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November 02 Tail Chasing Shelter Dog Q: My
question is: We adopted a rescue dog two months ago, we were not given
much information about his past, but he was in a run by himself. He
was picked by my husband after taking a walk with him, a half hour walk
and Molson (the dog) had adopted Steve (the husband). Initially we had
problems with anyone coming in and out of the house....he would nip
them, but he has relaxed since then, as long as Steve doesn't get too
close, he is very possessive. I have cancer and stay home all day and
he is very protective of my, because he has figured out I belong to
Steve and I'm his best bet for playing during the day while Steve is at
work. Well here is the question (thought I'd never get to it eh?). Molson spins and chases his tail until he either gets it or I finally get his attention. When we first got him, his tail was hairless. He generally does it when we let out and spins himself off the deck, when he is waiting for me to throw the ball, I'm unable to walk well or get out of my chair quickly. He did it before he came to us, the hair is almost totally grown in on his tail and we don't want him to loose it or hurt himself. I thought I had seen something about this on your site, but can't find it. I would really appreciate any help you can give us. Thanks Vera A: Tail chasing is usually a sign that the dog is not getting enough exercise. Dogs build up energy that needs to be released, and when it isn't, they will develop problem behaviors. In this case, the dog is also unbalanced, and poorly socialized. I imagine that Molson (love the name) probably spent a lot of time in his kennel or run at the shelter by himself (see my entry on shelters). Imagine how crazy you'd go if you had to stay in solitary confinement for a long period of time with nothing to do but sleep, and you were only let out to potty. I think Molson probably started chasing his tail as a pup as most puppies do when they first find it. As he got older, he learned that chasing his tail released some of his energy and gave him something to do. Now, he is obsessed with it. It has become his "pacifier." In other words, he is using it to release any pent up energy and to relieve any anxiety he may be feeling. All of a sudden, along comes your husband, and he gets to go on a nice long walk. First of all, dogs are meant to walk. That is why they have all the energy they do. In the wild, wolves will spend all day traveling their territory hunting and expanding it, which eats up the energy they have. On average, a dog will usually get about 14 hours of sleep every day. Sleep builds energy. When Molson was allowed to walk with your husband, he formed a pack bond with him. Your husband became his saving grace, and his leader. Molson instinctively didn't want this to end, because he desperately needed a leader. Dogs don't do well with out clear structure. The walk gave him structure, and freedom. No wonder Molson bonded to your husband. He was probably nipping at other people because he saw them as a threat to his structure and freedom. If he'd been in shelters his whole life, then he could have built an association with people taking him away from his structure and freedom. Active dogs require at LEAST 1 hour of structured exercise every day. This is usually accomplished in the walk. Less active dogs require at least 30 minutes of walk time a day. Be careful with brachyophalactic (short nosed) breeds though, as they overheat easily. The walk eases a dog's mind, and usually you can see a difference in dogs when the walk is finished. Dogs are simple. Give them structure, exercise, and love and they will love you forever. Displace any one of these, and the dog will become unstable. If you don't like him nipping at people, then show him you disagree with it. Block him from doing so. Make him realize that he will have to go through you to get to that person. Use a firm, but calm tone with him when correcting him. NEVER EVER HIT. Hitting in any form can cause fear-aggression, and hand shyness. I'm not saying that you do, I'm just throwing that out there for the readers. Make sure that Molson knows you and your husband are both leaders. Eat before him, don't let him on furniture unless invited, go in and out doors first, and always disagree with the behaviors you do not like. Simply saying "no" will not work. You must get in front of your dog and block until he surrenders by sitting, lowering his head, laying down, or moving on. Blocking envolves putting your body between the dog and whatever he's after. Don't block in an aggresive way. Make sure your energy is calm and your body posture conveys confidence. Do NOT be the first to surrender, or it will all be for nothing. You may want to contact a behaviorist or reputable trainer in your area to better asses the situation. This way the behaviorist or trainer can observe the body language of the dog and make a more accurate diagnoses of his specific problems. Best of luck! Stay positive! September 22 Earning Your Dog's Respect I am often asked how I am able to do the things I do with dogs. Many people have tried to get their dogs to complete a certain task, whether it be getting their dogs to come to them, go into a crate or ring, or to simply calm down and be quiet. But these people often end up frustrated, and sometimes they take it out on the dog(s). Imagine how their frustration grows when they have invested a lot of their time and energy into getting the dog to complete this task and I come along and make it look easy. Don't get me wrong. These people are usually very thankful that the dog did complete the task, finally, but they become frustrated with themselves for not being able to get the dog(s) to do it themselves. So they ask me, "How'd you do that?" One person even said, "Now, that just makes me mad!" But in different words. Look, there is no magical secret. That is the first and foremost misconception. I am not a magic man wielding my power over dogs. I simply, yes simply, understand their language because I have studied it for 20 years. Anyone can do this, yes even you! Sure, some people have a "gift" for it like myself, but really that "gift" is just a love for it. Not a special ability. The "gift" just keeps me motivated, and if you have enough motivation, why... you can do anything! So, to those who want to know how I do it, I'll tell you. Earn the dog's respect. That simple. Really. "Well, how do you earn the dog's respect?" I'll tell you. In a few simple steps below. 