About successful canine relationships

It's one thing to be inexperienced in canine ownership and being open minded about incorporating methods of training as well as being positive about taking the proper steps to have a successful relationship with a newly adopted pet and quite another to be lacking in desire to have a successful relationship with a newly purchased pet. Be it from an experienced canine owner or inexperienced canine owner. Another common denominator in those who didn't have successful canine ownership was the fact each shared a similar personality/disposition and that was the trait of negativity. Over the years I have watched many, many, many of our customers have successful adoptions because they were open minded to the idea of making the new pet an addition to their family or home and they were positive thinking people. They were not lacking in the ability to love their pet and accept their pet "as is". Those (and I am including myself) who have the ability to have a successful relationship with their purchased pet regardless of age at the time of adoption are people who are able to cuddle up in bed with their pet; they are true dog people in every essence. Some people have the notion that they are "dog people" when in fact they are not. Those who are not true dog people don't want a dog to lick them in the face; don't share their food or ice cream with them; don't allow them on the furniture or in their bed; would never consider allowing their dog to sit in the passenger seat; would never consider allowing their dog to take a bath or shower with them and would prefer the company of human beings rather than their dog. It is quite difficult for me to understand how any person could easily dump their dog or dogs off at an animal shelter or boarding facility just because they found they could not have a successful relationship with their pet. It's quite simple to place a FREE ad in a local newspaper and there are thousands of FREE advertising sites upon the internet where a FREE ad can be placed to find a home for a pet you no longer desire to keep. It is more disturbing to me to see a parent purchase a dog for a child and then decide to dump the newly purchased dog out of their family because the NOVELTY wore off and the child no longer has any interest in the pet, thus turning the tables upon the dog to blame the dog for the problem, when in fact, the problem isn't the dog at all....the problem is the child/ren and the parents' lack of desire to properly care for the purchased pet. Parents who dump a newly purchased pet just because the child no longer desires to own the dog or take responsibility for the dog will see their child turn out to be people who will easily dump other things in their life without giving it a second thought because they learned it was okay to do so, as a child. It is NOT okay to dump a dog out of your life just because you don't have the desire to make the relationship work. Doing this is equivalent to a person dumping another person out of their life just because they felt "things just weren't working out". True, some relationships don't work out and we must move on...but NOT without trying first or doing everything we can to make things work. I'm not talking about keeping toxic relationships. I'm talking about quickly dumping things out of ones life just because we grow tired of the required responsibility of taking care of those things or because we grow tired of them in general. Becoming a "dumper" is a learned through our parents. My mother taught me to work hard at making things work out. Parents who do not teach their children this valuable lesson, cause children to become "dumpers".

I can't ever remember calling up any breeder the day after making a canine purchase complaining about the dog and wanting to return the dog. I can't ever remember calling the breeder of any dog that I've purchased over the years for any reason whatsoever once I took possession of the dog, for that matter. But that is because I've owned dogs my entire life!

I'm nearly 50 years old and the only time I did NOT have a dog in my life was when I was in boot camp and in my training phase of military service. Other than that, there was always a dog in my life. I could never imagine not having a dog in my life and that includes down the road when I become a senior citizen! Sure, I've been called a DOG FANATIC AND DOG CRAZY...guilty as charged, I'm afraid.

I can't ever recall a day that I have called up a breeder after taking my purchased dog home and cussing them out....asking for a refund or stooping very low and causing a problem in any way for the breeder just because I found a "flaw" in my purchased dog. I would never consider ever doing something so callous and stupid. Some people are better off never owning a dog because they believe themselves to be so perfect that they expect this of the dog too. I am a realistic, optimistic person. If I have an issue with my dog....I take it to the vet. I pay the bill. I take care of the issue. Issues can be worked out between myself and the dog. I don't play the blame game like so many people do to breeders.

I am like many people who have successful relationships with their dogs, I know that things take time. After all, there isn't a single relationship that is an over-night success. When a person is so willing to dump a dog back into the breeders' lap without even attempting to try and create a successful relationship with a newly purchased dog they are often times the very same people who are able to quickly dump things out of their lives that make them feel uncomfortable, be it dog, another human being, a job or whatever issue it is. They are more than likely not people who are able to stick with things for very long. They are "dumpers"...not "keepers". Nine times out of ten, those who have successful adoptions are those who have the ability to be more accepting of others and they have more compassion than those who have problems in a successful relationship. I have also noticed that those who call looking for a dog who is already housebroken...already trained...already this or that are the very same people who expect alot without much effort. They expect immediate gratification be it dog or anything else in their life. They expect a dog to immediate be perfect because they either lack the desire or have the time for flaws. Such people are perfectionist even though they, themselves, are quite imperfect. Dogs are very simplistic creatures. Animals are not complicated. Humans make things complicated for their lack of understanding and acceptance of things that make them feel uncomfortable. Dogs desire to please, providing a human allows them the opportunity to please. The simple needs of a dog are:

