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Should You Get Littermates?

March 15, 2019

Should you get littermates?

I don’t usually get this question. Normally, I hear “Help, we got littermates!” That comes after the littermates are already home and the people are feeling understandably overwhelmed.

Most dog trainers, if asked, would say “No way, don’t do it! Never get littermates.”

Meanwhile, most dog owners say “We got littermates because…”:

they were the last two left and I couldn’t bear to separate them
we have two kids, so we got two puppies
I just couldn’t leave with one after I saw how cute they were
we eventually want two dogs — if I’m going to raise one puppy, I might as well get them both at the same time
we want them to keep each other company when we’re gone during the day
it was an impulse decision, we didn’t really plan on getting two
I liked one, <insert family member here> liked the other, so we got both

I have discouraged littermates in the past because I know how much work it is to raise, socialize, and train one puppy! Adding a second puppy seemed out-of-this-world bonkers to me.

However. I am right now, at this very minute, raising littermates. Where’s my eye roll emoji?

How did I get here?

I raise puppies for a service dog organization. I love being a puppy raiser. Over the past year, five puppies have come into our house. Three have already come and gone (one to a client who wanted a trained pet dog, the other two are service dogs in their advanced training) and I now have Whit and Dougan. (More of the back story in an upcoming post.)

I’ll be writing more about our progress — the highs and the lows (there are lots of both!).

But for now, here are some things to think about if you are still thinking about getting littermates (or any two puppies under six months old at the same time).

Puppies need to learn how to live independently from one another.

It’s so easy to let the puppies sleep together, eat together, play together, walk together, and learn together. However, that’s a reeeeeallly big problem for the puppies.

Imagine that you had twin children. You might dress them similarly at first, but before long, you would encourage their independence and you’d help each child discover her own preferences, develop her own opinions, and find her own friends. It’s important for human development — the kids will need to go places independently, they will have different interests.

Yet people almost never think about this for puppies. This is where the term “bonded pair” becomes a problem. Go to any dog rescue organization and look at all the “bonded pairs” or “must be adopted together” dogs. This is usually because these two dogs were raised together from puppyhood and never learned how to act without the other dog being there with them.

It’s cute — it’s so very cute — when two puppies nap together. And play. And follow one another.

Littermates sleeping together. — They are REALLY cute together.

That cuteness turns into an unhealthy dependence on one another.

If you’ve heard of the term “co-dependent,” you know that it generally refers to an unhealthy relationship dynamic. Co-dependency can mean, in a broad sense, someone who cannot function on their own and whose thinking and behavior is instead organized around another person.

That doesn’t sound so healthy. And we seem to be able to recognize and make an effort to prevent this in humans. But when it comes to puppies, it’s almost as if people want their pups to grow up dependent on the other puppy. That’s unfortunate because it’s not a good idea for the puppies or the family they live with.

As I raise these puppies, they are learning how to:

sleep in separate crates
go to their crates in separate rooms
go to the bathroom on a leash without the other puppy around
play with me by themselves (instead of only playing with one another or playing together with me)
focus on people instead of one another
train in a separate room with me
rest and relax alone (with and without me, but definitely without the other puppy)
ride in the car without their brother
eat without their littermate
staying at home (crated) while the other puppy goes out for training (with me)

Why is this so important for littermates?

You may never intend that your pups be separated, so what’s the big deal, right?

I feel certain that all those bonded pair dogs on the adoption sites also started out that way — they were going to live their whole lives in that home and with that family.

But life happens. What if:

one of the dogs gets hurt and needs to spend a week (or more) in an emergency veterinary hospital
one dog is injured and is on crate rest for 16 weeks
tragedy befalls the family and the dogs need to be rehomed (significant human injury, sickness, loss of income, natural disaster, etc.)
one of the dogs gets along well with the new baby, but the other one doesn’t
one of the dogs loves to hike and the other one can’t or doesn’t enjoy it
one dog dies at an early age and the other dog is left to live out a normal doggie lifespan

When puppies grow up together and special attention isn’t paid to training them to lead independent lives, their lives can be limited and unnecessarily stressful.

Stay tuned, I’ll be talking a lot more about what I’m doing to help Whit and Dougan learn how to enjoy life with and without one another. Because for these guys, independent lives are almost a certainty — they will live together only while they are here with me for their training. In less than a year, they will go on to lead independent and very different lives. But even if they weren’t slated for service work, it’s my duty to ensure that they are their own dogs, that they enjoy their own lives, not the life they lead together with one another.

