Barking

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Barking

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Barking is one of many forms of vocal communication for dogs. People are often pleased that their dog barks, because it alerts them to the approach of people to their home or it tells them there’s something that the dog wants or needs. However, sometimes a dog’s barking can be excessive. Because barking serves a variety of functions, you must identify its cause and your dog’s motivation for barking before you can treat a barking problem
Each type of barking serves a distinct function for a dog, and if he’s repeatedly rewarded for his barking—in other words, if it gets him what he wants—he can learn to use barking to his benefit. For example, dogs who successfully bark for attention often go on to bark for other things, like food, play and walks. For this reason, it’s important to train your dog be quiet on cue so that you can stop his attention-related barking and teach him to do another behavior instead—like sit or down—to get what he wants.
Many owners can identify why their dog is barking just by hearing the specific bark. For instance, a dog’s bark sounds different when he wants to play as compared to when he wants to come in from the yard. If you want to reduce your dog’s barking, it’s crucial to determine why he’s barking. It will take some time to teach your dog to bark less. Unfortunately, it’s just not realistic to expect a quick fix or to expect that your dog will stop barking altogether. (Would you expect a person to suddenly stop talking altogether?) Your goal should be to decrease, rather than eliminate, the amount of barking. Bear in mind that some dogs are more prone to barking than others. In addition, some breeds are known as “barkers,” and it can be harder to decrease barking in individuals of these breeds.

Begging

Unless they are trained not to do so, most dogs will form the natural habit of begging for both attention and food. Some dog owners except this behavior and think it's acceptable, but most people get annoyed very quickly when their dog starts to beg every time he wants love, attention, and especially when he smells something tasty cooking in the house.

Begging is another form of demanding and it gives your dog an aspect of control within the family "pack". I describe your family as a pack because that is exactly how your dog sees it. Anyways, while it seems adorable when Sparky rolls over on his back expecting a belly rub every time you enter the room, or just sits all teary-eyed staring straight at your plate of food when you're eating dinner, this behavior has the possibility to gain momentum and become aggressive.

Just how aggressive can a dog possibly become?

If you do not think that your dog could ever possibly bite your hand because he expects you to give him food every time he begs, think again. For years a friend of mine would hand feed his puppy pieces of food at any time of the day he was eating. If it were breakfast, his dog would get a two pieces of bacon. At lunch time my friend would hand feed his dog a few bites of his sandwich. The same went for dinner.

After some time, his dog matured and grew bigger, and my friend did not realize that he was reinforcing a dominant leadership role into his dog every time he gave in to begging. Once he decided to change this behavior with his dog, he learned quickly just how dangerous the situation was. At one of his meals, my friend absolutely refused to feed his dog anything and the begging and crying turned into aggression and barking. Then without notice, his dog leaped up onto his plate and snapped at the food, taking a little bit of my friends flesh with it.

Begging can be eliminated with proper training

The above example may seem a bit extreme and you still probably could never imagine you're adorable dog biting you in the attempt to get food that he was expecting. However, the problem is real and you must start early in your puppy's life with instilling the rules when it comes to begging.

During your meals, you need to train your dog to sit and stay in a specific area when the family is eating. This may take some time but eventually he will remain in a sit position until after your dinner is over and then of course you should praise his actions by offering him up a nice hot meal that he can eat in his own food bowl, and only after everybody else is finished eating.

Designer Dogs??

I came across this article and felt it was worth posting

http://group.ilovemydogfans.com/profiles/blogs/designing-the-next-big-fad

Choosing a dog

Yesterday, yet another person asked me why Pyrs end up in rescue.  The reasons are various:  they bark, they drool, they are too big, they shed, we're having a baby and on and on it goes.  So I thought I would post some common sense ideas to consider before choosing a dog.

The first and perhaps most important decision is to carefully select a breed or mix of dog that is most likely to fit into the family temperament and lifestyle. Fortunately, there are many breeds to choose from, and there is at least one to fit every situation. There are breeds that are predisposed to retrieve, to guard, to pull sleds or carts, to snuggle, and to lie by the hearth. There are active breeds and calm breeds. There are breeds to satisfy the desire to comb long strands of silky hair and breeds that require only an occasional rubdown to keep coats healthy. There are breeds that can withstand cold climates and breeds that can cope with hot, muggy temperatures. There are breeds that love children and can put up with a toddler's teasing, poking, and pulling and a 10-year-old's rough-housing.

