Questions and Facts about dogs

08 May 2008

It's not my purpose to turn you away from a new member of your family – Puppy or an adult dog.

I got enough experiences in my life that I can say that for the good of the dog and its new owners is important to know what's coming towards us with a dog coming into its new family. Because the dog isn't something you can throw away after a month or two as an issue of boredom. You can't replace it or take it to a service like a car or any other machinery,... people are the ones who have the resposability to take care of our furry friends – care about their life and their actions!

We all are vulnerable and things happen to each and every one of us through life. But when we decide to bring a puppy or any other animal in our lives, it has to be a decision that's built on resposabilty, unconditional love and knowing that to an animal we are the only thing he's got !!!!

As a breeder I always tell a whole lot of things concerning a puppy and its arrival into the new family to those concerned to be new owners, but nevertheless I find myself insufficient to the people I'm talking with. That's why I decided to write down some questions for you in sign of a successful pursuit of happiness for all three – you, puppy and me as a breeder.

So...

Are you really prepared for a new member in your family?

Puppy period

1. When a puppy leaves home – its mother, brothers and sisters, he/she will propably cry and complain. First nights are for him/her and for a new owner usually very exhausting and seem hopeless. Are you ready to stay awake at night and calm enough to bear the crying and to comfort it and understand its sorrow?

2. Puddles of pee will be appearing for quite long period. Are you ready for it?

3. Breeders as we are, we try to keep cleanness of a puppy inside the places we live. But It's very important that a new owner continues to do that untill the puppy realizes where he can do its need. So to be successful in this you have to take it outside every time he finishes eating, after the play or when he wakes up. That's every time from 3 to 4 hours. Do you have the will and time to do that?

4. Puppy needs to play, scratching, walking, upbringing and socialization everyday. He's like a baby... Do you have time for it and for its activities at least 1-2 hours per day except the morning and evening walk?

5. Dogs (little ones and grown ups) go out when it's rainy or sunny... even in the early morning hours or late at night... Are you the right person who has no problem with that?

6. Puppy is rompish and sometimes when it's bored, it's most likely it does something wrong. Are you ready to »bite your tounge« and calmly except what it's done (ruined garden, an overturned vase, your value demolished by its teeth)? Are you ready to take time and explain to the puppy what it's done it's wrong and breed him in a proper way?

7. »Youngster« must attend pre-school... Do you have time and money to do that?

8. Do you have children? Does your child know how to treat a dog? Are you prepared to tell him/her that a dog is a living being just like human are and it's not a toy? Do you realize you need to raise a child in a way that he/she behaves nicely to it?

9. A puppy needs a whole family... Did all members of the family took part in a decision of bring a dog at home and do you all realize what resposabilty are you about to have?

10. Little ones are beautiful furry balls in which a person can quickly fall in love, but as time passes by they grow... Are you afraid of dogs, their teeth and snarling? Are you ready to tackle with these issues?

Adolescence

1. The period from 8 months to year and a half can be very hard as is it with teenagers... Are you ready to work harder on breeding and be consistent?

2. The dog won't be following you for ever. From time to time it'll try to prove itself in something... Will you blame it and be offended or will you start working hard and regularly attend the pre-school to improve its obedience?

3. It's known that sometimes it'll try to dominate you as a »leader of its pack«... Do you own enough knowledge to control this behaviour and end it at its first try? There again pops out the question... Are you afraid of dogs?

4. Dogs aren't beings who neglect, they love uncoditionally... Even if they fight sometimes (inside the pack), they don't resent each other but solve the situation and live on peacefully... Are you capable of that? Or are you going to complain and judge the dog it's its fault (»He bit me as I wanted to have a look at his teeth« or »he doesn't like me« or » dog mustn't behave that way« or »he's looking maliciously at me«) and do nothing about it?

5. This is the period when male canines start taking interest in female ones... Your responsability is also its safety. Don't let it run away to your neighbours place and put himself in danger. The leash is the answer to the situation. Are you ready to have him leashed for a while? Do you have patience to bear with his crying, complaining and eventual disobedience?

6. Female – first mating season... (some once, some twice a year)... Will you get angry if you'll see a drop of blood here and there? Will you be enough attent to notice what's going on with your bitch and have her under control? Are you ready to have her on a leash for about 20 days?

7. After the mating season it's most likely for a bitch to retreat in places where she can be alone, some even cry and carry toys around with them. They usually take less interest in you and playing with them. These are all simptoms of apparent pregnancy. Will you understand it and help them through it with more walks and more playing?

