Ever Had A “Puppy Moment?”

Most things about puppies are adorable. They are always enthusiastic because everything is new and exciting! They also lack the ability to focus and have a very short attention span. AND, it doesn’t bother them a bit.

You may have heard of a “senior moment.” Those moments when you are doing one thing and then forget what you are doing so you start doing something else. Having been around several puppies lately, I realized that rather than a “senior moment,” have a “puppy moment.” It sounds so much better. It almost sounds fun!

Puppies can be walking toward their toy, and mid-step see a moth and head towards it. They can squat to pee and in a nanosecond get distracted and follow a leaf. If they could use words, I’m sure they’d be saying, “hey, look at that, no that, no that!” They look at us confused as we attempt to keep them focused.

The next time you lose a word mid-sentence, forget why you entered a room, or what it is you were going to do next, call it a “puppy moment.” You can also keep an I-don’t-care-if-I-forget-what- I’m-doing attitude and just enjoy the moment. . .whatever that moment is!

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What’s Next Michael Vick?

I just received the update from the Humane Socieity about the release of Michael Vick from prison.  The HSUS (and other organizations) persisted behind the scene to expose his pit bull fighting ring and to subsequently have him prosecuted and suspended by the NFL.

The only positive side to Michael Vick is that his actions (and getting caught) brought light to the fact that dog fighting is happeneing and needs to stop and those involved prosecuted.  Michael Vick says he’s a changed man and blames the abuse on his lack of respect for animals based on how he was raised as a child.

Michael Vick now has the opportunity, and I believe, obligation to give back to the community and society by assisting in the prevention of the advancement of Pit Bull fighting.

Here’s the HSUS update:  What’s Next For Michael Vick?

Dogs Celebrate Easter!

Dogs don’t look forward to a holiday weekend or a day off.  However, dogs do something similar to our definition of “celebrate.”  They just do it differently than we do.

On this particular holiday, a lot of families see the arrival of the Easter Bunny and hide eggs for the kids to find, and cook a ham for dinner.

Dogs. . .well, they find rabbits who are hiding and have them for dinner.  See, it is similar.

In whatever way you choose to celebrate today, may it be filled with the newness of Spring!

Does Your Dog Bite You?

We can lose all reason when we look into the sweet, adorable eyes of our newly adopted dog.  It’s easy to give lots of affection and allow them to do anything they want because - well, because!  We feel guilty restricting them.  I mean, look at them, they are so cute!

If, a few weeks later, you reach for your adorable dog, and it nips at you, stop right there.  Do not let it go and excuse their behavior or rationalize that they just weren’t ready to leave the dog park, get off the bed, put the leash on, etc.

Your dog needs to have a quick lesson in “do not bite the hand that feeds you.”  This behavior is a clear sign that your dog does not respect you.  Maybe you are willing to tolerate it, but the child who reaches for the dog when the dog doesn’t want them to, won’t be so understanding.

It is possible that with a couple of sessions in behavior modification, your pup will be the dog you first brought home.  Most of the behavior that will shift, is yours.  You can learn how to provide guidance and structure for your dog in a way that will make you both feel better about the relationship.

If you have a question or concern regarding your dog’s behavior, please ask me using the box to the right.

A Dog With Depression

I received an email from a client saying that their Basset Hound looked depressed. Sympathetically, I responded asking, “how can you tell?”

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When a Puppy Becomes a “Man?”

This is not about a B-rated sci-fi movie where a dog becomes a man.  Actually, it’s about when a male pup matures into a dog.

All puppies squat to do their business.  At some magical, maturing moment, males typically learn to lift their leg.  Not all do.  They can learn it from being around other males; however, that’s not always necessary.  Why do they lift their leg?

My clients will say, “oh, I hope he never learns to lift his leg.”  What they are mostly referring to is the necessity to lift it on every leaf, twig, or object along their path. The dog is saying to everyone who cares, “I’ve been here, consider yourself warned!”

Female dogs “mark” as well, it just isn’t as compulsive as it is for the males.  At about two years of age, dogs have a shift in their hormones and mature into dogs and begin leaving puppy-hood behind.  So, if your dog doesn’t lift their leg prior to this, they may now.  They may begin to feel the need to mark their territory.  This territory may be in the home or things they had no possessive interest in until now.

