Once I have established my pack leader status, the situation really improves a lot. Pepper understands that barking is not allowed and he became more obedient. Even though Pepper still make some noise asking you to play, I think we have made big improvement for the past few days. He is still a baby and he likes to play chasing.
A special thanks to Shayne from Happy Furry House. She taught me how to handle my dog. Without her advise, our dog-human relationship can't last long in this condominium. I deeply appreciate her help. In fact, I have also decided to board Pepper in her house during the Chinese New Year period. So far, this is the best cage-less home boarding I have found in Klang Valley area.
Today I managed to do 3 minutes away from home and Pepper has been behaving well. I will do this incrementally and see how it goes. It's an important lesson to me that I own a pet and not pet own me. I am a happy owner today :)
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Day 3: Barking problem
Today is the third day since I bring puppy home. At 11:45PM, I am eating my breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's really hard to take care of puppy alone. Every time I leave Jim alone, he will bark. I stayed in a condominium. In Malaysia, all condominium does not allow pet. In my condo, as long as your pet didn't cause any nuisance to the neighbors, they are quite flexible.
How to train him to be alone? I asked a lot of experts and all of them gave me different advices. All of them said the same thing. I am a sucker! I gave in too much. The puppy is training me and I am not training the puppy. Below are the methods I consider:
1) Ignore the bark. After a while, the puppy will realise that no one is attending to the bark. He will understand that barking does not gave him anything. I tried that for 30 mins, I received a phone call from the management asking me to remove the pet. I am so depress. At the end, I gave in to the bark and I am sure it will make the situation worse.
2) Slowly let him get use to his lonely time. This is a very time consuming process. I need to do it slowly. So far, I managed to get away for 60 seconds only. Sometimes it's even shorter. The result is not good enough. I have taken 3 days holiday and I don't have many holidays to do this. I need to know if this will work.
3) Some people advise me to debark. I find it really hard to accept this. I am more like 95% NO and 5% YES. Like he said, it is better than you abandon him. I am really hoping that I don't have to do it.
4) Show him who is your pack leader. I do believe that Pepper (my dog) either thinks he is the leader or he is confuse about the leader. I need to do what I consider cruel to subdue him and show him who is the leader. I really hate to do this because I feel that is Inhumane but I have to understand that they are canine and they have their own rules. If I want this to work, this us probably the best option.
I will give option 2 and 4 a try and see how it goes. Stay tuned!
How to train him to be alone? I asked a lot of experts and all of them gave me different advices. All of them said the same thing. I am a sucker! I gave in too much. The puppy is training me and I am not training the puppy. Below are the methods I consider:
1) Ignore the bark. After a while, the puppy will realise that no one is attending to the bark. He will understand that barking does not gave him anything. I tried that for 30 mins, I received a phone call from the management asking me to remove the pet. I am so depress. At the end, I gave in to the bark and I am sure it will make the situation worse.
2) Slowly let him get use to his lonely time. This is a very time consuming process. I need to do it slowly. So far, I managed to get away for 60 seconds only. Sometimes it's even shorter. The result is not good enough. I have taken 3 days holiday and I don't have many holidays to do this. I need to know if this will work.
3) Some people advise me to debark. I find it really hard to accept this. I am more like 95% NO and 5% YES. Like he said, it is better than you abandon him. I am really hoping that I don't have to do it.
4) Show him who is your pack leader. I do believe that Pepper (my dog) either thinks he is the leader or he is confuse about the leader. I need to do what I consider cruel to subdue him and show him who is the leader. I really hate to do this because I feel that is Inhumane but I have to understand that they are canine and they have their own rules. If I want this to work, this us probably the best option.
I will give option 2 and 4 a try and see how it goes. Stay tuned!
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Bringing Puppy Home
This is tougher than I imagined. Everything said in the book somehow doesn't work and I can't remember a single thing. Before we bring Pepper (our puppy) home, we went to do some shopping. We bought the following:
During the road trip back from Penang to KL. Pepper vomited because this is his first car trip but it wasn't too bad. The absorbent pad inside the traveling crate helps.
After 5 hours of road trip, finally we are home. Pepper is very stress about this new environment. Pepper is about 16 weeks now. How I wish I could bring him home during ~8 weeks period when he is not too bounded with his litter-mates. When he arrives the new home, he is trying to play with his mirror image. He is so poor thing, he missed his litter-mates. Pepper is not a dog who is used to be alone. I will need to spend more time to train him. During the first night, I can't afford to leave him alone in this crate because he can't stop barking. At the end, I slept next to the crate. Maybe this is something I should not do but I can't afford the bark because I am staying in a condominium.
