How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? (Ask Annie 4-27-2013)

Dear Annie,

Can you help me understand why so many people say it is not a good idea to buy a puppy from a pet store?  I have 2 dogs that I bought as puppies from a pet store.  I feel so sorry for them.  Don't they need to be rescued, too?

Signed,
Animal Lover

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Dear Animal Lover,

Thank you for asking this question.  You have asked a very important question and I have taken some extra time to gather information about pet stores and puppy mills. It wasn't that I am not sure how I feel about pet stores -- I'm very positive that I dislike them very, very much.  I am just so passionate about it that I wanted to be sure to give you as many facts and information about it as possible, and also do a very good job. 

First of all, the reason I hate really dislike pet stores is because virtually all pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills.  (My mom won't let me use the word hate, even when I want need to.)  Puppy mills are terrible, terrible places and they do terrible things to dogs and puppies.  Here is a little information on why puppy mills are so bad (it is really not going to be easy to read what I am going to write about puppy mills, but it is true, and it's important to me for my readers to know about it):

A puppy mill is a crude, outdoor breeding farm that mass-produces puppies for sale to pet stores, and regularly supplies dogs to laboratories and animal brokers. If one of these breeding farms is breeding more than 3 females dogs at a time, it is considered a puppy mill.  Dogs in puppy mills are farmed as "livestock" and they are viewed as a cash crop.  Expenses are kept down to maximize profits, and the puppies and the momma dogs suffer for it.

In puppy mills, large groups of puppies "live" together in small crates, and their crates are stacked on top of each other, forcing the dogs in the bottom rows of crates to be urinated and defecated on.  Not only do the poor puppies on the bottom rows get very dirty and even sick, the constant standing in urine causes discomfort (or worse) to their paws.

Being an adult female dog in a puppy mill is a life sentence of torture.  The adult females are chained together with male dogs for weeks at a time to facilitate breeding.  They are forced to become pregnant over and over again, doing the hard work of carrying and delivering litter after litter, and they never get to live a normal life.  They are killed or auctioned off when they are no longer able to produce a profitable litter of puppies for the puppy mill.

Puppies are generally taken from their mothers at about 7 weeks of age.  They are sold to brokers who pack them in crates and ship them to the pet stores who have purchased them.  The conditions during transport are often so bad that not all of the puppies survive.  Those that do survive are often infected with contagious viruses, respiratory ailments and parasites.  Since the puppy mills and pet stores are trying to always watch their profits and keep themselves in the "black," the puppies (even the sick ones) often go without veterinary care.  Since the parents of these puppies were not well cared for either, the puppies in a pet store (i.e., from a puppy mill) are usually not healthy, and often have health issues related to overbreeding, and are at high risk for behavioral and temperament problems because of inbreeding.  They are almost never properly socialized because they lack proper, positive contact with humans. 

You know one of the strangest things about puppy mill/pet store puppies?  They often end up in shelters.  Yes, that's right.  They rarely get the attention they need to become well-adjusted, and since they are not properly socialized, the person who spent upwards of $1,000 for the "doggie in the window," they are often returned to the store where they were purchased, but more often are dropped off at shelters.  

By their very existence, puppy mills doom other animals. The marketing of approximately 1 million puppy mill animals each year prevents many people from adopting animals from pounds and shelters. It also undercuts the spay/neuter efforts of animal advocacy organizations.

SHOULD YOU BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE?  NO!!!!  As long as pet store customers purchase puppies, puppy mills will have a market. If you purchase a puppy, another animal will take it’s place. The mothers of the pups will continue to suffer.  And the circle will never end. Puppy mills will continue to do what they do for as long as unsuspecting people continue to buy puppies at the pet store.  Don't fall for their marketing tactics ... they are going to tell you that the dogs they are selling come from "reputable breeders," and they will try and persuade you with well-rehearsed sales tactics, but please don't fall for it.  It's not true.  No matter how believable they sound.  Reputable breeders don't sell to pet stores.  

Here's something I just found out about:  When you buy a puppy online, in reality you are often buying from a retailer who gets their puppies from a puppy mill. 

