would result in him immediately entering his crate to await the treat.

In the last few weeks though he has become less keen on the crate. He will still go in during the day time but flat out refuses to go to bed at night, no coaxing works and he has quickly realised that he is extremely hard to deal with if he just lies on his back with his legs in the air. To be honest if he hadn't also recently developed a very loud barking response to any noise he deems worthy of his attention this wouldn't be a problem as our previous dog used to sleep downstairs without a fuss, but I can guarantee if he is left to sleep downstairs the first time I come in late at night after work when the rest of the house is in bed he will bark wildly until he knows it is me.

Captain Foxy
Jun 13, 2007

I love Hitler and Hitler loves me! He's not all bad, Hitler just needs someone to believe in him! Can't you just give Hitler a chance?


Quality Pugamutes now available, APR/APRI/NKC approved breeder. PM for details.
Cool, a working bred Lab, that's not usually what you see. Drakeshead is a great kennel, too.

Have you tried offering higher value treats like bits of human food (peanut butter Kong with a carrot/apple shoved in it is how I distract my dog) or a particularly smelly awesome treat? Sounds like typical teenagehood stubborness that you can work through if you are patient and adaptive.

Bacon Terrorist
May 7, 2010

to ride eternal, shiny and chrome

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2022
We could try the kong or maybe a special treat that he only gets at bed time I suppose. Last night he wouldn't be coaxed with cheese though, usually if you open that cheese box and he's in a different part if the house he materialises beside you in seconds.

Maksimus54
Jan 5, 2011
I think I have read everything and didn't see anything on this. I have experience living with dogs but have been on my own for 3 years now. I am thinking of adopting a dog but am getting nervous at all the interviews and inspections most rescue shelters require. I'm afraid they won't let me adopt a dog because I don't have any first had experience actually owning and caring for the dog myself.

I'm also nervous they would let me adopt it and I would fail the dog. Is there a good book or something I can read up on that would prepare me and educate me on some basic care and behavior control(for myself and dog)?

I'm not new to being around dogs, I just worry that I don't know enough about them to properly care for one. I probably do know enough, I'm just a bit concerned I guess and would like someone to point me in the right direction to dog ownership.

Rixatrix
Aug 5, 2006

Lofty132 posted:

he has quickly realised that he is extremely hard to deal with if he just lies on his back with his legs in the air
Haha, I'm dealing with this with my puppy right at this moment :D When he gets too excited and needs to calm down, I pick him up and hold him until he's calmed down. Right now he thinks he can get away if he just flops on his back and kicks at me (he's wrong).

Thwomp
Apr 10, 2003

BA-DUHHH

Grimey Drawer

Maksimus54 posted:

I think I have read everything and didn't see anything on this. I have experience living with dogs but have been on my own for 3 years now. I am thinking of adopting a dog but am getting nervous at all the interviews and inspections most rescue shelters require. I'm afraid they won't let me adopt a dog because I don't have any first had experience actually owning and caring for the dog myself.

I'm also nervous they would let me adopt it and I would fail the dog. Is there a good book or something I can read up on that would prepare me and educate me on some basic care and behavior control(for myself and dog)?

I'm not new to being around dogs, I just worry that I don't know enough about them to properly care for one. I probably do know enough, I'm just a bit concerned I guess and would like someone to point me in the right direction to dog ownership.

1) Most interviews are mainly to make sure you're committed to owning this pet and are aware of the long term commitment. Unless you're really skeevy, I wouldn't worry about it (unless it's a really snooty breeder/shelter).

2) You won't fail the dog. I felt like this too. But you posting here shows you at least want to be a successful dog owner which is more than you can say about people who actually fail their dogs. You'll make mistakes but you won't ruin your dog.

3) Most dogs are easy to take care of. Look into easy going breeds and avoid speciality or high-maintenance ones. Start off with a mut or simple mix. These are the best dogs and will love you forever no matter what.

Dogs don't require much outside of time, some money (vet/food/toys), and attention. That's it. So take a breath, relax, and if you proceed, enjoy stepping into dog ownership.

IMB
Jan 8, 2005
How does an asshole like Bob get such a great kitchen?

Tourette Meltdown posted:

This is a super good reply, except......... we already do that. He's VERY good at it and he knows to get what he wants he has to sit calmly. Before eating? Sit. Before going outside? Sit. To get his harness on and go for a run? Sit. Before he gets out of his crate in the morning? Sit. If he's jumping and we say "Hey, cool it! Sit!" he'll sit, no problem. Sometimes I can just give him a look and he'll sit. Like, I don't think I can express how GOOD our dog is, except for the jumping. When we play outside he jumps up on us (just out of excitement, not because we have the toy) and has hurt me AND my husband. He's a big dog. Will he grow out of it? Do we just have to keep trying?

This sounds exactly like my dog. It's frustrating because she literally can't be off the leash at all. The minute she hears a voice she bolts right for it.

She's super calm with me and my girlfriend, but if anyone comes over, it's immediately crazy town.

2tomorrow
Oct 28, 2005

Two of us are magical.
One of us is real.

