Just About Jacks

Archive for May 8th, 2009

The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they’re driven to it out of sheer boredom.

The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing can tear things up. With a mouthfull of sharp, pointy teeth: just about everything will show the effects of her chewing. So just to clarify, when I use the phrase “destructive chewing”, I’m referring to inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that’s focused on your own possessions and household items, instead of on your dog’s own designated toys and chews.

The three main reasons why dogs chew:

– All dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)

– Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To a dog the repetitive act of chewing is soothing just like we eat comfort food.

If dogs are not exercised to burn up their excess energy they often turn to chewing to give themselves something to do.

– How to prevent destructive chewing -

Dogs can learn not to chew your things – you just need to work at it.

1. Take control and manage your own possessions. Just like with a child you need to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there’s still no reason to test her self-control – after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.

Dog-proofing means if you want it then make it unavailable for her to get. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? When standing on her back legs how tall is she?

Small crunchy appliances such as cell phones, cameras and remote controls and eyewear, shoes and garbage are often targets in the home.

It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Make sure you scrape out plates and rinse them before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she gets to have forbidden substances such as a pilow, shoes and carpet runners the more readily she will grab them in the future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don’t make it harder for her by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Give her lots of different, good tasting alternatives to your things. If she doesn’t have anything to play with, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Just think, most dogs need to chew; especially if she’s an adolescent or a puppy. Go on a shopping spree and pick up several toys and chews so that you can give her two or three at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.

5. Spend a lot of time in one on one supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her crate, run, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have got a goldfish, right?) She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.

6. When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise. Then, immediately give her a tasty alternative such as a rawhide bone or chew toy; when she takes it praise her. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.

– Maintain a productive attitude -

If nothing else, keep your expectation realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!

For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior (like chewing), check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed to fast-track your dog’s learning.

 

 

Food aggression is most often seen in dogs who are rescued from homes where they were abused or neglected. A bite, a growl or a snap are all different types of food aggression. When attempting to pat your dog whilst its in the processs of eating it may well turn aggressively towards you.

 

Self-preservation is the most common source of food aggression, and the easiest to correct. In these cases, dogs feel the need to protect their food, from fear of it being taken away. This can result from the dog being abused, or having had its food removed as a form of punishment. Food aggression doesn’t always come from owner abuse or neglect, however. If your dog’s previous owner had other pets, those animals could have run your dog off of its food.

 

If you feel that this is the case with your dog, all that’s necessary to correct the behavior is time, patience, and lots of love. You have to show your dog that you can be trusted, that you are not a competitor for its food, but rather the giver of the food. Be sure that your dog sees you pour their food and place it for them to eat, rather than readying the food and then letting the dog into the room.

 

Go slowly. Sitting near to your whilst it is in eating mode is a good place for you to start off. For the first few times, stay silent. Ensure that your dog knows you are there but be sure not to startle them or make them fearful of your presence. When you get to the stage that your dog does not seem nervous when you are around, start talking to them in a gentle manner as they eat, wander around their eating area but stay at a distance. Continual practice will allow you to approach your dog in the course of its eating and touch its food bowl. Just take a few steps back and do not say anything if your dog begins to snap or growl at you. It is so very important that you do not administer any forms of punishment on your dog. It is key to let them know that you are happy with them when they let you stroke them as they eat.

 

If you are consistent with this training, you will see positive results very quickly.

A common mistake that many people make when training their dogs, whether house training, obedience training, or teaching them entertaining tricks, is using various forms of punishment when the animal doesn’t do what they want. Misinformed dog owners often use methods such as hiting the dog with a stick or locking them up on their own for ages.

 

This is very detrimental to the pet-owner relationship, and to the dog’s emotional wellbeing. Abusive forms of reprimanding your dog breaks the all important trust which will make your job so much hardier from here on in. If your dog is a rescue animal, this is particularly damaging, as rescued pets tend to come with a history of being abused and neglected, and can take longer to build a level of respect and trust with you.

 

Not only is punishment damaging to your relationship and your pet’s emotional health, it’s not effective either. More often than not, punishing your dog leads to defensive, aggressive behaviors. Once these behavior types are set in then you will have a job to erradicate them from you dog. Utilising positive reinforcement will get you and your dog to where you want to be faster.

 

Instead of punishing your dog for unwanted behaviors, reward them for good behaviors. This training technique works wonders, and is effective in every situation. For instance, if you see your pet going to the toilet on your floor then take it outside as soon as you have firmly told it “no”. Keep a close eye on your dog. The moment that you notice them using the bathroom in the correct place, praise them in an excited, happy tone of voice, and offer a food or toy treat as a reward.

 

It won’t take long for your dog to make the connection between the bad behavior and your disapproval, and the good behavior and your praise. Dogs thrive on making their owners happy, and see you as the leader of their pack. This natural desire to earn your praise works for you during the training process.