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME GOOD NEWS?  About one-fourth of the dogs at shelters are purebred dogs and puppies, and most of them are there for reasons other than  "dog behavior" issues.  They are healthy and well-socialized and they are waiting for you to adopt them.  You will usually get to hear about the dog's temperament, likes, dislikes, health issues, and other important background information, either because the former owner shared it with the shelter when the dog was surrendered, or the caring shelter staff has spent time with the dog, and gotten to know him personally.  They have great human contact and our shelter even has play groups for their dogs.  In our shelter, we have the Good Buddy Program, and it's a sure bet that if you adopt a dog that has had a Good Buddy, you are going to get lots of input about the dog. 



HOW DO YOU HELP SHUT DOWN PUPPY MILLS?  Don't buy a puppy from a pet store, OR online.   

It seems to me that not only is it a good thing to rescue/adopt a dog from a shelter, it's the best chance for getting a Really Good Dog.

ADOPT, DON'T SHOP!

What's Wrong With Those Shelter Dogs?

Over the past 2-3 months I have had the unexpected pleasure of being involved very closely and directly with the dogs at the Humane Society of Warren County, as the leader of the Good Buddy Program.  I hesitate to call  myself the "leader," but rather think of myself more as an organizer, or facilitator, to a group of selfless and talented volunteers who understand the temporary interruption that these dogs are experiencing and they want to help them through it.  And help them through it they do, with flying colors.

Because of this program, and the volunteers who make it work, dogs come into the program, and they get adopted -- with a very high success rate.

Tucker - Adopted

Caliber - Adopted

 It is undoubtedly the most challenging and rewarding volunteer undertaking of my life, and the question is already echoing in my head "who rescued who?" when it comes down to how much this work and my involvement with this wonderful group of dogs and people are transforming my life.  I dedicate this blog post to those volunteers who make this program work, and to the dogs, who need to be heard, through our voices. 

Sasha - Adopted

So, the question is asked, and asked often, "if these dogs are so wonderful, they why are they in the shelter?"  It's a question I used to ask as a younger and less experienced human being, so I don't judge those that ask it.  It just means more to me now than ever to bring the question out into the open and answer it.  Because there are hundreds of answers, but then only one answer.  Stated another way, there are hundreds of reasons why a dog might end up in a shelter, but it is rarely because the dog did anything wrong.


What does go wrong that make them "homeless shelter dogs"?

Beowolf - Adopted

Someone buys a small puppy and then it gets big.  Really big.  And eats too much, costs too much, is too hard to handle outside, needs too much space.  Dogs don't usually end up at the shelter because they did not get as big as expected.

Piper - Adopted

Training issues are a big reason dogs end up at the shelter.  Someone buys a dog because the dog is cute, or reminds them of Lassie, or Petey, or Benji.  But then they are surprised that the dog is not also as "smart" as those dogs on TV, or the cute little dog on the commercial.  It is a very unrealistic expectation to believe that a dog (even if it's not a puppy) will already know how to behave in his new home without being taught.

Enzo - Adopted

Some owners have to have a certain breed because they like how the breed looks.  However, many dogs, Shih Tzus, Westhighland White Terriers, Poodles, all have to be groomed regularly to maintain that "look," and this is also very expensive.
 

Hunter - Adopted

Sometimes dogs are surrendered to the shelter because their lifespan turns out to be longer than the owner expected. Yes, it's true, and I have seen it happen in my extended family, so as horrific as it sounds, it happens.  Some people really do believe that the average total lifespan for a dog is 5-6 years.  Barring health problems, and depending on breed, a dog can live for as long as 15-20 years.


Some people feel "cheated" when that purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback they just paid hundreds of dollars for has too many flaws and will never be "show" material.  Disappointed, and possibly even angry, they surrender the dog to the shelter.

Boss - Adopted

Sometimes dogs are surrendered because of a "lifestyle mismatch."  I know someone quite well who continues to insist that she must have a Westhighland White Terrier.  Over and over again, she gets one, and then gets rid of it because it's too "high energy."  Surprise!!!  Westies, for all their cuteness and adoreable-ness are sporting dogs and they like to be in motion.  Almost all the time.

