Jenn and the Dogs

Swimming and Boating are a favorite summer past time for many. And more people are bringing their dogs along for the fun! But you should exercise serious caution when ever your dog is near a body of water, weather it’s the beach or a swimming pool.

 

Not all dogs realize that they will sink if they jump into a body of water. A dog who has never gone swimming before in a body of water that is too deep for them to touch the ground will assume that he watery surface is actually solid and will be quiet shocked when they jump in and start sinking! To avoid this shock, start out in a shallow area, such as the shore of a beach or the shallow end of a pool, and slowly guide your dog into slightly deeper waters where he can not reach the bottom.

 

All dogs can learn to swim and all dogs have the instinct to keep their heads above water by kicking and paddling with their paws should they fall or jump into the water. However, just because your dog can swim, does not mean that he or she is enjoying it. If your dog wasn’t expecting to sink or wasn’t expecting the water to be so cold, or the waves to be so strong, then they may be scared out of their minds and trying to swim for dear life! And yes a dog can drown just as easily as a human can. When a dog jumps or falls in the water, and they decide they don’t like it, they will try to go back out the same way they came in. Dogs don’t realize (unless you teach them first!) that they must swim to the shallow end of the pool and find the stares or ladder to get out. If the dog’s body becomes exhausted from swimming, they get a cramp, etc. and they can’t manage to find to a way out, then they will eventually start to drown! So keep an eye on your dog and help them out if they are struggling and not having fun.

 

If your dog doesn’t like swimming, do not force them! Doing so imprints fear and puts stress on your dog. Just because your dog doesn’t like to swim doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy going to the beach or for a boat ride. Just don’t force them into the water. Some dogs love swimming and some hate the thought of getting wet at all.

 

When on a boat, always have your dog wear a doggy life vest (petsmart sells them) that fits snuggly on your dog. A life vest will save your dog’s life should he fall off the boat. Also, waves, a high tide, and a strong current can easily tire your dog out. A life vest well keep your dog a float should they become to tired to swim. Always keep an eye on your dog and make sure they don’t get carried away by the current or washed up by a wave.

 

Always take the time to teach and remind your dog how to get in and out of the swimming pool and in and out of your boat. Also, try not to let your dog drink pool water. The chlorine in pool water is too strong for their bodies. If you can, use an alternative method to clean your pool so the chlorine doesn’t hurt their skin and eyes. If you do use chlorine in your pool, make sure to rinse off your dog with fresh water (the hose) to rinse away the chemicals.

 

Happy Summer!

Jenn

Summer Safety

 

Heat stroke is the number one doggy health concern during the summer. That being the case, never leave your dog outside in heat for too long. A half hour, with shade and plenty of cool water, is ok. If you can not provide shade and cold water outside, then your dog should be out for no more then five to ten minutes at a time. Dogs with long or thick coats over heat much faster then dogs with short fur coats. Long haired dogs should always have shade and cold water when they are outside and should never be left outside for more then ten minutes at a time.

 

Remember, even when you dog is inside, in the air conditioning, they should still always have fresh water available to them. Dogs can dehydrate more easily then humans!

 

Dogs do not have sweat glades. They can not give off excess body heat by sweating the way humans do. Instead, dogs give off excess body heat through their mouths, by panting. Thus, dogs should always be allowed to open their mouths during the summer months. Mussels, head collars, or anything that restricts a dog from opening its mouth can cause a dog’s body to over heat and suffer heat stroke.

 

How Do You Know if Your Dog Has Heat Stroke?

 

If your dog begins walking funny, if he starts stumbling and falling over while he walks, or if he can’t get up at all, and has been outside in the sun recently, then this could be heat stroke. There a few clear ways to check for sure. First, check you dog’s eyes. Touch the inner and outer corners of each eye with you finger. Your dog should blink when you do this. A dog who is suffering from heat stroke will not blink when you touch its eyes.

Second, look at your dog’s teeth and gums. A healthy dog’s gums should be a nice pink color or black color if the dog has black fur. A dog who is suffering from heat stroke will have gums that are pale white, grey or blue and look clammy.

 

If you think you dog is suffering from heat stroke, first try to get some liquid into the dog’s body and then take him straight to your local veterinarian. If at all possible, have your dog eat ice cubes while on the way to the vet. You do need to get liquid into your dogs system, but you don’t want to do this too quickly. Dogs who are suffering from heat stroke will instinctively try to swallow any water they can get and sometimes they drink so quickly that they accidentally inhale water into their lungs and end up choking. Eating ice cubes is a perfect alternative as it forces the dog to slow down and eat the ice so no water is inhaled into the lungs.

 

To prevent heat stroke while taking your dog for a walk, go for walks early in the day or late in the evening. Avoid walking your dog at noon or after noon because this is the hottest part of the day. Bring a collapsible water bowel and bottled water for long walks, dog parks, or any other vigorous activities, and take breaks in between.

