​Choosing the second dog
Ok so do you get a puppy? Maybe a rescue dog? Yeah but what breed? Does breed even matter? Should I get a male dog or are they too much work? Help!!!

When getting down to the nitty-gritty of actually choosing the second dog it can be overwhelming with all the different options and opinions out there. Plus, you really don't want to make the wrong call as you could be setting yourself up to live a nightmare if your dogs don't get on. Imagine your dreams of going to your local park where your two dogs frolick happily together chasing a ball, fall apart when they can't stand to even be in the same room together. Trust me when I say that, managing two dogs that don't live harmoniously together is a situation you want to avoid like the plague.

There is one sure fire way to avoid selecting the wrong dog (hint: it won't be you doing the selecting). Yep, that's right, get your existing DOG to choose your second dog! Yes, you heard right folks, your dog should be in charge of selecting the new canine addition to your home.

And here's why: COMPATIBILITY. After all, they will be spending almost 24/7 together and if they are not compatible, it's just not going to work.

By compatibility I mean:

• Do they have the same energy level?
• Are their temperaments in sync?
• Are they physically suitable? 
• Do their personalities match?
• Are there any behavioural issues that could cause problems?
• Do they WANT to play together?

The dogs certainly don't have to be the same age, gender, breed or size but they do need to be compatible. If your new dog has an excitable temperament and an overly friendly personality but your existing dog likes to sleep all day then they are unlikely to be compatible. It would be better to find a second dog who has a lower energy level who would be able to engage your existing dog but not be so in their face that they can't relax together. 

If you're going to get a puppy and you have an older dog, as I mentioned in my previous post, this can be a very good thing for your existing dog. However, you will need to help manage the situation to give your older dog breaks from the puppy and you will need to step in to make sure the puppy understands how to play appropriately and when to take a break.

There is, of course, one more thing you need to consider when selecting your new dog. It's all good if the dogs get on but can you and your family realistically manage the new dog? Are you going to be able to exercise the new dog at the level they need? Do you have the skills and time required to train the new dog and if not are you prepared to learn and find the necessary time? Are you going to be able to provide adequate leadership? Hopefully, you answered these questions generally when you were making the decision, but when faced with the gorgeous eyes of your new dog, take a step back and think about their needs and if you can meet them.

Bringing the second dog home
Before you even consider bringing the second dog home, they MUST have met first. This first meeting will help you to determine if they are compatible together and if they are going to be able to get along. How else can your dog choose their new companion if they don't meet first?!

The first meeting should be somewhere neutral (do NOT bring them to your home as you want to avoid any territorial behaviour that could jeopardise their future happiness), and you should be looking for appropriate body language and behaviour. If you are not sure what this is, then make sure you have a professional with you who can assist. If you are getting a new puppy then a reputable breeder should be able to advise you on their interaction and if you are looking at a rescue dog, shelter staff should be on hand to watch and provide feedback on the first meeting.

If this first meeting goes well, then you are ready to bring home your new dog!

First day at home
The day has finally arrived when you are bringing your new dog home. It's an exciting time but make sure you take the time to do it right. Undoing a bad first impression in the home can be time-consuming and stressful, so avoid the extra work by getting it right the first time.

Here's what you do:

1. Meet at a neutral place, OUTSIDE of the home,
2. Go for a walk together, and let the dogs meet again while out walking,
3. When you get home, enter the property at the same time!
4. Let your existing dog show the new dog around the property, but make sure you SUPERVISE at all times
5. Make sure that you begin teaching your new dog the house rules from day one,
6. At dinnertime, feed the dogs separately to make sure there are no incidents with food aggression,
7. Show your new dog where they are to sleep and where the water bowls are,
8. Don't expect things to settle down for about 24 hours.

Following these simple steps will go a long way to making the transition from a one, to two dog home, seamless.

