Are your relatives and friends dogs safe with children?

The holiday season is approaching and so are the visits to our relatives and friends homes. Dog and child safety is a vast topic, one that is dear to my heart , which I will cover extensively in future blog entries. Today, I want to give you  food for thought. No pun intended. : ) Turkey day is a time for family gatherings and often we have new family members and some who have grown older. I’m talking about everyone, even the four-legged kind. Dog owners and parents of children need to be aware that accidents can happen, even with the nicest dog. Dog bites occur for many reasons and can happen from the most unexpected little dog. Dog owners and parents, listen up! Do not look to the dog to show you whether he/she is good with children. Often it’s the “circumstance” that can create a quick snap at a child. Remember, accidents happen by mistake, not on purpose. One thing to know is that dogs can view children as submissive beings. In other words, dogs view kid’s as they would another dog. Which means that rules during play can change rapidly.

Understanding why and how is half the battle of safety. For example,  puppies lose their teeth (new teeth grow underneath their gums creating the need to bite and chew) and play with other dogs wrestling with their mouths open. Kids are low to the ground, move fast and can be unpredictable with their movements. Older dogs can have physical changes happening that you are not aware of creating a more protective reaction to sudden movements. Get it? Toy breeds have their own issues with children such as being picked up and accidentally hurt.

My main point to dog owners is,  that is up to us to ensure safety and not just deem the dog good or bad with children. I hear this all the time from people, that their dog is good with children. Yes, your dog may be good with children upon approach. However, an entire evening during a holiday party with both dogs and children lose in your house with cocktails flowing, may create another story.

Parents can begin with knowing your child. Take into account your child’s age, reaction to animals, and previous exposure to pets. This will help you understand where your child stands on the issue of dogs. Just because you own a great dog that’s used to kids doesn’t mean your friends or relatives dog is good with kid’s. Early preparation is best.  Speak to your relatives and friends in advance. Find out what some of the issues might be. Set up a puppy protocol! State your concerns about the evening or visit during the holidays.

There are hundreds of variables to this issue but one thing is for sure, I will be giving lot’s of tips on this topic in up coming blogs!

Paws for a minute..  tip of the day.

Listen up, dog owner and parents! Do not look to your dog or child to ensure safety. It’s up to us to be aware!

Dog owner checklist for senior dogs!

In the dog world, the rule of thumb is always age before beauty. We could learn something from that philosophy! To me there is something very special about senior dogs. The word perfect comes to mind. They have seen it all, over a 10 year span. Our ups and downs, good times and bad. Large breed dogs can sometimes age more rapidly than toy breeds. What constitutes “old” in the dog world? Dog owners should begin to prepare for the “golden years” when their dog is around 6 years old. Don’t get depressed. I said, prepare!

This awareness and preparation will empower you. This “dog owner awareness” could also save your dogs life, aid in your dog being able to grow old gracefully, prevent a child from being bitten by mistake, or even save you thousands of dollars!

I can tell you that over the many years of my career as a trainer and behaviorist,  I have discovered cancerous tumors while cuddling with a clients dogs, encountered behavioral issues, that were in fact, due to medical ailments. Therefore, I have devised a checklist that could possibly save your dogs life.

Dog Owner Checklist for Senior Dogs

1. When your dog turns 6 years old have a complete medical examine with your vet.

2.  Examine your dog occasionally when cuddling for lumps and bumps.

3. Have your dogs teeth cleaned. This can prevent major problems in the future. Very important. Especially for toy breed dogs.

4. Speak to your vet about your dogs food. Nutritional needs change over time. Adding a few                                                                                                                          supplements or even changing your dogs food to a senior diet could be a great idea.

5.  One of the first common signs of aging is sleeping longer and more deeply.                                                                                                                                                    Parents of young children need to note these changes and teach kids not to bother the dog.                                                                                                                       Parents of toddlers need to create a comfy safe place for your older dog to sleep. Pick familiar                                                                                                                   area in your house and use a baby gate for safety. Even the nicest older dog can snap when                                                                                                                       startled by a child!

6. Do some training on a leash! Yup, bring back the puppy in your older dog. The leash will formalize this fun exercise and really create the focus and attention your older dog will love then go through some old tricks. Your older dog will love the attention and praise for this accomplishment. Training also enables you to see if your dog is hearing or seeing properly. As your dog ages it is common to go into “dog owner denial” and think our dog is just being stubborn, when really other changes might be taking place.

