Raising Your New Best Friend
Tips on Training and Raising Puppies:
I highly recommend that all new owners download this checklist to help them prepare for their pets.
The Puppy's Rule of 12, by Margaret Hughes, gives some good rules of thumb.
The book that I especially like for do-it-yourself dog training is The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. It should be available through the library or at any good bookstore. I've read and used a dozen books, but this one shines above the rest. Also by the same authors is the title How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend.
I highly recommend that all dog owners register and microchip their animals. in addition to microchipping, you may wish to enroll your dog in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery
Nutrition
I feed dry food, and Innova is the brand I use. Other quality dog foods I like are Royal Canin, Wellness and Evo, which is grain-free and prepared at below 120 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a nearly raw kibble. For for those whose only option is buying from a grocery store, I have been advised that Purina One is the same exact formula as Purina Pro Plan.
I am currently following the advice of Pat Hastings, who has been employed by a major dog food company and is an expert on puppy nutrition. She recommends that puppies be fed adult food to assure that their bones don't outgrow their tissue and cause deformation. Here's a photo of what the bad growth looks like before and after one week on adult food. This type of thing can be fixed in a week if caught when the puppies are young. According to Pat, puppy food is fine for adult dogs that need to gain weight, but not for puppies, especially those younger than 4 months of age who are developing at a rapid rate.
The decision to feed dry food vs. raw food or whole food is a choice each pet owner needs to make for themselves.
The Holistic Pet Center in Clackamas, Oregon is a wonderful resource for high-quality, healthy food and products for your canine companion.
Showing:
New owners may wish to consider showing their dog in one of the following AKC areas: Conformation, Agility, Rally, Obedience, Tracking, and Field work. One of Minute's puppies from the 2005 litter, Cadbury's "The Garbo Mystique," recently won her championship on the show circuit.
Those interested in showing, but without the stress of the AKC may wish to consider the International All-Breed Canine Association
Service:
I’ve worked with both Minute and Greta as therapy animals, in settings with seniors and children. Cadbury poodles have such wonderful temperaments and this makes them great candidates for both therapy and service dogs. I have a great interest in providing quality therapy and service dogs to those who have allergies and/or who require a dog that has its retrieving instinct, is reasonably tall in stature, but light on its feet with an intuitive nature.
I have watched children with autism and Asperger's syndrome in particular, make social leaps with the aid/love of a good dog. Kids with Asperger's can often focus on the dog, rather than the environment, and make conversation with people rather than be overwhelmed. The autistic children may step out of themselves a bit more to make contact with the animal.
All of us can benefit from a loving companion! However, for those with special needs, a canine companion can bring immeasurable amounts of hope and joy. To those who work with others requiring special nurturing, who are ill, or dying, a soft warm animal friend can provide the soothing touch these loved ones need to get where they need to go, physically or emotionally.