Happy Doggies Make Happy Humans

6 Suggestions to Help You Adopt a Dog

Isn't this a wonderful photo? These two, dog and girl, are totally together. Gloriously happy as can be.

I'll bet this is a version of what you're envisioning as you begin the process of adopting a dog into your family. I'm here to say, "Yes, this can happen to you!"

My own experience, and that of many, many others is that your special dog is out there waiting for you to come pick her up, and take her home.

Here are my 6 suggestions for beginning your trek on the road to doggie happiness:

Getting Ready to Adopt

1. Take some time to think through why you want to bring a dog into your family. Companionship and fun are good reasons. So are many others. What are yours?

2. You might want to think about your family lifestyle, and what kind of life you can offer a dog.

• Do you live in a home with a fenced in yard? Or, an apartment? Are you working at home or does your employment keep you away from the home 10 hours a day?
• How are you going to walk the dog each day?
• Have you got kids that want to romp around with the dog?
• What size dog are you interested in? Are you more the lap dog type?
• Would the dog live indoors or outdoors? In a bedroom, or in the kitchen? Are you interested in crate training the dog (crates can make great dens--little doggie paradises.)

3. Do you want a dog that's "purebred" with AKC registration papers that you can show at dog shows? Or, would you prefer a "family dog" that can fit in with your daily life?

Choosing Where To Look For Your Dog

4. I recommend you start with your local shelters and rescue organizations. These folks are dedicated to finding good homes for the pets in their care. They've got a wide variety of dogs and if you're patient, you can find the right dog for you and your family. Shelters and rescue groups also have dogs with AKC papers, so don't skip these wonderful resources. (FYI, Oprah recently adopted a purebred Cocker Spaniel from a shelter in Chicago.)

You can look for local shelters on www.petfinder.com and www.pets911.com . Both sites have a facility to type in your zip code and give the geographic radius you are willing to drive to get your pet.

5. Be aware that each shelter and rescue organization has its own rules on what they think will make a good adoptive family. Some have application forms to fill out, references to provide, interviews with family members and current pets. Others go by their personal "gut feel."

• When I adopted Krystal from a private shelter (located through www.Petfinder.com ,) they told me that many shelters would not have let me adopt from them because I didn't have a fenced in back yard. 
• Krystal's shelter told me the reason they decided to let me adopt Krystal was because I provided references with phone numbers and emails (they never contacted them.) More importantly, I also provided the name, address and phone number of the veterinarian I was planning to care for my new dog. For that shelter, my providing the vet's information was the most important piece of information. It showed my sincere intention to provide excellent care for my future dog.  (Much thanks to my friend Karen for handing me her vet's business card when I mentioned I was looking for a dog!)
• Be ready to encounter these types of situations. If you find a roadblock, don't take it personally. Move on to the next shelter. Don't be disuaded from bringing dog happiness into your family life.

6. Six great things about shelters and rescue organizations are:

• They know their dogs and they can help you figure out what the best type of dog is for your family's lifestyle. They're good at this. So be sure to let them help you.
• Shelter animals are often spay/neutered, vaccinated, and have their microchip identification already inserted.
• There are lots of different types of dogs in shelters, so you've got a choice.
• Usually, the shelters know a lot about the dog you become interested in adopting. Be sure to ask "personal" questions about the dog.
• If the dog turns out to be sick, or not a good fit for your family, most shelters want you to return the dog to them. They can then find a better fit or get medical care for the dog.
• Adopting from a shelter supports your community. When you adopt from a local shelter, you create room for another dog to find a new "forever family." 

Krystal and I send you our best wishes on your search for doggie happiness.

Photo by: D Sharon Pruitt

Graduating From Being Afraid of Other Dogs

I've got happy news to share. My dog Krystal has graduated from being afraid of other dogs!

Her "final exam" was doing the K9 3K walk sponsored by the Wake County SPCA. She passed with flying colors.

As we drove into the parking garage, I got a little nervous. There were dogs, humans and kids everywhere. Krystal had never been in the company of so many dogs or humans. 

I decided the only way this could work was if I had a positive attitude and was ready for fun. Before I got the car parked, I started telling Krystal what a good dog she was, and singing songs to her.

Krystal was amazing. She took it like a champ.

