Top 4 Questions About Dogs
TOP 4 QUESTIONS (Dogs)
We have finished compiling our Database from Questions we have answered. These are the top four "Frequently Asked Questions" where we attempt to tell people what they THINK OR DO MAY BE WRONG. Our Answers are based on Data from both Veterinarians and Professionals who work closely with all types and breeds of dogs. Professionals that take the time to study Dog Behavior and never quit learning each and every day with each and every dog. No two dogs are created equal. They are all separate individuals.
(1) You bought books and talked to people and CRATE TRAINING is the best way to go. WRONG. It is the easiest way for the puppies owner but definitely not for the puppy. WHY? Because what starts out as a good idea with less house training accidents and less chewed up shoes and stuff, soon becomes a nightmare for the dog. "I am not saying always" but far to high of a percentage of time that crate becomes a prison cell for the dog. I consider in these cases that the basically "can't be bothered to put any effort into training the dog" type of person is the one most guilty of this life of pure hell for the puppy/dog.
I'm going to simply give you some basic math here. There is 24 hours in a day. If you work outside your home: You are gone approx. 9 hours a day, often longer with stopping at the grocery store, bank, etc. So lets make it 10 that the puppy is locked up in its prison cell. That leaves 14 hours left in the day. You prepare to sleep, sleep and get up from sleeping, approx. 8 hours and the puppy is locked up in its prison cell. That leaves 6 hours in a day. You have company over and don't want the annoying puppy around or while eating don't want to be annoyed by the puppy or have to take a quick trip somewhere or are busy punishing the puppy FOR SOMETHING by locking it up for another approximately 4 hours per day all total. THAT LEAVES TWO HOURS A DAY THAT POOR CREATURE IS ACTUALLY NOT LOCKED UP IN IT'S PRISON CELL.
Oh I know, many of these suffering creatures run to their crate and voluntarily enter it. So they must love it? WRONG!!! It is a "Learned Behavior" by a creature that doesn't know the wonder and glory of freedom. They don't love it, it is simply all they are used to. And the dogs that hate it? It must be a stupid dog.
As you, the reader may have quickly guessed. I am dead set against Crate Training unless the dogs owner realizes that no dog should be locked in a crate for more than 8 hours TOTAL in a 24 hour period at any time for any reason.
(2) You have rescued an adult dog or Adopted a dog from the local Animal Shelter. It cringes in fear from you or other people (usually men because they simply walk and talk with more authority) and/or displays lack of trust in its' surroundings. Thus it has been beaten and abused in the past. WRONG (99% of the time). Dogs, especially those past early puppy hood are often overly Submissive or at the odd time, display Aggression in new situations. First, dogs are firmly bonded with their territory and the person(s) in that territory. Whether a good home or a bad home, they have established a bond which their ancestors have been establishing in the wild for centuries. Remove the dog from what it is bonded with and you have to give it time, often lots of time, to get used to a new home (territory) and new humans. It does not matter if you spoil it with love and kindness or don't! Your new and it's territory is new. If it has gone from what the territory and humans it once was bonded to, to perhaps an Animal Shelter or out on the lonely streets and now to you and your home, then it is like a Lost Soul. Love helps but does not conquer this loneliness and fear of new places and new people. Only time does.
AND, by responding verbally, emotionally and with your very body language to it's acts of Submission, you, the new owner are telling it that it is okay to be that way. Give it time to adjust without making a fuss over it when it displays these fears. And Bless You for Rescuing or Adopting it in the first place.
(3) Your dog is sick. You do not want to waste money on a Vet. You think or your relatives think or your friends think you should just wait it out. Or worse, try Home Remedies first. WRONG. If you are not an experienced dog person who has basically seen all types of injuries, diseases or illnesses, WHY would you jeopardize your dogs health and chances of recovery by waiting or using Home Remedies when you don't actually know 100% for sure what the problem is? All to often, we get the Questions from you when it is already to late! If you personally do not know 100% for sure what the problem is, then get your beloved dog to a Vet immediately. Don't ask neighbors, relatives or friends for advice first. Don't mess around with Home Remedies first. AND don't say how much you love your dog because if you really did love your dog, you would take it to a Vet for proper Diagnosis and Treatment. Vets will tell you if you can treat the dog at home without their help. Just ask the Vet first, that's all.
(4) You think your female dog should have a litter of puppies before being spayed? You don't want to put the money out to Spay the dog? Your children should experience Birth so let the dog have puppies? WRONG. We call this, The Humane Societies call this, the Animal Shelters call this: THROW AWAY PUPPIES. Especially larger sized, mixed breed dogs. If you can find truly loving and caring homes for those cute puppies.......................... Okay forget carefully choosing each new home for each puppy........................Just give them to anybody who will take one...................You may get rid of them or at least the mother dogs first litter, but she will have more won't she if you don't spay her?
Even if people show up and take these puppies. Their life expectancy is less than one and a half years old. WHY? Because soon they are no longer cute and cuddly puppies. And soon they are being typical teenage dogs getting into all sorts of trouble. And soon they are just a rather large dog taking up space.
They end up disposed of by whatever means is necessary to dispose of them. And why? Because you let your female dog give birth to "Throw Away Puppies".
NOTE: As bad as being simply disposed of are the ones who end up tied up in the backyard and basically forgotten about. Tied on a chain, day after day, week after week, month after month. Tied up and their wants and needs forgotten about. So terribly sad.