Pet Help

Tips on selecting products such as food, toys and crates, and guidelines on behavior and training.

• Puppy Product Recommendations

• FOOD:

  Nutrisource Food – Made in MN.  Most of our puppies are already eating this food, http://www.nutrisourcepetfoods.com/nutrisource/

  “A trusted family-owned pet food manufacturer for over 50 years.”

  We pride ourselves on being a family-owned-and-operated pet food manufacturer, bringing you high quality pet foods that you can trust feeding to your furry family members. We offer a wide range of Premium Pet Foods and formulas including Dry, Canned, Grain Free, Organic, all created with the finest ingredients. We also use the Good 4 Life formula in a large amount of our pet foods, which is formulated to bring your pet Super Premium Nutrition. We bring you Super Premium Pet Foods, consistent products, a manufacturing facility you can trust and unparalleled customer service.

  Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul – go to their website to find out where you can buy, but this is really high quality (again, check it out on Dog Food Advisor’s website) and it’s fairly inexpensive.

  Why buy high quality food? Less poop! Seriously, your puppy will poop less because high quality food doesn’t have filler ingredients—which also means they don’t need to eat as much, so a bag lasts longer. It also decreases the chances of health issues. Several of the brands of food you see commercials for do not have very high standards and sometimes leftover ingredients just get dumped into random batches.

  Good feeding practices: Pay attention to the recommended serving sizes on the bags for your puppy’s weight. While they’re still young, it’s okay to keep them stocked with food, but as they get older you’ll want to switch to just feeding half the amount twice a day so they don’t put on extra pounds! It’s also a good idea to make them sit, and eventually sit and stay for their food, so they have to earn it and know you’re in charge.

  TREATS:

  Training treats: There are also sorts of brands and flavors, but we’d recommend training treats only because they’re small servings, which can also prevent extra poundage. Don’t worry about giving too many—one of our trainers gives her 65 pound Golden Retriever around 150 training treats during an hour long training session. You can always search a treat name before you buy to make sure it’s safe and good quality.

  CRATES:

  Walmart and Amazon have good prices. Crates are a great idea for training and potty training. Don’t use them as a punishment—they should be the puppy’s safe space. Train them to go in with the word “kennel.” Puppies should be fed in their crates and given treats in their crates. 

  PET INSURANCE:

  VPI (www.petinsurance.com) – This pet insurance can help protect your bank account from unexpected vet visit costs. This one is recommended by several of our volunteers. You can find out more on their website. With your adoption you get a free 30 days of Shelter Care pet insurance if you accept it via their email, but after that time period it automatically cancels itself.

  TRAINING:

  Suggested Facilities:

  • Canine Craze, Urbandale
  • Happy Acres, Winterset
  • Barking Lot, Ankeny

  Why use positive reinforcement only? Positive reinforcement not only trains your puppy quickly and effectively, but it helps build your bond! Unfortunately many people still believe in hitting, yelling, or rubbing a pup’s nose in an accident spot—all that type of “training” does is confuse and frighten the puppy. If they’re doing something wrong, it’s because they don’t understand NOT because they’re trying to make your life difficult.

  Always consult a trainer if you find yourself at a loss and unsure what to do.

  TOYS:

  Nylabones are great for chewers and they’re safe and long-lasting. Take them away once they’ve become too frayed. Inexpensive at Walmart.

  Squeaky toys seem to be favorites of a lot of dogs.

  Antlers believe it or not, deer and elk antlers are LOVED by dogs. They love to chew on them. The pups have already been chewing on them at our house. They’re all natural bone and they last forever. They’re very safe for chewers, but we would recommend only to give them while supervised. They make a great reward at the end of a training session.

  Problem with chewing? Make sure you have plenty of options of different types and textures of toys for your puppy. Every time you see them chewing on something inappropriate be sure to tell them “no,” and give them an appropriate toy. If they continue to go after something, Bitter Apple spray is excellent for stopping chewing on particular items. Puppies chew because they’re teeth are coming in and it feels good for dogs of all ages. Make sure your puppy gets plenty of physical and mental exercise so they don’t get bored and chew your belongings for fun!

  Why not rawhides? They can be fine, we just choose not to give them to our dogs because they can get stuck in the digestive system, which is unsafe and expensive! There are other safer chewing options.

