Question:

“A friend of mine gave me a mixed pup that she was unable to keep. He’s over a year old now. He was about 7 months old when she got him and had been a bit bullied by the other dogs in the kennel. When she got him home she had a great deal of difficulty with trying to housebreak him, as she was gone most of the time. She also had another small dog from January to June, during which time she underwent a divorce. Then “Spuds” (the new dog) was left almost totally alone during the entire summer.

What I am wondering is how to get my own dog to adjust to Tiger. The dog training books are full of virtually no help in obtaining information on dogs (and cats – I have one of those, too) adjusting to each other.

How do I get them to eat their own food? Also, the new dog drinks water and drips all over the floor. What do I do about sleeping quarters? The other two have been used to sleeping with me. And how do I get them to go potty outside and to tell me when he wants to?”

Our Answer:

There are virtually no guaranteed methods of inducing individual dogs and/or cats to tolerate each other. Just like people, some will never get along well, however, most at least become mutually tolerant if given enough time. Typically, a dominance order must be established, and this may involve a few non-violent “skirmishes” between the animals.

In reference to the food bowl problem, this is quite common, even in animals which have established friendly relationships. During a meal (often several times during a given meal), the dominant individual will horn in on another individual who in turn may move over to the vacated bowl or attempt to separate a third party from his bowl.

The best solution for this kind of problem is not to decide who should eat from what bowl and when. Let them decide – and if someone is getting less than he needs (or more), simply feed them in separate rooms.

About the sloppy water drinking, unfortunately this is just a bad habit which is virtually impossible to correct.

In regards to sleeping quarters, where do you want the new dog to sleep? If you find two dogs and a cat in your bed mutually tolerable, then fine. However, I’ve known a number of dogs that were not particularly cozy with their owners at bed time, and suffered no psychological problems.

Housebreaking requires patience and perseverance. Although several techniques are outlined in many dog training books, the one “best” method seems to be frequent trips outside, especially after eating, and gentle (but firm) reprimands for “accidents”, which should be immediately followed with a trip outside to the potty area.

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You probably have children who have been begging, “Please can we have a dog?” Owning a dog is a big responsibility and it can be a perfect venue in which to teach your children. However, there are a few things to consider before adopting a dog into your family. You and your family will have to come up with a game plan in advance and agree to what your new furry family member can and cannot do in your home.

One of the first things you want to consider is dog or puppy-proofing your home. A great hint in doing this is to get on your hands and knees and look for hazards like dangling electrical cords that would be great for chewing; pick toys and other small objects off the floor that could be harmful if swallowed; remove chemicals, paper sacks, plastic items and even plants away from the prying jaws of a pooch. And if you are planning to house train your new pet, remove area rugs temporarily until he is trained. You don’t want him to accidentally think it is a great elimination spot!

Invest in a baby gate for those areas in your home where you do not want your new pooch to wander. It also could also be used to cordon off a special place just for him. This is especially helpful in the house training front. Also, dogs, especially puppies are curious and love to explore. If you don’t want your clothing and shoes plowed and chewed through, ensure that your pooch does not have access to them. Close your bedroom door or closet door.

Because dogs like to chew, buy some appropriate chew toys and rawhide bones for that gnawing instinct. Puppies teethe and having something safe to chew on will keep them from chewing on things in your home. Also purchase plenty of toys to keep him occupied. A bored dog can be a destructive dog! Rubber balls, tug ropes, push dog toys, and even squeaker toys are favorites of many canines. And just like with human children, you want to buy pet toys that are age-appropriate for them. Also, buy enough toys so that you can rotate them periodically so that your dog doesn’t become bored.

Lay some ground rules in advance of bringing your puppy home. Can he get on the furniture? Will you allow him in your bedroom? Where do you plan for him to sleep? You will want to know that in advance so that you can put his dog bed there. Are you prepared to be flexible and shuffle your game plan around a bit? Sometimes, dogs will latch on to a favorite spot in the house and if it is your bedroom, you will either have to train him to sleep elsewhere, or allow him to sleep on his dog bed in there. Dogs come with a unique personality and also a number of quirks, just like humans. You will have to learn to adapt.

You should also have a game plan in place for obedience training. A well-behaved dog is a great member of the family. Plus, you will get so much more out of the doggie-human relationship if you invest in obedience training. Do your research and decide if you can tackle the job yourself or if you want to find a training school to help.

