datachie, Author at Smart Dog University

Don’t Wait

January 24, 2008

If you notice your puppy or dog engaging in a behavior you’d rather not see repeated, make a promise right then and there to teach your dog what’s appropriate. Simply punishing the wrong behavior won’t work. Instead of punishing, teach your dog what you’d like.

Don’t live with the behavior for weeks, months, or years before you decide to change it. Dog’s habits die hard, just like people’s habits. If you’ve been hitting Starbucks every morning for two years, imagine how hard it would be to stop going. Not an easy thing! On the other hand, if you’ve only discovered Starbucks last week, it’s not very hard at all to drive right past.

Habits get stronger the longer they’re around. And it takes a lot more effort to change a habit than it does to prevent one from starting.

So: Is your dog staring to chew on things? Beginning to bark? Just now decided that the couch is his? Fast forward a few months — is this the way you want to live? With chewed up furniture (or shoes, or baseboard, or sofas?)? A chorus of woofing whenever someone walks past your yard? Sitting on the floor to watch TV?

The answers to the problems above would involve teaching your dog the right behaviors. For the chewer, you can help your dog by (1) buying dog toys that hold food (such as a Kong) and (2) keeping your stuff out of your dog’s reach.

For the barker, crate or confine your dog in a part of the house where he can’t see outside while you’re gone. When you’re home, sit with a bowl of delectable treats and every time your dog sees something he’ll bark at, give him a piece of food before he begins to bark.

For the couch hog, teach him a cue for "get on" and "get off." Hand targeting works great for this. If the dog is in your way when you want to sit on the couch, give him the "get off" cue and then reward him for complying. And invite him back up once your comfortably seated!

If you need the help of a professional, make sure your trainer is a positive reinforcement trainer (clicker training is an example of positive reinforcement training) and also make sure your trainer is certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Search for a trainer in your area here.

New Friends

January 22, 2008

Tonight starts a new session of the popular classes Smart Puppy and Dog Manners 101. I love the first night of new classes — I get to meet a bunch of new friends! Pups and dogs stay home that first week so we have the chance to get to know each other, talk about the Smart Dog University training philosophy, learn about clicker training, and talk about the pups and dogs! I would love to have them all at that first class, but chaos would reign!

Nemo and Tango will help me with Orientation night. They’ll be the demonstration dogs to show how clicker training works, how fast (and fun!) it is, and generally help to break the ice. Both are very friendly and social; Nemo almost to a fault! This is usually the only class they get to attend with me. The courses, after all, are not really for them! I have made a promise to take them to another trainer’s training classes just so we can have some one-on-one time together this year.

Generosity

January 20, 2008

Just when I was feeling sorry for myself about Nemo and his medical problems (and accompanying medical bills), I read about Amelia.

A sweet Great Dane girl who has had two very rough years. I can’t understand why people have dogs and then let them live at the end of a chain… At least Amelia has been rescued, but now she needs extensive medical care.

It won’t take but a minute to see her picture and listen to her story. And if you’re so inclined – to help out. I donated in Nemo’s name, I think he’d do it if his paws could type.

While Nemo’s issues are a lot for him to go through, at least he’s loved and kissed and appreciated every single minute of every single day. Amelia is just now understanding that not all people are horrible…

Coming Right Up!

January 18, 2008

Does your dog come when you call? Or does he run the opposite direction? Want to know how to teach your dog to come when called?

Coming when called (or more accurately, not coming when called) is one of the most common behavior problems I get asked about. Let's take a look.

First, stop doing these things:

scolding your dog for coming too late
starting something not-so-fun (putting Fido in the crate and leaving)
stopping something really fun (ending playtime in the yard)
"lying" to your dog (saying "lets go for a walk," to get your dog to come and then not following through)
calling your dog when you know he's not likely to come (when he's barking at the fence at the neighbor's dog, when he's chasing a squirrel, etc.). Instead, just go out and get him.

Start doing these things:

giving your dog a really yummy treat when he comes – even if it's 5 minutes after you've called him.(make sure it's a treat he doesn't normally get, so it really sticks out in his mind how good coming to you really is)
playing your dog's favorite game when he comes
releasing him to go back and do whatever it was he was doing before you called him (if he was playing with another dog, for example, let him go back out to play)
praising, playing, and petting him for at least 20 seconds (time yourself!) when he comes
going out and getting him if he's not likely to respond to your request (if he's engrossed in a smell, barking at a squirrel, engaged in raucous playtime, etc.)
playing hide and seek and catch-me-if-you-can – make yourself really fun and exciting in your dog's eyes. The more fun you are, the more likely your dog will come running when you call.

