IntroductionIt is the best of times and the worst of times...depending on what you've stepped in. We are talking about the first year with your new dog. It doesn't matter whether you are enjoying the thrill of your very first dog or the pleasure of your second or even your third. A new puppy is one of the most exciting things that can happen to a home, and for many it is a dream come true. The trick is not allowing the sweet event to turn sour, which can happen easily if you don't know what to do and how to do it.
We're talking about how to raise your new dog. The first year is always the hardest because it's when his lack of experience creates confusion, bewilderment and innocent mistakes. It can be a disaster, but it doesn't have to be. Your dog's first year sets the tone for the rest of his life with you and it's important to get it right. You will need patience, understanding and a grasp of what's important when it comes to the care and behavior of dogs. So much happens in the first year of a dog's life and you need to understand what's going on so that you know what to do.
Do you recall the myth about seven human years being equal to one dog year? The point of the myth is to figure out your dog's age in comparison to human age. By that theory a seven-year-old dog would be the equivalent of a forty-nine-year-old human. For many complicated reasons this formula never computes properly. Part of the reason is that it does not take into consideration that the first year of a dog's life is the equivalent to the first eighteen years of a child's life.
In the first year a newborn puppy begins his life by crawling around without being able to see or hear. Within three weeks all of his physical capacities begin to develop and the puppy can see, hear and wobble around on his own four legs. From then on he grows into an adolescent and eventually into an adult dog. All this happens within twelve to eighteen months for the typical dog. Giant breeds may take between eighteenand twenty-four months to reach the same level of maturity. And there is also intellectual and emotional maturity to be considered. Experience tells us that this varies from breed to breed and from dog to dog. So much for the seven-to-one theory. What we do know for sure is that during this early time in a dog's life, he is going to develop behavior patterns, for better or worse. So watch out for that first year -- it's a big one.
Dogs do not come with an owner's manual and you must figure it all out yourself once you get the youngster home. Puppies may be acquired as early as eight weeks old, but many breeders do not give them up before twelve weeks of age. It's a lot like walking into the house with a new baby for the first time. If you are about to get a dog or you just got one, you're going to love this book. You are going to use it as you would the instruction manual for your most prized possessions.
We are going to take you new dog owners by the hand and explain what you should be doing to raise your dogs throughout the first year and beyond. The book is divided into time frames with useful (and necessary) instructions and information appropriate for each interval in a young dog's life, including guidelines for feeding your dog, housebreaking and behavior-problem solving. The last chapter contains a separate obedience-training course. It is presented separately because it cannot be broken down into time frames. Once you start, you should go through the entire course. In our opinion, the optimum time to start training your dog is at three months of age. That is when he is easier to train, before any behavior problems have begun. But you may begin at a later time if necessary.
This book tells you what you need to know to get you through the first year of your dog's life. It offers information about creating a relationship with your dog, dealing with the puppy period, behavior problems relative to age, feeding, concise medical information and more. We believe that raising a puppy is like having a four-legged child. It often creates anxiety for the owner who wants to be the best dog parent possible. This is the growing-up book for dogs and their families. We feel it honors the late, great Benjamin Spock by giving new dog owners the essential information they need to help their dogs become happy, healthy members of the family. Loving a dog requires on-the-job training. It is what you need to give your dog The Good Life.
Copyright © 2002 by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis
Chapter One: From Birth to Three MonthsBefore Your Dog Became Your Dog
The warm belly, the swinging tail, the licking tongue, the wet nose and the adoring-dancing-mischievous-needful eyes of a new puppy make the difference between heart-quickening pleasure and the ho-hum of just another day. The first day with a new puppy is better than Oscar Night or New Year's Eve. Not even the final episode of Cheers can compete for attention with a new puppy. It is a newand exciting playmate, a needful baby, a squirming bag of jelly beans and an embryonic friend who will steal your house and your heart and renew your desire to live forever. A puppy is love. A puppy is life. What can possibly compete with that?
