SEPARATION ANXIETY IN DOGS

This information is a guide only

Most dogs would prefer to have their owners around all day but adapt well to most situations if they receive sufficient exercise, playtime and attention. However, some dogs do not cope at all and this can be a real problem.

Separation anxiety is a behavioural problem that occurs in dogs that become highly attached to an owner or another dog in the family, and become extremely distressed in their absence.

What are the signs of separation anxiety?

The signs include destructiveness, barking, urinating or defecating inside, escaping, or sometimes subdued inactivity. Often signs of fear or anxiety start as the owner prepares to leave the house, jangling keys and turning off lights. Affected dogs start panting, trembling, and following the owner around. Owners report that dogs don’t eat food left out for them in the morning, but will eat at night after the owner’s return. They cry and whine while the owners are out.

Why would my dog have separation anxiety?

There are several reason for these dogs to develop separation anxiety, and it depends on breed, lifestyle (some re-homed dogs may have undergone previous traumatic separations), age (older dogs), and a change in house or routine which causes stress (including children leaving home, or separation of partners). Some re- homed dogs bond very strongly with new owners who show them love and affection.

How is separation anxiety diagnosed?

Other canine behaviour problems have similar signs and must be differentiated from separation anxiety. House-soiling may be related to medical conditions and these must be ruled out. Other reasons for house-soiling are marking, inadequate house training, and prolonged time periods without access to proper elimination sites.

Barking may be part of territorial displays. Young dogs with limited outlets for play may be destructive and chew. Dogs that attempt to escape may simply be bored and are inadequately contained, or they may suffer from a backyard phobia or panic disorder. Noise phobias to such things as thunderstorms may initiate destructive behaviour.

A detailed behavioural history, physical examination, and a good description of the signs and when they occur are necessary to reach a diagnosis of separation anxiety.

How do you treat separation anxiety?

Treatment of separation anxiety often involves the use of anti-anxiety medication. Used correctly, medication may significantly decrease the time taken to train the dog to be less anxious when left alone. Initial prevention of the problem could involve the use of dog- sitters, taking the dog to a friend or neighbour who is at home during the day, or boarding it. Punishment is ineffective and may well increase anxiety.

It may be possible to allow your dog access to the house in your absence with an electronic dog-door. If it must stay outside, provide it with a secure enclosed area containing some old clothes that smell of the owner.

If your dog can be distracted from your departure by food or toys, anxiety may not develop. Try interactive toys that hide food, such as Kong toys, or ones that are designed to require manipulation and work to obtain the food reward.

Training your dog to get used to your absence.

Desensitisation to your pre-departure routine is part of the retraining procedure. It is very important to move slowly through the steps listed below. Only progress to the next step when you have mastered the previous one with a calm dog. Make sure you reward the calm behaviour and remain relaxed yourself when you return.

• Pick up the keys and walk to the door, then return. Reward the dog if he is calm. Repeat many times.
• Put on then take off your coat (or whatever other thing you always do before you go out).
• Reward the dog if he is calm. Repeat many times.
• Open then shut the door. If your dog remains relaxed, reward him. Repeat many times.
• When successful with these practices, move on to actually (pretending to) leave.
• Getting your dog used to your absence is a lengthy procedure that takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the owner and is best done with collaboration with your vet or an animal behavioural specialist.
• The key is lots of practice and getting the dog used to short, happyperiods alone.
• Go through your normal leaving routine, shoes, keys etc. Give your dog something GREAT to chew on and leave for 1 minute. Come back calmly, and ignore the dog. After a few minutes you can quietly pat or praise if the dog is behaving. Then pretend to leave for 2 minutes. Leave the dog with something yummy that takes a while to chew. Come back calmly and ignore the dog. After a few minutes, you can quietly pat or praise if the dog is behaving.
• Repeat pretending to leave for 1 minute until the dog can remain happily alone. Then pretend to leave for 2 minutes. Leave the dog with something yummy that takes a while to chew. Come back calmly and ignore the dog. After a few minutes, you can quietly pat or praise if the dog is behaving.

The aim of this exercise is to desensitise the dog to the cues of your departure, and to teach the dog that nice things happen while you are gone. You should aim to increase the times in the practices very gradually. Don’t increase the time while the dog is still fretting.

How do I stop my dog being so clingy?

It is also important to try to reduce the dog’s dependence on the owner. Do not give exuberant greetings, and sharpen up obedience skills to gain better control over your dog. Don’t reward attention-seeking behaviour. Ignore your dog if he follows you around or demands attention; reward him when he sits or lies quietly. Provide him with a quiet, secure rest area, and teach him to use it. Provide him with more stimulation in your absence.

Remember, in extreme cases, it may be necessary to discuss medication with your vet. Anxiety relieving medications can help get the dog calm enough for the behavioural practices to have an effect.

DOOR DASHER AND GATE CRASHER

This information is a guide only

Does your dog watch for the slightest opportunity to squeeze through the tiniest gap, rush out the door or gate and the ground running? It’s time to start Boundary Training and get a little door control!

Teaching doorway manners

Why do dogs want to dash out the door?

The biggest reason is boredom and lack of exercise. His own house and yard are boring and his need for mental and physical stimulation is strong. He needs to stretch his legs and go investigating new smells. Take him for more walks, on your terms! Sometimes it’s simply the challenge of beating the system. Implement a little leadership and work to earn.

It’s Fun!

Bursting through with your people hot on your heels, taking them on a fabulous adventure, far and fast; dodging, dashing, being faster and more agile, outsmarting the hollering humans at every turn – It’s worth chancing a scolding at the end!

He’s so hard to catch!

