adopting a dog...for the first time
fightinfilipino
Angry as Hell#BLMRegistered User regular
Angry as Hell#BLMRegistered User regular
so my gf and i are most likely adopting a dog this weekend from a shelter. this'll be the first time she and i will be getting a pet, outside of our own families.
needless to say we're a bit nervous!
we're looking at dogs around two years old, and already housetrained, so those things aren't so much of a worry. we're more concerned about the dog biting/chewing things it shouldn't, getting the dog acclimated to our place, and generally training it to be decently behaved.
are there any things we can do to make the transition as chaos free as possible? what other things should we look out for/ask about when adopting a dog?
needless to say we're a bit nervous!
we're looking at dogs around two years old, and already housetrained, so those things aren't so much of a worry. we're more concerned about the dog biting/chewing things it shouldn't, getting the dog acclimated to our place, and generally training it to be decently behaved.
are there any things we can do to make the transition as chaos free as possible? what other things should we look out for/ask about when adopting a dog?
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Otherwise! Older doesn't guarantee house trained. We still have issues with ours every now and again and he's around six. Not all dogs chew, but my own preferred method for those that do is an irritant from the pet store or even just something like Tabasco.
As far as acclimating to your place, and it will help with the house training, always have them in sight for the first couple weeks. That's going to be what helps you identify any potential problems. Something that can also help avoid this is crate training if you're interested in it.
So glad to hear you're adopting. I have 3 shelter dogs and I wouldn't trade them for anything. And we did so without too much fuss.
One of the more helpful websites is the Dumb Friends League: http://www.ddfl.org/education/dog-behavior-tips
Those guys are pros. And the site covers advice for all of your listed worries, as well as ways you can prepare. They also have a FREE behavior helpline! So anything that crops up that you need more help with, you can get free professional assistance. I always recommend this service as I've known several people who worked there and they are all top notch.
Good luck and have fun!
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most shelters give you a couple weeks to see that things are a good fit. don't feel bad if it isn't working out. there are tons of dogs that need homes,e specially non puppies
Keep in mind that how a dog behaves in a shelter is usually completely different from how a dog behaves anywhere else. Don’t be surprised if you meet a hundred dogs and not one of them will look at you when you aren’t holding food. Get a kennel or a play yard to keep the dog in at home until you have some idea of how well behaved the dog is.
That's because it's stupid advice.
I mean, don't get a dog with a person you just met, but generally, if you're living together, you're probably somewhat stabled.
Also, 'fiance' and 'wife' aren't magical terms that prevent people from breaking up. You do realize that right?
Nothing's ever for sure, but you might as well try to stack the deck. Would it not be better for a couple to wait a while and make sure the relationship is going to be more permanent than to adopt an animal and then potentially end up either having a custody battle or putting the animal a shelter again?
as for @MushroomStick, to be quite blunt, take that advice somewhere else. my girlfriend and i have been thinking about getting a dog together for almost as long as we took time in thinking about moving in together. i'm not asking whether it's a good idea, because for us it is a great idea.
if you have hints or suggestions on how to make the transition for a shelter pup as smooth and as awesome as possible, for both the dog and the humans, then by all means feel free to share.
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You may see a cute 1 year old golden lab, but the foster parent would know that he's actual a huge goose that likes to chew through stuff, not house trained and has medical issues. If your working and the dog would be home alone all day in an apartment, maybe that isn't the one for you. They can help guide you through the process of what kind of dog you want with what they actually are.
On top of that, I think it's pretty standard. Make sure they are spayed/neudered or set up an appointment to get it done, check how up to date they are with shots, and GET THAT PROOF IN WRITING.
now we've got a house with a finished basement that's all for the dogs and a fenced in back yard so we're going to start fostering to take some of the burden off the foster groups in the area.
Have you actually found a dog you like or are you set on just going this weekend and getting a dog? Honestly that's how we've done it. Most of our friends went to shelters and spent like a week or two playing with dogs until they bonded with a specific one but that's always risky and can be heartbreaking if they get adopted or god forbit put down.
