Finding a Dog Breeder: How to Find the Right One

May 20, 2015 by Fanna Easter

How to Find a Good Dog Breeder

Not all dog breeders are the same. It’s important to understand the differences between responsible breeders who invest in your puppy’s mental and physical health, breeders chasing the almighty dollar (looking for financial gain) and uneducated breeders.

Don’t Let Price Fool You

Many potential pet parents assume reputable breeders charge more for their puppies. This is not true. In 25 years of experience, I’ve noticed non-reputable breeders charging the same amount or more, and they have a lower overhead because they don’t health test or take puppies back.

Responsible breeders lose money because they’ve invested so much in the beginning. Health testing one adult dog costs between $350-$600, depending on the amount of inheritable diseases plaguing a breed. As you read the requirements for a reputable breeder, keep a mental note of cost. You’ll quickly realize they’re not breeding dogs for profit, but they breed dogs to improve the breed–that’s their motive (currency).

You May Have to Wait

Yes, I know you want a puppy now so read on impatient reader. 🙂

Reputable breeders only breed dogs when they want a puppy so they may breed a few times a year. Unethical and uneducated breeders churn out unlimited amounts of puppies, which attracts impatient pet owners.

Oi, I can’t tell you how many people have asked my advice when searching for a breeder. They listen, take notes and ask lots of questions, then they stubble upon a kind lady (who doesn’t health test or so forth) with puppies on the ground and impatience wins.

Understand that’s a smart business plan for unethical and uneducated people looking to make money. They have a ready supply of puppies, as most consumers crave instant gratification. Puppies are not a commodity. They live, breathe and love. Please wait for the right puppy from a reputable breeder. It will be well worth the wait. 🙂

Responsible breeders are educated and follow specific guidelines, as they’re looking to better the breed instead of making money.

If someone doesn’t meet the below requirements, keep looking.

Good Dog Breeder Qualifications

Health Test – No Exceptions Ever

All dog breeds (even mixed) have health issues, and health testing adult dogs (over two years old) is the only way to identify and prevent chances of passing these onto puppies. Check out this article on understanding the importance of health testing and acceptable documentation verifying dogs have been tested and passed.

Never accept verbal promises. Always ask for documentation. If someone says, “I don’t have diseases in my lines,” they are lying.

Keep Puppies Until 8-10 Weeks Old

Puppies must stay with their mother and littermates until 8-10 weeks to develop mentally and socially. If someone allows puppies to leave earlier, don’t get a puppy from him. As a dog trainer, I can’t stress this enough. Most unethical breeders send puppies home earlier because they don’t want to feed or clean up after them–that’s the real reason.

Provide a Lifetime Contract

Yes, lifetime contracts. Contracts protect you and your puppy. If someone doesn’t offer a contract or limits inheritable heath issues within a 2-4 year period, walk away.

Take Puppy or Dog Back

Reputable breeders state in your puppy’s contract they will take your puppy or adult dog (at any age) back for any reason. They want to make sure their puppies have the best home, and if you don’t want that precious puppy any longer, they will take her back and find a forever home.

With that said, take a long deep look inside and make sure you’re ready to provide a forever wonderful life for a dog. If not, it’s okay and be glad you made the decision now instead of disrupting the life of a puppy or adult dog.

Microchip Puppies

All puppies must be permanently identified. This ensures your puppy is returned home if she becomes lost. If a breeder refuses to permanently identify a puppy, walk away. Perennially, I don’t trust breeders that refuse to microchip or tattoo. There’s this ugly game that some unethical breeders play. They provide puppy buyers with heath testing for dogs, which are not even the parents. Yup, and the only way to disprove is by identifying parents by scanning their microchips.

Provide Support Throughout Lifetime of Puppy

They will answer all your questions and provide tips on feeding, socializing and training your puppy. They’re right there with you, celebrating milestones and supporting you through tough times like when your puppy needs surgery to remove a swallowed toy. 🙂 These folks are educated and continue learning. You can’t put a price on having an expert a phone call away.

