Right now (in 2009) I have 3 dogs. Jasper is a 3 year old Shih Tzu cross. Milo is a 2 year old Chihuahua-Portuguese Hound cross and Miss Moo is an 11-month old Chihuahua. All 3 dogs are individuals and all 3 have very different personalities. (I could expand about the trials and tribulations of choosing to live in a multi-dog household, but that can wait for another article.)

I would like to say that as a dog parent, I raised each dog exactly the same way. I think I can relate to first-time parents who hope they paid the same amount of attention to their second and third child as they did to the first child. Many parents that I’ve spoken to sheepishly admit that their “first” baby most definitely received more attention and focus than their second, third, etc. I think it’s a natural progression but sometimes regrettable all the same J

Looking back on my dog parenting history, I can now say that I did most things “right” with my first dog Jasper. However, at the time, I honestly had no idea that I was doing everything right!

Jasper was my first “real” dog. I’d had many dogs during my life but they’d usually been family dogs. Jasper was the first dog I raised by myself from the age of 8 weeks old: infantile, helpless and I had absolutely no idea what to do!

Being a full-time student at the time, I did what I knew best – I went to the library. I bought books about puppies and dog training from my local Chapters. I read everything I could (that’s when I started to notice that most of the content in dog training books contradict each other, but again, that’s for another article!)

I read books about raising puppies BEFORE I brought Jasper home. This was important because I was already equipped with all of the necessary “puppy paraphernalia”: crate, bed, blankets, food, dishes, brush, chewies, etc. One of these books said to make sure that your new puppy spends his first night in his crate. It told me to be prepared for crying most of the night when I could soothe him but not take him out of the crate unless we went outside for a pee. My first night was LONG and I didn’t get much sleep but Jasper eventually did settle down in his crate. Thus began my successful crate training experience.

I struggled with the common first time puppy parent issue of whether or not crate training was beneficial or cruel. Looking at Jasper’s sad puppy eyes as he whined in his crate during those first few weeks tested my limits! I desperately wanted to save him from this cruel cage he was in but I trusted the puppy books I’d read. Every puppy book I had read agreed that crate training was the best thing you could do for your puppy.

Now, 3 years later, I completely agree. Jasper is crate trained. He LOVES his crate! His crate is still where it was when he was 8 weeks old – on the floor next to my side of the bed (truth be told, Jasper’s crate has served as my bedside table for these 3 years – thanks, Jas!) Jasper chooses to sleep in his crate at night – I don’t force him to. I don’t close the door when he’s asleep, he just goes in, sighs a big sigh and falls instantly asleep. His crate is his special, safe place where no other dog in the house in allowed to go and he treasures his alone time. Just like his Mom….

Crate training Jasper has helped him feel secure in any new situation. When he boarded overnight at a stranger’s house, he slept in his crate and was relaxed. At the vet, he can easily go into the cages if need be. After his neuter, his post-op went well because he was already crate-trained and didn’t mind being in the vet’s cages. We’ve moved about 5 times during his life and his crate made that easier for him. There are so many great things about crate training!

During Jasper’s first year, I socialized him extensively! Again, I didn’t know I was. I didn’t realize how important that socialization was – and that it has made him the fabulous, balanced, easy-going friendly adult dog he is today. I walked him everyday – usually 2 or 3 times. He went in the car everyday and loved exploring with us.

He had at least 2 really close dog friends of similar ages: Mignon the Maltese and Thomas the Chihuahua. We met Mignon in our neighborhood on our walks and quickly became walking buddies. We would walk at least once per day with Mignon in the neighborhood. That progressed to Jasper being invited to spend afternoon playdates at Mignon’s house – great fun!

Thomas the Chihuahua was my professor’s dog and they just hit it off! He was invited at least once (usually twice) per week for playdates.

Around the same time, I was concerned about Jasper developing separation anxiety. Other than his playdates, he really never had much change to be alone at our house (I was a student who was home a lot and my boyfriend worked at home). I enrolled Jasper into a great little daycare where he went about once a week just for half a day.

So, overall, Jasper walked with dogs all of the time, had playdates at his 2 best doggie friends houses and attended daycare occasionally. He went everywhere with us (friends houses, traveling) and was very socialized to people. All in all, with Jasper I did well.

Milo and Miss Moo, the terrible Chihuahuas? I’ll save that for another article J

 

TORONTO SMALL DOGS
www.torontosmalldogs.com
Private Training, Socialization, Boarding and Doggy Daycare
Experienced in training shy, fearful small dogs.
647-343-5553 or 416-624-6361
info@torontosmalldogs.com