1.) Refrain from getting frustrated. Stay calm. This is the number one most important rule if you want to gain your dog's or any dog's respect. If you try to get the dog to do something, and he won't budge, then there is a reason. Flying off the handle and yelling, screaming, hitting things, making loud noises, cussing, and jerking at his collar will NOT work. And if it does work, your dog has learned to fear you, and is not truly happy. Fear, is not respect. Dogs obey out of fear, for fear of harm. Dogs act out of respect, because they trust you and choose to listen and act. If you don't stay calm, you will be seen as unbalanced by the dog. Dogs do not listen to unbalanced people, or dogs. Those dogs, and people will often be ignored, or attacked depending on the situation. But a calm person or dog is seen as balanced, and the dogs know that the calm ones mean business. Even the slightest bit of frustration can cause some dogs to lock up, avoid, or even attack. 2.) Set a goal and follow through. No matter how big, or small, you must have a goal in mind. Say the goal is to get your dog in the tub. No matter what happens, you MUST accomplish your goal every single time. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they give in too soon. Some people say, "Well, he just doesn't feel like it right now." or "He's just not ready yet." The facts are that he may not feel like it, and he may not be ready, but he still needs to do it when you ask or he'll learn he doesn't have to listen to you. In the wild he could get killed for not honoring the pack leader. So when he doesn't honor you, and nothing happens, guess who becomes the pack leader? Not you. Accomplish your goal every single time, and your dog will begin to respect you. All of the dogs at the daycare I work for know that when I tell them to go into the ring, they are going in the ring. There is no fight, or struggle to get them in. And I average about 20 dogs a day. If the dog is being stubborn, I will block and herd that dog where I need him to be. I rarely have to grab the collar and drag a dog to where I need him. This is because my goal is to get the pack into that ring, and I make sure I accomplish it. 3.) If the dog is hesitant, figure out why. Some dogs are less confident than others. If they are afraid of something, they will often avoid or flee from it. So in example, if you are trying to get your dog in the tub and she hesitates, take a moment to study her body language. What is she saying to you? Is she curved over with her tail tucked and ears laid flat? If so, this means she is feeling afraid. If she is licking her lips while curved, then she is saying that she is afraid and stressed about the situation. If she is nipping at you when you reach for her, it is out of fear, not aggression. You job is to accomplish your goal, so you need to figure out how to make your dog feel differently about the situation. This is where having some training experience is very handy. Because you may have to break down the process to get her to even go close to the offending object. If your dog is showing signs of stress and fear as mentioned above, either seek a trainer or behaviorist in your area to help, or look for one of my blog entries on dog training for help. Do not force a fearful or stressed dog to do something, because you can cause the dog to develop a phobia or squeeze out a bite. If your dog is just resisting because she doesn't want to get in the tub, she won't curve herself. Instead, she will keep her posture straight. She may play keep away from you, she may bark, she may put the brakes on when you try to pull her, or all three. The key to knowing that she is simply being stubborn is her body posture. Figure out why she is being so stubborn. Does she hate water? Does she associate the tub as a negative thing for any reason? If so, change this by making it a game. Stubborn dogs are often easily lured by simply changing your tactics. It could just be that the goal you set is boring and there is no real reward in it for the dog. If you offer a treat, but the dog seems like she could care less, then the treat does not equal the motivation and energy needed to complete the task. Or put simply, it may not be worth it. Try upping the anti. 4.) Reward when the task is complete. Once you have followed through and the dog has completed the goal, reward the dog with something that the dog sees as rewarding. Often people will reward the dog with something they see as rewarding, and not with what the dog sees as rewarding. You can tell what the dog finds rewarding simply by watching them. Do they like to chase things? Do they like to take naps? Do they like to go for walks? Toys? Balls? What is the dog actively pursuing a lot of the time? Is what they are pursuing healthy for them? Ask these questions to find a reward for your dog. Some dogs are very simple and a nice scratch behind the ears, or above the tail is sufficient reward. Other dogs require more and would rather chase a ball, play with a toy, or take a nap on their owner's lap. Most dogs are happy with something to chew on, like a bone or rawhide. Only let your dog have these with supervision. Rawhides can be dangerous. Treats are great, but too often people get stuck on treats and so do the dogs. Obesity becomes an issue, and the dogs' diet becomes unhealthy. Some treats aren't fully digested by dogs and this can cause coprophagia (eating poo). Use treats in moderation. 5.) Set up some rules and remain steadfast. Once you set up a rule, then you must enforce it every time. Dogs will test the rules often. If they find that they can break it with no consequence, then they will continue to break it. Dogs learn by repetition, so you may have to enforce the rules more than once. You will also need to determine what the consequence for breaking the rules should be. It could be time alone, which a lot of dogs don't like, or a squirt from the squirt bottle (doesn't work that well on water loving breeds like Labs and Newfies) or you can block and muzzle. Block and muzzle is where you block the dog until they submit to you (lower their head or roll over on their back) and then put your hand around their muzzle. WARNING: Don't try it with dogs that show ANY signs of aggression! You may get bitten! Or you can leg bump, which is where you walk into the dog and gently bumb them with your shin. DO NOT KICK! Don't leg bump small dogs, because you could accidently injure them. The same is true with very tall dogs, like skinny Great Danes. You could injure their hips and/or legs. You must stand up straight when leg bumping. What you are doing is mimicing an alpha dog's butt bump. This is where an alpha dog will turn himself and litterally bumb another dog with his butt. It's a way for the alpha to say "I'm boss, knock it off." While doing the butt bump, the alpha dog will stand erect and proud, so you must do the same for it to work. Sometimes it helps to say "Hey!" or something short when leg bumping. 