So You Want A Puppy?

The girls get into the good, the bad, and the ugly when adding a new furry family member to your pack and what they learned from their own experience rescuing Kahlúa and Kaido.

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Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Welcome back to Sisters on the Scene. I'm Bad Mad and I'm Hollywood Hill. And today's episode we're super excited to talk about because it is a subject that we definitely have experience with. A subject very close to our heart. We wanted to talk about adding a new puppy to your life. Yes! And it's such a big decision and such an exciting decision. But we wanted to share some things we learned from adding our first dog to the pack, Kahlua. And there are some things we would do different. We'd never raised a dog all on our own. And so I think it's really important to have this conversation. For starters Hill, if someone is thinking about adding a furry friend to their family, where is the first place they should look? You know, as an animal lover, I'm always going to recommend going to your local animal shelter or looking at different rescue groups. We do a ton of networking for shelter dogs, and we have had so many people reach out to us and be like, I visited my local shelter because of you girls' posting. Never underestimate the power of social media of sharing dogs that are adoptable because that really goes a long way. And also, you can search on social media for specific dog breed rescues if you're looking for a specific breed. There are just so many puppies in the shelters that aren't making it out. Always start there first. That's a misconception, too, that they only have adult dogs or older dogs. And I will say too, even though this episode is mostly about puppies, there are some benefits to getting an older dog. A lot of the dogs that are in the shelters are owner surrenders, meaning someone typically put in the time to train the dog and they know how to sit and they know how to walk on a leash and they know to go potty outside. So if you don't want to start from square one, basically the newborn phase of teaching them everything, an adult dog or a senior dog is a great idea. In my personal opinion, it is easier to adopt an adult dog. When we adopted Kaido, he actually was already potty trained. We've had experience with both. Raising Lua from a puppy and getting Kai as an adult from the shelter already trained and already ready to take home. There are positives and negatives to both. Obviously, a positive of raising your own puppy is you are in charge of their behaviors. You teach them what's acceptable, you teach them not to be afraid of certain things, but it is a lot of work to raise a well-balanced, well-trained dog. Absolutely. On the flip side, adopting an adult, they could be fully trained. A lot of dogs that end up in the shelter are just due to housing reasons. Yeah, and I think, you know, clearing that misconception too, the dog didn't end up in the shelter because it's a bad dog. I'm one of those people, too, that firmly places blame where it belongs, which is on the person that raised that dog. Adopting an adult can be much easier if the dog is trained, but its habits are instilled. So for example, Kai is just really afraid of getting his nails clipped. He lets us do it now. He knows that it's not something he needs to be afraid of, but he is not nearly as comfortable as Kahlua is because we've been doing it her entire life. But I would say also, even though there is the you can't teach an old dog new tricks quote, he has adapted to our lifestyle in the past two years so well. He had a little bit of social anxiety initially where he would whine and would be afraid to be by himself. That has completely vanished. And I do think that you can acclimate them into your life. What is the 333 rule, Hill? The 333 rule is really important when you adopt a dog because it just reminds everyone to keep in mind that the animals need patience. So three days, three weeks, three months. That's when you start to see different sides of the dog's personality. So the first three days, you're really not seeing who they are at all. They're typically very shut down. They're very tired. They're decompressing. Within those three weeks, you start to see a little bit of their personality. But after that three-month mark is when they really start to show you who they are. And dogs do better, just like people, on a routine. If you are considering getting a dog, make sure you realize that it is a, I would say anywhere from an eight to 15 year commitment, you know, typically. And just be aware that you are signing up for that because a lot of the dogs in the shelters are owner surrenders. Of course, we don't know everyone's situation, but we see that so often at the shelters. A lot of dogs in the shelters are surrendered by people that loved them their entire life and they don't have any kind of issue. This person maybe just can't take them where they're moving, their circumstances change. You just don't know. So I think it's really important to have an honest conversation with the shelter workers or the rescue about this dog's needs. And the reason the shelter exists is for people that have nowhere else for these animals to go. A lot of times it really is the person's last option, and I really do feel for those