Boundaries – Movie Review

June 25, 2018

Boundaries – Movie Review

I’m often asked to review dog-related products, treats, and food, but earlier this month, I was asked to do a movie review for a Sony Pictures movie called Boundaries.

I was intrigued. Me, do a movie review? Why on earth would Sony Pictures ask me to screen a movie?

Curiosity got the better of me and instead of automatically deleting the email, I opened it.

It became immediately clear why: DOGS. Dogs (and a few cats — one naked kitty, even) show up in the movie all over the place.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the important info about Boundaries:

Cast: Vera Farmiga, Christopher Plummer, Lewis MacDougall, Bobby Cannavale, Kristen Schaal, Dolly Wells, Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Fonda
Written and Directed By: Shana Feste
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Rated: R

Laura (Vera Farmiga) is a single mother living in Seattle, who has a constant need to put others & animals before her. When her estranged, criminally-minded father Jack (Christopher Plummer) is kicked out of his retirement home, Laura agrees to drive him down the coast to live with her sister JoJo (Kristen Schaal) in LA. Along for the ride is her bright but troubled son Henry, and an assortment of animal charity cases. Without telling Laura, Jack convinces Henry to help him sell off his copious supply of marijuana at every stop of their journey, resulting in unexpected reunions with old friends and family.

The movie is well-written, has an interesting plot (and some hilarious sub-plots) and uses the dogs (and kitties) in a way that they’re important to the movie, but aren’t the center of the plot.

It’s the backstory, and behind-the-scenes details, though, that I almost always find the most interesting.

The writer, Shana Feste, wrote this movie about her own real-life relationship with her father. Christopher Plummer, the actor who plays Jack, the father, says this about the writer: “She’s written it in a most unique style, but behind the brittle wordplay, there’s another life going on, a much deeper and more profound, unspoken life, a relentless search for harmony that must finally penetrate the surface. Shana is able to produce laughter and tears with equal and stunning force, and her actors are mighty blessed with the rich and eccentric characters she’s given them to play.”

Another interesting aspect of Boundaries was the casting.

Once the funding was confirmed and the wheels of production began to turn, Feste and team set about casting. The tone of the script called for actors who could thrive in dramatic situations, but who could also deliver the comic moments that would ultimately define the film. All the actors in the film were Feste’s first choice.

She spoke of casting Vera Farmiga as Laura: “Our first instinct was to cast a big comedy actress for this role; then I thought, if we do cast a comedic actress, those dramatic moments that are so important might be a bit lost. I hope that drama will set this film apart from being just a charming little comedy that you see and forget about the next day. I knew I needed those real moments of truth, and I knew Vera could deliver on those and the comic flavor as well.”

She continues: “It could have been a strange feeling directing Vera as, in many ways, my own alter-ego, but she made the character so much her own; Vera has so much depth and subtlety as an actor. We could really collaborate on bringing Laura to life.”

The actor cast as Laura’s son sort of steals the screen in Boundaries.

Instinct helped Feste cast the role of Henry, Laura’s 12-year-old son who is an intriguing and endearing mix of innocence, smarts, bruised feelings, and deadpan wisdom beyond his years. “I really didn’t want that very self-aware “kid actor” style,” says Feste of her search for Henry.

“When we saw Lewis MacDougall, I knew he was the one—even though he was more complicated to work with because he’s Scottish. He had to nail the American accent, and we had to deal with visas and such, but he had to be Henry. He’s so natural and subtle. His face draws you in. He has that kind of magic quality where he sticks to the screen.”

Not surprisingly, the quiet stars of Boundaries are the canines.

Just as they included bios of each human actor, Sony Pictures sent a bio for each animal actor with the Boundaries press package, as well. I didn’t include them all here, but I found that element so endearing (that they wrote bios for each animal in the film), that I felt it important to include a few.

Loretta

Loretta is a terrier rescue and loves napping, stealing food from babies and being held. Loretta was the happiest dog on set because she was finally allowed to go to work with her mom, who directed the movie. The only problem was when her mom would yell, “Action!” Loretta would immediately run to her behind the camera so the first AD had to call action in the scenes Loretta stars in. Loretta made every dog jealous when she got to kiss Christopher Plummer on the lips – she nailed it every time.

