Should I bring home a puppy, adolescent, or older dog?

Puppies

Puppies, like any babies, are awfully cute and appealing!  But anyone who has ever had a baby knows that babies take lots of extra time, attention, and work.  Many people think that dogs must be obtained as puppies in order to make good pets and to bond with their family.  This is not the case!  Adolescent and adult dogs usually bond quite well to their new families.  So take the time to think about what kind of dog really suits your needs and lifestyle before deciding on a pup.

First of all, you should consider your own schedule.  Paper-training is not the best method of training a dog if you eventually want Fido to do his business outside.  Puppies need to go outside for potty-breaks after they wake up in the morning, after naps, shortly after every meal, after vigorous exercise or play, and at timed hours.  “Timed” means in hours in accordance with the age of the pup in months plus one.  In other words, a pup that is two months old needs to go out at least every three hours in addition to the other times mentioned above.  A four-month-old, every five hours (in addition to the other times mentioned) and so on.  If you work outside the home, it is unfair to leave the puppy confined for long periods of time.  It will seriously stress the pup and hinder your housetraining efforts if he is forced to soil where he eats and sleeps. 

Puppies are prone to illnesses such as parvo, too.  They require extra trips to the doctor and a series of shots.  They go through stages, including periods of teething and chewing, and require intensive socialization at least through the age of 16 weeks.  While puppy cuteness can be an important element of bonding, remember that this cute stage only lasts for a few months, or even weeks, and that your commitment to your dog will be for the dog’s lifetime.

            If you get a puppy, get one that has spent the first eight weeks of its life with its mother and littermates.  By that age, the mother will have taught the puppy that he cannot always have what he wants, a lesson you will be happy he already knows!  He will also have learned from playing with his littermates to inhibit his bites.  A puppy’s teeth are needle-sharp, so you want him to have good control of those jaws! 

 

Puppies and Socialization

You must also be committed to socializing your puppy.  There is a critical period of socialization up until the pup is about twelve to fourteen weeks old.  During this time, he is open to new people, places, animals, and experiences.  After this period it is much harder to introduce things, people, or events that are new.  Invite people over, and make sure the puppy has some positive experiences with them.  Make sure to include people of both genders, of various races, and children of different ages.  Supervise and manage carefully, particularly around children.  Puppies go through a fear imprint period between eight and nine weeks of age and one traumatic event (such as a child accidentally dropping or stepping on him) could affect his behavior negatively for life.  Once the puppy has had his first set of shots, your veterinarian will probably tell you it is ok to expose him to other nice puppies and dogs.  Take him on some play dates with other nice canines in your neighborhood, or enroll him in a puppy class that schedules time for the pups to play together.  Continue to introduce him to new people, places, and experiences through the first year of life and beyond.  If socialization sounds like too much work, you shouldn’t get a young puppy. Consider an adult or teenage dog, instead, that already has good social skills.

Why?  Proper socialization is one of your responsibilities as a dog owner.  The following quote from the Dogs Scouts of America website explains it nicely:

Properly socialized dogs are not fearful of a particular age group, skin color, or body type. If they are not fearful, they are less likely to run away from these people, bark at them or bite them to try to make them move away. Poorly socialized dogs lack confidence. These are the dogs that might bite a child in the face if cornered. They may pull out of a collar and run away in fear of a stranger. They may bark at the sight of every strange thing that they never became accustomed to during their socialization period—people in wheelchairs, people wearing funny hats, people who walk with a limp. These biters, bolters and barkers often end up with a one-way ticket to the dog pound—all because they were never properly socialized as puppies.

                                                (http://www.dogscouts.com/puppyraising.shtml#SOCIALIZATION)

The intense efforts at socialization last until the puppy is through the first twelve-to-sixteen weeks of age.  You should continue to socialize your dog as he gets older, too.  Give him regular opportunities to interact positively with other people and nice dogs and to visit new places.  Positive interaction includes petting, being fed nice treats (preferably by hand), and playing off-leash (in a fenced area) with a variety of dogs that like other dogs. 

