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GETTING A DOG

WHEN I WAS in my thirties, I dreamed of getting a dog. At the time I wasn’t home enough to care for a dog properly, so I dreamed of the dog I would get when my lifestyle changed. We would take long walks together through the countryside, and then I’d curl up on the settee with my dog and a good book.

I decided early on that my ideal dog would be like Diefenbaker in the TV show Due South, which was popular in the UK where I was living. On TV, Dief was a beautiful half-wolf, half-sled-dog who was loyal, independent, and deaf (or maybe only when he didn’t want to hear?). Over the years, Diefenbaker was played by six different Siberian Huskies. I did some research on the breed: “Not for first-time dog owners,” I kept reading, “escape artists,” “independent,” and “difficult.” Not to mention the shedding. Although some of this information was off-putting, I figured I could cope.

Of course, I didn’t get Diefenbaker; he only existed on TV. I was incredibly lucky to get Ghost instead. And I was not unusual in being influenced by TV and in thinking so much about the dog’s appearance rather than other factors. It turns out many people are like this—and unfortunately this is often to the detriment of dogs. What I know now is that if we want a happy dog, there are many factors to take into account when choosing what kind of dog and where to get them. But many people are influenced by biology or fashion.

BIOLOGY AND LOVING DOGS

WE KNOW DOGS are the descendants of wolves, but in the process of domestication they have changed in appearance. Now, whatever your preference for looks, there is a breed to fit (even if the original purpose of the breed was for work). Some of the physical features of dogs are puppy-like rather than wolf-like, which may tap into our natural desire to help baby-like creatures. Is it just an accident that dogs evolved these different features, and does it affect the way we feel about them?

The Russian fox experiment is a pioneering experiment into the process of domestication that began in what was then the Soviet Union and continues today.¹ Geneticist Dmitri Belyaev had an idea that selecting animals for tameness would also lead to hormonal and other changes. He began a program to breed silver foxes. Only the tamest of each generation were selected for breeding, and crucially, nothing else was changed, so this was a test purely of genetics and not of handling or other factors. A second line of foxes was bred by choosing the most aggressive animals. During the first seven or eight months until they reached sexual maturity, the foxes were tested to see how they responded to the experimenters. Then, a choice was made as to which ones would be bred for the next generation.

Over time, as the foxes became more tame, other changes also happened. Prof. Lee Dugatkin, evolutionary biologist and co-author with Lyudmila Trut of a book about the study, How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution, told me about the changes: “The only thing [the scientists] ever do to determine who is going to be the parents of the next generation in the experiment is test them on their behavior towards humans. That’s it, that’s the only thing they ever select on. But what’s happened over the generations is that lots of other changes have occurred besides getting calmer and tamer animals. Early on, for example, some of the first changes were that the animals had curlier, bushier tails, the sort of tails that you imagine when you think of a dog wagging their tail because they’re excited to see you. Some of the animals began to show droopier, floppier ears. In addition, they began to see a much more mutt-like kind of mottled fur color.” There were also differences in stress hormones that showed the foxes were less stressed.

It is possible that some of the features we see in dogs are also by-products of domestication. However, another possibility is that along the way, we have sometimes selected for some of these features. To test this idea, scientists looked at one of the baby-like features in many dogs, the eyes. The study, published in PLOS ONE, looked at a facial expression by which dogs raise the inside of the eyebrow, making the eyes look bigger.² The researchers enlisted the help of four dog rehoming centers, and filmed the dogs for two minutes with an experimenter standing by the kennel. They counted how many times the dogs made this expression during that time. Then they waited to see how long it took for the dogs to be adopted. The results showed that dogs who made this eyebrow movement five times within the two-minute period were adopted in fifty days, compared with thirty-five days if they did it ten times, and twenty-eight days if they did it fifteen times. It seems the baby-like eyebrow movement results in people being more drawn to those dogs. This was the first time scientists demonstrated a link between the baby-like features of a dog and people’s active selection of a dog.

HOW FASHION AFFECTS THE DOGS WE CHOOSE

BIOLOGY IS ONLY part of the story. Fashion affects breed popularity too. Featuring a particular breed of dog in the movies can increase its popularity for up to ten years afterward, according to a study in PLOS ONE that looked at dog-related movies from 1927 to 2004 and corresponding Kennel Club registrations.³ The release of films such as 101 Dalmatians and The Shaggy Dog were followed by huge increases in the popularity of Dalmatians and Old English Sheepdogs, respectively. And the “movie effect” still holds even if the breed had been decreasing in general popularity before the film was released.

A review of dog breed registrations from 1926 to 2005, published in PLOS ONE, found the popularity of a breed is not affected by the breed’s health, a longer lifespan, or better behavior (such as trainability, fearfulness, or aggression).⁴ In other words, pet-keeping does not just have a biological explanation but is also socially mediated, according to a study in Animal Behavior and Cognition.⁵ Just appearing in the media does not guarantee a breed’s popularity, however. For example, winning Best in Show at the prestigious and televised Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show does not usually have an effect, as reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.⁶

Dr. Hal Herzog is a professor emeritus of psychology and author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight about Animals who has spent over three decades investigating our interactions with animals, and who was involved in this research on the popularity of dog breeds. He told me this research had a profound effect on his own views about the role of biology versus culture. “For many, many years I’ve considered myself an evolutionary psychologist and I still do, but I really strongly believed that most of our behavior was determined by biological factors that shaped the minds of our ancestors. And I no longer believe that. And the real key to changing my mind on that is I studied how people choose breeds of dogs for pets. And what I realized is that the role of culture was really much more important than I had realized.”

Trends in dog choices are not necessarily good for dogs, as with the increased popularity of dogs with squashed faces, called brachycephalic features, such as French Bulldogs.⁷ Brachycephalic dogs can suffer medical problems including respiratory, eye, and skin issues as a result of their looks. Several of these breeds (French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, and Pugs) are amongst the most popular breeds in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom (see table).

The most popular dog breeds in the USA, Canada, and the UK in 2018

	USA	CANADA	UK
1	Retriever (Labrador)	Labrador Retriever	French Bulldog
2	German Shepherd Dog	German Shepherd Dog	Retriever (Labrador)
3	Retriever (Golden)	Golden Retriever	Spaniel (Cocker)
4	French Bulldog	Poodle	Bulldog
5	Bulldog	French Bulldog	Spaniel (English Springer)
6	Beagle	Havanese	Pug
7	Poodle	Shetland Sheepdog	Retriever (Golden)
8	Rottweiler	Australian Shepherd	German Shepherd Dog
9	Pointer (German Short-Haired)	Bernese Mountain Dog	Dachshund (Miniature Smooth-haired)
10	Yorkshire Terrier	Portuguese Water Dog	Miniature Schnauzer

Source: Information from the American Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club, and Kennel Club.⁸

Dr. Jessica Hekman, a veterinarian who studies the role of genetics and the environment on dog personality at Darwin’s Ark, recommends breed clubs support outcrossing projects. Instead of breeding dogs that are related to each other, outcrossing means mating two completely unrelated dogs (that is, ones that have no relations within a four-generation pedigree). This can bring in new variants of genes that will improve the health of the breed and help prevent problems due to inbreeding.

“WE CAN MAKE the world better for dogs by making dogs who fit into the world better. I would love to see dog owners draw a line in the sand and insist on dogs with muzzles long enough to let them breathe normally, or dogs who are not born with a 60 percent chance of developing cancer at some point in their lives due to their breed, or dogs whose heads are not too big for them to be born without a C-section. I’d love to see more breeders taking matters into their own hands and starting to experiment with how we breed dogs instead of continuing to use dogs from within breeds lacking in genetic diversity. I’d love to see more breed clubs supporting outcrossing projects to bring an influx of genetic diversity and healthy alleles into their breed. I’d love more dog lovers to become aware of the problems with how we breed dogs—how even the most responsible breeders breed dogs! This year, it is time for change.”

—JESSICA HEKMAN, DVM, PhD, postdoctoral associate at the Karlsson Lab, MIT, and writer at The Dog Zombie blog

ANIMAL WELFARE AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

NO ONE WANTS to see Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs disappear; they are lovely breeds with great personalities. But they should not have to suffer for their looks, and something needs to be done to improve the health of these breeds. Getting a dog is often a spur-of-the-moment decision and so people do not consider health. Research published in PLOS ONE looked at how the health of a breed plays into people’s decisions to get a dog.⁹ Four breeds took part in the study. Cairn Terriers were chosen because they are generally healthy, French Bulldogs and Chihuahuas because they tend to have health problems related to how they look, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels because they tend to have health problems not related to how they look.

A survey of owners of these breeds found some of the problems were quite severe. For example, 29 percent of the French Bulldogs had had a sudden illness or injury in the previous year, and 33 percent of the Chihuahuas had had dental problems.

So why do people choose to get these kinds of dogs? Twelve percent of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owners and 28 percent of Chihuahua owners said, “There wasn’t really any planning” in the decision to get a dog. The personality of the dog, its appearance, breed attributes, and convenience were all factors given as part of people’s decision. Owners of French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels often chose those breeds because of the dog’s perceived cuteness, baby-like features, and fashion. In addition, people who were motivated by the distinctive appearance of the breed and by breed attributes were very attached to their dog. These results show people are not really taking the health of the breed into account. The scientists think this is because the emotional connection people have with a dog as a result of the looks can make a breed feel irresistible.

“CURRENTLY, dogs are bred to meet human ideas of cuteness, with flattened noses, bulgy eyes, short legs . . . Often these physical features cause ill health and suffering, such as the difficulties brachycephalic dogs have with breathing (who doesn’t know a snorting, snuffling Bulldog?), with many other examples too. Meanwhile pedigree dogs are also, by definition, inbred from a small pool of animals of the same breed, and this directly causes an increased incidence in some illnesses (such as cancer in Flat Coated Retrievers). If humans stopped worrying so much about the cute appearance and ‘breed pureness’ of puppies, the resulting canine population would be healthier, and the dogs would be happier too.”

— PETE WEDDERBURN, BVM&S, CertVR, MRCVS, veterinarian, newspaper columnist, and author of Pet Subjects: Animal Tales from the Telegraph’s Resident Vet

Dr. Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College in the UK has studied people’s perceptions of brachycephalic breeds and the reasons why people choose these or other breeds of dog. In one study, she found that although many owners of brachycephalic breeds report their dogs wheezing, snorting, and snoring, more than half said their dog did not have breathing difficulties, which suggests people think these behaviors are “normal for the breed” (and also that some dogs are not getting needed veterinary treatment for these issues).¹⁰ In subsequent research, she found that the kind of person who gets a brachycephalic breed is more likely to be a first-time dog owner than those who choose other breeds.¹¹ As well, those who chose a brachycephalic dog were more likely than those who picked other breeds to have used a puppy-selling website, and less likely to have seen the puppy’s mom or asked about health checks.

“What came out of this analysis,” said Packer, “is that owners of brachycephalic dogs were putting appearance as their number 1 influence as to why they were drawn to those animals. And I guess the concerning thing from a welfare point of view is that they were putting their dogs—that breed’s health or that breed’s longevity—as a lower priority.”

“It was still a relatively low amount of people that said that they regretted their decision.” What is interesting, said Packer, is that “A lot of people can’t separate out the love of their individual animals from the behaviors that went into buying them. And I think we see that a lot with animals with chronic disease, that owners will say they would do it again and don’t regret it despite the fact the animal is very poorly, because they love their pet.” If they did have problems, they were likely to blame the breeder.

I asked Packer what people should do if they have a brachycephalic breed. She said, “If they already own one of those breeds, I think it would be a case of them being incredibly vigilant and making sure that they’re not blinkering themselves with what issues those dogs might have. There’s much better information out there online now in terms of what different health issues afflict different breeds.” She also suggested taking any issues to a vet if you’re not sure and getting independent veterinary advice. “The earlier a lot of them are diagnosed, the better the prognosis for any intervention,” she said.

The bottom line is that anyone thinking of getting a particular breed of dog needs to specifically research whether there are health problems associated with that breed and if there are genetic tests the breeder should have done. The Institute of Canine Biology maintains a list of genetic databases on its website. As well, organizations such as the ASPCA describe the costs associated with owning different sizes of dogs (small, medium, or large).

Another thing to consider is whether it’s the right time for you to be getting a dog. Do you have the time and energy to devote to a new dog? How do you think any existing pets will respond to a new arrival? Do you have any big lifestyle changes coming up that might affect your ability to care for a pet? For example, if you know you will be moving house, it’s better to wait until you are settled so that a new dog won’t have any extra disruption.

You should also think about the energy requirements of the dog, to find one who will match your lifestyle. And think about the dog’s coat, because some will cover your clothes and furniture with dog hair and need lots of brushing and clipping, and others will require very little grooming. You may also need to think about allergies, which is tricky because you won’t really know until the dog comes home. Better to get a pet you know with certainty no one is allergic to.

To make a good decision about a puppy, you also need to think about socialization.

ALL ABOUT PUPPIES: SOCIALIZATION IS KEY

THE PERIOD BETWEEN 3 and about 12 to 14 weeks is arguably the most important of a dog’s life. This is the sensitive period for socialization, although there is some uncertainty as to the exact time when it ends (see table for the life stages of young dogs).¹² This is when puppies’ brains are especially receptive to learning about the kind of social world they will live in as they get older. During this time they will also habituate to, or get used to, anything they might meet in later life (different sounds, surfaces, etc.). This is an important time in brain development, when the brain is very plastic and making lots and lots of new connections, some of which will be pruned out later.

The idea of a sensitive period sometimes surprises people, so it’s useful to know other animals have sensitive periods too. In kittens, the sensitive period for socialization is between 2 and 7 weeks. This is typically before a kitten comes to live in your home, showing how important it is to get kittens from someone who will have socialized them. Children also have sensitive periods for development, during which important brain development occurs in response to the child’s environment. These early life experiences provide the scaffolding for future development. If babies have lots of positive experiences with adults, very little stress, and good nutrition to help build a strong brain architecture, then by the time they start school they are in a better position to learn than if they had not had those experiences.

For dogs, lots of happy, positive experiences during the sensitive period for socialization mean a puppy is more likely to grow up to be a happy, friendly, confident dog. Bad experiences, or simply the lack of positive experiences, may lead to a fearful dog, as we know from classic research from the 1950s and 1960s.¹³ So it’s really important during this time that puppies are socialized to other safe dogs and to all kinds of people: men, women, children, older adults, people with beards and hats and backpacks and walking sticks, and so on . . .

The developmental stages of a young dog

PRENATAL PERIOD	Even though puppies are not yet born, there are already influences on their later behavior (see chapter 13 for discussion of the effects of stress hormones crossing the placenta). Prenatal learning can occur: puppies exposed to the scent of aniseed (added to the mother’s food) can recognize it after birth.
NEONATAL STAGE: 0–2 WEEKS	Puppies are born with eyes and ears closed. Puppies cannot regulate their own temperature. The mother provides food and initiates elimination by licking. Puppies spend most of their time sleeping, and with their mother and littermates.
TRANSITIONAL STAGE: 2–3 WEEKS	The eyes and ears open. Puppies have a startle response. Early motor behavior begins as puppies start to move around. Early social behavior begins and puppies can wag their tails.
SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SOCIALIZATION: 3–12 OR 14 WEEKS	There are many changes during this time as puppies start to learn all about the world around them. Puppies are weaned sometime between weeks 4 and 8 (varies by breed). Motor and social behaviors develop and become more adult-like. Puppies show more interest in people. Dogs learn social behavior through play with littermates. Vaccinations start at 6–8 weeks and continue until 16 weeks (with boosters as required).
JUVENILE PERIOD: 14 WEEKS UNTIL 6–12 MONTHS	Although the sensitive period is over, positive experiences during this time are still important as the brain continues to develop. Positive experiences will enable puppies to generalize from experiences during the socialization period. Puppies become more independent. A well-socialized puppy will want to interact with other people and animals. Growth continues (the timing at which it ends varies by breed, continuing longer for larger breeds). The juvenile period continues until puberty.
ADOLESCENT PERIOD: 6–12 MONTHS UNTIL 18–24 MONTHS	Post-puberty. Some female dogs can go into heat as early as 5–6 months.

Sources: Serpell et al. (2017), Bradshaw (2011)¹⁴

Puppies are typically adopted at 8 weeks old. Because those early weeks are important for socialization, you should research where your puppy has come from. Puppies that spent this period in a puppy mill or in a barn instead of a house, and then in a cage in a pet store, will have missed opportunities to be socialized (or potentially even had damaging experiences). Ideally, your puppy will come from a home (or a foster home, if a shelter puppy) where good socialization practices have been followed for the best possible start in life.

Pet stores and problem behaviors

Researchers use the puppy from a pet store as a proxy for the puppy coming from a commercial breeder. Studies show that puppies bought from pet stores are more likely to have behavior problems than those acquired directly from a responsible breeder. In one study, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs from pet stores were more likely than dogs obtained from private breeders to be aggressive to their owner, to strangers, to other dogs, and to other dogs that live in the same house. Pet-store dogs were also more likely to have house-training issues and separation-related problems and to be sensitive to being touched.¹⁵ Of course, there may also be differences between people who get their puppy from a pet store and people who obtain their puppy from a breeder (as well as in the information they are given).

A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior took some of these owner-related factors into account and still found that 21 percent of the puppies from pet stores showed aggression towards their owner compared with 10 percent of those obtained from breeders.¹⁶ Furthermore, this study found that puppies from pet stores had more issues with soiling the house, separation-related issues, and body licking; these particular problems were more common amongst owners who didn’t attend dog training classes, took their dog only for short walks, and punished their dog on returning home. So there is an interplay between where the dog comes from and how the owner treats the dog.

While conditions in commercial breeding establishments vary, some are dire (and that’s probably an understatement). Take a look at the ASPCA web pages on puppy mills to get an idea. Missing crucial socialization opportunities during the sensitive period is one reason for behavior problems later on, according to a report in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.¹⁷ Other reasons are genetic factors (e.g., breeding from animals that are already fearful of people); epigenetic changes due to stress (e.g., the mother being stressed during pregnancy); the puppy being weaned and separated from mom and the rest of the litter at too young an age; the stresses of being transported to the pet store, or being subjected to a restrictive home and/or pet store environment; and a lack of information being given to new owners on how to care for their puppy compared with if they had visited a breeder or shelter.

The only way to be sure your dog has been raised in a good environment is to see that environment. A study published in the Veterinary Record found that when people did not see either the puppy’s mom or dad prior to getting a puppy, the dog was 3.8 times more likely to have been referred for a behavior problem as an adult; if only the mother was seen, the dog was still 2.5 times more likely to have been referred.¹⁸

If getting a puppy, make sure you see them with the mom (and be suspicious if the seller suggests meeting at a “convenient” location like a parking lot). Research any health checks recommended for that breed and ask about them. A good breeder—or a good shelter or rescue—will know about the importance of socialization and will be raising puppies in a home environment where they are becoming habituated to the sounds and activities in a normal household, so ask about socialization.

The power of more socialization

A study from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association in the UK looked at the effects of puppies getting an extra socialization program on top of the existing (already excellent) one.¹⁹ Six litters of puppies took part, all Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, or Lab-Golden crosses. Between birth and 6 weeks of age, all of the puppies received the standard socialization program, and half of each litter also received the additional program. To make sure it wasn’t just time with people that was making a difference, the puppies receiving only the standard program had someone sit with them for the same time as the new program took and interact with them if the puppies engaged with the person.

The new—additional—socialization program took just five minutes per puppy per day in the first week, rising to fifteen minutes per puppy per day in the fifth and sixth weeks. Taking account of what is known about the development of puppies and using resources that are readily available, the program included having a cell phone ring near the puppy; stroking the dog with fingers, with a towel, and with a hand in a rubber glove; and examining the puppy’s ears and teeth. The new program had puppies experience these things on their own, away from the nest and their fellow puppies, as compared with the standard program in which puppies were socialized together. This may have helped the puppies become more resilient to separation-related issues.

The results were striking. At the end of the 6 weeks, there were already differences between the two groups of puppies. But the really important differences were seen in questionnaires completed by each puppy’s handler when the dog was 8 months old. Puppies that had received the new program were less likely to have general anxiety, get distracted, have separation-related behaviors, or have body sensitivity (handling issues). These things matter a lot to guide-dog handlers, but they are also beneficial to all dog owners. These results show that extra socialization during those early weeks makes a difference to the behavior of the puppy as it grows up into a young dog.

The socialization period gives you crucial weeks at home in which to ensure your puppy has many different positive experiences. If your puppy is shy—and many are—take special care that they aren’t overwhelmed. You can use play or food to try and turn situations into a positive experience (more on this in chapter 3). Give your puppy choices, encourage them to interact, but don’t force it if they don’t want to. Even if your puppy is shy, giving them a choice will let them come out on their own when they are ready—and that’s exactly when the experience will be good for them.

Many humane societies and SPCAs have guidelines on how to choose a puppy, so it is worth looking online to find a guide from an organization you like. Some of them, like the RSPCA in the UK, also make a contract available that can be used when buying a puppy. Amongst other things, the contract will include something about what happens to the puppy if things don’t work out; a good breeder or rescue will take the puppy back. Putting the time in to do your research now will help you find the right pet for you and ensure that your puppy had a good start in life.

ALL ABOUT RESCUES AND RETIREES

WHEN WE FIRST adopted Ghost, I was surprised that some people reacted very negatively to the fact he came from a shelter, even though right there in front of them was a stunningly beautiful—and well-behaved—dog. One man even told me that for sure Ghost would bite me. (Just so you know, he never did!) Aside from how rude these people were, they also were wrong: a shelter dog can be a good choice.

Research shows one of the things that often motivates people to choose a rescue dog is to save a life; not only do you give the dog you’re adopting a new home, but you make space in the shelter or rescue for another at-risk or abandoned dog to wait for a new home.

I asked Dr. Sam Gaines of the RSPCA what advice she would give to people who are adopting a dog. She told me about the RSPCA’s pre-adoption booklet, which includes information about what to do during the dog’s first few weeks, including the importance of setting ground rules and having everyone in the house be consistent. At the same time, she says, people should pay attention to what they are told about the specific dog they are adopting.

Gaines said, “Put aside any preconceived ideas about the dog and how it looks, and I guess to a certain extent what breed it might be. Put that aside and instead think about who’s the individual dog that you’ve just adopted.” She added that it’s important to work with the information you’ve been given. For example, “‘This is what we’ve observed in that dog over the period of time that they’ve been with us; this is what their personality is like, things that they like to do’ rather than assuming ‘Well, he’s a Labrador so he’s bound to be really friendly and he’s bound to love playing with a ball and he’s going to be really safe with my family.’ Moving away from that and thinking about ‘this is his individual behavior and welfare needs and this is the species’ behavior and welfare needs.’”

Be realistic about the dog you’re getting

Just like when you get a puppy, it’s a good idea to think about the commitment you are prepared to make to the dog. Dogs arrive at shelters for all kinds of reasons, such as when their owner has become sick, passed away, or been unable to find pet-friendly rental housing. But if the shelter tells you the dog has a behavior problem, it’s important to consider whether you are the right person for that dog.

Dr. Carlo Siracusa is a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. As well as teaching vet students and seeing clients, he conducts research on the outcomes of dogs with behavior problems. He said, “Keep in mind that in many cases if you see that the dog looks like a very nervous dog—if he has a history, for example, of behavior problems, it’s not that the dog was not trained; it’s that that is the personality of the dog. So if you think you cannot deal with a dog like this or if it’s not a dog that you want—like our clients say ‘this is not the way we imagined the relationship with my dog’—then maybe you should not get that dog. There are people that are probably more experienced, that have already dealt with a more aggressive dog, with an anxious dog, with a dog with serious separation anxiety, and they feel that they can do it. Then that’s okay. But do not think that because you love the dog that you will find a trainer that will do magic and will fix the problem.”

A 2015 study of people who had adopted a shelter dog about four months prior found 96 percent said their new dog had adapted well or very well to their new home and 71 percent said the dog met their expectations: most of the dogs were friendly to visitors to the home and most never exhibited any of a list of problem behaviors.²⁰ Although 72 percent of respondents said there was a behavior they would like their dog to change—the most common being destructive behavior, fear, barking too much, and pulling on-leash—just over three-quarters of the people in this study said they would adopt from a shelter again.

Another study of people who adopted shelter dogs, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, reported that 65 percent were very satisfied with their new dog’s behavior, and less than 4 percent were dissatisfied. On average, people rated their satisfaction with the dog as 4.8 out of 5. This study also reported that 53 percent of the dogs had a behavior problem, most commonly pulling on-leash, chewing or scratching furniture, or inappropriate toileting.²¹ These results suggest that people realize they may need to teach their dog to fit into their household, and that many behavior issues are not particularly serious.

I don’t know of a corresponding study that records how satisfied people are after bringing home a new puppy, but every dog needs to be taught how to be in your home. In the next chapter, we’ll look at how dogs learn.

HOW TO APPLY THE SCIENCE AT HOME

•Consider whether you have the time, finances, and right home environment for a dog. Do you have time to exercise, groom, and play with them? If you will be out of the house for a long time on some days, can you make suitable arrangements, such as with a dog walker? Are you willing to learn about what the dog needs? You may like to babysit a friend’s dog for a while to get some experience with taking care of a dog.

•Research the physical and behavioral health of the breed(s) you are interested in. Make a note of any genetic tests recommended for the breed, and always ask about them. If a breed has a tendency towards health problems, you may want to choose the breeder carefully, take out insurance, budget for higher veterinary bills, or even choose a different breed. If you’re getting a mixed breed to avoid hereditary issues, ensure the other breed(s) don’t have the same issues (e.g., a cross of two brachycephalic breeds is still likely to be brachycephalic).

•Remember there are many breeds to choose from. If a particular breed’s tendency to inherited health issues makes you think twice, reflect on what attracted you to that breed. If you wanted a small dog, research other small breeds. If you wanted a dog that doesn’t need much exercise, consider appropriate breeds of all sizes (or maybe an older shelter dog would be right for you). If you are thinking of having children in a few years, pick a breed that is described as friendly—and make special efforts to ensure the puppy has nice experiences with children during the sensitive period (see chapter 8).

•Take advantage of the pre-purchase consultations offered by some veterinarians and dog trainers to help you think about the right dog for you.

•Always observe a puppy with its mom in their home environment before you take them home. Consider using a puppy contract (available from some animal welfare organizations).

•Ask the breeder (or foster home) how they are socializing the puppy. The sensitive period for puppy socialization is from 3 until 12 or 14 weeks. Make plans to continue socialization once the puppy is with you. A good puppy class may be part of your plans (see chapter 3).

•Give the puppy a choice, encourage (don’t force) them, and protect a shy puppy. Remember that socialization means giving your dog happy, positive experiences.

•Don’t forget that rescues and shelters are also good sources of family dogs; in some cases, an older dog may be a better match for your family than a puppy.