H.O.T. Dog Club Training Articles

This question comes up frequently during puppy and basic classes and when ever dog people gather together. When is a good time to get another dog? Doesn’t my pal need some company?

The best answer I’ve ever heard for this question was supplied by HOT’s late founder, Helen Whitmire. She counseled that you should wait five to seven years in between dogs. That way, when there’s a mess on the carpet, you have a better idea who did it. More importantly, as your canine family ages, you won’t see one dog die and then six months later lose his best friend.

I know its tough to resist puppies. However, there are some great ways to over come puppy mania. Help out with several puppy classes. You get all the fun of the puppies, and they go home at the end of the night. Vicariously, you get to evaluate many different breeds without any of the hassles.

Start researching breeds and breeders now. Are there performance titles in that line’s backgrounds? Do these breeders evaluate hips and eyes (shoulders, etc.) BEFORE the breeding? Do the breeders evaluate at all? How many stipulations will a breeder make on your dog’s reproductive system?

I remember a student owned a very scared and fearful dog. As strangers approached, the dog would start to growl and bear her teeth - this at the age of 3 1/2 months! Over the owner’s better judgment (and several instructors counsel), the bitch was bred - because the contract with the breeder called for it. I only saw two of the litter, both were rather frightened like mom. The owner (and now new breeder) decided to keep the most fearful of the two.

You might join the national breed club or the local breed club and research the breed. By reading up, you’ll get a better idea of health and political problems, the movers and shakers in your breed. Start talking to breeders and fanciers now. How do they recommend you train this breed? What obstacles are inherent in this breed? For instance, if you are dying to show a dog in Schutzhund, there may be breeds better suited for it than a Maltese. The breeder with the highest profile may not be your best choice. This individual may not sell to "just anyone" or may be in the midst of getting sued by 10 puppy buyers.

Make a list of your objectives for the new pup. May you’re looking for one that’s healthy enough to get a CDX title; or short and compact of body to aid in agility; possibly one with a perky attitude you don’t have to keep urging on; perhaps one that is going to be slightly taller than standard for work in the field or pasture.

Lastly start thinking of your goals. Sit, down, attention, good with kids, good with other dogs, avoids cats, tracking, confidence, ability to problem solve. Then prioritize which activities need to get trained first, which skills have to wait till the pup develops, finally which have a secondary priority.

So when is a good time to get a dog? When you and your family are ready. What breed? Why, the breed or a mix of the breeds you love the most -- the best breed in the world!