Choosing The Right Dog For You (Part 2: Breeds and Keeping the Odds in Your Favor)

I will start this post with a disclaimer- it is chock full of stereotypes and generalizations. I'm not typically a fan of stereotyping, but when considering a new pet, I think it's best to put the odds in your favor. Knowing what different breeds generally are and how they typically behave will help you to choose a new family member who will be a good fit. So many people love the idea of getting a border collie or cattle dog because they are very smart breeds; people see them do tricks, agility courses, jump to catch a frisbee, or are fascinated by their ability to move a herd of animals. Unless you have a herd of sheep, cattle, or literally hours to devote to teaching and training new behaviors, tricks, and exercises, you do not want one. Trust me. Those are two of my favorite breeds, but they require a very specific type of life and a very specific pet parent. Odds are, you are not that type. I'm sorry, I wish you were. I wish I were, but I know that I'm not at a place right now where we can be a good home to a high maintenance dog like that. We have two small children and both my husband and I work full time. We have just enough time to play tug or fetch and go for walks with our 8 year old pit mix. She is low-key and easy to please, and fits perfectly in our life now.

I am a proponent of adopting from rescues and shelters, though if you are certain you want a specific breed and you are sure you want a puppy, I think a reputable breeder is a also good direction to go. I really prefer you not buy from a pet store or from someone selling a dog online via Facebook or Craigslist, as you may be supporting irresponsible breeding or a puppy mill. It's easy to rationalize it as the puppy getting a better home with you but you are still financially supporting that industry so it's a double-edged sword.
Anyway, you have decided you want a dog, you can worry about where he/she comes from later.

First, you need to figure out what type of dog will fit in your life well. These are the same questions I ask when someone wants me to help them pick out a new puppy. Let me tell you right now, hearing my response when I look at client's answers to these questions seldom makes them happy. They are often disappointed because they had already decided on a specific breed. Sometimes, people get angry. I don't blame them. I dislike being told what I can and cannot have- after all I am an adult! Once they get past the disappointment/anger/sadness/confusion, I explain that if they are really set on a breed, they should contact a few (reputable) breeders and explain all the same information to them. The breeder may echo my advice or may say that they have the perfect pup. If the breeder has a litter where one pup is not the norm and may fit in that home, it can work perfectly. I also tell them that if they are fully committed to any dog, they will have years of happiness.
Things you need to ask yourself and answer honestly:

How many hours a day do you have to spend with a dog? 
     -You will need to commit significantly more time to a puppy than an adult dog, no matter the breed. Getting a puppy is a lot like having a newborn; the exceptions are that puppies have more hair and legally, you can lock up a puppy in a crate for a few hours at a time (doing that with your kids is frowned upon).
     -Any working breed including herding and scent/sight hounds, will need adequate mental and physical exercise to stay happy and out of trouble. A smart dog needs a job and needs to solve problems; if you don't provide that job or problem to solve, these dogs will find something to do, like how to get into the trash, the bathroom, how to open the door to the playroom and chew up all the legos, etc.
     -This is also true of any dog bred for field work- a labrador who comes from hunting lines who is not worked in some way will have trouble doing well in a house where his day is divided between looking out the window and going for two short walks a day.
     -This time does not necessarily need to be consecutive hours, but you need to have time to devote to a dog, period.
        -Even if you get an adult dog and not a puppy, you need to be prepared to sacrifice free time to be with your dog! Getting an adult dog can be like adopting a toddler or elementary-school aged child. They need a schedule, fair rules, and consistency to thrive.

How many hours a week do you work?
     -This is an extension of the first question, but time you are spending at work is generally time away from your dog. If you work 16 hour shifts, seven days a week, that only leaves eight hours when you are not working. You may need to sleep on occasion and though my dog has tried, it's hard to play fetch or tug while sleeping.
 
Are you physically active? Can this activity involve your dog?
     -If you are a runner, this can be wonderful physical exercise for an adult dog, as well as added security if running at dawn or dusk.
     -If you tend to bicycle, this may not be the best activity for your dog to partake in with you, are you willing to take some time away from this to be with your dog?
     -If you like to stay at home and do yoga, you can probably involve your dog from time to time, though a puppy will get bored with this quickly at first.
     -If you are physically active and strong you may be able to get a bigger dog and not get pulled down. I would not recommend a 130 pound mastiff to an 80 year old, for what should be obvious reasons.