It would seem I have a case Of writer’s block, but I don’t want just say nothing. So, how was everyone’s memorial weekend? Mine was slow as I was given Saturday off as well as Monday and all that extra time made the weekend drag on forever. I can’t complane though, but I did miss my usual “Doggy Saturday” which I hate because I look forward to it every week. The good news is that the weather reached 80 degrees last Sunday and so Motley and Vincent and I spent Sunday at the dog park. They ran so much that they slept the whole way home and then took another nap on the couch. The bad news is that the nice weather didn’t last and we are back to our usual 50 degree spring-in-illinois weather…

Are Petsmart and Petco getting to expensive for you? It is for me. Which is why I have turned to the world wide web for all my doggy shopping. There are some great bargains online! And some really neat things I’ve never seen at a local pet store before. I just wanted to share two of my favorite doggy websites with you.

 

www.thepamperedpetmart.com sells all kinds of dog products at much cheaper prices then petsmart and I think they have a better selection too. They also sell products for cats and small animals. Make sure you join their email list because they have sales often and many products do not require a shipping charge.

 

www.spotorganics.com If you don’t mind spending just a little bit more money and are looking for organic grooming supplies, then Spot Organics is for you. They have everything from natural hemp shampoo to organic botanical ear cleanser to calming essential oils made specially for soothing separation anxiety! All their products are 100% natural, 100% safe for dogs, and 100% safe for the environment. This site is only for dog grooming supplies and some products are marked as not safe for cats.

 

Enjoy!

Jenn

There are two kinds of aggression in dogs; Fear Aggression and Dominant Aggression. Dogs always do what works best for them. In fear aggression, when a dog finds himself in a situation that he finds scary and threatening, the dog will usually try to escape first. If there is no way he can escape, he will send signals, using his body posture, to say “You’re scaring me, please leave me alone!” (Signals include crouching body posture with head lowered and tail tucked in between the legs, hackles raised, lips raised to show teeth). If this doesn’t work, then the dog will escalade to growling, snapping, and if all else fails, biting and attacking. In most situations, it is not the dog’s fault if he reaches the point of nipping or biting. He did try to warn you and is only defending himself the only way he knows how.

In dominant aggression, the dog views himself as the leader and believes to have authority over his owner and sometimes over the entire household. In this case, the dog reacts aggressively in order to enforce his rules and in situations in which the dog feels his authority is being threatened. Again, the dog will always do what works best for him and will usually start with warning signals to get what he wants as if saying “You better do what I say or there will be consequences!” (Signals for dominant aggression include placing a paw or arm over you, placing their head over you, stiff or tense body, arms placed out in front and spread apart, leaning forward as if they are going to pounce or attack, head lowered, hackles raised, lips flaring and/or raised to show teeth, sticking the tip of the tong out.) If those signals don’t work, the dog will then try growling, nipping, and if all else fails, biting and attacking.

Some dog breeds are inherently more fearful or dominant. For example, many spaniels are usually submissive and become scared easily, while guarding breeds such as Chow Chows have a more dominant and challenging personality. However, problem behaviors that result from a dog that is overly fearful or dominant almost always result from a lack of or improper socialization and training. Also, abuse and neglect play a major role and can sometimes be irreversible. However, there is actually a much smaller number of dogs who are aggressive because of mistreatment verses dogs who are treated lovingly but where not socialized or trained.

Dominant aggression should never be tolerated, but at the same time a dominant dog should never be punished as this will cause the dog to feel threatened and the dog will react by raising his aggressive behavior to ‘remind you who’s boss’. Unless you’ve worked with dominant aggressive dogs before successfully, you should seek professional help to get a dominant aggressive dog under control without causing the bad behaviors to escalade.

For dogs who exhibit fear aggression, they too should not be punished. Punishing a fearful dog is like punishing a fearful child. Both just need to be taught that everyday situations are no thing to be afraid of. Sometimes fear aggression can get out of control and can transition into dominant aggression. This is often the case when a dog is so nervous and fearful on an almost daily base and sees no other escape but to act aggressively. Since acting aggressively is the only thing that seems to work (whoever’s scaring them backs away when they nip!) the dog starts to feel as though acting dominant toward the things that scare him works better then showing fear. Usually a professional can tell you if your dog is acting dominant out of fear, but it can be difficult for dog owners to tell as the signs are very similar.

If your fearful dog normally does not act aggressively (if they are okay in most situations and only exhibit fear aggression in certain situations, for example, when strangers get too close.) then you can try to help your dog with some training at home. Fearful, submissive and shy dogs all benefit from basic obedience training because it gives them the confidence they need to face our scary human world. Obedience training teaches dogs to look to us for directions. Fearful dogs are often scared because they don’t know what to do in situations that should not normally scare them. A dog who has reached intermediate to advanced levels of training has been taught to always wait for their owners instructions before acting in any situation. Thus, trained dogs know they have nothing to be afraid of because their owner has everything under control and will tell them exactly what to do. For example, when I walk my dog Motley and we cross paths with another person or dog, Motley will almost always look up at me as if to say “can I run over there and say hi?” and that’s when I say “leave it” and we continue on our way.

