Looking for your dream pup? Gooddog.com can help!

A lot of people ask me where we got Pax and why we picked our specific breeder. I researcher 25+ breeders. NO JOKE. There were very important qualities we looked for such as, how they handled the puppies, how many litters the moms were having, the breeding style, and the breeders personality in general. We had a wonderful experience and will be getting another dog from them in the future.

I’m a research nut and searched high & low for our breeder! Using a platform to help me connect to these breeders would have been super helpful! A website called, gooddog.com, can help dog parents do just that! Whether you are getting a doggo from breeders, shelters, or rescues this website can guide you. The Good Dog team and I recently connected about their new initiative and I thought it was such a good ideaI figured it would be helpful for everyone to learn a bit more! Below is more information about what they do and how they can help you find your new best friend! Take a look!

Gooddog.com

by Kaylin Marcotte

Good Dog is a new organization that helps people find the dogs of their dreams from responsible breeders, shelters and rescues.

Good Dog's mission is to help educate well-intentioned potential dog parents on responsible practices and connect them with good sources to put the bad actors out of business. Well-intentioned prospective dog parents often simply don’t know enough about what to look for and unfortunately end up inadvertently getting their dogs from irresponsible sources, like puppy mills. This not only harms dogs by fueling the broken system, but often results in complications for dog parents such as unexpected health or behavioral issues. Good Dog has pre-screened every member of their community so you can find a dog with peace-of-mind.

Good Dog also makes the process simple and convenient. They have a learning center with answers to questions like are you ready for a dog, how to work with a breeder or shelter, how to get your puppy home, and more. You can browse breeders and see the health tests, enrichment and socialization that they provide for each puppy, then apply directly all in one place.

All dogs deserve happy beginnings and forever homes. Good Dog shines a light on responsible practices and highlights vetted, ethical shelters, rescues and breeders to make it simple to find a dog responsibly.

To learn more:

Follow their campaign by checking out their instagram @gooddog & their website www.gooddog.com!

Are you ready to get a puppy? Make sure to sign up for our puppy mama tips by joining our tribe below!

7 things to think about before you get a puppy.

Getting a dog is never a good idea. It's a great idea. In today’s world more and more people are adopting furry friends to keep them company, improve mood, decrease depression/anxiety, support them while enduring hardships, encourage them to push onward, and of course to celebrate life!!

Getting a dog is also a really big idea. Caring for an animal or in our case, another family member is a full-time job. It’s a huge responsibility, and it changes your life for a large chunk of your life. For us, that’s exactly what we wanted, hoped for, and received. One of the biggest things that I share with people is that having a dog for us was never a hardship because we never expected it to be easy.

I want to make sure that I share my opinion up front- getting Pax has been the greatest adventure of our lives so far. He has brought my husband and I closer, he’s been my muse while growing my business, he has increased my happiness and filled my heart with such joy. Jarrod and I also had an ideal situation getting a dog which made the process more adaptable in our lives.

Here are some REAL things to think about.

1. Your social life. It’s really not fair to leave your pup for longer than 3-4 hours unless you have a planned event. Dogs are pack animals, and they miss you when you’re gone. If you’re like me - I think I miss Pax more than he misses me. Also, if you get wasted the night before you still have to get up at 6am to take your dog out to potty the next morning. If you want to jet out for a weekend, you’ll have to think about where your dog is going to stay. We’ve had some “ehh” experiences with Rover, and I’m so grateful nothing terrible happened, and it gets harder and harder to leave your fur baby when you know they aren’t going to treat them exactly as you would. That’s also a cost, right? Boarding your dog is a cost.

2. Budget. Getting a dog (whether you rescue or go through a breeder) is going to cost you money. From dog food to shots to random ear aches you’ll be spending more money on those things. Also, dog bow ties and bandanas aren’t free. #millennialproblems… What about when you go out of town and you have to pay for boarding. That raises another question, where will your dog stay?