Remember: coming when called is something you need to teach your dog – he isn't born knowing how to leave something really exciting and return to you. Especially if he just gets in trouble when he gets to you (or if all the fun ends when he gets to you). It takes practice and patience on your part. The more you practice, the better your dog's skills will become.

Snow!

January 17, 2008

It’s snowing here in MD – the dogs are thrilled! Except Nemo, he’s still dopey from his tracheal wash earlier today. Things went well, we have to wait 3 – 5 days for any results. I wasn’t given a very big helping of patience, so this is the hard part for me.

Take your dogs out today and let them kick up their heels in this white stuff! Tango turns into a puppy all over again and runs and bucks like a foal. Nemo would too if he weren’t so groggy.

Post a comment and tell me some of your favorite things to do with your dog when it snows!

Back to the Vet

January 16, 2008

Nemo made yet another trip to the vet today. Week before last, he was there twice – Thursday and Friday. Two different reasons. So when he started to cough over the weekend, I was determined not to panic, but to just watch and listen for a few days. Yesterday the coughing got worse, so I made an appointment.

Thinking the worst (blastomycosis – a fungal infection in the lungs), but hoping for the best (kennel cough – not fatal), we headed off. His breathing wasn’t necessarily labored, but his exhalation was … noisy, wheezy, just not right. And he was still coughing. Dr. Jennifer Kim took a listen to his lungs and thought that given Nemo’s history with the pythium fungus, a chest x-ray was the right course of action.

Thankfully, nothing popped up immediately. The radiographs are being sent out for a consult, so we’ll know more later today, hopefully. (See update below.) Unless they come back with something, we’re going to treat Nemo as if he has kennel cough. He’s on antibiotics again (I should buy some stock in veterinary drug companies!) and if he’s not improved in a week, we’ll have to go back and do more tests…

I told Nemo he was going to have to go out and get a job to help pay for his medical bills. Anyone want to hire a clumsy, goofy, clown-of-a-dog? He can entertain small children, run around and exercise your dogs, and excels at napping in pools of sunshine.

Because he’s so cooperative with the doctors and staff, it’s easier for them to examine, diagnose, and treat him. The calmer and more comfortable your dog is with the veterinary office, doctors, and staff, the easier it will be for your dog to get the best care.

If you get anxious when you take your dog to the vet, he can sense it and it may make him nervous as well. Try to relax, take the time to concentrate on "un-hunching" your shoulders, putting some slack in the leash, and talking in a funny nonsense voice to your dog.

Take your dog to the vet for no good reason. Just hang out in the lobby, feeding him his dinner or some extra good treats. You don’t need to make an appointment with your vet to do this, but it would be helpful if the staff could spend a few seconds with your dog just saying hello and feeding a couple of treats in a no-pressure setting.

When you take your dog in for an appointment, take some scrumptious treats with you. Use them to keep your dog focused on you in the lobby. You can also use treats during the exam to help keep your dog facing a particular direction if the vet needs to get just the right angle to examine your dog.

Help your dog get used to being handled. Make it fun, though, like a game. For example, hug your dog for a second, then pop a treat in his mouth or throw a favorite toy as a reward for holding still for that one second. Begin to gradually lengthen the time you hug him.

Don’t forget to take a peek into his ears (just a quickie at first, lift the ear flap and then give your dog a treat), lift up each paw, and raise his lip so you can take a quick look at his teeth. If your dog objects to any of these fun games, don’t force it! Find a certified and reputable positive-reinforcement trainer (check out the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) to find help.

A stress-free vet visit is a win-win-win because you, the dog, and the veterinarian all benefit!

Update: Just heard from Dr. Kim – the news isn’t as good as we’d hoped, unfortunately. Nemo’s scheduled to undergo a tracheal wash tomorrow morning. He could have bronchial pneumonia (either bacterial or fungal) or it could be cancer. None of those sound good. At least the tracheal wash will be able to yield some results for us. We’ll send it out for fluid analysis, and culture and sensitivity.

Menu

datachie

Subscribe to Email Updates

What People Are Saying