• Puppy Behavior Basics (Courtesy of the US Humane Society)

• The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, especially for dogs. The fact is, well-socialized dogs are more likely to have well-socialized puppies. Pups often mirror their mothers’ calm or fearful attitude toward people; this is a normal part of their socialization. But you can play a vital role, too, by petting, talking, and playing with puppy to help him develop good “people skills.”

  Puppies are usually weaned at six to seven weeks but are still learning important skills as their mother gradually leaves them for longer periods of time. Ideally, puppies should stay with their littermates (or other “role-model” dogs) for at least 12 weeks.

  Puppies separated from their littermates too early often fail to develop appropriate “social skills,” such as learning how to send and receive signals, what an “inhibited bite” (acceptable mouthing pressure) means, how far to go in play-wrestling, and so forth. Play is important for puppies because it increases their physical coordination, social skills, and learning limits. By interacting with their mother and littermates, puppies explore the ranking process (“who’s in charge”) and also learn “how to be a dog.”

  Skills not acquired during the first eight weeks may be lost forever. While these stages are important and fairly consistent, a dog’s mind remains receptive to new experiences and lessons well beyond puppyhood. Most dogs are still puppies, in mind and body, through the first two years of life. Here are general guidelines for puppies’ stages of development:

  Birth to Two Weeks: Neonatal Period

  • Puppy is most influenced by his mother.
  • Senses of touch and taste are present at birth.

  Two to Four Weeks: Transitional Period

  • Puppy is most influenced by his mother and littermates.
  • Eyes open, teeth begin to come in, and senses of hearing and smell develop.
  • Puppy begins to stand, walk a little, wag tail and bark.
  • By the fourth or fifth week, eyesight is well-developed.

  Three to Twelve Weeks: Socialization Period

  • During this period, puppy needs opportunities to meet other dogs and people.
  • By three to five weeks, puppy becomes aware of his surroundings, companions (both canine and human), and relationships, including play. By four to six weeks, puppy is most influenced by littermates and is learning about being a dog.
  • From four to twelve weeks, puppy remains influenced by littermates and is also influenced by people. Puppy learns to play, develops social skills, learns the inhibited bite, explores social structure/ranking, and improves physical coordination.
  • By five to seven weeks, puppy develops curiosity and explores new experiences. Puppy needs positive “people” experiences during this time. By seven to nine weeks, puppy is refining his physical skills and coordination, and can begin to be housetrained. Puppy has full use of senses.
  • By eight to ten weeks, puppy experiences real fear involving normal objects and experiences; puppy needs positive training during this time.
  • By nine to twelve weeks, puppy is refining reactions, developing social skills with littermates (appropriate interactions), and exploring the environment and objects. Puppy begins to focus on people; this is a good time to begin training.

  Three to Six Months: Ranking Period

  • Puppy is most influenced by “playmates,” which may now include those of other species.
  • Puppy begins to see and use ranking (dominance and submission) within the household (the puppy’s “pack”), including humans.
  • Puppy begins teething (and associated chewing).
  • At four months of age, puppy experiences another fear stage.

  Six to Eighteen Months: Adolescence

  • Puppy is most influenced by human and dog “pack” members.
  • At seven to nine months, puppy goes through a second chewing phase, part
  • of exploring territory.
  • Puppy increases exploration of dominance, including challenging humans.
  • If not spayed or neutered, puppy experiences beginnings of sexual behavior.
• Puppy Nipping and Rough Play

• It’s not always easy to convince a new puppy not to bite the hand that feeds him, pets him, or plays with him. When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths, so they might also be inclined to bite or “mouth” your hand during play or when being petted. This is rarely aggressive behavior meant to do harm, but it is a difficult habit to break unless you encourage your puppy to try an acceptable alternative behavior. The goal is to redirect your puppy’s energy onto acceptable chew toys, and to teach her to be gentle when a hand is in or near her mouth.

  Encourage Acceptable Behavior

  Redirect your puppy’s penchant for nipping and biting by offering her more acceptable objects (such as chew toys) whenever you pet her. This technique can be especially effective when children want to pet her. As you or the child reaches out to scratch her behind the ears with one hand, offer the chew toy with the other. This will not only help your puppy learn that people and petting are wonderful, but will also keep her mouth busy while she’s being petted. Alternate which hand does the petting and which one has the chew toy. You may need to start off by petting or scratching your puppy for short periods of time, since the longer she’s petted, the more likely she is to get excited and start to nip.