As hard as it is to imagine, this sweet creature, in the world for only a handful of weeks, has already lived through an important set of experiences that will certainly influence his life with you. It starts with the process of being born, which can be a smooth nonevent, easily accomplished as one little section in Nature's Textbook, and a highly traumatic experience that, unfortunately, has its own portion of that same textbook. It is all too real and oh, so natural.
The fertilization of an egg is a wondrous event, and the passage from fetus to Fido, from amniotic dependency to the first gasp of independent breathing, is truly miraculous. It can also be a stressful experience for a baby dog, being rudely awakened from its liquid sleep and squeezed out of the safety of the mama cave into a chilly, unknown landscape. Even the most placid newborn, with its eyes and ears closed, has to gasp for air and begin an urgent search for warmth and nourishment in a matter of seconds. Talk to anyone who has witnessed this incredible rush for life and you will certainly get a mixed response. Whelping a puppy can be an intense emotional experience, an experience that can leave you amazed, apprehensive, enthralled and exhausted. When it is finally accomplished, how did it influence the dog-to-be? One can only guess the answer.
Getting WhelpedIf there are no complications, a veterinarian is not required for canine labor, which may take place between fifty-six and seventy-two days after conception. This estimate for gestation (the length of pregnancy) is realistic because it is impossible to determine the exact days for ovulation (the release of eggs), fertilization (eggs combining with sperm) and the beginning of fetal development. Also, it takes from sixto ten days for fertilized eggs to move through the oviducts (fallopian tubes) and enter the uterus (womb), where the fetuses grow into puppies. All these variables make it impossible to predict the exact day when parturition (birth) begins. A practical guideline, however, is that puppies arrive approximately nine weeks after the sire and dam conceived.
As the puppies are being born, they may arrive one right after the other, or ten minutes apart, or, in some rare instances, hours apart. Some litters may take as long as eight hours to arrive, while others may take even longer, depending on the size of the litter or if something has gone wrong. It is even possible for them to be delivered up to twenty-four hours apart, although that is extremely rare.
A newborn puppy comes into the world encased in an amniotic sac, which is a thin membrane containing the infant, like a sort of plastic bag. It is attached to a small mass, the placenta, the source of oxygen and nourishment from within the mother's body. Theplacenta is attached to the newborn's stomach with an umbilical cord and is supposed to leave the mother's body shortly after the newborn pup, to which it is attached, is born. This usually occurs within ten or fifteen minutes.
The amniotic sac containing the pup must be broken with the mother's teeth and pulled away once it leaves her body. This is especially important around the puppy's face so that breathing can begin. Some dogs will ingest it along with the cord after licking the amniotic fluid off the newborn. Removal of the sac is necessary within one to three minutes if the newborn is to live. Then the puppy must be licked clean by its mother. This enables her to identify it as her own by scent and taste. It is important for humans to avoid touching the puppy at this crucial time so that a sensory bond can be established between the mother and the newborn. This bond is what triggers her maternal instincts for the protection and caring of the little dog, and it is not uncommon for a mother to reject a puppy if the bond is not established right away. Once created, the maternal bond continues from warmth to walking, from nursing to weaning, and then it fades away or evolves into something else. For this reason the best thing a human can do for a dog whelping her puppies is simply not interfere with the natural process unless it is necessary.
Sometimes things go wrong, and for many possible reasons the mother may fail to open the sac with her teeth. This might occur because she is either inexperienced, exhausted, in pain, distracted by nursing newborns or still in the process of delivering the rest of the litter. If the mother fails to open the sac, you should be prepared to help. This must be done within three minutes after the delivery so that independent breathing can start. You must be cautious when reaching down to help because the mother may instinctively snap at you.
First the sac or membrane must be torn open by hand and peeled away. This does not hurt the puppy. It's best to start at the face and pull it off toward the back of the body, removing as much of the fluids from the mouth and nose as possible. Then the newborn should be rubbed down gently with a clean, dry towel. This starts not only breathing but also most other bodily systems, such as the digestion process. There will be a slight squeal once the puppy's lungs fill with air and the first gasps of independent life begin. If this does not happen, you must hold the newborn in your hands, with his face toward the floor, supporting his head so that it doesn't bobble. Starting from your chest, move the little dog in a downward direction toward your knees. If the puppy's face is pointing downward in the direction of the floor, as it should, excess fluids will run out of his nose and mouth. It is essential to remove these fluids from the breathing passages. It's a good idea to have a small syringe on hand to withdraw them if necessary. (Normally, the mother removes them by licking the area clean along with a vigorous slurp.) Once you hear breathing and whimpering, the miracle of independent life is beginning before your eyes.