The Benefits"I have 2 dogs - 1 since a puppy and 1 rescue. Getting a second dog was one of the best decisions I've ever made and I'm so glad we did" - Malin
There are so many reasons why having a second dog in your life is wonderful and you probably don't even need me to tell you.  But in case you were wondering, here are some of the reasons why I think it is a great thing. 
1. Company for your existing dog.
There are so many ways living with a compatible second dog will make life better for your existing dog and this is by far the strongest and most obvious reason why people get a second dog. Owners want their dog to have company when the humans have to be away from the house especially for a long day at work. It’s so hard to leave a single dog alone at home for hours on end and the thought of the dog having company is a comfort for the human too. Dogs by nature, are social creatures not solitary animals and as a general rule, do not like to spend too much time alone. Being alone and away from company is more like a punishment for a dog, think a “time out” and long lengths of time by themselves can lead to all sorts of behavioural issues like destructive chewing and digging, excessive barking or separation anxiety. These extremes may not happen to every dog as they may have a temperament where they are more accepting of being by themselves but they may still show signs of loneliness and over excitement when the humans return.
Having another dog to play with to drain some of their energy and to help pass the time with can make for a much calmer dog by the end of the day. Play is more fun since they can use teeth, not have to pretend to let the human "win" at tug and can finally have someone to chase them around! And there is the added bonus that communication is about a billion times easier since they are the same species and they have someone who really understands what they are communicating! One way to think of it is it’s like finding someone to speak English with when travelling to a non-english speaking country. So much easier even if you have learned a few common phrases and have been getting by fine until this point.
2. Succession planning.
For many people, having a dog in their life is as essential as breathing or at least as essential as a morning coffee. And it can be heartbreaking as you watch your beloved dog age and know that their time with you is limited. Getting a second dog can be very beneficial for a number of reasons.
A) Believe it or not, but getting a second dog can actually give your existing older dog a new lease on life. This is especially true if you get a puppy. Even though they may not have the stamina to keep up with the new dog (more on this in the next section) all day, the mental and physical benefits (playtime, ease of communication) can keep your older dog happy in their twilight years. And your dog doesn’t even have to be an elderly dog for this point to be relevant. A young dog can still be comforted and energised by a new dog to the household.
B) If your original dog has a wonderful temperament and is good with obedience training and manners around the house, then they can do most of the hard work and train the new dog for you! OK not entirely, you will still need to do some of the work but your existing dog will show them the ropes. When you give the recall command for example, if your dog comes running, then the new dog is likely to as well. With enough practice the new dog will pick up this command. Easy!
C) Having a younger dog to care for can help the owners deal with the grief of losing a pet and though they can never take their place, they can help to make the passing that much easier. It is often hard for people to get a new dog after their previous dog has passed on because they don’t want the new dog to replace their previous dog in their hearts and often times they forget how difficult the puppy stage or early life was with the previous dog and can be overly critical of the new dog. This is less likely to happen if you select the new dog while your existing dog still lives. You will also have the wonderful memories of the dogs together to remember and cherish.
“We got our second dog, Molly (Westie) because our family dog who was a Westie also passed away! Just filled that hole she left in our hearts” - Jolene

3. Upskill. 
Maybe you have an easy dog who has a great temperament and has barely caused you a moments grief in your life. Or maybe you have a dog that is anxious or has other challenging behavioural troubles. Either way there would have been specific training techniques or behaviour management strategies that you would have learned and used with your dog.
Getting a new dog can open you up to new experiences and training challenges. This can be a wonderful learning curve and can make you a better and more empathetic dog owner. What worked for your first dog may not work for your second dog or your second dog may have completely different areas of interest and skill.
You may also be able to explore different training activities like agility or tracking with your new dog that you may not have been able to do with your first dog. It might even be that you want your second dog to be able to go on a run with you and that isn’t a suitable activity for your first dog.
4. For human health.
The benefits of having a dog are large and varied. There are the physical benefits of more exercise and time spent outside - vitamin D? Check! Work life balance? - Check! And the emotional benefit of coming home to someone who is happy to see us.
We all know that having one dog increases happiness and contentment and there are even scientific studies now to back this up. When we show affection to our dogs we release oxytocin, often referred to as the love hormone, which can have a positive effect on our mood and mental health. It’s hard not to smile when you look at their wagging tail or eager face or when they are curled up sleeping. Because dogs are so attuned to body language and emotion they can tell when we are unwell or are in need of comfort and will try to help you with a snuggle or by giving you their favourite slobbery ball. They offer plenty of comic relief (well ours sure do) and they are a great reminder to be joyful and happy and to live in the moment. That’s why dogs are used for a variety of different therapy situations. 
Now, full disclosure, I haven’t found any scientific articles that state having two dogs, doubles the happiness, however, it does double the number of reasons to smile and gives you double the fun!
5. Saving a life. 
This point certainly can’t be overstated. Fostering or adopting a dog can save a life. Literally. Even though WA has mainly no kill shelters there are still a large number of dogs who are euthanised each year or spend years in a kennel waiting for their forever home. Shenton Park Dog’s Refuge has around 100 dogs in their care at any one time and that is just ONE of the dog shelters around Perth, not to mention all the dogs out in foster care.
Fostering a dog is a great way to test the waters to see if you are able to care for two dogs while providing a safe and loving home for a dog while they are waiting for their forever home. Another way to go about it is to foster a dog that you think you would like to adopt so you can make sure that dog can fit into your home life (more on this subject next week).
Bringing a rescue dog home can be a wonderfully rewarding experience that can make a positive difference in your own life and it makes a life changing difference to the dog you adopt. 

