Book

BOOK

RAISING DOGS WITH COMMON SENSE

has been an ongoing project since the first litter of puppies I sent home. I began typing up notes to help my puppy clients get through the first few months of owning a new dog. Those notes turned into "stacks" that I could barely staple together. Then one day in year 2011, a client asked me, "When are you going to write the book?"

That same year my husband was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's Disease. I knew we would be sitting in many doctor offices and waiting rooms until we assembled the best medical team possible for his treatment. I carried my laptop with me everywhere we went. Between hotel rooms and waiting room lobbies, the chapters practically wrote themselves!

I was thrilled to first be published in 2012. Volume 4 was published in 2023 and has it all, from conception to bottle-feeding a struggling litter, raising one or more dogs to the elderly years, all the way to the most difficult part of owning a dog. I am SO proud of my little 39-page instruction manual!

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INFO

I "preach" NUTRITION more than any other subject

because we truly are what we eat.

You will read more about that in my book, but please remember just a few things from this page:

Gluten (wheat, flour, corn, peas, several starches, esp breading) is the worst ingredient found in dog food. It is a sticky, unnecessary, addictive food additive that turns to YEAST in and on the dog's body. This causes yeasty, stinky ears, eye boogers, and horrible skin issues.
If you must feed Kibble, please consider fish-based, as fish is the least likely protein source to cause allergies. Every part of a fish is excellent for dogs. Byproducts from other animals can be unbelievable items that we humans would never want to eat, which tend to be allergens to dogs.
Treats are NOT NECESSARY, but they're pretty tempting to give, especially when training our puppies/dogs. Try to limit treats to fish oil softgels (natural bone/joint lubricant), real meat (never breaded), broccoli, and even pieces of kibble. We also treat our dogs with freeze-dried beef livers and real meat jerky. One-ingredient, whole meats are just fine. You will find all the "why" in my book.

Even though it is written from a bulldogger's heart, my book applies to all dog breeds.

My goal for every reader is to save you time, money and stress while giving you the tools needed to raise a healthy, low-maintenance family dog! Almost every chapter is full of lessons learned the hard way. Knowing what OTC meds to keep in your medicine cabinet, what cleansing agents to order and other great tidbits of information will most always save you a trip to the emergency veterinarian. When in doubt, GO to your trusted vet's office! Before you leave home, your vet would like to know your dog's temperature and whether your dog has nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, or has been exposed to any type of chemicals. Always know your dog's routine, because sometimes the slightest change in behavior can be a medical alert of sorts.

Amazon prints my book upon ordering it. Raising Dogs With Common Sense (Volume 4) is a prime item. Buying my book will be THE BEST $10 (paperback) you will spend as a dog owner. Or, spend less if you prefer the E-book. If you have questions that are not answered in my book, don’t hesitate to contact me. I will help you find an answer if at all possible.

Enjoy Chapter 1 below:

Raising Dog With Common Sense, Volume 4

By: Angela Thompson Roberts

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Angela Thompson Roberts / Dog Bluff Stuff LLC, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Angela Thompson Roberts 843-340-5818 CliftonAngela1314@gmail.com

Dog Bluff Stuff, LLC www.dogbluff.com

Dedicated to my readers: May you be blessed beyond measure for loving God’s little creatures.

The following excerpts are shared from Angela’s book, BY ANGELA, for the benefit of all dog owners.

PREFACE

How exciting! That special litter of puppies has been born or perhaps you are adopting an adult dog in need of a forever home. Rest up my friend, because the first few nights with a new dog are challenging. Commit to loving on this canine kid. Bonding and adaptation will be much quicker and training will be a breeze when love is established first.