The next thing to do is to cut the umbilical cord if the mother has failed to do it with her teeth. First, tie two knots with sewing thread. The first knot should be tied approximately one inch from the pup's stomach. The second knot should be about one quarter inch beyond that. With a very clean pair of scissors or a sharp knife, cut the cord between the two knots. (Don't worry -- this does not hurt the puppy.) Then drench the end of the cord that is attached to the puppy's stomach with an antiseptic such as Bactine, Betadine or iodine. Bacitracin will also serve. Dry the little dog with a towel in order to remove any residual membrane and shake him gently (without tossing his head about) to be sure that he continues to breathe. Use a clean, dry towel for each puppy. Hold him gently for a minute to warm him up and then give him back to the mother as soon as possible so she can identify him as her own by taste and smell. Helpthe newborn find a nipple so that her warmth and milk can begin the nurturing so necessary to sustain life.
Sometimes the mother must rest between the delivery of puppies. But if four hours go by and there are still puppies to be born, you must call a veterinarian for help. You must also call for help if a fetus cannot be expelled from the birth canal by the mother or with your help. It may require surgical removal. It is impossible to predict exactly how the process of a puppy's birth will affect his behavior, but the experience certainly does have an influence, especially if the experience was stressful or life-threatening.
The Most Important Influence on Your Dog's BehaviorOf course you are going to love your new dog and have a wonderful time playing with him and becoming best friends. You will also find it fascinating to watch this near-human critter, filled with the joy of life, grow from infancy to adulthood in just one short year. How long has it been since every experience in your life was a new one, like the first sip of a crisp, good wine? That's what a dog's first year is like for him and it is a luxurious privilege to be part of it. However, it is important to understand that the life he experienced before his life with you has already had a great influence on what kind of dog he's going to be. This knowledge helps you understand what is great about your dog and what may be lacking so that you can fill in the missing parts.
As in human infancy, the early phase of a dog's life involves physical growth and mental development. Human childhood is a long stage, perhaps the longest in nature, and under the best circumstances it involves adult parents protecting, providing for and instructing the child. In a dog's life, however, infancy to adulthood is compacted into approximately one year.
In the first three weeks of puppyhood, the young dog develops all of his sensory abilities plus many of his motor capacities. From the beginning of the fourth week until the end of the seventh week, the puppy enters a period of socialization that will affect his behavior for the rest of his life. During this critical period of socialization, the dog's environment plays a major role in how the animal will be able to adapt to human beings, training and other animals. During this four-week period, the brain and the central nervous system are developing into full maturity. Interactions with littermates and the mother teach the puppy indelible lessons about pack behavior. This canine socialization helps him create attachments to other puppies, assuring that he will easily adjust to other dogs as an adult. If, in addition, the puppy is handled by a human being at least twice a day during this stage, the dog will also readily adapt to humans with ease and comfort. Thus, by the end of the seventh week, the animal will have become adaptable to dogs and humans and will get along well with both. It is then time to remove the puppy from the litter before the question of dominance and subordination is settled within the litter itself.
Beginning in the eighth week, some pups begin to bully others, while some become timid, shy and even terror-ridden. The issue of who is dominant and who is subordinate is settled by puppy fights, the competition for food and the best placement for the mother's body warmth. The largest male often becomes the dominant animal at the expense of the other dogs, who, in turn, work out their dominant or subordinate relationships with one another. These placements in the pack structure become permanent in the minds of the dogs. If the litter remains together for sixteen weeks or more, the order of dominance and subordination becomes absolute. An undersize puppy may be last in the pack structure and develop into an extremely timid or shy animal, which has negative consequences when he becomes an adult dog living as a pet.
