From: schalene@sequent.com (Schalene Dagutis)
Subject: Re: New Puppy - Need Advice!!
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 19:06:22 GMT

In article <12710@almond.rl.ac.uk> ines@inf.rl.ac.uk (Ines Day) writes:
>In article <1992Aug26.224604.13772@gateway.ssf-sys.DHL.COM> cmoussav@ssf-sys.DHL.COM (Carla Moussavi) writes:
>
>>  I just got a puppy, 12 weeks old, female, shepard/lab mix. My husband
>> and I work all day, and I need advice about the following things:
>
>The best you can do is give the puppy to someone who can look after it all 
>day, at least until it has got to know people, and knows what odd 
>creatures they are!
>People like you should not be allowed to have a dog!  
>
I guess I don't see the point of Ines' post....I don't think we can
expect everyone on the net to be an expert....I know I'm not.  I like
reading rec.pets.dogs to learn.  This person was seeking advice, not
accusations.  Yes, they should have done more research before they got
their pup.  But they have it now.  Blasting them for their first
mistake isn't going to solve their problems or educate them in the
finer points or basic points of dog ownership.

>>1. Is it necessary to get another puppy to keep her from being lonely?
>>
>No, it needs PEOPLE, unless you want it to revert to being a pack animal!
>I pity this puppy.  It will probably end up by being left out on 
>the highway by you in the end, because you cannot understand why it has 
>turned into a nasty dog, unable to relate to humans. 
>
>The least you can do for it, get a couple of decent books about dogs.  
>But you run the danger of being too ashamed to own this puppy without 
>knowing the first thing about dogs.
>
Here I agree with Ines.  It isn't necessary to get a second pup to
keep the first one company.  Personally, I highly recommend against it
until you've learned more and started training your first dog.

When we got our pup at 10 weeks old, we stayed home with it the first
week.  The whole week was devoted to the pup.  Teaching him his name;
house training; and getting him comfortable with his new environment.
No company.....just the pup, my husband, and I.  When we had to go
back to work (yes, both of us work), we hired someone to come in the
house around 12 o'clock and play with the pup, take him outside, etc.
Gradually, as Max got more used to our house and his new environment,
we stopped this.  First the person came only 4 days, then 3 days a
week and so on.  However, someone was coming until Max was over 7
months old.  We did not confine him in his crate during our absence, 
but confined him in the kitchen, using child gates -- with his crate, 
door open, available to him.  

I could go on, but I'm sure I'll bore everybody.  If you want more
details, please respond via email.....Please, please buy some books on
new puppies.  There are two I highly recommend.  Others can chime in
with their favorites.  "The Art of Raising a Puppy," by the Monks of
New Skete and "Mother Knows Best," by Carol Lea Benjamin.  We used a
combination of the advice given in these two books primarily when we
brought Max home.  

Also, it's not too late to enroll your puppy in puppy kindergarten.
To find a class, ask your vet for a recommendation, sometimes the
humane society knows of people.  In our county, the county holds the
classes at a local park.  The trainer will greatly help you learn to
interact and teach your puppy.  The class will get your puppy properly
socialized with other dogs and other people.  It will be great for
both of you.

>>   If not, what can I do to keep her happy during the day? She's outside
>>   during the day - any good toys I should buy her?
>
>Toys do not make up for PEOPLE, not for a baby, not for a dog!
>
>>
No, toys do not make up for people.  But dogs do like toys.  Different
dogs like different toys.  Ours likes squeaky toys and never does chew
the noise maker thingy out.  Other late, great Cocker would chew it
out in 5 minutes.  I wouldn't recomend a squeaky toy for a Shepherd
mix, but there are many Nylabone-type toys that a 12-week old puppy
would like.  It's been my experience that dogs do get bored with the
same toy.  We have several, but only give them to our dog one at at
time.  When he seems bored (hasn't played with it in a day or two) we
pick it up and give him another.  He loves it.  We rotate them around.

>>2. How can I train her to go to the bathroom in a specific area of the
>>  backyard? 
>
>NOT by telepathy!!
>And, by the way, dogs do not "go to the bathroom"!

Well, I think we knew what she meant.....

If you want your puppy to use the same spot in the yard.  Take her out
the same door everytime, walk her to the same spot on a leash would work
so she doesn't dart off and go somewhere else -- you don't want this
to turn into a game of chase -- and tell her to "make a piddle" "go
potty" whatever.  Use the same words every time.  When she starts,
praiser her like crazy in an up, happy voice.  If its raining, you
still have to go out with her.  Later, when she's fully trained, you
won't.  The only problem I see, however, is that it sounds like she
has free run of the yard during the day.  If this is the case,
training her to go in one spot will be much more difficult.  Have you
thought about keeping her inside, perhaps confined to the kitchen?  We
do this with our dog.  He cannot wait all day before he has to urinate
(is this the proper term, Ines) so we put papers down.  The Monks
don't go for this but I found Ms. Benjamin to be more realistic in
this area of advice for owners who work.

I'm sorry you got such a harsh response at first.  Usually the net is
much more helpful.  Yes, we get aggravated from time to time because
the same mistakes do tend to come up often from new owners who perhaps
haven taken the time to do all the research *we* feel they should do.

A puppy is not an impulse decision -- please take the time to learn
all you can about your companion for the next 10+ years.

Good luck on you and your new pup's learning experience.

schalene