All Articles by Jessica Hein, SIT.STAY.FETCH! LLC Owner, Certified Professional Dog Trainer
A Storm is Coming: How to Minimize Thunder-Induced Fear in Your Dog
Thunder Storms induce fear in many pets. The most common reasons dogs are afraid of thunder storms is because they can sense the changes in barometric pressure, the static electricity, and the loud booms of thunder.
Here are a few tips for reducing your dog’s fear of thunder storms.
- Many dogs will seek out small, confined spaces to hide during storms. Place a rubber mat in their crate, bedding or hiding place to absorb the static electricity.
- Get a dog appeasing pheromone plug-in or collar to soothe and calm your dog before, during and shortly after a storm. Lavender and chamomile are also natural calming aides.
- Play the radio or turn on the t.v. during storms to balance out the storm noises.
- Wrapping your dog in a snug garment such as a doggy t-shirt has been shown to reduce anxiety in dogs. Special shirts such as the Thundershirt were invented strictly for that purpose.
- Use a thunder cd or mp3 to play at very low volume, and treat your dog after each clap of thunder. Do this daily, increasing the volume slowly-- be very careful that your dog never gets panicked or pushed over threshold. This will desensitize him/her to the sounds of the storm and teach him to associate thunder noises with food.
Potty Training Do’s and Don’ts
The key to successfully housebreaking your dog is preventing accidents and rewarding successes. Follow these essential do’s and don’ts and potty training will be a breeze!
DO NOT punish your dog for accidents. Rubbing his or her nose in the mess, yelling and throwing a fit is only going to be misinterpreted by your dog. It will teach them to fear and mistrust you.
DO reward each success with lots of praise, a treat, walk or playtime.
DO NOT allow your dog to free feed or graze throughout the day.
DO feed your dog high quality kibble on a schedule of 2-3 times/day, and pick up any leftover food after 20 minutes. This will allow your dog to eliminate on a schedule, too.
DO NOT expect your dog or puppy to tell you when they have to go outside to eliminate-- developing a preference to eliminate outside only happens when the dog is given consistent direction.
DO take your dog out after every activity: after feeding, exercise, napping, or playing. This will provide every opportunity for your dog to eliminate appropriately and for the owner to start recognizing their individual dog’s elimination schedule.
DO NOT give your dog free run the house unless they have already done their business appropriately.
DO allow your dog 15-20 minutes of freedom after they’ve gone potty to explore different areas of the home. This will familiarize them with their den space (dogs generally don’t wish to eliminate in their dens). Add a few more minutes of freedom every few days your dog is successful. Continue to prevent accidents by keeping your dog in a kennel, puppy-safe room or on a leash with you after his or her free time is up.
DO NOT expect your dog to “hold it” for hours while your away. The general rule of thumb is to take the pup’s age in months, add one, and this is how many hours they can be expected to wait.
DO give your dog quiet time in his or her safe confinement area (crate or puppy-proofed space) whenever you cannot supervise them. This prevents accidents and helps develop bladder and bowel control.
DO develop a chant to encourage your dog go. Take him or her outside on the leash, and pace back-and- forth as you chant “go potty, go potty” or “hurry up, hurry up”. The pacing will promote internal movement and the chanting puts going potty on cue, so that it is faster and clearly communicated to the dog each time.
DO NOT start a puppy party as soon as your dog squats! This can teach your dog to “fake it” for a reward, or confuse and interrupt the process.
DO stay quiet as your dog begins to go, and then throw him or her a party immediately after they go.
Good Luck and Remember to Prevent and Reward!
Food For Thought
How Feeding a Higher Quality Food Can Result in a Better Behaved Canine
With all the dog food choices available today, it can be difficult to decide on a food for your furry friend. Many big-brand dog food manufacturers claim to be “healthy” and have “natural ingredients", when in reality, they may contain ingredients that can make your dog hyper-active, moody, or cause serious health problems. Here’s a few things to consider in regards to your dog’s food, so that your dog will stay healthy inside and out.