3. What is your work schedule? If you travel Tuesday-Thursday you’ll need to prepare for your dog to be cared for which is more effort for you. Do you work 12-14 hours a day? Or even an 8-hour shift you’ll need to figure out how your pup will go potty if you don’t have a way they can go in and out.

4. Relationships? Your partnership will change. I am so grateful for the closeness, fun, and house full of love that having a dog has created in our life. But, I won’t lie and tell you that the intimacy hasn’t changed in my life. We can’t even hug without Pax jumping in or crying. My husband and I have been together for 8 years, so we are able to have frank conversations of what our needs are which is extremely helpful in regards to figuring out a plan to have a relationship without the dog. That’s another important concept to think about. If you are in a relationship how does your partner feel about getting a dog? If one of you are only half way commited to getting a puppy it will make it that much more challenging when raising the pup. Also, dogs can truly feel energy. Living in a home with frustration, stress, and resentment isn’t good for anyone!

5. Ready to be less selfish? I see it in a good way - but I did stop taking care of myself for awhile - especially while he was a puppy. I felt guilt if I left, I felt overwhelmed when I took him places, and I felt so much love when I was with him sometimes I didn’t go anywhere at all. I stopped exercising and leaving the house as much for certain things I use to do (hello amazon & post mates). But it also brought me a new love, activities, and community.

6. Housing situation? Do you live with roommates? Is anyone allergic to dogs? How do you feel about mud on your couch? These are real realities. Today I took Pax to the dog park, and he rolled around in the dirt and then promptly laid down on my pillow when we get home. Can you even have a dog? Does your landlord let you? Are you in a big house with lots of room? How will your pup go potty?

7. Where’s your mindset? would you get upset if your dog laid on your pillow full of mud or would you laugh and grab another pillowcase? This one is super important. If you go into this experience #1 unprepared or #2 unrealistic expectations, you will absolutely get frustrated with your puppy. Being ready, willing, and able in my opinion seals the positive experience with getting a dog.

Tips for when you work from home & have a dog!

Working from home has it’s major perks. One of the best parts about working from home is hanging out with my best buddy all day. It also has it’s benefits such as increased happiness, reduced stress levels, increased productivity, more hugs and exercise! But it’s not just as simple as us gazing into each other’s eyes all day. Many times throughout the day I feel guilty about Pax in the house too long or not surrounding him with furry friends all day. So, I make an effort (well, I use to before the accident) to take him on a good 20-25 minute morning walk a 15 minute late afternoon walk and take him to the park in the evening every night to run around with all his little friends. Right now, it’s been tough since I don’t mobility to take him walks and I can tell he gets restless. However, dogs are very intuitive and he’s been sleeping a lot while I’m recovering. When I’m on conference calls or have meetings I don’t have an office with a receptionist taking packages or answering other phone calls. It can get a bit noisy when I’m in my home office and amazon delivers in the middle of the day and Pax decides he’s the man of the house and says hello to the mail man.

Here are some tips that might be helpful! 

• Exercise your pup in the morning- they will then be ready for nap time! It will also be a great way for you to start your morning. 

• If you can try and take a break at your lunch time and take your dog out for a quick walk to stretch both of legs!

• Don’t take yourself so seriously! Your pup might want your attention, bark, walk on top of your keyboard- it’s all OK! Enjoy these moments- they are reminders not to take life so seriously! 

• Hire a dog walker. Even though you are at home and you might feel like you “SHOULD” be able to do everything your job might not allow you the flexibility. This is a great opportunity to hire a dog walker or a friend that has a flexible schedule could help out as well. 

• Try puzzle games to entertain your pup while your working away at your desk. 

• LET GO of the mom guilt. It’s OK to entertain your pup and play a round of tug a war a couple times and give them a big belly rub. 

• It might be easier to let go of guilt to set up designated play times. It is also important for you to stay in charge and not to let whimpers distract you or to give in. 

• You may want to try crate training if your pup is a chewer or provide proper mental stimulation! 

If you work from home and have tips- comment below!