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Curing Dog Aggression Through Socialization

Filed under: Dog Behavior, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on February 8th, 2010

Is your dog the type that barks at cars? Does he or she go running when a tall man enters a house, or growl at the mailman? These and other aggressive behaviors often stem from a lack of socialization.

Puppies who are heavily socialized are calmer, friendlier, and have an easier time handling new situations. But dog socialization doesn’t end at 12 months, or when your dog’s completed their first puppy training class. A lack of continual socialization can lead to your dog feeling anxious or frightened in new or unusual situations, and fear is a leading cause of aggression in dogs. If your dog is displaying unexplained aggressive behaviors, or is acting aggressively after a move or change in the social structure of the family, socialization may present a cure.

In order to socialize your dog you will want to pinpoint what he or she is afraid of, and target those areas. If people with glasses give your dog a scare invite some eyeglass sporting friends over. If possible, have them go without their eyeglasses until they have been introduced to the dog. Encouraging good play and treat-giving will help your dog overcome their anxiety and learn that these people are generous and fun to be with. If your dog barks at the mailman, try to introduce your dog to the mail deliverer. Walk your dog daily just so that you and your dog can great the mailman in a friendly manner as you pass each other’s paths.

For a dog suffering from under socialization, or a lapse in socialization, it is important to include him or her in every activity you do outside the home. Car rides, park days, long walks, visiting friends, and even shopping at dog friendly stores can all help expose and cure your dog from socialization related fear and aggression.

Dog Games for Smart Dogs

Filed under: Ages & Stages, Dog Life, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on January 18th, 2010

Having trouble keeping your smart hound occupied and out of the “dog house?” Trainers say that dogs that are occupied are less likely to engage in undesirable activity, like chewing on your shoes, and smart dogs tend to get bored easily. Here are some games you can play with your intelligent dog to keep him or her entertained.

Retrieving items is a great game for smart dogs that love to feel like they’re useful and part of something. Train your dog to recognize an item, from the remote to the car keys, and then ask them to “fetch” it. As they get used to the game you can even send them on the hunt for items stashed in a separate room.
Indoor or out and obstacle course is not only a great way to give a dog physical exercise but a mental workout as well. If you’re indoors you can create an obstacle course out of Pilates balls, chairs, tables, or anything sturdy enough for your dog to climb over, under, or around. Outside you can create larger courses with slides, stairs, and poles for them to weave under over and around.
Clean up is another handy game for dogs that like to have a job to do. Using a command like “Pick up” guide your dog through the steps of using his or her mouth to carry a toy back to its rightful place. Soon enough you’ll be able to keep them entertained and straightening the house with a simple command.
Ball and Cups are a great game to entertain dog’s minds. Place a ball underneath one of two, or even three, cups and shuffle them around. Let your dog sniff and determine which cup holds the ball. You can even train your dog to tap the proper cup with his or her paw to add to the fun.
Letting your dog play “messenger” by delivering presents or messages tucked in their collar can also be an easy and fun way to keep your dog entertained, while exercising his or her ability to “find” a family member.
For those moments when your dog needs entertainment but you can’t be by their side consider an interactive dog toy, like Nina Ottosson’s Zoo Active Toys, which not only entertain dogs but help develop their problem solving skills.

Puppy Training: The First Week

Filed under: Ages & Stages, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on January 14th, 2010

The first week a puppy is in its new home is the most important week of training. From crate and potty training to getting your new pet to stop chewing and whining the amount of training may seem overwhelming. While the desire to tackle one item of training at a time, or wait until everyone has adjusted to the new pet may be strong, a new puppy is most impressionable during its first week in its new home. Your new puppy will learn best during this time.

Using a crate is an important part of training your pet. He or she will need to spend a lot of time in their crate, and the sooner you show him or her that it’s a nice play to be the better. Make sure the puppy’s crate is just big enough to turn around it, so that they will not potty in it and so that they will feel safe. Be sure to put in comfortable padding and to reward your new dog with a treat for the time they spend in the crate.

Potty training is often a difficult task for an excitable puppy. Many trainers recommend restricting your dog to a small room and lining the floor with puppy pee pads or newspapers until they are housebroken. Whatever method you choose, make sure to take your dog out before and after meals, as soon as they get up from sleeping, and after they spend time alone or in their crate. Always walk a new puppy, encourage it to “potty” and praise it when it does so.

Whining, chewing, and jumping up are social behaviors you will want to tackle in the first week. If your new puppy misbehaves, do not punish it. It is still learning the rules and how it should act. Instead, re-direct it and praise him or her if it follows your redirection. For whining, refuse to acknowledge your dog, instead of coming to their call or scolding them. When you are ready to acknowledge you puppy, call him or her to you. If your dog is caught chewing something they should not, redirect them to a chew toy and praise them when they chew on it instead. Teaching your dog “down” when they try to jump up and not allowing your cute new puppy to jump excitedly will save you time and trouble as they grow to adults.