The first sign that things really were going well came as we walked down the stairs of the parking garage. We passed several dogs who weren't used to going down stairs. Krystal is fond of stairs, and she kept on task. She didn't start barking or get all territorial. She just kept going down those 4 flights of stairs. All that time I was letting her know what a good dog she was.

The bigger challenge was just ahead. We had to cross the street and go into Moore Square, which was filled with thousands of dogs and their humans. 

Krystal held her own. When we got to the corner, I followed our normal routine and told her to "wait." She waited. When I told her to "cross," she trotted straight across the street. She totally ignored everyone else--her little ears were back in full obedience. It was a sight to see.

As we stepped into Moore Square, I admit to more than a little trepidation. I'm not overly fond of big crowds, so I gave myself a talking-to about remaining grounded and calm so this could become a good experience for Krystal.

Once again, she surprised me. She's always been frightened of big dogs, but she didn't bat an eye. She walked right with me over to the line for the registration tent. There she stood calmly taking in the scene. I was feeding her treats and singing to her.

When the SPCA started the 3K walk, humans and dogs started moving together. I was flabbergasted at the sight of my self-confident little dog walking so peaceably and happily among all these other dogs. Never a whimper or sound of a fear-bark. She was so self-confident that she just moved away when she encounted a dog she wasn't comfortable with.

After about 1/3 mile, the pack energy took over, and all the dogs and their humans began moving in sync. Krystal was smiling, clearly enjoying herself.

I was floating with joy.  Krystal completed the walk with nary a fear-bark or display of territoriality. Our lives were transformed with every step.

--------------------

When Krystal came to live with me 2 1/2 years ago, the shelter told me she had been found as a stray. They thought she had been on her own for 6 weeks. I truly admire her ability to survive that ordeal.

In the world of stray dogs, and 11 lb dog doesn't have much clout. She clearly survived on leaves, twigs, and acorns. The big stray dogs did her no favors, and our first year was filled with massive fear-barking when we encountered any dog on our walks.

I'm very grateful for my obedience instructors at Bon-Clyde Learning Center, who taught me how to work with Krystal. And who stayed for an extra hour one evening to teach me about terriers, and give me techniques to build Krystal's self-confidence and reduce her fear.

Thanks very much. It took us 2 years of love, dedication and training. I used your techniques the entire time. We're a much happier family now.

Bo Arrives at the White House

It's been a long wait, since that election night promise. Finally Bo, the Obama's new Portugese Water Dog has arrived. I've got to say, I love those white sox!

He did rather well, for his first public appearance. He was bouncy and enthusiastic. Those are traits I've seen in other Portugese Water Dogs. Best of all, he didn't freak out with all those cameras and lights.

Did you see Malia getting little Bo to sit? She did it perfectly. She sat in front of Bo while holding a treat, then she raised her hand up. It took several times for Bo to be able to focus on Malia and the treat. But, when he did, his little head followed Malia's hand up as he reached for the treat. And, his little rump went right down on the ground. Malia let out a proud shout, "Oh, good boy!", letting Bo know he had done exactly what she wanted him to do.

While many people are complaining that the Obama's didn't adopt a shelter dog, I'm fine with that. They did what was right for their family. That's what's most important. They researched the dog world, and found the type of dog that was best for them. They had friends helping them find the right dog to invite into their home. And, during this short film clip the girls shared some of what they learned--Malia succeeded in getting Bo to sit, and Sasha shared that Portugese Water Dogs have to be taught how to swim.

It's exciting to watch this family welcome their new dog into their lives. My dog Krystal and I wish them all the best and happiest of times together.

We're also hoping other families find it in their hearts to adopt a dog! It's a wonderful experience.

Oprah's Guide to Adopting a Pet

If you were watching Oprah on Thursday, you were in for a treat. She's added a new family member by adopting an 8 week old puppie, a blond Cocker Spaniel named Sadie.

You could tell Oprah was absolutely delighted to have Sadie in her family. Her happiness was contagious, bringing back memories for me of when I adopted my dog Krystal from a shelter in South Carolina.

Sadie found Oprah during a photo-shoot Oprah was doing at her shelter in Chicago. There were apparently a bunch of dogs for the photos, which will accompany an upcoming O article on adopting shelter dogs. In that special way that dogs have, Sadie latched on to Oprah and nuzzled her way into Oprah's heart.