The DownsidesNothing is ever perfect (though honestly, dogs are pretty close, except when they destroy yet another couch cushion - yes Jett I’m talking about you!) and there is usually a downside or a con to every decision, not just dog related ones. These points are not supposed to be deal-breakers, just things to consider so that you can work out how you will address them prior to deciding to bring your new dog home.
1. It won't stop existing unwanted behaviour. 
Getting a second dog will NOT solve any problems you are experiencing with your existing dog. With the exception perhaps of boredom related behaviours. Contrary to popular opinion dogs won’t necessary play together all day and there will still be times of boredom or when your dog will return to the problem behaviours from before. If you choose the right second dog that is compatible for your existing dog this can certainly help and for some issues like separation related anxiety a second dog, along with other behaviour modification techniques and strategies can help reduce some of the behaviours.
Without understanding the cause of the problem behaviour in your dog or trying to address it you could just as easily end up with TWO bored dogs or two dogs displaying unwanted behaviour. Unless you address the underlying cause of the unwanted behaviour in your first dog, you are more likely to end up with two dogs with the same problem, even if it manifests in the second dog differently. Let's take digging for example. Maybe your current dog likes to dig when he gets bored or actually just for fun. And sure, having a new dog to play with will be fun but it is extremely unlikely that they will be happily playing together the 8 or so hours you are away at work each day. The second dog might not be a digger, but she has seen how fun it is to dig and starts to dig too! Or she might be a chewer and so to add to the holes in your back yard you now have no legs on your outdoor table! As much as we would like to think that dogs will keep each other entertained, don't bet on it. Deal with the unwanted behaviour with EACH dog as soon as it shows up and save yourself a heap of trouble and furniture!
2. Leadership is even MORE important. 
If you are already struggling to get your dog to listen to you, chances are you're not going to have any better luck with the next one! Unless you are lucky enough to get the cruisiest, easiest dog in the history of the world, most dogs will take advantage of weak leadership to do what they want instead. If you are weak in the leadership department, both dogs will start looking to each other for guidance and cues on how to act. This can definitely make life challenging and it can be more difficult to calm them down or manage their behaviour as they will egg each other on and ignore you. It’s so much easier for dogs to bond with each other than it is with humans and whilst we want our dogs to bond together and be great friends, this bond should not impede their ability to bond with the humans in their life or their ability to listen to the humans and learn appropriate behaviours and training. When two puppies from the same litter are raised in the same home, they can bond so strongly with each other to the exclusion of the humans which makes living and training them very difficult. In puppies this is called littermate syndrome and is very difficult to manage. 
If you have a leadership deficit start by setting guidelines and boundaries around the house and STICK to them! Have your dogs earn any attention or food they get by offering you a polite sit first. Play with them and add obedience activities throughout the play session. This will go a long way to helping you to regain leadership of your dogs in your home and will allow you to build a strong bond of respect and trust with your dogs.
3. The walk. Going out.
Having more than one dog, can make the walk exponentially harder. The energy will be different and definitely heightened. Even if your first dog was perfect on the lead before doesn’t mean that they will remain that way when a second dog is introduced to the walk. The dogs will start checking in with each other “did you see that cat!” - “Yes! Should we chase it?” and will often both drag you towards something they want to sniff. You may notice more pulling than before and it can be difficult to get a handle on the dogs and get them to listen to you. 
If you have to take both dogs out at the same time for a walk or even to the vet it is of course easier if there are two humans to manage this. But what if there is only one human? This is where things can become difficult, not impossible, but difficult. The size of the dogs will play into this to a point but small unruly dogs could be more trouble to handle than two larger breed dogs with perfect manners.  Trying to manage two dogs can make trips that were simple before with one dog that much more difficult. Getting in and out of the car can be trouble if you have two dogs jumping out before you are ready or even finished opening the door! Going to the vet do you take both dogs or leave one at home and book two separate appointments? How will they each go being left at home by themselves? Will your neighbours complain that your dog was howling the whole time? 
With training and management strategies, these issues can be addressed you just need to be prepared for the potential of these to occur. To make the walk easier for example, you would train each dog to walk politely on the lead individually then practice walking together in the backyard first and then extend that to small local walks until they get the hang of it. This takes time and effort but is well worth it to have two dogs that can be managed by one person when they leave the house.

