Dear Basset: The first time I saw a snood was at a dog show. I thought someone had taken a shower cap cut a hole on the top and slipped it over their dog’s head. Upon closer inspection I found that this canine garment is specially made for dogs with long ears such as Basset hounds or for long ears with curly fur that easily mats such as Cocker Spaniels, Afghan Hounds, or Poodles.  

The idea behind the snood is it keeps the ears from hanging and dragging into the food bowl during mealtime or on the ground during muddy walks. At dog shows, many breeds wear snoods to keep their freshly groomed ears clean and mat-free before going into the conformation ring.

Shopping For Snoods

I found a cute web site that sells snoods in variety of sizes called Betsy’s Cocker Place. I love her motto “No snood, no food.” What an excellent training tool. Each time you feed your pup, put the snood on first and then feed him. In no time at all, he’ll want to wear that snood anytime thinking it will produce dinner. Her web site is: www.betsyscockerplace.com/snoods.html

You can buy snoods in a variety of colors and sizes. Betsy recommends Basset hounds wear the large shorter snoods approximately 12 inches from end to end. Snoods also come in a variety of materials such as cotton, fleece, and silk. Your dog can don a variety of creative snoods such as red, white and blue flag motifs for patriotic events, a glittery gold pattern for evening wear or a warm fleece one in the winter. But for the latest in fashion, go to You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeuDzo_MZqU and view the Basset Hound Spring Snood Line. Couture snoods from Japan.

No joke! Enjoy!

Dear Lisa: My husband, my three children and I are all animal lovers. We all agree that we are ready to adopt a dog, but I have one main concern. If I am away for at least six hours a day working is it still possible to house train a puppy or even an older dog? Can a puppy last that long in a crate?  – Working Woes 

Dear Working: It is refreshing to see a potential new dog owner considering aspects of dog ownership from the dog’s point of view rather than the owner’s point of view before you add a new member to your family.

Six hours a day in a crate is not an unreasonable amount of time for an adult, housetrained dog. However, if you get your family an eight week-old puppy, then that will be too long. The rule of thumb in housebreaking lore for puppies is that they can hold their urge to go potty for one hour for each month of age plus one. For a two-month old pup, he could reasonably “hold it” for three hours. On your current schedule you would need to find someone to come let the pup out of the crate at least once while you are away at work.

In your letter to me, you outlined that you work in the afternoon into the early evening hours. Would it be possible to have other members of your family available to help with the puppy rearing chores? Are the children old enough to handle the responsibility of walking the pup after school? Does your husband come home from work before you and could take the pup out for relief, feeding time and play time?

Hire A Professional

Another option is to hire a professional pet sitter to come to the house and take care of the puppy’s needs until he is older, say between nine months and a year old. Having a reputable caregiver coming to the house at the same time every day also helps build a solid routine for your puppy.

The best place to find a pet sitter is at your local veterinary office. Many times vet techs do pet sitting as a business, or your vet can recommend someone in the community. Otherwise go to Pet Sitters International web site: www.petsit.com and look up a business by zip code in your town.  By enlisting the help of family members and professionals your pup will have the attention and care he needs on his way to solid housetraining while you are at work.  

 

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com  or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470.