DON’T GET A DOG…
January 20, 2010
…unless you plan on taking the dog and you through a training course. So many dogs are abandoned or returned to shelters only 3-6 months after adopting them because of behavior/control issues. Those issues could have been taken care of with a few lessons from a dog friendly trainer/behaviorist and not much more time per day than you already spend with them. When I trained animal actors we would rescue dogs from shelters and turn them into working actors. It’s not the dog, it’s the owners lack of knowledge
… unless you’re going to socialize them before the age of 4 months. All dogs should be properly socialized and exposed to lots of strange children/adults who pet them, hug them, sleep (near) them, play and hand feed them. doing this as early as possible, especially with knows aggressive breeds will greatly reduce aggressive behavior towards people. The benefits of early exposure outweigh the very small risk of a young puppy actually catching something from another dog.
…If the puppy your getting is under 7 weeks old. The period of 4-8 weeks is a crucial socialization period with the mother and other litter mates. It’s the best time to teach the puppy a few ground rules i.e. how to interact with other siblings, how to respect elders, how to read mother and siblings body language, not to wonder off, how to have a soft mouth (bite), learn the “Den” concept and a few other lessons. Puppies that are adopted under 6 weeks old are more likely to display aggressive behavior with their owner and have poor social skills with other dogs.
…If you have small children and the breed you’re getting has known aggressive tendencies or is an older dog. The danger is with any breed that wasn’t properly exposed to children under 4 months but even more so with known aggressive breeds. Watch for warning signs and hiring a professional behaviorist can help greatly reduce/cure aggressive behavior towards people. The number of dogs bites in the U.S., especially towards children is staggering.
…if the second dog is a puppy and your first dog is too old. A puppy can put an extra boost in a older dogs life but if your first dog is too old, the new puppy just ends up being too much for the older dog’s frail body. Your older dog can’t defend himself and will have trouble communicating to the puppy to back off! The best time to add a new puppy is when your first dog is between 1 and 5-years old.
…I should say, don’t get 2 dogs at the same time, and especially if they’re siblings. Yes they will keep each other company but it’s also double trouble. In most cases you will barely have time to raise and train one of them properly, let alone both. In a dog-owner relationship you want your dog focused on you more than things around them. With having two dogs, they will focus more on each other. It’s best to wait until your first dog is at least year and well trained before getting a second dog. A good idea is to adopt and train an older dog, then get your new puppy. That way they can keep each other company and you’ve saved a life.
… Based on looks alone, you have to realize what your getting yourself into. Some dogs are gorgeous, but can be a huge burden on you, your family and home. It’s difficult for me to recommend a breed, because all dogs require time and patience to do it right. I did post the top ten smartest breeds, thats a good place to start looking for a dog. Some breeds aren’t bred to be in certain living conditions and some owners shouldn’t be owning certain breeds. Unless you know exactly what your getting into and can provide whatever is needed, these are the breeds I would avoid owning. http://www.malibudogtraining.com/2009/08/12/10-breeds-to-avoid/
…If you have small children. When raising a child and dog together, one of them isn’t going to get the attention needed. It’ s best to wait until your child is at least 7 years old before getting a new puppy. A cat would be a better solution, but any animal will take away from the precious time you need for your child. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but to do it right, you should wait.
…If you work long hours. A lonely bored dog will develop behavioral issues that usually leads to trouble! Luckily there are options for people with long working hours, dog walkers and doggy day care, however these exercise outlets don’t replace what you provide with companionship. If you get a new puppy, be prepared to take a few weeks off. I wouldn’t get any animal if I worked long hours. A dog sitting in the backyard is only learning things that will keep them there.
… Just because you have a backyard! ok, maybe having one- makes it nice when you don’t have time to walk them, but it shouldn’t be the main reason to get a dog or not. It’s not how big a home or backyard is, it’s what you do that makes you the perfect dog owner. When left alone a dog isn’t running laps in the backyard trying to make up his daily requirement of exercise. A lonely or bored dog will just develop bad habits like barking, digging, chewing, fence fighting and escaping etc. Getting a second dog may not be the answer either; sometimes it can help but usually just leads to double trouble. Whether you have a big backyard or a big dog in a small place it doesn’t matter, as long as you spend time with them exercising and educating.
