Dog people - lots of questions

[texasmama]

My son is very allergic to most dogs, but we have found a part poodle/part terrier at a shelter and are fostering him for a week to see how my son does. If he doesn't react with allergies, we will adopt him. I haven't ever had an inside dog, and this is the first dog I've had since high school.

 

He is 2-3 years old, 10 pounds, healthy, crate trained, housebroken, and leash trained. He has not been neutered, which will be our first step if we adopt him. He was surrendered to the shelter by his owner because the owner could no longer care for him. He isn't a barker, seems very intelligent and is sweet and affectionate. The only thing I really know about this type of dog is that it is hypoallergenic. What does anyone know about these types of dogs?

 

He has sprayed four times in the house since he arrived, but I wonder if that is due to nervousness. I scold him when he does that, and he seems sensitive enough to have his feelings hurt by this. Then I praise him copiously when he tee tees outside. He seems to have calmed down a lot since he arrived and gotten more comfortable. He is digging on a towel and chewing/pulling on it with his mouth. He won't stop digging at it to relax, though. I assume this is nesting type of behavior. He doesn't seem to chew things so far. He is stuck to me like I am his mama. If I get off the couch, he follows.:D

 

The shelter sent us home with food, a food bowl, a leash, a couple of blankets and a crate. They said that he is heartworm negative, microchipped and has all his shots.

 

Any and all feedback is welcome. This is a new adventure for us.:001_smile:

[BeckyFL]

It's not normal to be spraying in the house. I don't think I would want to deal with that behavior. We've had a few dogs over the years and what I've learned is that there are some things that can be very difficult to remedy and that's one I would just stay away from, especially since you have not committed to this dog as of yet. I know we have lots of experts so I hope you get some good feedback.

[astrid]

My son is very allergic to most dogs, but we have found a part poodle/part terrier at a shelter and are fostering him for a week to see how my son does. If he doesn't react with allergies, we will adopt him. I haven't ever had an inside dog, and this is the first dog I've had since high school.

 

He is 2-3 years old, 10 pounds, healthy, crate trained, housebroken, and leash trained. He has not been neutered, which will be our first step if we adopt him. He was surrendered to the shelter by his owner because the owner could no longer care for him. He isn't a barker, seems very intelligent and is sweet and affectionate. The only thing I really know about this type of dog is that it is hypoallergenic. What does anyone know about these types of dogs?

 

It's important that you realize that NO DOG is hypoallergenic. They're just not. Some are better than others but no dog is completely hypoallergenic.

 

Male cats spray, male dogs "mark." It sounds to me like he's marking his territory; intact male dogs tend to do that in unfamiliar territory. Watch him like a hawk and redirect that behavior before it happens. Also, male dogs, especially those in kennel-type living conditions, can get UTI's. It might be worth it to have him checked if you decide to keep him.

Best of luck with him-- he sound like a sweetie!

 

astrid

[Hedgehog]

My son is very allergic to most dogs, but we have found a part poodle/part terrier at a shelter and are fostering him for a week to see how my son does. If he doesn't react with allergies, we will adopt him. I haven't ever had an inside dog, and this is the first dog I've had since high school.

 

He is 2-3 years old, 10 pounds, healthy, crate trained, housebroken, and leash trained. He has not been neutered, which will be our first step if we adopt him. He was surrendered to the shelter by his owner because the owner could no longer care for him. He isn't a barker, seems very intelligent and is sweet and affectionate. The only thing I really know about this type of dog is that it is hypoallergenic. What does anyone know about these types of dogs?

 

As a PP said, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. As you say, you'll have to see how things go. He sounds lovely, so I hope you can keep him!

 

He has sprayed four times in the house since he arrived, but I wonder if that is due to nervousness. I scold him when he does that, and he seems sensitive enough to have his feelings hurt by this. Then I praise him copiously when he tee tees outside. He seems to have calmed down a lot since he arrived and gotten more comfortable. He is digging on a towel and chewing/pulling on it with his mouth. He won't stop digging at it to relax, though. I assume this is nesting type of behavior. He doesn't seem to chew things so far. He is stuck to me like I am his mama. If I get off the couch, he follows.:D

 

I think it's quite likely that's he's partly nervous and needing to establish himself as a member of your "pack", so he's marking. He should quit marking if you are consistent with taking him outside and praising him for doing his business there, and firmly saying "no" and removing all traces of the business when he does it inside. I've also read that many male dogs are less inclined to "mark" once they've been neutered.