people. But sometimes it's just owners that don't want to deal with the responsibility of a dog. All of that to say, when you do go to the shelter, you do save a life. And not only are you saving the dog that you adopt's life, you are making room in a kennel for another dog that needs a safe landing spot in between homes. It's really a ripple effect. Socialites, you would be really surprised how many seniors end up in the shelter, too. It's really sad. Their old bones on the concrete floor. A senior should never be in the scary shelter. And neither should puppies. And shout out to the Henry Haven, who is one of our favorite nonprofit sanctuaries, who specifically handles end-of-life care for senior dogs. They also have a herd. We love them and they need monthly donations. They do donation drives. They just have so much on their plate at all times. Great point. We love the Henry Haven. We'll link them in the bio. Kahlua was our first puppy endeavor. So let's get into some advice we would give people who are going to go the puppy route and what that entails. Because we did not know what we were signing up for. We really didn't. Of course, we had a dog growing up that we helped with, but this is totally different when you're in charge of all the decisions. Sister, what is your number one tip for adopting a puppy overall? Overall, I would say to make sure you have the time. I think that is my biggest one because the reason Social Lights that we even entertained Kahlua was my fault. She started as a foster. She started as a foster. I convinced the penthouse pack that we would have her and a second puppy for two weeks. That was the foster time period for this post I saw on social media. So I'm like, two weeks we can do that. Because I was working from home on Survivor at the time. Which is so funny. Full circle moment. Biggest thing that you have to realize when getting a puppy is that they have to go potty so many times a day. I mean, I would say Kahlua, when she could go outside to go potty, which we'll get into, was having us take her down the elevator maybe 12 times a day. We are not joking to the city. I'm not joking. I'm not joking. You need to make sure that you have time to dedicate. In my mind, I'm like, that would be really hard if you had a nine to five where you went into an office. If it's just you. If it's just you and we're talking like a 12-week-old puppy. That would be my because we'll get into potty training in just a second, but I would say time. What is your biggest pro tip for getting a puppy? I really love time, but I'll have to say my number one tip is as soon as the puppy is healthy enough to do so, start that socialization right away. Ooh, that's a good one. Let's talk a little bit about the prep before getting a puppy. What do the Social Lights need to get ahead of time? I'm always going to say a little crate or a place. This is subjective. Some people crate train and some people don't. I think the option of crate training is very beneficial. That's essentially where you put your dog in a crate overnight. Basically, trained that the crate is not a bad thing, that that becomes their kind of little home. Yes, a safe space. And our dog growing up, Trixie, we did crate train. When we left the house, she would be in the mud room and she had the choice to go in her crate or not. And she actually liked her crate. I am more of a fan of that, just so the dog can get up and move around. But that is totally up to you, Social Lights, and dogs have different needs. Our dogs actually do not sleep in the crate. They've always been able to free roam, but that's because we taught Kahlua not to mess with anything. I do think a crate in the beginning is essential, and then you can decide if you want to continue that or if they have earned the right to free roam. And we did some crate training with Kahlua when she was younger. Depending on the dog's size, that's what you base the crate off of. You could definitely do research on the breed or the mix that you're getting, but typically you want it to be big enough for them to do a circle in. Also, we loved a big fluffy stuffed animal that they can snuggle up with. We never had to use this for Kahlua because she transitioned okay. But if the puppy is having a really hard time, a lot of dog trainers and veterinarians will recommend a ticking clock that you can put in the crate, and the clock ticks mimic a heartbeat. So that can be really helpful too if the puppy's having a hard time. The mom's heartbeat. Because yeah, when they are young, you do want them sleeping in a crate or a fenced area overnight typically because they need to be able to learn to be comfortable on their own. And make sure they can hold their potty before they come into bed with you, if that's something you're considering. That too. So you need a crate, you need a dish, like you need bowls for water and food, safe toys that they can chew on and play with. And then there's a lot of treats and things like that that are tailored specifically to puppies. Yes. So it kind of is just you testing out what works for you. Food-wise, it's like food is tough. There's so many filler additive food, dog foods that are really bad on the market. I would say definitely talk with your veterinarian based on the dog's breed or the mixed breeds and see what they recommend because there's always new great