The daily care and feeding of a dog is non-optional, and when a dog "belongs" to a child in the house, and then the child loses interest in caring for the dog, often the parents take the dog to the shelter, either to "teach the child a lesson" or because of work constraints, they feel they are left with no other choice.

Coco - Adopted (and her puppies)

Many times, a family gets a dog (not from a shelter) and fails to have it spayed or neutered, either because they don't understand the importance of it, or they want their children to experience the "miracle of birth."  The puppies are born, and quickly become an inconvenience and a huge expense. To the shelter they go. 

New baby, new house, new landlord, health issues, new job, military deployment ... the list goes on.  But you get the picture.  Nothing mentioned so far could be considered the dog's "fault," and in a few cases, it's not necessarily one human's "fault," either.  Life isn't fair, and many indviduals and families put a different emphasis on the importance of their dog's place in their family.  Some dogs are not considered family members at all.

Harry - Adopted

BSL (Breed Specific Legislation), as ineffective as it is, forces many perfectly good (PERFECTLY GOOD) dogs to end up in shelters.  It is an ongoing battle, and it appears the tide is beginning to turn for the better.

A dog is often brought in to the shelter as a stray by Animal Control or a concerned citizen.  They need to learn basic commands, housebreaking, leash walking, but they are often still good dogs.


Sometimes a dog is brought to the shelter as the victim of abuse or neglect -- a problem created by a human, not the dog. In the end, these dogs often make the best additions to a new family because they have gone from a neglectful home to a loving home and they "get it."

Jezebel - Adopted

There is a saying that says you can't pick your family members, but that's really not true ... not when there are always wonderful dogs waiting to be adopted at your local animal shelter.  
 

Lucy - Adopted

Brandy - Adopted

Cid - Adopted

Athena - Adopted

Bones - Adopted

Tessie - Adopted

Ask Annie (April 19, 2013)

 It's good to have my that my parents have their taxes done and now I'm back doing the things I love ... and this is one of them!

One of my readers asked a question about how to help a high strung dog deal with anxiety. She said her family has a lot of anxiety and the dog seems to pick up on it, he is restless and seems on edge a lot.  Her name is Jackelyn and I think she must love her dog a whole lot to be concerned about his anxiety.  

So, here is what I can tell you, based on what I know about it.  

Dogs exhibit anxiety for many reasons, some because of environmental stressors and many times because of separation.  Sometimes they are anxious because they are bored. 

 It's very important to remember that a tired dog is a happy dog. 

Panda

Also, did you know that your dog is very perceptive of your emotions and how you are feeling?  Some say that a dog can hear your heartbeat from 5 feet away.   

You say that there is a lot of anxiety in your home, but with no further details, it’s hard for me to know if this is an ongoing issue, or whether it is temporary or permanent.  

 Dogs are pretty adaptable and just need to know that they are part of the family.  We need our time to shine and be the center of attention within the family, and and we need a chance to work off our energy (after all, we are dogs). 

Tessie

Let’s just say that your house is full of activity and kids and just busy-ness from two working parents with kids and lots of responsibilities and chores and activities and more to do than you have time to do it.  Where does your dog fit into the family?  Does your dog get to go for a walk everyday?  This is not only important for your dog’s daily life, it is essential to her well-being, and can be a huge contributor to stress.  

Bella

In many ways, it is important to put yourself in your dog’s place. Try and imagine how you would feel if you had to stay inside your house, except for short potty breaks, everyday, all day long.  How do you feel when you have gotten out for a brisk walk or jog, or a workout at the gym?  Your dog feels the same way!  For families who have a fenced-in yard, it is easy to fall out of the routine of walking your dog, but a daily walk is vital, especially for a dog that is prone to anxiety.

Does your dog have a job?  Does he get to solve puzzles?  This is a great area to explore, and can be accomplished with a little imagination and things you have around your house.  Here are a few ideas:

Rocky

Get a box (judge how big or small by the size of your dog) and fill it with crumpled packing (or other non-toxic) paper.  Add bits of dry kibble or your dog’s favorite treat (maybe some chunks of cheese) and let her figure out how to get to all of those yummy morsels.  He will have to tip the box, rummage through the paper, sniff, scratch, tear and most of all use her brain to get what she wants out of the box.

