Dogs need to think twice and make better decisions…

Have you ever made a decision without really thinking it through? Have you let anxiety or fear lead you to a dangerous predicament? Most people would say yes. It happens when we’re small children, it happens when we’re teens and it happens when we are adults. It also happens to dogs.

It’s the human’s responsibility to teach their dog crucial life skills like impulse control and how to deal with fear/anxiety/predatory behavior. They are dogs and they will make bad choices if we don’t set them up for success. This is obviously easier than it sounds. Recently I’ve had a number of clients whose dogs are lovely pets but have a history of aggressive behavior due to poor impulse control or because they are missing the ability to settle themselves down.

(Ari exhibiting poor inhibition by jumping up on me for attention)

This issue can manifest in aggression towards humans (dog gets excited and begins nipping owner’s hands) or aggression towards other animals (dog attacks another family dog when he/she becomes stressed or over excited). This doesn’t mean the aggressive dog doesn’t have a bond with his/her family. What it means is that this dog is missing crucial social skills that are making him/her dangerous. The causes for this can include genetic background, training, missed socialization or a medical issue. No dog is the same but what an owner can do is to teach all their dogs (big and small, old and young) how to deal with stress and not immediately react to something exciting.

Some tips:

• Sophia Yin has a wonderful program called the “Learn to Earn Program” where she insists dogs say please by sitting. This is a crucial skill when teaching your dog manners and also calming themselves down when something is exciting is happening. Examples include sit before going through doors, sit before petting or play, sit before greeting another human, etc.
•  Teach your dog to handle excitement in small doses. An example would be teaching your dog a calm response to the doorbell ringing. You can practice this by first teaching your dog to sit, down or go to bed. Once your dog is very good at this behavior then you can first ring your doorbell. Doorbells are often a source of excitement for dogs so you’ll be triggering your dog to become excited and then pairing that with a calm behavior. You can then move on to using other excitement triggers such as have a friend come over and practice sitting for attention.
• Do not reward your dog for over excited behavior. This includes taking your dog out for a walk and then leashing your dog/exiting your home while your dog is barking, lunging or acting over excited. This could also include letting your dog out of the crate while barking or scratching excitedly. Ask your dog for a sit first.

(Ari exhibiting impulse control by sitting before getting pets)

If your dog is unable to calm down when only triggered by small excitement sources then you should consult a trainer or behaviourist. If your dog exhibits over excitement or anxious behavior it is also prudent to check with your veterinarian. Remember no two dogs are the same but in order to be successful in society it is your job to teach them patience, thoughtfulness and manners.

Protect Your Dog

In recent months my Aussie Marco has had a hard time being at the dog park. His herding drive seems to have increased dramatically and he assumes new dogs are his for the chasing. Marco’s style of chase includes lunging over the top of a dog and also nipping at their back paws and legs. While he is not overtly aggressive and causing visible injuries it is inappropriate behavior and scares the other dog. I’ve been working diligently with him so that he can learn to play again. Strangely enough this behavior for Marco is linked only to the dog park and usually large breed dogs. If I introduce him at home he is appropriate. He also use to have some of the best dog social skills I had ever seen so I was fairly certain with time, patience and lots of training he would overcome this.

 

 (Marco at a Rally Obedience trial which helps fine tune obedience skills)

 

Luckily Marco’s play skills have come back but I take some preventative measures. Marco needs to keep focused on me in a sit or down or moving heel when a dog is approaching. He is not allowed to charge them. If the dog seems like a “target” he would usually try to herd then he cannot go play until he has truly calmed down and preformed a nice curving greeting.

 

A few weeks ago we were practicing at Southland when a large retriever approached. Marco has a hard time with retrievers so he was waiting in his down stay while my other dogs went over to say hi. The dog hung out with them and we had no issues. When the couple who owned the retriever came over the lady asked why Marco couldn’t play. I said because he tries to herd larger dogs and we’re working on this behavior issue. She promptly said I don’t mind if they play rough. This took me back in all honesty. My response was that I did mind and that her dog could get hurt. She didn’t seem to think anything bad could happen from my slightly smaller dog tackling hers.