Squirt

Squirt plays the part of “rescue puppy” along with littermates that looked similar. The pups were sixteen-week-old chihuahua mixes and got a ton of attention behind the scenes. So much so that the animal wrangler had to act as security when too many crew members swarmed around them – but they were happy to have all the love!

I had a great time screening this movie. Because I’m so entrenched in the dog world, most of the time it’s hard for me to watch movies with dogs because I can read body language and most of the time it’s easy for me to see dogs who are uncomfortable in that filming situation. The dogs in Boundaries were not only comfortable, but most often seemed to be having a really good time with the actors in the movie.

There was a premiere in New York City on June 11 and all the actors, along with the crew were there — with dogs! In addition, there were other celebrities known for their work with rescued animals were there, as well.

The Boundaries movie was released on June 22 in Los Angeles and New York and will be in theatres after that. If you see the movie, let me know what you think in the comments!

Teaching a Puppy to Listen in Public

May 30, 2018

Teaching a puppy to listen in public takes time.

It also takes training, patience, and reinforcement.

Rogan is slated to be a service dog when he grows up.

If you’ve ever seen a service dog working with his parter, you may have remarked “He’s so calm!” Or “”Nothing fazes him.” That’s because from puppyhood, that dog has been carefully exposed to public situations, has learned basic “good manners” behaviors, and has had frequent opportunities to practice in public with a trainer before being paired with someone with a disability.

Rogan went with me to do some shopping today.

I had two stops on my agenda: Dick’s Sporting Goods for some running shorts and Wegmans for groceries. I intentionally chose those two stops today because neither was imperative. If things went south in a hurry, I could abandon ship and head back home without any serious consequences. As opposed to, say, bringing Rogan with me to the dentist where it’s a little harder to just get up and leave.

Getting a young dog used to automatic sliding doors, mannequins, public address systems, fitting rooms, carts, strollers, bright lights, shiny floors — the list goes on — is relatively easy if it’s done early enough in the dog’s life and if it’s done at a pace that let’s the dog adjust and settle into each situation. When I take Rogan in public, I always have small, delicious treats (cat treats work great) and Rogan is always my top priority.

For instance, as we went entered Dick’s Sporting Goods today, I was hopeful I could get some shopping done, but I was ready to leave if Rogan couldn’t handle the excitement and the stimulation that a new store (to him) might bring. Rogan was a rock star — his eyes were alert, his tail was waggy, and he was eager to investigate. As he checked-in with me, I’d allow him to sniff the strange looking mannequin (Rogan wagged so hard, I think he was expecting some pets!). This allows the young dog to go at his own pace, to investigate new things, and to be reinforced when he checks back in with his trainer.

Four new pairs of running shorts are now in my dresser, as Rogan found shopping in the athletic store to be somewhat of a breeze.

Our next stop was Wegmans where I needed to get some basics at the grocery store.

Grocery stores can be a nightmare for a trainer and absolute heaven for a dog in training. So much food is so easily accessible. The bread aisle is almost always the worst place — so many delicious smells right at nose level for a dog. It’s hard to compete with 100 loaves of freshly baked bread! Another challenging area is the bulk food aisle. Rogan scored a gummy bear on the floor — he saw it before I did. It’s hard to compete with free food on the floor! He’ll get better at leaving stuff alone (as soon as I get better at noticing it!) as we progress with training in public.

Some of the hardest tasks for a social dog like Rogan, however, is sticking with me instead of walking up to all the people who say “Oh! What a cute dog!” as they pass us.

I’m proactive, but sometimes the struggle for Rogan is real! Most people ask about what Rogan is doing, what he’s training for, and they ask if they can pet him. If he’s under a reasonable degree of control, I usually allow the person to greet Rogan. It gives us a perfect training scenario — Rogan needs to learn how to greet people nicely and then how to disengage and come back to me when asked. Plus, at his stage of development, it’s always good for him to have positive experiences with strangers in public.

yellow Labrador, clicker training, service dog — Relaxing after a big day of shopping.

Much of what I do is preventing problems before they start.

