Tips on getting a dog
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David Wulff wrote:
I spent forty minutes typing out a reply, then Code Project disappears off the face of the Earth and it is lost.
Speaking of dogs, CodeProject has trained me to do Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C before hitting the Post Message button. :-)
A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything. - Friedrich Nietzsche
I wish I could give you a treat!
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My two year old daughter loves dogs. In particular, she is fond of Golden Retrievers (which is also my favorite breed of dogs). I want to get her a dog or a puppy but I have zero experience in this area as I never had a pet in my life. So I need some advice on how to find a good dog (I am only looking for Golden Retrievers) and what to expect afterwards in terms of time, money and commitment. Are there any other tips for newbie dog owners? I simply have no idea where to start?
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. -Brian Kernighan
Whatever you do, don't buy a puppy from a pet store in a mall! Look up dog breeders in your area on Google. Talk to friends with pets and find out where and how they bought their pets. A reputable breeder will ensure that you have a good dog free of defects (big dogs such as Golden Retrievers are susceptible to hip dysplasia). He/she will allow you to select your puppy but will raise it till he is about 3 months old when you can take possession. You would be allowed weekly visits with your puppy till then but the breeder will not part with the puppy until the puppy is given all the shots, checked out by a vet and fully house-broken. You will of course still need to establish behavior rules once you get the puppy home. PS. Goldens are awesome. We have one and he is the best thing that happened to us!
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
that don't pass a rigorous interview
I obviously do not intend to leave the dog oustside but I don't have a fenced yard. Any idea on how much the monthly spending will be on food + vet?
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
animal communicator
That sounds interesting.
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. -Brian Kernighan
Rama Krishna Vavilala wrote:
but I don't have a fenced yard.
Then you probably won't be allowed to adopt a dog. Many of the dogs they get are strays who somehow got away from their owners. They don't want that to happen again because it puts the dog in danger.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Advice: Consider consulting an animal communicator (seriously, this stuff really works) and have them interview perspective dogs for you. ... You can have them ask the dog questions like "Would the dog like to be a member of your family?", or "Does the dog have any problems with children or any other pets you might have?"
Hitting the egg nog a little early this year John. :)
...cmk Save the whales - collect the whole set
If it didn't work, I wouldn't suggest it. It worked for us too.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
Alvaro Mendez wrote:
That's a sign that the dog is in control and is acting as pack leader
Not always, in fact it can also be a sign of excitement, and that would be obvious to you in the way your dog behaves the rest of the time. Keep in mind that professional animal behaviorists like Cesar Millan are first and foremost trying to sell you products and services.
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I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milkDavid Wulff wrote:
Not always, in fact it can also be a sign of excitement, and that would be obvious to you in the way your dog behaves the rest of the time.
True. Cesar appears to dislike excited dogs. The first thing he does with the owner of an overly excited dog is teach him to calm the dog down so that it gets into a submisive state of mind. That makes it easier for the owner to play the dominant role. Alvaro
A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything. - Friedrich Nietzsche
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ednrgc wrote:
1st thing you may want to do is check an alergist to make she has no alergies.
On the other hand, exposing a child to potential allergens might help them to develop immunities. As a child, I was always around animals and playing outside in the dirt, and I don't have a single allergy to anything. Of course, my single anecdotal story is not evidence of a cure, but all the "allergic" people I've ever met have not been exposed to these allergens as children. When my son was born (5 years ago) we were advised NOT to bathe him every day, but every other day. The reasoning is that the child needs to be exposed to a bit of dirt in order to develop a healthy immune system. We have 3 dogs and a cat in the house, and none of them bother him. In fact, 2 of the dogs will sneak into his room at night and curl up in bed with him!
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Miszou wrote:
As a child, I was always around animals and playing outside in the dirt, and I don't have a single allergy to anything. Of course, my single anecdotal story is not evidence of a cure, but all the "allergic" people I've ever met have not been exposed to these allergens as children.
