From: kkv@inel.gov (Jamie J Ferguson)
Subject: Re: Need help with choosing a dog to adopt
Keywords: adoption, shelter, GSD mix, samoyed
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 23:57:07 GMT

In article <1993Jan11.202418.18944@watson.ibm.com> vinod@vnet.ibm.com writes:
>
>1. Since both of the dogs are not well trained, are they going
>   to be very difficult to train? Don't even know if they
>   are really house-broken. I intend to enroll in an obedience
>   class, but is it possible to train a dog at that age?

I've seen older dogs learn better than younger ones -- it often
depends on the person training them.  

>7. What questions should I be asking the shelter staff? (The
>   shelter has around 75 dogs, so I don't know if they know
>   much about the individual dogs). Both dogs don't seem to
>   have much history recorded there, looks like they were
>   both picked up running stray.

I volunteer for our Humane Society pet center, and we place cards
on each cage with as much information as we can about the animal.
We don't have a shelter yet and all the animals live in foster
homes, so we generally have less than 20 total.  It may be harder
for your shelter to gather much information about each dog.  We
generally try to record things like:  the dog's name (we make
them up if the dog is not named already to keep track of the
dogs); whether the dog is housebroken or not; what shots the animal
has had; whether it has been spayed/neutered; any other medical
information (ex. it was dewormed); and whatever else sounds interesting.
For example, my latest puppy's card said he and his 3 littermates
were going to be shot by their owner before someone called the
Humane Society.  Sometimes we put things like "likes to play
fetch", or whatever else makes the animal seem more attractive
(as long as it is true, of course).  We also mention if the animal
has been around children or other dogs & cats, and whether or not
it did well in that situation.

You should make sure the dog you get is up-to-date on its shots.
If we pick up a stray it gets its first shots right away (I'm not
sure if we hold it first, but it goes to the vet immediately to
be checked first -- the shots are done then or soon after).  My
second dog was a stray and she had had her 1st shots when we took
her.  This is generally standard procedure since you can't know
whether or not the animal has been vaccinated at all.  I would
take the dog to your vet within the first few days (we give free
certificates to allow the adopted animal a checkup within 7 days
of adoption).  Even if you don't think there is anything wrong
with the animal it doesn't hurt to be sure, and it also allows
your vet a chance to get to know the animal a little bit since
you'll need to visit him/her yearly anyway.  The fur on the GSD
you looked at sounds a little fishy -- I'd ask the people at the
shelter about it, and if you take that dog you might want to go
directly to the vet.  We allow for the dog to be returned and the
$$$ refunded within a week or so (I forget the exact amount) if
anything is wrong medically, so hopefully yours will do something
similar.  Of course, once you get attached to the dog you don't
want to return it!

I would strongly recommend obedience school.  Even if you aren't
interested in having a dog that will do 50 tricks, it really helps
enforce the fact that you are the alpha.  I do all of the training
(the class part, at least) for our 3 dogs because I just don't
"sound" as dominant!  (Like when our lab ate our couch pillows
and I laughed while my husband yelled...laughing isn't a good way
to show dominance!)   Based on the dogs I've seen in classes, it'll
really depend on you as to whether or not the dog will learn.
Dogs want to please (as long as they know you're the alpha -- 
otherwise they want to do what they want), and the age really
doesn't make much difference.  It is more fun (in my opinion) to
train puppies because they are SO excited when they do the right
thing!  Of course, they're excited when they do the wrong thing,
too!  Puppy class is generally less structured, which I suppose
is why I like it.  But dog class is fun too.

You might want to consider crating your dog during the day, especially
since you won't know too much about the dog.  All 3 of ours get
crated (everytime we try to trust them they destroy something
that costs hundreds of dollars to replace).  They tend not to like
it at first, but now they love their crates.  We call them "caves"
instead of crates.  If we leave the doors open the dogs sleep in
there during the day anyway.

Good luck with your new dog.  I'm glad to hear you want to adopt
an older dog because those are the ones that end up being put to
sleep.  We can't because of the personalities already present in
our "pack", but maybe someday.  About Samoyeds, there is a dog
training book written by a guy who owns a Samoyed named Tundra.
He taught her LOTS of things -- I think she knows 50-100 words.
I can't remember the name of the book, but evidently Tundra has
even been on tv.  That bodes well for the Samoyed.  You could
always take both dogs!  :)  (See why I have 3???)   


Jamie

*********************************************************************
     canines:  Kenzie -- 1 yr old black Lab X
               Meggin -- 8 month old Australian Shepherd X
               Harry  -- 4 month old Border Collie X

     felines:  Kieri  -- 5 1/2 yr old lilac point Siamese
               Zak    -- 5 1/2 yr old blue point Siamese
               Duke   -- 1 yr old seal point Siamese
*********************************************************************
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