With Harvey and Garrus we just went out to the shelter, and they were the ones that really made an impression on us.
As far as transitioning goes, just make the dog feel welcome. Ignore anything the shelter tells you about housebroken-ness of the dog, because honestly they're not going to say "oh the dog shits everywhere" because then it won't get adopted. Make sure the dog is in good health. I'd recommend seeing if you can foster the dog for a week before you adopt, that way you can have your vet check it out first. We're with Banfield animal hospital which operates out of PetSmart and it's about $30 a month which covers all of their shots and general checkups instead of just getting hit with a $300 bill once a year for shot renewals and tags. We also don't have to pay just to go the vet if the dog gets/seems sick, because nothing sucks more than thinking your dog is sick, and then paying $50 for a vet visit fee just to find out he ate some grass and threw up because dogs do that sometimes.
As far as training, google is more productive than I am at typing, but the basics are just use treats and positive reinforcement. Don't use a kennel or crate as punishment, make sure it's a safe place for the dog. Honestly I'm a shill for PetSmart in the sense that they've taken really good care of me and mine. They have six to eight week training programs for dogs of all ages that cover all kinds of skills and they run about $120 a piece, you wouldn't need more than two of them max. They work on reinforcing good behavior and they're one hour a week, and you do the behind the scenes work at home.
Good luck!
IMPORTANT EDIT! ::::
I know you'll be a good pet owner, but for the love of god get their shot history in writing and make sure they're up to date. An extra set of shots won't kill them if they end up with a second parvo shot and parvo is fucking serious and is breaking out pretty bad this summer. Make sure they get all their shots, and follow the vet's instructions. Don't just immediately take your dog to the park and let it sniff around until you KNOW FOR SURE that they're up to date on all their major shots.
I know that sounds like common sense, but I've been hearing from foster groups in the southeast that they've lost about 10-15% of their pups and rescues this year to parvo just because of bad ownership and improper vaccine documentation and updated information. Parvo fucking sucks and if they get it you've got maybe a 50/50 chance to save them, which is bundled nicely with an up to four figure vet bill.
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we've been looking through a mix of Petfinder, Adopt-a-pet, and the local San Diego County Shelter websites for pups that fit our apartment size and general activity level. also, for adorableness and such. we're hoping to get a young adult pup. our thinking was to try to ID some specific dogs and then hopefully go to the shelter or adoption agency and spend some time with them to see how they are. time is an issue: i work full time, and my girlfriend is about to accept some part time work. we're actually worried about this because we'd like to spend some time with the pup first. but other folks are able to work and still be able to dedicate time to a dog, right?
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Hire someone to come in and walk the dog once during the day.
Yeah, they're called bad owners.[/quote]
Okay, that might be a tad harsh. But a dog, ESPECIALLY a puppy requires a lot of attention from the get go. I Am lucky that I get an hour lunch from work and only live like ten minutes away, so for the first few months, every lunch I would go see him. Then, between the hour I had from work and school, I again went to see him and walked him. It's draining, and sometimes you'll think that you made the wrong choice.
This isn't even counting the barking and whining that you might at night. I would heavily advise you to crate train him right off the bat. I did it for mine but then laxed off. Got lucky that he isn't a destroyer, cause he's also figure out a way to get out of the pen we got for him.
I'm not trying to dissuade you from a dog. I love mine, and he's an awesome dog that at the 1 year mark, has finally settled into a comfortable groove-just in time for a big move that will see us going cross country!
Also, don't adopt a dog unless you have the monitary means to take care of him. Right off the bat, expect to pay anything between 200-400 dollars to get his shots up to date. Then, depending where you live, if you ever want to take him to a dog park, s/he's going to have to be fixed. Same deal if you ever need to board him and don't want him to be stuck in a cage for the entire time.
