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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.241



3.  Books

Listed here some good references on dog breeds; others appear in the
References section.  In addition, there are many that are specific to
one breed.  Space prohibits listing any of these type of dog books
here, but you should look up breed specific books on the breeds you
are especially interested in for even more detailed information.  The
breed specific FAQ's mentioned in the introduction will contain
recommended pointers.

De Prisco, Andrew and James B. Johnson.  _The Mini-Atlas of Dog
Breeds_. TFH Publications, One TFH Plaza, Neptune City, NJ 07753
(1990).  ISBN:0-86622-091-7 (hardcover).
  This book lists and describes over 500 breeds from around the world.
  Abundantly illustrated with color drawings and photos.  Includes a
  short forward on what criteria you should consider in choosing a
  breed, and a short description of the categories it chose to group
  dogs in (slightly different from, eg. AKC groupings).

Tortora, Daniel F.  _The Right Dog For You_.  Fireside, Simon &
Schuster Trade Books. 1983.  ISBN 0-671-47247-X.
     Offers a complex decision procedure, with lots of questionnaires
     to alert you to the potential significance of various features of
     breed behavior and physical characteristics.  One of the few
     that lists potential problems of each breed rather than giving
     a glowingly positive one for each.

Wilcox, Bonnie and Chriss Walkowicz.  _Atlas of Dog Breeds_.  TFH
Publications.
  Over 900 pages long in large format.  The authors are top notch
  writers and did extensive research to compile this comprehensive
  resource of the world's dog breeds.  The book is profusely
  illustrated with excellent quality photographs and a 3-5 page
  article.  This book makes a good effort to show every color and
  every coat type of each breed in the various photos.  Expensive.

Mandeville, John J., and Ab Sidewater, eds.  _The Complete Dog Book:
official publication of the American Kennel Club_.  Seventeenth
edition.  Howell Book House, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York.
1985.  ISBN 0-87605-463-7.  768 pages.
  This is the reference for the AKC breed standards, each of which
  covers several pages and includes a black and white photograph and
  text on the breed's history, characteristics, and nature.  The
  health section is not illustrated, but is otherwise excellent as it
  was prepared with the cooperation of the faculty of the School of
  Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Potential
  buyers of this book probably ought to wait for the next edition,
  since it is now seven years old and new editions have been published
  every three years (on average).

Sylvester, Patricia, ed.  _The Reader's Digest Illustrated Book of Dogs_.
Revised edition.  The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.,
Pleasantville, NY.  1989.  ISBN 0-89577-340-6.  384 pages.
  Besides the excellent text and illustrations in the album, which
  cover 2 pages for each breed (175 total), the informative sections
  are also well-written and illustrated and include many color
  photographs as well. This is a good general reference on dogs, and
  is especially helpful when choosing a breed to own.  The health
  chapters are invaluable to non-veterinarian owners.


B.  What are My Responsibilities?

There are responsibilities that go along with being a good dog owner.
A dog will live from 10 to 20 years, depending on its breed, size and
general health.  This is a long term commitment, and you must be ready
to provide the dog with a home for that duration.  You must make
provisions for it when you go on vacation.  It needs attention, love,
and respect from you: feeding and watering it are not enough.
Consider it part of your family: this is no joke as that is exactly
what the dog thinks YOU are: its pack, its family.

1.  You are responsible for...

(1) You are responsible for its health.  An essential part of owning a
dog is making sure that it gets good medical care.  Check the vets in
your area and pick out one before you even get your dog.  Take your
dog in to the vet immediately after acquiring it and take it in
regularly thereafter.  You will have expenses for yearly shots and, in
many areas, heart-worm preventive.  Puppies and dogs routinely die
without adequate veterinary care.

(2) If you get your dog for protection, you are obligated to make sure
that it is safe, reliable, and trustworthy around people.  Never chain
it up in the back yard, or encourage it to snarl and bite other
people.  Never try to make a dog "vicious."  Such irresponsible
treatment results in tragic stories of children and adults being
mauled or even killed, the dog being put down, and various dog bans
being enacted.  A dog can protect you just fine by barking at
suspicious noises and allowing you to investigate.  It does not have
to be vicious.  A good protection dog is always well trained and has a
relationship with its owner that encourages it to be protective.
Higher levels of protection (such as attack dogs) require considerable
training and experienced handling and are most definitely not for
everyone.