Does your dog have a Kong? If not, he is in for a treat.  My mom and dad fill my Kong with layers of yummy stuff and when I am finished digging all that stuff out of there, I am exhausted and usually fall asleep when I am done. Here are some ideas of what you can layer in your dog’s Kong (and don’t let this stop you from letting your imagination go wild, because your dog is going to love whatever you fill it with): 

• dry kibble
• cheese chunks
• pieces of cooked carrots 
• cooked peas
• broken pieces of doggie treats
• pieces of cooked chicken

Once you have the Kong almost filled with the layers of yummy stuff, top it off with canned dog food or peanut butter and watch your dog go to town.  (You’re gonna want to give it to him in a place where it’s OK that he makes a slobbery mess, but it’s sooo worth it!)

Another idea that will prolong the “job” of emptying the Kong is to freeze it.  You might want to have 2 Kongs on a rotation so that one can be freezing while the other is being ravaged emptied.  

Lacey

My mom has read about others who buy beef bones at the pet store, empty them out of all the gross chemical laden stuff that comes inside of it when you buy them, and then stuff the hollow bones with the yumminess of your choice.  Like I said, let your imagination run away and you will have one very happy(ier) dog. 

One game you (or your older kids) can play with your dog is the “cup game.”  Put 2 or 3 cups upside down on the floor and put a Very Tasty Treat under one of the cups, but don’t tell your dog where it is.  Challenge your dog to find which cup has the treat, and then he has to figure out how to get to it.  Do it over and over again, each time changing the location or order of the cup containing the treat. 

Many of my friends that suffer from anxiety wear thundershirts.  If you haven’t heard about them, here’s where you can read more about this wonderful invention: http://tiny.cc/vwrqvw 

Here is a picture of my friend, Cookie, in her Thundershirt.  Cookie loves it and it helps her very very much.

Cookie

 You can put your dog into a thundershirt if you know she is getting ready to experience a certain stressor such as thunder, fireworks, or the vacuum cleaner.  If your dog is generally anxious, at least in the beginning of seeking solutions, you can let him wear it most of the time.  It will make him feel secure.  I have never used one, but I know they have worked wonders for my friends and I also know they use them at the shelter for the dogs who need them.

Similar to the theory behind a thundershirt, does your dog have a crate?  A place to call his own, where he can retreat whenever he wishes?  When used properly, a crate is a wonderful part of a dog’s life.  It’s a cozy little place where a dog can go to feel like nothing can harm him.  His very own den filled with his very own scent where he can go and get away from it all. 

Snuggles

 I hope I have given you some helpful information, and I am really happy that you follow my column.  There are lots of books out there about ways to help your dog overcome anxiety.  My favorite two experts on the issue are Jean Donaldson and Sue Sternberg. 

Your dog is lucky to have a guardian like you who cares so much that you look for answers to his issues. 

 

What Would Your Dog Say About You?

There are so many books out there about dog training that it's easy to be overwhelmed, and I have picked up many a book (even bought it for my Kindle) and decided after about a chapter or two that it just wasn't for me. It didn't apply to my dogs, or it seemed to conflict with what I think makes sense.  I have read some books that made me think if I followed their advice my dogs would laugh at me.  Then there are other books (and there are many) that make us stop in our tracks.  They strike a cord and make us say, "now that's what I'm talking about."

One of those books is William E. Campbell's Behavior Problems in Dogs (1999, BehavioRx Systems).  You can read more about it on this Amazon link.

Bill Campbell helps us to begin to question how much of our dog's dysfunctionality begins on the human side of the dog-people relationship.

I am not writing about answers because I don't have all the answers.  I am writing about questions.  Questions to ask ourselves.  What would your dog tell you about you?  What would he tell you about your communication skills?  About your method of teaching him things?  What would your dog say about you as his guardian?

The answers probably lie somewhere in the middle.  We all have good days and bad days, and even the best dog owners feel guilty for not spending enough time with their dogs.  If we foster or have a Good Buddy, we (I) sometimes walk through the door after a busy day of errands and volunteering and see the happy eyes of our own dogs and realize they have been waiting for us to get home and spend time with them.  Gulp.