  Discourage Unacceptable Behavior

  You must also teach your puppy to be gentle with hands, and show her that nipping results in unpleasant consequences. Teach your puppy that nipping “turns off” any attention and social interaction with you. As soon as a nip occurs, look your puppy right in the eye and yell “OUCH” as though you’ve been mortally wounded. Then ignore her. Leave the room if you must, but ignore her until she’s calm, and then try the chew toy and petting method again.

  Jumping Up

  When your puppy jumps up on you, she wants attention. Even if you push her away, she is still getting attention (even if it is a response that you might consider negative).

  When your puppy jumps up:

  Fold your arms in front of you, turn away from her, and say “off.”

  Continue to turn away from her until all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her and give her a treat. If she knows the “sit” command, give the command when all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her and give her a treat while she’s in the sitting position.

  If she begins to jump while you’re praising her, simply turn away and repeat the second step, above. Remember to keep your praise low-key.

  When your puppy realizes that she gets no attention from you while she’s jumping up, but does get attention when she sits, she’ll stop jumping up. Remember, once you’ve taught her to come and sit quietly for attention, you must reward her behavior. Be careful not to ignore her when she comes and sits politely, waiting for your attention.

  What Not to Do

  Attempts to tap, slap, or hit your puppy in the face for nipping or jumping up are almost guaranteed to backfire. Several things may happen, depending on your puppy’s temperament and the severity of the correction: She could become “hand-shy” and cringe or cower whenever a hand comes toward her face.

  She could become afraid of you, and refuse to come to you or approach you at all.

  She could respond in a defensive manner and attempt to bite you to defend herself.

  She could interpret a mild slap as an invitation to play, causing her to become more excited and even more likely to nip.

  Set boundaries when playing “tug-of-war” or wrestling games with your puppy. When trained properly, these types of games can teach your puppy bite restraint and the limitations of rough play.

  Be Consistent

  It’s important that all behaviors, acceptable and unacceptable, be managed consistently by all family members. And remember that any method you try will probably not be effective unless you work hard to teach your puppy an acceptable alternative behavior.

  A Note About Children and Puppies

  It’s very difficult for children under eight or nine years old to practice the kind of behavior modification outlined here. Children’s first reaction to being nipped or mouthed by a puppy is to push the puppy away with their hands and arms. This will be interpreted by the puppy as play and will probably cause the puppy to nip and mouth even more. Adults should closely monitor all interactions between their children and dogs.

• Crate Training

• If you like nothing better than coming home from a hard day’s work and finding that your dog decided to “go” on the couch or use your favorite slippers as a new chew toy, then crate training isn’t for you. But, if you’re like most people, then using a crate to properly train your dog will be time well spent. Crate training takes some time and effort, but it is a proven way to help train dogs who act inappropriately without knowing any better.

  If you have a new dog or puppy, you can use the crate to limit his access to the house until he learns all the house rules—like what he can and can’t chew on and where he can and can’t eliminate. A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog in the car or taking him places where he may not be welcome to run freely. If you properly train your dog to use the crate, he’ll think of it as his safe place and will be happy to spend time there when needed.

  Selecting a Crate

  Crates may be plastic (often called “flight kennels”) or collapsible, metal pens. They come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Your dog’s crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate his adult size. Block off the excess crate space so your dog can’t eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.

  The Crate Training Process

  Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age, temperament, and past experiences. It’s important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don’t go too fast.

  Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

  Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won’t hit your dog and frighten him.

  To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that’s okay; don’t force him to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.

  Step 2: Feeding Your Dog His Meals in the Crate

  After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If instead your dog remains reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.

  Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he’s eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he’s staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it’s imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he’ll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he’ll keep doing it.

  Step 3: Conditioning Your Dog to the Crate for Longer Time Periods

  After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you’re home. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command to enter, such as “kennel.” Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, then let him out of the crate.

  Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you’re out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time, you can begin leaving him crated when you’re gone for short time periods and/ or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

  Step 4, Part A: Crating Your Dog When Left Alone

  After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate. You’ll want to vary at what point in your “getting ready to leave” routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn’t be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.

  Don’t make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly. When you return home, don’t reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you’re home so he doesn’t associate crating with being left alone.

  Step 4, Part B: Crating Your Dog at Night

  Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you’ll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside.

  Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so that they don’t associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog–even sleep time–is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

  Potential Problems

  Too Much Time In The Crate.

