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Five things to do before bringing your new puppy home

Those little balls of fluff are adorable, but life can become miserable without accomplishing at least these five tasks first:

  1. Buy a crate. A crate is an indispensable tool for house training, as well as keeping your belongings and your puppy safe while you are gone. Crate-training takes a few days if your breeder hasn’t already started it with your new puppy, but most puppies take to it quickly if you are diligent.
  2. Choose your vet. If you don’t already have a veterinarian for other pets, ask your friends, co-workers or breeder who they recommend. If possible, schedule a “well puppy” visit with your veterinarian for the day after you bring your puppy home. (Most breeders will require the puppy be examined by a vet within 48 to 72 hours of purchase for the health guarantee to be honored.) When shopping for a vet, don’t hesitate to ask about recommended vaccination schedules, costs, restraint methods, and whether the clinic offers any “extras,” such as boarding or microchipping.
  3. Enroll in a puppy kindergarten class. A training class for puppies aged 8 to 18 weeks is a vital component of your new puppy’s life. These classes will not only get you started on the basics of obedience training and house manners, but should also allow your puppy the opportunity to play with other puppies. This is a must if you plan for your puppy to interact with other dogs throughout its life. Again, ask friends, your vet and breeder for recommendations, and visit the class in advance of enrolling, when possible.
  4. Prepare the menu. Decide before you bring your puppy home what food you will feed. Kibble, raw, home cooked or frozen — the variety of choices at the moment is astounding, so take some time to research options before selecting a food or feeding method. The solution is to choose an option that meets your puppy’s nutrient requirements, and that you feel good about preparing and feeding.
  5. Get some toys. What’s life with a puppy without dog toys strewn about the house? Choose sturdy, easy-to-wash toys that appeal to your puppy’s desire to chew. Rope tug toys and “puppy” chew bones are fine, so long as your puppy is only playing with them while supervised. Do not allow a puppy to chew any toy not specifically labeled for chewing (especially rope or cloth toys). Buy enough toys that you can rotate a couple sets in and out of your puppy’s life — they’ll be like new again!

Stop Your German Shepherd From Stealing Food

(Or, ‘Hey, Who Stole My #*%(@ Sandwich?!’)

If you’ve been a victim of the disappearing roast trick, you will identify with a recent episode at my house.
I left a sandwich unattended on the table to answer the phone. The conversation was short — less than a minute — but alas, it was too long. I returned to the room to find parts of my beloved sandwich dangling from the jaws of a greedy, four-legged predator.

“Hey!” I yelled, and the culprit, rather than dropping my food, repositioned her grip and took off down the hall.
I gave chase, but before I could reach her, she darted under the bed. Knowing how long it had been since I swept under there, I decided against following her. Muttering oaths, I returned to the kitchen to make a second lunch — and I vowed it was the last time I let a cat steal my sandwich.

Dogs, being typically bigger and better opportunists than cats, practically have turned food theft into a science. While dogs begging for food during mealtimes can be annoying (or cute, depending on your perspective), stealing food from the trash, off plates or counters can be downright dangerous.

I learned the dangers of trash-stealing firsthand after my 6month-old German shepherd puppy spent the day at the vet clinic recovering from food poisoning. With the help of a foster dog, she escaped from a makeshift kennel and tore open a bag of garbage — and ate things that weren’t even food. Tin foil, paper, plastic bags and plastic wrap all made it down the hatch, along with a robust serving of spoiled fare. I came home to a puppy shaking so hard she couldn’t walk, followed by an afternoon of sheer fright and a $100 vet bill. (The foster dog escaped any ill effects.)

Lesson learned: Only three years later do I trust her to be left unconfined in the house. Prevention and patience are the keys to reforming your furry larcenist. So what steps can you take to protect your dog and your foodstuffs?
Hamburger Investigation
Use of time-honored booby traps such as yelling, penny shake
cans, mouse traps or pepper-laced food might be effective to halt the most sensitive pooch, but a hardened counter-surfer will only be amused by your exertion. (And the clever pup will perform her scandalous acts on the sly.)

Save yourself time and trouble by following the tips below:

  • Use trash cans with lids and keep them sealed. Child-proof lid locks work well for all but the most determined dogs.
  • Crate your dog. If your dog is young, new to the home or a proven trash thief, a cozy and well-appointed crate will put your mind at ease while you’re out of the house.
  • Clear the counters and tables of all food unless preparing a meal. Make sure each member of the household understands that even one slip-up on a person’s part means many more weeks of training for the dog. Dogs who steal food see the kitchen as a doggy Las Vegas; they may get nothing, or it could pay off big-time.
  • Supervise your dog. A dog who steals food should be on a leash or tethered out of reach of the counter while in the kitchen. With your dog on a leash, teach an alternate behavior, such as a sit-or down-stay, or a stay outside the kitchen’s entrance. Only remove the leash once you trust the dog to maintain the stay. While you’re in another part of the house, make sure the dog does not have access to the kitchen.
  • Create a diversion. If you catch your dog running his nostrils along the table rim, gently interrupt him and ask for a sit- or down-stay out of the theater. A peanut-butter filled Kong toy or another attractive article can be used to reward the obedient dog.
  • If your dog gets hold of something he isn’t supposed to have, do what you must to get it back — but be careful. Many dogs who otherwise don’t guard resources will act aggressively if they have something of high value, such as a loaf of bread. This is the time to throw training out the window and offer a bribe — anything of higher value than what the dog has — to get the dog to trade.
  • Teach your dog to “leave it.” Start by offering your dog a low-value treat in a closed fist. Say nothing. As soon as the dog stops sniffing and licking your fist, even for a millisecond, say “Leave it,” and open your hand to give the treat. Work up to higher-value treats, extending the amount of time you ask your dog to wait. Begin using the “leave it” command as you present your fist.
  • Make a “food bowl” zone. Show your dog there is an appropriate place to eat treats, but not off the counter. Put a place mat or food dish in a corner opposite the food-preparation area and place treats inside on a random basis. Combined with a strict policy of keeping food off the counter, the dog will learn to check the food bowl instead.
  • Use counter-conditioning — literally. With your dog on-leash, place a very boring treat (or even a non-food item, if a treat is too exciting) on the counter. Stand beside the boring treat and tell your dog to “leave it.” Before your dog has a chance to snatch the treat on the counter, drop a more enticing treat on the floor (or in his “food bowl” zone). Repeat, placing increasingly high-value items on the counter.