Even when he’s seen enough and is ready to come home, he still comes just close enough and then dashes off again. Why? Because he’s learned that being caught is sure to be punished.

Getting grabbed and dragged and scolded is certainly something to be avoided for as long as possible

NEVER Punish the dog for coming when he’s called!

The infraction happened when he rushed the door. Now that he is out and he’s trusted you enough to allow you to take hold of his collar to take him back home, PRAISE HIM! If you punish him now, it’s not only too late, but it will make catching him next time even more difficult.

Put on a happy face and say your mean things in a happy tone of voice, all the way home. You can’t punish him for door dashing blocks away and many minutes after he crossed the threshold. Consequences are only effective within seconds of the infraction. The only association he will make is the behaviour he performed right before the punishment – allowing himself to be caught.

It’s time for PRO-ACTIVE training!

Teach door manners. The following should become cues to your dog to GET BACK; SIT and WAIT:

• The sound of the doorbell
• Reaching for the door knob or gate latch
• Turning the knob

The door or gate openingCreate a paired association and a strong chained behaviour sequence:

Spend plenty of time at each step until the dog is proficient at that level before moving on. Implement 100% management from here on out – there should be no chances to practice door dashing!

1. Teach “get back”

shuffle into the dog’s space so he backs up a step, mark with a “yes” or “click” as the dog moves away, deliver reward by tossing BEHIND the dog – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – release (give permission to move).

2. Repeat.

This time cue “get back” – shuffle til dog is the distance from the door you are aiming for – cue “sit” – mark the sit with a “yes” or “click” as his rear touches the floor > release “ok” and toss the reward BEHIND* the dog.

3. Jackpot

If dog moves back before you shuffle or sits before you ask. The long term goal is for the dog to eventually “get back” and sit automatically as you approach the door, without being told. You may choose to provide a target to “go to your place” and sit on – like a bed or rug.

Add “wait” in varying lengths between the sit and the release.

*NOTE: Tossing the reward behind the dog strengthens the dogs desire to stay away from the door. The dog will gravitate to the point of food delivery. You might also use a ball or favourite toy.

Pair the new behaviour with the door as the cue:

Approach door – “get back” – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – wait – release.

1. Approach door, touch knob – “get back” – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – wait – release.

2. Approach door, turn knob – “get back” – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – wait – release.

3. Approach door, open door a crack (be ready to slam it quick should dog start to bolt- put dog on long-line for insurance at this step) “get back” – toss reward behind dog if necessary at first – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – close door – wait – release.

4. Spend time at this level opening the door wider and wider until he can remain seated while you open it all the way.

5. Add a greeting “Hi! Nice to see you!” This is a difficult step – don’t move ahead until you can greet imaginary guests with gusto without him breaking before you release him.

6. Next, touch the screen door latch, turning the screen door latch, as above until he will stay while you open the screen door. [Put your dog on a long line attached to something heavy during this stage. You can’t take any chances of an accidental escape.]7. Ring doorbell – “get back” – toss reward behind dog if necessary – cue “sit” – mark and reward the sit – close door – wait – release.

8. Increase length of “wait” following the sit. Reward intermittently for longer waits holding the sit position. Over time you want to teach the dog to be able to wait in the presence of distractions, until the dog can hold position when you take mail or pizza, or people enter, etc. This level will take a long time and lots and lots of practice. If you can’t provide the practice opportunities, you can’t expect this level of training finesse!

9. Add distractions and difficulty gradually. Start with well known family member standing on other side of screen door within view. Family member rings bell, you repeat “get back” sequence til fluent. Then add door opening, person coming in or delivering imaginary pizza.

10. Long term distractions: exciting friends, unknown visitors, pizza guy, mailman, UPS deliveries (remember that the rumble of the truck and big knock are also stressors and a huge leap in difficulty). You will need to train for doors held open wide enough for accepting big boxes, people who fling the door open before you are ready, etc.

Management / “life insurance” plans:

• Keep a leash by the door and attach it before you answer the door for safety’s sake.
• Put a note on the door that says, “Do you know where the dog is?”
• For confirmed door dashers, leave a trailing long line on until you are certain that the dog’s training is reliable.
• When guests are expected, tether the long line to something heavy so the dog runs out of line at the threshold.
• Keep the screen door locked so no one can open it from the outside before you know of the dog’s whereabouts (this is especially important for the silent ones who lie in wait for the chance to bolt and for families with children).

Is your dog aggressive with guests?

If your dog is aggressive to guests, teach him to “go to your room” at the sound of the doorbell. Choose a room that is handy with a door that can be closed. Repeat the above pattern of training until the dog hears the doorbell and automatically runs to his room to await his reward. Toss the reward into the room and close the door. Now you can admit your guests or pay for that pizza without worry.

DEMOLITION DOGS

This information is intended as a general guide only

Washing pulled off the line? Favorite plants shredded? Shoes with custom made tooth marks?

In the middle of the mayhem is a very “guilty looking” dog. You think he obviously knows he’s done something wrong because he “looks” guilty, his ears are down and his tail is between his legs.

Guess what? He is not showing signs of guilt or defiance; he is reacting to your body language, tone of voice and obvious distress. From the dog’s point of view he has just been playing with the lovely things, that have your scent and you left for his amusement. When you turn up you are displaying abnormally aggressive behaviour and it seems to be directed at him. The dog has no idea why you are angry at him, he only knows he needs to try and make you happy, so he grovels and jumps and licks to try to appease you.

Why does my dog destroy things?

Destructive behaviour can be the result of:

• Lack of training
• Boredom
• Attention seeking
• Playtime enthusiasm
• Health Problems
• Hunger/thirst/lack of shelter

Lack of training

It is unfair to complain about destructive behaviour if you have not taught your dog what is, and what is not, appropriate to play with. He will not know the difference between your best shoes, and the old sand shoe you gave him to chew on.