"Doggie life"

1. Life of a dog lasts for about 10 to 15 years. Can you bind up with it and take care about it its whole life and be there for it when it'll need you »in good and in bad«?

2. Buying a puppy is really the cheapest thing considering a whole lot of others. Food, vaccination, toys, leashes, bowls, beds, scholarship, veterinary services... these are all the expenses that come along with the dog... Can your bank account burden these expenses?

3. Vacation, coffee breaks, meals... Will your dog come with you or do you have the opportunity for its »baby-sitting« during your abscence? Will you give up on vacation places where a dog isn't welcome? And won't you go on coffee or a meal in places where a dog isn't welcome?

4. How hard is for you to pick a dog excrement on the meadow or on the pavement?

5. Excitement will gradually faint and everything wil become a rutine. But the dog will still need your love, playing and at least 3 walks a day (sunny, rainy or cold weather). Can you bind that all this won't be hard to do (even after 8 years)?

6. When a dog gets ill you'll propably have to go out with it in the middle of a night. Maybe you couldn't go to work because you'll have to take the dog to the vet. Are you sure you're capable of doing that and that you can afford it?

7. If the dog was bought for a child, the excitement will (99%) fade through time. Here comes the moment when an adult in the family takes over the resposabilty for the dog (if he/she hasn't done that in the meantime)... Are 100% aware of this? And will you do it? Here's an important sentence when the dog world collides with the human one => DON'T EVER BUY A DOG FOR A CHILD.

8. There's a great probability that in bad weather everything's going to get dirty. The car will get dirty and so will the house. Vacuume cleaner and a mop should always be ready. Do you like cleaning?

9. The dog is a family member... Will its presence disturb your friends and relatives? Would the dog stay with you even when there'll be a party or picnic?

10. Do you own a house with a garden? GREAT! =) But is the garden railed and are the exits safely closed?

11. Harmony in a family contributes to dogs discipline. It likes to make good use of situations when there's no unity in the family. For example... The dog does something wrong (p.e. pees on a wall inside the house) and one member of the family scolds it while the other gives it a treat.

12. Do you like to have a baby in the future? Will the dog still have that same position and comfort in the family when a baby arrives? Will the dog be able to be with your baby since day one? And wil you be able to raise a child and a dog at once?

13. Dogs are living beings and as it happens to us happens to them – illness and death. We're never ready for the loss of someone but... are you ready to stand by it until the last breath even if it's hard?

14. Have you ever thought about giving a dog as a present? DON'T! The dog must be picked by the owner and even worse is to buy a dog as a gift for a child.

15. Maybe it happens that in your life comes a new partner... Will you have the strength and the resposability to tell him/her that you and the dog are the one package he/she can receive and not only you?

16. To bring up a dog or any other living being, it's usually everything in the hands of a man. Will you be strong enough to contradict the mistakes you made and solve them (if a dog snarls, snaps or destroys something)?

Tibetan terrier

17. TT's are sweet little »kittens« but at the same time a very determined dogs! Are you also determined and consistent as they are?

18. They do live in a house with their people. Is the dog you're about to buy, going to live with you in the house or outside in the dog kennel.

19. TT's are very clever and ingenious dogs. Have you decided for a dog that's smart and can take care of itself and its world doesn't start and end with you? Have you decided for a dog for whom isn't necessery to repeat the obedince exercises?

20. TT's aren't »press the button« dogs. If they are bored they find their own amusement. If they think that there are to many exercises and that's time for playing. They'll try to convince you in it. These dogs really aren't »slaves« to human. Is this a dog for you? Do you wish a different dog – the one who will always obey and listen to you? If this is the kind of dog you strive to get than TT isn't the right one for certain.

21. TT's are clowns. Do like amusement?

22. This dog is longhaired... Does your time available allows you to comb it at least once a week which takes usually from 1 to 2 hours? And wil you bathe it once a month?

Sems Kyi Bu

Maybe there'll be some anger because of these questions. But through my life with dogs, these small matters described in the upper text, are big matters to a dog. If you're among those who share that anger with other right now, I suggest you re-read the story "How could you?".  I am sure that after re-reading it you'll understand what I'm trying to say... Beacause this kind of stories are thousands...

At our kennel »Sems Kyi Bu« the only wish we have is for our puppies to be happy, healthy and loved and that their future families – if they want to – become our family friends. This is the essence of our work with TT's.

But our wish doesn't end here... We Wish happiness, love and safety for all the dogs in the world. So where ever you are or where ever your journey takes you, please have the respect and love to these beautiful furry beings !!!