Do you have a yard? Is it fenced?
     -You do not necessarily need a fence to have a dog, and many times people think that having a fence means they can let that dog out in the yard to play and that counts as exercise, which is wrong. Having a fence makes it easier to play outdoors without worry, though.
     -You should have space for a dog. If you do not have a yard, is there someplace you can take tour dog for walks, exercise, long-leash or off-leash play? Dogs (generally) like the outdoors- it's full of sights and sounds that change day-to-day, even by the hour, and getting out there together is really fun for your dog!

Do you live in a house, apartment, or condo/townhouse?
     - Is that apartment/townhouse pet friendly?
     -Are there breed restrictions or size restrictions?
     -If you are renting a house, are there pet restrictions?
   (you would not believe how many people do not look into this before getting a dog)
     -Is there actually room for that dog in your small apartment?

Do you have children? How old are they? 
     -A good dog and good kids can live together, with responsible parents
     -If you expect your 7-year old to be responsible for all the care of a 50 pound dog, you need to reconsider your connection with reality.
     -If you have small children, a small dog may not be the best, as they can be too in-your-face. Also, a herding breed can have trouble with small children who move quickly, unpredictably, and make squeaky noises.
     -Any training you do should involve your children, and kids should at least help with the daily routine. My kids (age 4 and 19 months) argue over who gets to feed the dog each meal and who gets to snuggle with her.

How much money do you have? 
     -I don't phrase it like this when I talk with clients, but you need to be sure you can actually afford a dog. I'm not trying to be a scrooge, but if you can't afford your current bills, you should not get a dog and add to it. If you want a companion, volunteer at your local shelter, pet-sit for friends; don't go buy a dog because you are lonely. That is selfish and only serves you; a dog is a living being whose well-being need to be considered.
     -A good 'doggie savings' plan is to put away some money each month or each paycheck- put it in a savings account in the bank and see how much you have after at leads 6 months (a year is better). Dogs are not cheap. Puppies are even less cheap, they need booster vaccines evert 3-4 weeks from the time you bring them home (depending on what the breeder did), until they are about 17 weeks of age. Plan to spend at least $100 on annual vet visits, more for heartworm prevention and flea/tick prevention. Oh yeah, then there's things like emergency visits, or at least unexpected visits between those bi-annual ones. Pet insurance can help, just buy before you have a problem or it won't be covered. Keep in mind that pet insurance is reimbursement- it's not like your own health insurance where you see the bill saying how much the company covered- you pay the vet, submit your request and get refunded by the insurance company for a portion of the bill.
     -Food- your dog needs to eat and there are enough options out there to make you dizzy. For a good food (research and ask your vet), you should plan to pay at least $45 per 40 pound bag. For a medium sized dog who eats a couple cups a day, it's not terribly expensive, but if you have a large breed like a Great Dane or Mastiff, you will go through that bag of food in just a matter of weeks.

Now that I have said all that, keep in mind that even with the stereotypical cattle dog who needs to run and play and work lots, a committed and imaginative pet owner can have a great pet (and lots of fun).

The key is to pick a dog who will fit with your family- energy level, time, and your general lifestyle, then fully commit to the dog. Keep up with medical needs, buy good food, have a good selection of toys (and play with the toys with your dog), and please teach your dog some basics like sit, down, stay, impulse control, and come. I'd prefer you use a force-free trainer, of course! 

If you still have questions about getting a new pup, feel free to contact me and I can do my best to help you out.


Resources:

https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/guidelines/caninevaccineguidelines.pdf

Picking a Winner (part 2)

Last week, I went through the reasons why you should care about the breeder you choose if you are going that route with your next puppy. This week, I have put together the things you should look out for so you know exactly who to avoid and what questions to ask. 
Whatever your reasons for wanting a purebred puppy, you should start with your veterinarian, trainer, groomer or even a breed-specific rescue. Typically they can point you in the right direction, or at least tell you who to avoid. A rescue may give you a little grief about not choosing them, but if you have good reasons, they will probably listen and offer advice.