 

The shelter sent us home with food, a food bowl, a leash, a couple of blankets and a crate. They said that he is heartworm negative, microchipped and has all his shots.

 

Any and all feedback is welcome. This is a new adventure for us.:001_smile:

 

Re: food - if he's not already on a good quality food, I would really recommend you gradually changing to one. It helps to keep them in good health, which will hopefully save you money in the long run. Personally, I'd take a new dog down to my vet right away, and check everything for yourself - I'm not saying they're lying, but I'd just do that for my own peace of mind.

 

I hope it works out for you to keep this little fella, and that you enjoy having him as part of your family for many years :001_smile:

[texasmama]

Thank you all for the information thus far. He is currently in his crate resting. My kids wore him out with a ton of attention this morning. He is very sweet and affectionate and seems a perfect fit for our family.

 

I am reading up on the marking behavior and learning what we can do, besides having him neutered, to discourage this. I have found a lot of good information on the 'net about how to address this.

 

He is humping towels and things, too, and part of his organ seems to stick out a lot. The kids asked about that.:tongue_smilie: It seems that would be tied to being an intact male. The fact that he is a young adult but not neutered yet is the biggest drawback (and I imagine is tied to the marking behavior somewhat). We will have the chance to see if we can work on the marking before committing to him. I am really busy with my part-time jobs, but I teach one more class before the semester break of a month so this is a good time to take on a dog. I knew I didn't have the energy and time to train a puppy, but this little guy does well on a leash, is comfortable in a crate and went poop outside so hopefully we can chnage the marking before it is ingrained. I am keeping an eagle eye on him when he is out of his crate and keeping him on a leash, even in the house. I covered his crate with a towel to provide more of an enclosed feeling to it. (It is a wire crate that the shelter loaned us.)

 

I have long wanted a dog for the kids. I had a wonderful little dog when I was growing up, and I want that experience for my kids. So far, so good with the allergies, but the dog was bathed right before meeting us so I think we need a few days to really evaluate this.

 

I will look into a good food for him. What about Science diet? Any other recommendations? The shelter just sent him with whatever cheap stuff they had on hand. It is a small operation with little funding.

[ChiMomNP]

A couple things come to mind. The allergy may be lessened with a poodle-mix but is unlikely to be eliminated. You really need to keep up on the grooming too. He may not shed much so he may be prone to matting. The digging sounds like fairly typical terrier behavior, that is what they do. He may be trying to burn off energy (they can be pretty high energy dogs). I'd give him lots of toys and praise when he chews and digs the right things. Housebreaking issues in a small dog can be fairly common. Get him neutered and make sure you have him on a potty schedule. We have found that with our malti-poo who is male and 3 years old putting in a doggie door to our backyard solved the whole issue. My large male GSD was housebroken at 11 weeks and has never had an accident. My malti-poo was still having accidents at age 2 even after boot camps and so on. Now that he has a little doggie door he goes outside all the time. Something to think about. Enjoy your new little guy and thank you for taking in a shelter dog!

[Hedgehog]

I have long wanted a dog for the kids. I had a wonderful little dog when I was growing up, and I want that experience for my kids. So far, so good with the allergies, but the dog was bathed right before meeting us so I think we need a few days to really evaluate this.

 

I will look into a good food for him. What about Science diet? Any other recommendations? The shelter just sent him with whatever cheap stuff they had on hand. It is a small operation with little funding.

 

I think it's a wonderful experience for children, to have a dog.

 

Do you mean Science Plan? We use that for our 9yo GSD. We got her in June, and the food we were given (and told she had been having) from her previous family was the cheapest, nastiest stuff available :glare: I gradually moved her onto Science Plan; in particular, giving her mostly biscuits instead of wet food, because her teeth were getting bad. The visible results of feeding good quality food have been that her coat has become softer and silkier, it looks much more healthy.

 

The other good quality food that I know of is Royal Canin; I don't know if you can get it in the US but a local dog owner who also owns a pet shop in town says it suits her little Lhasa Apso really well.

 

HTH!

[Mesa]

In my experience with rescuing dogs, once they get used to marking the house and humping nonstop it's VERY difficult to break.

I also really dislike Science Diet, as do most breeders I know. Try Nutro, or Iams.

Personally I wouldnt knowingly adopt a male dog who marks and humps.. I've been there done that. The dog never gave it up... he even humped the cat and the kids AFTER he was neutered!

I have 2 male dogs now. Both are non humpers.. they will mark outside things so we try keeping the kids toys away form them (ICK!!) They do not mark inside our home, never have.

