Sit Spot, Stay

06/12/2024

Ethical Dog Breeders are NOT the problem, but part of the Solution!

When it comes to finding a new canine companion, the debate between adopting from a shelter or rescue and purchasing from a breeder is often a heated one. I often hear people telling others that they should never go through a breeder to get their dog because there are so many dogs in shelters that need good homes. I really dislike the phrase, “Adopt, don’t shop!” It infers that the only ethical way to obtain a dog is by going through a “rescue organization” or shelter. I strongly believe that it can be a perfectly good choice to do either: go through a rescue/shelter or a breeder. What matters most, is that you do your research first to make sure that the breeder or rescue/shelter is an ethical one, and that you are choosing the right dog for you.

The Reality of Some Rescue/Shelter Organizations

Are there really unethical shelters and rescues? You betcha! It is true, there are a ton of dogs in shelters. But why are there so many dogs in shelters? There are many reasons, but let’s talk about some that you may not have considered. While many rescues are genuinely committed to the welfare of animals, not all operate with the same ethical standards. There are some rescue organizations that operate more like businesses, prioritizing profit over the welfare of the animals they claim to save. These organizations may import large numbers of dogs, sometimes without proper health screenings or vaccinations, putting both the dogs and the local pet population at risk. Some rescues import dogs from other countries, often from regions where animal welfare regulations are less strict. These dogs may be transported under stressful and inhumane conditions, and sometimes they arrive with undisclosed health issues. Importation of dogs for profit can also encourage unethical breeders and puppy mills to stay in business. In an article by AKC Government Solutions it says that it’s estimated that close to 1 million dogs are imported into the United States each year for profit! You can read the article here: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/clubs-delegates/government-relations/government-relations-blogs/foreign-rescue-dogs-health-concerns/

I have no source to back this up, but I believe that a major part of the reduction of dogs in shelters during the pandemic was because there was a halt on the importation of dogs from overseas. Choosing a rescue/shelter that works with local dogs and doesn’t import dogs from overseas can actually help the pet overpopulation problem, rather than adding to it. The rise of for-profit rescues highlights the need for potential adopters to be vigilant and discerning. Please don’t hear “rescue” and automatically assume they are ethical.

I’d like to give some examples of rescues I have personally dealt with. I have had experience with many many rescues and shelters, but these are only a few examples. I’m sure you’ll be able to see drastic differences between them. Let’s start with the more positive one:
The very first dog my husband and I got was from a rescue organization in Oahu, Hawaii. I found a listing in the paper about a litter of mix breed puppies. I called the rescue and said that I would like to come visit the puppies. The lady on the phone was incredibly polite and asked me many questions. She asked why I was looking for a puppy. She asked if I had children. She asked if I had dogs previously. She asked if I was willing to walk the dog everyday, and I’m sure some other questions too. Then we set up a time for us to go visit them. When we showed up there were several different litters of puppies. She took me to the ones I had inquired about and let me observe them as a litter. I saw another litter of puppies in a separate area and I started to go look at them. She quickly informed me that the puppies in that litter fought over their food, and since this would be our first dog, and since we had children, she would not let us choose one of those puppies. So I went back to the other litter and observed them some more. She let me know that these puppies would grow to be large dogs and asked if I was prepared to have a large dog. I spotted one that I was interested in and I asked if I could spend time with the puppy away from the litter. She was happy to let me spend as much time with the puppy as I wanted. I took her to another room and observed and interacted with her. When I decided that I would like to adopt that puppy, the lady seemed genuinely happy for us and proceeded to tell us many important things about the puppies and their mom. She said the mom was a full Rhodesian Ridgeback that belonged to a local family. She had gotten loose and pregnant from an unknown dog. The owners left the mom at the rescue to have the puppies and took the mom back once the puppies were completely weaned. She then strongly encouraged us to enroll in training classes as soon as possible and gave a recommendation for one that was close to where we lived. After having the puppy for one week she emailed me to see how everything was going. And at the one year mark she emailed again to see how our life was going with our dog. I was very happy to report that she was an absolutely fantastic dog that fit into our family so well and that we loved dearly. I wish that I remembered the name of this incredible rescue.