Just as a child doesn’t know the difference between not touching grandma’s doll collection when they have dolls as play things.

Some management ideas:

• Teach and show your dog what things he can play with.
• If he picks up something that belongs to you, make sure you have a tasty treat handy and tell “leave” and present the treat. He will spit the item and take the treat. Then give him something he can play with, a toy or a dog biscuit.
• Make it clear by praising him when he interacts with his own toys or chew toys. Remember that

dogs may not know how to play with toys, so make them interesting by playing with the dog to get his attention on the toy.

• Restrict the dog’s unsupervised access to those items that are dangerous or which he is not allowed to play with and supervise him while training him that those items must not be touched.
• Provide alternatives – if the dog has nothing to interact with he will look for things to amuse himself. Praise him whenever he ignores “banned” objects.
• Clear your yard and house of things that are at puppy level. Good excuse for a spring clean! Leave things about that he is allowed to play with.
• Teach your dog to be confined to areas such as a pen or particular room. He needs to have all the things he needs to be comfortable, food, water, toys and a bed. In this way he can be comfortably confined while left unsupervised.

Boredom

Boredom is the result of insufficient mental and physical stimulation. Just like young children, dogs can suffer boredom if their environment lacks stimulation and this leads to inappropriate behaviour.

Even a big back yard can be a large prison if he has all day, every day to get to know every inch of it. Your dog can not relieve his boredom by reading a book, flicking on the television or visiting a friend. If the environment you provide the dog lacks interesting things and variety he will start to look for things to entertain himself.

To enrich your dogs environment refer to ideas in the “Dog Friendly Back Yards” section.

Attention seeking

Dogs are social animals and enjoy company and they are not overly content when left alone a lot. Your dog may find that playing with you favourite items gets him some of your attention – even if it is the wrong attention! Your dog will soon learn if he plays with your things he gets your attention.

If you pay little attention to your dog he will try any possible way to get you to notice him. Even yelling and chasing him is better, in his mind, to getting no attention at all.

Management ideas for attention seeking:

The main issue is to pay more attention to the dog. This attention can take the form of training or appropriate play.

Try and anticipate the times he is about to gain your attention and divert him first by doing a short training session or giving him a toy he hasn’t had recently.

Your dog needs daily interact with you to fulfill his social needs and you need to put aside some time to do this.

If he is a yard dog you need to go out and interact with him, play with a toy, do some training, take him for a walk, groom him or just sit and pat him.

Anxiety

Does your dog follow you everywhere you go in the house? Does he complain when shut away from you?

If your dog is too dependent on you this can lead to anxiety when you are away. This type of anxiety can cause the dog to be destructive to relieve his anxiety. This can be a problem with dogs that have been abandoned or gone through the trauma of being left at a shelter. They fear that you will also abandon them.

If this problem is severe you will need to consult a veterinary behaviour expert to develop a program for you and your dog.

Management ideas to prevent anxiety:

• When you are going to be away from home make sure the dog has plenty of doggy enrichment to keep him occupied.
• Prepare a meal and give him this as you leave. Better still make him up a Kong or food dispenser as this will keep him busy for longer.
• Leave on a TV or radio to give the impression of company.
• Gradually get your dog used to being separated from you for an increasing length of time while you are at home. Put his bed in an area where he can see you moving about and install a child’s door barrier to stop him from following you.
• Keep your arrivals and departures very low key – don’t make a big fuss at these times.
• Reward the dog, calmly, when he is quiet and relaxed and/or playing with appropriate items.

Management ideas for playtime enthusiasm:

• The main point here is to reward the dog for calm, quiet behaviour and stop play if he becomes destructive.
• If he doesn’t stop put the toy away and try again later.
• Reward him with a treat when he brings toys back to you. Don’t try and pull it off him as this encourages him to try and keep it for himself.
• Keep your games to reasonable level of excitement; don’t let them escalate to high intensity.
• Play is about interaction not over excitement.
• Make training part of your play sessions, teach him to drop or give his toys to you. This has to be done with treats as he has no reason to give up his play thing for no reward.
• Train him to settle during play session by teaching “sit” and “down”.
• Tug games should be kept to a minimum and children should never be encouraged to play tug with dogs.

Health problems

If the dog suffers from fleas, skin allergy, or has a dental problem this could make him irritable and more likely to be destructive. If he has fleas or an allergy he may scratch on his bed causing the bedding to tear and become a target for the dog’s attention. Dental problems can cause the dog to chew on things to relieve the tension and pain in his mouth.

Management of health issues:

This problem has a very obvious answer – make sure your dog is in good health, free of fleas and is regularly checked by a veterinarian.

Hunger/Thirst/ Shelter

Many behaviour issues can start if your dog is not given the basic requirements for normal comfortable living conditions. He requires appropriate food, plenty of clean water, appropriate shelter from the heat, cold and extreme weather conditions and needs appropriate social contact.

It is your responsibility as his care giver to make sure he has these things.

OVERENTHUSIASTIC? HYPERACTIVE? OUT OF CONTROL?

Don’t give up! The exuberant and energetic dog can be taught to control himself. We can use positive training techniques to teach puppies and adults that good things happen when their feet are on the floor!

Puppies are naturally noisy and hyperactive. They are exuberant when greeting, playing and when showing friendliness.

Adult dogs that haven’t been taught appropriate manners can show the same behaviours. Unfortunately, those behaviours are no longer cute or excusable in a 30 kg hyper dog!