4. Cost. 
If you already have one dog you can probably already appreciate this point! Not only in the basics like food, toys, beds, annual vaccinations and vet visits etc. but it will cost more when you go away though thankfully not double in most cases, but the costs do add up. Especially if your dogs have health issues or injuries. There are many ways to reduce the costs, like DIY toys and activities, homemade dog food instead of commercial food, booking grooming and vet appointments for both at the same time going on holiday with your dogs etc. 
5. Compatibility.
If your two dogs don’t get on, this can make your life very, very difficult. Just yesterday a friend was talking to me about her parents dogs where their older dog does not like their new dog. The owners have to keep them separated and even go so far as to take one of the dogs to a friends place during the day when they are out. This situation and level of management is very stressful for all concerned and is unlikely to resolve itself in time without intervention. 
Dogs that are incompatible may fight, ignore each other, offer territorial behaviour, be stressed or anxious or just plain worn out. This does not make for a harmonious home and can actually cause physical and mental distress or injury to one or both dogs and is very unpleasant for the humans too. There are many reasons that dogs are incompatible, maybe they weren’t introduced correctly, maybe the energy levels are not aligned, maybe one has resource guarding tendencies or they just don’t like each other. Next week we will cover how to make sure your dogs are compatible BEFORE you bring the new dog home. 

Whether you already have a puppy, are looking to bring one into your home or even if you have an older dog, you have probably heard about the importance of socialisation. So today, I'm dedicating this entire issue to the complex topic of socialisation. We will cover what it means, why you need to do it and how.

For those of you who have older dogs, please keep reading as this is not just for puppies. Socialisation shouldn't stop once your dog is out of the puppy stage and should be continued throughout your dog's life. Plus you can use many of these same techniques and scenarios with older dogs too. 

Let's begin with what socialisation actually means. The definition is the development of social relationships with other animals, including humans. Most of us want a dog who is sociable, likes meeting new people and dogs. Puppies start to learn these skills very early in life with their mother, litter mates and hopefully the humans overseeing their care. Once they leave their mother and join your household you then take on the duty of continuing this socialisation.

OK, so is socialisation only about meeting other dogs and humans? Technically, yes, however, in recent times the subject has expanded to include other areas of life like different sounds, moving objects, environments, different types of animals etc. pretty much anything that your puppy can expect to encounter in daily life. Socialisation now includes habituation (learning to accept different stimuli in their environment) and desensitisation (the process of reducing a response to a particular stimulus or set of stimuli).

Basically, we are trying to teach and prepare our puppy for the world in which they live and the different types of things, activities, environments and sounds they will encounter during their life with you. ​

​How do I socialise my puppy?
There are many different ways to positively expose your puppy to a variety of different people, dogs, objects and environments. The thing that holds most people back is that for most of the socialisation critical period your puppy is not fully vaccinated. That means that they could contract a disease from infected public areas that can have disastrous consequences. 

Luckily, there are plenty of activities you can do while still keeping your puppy safe from harm. It's probably a good time to mention that although we all do our best to minimise risk, nothing is ever 100% effective. More dogs are put down due to behavioural issues than disease (RSPCA annual report 2015/16 - sorry the numbers are too devastating to include here) so you need to decide what level of risk you are willing to take.