Obedience training also works wonders for dominant aggression as it is a sure way to teach you dog that you are the boss, not him, and that he must ask or wait for your instructions before acting in any situation. The only problem is that training must be done carefully and correctly, using only positive reinforcement, so that the dog never feels threatened during training.

Once your dog can be trusted to fallow your commands, you can then begin socializing them (or re-socializing them as the case may be). Once your dog knows commands such as sit-stay, you can use it to teach your dog how to behave around other dogs and people.

This weekend was spectacular although it was just a crumb taste of what I plan to dedicate my life to. Saturday I spent 3 straight hours helping Teresa train some of our newest, and possibly most troubled, customers. The first hour class was small as only three people/dogs showed up. There were 2 labs and a spaniel mix. The spaniel mix looked nothing like a spaniel to me. It looked more like some sort of spitz breed as it had a double coat and a plumed tail that curled over the back. Only the shape of the dog’s head and the bent-over ears didn’t look at all like a spitz. Anyways, all three of these dogs clambered out of their owners’ vehicles like the incredible hulk busting through a brick wall. These dogs where not at all vicious, they were just used to dominating their owners. After about 45 minutes of teaching them heel, sit, and wait, and a long talk about how to be your dog’s leader, those same three dogs left our class happily fallowing the heels of their owners, tails waging behind them.

The second hour class was bit more hectic. At one point, Teresa left me completely in charge of the puppy class as we had a huge number of dogs attend the second hour class and some of them needed much more attention then others. All in all, I think the second hour class went well. Maybe not as well as the first class since we were able to give a lot more one-on-one attention to those three dogs, but it was still a good out come and we could definitely see a huge difference in a number of the dogs from the second hour class.

The third class was an intermediate/advanced class that was mostly for us trainers and our dogs, though there were two customers who were invited to stay for the third class, and they did stay, so that was good. Unfortunately it rained on us the entire time.

Sunday I went to an event that was hosted by the Humane Society in Kenosha, WI . It was a make-shift doggy carnival. Only instead of rides, there was a lure course that the dogs could try, and there were obedience demonstrations. There was, of course, food and drinks, and games for the kids, and booths full of doggy products and services for sale. Teresa had a “Tricks for Tips” booth set up at which I volunteered to help with and all the “tips” we raised went to the humane society.

During the second half of the event, Teresa and Cindy got the brilliant idea to bring a couple of the shelter dogs out and walk them around and work with them so as to show them off and increase their chance of getting adopted (it was weird as I had assumed that the shelter’s dogs would be out, but for what ever reason they were not). The owner/manager of the rescue was more then happy to let use take a couple of the dogs out with us. They even put little vest on them that said “adopt me” on the sides. I chose a small black-lab mix named Damon. He was a high-energy guy and was obviously overly excited and overly stimulated by the shear thought of being let out side with people and other dogs around him. I admit he was a hand full when I first brought him out (he jumped on the “tricks for treats” booth and knocked over a few things and stole a bunch of treats that we’d been saving). I realized immediately that I had to get Damon to settle down and control himself or he’d create a bad rep and never find a good home. So I decided to start by teaching Damon so sit. I took a little while to get his attention as he was very distracted by every thing and every one. But he was soon easily motivated by treats and within a matter of minutes he was sitting on command, much to my own surprise! Okay, I thought, if he can sit then he can lie down too. It took only the first try to get Damon to lie down and he performed the down command perfectly every time after that. Infect, I think Damon was better at “down” then he was at “sit”. Once Damon realized he could earn treats from me by behaving, he was much, much calmer and easy to manage. I became a little eloped in my work with Damon and almost forgot about where I was. When I finally looked up, there was a small audience of people watching me train Damon. Most of them were volunteers who worked at the Human Society. They were in awe of how quickly Damon learned to sit and lie down, how well he responded to me, and how his behavior had transformed so quickly. Now I became a little bit aware of myself as I was being watched. I felt as though my “audience” was waiting for more. The grand finale, perhaps. Originally I had taught Damon sit and down so he would be easier for me to manage and so he wouldn’t look like a barbaric beast in front of potential adopters. But since I was feeling proud in front of these people, I decided to try teaching Damon to roll-over. Why the heck did I go for Roll Over? It’s the most difficult trick to master. There is an endless list of tricks that are so much simpler. Damon has no prior training and only a small hand full of dogs can roll over, how naive am I to think that Damon could do it?

Again, to everyone’s surprise, Damon nailed it. He rolled over! And he rolled-over time and time again, for anyone who wanted to see. Damon and I were a real crowd pleaser that day and I was so proud of him and of myself. People and children came right up to pet him and to ask me about him and Damon was ever so gentle and appreciative of all the attention he received. Later that day I was told that I did an outstanding job with Damon and that two families had gone to the shelter’s office and expresses their interest in adopting Damon. Both families said they had watched me train him.

Damon didn’t actually get adopted that day as I imagine there is a long adoption process. But I have high hopes for him. It was difficult saying good bye to Damon at the end of the day because we had bonded so well. I wish I could have taken him home with me.