The second example is of a shelter that I volunteered at for 6 months until I couldn’t handle it anymore. In the training that they required of the volunteers we were told that we could not tell anyone that came into the shelter any information about any of the dogs other than what was written on the card on their kennel. The cards usually only had a name, an age estimate, and whether they got along with cats, other dogs, or kids. We were strictly told not to ever mention breed at all, or any history we knew about the dog, or behavioral traits. We were also told that not only should the dogs never be corrected in any way, but that we should never say “no” to a dog. I dealt with many dogs at that shelter that made me incredibly uncomfortable to handle that they were trying to place with inexperienced dog owners, and people with young children. They kept telling us, “Whatever it takes to get dogs into homes.” I think most of them had good intentions for the dogs, but weren’t considering if they were actually good placements, that would be a good fit. Potential adopters were not allowed under any circumstances to let the dog they were considering adopting meet a pet that they currently owned to see if they would get along well. They also were very proud of the fact that they brought dogs in from all over. Withholding information about a dog or downplaying the severity of behavior is unfortunately something many unethical rescues and shelters do. Red flags, red flags, and more red flags.

One time I went to a rescue with a friend to help her choose a puppy. When we got there, there was a long line to get in and they handed out numbers to us based on our place in line. When it was our turn to go in they said if you like a puppy (they were all puppies that had been shipped in a day before, no adult dogs) to let someone know and they will put us in a room with that puppy. There were several runs with 5 or 6 puppies in each run and they didn’t seem to necessarily be with their littermates. My friend saw a puppy that she wanted to see so the worker took the puppy, led us to a concrete room that was about 5 feet by 10 feet, and told us we had 10 minutes to decide if we wanted the puppy. 10 minutes! When the worker came back I asked if we could bring some of the littermates in to see how the puppy interacted with them, and he said “no”. He said our time was up and we either needed to claim the puppy or they would put him back out for others to see. He also said we only could try out one more puppy. And that’s when we left. Extreme red flags!

Be very wary of Amish breeders. Many Amish breeders are puppy mills. Just do your research first and ask for a facility tour, to meet the parents, and verify medical testing and veterinary care. Don’t buy dogs online without visiting the breeder in-person first or having done your research and having personal connections with the breeder that can verify their validity.

Ethical Rescues: A Worthy Option

There are countless ethical rescues that do incredible work. These organizations typically ensure that all animals are properly vetted, spayed or neutered at a proper age, and receive the necessary medical care before being adopted out. They often rely on a network of foster homes to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the dogs while they await adoption.
Ethical rescues also prioritize transparency. They provide potential adopters with as much information as possible about the dog's history ,breed, behavior, and health, helping to ensure a good match between the dog and its new family. They are motivated by a genuine desire to help the dogs find a good home, AND to help the adopters to find a dog that is a good fit for them.
If you are interested in getting a dog from a rescue or a shelter, I strongly consider you to check out this website: www.rescuedogsresponsibly.com It is an incredible resource to help you not only find a good rescue, but how to choose a dog that has a good temperament and will fit well with your family. It’s a completely free resource.

Responsible Breeders Can Reduce the Number of Dogs in Shelters

Yes, that’s right! Getting a dog from an ethical breeder can actually reduce the number of dogs in shelters. Ethical breeders are dedicated to maintaining and improving the health, temperament, and welfare of the breeds they love. They are committed to responsible breeding practices, which include genetic testing, careful selection of breeding pairs, and providing proper care and socialization for puppies. They do ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) or Puppy Culture to help their puppies be well-socialized. Ethical breeders have contracts with who they sell their puppies to and they require the dogs to be microchipped, with their information as the secondary contact. Then if the dog is lost or put in a shelter, the breeder can always be contacted and will take the dog back. Unlike puppy mills or backyard breeders, ethical breeders prioritize the well-being of their dogs over profit. They don’t sell puppies based on their coat color or looks, they sell them based on temperament. They breed for temperament. They often have waiting lists for their puppies and carefully screen potential buyers to ensure that each dog goes to a loving and suitable home. They don’t make owners choose a puppy at a week or two old, based on looks. A puppy should be chosen based on temperament at 7 weeks of age, but should not leave their littermates until at least 8 weeks of age. They don’t sell littermates to the same home. A good breeder also will take a dog back if for any reason you are no longer able to care for the dog. In addition, ethical breeders contribute to the preservation of specific breeds, especially those that might otherwise be at risk of decline. They also provide valuable support to new owners, offering advice and assistance long after the puppy has gone to its new home. By choosing an ethical breeder, buyers can be confident that they are bringing home a healthy, well-adjusted puppy from a responsible source. This leads to less dogs being surrendered to shelters!