As an example of how it can get with the vet visits-just two months ago my dog started vomiting and pooping blood. I naturally freaked out and took him to the vet. They didn't find anything wrong with him, but gave him some one bottle of pills and soft food. A day later, dog was back to his usual energetic self.
The visit/medicine cost me 500 bucks.
I know it's a little expensive, but down here there's a dog day care for working pet owners that are gone for 10 hours a day and you can drop of the dog for 5 hours for about $15 a day (cut back on going out to lunch if you haven't already : ) ) so that the dog gets playtime and exercise and has someone to watch it.
I'll second this advice. I used a doggy day care for my little guy while I was in grad school, it was absolutely worth the money. I didn't have to worry about him getting lonely - instead, I'd pick him up and he'd be tuckered out.
Most shelters I've worked with you can return a dog within a week, so you best course of action is just to find one you like and give it a shot. Spending lots of time with it at the shelter is pointless, it'll be a completly different animal once you get it home and that's what counts.
Also for what it's worth I would recommend doing this when you can take a long weekend from work or something. Give your self a couple of days of adjustment time before you start leaving it alone for a work day. Getting out of the initial "everything is new" phase isn't something that can typically be done in a weekend.
That's the key... if you just come home at lunch for a quick walk and feeding that dog is going to be hyper as shit when you get home from work and you've got to have the energy to spend time with it despite how shitty your day was in the cubicle, and despite how desperately you need to get in that hour at the gym and make dinner, etc.
It's a lot easier to be able to come home to a nice tired puppy who just wants to curl up in your lap and be all nice and tired.
Also, I recommend crate training. It's better for the dog IMO and a lot of rescues require it in their contract.
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And even that can be ameliorated some depending on when they're each working. I work full time and my wife puts in 30-40 hours a week but our schedules are pretty different so our pets are rarely alone more than four hours.
Nothing is wrong with cockers, they're great dogs. The breed is just pretty notorious for developing seperation anxiety.
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That's how it was with my wife and I when she was still working. I worked 7-5 and she worked 3-11 so the dogs were only alone for a couple of hours a day.
(i grew up with a cocker. totally loved that dog, but she wasn't so bright...)
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Yup. American Cockers were inbred to all hell after Lady and the Tramp and they’re almost as stupid as irish setters. Sweet, but DUMB.
he's a four year old terrier mix as far as we can tell. adopted him from the shelter. he seems really quiet but happy with us.
VERY scared of the crate we got, tho. crate training is going to be tough. i'd guess he's associating the crate with the pound.
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Also 1) you should have just gotten a baby gate instead of the one specially marked as "pet gate" (they're about $15-$20 cheaper)
and 2) they don't work
though honestly he can't be more than 30 pounds or so and isn't getting any bigger.
the shelter has some kind of arrangement with some area vets to do a free initial physical exam, so we're hoping to get that done today.
his name is Sparky, although we might change it...not sure what happened to him before, but he is pretty scared about everything and is very quiet. all we know is that he was left at the pound a couple of years ago, initially adopted by another person, but then returned to the pound two years ago because that person had to move and couldn't take Sparky. he is very well behaved; last night he quietly slept at the foot of our bed. he definitely did not want to go in his crate though.
he's eating a little and drinking water, so at least he's got a bit of an appetite. everything new is kinda startling to him. he also doesn't seem to like any toys, or at least the ones we got (a rubbery chew bone and a "stuffed" animal Bobo toy). he definitely likes Beggin Strips, although that's obvi.
not sure what to do next except for the vet and to keep trying with the crate training. he seems really frightened by the crate! we put treats in there to try to entice him in. at best he would dart in, get a treat, sniff around a little, and then back out quickly. i guess that's gonna be a slow process...
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i would give him plenty time and try not to force things too fast. he will need time to adjust. i imagine once he realizes he is staying, he will open up (including playing more and eating)
I knew someone who lived with their girl friend for almost 2 years. They broke up and no one wanted the dog anymore :C
maybe i wasn't clear the first time: this sort of "advice" is not warranted, needed, or wanted. please cease this line of posting.
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