From the looks of things, Sadie will fit in perfectly with Oprah's media live-style. When the producer brought Sadie onto to the stage, she was a cool composed puppy. Sadie didn't appear to be the least bit phased by all the lights, audience applause, and people calling her name. On top of that, she looked absolutely wonderful in her little spring coat, a Ralph Lauren selection.

Here's the great news. Oprah.com has an entire section on adopting a pet. I've spent some time looking through the content, and I really recommend you spend some time there, especially if you are considering bringing a new pet into your family.

One of the things that makes me feel really good is that Oprah's got all her pet information in the "family relationships" category of her website. She really honors her pets as true family members.

Hotel for Dogs--and Kids Too!

What a great time for dog movies! We've already had Bolt and Marley and Me. Now playing, is Hotel for Dogs. It's the best so far.

Anyone who cares about dogs or kids will thoroughly enjoy this delightful movie. I've posted the video trailer here for you to get a gleaming of what awaits you.

You already know I'm partial to spirited small while dogs. So you won't be surprised to hear that I love Friday, who is the dog star of this show. That said, there are zillions of dog breeds in this movie, and many with well drawn personalities. So every dog lover can find a favorite or two.

This is a family movie, and the adults can thoroughly enjoy it as much as the kids. It's got a well developed plot, with great characters. The acting is superb and so is the production. It's creative and inventive, hilarious and sad--all at the same time.

The Hotel for Dogs shows the best of of the human-dog relationship. We dog lovers already know a solid compassionate relationship with a dog can bring out the best in us. We can become better human beings, living life more to our capacity, having more compassion, and taking more action. Dogs can help us become happier, better people.

The plot turns on that admirable dog characteristic: to live in the moment, make the best of whatever is going on, and still play, have fun and spread the love around.

Two of the kids in this movie show us how amazing humans can be when they live their lives in a doggish fashion. These kids are just as admirable and loveable as the dogs.

Please be prepared to enjoy yourself. About half way through, I was wishing I had my dog Krystal with me. I can't wait for the DVD so we can watch it together. Krystal was found as a stray, and I found her on PetFinder.com, so I'm partial to strays being rescued. After the movie, I was very happy to go home and walk her. We talked dog silliness mostly.

There's so much to this movie, it may become a classic. And, and amazingly enjoyable one at that!

Have fun!

Which Puppy for the White House?

It's refreshing to focus on matters of the heart.

These days the web is filled with people who start out talking about President-elect Obama's promise to his daughters. But they actually end up writing about their first dog, their first puppy. The love for those dogs comes bouncing over the Internet and fills my heart.

I saw a TV news report last night which featured the head of the American Kennel Club (AKC). His office was filled with puppies of all breeds, pure bred and mixed. The pups were bouncing around in that special way they have. I was thoroughly entranced, smiling at all that vivacious puppy energy coming across the airwaves of the nightly news. 

This is a good thing! After this long, contentious Presidential campaign, it's wonderful that we can let our hearts be filled with sweet doggie memories and puppy love.

Many people are weighing in on exactly the type of dog the Obama family should bring into their lives--dog or puppy, shelter or privately bred, pure breed, mixed or mutt. I'm sure there are a few options I've left out.

My hearty suggestion is that the Obama family adopt the dog that is right for them.

With asthma in the household, we've been told they've already begun researching the best breeds for their needs.

This is exactly the approach I recommend.

1) Describe what your own needs are, what your lifestyle is like, what kind of life you live.

2) From that information, describe the kind of life you can offer a dog.

3) Find out what types of dogs fit the kind of life you are offering.

4) When you have your list--go for it. When you find the right dog, you'll know!

One of my favorite ebooks is How to Choose the Right Dog For You.

This book helps people go through the process of figuring out what kind of life they can offer a dog, and which type of dog can fit that lifestyle. It's well written and thorough, but not at all overwhelming.

In the beginning, the author says,

"I've seen so many mismatched pairings of owner and dog over the years troop in and out of my sight that I finally gave in to the pleadings of my best friend and decided to put down on paper what knowledge I have collected, with the thought of helping fellow dog lovers to find the best pairing of dog for them." 

There would be a lot more happy dogs and happy humans if everyone looking for a dog took time to read How to Choose the Right Dog for You.

My dog Krystal adds:

"Two paws up! A dog who comes into the home of someone who read this book will surely be happy."