  A crate isn’t a magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated. For example, if your dog is crated all day while you’re at work and then crated again all night, he’s spending too much time in too small a space. Other arrangements should be made to meet his physical and emotional needs. Also remember that puppies under six months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can’t control their bladders and bowels for longer periods.

  Whining.

  If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he’s whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you’ve followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn’t been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he’ll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.

  If the whining continues after you’ve ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you’re convinced that your dog doesn’t need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don’t give in; if you do, you’ll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you’ve progressed gradually through the training steps and haven’t done too much too fast, you’ll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.

  Separation Anxiety.

  Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won’t solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional animal-behavior specialist for help.

• Basic Training Techniques

• Does your dog get on the furniture and refuse to get off? Nudge your hand and insist on being petted or played with? Refuse to come when called? De­fend his food bowl or toys from you?

  If so, a training technique called “Nothing In Life Is Free” may be just the solution you’re looking for. “Nothing In Life Is Free” is not a magic pill that will solve a specific behavior problem. Instead, it’s a way of living with your dog that will help him behave better because he trusts and accepts you as his leader and is confident knowing his place in the family.

  How to Practice “Nothing In Life Is Free”

  Use positive reinforcement methods to teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks. “Sit,” “Down,” and “Stay” are useful commands. “Shake,” “Speak,” and “Roll over” are fun tricks to teach your dog.

  Once your dog has mastered a few commands, you can begin to practice “Nothing In Life Is Free.” Before you give your dog anything (food, a treat, a walk, a pat on the head) he must first perform one of the commands he has learned. For example:

  YOU Put your dog’s leash on to go for a walk
  YOUR DOG Must sit until you’ve put the leash on

  YOU Feed your dog
  YOUR DOG Must lie down and stay until you’ve put the bowl down

  YOU Play a game of fetch after work
  YOUR DOG Must sit and “shake hands” each time you throw the toy teach your dog to shake

  YOU Rub your dog’s belly while watching TV
  YOUR DOG Must lie down and roll over before being petted

  Once you’ve given the command, don’t give your dog what he wants until he does what you want. If he refuses to perform the command, walk away, come back a few minutes later, and start again. If your dog refuses to obey the command, be patient and remember that eventually he will have to obey your command to get what he wants.

  Make sure your dog knows the command well and understands what you want before you begin practicing “Nothing In Life Is Free.”

  The Benefits of this Technique

  Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. Requiring a dominant dog to work for everything he wants is a safe, non-confrontational way to estab­lish control.

  Dogs who may never display aggressive behavior such as growling, snarl­ing, or snapping may still manage to manipulate you. These dogs may display affectionate behavior that borders on being “pushy,” such as nudg­ing your hand to be petted or “worming” their way onto the furniture to be close to you. This technique gently reminds the dog that he must abide by your rules.

  Fearful dogs may become more confident by obeying commands. Having a strong leader and knowing his place in the hierarchy helps to make the sub­missive dog feel more secure.

  Why This Technique Works

  Animals who live in groups, like dogs, establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves to maintain order, reduce conflict, and promote cooperation among pack members. To ensure that your home is a safe and happy place for pets and people, it’s best that the humans in the household assume the highest posi­tions in the dominance hierarchy. Practicing “Nothing In Life Is Free” gently and effectively communicates to your dog that his position in the hierarchy is subordinate to yours.

  From your dog’s point of view, children also have a place in this hierarchy. Because children are small and can get down on the dog’s level to play, dogs often consider them to be playmates rather than superiors. With the supervision of an adult, it’s a good idea to encourage children in the house­hold who are eight years or older to also practice “Nothing In Life Is Free” with the family dog.

• Positive Reinforcement

• We all like to be praised rather than punished. The same is true for your dog, and that’s the theory behind positive reinforcement. Positive reinforce­ment means giving your pet something pleasant or rewarding immediately after she does something you want her to do. Because your praise or re­ward makes her more likely to repeat that behavior in the future, it is one of your most powerful tools for shaping or changing your dog’s behavior. Correct timing is essential when using positive reinforcement. The reward must occur immediately–within seconds–or your pet may not associate it with the proper action. For example, if you have your dog “sit” but reward her after she’s already stood back up, she’ll think she’s being rewarded for standing up.

