I started a list of things I wish I would have known before getting a dog and here are five more things to add to the list! I’m hoping that this category (Things to know before getting a dog) will act as a resource for people thinking of getting a dog. Too many times people fall in love with a “cute puppy” and don’t think of or realize all the other things that come with owning that cute puppy! Pass it on.
6. Early Socialization is Key!
I can’t stress enough how important it is to get your dog around as many different people and dogs as possible as early as possible. Men, women, kids, people in costumes or hats, big dogs, medium dogs, little dogs-all of the above. So many times I see people who own little dogs, carry them around everywhere and don’t let them interact with other dogs like dogs are supposed to. Or, they just keep them in their pet carrier all the time. The result? Fearful Aggression. This is why so many little dog breeds get a bad rap for being snippy. Dogs who are scared will growl, show their teeth and even bite because it’s their defense mechanism. They’re not mean, they just are nervous around other people and dogs and that’s their way of saying “leave me alone”.
My Leroy is afraid of big dogs and we’ve really had to work with him because of it. I wish we would have gotten him around more big dogs when we first got him because I think that would have helped. We are in the process of socializing Stella. (Although I should say that socializing is an ongoing thing). Stella is still unsure when she meets dogs, so we’re getting her to meet as many different kinds of dogs as possible. It’s good to start with one dog at a time at first and then work up to more dogs. You also want to make sure that you are introducing your dog to other dogs who are already socialized and like dogs. We are taking Stella to our local Dogtopia for doggy day care so she can have safe, supervised interactions with other dogs.
Bottom line is that you want your dog to feel comfortable and confident around people and other dogs and the best way to do that is to start exposing them to different people and dogs early.
7. A squirt bottle can be your best friend when it comes to disciplining:
My dogs FEAR the squirt bottle. I don’t even have to use it on them anymore…I just show it and they know to stop whatever they’re doing. We’re lucky though, some dogs love water so much that a squirt bottle is just another fun toy. It’s always a good place to start though and it’s humane! To effectively use a squirt bottle to discipline your dog, make sure it’s on the stream setting (no wimpy misting!) and squirt your dog while saying “no (fill in the blank ) “. For Stella, “no bark” has been a popular one!
8. Traveling takes a lot more planning than it did in the past:
There are more and more options of where to bring your pet if you’re traveling…traditional kennels, doggy day care/boarding facilities, your vet, in-home pet sitters, etc. Traveling is tough for us. We prefer to have my parents come stay with our dogs, but they live three hours away. You see, the problem with our dogs is that they don’t really know they’re dogs. Zoey and Leroy would have severe anxiety in a kennel or with a ton of other dogs. Ideally, we’d have a friend come stay at our house, but that’s tough too. Basically, we take them wherever we go and we don’t get to travel long distances very often. Something to consider if you love to travel.
9. Not all dogs love a kennel/crate…sometimes an X-pen works better:
My poor Zoey hated her kennel/crate from the moment we first got her. It just freaked her out and we never could make it a positive place for her. We started keeping her in our bathroom with her bed, a potty pad, water, and some toys during the day, but that was not ideal either. Finally, we found the ultimate solution that all three dogs love…the X-pen (also known as an exercise pen). Now all three dogs stay in the X-pen when we’re at work. They have their comfy beds, some toys and water and they’re happy! X-pens come in several sizes and can be small or expanded into various shapes. You can find them at PetSmart, Petco, Amazon.com, etc.
10. The kind of food you feed your dog MATTERS!
I know it’s tempting to get food that is the least expensive, especially if you have a big dog who goes through food like it’s going out of style. BUT…our dogs don’t live long enough lives as is, so don’t you want them to have as many quality years as possible? Plus if you knew some of the things that are in low quality dog foods, you would cringe (Step 2 and 3 below explain what I mean). We like to feed our dogs the same way we feed ourselves…organic and containing high quality protein. Here is a quick guide of things to look for:
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Tags: quality dog food, socializing your dog, squirt bottle, things to know before getting a dog, traveling with dogs, x-pen
I want to thank you for this post.
It is so important that people understand these things before taking on the responsibility of a dog – especially early socialization.
We would never dream keeping children locked away because we understand they need to socialized in order to function in this world. We call out pets furbabies and think of them as children but don’t consider what it takes to “raise” them.
I love animals. I would love a dog but don’t have one for the reasons you posted. I simply can’t devote the time needed to socialize him or her properly. It’s so important.
Is there a brand of food you recommend, or if possible can you say which type you use?
Sure Riley! We feed our dog’s Newman’s Own Organic Dog Food. We also love Halo’s line of dog food and dog treats. Some Target’s now carry Newman’s Own.
Thank you! I always get so flustered with all the choices at the store and all the ingredients to make sure aren’t included that I usually give up and make my best guess, which I know is not the way to go about it – my dog deserves better. I looked into a raw food co-op but its a bit out of my means right now so thank you for the rec, you just saved me lots of time and anxiety!