My history included information about my dog-mom and dad's pedigree, and my operation, shot and medical information to date.
My schedule...
And advice...
Since my hu-mom and hu-man had never had a puppy before, Michael and Karen wanted to make sure that we would "adjust" well to one another, so they gave my hu-mom and hu-man the following advice....
- They said that if I ever chewed up something that I wasn't supposed to, peed inside the house, or did something that I wasn't supposed to, my hu-mom and hu-man should roll up a newspaper and....(oh I know what you are thinking, but wait...) they should whack themselves on the side of the head with it, because they are the humans and it is up to them to provide a "puppy-proof" environment, let me out when I should be let out, and provide a nurturing environment for me.
- They also encouraged my hu-mom and hu-man to touch and massage my paws, so I would be used to the touch and wouldn't go ballistic when it was times to get my nails clipped.
- They also had the same advice for touching and massaging my ears, so ear-cleaning wouldn't be traumatic.
- They also showed my hu-mom and hu-man to touch my muzzle, clean my eyes, and open my mouth and dig things out, that shouldn't be there -- (I gave them plenty of opportunity to practice this one in those early days!) All of this was designed to get my hu-mom and hu-man used to touching me...and me getting used to them touching me, so that when I was a "big" dog, I wouldn't growl at or bite them when I saw them coming near my face.
- Michael and Karen told my hu-mom and hu-man that I was smart, so they should challenge me, give me plenty of time and attention, and most of all love.
And it is with the above information and advice that we started our new live together....
Boomer in the Tomatoes
Our family circle expanded recently with the arrival of a kindhearted old gentleman. He’s pushing 80, but still thinks he’s a teenager–until his arthritis reminds him of his limitations. We don’t know anything about his “former life,” but we wanted to make his last years on this earth as happy as possible.
And therein lies the mystery. Most people would probably share stories of their life, opening the door to let us peek into their past. Ah, but Boomer isn’t like most people. In fact, he’s not a people at all. He’s 80 pounds of pure love, in the shape of a Golden Retriever.
What makes us do the things we do? Is it nature versus nurture? Or a combination of both? We’re learning things about Boomer that make us even more curious about his past, but offer few answers.
Our other dog, Shadow (a black Lab/Corgi mix), is happy to be her own doorman, letting herself back inside after a romp in the yard. All we have to do is leave the door closed but not latched, and she pushes open the door. (We’re still working on having her close it behind her.)
The first time we let Boomer outside, he came back to the door well enough—he can see where the door is, after all—and then he just stood there with a happy, expectant look on his face. I opened the door a bit to show him it wasn’t latched, but he still just stood there. I opened it halfway and called to him, but his look replied, “You don’t expect me to push the door open, do you? That would be rude!” Ah yes, he’s too much of a gentleman to intrude without an invitation.
We were in the midst of tomato season when Boomer joined us, and I was shocked to discover that he was a vegetable lover—especially fond of tomatoes. His golden-turned-white face now turned a pale shade of green as he browsed among the tomato plants, picking and eating cherry tomatoes at his leisure. As I fixed supper, he watched me hopefully, and greedily downed the two cherry tomatoes I gave him each night. You’d have thought they were the most delicious liver treats in the whole world!
Always anxious to get in on Treat Time, Shadow showed up the first time she heard Boomer eating something in the kitchen. So, I handed her a cherry tomato to try. She sniffed it eagerly, and then glared at me as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding. Do dogs actually eat these things?”
The other day, I investigated a noise in the spare bedroom, where I found Boomer happily finishing off a big green tomato that I’d brought inside before the first frost, hoping it would ripen a bit. It had been sitting there long enough, Boomer decided, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. Down the hatch!
We like to eat supper in front of the TV (it’s just the two of us, after all), so after kitchen prep is over, we settle in for some “down time.” Boomer liked to keep me company in the kitchen while I fixed supper, but he just stayed there after I left the room. I figured he’d join us when he felt like it. Awhile later, we were startled by a soft little “yelp” from the kitchen. Worried that Boomer’s back legs weren’t letting him get up, I hurried in to investigate. As soon as I appeared, he scrambled to his feet and happily followed me back to the livingroom.
This scenario went on for several nights until I decided to try something new. The next time Boomer yelped from the kitchen, I called, “Come on out, Boomer! Join the party!” Seconds later, his happy, grinning face appeared beside us. Who knew he just needed an invitation? Somewhere in his past, I guess somebody trained him to stay put, even without the “stay” command. He has a memory like an elephant, and he continues to surprise us with his bag of tricks.
If you ever decide to foster or adopt an older dog, keep in mind that he brings with him a whole lifetime of experiences. Just accept him for who he is, and welcome him into your home with loving arms. You’ll never regret it.
