Looking for your dream pup? Gooddog.com can help!

A lot of people ask me where we got Pax and why we picked our specific breeder. I researcher 25+ breeders. NO JOKE. There were very important qualities we looked for such as, how they handled the puppies, how many litters the moms were having, the breeding style, and the breeders personality in general. We had a wonderful experience and will be getting another dog from them in the future.

I’m a research nut and searched high & low for our breeder! Using a platform to help me connect to these breeders would have been super helpful! A website called, gooddog.com, can help dog parents do just that! Whether you are getting a doggo from breeders, shelters, or rescues this website can guide you. The Good Dog team and I recently connected about their new initiative and I thought it was such a good ideaI figured it would be helpful for everyone to learn a bit more! Below is more information about what they do and how they can help you find your new best friend! Take a look!

Gooddog.com

by Kaylin Marcotte

Good Dog is a new organization that helps people find the dogs of their dreams from responsible breeders, shelters and rescues.

Good Dog's mission is to help educate well-intentioned potential dog parents on responsible practices and connect them with good sources to put the bad actors out of business. Well-intentioned prospective dog parents often simply don’t know enough about what to look for and unfortunately end up inadvertently getting their dogs from irresponsible sources, like puppy mills. This not only harms dogs by fueling the broken system, but often results in complications for dog parents such as unexpected health or behavioral issues. Good Dog has pre-screened every member of their community so you can find a dog with peace-of-mind.

Good Dog also makes the process simple and convenient. They have a learning center with answers to questions like are you ready for a dog, how to work with a breeder or shelter, how to get your puppy home, and more. You can browse breeders and see the health tests, enrichment and socialization that they provide for each puppy, then apply directly all in one place.

All dogs deserve happy beginnings and forever homes. Good Dog shines a light on responsible practices and highlights vetted, ethical shelters, rescues and breeders to make it simple to find a dog responsibly.

To learn more:

Follow their campaign by checking out their instagram @gooddog & their website www.gooddog.com!

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Guest Article: Picking the right breed for your family!

I get this question all the time… “How do I know what type of dog is best for me?” We choose a F1 mini Goldendoodle for many reasons. First, I’m allergic to dogs…so strange since I grew up with them but as I aged I became allergic to them. Second, my husband and I want to grow our family in the next couple years and we know that Goldendoodles are great with children. Third, they don’t shed. Fourth, their temperament in general was just a disposition we wanted to be around all the time (we both love golden retrievers!). There are many many many other reasons why we decided on a mini Goldendoodle and I’d be happy to share- feel free to email me if you have questions about getting a fur baby!

I was so excited when Jessica from ourbestfriends.pet organization wanted to do a guest blog article on picking the right breed for your family. Getting a dog is a big decision and Jessica gives some great tips! Take a look below and make sure check out their website!

A Humane and Responsible Decision: Choosing the Right Breed for Your Family

by: Jessica Brody

The relationship between a pet and its owner can be a mutually rewarding and long-lasting one if you find  the right animal and breed for your family and lifestyle. A number of factors go into making that decision, one that should be taken seriously and with an objective consideration of the facts. It isn’t a cookie-cutter choice; there’s no one-size-fits-all pet. They each have their own requirements and temperaments, and some may be more suitable for you than others. There are many cases of people who have made hasty decisions and had to return a pet to the local Humane Societyor some other animal shelter. That’s bad news for the animal, who may not get another chance at being chosen. 

Physical suitability

An honest assessment of your square footage, inside and out, should play a big role in your decision. If you’re living in a two-bedroom apartment, it’s unfair to bring home a great dane or a mastiff, even if your landlord allows dogs. A small or medium-sized dog, like a beagle, would probably be a better fit, or perhaps a cat. Many people like having a big dog roaming the property to ward off intruders, which can work as long as your yard is big enough to allow him to stretch his legs and enjoy some playtime. 