6.) Stay consistent! This is really important. Lack of consistency is a leading reason why people fail with their dogs. By staying consistent, you are showing your dog that you are the boss. Consistency is a very important ingredient when trying to earn your dog's respect. Dogs thrive on it, and with out it they often panic. You can not let your dog do something one time, and then not the other. The reverse is true as well. Once a dog learns a rewarding behavior, that behavior tends to stick. So if every time your dog barks at the mailman and the mailman goes away, that is a reward to your dog. Because your dog successfully defended his and your territory from an intruder. The mailman is usually consistent and comes and goes at the same time everyday. Your dog picks up on this, and will be ready when the mailman comes. This example can be applied to anything, but the point is that dogs need, count on, thrive on, learn from, and down right live on consistency. If you put all of these things together, you will earn your dog's respect. It really is a lot simpler than it sounds. Keep in mind that dogs learn by trial and error. They do something, and if no one disagrees with it, and it's rewarding, they will do it again. If someone stronger disagrees with it, then they will usually move on. Dogs do not think like people, so don't feel bad about enforcing the rules. Your dog will respect you for making the rules and then enforcing them. They are a lot like kids in that way. Push them too hard, and they rebel; don't push hard enough and they will become uncontrollable. September 20 Ask Doggy TimesQuestion:
Hi, I stumbled across your blog when I was searching why my 6 year old
Boston obsessively licks our couch. I think you may be right...it
soothes him.
My question for you:
We also have a 6 month old Brindle Boston female. I got her from
a breeder whom I think allowed her to sit in her own feces. We used to
kennel her while we were gone but stopped when we realized that she
will urinate and defecate in her kennel. She doesn't seem to mind to
be covered in it. It was such a mess--coming home and having to bathe
her and then spray down her kennel each day. We have a doggie door and
she learned quickly to use it. When we are home, Emme doesn't have any
accidents. She understands that she needs to go outside to relieve
herself. However, when we are gone, she has accidents in the house
even though the doggie door is open. When we arrive home, she will
sometimes hide under the table, almost as if she knows she did
something wrong. Do you think she has anxiety when we leave the
house? Why do you suppose she defecates in the house when we are
gone? OH! Another thing--if we are in the house but behind a closed
door, she will also potty in the house. Answer: This kind of situation can be down right frustrating. Boston's are great dogs, but if they are raised by a breeder that doesn't crate train them properly this sort of thing can happen. Refer to my blog entry about puppy buying basics. More than likely, you got Emme from a backyard breeder. Dogs do not naturally like to potty where the eat or sleep. So what had to have happened is that she was forced to go in her crate because she wasn't let out of it very often. She then learned that going in the crate was ok. However, there can be other problems caused by this. She could develop coprophagia, which is where she learns to eat her own feces in order to keep her crate clean. Here are some tips. First, don't throw out the crate, it can be your friend. What's happened in your situation is that Emme has been what we call, reverse trained. Where instead of holding herself in the crate, she is relieving herself in the crate. So to counter this you will have to use her instincts to your advantadge. Put the crate somewhere in the house where she can escape if she wants, but still be amidst all the goings-on of the home. Make sure to put some bedding in the crate (Bostons love to snuggle under blankets), and start feeding her in the crate as well. Leave the door open at all times so she can go in and out as she pleases. We want her to think of the crate as a den. Dogs are den dwelling creatures, and when she hides under the table, she is retreating to a den like spot where she feels safe. When you feed her in the crate, make sure you put the food all the way at the back so she will have to go all the way in to eat. Just set the food inside, and wait. Pay no attention. Don't even try to coax her in. Just let her go in on her own when she is ready. Don't feel bad if she doesn't go in right away, or even at all the first day. She will eventually get hungry enough to go in there and eat. You can even add chicken broth to her food to make the food even more tempting. When she does go in, don't make a huge fuss about it, and leave the door open. Do this everyday for at least a month. At night, you'll want to let her sleep in her new den. Make sure to let her outside just before bed. Then put her in her crate and close the door. Say good night and go to bed. If she cries... you have to ignore it. If you give in and go to her, she will never learn to sleep in there. In the morning, let her out to potty right away. When she potties outside, PRAISE HEAVELY! It is important when potty training to go out with the dog and praise them for pottying outside. Bostons especially love a nice scratch right above the tail! They also love having their ears massaged! So why would you leave your new pup out to run around the house while you are behind a closed door? That is just asking for trouble! The key is prevention. Never let her out of your sight!!! EVER!!! She has already learned to potty in the house when you aren't looking. Dogs are very smart, if you've read any of this blog about how smart they really are, then you would know that they study our every move. Dogs know when we close our eyes, we can't see them. Test this if you want. Put a treat on the floor and tell your dog not to get it. Then close your eyes, or walk away and see if that treat is still there. They know. You have to build up trust in your relationship with your dog. They have to trust us, and we have to trust them. If there is no trust, behavior problems can develop, or pre-existing ones can get worse. To build that trust, you need to praise her for pottying outside, and never let her out of your sight inside. Crate her, or confine her to a single area in the house if you can not watch her until you know she will not potty in the house. You can