On your puppy's first day home, give him a complete tour around the house on a loose leash. This is the pup's first introduction to whatever limitations you want to put on his future access to your possessions - your furniture, golf clubs, books, the kids' toy shelves, etc.
This is not the right time for "no." (The puppy might begin to think that "no" is his name!) Instead, use a guttural "Yack!" combined with a very slight tug-and-release of the leash as he sniffs to warn him away from untouchables. He's new at this, but just saying, "Puppy!" in a happy voice may be enough to get him to look at you - "Good dog." Back to happy chatter as you move on.
All you are doing is letting him know by means of prevention (a growl sound he understands) what things he will have to avoid in the future. Let him sniff first because he'll remember the objects more by scent than by sight. He looks up at you and he is praised. Think of it this way: "No!" means "Don't do that!" whereas "Yack!" means "Don't even think of doing it!" Chit-chat is natural and pleasurable to both of you; but in the beginning the puppy will only pick up on his name because everyone uses it in connection with things he finds pleasurable - play, food or praise.
If you use the word "din-din" many times while fixing his meals, that word will stand out in the midst of a five minute speech on nutrition as a clue to the observant pup that he is about to eat. The human-canine teaching language is based on short, simple words that are consistently applied to specific actions.
This first guided tour teaches your puppy the layout of his new home, what it looks like, smells like, even feels like (rugs, carpets, tile, wood) and that some things are off limits even to adorable puppies. There is one more important lesson he is learning from this adventure: that you are his new Leader, the He or She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. If you do not take on this role, the puppy will.
Somebody's got to do it, and he'll fill the vacancy immediately! You may be familiar with the saying, "Lead, follow or get out of my way." Every dog is born knowing it and continues to live by it!
Once the house tour is over, now it's down to specifics. Show Sparky where his water bowl will always be. Let him investigate his crate. Then take him outside (still on leash) to the exact area where you want him to eliminate. Stand there until he does.
(Patience. He's new at this.) Praise quietly as he goes, after which you can make the same kind of tour outside, with warnings about flower or vegetable beds, bushes or plants. Or you may live in a city and by law (and responsible dog ownership) must curb Sparky. Go to the quietest no-parking spot you can find.
If you remain on the sidewalk, he will naturally want to join you, so stand down in the street with him. It will take time, plus your casual, confident attitude, to get him used to the noise, the confusion and the speed and size of trucks and taxis. No outside walking tour at this time. Wait until his immunizations are complete, by which time he will also be more accepting of city life.
Note: If the original trip home from where you picked up Sparky took more than an hour, reverse the two "tours" to let the pup eliminate first.
It would be hard to tell you exactly what you ought to pay for a dog good enough to show and have some fun with. In addition to the fact that prices vary a great deal in the various breeds, and not taking into consideration the actual worth of a dog because of his good or bad points, there are many other things that enter into the price you must pay for a good dog. Here are a few:
1. How many other good dogs has the seller in his kennel? By selling you the only good one, he may be left without anything to show himself, and if he wants to show, the price may go up.
2. How crowded are the seller's facilities? If he is overcrowded, he may be willing to sell at a lower price than usual.
3. Can the owner afford to show? If not, he may sell for less in order to give the dog the opportunity to be shown more frequently.
4. How many other persons are interested? Naturally, if several persons express the desire to buy the same dog, the price of that dog might go up.
There have been show dogs which were sold for $50 and even some which sold at about $7,500 or more. But if you know your breed before you start out to buy, you at least will know what you are getting - and remember, the price paid for a dog is not the most important consideration. I once knew a man who thought his dog should win over another simply because he paid more for his dog than did the owner of the other dog.
Also, let me bring up another point. There is one thing you are going to hear frequently, and if you take my advice you won't pay any attention to it. You'll hear that in order to win at shows you must be rich or at least employ a professional handler. This talk usually comes from the disgruntled or bad loser. It is not true! And if the dog breeder tries to tell you this when selling you dog at an outrageous price, then walk away!
The advice and helpful hints you will find when doing your research will help you to understand the rules of a dog show, will help you to get your dog entered at a show, and into the ring. You will find all types of information as to how to show it to its best advantage, but remember, the quality of the dog itself is up to you. The price you pay for your dog has no bearing on how well he will score at a show.
With your eyes on your dog, glancing up occasionally to see what the judge is doing, be prepared for the judge to call out or point out his placing of the dogs. If he says to you, "first," or "One," or points to you and holds up one finger, go at once to the first-place number marker in the ring. If you are showing a very tiny dog, it would not be harmful to pick him up and carry him to first place.
If you have a large dog and the lead has been removed, put it on him quickly and go to first place. If the judge calls to you "Second," "Third," or "Fourth," or points to you or catches your eye and holds up two, three, or four fingers, go at once to the proper marker.
Now is the time for you to give your dog a great big pat and/or a tidbit. Let him know he has performed to your satisfaction and you are pleased with him. He'll come to look forward to this moment of glory in the ring and will eventually love the applause. At first it may frighten him a bit, so be prepared.
If the judge does not advise you in some fashion that your dog has been placed in the class, leave the ring. If you want to watch what is going on, do so from the outside of the ring.