  Consistency is also essential. Everyone in the family should use the same commands. It might help to post these where everyone can become familiar with them. The most commonly used commands for dogs are:

  “sit”

  “stay”

  “down” (which means “lie down”)

  “off” (which means “get off of me” or “get off the furniture”)

  “stand”

  “come”

  “heel” (or “let’s go” or “with me”)

  “leave it” – note from Kristin: I don’t recommend Leave It because they shouldn’t grab anything off the floor without your permission. Otherwise they might find medication or something that could harm them without you realizing it.

  “settle”

  Consistency means always rewarding the desired behavior and never re­warding undesired behavior.

  Using Positive Reinforcement

  For your pet, positive reinforcement may include food treats, praise, pet­ting, or a favorite toy or game. Food treats work especially well for training your dog. A treat should be enticing and irresistible to your pet. It should be a very small, soft piece of food, so that she will immediately gulp it down and look to you for more. If you give her something she has to chew or that breaks into bits and falls on the floor, she’ll be looking around the floor, not at you. Small pieces of soft commercial treats, hot dogs, cheese, or cooked chicken or beef have all proven successful. Experiment a bit to see what works best for your pet. You can carry the treats in a pocket or fanny pack. Each time you use a food reward, you should couple it with a verbal reward (praise). Say something like, “Good dog,” in a positive, happy tone of voice. Some pets may not be interested in food treats. For those pets, the reward could be in the form of a toy or brief play.

  When your pet is learning a new behavior, she should be rewarded ev­ery time she does the behavior, which means continuous reinforcement. It may be necessary to use a technique called “shaping” with your pet, which means reinforcing something close to the desired response and then gradu­ally requiring more from your dog before she gets the treat. For example, if you’re teaching your dog to “shake hands,” you may initially reward her for lifting her paw off the ground, then for lifting it higher, then for touching your hand, then for letting you hold her paw, and finally, for actually “shak­ing hands” with you.

  Intermittent reinforcement can be used once your pet has reliably learned the behavior. At first, reward her with the treat three out of every four times she does the behavior. Then, over time, reward her about half the time, then about a third of the time, and so on, until you’re only rewarding her occasionally with the treat. Continue to praise her every time—although once your dog has learned the behavior, your praise can be less effusive, such as a quiet, but positive, “Good dog.” Use a variable schedule of rein­forcement so that she doesn’t catch on that she only has to respond every other time. Your pet will soon learn that if she keeps responding, eventually she’ll get what she wants–your praise and an occasional treat.

  By understanding reinforcement, you’ll see that you’re not forever bound to carry a pocketful of goodies. Your dog will soon be working for your verbal praise, because she really does want to please you and knows that, occa­sionally, she’ll get a treat, too. There are many small opportunities to rein­force her behavior. You may have her “sit” before letting her out the door (which helps prevent door-darting), before petting her (which helps prevent jumping up on people), or before feeding her. Give her a pat or a “Good dog” for lying quietly by your feet, or slip a treat into a Kong®-type toy when she’s chewing it instead of your shoe.

  The Pros and Cons of Punishment

  Punishment can be verbal, postural, or physical, and it means giving your pet something unpleasant immediately after she does something you don’t want her to do. The punishment makes it less likely that the behavior will occur again. To be effective, punishment must be delivered while your pet is engaged in the undesirable behavior – in other words, “caught in the act.” If the punishment is delivered too late, even seconds later, your pet will not associate the punishment with the undesired behavior.

  Punishment delivered by you may erode your dog’s trust. That’s why pun­ishment is most effective when it does not come directly from you. For ex­ample, after your dog acts in an undesirable way, use a shake can, an air horn, or keys–but don’t draw attention to the fact that the noise comes from you. If your dog perceives her “environment,” instead of you, to be delivering the punishment, she’ll be more likely to avoid the behavior even when you’re not around.

  In addition, if you’re too late in administering it, punishment will seem to­tally unpredictable to your dog. She’s likely to become fearful, distrustful, and/or aggressive, which will only lead to more behavior problems. What we humans often interpret as “guilty” looks are actually submissive pos­tures by our pets. Animals don’t have a moral sense of right and wrong, but they are adept at associating your presence, and the presence of a mess, with punishment.

  If you’ve tried punishment and it hasn’t worked, you should definitely stop using punishment and use only positive reinforcement instead. And never use physical punishment that involves some level of discomfort or even pain, which may cause your pet to bite to defend herself. Holding the neck skin and shaking your dog, or performing “alpha rolls” (forcing your dog onto her back and pinning her on the floor), are both likely to result in bites. Also, punishment might be associated with other stimuli, including people, that are present at the time the punishment occurs. For example, a pet who is punished for getting too close to a small child may become fear­ful of, or aggressive to, that child–or to other children. That’s why physical punishment is not only bad for your pet, it’s also bad for you and others.

