# adopting a puppy



## littlemissmom (Feb 11, 2008)

I am in the process of adopting a puppy from my local SPCA. The litter of 5 were brought in when they were 6 weeks old, my husband, daughter and I went and picked one out but I asked them to keep her with the rest of the litter until she is 8 weeks old (that way she would learn pack order, bite inhibition, etc) they agreed and are actually keeping the whole litter together now until they are 8 weeks. The owner said that the father was a yellow lab and the mother was an australian shepherd, but the spca thinks they are lab/catahoula leopard dog. I have done tons of research on all three and regardless of what the mother was we still want the pup. However, I am on a mission to find out! One female and one male are light blonde with white paws and a white stripe of their foreheads, two males are the blue/black merle and the last female (ours) is black/brown and white tri colored. They don't have webbed feet like the catahoula and they don't have the bobbed tail like the aussie. Does anybody know any very distinguishing traits of either dog that could help me figure this out. I would like to know because the two are different when it comes to training methods and adult size. I get her at the end of this week.
If you go to petfinder.com put dog, catahoula leopard dog, baby, location AB and look at the litter of five at BAPS (Brooks Animal Protection Society).
Thank you.


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## Dogsareme (Mar 1, 2007)

A littler of puppies can be the result of multiple fathers. There is a good possibility this may be such a case. Maybe some are catahola, and the others are aussie?? 

Either way, training is really not that different. All dogs should be trained using positive training methods either in the form of clicker training, targeting, shaping, capturing or luring. I do not really like the molding, but sometimes nessessary depending. Positive training helps to form an ever lasting bond of respect and trust with your dog. Yes some dogs are more active and need a job, but both those breeds of dogs (not to mention the lab)are extremely active and need jobs. If you read something about one breed being more dominate and needing a firm hand...well all a firm hand usually means is consistency. All dogs need it or they will try and push limits. I know with my Akita that is what they say(the books, information, not a first time owner breed)and I don't find him any different then my other dog - now dogs(he was only my second dog...following a Shih Tzu....lol). But I have always been very firm and consistent, sure he has tried to get away with things but I make it clear and it doesn't happen. 

Either breed it may be, rest easy. As you discover who your dog is and learn about her personality you will find out what training method works best for you.


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## littlemissmom (Feb 11, 2008)

I thought only cats could have multiple fathers
I would just like to know for myself. I know that sounds silly considering I am adopting a crossbreed, but even the two dogs I have now, I am constantly looking up more and different breed info and I have had them for almost three years! I just like to know all that I possibly can about my dogs (aside from their own crazy personalities!)
Dogsareme, what are targeting, shaping, capturing or luring training methods. I have used clicker and it always worked I never needed anything else, but for the new pup I may need something different.


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## Dogsareme (Mar 1, 2007)

littlemissmom said:


> Dogsareme, what are targeting, shaping, capturing or luring training methods. I have used clicker and it always worked I never needed anything else, but for the new pup I may need something different.



It's great to have a whole tool box of training methods depending on what you are trying to teach or do  
Targeting is quiet interesting. You teach your dog to touch a stick (called a target stick) or you hand with his nose on command. From there you can teach your dog to open and close doors or cupboards, press door bells and so on. 
Captruing is where you just catch your dog in the act. It's slower, but for the lazy man it works. You see your dog lay down, you click and reward. You see your dog sit, you click and reward. Your dog patiently waits for something without you asking... you want to keep that behavior up so you click and reward. Basically catching behavior you are not asking for in the act.

Shaping is a little bit more difficult and mostly for those with A LOT of patience. Shaping is trying to teach your dog a trick and rewarding for the smallest behaviors leading to doing that trick and then upping the criteria with no outside input or influence from you. Lets say you wanted to teach your dog to carry the news paper. You would start by clicking your dog for just noticing the news paper...but maybe your dog does not even notice it...and you can't just point to it....so you have to click your dog for turning in the direction of it or walking by it. Once he starts understand what he is doing then you can up the criteria to waiting for him to look at it or being closer to it. But you cannot force the newspaper in his face. Shaping is all about free thinking on the dogs part. It helps your dog to learn to solve problems. Sometimes they get to smart for there own good with this one.

And luring, I am sure you are already doing this  Luring is just placing a treat in your hand and enticing your dog to follow the hand movement into the desired position. Luring is usually used for Sit, Down, Stay, etc  

Shaping is probably the funnest thing to do once your dog masters the first one or two shaping lessons....they are the most frusterating... after these it's like a light bulb comes on in there head and they understand what to do for the next shaping lesson.


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## littlemissmom (Feb 11, 2008)

Well I got the puppy today and I don't even care what she is, she is so cute, my little one year old loves her, my chihuahua is terrified of her (which is funny because my chi is aggressive and thinks she is boss)! My dachshund is mad-she is on kennel bed rest as she has degenerative disc disease and is partially paralysed right now so she is a little upset. But this dog is so smart, I took her out of her kennel and took her outside, she peed after only a few seconds, then later when she pooped and I missed it, she did it right beside the door where I took her to pee! She is responding to "out" "come" and her name "Koba", after only a few hours. So whatever the breed she is crazy smart!!


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## Dog5 (Jan 13, 2008)

Just in case you still want to satisfy your curiosity about your pup's heritage, there are dna tests available. There's the link to one below. I don't claim to know how accurate they are - I've never tried it - but it sounds interesting!

Congratulations on your family addition!!! 



http://www.inthecompanyofdogs.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=D74090


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