1. Food

2. Shelter

3. Companionship

4. Staying healthy

We always recommend obedience training regardless of breed. This helps both the owner and the dog have a successful, long term relationship and to learn how to live happily together. Obedience training is NOT just for the dog. It is for the human too. Obedience training is NOT 1 class; it isn't over-night and I am amazed when a person tells me "Well we had a trainer come out"...okay...AND???? What happened? Did you select an inexperienced dog trainer??? Did you select a dog trainer who told you what you already wanted to do...dump the dog?? Or did you select a dog trainer who said..hey...lets give it a try and here's a plan. A good, experienced trainer will watch the dynamics of YOUR family and YOUR new pet and then create a workable plan. It's up to the family and the dog owner whether or not they are going to follow the plan exactly or if they are willing to pay the cost of this personalized type of training. There are training facilities that dogs can be sent to if you do not have the desire to have the trainer come to your home or if you do not have the time to have the trainer come to your home and work with both you and the dog together. Dogs are NOT incapable of being trained. Even OLD dogs can be trained. It amazes me even more when someone tells me they had a trainer come out and then the next day or just a couple of days later, they call and say they desire to return the dog. There is NO WAY that person gave that dog any chance whatsoever to work out through training because training takes time. Also, as time passes, the dog matures. As a dog matures, they get better. If a person is NOT willing to give their new pet the opportunity and time to mesh with their family, there is no sense whatsoever in adding a pet to the home. A new pet isn't going to replace the old pet. A new pet isn't going to fill the shoes of an old pet. A new pet can bring alot of happiness into a humans' life, providing the human allows them to. A new pet can help a quiet, homebound person become more social and it can increase the ability to make new friends. A new pet can add years to your life providing you realize that nothing is perfect and the ability to live happily together takes time. Rome, after all, was NOT built in a day. Your lasting friendships/relationships with other humans did NOT occur over-night!

So, if you are seeking to adopt an older pet, I highly recommend considering whether or not you will be incorporating obedience training and you have the desire to give your new pet the opportunity to work out. It's difficult for us to know really what sort of person a buyer is because all we have is the application. We don't really know anything other than what someone puts down on paper. Fortunately for us, we've had more positive people adopt from us over the years than those that are negative. I think our success rate speaks for itself. When a breeder can literally count on one hand (even 2 hands!!) in 11 years those who have had a failed relationship with their newly adopted pet, that's quite an achievement. It is important for people to understand that if you are adopting an older puppy or dog, patience is a must!

If you don't have the desire to be patient; If you don't have the ability to be patient and you are the sort of person who expects immediate success, then you should reconsider adopting an older puppy or dog. Human relationships take time; Friendship between humans take time and human/canine relationships as well as friendships take time. Once in awhile a person gets lucky and they Do have over-night success with not only people but with animals too....but not always.

Because every human is different in their behavior...in their lifestyle..in their expectations....in their needs, wants and desires....breeders can NEVER guarantee a successful adoption. But I can say that I know for a fact that in 11 years, we've had entirely more success stories than failures and nine times out of ten, if you fit into the category as those who have had successful adoptions from us, you'll do just fine with an older puppy or dog. BECAUSE WE WANT EVERY BUYER TO HAVE A LASTING, SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PURCHASED PET, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2007, WE NOW REQUIRE EVERY INEXPERIENCED BUYER TO ENROLL THEIR PURCHASED PET IN SOME SORT OF OBEDIENCE TRAINING. YOUR PET CAN BE PRIVATELY TRAINED BY AN IN-HOME TRAINER WHO CAN COME TO YOUR HOME AND ASSESS THE FAMILY DYNAMICS AND WORK OUT A SUCCESSFUL PLAN FOR BOTH THE FAMILY AND THE DOG OR HE/SHE CAN BE SENT TO A TRAINING FACILITY FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS TO WORK WITH YOUR PURCHASED PET ONE ON ONE OR YOU CAN ENROLL YOUR PURCHASED PET AT YOUR LOCAL YMCA WHERE THEY USUALLY HOLD OBEDIENCE CLASSES. Obedience training is not that expensive if you locate classes that are held by shelters, a high school or the YMCA. Usually classes are just a few times a week or weekends. Classes help both the owner/s and the dog/s.

WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EVERY PURCHASE, A SUCCESSFUL PURCHASE BUT IT CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE BUYER AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PURCHASED PET! If you have no intention of providing your purchased pet with the ability to have a successful, lasting relationship with you or your family, then it doesn't make any sense to purchase a new pet. Obedience training takes time and is not an over night process, but it is a process that will allow the owner and pet to have a successful relationship together. People can write whatever they desire inside of forums or on discussion boards...we simply don't have time for their supiority complex. We have an astounding success rate with canine adoptions and that's something no one can take away from us.