So you wanna _________?

So you wanna get a dog, possibly a crag dog?

I’ve had a few dogs while growing up, and two dogs as an adult.  I’m not an expert on dogs, but I’m not a total novice either.  I’ve also met loads of crag dogs, and from my experience I can honestly say that not all dogs are created equal!

Let me start off by saying that I am absolutely here for the ‘adopt don’t shop’ mentality.  I’ve heard that breeders and puppy mills aren’t all bad, and I believe it.  There are plenty of great breeders who partake in best practices and do everything in their power to assure that all parties (dogs, breeders, and buyers) are taken care of in kind, fair, and humane ways.  These people depend on buyers for their livelihood, they do diligent work to maintain high standards, and keep meticulous records to assure pure bloodlines.

To all of that, I say “who cares!”  Designer dogs do nothing for me, especially knowing there are over 3 million dogs in shelters with no place to call home. 

Not everyone approaches the human/canine relationship in the same way.  There is a vast difference in the way a duck hunter, a drug task force agent, and a blind person may relate to their dog.  For me though, my dogs have always been family.  They have always been rescues, and in each case, they have certainly rescued me far more than I them.  

If you’re looking for a canine companion, this is my advice.

Visit some adoption fairs:  Most weekends, local pet stores such as Petco will host adoption days.  Local shelters bring several dogs looking for homes to the fair.  The abundance of cuteness pulls in would be/could be adopters, and sometimes a match is made (this is how I found my dog Finn).  If adoption fairs aren’t an option, you can always drop in or schedule an appointment to visit or volunteer at a shelter.  In either case, sometimes there is an immediate connection and you get to go home with a new furry friend.  If you are looking for something particular, these are still great places to make connections.  Letting workers know what you are looking for and exchanging phone numbers to be notified when something you are looking for comes along.

Try to figure out what you are looking for: If you live in a smaller house, then it makes sense to wait for a smaller dog.  If you’re a hunter, then it makes sense to wait for an appropriate breed, and so on.  I’m a sucker for medium dogs with some mix of Border Collie.  Try to figure out what it is you want, and when the opportunity strikes, you’ll be ready.

Remember that dogs are dogs: dogs aren’t dolls, or toys, they aren’t creatures put on this planet simply to serve humans.  Dogs need exercise, training, mental stimulation, relaxation.  They need care, love, and boundaries.  It’s easy to adopt a dog or buy a dog because they’re cute, but there is a lot of work that goes into cohabitating with a dog.  If you aren’t up to putting in the work, then maybe a crag fish, or crag Tamagotchi is more your style.

Train like a dog: Dog training isn’t really hard.  It just takes consistent reinforcement.  There are tons of books and videos on how to properly train a dog, by all means use them, but I have found that simple and consistent reinforcement practices with a little patience are all I’ve ever needed.  From sitting to potty training, a tiny dog-treat at the right time goes a long long way!

Expose your dog to the things you like: If you expose your pooch to the things you enjoy from a young age, there is a much better chance your dog will be comfortable with your favorite activity, and in turn enjoy it as much as you do. Dogs that grow up around bikes, tend to be more comfortable around bikes, same for skateboarding, swimming and climbing. If you want your dog to feel comfortable with you attached to a rope 50′ up a wall, then make sure that being attached to a rope 50′ up a wall is normal.

Not all dogs are created equally: Some dogs suck at the crag.  That isn’t their fault or your fault, or anyone’s fault.  Sometimes no matter how bad we want something to work, it just isn’t meant to be.  Although if we’re being honest, sometimes it is the human’s fault.  One time I was in an ice cave in Alaska, and some lady showed up with six dogs off leash, running around and trying to hump everyone and everything in sight.  That would be bad enough if we were on solid dry land, but we were slipping around in a claustrophobic and dangerous ice cave.  The lady who brought six dogs to an ice cave and let them off leash just kept laughing and telling them to stop, then telling us that they aren’t too good at listening.  No shit lady!  Why would you bring six dogs that don’t listen to an ice cave.  I’ve seen dogs behave brilliantly at the crag.  In fact, nearly all my experiences with crag dogs have been positive.  I’ve also seen dogs behave horribly at the crag.  Not often, but it does happen.  The point is, you need to know your dog, understand their limitations.  If they aren’t a crag dog, don’t bring them to the crag.  And if you really want them to be a crag dog, then see the two previous steps, but don’t put others in harm’s way to satisfy your own ambitions.

Keeping these simple steps in mind, you should be ready to venture into the world of getting a dog!