We also need to remember that a sedate 20 minute stroll around the block may satisfy our human adult exercise needs, but the adolescent, working type dog will need to expend a lot more energy than that. It is unreasonable to expect an animal to ignore its basic need for appropriate exercise.

Step 1 – Exercise

Most young dogs need energetic play and exercise daily. Make sure that your dog has ample opportunity to let off steam in an acceptable way. Throw a tennis ball or frisbee at the off leash park, do yo – yo recalls between family members in the yard. Formalize “crazy time” – train your dog to jump for bubbles, or play tag and chase your dog around the house. REMEMBER- the sedate “round the block” walk is NOT ENOUGH.

Step 2 – Focus

A well exercised dog is much more able to focus and learn new behaviours.

The first step to getting the hyper dog to settle is to teach it to focus on the handler.

Have the dog on a leash next to you.

Have some really tasty treats hidden in one hand (and have more close by). Without saying or doing anything, wait for your dog to look at you. It might take a while!

The INSTANT the dog looks at you, say “YES” in a happy voice and feed the dog a small tasty treat. Repeat several times. The dog should start to get the idea that looking at you is a good thing. This activity can be practiced anywhere, anytime. Walking the dog, during TV ad breaks, waiting in the car to pick up the kids, waiting for the kettle to boil.

Step 3- Ask for a bit more…

Have your dog on a leash next to you

Have tasty treats close by

Without saying or doing anything, wait for your dog to sit. It might take a while!

The INSTANT the dog’s bottom hits the ground, say “YES” in a happy voice and feed

the dog a small tasty treat.

Take a step forward. Don’t say anything. The “hyper dog” will bounce, pull, dance twirl etc. IGNORE everything until the dog eventually sits.

“YES” and treat. Step forward, wait for the sit. Reward. Repeat until the dog gets the idea that being calm and sitting next to you results in lovely treats and positive attention.

Step 4 – ask for longer attention

Repeat the steps above but begin to progressively increase the delay before offering the treat. Maybe count the seconds in “good dogs”; “Good dog one, good dog two,” then treat. Step forward, wait for the calm sit, count to three this time, then reward.

If your dog breaks the sit and turns „hyper dog‟ again, simply turn your back on him, take a three second time out, and then repeat from the beginning.

Build up the time until soon you are able to count out 20 ”good dogs” as he sits and waits calmly for his reward, looking up at you expectantly.

Practice this exercise while moving between rooms in the house. When walking your dog, stand still every 25 metres or so, wait for him to sit, “YES”, treat and continue to walk.

Jumping Up

Jumping up deserves a special mention because it is such a common cause of frustration. Right from the beginning, teach your dog to sit when greeting people. Dogs can’t sit and jump at the same time! However, it is often difficult to teach your dog to sit when greeting people because he is so excited that he can’t even hear what you say. Consequently, you will need to troubleshoot his training.

First practice sit (as described above) in locations where your dog normally greets people, e.g. on leash outdoors, and especially indoors by the front door, or back door. Then invite over ten friends for a dog training party. Today, your dog’s dinner will be hand fed by guests at the front/back door and by friends on a walk.

Be prepared with your dog under control and focusing on you BEFORE the first friend takes a step into the room. Get him to sit as the guest enters the room. While the dog’s bottom is on the floor, praise gently and have the guest supply a treat or two. Then ask your friend to leave and re-enter. In fact, repeat the whole process until the dog can greet the guest calmly 3 times in a row. Then repeat the process with the other nine guests.

In one training party you could practice over 100 calm greetings. Next, ask your guests to leave one at a time and walk around the block. Put your dog on the leash and walk towards your friend. As you approach, get your dog’s attention on you, and then instruct him to sit. Praise the dog calmly and have your friend offer the dog treats while the dog’s bottom is on the ground. Practice with all of your mates. Now you will be better prepared to greet strangers at the door and in the street!

Remember – if the dog breaks the sit – turn your back on him, have a 3 second time out and repeat the sequence again.

In Summary

Be smart. Be kind. Provide opportunities to use up that energy appropriately. Anticipate when the “hyper dog” is likely to burst out. Be prepared to encourage, and then reward the calm behaviour you want to see more of.

JUMPING DOGS

This information is intended as a general guide only

Jumping up on people is a very common, natural dog behaviour that most people find difficult to prevent.

Why do dogs jump?

Before you can manage the behaviour it is important to understand why jumping is a natural behaviour for your dog.

Puppies lick the mouths and faces of their mothers, and other adult dogs, as an appeasement. They are indicating that they are babies and are no threat to the older animals.

Puppies transfer this behaviour to their human companions but as we are much taller the dogs need to jump up to try to reach our faces.

Most people can’t resist a cute and cuddly puppy and allow them to crawl up on them. We reach down to pat him when he paws at our shins or lift him up to our level to cuddle him. This of course reinforces the puppy and he assumes that climbing on his human companions is okay. Once he becomes bigger this same behaviour, that we have told him is okay as a puppy, causes problems for the owner.

The puppy has been rewarded for this jumping behaviour so he continues to do it as he gets older. In the dog’s mind he is getting rewarded with attention and is appeasing his human family.

Why you shouldn’t use punishment for jumping

Punishments such as stepping on the dog’s toes, yelling at him, and smacking him, although intended to dissuade him, usually cause him to jump more. He thinks you are annoyed or frustrated with him and therefore tries harder to “appease” you by jumping in an attempt to lick your face.

As a social animal dogs see even negative attention as better than no attention. Physical punishment can create other behavioural problems as the dog doesn’t know whether you are going to use your hand to smack or pet him. This confusion can lead to a fearful dog that may feel he needs to defend himself.

Children in particular can suffer the consequences of this method as they often wave their hands about and the dog can misinterpret what they are doing. This could lead the dog to believe he needs to defend himself against the child.