(3) You are responsible for your dog's reproduction.  You must either
get it neutered, or make provisions for keeping your bitch away from
dogs when in heat.  If your male is intact, you must keep him under
control when he smells a bitch in heat.  If you breed, you are
responsible for making sure that your dog or bitch is suitable for
breeding (i.e., good health, good temperament, good specimen of the
breed, and free of genetic defects), and making sure that all
resulting puppies are placed in good homes.  The millions of dogs that
must be put down annually in the US are the result of owner
irresponsibility about their pet's reproduction.

(4) You are responsible for your pet's behavior.  This means keeping
your dog under control.  Do not let it roam; do not let it become a
nuisance to others in your neighborhood.  Clean up after it or curb it
(make it go in the gutter) when it eliminates, *especially* in public
areas.  Many parks, beaches, and lakes are closed to dogs because of
irresponsible owners in this regard.

(5) You are still responsible for the dog when you "get one for your
kid."  Unless your child is old enough, at least 13 (and highly
variable at that), she or he will not have the sufficient maturity to
take responsibility for the dog.  A dog can be a good way to teach
children about responsibility, but the dog is still *your* main
responsibility.  Dogs acquired for this reason often wind up in the
shelters when the parents find out that they are the dog's primary
caretaker.

(6) You are responsible for becoming more knowledgeable about dogs.
Find some good books and read up.  Enroll in puppy and dog classes
where you can learn much from the instructor; attend them even before
you get a dog or puppy for first hand knowledge of what you can
expect.  Many dogs are in animal shelters with a note that says
"couldn't be housebroken" or "couldn't be trained."

(6) You are responsible for being prepared for the new dog.  Never get
one as a "surprise gift."  All members of your family must agree on
having a dog.  Have food, water and food dishes, bedding, collars and
leashes, chew toys, and a veterinarian lined up before you pick up
your dog.  Many "Christmas puppies" are found in the shelters by New
Year's Day.

Some books to try:

Milani, Myrna M., DVM. _The Weekend Dog_.  Signet (Penguin Books USA,
Inc.) (1985). ISBN: 0-451-15731-1 (paperback).
  This book outlines practical solutions for working people with dogs.
  It has excellent suggestions for understanding dog behavior,
  particularly destructive or unwanted behavior.  Gives all kinds of
  practical solutions to the problems of adequate exercise, adequate
  training, housetraining, and so forth.

Miller, Harry.  _The Common Sense Book of Puppy and Dog Care_.  Bantam
Books, Third Edition (revised) (1987).  ISBN: 0-553-27789-8 (paperback).
  This small book provides a surprising amount of useful information.
  A little on the "lightweight" side, nevertheless, it gives a good
  outline of what you should know about your puppy or dog.  You can
  use this to decide how much you do know and where you need to brush
  up on what you don't.  Besides sections on how to select the right
  dog, it covers basic puppy needs (housetraining, feeding,
  illnesses), basic training, basic pet care, and a complete list
  of AKC breeds (each breed illustrated with b/w drawing, thumbnail
  sketch included -- good as an overview, but not very specific).

Monks of New Skete, The.  _How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend_.  Little,
Brown & Company.  1978.  ISBN: 0-316-60491-7 (hardback).
  A monastery in upstate New York breeds, raises, and trains German
  Shepherd Dogs.  On the basis of their considerable experience, they
  offer troubleshooting guides, discuss discipline, environmental
  restrictions, basic and puppy training, and much more.  Extensive
  bibliography.  The emphasis is on understanding the dog in order to
  communicate with it or to solve problem behavior.  An excellent,
  well written classic.