also keep a journal of when and where she potties in the house. This will help you identify any patterns she may have. At 6mos old, her bladder is pretty well developed, but don't count on her holding it for longer than 5 hours until she is at least a year old. Most dogs will have to go potty about 2 - 4 hours after they eat or drink. Puppies go even sooner, about 1-3 hours, depending on the breed. If she is hiding under the table when you get home, it may not be because she knows she did something wrong. Dogs forget about pottying in the house after they do it, because they live in the present, not the past. Most likely, she has been scolded when someone got home and found it. She has come to associate someone coming home with being scolded. Therefore, she retreates to a den like area for safety. However, Bostons are very intelligent dogs. They rank number 52 on the breed list for intelligence. Number 1 being the Border Collie. If she had just done it and someone came home and found it and then scolded her, she may understand why she is being scolded. But if it happened an hour or more before the person arrived home, then most likey she doesn't know why she is being scolded. If she potties in the house, spanking, yelling, and rubbing her nose in it won't help. These actions can cause her to develop fear issues. You have to catch her in the act, and then take her outside as she is going. She should stop going once you pick her up, and then resume outside when you put her down. If you don't catch her doing it, then there is nothing you can do to help the situation other than cleaning it up. Get a cleaner that will repel her from that same area, or completely get out the scent or she may soil that area again. Remember, patience is a virtue and consistency is how dogs learn. Good luck! August 08 Ask Doggy Times! Do you have a question for Doggy Times? If so, I am here to help, so ask! I am going to start a new section on this blog site where readers can email me questions about their dogs, and I will answer. If you have a question about behavior problems, training advice, odd behaviors, or just general questions about dogs... I'm here to help. Send your questions to doggytimes@hotmail.com. At least once a week, or maybe twice, one, or two, email question(s) will be featured with an answer. To ask a question, please give some background history about your dog(s) so I can better answer the question. Also don't forget to leave the name of the dog, as well as your name. If you'd rather go by a nickname, that is fine too. Please also include your dog's age, sex, and breed. If your dog is a mixed breed, please include as best you can all the breeds you think he/she is mixed with. After the question has been answered, you will receive a confirmation email to let you know to check this site for your answer. I'm anxious to share my knowledge with you, so what are you waiting for? Ask a question, you have nothing to loose. May 05 Been awhile since I've posted.Ok, so I know it's been a really long time since I've updated and added to this site. Life has been extremely busy for me. Working at a dog daycare during the day, and training at night and on the weekends has kept me really busy. Plus, I have a beautiful wife, daughter, and one on the way to keep me busy when I'm not working with dogs.
I am writing this entry to apologize to those that may be looking for new updates on a regular basis. I simply have not had the time to keep up with this blog. But rest assured, this blog will remain. Filled with all the posts and blog entries that give it its appeal. I will still post from time to time, but not nearly as often as I have in the past. Thank you to all of you that have become fans, and to MSN for giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge and passion of dogs with all of you.
I am on Facebook and Myspace if you'd like to look me up. Just look for The Canine Guru or Brandon Ross.
March 10 Struggle For Power: Alpha and Omega, Or Orderly Chaos? For many years, people have debated on how dog packs function. So I'd like to take some time to put my two cents in. This blog entry is based on my most recent (as of the date of the entry) findings as I've been observing dogs in a daycare environment. Therefore, it may be different than in previous blog entries. The most popular theory is that dogs have a pack hierarchy. This theory states that there is an alpha male and/or alpha female that control the rest of the pack. The rest of the pack then has rankings amongst themselves. The theory is that there are 3 different types of hierarchy. Linear, Triangular, and Monarchy. The linear hierarchy is similar to a human hierarchy where there is a clear leader and then other ranks that fall under the leader in command. A good example of this type of hierarchy is the military, or even the Catholic church. A triangular hierarchy is complex. This type of hierarchy can have many dogs that are higher ranking than others, but there is no clear leader of everyone. So in example, dog A is over dog B. Dog B is over dog C, but dog C is over dog A. This type of hierarchy is also referred to as a circular or (less commonly) a squared hierarchy. Of course a Monarchy hierarchy is simple. There is an Alpha male and/or female and everyone else in the pack is of equal rank. Therefore, the rest of the pack must fight for resources since no one other than the alpha is actually entitled to it. The alpha is entitled to first dibs. Although all of these are great theories, and may each be at least a little bit correct, I must say that none of them seem to be right on. I work in a place where the pack is constantly changing. Dogs are coming in, and going home at random times. While they are at the daycare, they have to form a pack or even several packs to get along and coexist. Being that canines are very social animals, the forming of packs is very natural and very important to them. Being in a pack means surviving, so it's only natural for them to form them. I must say that during my studies, I have seen traces of all three forms of hierarchy described above. However, I have never in my life with dogs seen any of the hierarchy theories stay consistent. In my experience with dogs, I have found that there always has to be at least one dog that seems in control of every situation. There needs to be a peace keeper, a guide or teacher, a look out, a cop and when puppies are involved, a nanny. These jobs can be spread out between dogs, or done by one dog. Most often, these jobs are spread out between dogs. However, as a human, I have found that I can do them all, and so can certain dogs. Alpha dogs are simply, in my opinion, the strongest