Humans punish with their hands, dogs punish with their teeth, far better for the dog to learn that humans are friends not foes.

What should you do?

With all undesirable behaviour, it is better to reward the dog for a different desirable behaviour that makes it impossible for the dog to continue the unwanted one.

In the case of jumping, rewarding “four feet on the floor” will make it more desirable for the dog not to jump. Having his feet on the floor gets him the attention he needs and jumping gets him no attention.

It is best to use simple, non-threatening methods to deter the dog from jumping.

These methods give the dog attention on your terms rather than his and fulfill his need for social contact. You need to set the dog up to succeed and make sure whenever possible jumping is not rewarded either intentionally or unintentionally.

Some ideas to assist you with your jumping dog

Remember that all members of the family must be involved and consistent with the “no jump” training. If the dog is allowed to jump on some members of the family it will undo all the good work of the others.

• Turn and ignore
• Reward “four on the floor”
• Teach the dog an alternative behaviour

Turn and ignore

The simplest way to let the dog know that jumping is not a behaviour you want is to ignore him when he jumps. Any reaction from you will be seen by the dog as attention and rewarding.

Don’t speak or look at the dog, fold your arms and turn away. The dog will learn pretty quickly that jumping gets him no attention. Once he has settled and is sitting or standing with all four feet on the floor you must reward him.

When rewarding him it must follow quickly after he has done the desired behaviour so he knows that feet on the floor is a good behaviour. Make sure you praise him calmly and feed him a treat. Bend down to reward him so you do not encourage him to jump up to get the food.

If the dog jumps on visitors you may need to keep him on a lead when they arrive, until he has been rewarded enough to understand that keeping his feet on the floor is much more rewarding then jumping. The lead is NOT to jerk the dog away from visitors; it is just to contain him until he understands that visitors as well as the family cannot be jumped on.

Explain to your visitors that you are training the dog to be polite around visitors and enlist their help. Ask them not to speak to the dog until you have the dog’s feet on the floor, and rewarded him. Ask them to approach quietly and calmly praise the dog for being good.

Visitors are very exciting so it will take the dog some time to understand that he will only be able to interact with them if he keeps his feet on the floor. Make sure that he knows you have a very tasty treat when visitors arrive so he is more likely to want to behaviour as you wish.

If the dog is a small puppy it is better to get down to his level when patting him so he does not have to jump up on you to get attention.

Teach an alternate behaviour

Teaching your dog to “sit” will also assist in reducing jumping – very hard for the dog to jump when his butt is on the ground. Sit should be taught as a separate behaviour and can then be incorporated into the “no jump” training.

Remember – Jumping is rewarding for the dog as he is looking for your attention, you must therefore reward strongly for not jumping.

The more you train your dog and interact with him in an appropriate way the easier it is to be able to change undesirable behaviour to desirable behaviour.

YIKES! MY PUP BITES!

The information in this handout is intended as a general guide only and relates to normal puppy play-biting and mouthing.

This information is not intended to address aggressive behaviour in dogs. If your dog has shown aggressive behaviour towards yourself or other people you should consult a qualified dog behaviour expert.

Mouthing and/or play-biting is usually associated with puppies or young dogs. This behaviour is normal behaviour in puppies and young dogs.

If you watch dogs play together, they mouth each other with mock bites. As part of the dog’s social group they will often play with humans in the same way.

Why play biting is not acceptable behaviour

Puppies have sharp teeth but a weak jaw, this means that his puppy bite may be uncomfortable but not do any serious damage. As an adult dog your puppy will have larger teeth and a relatively strong jaw. While other dogs, that have tougher skin than humans, may not be hurt by play bites people can be damaged.

It is essential that puppies learn not to bite while they are still small. What may look cute when puppies play-bite each other, it has more serious consequences to people as the pup gets older.

Why do puppies play bite?

When puppies are still in a litter they start to come in contact with their litter-mates as they move around. As they grow they begin to mouth and bite each other. They spend a lot of time play-biting and grabbing each other with their mouths – they don’t have hands and so mouths are a good way to interact and play.

Litter-mates learn not to bite too hard. If you watch them play you will see that if one pup gets bitten too hard he will yelp and stop playing with the offending pup. This teaches the pup that if he wants to play with his mates he needs to be softer when he bites. This is called “bite inhibition”.

When puppies become part of our social group they use their natural doggy behaviours to “play” with their human friends. This is a normal extension of how he played with his litter-mates. We have to teach the puppy that this is not acceptable with his human litter- mates.

Playing “rough house” with puppies just encourages them to bite and it will not be his fault if he thinks he can play like this with anyone who comes near him. Do not play these types of games with young dogs or pups, particularly if they come into contact with children.

What can we do to stop the pup/young dog biting?

There are different ways you can teach the pup to inhibit his bite:

• “Ouch”! That hurt!
• Withdrawn attention
• “Leave”
• Settle or calm

A combination of these methods works best and they must be used every time the pup bites. If you do not consistently use the methods the pup will learn that he can bite, sometimes. All members of the family have to be taught and use the same method otherwise the pup will be confused and the behaviour may increase.

Combined method

Just like the pup’s litter mates you are going to tell the pup that when he bites that is not acceptable.

When the pup touches you with his teeth, say “Ouch” in a high pitched loud voice. You must do this as soon as you feel his teeth and make it loud enough to cause him to withdraw his mouth. When he removes his mouth, take your hand away from him and ignore him for about 10 seconds.

In most cases the pup will startle and try to appease you by licking your hand. If he does this you can continue to play with him.

It may take repeated sessions for the pup to understand “Ouch”, as you are trying to overcome natural dog behaviour.