I spend most of my time watching Rogan and very little time socializing with the people in the store. It’s important to be able to predict what Rogan is likely to do when we go past a family with six kids who are taking the whole aisle. How Rogan will behave when passing the luncheon meat counter? These are all questions in my mind as we’re in public. For the most part, our outings right now involve me getting Rogan’s attention before it starts to wander, keeping him occupied throughout stimulating territory (maneuvering through the aforementioned six kids + a cart
in the aisle), and reinforcing him for all of his good choices.

All the training pays off, though! And quickly!

If I do this for a month or so with Rogan, I will have developed a habit for Rogan: checking in frequently with me. Which means I’m not fighting for his attention. That’ll just be what he does “naturally.” From there, we can progress into more complex and distracting situations more quickly because the basics are installed and working smoothly.

Rogan’s still a puppy and his training is still in the early stages. We’ve got a lot more left to accomplish. Check back frequently — we’ll have more adventures to share!

Puppy Training: Walter’s Ready for His Family

May 15, 2018

Puppy training can be fun. Puppy training can also be exasperating!

When you think about it, there’s an awful lot to teach a puppy. And if you’re going to do it right, you need to pack a lot into 8 short weeks.

Why 8 weeks?

Assuming you get your pup when he’s 8 weeks, you have only another 8 weeks to socialize your pup while the socialization window is still open.

Socialization window?

Puppies are able to learn and explore and build positive (and negative) associations very rapidly for the first 16 weeks of their lives. Because they’re with their breeder for the first 8 weeks, that leaves us with those final 8 weeks. And if you’re not sure what your pup needs to see, heart, learn, do, and experience, it can be overwhelming. Well, really, even if you do know, it can still be overwhelming because that’s an awful lot of stuff to put on your to-do list!

Walter’s people knew they didn’t have the time or the know-how to raise the puppy they really wanted: a happy-go-lucky guy who would have some basic manners, be house trained, and could go with them to all the fun places and do all the fun things.

That’s where I came in — my specialty is puppies!

I’ve raised puppies since 2001. The pups I raised were from a service dog organization and it was critical that I socialize them efficiently and thoroughly. And that I installed basic good manners behavior in those pups early (and often). When a friend suggested that I raise a pet puppy (a pup that was going to grow up to be a good, well-rounded family dog [not a service dog]), I was intrigued. I hadn’t ever considered it before. But why not? I had done it 16 times before!

So in came Walter.

His people chose him from the breeder and I picked him up at 8 weeks of age.

I had my work cut out for me. Walter was a scared little guy who didn’t have a whole lot of experience or socialization from his breeder. It took him a week or two to get him comfortable in his own skin, but thankfully he was a curious puppy and loved food, so I could use food to help him enjoy people and places and things.

He was frightened of what I consider “everyday noises” like a plastic Solo cup being dropped, the cellophane envelopes that rattle when opened, and the noise of an empty can being tossed into the recycle bin. He was a bit timid around new people and wasn’t the stereotypical outgoing Labrador. We took it slow and easy, making sure to read his body language to gauge his ability and willingness to learn new things.

After about four weeks, I was seeing a really nice transformation happening.

He was much more waggy, actually pulling me to go see new people! He didn’t try to hide when I took him to the veterinarian, and he was much more tolerant of noises and new experiences.

Fast forward to today and now I have to hold Walter back!

He’s a social butterfly with both people and dogs, but is also quick to read other dog’s body language and back off if needed. He’s willing to trust me in new situations and looks for guidance from me if he’s uncertain.

That’s the foundation that all puppies need if they’re going to continue a lifetime of learning — that foundation of quality and timely socialization, trust and cooperation with people.

Now that Walter has some confidence, has had some positive experiences with novel items, and understands that he is part of the team, the sky is the limit for him!

His people will be able to continue the learning that I’ve started, teaching him all the things that he needs to know to live comfortably with them as he transitions to his new life.

People always ask if it’s hard for me to let a dog go that I’ve had a hand in raising.

I do! Every. Single. Time. There are always tears. But the good news is get to watch Walter when his family goes away for vacations and travel! So he’s not really leaving, after all. He’ll be back for mini-vacations and will get lots of lovin’ from us.

He’s grown into a lovely young adolescent Labrador. Who will need more training if he’s going to continue to grow into the dog this family has dreamed of. He’s a teenager and will need guidance and reassurance as he continues on his path of learning.

He’s gotten a good start, though, so any challenges that he faces will be handled more efficiently and effectively using the positive and cooperative training that he’s learned.