Once your dog knows how and will accept being calm and quiet in his crate, you can then start to teach your dog to go to his crate on command. This is probably one of the most useful commands your dog will ever master, and it’s so nice to be able to send your dog to his crate instead of having to chaise your dog around, catch him, and drag him kicking and screaming to the crate. These instructions pick up right where we left off with yesterday’s blog “Teach your dog to love being in his crate”.

 

Step 11: At a random time, when you dog is not looking, quickly place a treat or two (or a toy if your dog is a picky eater) into the back of the cage. Next, calmly and casually go over to your dog and gently grab your dog’s collar. Say the command (such as “Place” or “Bed” or simply “Crate”, etc.), and briskly walk your dog over and into his crate. Close the door. Praise him. Wait a few minutes. Now let him out.
Tip: Do not say an entire phrase such as “Go to your place/bed/crate/etc.” just yet. We’ll get to that later.

 

Step 12: Once you’ve let your dog out, go about your way and ignore him for 5-10 minuets, or until your dog starts doing something else. Then repeat step 11.

 

Step 13: Repeat Steps 11 and 12 several times through out the day. If you normally leave your dog in his crate when you go out, then use Step 11 to put your dog in his crate every time you leave the house, in addition to practicing through out the day when you are home.

 

Step 14: After your dog has herd the command for going to his crate, and has been sent to his crate immediately after hearing the command, many, many, many times (ideally over the course of two to four weeks) then you can try sending your dog to his crate on cue without having to pull him by the collar.

 

Start during a time when both you and your dog are in the same room as his crate. Say something like “Spike, go to bed!” or what ever your command is. Stress the command word to make sure your dog hears it. As you say “go to bed!” extend your arm out and point to his crate and then walk over to the crate with your dog. You may have to give your dog a little tug and some encouragement to get him to fallow you and then go into his crate. Once your dog is in his crate, close the door and praise, praise, praise! Then let him out and try it a few more times. Practice sending your dog to his crate from different angles of the room, from behind the couch, etc.

 

Step 15: Once your dog has mastered going to his crate on command in the room where his crate is located, then you can try sending your dog to his crate on command from another room in the house. Use the same directions as outlined in Step 14 for each room in your house. Practice in one room at a time. Remember to always point in the direction of the crate and walk with your dog. This is to show your dog how to get to his crate from every room/angle of the house. Practice several times a day.

 

Step 14: Eventually the day will come when you say the command and your dog runs ahead of you and straight into his crate and waits for you to come close the door. This is excellent as it means that your dog knows exactly what to do when you say the command! Now you can begin to wean off the “walking-with-your-dog” part. Continue to point in the direction of his crate and walk far enough to see that you dog does go inside his crate. Eventually all you’ll have to do is say the command and point. Cool huh. Remember to get up every now and then and check to see that your dog is still going into his crate when you tell him to, and not just going to the room where his crate is, or a different room altogether. If this happens, your dog may need a reminder training session.

 

Now, if you want to get really fancy, you can teach your dog to stay in his crate even when the crate door is open. This trick is very impressive and will always amaze your guest, especially after your dog just went to his crate on his own! This is done a little differently but is usually pretty easy to teach.

 

First, you will need to pick a command to tell your dog that you want him to stay in his crate. I use “nap” because my old Shetland Sheepdog used to fall asleep and literally take a nap every time. FYI: Don not use the word “stay” as this command has an inertly different meaning in obedience and your dog will get confused when you ask for a sit-stay or down-stay. Second, you will need to pick another command to tell your dog that it is okay for him to leave the crate (also known as a release cue) such as “done” or “finished”. FYI: Do not use the word “okay” because we use that word in daily conversation too often and if you say “okay” during a conversation with guest, your dog may get confused and get up and leave when you didn’t really want him to. Once you have chosen your two command words, fallow the directions below:

 

Step 1: Put your dogs leash on (you’re going to need it) and send him to his crate. Go over to the crate with your dog and have him lie down inside the crate. Use a treat to lure your dog into the down position if you need to. Once your dog is down, you must keep him down for a full 30 minutes. There may be some protesting from your dog as he is wondering what is going on, why he can’t get up, and why is the door open? But you must not let your dog get up! In fact, you must not allow him to even begin to stand up. Remember the leash? Sit on the leash or hold the leash down so that your dog can not stand up (not even an inch!) even if he tries. It works best if you hold (or sit on) the part of the leash that is closest to your dog’s collar. Do not allow your dog crawl around, roll around, or even get up to scratch himself (honestly, some dogs will pretend they are itchy so you will leave them alone, but again they are just acting and fooling you. Do not fall for it!). It is ok for your dog to shift his weight around as to get comfortable, but that’s it.

 

It may take a few minuets, but eventually your dog will relax and maybe even fall asleep. You must stay sitting next your dog, holding the leash down, for a full 30 minuets, even if your dog falls asleep. When the 30 minuets is up, say your release cue (All done!) and take your dog outside to use the bathroom and to stretch his legs. Practice Step 1 two or three times a day, but no more or your dog may become restless.