Between eight and sixteen weeks, personality based on dominance and subordination takes shape. In a pack environment, the young dog takes his place in the social structure until circumstances dictate the necessity for change. When a human family takes a puppy into their home, this cycle is still ongoing, with the human environment substituting for the canine one. Ideally, a pet dog should take a subordinate position in relation to his "human pack." This can come about only if the dog is adaptive to humans and if the humans in the family take the leadership position, without becoming overbearing or bullying. In the beginning, all puppy behavior is based on instinct and the predilection toward pack structure. Learned behavior comes later.
If Your Dog Came from a Noncommercial BreederIf your puppy was brought into the world and initially raised by a reputable, noncommercial breeder, the odds are favorable that he was born in excellent condition and given the best possible chance for good health and sound temperament. Experience tells us that this is not always the case, but that probability is on your side because many noncommercial breeders are experienced and knowledgeable. The breeder's goal is to produce the best possible purebred dogs that match as closely as possible the written Standard for their breed as set forth by the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC). Their pups must be excellent examples of their breed in order to become good enough to compete in dog shows or to be incorporated into a planned breeding program. Only a few in each litter, if any, have the potential for competing in conformation dog shows where a winning dog eventually becomes a Champion of Record. Therefore, most puppies from reputable breeders are sold as companion animals and placed in good homes by their caring breeders, often because of only the slightest imperfection or departure from the written Standard. Noncommercial breeders are known to strive for perfection within their chosen breed, selecting good mating matches with an eye toward the quality of the resulting puppies. Most of these breeders are interested in developing a line of dogs that enhance the reputation of their kennel's name. They achieve this through experience, an understanding of genetics, selective breeding and socializing techniques used once the puppies are born. (To socialize a puppy is to develop his adaptability to humans and other dogs, thus making it friendly and trainable as a show dog or as a companion animal.) Not many kennels actually earn a profit from their efforts, because breeding and showing dogs is an expensive activity.
Perfection and winning is the goal -- not financial gain. Noncommercial and serious amateur (or hobby) breeders are the ideal source for the best possible purebred dog. This is essential if you are interested in show dogs, but also for making sure you get a beautiful, healthy representation of a breed that will live with you as a loving pet. Noncommercial breeders charge moderate to high prices for their puppies because of the high cost of maintaining a proper kennel. Producing high-quality purebred dogs costs a lot of money. Most noncommercial breeders enjoy what they do and are generally ethical and quite selective about who buys their puppies. When it comes to breeders who care deeply about their dogs, their puppies and their reputations, you will have to pass muster before they will sell you one. Such breeders must be convinced that you are capable and willing to provide a good home and all the necessities for raising a healthy, happy dog.
Finding a Reputable Noncommercial BreederYou must do a certain amount of research in order to decide which breed is best for you. The next logical step is to select a wonderful puppy and that means finding the right breeder. This, too, requires research. Unfortunately, many people do more research when shopping for a new television set or a car than for a puppy that is going to be a living member of the family for approximately the next fifteen years.
Research begins with selecting the breed of dog you want to live with. This is a choice based on subjective questions such as your lifestyle, the size of your home, whether you live with others or alone and various other factors that can be determined more appropriately in a book about choosing a dog. It is a large, important subject unto itself (see Suggested Reading, "Choosing a Dog"). Once you settle on a breed you should read as many books and magazines about that breed as you can and attend dog shows to see the dogs close up. This will give you the opportunity to talk directly with breeders and exhibitors about the breed.
Finding the right breeder can be accomplished with the help of the American Kennel Club or the United Kennel Club. Both of these registering organizations have major Internet sites from which you can obtain very useful information, including advice on choosing a dog as well as a breeder. The American Kennel Club, based in New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina, offers a Breeder Referral-Breeder Search program, which is designed to help those looking for a companion animal. Visit the American Kennel Club web site, www.akc.org, and click on "1. Breeder Referral Search." Once there, you will be asked to select a breed and a state. You will then be directed to one of many breed clubs close to you and provided with contact names, phone numbers and, in some cases, e-mail addresses. The breed clubs in turn can recommend a good breeder closest to you.