If you are not placed, you remain in the ring only if the judge specifically asks you to or if you are entered in the next class with the same dog, and then you should go to the side of the ring and wait until the dogs who have been placed in this class leave the ring.
Let us assume, however, that your dog has placed in his class. If the judge has gone to his table to mark his book, or if he has his book in his hands and is writing in it, just be sure that he can see your arm band. The band may have slipped around so that the number is not visible. Make it as easy as you can for the judge to see the number.
Before marking his book, however, if the judge should hesitate or take another look at the dogs, which are now standing in front of the numbers one, two, three, and four, be sure to keep your dog in a show pose.
If the judge hesitates, it may mean that he has not completely made up his mind and he may change the placings. Once he writes down his placings in his book, he will not change them, but a class is not considered judged until it has been written down by the judge. If he hesitates and you are standing in front of the Number One spot with your dog in a sloppy or poor position, and the Number Two dog is looking his very best, that dog may catch the judge's eye.
He may change his mind, changing you from first place to second and the second-place dog to first. If you were in fourth place and the third dog at this moment looked inferior, the judge might decide that he liked your dog better and move you up to third place before marking his book.
There will be many occasions when you will need your Pit Bull to stay in one place for more than 30 seconds at a time. It is easy for him to get impatient after a while on a sit and stand position. Teaching him the “down” command can come in really handy for this type of situation.
Begin teaching “down” by getting your dog in a sitting position. Say “down” while showing him a treat. Move the treat below his nose and toward the ground. Give it to him as soon as he reaches down to get it. Go over the process again, this time requiring him to reach farther down without lifting his rear from the ground, until he eventually lowers his elbows to the ground. Never try to force him into the down position. Doing so can scare a submissive dog and cause a dominant dog to resist. As soon as he is familiar with the “down” command, practice “down-stay” the same way as “sit-stay.”
Walking on-leash is probably the exercise that your Pit Bull does most often. In this case, teaching him to walk right beside you should be fairly easy. But if walking on-leash is new to him, he will more likely resist the leash or freeze in his tracks once he realizes that his freedom is being restricted. If your dog is not used to walking on leash, do not try to drag her along. You have to coax your dog a few steps at a time with food. Reward and praise him as he follows you. This helps him realize that following you while walking on-leash is a good experience.
When he gets used to walking alongside you, he is ready for his next step. Teaching your Pit Bull the command “heel” creates for a more enjoyable and relaxing walk with him by not having the pull the leash. It is also a way of letting your dog know that it is your turn to lead the walk.
Having your dog heel means making him walk on your left side with his shoulder even with your knee. Lining up your feet and your dog’s front paws is also ideal. Say his name followed by “heel,” then step off with your left foot first and keep on walking. During the few practices, stay on a short lead, hold him in the heel position, and continue with the praise.
If your dog still tries to walk ahead of you after showing him what he is supposed to do, gently pull him back to position with a quick light tug and then take the lead. As you progress with the training, try walking at different speeds and turning right and left to your walks. Practice in different locations and around different distractions.
Animal Fats: While most animal fats contain just as many calories as vegetable oils, only two contain essential fatty acids in amounts sufficient to supply a dog's needs. These are the fat of the pig, commonly called lard, and horse fat.
The tallow of beef and mutton should never be used as the sole source of energy for a dog because of their low content of essential fatty acids. Animal fats contain about 126 calories in every tablespoonful.
Cereal grains: One of the major sources of carbohydrates, both for dogs and man, is the cereal grains. The useful carbohydrate in these grains is predominantly starch. Starch can also be purchased in pure form, and contains about 29 calories per tablespoon, or about 464 calories per cup.
Other sources of carbohydrate energy from cereal grains can be obtained from dry and cooked breakfast cereals, boiled rice, hominy grits, corn meal, and in the milled form, such as flour. Cereal grain products should never constitute more than about 50 percent of the dry matter of a dog's diet.
Potatoes: Except for the fact that potatoes have more water in them, the amount of carbohydrates in potatoes is almost the same as in the cereal grains. Potatoes can be used interchangeably with those cereals that are fed in the boiled state. Like cereals, potatoes should never constitute more than 50 percent of the dry matter of the diet.
Bread: As a source of carbohydrates in a diet, white or whole wheat bread ranks among the better ''natural'' foods available to a dog feeder. It usually is fortified with vitamins and minerals, is palatable to most dogs, and is always available and inexpensive. Some dog owners who feed their pets natural ingredients insist that bread should be toasted before being fed to a dog.
While such a practice makes the slices easier to crumble and mix with the rest of the diet, the starches in bread have already been subjected to cooking and about all toasting does is to enhance the texture of the bread.
Specialty flour products: A carbohydrate source frequently overlooked by a dog owner is the specialty product made from flour noodles, macaroni, and spaghetti. These have an energy content comparable to other cereal grain products.
And, like rice and hot cereals, they have the advantage of being able to be added dry to a food, then being cooked after the water has been added. This gives the capability of mixing a large amount of dry food at one time, then adding water and cooking small amounts as it is needed.