How much interaction Fido has with other dogs is a judgment-call on your part.  If your dog becomes aggressive or is a bully, or if he belongs to a potentially dog-aggressive breed such as a pit bull, you should limit Fido’s playtimes to doggy “friends” he knows well and likes.  Think twice about allowing a very big dog to play with a very small one, because there is an increased chance of injury.  Since being leashed can increase dogs’ tendencies for aggression, realize you need not take Fido up to every dog he sees on your walks in an effort to “socialize.”  This is especially true if you don’t know what the other dog is like!  Plan your introductions carefully.

Adult Dogs

Adult dogs have more ingrained habits.  A 4-year-old dog that chases cars, growls at the mailman, or has other undesirable traits will take more effort to re-train than a younger dog, to be sure. And not every thoroughly-learned, unwanted behavior can be changed at all.  But the dog will still be able to be trained at 4 years (and even older). You can train an old dog by using positive training methods like those I advise in this book!

There are also advantages to older dogs.  First, an older dog that has had positive experiences with a variety of young children is often calmer and more predictable around them than a puppy or adolescent.  Second, a senior dog may need less in terms of exercise, making him well-suited to a home that cannot provide a fenced-in yard and long walks.  Third, unless they have medical problems, older dogs (once trained) can tolerate longer periods of time between visits to their bathroom-spot.  Fourth, there is also the principle of WYSIWYG:  “What You See IS What You Get.”  Through careful inquiries and observations, you can often find a dog that is already housetrained, or used to children, or one that meets your needs in other ways. 

Older dogs can be awfully cute, too!  My experience is that they are perfectly capable of bonding well with their families, especially when trained using the methods I shall describe.  Older dogs probably have had some or all of their shots, but you need to check; you cannot assume the dog’s former owner has been responsible. 

Adolescent Dogs

I myself often adopt “teenage” or adolescent dogs (somewhere from 5 to 7 months old).  They are old enough that by spending some time with them I can get a general idea of their personalities, how they get along with other animals, kids, etc., but they are still young enough that I can affect most of their behaviors with training before they reach adulthood.  Sadly for them, they are old enough that the “puppy cuteness” has worn off, so it is certainly harder for them to find homes than for the puppies.  Because they can go longer between bathroom breaks and are less likely to chew indiscriminately, I personally find they fit my lifestyle quite well.  By spaying or neutering these dogs as soon as possible I avoid some of the problems that usually accompany adolescence

Deciding which dog or puppy to bring home from an animal shelter

Temperament

For an adult dog, particularly from a shelter, here are some questions to help you decide which one(s) to potentially bring home, especially if you have children. If a first-time dog owner, I would avoid dogs or puppies that don’t bring an unequivocal “yes!” to the following questions:

1.      Is the dog friendly?  At any point that your potential dog growls or otherwise acts aggressively, move on; this dog is not the right one for you.  First, crouch down sideways outside yet near the closed kennel run without looking directly at the dog.  Look for a dog that seems relaxed and interested in you.  Turn to face the dog, give it some eye contact, and check to make sure it still seems comfortable with you.  Stare briefly but intensely at the dog and observe if there is any change in reaction; some dogs see eye contact as a threat.  Stand up, bend forward with your hands on your knees and “loom” over the dog.  Some dogs find this posture threatening.  Is he still relaxed and friendly?  If possible observe how the dog reacts to people of the gender opposite to you and how he reacts to children.  If the dog growls or gives you any other reaction that makes you uncomfortable, move on.  Please realize that not every dog that barks at you is hostile; a dog that barks and play-bows is probably just looking for attention, although he may be a frequent barker, so you’ll need to think about whether you can live with barking.