The Protein Source: When reading a dog food label, the ingredients are listed with the most prominent ingredient first, in descending order by weight. The first ingredient in your dogs food should be a specific animal protein source, such as chicken or turkey. Avoid foods with labels reading “poultry” or “by-product” as this term can contain extremely unhealthy sources including diseased animals and even road kill!
Corn is often used as a protein source to save money in commercial pet food manufacturing. However, it can reduce the levels of serotonin in a dog and is unusually low in tryptophan. Both these amino acids are important in keeping dogs well-balanced. Serotonin helps control moods, arousal, sensitivities and healthy sleep/wake cycles, and an imbalance can cause behavioral problems in dogs. Many vets and behaviorists recommend eliminating corn from a dogs diet because of these potential imbalances and side affects.
Fats and Carbohydrates:Although carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in a human diet, high carbohydrate levels in dog foods have been shown to cause hyperactivity in dogs. Fat is a dog’s primary energy source.
Preservatives: when choosing your dog’s food, avoid chemical preservatives such as BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) as these are chemicals most often associated with cancer and other toxic-driven diseases.
Feeding rituals: feed your dog twice a day. Toy dogs may be fed more frequently due to their high susceptibility of hypoglycemia. Also, consider feeding your pooch from a treat ball or food dispensing toy to stimulate the brain and slow eating. Your dog will enjoy the challenge of working for his or her food!
Studies show that increasing your dog’s quality of food can lead to a calmer dog. Just like us, diet affects holistic health. Try feeding an all-natural food, and check the ingredients before purchasing.
Worms and Fleas and Ticks, Oh My!
How to Keep your Dog Protected from Dangerous Parasites
Parasites are organisms that survive by living off of other forms of life. They can live internally or externally and can pose a major risk to your beloved pet. Here, we discuss common parasites found to infect dogs, and how to prevent them.
Worms are dangerous internal parasites and include roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms and heartworms. These parasites will steal nutrients from a dog’s gut, destroy red blood cells, kill tissues and cells, and transmit disease.
The Roundworm, Hookworm and Whipworm
Roundworms are extremely common, in fact, most puppies are born with them unless the dam was treated for worms before and after her pregnancy. This is why puppies are dewormed every two weeks until they are eight weeks old. Puppies with roundworms will appear thin except for their distinct, bulging bellies and have dull, rough coat. Hookworms are most common in warm and humid climates and enter the body through ingestion of contaminated environment or substance, such as a blade of grass or mother’s milk. These parasites attach to intestinal lining and such blood from it. Whipworms are acquired when the dog ingests an infected surface and also feed on blood from the intestine.Fecal exams can determine the presence of these parasites. Prevent roundworms, hookworms and whipworm by picking up and disposing of dog feces daily (although rare, roundworms can be passed to humans), and treat with a dewormer from your veterinarian.
The Tapeworm
Ingestion of fleas is the main cause of tapeworm in dogs, as some animals will eat up to 90% of the fleas on their body. Tapeworm segments can sometimes be seen with the naked eye, looking like a grain of white rice, crawling on a dog’s rear end, or in his stool or bedding. Prevent tapeworms by taking proper flea control measures.The HeartwormThese parasites enter an animal’s body in larval form through the bite of a mosquito, then mature and reproduce in a dog’s heart and lungs. This disease can be fatal to dogs, so a year-round heartworm preventative must be given. The cost of this medication is far less than hospitalized treatment if a dog is infected. There are several types of heartworm preventative, including once monthly chewable tablets that are affective against other internal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. There are tablets that are effective for fleas and heartworms such as Sentinal, some that are administered by veterinarians and some that are applied to the skin. Please consult your veterinarian to determine the best prevention measures for your dog.
External parasites live on the surface of an animals and include fleas, ticks and mites.
The Flea
A flea is an aggravating external parasite that hops onto your dog for a blood meal and causes irritating itch and scratch cycles. Flea control is necessary in nearly all areas except very extreme locales, and dog owners must treat not only the dog, but his environment as well. Flea control products available include topical (generally applied on the dogs skin between the shoulder blades or along the back), pill form and collars. Flea collars are largely ineffective and should be avoided. Pill forms such as Program, break the flea life cycle effectively but the drawback is the flea must bite the dog to be affected by the medicine. Topical medications are effective for up to several months and are effective for puppies and active dogs who may be bathed frequently or like to spend time in the water.