This just means you are not allergic. Do not generalize, allergic people are not cured by indiscriminate exposure to dirt.
Miszou wrote:
On the other hand, exposing a child to potential allergens might help them to develop immunities.
Exposing a child that is unlikely to develop allergy will not do any harm. Exposing a child likely to develop an allergy might just start it. Once it is started it is better to see a professionnal.
Miszou wrote:
When my son was born (5 years ago) we were advised NOT to bathe him every day
Damn, this is a boy, not a dog! I hope you did not follow this advice!! :omg:
Miszou wrote:
The reasoning is that the child needs to be exposed to a bit of dirt in order to develop a healthy immune system
Once a kid starts rolling around, you can rest assured he is exposed to all sorts of germs, whatever you do.
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Wow - I've had no trouble with this, ever. Our current dog, I am not too fond of. I don't like small dogs. I treat it well, as I should, but I don't seek it out. It follows me around everywhere, it is sure I am the pack leader. In fact, all the animals come to me first, to the disgust of my wife.
Christian Graus - C++ MVP 'Why don't we jump on a fad that hasn't already been widely discredited ?' - Dilbert
Christian Graus wrote:
In fact, all the animals come to me first
Hey, that's the magic touch! :cool: (Sheeps too? :) )
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My two year old daughter loves dogs. In particular, she is fond of Golden Retrievers (which is also my favorite breed of dogs). I want to get her a dog or a puppy but I have zero experience in this area as I never had a pet in my life. So I need some advice on how to find a good dog (I am only looking for Golden Retrievers) and what to expect afterwards in terms of time, money and commitment. Are there any other tips for newbie dog owners? I simply have no idea where to start?
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. -Brian Kernighan
I have been exposed to almost every kind of breed of dog. While retrievers are nice, I still think 'mutts' make the best dogs. Any dog is going to cost you at leat US$200 a year on vet visits. If you get a mutt you are more likely to be able to get pet insurance which is less than $10 a month (for most policies).
____________________________________________________ If at first you don't succeed, skydiving might not be for you.
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I saw the pictures they are very cute:)
Ed.Poore wrote:
I'd recommend not getting a rescue one as you don't know what past it's got.
That's strange most people are advising me to get an "house broken" dog. I was planning to go the the county rescue center. I was thinking that I should get a trained dog as I may not have enough time to train the dog (nor any experience).
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. -Brian Kernighan
Don't forget that it isn't uncommon for breeders to have a well-trained, well-behaved young dog available for adoption that is a year or two old. The dog may have been saved as a show prospect that didn't pan out, for example. You might want to see if there's an email distribution list devoted to the breed, too, and subscribe to it. You'll find out a lot about the breed in general, learn about breeders and maybe get the chance to talk to them, and can ask questions of other owners. It can be an invaluable resource.
Caffeine - it's what's for breakfast! (and lunch, and dinner, and...)
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Christian Graus wrote:
Wow - I've had no trouble with this, ever. Our current dog, I am not too fond of. I don't like small dogs. I treat it well, as I should, but I don't seek it out. It follows me around everywhere, it is sure I am the pack leader. In fact, all the animals come to me first, to the disgust of my wife.
Perhaps with small dogs it's not as prevalent. Our little one was quite frightened of me when we first got him. What I typically see when people walk their medium or large dog is the dog pulling the owner around and going pretty much wherever he wants. That's a sign that the dog is in control and is acting as pack leader (since he doesn't see anyone taking the role). Some people don't mind it, considering it part of the dog's personality, but Cesar Millan's videos show that any dog can be conditioned to treat his owner as his leader, and that they actually prefer it that way. When they learn to place their trust in their leader, they feel at ease. Regards, Alvaro
A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything. - Friedrich Nietzsche
Alvaro Mendez wrote:
What I typically see when people walk their medium or large dog is the dog pulling the owner around and going pretty much wherever he wants
We use Halti Collars[^] with our big Labradors and these work very well. My kids can have the dogs under good control with these. The dogs don't mind these at all :)
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