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Dog Behavior Specialist Warns of Increase in Dog Bites http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3509/dog-behavior-specialist-warns-of-increase-in-dog-bites/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dog-behavior-specialist-warns-of-increase-in-dog-bites http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3509/dog-behavior-specialist-warns-of-increase-in-dog-bites/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:56:08 +0000 Dog Service Network http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/?p=3509

Karen Arnoff, Cleveland, Ohio’s premier dog behavior specialist and expert witness and investigator with dog related legal issues warns that now is the time to watch out for unforeseen dog aggression.

Solon, OH (PRWEB) June 6, 2010 — Karen Arnoff, Cleveland, Ohio’s premier dog behavior specialist and expert witness and investigator with dog related legal issues warns that now is the time to watch out for unforeseen dog aggression. “I see more dog bite and other dog aggression cases in the spring and summer than at any other time of year,” says Ms. Arnoff. “And, it makes sense, she says, “if you look at it from the dog’s point of view.” Some of the contributing factors she identifies are:

  1. Puppies adopted during the cold winter season may not get socialized to all the stimuli found outside during the summer. They are likely to view playful children, joggers, speeding bikers and moving trucks as prey. In addition, dogs that have not been properly socialized may exhibit not only predatory aggression but defensive aggression as well.
  2. In the spring and summer, fall/winter puppies start to reach puberty. With puberty comes territorial marking by them and other dogs. That invisible communication (that is like a neon light to dogs) can be the start of dog fights in the neighborhood.
  3. Also, with puberty comes more protective and pack aggression in general.
  4. In hotter weather, dogs may become irritable and react aggressively, even to stimuli they previously tolerated. (Children running, noise, etc.).

Dog owners need to know that their dogs’ behaviors are dynamic. And, as their dogs change physically and socially and react to their ever-changing environment, their behavior can also change. Dogs need to be socialized appropriately and receive pro-active anti-aggressiveness training. Ms. Arnoff says, “I often hear bewildered clients say about their dog, “But he never bit anyone before.” But Ms. Arnoff warns, “There is never a bite before the first bite – but there are warning signs. Knowing those warning signs and being proactive can prevent spring/summer dog aggression and many unexpected bites.”

Source:  PR Web

© 2010 – 2011, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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]]> http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3509/dog-behavior-specialist-warns-of-increase-in-dog-bites/feed/ 0 Good News About Dog Bites and How to Make it Better http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3502/good-news-about-dog-bites-and-how-to-make-it-better/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=good-news-about-dog-bites-and-how-to-make-it-better http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3502/good-news-about-dog-bites-and-how-to-make-it-better/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 15:50:42 +0000 Dog Service Network http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/?p=3502

Dog bites represent a tiny fraction of the injuries treated in the nation’s emergency rooms. Dog bites are, on average, far less severe than injuries we suffer from other common enjoyments. The good news about dog bites will be even better, following a model of responsible pet ownership.

Amenia, NY (PRWEB) May 17, 2010 — There are 308 million humans and 75 million dogs in the U.S. The majority of dog owners view their dogs as members of the family. Dogs provide us joy, companionship, love and laughter.

Bites constitute a tiny fraction of our hundreds of millions of daily interactions with dogs. Moreover, U.S. public health statistics show that the risk of bites from dogs is slight when compared with other risks Americans accept on a daily basis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control database, for the years 2000-2008, dog bites accounted for less than 1% of the injuries treated in the nation’s emergency rooms.

A person injured by a dog is far less likely to be injured seriously than those who suffer other kinds of injuries. For example, over 5% of the 4.6 million Americans who went to an emergency department during those same years because they had been injured on a bicycle were subsequently admitted to a hospital or treatment facility. Over 9% of the 70 million Americans who went to the emergency room because they fell down were admitted.

Only 1.9% of dog bite victims were.

As the human and canine populations have grown – the canine population at a faster rate than the human one – reports of dog bites to major metropolitan health departments have fallen substantially. Even the U.S. Postal Service, for whom dog bites to delivery personnel have been a continuing source of concern, has seen reports of bites decline by more than 50% since 1983.

As low as the risk from dogs is, National Canine Research Council takes the occasion of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 16 – 22, to highlight a successful responsible pet ownership model that can reduce that risk even further. Studies of dog bite injuries by American researchers have usually concluded with reminders of an owner’s responsibility for his or her dogs.

Calgary, Alberta’s Animal & Bylaw Services has successfully translated those recommendations into a plan of municipal action. Calgary enacted what was titled the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw. (In the interests of full disclosure, we proudly point out that Animal & Bylaw Services Director Bill Bruce is an advisor to NCRC.) It codifies four simple principles: 1. License and provide permanent identification for your pets; 2. Spay or neuter your pets; 3. Provide training, socialization, proper diet and medical care for your pets; and 4. Do not allow your pets to become a threat or nuisance in the community.