So, here are the questions that are offered by Mr. Campbell about what type of dog owners we are.  None of them are desirable and perhaps the truth lies in the possibility that we all possess at least a little of a combination of them (of some I hope none) ....... 

• Are you a domineering/physical type of owner who insists on subservience and uses excessive force and/or punishment to gain obedience?  How much force is too much?  I am still haunted by the sounds of my grandfather's dogs being whipped into submission outside the farmhouse where my grandparents lived when I was a little girl.  I remember waiting and watching for the dogs to come back into the house and to see their tails wagging and then I knew they were OK.  Or at least I thought.

• Or are you a domineering/vocal type of dog owner who yells and uses stern tones to gain obedience from your dog?  What do our dogs think when we are at the end of our rope and we yell at them?  How often does it really produce lasting results?  
  

• Do you try to gain cooperation or other favorable responses from your dog by coaxing or bribing or seducing them into doing what you want, or what they should be doing?

• Are we sometimes a little too permissive because we are insecure about our relationship with our dog?  We want their love and loyalty, but we don't follow through on any form of discipline because we are fearful of losing some connection with our dog?

•  Are you an ambivalent owner/guardian?  Do you have mixed emotions about the animal that ultimately lead to problems that seem overwhelming to you?

• Do you project emotional and intellectual abilities onto your dog that only humans are capable of possessing?  This type of dog owner often misinterprets the dog's behavior and usually already "knows" all the reasons the behavior exists.  For example, did you know that a dog is not developed enough to act out of spite?  That their brains never develop enough to feel hate or contempt?  
  

• Some people love dogs but they know little about them and follow everyone's advice, no matter how ridiculous or outrageous.  Or they don't give their dog enough credit for needing good, solid leadership, so they don't seek advice at all.

•  Have you ever used "common sense" suggestions or methods, even in the face of poor results?

• Have you ever been too rigid or extreme in your attitude about guidance or advice and got in your own way of helping your dog to solve a problem?

Yep, lots of questions, just as I promised.  But just like I promised, there are no answers here.  They are in what you read, in what you experience with your dog, and in what you learn from other dog owners, shelter staff, experienced trainers, and trusted "dog friendly" friends. Pay attention to what makes sense to you and what works for your dog.

The reason this information struck me so strongly is that I see myself at various stages of my life with dogs in little bits and pieces of some of these questions.  Not the hitting ... NEVER the hitting.  But the rest I think we can honestly say to ourselves that we have either been there at some time along our journey with our dogs, or we are moving through some of these blind curves right now.

The answers?  You will find them.  Keep holding your dogs (and your Good Buddies) close to your hearts and look for answers.  Read good books by great authors like Sue Sternberg, Jean Donaldson, and Bill Campbell.  Victoria Stillwell and Cesar Millan have great training tips and advice for all types of dog owners.

One thought before we go ... no dog is going to continue exhibiting the same behavior over and over again if he/she is not somehow rewarded for it. 

     



 

Ask Annie (4-2-2013)

I took a few days off to celebrate Easter with my family and to catch up on my rest from our week-long house guest.  His name is Emo and he is my nephew.  Emo is a retired Greyhound and when he is at my house he sleeps in my bed and chases my cats.  He's really a good guy, and he's a lot older than me, so when he takes my bed, I just say it's OK.  I love him, but you know what they say about company ... and fish.   

But now I'm back and this week I've got something I want to share with everyone, instead of answering a question from my readers.  I have so many friends at the shelter (even though I have never met them, they are still my friends) who need good homes.  I care about them and what they are going through because I used to live there.  I lived there more than once, and once for a very long time.  When a dog has to spend time at the shelter (even a really, really good one like ours), she is really happy when she gets adopted, but it also comes with all kinds of uncertainty at first, for the dogs and for their new family, and that’s what I want to talk about. I hope the information I am going to share with you is useful to Good Buddies and to future furever families.  