We start with red flags; if you experience any of these with the breeder you choose, put on the breaks and ask more questions. If a breeder doesn't like you asking questions, you probably want to go elsewhere. 

One of these came from a reputable breeder

Red Flags:

-Meeting anywhere other than at the breeder's home

-Not being questioned about your lifestyle and family, including hobbies, work (hours per day and per week outside of the home), whether or not you have a fenced in yard, children in the home, etc.

-Not meeting with the breeder prior to getting the puppy

-An advertisement in a newspaper for litter 

-Little or no knowledge of the puppies lineage and personality

-No vaccination or de-worming records

-Dogs (including puppies) are kept exclusively outdoors or exclusively indoors*

-Puppies are wary of people

-Shipping puppy unattended
-Offer multiple breeds for sale
-Offer puppies for sale under 7 weeks of age

-Puppies available year round- litters are born many times each year

-Unhealthy looking mother, puppies or father- a nursing mom should be allowed sufficient food to maintain body weight and feed her puppies. If she is malnourished, her puppies probably are too. If she is sick, her puppies probably are, too. If the sire is on site and looks ill, ask questions. He may just be under the weather- which is fine, but you need to think about genetic problems that you may be taking home. When in doubt, ask questions (see a trend?)
-Offers 'designer' breeds 

*some toy breeds are kept indoors when young so they aren't carried away by prey birds

A good, reputable breeder will show you that they care about their puppies and the breed, so these things usually mean you are on the right track.

A good breeder will:

-Provide lineage of your puppy (and probably have it memorized)

-Want to meet you in person, before you get your puppy

-Have a puppy or a few puppies for you to choose from based on your lifestyle and the puppies' personalities- odds are you will not have your pick of the litter

-Have a waiting list
-Want referrals from you (veterinarian, trainer, groomer

-Have referrals from their veterinarian and a close relationship with their veterinarian

-Have clean and adequate space inside and outside for the puppies and at least the mother

-Only have a couple litters per year at the most

-Have a contract for you to sign, including requirement to spay/neuter and to return the puppy to them if you cannot care for them in the future for any reason, among other requirements
-Have at least as many questions for you as you do for them
-The earliest puppies will be available is 7-8 weeks, and if you need to postpone pickup because of work, vacation or a family emergency; they will hold the puppy for you
-Decline to sell you a puppy because of your long work hours, many kids or small apartment- depending on breed
-May offer "working quality" vs "pet quality" pups*

*Working quality dogs include any sporting or working breed that has been bred to do their job. A working quality hound is not what you want in your condo. A pet quality dog is just as healthy and well-bred, but does not posses (either by intentional breeding or genetic chance) the traits preferred for the breed specific work.

Keep in mind the breed you are selecting and your lifestyle; these things have to mesh well and your breeder will want to be sure that they do. Some breeders only breed working dogs, and may not often have "family pets" for sale. As frustrating as this is, it's a sign of a good breeder. If you have 5 kids under age 10, you really don't need a working quality Cattle Dog or Border Collie, trust me- it will be more work than you have time for to keep that dog happy and well exercised. If you really like a breeder who focuses on the working dogs, talk to them and explain that you would love a puppy who is pet quality. Not every pup in every litter will be working quality, so you can probably get what you want eventually. Some breeders focus more on family pet quality pups, and if they have any pups in a litter who are more working quality, they may have a special contract or a home already lined up that is appropriate for them.

A final note, remember that you are applying to buy this puppy, you are interviewing to have this pup. A good breeder may come across as snobby or rude, but they may have good reason for being selectively friendly. They aren't trying to make a sale, they are finding a home for one of their babies, so be kind and patient- it will pay off. Most good breeders do it as a hobby and to better the breed. not to make money.

For an example of a good, local breeder her on the shore, check out Marshy Hope Labradors. I'd love to come back as a puppy born here in my next life. In the meantime I'll have to make do with visiting when she has her next litter.

Did you choose a specific breed, and why?

I Like My Expectations Low

The title doesn't refer to life in general, or living with a dog in general but training and reality. So many of my clients (and friends and family) have unrealistic expectations for their dogs. The new puppy should sit and wait at the door no matter who is on the other side; the dog who has always barked at passers-by through the window should stop after two training sessions; the dog who pulls on leash should stop after one or two practice sessions of polite leash walking.