foods coming out, but some of the traditional ones actually have a lot of filler in there. And a lot of dogs have different allergies. Kalou is allergic to chicken, which is a base in a lot of dog food. So we kind of had to play around before we knew she was allergic. On that note, sister, too, how do you decide who your veterinarian's gonna be? I personally looked up veterinarians in the area and I read reviews. Review, review, review. Yes. Because not all veterinarians are created equal, especially with pricing. And it's always a good idea too, word of mouth, you know, use who your family uses, your friends use, that sort of thing. I also think talking to your vet about spaying and neutering is a super important conversation to have and what the time frame looks like on that. Because in the shelters, they pretty much like to spay and neuter right away. They can't monitor who's adopting the dog, really. Exactly. They want to ensure that the puppies and the dogs are not going to be used for breeding. So a lot of times with shelter dogs, they will be spayed and neutered. Sometimes they do recommend waiting for larger breeds. Yes, and Kahlua did fall into that category. So when we did adopt her, she was not spayed yet. And I did some research, I talked to my veterinarian. I decided to wait until after her first heat cycle, which is a little bit like Russian roulette. You don't know when that'll happen. You kind of have an idea based on the months and what kind of breeds and all that, but that's an experience. It was insane. She was about one. She had to wear a diaper with a spot for her tail to go through. And that was a recommendation from our vet. Because it does have something to do with hormones and their bone growth, especially for larger breeds. So talk to your veterinarian about that, see what they recommend, see if that's something you're willing to take on, having them wear a diaper. And then last point the whole potty pad conversation. Potty training is the most difficult part, in my opinion, of getting a puppy. Yes. This is something you cannot ignore. No, it has to be taught. And a lot of times with the bigger breeds, it takes a while. So the problem is if you're in an apartment in a city, like here in Los Angeles, your puppy can't get its vaccines until it's a certain age range. Yes, because a lot of times the vaccines come in sets of three. So you get the first set, you come back for the booster. The whole thing takes a while for your dog to be fully vaccinated and you cannot be walking around unless your puppy is fully vaccinated because there's just too many dogs in Los Angeles and big cities in general. You want to make sure your dog's protected. So going outside right away was not an option for us. If you live in a small town where you have a yard and it's just you, that's amazing. Start going outside as soon as you can. What is the danger of going outside before they're vaccinated? The puppy could literally die. If it gets infected with something like lepto, if it gets infected with something like parvo, and even when you catch it, a lot of times it's too late. So it's very serious. Yeah, so you definitely want to make sure that you're taking that seriously. For us, being in the penthouse, we are top floor elevator to get down. We're like, we're gonna go the puppy pad route. We had never used puppy pads with our dog growing up because we were in Ohio and she could just go in our own backyard. If you have a backyard for a puppy, slay. Absolute slay. Your life is made. Yeah. I absolutely recommend getting a puppy. An apartment, it's not impossible, but you need to be aware of this. And you need to have a plan. Yes. So puppy pads. This was our original plan. We thought it would be great. The puppy pads disposable. There's something, there's a scent on the puppy pad that makes the dog know it has to go there. It's really, really bizarre. You can't smell it, but it's something with the dog's pheromones, like it knows to go there. And Kahlua and her foster sister caught on right away. Yeah, no, it was amazing. They knew exactly to go on the potty pad. It keeps everything cleanly because then you just dispose of the potty pad, put another one down. That worked great. Now, once she was vaccinated, we started to introduce the outside. The problem is with the puppy pad, she had learned that it was okay to go inside. So she didn't know what we were doing outside. She did not understand that it was okay to go potty outside because how would you? Right. So she had no clue because she's like feeling grass for the first time and probably just thinking, oh, this is really cool. All the scents, all the things. She had no idea what was going on, and she just wouldn't go sometimes. No, she would wait to come back up to go on the potty pad. And then we would be like, no. And I mean, it got to the point where we'd be bringing a potty pad down the elevator to take outside to try to teach her, this is the same. You can go there. So that was just really challenging. And so I would say once she started to catch on to going outside, we started to take the puppy pad away. And she had a few accidents on our kitchen rug, which resembled the puppy pad. Same shape, similar color, similar feel. I totally get it. We got it. We we couldn't be mad at that because we're like, we trained her to do this. Like they are like