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.

Tips for a Successful Halloween

Halloween is a stressful time for some dog families. If your pooch gets wild every time the doorbell rings then Halloween can really be a nightmare. Here's a few tips to settle down fido. 

#1 - Take your pup out for a lengthy walk before the Trick or Treaters start their night. This will allow your dog to burn some energy beforehand and hopefully lower his/her arousal level. 

#2 - Secure your dog in an area of the house that is away from the door. This will keep the kids and your dog safe. No one wants your pup to accidently end up on the loose! 

#3 - A member of the household should hang out with the dog during the evening and reward all calm behaviour. If your dog is offering a sit or a down then give him/her a treat. Wait for your pooch to repeat the calm behaviour and pay again! Before long your pup might learn that doorbell = lie down. Wouldn't that be great? 

#4 - For dogs with anxiety a spray of Rescue Remedy or DAP might be the answer before the kids start to show up. A thunder shirt can also be useful. 

#5 - Worse case scenerio turn your lights off and spend your evening playing with your pooch. 

Good luck everyone! 

Enjoy your dog; don't dominate him!

Alright I've been putting this one off but it's time to write about the dreaded "dominance" myth that has been so prevalent in Western culture as of late. 

Dominance theory is largely based on bad science... that's right folks it's not true! I'll give you a source before I carry on: http://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance/ Dr. Sophia Yin explains this very well with videos to boot!

Yet everyday I see people doing things to their dogs that are not only unnecessary but potentially damaging. 

For example you take your lovely, friendly, four legged best friend to the dog park. He/she is happily playing and acting appropriately. Yet some owners feel the need to roll their dog or put them in a long stay for no real understandable reason other than control. This could actually hurt your dog's confidence.

There's no reason not to have solid obedience skills and rules but don't be a tyrant. Dogs want a calm, happy family not an owner with Napoleon syndrome. You can have a well behaved dog without acting that way I promise! 

Positive reinforcement training includes setting rules for your dog to live by. For example if you choose to let your dog on the couch then that's fine. Your family has decided dogs on furniture is alright. If you choose not to then that's fine too... just make sure you consistently enforce that rule and that all family members are following through. Rules are crucial to good pet ownership and training. Just make sure the rules are fair. 

Remember there's always another way than violence. If you're frustrated or upset with your dog chances are you didn't teach them the proper skills yet or haven't been consistent with your rules. Contact a dog friendly trainer in your area to help turn things around. 

Here's Marco in a down position while I listen to the class instructions during our Rally Novice class. Instead of having a dog that barks, jumps up or is generally annoying I just taught him to hang out. Great skill to have in any situation. (And did I mention he's off leash in a room full of dogs here?).