Check out the breed origin, for knowing where and why a breed was developed helps to understand its character and physical attributes. For example, breeds developed to

• hunt and retrieve upland game birds are generally active, low-maintenance, friendly working companions that enjoy carrying objects in their mouths;
• hunt rabbits and other game by scent are usually independent and ruled by their noses;
• herd sheep or cattle are usually energetic, tough, versatile dogs that can be easily adapted to obedience work or agility;
• guard sheep, cattle, palaces, castles, and forest preserves tend to be courageous, independent, and aloof or aggressive with strangers;
• serve as companions to ladies of the court may be haughty, arrogant, and distrustful of children; and
• hunt vermin are generally scrappy, tough, and very active.

Treatment of aggression

Treating aggressive behavior is best handled by a professional animal behaviorist or a very experienced, reputable animal trainer. There are a number of individuals who call themselves animal behaviorists or trainers who are poorly qualified. They often resort to brutal and sadistic methods such as "hanging" and shock collars to correct aggressive dogs. Excessive force and punishment are their main tools.
When seeking a professional trainer, always seek advice from your veterinarian and carefully interview trainers to find the one who uses the least amount of force necessary.
Treatment consists of listing all the things that trigger aggressive behavior and preventing these situations from developing. For example, if the dog growls when you try to remove it from the couch, don't allow it to get on the couch.
The first impulse is to minimize contact between an aggressive dog and the person or people he is most aggressive to. However, this scheme only encourages the dog to become dominant to more and more people and tightens his control of the household. Therefore, the individual who is having the most difficulty with the dog should become the main provider for everything the dog needs food, water, exercise, praise, affection, and all play activity. This person must be able to train the dog to obey basic obedience commands of sit, stay, come, and down. He will probably need a lot of help with the down command (which puts the animal in a submissive position) so he doesn't get bitten.
All other family members must totally ignore the dog no play, food, or affection. The dog must look on that one person as its sole provider of everything.
The dog must be rewarded for any signs of submissive behavior such as ears back, looking away (avoiding eye contact), rolling over, licking, crouching, or lowering the head when being reached for. Any dominant gestures that the dog will tolerate should be used frequently and the dog must be praised and given occasional food rewards for submitting. The dog must earn everything.
Once a dog starts to respond, then counter-conditioning can be started, but this should only be done with a qualified behaviorist-trainer. Counter-conditioning includes working with a dog that doesn't like its feet or hindquarters handled; it is also referred to as desensitizing the dog to certain stimuli or conditions.
To counter-condition a dog that does not like its hindquarters handled, first teach the dog to stand on command, then, with an experienced handler controlling the dog's head, the gently touch the rear end. If the dog submits, praise and give a food treat. Repeat praise and reward for each positive response. Gradually increase the duration and frequency of handling and praise the dog for each act of submission, no matter how small.
Aggressive dogs can be retrained under the right circumstances. Keep in mind, however, before anyone starts a program to correct an aggressive dog, he must realize that the dog may never be trustworthy around other people or children and may bite if provoked. Owners should always be given the cold, hard facts: they should never feel guilty for having an aggressive dog euthanized, but they should also realize that, if they are likely to make the same mistakes with another dog, they should not get another dog.

Signs of aggression

The late Dr. Harvey Braaf VMD listed the following symptoms of dog aggression. None of these symptoms should be ignored; each can be a predictor of serious aggressive behavior. A professional trainer should be contacted if the owner cannot deal with the problem.
In no case should the animal be abandoned to a shelter or rescue organization for adoption by an unsuspecting new owner.
If you think your dog is aggressive check the following symptoms

• Excessive barking;
• A tendency to snarl, growl, or snap to protect food;
• Overprotectiveness of possessions;
• Fearfulness in new situations or around strangers;
• Severe attacks on other animals, such as cats or livestock;
• Attempts to mount people's legs;
• Snapping and snarling when petted, groomed, or lifted;
• Frequent attempts to chase moving objects such as bicycles, skateboards, cars and trucks;
• Repeated escapes from home and long periods spent roaming free