Good luck, I hope you are happy with the dog you choose... no matter what dog it turns out to be.

[Ellie]

breeders I know. Try Nutro, or Iams.

Personally I wouldnt knowingly adopt a male dog who marks and humps.. I've been there done that. The dog never gave it up... he even humped the cat and the kids AFTER he was neutered!

Humping isn't necessarily s*xually related; it is also a dominance issue (the dog showing that he is dominant). Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, deals with this behavior.

[laundrycrisis]

For food, I highly recommend California Natural. Our dogs eat the lamb and rice dry food. Our rat terrier is 16.5 years old !!! Our Tervuren is 10.5, and nobody can believe how old our dogs are because they seem years younger. A good food makes a big difference.

 

I would recommend consulting a professional trainer about the behaviors you want to change. I thought our rat terrier was impossible to train, and the work we did with a professional trainer made a huge difference, and really changed her into a dog who has been very easy to live with. It made her happier too...it was worth every penny.

[SonshineLearner]

I guess I'd probably try two things. First, I'd get a pinch collar and keep him on the leash at all times... or in the crate. This is just for maybe a month or so. I'd have someone show me how to "pinch" him with the collar. I'd "pinch" him if he did the humping thing on my kids or other people. (with just a firm "no") I'd see if there are any calming sprays for dogs, like the ones I just purchased for my cat. (perhaps there are??)

I'd feed raw food, and with only 10 lbs that's not too expensive regardless of which one you choose. I'd at the very least get a "grain free" one. Dogs can eat "raw" food... and that helps with the chewing... thing. It can really calm them down. If you don't do that... get the kongs and make "kibble popsicles". You put kibble and some warm water .... let it be soaked up... stuff in the kong. (I like the black ones)

Of course, if the dog marks inside.. you kinda do the "pinch" thing on the collar, too. BUT you can only do this if he's starting while you see him. I have seen leg braces for them... that you can use to not let them lift. I also know someone who uses a newborn baby diaper on their male, because she wants to breed the little rat... I mean Yorkie :) They are cute... I'm just kidding... kinda ;)

Training is soooooo good and will prove more beneficial than you would guess. Not the kind at Petco or somewhere like that. Ask around. The two I know of are connected to Kennels.... They are great... :)

 

Good Luck!!

[celticmom]

The dog food that I use is the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul brand.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

We are all allergic to dogs in this household, and we've had a Shih Tzu for the last 6 months. We have close to zero allergies, but it's not quite at zero either.

 

The dog is not allowed in any bedroom. In my DD's bedroom (she's the most allergic) we also have an air filter. The dog is bathed regularly too. That way, no one is suffering. It does happen, if a child is more tired than usual, that there's a runny nose, but nothing worse than that.

 

Good luck with your dog!

[Mesa]

OTOH. We have cat allergies and just got a kitten this past weekend. I bought an anti dander/allergy rub on somthing or other for the cat. It's supposed to reduce the allergy by reducing dander. I'm also planning on bathing the cat regularly. There is also a spray you can spray your beds and carpets (you can spray anything down with this spray!) that reduces the airbornes allergens in your home.

Our windows will be opened once a day.. and on nice day we will be able to keep them open to air out the house. The cat isnt allowed in the boys rooms, or my bedroom... since my older 2 boys and dh have cat allergies.

So far so good. Their allergies are all acting up, but they say it isnt too bad.

We are all really hoping we will be able to keep the allergies tolerable.

I've also read that with time, you can get accustomed to your own pet... and the allergies wont be an issue with that particular animal. It's worth a shot!

[texasmama]

Well, the dog is sweet, but he does seem to have some negative habits. I don't know how much is due to nervousness about adjusting to a new home and how much is poor training by previous owners. Only time will tell.

 

When I dressed for bed this evening, I was cold, so I threw my long bathrobe on over my pj's and he dug and scratched at it like it was a blanket. He stopped when I told him no and moved him or the robe, but it seemed to be some sort of instinctual behavior. I have only seen the humping once, and it was a towel. He hasn't humped any people. We have no other pets. He seems anxious, and he hasn't eaten, although I tried to hand feed him. He drinks plenty, though, and I think he is just insecure in a new home and not feeling like eating right now. He has plenty of energy and seems to feel well.:tongue_smilie: When I crated him this evening, he whined and barked for the first time. I kept telling him "no" and that he is "okay". I don't know if this is the "right" thing to do or not, but after about 10 minutes, he settled down and accepted that he was staying in the crate. I will let him out to go potty one more time before I go to bed for the night. We live on four acres with no fence so someone must take him out on a leash.