Don’t allow your puppy to do anything that will irritate you in the long run or as they grow to adulthood or you may confuse your new pet. Remember that your new puppy is learning the rules and try to be patient with him or her as they learn.

Puppy Potty Training Made Easy

Filed under: Ages & Stages, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on January 13th, 2010

While potty training a new puppy may seem like a chore you’d rather avoid but, when potty training is done correctly, it can be turned into an easy task. Here are some hints to help you with your new puppy’s potty training:

Create the Right Mindset:

For both yourself and your puppy this is an important step. In order for your new pet to learn quickly and come to feel safe and loved in his or her new home you will need to never, ever criticize your potty training puppy for his or her failure. Doing so will make them afraid, and will make it harder for them to learn. Instead of rubbing your puppy’s nose in his or her mistake, calmly tell your puppy “No,” clean up after your pet, and start again. When your puppy gets it right praise them, but never punish them for a potty accident when they are training.

Supervised the Deed:

You’ll need to keep an eye on your puppy all the time. If you have to work, make sure your puppy is in his or her crate, and has just enough room to turn around in so they aren’t tempted to potty. When you’re home keep a constant eye on them, watching for potty signals such as pacing or sniffing the floor. If they display these signs, calmly take them outside and walk them. It is important to walk your dog, not just send them outside. While you walk your puppy tell him or her repeatedly to “Potty” then praise him or her when they do. Walking your puppy can also help you train him or her to potty in the area you want them to.

Using a Crate:

Whether it’s watching your favorite TV show, playing a game with the kids, or taking a shower, any time you can’t watch your puppy 100% then its time for Fido to spend some time in the crate. A good crate will be just big enough for him or her to turn around in and should be outfitted with a blanket or pad and a toy. Don’t put food or water in the crate, and don’t be tempted to let Fido have “room to stretch” as this may cause them to potty in their crate. Before and after you let your puppy spend time in the crate take them out for a walk, so they can potty. Don’t let anything get in the way of this or they may have an accident. When you’re going to work and during the night are two times you will definitely want to crate your pet to prevent accidents.

Using the proper mindset, supervision, and crate techniques will make housebreaking will be a breeze. Remember to praise your pup for their success and let their failures pass.

Games for Kids to Play With Dogs

Filed under: Dog Life, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on January 12th, 2010

If you’re trying to get your new dog and your kids to socialize, games may be the perfect solution. Games are not only fun ways for your child and dog to interact but also help to train the dog to recognize your child as an authority. As the dog learns to take commands from your kid he or she will come to understand their placement in the family and can lessen incidents of aggression towards children.

One of the best games to play is Fetch. Fetch teaches your dog to obey commands given by your child. You may want to shadow their game, helping echo the command ‘fetch’ when your child throws something for your dog to retrieve. Make sure that your dog returns the toy or items to your child, and not you. As they learn to work together you will be able to step away from the game. Once the basics of ‘Fetch’ is learned it can be played so that your dog retrieves certain items, like a bone, keys, or the remote.

Obstacle courses can also be fun for your child and dog. Your child will enjoy the opportunity to ‘build’ a course out of things your dog can jump over, crawl through, or go around. Let the child use the ‘come’ command to encourage the dog to tackle the obstacle course. You may find it necessary for your child to aid the dog, by holding their collar as they tackle the course, so they know what is expected the first couple of times. If your child is too small to hold the dog’s collar without dragging your pet, then have them call come while you aid the dog in tackling the course.

Trick commands, like “Roll Over,” “Jump” and “Play Dead” are also great ways for your child to play with your dog. You will likely have to shadow your child, teaching them the appropriate way to speak and hand movements to make, until your dog and child both learn the rules of the game.

Dog Park Exits Made Easy

Filed under: Dog Life, Dog Training — Chantee Hale on January 10th, 2010

If leaving the dog park is a chore, you’ll want to try these easy-exit tricks:

At Home:

When you let your dog run and play, inside or out, practice calling him or her in the middle of their play. When they come to you reward them with praise and a treat. If your pet doesn’t come, calmly walk over and bring them to you, then reward them. Practice this until they get into the habit of stopping their play whenever you call. Make sure Fido doesn’t just grab his treat and run, but stays by your side for a minute or two. This will make it easier to get the leash on him when its time to leave the dog park.

Before You Go:

Plan ahead. Bring enough treats to reward your dog with, and also bring a favorite toy or extra special treat to reward your pooch with on your way home. Don’t let him or her get into the extra special treat until he or she is safely restrained in the car, and ready to go home, then give them praise and let them have their special toy or treat. This will help your dog look forward to going home almost as much as he or she looks forward to going out to play.