Maksimus54 posted:

I think I have read everything and didn't see anything on this. I have experience living with dogs but have been on my own for 3 years now. I am thinking of adopting a dog but am getting nervous at all the interviews and inspections most rescue shelters require. I'm afraid they won't let me adopt a dog because I don't have any first had experience actually owning and caring for the dog myself.

I'm also nervous they would let me adopt it and I would fail the dog. Is there a good book or something I can read up on that would prepare me and educate me on some basic care and behavior control(for myself and dog)?

I'm not new to being around dogs, I just worry that I don't know enough about them to properly care for one. I probably do know enough, I'm just a bit concerned I guess and would like someone to point me in the right direction to dog ownership.

Seriously if you tell the shelter this (unless they are one of the crazy ones) they will love you and match you up with a good dog. Dogs are really easy for the most part. You feed them, you take them to the vet and follow said vet's advice, you consult a trainer if need be to sort out any behavioral problems. You will be fine and just the fact that you're worried shows that you're ahead of the game.

Shelters are just looking to make sure the dog isn't going to wind up in need of rescue again, or get dropped off in a year when you get bored with it, that sort of thing. If you do happen to find one that will only adopt to Perfect Dog Owners, they're not moving too many dogs. Most are totally happy to find an adopter who can manage the basics and is committed and willing to learn.

As far as book recommendations, the best entry-level training book I can think of is Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I like The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook by Betsy Brevitz DVM as a health and care resource, though it's been awhile since I've read it. Both can be bought on Amazon pretty cheaply.

But yeah, relax. You'll be fine. :)

wtftastic
Jul 24, 2006

"In private, we will be mercifully free from the opinions of imbeciles and fools."

2tomorrow posted:

Seriously if you tell the shelter this (unless they are one of the crazy ones) they will love you and match you up with a good dog. Dogs are really easy for the most part. You feed them, you take them to the vet and follow said vet's advice, you consult a trainer if need be to sort out any behavioral problems. You will be fine and just the fact that you're worried shows that you're ahead of the game.

Shelters are just looking to make sure the dog isn't going to wind up in need of rescue again, or get dropped off in a year when you get bored with it, that sort of thing. If you do happen to find one that will only adopt to Perfect Dog Owners, they're not moving too many dogs. Most are totally happy to find an adopter who can manage the basics and is committed and willing to learn.

As far as book recommendations, the best entry-level training book I can think of is Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I like The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook by Betsy Brevitz DVM as a health and care resource, though it's been awhile since I've read it. Both can be bought on Amazon pretty cheaply.

But yeah, relax. You'll be fine. :)

Jean Donaldson's "Culture Clash" is maybe more fundamental, but its really helped me break some of my worse habits regarding my dog and how I train him. It really helps you understand your dog's motivation for some of the most common and possibly annoying behaviors and by teaching you that, it helps you to mitigate the damage and refocus the dog. http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Clash-Revolutionary-Understanding-Relationship/dp/1888047054

Instant Jellyfish
Jul 3, 2007

Actually not a fish.



Maksimus54 posted:

I'm not new to being around dogs, I just worry that I don't know enough about them to properly care for one. I probably do know enough, I'm just a bit concerned I guess and would like someone to point me in the right direction to dog ownership.

Like everyone has said, unless it's a really obsessive shelter they're not going to turn you down flat out if this is your first dog. We all have to have a first dog once! If you are worried about not having enough experience being a dog owner maybe you can start out volunteering for a shelter or rescue or find someplace that will do a foster to adopt program. The rescue I got my dog from gave everyone a 2 week trial period where they could return the dog no questions asked in case they felt too overwhelmed or just couldn't handle that particular dog.

Everyone gets nervous when adding a dog (or any pet) to their household so try not to let that stop you. Its totally normal to bring a dog home and then freak out because all of a sudden you have this whole other being in your house that you are solely responsible for. I know I did! You just take it one day at a time and eventually you won't be able to imagine life without them.

In addition to the books 2tomorrow listed, look through the dog training thread and when you get your dog sign up for a good, positive training class right away. This will help you bond with your new buddy and your trainer can be a great support to fall back on.

Supercondescending
Jul 4, 2007

ok frankies now lets get in formation

Instant Jellyfish posted:



Everyone gets nervous when adding a dog (or any pet) to their household so try not to let that stop you. Its totally normal to bring a dog home and then freak out because all of a sudden you have this whole other being in your house that you are solely responsible for. I know I did! You just take it one day at a time and eventually you won't be able to imagine life without them.

This. I have had a meltdown every single time I've gotten a dog/puppy. I always have a few days of "OH MY GOD I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS WHY DID I DO THIS BRING IT BACK" and then I get over it and I'm fine. It's normal.

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Maksimus54
Jan 5, 2011
Thank you all for the encouragement! It means a lot. I will continue to do research while I get my house put together. It is a bit under construction at the moment so I can't rush in to anything just yet.

As a child we had a phenomenal GSD that actually ended up defending me from another dog. As such I have a big pull toward that breed. I am looking for a companion/guard dog and am curious as to how you all feel about that as a first time dog. I also happened to see a Cane Corso for adoption near me and he looks absolutely adorable and very much in line with my lifestyle. Advice for a guy that is used to small dogs? Am I crazy? Is this the right thread? I'll take my questions to a more appropriate thread if I need to

Maksimus54 fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Oct 11, 2012

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