Today is the second day. It seems like a really long day. Pepper has around 10x potty accidents but I just have to clean up and slowly train him. You really need a lot of love, patience and commitment to be a dog owner. At this moment, when I am not around, Pepper will bark and whine. I realised that Pepper will bark for 2 reasons. Loneliness and separation anxiety. I am still trying to deal with it now. Hopefully in my next blog, I can share my method of solving this problem.
- Bowl for food
- Food (Eukanuba - Puppy all breed)
- Steel comb to remove entangled hair
- Normal comb
- Water nozzle
- Play pen (8 pieces)
- Bed
- Potty pad
- Toys, we do not know what to buy so we picked a few. We shouldn't get too big toy for puppy
- Treats, we are thinking to use this to calm him down if necessary and also for training
- Fan (on the floor)
- Kong ball, we are not too sure how to use them yet
During the road trip back from Penang to KL. Pepper vomited because this is his first car trip but it wasn't too bad. The absorbent pad inside the traveling crate helps.
After 5 hours of road trip, finally we are home. Pepper is very stress about this new environment. Pepper is about 16 weeks now. How I wish I could bring him home during ~8 weeks period when he is not too bounded with his litter-mates. When he arrives the new home, he is trying to play with his mirror image. He is so poor thing, he missed his litter-mates. Pepper is not a dog who is used to be alone. I will need to spend more time to train him. During the first night, I can't afford to leave him alone in this crate because he can't stop barking. At the end, I slept next to the crate. Maybe this is something I should not do but I can't afford the bark because I am staying in a condominium.
Today is the second day. It seems like a really long day. Pepper has around 10x potty accidents but I just have to clean up and slowly train him. You really need a lot of love, patience and commitment to be a dog owner. At this moment, when I am not around, Pepper will bark and whine. I realised that Pepper will bark for 2 reasons. Loneliness and separation anxiety. I am still trying to deal with it now. Hopefully in my next blog, I can share my method of solving this problem.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Choosing a good Miniature Schnauzer breeder
A good breeder needs a good owner just like a good owner needs a good breeder. Why is it important to find a good breeder?
- Healthy puppy : Healthy dog, happy life! Most owner neglects the importance of good gene. This is something you can't improve no matter what you do. Some dogs have genetic problem such as eye problem, skin problem or hip problem. As an owner, you will be heartbroken and wallet-broken. It is a must to get a healthy puppy.
- Demote irresponsible breeding : As a responsible owner, you don't want to promote irresponsible and unethical breeding. Excessive breeding is the recipe of disaster.
- Good support : Responsible breeder is committed to their puppy even though they have sold it to you. You will get good support from them. They probably care about the puppy more than anyone does.
To find good breeder, you must first be a good owner. Do your homework and study. Understand what you are committing to. Pets are for life. You don't buy them because they are cute and abandon them when you are sick of them. As a new dog owner, I have contacted many breeders. IMO, I generalised them into different groups:
Backyard Breeder (BYB): Don't get me wrong. They are dog lovers and can be good owner. Most of them list their puppies for sales because they are trying to handle an unforeseen situation. For example : An accident. If they sell/give out their puppies, they will not be able to take care of them. Usually they will sell their puppies at market price or below market price (RM300 - RM1200). They have no knowledge about the Dame or/and Sire. They also know nothing about the pedigree. You wouldn't know if they puppy has any genetic problem.
Pet Shop : A pet shop is not a breeder. Personally I will never encourage people to get it from them. They sell it solely for profit.
Type I Puppy Mill : For beginner like us, it is so hard to differentiate them from a good breeder. They can disguise to be one good breeder. Or from their own perspective, they believe that they are good breeder.
Type II Puppy Mill : The main difference between Type I and Type II is one cares more than another. Dog breeding is a full time job. If you are a true breeder, you can never earn enough for a living. They are just earning a living.
If you are a very particular person like me, you may want to evaluate them by using the following method:
1) Interview them : They must interview you more than you interview them. They care about their dog and care about the owner who is going to take care of their dogs. They want to make sure that you are the right person.
2) Check how many type of breeds available in the kennel :
1 - Very good. They specialised with a particular breed
2 - Two is still fair. It is very tough to be good in both breeds
>2 - Puppy mill warning
3) How often is their 'stock'? Once a month? The more frequent they breed, the higher chance they are puppy mill.
4) Visit their kennel. Trust your gut. No point asking for testimony or reference. This is Malaysia, it is not hard to fake it. It is best to see the environment yourself.
5) In your conversation with them, you can tell how much they care about their puppy. Most good breeder will walk away if you are not the right owner. They don't hard sell their puppy.