 

Step 2: After a week or two of practicing Step1, you can add the command “nap” or whichever word you have chosen. Start by sending your dog (on leash still) to his crate (using the “go to your crate” command from before), and have him lie down inside it. Then say the “stay in your crate” command (i.e. “nap”) and hold the leash down so your dog can not get up for full 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, say the release cue (i.e. “all done!”) and take your dog outside for a bathroom break. Practice Step 2 no more then three times a day for a week or two.

 

Step 3: Repeat Step 2, only this time do not hold on to the leash. Do continue to sit next to your dog just in case he tries to get up so you can quickly correct him. If your dog stays down for the whole 30 minutes even though you’re not holding the leash, then the next time you do this you can try to sit a little further away from your dog. Increase your distance just a tiny bit each time over the course of a week. Continue to sit of the floor each time. If your dog gets up, immediately go over and correct him. Say “no, no” and lie him down in his crate and start over.

 

Step 4: Assuming your dog is doing well and stays down, you can try sitting on the couch or chair. Start by sending your dog to his crate and then giving him the command to stay in his crate. Slowly back up to the couch or chair and sit down. If your dog starts to get up then immediately go over and correct your dog. Practice Step 4 two to three times a day until you can watch a half hour of T.V. while your dog stays down in his crate the entire time. Remember to always use the release cue after each 30 minute session and take your dog out to use the bathroom and stretch.

 

Tip: If the phone rings and/or you have to step out of the room and away from your dog at any time, always release your dog with the release cue first and then answer the phone. This type of strict consistency on your part will make it crystal clear to your dog that he is not to get up unless you give him permission.

 

Eventually you will be able to leave the room for a few seconds and your dog should continue to stay in his crate.

 

FYI: If you’d rather keep doggy bed in your living room then a crate, then you can use these same instructions to teach your dog to lie down on his doggy bed and stay there when guest come over.

 

Now your dog should be able to go his crate on command, even from another room, and stay there until you release him even though you didn’t bother to close the door! Bet you want to host a dinner party now… J

Ah, the crate. There is no end to the helpful conveniences of a dog crate for all dog owners. Potty training pain? Use a crate! Disruptive chewing? Use a crate! Obnoxious jumping? Use a crate. Grandma doesn’t like dogs? Put ‘em in a crate! Going on a road trip with Fido? Use a crate! Fluffy’s not feeling good? Use a crate! Spike has separation anxiety? Use a crate! Any doggy problem you can possibly run in to, and a simple crate can help see you through. However, the magic of the crate only works if your dog likes being in there and if you use it correctly (not for punishment! never for punishment!)

 

What do you do if your dog hates his crate? Let’s say Fluffy has separation anxiety. Assuming Fluffy loves being her crate (it reminds her of the safety and comfort of a natural den) then a simple way to battle separation anxiety would be to keep Fluffy in her crate when you are not home. This way she feels calm and relaxed and safe while you are gone, and won’t be so anxious the entire time. But if Fluffy hates being in her crate (she whines and howls and barks and begs to be released like a caged prisoner) then keeping Fluffy in her crate while you are gone can add to her anxiety and make matters worse. Plus your neighbors will hate you for the hours of barking and whining they have to endure.

 

Fortunately, we can teach our dogs to love being in their crate! And only then can we use the crate for just about any situation that comes along.

 

The “How To” of Crate Training:

 

Step 1: Start crate training on a day off. If at all possible, take a weekend off and devote that time to crate training. This is because most dogs will not understand what’s going on until the 5^th or 6^th try if you’re lucky. And even then, they will need consistent practice until they fully realize that they are supposed to be quit and clam every time they’re in their crate. It will be time well invested though.

 

Start by placing a few tasty treats just inside the door of the crate. Make sure your dog sees you do this, and encourage him (vocally) to get the treats. It’s very important that you do not use your hands to physically make your dog go to the crate at this time. Let your dog approach the crate in his own time. If your dog is picky about treats, then use his favorite toy or other object to encourage him.

 

When your dog approaches the crate and reaches in for the treats, phrase him! It’s ok if your dog just picks up the treats and then leaves. But remember to praise him when he approaches the crate and not after he has left the crate.

 

Repeat step 1 until your dog will quickly and confidently approach the crate for his treats/toy every single time.

 

Step 2: Now you are going to place the treats in a little further. Place the treats about ¼ of the way inside the crate (or less for more timid dogs) so your dog has to stick his head into the crate in order to reach the treats. Again, encourage your dog to go in on his own and praise him when he does. You may have to show him the treats or point at the treats to reassure your dog that they are in there. Again, don’t worry if your dog just goes in and out. That’s fine and to be expected right now. Repeat step two until your dog will quickly and confidently stick his head into the crate and reach in for the treats every time.

 

Step 3: Now you are going to place the treats ½ of the way into the crate (or a little less for more timid dogs) so your dog has to go at least halfway into the crate in order to reach them. Encourage and praise the heck out of your dog while he is reaching into the crate!

 

Step 4: As you may have guessed, the next step is to place the treats ¾ of the way inside the crate and….