Introducing Service Puppy in-Training, Rogan

April 3, 2018

Introducing Service Puppy in-Training, Rogan

Welcome, Rogan!

We’re back in the world of raising service puppies again! I promised our seniors (Nemo, Lily, and Tango — service dog dropouts themselves) that as they entered their “golden years,” they could retire from helping us raise service puppies. Levi was the last service dog we raised. We picked him up in January 2014 — four years ago since a service puppy in-training was in our house!

yellow Labrador, yellow Lab, service dog in training — Day 1

Sadly, we lost all four of our dogs over about a year and we found ourselves with an empty house. We brought on sweet Walter, a pup I’m raising for a client. And then, given the news of our (almost) empty house, a service dog organization asked us if we could raise a pup for them again. Adventurous is how you might describe us, and we said “Of course!”

There were eight puppies in Rogan’s litter. I wasn’t sure whether our pup would be a yellow or a black. I was ambivalent — I just lost the love of my life yellow Labrador, Tango. I was torn between really wanting another yellow in the house and being terrified that a yellow would come live with us. Obviously, Rogan is a yellow. It took a few days for me to adjust to another yellow in the house. He’s very different (of course) than Tango was which makes his presence in our house a lot easier for me and my heart.

yellow Lab, yellow Labrador, service puppy in training, service dog in training — Nap time

Needless to say, Walter is thrilled to have a young playmate. And we love having two dogs in the house together. While I don’t love the idea of litter mates, Walter and Rogan are seven weeks apart which means less risk of co-dependence and the other problems that come along with litter mates. We are, of course, also working hard to ensure that these puppies learn how to be independent and enjoy frequent people-time, as well. They are great playmates and entertainment for one another. These two tire one another out in a way that we never could.

yellow Labrador, yellow Lab, service puppy in training, service dog in training — A little “me” time.

Rogan’s training

Rogan’s training has already begun. Puppies are capable of learning so much that we start right away at eight weeks. These pups actually started their learning prior to going to their puppy raiser homes. They all learned to sit for whatever they wanted from any human. How, you ask, do you teach a litter of eight puppies to sit?! Simple: wait for it to happen, then reinforce it when it happens. What does this look like in real life? When it’s feeding time (or visiting time), the puppies get a morsel of food as soon as their rump hits the floor. They learn fast: all that stands between them and a piece of food (or some human affection and attention) is to put their rump on the floor! And it’s a whole lot easier to sit than it is to jump!

It’s important for any dog, but particularly a service dog, to learn that behavior has consequences. One of Rogan’s first training lessons was an “attention” session. I used part of his breakfast to teach Rogan that looking at me earned him a small part of his breakfast. I sat on the floor, clicker in hand, and simply waited for Rogan to look in my direction. The instant he did, I clicked and reached to give him a piece of his breakfast. The click tells him exactly what he’s doing to earn the goodie. I do a little bit of this everyday and it’s amazing how quickly Rogan voluntarily looks at me — not just in a training session, but whenever he’s not sure what to do.

There will be many lessons coming up for Rogan. Stay tuned, I’ll post updates and adventures here!

DNA Tests for Dogs: What Breeds Make Up Your Dog’s Heritage?

March 23, 2018

Got a mixed breed? Ever wonder what breeds make up your dog’s heritage? You’re not alone!

Hundreds of thousands of people have submitted DNA of their dog to identify what breeds make up their dog’s heritage.

There are plenty of reasons people want to identify the breeds in their dog.

Curiosity

It’s kind of fun to guess the breeds based on what the dog looks like and how she behaves, but it’s even more fun to really find out what breeds actually contributed to your dog’s DNA. While we can guess all day, there’s nothing like a DNA test to give accurate results. It’s fun to see if your dog’s howl really is from her hound heritage or if it’s just a cute peculiarity that has nothing to do with her ancestors.

Behavior

Behavior is linked to genetics. Back when dogs had jobs, genetics were important. A farmer needed a reliable dog who could bring the herd or the flock in. Border Collies herd so well because back in the day, the ones who didn’t herd weren’t bred — their genes didn’t go any farther. Labradors are social because they were selected for their friendliness and their love of retrieving. If someone had a shy or anti-social Labrador who wouldn’t enjoy sitting in a duck blind or who wouldn’t fetch a bird in the water, that dog’s genetics didn’t go any farther.

