HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT
DOG
There is no such animal.
So stop looking.
By Jon Katz
Americans love animals and
know little about them. We are used to convenience and short cuts; we
respond to marketing. Meanwhile, the pet industry needs to move a lot of
animals, so it promotes the idea there's a Perfect Dog for everyone.
The Perfect Dog is an enticing
fantasy pooch. It's the dog that instantly learns to pee outdoors, never
menaces or frightens children, plays gently with other dogs, won't jump on the
UPS guy, never rolls in gross things, eats only the appropriate food at the
right time, and never chews anything not meant for him. This dog does not
exist.
The Perfect Dog is first
cousin to the equally yearned for Disney Dog. That's the one who loves you
alone, who will sacrifice his life to pull your toddler back from the busy
street, who will cross 1,000 miles of towering snowdrifts to find you if you
accidentally leave him behind in the Arctic. I want such a dog, but I
don't have one. Mine would make their way to the nearest deli and
stay there.
The peddling of Perfect Dog
amounts to a multibillion dollar business in the United States. You'll
never see images of ugly dogs vomiting in the living room or terrorizing the
letter carrier on dog food commercials. Those dogs-----the ones we
want---are always adorable. Their happy owners are not holding pooper
scoopers.
Because people have such
ill-informed and unrealistic expectations, dogs often suffer when their true
hungry, messy, and alien natures are revealed. They get yelled at,
irritated by studded chains and zapped by electronic collars, tethered to trees,
hidden away in basements and back yards, or dumped at shelters and euthanized.
The most important time for
you and your dog is the stretch you spend considering whether, where and how to
get a dog and what sort of dog to get. Unfortunately, that process lasts
only a few minutes for most people. Thus, much trouble for both species.
Most Americans acquire dogs
impulsively and for dubious reasons; as a Christmas gift for the kids.
Because they saw one in a movie. To match the new living room
furniture. Because they moved to the suburbs and see a dog as part of the
package. Because they couldn't resist that wide-eyed puppy in the mall pet
store. Even the scant time it will take to read and mull over the
following questions might improve your chances of finding the right dog.
1. Why do I want a
dog? Researchers studying human-animal attachments find we have a complex
personal motives for wanting a dog and for choosing a particular one at a given
time. It's important to understand some of those impulses, even if it
means picking the psychic scabs. Are you lonely? Sick of people? Unhappy
at work? Re-enacting some familial drama? Drawn to the aesthetics of a beautiful
purebred? Compelled by the idea of rescuing, but not necessarily training a
dog? Understanding your own motivation doesn't mean getting a dog is
wrong, but it may help you make a better choice of animal-or decide that what
you really need doesn't come on four legs.
2. How can I get a
well-behaved dog? You can't. You can only create one.
Dogs don't come that way. It's their natural canine behavior to chew on
all sorts of things, roll in other animal's droppings, hump and fight other
dogs, menace anything that invades the home. All these behaviors can be
curbed, but that takes a lot of work. Trainers say it requires nearly
2,000 repetitions of a behavior for a dog to completely absorb it.
3. Does it matter what
kind of dog I get? There is a kind of canine communism that suggest all
dogs are equal and potentially, wonderfully alike. I don't think so.
It is both foolish and irresponsible to know nothing about the characteristics
of the animal that you, your family, and your neighbors will have to live with
for years. Last year, more than 400,000 kids were bitten badly enough by
dogs to require hospitalization. Don't add to that number.
4. Is it wrong to buy a
purebred when so many dogs face confinement and death in shelters? It's
about as wrong as having a baby when millions of poor children suffer.
Getting the right dog involves not only morals but practical
considerations. Acquiring a dog from rescue is rewarding only if you
understand the breed you are adopting.
5. How should I get a
dog? There's no one way. Avoid the puppy mills--unscrupulous
breeders mass breed and in-breed dogs and sell them to pet stores. Go to a
shelter, rescue group, or experienced breeder (get references). Whoever
provides the dog should be skeptical. A good breeder or experienced rescue
wants you to prove you can be a capable caretaker. The interrogation and
screening can be annoying, but it's also a sign you're on the right track.
A breeder ought to know if you work long hours away from home, have a fenced
yard, have kids or other animals, of you have access to parks. why are
there all those mastiff's Rottweilers, and border collies in Manhattan?
It's what happens when unscrupulous breeders meet thoughtless customers.
6. Is it a mistake to
buy a dog for your child? Only if you're unrealistic enough to believe
your kid's promises that of course she'll take care of the new puppy. Kids
have short attention spans. They'll coo over the puppy, but in a few
months it will be a dog. And who will be walking it at 6 a.m. on a winter
morning? Don't surprise your kids with a puppy--they really might prefer a
new computer.
Some romantics see the match
between a human and dog as kismet; If they're right for one another,
or destined to be together, they'll fall in love at first sight. But most
puppies are cute. And few humans like to accept the idea that the
affectionate puppy is as drawn by the food it smells on your hands as by some
mysterious ethereal connection. Be cautious. Go slow. Think
about it.
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