Taylor, David. _You and Your Dog_.  Alfred A. Knopf, New York (1991).
ISBN:0-394-72983-8 (trade paperback).
  This useful book is an overall guide to the health and care of dogs.
  It includes a basic listing of dog breeds (AKC).   This is a good
  general purpose book that gives you an idea of what all is involved
  in owning and caring for a dog.


C.  Where?

There are really three places that you should get a dog from: an
animal shelter, a *reputable* breeder, or a breed rescue organization.

1.  Animal shelters

The animal shelter is a good place to pick up a dog and save it from
death in the bargain.  Look for a clean, healthy dog, keeping in mind
any constraints you may have.  Look for signs of friendliness and
liveliness.  Does it approach you in a friendly manner?  Talk with the
people caring for the animals for any information on a particular
animal they can give you.

The best thing to do is to go the animal shelter every weekend and
spend time with the dogs.  Try to put their plight out of your mind
for the moment--it would be nice to save them all, but you can't.
Instead, you should get to know the dogs on an individual basis.

Read the tags on each cage and see whether the dog was a stray, or
whether its owner turned it in for some reason.  There are some
beautiful adult dogs in the pound that have been given up reluctantly
by ill or elderly owners.  Don't overlook these!

Ask to see the dog in the holding area most shelters have.  You'll be
able to check for signs of hostility, see if the dog knows anything,
and in general how it reacts to you.  Expect some fear and
nervousness!  A few doggy treats may help calm it.  If things seem to
be going well, ask if you can take it on a walk, even just around the
compound.  If you are curious to know its reaction to cats, take it by
the cat compound.

Finally, don't be afraid to say "not this dog," and walk away.  It is
hard, hard, hard to walk away from a sweet dog, but you are looking
for a companion for life, so you will have to be honest with yourself
about what you want.  There are horror stories from people who made an
impulsive decision in the pound and lived to regret it.

2. Private parties

People who have unplanned litters will advertise their puppies in the
paper.  This is not a good source.  Check the health of the puppies
carefully.  As with breeders, look for people more concerned with the
welfare of the puppies -- people out for a fast buck will not likely
have seen to the health of the puppies.  If you are looking for a
purebred, forget the backyard breeders and find a reputable breeder
instead.  If you don't care about purebred, you will do better at the
animal shelter.

3.  Breeders

If you plan to show your dog, or desire a healthy pet-quality
purebred, find a reputable breeder.  Don't use newspaper
advertisements.  Attend dog shows instead and talk to the owners
there.  Or look for breeder advertisements in magazines like Dog
Fancy, or others devoted to specific breeds.  Libraries often have a
local breeder's registry book; you can also check the yellow pages for
breed referral numbers.

The AKC has implemented a new program for breeder referral.  The
number for this is 1-900-407-7877.  You tell them the breed you are
interested in and where you live and they will give you the number of
a breeder referral person in your area who will help you locate a
reputable breeder near you. The idea is to connect potential dog
owners with local breed clubs and in turn resonsible breeders.

a) Selecting the breeder

After you compile a list of potential breeders to contact, screen them
through the phone first.  Here's a list of questions to ask (in no
particular order).

  * Can you see the dam and if possible the sire?
  * Where are the pups being raised, in a family setting or in a kennel?
  * What health problems occur in the breed?
  * Have these problems been checked in the parents?  As appropriate:
    OFA certification, CERF certification, etc.
  * Request a copy of the sire and dam's lineage/pedigree.
  * Titles on sire and dam.
  * Has puppy been crated trained, paper trained, etc.
  * What breed clubs do you belong to?  Do you have references?
  * How many puppies were in the litter?
  * Any difficulties during delivery?
  * How often is the bitch bred?
  * What guarantees do you offer on your animals?
  * What is in your sales contract?
  * Do you offer a spay/neuter contract for pet quality puppies?
  * Have they been to the vet yet?  Wormed?  Shots?
  * Are the dogs bred for the ring, field, or for general pet
    purposes?
  * How many breedings have you done to date?  How long have you been
    breeding? Names and phone numbers of several customers.
  * If for some reason I cannot keep the dog, will you take it back,
    no matter how old it is?
  * If I want a bitch puppy so I can breed it as an adult, what kind
    of, if any, restrictions will you include in the sales contract?
  * Do you have a litter available?  If not, when are you planning
    one?  (If a litter isn't presently available, ask if/when they are
    next planning to show their dogs in your area.  If you can go,
    this is a golden opportunity to observe the structure and
    temperament of the dogs they breed.)

