History and purpose are essential to understanding your dog

This entry has been a long time coming since I routinely have this discussion with my clients. Sometimes when your dog is being bad (aka displaying a behavior that you find intolerable) it’s because they’ve been hardwired for it through selective breeding or natural evolution. When adding a dog to your family you need to consider what dog was meant to do because it will have a great impact on whether this is the right dog for you.

I’m going to use two examples of very different dogs to illustrate why background is important and what impact it will have on your life with your dog.

The first breed I want to talk about is the Australian Shepherd. I picked them for a few reasons including that I own an Aussie with some less than desirable characteristics and in recent months I’ve had a number of clients have similar issues with their Aussies who are from different breeders.

I’m going to be honest I love Aussies and always have. I think they are gorgeous, smart and athletic. I’ve owned two of them and enjoyed them both. Marco still lives with me and he’s been one of the best dogs I’ve ever had the chance to share my life with. But there have been LOTS of challenges even though Aussies are known as highly trainable.

 

Common problems in Australian Shepherds are related to a very high herding instinct as well as being weary or nervous of strangers, sounds and other animals. This isn’t to say that all Aussies have these issues (even Marco doesn’t have all of these issues) but they are common and this is why.

I went to the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) for a breed description and background. In my opinion is the most reliable source of information on this breed which is why I’m referencing them and not one of the kennel clubs. ASCA states that:

 

The Australian Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an exceptional companion. He is versatile and easily trained, performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved with strangers but does not exhibit shyness. Although an aggressive, authoritative worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable (ASCA Link).

What does this mean when considering whether you should own this dog? Well in plain terms it means that your dog is going to be fairly high energy, he will like to round things up using his bark and mouth as well as protect people, other pets and his home from intruders. This can translate to disaster for some families. It also means that you can train this dog to do lots of different jobs and in fact you should engage his brain as he is a worker not a couch potato.

Now there are exceptions to any rule and like I said before your dog might not demonstrate all of these characteristics. But you need to know that breeders are working very hard to maintain this standard and they should.

Australian Shepherds are highly challenging in an urban environment. I think most do best when given lots of room to run and less traffic (which in their mind triggers a need to guard).

Some examples of why these things are hard to live with:

• Marco and many other Aussies will bark or begin to guard when people, cars or animals walk by your home. If you live on a busy street this can drive you crazy as the bark is fairly loud and startles people. Solution in my home: close the blinds during high traffic periods. In the country you just wouldn’t have to deal with this or you would have limited traffic and you’d like to be alerted. Your dog is hardwired for this behavior.
• Marco likes to round up dogs he doesn’t know and sometimes grab them. He never hurts them or causes injury. If one of my other dogs is nervous than he is more likely to do this behavior as it changes from herding to guarding. Solution: strong obedience and limited interaction with strange dogs at park. Marco gets along great with dogs he’s introduced to.
• Marco’s play styles have always been rough and tumble. He plays great with other Aussies and many other dogs. However when playing chase he likes to tackle (most Aussies do). This isn’t acceptable with all other dogs as they might be small, in danger of being injured or intolerant of aggressive play. Solution: select Marco’s friends carefully and interrupt him when he goes into overdrive so to speak.

I’m pointing these things out since Marco (just like my other dogs) is awesome but not everyone is aware that all dogs have certain behaviours that are undesirable. Understanding the why is important to choosing a solution that will help solve the issues. Clearly I can’t let Marco run wild, barking hysterically and tackling other dogs. But I do understand that this happens because he was breed to be a working Aussie.

 

My second example is Reserve Dogs or Semi-Feral Dogs. Many rescues in Calgary are committed to helping these dogs and I support their efforts. Many of these dogs come into rescue injured and sick. They need our help. However they are not great pets for every family and come with some challenges based on their background. While not a breed they are in fact survivors and different from most family pets.

Adoption has become a very popular way to acquire a dog in recent years. I support adoption and have had many dogs through that channel. But when you’re choosing to bring home a dog from a reserve or another country like Mexico where they run free you need to be aware of what type of dog you are getting. This will alleviate disappointment and help you train your dog.

