HUMANE SOCIETY OF AMERICA

BASIC DOG CARE

 Chances are that your dog is one of your most faithful companions. But, from time to time, he may present you with unique challenges that could lead to frustration for both you and your four-legged friend. The information in this section will help you handle the responsibilities and potential difficulties that accompany the joy of sharing your life with a dog.

CARING FOR YOUR DOG

 Your dog gives you a lifetime of unconditional love, loyalty, and friendship. In return, she counts on you to provide her with food, water, safe shelter, regular veterinary care, exercise, companionship, and more. Take care of these ten essentials, and you'll be guaranteed to develop a rewarding relationship with your canine companion.

Too many dogs are given up after their normal, easily modifiable behaviors are allowed to become problems. But it doesn't have to be this way. To prevent your dog from becoming a sad statistic, take your dog—and your family—to a professional dog training class. A good training class is a fun, social activity that helps your dog become a well-behaved, safe, and valued family member. This information will help you find the dog trainer and class environment that best fits your budget and needs.

Why is training my dog a necessity?

As a dog owner, one of the first questions you may ask is, Does my new companion need training? Yes, and so do you! Whether you are intentionally teaching him or not, your canine friend is always learning—and this is true not just for puppies but also for older, adult dogs. If you do not teach your pet your rules, he will invent his own. Training allows caregivers to safely and humanely control their dog's behavior. Positive training enhances the bond between dog and owner, and helps ensure that your dog will respond happily to your instructions.

What should I look for in a trainer?

It's essential that the dog trainer you select uses humane training techniques that encourage appropriate behavior through such positive reinforcement as food, attention, play, or praise. Look for a trainer who ignores undesirable responses or withholds rewards until the dog behaves appropriately. Training techniques should never involve yelling, choking, shaking the scruff, tugging on the leash, alpha rolling (forcing the dog onto his back), or other actions that frighten or inflict pain.

Where can I find a trainer?

A recommendation from a friend, neighbor, veterinarian, humane society, boarding kennel, or groomer is a good place to start. You can also check the Yellow Pages under "Pet Training." Don't assume that a trainer's membership in a dog trainer association qualifies him as a suitable instructor: Not all associations' membership criteria will meet your expectations. Also, because no government agency regulates or licenses trainers, it's that much more important to investigate their qualifications before enrolling in a class. Find out how many years of experience they have, how they were educated, and what training methods they use. Ask prospective trainers for several references from clients who completed the classes.

Which class format is best?

In group classes, dogs learn to interact with other dogs, accept handling by other people, and respond to their owners despite distractions. Owners learn by observing other people interacting with their dogs and benefit from the camaraderie. Self-help training, private lessons, and dog-only lessons that exclude the owner do not provide these important advantages. Another disadvantage of dog-only lessons is that the dog may respond well for the trainer but may not transfer what she has learned to you and your family.

When possible, all family members should participate in the dog's training. By learning to communicate humanely and effectively with their canine friend, they will develop bonds that will form the basis of the entire relationship.

What should I seek in a group class?

Ask the trainer whether you can observe a class in session before signing up. Watch for the following:

·         Is class size limited to allow for individual attention?

·         Are there separate classes for puppies and adult dogs?

·         Are there different class levels (for example, beginner, intermediate, and advanced)?

·         Are training equipment and methods humane?

·         Does the trainer use a variety of methods to meet dogs' individual needs?

·         Is proof of vaccination required?

·         Are the students, both human and canine, enjoying themselves?

·         Are dogs and owners actively encouraged?

·         Is praise given frequently?

·         Are voice commands given in upbeat tones?

·         Are lesson handouts available?

·         Is information available on how dogs learn, basic grooming, problem solving, and related topics?

How much does training cost?

Training costs vary, depending on where you live and the type of instruction you want. Private lessons may range from $30 to $65 per hour; group lessons may start at $75 for several weeks of sessions. Some animal shelters offer subsidized training programs; costs for several weeks of sessions may range from $35 to $90, depending on whether you adopted your dog from that shelter and the number of class sessions it provides.