7. Become aware of your dogs water in take. This can be an indicator of changes on the way. Always check with your vet.

The power of voice inflection!

I thought I would write about this important topic because even the nicest people, when training their dog, end up having a stern voice. Many dog owners think they need to be firm when giving  their dog direction. Voice inflection can be a very powerful tool in dog training! Your voice can give commands like “Let’s Go” energy, much like a gas pedal does when driving a car. Your voice can also be as good as a cookie is as a reward. Okay.. almost, as good as a cookie. I think though,  most people take this power for granted. Many owners start out with good intentions when training their dog. They begin with positive voice inflection and repeat commands almost too often when their dog is off leash. Their dog learns to tune them out over time. If you rely on a firm voice to control your dog who is not formally trained you are not reaching a true understanding and trust because your dog never learned the command in the first place. Your voice inflection  just turns into negative babble to your dog . All dogs, no matter what age, even those rescued from a shelter need to be formally introduced to commands (heel, sit, stay, down, come and o.k) on a leash. Think of these basic commands like the alphabet.  If you practice 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there in your house, and do so by guiding your dog on a leash,  it will create consistency. Of course this does NOT mean keep your dog on a leash all time. It just means that when you  first start training your dog, the leash is a really good tool to have because it reinforces eye contact and you are able to keep your voice positive and upbeat versus coaxing begging or controlling. Dogs love that!

Math Challenge

Here is a interesting fact. If one female dog is able to have  a average liter of 4 puppies and she can biologically be bred twice a year. And if she able to so for 6 years and if every puppy born from that liter is able to have 4 puppies..then how many puppies will have been produced in a six year period?

Answer: If allowed to breed, one female dog can cause a production of 972 puppies within 6 years!

There are roughly 60 million dog in the Untied States.

Please spay and neuter your pets!

Dog safety tips for Halloween

Safety tips for the conference of confection:

1. Exercise your dog before the trick or treat begins. If your short on time a 10 minute fetch game will help too.

2. Know your dog.  Better to be safe then sorry. Think in advance. Think about what you are going to do this evening with your dog. If your dog is hyper active, older, a young teething puppy or very introverted  it’s best to gate your dog. Shutting your dog in a room with the door shut can create separation anxiety. So baby gating your dog within a room is best. Music is key. Thins will mellow your dog and set the tone to a calmer mood. Then you can treat your dog to it’s favorite chew bone.

3. Never leave your dog outdoors in the yard on Halloween! This is a bad thing to do. This no matter what size your dog is this is teaching your dog to protect your territory and potentially get teased or hurt. Not to mention, hurt a child who may open the gate by mistake. All animals should be indoors on Halloween.

4. If you want your dog to be apart of the party, do it safely. Have your dog “on a leash” with you. Yes, even in the house for an hour. That way you can answer the door and guide your dog to sit and stay as a trick and the treat. Teach your dog to sit and stay at the front door on a leash- what a training opportunity!

5. No chocolate or candy allowed.

Happy Halloween!

The perfect dog

Ahh perfection. A perfect fall day and a beautiful dog in it’s young adult gory. Yup,  finished with it’s puppyhood and all of the problems that can occur with that. American Kennel Club polls rate the labrador Retriever as the number one dog in the country. Really? What does that mean? Well, today’s tip of the day is to remember that within every breed lies a variety of different temperaments. So when you chose your perfect dog it doesn’t simply involve the breed of dog. It has to do more with finding the right energy level and personality. Some labs for example, can lead the blind and others are bred for duck hunting with a high energy drive. Same breed very different temperaments. The key is to do your research and really find the right match for your lifestyle.

Trick or Treat?

The trick I use in dog training is to “vary” when you give your dog a treat. I know, there are so many conflicting views and methods out there in the dog training world. I don’t blame you for being confused. Using treats as a reward is fine sometimes but certainly not the only mode of praise. Your voice can do the trick too. Giving treats all the time when teaching your dog can often give you a reverse affect. Your dog ends up training you. In the honor of Halloween,  I have a little treat for you, a little  insight. Many people end up begging , repeating, coaxing and luring their dog to come or sit with treats. Tying to teach your dog exclusively with treats all the time will give you a fast effect, but it may not last. Over time your dog will catch on and when you don’t have the treat as he is running away from you after that squirrel then what?  Besides, I don’t always want to have a piece of chicken in my hand every time I want my dog to do something. I am all about giving cookies and treats just because.. but not all the time. As a trainer I don’t want to rely on treats as a primary source of communication. Hence, I’m not a big fan of the clicker training. Technically speaking what the “treat” does is it creates focus. But over using treats to train your dog will give you limited success.

