Picking the right dog for you and your family can be a challenging task, but there are a few simple steps to follow that will greatly increase the chance of the perfect match. To succeed at dog ownership there must be unity in the pack. If you want a dog but your
wife doesn't the dog will be stuck in the middle and trust me, he will know he is not totally wanted in the home.

Once the family has agreed to get a dog a you want to sit down and make sure everyone knows what it means to be a responsible pet owner. Giving him daily exercise, cleaning up after him and making sure he gets good training and vet care are essential. Love is not going to take him out at 3:00 in the morning, you are, so really make sure your family knows the details.

Now you are ready to pick a match and here are some things to help.

Step 1 - Asses your families overall energy level and be honest. Do you spend weekends camping and hiking or is movie night on the couch more your speed. Dogs come in very high, high, medium and low energy levels. Do your research on the dogs you think you want to understand what breeds have what levels of energy. The trick is to pick a dog whose energy is equal to or lower than yours. I know you want a puppy
but think it through.

Step 2 - Rescues and shelters have every type and age of dog there is. Enter the breed you want in the area you live along with “rescue” in google and several should pop up. There is usually a description and if the dog is in a foster home there may be a detailed behavioral description about kids, cats, and other dogs. Mutts rule!

Step 3 - When you meet the dogs you have picked there are things to look for. Don't confuse excited with happy. Too much of anything is never good so you want to look for middle of the road types of vibes from the dog you want to take home. How the dog moves tells you how he feels. Quick movement is a quick mind that needs lots of stimulation.

Step 4 - Take your time and meet lots of dogs. Once you have found “the one” the best thing is to set up a foster to adopt situation to see how the fit works out.

Step 5 - This is the most important step in bringing home a new dog. Go for a very long walk and give him limited attention. This will burn the nervous energy he will have the
first night, and it will create an instant trust in you. Don't make a fuss and bring him inside, put him in a crate or small room, give him food and water and ignore him the rest of the night until you take him out to go to the bathroom.

The reason for this step is to let the dog unwind and decompress. Think about it from his point of view: He is put in a car with a new group of excited people who are oohhing and aahhhing in his face. Now he is taken into a home he has never smelled and more people show up and grab at him for some more oohhing and aahhing. What a overwhelming message to send a dog who you just met, and who has yet to learn he can trust you.

Keep it mellow for the first few days and he will tell you how he feels about his new home. If he is relaxed and enjoys interacting with the family great, if he seems uncertain or unsure thats okay too, he just needs more time to adjust. Take your time and be patient, this is a life long commitment.

Dr. Brad Crestol M.D.

“Todd rescued us after we rescued Crystal. He loves dogs and has an innate sense and understanding of dog psychology that I feel he must have been born with. When he models the behavior of a pack leader he provides you with something you can’t get from reading books or watching film. These lessons are priceless. I am very confident that he can solve any serious canine behavior problem and I wholeheartedly recommend his services.”

Lori Burgi

“We learned so much from you about the psychology of dogs and how to become the leader of our pack. It completely changed the relationship with our dogs, not to mention their behavior. We really appreciate your expertise and way of teaching.”

Phil & Billie Dauk

“WOW what a different dog. A delivery was made the day after you were here and Buster was so quiet that Phil didn't even know there was a package...Thanks for your time and I can’t say enough WOW! WOW! WOW!”

Kristin Lopez

“We saw you March 31 and I’d like you to know I saw improvements the first week. The house is now quiet when noise happens (no unnecessary barking!!) We had some visitors and they were very, very good dogs!...I’d like to thank you for giving me the tools and encouragement to improve the behavior of my dogs.”

Terra Carili

“I just wanted to send you a quick update. Both Sonny and Daisy are doing amazing. We even had a dinner party the other night and we were told that our dogs were so good. I couldn't believe someone said that about our dogs. I just wanted to say that you really helped us and now I feel like I will be able to handle the dogs when the baby comes. Thanks again!”

Lindsay Warden

“I couldn't believe he obediently waited...this was a huge indication to me about how far we have come from when I first called you a couple of months ago. You?re a godsend!!!”

Janet Malloy

“I just have to tell you, for what it's worth, what a tremendous difference you have made in Mr. Taxi. My first introduction to Taxi was his cowering under my desk in the front office, flinching away from me, (until I gave him french fries, of course) and the dog I saw Monday night was not even one and the same.

As silly as this sounds I saw in Taxi that you have taught him he is a somebody; that he does not need to hide under and away from things ~ he deserves a life and a good life at that. You have given him an identity, you have given him confidence and you have given him stability.

I cannot thank you enough, not only for deciding to keep him, but for allowing him to learn that he is special. He knows that now ~portrays that ~ and that just touches my heart in a way I cannot fully express in words.

What you do for these animals means so much and I'm learning ~ thru you ~ that you are truly doing it for the dog and not for the owner. I always thought that dog training was for the owner whose dog was out of control and I'm learning it's truly for the owner who has yet to learn to take control.”