 

The same principle applies to any situation, be it unnecessary barking, chewing on furniture or objects, jumping on or licking people, or any other of a host of annoying and potentially dangerous habits. The key to all dog training is consistency and patience. It wont take long before you see that your efforts are really paying off

If you live near open fields and the countryside or have lots of private ground for your pet to run around in you won’t need to travel to give your dog opportunity to get plenty of excerise out in the open air. Of course if you are in walking distance of a dog friendly park you can simply pop on a lead and go, but for many dog owners living in a busy town centre or city, a daily car journey is a necessity.

It is important your dog feels comfortable and safe for necessary car journeys of any length. This is a list of car accessories for dogs

Dog Safety

Dog car crates or cages specially adapted for cars not only makes your car journey safer for you but also for your dog, it also helps the dog feel more secure. Think how frightened your dog might be looking through the window of a moving car with everything whizzing past!

It could be there is no room for a travel cage or that maybe your dog is taken out in more than one car, in which case a dog harness with seat belt adaptor is a good alternative. This is a great multi purpose accessory!

Word of warning: For those who think these are extreme, imagine what would happen if you were to have a car accident. If unsecured, your frightened dog could easily jump out of a car and run right onto a busy road.

Dog Comfort

The boot of a car is not designed for comfort so if your pet has to travel in the boot a dog bed is much nicer to sleep on.

If you are planning a long journey in the colder months a dog blanket would be a good idea too. (remember to also keep a blanket for yourself in case of break downs!)

Food and Water

Your dog will get hungry and thirsty during a long car journey and will certainly need to quench his or her thirst after a long run. Keeping water and a bowl is a must but instead of the bulky hard bowls consider investing in those special dog travel bowls made of material that fold up when not in use, you can also get disposable travel bowls.

Tip: Your car engine might need water too! The larger empty milk cartons are ideal for keeping a supply of water handy for both dog and car during the hotter months. If you are out in the country you can re-fill at a fresh water river or stream.

Shade from the sun

Drivers and human passengers have visors to protect them from the glare of the sun so don’t forget your dog and fit a car window shade where appropriate.

Tip: If you also have children you may already have car window shades that are just as suitable for your pet!

Dog Ramps

A dog car ramp can be a godsend! Smaller dogs can easily be lifted into bigger cars but what if you have an older heavier dog that can’t jump up or have been on a particularly muddy trip out? You can choose from a number of dog car ramps that will fold away neatly when not in use.

Pet First Aid

As exciting as running in the countryside can be for your dog, there can also hazards including barbed wire, broken glass and sharp sticks. When you are out in the middle of nowhere and your dog gets a nasty cut the first aid you are able to provide can be vital in its recovery. Pet travel first aid kits usually come with bandages, gauzes and sterile wipes and are small enough for your glove compartment.

For more dog and pet products please visit swellpets.co.uk

Regular exercise for your dog is required for it’s over all health. One of the easiest ways to provide it is to take him for walks. Of course, canines don’t always stay on track while they’re outside, so you’ll need to take a few steps to make sure the walk is pleasant for both of you. Today’s article will provide four tips for walking your pooch while ensuring the experience is a good one.

#1 – Buy A Good Leash

There are many types of leashes including those made from nylon, leather, and chain. Your dog’s behavior while you’re out for a walk might dictate the type of leash you use. If he pulls to one side or keeps biting the leash, chain might work well. On the other hand, nylon is much lighter and therefore, far more comfortable.

If you plan to use a retractable leash, keep in mind that your pooch can quickly wrap around trees, legs, or other pets. Plus, if you’re on a sidewalk next to a busy street, you’ll need to remain constantly aware of how much line you’ve let out.

#2 – Control Him Around Others

A lot of canines love to meet new people (and pets). A problem occurs when they become overly excited and jump on them. Teach your pooch that if he wants to meet and greet someone, he must first sit at your command. Consider bringing treats when you’re walking him. When the dogs behaves as he was trained, you can provide a treat as positive reinforcement.

#3 – Bring The Necessities

As a responsible owner, you should have plenty of dog waste bags. Leaving your pooch’s waste on another person’s lawn – or worse, in a public place – is disrespectful of others. On Longer walks or when the weather is warm, make sure you bring along water. And, as mentioned earlier, bring his favorite treats so you can reinforce good behavior while giving him exercise.

#4 – Try New Paths

The same route can become boring for your dog after awhile. Walking different routes is a positive benefit. Even though you won’t notice the difference, the fresh smells of a new route and its surroundings will be exciting to him. Plus, he’ll have plenty of new territory to mark.

Enjoying The Time Together

Owners often forget how much their dogs love their attention. Walking your canine is a great opportunity to strengthen the friendship you share with each other. Along with the fact your dog will love the attention and being outdoors, he will get the exercise he needs. With a proper leash, a little training, some doggie necessities, and a new route every now and then, you’ll both look forward to the short walks you take together.