Here are ways to socialise your puppy:

1. Attend a reputable puppy preschool class. 
The venue should be cleaned with vet grade disinfectant, the trainers should be knowledgeable in dog training and behaviour and there should be a multitude of different socialisation activities and time for the puppies to interact with each other. Unfortunately, not all puppy preschool classes are created equal and the person facilitating the class is not always a qualified dog trainer. Again, do your research, find out their philosophy on socialisation, ask what socialisation activities they offer and what training basics they teach.
For those of you in the Rockingham area, I recommend the Rockingham Dog Club puppy preschool program. I have been a trainer there myself and know they take socialisation seriously, provide a number of different socialisation activities, allow supervised puppy play time, have experienced and qualified trainers facilitating the class and they have great cleaning protocols. 

2. Invite people and fully vaccinated dogs to your home.
A leading dog behaviourist and vet, Dr Sophia Yin, suggests that a puppy should meet 100 new people during their first 3 months of age. Not all of these 100 people should traipse through your home, but inviting friends and family over to meet your new puppy is a great way to introduce them to people in a familiar environment. And if any of these people have a fully vaccinated and well-socialised dog, then invite the dog too! 

3. Take your puppy for a ride in the car.
It is more than likely that your puppy is going to need to go somewhere in the car at some point in their lives so getting them used to it early on is essential. Plus it's good to set them up with no expectations that the car ride is anything other than a car ride as they will soon learn that car rides often lead to fun things like the beach or park.

4. Carry your puppy outside.
Unless you have a Great Dane puppy this is easy enough for most people!  Carry your puppy with you to the letterbox and let them experience cars driving past, kids playing on the street, dogs walking by or the postie delivering mail etc. If your arms are up to it, carry your puppy around your local streets to introduce them to their local area and of course the people. Once people see you with a puppy they will likely want to come and meet them, I mean, who can resist a puppy!

5. Experience different environments.
Whether in the car or in your arms or lap, try to take your puppy to a variety of different places, especially places you would like to spend time with your puppy once they are fully vaccinated. Think the beach, park, local cafe etc. Just because your puppy can't be put down on the ground in public, doesn't mean they should miss out on the experience of being out with you. Be prepared, maybe take a thick blanket that the puppy could sit and play on (just make sure they don't escape the edges) so they can experience the outside world.

Ok so you are doing all these things but how do you make it positive or at the very least a neutral experience rather than a negative one? Again great question! You're really on fire today . . .

There are many ways to do this too.

1. Use distance to your advantage.
Rather than taking your puppy right into the thick of things first off, try sitting on the sidelines and gradually moving closer. You can do this in a variety of scenarios like starting off in a quiet car park or at the edge of one before moving to a busier one or closer to the action. Same at the park, watch from the edge first rather than taking your puppy right into the middle where all the other dogs (or kids) are running around.

2. Low intensity.
Similar to the distance point above, starting with lower intensity experiences then building up will help keep your puppy from becoming overwhelmed. This is especially important for sound based activities, think lawnmower, garbage truck etc. and high energy activities like the dog park, cafes and kids sporting events. Attend these events at quieter times to start or use some distance so that these activities seem less intense to begin.

3. Use rewards.
Rewards can include treats, pats, praise and toys and you use these to bring a positive association to new things. When your puppy sees a dog in the distance (or any other stimulus) and just looks at it then you can reward that action. Next when your puppy notices a dog then looks at you, give a reward for that. Your puppy then associates seeing other dogs (etc.) as a rewarding and positive experience, not a negative scary one.
We also use food rewards to lure puppies through different obstacles and activities, again helping them to complete the activity, building up their confidence and making it a fun, positive experience.

4. Play with your puppy.
This is an especially good strategy for potentially scary things like bad weather or really intense situations like when the lawnmower is on - moving and making a racket. Distracting your puppy with play will help take their focus off the stimulus but will also create a positive association. When the next storm arrives they will remember playing with you and that happy memory or won't even notice the storm at all.

5. Go slow.
Take it easy and go slowly. Don't rush your puppy and put them in situations where they can become overwhelmed or they are not ready for. Some puppies are more resilient and confident than others, so work at YOUR puppies pace. I've seen it many times through puppy preschool where a new puppy arrives and will go straight into play mode and other puppies who keep their distance and take longer to become accustomed to the new environment. Whatever the case with your puppy, take note and work from their current level.