Member of National Breed Club

National breed club members create breed standards (describes temperament and conformation of a specific breed of dog). These folks show in conformation (dog shows) and are extremely educated about your chosen breed.

This is the perfect place to locate a reputable breeder, but make sure to interview them just like they will surely interview you too. When adding a purebred dog to my home, I’ve found my breeders through national breed clubs. The only time I didn’t, I lived to regret it–one day I’ll write about it, but it’s so painful. I’d rather keep it boxed inside my heart for now.

Don’t forget to print out these guidelines and ask lots of questions.

Find national breed clubs through AKC or UKC. Select a breed and scroll down for breed club information. To learn more about AKC, UKC or Continental Kennel Club (CKC), check out this article explaining the differences. I don’t recommend Continental Kennel Club because it’s a tough place to locate a reputable breeder. This article will explain further.

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Importance of Canine Health Testing

May 18, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Health Testing Dogs

Yes, It’s That Important

That’s it, I’m taking a stand. I’m tired of seeing dogs affected with crippling and life-shortening inheritable diseases that can be prevented by health testing parents of puppies. I’m also tired of hearing some dog breeders say, “I don’t health test because I don’t have diseases in my lines.” Bologna!

I’ll explain why dog health testing is so important. Official forms are considered acceptable proof that a dog was health tested and had passed.

A Bit About Health Testing

If someone says his breeding lines are free of inheritable disease, he’s lying. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. People will lie to make money. Plus, dogs are so stoic and resilient. They seldom show diseases unless it’s really bad. The only way to know if a dog is free from an inheritable disease is to test for it. If a dog is not health tested, assume a dog has an inheritable disease. It’s that common among dogs.

The only way to know if a dog is free from inheritable diseases is by testing for them.

Why Health Test Dogs?

Just like people, dogs contain genes that turn on or off specific traits. If a dog is not health tested and carries inheritable disease genes, there’s a chance greater than 50 percent these genes will be passed onto your puppy (using a Punnett Square). If both parents are not health tested, there’s a 75% or higher chance–this is scary stuff.

By health testing parents, grandparents and great grandparents, you’re decreasing the likelihood of your puppy developing preventable diseases. And trust me, inheritable diseases are ugly. It can cripple puppies and young dogs, and significantly shorten their lives. Now, there is a slight chance puppies can develop diseases even if parents are health tested, but it’s usually a mild case and can be managed without expensive surgeries.

Inheritable Diseases are Common

I’ve seen young dogs (under a year old) die of cardiac arrest while playing in the yard. Dogs lose one or both eyes due to an inheritable eye disease. Dogs can even bleed out and die within hours due to inheritable blood disorders. Yes, folks, it’s that serious. I’m not exaggerating one bit. If you don’t believe me, join a few Facebook groups of dog owners supporting each other through $5,000 surgeries and, worse yet, loss of a beloved dog, which could have been prevented.

To find a list of inheritable disease testing requirements for your specific breed, check out OFA’s database.

Ask for Documentation–Don’t Trust Verbal Promises

If a dog is free of an inheritable disease, Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) can verify by issuing a registration number and certificate stating the outcome. Each certificate has the dog’s registered name, owner’s name, microchip or tattoo number and additional information about the dog. If a dog fails, OFA will still issue paperwork stating the dog didn’t pass and is affected with inheritable disease.

Better yet, view a dog’s OFA health testing results here. All you need is the dog’s registered name and search from there. Don’t trust verbal promises. Ask for documentation from the breeder. They can email you copies of OFA certificates for both parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Check documents closely. Now, some unethical breeders play nasty games by showing you dog OFA certificates. However, these dogs are not the parents of your puppy. Yes, it happens more than you can imagine. These folks know how to deceive informed pet parents. The only way you can ensure this doesn’t happen is by locating a reputable breeder using recommended guidelines and ask for references from past puppy buyers.

What is Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA)?

OFA is a non-profit organization, which sets standards and perimeters for health testing dogs. They collect and share testing results in an effort to decrease inheritable diseases in dogs. Yes, they are the authority for canine health testing and dogs are only considered free of these diseases if they’ve met OFA standards.

