First Time Dog Owner
So you’ve made the decision to get a dog. First of all, congratulations! Adding to your family unit is a big decision, so before you run out and pick up just any dog I’d like to discuss a few things to think about when getting a dog.
Obviously, before you bring your new family member home you’ll want all the supplies ready. Supplies could range anywhere from minimal supplies, like food and collar, all the way to a long extensive list. Either way I have good news for you…
Dogs. Don't. Care.
Not to say they wouldn’t love all the high end brands and a couch of their own, but the best thing about dogs is that they will love whatever you can provide for them. They aren’t burdened with greed or the constant need of wanting more like we are. The main things you want to think about before bringing your dog home are:
What diet should I choose?What kind of dog best fits my lifestyle?How will I meet their exercise and socialization needs?What type of training does my dog need?What will their day look like when I go to work?
These questions are ones that a lot of people don’t even think about asking themselves before bringing a dog home and that is OKAY! That is why we are here to raise those questions for you. And I know what you’re thinking: What about a bed for my dog? Toys, treats, etc… Yes, absolutely look into all of these options, but here we are going to look at what your dog will notice more than a huge comfy bed. Take my 9 year old Golden Retriever as an example, he has a wonderful therapeutic dog bed for his aging body, and yet he still chooses to sleep on our tile floor. What has been more important to his health and well-being is his amount of exercise, socialization, diet, training, and routine. So let's look at these questions in more depth.
What diet should I choose?
This is the hardest question you’ll answer for your dog and be prepared that it will probably change as they grow. Look at it in this sense, if you eat only cereal morning, noon, and night how would your body feel after awhile? Weak, sick, and it may even change your temperament right? Well, when you feed you dog foods that are high in sugars, processed, or even a good food that has an ingredient their bodies don’t agree with they aren’t going to feel the best and live their best life. There are ingredients you should always avoid, like corn, but what else could you look for to ensure your dog is eating what his or her body needs?
Protein. The type of protein your dog eats DOES matter. Chicken is a protein that some dogs just can’t handle. They get rashes, nausea, or sometimes have personality changes. It is crazy to think about, but dogs and human bodies are very similar in this way. The only difference is as a human we can tell someone, like a doctor, when we don’t feel well; dogs can’t.
Another thing to think about is kibble vs no kibble. Over the years we’ve seen dogs come into the Ranch with all types of foods and diets. There are great high quality brand kibbles you can get to meet all of your dogs needs, but you could get a dog who simply needs a little bit more. And I’m not talking about putting canned food on kibble so the picky eater will eat it; I am talking about raw food. Our Lab is a year old, and unlike our Golden, she cannot be on kibble. We tried every type of high quality kibble under the sun, but no matter what we tried it always made her extremely gassy, nauseous, and even lethargic. We felt awful because we had her on good food and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. She was always itching and her skin was flaky and dry. On a whim, I decided to try her on a raw diet. Once we switched her to a raw diet, we saw an immense difference in not just her bowels, but also her coat and personality. It took her some time to adjust to the raw diet as well, but once she did her coat became silky smooth and she stopped itching constantly and the gas and irritable bowels disappeared. All by changing her food!
But remember not all dogs react well to raw foods either, so you really need to watch for any signs that their diet isn’t right for them.
Here are some signs your dog may need a change of food:
Bowel issuesFlatulenceItchinessWeight (unusual weight gain or loss)Ear Issues (constant ear infections or irritations)Illness (vomiting after every meal)Energy Level (having excessive amounts of energy, restlessness, or having no energy at all)Behavioral Issues (acting out)
Now, what I’m about to say next is something that is very sensitive but I want you to just listen. Just because a vet says your dog needs a specific diet does not mean that the one that they carry is your only option. Do your own research, ask another vet, or even talk to a dietitian for dogs. Remember: You have options. Sometimes you can feel pressured at the vet to make decisions for your dog right then and there and if you don’t then you feel as though they think you're a bad dog owner, but that is just one vets opinion. That is the great thing about knowledge, you can always find more.
Okay, enough about food. Onto the next question!
What kind of dog best fits my lifestyle?
You’re inviting another living being into your life, so in order to be successful it’s important that you choose a dog that is the right fit. Owning a dog is a lifelong commitment, so take your time and do you research. Write down what your lifestyle is like in order to evaluate what characteristics of each breed will best match with your lifestyle. Things to consider, include:
Size of your home: Is it house? Apartment? Do you own or rent?How active is your lifestyle?How much time can you give your new dog?What kind of temperament are you looking for?Do you want a dog that requires regular grooming? High maintenance or low maintenance grooming needs?
How will I exercise and socialize them properly?
This question goes hand-in-hand with the previous question because it touches on a couple things: your lifestyle and time. With that being said, all dogs need some form of exercise and they always benefit from proper socialization.
First, I’d like to point out that no two dogs will ever socialize the same OR have the same exercise requirements. There are so many ways to exercise your dog, like: walking/running with them, treadmill walks at home, playing together, going to a dog park or trails, or taking them to daycare. Honestly, the options are unlimited.
This is something to think about before you bring any dog into your home. If you are someone who runs every day and wants your dog to run with you, you might want to look at more active dogs; or, if you are busy and don’t have time to exercise a high energy dog daily, you should probably look into a more relaxed dog, possibly even an older dog. Reason being: if you get a dog who’s energy level doesn’t match with your lifestyle you run the risk of behavioral issues due to it. If a dog simply hates running and you make it run daily the dog could become disobedient, maybe even hide from you at home when they see the leash. If you can’t take your high energy dog to daycare or walk them regularly they will become bored at home and possibly even destructive.