Needless to say Marco didn’t get to play with that dog. He was an older guy who had interactively positively with everyone else and didn’t need a maniac Aussie hanging off his back. He also never approached Marco on his own for a sniff greeting so I took that to mean that he didn’t want to meet Marco.

What I learned from this is that most people don’t understand what appropriate play is. And this isn’t the first time this has happened with Marco. A gentleman with an Airedale had the same response. I find this disconcerting. Marco looks pretty innocent by nature. He is a mostly white dog with startling blue eyes. He is around 45lbs and fluffy. He can get away with murder except I’m not fooled. I’m attempting to do two things by working with him at the park. The first is restoring appropriate social skills and the second is keeping everyone else’s dog safe. I don’t understand why the owner of the dog at risk would be alright with Marco hurting them.

 

You need to protect your dog. This means if you see a dog coming that looks like trouble then go the other way. By trouble I mean: out of control, distance increasing barking (those barks that make you want to back up), snapping, crazy chasing or roughhousing, mounting and other undesirable behavior. This has nothing to do with breed for the record but the individual dog. I also check out the owners… are they paying attention, interacting with their dog, pausing to reward at times, etc. If they aren’t then I am out of there or my dogs are in stays with me. I’m responsible for their wellbeing because they can’t be. Just like if you have your kids at the playground you need to pay attention and would stop another child from hurting them. Dog parks are unruly places that really need a bylaw officer presence but don’t seem to have it. So take some responsibility and do right by your dog. Rough play with a stranger dog is never okay. Two dogs that know each other well can have a slightly more aggressive style and still be able to calm themselves down (within reason) but a strange dog will not have that relationship with your dog.

Pay attention to your dog and keep him/her safe. It’s your job as your dog’s guardian.

Adopting a Dog? Some Considerations

In recent years "adopting" a dog from a shelter or rescue group has become the norm. However adoption is not the only choice nor is it the best choice for every family. Personally I have "adopted" 3 adult dogs from the Calgary Humane Society, 1 adult dog from a breeder and purchased 2 puppies from breeders. There has been some significant differences in the dogs that came to me as puppies and those that showed up as adults. 

Adopting A Puppy

Puppies (4 months and under) are available through rescue. They come in a variety of mixes as well as the occasional "purebred". They tend to be adopted quickly and spend very little time sitting in a shelter or foster home. So what's different about adopting a puppy rather than seeking out one from a reputable breeder?

- Unknown history on parents including their breeds and temperaments 

- Unknown medical screening on parents

- Puppy might suffer malnutrition and lack of socialization 

A good breeder does the work before a puppy is ever born. Planning a litter should include screening both parent dogs for a variety of genetic health concerns (includes hip displaysia, blindness, skin issues, ect). Parent dogs should also have a sound temperament because behaviour problems include a genetic component.

Another concern is whether your puppy got the right start once he/she were born. This can be extremely important because what a puppy is exposed to before they are 4 months old will affect them throughout their life. Puppies need to be fed a well balanced diet and experience new people (all ages), new dogs and changes in environment. This creates a happy, confident dog as an adult.

Adopting An Adult Dog 

Adopting an adult dog can include all the challenges of adopting a puppy and more! Sometimes adult dogs are given up due to behaviour problems in the home including house soiling, biting, aggression with other dogs/pets, resource guarding or a general lack of manners. While these issues can generally be resolved with good management and a training plan they do exist. Sometimes adopters are not even aware that these issues exist at all. 

One of the most important considerations should be what you want in a dog. Make a list and screen each dog carefully. Rescues and shelters who do their due diligence should be screening all adoptable dogs with behaviour assessments. Please take these assessments seriously but consider that the dog might act different once he/she settles into the home.

A list of considerations:

- What breed(s) do I want and why? Have I researched what this type of dog was bred to do?

- What behaviour issues am I willing to work on and what is a deal breaker? 

- Do I have children and is this dog acquainted with kids? 

- Do I have time for training and integration? 