Not to be mean to all the wonderful pet parents out there, but those kinds of expectations are crazy.

Would you expect a child to be just as calm at Disney World as they are in their own backyard? Of course not, it's a different place! When training dogs, we need to have realistic expectations of what our dog can do in a given situation. Your dog will be better in your house and in your yard than they will be at a friend's house or at the dog park, until you PRACTICE in those places.
Dogs who do Obedience Trials and Agility shows and all the other dog sports out there have practiced for months or years to get as good as they are. If you want your dog to be that well-behaved, you need to put in the time. Dogs who do cute tricks on TV have spent years practicing those cues, in that environment and all you see is a brief interaction on a 30 minute sit-com.

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that your dog is not capable of learning those things. In fact, I am sure your dog is more than capable of learning them as long as you are patient and consistent, and understand a few basic principles of canine learning. I will preface this with a note: there are always dogs who will do great with all learning- quickly and with little need for repetition. These are the exception, believe me. I have met many dogs in my day and most of them need a bit of practice before they are ready for their television debut.

1. Dogs are not good a Generalizing.
     This means that dogs are not (always) understand that "sit" means "sit" no mater where it is said or who says it. Even having the pet parent change their position from standing to sitting and asking their dog to sit can cause the dog confusion. Having someone else ask your dog to sit can easily result in them not sitting. Body language is different, voice tone is different, etc. I love doing an exercise to demonstrate this in my classes- after about 4 weeks of a 6 week class, I will have pet parents switch dogs and practice some of the simple things we have been working on like 'sit', 'down' and 'look'. Most of the time, the dog is hesitant to do what is asked and pet parents are confused, saying "but he knows it!" or they offer each other tips like "we usually say it like this...". It's is a great way to demonstrate how we, as people are really good at doing things exactly the same way that got a good response from our dog the last time. Dogs are great at putting together very specific situational cues and making a connection between those and the expectation of what they are to do. This is why it is important to practice frequently, change environmental markers/cues, change your body language, and get other family members and friends to practice with your dog.

2. You need to be Patient and Fair
     To be a good pet parent, you need to be fair and give your dog time to learn at his or her own pace. To ensure your dog learns on their own, you need to give them opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. I know this is hard, I get frustrated with my own dog sometimes because I don't feel like being patient. Let's use leash walking as an example. Here's my post on how to succeed at walking with your dog. Whenever the dog puts tension on the leash, the human does a simple turn around (no collar pops, no reprimands) so that the dog gets further away from whatever they were pulling towards. This needs to be done every time the dog pulls. Yes- every single time. This is where patience comes in- you may not get all the way around the block, but your dog will learn that pulling on leash does not pay off. By not "popping" the leash or yanking the dog around when they pull, you are being fair and creating a dog who isn't afraid of the leash or other environmental stimuli, because that can and does happen. When you punish a dog with a collar pop (or any other number or compulsion based methods), you are punishing them for being curious or excited about the environment and that's not fair. What if your boss yelled at you for being excited about the weekend- would you be motivated to keep working hard for them?

3. Motivation
This is key to all successful training. What is motivating for your dog may be different from what is motivating for my dog, and it is your job to find out what motivates your own dog. Roxie will do anything for food-to the point that it's distracting at times. She also loves to play tug, so we frequently play tug as a reward. Your dog may like tug, fetch, a frisbee, a ball, a belly rub or treats best. The only way to find out is to try out lots of potential reinforcers. Motivators can change with environmental change as well, and this is why I encourage clients to develop a tiered system for rewards and saving the best reward for the most challenging situations- say walking in through a Farmer's Market on a Saturday Morning. The better you know your dog and what motivates them, the more success you will both find in training and in life.

To get back to the title of the post: this is advice that I frequently give to clients (and friends/family). Lets assume you have successfully taught your dog to do a sit-stay with you going out of sight and they are fantastic with it at home. This does not mean your dog will be just as fantastic when you try this outside at the park or during a walk. This is where (temporarily) lowering your expectations will save you both a lot of headache and frustration. It's easy to do a sit-stay in the house because there are few (novel) distractions in that environment. Outside in the park or during a walk, there are all kinds of fun things that make that sit-stay much more challenging. By lowering your expectations and not anticipating that same long-distance out of sight stay that you get at home and rather asking for a short distance stay with you in sight, you will both succeed.

