Puppy Training - The Big Picture

I finally got smart about puppy training - it's not a finite thing with a beginning and an end - puppy training turns into dog training and NEVER ends.

At first, I thought I could housetrain Alvin and teach him a few commands, and then bingo - a perfectly trained, obedient puppy. What WAS I thinking?

First, I discovered the Basic Command training needed constant reinforcement (this was explained very thoroughly in the It's PAWSible! Dog Training and Puppy Training DVD I used for training). The best example is the COME command - Alvin conveniently forgets that one. And if he's distracted - a rabbit, a bird, someone cooking food - he might forget "SIT." At times, "NO" is clearly a foreign sound. And housetraining - that's a never-ending vigil. One little lapse in his schedule means a possible accident.

Then the behavior/agression issues started in the last few weeks (Alvin is now 5 plus months):

• Jumping up on everyone
• Barking for seemingly no reason
• Backbark (similar to people backtalk)
• Biting/Nipping
• Pulling on the leash
• Constantly getting into mischief (pulling socks or clothes out of a drawer, chewing slippers, chomping on the computer mouse)

It was clear that housetraining and basic command training were not enough and it was time for a new plan. This must be the stage where many people give up training and decide the puppy wasn't such a great idea. And that's how dogs end up in shelters. Lack of committment - people just give up.

What's the solution in Alvin's case - a look at the issues and how to address them with more comprehensive training. And it seems to be working - one day at a time.

More details in future posts . . .

Pet Transport Has Reached a New Level - Pet Airways

I stand corrected - this post is now outdated - Transporting a Pup by Plane - There are no Positives with the introduction of Pet Airways, a new airline that transports pets only!

I have no reviews yet, just a newspaper article introducing Pet Airways - Travel for Your Best Friend!

Pet Airways features cabin (not cargo) travel for pets - what better treatment could your pet get - first class travel at commercial airline pricing! No more cargo travel for 6 plus hours at a time in a cold or hot environment with no food, water, and pee/poop breaks. See the details here.

valmillsy

Hybrid Dogs for Retirees

What's the ideal dog for a retiree?

In the August edition of Consumer Reports Money Advisor, Greg Daughtery, the "Retirement Guy," "consulted the Association of Pet Dog Trainers for advice on dogs and retirees. Generally, the trainers favored smaller dogs. "Breeds such as poodles, Malteses, Yorkies, Bichons, and any mixes of these breeds are great."

"Another major point - most of the trainers recommended adopting a mature dog rather than a puppy. Choosing an older animal means that you can provide a home for a shelter or rescue dog."

This advice makes a case for the suitability of hybrids to retirees and at the same time satisfies the designer dog naysayers who cannot understand why people go to breeders for hybrids instead of to shelters.

And I have to agree about retirees getting a grown dog. Puppies like Prince Alvin are a lot of work to housebreak, train, and care for.

Although the report indicates that "small dogs cost $1300 for food and care in the first year," it also states that "those of us who take pleasure in canine companionship would agree that few if any investments offer a better return."

I'm sure the $1300 figure is based on valid estimates, but I can debate this item (in Alvin's case) in a future post.