 

Step 5: Finally, you are going to place the treats at the very back of the crate, so your dog has to go all the way inside the crate to reach them. Encourage your dog to go into the crate to get the treats and praise him excitedly the entire time that he is in there. Do NOT close the crate door! Again, it is perfectly fine if your dog just goes straight in and out. He does not have to eat the treats inside the crate right now if he doesn’t want to. Repeat step 5 until your dog will willingly and confidently go all the way into the crate, to the very back, to get his treats. Tip: Do not toss the treats in because the noise they make when they land can scare some dogs (especially dogs that are normally skittish) and then they will be afraid to go into the crate. Reach in and place the treats down gently so they don’t clank.

 

Step 6: Place a few treats into the very back of the crate and encourage your dog to go in to get them. When your dog goes in, block the opening of the crate with your hands and arms so he can’t get out. Do not close the crate door; just use your hands and arms to block the opening. Expect some protesting from your dog. They will whine, bark, and try to poke there heads out. Do not give in! Do not even allow his little nose or little paw to stick out. Also, do not say anything while your dog is protesting. Just sit there quietly and continue to block the door until your dog calms down and is quite. Tip: Wear a thick sweat shirt and gloves to protect your hands and arms incase your dog tries to “dig” his way out.

 

Once your dog has calmed down and has been quiet for a few moments, you can let him out. Do not make a big deal out of releasing your dog or your dog will make an even bigger deal the next time you try this again. In fact, it’s best if you say nothing. You do not need to praise him right now because simply being released is plenty rewarding enough. The point of step six is to start teaching your dog that the sooner he calms down and is quite, the sooner he can have his freedom back. Repeat step 6 two or three more times max. After the third time, take you dog outside to use the bathroom, play with him, take him for walk or do some other enjoyable activity, and call it quits until later in the day.

 

Step 7: Repeat steps 1-6 at least 3 times a day for a week or how ever long it takes until your dog can easily get through all six steps with minimal protest or problems. Then continue with step 8.

 

Step 8: Place a few treats that take longer to eat (such as milk bones) and your dog’s favorite chew toy inside the crate, at the very end of the crate, and encourage your dog to go in and get them. Once your dog is inside the crate, close the door. Be very careful not to slam the door shut, that’s scary! Sit about three or so feet in front of your dog’s crate (or some where your dog can still see you) and do something quiet such as reading a book or checking your e-mail. 

 

Expect lots of protest from your dog! Even the calmest, most obedient dog will become an award winning drama queen during this step. Not only will they bark, whine, howl, and cry, but they will try a multitude of the most bizarre behaviors you’ve ever seen. I’ve seen dogs throw themselves against the door while clawing and scratching and howling as if they were being tortured. I’ve seen dogs throw a tantrum that would shame a toddler. Not only will they try nearly anything to get out, but they will keep it up. Some dogs will keep it up for hours, until they collapse from exhaustion. But no matter what, you must not give in! They are only acting and trying to fool you into letting them out. Don’t be a push over! Do not say anything to your dog; do not look at your dog or even turn in his direction. Just ignore it. Eventually your dog will realize that his protesting is not going to work and he’ll eventually settle down and chew on his chew toy or take a nap.

 

Wait until your dog has been clam and quiet for a full 5 minutes. Every time your dog misbehaves, wait until he calms down again and then start counting the minuets over from zero.  For example, if your dog has been quiet for 4 minuets and then starts to misbehave again, then you must start the clock over from zero minutes (so it might be more like an hour before your dog is actually quiet for a full 5 minuets).

 

Tip: If your dog continues to whine/bark/cry/etc. non stop for an hour or longer (or 30 minuets if you live in an apartment), then it is time to add a mild punishment for their behavior. Do not get up or walk over to your dog. Instead use a squirt bottle or squirt gun and squirt your dog from where you are sitting. You can also use a shaker can (an aluminum can with coins in it) and give it a couple shakes. Do not abuse or over use the squirt gun or shaker can. Think of it as a last resort. If you use these tools too often, they will become a crutch and your dog will never learn to be quiet on his own.

 

Once your dog has been calm and quiet for a full 5 minuets, you can let him out. Take him straight outside to use the bathroom and stretch his legs. Do not make a big deal out of releasing your dog or your dog will make an even bigger deal and misbehave even more the next time. Just silently and casually walk over and open the door. You do not need to praise your dog because his freedom is more then enough praise on its own.

 

Step 9: After you have let your dog out to use the bathroom and stretch, repeat step 8 two or three more times. Then call it quits until later in the day. Practice step 8 at least twice a day, but no more then three times a day max, for two weeks, or until your dog no longer puts up a fight and will be calm and quite in his crate right away.

 

Tip: Always take your dog outside to use the bathroom and stretch after every time you open the crate door. He might not have to pee every single time, but it will get your dog used to a routine and teach him not to worry, he will get a chance to go outside (which also helps with potty training!).