Dogs who have had to survive with limited human assistance are great scavengers. This makes sense as in order to breed they have to eat and no one is feeding them. This can be a serious challenge in a family home. You need to keep your counters free and clear as well as potentially lock cupboards that contain food including your garbage. These dogs are tenacious as they are used to needing to search for food in order to live. This behavior tends to continue even if you’re feeding your dog the most awesome food and making sure he/she has a full belly. This behavior can also make walks a challenge as your dog will search for garbage and food. Many owners find this very frustrating and it is in fact something you will need to spend a great deal of time training away. Even puppies who did not survive on their own will have a strong instinct for this.

Another concern has been a lack of affiliation with the people they live with. While many of these dogs really enjoy their new life they can have bonding concerns. This is problematic as it makes recall or walking your dog off leash difficult as well as training in general. Bonding with a dog that lived most of his life as a stray takes great time, patience and reinforcement. It’s a wonderful experience if you have the time to do so. If you have small children this can be extraordinarily difficult.

Sometimes bonding with the family comes easily to these dogs but a strong fear of strangers is prevalent. This can result in bites, excessive barking or simply being terrified and hiding. Once again it’s something many dogs can overcome but you need to commit a great deal of time to working on this concern. Many of my clients spend a year working on introducing their dog to new people. Fearful dogs need lots of time, space and slow training to gain confidence. This is a natural behavior that would have protected your dog in his previous home.

Semi-Feral or Reserve dogs can have very different relationships with other dogs. Some of these guys prefer dogs to humans and are happiest when in a pack. This translates relatively well to most pet homes. On the other side many of them have awful dog skills. This is a serious concern that most often results in these dogs being given away repeatedly. Even if you do not own another dog you will run into other dogs on walks (either off leash or on leash or off leash when they should be on leash). If your dog has dog aggression then you’ll be spending a great deal of time working on obedience, will most likely need a muzzle and will quite possibly never be able to walk your dog off leash. This behavior is a direct result of what worked best for your dog or your dog’s parents when they were living on their own.

While these behavior problems are not confined to semi-feral or reserve dogs they are highly prevalent. It’s important to ask yourself if you can take on this challenge. It’s very unfair to a dog who’s had hard beginning to be rehomed.

So those are my two examples and I could do more. Each breed of dog (and mixes of breeds) have certain characteristics that make them challenging. There isn’t truly a breed of dog that is more difficult than another despite what people say. All dogs require training, time and understanding. It’s very important for owners to understanding what they are getting into.

When considering your next dog please ask yourself the following:

• Where does my dog come from and how will that impact his behavior?
• What was my dog breed or evolved to do and how will that impact his behavior?
•  What’s my dog’s personality and how will that impact his behavior?
• What’s my dog’s own history (if known) and how will that impact his behavior?

Do you see what I’m getting at? You need to consider what type of dog you are bringing into your home. And remember just because your first dog was a super awesome Aussie doesn’t mean your second Aussie will be the same. Just like people all dogs have individual personalities but their history can help you predict certain behaviors and train preventatively.

How to Spot Signs of Injury Early…

Recently Marco and I were at an agility trial (his 3^rd trial ever) and he did really great except for one pretty important thing. Every time he went to do his weave poles he couldn’t get the entrance, popped out in the middle and then again at the end. It seemed like he had no balance.  I was quick to think it’s a training issue since he’s a young dog and honestly I didn’t do enough of the foundation 2x2 work that really proofs the entrance. But the strange part was he never does this in practice… maybe he misses an entrance once in a while or pops out at the end but to miss the beginning, middle and end each time was just strange.  Lots of people were happy to tell me that just because he does it in training doesn’t mean he will do it a show but I just felt uneasy.