It’s Okay to Choose—Just Do Your Research

Whether you choose to adopt from a rescue or buy from a breeder, the most important factor is doing your research to ensure that you are supporting an ethical and reputable source. Take the time to visit the breeder or rescue in person, ask questions about their practices, and request references from previous buyers or adopters. Also do your research on dog breeds and temperaments so that you can confidently choose a dog that will fit well into your family. If you aren’t confident in this, hire a professional trainer. Even if they don’t list this as an option on their website, ask them. Many trainers would be more than happy to do this, they just don’t normally offer it because, unfortunately, not very many people are interested in the help beforehand.

Look for breeders who are members of recognized breed clubs and adhere to strict codes of ethics. For rescues, check their reputation within the animal welfare community, and be wary of organizations that seem more focused on quick adoptions or high turnover.
By making an informed decision, you can feel confident that you are bringing a dog into your home from a source that prioritizes their health, well-being, and future. Whether through an ethical breeder or a responsible rescue/shelter, you and your new pet deserve the best possible start in your relationship.

The decision of how you obtain your dog is deeply personal, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. What matters most is that you take the time to research and choose an ethical source, ensuring that your new companion comes from a place of care and responsibility. By supporting ethical breeders and rescues/shelters, you contribute to the welfare of dogs everywhere. Let's stop shaming people for their choice in using a breeder or rescue and just help educate people on how either one can be a good choice with some research. And for the love of dogs can we get rid of the phrase, “Adopt, don’t shop.”

Rescue Dogs Responsilbly FREE GUIDE TO HELP YOU CHOOSE A SAFE,ENJOYABLE DOG.for dog adopters & Rescuers Dog Adopters Dog rescue can save a deserving dog's life and unite a family with a wonderful canine companion. My goal is to help potential adopters find a nice, safe dog. I want to empower the pub...

12/09/2024

I love how Robin says things. So clear and easy to apply!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/9F8DxLTVscuV4ntP/?mibextid=WC7FNe

How do you feel about exposing your dog to stress?

This young Weimaraner started a board and train recently. During the drop off, I informed his owner, he'd be living under some different rules at my house than what he'd been used to for the past few months of his life.

He would be subjected to some "healthy stress.”

Among other things, he would be sleeping in a crate at night, learning to walk nicely on a leash, and participate in proprioceptive exercises to build body awareness.

Essentially, he would be learning some problem solving skills and because of it, develop greater resilience.

The first day here he found himself stuck on the opposite side of a pole than the side I was on.

Can you guess what I did?

I did nothing. I stood there, not moving, not applying more pressure to the leash, not coochie-cooing him...I just waited.

It took him about 90 seconds of wiggling, and whining to figure out what to do to get himself free.

Once he did, he was darn proud of himself, prancing about for a few seconds and then we moved on and enjoyed a short game of fetch.

The stress was short lived. He learned how to relieve it and was proud of himself as he discovered his power to problem solve.

We do our dogs no favor by immediately bailing them out of every little problem or struggle they encounter.

So often I hear, "My dog doesn't like the crate,” or "My dog doesn't like to be brushed,” or "My dog won't potty while on leash.”

As a woman who has raised two (now grown) children, I could not have imagined saying to my kids dentist..."well, they don't like having their teeth brushed so we just gave up." 🤣

I have news for you, there are very few dogs that immediately enjoy their crate, or being brushed and bathed, or being restrained on a leash.

It's our job to teach them to tolerate the realities of life in the human world.

For most things the teaching recipe is simple:

A bit of skill, applied over time, mixed by a healthy dose of patient persistence.

If you don't have the skill, the time or the patience, you can pay people like me to do the foundation work for you. It is like having the dentist clean the kids teeth...but if you don't maintain what the professional did, it's not going to become good habits that serve for a lifetime.