Using voice inflection, movement, and body language also create focus. For example, when a squirrel runs across the fence it gets your dogs focus, right? So here are a few tips and tricks. Try it, you’ll like it. Next time your at home, ask your dog to come. Use movement. Take a couple steps backward as you say come “in a happy voice,” then gesture the letter “j” and say sit. You’ll find your dog came to you and sat in front of you waiting for what’s next?

Here’s another treat. When you come home form work, walk in the door silently. Zip it. No voice. Crouch down and give your dog a deep, slow massage, silently. This will condition your dog to greet you in a mellow way and you both get some sugar. Remember, you can show love in many different ways.

Are you over spending on your dog?

I understand. Cute stuff. The truth about the matter is that your dog really just wants to have time with you.

I know you get busy and then buy toys, grooming, chew bones, training, food,some have dog walkers, vet bills and wow! Who knew it would cost so much.

Here are ways to SAVE money.

- Include your dog in “your” workouts. Really. Walk. Make it a 30 minute fast workout- with a mission.

- Bath your own dog. You will save a lot of money.  It really only takes 20 minutes. Here’s a tip. Keep a leash on your dog. That way you can redirect him to sit or stand and not run away. That way you can both remain calm and then you’ll remember to praise him while being bathed. Also dilute the shampoo with water before you put it on your dog and rinse 3 times longer to get shampoo out.

- Check with your local pet store to get low cost shot clinic’s. This is a good way to save money with vaccinations.

- Instead of expensive chew bones, treats and snacks. Try a carrot. Dogs love them. They are crunchy and low cal.  Another healthy treat my dogs love are sweet potatoes. They’re crazy for them. Microwave a sweet potato then cut it up and put it in the fridge.  Always check with your vet first before you try something new.

- Looking for a Pure Breed puppy? Always check out breed rescues. Every city has one. If not look in your local city shelter. Yes, they even have puppies.

- Tons of toys? Rotate them. But really..all you need is a tennis ball and a couple of bully sticks and your good to go. The trick is to bring them out during playtime. Ball to play. Bully stick to chill and chew.

The dog food and dog training connection?

What does dog food have to do with dog training? The answer is.. everything! Yes.. it’s a billion dollar industry with an ever expanding menu of options and opinions! It gets very confusing for dog owners as to which one to choose and why and when  and how to feed it. What does that mean in regards to training your dog? How, when, where and what your dog eats has direct impacts on peeing and pooping in your house, how your dog gets along with other animals in your house, an array of behavioral issues, health concerns, potential allergies leading to medical bills and  even how your dog interacts with your children! It all begins with you- the dog owner! No pressure.. lol.  It’s also a topic I will address often in this blog!

O.k. so let’s get to the meat of it.. dog training and dog food and why it correlates and how? In general, most people in my practice are confused when to feed their dogs, how often, what kind of food? Owners of dogs who are finicky eaters often give too many options of meals and human treats leading them to beg their dogs to eat! Yes of course, there are those dogs I call “hoovers” who have no issues whatsoever ..as to what and when to eat. If you fall into that dog owner camp, don’t stop reading because there is something called bloat. This is cause for concern and it has to do with feeding your dog. What is bloat? Please ask your vet for more information on this topic. According to my research and first hand experience, it is the second leading killer of dogs, after cancer. The technical name is “Gastric Dilatation- Volvulus” or (GDV). It’s where the dog can swallow too much air while eating rapidly, drinking water or stress can be a significant factor in swallowing air. As the stomach swells it can twist and obstruct the veins leading to shock, damage of the internal organs and this can quickly kill your dog. The breeds of dogs this can effect may surprise you. Dogs that are at risk for bloat are usually deep rib caged breeds big and small. Lucky me..my breed of choice is (of course) number one on this list which is the German Shepherd Dog.  Golden Retrievers, Labs and even Dachsund’s, Pekinese, and Miniature Poodles can be at risk!

