..... cause so much pain and frustration. I have to say when we brought Hannah home from the breeder I was not at all prepared for her ENERGY and SHARP teeth! I had bruises all over my body, from the top of my head to my little toe. At one point I even uttered the words with tears running down my face, "LETS TAKE HER BACK!" I enjoy my sleep...one could even say that I need more sleep than the average adult and sleep deprivation is not kind to me (or those around me) and I become less than patient without 8+ hours of precious sleep. Luckily for me I have a very understanding and helpful husband. Together we got through the sleepless nights (taking turns getting up for 2 am potty trips),  signed us up for several training classes and read a lot of books to get the guidance and tools we needed to raise a wonderful...all be it stubborn and with a case of separation anxiety...Hannah turned out to be a loving, sweet, dependable and forever faithful Great Dane that we will always hold close to our hearts.

NOW I KNOW:
The must haves are....
Rules, boundaries and limitations…..Puppy proof the house, 2 crates (one in our bedroom and one in the living area)  x-pen (playpen for a dog), martingale collar (so the dog can’t slip out of it), 6 foot leather leash, toys, bones, Kongs,  and a SCHEDULE, just like a child, dogs need a schedule. The schedule helps with potty training and also makes sure the humans balance the time they spend interacting with the puppy and the other parts of their life. IF the puppy is out of the crate or x-pen an adult needs to be watching to make sure the puppy makes good choices and gets plenty of exercise.  IMO…6 keys to raising a dog that everyone enjoys- Prevention, Timing, Rewards, Exercise, Patience and LOVE.

Boy, do I wish I would have learned this BEFORE we brought Hannah home.

Long before the internet had all of the information it has today on the best way to insure you bring home a puppy that has the best chance at a balanced, happy, healthy life....we had the classified news paper ads. YEP, you go it our first Dane was from an ad in the local news paper. Hannah was AKC registered but not a health certified or champion Dane on the photo copied pedigrees in the first 3 generations...but there was several generations back and the breeders was sure to highlight and underline that information like it was a real plus. But, as you can see in the picture above Hannah turned out to be a beautiful companion that we spayed at 6 months and enjoyed tremendously until the day we had to say goodbye. In upcoming posts I will tell YOU what I wish SOMEONE would have told me before bringing Hannah home. I always say, "If I knew what I should be asking I would..." the problem is we often don't know what we don't know and ignorance is not always bliss.

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When you bring your first dog into your home you do so because you absolutely love your new dog! Period. Whether you bought your dog from the person outside the grocery store with a box of puppies, from the family down the street that had a litter, the shelter, a BYB, a pet store, a puppy mill or a reputable breeder.... you love that dog just the same. You want the very best for your dog! In this blog I am going to attempt to share with you what I have learned over the past couple of decades that might be of interested and maybe even some help to those that share their lives (or plan to) with a dog.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts with antics, stories, advice, training tips, and my favorite things.....