What's the best age for training?

Although "puppyhood" is the best time to train and socialize dogs, older dogs can learn new tricks, too. In fact, dogs of all ages can benefit from training. Dogs between 8 and 16 weeks of age should be enrolled in puppy classes. Regular classes are appropriate for dogs six months or older.

After you have selected a training program:

·         Have your dog examined by your veterinarian to ensure your pet is healthy, free from parasites, and up-to-date on vaccinations.

·         Don't feed your dog a large meal before class because many trainers rely on food treats to encourage or reward desired behavior.

·         Bring the training equipment recommended by the trainer.

·         Practice between classes with brief lessons that end on a positive note.

By enrolling and actively participating in a dog training class, you will help your dog become not just a well-behaved member of your family, but also a safer member of your community.

For More Information

For more information on choosing a dog trainer, consult the resources listed below. Please note that The HSUS is not affiliated with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the organization's inclusion here does not represent an endorsement.

Organizations:

Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
P.O. Box 385
Davis, CA 95617
800-PET-DOGS
www.apdt.com

MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.

FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.

MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.

FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.

FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.

FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.

FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.

FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.

FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her mate's) worst characteristics.

MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.

FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.

MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.

FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.

By Brian Sodergren

It's those innocent, adoring eyes that do it. Or maybe it's the slight tilt of the head or those button noses. Whatever it is, the United States Postal Service's (USPS) new "Neuter or Spay" stamps are destined to be the next surefire hit when they're released nationwide on Friday, September 20.

Attempting to lick the pet overpopulation problem and generate awareness of responsible pet guardianship, the stamps, designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, D.C., feature a male puppy, Kirby, and a female kitten, Samantha, placed against a dark background to emphasize their adorable qualities. Their cuddliness, however, belies their once precarious states: The animals were photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce in a Connecticut animal shelter while they were awaiting adoption. (Kirby and Samantha were later sterilized and adopted out to new homes.)

Their stories highlight the plight of millions of pets awaiting adoption throughout the country, and of the need to spay or neuter as a preventative part of the solution to pet overpopulation.

"These stamps help us to raise awareness of the benefits of spay-neuter," said Sara Khurody-Downs, president of the new Prevent a Litter Coalition, the coordinating organization of the American Partnership for Pets (APP). "They also provide us with a tangible tool—a unifying and proactive opportunity to make this the moment in America's history when the nation collaborates to raise awareness of the tragedy of homeless and unwanted animals and of the importance of responsible pet ownership."

The American Partnership for Pets, a broad coalition of more than 25 leading animal and veterinary organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, is the catalyst driving the publicity campaign for the stamp. But the grassroots campaign to actually get the "Neuter or Spay" stamps to market had been ongoing for years. Thousands of animal advocates had lobbied for the stamps since the late 1990s, but none louder than Hope Tarr of the original Prevent a Litter Coalition, who is credited with maintaining the campaign push long after others had lost steam.

Their hard work has paid major dividends. The USPS has ordered a print run of 250 million stamps, far more than the normal run for commemorative stamps—usually around 80 million. While the print run may be unusual, the placement of pets on stamps is not. Dogs and/or cats have appeared on USPS stamps in 1966 (a playful pooch appeared on the five-cent Humane Treatment of Animals stamp), 1982 (a puppy and kitten were featured on 13-cent stamps), 1986 (a puppy appeared on the 22-cent Love stamp), 1988 (several breeds of cats graced the block of four 22-cent "American Cats" stamps), and 1998 (the 32-cent "Bright Eyes" stamp).

The "Neuter or Spay" stamps of 2002 are the first ones to call attention to the issue of pet overpopulation. While the postal stamps themselves do not raise funds for organizations that promote or perform sterilizations, the stamp designs will grace many products that will. APP has licensed the design for use on mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, and pins, among other products; a portion of the sales will go directly to APP. (The products can be purchased via the Off site link below.)