- What type of health concerns am I prepared to deal with immediately?

Choosing to rescue is indeed saving a life but it is not the right choice for everyone. Choosing a reputable breeder can be just as difficult. Dogs live between 9 and 18 years. This choice will affect you and your family for some time to come. Do not make a rushed decision and consider contacting a dog trainer to help you make that decision.

Where's Your Sit? offers pre-adoption consults where we can help assess what kind of dog would be best for you and where you should acquire your dog.

Blog entry coming next on choosing a good breeder. Not all breeders care about the future health of your dog or his/her temperament either. Screening is very important!

Ouch! Why Puppies Bite and What To Do About It

The most common concern I hear about from new puppy owners is "biting". So I thought I would take a moment to explain what this biting is and what to do about it.

Biting (often called Mouthing) in puppies under 6 months is a very normal behaviour. When worked on correctly it should disappear by around 4-5 months and sometimes a little later in retriever breeds and terriers. Why do they do it? Well puppies are trying to learn how to use their mouths. Imagine a two year old child and all the grabbing, hitting and pinching they do as they learn to manipulate objects in their hands. It's the same thing. 

It's really important for puppies to learn to use their mouths correctly because as adult dogs we can't have mistakes. Our dogs need to know how much pressure to apply, what they are allowed to put their mouth on and what they aren't. This is one of the reasons many trainers don't recommend playing tug of war with puppies (although I personally think it's alright with the right rules in place). 

The rule in my house is no teeth on skin but everyone has their own variation of this. When a puppy begins to mouth me and it hurts I let out a high pitch "ouch" and stand up/walk away. This teaches the puppy that by hurting me he makes go away and the behaviour is anti-social. The majority of normal puppies will want your attention and not drive you away.

Another successful tactic is to give your puppy an appropriate chew object. Great toys include stuff animals without stuffing, kongs/hard rubber toys, ropes and chew sticks (antlers, bully sticks, etc). Sometimes you don't have anything handy so instead try asking your puppy for a "sit" or a "hand target/touch" and get them working. 

A great way to teach puppies how to use their mouths is by letting them play with other puppies and accepting adult dogs. There's also an argument for keeping puppies with their mother and siblings longer. Having your puppy stay with a good breeder until 10-12 weeks of age can help with mouthing issues. You just want to make sure they're being socialized at the same time. No one wins if the puppy is just locked up in a pen all day.

There is no one size fits all answer and it is something that goes away with age (if you haven't encouraged it). It's important to remember not to hurt your puppy as you don't want to make him/her afraid to have their mouth handled. 

Why Dogs Develop Aggression?

Aggression can mean a lot of different things. Most owners are describing behaviours that they feel are threatening when referring to aggression. Commonly this can be biting where there's an injury, biting where there's no injuring, growling, barking, lunging, air snapping, etc. 

Sometimes the reason for "aggressive" behaviour is clear and other times it's not. For many dogs they start with low level behaviour such as growling and progress to more serious threats when they realize that it works. Other dogs may suddenly develop "aggression". 

The first step would be to rule out medical issues. An animal in pain will not act like they usually do and might respond to touch in a dramatic fashion. When my dog Tank had a knee injury he began to shown aggressive behaviour when dogs came near that part of his body. He would snarl, growl and even air snap. This was unusual for him and a clear sign that something was wrong. 

Another cause for aggression is often fear. This can not be understated. Dogs who are scared will run or fight. We humans unwittingly trap our dogs with leashes, walls, kennels, etc and can trigger a bite when a dog really just wants to avoid. 

Dogs can be fearful of anything! Common issues include fear of strangers, kids, loss of a valuable resource (ball, sock, food) and of course other dogs. If we treat aggression (fear) with physical violence or force then we are often pushing the dog to escalate his/her own aggression. A better approach would be to use slow desensitization to the source of the fear so our dogs learn to deal with it. 

Aggression is one of those behaviours that needs to be treated with care. It's imperative that you seek help from a professional trainer or behaviourist and veterinarian. For more information please contact Where's Your Sit or the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).