The next day I took my bouncy, happy Aussie to the park to play with Ari. Marco went for a quick sprint and then started limping and crying. Marco is by far the biggest cry baby I’ve ever met but this was strange even for him. So once again I was thinking that something wasn’t quite right. To add to that feeling my older Aussie Tank had torn a cruciate ligament a few years ago and I still feel guilty that it went undiagnosed for several months before we went for surgery. So in an effort to be proactive and knowing we have a rally trial in a few weeks that requires him to weave 6 poles I booked him in with my favourite dog Osteopath Dr. Taylor at the Sundance Animal Clinic.

Turns out that Marco’s neuter in June left some scar tissue which is normal but it pulled on his hip which then affected his knee. So luckily for Marco he was able to get treated and should be healed up after a week of rest now that everything has been set back into position. However this can easily affect ANY dog that has been neutered or spayed and most owners don’t do performance dog sports and are therefore less likely to notice when their dog is slightly uncomfortable. So this can go on for years and years resulting in much more serious repercussions. Dogs can’t talk and tell us when things hurt. And unlike Marco most dogs won’t tell you when they’re in pain. Marco is very rare in his ability to whine (he thought he couldn’t walk for 2 days after his neuter and spent an entire week crying and acting strange). So lucky for me Marco lets me know. But how will you know when your dog is injured?

Here’s a few rules to go by:

-          Your dog isn’t running around as much or seems to tire out quickly at the park/off leash (Marco use to run fast and for long periods of time but for the past few months I had noticed a decline in his exuberance and endurance)

-          Your dog isn’t carrying his/her weight evenly when walking

-          Your dog has suddenly developed signs of dog aggression or general anxiety

-          Loss of appetite/lethargic

-          Can’t do simply tricks that require balance like sit pretty, spin/twist, etc.

-          Your gut tells you that something is off

Don’t ignore the small signs or think that just because your dog isn’t listening there’s a training problem. A LOT of behavior problems stem from health concerns. When my older Aussie Tank tore his cruciate he wouldn’t readily sit on command. I’m happy that I didn’t just assume he was being stubborn or difficult.

And Dr. Taylor wanted to add that any dog that has just had a spay or neuter surgery done should have a checkup. Many dogs suffer from problems due to scar tissue. Preventative check ups cost you less (because you won’t need as many) and your dog will be much happier.

Not Like on TV!

Most dog lovers have indulged in watching the various dog training shows on TV. And while the shows are entertaining and at times very dramatic they do not represent what actually goes on during in home training consults. And we certainly do not fix any problems in 30 to 60 minutes.

Many of my clients are nervous when I first go see them and they can feel guilty too. All too often they either feel they let their dog down or have been doing something very wrong. Some of the TV show hosts make a habit of humiliating or lecturing the owners of the dogs. This should NOT happen during a real life visit. Your dog trainer knows you are looking for help and how you got into this predicament doesn’t matter since you are actively trying to fix it. So it’s time to let go of the past and concentrate on what needs to be changed for the future.

Dogs can develop behaviour problems or poor manners for many reasons including medical issues, genetic predisposition, a bad experience, learned behavour in a previous home, accidental continuous reinforcement for the behavior, among other things. This is not necessarily a reflection of the owner and you shouldn’t be embarrassed or apologetic. We all make mistakes so even if it is something you’ve done you are now trying to fix it. Good job!

If you are experiencing a behaviour issue or need help with your dog please don’t be afraid to ask. The sooner the better too! Letting a behaviour concern continue can make it much harder to change.

The following issues can easily become major problems:

-          Fearful of people, dogs, loud noises, being alone, etc. Any fear behavior should be taken seriously even if you don’t think your dog will ever bite. Living in a state of fear is detrimental to the dog mentally and physically.

-          Discomfort or growling/lip lifting around dogs, adults, children, etc. This are all signals that your dog is unhappy or worried. This should be addressed right away don’t wait for an actual bite to occur.

-          House soiling; all too often this can a symptom of a medical issue or another behaviour concern.

-          Barking/Lunging at other dogs while on leash. This can lead to other concerns such as aggression or anxiety.