The main thing to understand is that stress and learning will be part of life. There is no avoiding it. It is how we learn to work through it that makes the difference.

By taking time to teach your dog how to tolerate some stress and learn to problem solve, you set them up for increased confidence, improved manners and an overall healthier mindset.

27/08/2024

Happy National Dog Day!!!

15/06/2024

What’s the difference between a Service Dog, a Therapy Dog, and an Emotional Support Dog?

Today I was asked to teach a class at a local college, explaining how Emotional Support Dogs are trained and how they can help individuals. I accepted the assignment, but I quickly informed them that Emotional Support dogs don’t have any special training and are not given any public access that pet dogs are not allowed. This is not an uncommon misunderstanding so I thought I’d write this to briefly explain the difference between the very different categories of dogs: Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Emotional Support Dogs. I believe it is incredibly important for the general public to understand the difference between these three categories, especially people who are interested in owning such dogs.

Here is a quick explanation between the three categories. If you want a more in depth description continue reading after this.

Service Dogs:
Are trained to do tasks for a specific person that relate to the person’s disability.
They have public access rights to almost all places the person can go.

Therapy Dogs:
Are often pets that have a high degree of obedience training and they can go to a specific place that they’ve been approved by (like a hospital or nursing home) to give comfort. They do NOT have public access rights.

Emotional Support Dogs:
Are pets that have been deemed by a medical professional to be of emotional support for their owner. They don’t need any special training, but they also do NOT have any public access rights. The only legal thing they can provide is the owner has the right to house the dog in a place that wouldn’t normally allow dogs, like an apartment or condo.

Here is where you keep reading if you’d like a more in-depth explanation:

Service Dogs
The American with Disabilities Act defines Service Dogs as such: “Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.” -https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/

These dogs are granted public access to most places that people are allowed, with very few exceptions. However, the service dog must be under that handler's control at all times in public areas and not cause disturbances. They also need to be on a leash at all times in public areas unless the leash deters with a specific task they are to perform. In that case they must be under voice control of the handler. If an employee of an establishment is curious whether the dog is a service dog they are allowed to ask the handler two questions: Is that a service dog that has been trained for specific tasks for a disability? What tasks has the dog been trained on? They are not allowed to ask what type of disability. If a service dog is causing a disturbance in a public area, such as barking at customers, or eliminating on the floor, (first of all it’s probably not actually a service dog because it hasn’t been trained properly) an employee is allowed to ask the handler to remove the dog. Also, by FAA regulations ONLY service dogs are allowed on planes in the cabin. Therapy and emotional support dogs are no longer allowed on planes in the cabin unless they are small enough to fit under the seat in a carrier, and only some airlines allow this.

I have been asked several times if I can help people train a service dog for them. Although I have volunteered with a service dog organization, I don’t have the knowledge or experience to train service dogs. My volunteer work was working with service dogs in Training and helping them with public access work. I have an incredible amount of experience with this as it is mostly strong obedience training and helping the dog’s state of mind to be in a healthy place. I don’t have experience with training dogs to do tasks such as alerting for a seizure or guiding someone with mobility issues. Training a service dog takes an incredible amount of time, energy, patience, skill, and knowledge. Very few dogs are cut out for service work. The dog has to be easily trained, has to like to work, and can not have a reactive temperament in any area. They can’t react to people, animals, sounds, textures, movement, smells, etc. Because of this, it is incredibly unlikely for a pet dog to become a service dog. It is also highly unlikely for someone who doesn’t have extensive experience in training service dogs to be able to train a dog to be a service dog on their own. Service dogs are chosen at a young age and raised and trained with the idea in mind of them being a service dog in the future. Even with all of this, many service dogs in training end up failing out and just becoming pets. It is detrimental to real service dogs and their owners to pretend that you have a service dog.

It is also very important to understand how you should act when you see a service dog out in public. Working dogs should be completely ignored so that it can properly do its job. If you start to talk to, pet, or even make eye contact with a service dog you may be interfering with its ability to do its job. Most Service Dogs won’t be too distracted by this, but just like us, they have choice and sometimes can mess up. You definitely don’t want to distract a service dog from properly being able to do its job in any way. This goes for children too. Parents should teach their children to ignore service dogs. If children are too young, or the teaching just hasn’t stuck yet, the parents should quickly guide their children to ignore the dog when they see it.