Factors influencing aggression

Genetic and hereditary factors play a major role in aggression. Protective breeds such as Dobermans, Akitas, and Rottweilers are expected to be more aggressive than Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. Feisty terriers were bred to kill small game, and they still retain this characteristic.
Inbreeding can create unstable temperaments, and hormones can contribute to aggressive tendencies in intact male dogs, females in heat or in a false pregnancy, and females nursing puppies.
Environment -- living conditions, lack of socialization, excessive punishment, being attacked or frightened by an aggressive dog, being spoiled or given too much unwarranted praise by owners, being isolated from human contact or being exposed to frequent teasing by children or aggravation by joggers --can also influence aggression.
Obviously, dogs are not people. They have a pack order that determines their social rank, a pack order that is established and maintained by body language. Some dogs occupy dominant or alpha status, and some have low rank or omega status. When dogs live with people, they look at humans as members of the pack and try to establish their place in the social order by challenging the more submissive family members, particularly the children. If dogs display a dominant gesture such as growling while guarding the food dish, and they are not corrected for this behavior, they have established a bit of dominance to build on with any or all family members. If these dominant gestures remain uncorrected, the dog slowly but surely gains in status over one or all family members.
The subtle signs of dominance usually go unnoticed or are explained away until the dog bites the human for infringement on his alpha position. The owner misunderstands the progression of behaviors and blames the dog for biting "for no reason." These dogs frequently end up at animal shelters and are destroyed because their owners misunderstood the development of aggressive behavior.

Preventing aggression

The primary goal is simple -- never allow any dog to achieve dominant status over any adult or child. If dogs always know their social ranking and are never allowed to challenge people, they will usually be good family members.
The first rule for preventing problems is to match the right breed and puppy to the right owner. In other words, the Rottweiler or Akita is not a suitable breed for a meek or mild owner or the macho owner looking for a tough, aggressive dog; the Dalmatian and the Flat-Coated Retriever do not fit sedentary lifestyles; the Shetland Sheepdog or the Chihuahua do not like boisterous, rowdy children, etc. Likewise, the litter bully will take over the home of a submissive owner and the shy puppy needs extra attention to adjust to an active household.
Puppy testing done by the breeder can help. The test includes social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance and elevation dominance.
Aggression prevention includes early socialization. Puppies should be handled gently, especially between three and four months of age. They should be hand-fed by children and adults and taught to take food without grabbing or lunging. They should not be allowed to chase children or joggers, jump on people, mount legs, or growl for any reason. They should never receive or be part of rough, aggressive play such as hand-fighting, wrestling, or tug-of-war games. Puppies should never be physically punished for aggressive behavior; instead, they should be denied the rewards of aggression, restrained from repeating the infraction, and taught alternative behavior.
If puppies bite at or jump on children, the children should take charge by screaming "Off!" and crossing their arms (to protect hands and arms from being grabbed) and turning away. Puppies love to play; if fun is denied when they get too rough, they will learn to play more calmly.
Puppy parties, where children of all ages visit and play gentle games and offer food rewards are helpful for the children and the puppy.
The puppy should be part of the family pack and should learn to accept delivery people, repairmen, and other strangers. Once they have been vaccinated against the common canine diseases, puppies should be exposed to non-aggressive dogs so they learn that other dogs as well as other people are friendly.

Homemade pill pockets

Homemade Liverwurst Pill Pockets

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain shredded wheat cereal

3 ounces Liverwurst (room temperature)

2 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

Instructions:

Place shredded wheat in a bag and crush by using a rolling pin

Mix liverwurst and cream cheese together until smooth

Mix with shredded wheat

Roll into small balls (the size of gum drops)

Store in the refrigerator in a re-sealable plastic bag or container

Treats will last about 7 to 10 days

These pill pocket treats are really simple to make. When it's time for your dog to take his medicine, simply take a "dough" ball and hide the pill in the center. Then offer it to your dog like a treat.

Another attention game

I do not like to only train from a standstill, because I want the dogs to know that they can pay attention to people even while they're moving. I arm myself with goodies, wait for the dog to look at me in my face and then give a few treats while praising, then I take off at a quick pace. As soon as the dog catches up to me and looks at me, I praise, feed a few more treats and move in a different direction again. It's like you are constantly trying to get away and the dog is always trying to catch up. It's like the game many dogs are playing already, but the role is reversed! If you are playing outside, you will need a leash for safety reasons. As this goes on, you will let the dog take more steps with you and should be looking at you longer before you pay out.