little kids, they're little sponges at that age. It wasn't until after she was old enough and completely potty trained that we realized what existed, Hill. A grass pad. Yes. I would have just done this the whole time. Shipped a wooden crate that comes with some live grass slabs. We're talking dirt, grass, like it's it's all put together in a nice little arrangement. Once that grass has been used and starts to get a little smelly, you just toss it and put in the new grass. It's like a carpet pad, but grass with real dirt. Then there's no confusion when you just start going outside because the puppy's seen this the entire time and it makes perfect sense. And we know about this because a dog that we started walking when she was 10 weeks old, 11 weeks old, Binky, our little girl. Her owner did the grass pad thing and it was like clockwork. Tori, she's so smart. Shout out, Tori. That was so smart though. And we're like, why did we not do this? I just had really never heard of it. We'd never heard of it. I didn't know it was a thing they offered. I don't know if it's an LA thing because so many people don't have yards. If you do have a yard, start going out as soon as you can, as soon as they potty, make a huge deal about it. You're clapping, you're saying, good dog, you've got the treats. It's fairly easy to train a puppy if you have a yard. Yes, and yeah, just make it all about the reward. Yes. And also, if you have your own backyard, we're not saying that they could literally die from going outside. We're saying that there's so much foot traffic here in Los Angeles and so many dogs on so little sidewalk and grassy areas. In public spaces, exactly. More disease prone. Just wanted to clarify that. Let's talk about some housekeeping things that are a little obscure. Yes, but we have learned through Kahlua and Kai. So the first thing I would say is getting them used to bath. That's major because some dogs will never love the water. But if you train them that it's bath time and you stand here and you get some peanut butter and it's quick and painless, you're good. It's no big deal. And I say that because Kai is so afraid of water. We have no idea why, because again, he was the dog we got as an adult. No clue what that's about because Lua, she doesn't love the water, but you plop her in the tub, she'll stand there really nice. Yes. She understands it's just something that we do. She tolerates it. She tolerates it with no pushback. So getting them used to water for bath time, super essential. That's a really good point. I also think getting the puppy used to people touching their paws, their tail, their ears, even gums and teeth. We do brush Kahlua and Kaido's teeth, but just getting them used to those feelings really early on because it makes going to the vet so much easier. It makes getting their toenails trimmed so much easier later on. Absolutely. And that's a huge one. I remember mom and dad doing that with Trixie. Lua will literally let us do anything to her. She'll let us put a party hat on. I mean, like, zero. She'll let us put clothing on her. She's so good during her vet exams. She'll just sit there. Another bit of advice is to take your dog on more car rides than just to the vet. Yes, you want them to feel like it's an adventure when you're going in the car. So that's a really great point. Just even quick little trips with a fun little sniff at the end. You literally could just get out at a park or something. Yeah, or you know, go get them a pup cup. I also would say, too, to get that socialization in as soon as possible, as soon as the puppy's vaccinated and it's safe to go outside. I would absolutely be taking them to pet-friendly stores, coffee shops, walks around the neighborhood. We personally are not a fan of dog parks for two reasons. One, we have had a ton of friends, dogs, who have been attacked at dog parks. There's just too many personalities at a dog park and you don't know these dogs. Safety-wise, it just can get really dicey. It looks like everybody's playing and then all of a sudden it turns into a dog fight. It's just too dangerous. Secondly, which I don't even know if you'll think of this, sister. There have been so many cases on the Batty on Break group where women have gotten their tibial plateau fracture at the dog park. Literally, a dog is playing and they don't see it. It's not even their dog in some cases. And the dog will knock their, knock their um legs out from under them. So it's actually dangerous. So you're total accident. Total accident. And you just have to be really care. Now I'm very mindful of that. Just be aware of that. And honestly, we have always avoided the dog parks with our dogs. Also, growing up with one dog and now having two, what are your thoughts on one dog versus two dogs? I think two is much easier because they keep each other busy, but it would not be easy if it was just me. It's only easy because we have a household. I have a partner. Madeline and Marcus are huge helps with the dogs. Yeah. And it's really a group effort, but it would be very difficult. It was really helpful to get Kaido with a well-balanced dog like Kahlua. So a lot of times when you're adding a second dog, you want to make sure that your first dog is like well-mannered, well established. Yep. Another really good suggestion, I feel like, is training in general. If you feel like a