Withdraw attention

If the pup continues to bite you will need to withdraw your attention altogether. Turn your back and ignore him for several seconds to see if he will settle. If does not settle within a reasonable amount of time remove him to a room or you go elsewhere for several seconds and let him settle. Five or ten seconds is usually enough to get the pup to settle. Leaving him for longer periods will not help as the pup could then become confused and develop other behaviour problems.

He needs to understand that it is the bite that we don’t like and so you must be immediate in your response, then continue your interaction with the pup once he has settled.

Leave

This is a training exercise that needs to be taught to the owner by a qualified positive trainer.

Puppies and young dogs need to be taught appropriate behaviour around humans. Dog owners need to go to a qualified trainer to learn how to implement the correct methods to train their puppies and dogs.

Why you shouldn’t use physical punishment to stop puppies or young dogs biting

Some people will tell you to smack the pup’s nose if he bites you, or to grab his muzzle (very hard to do to a pug!) and hold it shut and “growl” at him.

These methods may deter the pup in the short term, but can cause problems in the long term. It makes the pup unsure of what your hand means – are you going to smack him or pat him? If he thinks you are going to smack him he may try and defend himself and become aggressive as he sees humans as a threat.

Children in particular can suffer the consequences of this method as they often wave their hands about and the dog can misinterpret what they are doing. This could lead the dog to believe he needs to defend himself against the child.

Humans punish with their hands, dogs punish with their teeth, far better for the dog to learn that humans are friends not foes.

Points to remember:

• You MUST react EVERY time you feel the puppy’s teeth
• If the touch is unexpected use “Ouch”
• ALWAYS supervise children when they are with the pup or dog.
• Do not play “rough house” games with the pup and do not let ANYONE else play this way with the pup.
• Do not let other people “discipline” your pup. If you think someone may do this, remove the pup from the area.

Any pup or dog can bite if given the right circumstances; it may be due to the dog misunderstanding human actions and/or humans misunderstanding dog behaviour.

THE EXCITED WEE

This is often known as submissive urinating and it is not a house training problem. It has to do with some normal canine behavior patterns that you can and should deal with in a positive way.

Dogs are instinctively programmed to accept the authority of creatures (animal and human) that they consider to be superior to them. They seek the approval of their superiors and are eager to please them. Many dog owners prefer a dog who is submissive to people and eager to please, and selective breeding has produced many domestic dogs with this characteristic.

Some dogs are more submissive than others. Very submissive dogs, shy dogs that lack self- confidence and often young pups will urinate when in the presence of more dominant dogs and humans. It’s their instinctive way of telling the superior “You are my Supreme Master. Your wish is my command. Please don’t hurt me!”

Puppies usually outgrow this behavior as they mature. Dogs who are naturally shy, insecure, extremely submissive, or who have been abused may continue to exhibit submission in this way even as adults. It is generally an involuntary, subconscious reflex. The dog isn’t deliberately trying to do it. As a matter of fact, he may not even be aware that he’s doing it at the time!

Many dog owners mistakenly believe that this type of urination is a housetraining problem, and try to correct it with discipline. To their dismay and frustration, rather than improving, the dog’s problem gets worse!

Because the message he’s sending is misunderstood by the owner, the dog is caught in a vicious cycle – his instincts tell him to urinate to please his superior by showing submission. But when he does, he is punished. He then tries harder to please by urinating even more. This results in more punishment, and still more urination. After a time, the dog may become so confused and insecure that he urinates at the mere sight of a human being or another dog.

If discipline won’t solve the problem, what will?

Your task is to take the excitement and stress out of the periods that previously triggered submissive urination. Get cooperation from all members of the family. When you first get home or when visitors come to the house, you

can anticipate that the dog will get excited and urinate – so you need to minimise the excitement.

Instead of an enthusiastic greeting to your dog, quietly walk in the door and go about your business. Let him outside to wee as usual, but without any fanfare. If you talk to him at all, just say “Hi Rover” in a calm, casual tone of voice. Don’t make eye contact with him or pet him. After he settles down, very gently crouch down to his level presenting to him sideways (this makes you very non-threatening), then calmly and quietly praise him and tell him he’s good. Be sure to tell your family and visitors to do the same.

Do everything you can to boost your dog’s confidence

As he becomes more confident, he may feel less of a need to display extreme submissive behavior.

Positive reinforcement obedience training does wonders for a dog’s confidence! An untrained dog is doesn’t know how to communicate with humans or how to behave, but the trained dog understands what’s expected of him, and the words you say to him. He’s confident because he has the tools with which to please his superiors.

Socialisation at training classes, dog daycare, at the park, or just going with you on errands and to visit friends can do wonders for your dog’s confidence. Have guests over who are willing to help out with this problem.

Train your dog

Agility training is another wonderfully fun way to boost your dog’s confidence using physical obstacles and mental stimulation as well as new human words to understand and obey.

Incorporate basic obedience (Sit, Stay, Fetch, Come, etc.) into your daily life and when your dog obeys, he gains confidence through your praise. Just don’t overdo the praise (this can result in a puddle!). A simple “Good boy” and gentle pat is enough.

Minimize the occasions your dog makes you want to scold him; think about what your dog does that causes you to scold him. For example, does he get into the trash, steal your children’s toys or chew on your sneakers? By simply putting a lid on the trash can or putting it into a closet and requiring your family to pick up after themselves, these situations can be eliminated. The easier you make it for your dog to do what you want, the quicker he’ll learn and his confidence will grown. On the other hand, discipline, scolding and physical punishment will simply reduce his confidence and worsen your submissive urination problem

Use helpful body language

Dogs, especially shy or submissive ones, are very sensitive to body language and tone of voice. Bending over a dog is a “dominant” posture that may provoke an accident. Instead, get down to your dog’s level by crouching or kneeling, preferably at his side rather than head-on.