Therapy Dogs
The Alliance of Therapy Dogs says this: “Therapy dogs also receive training but have a completely different type of job from service dogs. Their responsibilities are to provide psychological or physiological therapy to individuals other than their handlers. These dogs have stable temperaments and friendly, easy-going personalities. Typically, they visit hospitals, schools, hospices, nursing homes, and more. Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs are encouraged to interact with a variety of people while they are on-duty including petting the therapy dog.” https://www.therapydogs.com/service-dog-vs-therapy-dog/
Therapy dogs are pets that the owners have put through a program that allows them to go specific places where they can comfort individuals. Therapy dogs get approved by individual organizations and they only get special access privileges from that specific place. For example, if I want my dog to be a therapy dog, I first need to decide where I would like my dog to provide therapy. If I want to take my dog to the library for children to read to, I need to reach out to a library that offers this and do whatever requirements they expect. Most places that take therapy dogs will require your dog to pass a test, such as the Canine Good Citizen test through the American Kennel Club, or one of their own, and then have you and your dog go through a course they offer. Then, based off of a schedule you agree on, you may bring your dog in for therapy work. Therapy dogs do NOT get any public access rights other than the specific place they go to give therapy. This means they are not allowed in public where any pet dog is not allowed. There are also organizations that get a therapy dog to live on site to help people’s health and happiness, such as fire stations and search and rescue units. These places often get dogs from trained professionals who raise dogs that are good for therapy work. These therapy dogs also do not get public access rights. If you are interested in your dog becoming a therapy dog there are a few things you should consider first. Does your dog truly love attention from all kinds of people? Does your dog deal well with lots of different types of emotions and strong energies? Does your dog have a stable temperament and likes to work with people? Is your dog easily obedience trained? If you answered yes to all of these, your dog may be a good fit and you should reach out to the place you want to take your dog for therapy work and see what their requirements are. Then, if you feel you are up to it, you can train your dog to be ready, or you can reach out to a professional, like me, to help you and your dog get there.

Emotional Support Dogs
The American Kennel Club says this about emotional support dogs: “Although all dogs offer an emotional connection with their owner, to legally be considered an emotional support dog, also called an emotional support animal (ESA), the pet needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness. A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist must determine that the presence of the animal is needed for the mental health of the patient. For example, owning a pet might ease a person’s anxiety or give them a focus in life. The dogs can be of any age and any breed. ESAs provide support through companionship and can help ease anxiety, depression, and certain phobias. However, they are not service dogs, and ESA users do not receive the same accommodations as service dog users.”
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/everything-about-emotional-support-animals/

The only special privilege that ESAs get is through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is they are allowed to live with their owners in whatever housing establishment, regardless if the housing allows pets or not. ESAs do NOT get any public access rights, nor do they require any special training because they are only allowed where any average pet would be allowed. Unfortunately there are unethical websites that will sell you “service dog” or “therapy dog” or “emotional support animal” certificates for around $50, but these are fake and negatively affect those who actually have these types of animals.

If someone asks me if I can help them to train their dog to be an emotional support dog, I obviously say “no”. Only a medical professional can declare a dog as an ESA, and once that is done no special training is required. Of course I think most, if not all, pets and owners can benefit from training and I’m super happy to help when I’m wanted, but hopefully this article has helped you to understand the difference between the three categories. If you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to message me. I always love talking about dogs!

16/03/2024

This dog is the best hiker! It’s much steeper than it looks in the video and there were parts of scrambling that I didn’t feel comfortable videoing while doing it, that Mozzie would tackle amazingly well! She likes to be just a bit ahead of us, but checks in often. I’ll post in the comments where Phoebe likes to be on hikes.

16/03/2024

Hello from Ecuador! It’s so nice to have off-leash trained dogs. We went on a hike today that had quite a bit of scrambling and there was no way I could have held leashes while doing it. My dogs tackled it like champs! Well-trained dogs have more freedom!

26/12/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

06/12/2023

This is a very well done. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, my favorite way to describe a well-socialized dog is that the dog is able to remain CALM around stimuli. Socializing your dog does not mean you should have your dog meet anyone and everyone or have them meet or play with dogs they don’t know.