Other things to think about are what plans do you have for your dog while you are away from home? What about a veterinarian? Would you hire a dog sitter or board him in a kennel if you had to travel? Do you have a decent yard for him to roam in? What about exercise? Do you plan to walk him and let him socialize with other dogs? All of these are important matters to think about BEFORE adopting a family pooch.

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It’s really exciting for you and your family when you bring a new puppy home isn’t it! However, in the excitement don’t forget to address the basic needs of your puppy. The way to make sure this does not happen is to have your puppy’s supplies already bought and on hand before the big day. So let’s take a look at some of the things your puppy will need from the start of his new life with you.

Obviously one of the absolute basic supplies that you will need is food. This should be obvious, but you would be surprised at how often this is overlooked. You will need to check with the breeder to find out what food your puppy is already eating. You will need a supply of this type of food. If you are planning to change to a different brand, you will need to gradually change it over the course of about seven to ten days. Just add a little of the new brand to the old brand, adding a little more each day, until your puppy is eating just the new brand.

Of course, to go along with the food, you will need food and water bowls. These need to be made from easy to clean material. They also need to be heavy enough that they will not be easily tipped over by an excited young puppy. Since some breeds chew more than others, you may also want to avoid plastic altogether, as these can splinter and cause problems. A set of stainless steal bowls will take care of this problem and they are easy to clean.

After food, one of the most important items you will purchase for your new puppy is his crate. These can be found in many different styles and sizes. If you are bringing home a large breed dog, you will either want to buy a crate that is adjustable or buy several crates in different sizes to accommodate your growing puppy. This crate will become your puppy’s special place. This is where he will sleep, stay, and get away from all the household hubbub. This can also be his “safe” place, especially if you have children. This will become your puppy’s own little “den”. When you purchase your puppy’s crate, you should be sure that it is the right size. Your puppy should be able to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie without being cramped. It should not be so large though that your puppy has enough room to relieve himself at one end while having room to sleep at the other, you do not want your puppy to get in the habit of relieving himself in his crate.

When your puppy is ready to be taken outside, you will need to have him in a collar and on a leash. Your puppy’s first collar and leash should be made of lightweight nylon or leather. If you start your puppy from the very beginning wearing a collar and leash, it will be less of a challenge when you start training. You will need to make sure the collar fits properly. The way to do this is to add two inches to the puppy’s neck size. As your puppy grows you will need to check the collar to make sure it is not to tight. To go along with your puppy’s new collar, you will also need to have an identification tag attached. This tag should have your name, address, and telephone number (make sure you include area code). If your puppy was to stray, it could make the difference in you getting him back or not.

Another item to have on hand to use right from the start is your dog grooming tools. Establishing your puppy’s grooming routine early in his life will eliminate a lot of challenges later on. Hopefully your puppy will start to look forward to this time as time spent one on one with you, so do everything you can to make it a special time. The brushes and combs and other grooming supplies will depend on the breed you choose. Check with the breeder to determine which grooming supplies you will need.

Another thing you will need to establish from the very start of your puppy being a part of your family is what he is allowed to play with. Having toys already on hand will help establish his boundaries for what to play with. If you find your puppy playing with something unacceptable, you can very easily distract him with the proper toy, if you already have the toy on hand. Some good toys to consider are any large rawhide piece (chips, logs, or bone shaped), large nylon chews, and hard rubber balls. You want to find something that is made for puppies and cannot be torn apart, swallowed or splinters easily. You will want to avoid any toys that will fit completely into your puppies mouth, this can pose a serious choking hazard. Also, do not use toys that are meant to encourage tugging, these can unintentionally reinforce aggressive behavior. One last note on toys, do not let your new puppy chew on any old shoes or clothing. Puppies do not know the difference between the old things you gave them and any thing they find laying around, to them it is all fair game. Not only the damage that could be done to your pocessions, but this could also cause some serious safety issues for your puppy. Little pieces could be torn off and swallowed, possibly causing obstructions in the digestive tract.

Thinking ahead and doing a little planning before your new family member comes home will make the transition a lot smoother. It is much easier to have what you need on hand before you even need it. Then there won’t be any mad dashes to the store because you were not prepared.

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