Local veterinarians complete most exams and fluid collections. However, vets must ensure these samples meet or exceed standards provided by OFA. If so, a vet signs and mails official OFA documents, then a registration number and certificate are issued. Local vets, on the other hand, capture X-rays and send films to OFA, which are evaluated by orthopedic specialists to determine presence of disease.

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Capturing Dog Behavior

May 15, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Capturing a Dog Behavior: That’s It!

A teacher uses basic teaching fundamentals for humans, dogs, cats, fish and snails so let’s discuss capturing a behavior. This is a powerful way to teach your dog a new behavior.

What is Capturing?

Think about using a camera. When taking a picture, you’re capturing a moment in time. When capturing dog behavior, it’s the same process, except you’re using a clicker to capture a moment in time. And then giving your dog a treat so that moment in time continues.

Imagine you and I standing in a room. Then, after a few minutes of chatting, I move a chair in the middle of the room and you moved toward it to sit. As your behind touched the chair, I clicked and gave you $100. What did you just learn? Ha, that it pays to sit in that chair, right? This is capturing.

Capturing works best for naturally occurring behaviors.

When encouraging participation during a business meeting, reward questions with small bits of chocolate or mints. At first, participants will giggle, but after 10-20 minutes, you’ll have an actively engaging meeting. For introverts, I reward with two pieces of candy. These folks are tough to engage.

If you find need to slow down participation, withhold rewards a bit and reward every third question. Capture and reward know-it-all attendees every third time because constant rewards will ensure their hand is always raised. At first, they’ll become a little perplexed, but they will learn to control their behavior and hand. 🙂

How to Capture Dog Behavior

When using a clicker to mark behaviors you like and then giving your dog a treat, you’re saying, “That’s what I want so keep doing it.”

Capturing is very powerful so be careful of what you capture. 🙂 When dogs bark at us, we look at them–you just captured that behavior. Your dog jumps up on you so you push them down. You just captured that behavior. That’s why, as dog trainers, we ask you to choose good behaviors to replace naughty ones. If your dog jumps up, wait for all four feet to touch the ground and click/treat. When your dog barks, click and treat when she’s quiet.

Naturally occurring examples are:

Sitting.
Lying down.
Calming down.
Loose leash walking.
Stretching.
Barking.
Not barking.
Picking up a paw.
Looking at you.
Whining.
Licking.
Standing.
Yawning.
Keeping four feet on the floor (not jumping up).

Capture Often

If you attend my group classes, you’ll hear this phrase often. The more you capture good behavior, the faster your dog will keep offering it. Even if you must click and treat 10 times in a row when your dog stops pulling on the leash, you’ve taught your dog that keeping the leash loose pays!

Check out these videos to watch capturing in action.

VIDEO: How to Teach a Dog to Sit

VIDEO: Teaching Your Dog to “Touch”

You really can’t give too many treats. Just make sure your dog has earned them for good behavior. 🙂

READ MORE: Shaping Dog Behavior

How to Eliminate Dog Odor From Your Home

May 13, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Removing Dog Odor From Your Home

You don’t have to live with dog odors anymore. It’s a new day with tons of products to choose from. Shoot, I remember when lighting a candle was our only choice, but not anymore! Check out my personal product review–this stuff really works!

Musky Dog Odors

Folks who share their homes with dogs notice a faint ole doggie odor when dogs have been playing outdoors. It’s almost a musky scent. Non-dog people refer to this aroma as wet dog smell. If your dog has chronic body odor issues (your relatives will tell you–that I can guarantee), seek veterinary advice. Regardless, life is too short to live with it so fill the room with freshness.

Natural Products That Really Work

If possible, I try to use natural home cleaning products as I have asthma. By far, essential oil diffusers work best. Just sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential oil in water, turn on your diffuser and enjoy. Personally, I really like my Spa Vapor diffuser. It’s easy to use, looks great and diffuses scent throughout our home. Now, you can spend $100 or so on a diffuser. It’s your choice. However, I find our diffusor works just as well. My favorite essential oil is Peace & Calming by Young Living Essential Oils.