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Marco my 2.5 year old Australian Shepherd is not a natural toy dog. In fact I had to teach him out to pick up a ball, chase it and bring it back all separately. This even took a few weeks. Since then however he is ball crazy which is a good thing. I routinely use his ball as a reward when we’re practicing obedience or agility.

During the spring the idea of playing Frisbee with Marco came up and I thought it’d be easy. I’d throw a Frisbee, he’d catch it and bring it back. It isn’t even so different from playing fetch with a ball. Well I was wrong!

I soon discovered that not only could I not throw a Frisbee like I had pictured in my imagination but Marco didn’t know how to chase or catch it either! Luckily I’m not easily deterred so we got to work.

The first thing I had to learn to do was throw a Frisbee. So I practiced that sans-dog. It’s still a work in progress and my partner is infinitely better at it then me so at least Marco has a throwing partner.

The next step was teaching Marco how to grab a Frisbee. He tried several different tactics including hitting it with his muzzle, watching it crash and then pouncing on it and getting hit in the teeth a bunch. So we practice with me just holding the Frisbee about a foot above his head and getting him to jump up and take it from my hand. He learned how to put it in his mouth. We also tried a few different Frisbee types including the chuck-it flying squirrel which was great when we started since it was soft.

Once we had that out of the way I changed the height distance and also taught some short throws (1-2 feet away). He caught onto to that and it’s still part of our warm up today. I also use this game at shows to help pump him up before going into the ring. He’s an Aussie and they love to bounce (think Disney’s Tigger).

From there I started putting him in a sit about 7-10 feet away so he was under where the Frisbee would fly and wouldn’t have to coordinate running and jumping. This allowed him to practice watching the Frisbee and perfecting his leap into the air for a good catch.

So now it was time to add the running element. Not so easy! After watching a number of You Tube videos on Disc Dog and their distance event it was clear that Marco would need to do a right finish to get acceleration before the throw took off. Luckily Marco has a right finish or a “go around” for obedience and rally so it wasn’t a new skill. We did have to speed it up though.

From a “front” position Marco is cued to go around. As he runs behind the thrower he picks up speed. By the time the Frisbee starts its flight he’s at full speed and right under it. Marco can now do distance catches with all 4 paws off the ground. He’s getting really good and catches more than he misses.

I’ve also learned that playing Frisbee is tiring! More so than ball, tug, agility or just plain running around with other dogs. Marco can do about 10 throws at full speed before he’s ready to take it easy. We keep the sessions short so they’re exciting and interchange it with other games. It’s good exercise, great bonding and cool to watch.

The moral of the story? Even playing a simple game of Frisbee can take time to train. Please don’t expect your dog to inherently know how to pee outside, walk on leash, come when called and other tough skills without training. Training takes time, patience and above all else problem solving. If something isn’t working break it into smaller steps and give your dog a fighting chance. Also train “fun” things so you can hone your own skills and play with your dog.

Dogs with fear and aggression issues have shown massive improvement when their owners teach them tricks and play with them. It increases confidence and focus. I highly encourage every dog owner to train their dog to do something new several times per year.

Catch the Good Stuff!

A key ingredient in living harmoniously with our dogs is rewarding the good behaviours. It's all too easy to ignore our dogs when they are sleeping, sitting politely or simply enjoying a good chew toy. Those are the moments to pay attention!

We know that reinforced behaviour is likely to repeat itself. A good example of this is the number of dogs who will readily "sit" for a cookie. They learned long ago that sit was expected and can't give it fast enough.

Now what about making that moment about lying down so you can watch your favourite tv show or cook dinner? A good way to integrate positive reinforcement right into your daily life is to keep a few tasty treats in ziplock containers out of Fido's reach but close enough for you to easily grab. The same goes for high value toys. If you see your furry friend being good then simply throw him a small tidbit or his favourite rope to chew. Chances are he'll do it again! 

This is extremely important for puppies and adolescent dogs who still need to learn the "house hold" rules. Help them out by pointing out what they're doing right and interrupting them when they make mistakes. You'll have a well behaved canine in no time!