These dogs are often intimidated by direct eye contact as well. Look at your dog’s face without looking directly into his eyes, and only for very short periods.

If you are expecting guests, take your dog for a walk and get his bladder emptied ahead of time, and restrict water consumption for an hour before your guests are to arrive.

When speaking to your dog, use a calm, confident, moderate tone of voice. Avoid very high or low extremes in pitch. Don’t “coochy-coo” or baby talk to your dog either. These tones can create excitement that results in submissive urination.

REMEMBER – Don’t scold or punish your dog for urinating submissively. It will only make things worse.

He can’t be held responsible for something he doesn’t understand or even know he’s doing. Instead, use these methods to get to the root of the matter: His basic insecurity and lack of confidence. When he’s made progress in these areas, submissive urination often disappears on its own. How long will it take? Every dog is different and it’s impossible to say for sure. With most dogs, following our directions will show a noticeable difference within a short time. Solving the problem altogether depends on your hard work, patience, consistency and willingness to stick with it. Good luck!

MY DOG WON’T COME BACK

This information is intended as a general guide only.

Why do some dogs refuse to come back?

Dogs don’t come back because whatever it is they are doing is much more rewarding than coming back to you – simple as that. You need to change this so for your dog, coming when he’s called is a command worth obeying!

“Come” is one of the most important things you can teach your dog!

Dogs learn to repeat activities that are rewarding, and avoid activities that are punishing. Do you call your dog to come at the off leash park so you can take it home? Look at it from his perspective – ending all the fun of playing and sniffing in the park is a form of punishment in the dog’s eyes. Many people unknowingly punish their dogs

for coming when called. Do you call “come” and then shove a pill down its throat, cut his toenails or give it an unwelcome bath? Do you call your dog repeatedly and when it finally wanders over, grab it and chastise at it for running away? The dog thinks it is being punished for coming to you (the most recent thing it did), not for ignoring the first few commands, which it did some time ago.

There are two secrets to teaching a reliable “come”

• ALWAYS make coming to you pleasant
• ALWAYS make sure the dog will come on the first command.

Making coming to you pleasant

• Start by teaching come-for-dinner. Dinner is usually a very pleasant experience for a dog! Every time you feed the dog, have someone hold it a distance away from you and the food. When you call “come” in a cheerful voice, they let go. When the dog arrives, give it dinner immediately. You could even extend this exercise by having each person give the dog portions of the dinner- holding the dog until the other person calls “come”.
• Another way to make coming to you pleasant is to praise the dog the moment it starts to come to you (even if you had to help to get it started.)
• When the dog does arrive, give it something it really wants (more praise, patting, food treat, ball or other toy) immediately when it gets to you.
• You can also make coming to you pleasant by releasing the dog to go and play again.
• Use a happy tone to call the dog, and always praise on the way in.
• For a small, young or timid dog, crouch down to make yourself less frightening for it to approach. Don’t lean over it, grab at or manhandle a dog that has come most of the way to you, or it will learn that coming within arm’s reach is unpleasant.
• Play recall games up and down a hallway, then from room to room within a house. Call the dog from one family member to another, each giving the dog a treat when it comes to you.
• Use the treats or toys the dog loves BEST for rewarding your dog for coming to you. Use the treats as rewards after they come to you, not lures before the fact. That is, don’t show the dog the food or toy BEFORE or as you are calling (except maybe the very first few times). Instead, get the dog to come, then produce the reward immediately after the dog arrives.

Make sure the dog comes

The “come” command cannot be taught to a dog that is off lead and distracted (e.g. sniffing or playing with other dogs at the park) – the owner simply gets hoarse and frustrated from fruitless calling and the dog learns that it is safe to ignore the owner. Don’t call “come” at the park or off leash until you are sure the dog will comply.

Coming to you must be taught in gradual, successful increments.

Successful ways to practice

Start in a quiet place such as your back yard;

• Walk along with the dog on lead, either a short one, or a long retractable one.
• Get your dog’s attention. ( Make a noise, shake the lead, say the dog’s name)
• Run backwards a few steps while calling “COME” in a cheerful, inviting but definite tone of voice. If necessary, give a light tug on the lead to get the dog turned toward you and coming in.
• Praise all the way in, reward, then resume walking.
• Repeat 10 – 20 times around the back yard

On your daily walk practice the same routine

Plan a graduated series of more and more distracting environments in which to call your dog, help it come and be rewarded. For example, try in a neighbour’s yard, or a fenced in tennis court before moving on to a dog park.

At the park:

• Let the dog sniff around on the long lead, get its attention, call it, praise it and then release it to explore on the long lead again.
• Repeat many timesGradually increase the level of distraction (e.g. let it play with another dog,) still on a long lead then make sure your dog comes when you call

If you are having success on the long lead, graduate to a long light rope. PLEASE don’t sabotage your progress by moving to a situation where your dog can go back to ignoring you!!!!

At the park on the light, long (approx.10 m) rope, follow the same steps;

• Get attention first, call “come”, tug on lead/rope if necessary, praise, reward, release.

Points to remember:

While you are teaching your dog to come to you, NEVER call it when you are not in a position to help it comply. If the dog is running loose and not likely to respond to your call, KEEP SILENT or you will undo a lot of your training.

One way to attract a loose dog without calling is to turn your back on it and run away, then perhaps squat down with your back to the dog and pretend you’ve found something fascinating on the ground. When the dog wanders over to see what you’ve got, give it a bunch of interesting treats and catch it in a pleasant and low key way so there is no punishment associated with coming to you.