  From the Human Society of the United States

  https://www.humaneworld.org/en

Things to think about and what costs to budget for when adopting your new pet.

• Adopting a Dog

• AHeinz57 takes great pride in finding good homes for our pet friends and therefore our adoption process is very thorough. Remember that adopting a pet is an important decision that will affect your entire family.

  Be Informed!

  Find out more information about the breed you are interested in by looking up information about it on the internet. It will give you valuable information you may not have known about your potential pet. Some things to consider are:

  • Is this breed good with children?
  • How much does it shed?
  • Are there any inherent medical issues that are common with this breed?
  • Does it require extra exercise?

  The more informed you are, the more likely you will find the right pet that can call your home its forever home.

  Remember!

  Any pet that you are considering to make part of your family, whether it is from an animal shelter or from a rescue organization, is transitioning from the place that he/she called home. This transition time is a very stressful time for any pet. They are in unfamiliar surroundings with people that they do not know. Some animals adjust very quickly. For some, it might take as long as 4 to 6 weeks to adjust to their new surroundings. In any case, we are looking for people who are willing to make a lifelong commitment to their pets.

• Dog Adoption Budget

• Dogs are a long-term commitment in terms of love, attention, exercise, grooming, medical care, obedience classes and much more. Needless to say, they are also an expensive long-term commitment! Before you adopt a dog, take a look at the sample dog adoption budget below.

  Prices have been left out, since they can vary widely depending on where you live. Take a trip to a local pet store and call a local vet to get estimates.

  One-Time Costs

  • Leash and collar
  • Food and water bowls
  • Doggy bed
  • Puppy shots
    • Puppies will require additional sets of shots to protect them until their immune system is fully developed. Once they are adults, they only require an annual booster.
  • Brush/comb and nail clipper
  • Kennel/crate
    • Purchase a high-quality kennel. This is handy for a couple of reasons. First, it’s nice to be able to crate-train a puppy so that you don’t have messes all over the house. Second, kennels are great for keeping your dog safe when you travel or move.

  Recurring Costs

  • Dog food (dry/moist)
    • Dry kibble is best for their teeth and health, but some people mix in a few teaspoons of moist food.
  • Treats
    • This can include dog cookies, jerky treats, rawhide chews, and so on.
  • Toys
    • It’s always good to have a toy or two lying around for your dog to play with. Toys will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.
  • Annual booster shot
    • Every year once your dog has matured into an adult, he or she will need an annual shot to keep healthy.
  • Heartworm medication
    • You live in an area where heartworm is a problem and your dog will need monthly heartworm prevention to prevent him from contracting it.
  • Flea or tick medication
    • You live in an area that is prone to ticks and fleas. Your dog needs monthly flea and tick prevention.
  • Licensing fees
    • Check with your city offices to determine if you need to purchase a license for your dog. Many cities require you to renew your licenses every year. They also often offer lower rates for dogs that are spayed or neutered.
  • Kennel care
    • Call a few local kennels to get an idea of what they charge per day. When you go on vacation or plan to be out of town for any other reason, you may need to leave your dog at a kennel.
  • Grooming
    • Budget for a half dozen tips to the vet or groomer for bathing, brushing, shaving, or nail clipping if you don’t plan to do this yourself.

  Other Costs

  • “Destroyed-by-the-puppy” expenses
    • If you have a puppy, it is practically inevitable that it will destroy something. This can range from shoes or sofa cushions, to carpets and walls.
  • Unforeseen medical expenses, including dental care
    • Like people, our pets can sometimes get sick or require dental care. And yes, sometimes it can be serious and require hospitalization or specialized treatment. If you are worried about these types of costs, you may want to look into purchasing pet insurance for peace of mind.

Always opt to adopt! Learn about additional rescues and shelters in the area.

• Try These Alternatives

• Always opt to adopt! Do NOT buy animals in pet stores. Do NOT buy animals from puppy mills or breeders you know nothing about. If your heart is set on a specific breed, check the breed specific rescues. You can also find all kinds of wonderful pure-breds and AHeinz57’s at the numerous no-kill rescues, like Animal Life-Line, Hounds Haven Basset Rescue of Iowa and shelters like the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. There are also online options like Adopt A Pet and Pet Finder.