Why is spaying and neutering such an important issue? Because in seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats; in six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs. The HSUS estimates the number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year to be between eight and ten million, with four to five million of those animals being euthanized. There are too many pets and not enough homes.

"Education is key to combating the pet overpopulation problem," said Stephanie Shain, The HSUS's Director of Companion Animals Outreach. "Unless people know the facts about pet overpopulation and sterilization, they are virtually helpless to do anything about the problem. With these stamps, the issue will be highlighted like never before."

Spay or neuter surgery carries a one-time cost that is relatively minuscule compared to its long-term benefits, including the more personal benefits above and beyond helping to curb pet overpopulation. Getting pets spayed or neutered helps them live longer, healthier lives, and makes them more affectionate companions. It will also make them less likely to spray and mark territory, and will eliminate heat cycles. In addition, unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavioral and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered.

And that sort of education is what the stamps are all about.

"We're looking forward to the day when every pet has a good home and every owner is a responsible owner," Khurody-Downs said. "Hopefully these stamps will go a long way to making that a possibility."

Brian Sodergren is an Issues Specialist in The HSUS's Companion Animals Outreach section.

As a nation, we claim to love cats and dogs. Millions of households have pets, and billions of dollars are spent yearly on pet supplies and food. But as a nation, we should take a hard, sobering look at a different annual statistic: the millions of dogs and cats given up to shelters or left to die on the streets. And the numbers tell only half the story.

Every cat or dog who dies as a result of pet overpopulation—whether humanely in a shelter or by injury, disease, or neglect—is an animal who, more often than not, would have made a wonderful companion, if given the chance. Tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our animals to breed. Here's information about this crisis and why spaying and neutering is the first step to a solution.

The solution can be simply stated. Its implementation, however, requires sweeping efforts from a variety of organizations and people, including you.

The solution is this: Only by implementing widespread sterilization programs, only by spaying and neutering all companion animals, will we get a handle on pet overpopulation. Consider the fact that in six short years, one female dog and her offspring can give birth to 67,000 puppies. In seven years, one cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.

Given these high reproductive rates, it stands to reason that, in only a few years, carefully planned and implemented sterilization programs could produce a dramatic reduction in the number of unwanted companion animals born. In fact, in those towns and cities that have implemented such programs, we've already seen the number of companion animals who had to be euthanized decline by 30 to 60 percent—even in those communities where human populations have been steadily increasing.

But these programs don't create themselves. They require the planning and coordination of many people. Successful pet population control programs range from subsidized sterilization clinics to cooperative efforts involving local veterinarians to mass media educational campaigns. Only through the continued nationwide establishment of such programs will we bring an end to the tragedy of pet overpopulation.

Community-Based Solutions

Legislation can have the most direct impact simply by requiring that every pet adopted from a municipal or county shelter be sterilized within a certain period of time. Similarly, differential-licensing laws—laws that substantially increase license fees for pets who have not been spayed or neutered—give owners an incentive to sterilize their pets.

Education, too, is an essential part of solving this problem. Unless people know the facts about pet overpopulation and sterilization, they are virtually helpless to do anything about the problem.

Reduced spay/neuter fees play an important role as well. Subsidized spay/neuter clinics and programs in some communities have already helped bring down the cost of sterilization. In areas where veterinarians have agreed to reduce their spay/neuter fees, we've seen a significant decline in the number of animals euthanized.

Finally, pet owners can do their part by having their companion animals spayed or neutered. This is the single most important step you can take. Have your pet sterilized so that he or she does not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, and adopt your next pet from an animal shelter.

What do "spay" and "neuter" really mean?

Female dogs and cats are spayed by removing their reproductive organs, and male dogs and cats are neutered by removing their testicles. In both cases the operation is performed while the pet is under anesthesia. Depending on your pet's age, size, and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office for a few hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need stitches removed after a few days. Your veterinarian can fully explain spay and neuter procedures to you and discuss with you the best age at which to sterilize your pet.

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for Your Pet

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You

Spaying and Neutering Are Good for the Community