 

I am training him to go potty on two trees about 20 yards from the house. We go first to one and then to the other and then back to the first one. (I don't know why...it just seemed like the thing to do.:tongue_smilie:) I am not allowing him to potty anywhere near the house or on ride on toys, plastic chairs, etc. He seems smart and is already picking up on the drill. We all heap praise and affection on him when he potties outside. He has not tried to mark the wooden column in our living room since earlier. I cleaned it with vinegar and have kept him away from it. We have hardwood floors so carpet is not an issue.

 

I am establishing myself as alpha dog. He is a sensitive little thing and I think that some of his issues are related to being nervous. He did try to resist being crated this evening and ran. I picked him up and put him in. I'm thinking of it as working with a toddler or small child, usinig repetition, consistency, positive reinforcement, etc. I don't give up easily and did not enter this lightly, even though it is not a permanent commitment.

 

If we aren't allergic to him, we are willing to get training or work on his issues behaviorally if at all possible. We are limited in breeds, and we are limited in budget. I also love the idea of helping an animal who is in a shelter.

 

I do appreciate all of the help, suggestions and feedback I have gotten. I am learning so much and hope to make this work.:001_smile: Keep it coming!

[texasmama]

Oh, and I am very open to suggestions on proper ways to deal with whining or barking when crated.:001_smile: That is driving dh crazy...and he was not ever completely on board with this idea in the first place...

[StephanieZ]

Oh, and I am very open to suggestions on proper ways to deal with whining or barking when crated.:001_smile: That is driving dh crazy...and he was not ever completely on board with this idea in the first place...

 

Ignore it & it will go away. Reward it (by giving attention or letting him out) & it will get worse.

 

General rule of thumb: count to ten silently & slowly while the dog is quiet before giving any attention/eye contact/voice response or opening the crate. Once you get to 10 easily, increase to 20.

 

When you get home, don't go directly to the crate to release every time. Once you get your count to 10 thing working, then make it a habit to take a minute or two to take off your coat, change clothes, etc before releasing. You want to disconnect the dog's association of you entering house to you getting him out. . .

 

Be sure to leave him treats when you put him in the crate. Always reward in the crate -- with a little treat, a Kong stuffed with treats, etc. Feed in the crate. . . Toys stuffed with food objects (kong with frozen peanut butter!!!) are extremely valuable. . .

 

HTH

[texasmama]

Ignore it & it will go away. Reward it (by giving attention or letting him out) & it will get worse.

 

General rule of thumb: count to ten silently & slowly while the dog is quiet before giving any attention/eye contact/voice response or opening the crate. Once you get to 10 easily, increase to 20.

 

When you get home, don't go directly to the crate to release every time. Once you get your count to 10 thing working, then make it a habit to take a minute or two to take off your coat, change clothes, etc before releasing. You want to disconnect the dog's association of you entering house to you getting him out. . .

 

Be sure to leave him treats when you put him in the crate. Always reward in the crate -- with a little treat, a Kong stuffed with treats, etc. Feed in the crate. . . Toys stuffed with food objects (kong with frozen peanut butter!!!) are extremely valuable. . .

 

HTH

 

All of this makes so much sense, but I had not thought of any of it so thank you.:001_smile: And what is a Kong? I picture a large gorilla toy.:D

[BeckyFL]

Oh, and I am very open to suggestions on proper ways to deal with whining or barking when crated.:001_smile: That is driving dh crazy...and he was not ever completely on board with this idea in the first place...

 

Just for thought...

Why start with a dog with problems if dh was never completely on board in the first place? Peace in your house is a terrible thing to give up.

Edited December 6, 2010 by BeckyFL

[jazzyfizzle]

I agree with Astrid, and negative on the Science Diet and pinch collar uhhh.

 

They do need time to adjust to a new setting and family. Sounds like you are seeing improvement already. I do agree that marking can be hard to stop once started, but I think neutering would go most of the way toward probably stopping the humping and marking behaviors. He sounds great otherwise.

I also agree about treating for entering the crate, and offering kongs or chews while in the crate, and not opening the crate or giving attention while he is barking or whining. Open the crate door when he is being quiet so he isn't 'training' you to open the door by whining.

 

ETA- just thought I would add that fixing this crate behavior is a fairly easy fix using that method.