Today, most dogs are pet dogs and they don’t need to do the job for which they were bred so many centuries ago. But knowing what breeds are in your dog can give you an indication on how she might behave, or could help explain why she does that peculiar thing (whatever that might be).

Health

Having just lost a dog to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), I place a high degree of importance on genetics. If I had a dog who I suspected might have Great Dane (or Doberman or any of the other breeds significantly impacted by DCM), I’d do a DNA test right away. Knowing the breed-specific heath risks is important so you can keep an eye on — and hopefully catch a health problem early.

There are quite a few companies out there that do doggie DNA testing.

More than a decade ago, we did a DNA test of Nemo. I was unimpressed with the results and now I wish we’d have repeated that test when he was older, as the tests have gotten more sophisticated over the years since we tested Nemo.

My parents got a mixed breed dog from the local shelter almost a year ago.

A pretty little thing, Nautique has been a great addition to the family. She’s medium-sized, brindle and white coat, and sweet as sugar.

She’s a real love bug with people as well as with other dogs. She was a great playmate for Schooner and really enjoys playing with Walter. She’s got a timid side if she’s meeting new people, particularly men, but that’s probably due to lack of socialization when she was a puppy and not necessarily breed related.

She was listed in the shelter as a hound mix. We’ve had fun guessing the breed mix over the past year. Then DNA My Dog sent an inquiry asking if I’d be interested in trying out their DNA test.

We, of course, had just lost all our dogs over the past year. And they were all pedigreed dogs (except Neems, of course), so I had initially dismissed the offer. I was telling my husband about it over dinner, lamenting that Nemo was gone because wouldn’t that be fun to try another DNA test with him, when he mentioned Nautique.

“Of course,” I said. What a great idea! I told the company to send the test out, I’d be happy to give it a try.

In general, DNA tests for dogs can be done with a blood sample or with saliva.

Collecting blood requires a trip to your veterinarian, but it’s fairly easy to collect a clean saliva sample at home.

How a DNA test works

DNA My Dog sent collection material and easy-to-follow instructions. An important consideration when getting the saliva sample is to make sure the dog hasn’t eaten or played with another dog within an hour of sample collection. They send a pre-paid addressed envelope to return the sample. It’s pretty darn easy.

The sample collection kit comes with it’s own personalized reference number. After you collect the sample and put it in the mail, you can check the status of the sample online at the DNA My Dog website.

It does take some time to get the results. It took about a week for the sample I sent to arrive and show up in the online tracking database. Then the actual test takes about two weeks to complete. I checked the website every day looking to see if Nautique’s results were ready.

DNA My Dog sends an email when the tests are done (so you don’t really have to be a nut and check every single day like I did) with the full report of the different breeds they found in your dog.

The report contains the”levels” of the breed identification from Level 1 (your dog had a purebred parent) to Level 5 (9% or less of that breed shows up in your dog — probably carried over from several generations ago).

The report includes a breed analysis with the breeds that were identified in your dog’s DNA (Level 1 through Level 5), a certificate with your dog’s name (and picture, if you submit on through their website), and instructions on how to register for a free “Life Plan” based on your dog’s DNA results.

I had trouble registering for the Life Plan, so can’t comment on how useful that might be, but from the description the information that’s provided in that report seems somewhat generic. But is is free, so there’s not really any risk. It contains:

Weight predictions for puppies PLUS a weight monitoring service you can use to manage your dog’s weight and nutrition requirements at every stage. This invaluable tool is designed to allow you to keep track of your dog’s weight and to work with your veterinarian to ensure you dog is always at an optimal weight. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is one of the easiest ways you can contribute to the wellness of your dog.
Guidelines for vaccinations and tests throughout your dog’s life stages so you are always aware of what next steps to take and when to take them. With this handy tool you will always be informed of what you should expect at your dog’s regular check-up and veterinarian appointments
Nutritional guidelines specifically for your pet including daily energy requirements based on your dog’s age and activity level. Staying on top of your dog’s nutrition is an effective way to keep your pet healthy.
A handy reference enabling you to note all of the food your dog eats, how much is fed and reactions your dog may have to specific foods.
Guidelines on the types of food available for dogs and what you must know before selecting a specific diet for your dog.
Hydration guidelines and other advice to guide you through nutritional decisions for your dog.
Various Health Alert signs you must be aware of.
Alerts to help you keep track of routine care, disease screening, appointments and anything else you need to manage your dog’s wellness.
Specific health recommendations based on the current state of your dog’s health.
A handy place to store all of your dog’s information including microchip numbers, grooming information, veterinary details and other important resources you need to keep handy.