Older dogs
Even though a puppies critical period for socialisation is until 14 weeks of age, that doesn't mean you should stop there. Your puppy will have learned the basics of how to react to new things during that time and hopefully, you have taught your puppy that new things can be fun and not scary. But it is very unlikely that you have been able to expose your puppy to every single thing that they will experience in their life. So just keep going. Keep introducing them to new activities and experiences. Keep meeting new people and dogs. Show them over and over and over again that new things or even things they have already encountered can be fun or at least not scary.
Once a puppy is fully vaccinated (which usually coincides with the end of the 14 weeks) it makes going out and experiencing the world a whole lot easier. 

There are two main reasons why dogs jump up; because they want your attention or they are excited. Sometimes it can be a combination of both, like when you get home from work they are excited to see you and want you to pat them.

Both of these reasons have similarities in the way they started and in the way we address them, but there are subtle differences too. So I'm going to cover them separately.

Attention Seeking
Jumping up for attention is usually a learned behaviour. By that I mean that we have inadvertently taught our dogs that if they want our attention they can jump up at us to get it. I say inadvertently because most people wouldn't set out to do this on purpose and don't even realise they are doing it. 
Most often this starts when the dog is a puppy and only becomes a problem when they start to get bigger or more demanding. Here are some reasons why this starts in puppies:

• They are so much smaller than us and try to jump or stretch to get our attention or reach us
• They can't speak English so to communicate what they want they use their body language in a variety of ways and learn which actions get them what they want - then repeat!
• They are just so cute and we pat them and reward them even when they are doing something they shouldn't
• When we start training them with treats, the delivery of the treats can be too slow so the puppy jumps to reach them (ties in with the first point of the huge size difference)
• They are small and it doesn't seem like a big deal at first, and remember they are so cute!

We have been rewarding our puppies with pats, our attention or treats when they jump up on us and have basically told them "Yes that's exactly what I want you to do when you want my attention".

Ok so now that we understand what caused the jumping up, how do we fix it? The good news is the fix is actually pretty simple. The hard part is remembering to do it and being consistent. 

You have to IGNORE your dog when they jump up at you. Do NOT touch your dog, push your dog away, say "No" or "Uh-uh" and definitely don't laugh, pat them or make eye contact with your dog. You are REMOVING or NOT GIVING your attention to them when they demand it.
To help you to ignore your dog, you can do the following:

• If standing, turn your back to your dog,
• Lift your head up and away from your dog,
• Walk away,
• If sitting, and your dog puts their paws on your lap, stand up so your lap is no longer available.

Now we know how to ignore them but how and when do we give them our attention? This part is even more important than the ignoring. You now need to teach your dog WHAT activity will get them your attention. After all we want them to communicate their needs and wants to us right? You are now going to REWARD them with your attention when they offer you polite behaviour like a sit. With practice your dog will start to offer you a sit straight away to communicate to you that they would really like your attention please.

Excitement
This one is a bit more tricky to manage as we are dealing with a dogs emotions and reactions and there is often little thinking involved from the dog. 

Why do dogs get excited?

• It's in their genes. Some breeds are more prone to excited behaviour than others, think Staffy's, Labradors etc.
• It's their temperament and their natural go to state,
• They have not learnt to control themselves, 
• They have learnt that being excited in certain situations works out for them (i.e. play).

To address excitement you can follow the same steps as you would when addressing attention seeking behaviour. One of the main differences though is that it will likely take much longer for the dog to calm down and offer you a polite sit as all those excited emotions are getting in the way of their thinking. This is where you need to pull out all of your patience and consistency and wait out your dog. This can form part of a bigger impulse control plan (where we are helping our dogs reduce their exicitement in many different areas of their life) which I will write about in a future email as it is simply to large to include here.

Another option is to disrupt the behaviour before it even starts. My favourite way of doing this is by using a clicker. In situations where you know your dog is going to be excited and will likely jump on you get the clicker and treats ready. As your dog runs towards you click, and throw the treat on the floor where the dog can see it. Your dog will be distracted by the click and treat and will stop to collect it. Click and treat another couple of times to get your dogs attention and focus then ask for a sit. Click and treat that too. With practice your dog will slow down, expecting the click and treat and will start going straight into a sit waiting for the reward!