[laundrycrisis]

All of this makes so much sense, but I had not thought of any of it so thank you.:001_smile: And what is a Kong? I picture a large gorilla toy.:D

 

 

http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html

 

It's a very tough rubber chew toy with a place to stuff a treat of some sort - the dogs will really get into chewing it and trying to lick the treat out.

[texasmama]

Thanks for the link to the Kong. Who knew?:tongue_smilie: He just ate a bit and went his last potty for the evening. We just got him today so I expected an adjustment period. I do think I will take him to a vet to have him checked out.

 

Dh is warming to the idea. He likes big dogs, and this is most definitely not one.;) His statement was, "If the kids are happy, I'm happy." And they most definitely are. :001_smile:

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

I agree with Astrid, and negative on the Science Diet and pinch collar uhhh.

 

As for Science Diet, I will admit that it is what we feed our dog. Not by choice though. But since the OP has an allergy-prone family, I'll chime in.

 

We have food allergies, including a few that " don't count" . For example, I am allergic to certain fishes, like anchovies, but I eat fish on a regular basis. Salmon, trout, tilapia do not give me any problem whatsoever. That said, dog food containing fish are giving me problems.

 

The first food the dog was on contained fish. I could handle the food, and not be bothered. But when the dog would lick my hands, it would itch. A lot. Yeah, that dog food contained anchovies. So we switched to another dog food, which contained unnamed fish. I would still itch, but less, from a dog lick. So I went to the pet food store, and asked for food that didn't contain any of our allergens: fish, mustard, eggs, peanuts, nuts, and legumes.

 

Science Diet was the only one we could take. I never thought that fish in dog food would bother me! I'm really not that sensitive to fish.

 

 

ETA: If you go with the Kong, just be aware that most of the treats contain peanut butter, or peanut-based ingredients. Kong does make other treats, but at least over here, they're hard to find. Keep it in mind, in case you have guests with the dreaded peanut allergy.

Edited December 5, 2010 by CleoQc

[texasmama]

We are a gluten free family so it would be best if the dog food doesn't contain gluten. I am open to making his food, as well. I already cook a lot. We don't have any issues with other foods or any anaphylactic allergies, but that is definitely something to consider.

 

He settled down in his crate and remained crated until I got up at almost 8 am. The kids were up and talking to him through the crate door. He didn't pee or poop in his crate and went on the two trees when I took him out. He sniffed and began to lift his leg on a chair but I watch him like a hawk and told him "no" and he stopped. He is eager to please and sseems to like th whole family.:001_smile:

[Twinmom]

If you are looking for a good food, you might try Canidae. We've had really good luck with it...it is definitely high quality hypoallergenic food and our vet is thrilled that we are using it! I'm linking to the basic formula, but check the list. There are all kinds of formulas for different needs...I believe there is a fish-free and a gluten-free version. Lots of choices. It's not much more expensive than what I could get at the pet store, either. I get mine at a dog grooming/boarding place, but I think you can search on distributors or get it on Amazon.

 

http://www.canidae.com/dogs/all_life_stages/dry.html

Edited December 5, 2010 by Twinmom

[scmama]

In my house, we have 2 dogs, a 10 month girl Rottie, and a 2 yr old male Lab. When the boy comes in he does try to mark the house, so we keep an eye on those behaviors and redirect or take him immediately outside. At the age of 2-3 he would be considered a young adult in dog age...like having an older teenager running in your house! LOL! Your dog is in new territory and will mark until he has marked everything HIS so to speak. Getting him fixed will likely cure this behavior. The humping I agree with the other poster who said its to do with dominance. Once he has figured his place in the "pack" this behavior will probably go away. I would see about some kind of training to help you and your family become closer to him, and he will learn also who's in charge during those sessions as well! They can be really helpful. Especially if you are new to having a dog around.

 

As for the food..I recommend anything that you can find that doesn't have corn meal, corn by products, or any other fillers. Dogs do well on a high protein diet. It does well for their coat too! And even though most of the food without fillers is expensive, you have to remember that they won't eat as much of it to get full. So instead of your dog eating 2-4 cups a day, he may only eat a cup in the morning and a cup a night. You really want to be careful what you feed them, and do the research....you will find that dog food has the worse things imaginable in it. Especially the popular dog food found on the grocery store shelves!!!

 

Best of luck with the dog, I hope it all works out. There are many different forums that you can find information to help you out.

[AngieW in Texas]

Taste of the Wild is a grain-free dog food, so there shouldn't be any gluten in it.

 

We feed our golden 1 cup of Royal Canin Golden Retriever formula in the morning and 1 cup of Taste of the Wild at night.