  It doesn’t matter if you adopt from a shelter or a rescue. Just please opt to adopt!

What’s the difference and what is the debate all about? Amy shares her thoughts.

• No Kill vs Traditional Shelters

• No Kill Rescue: A “no-kill” rescue is an animal shelter that does not kill healthy or treatable animals even when the shelter is full, reserving euthanasia for terminally ill animals or those considered dangerous to public safety.

  Traditional/Open Admission Shelter: An agency that must accept, or chooses to accept, any and all companion animals regardless of health, temperament, or space available, with no limitation.

• Bridging the Gap Between No Kill vs Traditional

• Thoughts from Amy Heinz

  I have volunteered at both no-kill shelters and traditional shelters. In my experience, the no-kill shelters tend to put down the traditional shelters for euthanizing animals. Likewise, the traditional shelters have criticized no-kill shelters. One even went so far as to say that, “Until all shelters can be no-kill shelters, NO shelters should be no-kill shelters.” Likewise, I’ve heard some no-kill shelters readily accuse traditional shelters of “murdering” animals and having no heart or soul. This has to stop!

  Like religion and politics, the world of animal rescue has it’s extremes: those that are charged with the care of innocent animals and treat them horribly, and those that claim to value all furry lives, but really only accept the cutest, healthiest animals. I believe, just like religion and politics, there are far more moderates out there. People who are simply trying their best to do the right thing for these poor lost souls. There is definitely a gap between no-kill rescues and traditional shelters, but I don’t think it is necessarily a large gap if we are all honest and realistic about it.

  AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport has a dream to bridge the gap between no-kill and traditional shelters. We all have common ground in that we are all in this business because we ALL care about animals. It’s not fair that our rescue gets to boast that we do not euthanize animals when we have to turn animals away because we don’t have room. The animals we don’t have room for end up at the traditional shelters because they do NOT turn animals away. It’s not fair that they are left to deal with the horrible reality that there are simply too many animals and not enough homes. It’s not fair that they must make the horrific decision of who lives and who dies, while we sit back and pat ourselves on the back. But, what is most unfair, is that there are so many reasons why this debate even exists: overpopulation due to puppy mills and lack of spaying/neutering, owner surrenders, pets being dumped like trash, dog fighting, and laws that do nothing about this problem. These are the things we must all focus on, instead of focusing on who is doing a better job saving lives. We all must come together in a united effort to help these animals. We have to stop putting each other down and start joining hands.

  A starting point to bridge this gap is the transportation networks we are involved in. By monitoring the traditional shelters and pulling as many as possible on their last day, we are alleviating the need to euthanize so many.

  – Amy Heinz

Read our experience at a 2013 puppy mill in Iowa and find out what you can do to help.

• Our Puppy Mill Experience in Iowa

• Our director and a volunteer went to a 2013 puppy mill auction here in Iowa. Read the amazing story below. 

  Susan and I got up early Friday morning to embark on a three hour drive to Kalona, IA. I was excited, yet hesitant to finally see what all the drama was really about.

  When we arrived at the Amish farm, the sun was shining, but there was a chilly wind blowing from the south. Up on the hill was a food tent alive with activity. Amish women scurried around getting food and hot chocolate for the event participants. Amish children ran back and forth in a game of tag, while the teenage girls sat atop the picnic tables with their vibrant royal blue and deep purple skirts billowing in the wind. The scene was right out of movie.

  Across the way, the sale tent was teaming with Amish men and boys getting ready for the big sale, while buyers milled about the trailers looking at the “merchandise.” Once we registered for the auction and received our bid numbers, we too went to view the “merchandise”.

  The first step into the trailer literally took my breath away. I had seen photos, but it was quite different to see it in person. When viewing photos you simply cannot fathom the stench of ammonia, urine and feces that stings your nose and causes your eyes to water. Within minutes I couldn’t decide if it was the ammonia making my eyes water or the simply tears that I was fighting back as I stared througj the bars at the sad, scared “merchandise” huddled in the corners of the cages in groups of four or five, as if there were safety in numbers. Sadly, their safety and well-being was the last thing on the minds of the puppy mill breeders who were there to purchase more stock. How in the world terrified dogs and puppies can be considered livestock is completely and utterly baffling to me. I wanted to scream and cry and make a scene, but I had to put my emotions aside and say nothing if I wanted to get dogs out of there. It wasn’t until that moment that I understood why rescues would purchase dogs from puppy mills and put money into the pockets of these heartless people. Suddenly, I was ready to spend every last dime I had to save as many as possible.

