How do you raise your dogs?

[ladyfreckles]

I know: it's a bit of a loaded question. On another dog forum I go on I was reading a thread about the different criticisms people have received for raising their dogs their own way and it got me thinking. Does anyone really raise their dogs like anyone else? We all have unique things that we do, which makes the experience different for all of us. There's no one right way to raise a puppy.

What do you do when raising your dogs that is different/unique to you? Or is there anything you are particular about that your friends/family don't do at all?

[_Crystal_]

Instead of "no" I say "ah-ah"... I have no idea why. I just don't like the word "no".

I don't put a puppy on a leash when training recall, because puppies are very clingy. I've learned from my first dog, that if she is trained on a leash, she gets accustomed to the leash. Although my puppy, Nour, is becoming looser and looser in his recall...

I feel like the only one that has her dog go to the kennel to eat. I don't know. My puppy likes to steal my adult dog's food, so I put my puppy in his kennel every meal. He also goes in his kennel at night, and when no one is there to watch them.

I'll post other things as I think of them...

[JanaeUlva]

How do I raise my dog? In a nutshell, I think what makes me different from SOME people I know is I give them lots of exercise and mental stimulation EVERY morning and EVERY night 365 days a year. My feeling is our dogs are dependent on us and so we have an obligation to give them the exercise and mix it up (walks, training, agility, hiking, city life, country life, tracking, Schutzhund) that helps them to be happy well-rounded dogs

I spend a lot of time and energy on my dogs. If I didn't have the time or a safe setup for them, I would not get a dog. But that is me. I'm not going to say it is the only way but for me it is. And my dogs have never been a problem so I think it is working.

[Ucdcrush]

I'll tell you how I will raise my next dog. There is a family down the street who for many years had a GSD, it was outside with them all the time, just hanging out. I wondered how they created/shaped that since most dogs are very excited in the front yard, and can't necessarily be trusted if another dog runs past or a cat wanders by.

Later when that GSD died, they got another dog, a pitbull/GSD mix, brindle color as a puppy. When I went over there to see them, the puppy was also just allowed out with them to explore, socialize etc. Now that dog too is an adult and hangs with them in the front yard, very good with other dogs, cats etc.

It really boils down to socialization, but that type of socialization is differernt from what I did which was taking them on leash places. So we (me/my dogs) are a bit too reliant on the leash to be honest. I know that an adult dog can be socialized, but it's much easier to start that off leash socialization as a puppy since a puppy is mostly harmless.

[Mrs.K]

I try to be balanced without over or under stimulating them.

One more important thing to me is, that I do let them be dogs and not humanize them.

[BlackGSD]

I don't go crazy with "puppy proofing" the house. I would rather teach then from day 1 not to mess with things than put everything out of reach. This has worked wonderfully for me. I have NEVER had anything inappropriate chewed up be a puppy. Mine have also ALL been reliable to be left alone loose at a young age.

I will say that I watch my puppies like a psychotic hawk (way more closely than a LOT of folks as evidenced by posts made on this very board daily.) and have them on a leash (even if they are just dragging it.) in the house. None on the furnature, carpets ect..... have so much as one chew print and have been thu several puppies.

[Falkosmom]

Originally Posted by Ucdcrush

I'll tell you how I will raise my next dog. There is a family down the street who for many years had a GSD, it was outside with them all the time, just hanging out. I wondered how they created/shaped that since most dogs are very excited in the front yard, and can't necessarily be trusted if another dog runs past or a cat wanders by.

Later when that GSD died, they got another dog, a pitbull/GSD mix, brindle color as a puppy. When I went over there to see them, the puppy was also just allowed out with them to explore, socialize etc. Now that dog too is an adult and hangs with them in the front yard, very good with other dogs, cats etc.

It really boils down to socialization, but that type of socialization is differernt from what I did which was taking them on leash places. So we (me/my dogs) are a bit too reliant on the leash to be honest. I know that an adult dog can be socialized, but it's much easier to start that off leash socialization as a puppy since a puppy is mostly harmless.

This is how I raise my dogs, off leash. They make wonderful companions that you can take anywhere without difficulty. When I grew up, either there were no leash laws or nobody knew they existed, all dogs were raised like this. These dogs grew up naturally calm and obedient with excellent recalls, something that I don't see often today in my neighborhood with dogs that are always fenced and leashed.

[shepherdmom]

I handle every one like it has ticks. I pick them up check their ears, around their eyes, between their toes on their tummy. It is cuddle time but they have to let me check too. When they get older they are so used to being handled a trip to the vet is sooo much less stressful.

[Freestep]

I'm lucky in that I can take my dog to work with me, AND I work from home, so I get to be a "housewife" as far as puppy raising is concerned. Not something most couples who work full-time get to do. If I had to work full-time and couldn't bring my puppy to work, I don't know how I would do it... how do people do it?

[onyx'girl]

Originally Posted by Falkosmom

This is how I raise my dogs, off leash. They make wonderful companions that you can take anywhere without difficulty. When I grew up, either there were no leash laws or nobody knew they existed, all dogs were raised like this. These dogs grew up naturally calm and obedient with excellent recalls, something that I don't see often today in my neighborhood with dogs that are always fenced and leashed.

I agree with this! When I was young, dogs were always loose and they all got along, never had oops litters either. The dogs were great with children and knew to stay out of the street. We lived on a lake and dogs basically were the "neighborhoods"(we all looked out for them even if we weren't the owner) and were wherever the action was.
Of my three dogs, two have been trained on leash, with fencing for containment and they haven't got reliable recall.
Karlo on the other hand was trained young with no leash, and his recall is excellent.
I've never had to tie out or tether my dogs, luckily.