This one is hard to pinpoint, especially if you are rescuing a dog because it’s hard to tell at the shelter if a dog is going to be high energy or not. It’s important to lean on the volunteers at the shelter to help point you in the right direction, and always feel free to ask for help from an outside source too. We used to go to shelters and evaluate dogs for potential owners, occasionally bringing them to our facility to board in order to get a better feel in order to help the potential owner get to know the dog better in a controlled environment. Most of the time this extra step really helped people make the right decision in who they chose to add to their family. So remember, it’s okay to ask for help!
Socialization. This one comes easy to some dogs and can be harder for others, so take it slow. Again, if you are unsure or uneasy about introducing your dog to another dog, ask for a professional’s help. Dog Star Ranch is all about building positive experiences. The last thing that we want to do, or have you do, is set your dog up for failure when it comes to meeting a new dog. Our daycare program is a great tool to utilize because we’ll properly introduce your dog to another dog through our temperament test process where we follow proper introduction steps, like: having both dogs on leash walking parallel with each other to gauge their scents, allowing both dogs to sniff each others butts, and then as long as the previous steps go well, a few seconds of face sniffing. If all of that is okay, then we drop the leashes to see how they engage in play. Do they like to be left alone? Are they super playful? An outside perspective will help you better understand your dog, which will help you with interactions in the future!
Why is socialization so important?
Socialization begins at puppyhood. So many social cues are learned from mother and litter mates, which is why it’s so important to wait to take a puppy away from its mother and siblings when it’s the appropriate age. If taken away too soon then they don’t learn how to be corrected properly, which can lead to struggles behaviorally. They might struggle to learn body languages and social cues that are vital to having a well-rounded sociable dog.
The benefits of socialization are:
Learning proper dog body language, which helps build confidenceMental stimulationPhysical stimulation
Mental stimulation vs physical exercise: Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise. For example: you can run a GSP for 7 hours and they could still have the same amount of energy as you started. This is because you are only stimulating only the physical body, so make sure you are doing something to stimulate the brain as well, like: puzzles, games, and trick exercises. Doggie daycare provides both mental and physical stimulation because there is a difference between exercise and socialization with other dogs than with just another person.
Taking your dog to a dog park or bringing them to daycare on a regular basis will help them become socialized because they are learning how to read other dogs body language. Now, this isn’t to say that all of them are good at it. Just like how humans aren’t always good at reading other people, dogs aren’t either. This is where the human comes in. It’s important to know when to correct your dogs behavior if they aren’t reading the other dogs social cues correctly.
For helpful tips on dog body language and social cues, be sure to stay tuned for our Dog Body Language blog coming soon!
What type of training does my dog need?
Being a responsible pet owner is also making sure that your dog is properly trained and well-behaved. Whether it is at home on your own, in a group class setting, or one-on-one, spending time training with your dog is a great bonding experience. Remember: Dog’s like to work, so not only does training your dog make them work for what they want, but it also provides them with that much needed mental stimulation as well.
When it comes to figuring out what training plan is best for you and your pup, consider these questions:
Is a group class the best fit for them?Would they be overstimulated in a group setting?Is one-on-one training the better option?Do they know their basic commands, but are only struggling with one or two things?Do they have a behavioral issue that you need help with?
Sometimes a class isn’t the appropriate choice for your dog because it can be too overstimulating and just not the right fit, which is where one-on-one training is great because it works on individual needs in a quieter space. YouTube is also a great learning took for basic commands and tips and tricks.
What will their day look like when I go to work?
Let’s face it, given the current circumstances none of us like staying at home all day, every day. So why would we think that our dogs want to stay home all day, every day too? They want to get out of the house just as much as we do too. That’s why it’s important to consider what your dog’s day will look like while you are away. Beforehand, ask yourself:
How long will I be leaving them for?Will I be able to come home during the middle of the day to let them out?Will they be crated?Free to roam?Will I hire a dog walker?Will I take them to doggie daycare?Is my dogs temperament suitable to stay at home all day?
If dogs are left alone for long periods of time, they could develop separation anxiety and experience destructive boredom, especially with high energy dogs. High energy dogs might not be able to stay home the same way that a low energy dog might.
We can’t tell you what a day at home for your dog would look like while you are away at work, but we can tell you what their day would look like if they came to Dog Star Ranch for doggie daycare.
From the moment that your dog steps through our door, they’re immersed in mental and physical stimulation. From community yard playtime to the big run out in the park to napping in the rooms with couches, your dogs day is full of stimulation. Not only does this benefit them by socializing with other dogs, but they burn off that extra energy and go home tired for you!
Quarantine has changed a lot of aspects of our lives. Some of us have had to switch from office building to home office. To our dogs this has probably been the best thing ever! Their hooman isn’t leaving them every day and there is so much time for love and cuddles and constant attention, right? Wrong. Whether you leave for work or are continuing to work from home, our dogs still need exercise and socialization that we might not be able to give them. You might find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand when your dog is constantly hounding you for attention and always wanting outside because they are bored. Both you and your dog can benefit from them getting out of the house for a few hours of doggie daycare!
As you can see there is a lot to consider when it comes to becoming a first time dog owner. Owning a dog is a lifelong commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’ll be an experience filled with highs and lows and trial and error and many happy moments and memories, and Dog Star Ranch will always be there for you every step of the way.