How to choose a dog breed.

Before Rock and I became doggie parents for the first time we did a lot of research. We wanted to make sure that we were prepared for the commitment. We went to Yahoo! and did the dog breed recommender. The dog breed recommender was really great for us because it made us think about which qualities in a dog were most important for us. It's also fun to do if you already have a dog to see if yours comes up in the top 10. The top three breeds were these:


1. Belgian Malinois

2. Bernese Mountain Dog

3. Great Pyrnees





Now that I've gotten to know all of these dogs at the dog park I realize that the Belgian Malinois is a lot like Wolfgang (giant schnauzer) and a perfect fit for us. The Berner and Pyrnees are very slow moving dogs, almost lethargic - very unlike the malinois and schnauzer but still really cool dogs. Which leads me to my second point.

Before buying a dog understand which traits you favor by getting to know a lot breeds. The best way is by going to a dog park. Observe the dog's behavior make a list of your favorite breeds and find the common trait. For me, I tend to favor dominant dogs with a lot of energy (doberman pinschers, giant and standard schnauzers, german shepards). I didn't know this before I went to the dog park and when I first did the dog breed recommender on Yahoo!. Now when I take the test I get different results. Schnauzers are at the top of the list.

First Aid For My Giant Schnauzer

Last weekend I had my first experience with giving doggie first aid. I don't know how it happened but at the dog park Wolfgang hurt himself. He had a dime size piece of skin missing from behind his left front leg. It was really gross. It looked like he was poked with a stick.

The worst part was that my pup was in pain and I didn't know how to help him. Was this severe enough to take him to the emergency room? After all I didn't want to be that parent that brings their dog to the emergency room every time Fido sneezes.

When we got home my husband immediately looked up how to do doggie first aid. Here are some very helpful websites.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=20

http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=81&sid=3

So we followed the directions on the web and called the vet the following Monday. To my relief it's not a bad as it looks. It will leave a scar but Wolfgang will be OK. He's also on antibiotics just in case. We keep a t-shirt on him to keep the wound clean and to keep his tongue off of it. He looks so cute with a t-shirt on.

I also learned that the American Red Cross offers a pet first aid class. I'm going to take this class the next time it is offered at my local chapter.

http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/pets.html

The blogger is on hiatus until November 14.

- The Guest Host

Dog Training Tip No. 1, 2 & 3

On Wednesday nights my husband and I have a meeting at church. Yesterday, like most Wednesdays, we knew that it was going to be difficult to have dinner, feed Wolfgang, get out the door, and get to the meeting on time. I scarfed down my dinner (fried chicken), fed Wolfgang, packed up dinner for my husband to eat in the car, and ran out to meet him in the driveway (he was late coming home from work). Yes! We made it on time. But only when I returned home did I realize what I had done wrong.

I left the chicken bones on the kitchen table. Now you have to realize that any food left on the table (or the counter for that matter) is at eye and nose level for the dog's taking. Very tempting.

So, did Wolfgang eat the chicken bones? NO! I'm so proud of him for doing the right thing.

Which brings me to my first dog training tip: Never, ever, ever feed the dog from the kitchen table, kitchen counter, or any place that is not his dog food bowl. You may be thinking to yourself that your dog would never pass up yummy, greasy chicken bones. I have to be honest, there was a time that Wolfgang wouldn't pass it up either. We have caught him licking dishes in the sink, digging in the trash, eating off the counter, etc. But we've corrected him properly every time we catch him. The key is that you have to catch him in the act and correct it while he is in the act. (Training Tip no. 2) If he stops the bad behavior prior to the correction, then he's a good boy - because he stopped.
We adopted Wolfgang when he was 4 years old and he came with a bunch of bad habits. One of them was licking the dishes in the sink. We knew he was doing this but we could never catch him.

One day my husband was in the back room and heard clinking dishes. This was it! Our opportunity to correct the behavior! He snuck up on Wolfgang lapping up the leftover goodness in the sink, took a huge breath, bent his knees, hands ready, and jumped, clapped and yelled at he same time - right behind the dog. Needless to say Wolf was so terrified that in a split second he became crouching dog.

This correction was timely (in the act), in good proximity (right next to the dog- corrections aren't as effective if they're coming from the next room over), and had the extra element of surprise. About 3 seconds later he got a good boy because he stopped (very important!). Wolfgang has never licked another dish again.

Notice that we do not hit. Which brings me to Training Tip No. 3. Never hit a dog! More on this and other dog training tips later:)

DJ, Sammy, Wrigley, and Wolfgang.

Counterclockwise from top.

DJ's face has been obscured.

This gives a good frame of reference on the relative sizes of Mini and Giant Schnauzers.

These dogs were so much fun together. The minis scared Wolfgang, and they were chasing him around. Wolfgang did steal their squeaky toy; so I guess he deserved it.

First Post and Wolfgang's Profile

Hello friends and family! And strangers, I hope you found me. I'm starting this blog to share photos and stories about my very handsome Giant Schnauzer, Wolfgang. I don't think this world appreciates the very special cuteness that Wolfgang likens. For example, see the first photo.

Wolfgang likes to follow Mom around the house and must be in the same room with her. So here he was taking a rest in the shower while Mom was getting ready for the day. Cute? Case in point.

Wolfgang's Profile:
Breed: Giant Schnauzer
Sex: All boy, all the time.
Age: 6
DOB: October 11, 1999
Weight: 100 lbs. (I did say Giant, didn't I?)
Marital Status: Single (of course he's single! He's a mamma's boy!)
Favorite Past Times: Playing fetch and swimming. Protecting the house from the neighborhood cats.
Favorite Foods: Homemade dog treats and eggs.


Please post a comment to my blog, especially if you too have a Giant. Wolfgang will be making an appearance at the Schnauzer Family Reunion at Dogwood Park in Jacksonville, FL on Sunday, November 27, 2005. See this website for details. www.jaxdogs.com/

More photos below: