NYC DOG WALKERS expert guide to dog ownership and NYC Dog Walking

By Paul Columbia, NYC Dog Walkers

http://www.nycdogwalkers.com

Big city Dog ownership is time consuming, expensive, requires advance planning and hiring a dog walking service.

Here we will help you with what to do, not do, what to expect and how to go about successfully meeting the challenges of dog ownership in an urban environment.

Get ready!

Successfully handling the challenges of dog ownership and dog walking in an urban environment like New York City are not easy but, make it work and the rewards are incalculable.

Finding and choosing your new puppy:

If you have already purchased your dog at a pet store, enjoy your new puppy and the new addition to your family.

If you are thinking about adding a new puppy to your family, purchase your puppy from a reputable dog breeder. Many pet stores obtain their puppies from puppy mills. Over breeding by puppy mills can cause genetic problems and in my experience, puppies from pet stores tend to have a lot of health issues. A money back guarantee won't do you any good once you have fallen in love with your new puppy.

If you would prefer not to utilize the services of a breeder, make regular visits to your local ASPCA or animal shelter until you find the puppy or dog that is right for you and your family.

Choose a breed that fits your life style and expectations:

Do a search on the internet and identify which breed is right for you.

All dogs need exercise. Some breeds need more exercise than others.

For example: Large dogs that are in the hunting or working class categories need a lot of exercise.

Most behavioral issues (barking, destructive chewing etc.) are related to inactivity. 

Plan on walking your hunting/working class breed, yourself, at least 2 times per day for 60 minutes, with a minimum 30 minute walk from your dog walking service in the afternoon or 2 - 45 minute walks per day yourself and a good 60 minute walk in the afternoon by your dog walking service.

Note: It isn't necessary to run with your dog, regardless of the breed. Nice, fast paced walks will provide your dog with plenty of exercise and are actually better for your dog than running. Running on hard surfaces is tough on the joints and can easily cause heat exhaustion in the summer. Take a moment to observe dogs off leash. They don't run continuously. They run for 15 - 30 seconds, stop, sniff around, walk, sniff around, walk and then run again for 15 - 30 seconds.

Make an appointment with your veterinarian in advance of bringing your new puppy home.

Schedule your first visit within the first two days of bringing your pup home.

It is estimated that in NYC we are living with more than 10 rats for every human. Diseases found in the city are greater than those found in the suburbs. Start or continue with all of the vaccinations recommended by your veterinarian. Check with your Veterinarian to see when it will be safe to take your pup outside. Many Veterinarians will recommend keeping your pup in the apartment until you conclude the vaccination process. Other Veterinarians are ok with taking your pup outside providing your pup does not have contact with other dogs and of course are not allowed contact with other dogs eliminations.

Hiring a Dog Walking Service:

Before you make the decision to purchase you puppy call and speak with dog walking services. Dozens of dog walking services are listed on the internet. Ask to set up a meeting with your dog walker prior to your first walk.

Ask if they offer both private walks and semi-private group walks?

Do they have a maximum number of dogs allowed to walk in a group?

Verify that they never leave their dogs unattended outside while they are picking up additional dogs in the group.

All reputable dog walking services are bonded and insured.

Ask how frequently the service turns over personnel and do they check references and do background checks prior to hiring their walkers?

Will you have the same dog walker every day?

What is their plan if your dog walker is out sick or needs a day off?

What their cancellation policy?

Do they accept credit cards and how do they process the card transactions?

Do they have a direct, electronic link to the bank to process your transaction or do they use a third party service to process your credit card?

Which third party billing service do they use?

Do they handle puppies differently than they handle walks for mature dogs?

Do they take their dogs to the city's dog runs?

Dog Runs and dogs off leash:

Pet insurance companies all make it very clear that their policies don't cover dogs off leash and in dog runs. Insurance companies do risk assessment analysis and have found that most accidents happen off leash and in dog runs. The reason why dog runs are dangerous is because dog walking services walking dogs in large packs use dog runs as large unsupervised play pens in the mornings and afternoons, during the week. The best time to take your dog to a dog run and go off leash are on the weekends when dog owner are present.

Hiring a dog trainer:

Remember, a dog trainer is there to train you how to train your dog, not train your dog for you. Dog training is all about repetition and positive reinforcement of training issues.

Unless you have a very large breed or a breed with breed specific, protective and territorial issues, I advise clients to go to amazon.com, review the hundreds of dog training DVD's for sale. Pick one that focuses on positive reinforcement of training issues and attempt to train your puppy yourself. A good video allows you to stop, rewind, fast forward and revisit training issues at you and your dogs own speed.

Remember, aggression and most behavioral issues coincide with inactivity. A happy, calm, well socialized, dog is a dog that gets a lot of exercise.

Training your dog to behave well in the city:

Unless you are planning on signing your pup up for a job in the circus, there are really only 7 commands your pup really needs to know and your pup really needs to know and respond to these commands. Keep the commands consistent and simple. Use one syllable words and use the same words to issue your commands all the time.

1. Come

2. Sit

3. Stay

4. OFF or Down (when jumping up on people)

5. Heel

6. No!

7. Drop it!

House breaking your pup - Crate Training and Crude Fiber:

Get your puppy a well ventilated wire crate with a plastic pan at the base and large enough to accommodate your pups growth for the first 6 months. It's the fastest way to housebreak your pup. Place a soft old towel or two at the base of the crate.

First, you are not being unkind to your pup by crate training. Dogs are instinctively den animals and will quickly adapt to spending time during the day in a well ventilated wire crate. Never use the crate as a disciplinary tool. Always make spending time in the crate positive.

Crate training sets boundaries for your pup. It is nearly impossible for your puppy to understand that it is ok to eliminate on a wee-wee pad in the kitchen but not ok to eliminate in the hallway, living room or bedroom. Pups don't want to eliminate where they sleep and realizing pups sleep most of the day, your pup will begin to exercise bladder and bowel control while in the crate.

Second, before the age of 12 - 16 weeks your pup has little to no control over eliminating (think in terms of an infant). Depending on your work schedule, make sure you schedule your dog walking service to take your puppy for walks in 4 hour intervals. Unless your pup has health issues, visits in intervals shorter than 3 – 4 hours are not necessary. Your pup will be maturing quickly physically and sleeping most of the day.

By the time your puppy is 6 - 7 months old your pup will have developed better bladder control, can transition out of the crate and to one good walk in the afternoon.

Crude Fiber: 

Make sure to check the crude fiber content on your pups dog food bag. Crude fiber is a natural laxative. Too much fiber and your pup will be eliminating throughout the day.

Too little fiber and your pup will be constipated.

Pick up after your dog:

Start saving your plastic bags and bring two or three bags with you on every walk. Reusing plastic bags is good for the environment and picking up after your dog is essential dog walking etiquette in NYC.

One of The Beatles!

Getting a puppy isn't easy. It is expensive. There is a tremendous amount of preplanning and work involved. On the other hand the joys of dog ownership are incalculable. The relationship you will have with your dog will be one of unconditional love.

When I get home at the end of the day, regardless of how the day has been or the mood I am in, I open the door and there is Tino, my Yellow Labrador. His tail is wagging and he greets me like I'm one of The Beatles!