Good Breeder is as rare as diamond. Good breeder breed for a purpose not solely for money. If they breed their puppies properly, they can never make a profit from a deal. Some breed show dogs and some has mission to create/produce the master piece.
I am so lucky that I found one good breeder myself. The next step I need to plan is about the transition from their house to our house. Stay tuned!
- Healthy puppy : Healthy dog, happy life! Most owner neglects the importance of good gene. This is something you can't improve no matter what you do. Some dogs have genetic problem such as eye problem, skin problem or hip problem. As an owner, you will be heartbroken and wallet-broken. It is a must to get a healthy puppy.
- Demote irresponsible breeding : As a responsible owner, you don't want to promote irresponsible and unethical breeding. Excessive breeding is the recipe of disaster.
- Good support : Responsible breeder is committed to their puppy even though they have sold it to you. You will get good support from them. They probably care about the puppy more than anyone does.
To find good breeder, you must first be a good owner. Do your homework and study. Understand what you are committing to. Pets are for life. You don't buy them because they are cute and abandon them when you are sick of them. As a new dog owner, I have contacted many breeders. IMO, I generalised them into different groups:
Backyard Breeder (BYB): Don't get me wrong. They are dog lovers and can be good owner. Most of them list their puppies for sales because they are trying to handle an unforeseen situation. For example : An accident. If they sell/give out their puppies, they will not be able to take care of them. Usually they will sell their puppies at market price or below market price (RM300 - RM1200). They have no knowledge about the Dame or/and Sire. They also know nothing about the pedigree. You wouldn't know if they puppy has any genetic problem.
Pet Shop : A pet shop is not a breeder. Personally I will never encourage people to get it from them. They sell it solely for profit.
Type I Puppy Mill : For beginner like us, it is so hard to differentiate them from a good breeder. They can disguise to be one good breeder. Or from their own perspective, they believe that they are good breeder.
Type II Puppy Mill : The main difference between Type I and Type II is one cares more than another. Dog breeding is a full time job. If you are a true breeder, you can never earn enough for a living. They are just earning a living.
If you are a very particular person like me, you may want to evaluate them by using the following method:
1) Interview them : They must interview you more than you interview them. They care about their dog and care about the owner who is going to take care of their dogs. They want to make sure that you are the right person.
2) Check how many type of breeds available in the kennel :
1 - Very good. They specialised with a particular breed
2 - Two is still fair. It is very tough to be good in both breeds
>2 - Puppy mill warning
3) How often is their 'stock'? Once a month? The more frequent they breed, the higher chance they are puppy mill.
4) Visit their kennel. Trust your gut. No point asking for testimony or reference. This is Malaysia, it is not hard to fake it. It is best to see the environment yourself.
5) In your conversation with them, you can tell how much they care about their puppy. Most good breeder will walk away if you are not the right owner. They don't hard sell their puppy.
Good Breeder is as rare as diamond. Good breeder breed for a purpose not solely for money. If they breed their puppies properly, they can never make a profit from a deal. Some breed show dogs and some has mission to create/produce the master piece.
I am so lucky that I found one good breeder myself. The next step I need to plan is about the transition from their house to our house. Stay tuned!
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Choosing the right breed
Since I was young, I always wanted to have a dog. My parents will never agree with me no matter how I beg them. As time goes by, this dream is slowly buried deep inside my mind...
I never thought that that could be a day my dream will come through. My wife made it possible by giving her blessing to me after we move into our new house.
The first thing I have to do is to choose a breed. Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever is my first choice. After doing 20 times of pet selector quiz from different website, I think I am wrong. Choosing a breed is not as easy as choose what you like from the look. Choosing the right breed that suits your lifestyle is the most important step!
Let's see what are the major consideration here:
1) The place you live - Condo, landed property, yard/without yard, etc makes a big difference.
2) Activy level - Very active or couch potato
3) Shedding - Does it shed a lot or a little?
4) Grooming effort - How often do you need to groom your dog?
At the end, I found that Miniature Schnauzer is best suit my lifestyle. Next step is to look for a good breeder.
I never thought that that could be a day my dream will come through. My wife made it possible by giving her blessing to me after we move into our new house.
The first thing I have to do is to choose a breed. Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever is my first choice. After doing 20 times of pet selector quiz from different website, I think I am wrong. Choosing a breed is not as easy as choose what you like from the look. Choosing the right breed that suits your lifestyle is the most important step!
Let's see what are the major consideration here:
1) The place you live - Condo, landed property, yard/without yard, etc makes a big difference.
2) Activy level - Very active or couch potato
3) Shedding - Does it shed a lot or a little?
4) Grooming effort - How often do you need to groom your dog?
At the end, I found that Miniature Schnauzer is best suit my lifestyle. Next step is to look for a good breeder.
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