Throughout this book I use the dog name, “Odis” for reference purposes. Odis was my first bulldog, my dream dog. I raised him from a tiny pup, catching puppy fever along the way. I began raising dogs in 1993, and I am still enjoying my successful program in 2023 as I publish Volume 4 of Raising Dogs With Common Sense. I am thrilled to help you save time and money while raising a healthy, low-maintenance dog! My book applies to all dog breeds of all ages. My website is an extension of my book, offering video and photo illustrations of several chapters. My contact information is available on my website, in the event that you have a question not addressed within these pages.

NOTE: I am not a veterinarian, nor do I possess a vet-tech degree. However, I do consider myself to be an expert in raising dogs. My common sense approach includes providing the best nutrition possible, following simple guidelines, spending a few minutes per day to reinforce basic training, and knowing how to handle emergencies. Most situations can be handled by PREVENTION and having critical items in your home for emergencies. I do not hesitate to bounce into my vet’s office – with or without an appointment, if I feel that my dog needs attention. It is vital that you establish a good relationship with a compassionate vet willing to respond to your telephone call, regardless of the hour. Ultimately, I encourage you to follow the advice and instruction of your trusted veterinarian.

Chapter 1 ADOPTION DAY and BEYOND

Adoption Day Stressors are real. Whether Odis is 8 weeks or 8 years old, the first few days in his new home will be difficult for him. Even though he wags his tail in your presence and seems to be totally at peace across your lap, he may be stressing inside with no way to tell you about it. He is digesting a brand new environment with different sounds, scents, and appearances. He has new humans, a new place to sleep, and quite often, an entirely new routine to adjust to.

Try to put yourself in Odis’ position. Imagine that you are sitting in your living room watching your favorite show. You hear the sounds of your loved ones’ voices, you smell the yummy supper cooking in the kitchen, and you feel the overall security of familiarity. Life is pretty good! But then a complete stranger appears in your home and picks you up. He loads you into a vehicle and drives you away from everything and everyone you have known to date. You face utter confusion at the abrupt changes taking place. Then imagine adjusting to a new meal schedule, being expected to “hold it” when you need to potty, and being locked in a jail cell (crate) until the owner of this new home has time to let you out in the yard to do your business. Oh, and add a host of company (more unfamiliar faces and smells) that want to see YOU! Family, friends, and neighbors take turns picking you up and carrying you around while breathing germs of every sort into your face. A few of them even dangle you by your legs as you are lowered to the floor. More noise fills the space you now associate with “home.” There is no place to hide. Nausea and blow-out diarrhea have become real possibilities now stemming from the overwhelming stress ball of chaos that your adoptive family has allowed into your new environment. Enter one more surprise … another dog! Not just any dog, but one that already lives there. Before you realize it, his nose is up your behind and you are expected to play nice with good ole’ Fido. Nobody understands why you retreat to the nearest corner or dark space to hide from the excitement building in the room. Yay for adoption day! Just wait until tomorrow when you are hauled to the big pet supply store to be shown to more strangers, more germs AND more dogs.

The above scenario is a comical – yet common – culmination of adoption stories collected from my puppy clients. It’s a light way of communicating a serious subject, that adoption is very stressful to a puppy even under the most controlled, quiet conditions.

Resist the urge to take Odis on field trips for a while. It’s stressful enough for Odis to change environments and field trips will add to his stress level. No matter how cute Odis is, you do not need to take him away from home for the first few weeks! If Odis is young, he needs to stay home other than for visits to the vet to receive his vaccines. Even if Odis has already received all required vaccines, he still needs time to feel SECURE in his new environment before you subject him to public places. I suggest that Odis have a few weeks of concentrated “at home” time before you load him up for a trip to the local pet supply store, or wherever it is you feel tempted to haul him. Dogs can be over-stimulated by outside sources and this could have an effect on Odis’ bowels and temperament. If he feels confused by his surroundings he has potential to disappoint and surprise you with his reactions. You must protect Odis in every way possible; his emotional well-being is just as important as his physical needs for food, water, and shelter.