To treat the dog’s environment and body, you will need appropriate products to treat the dog, home and the yard. Never spray your dog with a premise spray or powder for the house or yard. Bathe your dog with a flea-control shampoo and leave on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing. Then apply a topical product recommend by your vet. Wash all bedding in hot water, vacuum carpets and steam clean. Apply non-toxic powder to carpets containing borax or diatomaceous earth to kill any remaining parasites. Use appropriate, pet-safe products along baseboards, around the perimeter of home and yard, and under and around decks and patios. Clear the yard of leaves and debris. Clean and treat the inside of the car, dog house and kennel area. Check the dog for fleas by looking for “flea dirt”. Stand your dog over a white towel, use a fine tooth comb near the base of the tail, and brush off onto the towel. If small black flecks are visible, wet them to see if they turn red. This is a sign that fleas are present-- the flecks are flea excretes filled with your dogs blood.
The Tick
These organisms belong to the arachnid family and can be identified by their black or brown, tear-shaped bodies and eight legs. Ticks most commonly attach to a dog’s skin around the head, neck, ears or feet to feed off blood. Dogs should be examined for ticks anytime they are outdoors especially in heavily wooded areas. To remove, use tweezers to grasp the head and pull slowly and firmly to prevent leaving any part behind. Once remove, clean the area with rubbing alcohol and apply a topical antibiotic. Products are available to prevent or kill ticks, and a Lyme disease vaccination is available to dog’s at high risk. Please consult your veterinarian for the best options.
The Mite
Mites also belong to the arachnid family come in several species including Demodex mite (mange), scabies, ear mites, and walking dandruff. Mites are most often recognized by their effect on the skin of the dog, resulting in itching, sores, and hair loss. Keeping your dog and his environment sanitary, along with other parasite preventatives will help prevent mite infestation. Topical and systemic treatment are available, along with dips and shampoos. Talk to your veterinarian to discuss your best treatment.
THE DOG DAYS OF WINTER:
how to exercise and stimulate your dog when it’s too cold to go outside
Your dog needs daily exercise to keep him content, calm and attentive. In fact, many behavioral issues occur or progress when dogs build up frustrated energy due to a lack of exercise. But during the winter months, it is often too cold to take your dog out for a daily walk for fear they might turn into a chilly dog, or worse, a pupsicle! Here are a few ways to prevent pent-up energy during cold weather:
TRAINING:
Do a few training sessions throughout the day to tire out your dog. Practice going through a few commands that your dog already knows and use treats or play as a reward. Then, teach your dog a new command or trick. End the session with a familiar command. Keep the sessions short (about 10 minutes) and sweet (begin and end with something easy to build your dog’s confidence and work ethic).
Mental stimulation can be just as effective in draining energy from your dog as physical exercise.
FUN AND GAMES:
TUG: Playing tug with your dog is a great way to release energy, teach control, and get those muscles working (yours too). You can avoid any negative consequences of the game by implementing a few simple rules:
1. Your dog must work for you to receive the toy and begin the game ( i.e. perform a command such as sit or down).
2. Your dog must give up the toy whenever asked. You don’t have to force this upon your dog-- don’t compete! Instead, have a treat handy and offer to trade. To teach this, ask your dog to “Release”, and put a treat in front of his nose. He will drop the toy in his mouth to trade for the treat. At this point, say “Thank you” and “Good boy” and then offer the tug toy again. Trading for another toy works for most dogs as well.
3. If at any time your dog puts his teeth on your skin, even accidentally, make a sharp, high-pitched “Ouch” sound as though you’re hurt and IMMEDIATELY turn away and ignore your dog for a few seconds. This teaches your dog that the game will end whenever he touches human skin with his teeth.
Step 1: Ask your dog to stay back as you put a small, smelly treat under a plastic cup or overturned box (fold in the top of box). Release your dog and say “Find it” as they figure out how to knock over the item to get the treat. When they do, praise and repeat a few times.