Tammy Reinarz, CPDT-KA and a Professional Member of the APDT, has been training dogs of all breeds within the Central PA area since 2005.

Heeling

Once you have reached the level in training your dog where he is not fooled by distractions or temptation, you are then ready to proceed to the next level of training – how to heel correctly.

If your dog cannot walk comfortably at your side, there is no way you’re going to teach him anything about being obedient. He must learn to heel properly and focus his full attention to you.

You will be using a six-foot leather training leash for this phase. During this stage of training, you will teach your dog to walk beside you like a gentleman. He will learn to automatically sit at your side when you stop.

No Punishment Needed When Training Your Dog

The right attitude cannot be achieved if your dog is mistreated or abused. To restrain or choke the dog on a short, tight leash, to hit him in the chest, or to smack his face with the end of the leash while trying to teach him to heel will result, among other things, in a completely negative attitude in the animal.

Starting Position

To begin, you will notice that your leash has a loop in one end. Place your right thumb through that loop. With your left hand, grab the leash at the middle section and place it in your right hand. Notice that the dog is on your left side, but that the leash is held in your right hand. This will seem a little awkward at first, but your left hand will be doing other things.

Do not form the habit of trying to restrain your dog at your side by holding him up close with the left hand on that leash. Remember, you want to train your dog, not restrain him. Forget about everything that you were told or read about restraining a dog tugging at your side in the hope that he will get the idea that this is where you want him to walk. That idea will never occur to him.

There is an important characteristic of an untrained dog on a leash that will become obvious to you during this stage of training. This dog wants to feel a tight leash! If there’s a slack in the leash, he has no way of calculating its exact length. On a tight leash, he can lunge and pull and go through all kinds of twists and turns, because he has the security of feeling where the other end of the leash is. Therefore, it is very important that you don’t give in to your dog’s wishes by walking him on a tight leash.

As you begin, position your dog at your left side while keeping the leash short. Leave a belly of reserved slack, with your right hand, look at your dog, say his name, then command “Heel”!

Begin walking, starting with your left foot. Walk briskly in a straight line, with confidence in your movement. Your dog will lose confidence in you if you wander aimlessly.

Remembering his experience on the long-line, your dog may walk alongside you fairly comfortably, but the odds are that since there are now only five to six feet connecting the two of you, he will react in one of the two following ways:

1. He will either rush forward past you in an attempt to keep a tight strain on that leash, or
2. He will hold back and be hesitant to walk with you at all. After all, this six-foot training leash is new to him.

If your dog is one that takes off like a marathon runner in a race, either surging ahead or out to the side in an attempt to keep the leash tight, simply open your right hand, release the slack you’ve been holding in reserve, and immediately do a right-about turn and walk in the opposite direction. When your dog is back in the proper heeling position, give him praise and a pat on the head with your free left hand. If you have a small dog, bend over to his level and give him his pat while continuing to walk.

Each time he surges ahead, release the slack as you do and definite right-about turn. Without slowing your pace, pick up some reserve slack and place it once again in your right hand in preparation for his next heedless charge. Your left hand is free to reach down and give him a pat on a head when, and only when, he is in the proper heeling position. That is, at your left side with his head and neck area about even with your left leg. Each time you place the reserve slack in your right hand, be sure to leave a belly of slack in the leash between you and your dog.

Reward values

 An important point to remember with attention is that most dogs look at what they are interested in, and you want to be that thing that your dog finds interesting. Games are a great way to retain that learning. If you enjoy it, it's more than likely the dog will too! When it comes to the treats that you use, make sure that you use the appropriate treat for the specific environment that you are training in. The kibble that works in the house will probably not work on walks or at the vet's. Be imaginative. A reward's value is dictated by the animal that accepts it. So if your dog doesn't accept your treat, then you have too many distractions or your rewards aren't good enough for that setting.

Paying attention

Attention: you know you want it from your dog, but how do you get it? I think that it is the most important thing for a dog to know. If your dog doesn't look at you, you'll find yourself having difficulty with everything from walking to general training. Most people find themselves having difficulty when distractions are around. That's normal. You always want to start new skills with the LEAST amount of distractions and then choose harder settings. Practice under scenarios that your dog will be in contact with. Practice attention games in the house, then in the yard, out on a walk, when another dog is approaching on a walk, in a classroom, when the doorbell rings, on a camping trip, etc. Know how your dog is going to be a part of your life and train for it!