When you meet with breeders, look for people that seem more concerned
with the welfare of their dogs than the amount of money they're
making.  Look for ones raising the puppies "underfoot" and around
people.  If the breeder is using kennels, check for cleanliness, happy
dogs, no overcrowding, shelter from the elements, plenty of fresh
water.  Otherwise, the breeder may be operating what is essentially a
puppy mill (check this against how often the dam is being bred & what
condition she is in).

A reputable breeder should have some history of breeding animals.
They may be breeding for show or field work or just plain good pets.
They should be able to tell you about some of their previous puppies.
They should be able and willing to discuss the health and well being
of the parents of your puppy including: eye conditions, hip dysplasia,
etc.  In general, be suspicious of puppies from anyone who has not had
the parents at minimum x-rayed for hip dysplasia and had the eyes
checked by a veterinarian, or for other problems associated with the
breed.  Not all breeds have the same problems, but breeders should
know what they are and be able to tell you which ones they've tested
for.

You should be able to see one or both parents of your puppy; their
temperament will give you a good idea of your puppy's adult
temperament.  Titles in hunting, obedience, or protection can indicate
good temperament.  Being unable to see the sire is not uncommon, often
good breeders will ship their bitch to a good prospect.  If both
parents are owned by the breeder (and those are the only two), chances
are this breeder is a backyard breeder.

Check for some basic health problems: a litter that was larger than
the breed average may mean that the puppies are smaller and not as
healthy, an undersized litter might indicate trouble during pregnancy.
A litter of size one or two means that the puppy is getting little or
no socialization with littermates, regardless of health.  The puppies
should look vigorous and strongly sucking, beware of listless (though
sleeping is OK) puppies and indifferent suckling.  Try to see the
puppies when they're likely to be active.

Puppies should be at minimum dewormed by eight weeks of age.  The
first set of puppy shots is desireable as well.  Beware of breeders
who have not had a vet see the puppies.

Many responsible breeders only guarantee the health of a pup for a
limited time (e.g. 48 hours).  This is not a rip-off.  The breeder has
no control over the pup once the new owner takes it.  Reputable
breeders will stand by that guarantee *if* the new owner takes the pup
to a vet who finds something wrong (e.g. a communicable disease)
within that period but the breeder can hardly be held responsible for
a disease contracted after the pup is in its new home.  Thus, such an
early trip to the vet is for the protection of all concerned.

Guaranteeing against genetic defects is common: such a guarantee
generally means a refund or replacement in the case of a defect
occurring; it does NOT mean that the puppy will "never" develop a
genetic defect.  Be wary of breeders that claim your puppy can never
develop, for example, hip dysplasia.

The breeder should also guarantee to take the puppy back if you are
unable to keep it rather than having it go to the pound.  The breeder
should also be concerned about your living conditions and what you
plan to use the dog for before they allow their puppy to go live with
you.  Many breeders will want to know what you plan to do about
reproduction.  Many will require that a pet quality puppy be neutered,
and withhold registry papers until receipt of proof of neutering (thus
making any puppies from that dog unregisterable).

If guarantees or other contracts (such as spay/neuter) are involved,
get it all down in writing.  A responsible breeder will not be
offended by such a step.  If something goes wrong, you have no legal
recourse if there is nothing in writing, verbal contract laws in some
states to the contrary.

If you're planning on a puppy for show and possible breeding, look for
a breeder that is very picky about selling such puppies.  If this is
your first such puppy, expect an offer of co-ownership if they think
you're serious.  At the minimum, the breeder should be discussing how
they'll remain involved with the puppy.  This is a valuable resource,
by the way, the breeder will be able to explain what the puppy's
pedigree means, and what good matches would be.