dogs. These are the dogs that are willing to fight for their resources. In the animal kingdom, you have four options. Fight, flight, avoidance, submission. Confident dogs are willing to fight, but they are clever enough not too. This makes them the alpha, because they are so confident that they are often able to intimidate other dogs without having to fight. Other dogs will simply submit with a look, snarl, or growl from this dog. So, in my opinion, the hierarchy theories may not be entirely accurate. I don't have any reason to believe at this time that dogs are so complex that they have actual ranks. I believe simply that dogs judge each other based on confidence and power, mental and physical. Ever seen a chihuahua control a great dane? Also knowing that dogs learn best from positive reinforcement, adds to my theory that dogs learn what is acceptable in the pack by doing the behavior and then being rewarded with the strongest dogs, or alpha dogs, blessing. Seeing as how most dogs are bred to please, this makes a lot of sense. Especially with people. Your dog wants to please you as long as he sees you as stronger than him. However the reverse is also true. If your dog sees you as weaker than him, then he will expect you to please him. That last sentence is why I have a job as a behavioral and obedience trainer! Most people that come to me for help training their dog to mind have dogs that see them as weaker. You can definitely tell when a dog sees you as the stronger one, because he will listen to you. After all, the strongest member of the pack is supposed to keep him safe and fed. I have tried walking into my ring and managing it as a weak personality and as a strong personality. What I found was that I am treated with more respect when I act strong and confident, and was peed on when I was seen as weak. (When a dog marks you, that means that the dog is claiming you as his and/or establishing that there is nothing you can do about it). Bottom line, dogs respect confidence and strength and reject the weak. Weakness is not something that should be passed on down the bloodline in a dog's eyes, because the weak will not survive. This is why dogs will attack another dog whom is showing signs of weakness such as whimpering, unsureness, and other physical signs of weakness. The same is true for unstable dogs. Often at the daycare, attendants will try to stick a weak dog into a ring and a stronger dogs will growl and attack that dog upon entry. The strong dog is rejecting the weak or unstable dog, because it will be of no use to the rest of the pack. This behavior from the stronger dog only increases the weak attributes of the weaker dog. In the wild, the weaker dog would be killed for attempting to barge into the middle of a pack of other dogs. In conclusion, dogs seem to be less organized than the theory of rank suggests. It seems to me that they see each other as individuals that are either strong, or weak. Individuals that are either willing to fight for that bone between their paws, or not. If a dog does not believe himself to be strong enough to fight another dog, he will either flee, avoid, or submit. The "leader" of the pack does not care what the other pack members do, as long as they do not break the rules. Usually the rules set by the alpha are, you can't have my bone, food, or bed, and you can not mate with my mate. Sometimes the rule is that you can not have my human! However, the theories of rank are partially true. Especially the Triangular hierarchy. Because sometimes, there is no clear alpha. Just some dogs are stronger than others, but no dog is stronger or more confident than all. Whatever the case, make sure your dog(s) see you as the strongest and most confident of your pack. December 15 "Beethoven's Big Break" Movie Review (4 Barks)Beethoven is back in this latest edition called Beethoven's Big Break. Available December 26th on DVD. This is a great movie that seems to show the audience the process of filming the original movie. Beethoven is simply a stray dog with three pups trying to survive on the streets of Hollywood until he meets a boy named Billy (Moises Arias from Hannah Montana) who's father, Eddie (Jonathan Silverman), is an assistant animal trainer for Universal Studios. When Frizzy, the star Bichon Frise, is abducted from the set of the movie Eddie is working on, Beethoven happens along and steals the show. Now with Beethoven as the new star, Eddie must figure out how to train Beethoven to follow the new script, but Beethoven has his own plans.
The cast includes Rhea Perlman (Cheers), Stephen Tobolowsky (Heros), Oscar Nunez (The Office), Joey Fatone (N'Sync), Eddie Griffin (Undercover Brother), and even Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer). The movie features music by The Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, High City Miles, and Everlife.
This is a great film for the whole family! When I was first approached by this movie, I thought, "Oh, not another Beethoven movie!" However, once I began watching it, I couldn't stop laughing! There are a lot of great actors in this film, and they made the movie. Also, I know how hard it can be to train a Saint Bernard, and the dog in this film did very well. As a trainer, however, I could not stop correcting Jonathan Silverman's character on his techniques. I was shhhed by my 5 year old a few times. Overall, I loved this film and I would recommend that you go and get your copy as soon as it comes out! "Mo Smells Red" Book Review (4 Barks)Mo Smells Red, A Sentsational Journey is a great children's book about a real life rescued dog that uses his nose to smell the color red. In this first edition, by Margret Hyde and Amanda Giacomini, Mo is on a quest to learn about the color red via his sense of smell. As you may know, a dog's sense of smell is his primary sense. Therefore, he will trust his nose over his eyes. Which is a great way to teach kids about their senses. But this book goes a step further than other children's books with its brand new Press 2 Smell technology. At the back of the book, there are various different smell buttons that you simply press as you inhale to smell exactly what Mo is smelling! This book is simple and easy for small children to follow. My five year old loves it! She loves to practice her new reading skills on this book, but her favorite part is the smells.
There is also a product line behind this book. Including shirts for your favorite pooch, stickers, bookmarks, and more! The greatest thing about this book is that a portion of the proceeds benefit animals in need. So mosey on over to mosnose.com and get your copy today! October 30 Happy Howl-O-Ween!!!Happy Howl-O-Ween!!!