Nautique’s DNA Test Results

Nautique’s results show that she’s got American Staffordshire Terrier (Level 2), Redbone Coonhound (Level 4) and Bloodhound (Level 4). Regardless of what breed mix she is, we all love her to pieces and wouldn’t change a thing about her.

About DNA My Dog

DNA My Dog is based in Canada and has 94 breeds in it’s genetic database. In addition to DNA tests for living dogs, they also offer DNA testing for deceased dogs. The sample collection for a deceased dog is dependent on the availability of a clean saliva sample, say from a doggie toothbrush. The test for a deceased dog is more expensive, as the company needs to collect the DNA from the toothbrush or slobber-laden toy.

Interestingly, they also offer a DNA test for wolf-coyote hybrids. The test determines whether a dog has any recent non-dog ancestors through contact with a wolf or coyote in the wild by accident, or through intentional breeding. According to an article from September 2017, DNA My Dog doesn’t support intentional breeding of hybrids, but the company has seen significant demand for a genetic test for hybrids.

Overall, DNA testing is fun and informative, and relatively inexpensive. The DNA My Dog genetic test is $68.99 for the basic test. There are other more complex tests to choose from that run from $99 – $188 depending on the complexity of the test and the information that is provided.

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Should you get littermates?

Most dog trainers, if asked, would say “No way, don’t do it! Never get littermates.”

However. I am right now, at this very minute, raising littermates. Where’s my eye roll emoji?

But for now, here are some things to think about if you are still thinking about getting littermates (or any two puppies under six months old at the same time).

That cuteness turns into an unhealthy dependence on one another.

As I raise these puppies, they are learning how to:

Why is this so important for littermates?

But life happens. What if:

When puppies grow up together and special attention isn’t paid to training them to lead independent lives, their lives can be limited and unnecessarily stressful.

Boundaries – Movie Review

I’m often asked to review dog-related products, treats, and food, but earlier this month, I was asked to do a movie review for a Sony Pictures movie called Boundaries.

It became immediately clear why: DOGS. Dogs (and a few cats — one naked kitty, even) show up in the movie all over the place.

It’s the backstory, and behind-the-scenes details, though, that I almost always find the most interesting.

Another interesting aspect of Boundaries was the casting.

The actor cast as Laura’s son sort of steals the screen in Boundaries.

Not surprisingly, the quiet stars of Boundaries are the canines.

Teaching a puppy to listen in public takes time.

Rogan is slated to be a service dog when he grows up.

Rogan went with me to do some shopping today.

Our next stop was Wegmans where I needed to get some basics at the grocery store.

Some of the hardest tasks for a social dog like Rogan, however, is sticking with me instead of walking up to all the people who say “Oh! What a cute dog!” as they pass us.

Much of what I do is preventing problems before they start.

All the training pays off, though! And quickly!

Puppy training can be fun. Puppy training can also be exasperating!

Why 8 weeks?

Socialization window?

That’s where I came in — my specialty is puppies!

His people chose him from the breeder and I picked him up at 8 weeks of age.

After about four weeks, I was seeing a really nice transformation happening.

Fast forward to today and now I have to hold Walter back!

That’s the foundation that all puppies need if they’re going to continue a lifetime of learning — that foundation of quality and timely socialization, trust and cooperation with people.

People always ask if it’s hard for me to let a dog go that I’ve had a hand in raising.

Introducing Service Puppy in-Training, Rogan

Welcome, Rogan!

Rogan’s training

Got a mixed breed? Ever wonder what breeds make up your dog’s heritage? You’re not alone!

There are plenty of reasons people want to identify the breeds in their dog.

There are quite a few companies out there that do doggie DNA testing.

My parents got a mixed breed dog from the local shelter almost a year ago.

In general, DNA tests for dogs can be done with a blood sample or with saliva.

How a DNA test works

Nautique’s DNA Test Results

About DNA My Dog

Have you done a DNA test on your dog? What did you think?

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