2.      Does the dog accept handling?  Ask to visit with the dog in a visiting-room.   If the dog seems willing, crouch down and stroke him along the shoulder, chest, and sides.  If he accepts this well, carefully check to make sure he will accept handling in other areas, or, even better, ask the shelter staff to demonstrate before you attempt to handle the dog in sensitive areas yourself.  Touches that can provoke some dogs to bite are on top of the head, the ears, the tail/back end, and the feet.  Some dogs have been abused and will react aggressively or fearfully if you grab them by their collars, because they assume they are about to get a beating.  Will the dog allow you to open its mouth and briefly inspect its teeth?  If the dog seems to see you as no threat when you crouch down, also make sure the dog is ok if you stand up and lean over him.  Please be sure the dog accepts handling well before bringing him home or allowing any children near him!  If the dog handles poorly, keep looking.

3.      Is the dog safe around toys?  Most shelters have toys available for the dogs’ use, or you may have to bring your own.  Check to see how playful and excitable the dog is, and how quickly he calms down when playtime is over.  Make sure the energy-levels are ones you can live with.  Remember that shelter dogs are often starved for human contact, and most will seem very excited and energetic when first brought to the petting room; give him some time before you decide he’s “too hyper.”  Carefully remove his toy and see how the dog reacts.    If the dog does well with a toy like a ball or a stuffed toy, check how he reacts to a higher-value toy like a rawhide.  I see nothing wrong with a playful dog that likes to play tug or keep-away; these behaviors can be managed with proper training. But a dog that growls, snaps, or guards any toy by standing stiffly over it or that otherwise seems aggressive about protecting and keeping its toys, should be left alone.  Keep looking!

4.      Is the dog safe around food?  This should only be checked if the dog has done well during the other exercises and you have decided it is a potential candidate to take home.  Ask the shelter staff or current owner how the dog is regarding food before trying this one.  It is best if the dog is a little hungry.  Offer the dog some treats (palm open) and see if he takes them nicely.  If the dog seems very polite, try offering the food between your fingers.  Again, if the dog is polite, close your fist around the treat and observe his reaction.  Nudging your hand or pawing at it a little is probably acceptable.  Nipping at your fist or growling is not.  Some dogs will accept food from your hands but still protect a food-bowl.  Ask the shelter or rescue group if the dog has been checked for food-bowl aggression using an Assess-a-Hand or by some other safe means.  If the staff reports the dog is fine with a bowl, you might want to try feeding it about a cup of kibble in its bowl to see how it reacts.  Again, any signs of growling or guarding the bowl should cause you to look for another dog.  Food-bowl aggression is very easy to prevent in dogs and will be covered in later in the training section.

5.      Is the dog safe with other animals?  Even if you plan to be a one-dog family, you will still encounter other animals (dogs and cats) outside the home.  You will need to consider how important it is to you that the dog gets along with other animals.  It can be hard to assess how comfortable a dog is around other dogs and cats in a kennel.  The environment is stressful, and dogs often become more aggressive toward other dogs due to isolation and the frustration of constantly seeing other dogs behind a barrier.  The shelter staff may be able to give you an indication of how the dog behaves with other dogs and cats, but read carefully the suggestions below for introducing your new dog to other animals in your household and for keeping him confined. 

6.      Is the dog safe around children?  I would certainly make sure that the dog “passes” on questions #1-4 before introducing children.  Even if you have no children, some may visit, or you may meet some on the street, so it is important to know how the dog relates to humans of various sizes and ages.  More details are given in a separate section on introducing dogs and children, below. 

Introducing dogs and children: Safety first!

 First impressions are critical, both for young children and for the dog.  If you adopt an older dog, visit the shelter first to narrow down your choices, but do not bring the children with you until you have visited with and selected two to four nice dogs that you would be willing to take home.  The children like to help choose, but they need some guidance to choose wisely.  I have seen children beg their parents to bring home a dog that was actually growling at them!  But children take such pleasure in helping with this momentous family decision, it would be a shame to leave them completely out of it.

