Thinking About Adopting a Rescue Dog??

If you are considering adding a dog to your family you have quite a few options on where to obtain one. Good quality breeders that do all the health testing and provide AKC papers, advice after purchase, and a contract that stipulates that the dog has a home if you can not keep, it is one option. The AKC web site has information on how to contact a breeder for any breed that may interest you.
However, many people choose to adopt a rescue dog. The local Humane Society, a breed rescue, or rescues for small dogs are just a few of the places that can be checked out. But is a rescue dog for you?
Most people that choose to adopt from a rescue are not doing it to save money. Their heart is in the right place, wanting to give a deserving animal a good life. And while there are many wonderful stories and happy beginnings for the dogs, there are some things to consider.
1. Find out all you can about the dog. How old is he or she? Was the dog a stray? If not, why was he surrendered? Does he get along well with other dogs and children?
2. Are you prepared to train a rescue dog? Most rescue dogs need some amount of training. In fact many have acquired habits that got them into rescue to begin with.
3. Are you prepared for the fears and anxieties that a rescue dog may have? Many rescues were not socialized properly to dogs and/or people. Depending on the age this is something that they may never be able to fully recover from.
4. Are you prepared for the energy level or housebreaking issues? Many rescue dogs were surrendered because they were hard to housebreak, or because their former owners could not cope with the energy level they have.
5. Be prepared that the dog you bring home may not be the dog you have in a month’s time. Shy dogs may become more confident, which is good. However they can also become much more rambunctious. Confident and friendly dogs may be only that, sweet dogs who love everyone. But they may also begin having resource guarding issues down the road.
6. What are your goals for your dog? Are you looking for a family pet that loves everyone? Do you want a dog that you can perhaps put in day care while you work? Or are you up to the challenge of taking on a dog that needs love, patience, and time to acclimate to a new environment and may never overcome some of the negative experiences from his or her past.
When adopting a rescue be aware that you are adopting a dog with a history. And while this can be a wonderful fulfilling experience for you and your family, it may also be a time consuming commitment.
I have two rescues that I would not trade for the world. One, my Italian Greyhound came from a puppy mill. He has many fear issues, especially of large dogs. However, I have been able to get him to perform agility in crowded venues with many dogs around him. But his fear issues are always there and have to always be managed. My other rescue, a Pembroke Corgi, has dog aggression issues. Larger dogs attacked him during his first year of life and I will never be able to fully trust him in situations with unfamiliar dogs.
The bottom line is that rescues need understanding and in some cases never-ending patience. This is not to say that they will not be the most loved and cherished dog you will ever own.
Consider all the options when making a decision to acquire a dog. Of late it is definitely considered the ‘right’ thing to do in adopting a shelter or rescue dog. But there is nothing wrong in starting out with a well bred, well socialized, healthy puppy from a good breeder. A good breeder guarantees temperament, has done vet checks on the parents and has health guarantees. They should also be there for any questions or concerns you have during the first few months of training. Getting a young puppy is also challenging, but you will be able to influence it’s upbringing and begin training early on, molding your puppy into a dog that can fit into your lifestyle and family.
What ever your choice please consider NOT buying from a pet store. Pet store puppies are puppy mill puppies. The only way to shut down mills is to stop the sale of puppies in pet shops and that means that we have to stop buying them.
In any case, a dog is a commitment. You get back what you put in. All dogs are time, work, and you will spend money on them. If you do get a rescue dog he deserves to stay in the home that adopts him, a forever home. The way to not have him placed time and again is to give the initial decision to adopt a lot of thought.
Johanna Ammentorp CPDT-KAHi5 Dog Training

Blink and I just got back from the AKC Agililty Invitational in Long Beach and what an experience it was. Blink managed to eek out a first place in his first run by a 1/2 second! His time was 24.02 which was phenomenal. Unfortunetly that was his only Q! But his other runs were great, just got an off course. Oh well, better luck next year. But the trial was fantastic, and it was an honor to be a part of it. Next year all three dogs will be going, as it looks like they will all be in the top five of their respective breeds. So Blink will again be invited as will Cookie and my Italian Greyhound, Zizzo.

We will be starting up agility classes once again at Hi5 Dog Training at Doggy Office. Located just 5 minutes west of Milwaukee.

Please see www.hi5dogtraining.com for dates and info

Agility! A fun way to train your dog.

Dog Agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the country if not the world!  Many people get bitten by the agility bug and it becomes a large part of their life.  However agility is also for the person that just wants to do something fun and different with their dog.  Teaching a dog how to perform agility obstacles builds confidence in a shy dog but also helps create more focus and obedience in a high-energy dog.  Foundation Agility Classes introduce the dog to the equipment while also teaching focus, recall, and stay exercises that are extremely necessary in performing sequences of obstacles.  Building drive and a love for the game must be part of any introduction to the sport.  Weave pole training is begun in the foundation class. Intermediate Agility Classes continue with the introduction to the larger obstacles, the Dog Walk and the A- frame, while also starting short sequences of three to four obstacles.  Continuing to work on drive and focus while under distractions is also a part of the continuing agility experience.   Advanced Agility Classes are on going.  Classes are paid for each week, or packages can be purchased.  Handling skills, more difficult sequences and courses will be the focus of the advanced class.  Johanna has obtained AKC agility titles on four dogs, two Toy Fox Terriers, a Corgi and an Italian Greyhound.  Her Toy Fox Terrier Blink has achieved three Championship titles by the age of four.  He is also ranked as one of the top 10 dogs in the United States, including all breeds and jump heights.  Her Italian Greyhound just completed his Championship title in November of 2009 at the age of three. All Agility Classes are held at Doggy Office Doggy DayCare 5 minutes west of Milwaukee in Brookfield Wisconsin.  Pleas visit HI5 Dog Training web site for more info.

Nothing in life is free

Nothing in life is free is a phrase that was coined by Jean Donaldson, author of 'Culture Clash', a book about human/canine relationships and how we see each other.  Most inexperienced dog owners don't realize that we can have complete control over the dog by controlling their environment.  We are the humans, they are the dogs!  That means that everything they get in their life comes through us.  All we need to do is relay that to them and we have a great teaching tool and behavior modification philosophy.  And they do not hold a grudge, they will love us for it. Think about all the things that your dog loves to do.  Make a list.  My dogs like to run outside, eat, chase chickens, hop up on the couch next to me, chew bully sticks, and the list goes on.  Now, how can I control their behavior with this knowledge?  First of all they NEVER get food unless they do something for it.  This includes their meal as well as a treat.  They must sit, lie down, roll over, etc….  They have to do something to get to eat.  And I make sure they know I provide the food.  That means if you have a food bowl always set out in the kitchen, remove it.  Dogs eat two times per day.  It's healthier for them anyway, to say nothing of the fact that the dog should not be controlling his own food intake.  Also remove all toys, raw hides, and any other chew toys.  They only get this for good behavior. You should control exiting the door.  Your dog does not get to blast through the door.  Make him sit and wait, if he gets up, the door closes.  If you allow your dog on the furniture make sure you have your spot first and INVITE him up.  Make him sit first.  Be creative!  So many people under use the sit command.  So is the down.  Let your dog know that good quiet behavior will get them what they want.  My dogs actually offer a down or a sit in may circumstances (like at the vets, or when I meet a friend and stop to talk) because they know that good things come from just being good.  What we can't forget to do is then praise and reinforce the dog. When you ask your dog for behaviors before giving him what he wants, you actually have the beginning of a routine forming with you as the leader.  Routines and leaders are two things that dogs need in their life to feel secure.  This in turn will create a more obedient dog!