Tug Of War Game
January 18, 2010
Tug of war is one of those misinterpreted dog/human games that doesn’t get experienced by many dogs because of the aggressive perception of the game. Even many animal professionals tell you not to do it. This is very sad because it’s probably one of the best things to do with a dog. We have the “pack leader” and “dominance” teachings to blame. Under those “Pack” rules, it’s you against your dog to see who wins the toy. Under those rules, you are in competition with your dog for everything and you must not allow them to “win” because they will think you’re weak, and assume the position of “Pack leader”.
These teachings couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your dog is your teammate and not your competitor, you are working together for a common goal. When wild dogs tug on the same piece of meat from a killed prey, they are tugging to tear the meat apart so they both can swallow the smaller pieces, and not a battle of who gets the food or biggest piece. The dog sees it as both of you against the toy and not against each other. This is why dogs play fight and play tug of war with each other, it’s practice, before the real things happens. Talk about lost in translation; they must really be confused when they’re corrected (or deprived) from things, when they are really just trying to play, practice and work together.
However, every game has a set of rules that must be followed, not because of dominance- but because you don’t want a dog making the rules. During my lessons, I teach people how to teach their dog to not only like toys (if they don’t) but how to properly and safely play tug games, without the dog getting the wrong idea and developing control and behavioral problems because of it.
If you would like the rest of this story, which explains the benefits of the game, and how to properly teach and play one of the best dog -human games, use the comment form below and tell me a little about your dog i.e. breeds, age and any behavior problems they may have.
Where the tug game gets negative attention is if the dog has the toy and the owner tries to take it, and the dog growls or snaps. That behavior wasn’t or isn’t caused by tug games, it’s caused by the predatory nature of dogs to guard precious resources aka: “Resource Guarding” or ”Possession Aggression”. These dogs value the item too much once they get it and they want to keep it for themselves. Somewhere in the past, or when playing the tug game incorrectly, the owners encouraged or allowed this bad behavior to go on without modifying it. Don’t worry, the problem can be fixed with the right knowledge, just call your local dog friendly trainer, or visit my “Programs Available” page to find out how I can help you.
Don’t Speak
January 7, 2010
From an early age we are conditioned to look at, talk to or pet dogs. Our Dads and Moms while pushing us in our strollers, would alert us to every dog walking nearby, saying “there’s a doggie”, “look at the doggie”, what a nice doggie”, “wanna pet the doggie?” These are just some of the things I hear parents say while I’m out training the dogs. Parents want to teach children what things are, and dogs are the perfect thing for parents to point out, because humans love animals. So it’s understandable why as adults, many of us are programmed to greet dogs on the street or at least say something to them like: “Oh what a nice doggie” or “Hi, little puppy”, “What an adorable dog” etc..
In my many years observation people and their reaction when they see a dog, there is never a time when someone would just pet a dog without uttering a sound. When dogs greet other dogs, they don’t use an excited tone or words to greet each other, it’s all non-verbal but very communicative body signals. Dogs can read our calm body signals, but when we pet and talk to them excitedly, we’re going to elicit a reaction from them and if it’s a young dog, they may start to nip or jump on you. The owner then gets embarrassed and of course you tell them “oh, it’s ok- I don’t mind” but the owner is thinking, uh, I do mind!
Think “Dog Whispering”
Every once in a while, try to pet a dog without making a sound. You’ll find it difficult at first; remember you’ve been conditioned as a baby to greet them excitedly. But still try it; it’s totally worth it for the dog. When you pet a dog in a calm manner and without making a sound, you’ll notice a more bonding connection; they will respond to your touch in a much calmer way, usually with their eyes rolling in ecstasy in the back of their head. Plus you’ll be helping the owner from feeling embarrassed, and the dog because now the owner will take them out more.
Personally when I get a massage I don’t like when the masseur is bantering away, if they “Don’t speak” I can focus on the reward I so well deserve.
