All About Dogs

By Hana

Hello! My name is Hana, and I am in sixth grade at Everest Point. I love, love, LOVE dogs, so I am going to teach you about some of them.

My Top Three Favorite Dog Breeds

LABS

Labs (Labrador Retrievers) are very sweet and social. They are great companion dogs, and require about an hour of exercise every day. If you want a sweet, family friendly dog, then a Labrador Retriever would be a great dog for you.

CORGIS

Corgis are super sweet, playful dogs. They are great dogs if you are looking for a silly, adorable companion. They require about one hour of exercise each day. If you want a dog that you could have fun with all day long, then a Corgi would be an awesome dog for you.

PIT BULLS

Pitbulls have a bad reputation, but in reality, they are adorable loyal dogs. They are super sweet and will love you with all their heart. They should get a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day. If you are looking for a sweet, loyal dog, then a Pitbull would be a great dog for you.

Getting a Puppy?

Many people get a puppy around Christmas, and now that everyone is at home, it's a perfect time to get a dog. But how do you prepare for it? I got a puppy in March, so here are some of the best ways to get ready for a puppy.

Puppy Proofing Your House:

  • Find a good way to store things that your puppy could possibly destroy (I put mine on a high shelf)

  • Make sure cords are up where the puppy can't chew on them. You do NOT want your dog to get shocked!

  • Put all your shoes in a bin with a lid. Trust me, this will save you a trip to the shoe store.

  • If you have any plants that could make your dog sick if they ate them, put them up high, or make a chicken wire fence around them.

Things You Will Need for Your Puppy:

  • Lots of toys. If you have toys everywhere, that should help distract your pup from chewing your belongings.

  • A kennel or fenced-in area. A kennel is a good place you should have your dog sleep.

  • Puppy treats. You need to reward your dog when they do a trick right!

  • A baby gate. The best way to start out with a puppy is to have them stay on just the main floor until they are comfortable with it, and then introduce them to the upstairs or basement. A baby gate will assure that your puppy stays on your main floor.

My Experience with a New Puppy

Me and my mom volunteer at a local organization called Do Over Dogs, which is a link of people that foster, take care of, and socialize dogs that have been rescued from kill shelters around the U.S. One day, we went to help socialize a litter of nine puppies that had been born not too long ago. We fell in love with all the puppies instantly. Their names were Emmy Lou, Merle, Waylon, Pearl, Dolly, Patsy, Loretta, Willie, and Outlaw. All the puppies were so sweet, but there was this one dog that was super attached to my mom, and he just happened to be the only one that didn't have someone that was going to adopt him. Both me and my mom wanted him so badly, but eventually, my parents decided not to get him. I was super disappointed, but it didn't last long, because three days later, they announced that we were going to get him after all! I was so excited to get our new pup! We immediately started preparing for our new family member, buying what felt like a whole store full of dog toys, getting a kennel, a bed, a giant bag of puppy food, etc. We came up with a list of names (Butters, Mochi, Hank,), and finally decided on Obi-Won Ton. 😂 (Yes, I know, like Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars.) Honestly, we were not prepared for what we had signed up for. Obi had at least three accidents a day. He was super stubborn, we had to sleep downstairs with him at night, and we would have to wake up around 1:00 every morning to let him out so he could go to the bathroom. Still, it was super worth it to have him in our family. Now, he is seven months old, and probably the sweetest thing on earth. He has adorable ears that he can change the position of, which is truly hilarious to see, and he loves playing tug with his older brother, Taji the Silver Lab. I like to joke that he is half Baby Yoda, because his ears and wrinkles look SO much like him!!! I am super glad we got Obi, and it was so worth the stress and hard work to have him in our family. 😍🥰😍🥰

My puppy, Obi-Won Ton!!!