Once you have determined a particular dog is safe, perhaps even “the” dog for you, you should bring the children to meet him before finalizing the adoption.  You should do this even if you do not intend for the children to actually choose the new dog.  Why?  Dogs do not generalize well.  Among other things, this means they can be very specific in their likes and dislikes.  I have seen dogs that like me (and other women) quite well, but who growl and lunge at men.  I have seen dogs that are ok with most men, but will cringe if they hear a man with a deep voice.  And I have seen dogs that seem perfectly friendly to adults but that react savagely toward young children.  Sometimes these dogs have not been socialized properly as puppies; sometimes they have had bad experiences at the hands of men or children.  A dog that is fine with a ten-year-old boy might bite a toddler or vice-versa.  So it is very important to make sure the dog is fine with all of your children before you bring it home.

But there is more to consider than the children’s safety and comfort.  As the adult in the household, it is your responsibility to keep the dog’s comfort and safety in mind, too.  Just as you need to protect the children from a rambunctious dog, so you need to protect a dog from rambunctious children, not just during the critical period of “first impression,” but for as long as you have the dog.  This will not only protect the dog but protect the children from potential bites.  Even the most docile dogs have their limits!

Before you bring the dog home, talk to the children about your expectations.  Games like wrestling or tug-of-war should be off-limits for them, because dogs can easily become over-excited and injure the child during these kinds of games.  Wrestling can be downright traumatic, too, particularly for small dogs!  Games like fetching or chasing a Frisbee should be encouraged, instead.  Some dogs get overly excited or even dangerous when children scream, wrestle, and run.  Children should be taught to keep the petting, activity-levels and noise down to a level the dog can handle, and to hold very still and quiet if the dog gets overly-excited.  They should be supervised whenever they are around the dog, especially if they are under six years old (or even older if immature).  The children should understand and obey a firm, parental, “No!” 

Teach the children to keep their faces away from the dog’s, since most dog-bites to children are around the face and neck.  Teach them that dogs sometimes require their own space, such as when the dog is resting or sleeping, and that they should respect and honor this need.  There will be times when the dog requires some “down time” in its crate, with a chew-toy, or with its food-bowl.  Pestering a dog during these times, or whenever the dog withdraws, growls, or curls its lip, can be dangerous.  A dog that is excessively drooling, visibly trembling, tucking its tail, or showing other signs of stress also needs relief from the kids.  Should your dog begin to show aggressive behaviors toward children or other family members, especially with minimal provocation, you should consult the services of a dog-trainer or behaviorist as soon as you are able.  The earlier you treat aggression with the help of a humane professional, the better your chances of solving it!  

Protecting children around dogs

Dog-proofing Your Children

Whether you have a dog or not, teach your children how to behave around strange dogs.  They should know never to approach a strange dog that is loose and unattended.  They should ask and receive permission before approaching or petting any dog they meet on-leash.  If chased by a loose dog, they should hold very still with their hands at their sides, like a tree.  Avoid direct eye contact.  When the dog loses interest, they should slowly back out of the dog’s territory. If the strange dog attacks, they should put something between them and the dog, like a backpack, as a shield for the dog to bite.  If on their bikes, they probably cannot outrace most dogs, but they may be able to stop and put the bike between them and the dog.  If a dog knocks them down, they should curl into a ball, cover their face and ears with their arms and hands, and lie quiet and still.  They should leave alone dogs that are sleeping or eating.  These scenarios may be scary for you and your children to talk about, but the children will be safer if they have this knowledge. 

One final word of caution about kids and dogs:  children seem to love hugging dogs.  Please realize that hugging is a primate, not a canine, behavior.  Many dogs must actively be taught to accept hugging from children or anyone else.  Dogs tend to see a hug not as a friendly gesture, but as dominance or unwelcome restraint.  If you allow your children to hug your new dog at all, instruct them not to hug until you are sure the dog will accept hugging from you and then from each of the kids.  They should know only to hug when you are present to supervise, and to never, ever hug someone else’s dog.  Since most dog-bites occur on children’s faces, you should encourage them to keep their faces away from dogs’.  Other great ideas on bite-prevention appear in Jean Donaldson’s The Culture Clash.