Another helpful organization is the United Kennel Club, which is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Their web site address is www.ukcdogs.com. This site also provides the names of breed clubs. Visiting this web site is a good way to learn more about the United Kennel Club, which is quite distinctive from the American Kennel Club and also worthy of your interest.
Good breeders can also be found in classified ads in dog-related magazines such as The AKC Gazette, Bloodlines (UKC), Dogs in Canada, Dogs in Canada Annual, Dog World, Dogs in Review and Dog Fancy. Breeder ads can also be found in other dog publications such as Dog News, Canine Chronicle, Canine Review, Off-Lead, Ilio (Hawaii) and Front and Finish.
Good, Reputable BreedersThe best breeders are usually the ones who have been recommended by those who have had good experiences with them or who have some accreditation from a national breed club. Once you have a recommendation, make an appointment to visit the kennel and meet the people. This is an opportunity to look around and try to evaluate the quality of the kennel. Some are quite elaborate, with outdoor runs made of concrete slabs bordered with chain-link fences allowing adequate space for their dogs. But indoors or outdoors, elaborate or modest, these details do not tell the entire story when it comes to a good kennel; it is the quality of the dogs, along with the hygienic conditions in which the dogs live and the care they receive, that matters, rather than the elaborate look of their environment.
Pay attention to where the dogs are housed during the day as well as during the night. Are the areas clean from top to bottom, free of doggie-do and doggie-don't? Tactfully ask if they disinfect the dog's areas every day. They should. It is best to consider a puppy from a breeder who is involved in some way with showing dogs and has a working knowledge of the breed's written Standard from AKC or UKC. If the breeder shows you your puppy's pedigree, look for the title Ch in front of the names of the dog's parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. This means Champion of Record, which can be awarded only by winning fifteen points at various dog shows. It is a great accomplishment for the dog and the breeder and is a solid indication of your puppy's potential for being a good example of his breed.
Good Breeders Socialize Their PuppiesKnowledgeable breeders understand the importance of socializing puppies and nurture them by holding each one in a loving manner at least once a day and by paying a lot of attention to them in a pleasant environment. In an indoor kennel the puppies and the mother may be kept inside the house in an x-pen (a portable wire fence), where they are warm and safe and watched with a careful eye. Cleanliness is almost as important as good nutrition and involves cleaning up shortly after each feeding, which with young pups could take place every three or four hours. Feeding the puppies and cleaning up after them requires twenty-four-hour supervision. For a reputable breeder, this is a way of life.
Enthusiasm and pride in his or her dogs along with a solid working knowledge of the breed are excellent signs that you are talking to a good breeder. Does she like telling you about the history and traits of the breed? He may choose to tell you about each puppy's personality and what you can expect when living with one of his dogs. Some breeders may sound like they are trying to discourage you but are just testing your seriousness about taking proper care of a dog. Bear in mind that while you are evaluating the breeder, the breeder will be evaluating you. You may be asked a number of questions, all of which are designed to determine if you are a proper person for one of their puppies. This is a good sign and you must not be put off by it.
A caring, ethical breeder will tell you about all the negatives that you may encounter when living with such a dog in order to be sure you know what you are getting into. Some breeds howl, some need a lot of exercise, some cannot bear to be alone and some want constant attentionwhile others may not. You may be asked where the puppy is going to live, who is in the family (people as well as other animals), who is going to care for the dog, if the puppy will be left alone for long periods of time and other such questions. Most breeders become quite attached to their puppies and want to make sure that they have the best life possible. Many shed tears as they wave good-bye.
When acquiring a puppy from a breeder, make sure the puppy has been seen by a veterinarian, has been wormed if necessary and has his first set of vaccinations. And please remember, as with anything else in life, there are good breeders and bad breeders. Do your homework and choose wisely. It is really helpful to visit dog shows, search the Internet and read books.