Another way to ensure success is to incorporate training into everyday life as much as possible. If it doesn't feel like work, you will both enjoy what you are doing and will improve your skills!

Dog Breeds

This week, I wanted to provide a little input on your own dog, and what is going on in her head. I know, that sounds a little creepy- I probably don't know you or your dog, so how could I possibly assume to know anything about your precious pooch? 
I know a bit about dog breeds. I'm not claiming to be an expert on any one breed, I'm not a breeder or veterinarian as we all know; but I've worked with a LOT of dogs of different breeds over the years. And read lots of books. And I know a lot of veterinarians and breeders. 
What does that matter? It means that I know that the following information is generally true. 
*Disclaimer* 
While many of these characteristics are true for most individual dogs, there are always exceptions. In my opinion, that's part of what makes life fun! 

So, I hope this provides some good reading and insight...maybe even a few laughs if you have a Border Collie who loves sleeping all day instead of running and herding (have you checked her pulse?!)

Straight from my Problem Solving Booklet, something provided to all clients:

It is often very helpful to know what breed(s) your dog is to gain a better understanding of their behavior. Most dogs have been bred for hundreds to thousands of years to have certain characteristics. Knowing what your dogs ancestors have been bred to do will help you and your trainer to know what to expect and how best to design a training plan. Why does your terrier dig every time he is out in the yard? Why does your beagle have to smell everything on the ground on every walk? These are characteristics that were bred for- terriers were originally bred to hunt vermin and beagles have been used for years for hunting and tracking. A student once asked what was wrong with her German Shorthair Pointer- she assumed she just had a canine version of ADHD. I thought about it and told her, “because she was bred that way- she is a pointer, she was bred to look for anything moving in her environment and point it out for a hunter to see. To us, who are not hunting for game, it seems like she is constantly thinking 'something shiny! Ooh! Something moved! Ooh! Something shiny! Oh! I smell something!..' She was essentially bred to have what seems like ADHD!”. The owner, who was on the verge of quitting group classes and considering re-homing has since completed advanced obedience and multiple agility classes with her loving, loyal dog who was just doing what was natural to her. Please, read on and do not stop here! Read all you can about your dog's breed(s), the more you know the better off you both will be.

There are seven breed groups as established by the AKC:

1. Sporting
2. Working
3. Herding
4. Terrier
5. Non-Sporting
6. Hound
7. Toy

Sporting Group

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-American Water Spaniel -Chesapeake Bay Retriever -Pointer -Clumber Spaniel -Flat-Coated Retriever -Weimeraner -Brittany Spaniel -Golden Retriever -Vizla -English Spaniel -Irish Water Spaniel -Gordon Setter -Cocker Spaniel -German Shorthair Pointer -Irish Setter -Field Spaniel -English Cocker Spaniel -Spinone Italiano -English Setter -German Wirehaired Pointer -Sussex Spaniel -Welsh Springer Spaniel -Wirehaired Pointing Griffon -Labrador Retriever -Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever -Curly Coated Retriever

Common Characteristics:

• High Distract-ability- Helps these dogs to notice birds and other game when hunting, but may make group classes difficult as gaining and keeping attention requires constant work.

• Sensitive to Corrections (Spaniels and Setters)- Can make training easy, as they will remember any corrections, but if not properly socialized with people and children can be uneasy in families. If corrected using punishment methods, can react by shutting down or with fear-based aggression. 

• Insensitive to Corrections (Retrievers): Can make training a bit more challenging, as they can easily ignore corrections; they may also react by shutting down or sometimes with aggression to some punishment techniques. On the other hand these dogs are typically more tolerant of children, new people and other dogs.

• High need for Daily Exercise: These dogs have been bred to be outside assisting a hunter and as a result have plenty of energy to run off. They have been bred to notice everything and react instantly. A walk around the block will likely not be enough for these dogs as adults, a long walk or two or running daily is necessary to prevent problem behaviors such as digging, chewing or barking.