  We situated ourselves on the stands in the sale tent, strategically placed so we could see the other rescuers in the crowd, to prevent bidding against each other. It didn’t really matter which dogs we wound up with. What mattered was that we wound up with more dogs than the breeders. Armed with my checkbook and bidding number, we commenced the bidding war between rescue and breeder. Thinking my heart couldn’t possibly break more for these sad creatures, I watched as the auctioneer held up a visibly shaking Chihuahua and said, “Who wants to start the bid on this ’09 model?” Gulp! An “09 model”? Good God! How can these people devalue a living thing like this? Several Chihuahua’s later, a 12 year old, possibly pregnant, blind Shih Tzu with big, bulging, dried out eyes was presented as an “older model, but still has plenty of good years left in her.” Four hundred and sixty-five dollars later, the Amish man across the room gave up and she was mine! One of the proudest moments of my life!

  One after another, breed after breed, the dogs were placed on the auction table throughout the day. The longer we were there, the more determined we were to outbid the breeders. Attending were numerous rescue women who had scraped together donations, took out loans, and drained their own bank accounts to free as many dogs as possible from a life of hell in the puppy mills.

  I wish my story ended here, but there was another auction the next day, in the town of New Sharon. I wanted to cry on Friday, but now I mistakenly thought I was ready to do battle and knew what to expect this time. HA! As I walked to this sale tent, the motion picture scene from the day before had turned into a scene from Deliverance. I walked into hell on earth and came face to face with evil in a man, named Powell, notorious puppy miller and sex offender.

  Powell did his best to escalate bidding whenever rescues were bidding on dogs in an attempt to bankrupt the rescues. After outbidding one rescue for a very sad-looking, old Maltese, he turned to the Amish man next to me and said, “I don’t even want that damn thing. I just didn’t want that rescue to get it.” I dare not imagine the fate that befell that poor dog later in the evening.

  Like the day before, there were tufts of fur and bones peeking out of the top soil, sporadically littered across the farm, where little dog bodies were left like garbage to decompose and disappear as if their lives had no meaning. Like the day before, the stench inside the buildings stung my nose and caused my eyes to water. The only difference was the buildings here were even worse and it was hard to keep from vomiting. There were so many hundreds of dogs living in such horrific conditions that my mind was almost paralyzed trying to comprehend, or justify, or make any kind of sense as to how this could possibly be allowed in the state of Iowa, by the USDA, and just the simple laws of humanity and our innate sense of right and wrong.

  At the end of the day, “victory” went to the rescues! More than ½ of the “stock” made it to rescues. The dogs still have a few things to endure. All will have most of their teeth pulled because they are so rotten. The majority will be treated for ear mites and infections. Some will have treatment for eye infections, dry and bulging blind eyes. Some, like my little Yorkie with a broken, dangling lower jaw, will be purposely injured before being handed over to rescue. BUT, those dogs will finally know what it is like to be clean, to be healthy, to be healed, to have nutritious food, to drink clean water, to walk on solid ground for the first time instead of standing on wire cages, to be touched by a human without being hurt, to be loved for the first time, and to just be a dog.

  AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport saved a total of 18 dogs from the two auctions. However, I am left wondering what we accomplished. I am left wondering why the people that we pay with our tax dollars to ensure the humane treatment of animals, allows this to happen. Where were they during these auctions? Where are they now? Do they care? Are they paid to turn a blind eye? Why do we vote for these people? Why isn’t the world as outraged and destroyed as I am over this? I don’t sleep well now. How do they?

  PLEASE contact your legislators and tell them to STOP puppy mills. Shut them down and do not allow them to sell out to other breeders.

  It is up to me and it is up to YOU to do the right thing and be a voice for puppy mill dogs.

  – Amy Heinz

• How can we STOP Puppy Mills?

• Don’t buy a dog or cat from a pet store!!!

  If your heart is set on a specific breed, adopt from a breed specific rescue or at least research the breeder you want to buy from.

  Educate yourself to be certain you are not buying from a puppy mill: What should I look for?

  Get involved: Join Iowa Voters For Companion Animals or What Can I Do To Stop Puppymills?