Step 2: Next, get 1 or 2 more cups. You will put the treat under only one cup, so that your dog must use his nose to distinguish the location of the treat. Line up the cups about six inches apart (later you can challenge by spreading them out), and release your dog as you chant “Find It!, Find It!”. Encourage her to keep looking until she locates the correct cup and gets the treat from underneath. Now your dog is working! You can also play this game with your dog’s favorite toy or ask her to find hiding family members.
PUZZLE TOYS AND TREATS:
Chewing is a great way to keep your dog occupied. Providing your dog with a Nylabone or Rawhide can keep them occupied and release energy.
are specially designed toys that make your dog work for their food. Treat balls made of durable rubber material such as the Everlasting Fun Ball are my favorites. These balls will bounce, roll and be bitten, as your dog figures out the best techniques to dispense dinner.
As a trainer, Kongs are one of my best friends. If you stuff a Kong in layers, using an adhesive such as cream cheese, peanut butter, or Kong Stuffing to hold the layers together, your dog will keep busy and quiet as you cook dinner, leave the house, or want to relax. Put it in the freezer to harden up before giving it to your dog, and it will last even longer.
Reward-Based Dog Training Methods: The How and Why
The ABC’s of Dog Training has a new name and it’s positively reinforcing. Instead of punishing your dog every time he does something wrong, why not teach him what to do and how to behave and then reward him? It makes for a happier dog and human, and it’s as easy as it is fun!
Just a little Psychology can explain a lot.
ABC is an acronym and model used to describe the process of Operant Conditioning. A is the Antecedent or stimulus, an event or preceding condition. B is a Behavior exhibited by the dog in response to the Antecedent, and C is the Consequence of the behavior.
A dog learns by making positive or negative associations with certain stimuli. When they make a positive association with the consequence of a stimulus, the behavior will increase in frequency. On the other hand, when a negative association is made with a stimulus, the behavior is less likely to occur. Knowing this, we can teach our dogs to display specific behavior(s) when presented with cues, commands, and situations.
For example, when I turn on the T.V., my dog knows that if she lays down and settles, I may give her a Nylabone or Kong to work on. Here, my dog receives a chew toy (Positive Consequence) because she settled (Behavior) when I turned on the T.V. (Antecedent). Therefore, she will be more likely to repeat the good behavior when I turn on the T.V. in the future because of the positive associations made in this situation. I have created “good dog” behavior using positive reinforcement methods.
What is Positive Reinforcement?
Positive Reinforcement is the process of adding a reward when the dog displays agreeable or compliant behavior. The best types of rewards to use with your dog are Primary Reinforcers-- things your dog likes innately, such as food. Praise is rewarding for some dogs, but is a secondary or conditioned reinforcer (either partially or fully) in most cases, so pair it with a treat rather than using just petting for a reward. This is why using a clicker for training (another secondary reinforcer) is always paired with food or play.
The most common positive Reinforcement method I use to teach dogs to respond to cues is called “Lure and Reward”. It works wonderfully because wherever the dog’s nose and head goes, the body will follow. Here, you will first lure a dog into a position using a primary reinforcer. If using a treat to teach a dog to sit, you would enclose the food in your fist, position your fist in front of your dog’s nose, and then slowly raise your hand up and over the dog’s head. As the dog’s head moves upward toward the treat, his bottom will eventually touch the ground. The moment this happens, say “sit” then reward. Practice a few times, saying the word as the dog is displaying the sit behavior to build the word association and rewarding immediately after. Next, say the word before luring and rewarding with the treat-- now it’s a command! Continue to use the closed fist as a visual cue for sit (your dog will respond better to sign language in distracting situation than your voice) each time you ask him to “sit“ verbally. I recommend practicing for 5-10 minutes 3-5 times per day with new commands. When the dog is responding within the 90th percentile, you can fade the lure and continue to reward intermittently or variably after the dog responds to your visual and verbal cues. You can apply this method of lure and reward to any position, from a down to a heel and anything in between.
So… go get a doggy snack or a favorite toy and teach your dog something new!!