It is a labor of love to breed dogs in a serious, intelligent way. A good breeder is a caregiver, a nursery school teacher and a temporary parent. For a while he or she is the most important person in the puppy's life -- starting him off on the right paw.
If Your Dog Came from a Commercial BreederCommercial breeders sometimes supply pet shops and specialty stores with puppies in both large and small quantities, depending on their operations. Many deal directly with the general public through newspaper and magazine ads. Some even place flyers around supermarket bulletin boards or anywhere else they can. A commercial breeder may operate out of a farm, a garage, a basement or even a large apartment. They breed dogs as a business, which brings into serious question the quality and health of the animals that are for sale.
Some commercial breeders are knowledgeable, responsible, fair and competent, while others are unprincipled and inhumane in their practices. If you visit such an operation, look for the state of cleanliness where the adults and the puppies live rather than an area where they are viewed. Ask yourself if the adults and puppies look healthy. Are they in a sanitary, spacious confinement? Does anyone handle them gently and lovingly each day or even pay the slightest attention to their needs? Do their coats have a healthy gloss and do they appear to be well fed? Have they been given decent medical attention? Ask to see a record of immunization. If there is none, it usually means that a veterinarian has never examined them. Will the operator give you a written guarantee pertaining to the puppy's health? If these questions are answered to your satisfaction, then chances are excellent that your puppy is healthy and happy and will make an easy adjustment to you and your home. Improperly fed, housed and handled puppies are more vulnerable to medical problems and are more likely to have behavioral troubles down the road.
If Your Dog Came from an Animal ShelterThese are the canine Cinderella stories. An animal shelter or rescue organization may be a local SPCA, a humane society, a specific breed rescue organization, a not-for-profit adoption agency or a government-operated dog pound. There are hundreds and hundreds of such shelters throughout North America, both great and small. They are everywhere and can be found in local Yellow Pages listed under ANIMAL SHELTERS or ANIMAL ORGANIZATIONS.
Aside from saving money by adopting a dog from a shelter, you will also certainly be saving his life. A rescue shelter is the most worthwhile animal source one can use. It affords dog lovers a wide range of choices plus the opportunity to provide safety and comfort for a homeless animal. Shelter dogs spend their lives waiting to be adopted or, in some cases, euthanized. Many who have adopted dogs from these various sources have described the experience as pleasant, exciting, interesting, rewarding and heartwarming. There are those who would never consider getting a dog from any other source because of the good they do.
Most of the puppies and adult dogs at adoption agencies have no pedigree and are of unknown heritage. However, they may be as beautiful and delightful as any show dog anywhere. Now and again, a purebreddog does show up in a shelter, but don't count on it.
One should be judicious and highly selective when choosing a puppy or adult dog from a shelter, though. You may be taking on a dog with a serious behavior problem that you are not capable of solving. Try to find out as much as possible about the dog's background, his previous home and why he was given up, and determine if you can handle him. Dogs that seem to be overly frightened may have a shy trait that can lead to aggressive behavior. Feral dogs that have spent most of their lives on the streets or without a human family may not be able to adjust to any other kind of life and may simply not meet your needs as a new dog owner. Dogs that bark excessively may either be trying to get your attention, as if to say "Pick me," or they may be overly territorial. Of course the most serious behavior problem is biting of any kind. Dogs with a history of biting are usually dominant-aggressive and readily show it, or fear-aggressive and indicate thiswith extremely shy behavior. There are many shades of gray between these two serious behavior problems, and they are worthy of your cautious consideration. Unless you feel up to the challenge of behavior problems, it is best to avoid such dogs. Choose one that you feel you can handle successfully. Dogs with housebreaking problems or who are simply in need of obedience training can be turned around with a good dog-training course (see chapter 10, "Training Your Dog") or by a professional dog trainer. If you are living with a rescued dog, bear in mind that he has had a hard time and needs your loving patience. If he has any behavior problems, it is best to engage the services of a professional dog trainer and address the issues. If you feel up to it, invest in a good book on dog training and take on the challenge yourself. You're bound to succeed and feel very good about yourself and your dog.