You can’t stop their instinct, but you can redirect them and observe their sniffing around just prior to staking their claim.  Along with the hormonal shifts, they are more likely to mark if something in their environment has changed and they feel threatened.  (It’s not good to threaten or question a male’s masculinity - two or four-legged version).  Giving your dog focused attention and being aware of the changes, will go a long way in reducing unwanted marking.

Dog Barking Out of Control?

The use of a water-filled spray bottle to break a dog from nuisance barking has been around for many years. Put water in a bottle that has an adjustable nozzle and set it on the jet spray. When your dog barks excessively, spray them near the mouth. This is not to be used every time they bark! Dogs bark. This is a tool and does not replace training.

I had a new thought about the water bottle. What if we used it on humans or even ourselves! Isn’t that a great new useage? Let’s say you are out to dinner and someone at a table near you is doing nothing but complaining as the server approaches. Here’s where you come in…as soon as the server approaches their table, be prepared, and the second they start to utter words of complaint, they get a light jet spray of water near their mouth. I think it would work. I’m sure you can think of a lot of other uses where this “nice” correction could be used effectively.

I am only thinking of our dogs. Why should they be corrected for nuisance “talking” when we are all guilty of it at one time or another? Soon, we will see spray bottles sitting on home and business counters and we will all know what it means. Maybe we would all be a little bit more aware of what is coming out of our mouths.

Maybe a little “barking” isn’t so bad. . .

Did You Just Hit Your Dog?!

It is considered “old school” to hit your dog.  I think the new thought followed the realization that children could be corrected and taught to respect us and others without inflicting physical pain.  So, what do we do with our dogs when they DO NOT listen?

Most trainers use a form of a physical correction.  We don’t promote hitting for a number of reasons:

• It can make your dog hand-shy, and it will pull away from you when you reach to give positive affection
• It can scare the dog and contribute to submissive urination and/or aggression
• There are other options which are far more positive and effective!

While a correction with some form of a collar or a hand signal or movement is physical, it is not the same as hitting. If done correctly, it is a quick response much like another dog would do.  Your intention and presence at the moment of the correction is more important than the use of a collar.

If your dog doesn’t listen because the only relationship you have is when you are correcting them, you need to work on building a better relationship.  A relationship with your dog is no different than any other - it won’t exist or at least in the way you want, if you don’t give it time and attention.

What to do when the leash is off?  Patience and consistency with leash/collar training prior to expecting the desired response when it is off.  Until your dog is mature and responds to you, you might want to either crate or kennel/confine them when they are not being trained.

There are off-leash options for training, and I will cover those later or feel free to send me a note with your questions.

Help! Stop My Dog From Digging

You’ve heard me say that dogs bark. I have some bad news. . .they also dig. Some enjoy the smell and feel of dirt as it is flying in the air and their bodies get dirtier as they become more engrossed in their task. Some breeds enjoy burying treasures in the yard so only they can return to them later.

Here are some reasons that a dog digs:

• To make a cool place in the soil where they can relax
• They are bored and it seems like a good thing to do
• Instinct says, “What are you waiting for man, there’s earth to uncover! You might find something to eat”
• They are young and goofy and everything is fun
• To bury a bone or toy for later
• They are certain they can get the rodent that just entered it’s home

Here are a few things to stop or at least detour your dog from digging:

• Put their poop in the hole they just dug
• Sprinkle cayenne pepper in the hole
• Give them a place to dig that is theirs. Frame in an area or use a kiddie pool and fill it with sand. Bury some of their bones to encourage them to dig there.
• Train them to stay away from the area where they dig by teaching them boundaries

If they are being left outside all day while you are at work and you come home to holes in the yard, this is a good indication of boredom. Another dog to play with might help (that could go either way - help with more holes or help with the boredom!) If you don’t give them something to do, they will find something.

The Dogs Who Understood A Tortoise

I was at the shelter working with some timid dogs and look who walked by! Timid behavior is timid behavior whether you are a dog or a tortoise.

This old guy “quickly” hid under my car. He must have heard that if he came by the shelter, he could get some free advice on expanding his socialization skills. Little did he know that he was in good company with these pups.

How wonderful to see this native creature walking in the desert. With his introduction to civilization, he may decide that his instincts were right - stay buried! If he would have said “hey, follow me, I’ve got a great hole to crawl into, they would have joined him!

For those of you who don’t know - tortoises are an endangered species and have to be licensed. It was a brave day for the timid dogs and one amazing timid tortoise.

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