Doggy Times would like to wish all of you pooch lovers and your pooches a very happy Howl-O-Ween! Remember that your four-legged beasts will want to haunt the neighborhood with you!
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September 23 Suspended CommentsYou may notice that you can no longer add a comment on Doggy Times. This is because I had to suspend comments for a while due to some moron who keeps abusing it to advertise for wow gold. I apologize for this, as I do enjoy reading what people have to say. Hopefully soon I can reenable the comment feature.
Beware of this person http://cid-c9870e88f7c548eb.spaces.live.com/). This is the person that had been abusing the comment feature and the reason for the removal of comments. June 27 Communicating With Our DogsIn the blog entry, How Do Dogs Communicate? I talked about how dogs communicate with eachother. In this blog entry, I will be discussing how you can communicate with your dog. Hopefully, you will learn to better understand your furry friend by understanding how he/she views the way you communicate. The information contained in this entry assumes that your dog is well balanced and doesn't have any major "issues" such as extreme aggression or fear.
So just how do dogs precieve us? How do they try to communicate with us? Do we acknowledge them?
Dogs are constantly watching us. They study our every move. Our dogs are studying our body language and reacting accordingly. Are you sad? Your dog knows. Are you happy? Your dog knows. Are you angry? Your dog knows.
Dogs are extremely preceptive to movement. So much so, that they know how we feel, and our intentions from across the yard. Have you ever accidently snook up on your dog in the yard at night when it's totally dark? If so, then you know that at first, your dog probably barked at you as if you were an intruder. However, the moment you move.. your dog recognizes you. Dogs know who we are just by the way we move. Even if we were far away, in the dark, our dogs can recognize us by our movement. Every person moves differently, just like every person has a different finger print.
Dogs do not need us to speak to them to understand what we are saying. As a matter of fact, speaking to them helps us more than them. For humans, speaking out loud is a good way to get our thoughts together. Because if we hear our own thoughts out loud, we can remember them easier. The mind is a complex place, and it is easy to jumble up all of those thoughts that float around on our brain. For dogs, it is different. They can not say their thoughts aloud, so they act out their thoughts. This is what we refer to as impulsive. For example, say a dog smells something yummy in the trash, and this dog has not been taught to stay out of the trash. The dog will act out this thought by getting into the trash and eating the yummy object. So when we speak to our dogs, they don't understand until they can pear the words with our body language, or until they associate the sound of the word(s) with an action or object. Dogs are very consistent creatures and understand consistency well, so if we are consistent with our actions, they will learn our words and actions faster. Some words that dogs will learn fastest are, Out or Outside, Sit, Go, Ok, Good, No, Hey, and of course their name. The reasoning of course is that these words are generally the most consistent words we use with our dogs.
Dogs see us as emotional creatures. Which, we are. Sometimes, this works against us however. If we do not seem stable to our dogs, wether we are or not, our dogs will not listen to us. A good example of this is my dog Mitsy. Mitsy is a very well mannered dog. I picture her as a victorian women with the big hat and gloves up to the elbows. She is very proper. When we get in to the car, she immediately gets in the back and sits, like a lady. She rarely growls, or chases in public, even though at home she has a very high prey drive. Mitsy helps me teach obedience classes at Pooches, and my students always compliment me on what a fine dog she is. However, I had to take Mitsy through an obedience class at the Tulsa Dog Training Club because Pooches wanted us trainers to have competion obedience titled dogs. At the end of the class, there was a test, similar to an obedience competition. Mitsy had been top of her class, of course.. she's been helping me teach other her whole life. However, during the test the dogs had to do a down stay for three miniutes, and a sit stay for one miniute in a line. (Meaning the dogs were lined up about 2 feet apart doing the stays). Mitsy had aced this in class, at home, and even while teaching. She knows how to stay better than most dogs. But I was nervous, and a little shakey, because I wanted to pass because it was for work. Mitsy, the proper lady whom always listened, did not do the down stay for three miniutes. Halfway through the stay, she got up. Despite the fact that I had my hand up signaling her to stay. All because she read my body language, and it told her that I was not confident. In turn, that made her uneasy, and therefore, she got up and came to me.
If you find that your dog is not listening to you, and you know that he/she knows how to preform what you ask. Evaluate yourself. Are you calm, cool, and collected? Do you feel confident that the dog will do it? Does your dog feel safe with you? These are all great questions to ask yourself. Chances are that you will answer no to at least one of these questions.
Dogs also listen to the tone of our voice. High pitched voices will get a dog excited, while low pitched voices will probably make your dog cower, submit, or walk away. We see this in dogs when they interact with eachother as well. Warnings are often given by one dog to another with a low-pitched growl. Wolves will use lower pitched howls to warn off intruders called defensive howls. Higher pitched barking between dogs is used to demonstrate feelings of excitement or play. A play bark is a high pitched bark that can be kinda annoying. It is accompanied by what is called a play bow, which is were the dog lowers his front end in a bow with the hind quarters high in the air. So when we talk in higher pitches, it stimulates our dogs to play with us. We can also play bow by bending our knees and kind of squating quickly. Commands should never be given in a high-pitched voice, unless our method is to teach through play. Dogs learn most everything from play, but when we seriously need them to preform a task we should use a firm, calm, and commanding voice. Our body posture should be relaxed, but tall. The straighter we stand, the more confident we appear, and the more our dogs will take us seriously.