 

http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/

[lmrich]

We had a rescue dog that we were told was a poodle/terrier mix. After a year of horrible hives and allergies, we gave him to a friend. She took him to her groomer and laughed saying this dog is a wheaten terrier. My vet and groomer never said a word about the breed.

 

We got a pure bred mini poodle and while I still break out with hives; it is manageable.

 

Take him to the vet and ask, ask, ask, ask.... I wish I had never put my family through the first experience.

[laundrycrisis]

The California Natural website has all their ingredients posted:

 

http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/default.asp?id=1671

 

The listing for the lamb and rice food is :

 

lamb meal, brown rice, rice, sunflower oil, natural flavors, potassium chloride, vitamins/minerals, taurine, rosemary extract

Edited December 5, 2010 by laundrycrisis

[Catwoman]

Personally, I think he's behaving amazingly well for a dog you've only had for a day. He sounds like a smart little guy, and I think he'll work out fine.

 

Definitely get him neutered ASAP, though.

 

Cat

[texasmama]

Well, we had a good day. He seems to be settling in well. He is less frenetic in his need to follow me everywhere and is choosing at times to sit in his crate. He did mark once. I was right there, told him "no", cleaned it with vinegar and took him right outside, then put him in his crate.

 

He refuses to eat the kibble sent by the shelter. Can't say I blame him. I made chicken, carrot and rice soup for the family and gave him some with a little broth. He ate it all up happily.

 

He didn't poop today. I hope that is okay. He had plenty of outside time so it wasn't lack of opportunity. He ate very little yesterday so I'm thinking that may be why. He did poop yesterday. I will take him out one more time before I go to bed.

 

I got him a little dog toy which he seems to love. I put it in his crate. He plays with it. No humping today at all. His "organ" stayed in all day.:tongue_smilie: I also got him a Kong to put in his crate.

 

I had a little nervous moment when my son started sneezing his head off, but it passed. He has seasonal allergies, too, so unless he starts up again with that, I will assume it is not the dog. His dog reactions are generally fast and BAD. This wasn't like that.

 

He is obviously a smart dog and does want to please us. He is well-behaved with the kids and tolerates them messing with him. My youngest dd was messing with his paws, and he just got up and moved. I have told her not to do this and all of the kids know not to bother him while he eats. He has gotten a couple of stickers in his paws outside and he is ten pounds of wriggling terror to deal with trying to get them out. It was pretty crazy. He didn't bite us, though, even when we hurt him pulling them out.

 

The doggie toy was dh's idea. ;)

[laundrycrisis]

He sounds very sweet.

 

Do not give him any people food with onions in it. Onions are toxic to dogs if they consume a large amount or small amounts regularly, as are avocado (seems to be a case by case thing but safer not to), chocolate, and macadamia nuts. This means no stock that was made with onions.

 

Came back to add - also grapes, raisins, and garlic.

Edited December 6, 2010 by laundrycrisis

[Bird Girl]

If you want to cook for your dog, and people do, you will want to google homemade dog food. There are good ways to do this and not-so-good. You'll find many articles on the web. I feed a grain-free kibble--we get ours from Costco, but it's made by Diamond. Many, many kibbles--including expensive brands like Science Diet--are based on corn, which is very hard for dogs to digest. Canidae is another good brand.

 

I've often recommended Jean Donaldson's The Culture Clash, which is about behaviorist dog training (the click-and-treat method.) But plain-old Dogs for Dummies is also an excellent reference guide. It's nice to have a book on hand for those weird questions that pop up at odd times.

 

He sounds like real gem. Don't worry too much about behaviors that only occur once or twice. If you can train him to fetch a ball and bark on command, he may even win over your husband--nothing is cuter than a little dog doing big dog tricks.

[texasmama]

Thank you all for the help with foods. I have looked at a lot of sites, but none seem conclusive on the exact proportions of protein, starch and veggies. Any recommendations?

 

This morning he ate chicken, rice, carrots, pumpkin puree and a little yogurt.

 

He is settling down and not whining in the crate as much. My son seems okay with him re: allergies. The kids just had him out for a walk and he pooped. Now we will mix dog with homeschooling for the first time today. He will also meet my oldest dd today.

[Bird Girl]

Everyone has their own opinion about protein, fat, and carbs. Generally, if you keep it between 25-30% protein, similar fat, and so on, you'll be fine. It's not rocket science, but it's not good for dogs to eat nothing but diced chicken breast, either, you'll want to include some organ meat and other goodies.

 

I hope your little visitor continues to fit in well!