 

Step 10: Once your dog will accept being quiet in his cage for five minuets, you can begin to increase the amount of time he is left in there. Increase the time steadily over the course of a month or so. For example, 5 minutes to 15 minuets, to 30 minutes, to 1 hour, to 2 hours, to 3 hours, to 4 hours. You shouldn’t leave your dog in a crate for more then four hours at a time on a regular basis.

 

That’s it for now. In my next blog, I will go over how to teach your dog to automatically go to his crate when ever you tell him to, even from across the room! In the mean time, I’ve included a few tips below to help make crate training more enjoyable for your dog.

 

Tip 1: Dogs are natural den dwelling animals, so trying to make the crate seem as close to a real den as possible will help your dog like being in there. To do this, cover up the crate as much as possible with thick, heavy blankets, so it’s dark in there.

 

Tip 2: Make the inside more comfortable! Put some extra soft bedding in there. A word of warning though: this may be a bad idea for dogs who are not potty trained because they may pee on their bedding and not even realize it as it is absorbed by the bedding.

 

Tip 3: Leave a chew toy or two in there so your dog is not bored. Don’t put too many in though, or he will not have enough room!

 

Tip 4: Some trainers will tell you to feed your dog in their crate, but I’ve personally found this to be very false. It is ok to leave a few treats in there for them to find, but most dogs do not like having to eat their meals in the same spot where they nap.

 

Tip 5: When you are not using the crate, leave the door open anyways so your dog can go in-and-out of his crate on his own. I can guarantee you that at some point during crate training, you will start to notice your dog going into his crate on his own more often. When this happens, pat yourself on the back and give your dog a big hug, congratulations! Your dog officially likes his crate!

 

Good Luck,
Jenn

“Jennie,
Thank you for the advice. I will try this—-but what if he bites a dog that we meet on a walk? that is my fear as he’s turned on dogs a lot. they’ll be doing the sniff-each-others-butts thing, and suddenly he’ll just snap. other owners are horrified when they see his teeth.
 He’s such a rascal—-we just uploaded a video of Milo scaling the mudroom door to get out. it’s on my blog (www.fixerupper.typepad.com)—on the left side of the page.
 Adrienne”

Dear Adrienne

First of all, there is a big difference between nipping and biting. You said before that Milo ’s never actually bitten a dog before. If Milo is purposely biting then you have much bigger problems and you may be in over your head. I would recommend private classes with a trainer if it is that bad.

But if Milo is nipping at other dogs, then there is a good chance you can correct this behavior yourself. Remember to keep all doggy meetings very brief. I’m sure you know your dog better then anyone else, so , for example, if Milo can only sniff another dog for a maximum of 5 seconds before he gets snappy, then you should only allow him 3 seconds to sniff the dog, thank the owner, and be on your way. You always want to be in control of every situation. Also, never force Milo to do anything he is uncomfortable with because insecure dogs can attack out of fear. Dogs always give warning signals (using body posture) before they nip. These signals include flaring lips, showing teeth, sticking the tip of his tong out, glaring at the other dog, lowering his head below shoulder level, stiffing/tense body, front legs out in front and wide apart, leaning his body forward, or crouching, tail between legs, trying to hide or run away, not allowing another dog to sniff him. If Milo does any combination of these things, then it is time to move away from the other dog because he is already thinking about nipping.

If/when Milo nips, the only thing you can really do is apologize and then leave. Explain to other dog owners before hand that you are trying to socialize your dog and warn them that he might nip. It’s up to them if they still agree or not. But you must not scold Milo for his bad behavior until he figures out what it is you want him to do instead (not nip).

In addition to socialization, obedience training plays a major role when trying to combat aggression. I don’t know if Milo has any prior training, but if Milo can perform a solid sit-stay or down-stay, then you can use this to your advantage and have him lie down or sit and stay while other dog owners and their dogs pass by. This may even be a better place to start until you and Milo become comfortable enough to try meeting other dogs face to face. Start by practicng sit-stay and down-stay in your back yard until Milo will automaticaly respond correctly each time you give the command. Then try having Milo sit-stay or down-stay at random times during a walk (both with other dogs near and without other dogs near).