At The Dog Park:

While at the dog park watch your dog play. When your pet is having fun playing with his or her dog park pals call him or her over to you. You may find that you have to go get your dog. Don’t scold or shout at him or her if you do, just bring them over where you wanted them and give them a treat. After a couple rounds of “come” your dog will get the idea, and gladly come when he or she is called. You may find that you need to hold their collar while you give them their treat. If you make sure that your pet stays at your side for a minute or two, when it’s time to go you won’t be left holding the leash after your pet has woofed down his or her treat and run off on you.

Dog Training Collars

Filed under: Dog Training — Chantee Hale on December 24th, 2009

If you’re tired of fighting to train your stubborn hound and dog obedience class results have been less than desirable then dog training collars may be just the thing for you.

There are many different types of dog training collars. Some release a scent spray or an electric shock or high-pitched sound to deter dogs from barking. Others allow the dog’s owner to choose when to apply the stimulus. These remote training collars are very popular among dog owners, because they allow them to correct a dog’s actions from a distance, sometimes as much as 400 yards. The ability to correct a dog from a long distance can be especially helpful when you are at a dog park or in large outdoor area where your dog can run far and may be distracted from your verbal commands.

Some people believe that dog collars that apply a deterrent stimulus are inhumane, and if an owner overuses a deterrent or shock collars the dog can become nervous or skittish. When used correctly, though, they can actually benefit your dog giving you the ability to reign in a headstrong dog.

Choosing the Best Trainer for Your Dog

Filed under: Dog Training — Chantee Hale on December 20th, 2009

Training your dog can be a rewarding experience. Besides the more obvious benefits of improved behavior the time you spend with your dog in obedience class can help to create a stronger owner-pet bond.

There are many dog-training classes out there, some require owner participation, and some don’t. From puppy training, basic and advance obedience to agility, show, sport training and search and rescue the options are wide and varied. How do you know which class is for you?

Knowing what you want to teach your dog will help you narrow down what kind of class to take them to. Start out small and work your way up to specialized training like sport and hunting or agility training.

Before you enroll your dog in a class go and meet the trainer. Watch them teach a couple of classes and observe the way they interact with the dogs and owners. Every trainer has his or her own way of teaching. The most important part of finding the trainer whose teaching style works best with you and your dog. Some differences you may experience are classes where trainers require you to work with your dog alone or where the trainer takes time to go over material with each dog.

The best kind of trainer will be one that makes the class enjoyable for you as well as beneficial for your dog. Classes where dogs are out of hand or where the standards are set too low will not benefit your dog, where as a trainer who is too serious or strict may not make the class enjoyable for you. Another thing you will want to do is ask the trainer you are considering a lot of questions about the class. It is important that they can answer your questions in a manner that you can understand. Observing the class you intend to enroll your dog in for training is the best way to find out what a class will be like.

Other things you will want to take into consideration are:

The trainer’s experience. The best trainers will have several years of experience teaching dog training classes, or in lieu of strong experience they should have dog-training certification.
The number of attendees. If a class is too large you and your will not get enough individual attention. Despite the added cost smaller classes are always better for learning than larger ones.
The space in which the class is held. In any class you choose to attend there should be plenty of space for your dog to perform, and should be protected from the weather and outside distractions.

While personal recommendations may help you narrow down your options every person is different and you will want to make sure that the trainer fits your idea of the perfect trainer.

Dog Behavior Problems?

Filed under: Dog Training — Chantee Hale on November 2nd, 2009

Here are a few tips to help turn your dog’s behavior around:

When coping with dog problems one of the most important things to consider is why your pet is acting up. Are they a puppy, and simply need time and training? Or an older dog that is acting out? Once you know the cause of your pet’s misdeeds you will know how to respond.

Jumping and mouthing are common problems with dogs. Even the most well trained dog can succumb to a moment of jumping on a visitor, or slobbering all over a friendly hand. Most visitors exacerbate the problem by giving the encroaching pooch a friendly pat on the head. Encourage your guests to verbally reprimand your dog, instead of rewarding them with a pat. For both puppies and older dogs, if jumping or mouthing persists, remove them from the social gathering by kenneling or putting them outside on their run. For some dogs jumping may be a sign that they are under-trained, a common occurrence in some households. We love our family dog and hate to have to constantly reprimand him or her about her behavior, but every time we let them slide they learn that undesirable behavior is acceptable. If you think your dog problems may stem from a lapse in training, renew your efforts to teach rover to stay ‘down’. The best way to train a dog is through repeated exercises using verbal commands and hand signals and rewarding him or her with a treat when they follow your commands. Other dogs may simply suffer from social anxiety. Some times secluding them from the social gathering may be the best answer, but if it’s a simple house visit where you can spare a little extra attention, try keeping your dog at your side, on a leash if need be, and giving him affection throughout the visit. This could help to ease his fear of being replaced and make him feel comfortable around new people or in new situations.