The result in Calgary has been spectacular. For 2008, among the 1.1 million citizens of Calgary, there were only 145 dog bites.

Organizations nationwide are offering advice and educational resources to help children and adults be safe around dogs. NCRC urges Americans of all ages to take advantage of those resources, so that we live companionably with the 75 million dogs in our midst.

And whenever dog-safety issues come up in the community, NCRC urges all Americans to remember how Calgary solved the problem.

About Karen Delise & The National Canine Research Council
Karen Delise is the Founder and Director of Research for the National Canine Research Council, and the author of The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression (Anubis Publishing) She can be reached at kdelise(at)ncrcouncil(dot)com. The mission of The National Canine Research Council is to publish accurate, documented, reliable research to promote a better understanding of the human-canine bond.

Source:  PR Web

© 2010 – 2011, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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]]> http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/3502/good-news-about-dog-bites-and-how-to-make-it-better/feed/ 0 Bite Inhibition http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/2529/bite-inhibition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bite-inhibition http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/2529/bite-inhibition/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:34:44 +0000 Dog Service Network http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/?p=2529

Puppies have painfully sharp little piranha like teeth, almost like hypodermic needles, fortunately the jaw muscles are extremely under-developed, One of the main reasons why you should never play tug with a young puppy is you could dislocate the jaw and misalign or damage the teeth.

Nature has given them these underdeveloped muscles to enable pups to play-bite safely. Whilst very young and still with his brothers and sisters and he bites too hard in play he gets blasted with a ear piercing “yelp” which makes him immediately back off, he waits a while then starts to play again, but a strange thing has happened, the biting is a bit softer. The same thing when feeding from the mother, the pup uses too much pressure she yelps and moves away end of milk bar. He is then gentler the next time round and a valuable lesson has been learned.

This is nature’s way of inhibiting the force of their bite well before the jaw muscles start to form properly at around about 4.5 months, which also coincides with the time that the puppy teeth start dropping out and the new bigger more dangerous teeth start to come through. This is called the age of cutting.

This learning process is known as “Bite Inhibition” it is a vital and important lesson and is the only reason why your puppies are born with those hideous teeth. This is how your puppy learns to inhibit the force of his bite and to control his jaws, It is a vital that he also learns to inhibit biting us humans.

I see many new owners who are told to stop all play biting, however this could potentially have far-reaching and disastrous consequences. If the pup is trained immediately never to play-bite, he will never have the chance to learn control over his jaws. Therefore, your puppy must initially learn that all biting whatever the circumstances must be done softly. Then you can start to teach him never to bite at all.

This is how you should deal with this problem

  1. Permit the puppy to play-bite by allowing your pup to softly chew on your hand. When he bites down a little harder than normal, “yelp” sharply and loudly, and turn your head away in rejection. Do not pull your hand away. Let the puppy move away from the sound and your hand, (pulling your hand away will only encourage him to lunge towards the moving object) As an appeasement after your yelp the pup may come up and lick your hand, accept this gesture. Then allow the play to resume, but this time hopefully with a softer bite. If the play gets a little rougher, “yelp” again, thus further confirming that any pressure is totally unacceptable. Repeat this exercise as often as possible. And like the New York police chief who had a zero tolerance to crime you do the same with any hard biting.You will find within a few days, that the biting turns into mouthing; you will have programmed your puppy into thinking that he must not exert any pressure whatsoever whilst mouthing because of your ultra sensitive reaction. Now you can teach him the “OFF command to stop all mouthing.The “OFF” Command
  2. Put your dog on its 5 foot lead and the *Jingler. Take a treat, cheese, frankfurter, or puffed jerky is ideal, make the dog sit and hold the lead in your left hand and the treat in your right, offer him the treat and gently say Good “take it” do this at least five times, then offer the dog the treat and do not say anything. When the dog goes to take the treat turn your head sharply to the right and bring your hand with the treat up to your chest giving a slight tug on the lead with your left hand making the Jingler tinkle and gently say “OFF” the Jingler really helps the dog focus.What you are actually saying is by using the word good this acts as a target word similar to a clicker and it acts as confirmation that the behaviour is correct, the “take it” is a permission command you are effectively saying, this is my bone, I am prepared to share it but only when I give permission, the permission is “take it” You are also training control of the greatest resource possible “FOOD”Repeat the “OFF” command until the dog turns his head away, Watch for the movement and the body language and as soon as he does this say “Good Dog, “take it” in a praising tone then give him the treat, keep repeating the exercise until the dog naturally turns his head away when you offer him a treat.
  3. Keep the dog on a lead in the house (you must always be present when the lead is on). When he jumps up or tries to bite the children or you grab the lead and say “OFF” for the bite and “OFF SIT” for the jump, giving a slight corrective jerk on the lead at the same time. Do not praise the dog when he stops you are only praising the bite or the jump. Repeat exercise until he stops jumping up and biting.