I will cover this topic extensively in a future post..but for now I want you to be aware of this potential risk. The point being is that even the dog who has a heathy appetite has some training tips that could save it’s life. Training your dog to eat slower is a healthier option.  Finicky eaters need to learn to eat in one sitting which will in turn help housebreaking issues, potty accidents, child safety around dog food bowls, and will ward off potential dog fights with multiple dog households. All around this is a better option for your dog and you.

Here’s my recipe for success:  paws for a minute.. general feeding tips!

1. Choose a brand of dog food that’s right for you. Then stick with it. Switching brands constantly is not good for potty training or your dogs digestion.

2. If you do graduate to adult dog food or feel you need to switch brands- do so gradually. The switching of brands needs to be done over a 3 or 4 day period. Gradually adding in the new food.

3. All dogs (even puppies) should be time fed. Meaning put the food down for 20 minutes. If they don’t finish “sorry Charlie” until the next feeding. Leaving dog food out just creates a finicky eater. Your dog will learn to eat in one sitting if you structure it that way.

4. Occasionally hand feed your dog. Now don’t get out of hand with this tip. I do not mean hand feed your dog every day! I mean once in a while take a few handfuls of dog food and give it to your dog. This socializes your dog to except sharing it’s food and not being territorial over it.

Please note * if your instincts say that you can NOT do this tip then please DO NOT. If your dog growls or snaps or is in any way aggressive that’s YOUR signal that you have a major problem! Do not ignore the problem and seek help with a trainer.

5. Feed your adult dog at the time of day that it’s convenient for you! Dog’s are social animals, often they want company while eating. If you live in a really busy household and have a busy schedule,  feed your dog when you are having a cup of coffee or tea and not rushing around. This will help you time feed. Or baby gate your dog in a near you and serve the meal. This helps your dog be apart of things and also not have the need to follow you around. Especially helpful in teaching puppy’s who are easily distracted my movement eat in one sitting.

6. Check to see if your breed of dog is at risk for bloat. If so, feed your dog several small meals a day. If you own multiple dogs: gating or separating the dogs while you feed them will help slow down the competition to finish first. Gulping food is what you want to modify. Also watching rapid water in take before and after feeding is important. No exercise before or directly after meals for one hour. Feeding your dog indoors will also help cut out the gulping urge. Calmer atmospheres will slow down the eating pattern of eating fast.  I will have more on the subject in later posts.. but for now awareness is important.

7. Wet food or dry food? Here is my general rule on that issue: If you want to feed both wet and dry food that’s fine but know that the nutrients is on the kibble. Wet food contains moisture and feeding exclusively wet food can present dental issue down the line, especially for toy breeds. Dog foods are really advanced and use premium ingredients these days. So mix in the wet with the dry if you want- but it’s not necessary.

That’s it for now.. more later!

Inger

O.k…so you don’t need a doorbell

If pictures speak a thousand words. Then most dog owners know these words … No! Quite! Enough! to be associated with shot. This is such a great photo of a very common problem. It was taken by my friend a pet photographer Jim Dratfield. I asked to use it to help give some relief to dog owners who love having the three musketeers without the constant sound effects.  Dog owners with multiple dogs know exactly what this picture sounds like live and in living color. Oh and so do your neighbors and  the person walking down the street!

O.k. so how do you get this behavior of barking at every passer by and car door slamming to stop.  Obviously having two or more dogs creates a competition between them and barking in itself is really normal. It is annoying though, if barking and rushing to look out the window becomes their obsession and daily hobby. I have a number of suggestions and solutions.

Usually during the day there are busier times than others on the street. Meaning you should pay attention to the time of day your dogs bark. Write down the hours. Generally when people go to work and come home is when it becomes a bark- fest. Therefore, you could break up the pack during those times. One option is to create a bone chewing time by using a baby gate. Gate one or two of the dogs in a kitchen or hallway for bone chewing time. Breaking up the pack can stop the trigger of one dog instigating the barking. Another option is to know when the barking happens put music on in advance. Sounds crazy but this will really break up the pattern of being alert to outside noises. A third option is to correct this barking with a shake of a penny can from out of sight. Take a coffee can, empty it,  then put a handful of pennies in it and the lid back on. As your dogs begin to bark, shake the can once and say No! This loud abrupt noise will represent the same boundary as the siren of a police care pulling you over for blowing a red light. Then back up the sanction by redirecting your dogs in a positive way. Ask them to come to you in a really happy nice voice. Let them seek you out. Dogs love to please they just don’t know how unless you guide them.