For some dogs potty accidents are a reoccurring problem. Before you decide that your pooch is incurable take him or her to the vet to make sure that they don’t have a urinary tract infection. Dogs with urinary tract infections are more likely to urinate erratically, or be unable to ‘hold it’ while in their kennel or inside. Fortunately it is a treatable condition, and with medication and a little re-training your dog should be right back on track for good potty behavior. Other dogs may be experiencing defiance issues. For some dogs the idea of being cooped up in a kennel or refused an outing with the family can cause them to react defiantly, and the most common defiance problem is potty accidents. Dogs with defiance issues will use their potty accidents to ‘punish’ their family or express their displeasure with something in their environment. They will potty inside after having been given time outside to do their deed, or they will use the restroom in prominent places in the house like the couch or kitchen floor. The best way to cope with defiance potty issues is through kenneling. Make sure that the kennel you use is just big enough for your dog to turn around in, or they may potty inside it. Whenever your dog potties where he or she shouldn’t, show him his mistake and tell him “no”, then kennel him immediately for at least ten minutes. If your dog tends to potty because they have been left home when the family goes out, make sure to kennel them when you leave. After repeated kenneling you can test letting your dog stay out of the kennel while you leave for a short period of time, no more than half an hour. If your dog doesn’t potty in the house, then reward him with a treat and let him or her stay out again next time. If you have to go out and kennel a dog with defiance issues always make sure to place a treat inside the kennel when you put your dog in. This will make the idea of being in the kennel more pleasant for your pet. When you come home let your pet out immediately and give him or her love and more treats to let your dog know that you appreciated the time she or he spent being a good dog in the kennel. Never give treats to a dog that is being kenneled for punishment, as this will send a mixed signal and the dog will not understand if he or she is being punished or rewarded.

Mouthing is another dog problem that can cause no end of aggravation. From cardboard cartons to furniture or the remote control some dogs just can’t seem to get a grip on their need to gnaw. For a stubborn gnawer the only answer may be to be constantly aware of their whereabouts. When out of the house make sure to kennel your dog so they can’t get to anything they shouldn’t. Gates can also help to keep your dog out of ‘trouble’ areas like the formal dining room. Before you give up in frustration, though, make sure your pooch has plenty of toys and rawhide bones as options instead of the couch. Always kennel your dog if you discover him or her in the act of chewing, but punishing your dog hours or days after the fact will just leave them confused as to what they did wrong. Another option may be trying one of the sprays available at your local pet store that claim to repel your pet from their chewing endeavors. Unfortunately, not every dog responds well to these sprays, making awareness of your pet’s activities the best prevention.

While dog problems like these may send you to the brink of banishing your beloved pet to the backyard forever, take heart. By re-enforcing the rules through training and disciplining with kenneling you can turn your dog’s bad behavior around.

Dog Training With Your Kids

Filed under: Dog Training — DoggySpace on September 28th, 2009

When children and dogs participate in dog training and pet care they not only learn to respect each other but form the proper dog-owner bond that creates a loving bond between pets and children.

Even toddlers can participate in obedience training through mimicking your actions and commands and being allowed to treat their pet when it obeys commands. Plan a little time into each day to ensure that your kids and dogs work on following simple commands like: come, stay, down, and sit. Babies and dogs can also train together. Allow your baby to sit in your lap when you perform simple obedience training and help the child to give your dog an encouraging pat. This can help your baby and dog learn the proper way to interact. Young children also love to help and should be allowed to help care for pets.

Children and dogs can enjoy the tasks adults might find routine and mundane, such as feeding the dog or brushing and combing. Always be present when your child interacts with a new pet or when children and pets are participating in a new activity to ensure the kids and dog’s safety.

Here are some tips for successful dog obedience training with your children:

Decide what training method you will use. Popular training options include hand motions and voice commands, treating good behavior, and training collars. Before you choose your method make sure to consider the following:

How much time you want to spend teaching your dog?
How in depth is your training going to be?
How old are your children? Can they understand the proper use of a collar for training a dog?

Set aside a little time, about thirty minutes, in each day to properly train your dog. Do your best to ensure no interruptions and follow a set routine to familiarize your kids and dogs with what to expect.

Always be present and participate when your child and dog train, making sure they interact safely and that children use the training method you desire. Let children assist with dog care as much as possible.

Some ways children can assist with dog care outside of dog obedience training are:

Feeding the dog
Grooming or brushing the dog. Be sure the brush is soft and won’t pull the dog’s hair or cause it to nip.
Taking the dog for a walk. Children love to hold the leash!
If children are old enough they may enjoy helping bathe their pet

With just a little planning, helping your children and dogs train together can build in a lifelong bond for the whole family.

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