At this time of year, if you are anything like me, you are busy planning for the year ahead, setting goals or writing up New Year’s resolutions to see you through the year ahead. This is something that I usually enjoy as it’s like starting fresh with a clean slate and anything seems possible. 

Tony (my husband and co-owner of Leader of the Pack Pet Services) and I were planning to sit down with a coffee and write up our resolutions on January 1st after we had finished with the mornings pet sits. But we didn’t. And I’ll tell you why.

When we arrived at our pet sits I noticed that the dogs (and the cats too actually) greeted us in the exact same way as they had the day before and in fact, everything they did was the same as each previous day we had visited. They greeted us as though they were as happy to see us as the day before, no more, no less. The dogs wanted to go out for a walk and the cats still wanted breakfast. They didn't notice that it was a new year.

Then it hit me. Animals live in the moment. They don't care what day of the year it is. They find joy in the daily routine of life and approach each day with enthusiasm and a wagging tail or happy purr.

They had no idea that the date had changed, that a brand new year had started or that they could review their lives and make a plan for the year ahead. It was business as usual for them. They approached the new day with the same enthusiasm as the day before and the day before that. 
Could this be a new way to view each day? Could I give up the resolutions that were not likely to last past the end of January? And can you? Man I hoped so.
I thought how liberating it would be to wake up each morning without the burden of resolutions not followed or the pressure to achieve specific tasks to “get ahead”. To instead approach each day like a dog would.  
To live in the moment with joy and enthusiasm;
Show the people in your life how much you love them, every time you see them;
Enjoy the journey, not just the destination;
Take time to smell the flowers (or trees or grass or lamp posts . . .);
Take naps;
Work out what gets you what you want, then repeat;

And eat food with gusto even if it’s the same meal you have eaten hundreds of times before.
So this year I decided that my only New Year's resolution will be to not have resolutions but to live each day like a dog.

Getting a puppy can be a wonderful, life changing experience as they will bring hours of joy and laughter to your life. Like most things worth having though, a puppy is also a lot of hard work and trouble!
When you bring home a puppy you are taking over the role of leader from the mother dog, and it is your responsibility to teach your new puppy about the world. This includes teaching them the house rules, how to behave in public, how to play with others and how to be a respectful member of the family.
The first three months of a puppy's life are critical to their development and what/how they learn in these early weeks informs the rest of their life. Getting it wrong can have disasterous consequences. That is why I would not recommend a puppy for a first time dog owner, or someone who is not used to handling dogs. 

Where to start:
1. Assess your lifestyle.
Take a good look at your life and think about what activities you like to do, what activities you would like to do with your puppy, how much TIME you will have for your new puppy and of course what you are willing to pay to purchase the puppy and how the ongoing expenses will fit with your family budget. Be realistic! There are no right or wrong answers however this assessment will help you to select the right puppy to fit in with your life. 

2. Research different breeds.
Even if you have a certain breed in mind, it pays to fully research the breed as well as a number of others using the assessment from point 1. Consider things like the dogs size when fully grown, short or long hair, common behaviour issues or health problems, fitness level, breed history and any specific instinctive activities that the dog may want to do (like herding). You may be surprised to find out that another breed may be a better match to your lifestyle. 

3. Research an appropriate breeder.
A respectable and responsible dog breeder will want to make sure that their puppy is going to a suitable home and will be able to provide you with full details of the puppies life to date and information on the parents. You should be able to meet the parent dogs and check out where the puppy is living. The breeder will have full vet records for the puppy so far and should have already started important socialisation activities. Unfortunately there are a number of irresponsible breeders and puppy farmers out there who breed dogs indiscriminately with temperament and/or health issues so chose who you purchase from wisely. 

Selecting the right puppy:
When you visit with the breeder and see the puppies before you jump in there to play with the puppies, take a moment to view them first. See how they interact with each other, the mother dog or other people if present. How the puppies interact with each other can tell you a lot about their temperament, socialisation to date and general confidence. Is the puppy timid and staying away from the others? Is the puppy bouncing all over the place and being corrected by the mother dog or other puppies? Neither is right or wrong but it will give you an insight into what the puppy is like and what you may need to work on.

When you enter into the puppy area, again just wait and see which puppies come up to you. Do they approach cautiously? Do they sniff you respectfully or jump up at you? Do they walk away afterwards or hang around? Again none of these things are right or wrong but help you decide what puppy you wish to take home.