Working Group:

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-Akita -Bernese Mountain Dog -Bullmastiff -Black Russian Terrier -Anatolian Shepard -Boxer

-Doberman Pinscher -German Pinscher -Great Dane -Giant Schnauzer -Great Pyrenees -Komondor- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog -Kuvasz -Mastiff -Neapolitan Mastiff -Portuguese Water Dog -Newfoundland -Rottweiler -Saint Bernard -Samoyed -Siberian Husky -Standard Schnauzer -Tibetan Mastiff

Common Characteristics:

• Overbearing/protective: Many of these breeds have been bred as protective of home and family and to work independently. If not properly managed with positive reinforcement and a fair, consistent leader, these dogs may try to take a leadership role.

• Territorial/Possessive: Since these dogs were bred to protect their families and homes, they may develop issues with possession of objects, food or people. Proper socialization with new people and dogs as well as development of proper manners is important to prevent or manage this problem.

• Independence/Stubborn: The independence that has allowed this breed to be good protectors of a home can manifest as stubbornness in training. To ensure success, owners of these breeds should focus on positive reinforcement and give rewards for obedience at every opportunity.

• Insensitive to Corrections: Can make training a bit more challenging, as they can easily ignore corrections; they may also react with aggression or by shutting down to some punishment techniques.

Herding Group

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-Australian Cattle Dog -Australian Shepard -Bearded Collie -Belgain Malinois -Belgian Sheepdog -Border Collie -Belgian Tevuren -Bouvier des Flanders -Briard -Canaan Dog -Cordigan Welsh Corgi -Collie -German Shepard Dog -Old English Sheepdog -Shetland Sheepdog -Pembroke Welsh Corgi -Polish Lowland Sheepdog -Swedish Vallhund

Common Characteristics:

• High Prey/Chase Drive: These breeds have been bred to find and go after quick movement, such as a runaway sheep or a prey animal stalking the herd. Unless properly desensitized, these breeds can become overly stimulated by the activities of small children, bicycles or skates.

• Herding Behavior: Similarly, when these breeds see a quick moving object they have the strong instinct to chase and/or nip it. When these dogs live in a house with children, the children can become the flock that the dog needs to keep in check. Proper socialization and desensitization at an early age can help deter this.

• High need for Mental Activity: These dogs were bred to move a herd or flock of animals. They had to move them long distances or into specific areas. As a result they are excellent problem solvers and need mental stimulation on a daily basis or they will find problems to solve themselves (like how to get into that trash can or to the other side of the fence).

• High need for Daily Exercise: Again, these dogs were bred to move an entire herd or flock of cattle or sheep, as a result they have energy to burn. These dogs need vigorous exercise daily, at least two long walks or a run as an adult. If not properly exercised, these dogs can develop undesirable habits such as tail-chasing, pacing, digging and aggression.

• Easily Trained: Since these breeds were meant to work closely with humans, they tend to work well and learn quickly in classes.

• Overly Attached: Again, because of their history of working closely with humans, along with a high pack drive and desire to please, these dogs can be prone to developing separation anxiety. Dogs of this groups should be taught to accept time away from owner from a young age; crate training is highly recommended.

Terrier Group:

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-Airedale Terrier -American Staffordshire Terrier -Cairn Terrier -Australian Terrier -Bedlington Terrier -Border Terrier -Dandie Dinmont Terrier -Glen of Imaal Terrier -Bull Terrier -Kerry Blue Terrier -Lakeland Terrier -Irish Terrier -Standard Manchester Terrier -Miniature Bull Terrier -Norfolk Terrier -Miniature Schnauzer -Norwich Terrier -Scottish Terrier -Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier -Sealyham Terrier -Skye Terrier -Smooth Fox Terrier -Staffordshire Bull Terrier -Welsh Terrier -West Highland White Terrier -Wire Fox Terrier

Common Characteristics:

• Active and Tenacious: Many of these dogs were bred to hunt vermin and not back down when attacked by them. They can easily respond aggressively to punishment techniques and some corrections. Owners should be sure to positively reward all good behavior and avoid physical corrections.

• High need for Daily Exercise: As many of dogs were bred to chase down small vermin, they have plenty of energy. They need daily exercise such as a long walk, fetch or a session of tricks and obedience cues to exercise mind and body.

