Other Things I’ve Learned
In preparing this blog, I thought of some other lessons I’ve learned in owning dogs. I’m no expert — I may certainly be wrong about things — but here is my ”font of useless information” about dog ownership, take it or leave it. It is my hope that my experience will help prevent any difficulty for you and improve your relationship with your pet.
1) The more a dog is socialized, the easier life around other humans and animals will be. Big family holidays (lots of chaos and confusion for an animal) go much more smoothly if a pet is socialized and if I pay attention to my dog’s needs.
2) Young children should never be unsupervised around any dog. To promote a dog’s being “good with children” dogs do need to be socialized with children at an early age. Young children need to be taught how to handle a dog. Do not expect a dog to be “good with children” if the children are not good with the dog. Teach your children to never take for granted that every doggy is going to be good to them. My rule has been to never take any animal for granted. Period.
Approaching a dog the wrong way is a (forgive the pun) pet peeve of mine. NEVER approach a strange dog with your palm down. The dog perceives you as a much larger animal trying to grab him. (Also, not all owners are good to their pets, promoting fear and aggressive behavior.) When reaching out to a dog, approach with your palm up to let the dog sniff you (I find it is best if you let the dog come to you when it is ready). When the dog is ok with you approaching, they will sniff and let you know with body language. If they are not ok with your approach, withdraw your hand and let the dog be. Just like with people, all doggies do not have to be our personal best friend. Respecting animals is the best way to get respect from them (and from their owners). Never take for granted that every animal is raised right or that they will trust you.
3) Dogs are pack animals. They are not solitary creatures. You will automatically be their new pack leader, but they live longer and behave better with others of their own kind around. Just like with children, potty & obedience training are easier if there is another dog there for them to follow an example. I strongly suggest that you get a companion animal for your new puppy, especially if you have a busy schedule.
4) Obedience classes are important- while they provide basic education and socialization for the dog, the most important benefit they provide is they will educate YOU. After owning pets my whole life, one 8-week class at PetSmart taught me there was so much I did not know or understand. It also helped me bond with Juliet, the new pup in a house with a cranky alpha male. Best investment I ever made in my dogs. (Besides, they give you coupons. If you are in OKC, I highly recommend Brandee & Puzzle at the NW Expwy PetSmart who were Juliet’s patient teachers.) One of the lessons I learned was about discipline–a simple water bottle goes a long way to correct unwanted behavior, as does rewarding good behavior with treats. Beatings are unnecessary and don’t have the effect you intend them to have anyway.
5) Pets are a very good gift from a very good God!!
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Juvenile Renal Dysplasia
Losing my Fritz to JRD last December was one of the most painful experiences of my life. For a detailed account of my experience, read my blog post.
During this ordeal there were some things I learned:
1) The way I found out about Fritz’s disease was that I was continuing to have regular problems with potty training. He was not a “bad” dog — he was very sick. Tamar Geller also addresses this point in her book: If you continue having difficulty potty training your dog, do not beat it — take it to the vet for an exam. It does not mean that it has JRD, but it could be something as simple as a urinary tract infection. But if you leave a urinary tract infection untreated for long enough, it could be painfully fatal to your puppy. Listen to your instincts, “listen” to your dog’s behavior. If something isn’t quite right, ask your vet. A simple question or vet visit is all it takes to get peace of mind and a healthier dog. If your vet doesn’t do well with your asking questions, find another who will. Your pet is a financial and emotional investment, and it’s important that your veterinary professional understand that. I do wish that I had taken Fritz to the vet for a check-up earlier, which I will explain further –
2) I took Fritz in to be neutered around six months old, weeks before I took him in for urinary testing. My vet did not run blood tests before the surgery. If he had, if I had known to make sure that he would, we would have found out at that time, and I would not have put Fritz through the surgery. Considering that surgery is hard on bodies, it is somewhat possible that Fritz might have lived longer had he not been put under anesthesia. Ask for a routine blood test before any surgery.
3) I knew nothing about JRD, nor had any experience with it, when I bred Juliet. From my research and conversations with vets, I now know that JRD is a genetic trait which must be passed from two carrier parents. A simple $99 swab DNA test can determine if the sire and dam carry the trait.
Also, during the time I was selling Juliet’s litter, a woman contacted me with her own heart-breaking story. She had bought a new schnauzer pup for her granddaughter for Christmas and given it to her early. Within two days, the puppy was dead. I have no idea exactly what was wrong with the pup, but the granddaughter was devastated, and the grandmother lost $400 at Christmastime (the breeder would not refund her money or return her calls). What’s worse is that this grandmother was not the only person with this same problem who contacted me during that time. This is why it is so important to NEVER buy from a kennel or breeder who is not up front about their animals and who will not stand behind their health. This is why I will never breed Juliet with Brutus again and likely may not breed her at all. When I do breed it is because of love for the animals, and their health and future happiness are of top priority to me. If you cannot find a trustworty, reliable breeder, please adopt.