Now, diffusers won’t absorb unpleasant smells, but will certainly replace them with a pleasant scent. 🙂 It works for cooking smells too. I’m from South Louisiana and cook lots of roux. Our diffusers steps up to the challenge every time. Plus, essential oils are very calming for you and your dogs so they’re worth a try.

Maybe Not Natural, But This Product Really Gets The Job Done

Now, the mack daddy of odor eliminators is Febreze Set & Refresh air freshener. While this scent smells delicious, it absorbs odor instead of masking it. Place in a small room or on your AC unit for a continuous fresh scent.

Don’t Forgot

Bathe your dog weekly with an aromatherapy shampoo, and feed your dog a high quality diet. Yes, your dog’s diet can and will control your dog’s natural odors.

Urine Smell

If possible, remove stained carpet and area rugs. If this isn’t possible, clean carpets with an enzyme-based floor cleaner. Check out this article for recommendations, but do know, I’ve fallen in love with a new carpet cleaner and its name is Pet Trainer’s Choice Dog Odor & Stain Eliminator, which you can purchase at Amazon.com. Let me tell you, this stuff not only cleans new stains, it also removes old yellowed stains left behind by other cleaners plus it leaves an amazing scent behind. It’s amazing! Going forward, immediately clean potty accidents to keep odors at bay.

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Best Multivitamin for Dogs

May 12, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Best Dog Vitamin

Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m completely obsessed with uncovering the absolute best dog multivitamins out there. Seriously, I’ve scoured the Internet, read books and attended multiple nutrition classes for years. Well, I think I found them! Do know, due to my obsession, I will continue to research anything new that pops up.

Feed your dog a balanced and wholesome diet

that meets his specific nutritional requirements.

Criteria for Perfect Canine Multivitamins

Oh, I’m ever so picky. I want the best for my dogs, as I’m sure you do too. In my quest for perfection, I’m looking for real ingredients in vitamins and not synthetic ones. Plus, vitamins must be easily eaten and swallowed by dogs because who wants to hide nasty tasting supplements in your dog’s meals everyday–not this person!

Will a Multivitamin Balance My Dog’s Meals?

About 15 to 20 years ago, if a dog had chronic itchy skin or digestive issues, dog people overwhelmingly screamed, “Feed your dog a raw diet.” Home prepared meals were new back then and touted as a cure all. Well, guess what? Throwing raw chicken wings and turkey necks in your dog’s bowl didn’t fix the issue so what should you do now?

Will throwing a multivitamin on your dog’s food balance his diet? Probably not, but it’s better than nothing when feeding processed foods or unbalanced homemade diets. Better yet, balance your dog’s diet by adjusting individual vitamins and minerals, depending on the ingredients in your dog’s food. If this isn’t an option, I would recommend a multivitamin. Also, I believe seniors and dogs recovering from injury or illness greatly benefit from supplementation.

Balanced meals with novel ingredients your dog can digest (dog doesn’t negatively react to) works wonders. I’ve watched it work time and time again with my own dogs through the years and clients’ dogs. As with anything, take the time to do it right by following NRC’s nutritional guidelines for dogs. 🙂

My Pick: Whole Canine Support by Standard Process

By far, Whole Canine Support multivitamin exceeds my expectations and is highly recommended by the veterinary nutritionist world. While the ingredient list may cause a human “ick” reaction, remember vital organs are packed full of vitamins and minerals needed by all dogs. Now, some dog food marketers have bombarded pet parents with: “Byproducts are bad. You’re terrible if you feed them.” This makes me angry and it’s so far from the truth. Okay, back to my review.

Whole Canine Support vitamin is sprinkled over your dog’s food and, really, you’re only using a small amount (between 1/8- 1 teaspoon) per meal. My dogs gobble up the brownish colored vitamin powder and, trust me our Rottweiler is extremely picky about texture and taste.