If Your Dog Came from a Backyard BreederAs with commercial breeders, backyard breeders are very hit or miss and you won't know if you've made a mistake until it's too late. Backyard breeders are often first-time breeders who love their dog and decide they want to breed "their baby." They often know little or nothing about genetics, selective breeding for health and temperament or whelping puppies, for that matter. Few backyard breeders know to create a safe, sterile place for the birth so the mother can deliver her newborns with a minimum risk of infection, or of the need for a whelping box, clean towels, temperature control, antiseptics and knowledge of what to do if something goes wrong.
Sometimes backyard breeders are just trying to make a few easy dollars. The barest health essentials are often ignored, and it's anyone's guess as to the soundness of the resulting puppies. Acquiring a puppy from such a source only serves to encourage this activity, which adds to the tragic problem of pet overpopulation. In most cases the backyard breeder is completely inexperienced and has no knowledge of quality breeding. This often results in puppies that have medical problems, that are not socialized or that grow into shy or aggressive dogs.
Most backyard breeders have only the mother dog on the premises, so you are not able to see what both parents are like. If you had the opportunity to see the father, you might be able to make an intelligent guess about the health and temperament of the puppies. Do the parents look healthy? Do they have obvious behavioral problems? These factors can be an important influence on your decision to accept one of their puppies.
If Your Dog Came from a Pet ShopThe risks involved in getting a puppy from a pet shop are much greater than from a backyard breeder. Some good dogs and many, many problem dogs have been purchased from pet shops. What makes these puppies a potential disaster is that they usually come from so-called puppy mills. A puppy mill is a large or small breeding business, almost always in a rural area where there is no social pressure or government looking over its shoulder. Consequently, in some cases puppy mill operations violate existing laws or the dictates of humane consideration for dogs and puppies. Operating with low or nonexistent visibility, many small farmers breed dogs as an adjunct to their farming income. There are also large commercial breeding operations where dogs are housed in great numbers and are bred without consideration for the health or temperament of the breeding parents or the resulting puppies. Many such dogs are bred until they cannot be bred anymore. Their puppies are a genetic grab bag. Based on past investigative reporting, we know that many of the farm operations house their "breeding stock" and puppies in unsanitary, overcrowded and otherwise inhumane living conditions. Obviously, this is not the situation in every case, but how can you tell what the life of a pet shop puppy was like before he got there? The medical or behavioral consequences could be disastrous.
Puppy mill puppies are often born sick and become aggressive or shy very early on in their lives. Very often they do not even resemble the breed they are supposed to be because they are not bred selectively for type. Sometimes they are not even purebred. Puppy mill puppies never come in contact with humans in a planned socializing program.
They are usually shipped to a wholesaler by truck and then to a pet store at a very young age, an experience that is stressful and often traumatic. Once in the strange and alienating environment of the pet store, they are placed in brightly lit display cages with strange puppies of other litters, breeds, sizes and ages without the warmth and comfort of a mother dog or a littermate with whom to curl up. If even one puppy in the display cage has worms or fleas or mange, chances are the rest will get it. Puppy mill puppies are likely to have medical and social problems, are not guaranteed and are raised in the worst conditions during the most formative time of their young lives. Paradoxically, pet shop puppies cost more than those from good breeders. And it is a fact that more dogs are purchased from pet shops than from any other source, which is one of the reasons why the dog pounds of North America are crowded with canine orphans. These dogs that have lost their homes either have bitten someone, cannot be brought under control, are hard to train or are unpleasant to live with. There are success stories from pet shops, but they are a gamble with high stakes.
Look Out World, Here Comes Puppy!No matter where your dog came from, no matter what his background has been, he is about to become your dog, and in your parental eyes, he is going to be the best. We want that to be true, and by doing the right things in the first year, you can be sure he will have every opportunity to achieve this. To have a relationship with a dog, any dog at all, is to feel less alone in the world and more a part of it in the largest sense imaginable. Doing what is good for your dog is not only good forhim, it is good for you. It will enrich life in ways you cannot even imagine. So lift your glass and toast your dog, nature's gift to all of us.
Copyright © 2002 by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis