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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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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With regard to training issues rather than behavioural problems, I am asked to correct recall more than any other problem, especially with working and gundog breeds. We are told that some breeds are un-trainable or that they can never be trusted off the lead. Beagles fall into this category, as do some of the Terrier breeds. I do not subscribe to this myth I believe all dogs can be trained but only up to their inbred ability.

Instinct

Border Collies are supposed to be the most intelligent of all the breeds, but surely, intelligence is relative. I doubt if anyone could train a Collie to win a field trial championship or a Labrador to win One Man and His Dog.

The problems we see with some of the hunting retrieving breeds is that instinct takes over, that instinctual trait reduces some of the senses, the one that is often detuned or switched off is hearing.

We imagine our dogs can always hear us clearly, that it is selective deafness or stubbornness that is the cause of dogs ignoring recall commands. In actual fact genetics often takes over, without early counter conditioning we cannot cut through the desire to hunt to initiate the recall.

We also show this behaviour. Imagine you are watching a brilliant wildlife or shooting program, then someone starts talking about shopping, we hear the sounds but often do not understand the content. Our brain has detuned it out; we are not being rude or ignorant (though try telling the OH that,) the brain is genetically hard wired to react this way.

However if we were specifically trained to react to an audible cue/signal rather than words then we would shift our attention to the person emitting that signal much more readily.

I am sure we have all read the books or been told we should not start training our dogs until six months or in some cases a year; that is totally incorrect. Dogs learn more in the first 16 weeks than the rest of their life. It is at this time that dogs are at their most receptive, they soak up information and experiences like sponges.

Whistle Introductions

Often, we introduce whistle commands far too late in the puppies training cycle. Starting pups very young on the whistle for recall and the sit pays huge dividends, yet we often do not take this opportunity. Introduce the whistle as early as possible by associating exciting and pleasurable experiences very early on, even whilst still with the mother. Pups will readily respond to the recall whistle by seven or eight weeks old. I have seen litters of six-week-old pups scamper to the whistle in excitement.

When puppies associate experiences with the whistle in a positive manner, they will respond positively to their reward of affection, food, treats, or a game, always make the whistle something positive. The same is true of the “sit”. Pups can consistently comply with this whistle command by twelve weeks old. They will eagerly sit on the whistle when the reward is good and the commands are given consistently.

Start by preparing the dogs food and getting someone hold the pup 10 or 12 feet away blow your normal recall and get the helper to release the pup. Extend this by getting your helper to hold the pup in another room and repeating the process.

Allowing the puppy to become more mature before introducing the whistle is not conducive to a good recall response in later life. At six-month-old, pups pay little no heed to their owners recall commands, making the training more difficult. Likewise, once the pup has developed in basic training and is charging in hard on retrieves, whistle controls are much more difficult to introduce.

Early Reinforcement

Imagine that your dog’s brain is a CD. Written to that CD are the breeder and their family the mother, siblings and any other dogs the breeder has. Then you and your family

There is nothing on that CD that says if he runs away; it will be far more interesting than staying with you. So leave off the extendable lead the dogs not going anywhere it will stick like glue to almost your every move. The first time you take your dog into the big wild world, which should be as early as possible, you should let him off. Make sure you pick a safe place without too many distractions or other dogs pick an area with plenty of trees.

Now what is vitally important is that the dog gets a slight feeling of anxiety when he cannot see you. Move upwind, then whilst he is distracted, quickly hide behind something, like a tree or a fence, he will eventually look up and start to panic, allow this to happen for a short while, he will eventually run around and hopefully pick up your scent and find where you are hiding. When this happens, make a big fuss and give a treat.

If he does not find you fairly quickly blow your whistle and show yourself, praise and treat when he runs up to you, a valuable lesson will have been learned. He will not think you have hidden but will think you have gotten lost; this will instil the need to keep you in view at all times.

These initial reinforcements are critical, however if you want to use you dog to pick up in later life you can introduce the ethos of track and retrieve out of sight, but with tight recall when necessary.

Lead Work

Call your puppy to you and put the normal lead on three or four times during every walk, then he will not learn that the lead means end of walk ie end of fun. We have all seen the dogs that dance around 5/6 feet from their owners at the end of the walk, they have actually taught the dogs this frustrating habit by only ever putting the lead back on at the end of the walk.

Rectifying Recall Problems

If you are already having recall problems then you need to go back to basics you will need to initially practice the sit stay command at home.

To set this well the dog should be on a lead preferably 5 foot long with a Jingler “see my website for this device” Get the dog to sit with the dog on your left side holding the lead in you left hand. Using the cupped palm of your right hand bring it to the dogs nose saying “Stay” three times.  Swivel in front of the dog so you are facing it pick up the loop of the lead but make sure you keep your left hand on the lead as well, this is your control hand, slowly back up to the length of the lead with the left hand about as third of the way back up the lead.

If your dog moves or tries to follow, lift the lead upwards with your left hand and say “Stay”. This will activate the Jingler, Keep repeating until you think the dog has the message, then start dropping the lead and moving further backwards. If your dog starts moving, you have gone too far to fast, therefore shorten the distance again. Do this about three times a day for about five minutes per time.