• Alert and Agile: As many dogs were bred to hunt and kill vermin so they are able to move quite quickly and find their way into small spaces. Owners need to be aware of this and able to keep up with them!

• Digging and Hunting Instinct: If not properly exercised these dogs will dig and hunt for things on their own. Providing an acceptable outlet for these activities like their own sandbox or doing nosework games and activities can prevent problem behaviors.

• Potential for Aggression towards other Animals: Since they were bred to hunt and kill vermin, they may not befriend smaller animals. Some terriers have been bred to fight other animals and as a result need to have good, positive socialization with other animals as early as possible. An owner who is aware of this and is able to redirect the dog before trouble arises will have a happy life with their tenacious terrier.

Non-Sporting Group:

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-American Eskimo Dog -Bichon Frise -Boston Terrier-Bulldog -Chinese Shar-Pei -Chow Chow -Dalmatian -Finnish Spitz -French Bulldog -Keeshond -Lhasa Apso -Lowchen -Standard Poodle -Schipperke -Shiba Inu -Tibetan Spaniel -Tibetan Terrier

Common characteristics:

• Mixed: One important thing to remember about this group is that is is a bit of a mixed bag. There are breeds that have some characteristics of the working group (keeshond, schipperke) while others have characteristics of the sporting group (dalmatian, finnish spitz, poodle). Some breeds within this group have been bred to guard (lhasa apso, chow chow, chinese shar-pei) but others have been bred as companions or literally lap dogs for royalty (bichon frise, tibetan spaniel, boston terrier, french bulldog, tibetan terrier)

• Difficult to Motivate: Since very few of these dogs were bred for 'hard labor' they can be difficult to motivate in training. This is a great example of how rewarding for performing tricks or cues can be helpful in keeping the dog motivated. On the other hand, since these dogs do not always need exercise (with some exceptions like those similar to working and sporting groups) they can make better family pets. Less of a prey drive can make them easier to handle. Since they were not bred to work, they do not feel that they need to work on a daily basis.

Hound Group:

Example breeds in this group: (this is not a full list, but should give you a good idea of who's who)

-Afghan -American Foxhound -Basenji -Basset Hound -Black and Tan Coonhound -Beagle

-Bloodhound -Borzoi -Dachshund -English Foxhound -Greyhound -Harrier -Ibizan Hound -Irish Wolfhound -Otterhound -Norwegian Elkhound -Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen -Pharaoh Hound -Plott -Rhodesian Ridgeback -Saluki -Whippet

Common Characteristics:

• Easily Distracted: These dogs have been bred to react to scent and/or movement. As a result they can be easily distracted by anything in their environment. Owner should be prepared to work hard to gain dog's focus. A plus is that being allowed to sniff can be used as a reward for some of these dogs.

• Independent: Since these dogs have been bred to work with but independently of people, they can have less of a drive to please their owner. Dogs can quickly become bored with repetition, owner should be prepared to keep dog motivated and interested.

Toy Group:

-Affenpinscher -Cavalier King Charles Spaniel -Brussels Griffon -Chinese Crested -English Toy Spniel -Chihuahua -Havanese -italian Greyhound -Japanese Chin -Maltese -Toy Manchester Terrier -Miniature Pinscher -Papillon -Pekingese -Pomeranian -Poodle (toy, miniature) -Pug -Shih Tzu -Silky Terrier -Toy Fox Terrier -Yorkshire Terrier

Common Characteristics:

• Small Size- Some of these breeds do not seem to know that they are in fact, smaller than other dogs. You will often find these small breeds confronting a much larger dog. Another thing to keep in mind is that because of their small size, these breeds can be easily intimidated by people. Owners and trainers may need to practice some cues or behaviors with the dog on a chair to reduce the dog's fear. Owners may also get tired of bending down to reinforce, so teaching these dogs to catch treats comes in handy!

• Delicate Physiology- Owners of these breeds need to keep in mind that their dogs are very delicate; they can easily break a leg jumping off a sofa. Owner should keep this in mind with training- it is best to avoid any physical corrections as they can easily cause injury to these small breeds.

Breed information courtesy of Animal Behavior College curriculum, stage 1, pg. 6-14 & American Kennel Club