Often times dogs try to communicate with us in a way they think we will understand. Once they learn our body language, sounds, and style of communication, they will try to mimic us when communicating with us. This is probably one of the most fascinating things to me. Us communicating with the dogs is cool, but what really gets me excited is watching our dogs trying to communicate with us. When Oreo wants to go to the daycare with me, he will get his traveling leash (we have a million leashes hanging up). He knows exactly which leash to get. He pulls it down from the hook, and brings it to me. Then, he stands in front of me and stares with his ears pricked until I respond. When I say words, such as Go, or Out, his head twists from side to side as he is registering the pitch, tone, and word for recognition. Once he recognizes that I am asking him if he wants to "Go" to the daycare, he responds by jumping with excitement. This is his way of praising me for understanding what he is asking. Basically, he is saying "Yes Dad, that's right! I wanna go play at the daycare today! Let's GO!" After he praises me, I put on his leash and he stands in front of the door waiting to leave. This kind of thing is classic amongst dog owners. However, some people don't recognize what their dogs are saying to them. They tell their dogs to stop, or quit doing what they are doing. These people accidentally tell their dogs not to communicate with them. When this happens, the dog becomes frustrated. Frustration leads to destruction, due to displacement. Displacement occurs when a dog, or person, has nervous or anxious energy that needs to be released. So it comes out, sometimes small (licking lips, licking paws, scratching), and sometimes big (tearing up the sofa, the bed, or even the walls). People may bounce their legs or feet, tap their fingers, or chew on a pencil or their nails.
We need to recognize when our dogs are trying to communicate with us. If your dog is scratching at the water or food bowl and then looking at you, then obviously he/she is thirsty or hungry. If your dog is trying to get your attention, try to figure out why. It can only benefit you. Also, when you communicate with your dog, remember to stay calm, cool, and collected. If the dog acts out, keep in mind that he/she may not be able to help it. Especially if he/she has a bunch of energy that is built up. If you get frustrated, it will only make things worse. Take a break and try again later if this happens. Don't get mad at your dog. Remember, you chose to bring this creature into your home, and he/she doesn't speak english. Keep a healthy line of communication open with your dog, and he/she will do the same with you. You will both be happy, and sane!
Oreo is crawling in my lap, pawing at my arms, and sitting on the keyboard. I'm pretty sure that means that I've been on the computer too long, and he want's me to get off and play with him. I did just get home from work, and haven't spent time with him yet, so I can understand his point of view. So, it's time to get off, until the next entry. Ok, Oreo, I'm coming!
 Don't forget to vote for your favorite cute dog in the photo album! May 27 Cutest Dog Contest '08Well, as you can see the contest is up and running! Here's how it works. Simply view all of the photos, there are 21, and then add a comment on the photo you want to vote for. The photo with the most comments wins. Remember to pause the slide show to add a comment on the photo of your choice. The contest will be up through out June and the winner will be announced in a special blog entry at the end of August.
There were a ton of pics sent in, and these are the only ones I could use. I apologize to those of you whom do not see your dog in the contest, but I had to limit the number of photos. Also some photos were way too big, in PDF format, or didn't list the name of the dog(s).Unfortunately, I could not use those pics. Because the contest has begun, I'm sorry but I can not accept anymore photos for this contest. However, you can still send a pic of your favorite pooch for the next contest. We like to see dogs dressed up, doing something silly, or playing with that favorite toy, as well as those cute dogs, so keep that in mind when choosing a photo to send. Also, please make sure that any future photos are .jpg or .bitmap format and not too large.
Let the voting begin! May 22 Cutest Dog Contest!Well, I finally have enough pics to have another contest! I know many of you have read previous blog enteries and are sending pics in, thank you! As soon as I can download all of the pics and get them organized, i will post the contest in the picture area where you will be able to vote for your favorites. So keep checking back often to see when the contest will start. I will post another entery explaining how the contest works and how to vote for your favorite cute dog when I have the pics ready.
Thanks for visiting Doggy Times! May 20 Spring is puppy time!
This is the time of year where pet sales sky rocket. After all, the weather is nice, and people think of how much fun it would be to adopt or purchase a new furry family member. If this is you, that's ok, just try and be responsible about your decision. The shelters are full of animals that were bought in the spring and returned in the winter because things didn't work out. To prevent this, here are a few pointers:
When you get you puppy home, there is more work to be done. You need to know where you puppy will sleep, make sure your house is puppy proofed, and that there is plenty of water and the right kind of food. You may even want to start training you puppy. Puppies can begin training as young as 8 weeks old. Remember, the first weeks with your new puppy will determine your relationship, so make them fun and meaningful. Make sure your puppy learns that you are incharge by staying consistent with your rules. Also, keep in mind that play is very important to canine development. Through play, dogs learn how to deal with certain physical situations, the rules of the environment, and how to be social. With out play, your dog will become unbalanced. Play also helps to build the bond you need to have a good relationship with your puppy and adult dog. So have fun! May 03 Signs of IllnessWelcome to a brand new feature of Doggy Times, Veterinary Corner! Here and there I will post a blog entery with some helpful veterinary tips and tricks. Please note: I am not a veterinarian, so please consult with your veterinarian if you have any questions about your dog's health. I will only be listing information on various diseases, typical treatments, and things to look for. I will be using various references for this series of blogs. Every illness is different for every dog, so please do not use this blog as your final source. This series of blogs is only intended to educate, not to diagnose or treat.
