Read This BEFORE You Get A Dog
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I love training dogs. Whether it’s teaching puppies to come back reliably when called or helping a dog who is struggling with such fear that they’ve inflicted serious bites, I enjoy the whole process of helping dogs learn to safely interact with the world in ways that help them get what they want while feeling safe with their family and the world at large.
And I like a challenge. I enjoy living with feisty dogs who keep me on my toes. Many dog trainers are like me - we like a “project dog.” Dogs who challenge us are far more interesting and, dare I say, FUN. We like figuring out the puzzle that behavior can be and love watching the behavior morph into something easier to live with as the dog becomes more comfortable, confident, and knowledgeable. But, generally speaking, we are an odd breed. Most people aren’t fascinated by annoying or dangerous behaviors. Most reasonable people want to live with animals that are easy to live with. And there are ways to help ensure that you’re going to get that dog if you know what to do before you bring home the cute dog who caught your eye on social media or in a pet store.
Doing a bit of legwork before selecting your dog can result in lower training costs, lower medical bills, a reduced probability of getting bitten or sued. You’ll be more likely to be able to travel with your dog or leave your dog with a trusted sitter. Your dog will be able to safely receive care from vets and groomers. You’ll like living with your dog more than you might if you don’t do your homework. Let me give you just one example…
Dogs with sound sensitivities struggle when they hear thunder or fireworks or sirens or the beep of the smoke detector or microwave. Some are so scared they may do damage to your house or accidentally injure themselves trying to escape from the scary thing. They may pee or poop inside when scared. They might even bite when they are so upset. Obviously, we don’t want our dogs suffering - but we also don’t want the risks, the inconvenience, or even medical bills (for ourselves or out dogs) due to that fear. Medical treatments for sound sensitivity have come along in the last decade and many dogs get great relief if their owners can afford the pricey medicine and are able to give their dog the medicine just when they need it 45-60 minutes before the start of the storm. Yes, training can often overcome sound sensitivity, but it can take time and requires a sufficiently-educated dog trainer (not all trainers know how to address that sort of thing). And training costs money too, of course.
But what if I told you that you could greatly reduce your chances of getting a dog with sound sensitivity? It’s true - you can. Sound sensitivities are largely genetic. Hunting dogs who are afraid of gunshot sounds don’t get bred to pass along that problem to future gundogs. As a result, only dogs who aren’t afraid get to breed and, voila! - hunting dogs from responsible breeders striving to produce the best examples of their breed aren’t afraid of gun sounds. We could wipe out nearly all cases of sound sensitivity if breeders wanted to focus on that problem.
There are no guarantees when selecting a dog. Puppies from breeders are not quite the “blank slate” that you might guess. They come with breed and family genetics which might predispose them to health or behavior problems. Selecting some breeds greatly increases the probability of certain cancers, eye problems, biting, dog/dog issues, etc. Selecting dogs who aren’t known for those temperament or health problems doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a perfect dog - but it greatly improves the probability of that happening.
About once a month I have to tell a dog owner that their dog is behaving exactly like I’d expect a dog of that breed and age to act. I often say, “you got exactly what you paid for.”
So what can you do - before you get a dog or even settle on a breed - to increase your chance of sucess? Here’s my list:
Do more research on breeds that match your lifestyle. Don’t select a breed because your family had one when you were a kid. Don’t select one just because they are cute (though there’s research that indicates that dogs who are considered cute by their owners will have better lives - see: Canine Cuteness Effect by Thorn et al. published in Anthrozoös, 2015). Read their official “breed standard” - a description of what a perfect representation of the breed will look and act like - but DO read between the lines. You know how the words “fixer upper” is a red flag when you’re buying a house? Well terms like “protective” or “aloof” or “reserved and discerning with strangers” or “serious minded” should all give you pause - and those are all terms found in one fairly popular breed according to their AKC standard. Check out breed groups (real groups or those found in social media). But expect bias. Most people who have hunting dogs LOVE hunting dogs even though they can drive other people nuts (and the same can be true of herding breeds, terriers, and many of the other “working” dogs if their humans aren’t prepared to meet the unique needs of their individual types/breeds).
Talk to a vet about the health problems most often seen in the breed.
Talk to owners of the breeds you’re considering. Find out what they like AND what drives them nuts. If they ONLY have good things to say about the breed, find more people to talk to. Of course, if they only have bad things to say about the breed, keep looking for more balanced reviews too - because both extremes are inaccurate.
Read about your breeds in places like Lily Chin’s book Dogs of the World or Zazie Todd’s Wag: The science of making your dog happy.
Talk to a dog trainer with extensive experience with a wide variety of breeds. Tell them what you see yourself doing with your dog - do you want a couch potato to watch ball games with all weekend on tv? Or are you hoping for a running partner who will put in miles and miles with you each week? Do you want a dog who loves parties filled with people or are you more of a home-body introvert who wants a dog who is happy snuggling without craving a lot of attention from others? There are dogs to match your lifestyle - but the dogs who don’t are likely to be much more work for you and they may struggle to be happy. It’s fair for dog trainers to charge for that type of consulting service. But if you happen to be local to me, I’ll happily do it for an inexpensive lunch. I’d much rather spend an hour with you helping you make a good decision than multiple hours helping you overcome the problems that come with picking the wrong dog. If you’re not local, I’ll bet we can work out something that’s reasonable.
Once you’ve selected the breed or type of dog you’re looking for, give careful consideration to where you’ll get your dog. There are good breeders and bad breeders (and it’s not always easy to know which is which - this is another thing a good dog trainer can help with). There are also good AND bad rescues and shelters. Personally, I have a bias for rescues or shelters with foster family arrangements. Foster families get to know the dog’s good points and challenges and good rescues/shelters transparently pass along all that information to prospective adopters so you know what you’re signing up for.
Consider the dog’s age. Stereotypically, Great Danes are wonderfully lazy dogs - when they are mature. Same with English Bulldogs, Basset Hounds, Bernese Mountain Dogs. But puppies of any of those breeds can be a LOT of dog. I love them, but remember, I like a challenge! Dogs often have pretty serious temperament changes between the ages of 2-3 as they become socially mature. It’s entirely normal and doesn’t mean there’s anything “wrong” with your dog. But they may act quite differently than they were when they were younger. If we’re going to see dog/dog “aggression,” it’s more likely with socially mature dogs than with puppies or adolescents. So, adopting a mature dog helps ensure that the behavior of the dog you acquire is how the dog will be fore the coming years.
If all this seems like a lot, let me assure you that it’s less effort (and cost) than trying to change the behavior of a dog who was never suited for your lifestyle. Getting the right dog might save you money on training or the tough decision about rehoming a dog who simply isn’t a fit. For your sake - and for the sake of the dog - make a well-informed decision. Let me know if I can help you do that.