Now it's time to start to properly interact with the puppies. Try to remember not to encourage jumping up or biting behaviour. If either occur, immediately remove your attention until the puppy has calmed down. How does the puppy respond to you? Is the puppy able to calm down when you remove your attention? Is the puppy even interested in playing with you?

Make sure to also physically check the puppy for any signs of deformity or health issues. The breeder should also be able to discuss with you any breed specific inherited disorders or physical ailments. 

Welcoming your new puppy:
The first few days with your new puppy can be overwhelming while you work out the toilet routine, where they will sleep and eat etc. Here are some tips to make the first few days easier for your puppy:

• Have patience. Your puppy is learning about his or her new life and he or she will make mistakes.
• Start off as you mean to go on. It's existing when the puppy arrives but don't allow jumping up or bad behaviour from the beginning and make sure you show your puppy what behaviour to offer to get what they want.
• Try to keep the excitement level low. It's a great joy to play with a puppy but be mindful of the level of excitement, take breaks and don't let your puppy go too far.
• Start socialisation activities immediately! Make sure it is ALWAYS a positive experience for your puppy. This is even more important than obedience training! You can get to that later.
• Give your puppy space and allow him or her to be by themselves for short periods of time without you. 
• Create a special, safe area for your puppy, a crate for example, where they can go to sleep or relax. 

Early training:

• Teach your puppy to sit for attention (rather than jump up).
• Practice putting the collar and lead on (puppies will take a few days to get used to it) without excitement.
• Get your puppy used to his or her name.
• Teach your puppy a marker word.
• Practice gentle manual handling (nothing forceful and if your puppy wants to move away they can).
• Teach your puppy where to go toilet, where their bed and water bowl is.
• I also recommend crate training if you can.

This is not an exhaustive list, it is only a starting point. There is a lot to teach a puppy but if you put the time and effort in, it is well worth the effort.

A conditioned reinforcer, simply put, is a sound we train/condition our dog to find rewarding.  Then we use the sound to reinforce our dogs behaviour. I think of conditioned reinforcers as one of the main communication tools to use everyday with your dog. 
You can easily use a conditioned reinforcer in a variety of different situations to let your dog know that what they are doing is what you want them to do. Examples of when to use a conditioned reinforcer include:

• When your dog has complied to a given command
• When your dog offers you a behaviour you want like choosing to sit or lie on their mat (instead of the couch!) or looks at you when out on a walk
• When you are teaching your dog a new skill or trick
• When you want to shape behaviour (i.e work towards a goal behaviour or trick)

There are two main types of conditioned reinforcers; verbal or mechanical. You can decide to use just one or both (for different situations but you wouldn’t use them both at the same time.)
Verbal: Marker word - usually a one syllable sound like "Yes" or "Good"

Mechanical: Clicker or whistle.
Once you have decided it is time to set it up.
First you need to train/condition the dog to the sound you want to use. If you do want to use both for different aspects of training set them up one at a time. I personally use a marker word (“yes”) every day with my dogs and use the clicker for training tricks or more complicated behaviour.
Choose the reward you want to use which must be something highly valuable to your dog. There is little point in using something that don’t like or is only a little bit rewarding. That is why food treats are the easiest to use as they are highly rewarding for your dog and easy to use for this purpose. But you can definitely use a pat as the reward if your dog highly values your attention.
When your dog is not doing anything in particular you want to either say your chosen marker word or click the clicker and WITHIN 3 SECONDS get the reward to your dog. You can drop the food on the ground or give it to your dog from your hand as long as they hear the sound then get the reward. As your dog won’t be looking at you, you may need to drop the food on the floor in front of them or reach your hand around to give them the food.
You will need to repeat this in short sessions (only a couple of minutes) a couple of times a day until your dog recognises the sound and that food is coming! 
How will you know when your dog recognises the sound?
When you make the sound (marker word or click) your dog will turn their head to look for the reward. And they will usually do it pretty quickly too! This may not happen straight away and it can take a few sessions, so just stick with it, make sure you are delivering the reward quick enough and that the reward is worth it for your dog.
To demonstrate how to set up either the verbal or mechanical conditioned reinforcer I have created the following videos so you can really see what happens.