Signs Of Illness
Part of keeping your dog healthy is knowing what to look for. Loss of appetite, increased thirst, and abnormal behavior are some of the signs of ill health. Consult your veterinarian if your dog exhibits any of the following signs:
Ref: The Dog Bible Edited by Kristin Mehus-Roe May 01 Journalists For Hire?Recently I received 2 emails on the same day from publicists trying to get me to "hire" their clients to write for this blog. What? Yeah, I'm a bit shocked. One of the ladies is a very accomplished woman whom is the president of a breed club, owns her own daycare, therapy, and boarding facility ($6 million facility nun-the-less). She is also a certified AKC judge, won multiple times (best of breed) at Westminster, and has wrote a few books.
The other lady is also very accomplished. She works with dogs in tv and movies, produces, writes books, and is even hosting a show on PBS. She is an animal behaviorist to boot.
So... why would these ladies want to write for my small little blog? I don't get it. Their publicists both stated that they were available to school my readers on various topics concerning dogs... HELLOOO! That's my job!
I do this for fun in my spare time. So please, do not send me emails asking me to hire your clients to write for my blogs. I am very flattered that such accomplished people would want to write for this small blog, but I do not need journalists at this time. For now, this is a one man show. However... if there are any publishers reading this, I may be interested in turning my blogs into a magazine or book!
 On a seperte note, I am very glad that my blogs can be helpful to all of you that seek knowledge about your dogs. It is a pleasure to share information with those that want to learn, and I thank MSN for giving me a medium in which to do so. March 23 What's with all that licking?Ok, so you're curious as to why your dog follows you around licking your ankles or maybe he likes to lick the couch, your bed, the kennel, your shoes, your elbows, or maybe even his own paws or toys. Some of us get annoyed, while others laugh and think it's cute. If you have a Boston, then this is something you probably experience a lot.
Dogs like to lick for several reasons. One of them is to release anxiety. When dogs are anxious they have to find ways to release the energy. Sometimes they will chew, bark, run in circles, or even lick. Dogs that see themselves as the caregivers of the pack are especially prone to licking. They feel the need to take care of the rest of the pack. A dog's saliva has been proven to kill bacteria, so if a dog licks you, especially on a wound or rash, they are trying to clean it for you and make it better. It's like a mom licking on her thumb and wiping off her babies face. It is perfectly fine to let your dog lick you, remember, a dog's mouth is cleaner than a humans!
Dogs also tend to lick things that they love. At least it seems that way. Oreo likes to lick his kennel when he's in it. Either he has an iron deficiency, or he loves his kennel, or he's hoping it will open up and let him out. Truth is, until we can get into their heads for sure, we may never know. Mitsy likes to lick her paws on occasion. This is also due to anxiety. It's an outlet for her nervous energy. Chance likes to lick the couch... Chance is weird.. so he may like to lick it because it's a microfiber couch and the texture is similar to skin..on some weird level. But this also calms them down. I've known dogs to lick themselves to sleep.
Dogs will often lick their lips when they are nervous or in tense situations. Meeting another unknown dog can trigger this response. If you witness this, it is a sign that your dog is not comfortable in the current situation. Nervous licking of the lips looks much different than that of a dog licking his lips because he's hungry or just ate. It will be a slow lick of the lips, and the tongue may not even come all the way out of the dog's mouth. There will be other body language displayed to show the feeling of anxiety as well.
So there you have it. Dogs lick for several reasons. Anxiety, love, cleaning, and to calm themselves. Licking is perfectly acceptable as long as you don't mind it. Excessive licking and drooling is a sign of a psycological disorder. Example: The dog is at the door licking, drooling, and crying after someone leaves. If this is the case, seek professional help. March 11 What Kind Of Dog Are You?Ever wonder what kind of dog you'd be had you been born a dog? Curious about what breed would best match your personality? Well now Dogster.com has the answer for you! Click the link below to take the dog breed quiz over at Dogster! The quiz asks you 10 hypothetical questions and tallies your answers to determine what breed you are. When your done, you can email it to your friends and have them take it too. The quiz will even tell you some other famous people who match your breed and if you are truely compatible with your friends.
What kind of dog am I? Well, according to Dogster.. I'm a Bulldog! Other famous Bulldogs are Jack Black, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, and George W. Bush.
So what are you waiting for, have some fun with the Dogster quiz and find out what kind of dog you are!
Click below to take the doggy quiz.
February 28 What would you like to see?
So fans of Doggy Times, what would you like to see next on Doggy Times? Answers to a behavior proplem? Explination of why your dog is doing that? Contests? Jokes?
Tell me! I want to know what you are looking for. Leave a comment and suggestion below. It might just appear here on Doggy Times! January 23 Smart DogsThere are many dogs out there that act as if they are brilliant. The truth is that they really are! Notice the video above of the boston that escapes from her kennel. This is a great example of the K9 mind at work. Dogs are reward based creatures, the reward in this case is freedom. The dog has learned that she can minipulate the kennel latch and escape. Much like the dogs tested by B.F. Skinner. Go to K9 Mind to learn more about how smart dogs can truley be. You'll even meet a Doberman named Donnie that can arrange his toys in geometeric patterns! |
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