Do not bring other dogs into the home for a few weeks, or until you think Odis has adjusted well to your home. Socialize him with other dogs before you allow another dog into the home. This is done through neighborhood walks, obedience classes, and field trips. If you already own another dog (we’ll call him “Fido” for the sake of example), there are several ways to prepare Fido for a new canine companion. I suggest talking with a dog trainer and/or discussing your situation with other folks who have experienced successful adoptions with similar circumstances. The moment Odis arrives at your home you should introduce the two dogs OUTSIDE. Make sure both dogs are on leashes for their own safety. Allow them time to “sniff” each other and to identify the new scents. It’s a good idea to ask Odis’ breeder to bathe him just before you pick him up so that he does not carry the scent of other dogs and/or people. It’s best to have Odis smelling as “generic” as possible before meeting Fido. When Fido smells YOU on Odis (from the ride home), that will help Fido accept the newbie.

If possible, work your schedule so that someone is home the majority of the time for at least a few days after you bring Odis home. Odis will adjust to the new climate, environment, and routine if he has humans to walk him through it. Watch Odis’ stool for changes. When Odis changes environments, and especially if he must change foods (see Nutrition chapter), he may experience soft and/or loose stools. Nervous dogs are likely to experience diarrhea and other symptoms that may resemble illness, but if the symptoms present themselves immediately upon adoption day or later that week, it’s probably due to new-home-jitters and not an illness. Just as a precaution, I advise you to take a stool sample to your veterinarian, especially if Odis’ stool turns to diarrhea. Regardless of what may have caused it, I believe that it’s best to be proactive because there are many parasites in your dirt. Nervousness will pass, but parasites require medication.

Puppy vs. Adult

Puppies are adorable and lots of fun to play with. It’s special to hold a little puppy under your chin and to comfort him until he falls asleep on your chest. Ah, puppy breath, and every funny event that accompanies this little creature. Just as precious is an adult dog in need of his forever home. Depending on the breed, an adult dog may be too large to cuddle up and go to sleep on your chest, but he is just as capable of falling asleep with his head resting on your knee or half of his body in your lap. Whether Odis comes to you young or older, he offers unconditional love and appreciation for the home and family you provide. Many responsible breeders offer young retirees that are spayed, housetrained and ready to be loved completely.

Rescued Odis may have been neglected in some way. He may be food-aggressive, dog-aggressive, or fear certain types and ages of people. For example, he may have been kenneled, chained, or locked in an area with very little human interaction. Depending on who delivered his basic needs, he may resent certain types of people. He may even fear noise associated with small children because that could be foreign to him. He may have been dropped off at the local animal shelter due to the death of his owner. It’s impossible to know what emotional hits a dog has taken before landing in a rescue program. Supervise him closely to learn his temperament, likes, fears, triggers, etc. Rescued Odis may be malnourished, so you would need to put weight back on him while showing him you are trustworthy. Replenishing Odis’ body with proper nutrition can be tedious and takes time to do it correctly. He may have a health issue that needs to be addressed. Quality time with each member of your household is essential in building trust. Odis may never forget or completely overcome the abuse suffered prior to his rescue. Be patient and loving.

Socialization age is debatable. Only when Odis is current on all puppy vaccines is it safe to begin socializing him. Until then, work on basic obedience and leash-training at home. Try to schedule “play dates” with family-owned dogs of varying ages. Obedience classes are educational for the entire family, and beneficial for canine socialization.

Adult Odis must be introduced carefully to other dogs; always have both dogs leashed. Humans should approach adult Odis slowly, and hopefully, with an approved treat in hand. This method helps Odis associate meeting new people with good things. If Odis is afraid of new humans in his life you should consult a trainer. You want to be able to take Odis anywhere, anytime. Dog-friendly establishments rely on you to socialize and train properly.

Supervise closely when they cuddle. Do NOT allow Tommy to pull Odis’ ears, his coat, or any other body part that causes pain to Odis. 100% supervision is the safest bet.

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Angela’s book is available for purchase on AMAZON.

$10 Paperback

$5 E-book