Choosing
the right dog for your family
Whether you choose a purebred or a dog of mixed
parentage, the individual puppy or dog you select
must be compatible with your lifestyle. And, if you
are choosing a dog from a shelter or rescue organization
(good on ya!!!!), you want to be sure you are not
adopting someone else’s problem dog. Afterall,
most people want their adoptee to become a loving
member of their family . . . not a long-term rehabilitation
project.
DogPACT’s Pre-adoption counseling service
provides:
- The pros and cons of getting your pup/dog from
a breeder, from a pet store, from a rescue organization
or shelter, or from a private party
- Behavioral assessment of shelter dogs before
you make the final selection
- Phone consults for behavioral assessment education
- The characteristics you should look for if you
have young children
- How to select a good rescue organization; what
you should know and what you should ask
- Comparing breed types and their characteristics
and how those might (or might not!) suit your
family’s lifestyle
Pre-adoption Planning
Once you have decided to bring a new puppy or dog
into your household, it is wise to be proactive and
prepare for his/her homecoming—well before
his/her actual arrival.
DogPACT can help you address:
- Home preparation
- Supplies and equipment needed
- Establishing house rules (before they are broken!)
- Housetraining set up
- Schedules and routines
- How to address common puppy or new dog behaviors
from the moment they come home
- What to expect, depending upon the breed/type
of dog you are bringing home
- Separation anxiety prevention
- Appropriate introductions to family, friends,
and neighbors
- Appropriate introductions to other family pets,
e.g., an older dog, The Cat, etc.
- Other important aspects of socialization
Contact
Us for information about
fees to suit your situation.
Success
Stories
The Deppe family had previously adopted
a dog whose aggression caused them to return
him to the shelter where they adopted him.
Understandably nervous about adopting another
dog after that heartbreaking experience,
they contacted DogPACT about pre-adoption
counseling. They had found another dog at
a local shelter and asked if he could be
evaluated by DogPACT before they made the
final decision to adopt him. Terry Long,
CPDT-KA, conducted the evaluation with the permission
of the shelter, and the Deppe’s were
elated to find that he passed with flying
colors. Here is their story.
 “Bandit
is doing GREAT!!! John and I love him so
much and more than once have looked at each
other and said that the money we spent on
the training and your help picking such a
wonderful dog was the best money we have
ever spent on anything.
We are so happy with Bandit. He has adjusted  very
well to us and his home. He runs with us
and has the best personality ever. He is
good around children, and we have no problems
with him running out the garage anymore,
either. He has learned the difference in
the sound each garage door makes so he knows
which garage is “his”.
 He
walks great with us. We don’t need
the Gentle Leader anymore. He has stopped
pulling and walks right beside us. We have
taught him a few tricks and would like to
start teaching him more. We just recently
taught him to bring his food dish to us and
do a trick before he gets fed. So, needless
to say, we are extremely in love with Bandit
and can’t thank you enough. John and
I learned so much from you and have recommended
you to a few of our friends.”
Kat and John Deppe
Long Beach, CA
March 27th, 2006
Out of the goodness of their
hearts, a family adopted a dog in need from
another family. Unfortunately, that dog shows
signs of aggression toward people visiting
their home and, finally, their young child.
They set up an appointment with Terry Long,
CPDT-KA, for an evaluation and Terry outlined
an extensive management and behavior modification
program for them, but cautioned them about
keeping the dog because of the risk to their
daughter. They decided to return the dog to
the original family and look for a more appropriate
dog for their family.
The happy ending …
 I
just have to tell you and Terry ... we adopted
a dog from the shelter last week. While he
is larger than we wanted (50+ pounds), we are
quite happy with him. We took Terry's advice
and found a VERY overly social dog! He is super-super
loving and pretty smart. We think he is a shephard
mix of some sort, approximately 3 years old.
When we first met him, he rolled over with
his front paws spread just ready for a belly
rub. He gave lost of kisses, too! In just
one week, we've used Terry's handouts/techniques
to crate train, teach him a new name, and
sit. I took him to the dog park yesterday
and he came almost every time I called his
name. He is awesome!
 His
only problem is that he jumps up on people
and furniture. We are using Terry's techniques
to teach him not to do that, so we'll see
how it goes. If necessary, we will contact
and setup a session with Terry but, hopefully,
we will be able to correct this behavior … not
that we wouldn't want to see Terry :-).
Anyways, I just wanted to share this story
of our new family member. Terry really did
help us find the right dog even though she
wasn't there with us to pick him out.
Thank you both so much!”
|
Yvette and John Brahy
Long Beach, CA
November, 2009
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