Approach getting a puppy as if you were adopting a child.  Expect a
lot of questions and ASK a lot of questions!  A responsible breeder is
also looking for a responsible owner.

b)  Selecting the puppy

Many breeders let you see and play with the entire litter at once.
One puppy may come right up to you and investigate.  Of course, it's
cute -- all puppies are.  You may think this puppy has "chosen" you,
instead it's likely to be the most dominant puppy in the litter.  Your
"chosen" puppy may not be right for you if you're a novice at dog
ownership or obedience training.

A better way to select a pup from a litter is to do a little
temperament testing and pick the dog with the temperament that best
meets you and your family's.  The Monks of New Skete's book, "The Art
of Raising a Puppy," discusses the Puppy Aptitude Test developed by
Joachim and Wendy Volhard.  They indicate the degree of social
compatability and how readily a pup will accept human leadership.  If
the breeder picks a puppy out for you, that's also normal: reputable
ones will evaluate their puppies and match one to you based on what
you've indicated you want.

4.  Breed rescue organizations

One excellent source for a purebred dog is from a rescue organizations
run by breed clubs across the country.  These organizations take
specimens of their breed from shelters or from private owners who can
no longer keep them, and care for them in volunteer's homes until a
new home can be found.  The adoption fee usually is less than the cost
of a purebred from other sources.  For addresses of rescue services
for various breeds, call the American Kennel Club library,
212-696-8348, or check the breed-specific FAQ, if one exists for your
breed.

5.  Pet Stores

Don't buy pet store animals.  These are often obtained from
disreputable sources such as "puppy mills" (where animals are bred
(and bred and bred) only for profit).  By buying from the store, you
are supporting these mills and adding to the pet population problem.
In addition, you are obtaining an animal of dubious health and any
money you save will likely go directly into vet costs as its health
deteriorates and you may even have to put it down.  If it is purebred
and has papers, chances are very good that the papers have been forged
in some way and even that the puppy is not really purebred.  In
addition, many behavioral problems appear in these puppies as they
will have been separated too early from their mother and littermates,
improperly handled, unsocialized with either humans or dogs, and
forced to live in their own feces.

A graphic article in LIFE Magazine (Sept. 1992) illustrates the kinds
of problems with puppy mills.


D.  Veterinarians.

Before you even bring your new dog home, take it to the vet you have
already selected.  Annual shots and examinations are a must for
keeping your dog healthy.  If you cannot afford veterinary care for a
dog, you should not get one.  Preventive and consistent care is less
expensive in the long run.

2.  Choosing a vet

Choose a vet who you are comfortable with and who will answer your
questions.  Check out the office: do animals seem just frightened or
are they also out of control?  Is it bedlam, or reasonable for the
number of different animals there?  Do you have local recommendations
from friends?  Does the vet specialize in small animals as opposed
to, say, livestock?

3.  24 hour emergency care

A good vet will either be associated with a 24 emergency care plan or
be able to give you the number of a good place in your area.  Keep
this number on your refrigerator and check with your vet when you
visit that it's still up-to-date.

4.  Fecal samples

Any time you bring your dog to the vet, try to bring a fresh fecal
sample.  Put a small, fingernail-sized sample into a plastic bag, or
ask your vet for a supply of fecal samplers.  The vet cannot always
get a fecal sample from the dog, and this saves you extra trips to
return the sample and then bring the dog in if the tests are positive.

Try an ordinary sandwich bag (e.g. a "Baggie" -- ziplock is convenient
but not necessary) and turn it inside out over your hand like a rubber
glove.  Then simply pick up the stool with your covered hand, turn the
bag right-side out, enclosing the sample.  Zip if ziplock otherwise
use a twist tie.  This is perfectly sanitary (and you can use the same
procedure to clean up after your dog on walks).

5.  Dog reactions

Dogs may or may not dislike going to the vet.  You should invest in a
dog carrier for the trip to the vet (and indeed, any trip in the car)
to prevent accidents while driving.  Sometimes a removable partition
that blocks off the back of the car works well.