Practice this till you can move 100 feet away without the dog moving then after a couple of days call your dog to you every third time, use either the Whistle, Come, Here or his name. Only treat the best stays and the best results Once you feel you have mastered this, it is time to use the lunge rein.

Practice the sit stay in the park or field but this time with the 35 foot horse lunge rein; take a friend who will hold the dog whilst you hide behind a tree or fence then call the dog, when he finds you give him a favourite treat and repeat the exercise.

After a couple of days allow the dog to walk free but with the lunge rein still kept on dragging behind, keep standing on it at different lengths whilst issuing the recall command, so the dog thinks you are in control at all distances.

If the dog takes off after a bird or another dog; either stand on the lead or pick it up to stop the charge. The dog will get the message that you are in control and cease chasing after a while. During all of this work, we must give the dog lots of praise and treats. After a few weeks of keeping the lunge rein on you can reduce it down by putting on a normal lea,d then after a few more weeks remove it completely.

As always, the best strategy for training is to set your dog up to succeed and to not condition in a problem that will have to be rectified later on in the training.

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT.PAACT
Doglistener
Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
www.doglistener.co.uk

Founder Member and Chairman of PAACT
The Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
www.paact.co.uk

© 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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Puppy obedience starts from the moment you come home with your puppy. It is kept simple and you motivate your pup to do everything. There is no forcing here, keep it fun! Use small food treats and toys.

This will show leadership on your part and shape your pups behavior, which is much easier then changing bad behavior later on. Training your pup is a “lifestyle”! Remember you are training your pup all of the time and every time you interact with him. Even if you not thinking about training your puppy.

NOTE: Keep your commands specific with only one meaning. Example: if “down” means lay on the floor then don’t use “down” when you want your pup to get off of you or off of something else by saying “get down” this will be confusing to the pup.

Remember you don’t want to get into the habit of using a lot of verbal wording to stop your pup from doing something or you could just end up giving your pup negative attention and wonder why he is repeating the behavior.

Part of teaching your puppy obedience is to teach him to always look at you. If your pup isn’t looking at you DON’T talk to him. If you want to say something to him make a kissing sound so the pup looks at you and gives you eye contact as you say “ready”, then praise him with “good ready” and then speak to him.

It is important to ALWAYS have your dog’s attention before interacting with him no matter what you are doing with him. Soon you won’t have to make the kissing sound just give the command, “ready”.

Help your pup do a “sit” when you feed him by holding his food bowl up over his head and back slightly, not so high that he jumps up, but low enough that he will automatically go into the sit position. Don’t ask for the “sit” at this point until you are sure your pup will give you the “sit” position every time, then ask for the “sit” as your pup starts to give you the behavior.

Praise and release with a word like “okay” and place the food bowl on the floor for him. Important you must release your pup BEFORE he gets up! This keeps you in the leadership role, very important. If he does get up, say “No” and gently replace him in the “sit” position, wait a few seconds before releasing.

You can ask your pup for a “sit” by using a small food treat or toy for motivation. Do this whenever you want to pet your pup, play, throw a toy, put on his leash, or go out the door. Do this any time you want to interact with your pup. Later you can do this with the “down” too.

The next step in puppy obedience is to teach your puppy to do a “down” position. Start from the “sit” position WITHOUT saying the command “sit” motion for it instead. You should be on the floor with your pup and have him on one side or the other.

Have small food treats (or toy) in your hand and make sure the pup sees or smells it, then promptly place your hand on the floor with the food treat directly in front of the pup and wait. You DON’T say anything at this point.
If your pup tries to get up gently keep his butt on the floor in the “sit” position with your other hand then remove your hand. Touch is distracting, use it as little as possible. Tap the floor with the food treat a couple of times to refocus the pup.

Be patient and your puppy will eventually go into the “down” position. When he does, instantly release the food treat to him as you verbally praise him. Get him to look at you with the kissing sound and or “ready” and then release him with “okay”.

When your pup is giving you this “down” position every time you can start giving the command, “down”, at the same time as you place your treat hand on the floor, tap the floor if necessary. Praise! (When tapping the floor never take the treat back up to the pup’s nose, small little taps will be sufficient to get your pups attention and to refocus him.) NOTE: When giving the verbal command, never repeat it, say it only once!

To teach your pup to hold any position longer give little food treats every few seconds. Building the time slowly, then decreasing the number of food treats given. If you don’t ask your pup for more he won’t give you more! Build on wins! Always verbally praising your pup! Remember to always get his attention BEFORE you release him.

Tracy Lenderink, Master Trainer
“Master In Creating A Bride of Knowledge Between The Animal And Human Spirit”
http://www.simpledogtrainingsecrets.com

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

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Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) is a Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Companion Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex you can visit his Web Site at www.doglistener.co.uk or E-mail him on enquiries@doglistener.co.uk founder member of PAACT Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers www.paact.co.uk

Socialization is so vitally important that it almost outweighs all other considerations. The fear of infections has led breeders and owners alike to make the tragic mistake of keeping their puppies isolated until they have completed their vaccinations. By taking this stance they risk ending up with a fearful, timid dog that may become aggressive in later life, (FACT) “95% of all reported dog bites are fear related”.

Owners should strike a commonsense balance. Puppies, especially from birth through to 16 weeks must be exposed to a variety of experiences including people, places, and meeting other vaccinated dogs (this is perfectly safe). There are many activities and places to take dogs, without endangering their health or their lives. It is vital that you take the time to expose your new pup to as many of these situations as possible. This is especially true for one’s second or third dog; it is too easy to keep the new pup in the company of the older dogs, depriving him of the opportunity to develop self-confidence of his own, without relying totally on the older dog/s and their protection.

There is a vaccination that has been available for two years, where the full course can be administered by ten weeks rather than the normal twelve, therefore allowing two extra vital weeks of socialization. The vaccine is made by Intervet and is called Nobivac D.H.P.P.I/L. I would discuss this with your Vet, if they don’t supply it ask why?

Having said all that, genetics as well as socialization ie. Nature x Nurture have a major impact on your dog’s ability to cope successfully with life. Some are so solid genetically that whatever life throws at them they just bounce back. I have a little rescue Jack Russell/Dachshund cross whose early experiences were so horrific that he should have every hang up in the book, the abuse and injuries suffered by this poor dog included his leg being fractured and snapped out of the hip socket, and all his ribs systematically broken.

Over a period of time and with the ministrations of a fabulous veterinary nurse I was asked to look at his temperament with a view to rehoming. After meeting him and hearing his awful story I decided to treat and rehome him with me. He has now made a full recovery, his confidence has soared, once again he loves and trusts people, his tail a constant blur is testament to his ability to cope with everything life has thrown at him. So despite a traumatic start “the abuse started at four months old” he has overcome this and is now one of the nicest and most loving dogs I have ever owned.

Unfortunately other dogs are not so genetically sound. Even with an ideal environment, early socialisation and the perfect owner. This will not be enough to help these hereditary unstable dogs. Their genetic temperament can and will determine how much improvement in personality and social skills the dog can achieve. It is about time that some breeders came to the realisation that that temperament not looks or conformity should be the main reason for breeding.
Not money or accolades!

Don’t expect a 100% cure there is no miracle word or magic wand, and don’t underestimate the amount of work involved. Yes you can create a less fearful and anxiety ridden dog but only to the level that the dog can sustain. The type of owner or trainer that believes that the fearful dog should be thrust headlong into every situation, and that it will desensitize and cure them are I am afraid sadly disillusioned.

The old trick of throwing a child into a swimming pool in the hope it would quickly learn to swim, is now hopefully outdated and outmoded, it achieved nothing except possibly leaving the victim with a lifelong fear of water. Crashing headlong into circumstances the dog cannot cope with will normally produce similar results.

You should also give careful consideration as the whether you want, or indeed have the time the stamina and the patience to treat and work with a dog that has irrational fears and phobias. If you do not possess the above traits, it may be better for both of you to separate and the dog be rehomed with someone that is hopefully experienced with this type of dog, and who has the necessary temperament to deal with a dog that can at the best of times exasperate and at the worst infuriate.

Distance Learning

To gain and improve a dog’s confidence and reduce the level of anxiety and timidity you need to use a consistent, gentle, positive, and measured approach. If you try to speed up the process beyond the capability of the dog, then you will go backwards and your dog’s new found confidence will plummet. Firstly you must work out the distance where your dog feels fearful of a given situation, let’s say it is another dog, then you need to approach the dog with yours on a lead, do not tighten the lead as this will convey your own anxiety to your dog. Watch your dog’s body language as soon as you see any submissive, aggressive or fearful reaction then stop and back up until the dog is relaxed again.

Once you have found the distance that allows the dog to relax then either treat or play with your dog using a favored toy. What we are looking for is a positive association whereby the dog sees the feared object which could be anything from a vacuum cleaner to a bus. As a matter of interest dogs will not take food when they are fearful or stressed. This is instinctual as the flight mode kicks in, your dog does not want a full stomach when it may need to run away. This can also be used as an indicator of the dog’s state of mind even if there are no outward signs of distress.

Move in stages a little closer to whatever is causing the aggression or fear keep talking and reassuring the dog, you should be aiming to stay at a distance that allows the dog to feel reasonably relaxed. Gradually, over what could be many sessions you should reach the point where the dog will be comfortable, even though he is near to the object that caused the initial fear/reaction. Irrespective of whether it is another dog, place, or object gradual desensitization should work for all.

Play or Training Therapy

There is an exception to this, if the dog has been recently frightened say by fireworks, you can actually act very blasé and go immediately outside and play with toys such as balls or Frisbees even a training session where you can praise for actions other than the fear this can be done whilst the noise is going on. You may therefore overcome a potential problem immediately.
Why this works is the same principal as for instance flying, the plane suddenly hits a lot of turbulence, watch everyone’s first reactions, they look to the Stewards/Stewardesses to see if they are showing anxiety. If they are calm and acting perfectly normally then our anxiety and fear also dissipates. It is worth trying this tactic when your dog has any negative experience, even though it does not appear too affected, just in case of a potential phobia later on.

Focused Attention

One way of getting your dog to overcome certain fear situations is to gain the dog’s attention with treats, toys or your voice as you walk past whatever is causing the problem.

This has a similar effect as using distance because the dog is thinking about something else instead. Therefore the intensity of the fear is reduced.

You will need treats or toys for this method I recommend either cheese, liver, or puffed jerky, do not use treats to lure dogs keep them out of sight till required. Sit next to the dog and call its name, it is even better if you can get a partner or friend to help on the other side, sit the dog between you and your partner or friend and say the dog’s name. If he doesn’t look at you, give his ear a gentle tug to gain his attention so that he turns his head towards you, As soon as this happens praise and treat enthusiastically or play or use a toy, get your partner/friend to do the same and keep repeating back and forth for a few minutes, do this regularly and for the rest of the dogs life, and he/she should always respond enthusiastically whenever his name is mentioned. Never use the dogs name in a negative situation, ie do not scold or punish using his/her name. Once you have got the dog to acknowledge his name then start these exercises:

To start focused attention say the dogs name and move immediately away from the dog when he moves towards and with you PRAISE and TREAT/PLAY immediately you can use a clicker for the praise or a target word, I use the word “good” in these circumstances. Remember to not show the treat until you are ready to give it or it will become part of the command.

When you give the treat try and align it between both yours and the dog’s eyes this will make sure you are making good eye contact after a while you will see the dog making eye contact regularly you can treat this action at this time so as to embed it. Do these sequences at least 4 times in a row, ie name/move/praise/treat. The repetition is what teaches the dog to maintain that attention until you give the release command. The release command can be OK or whatever you choose to use. Practice this everywhere you go including training classes.

What you are looking for by performing these exercises is to tune out outside influences including the ones that are causing a fear or aggressive response. Once you can comfortably perform this exercise use it to move gradually ever closer to the problem you are trying to overcome. Over time you can momentarily release the dogs attention, increase this as you would using the distance technique, if you get a fear response then you have moved too far too fast. And you must go back to where the dog last felt comfortable.

Punishment is not an Option

It is of no use whatsoever punishing the dog for its fearful actions, this only causes more stress and therefore more fearful behaviour, therefore in the case of interdog aggression even more defensive behaviour, remember the dog had really only three choices when confronted with a fearful situation these are commonly listed as the three Fs. Freeze, Flight or Fight. If the first two are found not to work the third one kicks in.

Let’s take the vacuum cleaner as an example. If you had watched your pup from the first time it was confronted by this “demon of the dark abyss” he would more than likely have crouched down as low as possible his body rigid, if the noise and the monster continued the puppy would have run away, probably under a table or a chair and if it came closer it would have growled and snarled probably making darting and biting motions especially when you playfully pushed the Hoover closer to see the pups reaction. Anything ring a bell?

Some pups will be SO traumatized by the noise and the movement of the cleaner that they go into total freeze mode, our initial instinct would be to pick up and cuddle and comfort the frightened puppy. Perfectly natural human behaviour, something is frightened then nurture it. Unfortunately to a dogs mind this indicates that it is being praised for the fear, confirming his need to be fearful. If this happens when to pup is between 8 to 11.5 week old, which is the first of several fear periods throughout the dog’s life, then that fear could be so deep rooted as to be almost impossible to eradicate completely.

Obedience Classes?

Some dogs that are fearful or timid may benefit from a training class especially one that uses positive methods. I, the case of a rescue dog or any adult dog that you have rehomed, I would wait at least six weeks before embarking on this method. Some very fearful dogs may be too nervous for class work until you’ve done some remedial work first. A private trainer or behaviorist should be able to help structure a positive approach to build up confidence in your dog, and also help determine when the dog is capable of class work.

Do not make your dog jump into the deep end at classes or you can go undo all the good work so far. Initially keep the dog on the outer edge of the class and at a distance from anything the dog fears. If you’ve developed focused attention before starting class, then this will be extremely useful for helping the dog relax in these situations. Some dogs may need several visits starting with very short periods at a time before actually participating in the classes. Unfortunately some dogs may never be able to function well enough for this type of remedial work.

If the dog has any tendency to snap at dogs or people or to bark inappropriately, a head Halter or Halti can be an excellent safeguard that helps to eliminate this habit without introducing new problems. Have a trainer or behaviour specialist help you fit the halter/halti. Use your focused attention exercise to keep the dog’s mind off the Halter/Halti. Be sure to remove the head halter at all times except when you are actively working the dog. Don’t use a long line with a head halter, because you could put a dangerous amount of force against the neck.

What Other Treatments Could Help?

Change of Diet: A good quality food helps in many cases, most cheap food has cereal as filler, this can lead to a lack of serotonin, and low serotonin has been linked to aggression and anxiety. Feeding a good quality dog food has other benefits, it need not be more expensive as you do not require as much to get the same calorific intake, so it works out good value for money, but more importantly you are giving your dog a scientifically developed formula that is best for him or her. The nervous dog who eats a food overly-high in protein or sugar can experience even higher levels of anxiety. Therefore consider switching to a food with slightly lower protein levels.

To check on the level of protein of your dog’s food, look on the back or side of the dog food bag or can, where the percentage of protein will be listed. Levels usually vary from 14% (for aged dogs) all the way up to 25% (for puppies and working dogs). I am not a fan of canned food I find a quality dry all in one food is a much better option ,especially with the fearful phobic dog

If a nervous, hyper dog eats food with protein levels at around 22%, for example, consider trying a food with 18-20% protein. Doing so may help calm him down. If done in conjunction with regular exercise and desensitisation program.

These are a number of homeopathic and mainstream drugs that can be used in situations of stress, fear, aggression, barking, and noise aversion etc; these are a few of the ones available:

• Dr Bach’s Flower Remedies: They are made from wild flowers. These gentle remedies are used to help relieve emotional and stress related disturbances in people and animals. The most common one used is Dr Bach’s Rescue Remedy
  Available Chemist, health food shop or internet 

• Skullcap and Valerian: A traditional herbal remedy for the symptomatic relief of anxiety, nervousness, excitability and travel sickness, and an adjunct in the treatment of epilepsy in dogs and cats. Normally supplied in a sugar coated tablet, it helps to calm and relax dogs and cats suffering from, apprehension, phobias or hyperactivity.
  Available Chemist, health food shop or internet 

• D.A.P Diffusers: In mammals all lactating females release substances which are called appeasing pheromones, the function is to reassure and calm their offspring, In the bitch these are produced 3-5 days post whelping by the sebaceous glands of the belly near the milk glands.They are believed to enhance attachment between mother and pups and to reassure and comfort. As the pup explores its new environment it will come across new stimuli which set off emotional reactions and stresses.

  The pup reacts by looking for mum with her reassuring odour which stabilizes its emotional state. Research has shown that these reassuring properties last well into adulthood. They appear to modulate both emotional state and social interaction throughout the dog’s life. The DAP Diffuser standing for Dog Appeasing Pheromone Diffuser is a chemical mimic of the mothers natural pheromone and is supplied in spray and plug in varieties. I prefer the plug in as it has a culminative effect constantly seeding the area with calming smells.
  Available

  Vet or Internet or Me

   

• Anxiety: Promotes a sense of calm in animals exhibiting fretting, fear, anxiety or any unwanted behaviour caused by: thunderstorms, fireworks, travel, being left alone, vet and grooming visits. 100% natural organic non-sedating liquid. Safe for cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, birds, rabbits, and ferrets.Dosage: Once in the morning, evening and bedtime, into mouth or in water. Under 20 lbs.: 5 drops, 20-100 lbs.:10 drops, over 100 lbs.:15 drops. Reduce dosage with improvement, repeat with flare up.
• Prozac: Mainstream controlled drug and only available from your Veterinarian. Originally developed for humans, the controversial antidepressant is now being prescribed by veterinarians for dogs suffering from a variety of emotional disorders.This is sometimes used in cases of depression, aggression panic attacks and serious phobic responses. The drug is believed to work in the same way as it does in humans by altering the uptake of the brain chemical serotonin. Scientists hope the drug will cut the number of dog attacks and lead to fewer animals being destroyed, normally used with a tapering program of drug treatment.
  Available Vet only

With all the above it is always prudent to discuss any medication homeopathic or otherwise with your Vet before embarking on any treatment program

© 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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The horrific attack by two Rottweiler’s on five-month-old Cadey-Lee Deacon, who subsequently died of her injuries. Has led to an outcry to ban this breed and licence all dogs and dog owners.

This terrible tragedy strikes a chord in all right minded people. We ask ourselves how could it happen, and why did it happen. The press as expected moved into top gear reporting further attacks by Rottweiler’s and other breeds, including what was described as an Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

For those in the know, many of the so-called Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s are in fact American Pit Bull Terriers, banned in Britain under the 1991 dangerous dogs act. That ill thought out legislation came about as a knee jerk reaction by the Government, to the national press and the general publics reaction to reports of dog attacks in the early 1990s..

Other dogs banned under the same bill are the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brasileiro. All these dogs were ordered to be muzzled in public, castrated or spayed and kept on a lead at all times. Effectively removing the breed from the UK when they all died off..

So how have we still got American Pit Bulls in the UK? Very simple really, they were not banned in Southern Ireland. There are no border controls regarding the movement of dogs between Eire and the UK mainland, therefore they are coming in and being sold through the back door.

It is important to note that, in the UK, dangerous dogs are classified by “type”, not by “breed label”. This means that whether a dog is considered dangerous, and therefore prohibited, will depend on a judgment about its physical characteristics, and whether they match the description of a prohibited ‘type’.

A little known fact was that the 1991 Act was amended by the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997. The 1997 Act removed the mandatory destruction order provisions of the 1991 Act by giving the courts discretion on sentencing, and re-opened the Index of Exempted Dogs for those prohibited dogs which the courts consider would not pose a risk to the public. Only courts can direct that a dog can be placed on the list of exempted dogs.

So what went terribly wrong in the Cadey-Lee Deacon tragedy? I believe this was caused by a number of factors.

First of all these dogs were used and kept as guard dogs, they were left to patrol a flat roof area which formed part of public house called “The Rocket” in New Parks, a somewhat notorious estate in Leicester. These dogs were known to be aggressive and distrustful of strangers and were kept Away from people.

Cadey-Lee’s parents were looking after the pub, whilst the Landlord was away on a holiday break, it was the Landlord and his partner that owned the dogs, therefore the dogs would be more nervous and excitable, given that the owners were not present, and others, perhaps not so well known were on the premises.

The parents did not leave the dogs with Cadey-Lee, apparently, someone left a fire door open and they got access to the child through that. I doubt if these dogs attacked this baby to protect the premises. It is more likely that initially they were attracted by curiosity. The baby may have been whimpering or crying and that may have stimulated the dogs.

There prey or predatory instinct may have then taken over, the sounds stimulating the part of the brain that deals with hunting and chase. They may have considered Cadey-Lee an injured animal or even toy or plaything. It was a tragedy waiting to happen.

So what could have been done to alter this awful train of events. First of all the Rottweiler is a natural guarding breed. Without early socialisation with both humans and dogs they can end up suspicious and in rare cases aggressive.

Puppy socialisation and ongoing obedience training is a must for all dogs not just Rottweiler’s. But especially when we own guarding breeds. The majority of Rottweiler’s that I treat are pussycats, wanting to play sometimes over boisterous but rarely aggressive. That is not to say I have not had to deal with aggression in these dogs. I have had to treat aggressive tendencies in almost every breed you could think of.

The critical periods up to 24 weeks and particularly the 7 to 14 week period, sets the behaviour pattern for the dog for life. Introducing pups to children, other dogs, traffic, household appliances, adults and babies, in a kind unthreatening way, in controlled circumstances is an absolute must. I cannot stress this enough, ignore this socialisation opportunity at your peril.

The majority of the cases I treat regarding aggression are related to poor socialisation at an early age. Nearly all of these cases are fear related, rather than a dominance issue. It has been suggested that 80% of all behavioural problems are caused because of the lack of handling, training, and early socialisation, during the early weeks and months of a puppies life.

Since this terrible tragedy, I have been inundated with calls from people with children or families with a dog that are expecting a baby. I understand their concerns and with all I have said preparation, socialisation, and anticipation is a must.

All dogs whatever breed or size have the potential to be dangerous and in some cases fatal. Lets look at those three areas in turn:

Preparation

If a new baby is due you must start at least three months before the birth to desensitise and prepare your dog for this new member of the family, if this is the first child or you have not had a baby since the arrival of the dog then early preparation is the key. I will not go into this in depth as this was covered in DM recently. You may wish to order this back copy.

If your dog does not know how to sit, stay, lie down, or come when called, then it must be taught to do so. If your dog already knows these commands but is unreliable, practice these obedience exercises until it is reliable.

Three months before the birth, you must do activities that mimic “baby activities”. For example, buy a baby size doll, cradle it, rock it, and walk back and forth. Occasionally rewarding the dog with treats, petting or praise for remaining in a sitting position whilst this occurs The doll should also be wrapped in baby blankets and shown to the dog, which must learn to control itself and to refrain from moving. Because dogs respond with interest to strange sounds, it is a good idea to accustom your dog to the recorded sounds of a baby crying, whimpering, or making other normal “baby” sounds. Ideally, if the opportunity is available, expose your dog – in a controlled manner to ensure the infant’s safety – to real babies of friends or neighbours.

When mother and child come home, it is best if the mother greets the dog without the baby present. Another family member should hold the baby or, better still, put in another room while the mother and dog greet each other. This way, you can avoid reprimanding an excited dog that merely wants to greet the owner and that may jump at the baby in an attempt to get near the mother.

When changing or fussing the new baby then one parent should attend to the baby and the other to the dog. The dog should be in a sit/stay or down/stay and on a lead. Err on the side of caution when determining when your dog is ready to approach your baby close enough to actually s Err on the side of caution when determining when your dog is ready to approach your baby close enough to actually sniff and check the child out.

Socialisation

I have covered this in a number of my articles, which can be viewed, on my website and to some degree above, but to reiterate. Puppy socialisation classes are a necessity. Irrespective if you have other dogs or you are an experienced dog owner, you may well be experienced but your new puppy is not. Puppies learn meeting and greeting far better with pups of a similar age. Take the dog to the park, get children and adults to gently pet and treat your pup in a gentle non-threatening manner.

Avoid frightening or startling you new puppy, especially during the first fear period, which is from 8 to 10.5 weeks of age. This critical period is a real danger point and is instrumental in many fear related behavioural problems in later life; see critical periods on my website.

Anticipation

We know we should never ever leave a child alone with even the kindest and calmest dog, especially if that child is under five. We have more chance of negotiating with a terrorist than we have of convincing a child under five to leave a dog alone, not to poke that pencil through the dog’s eardrum, or a finger in their eye. Yet it still happens.

I believe no child under 12 years old should be left alone with a dog, irrespective of how placid or what breed. We know if our dogs are showing unwarranted or dangerous behaviour, yet sometimes we leave it until it becomes a learned behaviour, before we have it treated. It is then far more difficult to correct. Get it treated as it occurs, not when it becomes life threatening.

The tragedy of Cadey-Lee Deacon will be with us for some considerable time. It could have been avoided by some early common sense Preparation, Socialisation, and Anticipation. That is not to point a finger at Cadey-Lee’s family they have enough on their minds without that, but perhaps we can learn some lessons from this.

All dogs can be aggressive, all dogs can cause serious injuries, what we should never do is blame the breed. Punish the deed not the breed, these two Rottweiler have paid the ultimate price and were rightfully euthanised. It was the circumstances that lead up to this dreadful event that we should question, not whether a breed should be destroyed because of it..

Stan Rawlinson
Tuesday, 03 October 2006

© 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

© 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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Now here’s an alarming fact: Every interaction you have with your dog results in his learning something, whether you intentionally meant to train him or not! In a young dog, this is especially significant, since he has less of a history with you and so each interaction has a greater impact.

So what are the most common unintentionally trained bad behaviors?! See if these sound familiar…

The Rude Greeter

Your dog is a social butterfly. He just loves jumping up to give kisses, and, while some people greet him with open arms, others push him away. And the trouble is he’s getting more exuberant with each passing day.

So how did he learn that? It’s a natural behavior for dogs to sniff faces as part of their greeting ritual, but the problem is that it’s not part of our greeting ritual. The behavior is then encouraged by those people who enjoy bouncy dogs and give them lots of love and pets while they’re leaping up on them. Strangely enough, though, even those people who don’t like a jumping dog often contribute to the problem by pushing them off with their hands. Touch is very reinforcing and so even touch used in an attempt to push away the dog will likely encourage the behavior.

And how do you fix it? For starters, you need to use some management techniques to get the ball rolling in the right direction. With your dog on leash, step on his leash at a distance from him where he can sit or stand comfortably but where he cannot jump up. Recruit a friend to help you with the exercise. Have your friend stand 10 feet or so away with some treats in his hand and have him play with the treats a bit in order to keep your dog focused on the game. Now here’s the key: WAIT for your dog to offer a sit. Don’t ask for it. I’ve found that dogs tend to learn better when they do their own problem-solving. When we give them the answer, they seem to need us to keep giving them the answer time and time again. So wait for a sit and, this first time, that wait could take quite a while! As soon as your dog’s butt hits the ground, your friend should start to walk slowly toward you. If your dog stands up, your friend should immediately start to back away. When pup sits again, your friend proceeds forward. While your friend may feel like a human yoyo, your dog is being taught impulse control – that the things he wants in life will only be granted to him for polite behavior. A valuable life lesson!

The Demand Barker

You’re walking with your dog when you run into a friend. You stop to chat and your dog sits quietly beside you and waits. After a while, he gets impatient and fidgety, tired of the boring human chatter, and he starts to bark and jump on you, eager to resume the journey. To buy yourself a little more time, you give your pup some treats in an effort to quiet him. Now you’ve noticed that he starts barking and jumping on you almost immediately when you meet people on the street.

So how did he learn that? Unfortunately this one is the most common and the most insidious. The pitfall is that the good behavior is so easily overlooked but the bad behavior is overt and annoying and rather hard to ignore. In the example, when your dog was sitting quietly and patiently, his behavior went unnoticed and unappreciated. When he became impatient and demanding, his behavior was rewarded with hush money.

And how do you fix it? This is another time when you should step on your dog’s leash at a distance from him where he can sit or stand comfortably but where he cannot jump up. Cue him to sit and start giving him little pieces of treats, first fairly frequently, then increasing the duration between treats. We’re working on building his patience. Should your dog bark at you, give him a time-out by turning your back on him (with your foot still on the leash) and ignoring him, only turning to face him when he’s quiet.

In these early practices, stop along the street without conversing with anyone. You’ll need to devote your full attention to these early exercises. As he gets better, recruit friends to join you, as having other people around changes the exercise for you and for him. You will be somewhat distracted at first and a friend will understand this and not expect you to carry on a complete conversation. Soon enough, you’ll both be ready for prime time!

A final note: If his demand behavior includes mouthing, nipping at hands or clothes, then consider using a head collar (like a Gentle Leader, a Halti, or a Snoot Loop) which will give you more control of his head and allow you to zip his mouth shut when needed.

The Sock Stealer

Your pup seems to have a knack for stealing your most sensitive things – socks, slippers, underwear, and the like. Even more annoying, it becomes a frustrating game of keep-away with you chasing him in circles and now it’s happening daily.

So how did he learn that? The funny thing is that dogs pick up things all the time – paper, toys, rawhides, socks, everything! The only difference is that we don’t mind one bit when the article is one of his own toys. The problems begin when he picks up something of ours and we tend to get emotional about it and will go to great lengths to retrieve it from him. It’s this difference in our reaction that actually encourages the behavior. The great game of chase that erupts when he picks up forbidden items is what makes those items so much more enticing to grab.

And how do you fix it? Teach your dog to drop things on command, all things – his belongings as well as yours. When he’s got hold of something, say “drop it!” and then hold a treat to his nose. When he drops the toy, give him the treat and take the toy. Then offer him the toy back. The ultimate goal is for him to automatically yield the toy upon hearing the command, so make sure it’s the command first, then the lure on the nose, and then the treat for the drop. There will be some articles for which you say “drop it” that you will not return to him, like a sock but, after you’ve done so many repetitions with articles that you immediately return to him, he’s going to think “drop it” is a win-win – he gets a treat for doing it and he gets the toy back. And it’s a great way to teach your dog how to share.

A final note: Puppy-proof your house as much as possible so that your dog doesn’t have the opportunity to grab the wrong things: put shoes in the closet and dirty socks in the hamper. Then his play behaviors will develop for appropriate targets.

The Party Pooper

You’ve settled down to watch a little TV, having just returned from your pup’s last potty break for the night, when your dog comes darting out from behind the couch and starts running in the crazy circles you recognize as his post-poop victory laps. You know that he knows he’s being bad, since otherwise he wouldn’t be seeking out hiding places for the dirty deed.
So how did he learn that? What looks to us as guilt for wrong-doing is really just done in an effort to avoid punishment for a behavior he does not understand to be wrong. It’s often accompanied by a low body posture and low tail wag, appeasement gestures used in an effort to turn off what your dog construes as your unpredictable anger.

A variation on this theme is the dog who squats on the carpet right in front of you and pees. Such behavior is often attributed to “dominant” behavior but it’s really little more than attention-seeking behavior, much like the sock stealing scenario. (See the article Understanding a Dog’s Inner Puppy in YPC’s August 2007 issue.)

Either way, the truth is that your dog is not fully house-trained. While he may do his business outside most of the time, it is still not clear to him that “outside’s good, inside’s bad”.

And how do you fix it? Go the extra mile to get your dog fully housetrained; this means being more vigilant with him in the house. Keep things positive, praising and treating for pottying in the right place and quietly cleaning up mistakes in the wrong place. Punishment for breaks in housetraining only causes anxiety and further transgressions.

The Upshot

When troublesome behaviors worsen, turn a critical eye to what might be inadvertently reinforcing them. Investigate management techniques (the leash can be a great tool) that will help inhibit the bad behavior while alternate behaviors are shaped. Finally, envision what you’d rather your dog do than the behavior he’s chosen – for instance, sitting rather than jumping up – and help him find his way to being a better dog!
LAURA GARBER, CPDT, is a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor living in Hoboken, NJ. Her company WoofGang, LLC is committed to deepening the bonds between dogs and their people through positive training and behavior modification techniques, and it is these same topics that inspire her writing.

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

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All mannerly dogs should know that sitting is the best way to encourage people to say hello!

Step 1: Teach your dog to sit on command. Stand up, show the dog a treat in your hand, say “Sit!” and lift the treat up and back over the dog’s nose (aim for about four inches above and in line between the dog’s ears). Most dogs will track the treat with their eyes, causing the head to go up and back, while the rear end naturally goes down onto the floor. Voilá! You have a sitting dog. Immediately say “Yes!” and give the dog the treat. If the dog backs up or jumps up, you are likely holding your hand too far away from the dog’s nose. You can also practice by a wall so the dog can’t back away from you. Get the dog standing up again and repeat the procedure.

Step 2: Once the dog catches on and sits when you lure him with the treat, fake him out by pretending that you have the treat in your hand. Show him the treat, but surreptitiously switch it to your other hand. Say “Sit,” hold out your hand and move it in exactly the same manner as you did before. Invariably your dog will sit. Say “Yes!” and bring your other hand in to deliver the treat to his mouth. After a few repetitions, do not show him the treat first. This teaches him to be less reliant on seeing an actual treat in order to perform the behavior.

Step 3: Gradually lessen the amount of movement with your hand. Say “Sit,” hold your hand up about 8-10 inches from his face, and wait a moment. Most likely he will sit. If he doesn’t, help him out a bit by moving your hand up and back. Try it again. The goal is to just say “Sit!” without having to move your hand at all or even hold it out toward him. Always deliver the treat from your other hand. You can also get him used to the treats being on a table or counter or in your pocket. This way, after he sits, you reach to get the treat to give him. This teaches the dog to be patient and it teaches him that he never knows where the treat will come from. Without these last two steps, some dogs become so reliant on the treat that they won’t sit unless the treat is clearly visible.

Copyright © 2006 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).  Reprinted with permission of the ASPCA. All Rights Reserved.

© 2008, 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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