fish out of water, you don't even know where to start, they offer puppy classes. Yes, we cannot recommend puppy classes enough. Let them learn their manners, basic obedience. And then if you want to continue on with a trainer, you can. It's a great bonding experience for you and the puppy as well. It gives you something to look forward to every week. And they're honestly affordable. And great socialization for the puppy. Absolutely. It's an amazing investment to actually train with someone who knows dogs inside and out. Learning about how dogs communicate and their different cues that they're giving you. Definitely really helpful to understand what your dog is trying to say and how what you say to them influences their behavior. It's absolutely worth the investment to learn those tools that will make you and your dog the best team. Especially if you have children. I think it's really important then to learn dog cues as well. Also, respecting the dog space and teaching your children to also respect the dog space. Just really important to understand body language as much as possible. Because they really do have their own language. They do. And if you miss a cue or you don't know what licking their lips means, you may not understand that they just need a little bit of space. What would you say is an important thing to remember? Going to the vet as soon as possible, making sure they're up to date on vaccinations always. Our vet has a really cool app called Pet Desk, where it tells you everything coming up that the dog needs. So it's really important to never let the core vaccines lap. And the core vaccines are the ones that veterinarians just consider the most important. One of those would be rabies, lepdo, just the really important ones. Yes. Never let those vaccinations lap. Another really important tip your dog needs to be taking flea tick heartworm medication. Yes. If it's going outside at all, you can talk to your vet about the best option for that. I will say too, just on a closing note, we've talked about all the work and the time that you put into it. But I would say the benefit and responsibility and routine of owning a dog has changed all of us for the better so much. I'm changed for good, sister. Changed for good. I mean, seriously about how many steps we get because you're taking well, not me at the moment. I haven't taken the dogs for walks since this whole thing happened. You used to, though. But I used to all the time. It did dawn on me on a few of those walks around the old neighborhood at the penthouse. Like, I would not be outside in the sunshine as much if we didn't have the dogs. I wouldn't just be taking a stroll around the neighborhood multiple times a day. Getting those steps in is crucial. I think mentally too, sometimes it can be really helpful to know that there's another little life that's depending on you. And it's so good for your mental health. Just the aspect of the responsibility, right? You're thinking about something outside of yourself. The unconditional love that they provide. We could leave for five minutes and they are ecstatic when we walk in. They make every single day better. They make it richer. And I will say too, they were my little buddies during my recovery. They really were. They did not leave Maddie's side. No, and they made each day in that really, really dark time so much brighter. They did not leave my bed. They laid with me. They would put their paws on me. So smart. They're so smart. They're so emotionally in tune. Yeah. So intuitive. And as adults, they're very easy. Once you have a trained dog. Yeah. And I would say cakewalk. Cakewalk. Because now, as adults, we've made it through the storm. We've made it through the puppy stage and all the training and everything. They are good as gold. We can leave them unattended for hours. They don't mess with anything, they don't chew on anything. They just add to our lives. We know a lot of you Social Lights are animal lovers and you have animals at home. So you all understand what we're saying. Yes, but if you are on the fence, if you're like weighing the pros and the cons. The puppy stage is not easy. But if you want to avoid that, then adopt an adult already trained dog from the shelter. There are options. That's what we're saying. There's definitely pros and cons to both, but I would say if you're on the fence, go to your local shelter and save life. 100%. Could have said it better myself. If you have any questions about adopting a dog, our DMs are always open. I know Hillary just recently helped one of our friends with a dog adoption. That's like my favorite thing ever to just hear someone's adoption story. So definitely give our pet account, the Penthouse Pack, on Instagram a follow. We'll link that in the description. We share a lot of adoptable animals here in California and try to help them find homes. Yes. And we also share our dogs on that page. And on that note, I think it's walk time. I'll strut along with you, sister. You hold the leashes. We are heading out, Social Lights. We hope that you gained a little something from this episode. DMs are open if you have any questions about adopting. You know, you're a first-time adopter. We're always open to answering questions. Yes, we are. We'll see you next time, Social Lights. You're listening to Sisters on the Scene podcast with Bad Mad and Hollywood Hill.