From puppyhood, you should accustom your dog to being handled.  Look
into its ears, which should be clean, white, and pink.  Check its
eyes, which should be clear, and should not display any signs of
runniness.  The puppy's nose should be likewise clean and slightly
moist.  Check the puppy's mouth, examining the gums and teeth,
regularly -- brush its teeth (there are toothbrushes and toothpaste
available for dogs).  Hold the dog still, and look at its anus; pick
up its paws, and look at the pads and claws.  this will have the added
benefit that you will notice any changes from normal quickly, and will
be able to notify your vet promptly if something is wrong.

It helps a good deal if you train your dog to "stand" -- this will
assist the vet's examination of your pet.

E.  Puppies.

Puppies should not be separated from their mother and littermates
before 8 weeks of age.  Many recommend 10 weeks minimum.  This is
related to physical considerations such as weaning and psychological
considerations such as the puppy's readiness to leave the litter.

1.  Destruction and safety

You should consider that a puppy has an absolute right to chew
whatever they can get at in your absence.  You must put the puppy
where either it cannot do any damage, or you do not care about the
possible damage.  Puppies can eat kitchen cabinets, destroy furniture,
chew on carpet, and damage a wide variety of other things.  Besides
the destruction, the puppy may well injure itself, even seriously.

A good solution to this is a crate.  A crate is any container, made of
wire mesh or plastic, that will hold the puppy comfortably, with
enough room to stand and curl up and sleep, but not too much that it
can eliminate in one corner.  See the section on crates below.

Please put your pup in an environment it can't destroy.  Puppies are
too immature to handle temptations.  Depending on the breed, most dogs
begin to gain the maturity to handle short stints with mild
temptations when they're about 6 months old.  Consider the analogy
with a baby, where you keep it in a crib, stroller, or pen if you are
not holding it.

2.  Two puppies?

Many breeders believe it is best to NOT have two puppies together.
They tend to bond to each other and not to you and that can cause
serious problems when it comes time to train them.  Having two puppies
needing housetraining at the same time can make that process go on for
much longer.  This implies that you would not introduce a second dog
before the other six months old and properly trained.

There are always exceptions, of course, and there are many happy
families out there with two or more dogs that were littermates or
otherwise puppies together.

3.  Immunities and exposure

Newborn puppies receive immunization against diseases from colostrum
contained in their mothers milk while nursing (assuming the bitch has
been properly vaccinated recently before the breeding took place).
Initially, during their first 24 hours of life, maternal antigens
(passive immunity) are absorbed through the pups intestines which are
very, very thin during those first few hours (this is why it is so
important that puppies nurse from the mother during that critical
time).  After the colostrum ceases (a day or so later), the maternal
antigens decline steadily.

During this time, puppies cannot build up their own natural immunity
because the passive immunity gets in the way.  As the passive immunity
gradually declines, the pup's immune system takes over.  At this time,
the pups should be given their first immunization shots so they can
build up their own antibodies against them.  However, there is no way
to tell when passive immunity is gone.  This is why pups should be
given a shot every few weeks (2 - 3 weeks apart and a series of at
LEAST three shots).

Picture a plot of antibody level versus time.  Maternal antibody is
steadily declining.  You just don't know the rate.  At some level, say
X, protection from parvo is sufficient.  Below X, protection may be
less than effective against an infection.  In general, vaccine antigen
cannot stimulate the puppy's own immune system until the maternal
antibody level is *below* X.  Let's say it is .7*X.  Here's the rub.
The antibody level spends some time dropping from X to .7X.  During
this time, even if you vaccinated every day, you would (in this
theoretical discussion) not be able to stimulate immunity.  Yet you
are below that level of maternal protection at which infection can be
effectively fought off.

Thus the importance of giving several vaccinations at 2-4 week
intervals until around 16-18 weeks.  One maximizes the chance of
catching the puppy's immune system as soon as it is ready to respond,
minimizing the amount of time the puppy may be susceptible to
infection.

IMPORTANT: The last shot should be given AFTER 16 weeks of age (4
months) to be SURE that dam's antibodies have not gotten in the way of
the pup building up its own immunity (read the label of the vaccine!).