Good Luck – Jenn

Jenn,
I have a 3-year-old cockapoo named Milo . He is a good dog with humans, but he is very aggressive to most other dogs. He will break through our invisible fence to attack a dog, no matter how big the dog is. When I say attack, I mean barking fiercely, baring his teeth and nipping at the dog while the horrified owner tries to control his/her own dog. Milo weighs 20 pounds. He has not bitten a dog’s skin (to my knowledge) but he has bitten off tufts of fur in long-haired dogs. I now put Milo on a 20-foot vinyl cord that is screwed into the ground in our front yard. I don’t like to do this because I think he needs to be able to romp around. I do plan on putting a real fence in our backyard in a few weeks.)
I try to walk Milo and my other dog every day. My other dog is a peaceful labrador retriever. I have  Milo on a prong collar because it’s the only way I can control him when other dogs pass us—without the prong collar, Milo  barks and lunges toward the other dog. I tried bringing treats with me on walks and using them to get him to focus on me instead of other dogs, but this didn’t work. Milo is not interested in food even when he’s hungry. (My labrador will do anything for a single Cheerio.) I think one reason that food doesn’t work with Milo is that he is just a very insecure guy—he’s always watching his back for other dogs.
 I should also say that Milo does have playdates with my friend’s 2 bouchons. They are small like Milo , and Milo does well with these dogs. Other than these “playdates” I just try to avoid contact with other dogs, which is really hard. Sometimes we pass by people who are walking their dogs off leash, or we walk past homes where dogs are not fenced, and when a dog approaches Milo, especially a high-energy dog, he just plain freaks out, even if I yank his prong collar he will try to lung at the dog while crying in pain. This is AWFUL.
 We had a stressful year because we renovated our home, moved out for 6 months, moved back in. There are alot of workers coming and going still…(but my other dog has not been at all stressed out)…My hope is that once we fence the backyard, Milo will settle down a bit….but I fear he will always be aggressive with other dogs. Is there anything I can do to help him gain confidence? Anything I can do to get him to stop being aggressive with other dogs? Or do I just accept that this is the way he is?
 Adrienne

 

 

Dear Adrienne,

 

It seems to me that Milo has a little bit more poodle in him then cocker spaniel. Poodles can be high-strung, but luckily poodles are extremely intelligent and easy to train. At the same time, cocker spaniels are known to be fearful and/or nervous around strangers (dog or human). As a cockapoo, Milo ’s got the best and worst of both breeds. DO NOT accept Milo ’s aggressive behavior. Giving up on your dog will only make his behavior worse. What Milo needs is some socialization training. Milo does not have to get along with every dog he sees, but he does have to at least learn to tolerate other dogs.

 

First of all, you need to stop pulling back on Milo ’s leash when another dog is near. I know pulling on the leash is a natural reflex that humans have, but the truth is when you pull tight on the leash, it triggers your dog’s guarding instincts which makes your dog want to attack even more. Most dogs are experts at reading human body language and sensing our feelings. When you see another dog walking towards you and you get nervous, start pulling on the leash, or start walking away to avoid the dog, Milo picks up those feelings within seconds. When a dog senses that his leader (owner) is nervous or scared, then the dog immediately goes into attack mode as an attempt to protect you. Do this often enough and Milo eventually realizes that it’s other dogs that make you nervous. So Milo gets used to being in attack mode at the very sight of another dog. Unfortunately, dogs don’t realize that’s actually their bad behavior that makes you nervous to be around other dogs.

 

Socializing Milo correctly, along with reminding yourself to be calm and collect, should do the trick. No more avoiding dogs. Instead, you should want Milo meet at least one new dog a day. Start slow. The next time you go for a walk with Milo and another dog comes along, ask the owner if it’s ok for the dogs to meet each other. Assuming the owner says yes, let Milo go up to the other dog and let them sniff each other for a few minutes. Remember to keep the leash loose!!!! Praise Milo for sniffing and checking out the other dog. Pet the other dog yourself and say “good doggy!” This will show Milo that you are not afraid of other dogs and he shouldn’t be either. Take no longer then a few minutes to do this, thank the dog’s owner, and continue on your way.

 

It’s ok if Milo barks and pulls on the leash to get to other dogs in the beginning. But if he nips, if he cowers with his tail between his legs and/or looks scared, then do not bother greeting that dog. Just continue on past them. If Milo will not fallow you willingly because he’s to busy trying to lung at another dog, try calling him in a happy, excited voice and give the leash a few little tugs while you walk away. This usually works better then dragging him off while scolding him. By the way, you do not want to scold him for his behavior in the beginning because this will cause Milo to associate strange dogs with negative attention. You want Milo to associate other dogs with positive attention, so try calling him excitedly and pat your legs or clap your hands to get his attention. Or just walk away without saying anything.

 

As for his behavior at home/in the yard, this may be a little more difficult to control because he may be guarding his territory. I recommend using a citronella collar if he usually barks while attacking. Citronella collars are the most human and the most effective and will work even when you are not home. All you do is fill the collar once a day with citronella spray (basically a solution of water and lemon juice) and turn the collar on. When your dog barks, the collar will automatically spray your dog. Dogs hate the way citronella smells and many dogs also hate being sprayed. It’s a very mild punishment, but it works wonders. Add a command such as “no” or “leave it” and Milo will soon learn to stop his bad behavior before he gets sprayed. The true beauty of a citronella collar is that it works even when you are not home. You can do the same thing a citronella collar does yourself by squirting your dog with a squirt bottle or by using a shaker-can, but the problem with those is that dogs quickly learn that they can still misbehave when you are not home to administer the punishment, and so training takes a lot longer. If you want to, you can use the citronella collar when going for walks too. But I strongly recommend that you turn the collar off when going for a walk and try to socialize Milo instead so you can get to the heart of the problem.

 

Let me know how it goes. Remember to go slow, at Milo ’s pace and comfort level. It will probably take a few months of daily practice until you see a major difference in his behavior. Good Luck J

 

Jenn