For convenience, consider installing a dog door to make it easy for your pooch to get in and out and an automatic feederto help him stay on a regular feeding schedule. Remember that a large pet needs a comfortable place to sleep with enough room to spread out instead of in a cubby hole that forces him to seek room alongside you in bed. 

Kids

It’s essential to consider the impact a pet will have on your children. Think twice before bringing home a large breedof dog, such as a pit bull, rottweiler or chow chow, which are active and powerful breeds that can turn aggressive suddenly and unexpectedly. It’s unfair to the animal, who might have to be put down after an attack, and you could scar a child psychologically as well as physically. 

Avoid aggressive breeds if your children are very young and apt to pull Fido’s tail just for the fun of it. A cat can be a safer alternative, though it may be necessary to have it declawed(be aware that many animal societies recommend against this, and many vets won’t perform the procedure unless it’s medically necessary). Don’t forget to consider allergies, which will be exacerbated by pet hair and dander. 

Unless you settle on a fish, be prepared to deal with hair on the furniture, on the carpet and in the corners and in air ducts. The hairier your pet, the more you’ll need a top-notch vacuum cleanerwith plenty of attachments for reaching into tight spots, and under chairs and tables. If yours isn’t up to the challenge, do some online research to find the best option for maintaining a clean home. 

Your schedule

How much time you can realistically expect to spend with a pet is another important factor and should be taken seriously. People with very busy lives and serious responsibilities at work that keep them away from home for long periods aren’t the best candidates for owning an animal that needs and craves love and attention. This is especially true of dogs, which are highly sociable animals. Here again, a cat can be a good option, but remember that cats require attentionas well and certainly won’t thrive in a neglectful living environment. 

Acclimatization

Dogs and cats are creatures of habit, and a change of living environment can be an unsettling experience. Take care to make your new pet’s arrival as smooth as possible. Set up a space just for him, in a quiet spot in a part of your home that’s not as heavily trafficked as others. Be prepared to spend time with your new family member in the beginning to help him make the transition, especially if you’ve brought home a rescue petwho’s been subjected to abuse. 

It’s important to be realistic about providing care for the pet you choose. It’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll be spending hours every day with a pet, but you don’t want to bring an animal into a situation of benign neglect, no matter how unintentional. Use common sense and make a humane decision.

Courtesy of Pixabay.com.       

Link: http://www.ourbestfriends.pet

Puppy pals!

Watching your pup play with another pup is a proud parent moment. The first place to learn about compatible playmates is at puppy kindergarten. When you take your puppy to a safe place like that, you learn about what is aggressive play and what is just playful roughhousing. This is very important for when you take your pup out to the dog park or in real life experiences because then you know how to react when it’s happening. Once he felt comfortable playing in settings like kindergarten (took a few weeks for him to settle in completely) he started playing with lots of puppies both his size and a little smaller. It was apparent who was a good fit for him because he didn’t want to stop playing around. His tail would be wagging, and they would take breaks when they needed to. Many parents get nervous when dogs are vocal (barking, whining, making sounds) while they are playing and the majority of the time this is nothing to worry about. Pax does not bark unless he’s amped up or a little frustrated! It is also important to interact with the owner. If an owner is not paying attention to their dog or doesn’t seem to care what their dog does really and that is opposite of you the match might not be as good as you’d hope. Dogs take after their owner’s personality, demeanor, and emotions so if you are a chill, go with the flow, and patient owner your dog will respond very much in those ways as well. Puppies play great together especially if they are of similar age. It is fascinating to watch nonverbal communication between two dogs because they instantly know if they want to play together or not. Puppies can smell each other out from a mile away! They play almost the same and can typically be a great match as older dogs may be annoyed with the puppy energy and playfulness. However, older and more prominent dogs may also be compatible matches for your dog. Just notice how they interact, is the bigger dog laying on it’s back letting your pup jump all over him? Is the other dog wagging its tail and posing in a down dog fashion? Those movements are signs that the dog wants to play and does not view the other dog as a threat.