If the above does not appear to be working as the puppy is so insistent and is continually biting you or your kid’s hands and feet then get some bitter apple and spray their hands and feet for a few days. However it must be bitter apple as it is the only chew or bite deterrent that really works. All the others I have tried are just a waste of money.

Stan Rawlinson
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer
Doglistener
www.doglistener.co.uk

*The Jingler is a simple device I have personally developed, that uses sound therapy, it works by distracting your dog momentarily from what it is doing and makes it concentrate on you. The repetition of the jingle and either a change of direction or a command conditions your dog so that it associates the jingle with a movement or command, it aids concentration and confirms your training command. It can be used for many behaviours like lunging, jumping up, walking to heel and barking. It can also be used in some cases for both interdog and human based aggression.

© Copyright: Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) one of the leading Dog Behaviourists and Obedience Trainers in the UK. Who has owned and worked dogs for over 30 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Pet Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex. Visit his Web Site for more information and details of his work. www.doglistener.co.uk

© 2009 – 2010, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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]]> http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/2529/bite-inhibition/feed/ 0 Tips On Eliminating Your Puppy Bad Habits Of Whining, Excessive Barking And Chewing http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/1025/tips-on-eliminating-your-puppy-bad-habits-of-whining-excessive-barking-and-chewing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-on-eliminating-your-puppy-bad-habits-of-whining-excessive-barking-and-chewing http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/1025/tips-on-eliminating-your-puppy-bad-habits-of-whining-excessive-barking-and-chewing/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:15:10 +0000 Dog Service Network http://dogservicenetwork.com/blog/?p=1025

By: Jonathan Cheong

Anyone who owns a dog or puppy will eventually run into the need to eliminate unwanted habits. While most dogs are eager to please their owners and smart enough to do what is asked of them, it is important for the owner to properly communicate just what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

Each type of unacceptable behavior requires its own specific cures, and in most cases the cures will need to be tailored to fit the specific personality of the dog. Every breed of dog has its own unique personality characteristics, and every individual within that breed has his or her own unique personality.

Whining, howling and excessive barking

Let’s start with one of the most frequently encountered problem behaviors in both dogs and puppies. While some barking and other vocalizing is perfectly normal, in many cases barking, howling and whining can become problematic. This is particularly important for those living in apartment buildings, or in closely spaced homes. Fielding complaints about barking is not the best way for you and your dog to meet the neighbors.

Some tips of dealing with excessive whining, barking and howling include:

  • If your puppy or dog is howling or whining while confined to its crate, immediately take it to its toilet area. Most puppies and dogs will whine when they need to do their business.
  • It is important to teach a dog or a puppy to accept being alone. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety, and these stressed dogs can exhibit all sorts of destructive and annoying behaviors. It is important to accustom the puppy to being left on its own, even when the owner is at home.
  • Always strive to make the puppy or dog as comfortable as possible. Always attend to the physical and psychological needs of the dog by providing food, water and toys.
  • If the dog is whining, check for obvious reasons first. Is the water dish empty? Is the dog showing signs of illness? Has his or her favorite toy rolled under the furniture? Is the temperature of the room too hot or too cold?
  • Do not reward the puppy or dog for whining. If the dog whines when left alone, for instance, it would be a mistake to go to the dog every time it whines.
  • After you have ensured that the dog’s physical needs are being met, and that discomfort is not responsible for the whining, do not hesitate to reprimand the dog for inappropriate behavior.

Problem Chewing

Puppies naturally chew, and they tend to explore their world using their mouths and teeth. While chewing may be normal, however, it is not acceptable, and it is important to nip any chewing problems in the bud to prevent the chewing puppy from growing into a chewing dog.

Providing a variety of chew toys is important when teaching a puppy what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Providing a variety of attractive chew toys is a good way to keep the puppy entertained and to keep his teeth and gums exercised. Scented or flavored toys are great choices for most puppies.

The puppy should be encouraged to play with these chosen toys, and the puppy should be effusively praised every time he or she plays with or chews these toys.

Another great strategy is to encourage the puppy to get a toy every time he or she greets you. Every time the puppy greets you or a member of your family, teach him to get one of his toys.

It is also important to exercise good housekeeping techniques when training a puppy not to chew on inappropriate items. Keeping the area to which the puppy has access free and clean is important. Keeping items out of reach of the puppy will go a long way toward discouraging inappropriate chewing. Try to keep the puppy’s area free of shoes, trash, and other items, and always make sure that the area has been properly puppy proofed.

If the puppy does pick up an inappropriate item like a shoe, distract the puppy and quickly replace the item with one of its toys. After the puppy has taken the toy, praise it for playing with and chewing that toy.

Try booby trapping items the dog should avoid by spraying them with bitter apple, Tabasco sauce or other nasty but non-toxic items.

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© 2008 – 2010, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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