Take it from a dog who knows, it takes about 30 days to really settle into a new home.  You gotta figure out what your new family is all about and they need time to figure you out, too.  My biggest problem when I first got to my foster furever home was that I growled at anyone and anything that came near my bed or my food.  Oh, boy, was THAT ever a no-no.  My foster new mom looked at me really serious and made me move away from whatever I was growling about and I knew she meant business.  She didn't act all lovey and nice the way I like it.  One time I had to wait until the other dogs in the house were completely done with their dinner before I got to eat.  One time I growled at my foster new dad because he wanted me to get down off of his bed where I was sleeping all warm and cuddled up next to my foster new mom.  He did the weirdest thing ... he went and got a bag of irresistible treats and bribed me off of the bed.  He did it over and over again until now I get down off the bed and I don't even know why I'm doing it. 

So, the reason I'm telling you this is because when your shelter dog gets to her furever home, she might make some mistakes and do things that you don't like.  I'm here to tell you, it's a stressful situation and we need a second chance or two to get it right while we are settling in.  

Here's a few little tips I think will help explain what I'm talking about (some of these ideas are quoted from petfinder.com):

Before your shelter dog new family member gets to your house, set things up something like this:

• Determine where your dog will be spending most of her time. Because she will be under a lot of stress with the change of environment (from shelter or foster home to your house), she may forget any housebreaking (if any) she’s learned at the shelter and/or from her Good Buddy. Often a kitchen will work best for easy clean-up.
• If you plan on crate training your dog, be sure to have a crate set-up and ready to go for when you bring your new dog home. 
• Dog-proof the area where your pooch will spend most of her time during the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate, and installing baby gates.
• Training your dog will start the first moment you have her. Take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use when giving your dog directions. (Be sure you ask for the notes from your dog's Good Buddy about commands she has learned while in the Good Buddy Program, or that she might already know from a previous owner.  The shelter staff is great about sharing this type of information.)  This will help prevent confusion and help your dog learn her commands more quickly. 
• Bring an ID tag with your phone number on it with you when you pick up your dog so that she has an extra measure of safety for the ride home and the first few uneasy days. If she is microchipped, be sure to register your contact information with the chip’s company.

First Day:

• We know moving is stressful — and your new dog feels the same way! Give her time to acclimate to your home and family before introducing her to strangers. Make sure children know how to approach the dog without overwhelming her. Please respect the information the shelter has shared with you about your new dog.  If you have adopted a dog that is not good around other dogs, please respect that information.  The shelter staff is very well-trained in evaluating dogs and their behavior towards people and other dogs.  If you have adopted a dog that has issues around other dogs, don't push that boundary, especially in the first few days.  You might be able to help her overcome that issue with time, but it won't happen right away.  And for dog's sake, please, it's probably never a good idea to take that dog to the dog park. Not good for your dog or the other dogs in the park.  
• When you pick up your dog, remember to ask what and when she was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part new food to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to half new food, half old, and then one part old to three parts new. 
• On the way home, your dog should be safely secured, preferably in a crate. Some dogs find car trips stressful, so having her in a safe place will make the trip home easier on her and you. 

• Once home, take her to her toileting area immediately and spend a good amount of time with him so she will get used to the area and relieve herself. Even if your dog does relieve herself during this time, be prepared for accidents. Coming into a new home with new people, new smells and new sounds will throw even the most housebroken dog off-track, so be ready just in case. 
• If you plan on crate training your dog, leave the crate open so that she can go in whenever she feels like it in case she gets overwhelmed. 
• From there, start your schedule of feeding, toileting and play/exercise. From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort her if she whines when left alone. Instead, give her attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly .

• For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as the dog park (even for dog-friendly dogs) or neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, it will give you more one-on-one time to get to know her and her likes/dislikes.
• If she came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs and sticks are just some of the pieces of inappropriate “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect.Or maybe she led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.

Following Weeks:

• People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption. Your dog will be a bit uneasy at first as she gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of her as well as what she can expect from you.

• After discussing it with your veterinarian to ensure your dog has all the necessary vaccines, you may wish to take your dog to group training classes or the dog park. Pay close attention to your dog’s body language to be sure she’s having a good time — and is not fearful or a dog park bully. 

• To have a long and happy life together with your dog, stick to the original schedule you created, ensuring your dog always has the food, potty time and attention she needs. You’ll be bonded in no time! 

• If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles. 

Congratulations! If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a well-adjusted canine family member.

See you next week.  Keep those Ask Annie questions coming.  I love them all!!!