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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How are Dogs and Kids the Same?

Having grown up in the 50’s (I know! Hard to believe!) , there were many long road trips in the back seat of our Chevy wagon as we traveled cross country to visit our Grandparents. If you have ever had this experience, you understand.

The back of the wagon contained an array of Archie comic books and Mad Magazines. There also existed two invisible lines. They separated the space between my brothers and I. You DO NOT cross the line. Not even a finger. God bless Mom and Dad.

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So . . .I was watching the interplay of my dogs as they lie on their beds and floor. If the one on the bed decides that an invisible line has been drawn, a hair better not touch their pillow that doesn’t belong to them.

At times, they will all curl up together and it’s so sweet. Much like children, that can change in a nanosecond and it’s not in your best interest to put a paw on a bed that someone else put “dibs” on.

It appears that the invisible line is not a back-seat exclusive!

Why Do Dogs Bark?

Dogs bark. People talk. Some days I’d rather hear the former rather than the latter. Other days - well, you know. I thought I’d share a favorite dog joke.

Melody and Violet were both outside looking up at the moon and barking.

Melody asks Violet, “What’s that?”

Violet responds, “I don’t know, but if we bark at it all night, it goes away in the morning.”

Enjoy a fun song:

Who Let The Dogs Out

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