Sonny is a beautiful 6 month old Siberian Huskey who came to live with me because his owner said he was too aggressive and dominant (he pulled on the leash, and twisted and nipped when his owner tried to put his collar on). The owner had made plans to have Sonny put to sleep. I convinced the owner to surrender Sonny to me. We talked and I found out he is not an active person and taking the dog for a long walk or a jog was out of the question. He didn’t want to take the time to correct the pulling, instead he put a harness on the dog and when that didn’t work he claimed the dog was too strong for the harness and labled this as being dominant. He did not correct the jumping because he felt the “dog kisses” were cute. That is until he was “muzzle punched” instead of “kissed” one day. He admitted he knew nothing of the Huskey breed and that he purchased Sonny from a pet store. He chose Sonny because he was such pretty puppy. If he had done his research he would have learned Huskies like to run or walk long distances. They are extremely playful and mischievous. Training requires firmness and patience. Huskies jump on people, they roam, they howl and can be destructive when left alone. Obviously, Sonny was the wrong dog for this particular owner.
I worked with him for two weeks and found him to be loving, playful and more than ready to work. He did have bad habits though. He did pull on the leash, and yes, he hated to have his collar put on. He also liked to jump up and lick my face. Sonny also howled when he was lonely. I corrected the pulling and the jumping, and taught him to like his collar. Spending more time with him corrected the howling.
Choosing a dog is more than falling in love with the cute “take me home” face staring at you behind the glass window. Before purchasing or adopting a pet an owner to be should take the time to evaluate their lifestyle, personality type, free time, interests and finances. Is a big dog best, or would a smaller dog fit the bill. What about children? Can a puppy be raised with a small child or a baby in the house?
After answering these questions it time to research the various breeds. Research the breed’s temperament, likes and dislikes. You will learn which breeds shed a lot, which breeds don’t shed at all, which dogs can co-exist with children and which dogs work best for protection.
Before you listen to someone who works in a pet store, or fall for a pretty face behind a plate of glass, make sure you have done your homework.
Oh, I was able to find Sonny a new home on a farm with lots of animals, space and a family that likes to hike and stay active. If you have any questions regarding particular breeds for your family or lifestyle, please feel free to give us a call or email we will be happy to assist in these big decisions!