Aggression is a very common trait associated with dogs. Different circumstances spark temperamental swings leading to aggressive behavior on their part. Dogs manifest their anger or disapproval through common signs that may include continuous barking, howling and lunging. But sometimes blocking the way, jumping in the air and pouncing on the owner may also indicate restless behavior.
As a dog grows in years, he starts getting impatient. His level of tolerance slowly weans away paving the way for violent behavior. But this abrupt change usually throws the whole house into a tizzy. We are completely at our wits’ end unable to decide how to cope with these unforeseen circumstances. But we shouldn’t worry too much and instead try to delve deep into the matter.
First and foremost we should reflect on the situations that induced aggressive behavior on our dogs’ part in the past. There could be several causes right from challenge posed by a younger dog to a sudden onset of illness like arthritis, hyperthyroidism or possible brain tumors. The former sounds a little weird. But this is true because sometimes due to old age a senior dog may not be able to match up to the energy level of his younger counterparts, leading to a sense of frustration and despondency. Medical conditions, however, could be a potential cause of misdemeanor. Pain and stiffness from arthiritis rob them off their ability to move about unhindered. Hyperthyroidism and brain tumors although rare occurrences may lead to excruciatingly painful conditions. These keep them tensed all the time. But the medical problems can be resolved by consulting his vet.
Dogs usually tend to be well disciplined if we inculcate good values in them. But if they suddenly start behaving abnormally we should immediately investigate the causes and take proper measures to abate them.
I would like to be old myself, as long as I am as healthy as can be. Shiba Inus can get really old, though I have not heard of any who became twenty years old.
It should be noted that while this dog is a cross breed, there is nothing that says that other Dachshund Terrier cross breeds will be as long lived as he is. I do not even know what Terrier breeds are in him. He must have hit a jackpot in the genetic lottery.
A dog’s personality can be observed from a very young age. Is she dominant? Submissive? Somewhere in between? Knowing where your puppy is in that range can help greatly when you decide to train her.
The Campbell Puppy Test allows you to choose a dog that has a generally agreeable personality and is mentally sound.
Before the Campbell Test
Before you start the test, make sure that the dog is in an unfamiliar place. There should also be no outside distractions to compete for the puppy’s attention.
At 5 to 7 weeks, a puppy’s personality is mostly set, but they are not completely attached to humans. This is the optimal time range to perform the puppy test.
To avoid potentially inaccurate results, the test should be given by someone who has not met the dog before.
The Campbell Puppy Test
Below is the guidelines to follow to administer the Campbell Puppy Test. This test is not the only puppy test in existence, but is generally accepted as appropriate test to determine the personality type of your puppy.
There are 5 areas the test focuses on…
- Social Attraction
- Response to Obligation
- Social Domination
- Facility to Follow
- Acceptance to be Lifted
Social Attraction
To measure social attraction, the person testing should sit several feet from the puppy and observes its reactions…
- Does the dog follow the tester?
- If it does come, what is its body language is its tail held high or is it low?
- Does the dog run away?
- Does she check out the testing room?
Response to Obligation
To observe the puppy’s response to obligation, the dog is placed on his back and held down by his chest with the tester’s flat palm.
- How does the puppy react?
- Does he squirm angrily or try to bite the hand holding him down?
- Does he protest at first but calm eventually?
- Does he lay quietly or try to lick the hand holding him down?
Social Domination
To test the puppy’s tendency toward social domination, the tester should simply sit with the puppy and pet him. The puppy may try to run away or may roll onto his back.
- Does he lick the tester’s hands or bite them?
- Does he crawl onto the tester?
Facility to Follow
The dog’s facility to follow should be judged by the tester placing the puppy near him and then walking a few feet away.
- Does the puppy follow or wander off by himself?
- Does he eagerly follow and jump on the tester, or maybe even nip at his ankles?
- Does he follow closely or from a distance?
Acceptance to Be Lifted
The last thing tested is the dog’s acceptance to be lifted. To do this, the tester should lift the dog away from him only by his chest, making sure the puppy doesn’t see him.
- Does the dog stay calm or try to lick the tester’s hands?
- Does he seem anxious and struggle or try to bite the tester’s hands?
- Does he squirm at first, but eventually calm down?
The way the puppy reacts to these small tests will give you a general idea for whether the dog has a more dominant personality, a submissive one or if he’s somewhere in the middle. The first time or beginner dog owner should try to avoid choosing a dog that is one extreme or the other. An overly dominant or submissive dog will require specific and advanced training from someone who is familiar with training animals.
For Help With Dog Training check out the Secrets to Dog Training at http://dogcarefrenzy.com/likes/secrets-to-dog-training
Share with other dog lovers...