Now ask yourself why let your dog run without dragging a light line, in a situation you couldn’t control.

After you’ve graduated from the retracting lead and light line, if at any time the dog should ignore a “come” command, GO GET IT. Do not allow the dog to ignore you.

Continue to praise and reward successful recalls, though you can gradually cut down and reward every now and then, instead of every time.

PROBLEMS WITH OTHER DOGS

This information is intended as a general guide only

It’s not uncommon for dogs to have problems when approached by other dogs. Often these problems are based in fear or anxiety.

There are a couple of things a dog can do when approached by another dog that worries them:

1) run away
2) lunge, bark, and threaten in order to drive the other dog away.

Both of these actions achieve the same end – the dog is able to increase the space between itself and the other dog that is worrying it. Leashes largely remove the run away choice, so an aggressive response becomes more likely when a dog is on lead, especially a short or tight lead.

The most common handlerresponse when their dog lunges at or threatens another dog is to yank on the lead and yell at their dog.

This is exactly the wrong thing to do.

Yanking and yelling might build up the dog’s courage to attack the other dog (Look at it from the dog’s point of view: “My owner is right behind me, I can feel him on the other end of the leash, and he’s barking at this strange dog too!”).

Also, if the dog finds the leash corrections and yelling unpleasant, then it becomes even more convinced that other dogs are bad news. Whenever another dog approaches, not only does the dog feel stressed about this potential danger, but it learns that abuse is forthcoming from its own handler. In the end, the dog becomes more worried and defensive about other dogs, and a vicious circle is created.

Dogs that try to run away from another dog in fear are less socially unacceptable, but are still stressed and uncomfortable about other dogs. Handlers of these dogs often try to reassure them with petting and cooing, but this can have the effect of strengthening the display of fear. The dog learns that if it shows fear, Mum will make a fuss of it, take it away from the other dog, or pick it up for a cuddle, so it continues to display fear.

In many ways, the approach to working with a dog that is either fear-aggressive or just fearful about other dogs is the same. There are three steps involved:

STEP 1: Prevent the approach of other dogs, or control approaches to a distance at which the dog feels relatively comfortable.

Every time a too-close approach triggers an aggressive or fearful response, the response becomes stronger and more likely to happen again. The dog gets to practice the response and learns that it is an effective way to get the reward of relief from the stress of a close approach.

While you are working on the problem, try to control 100% of the approaches by other dogs to a level your dog can handle without displaying either fear or aggression. Turn and take the dog away before the other dog comes too close. Be sure you can control your own dog as well as the approaching dog.

A strong or very excitable dog should probably wear a head halter to give you the control you’ll need. Try to keep the leash as loose as possible while taking you dog away, as tight leads tend to increase anxiety and reduce options.

STEP 2: Change the emotional response of your dog to the approach of other dogs.

The dog has learned to be anxious when another dog comes near. It can’t help that anxiety response, any more than you can stop yourself cringing when you see a huge spider or snake. But what if someone handed you a one hundred dollar bill every time you saw a spider? Your emotional response to spiders would become more positive!

For most dogs, the quickest way to induce a positive emotional state is to feed them. Eating is incompatible with fear. So, arm yourself with lots of tasty treats and go for a walk.

When you see another dog in the distance, as soon as your dog notices it but before it can become reactive, start feeding treat after treat and praising madly. Keep enough distance from the other dog that yours doesn’t go on full alert, and keep feeding. Turn and move away before the other dog is too close.

When the other dog recedes into the distance, stop feeding and start ignoring the dog. Repeat many, many times. Eventually, the dog will learn to be more relaxed about the approach of another dog, as it predicts wonderful food treats that are not otherwise available. Gradually, your dog will tolerate the other dog being closer, as its anxiety is replaced with happy anticipation.

STEP 3: Teach the dog to focus its’ attention on you.

Like people, dogs have only a limited amount of attention. If they are paying attention to one thing intently (you), they have little or no attention left for other things (an approaching dog). So teach your dog to direct its’ attention entirely to you, to make and hold eye contact with you or to touch its nose to your hand.

Heeling with eye contact is a great focusing exercise, as is sitting and gazing at the handler. Teach your focusing exercise away from other dogs at first, then in a variety of locations with interesting but not scary distractions, then when another dog is approaching but in the distance.

Very gradually build up your dog’s ability and desire to stay focused on you even when another dog is walked by fairly close to it. Use positive reinforcement with praise and food treats to build the dog’s willingness and ability to pay attention to you. Reward attention generously as another dog approaches, then turn and take your dog away from the other before it gets too close as an additional reward for sustaining calm focus.

Practiced diligently, these three activities will gradually reduce your dog’s anxiety about other dogs. Your dog may never become a social butterfly that is eager to meet any and all dogs, but it can learn to be more comfortable and less likely to lose it in the presence of other dogs.

Note that very similar steps can be used to desensitise dogs to other fears, such as fear of men or fear of loud trucks. Ask your instructor for more advice.

WALKING WITH A LOOSE LEASH

The information in this handout is intended as a general guide only

Does Your Dog Pull On Leash?

It’s not just your dog; it takes two to pull! Dogs do not pull if there is no one dangling at the end of the leash. Both you and your dog need to break old habits.

“Your dog pulls because someone, somewhere at some time, took a step forward when he put tension on the leash”

He continues to pull because it continues to be a rewarding experience. He pulls, and he gets to the car. He pulls and he gets to greet that other dog in class. He pulls and the neighbor lady across the street tells him how lovely he is, even though he is now not JUST pulling but is also climbing up the front of her with his muddy dog paws, to which she replies, “it’s ok, I don’t mind!”

“What gets rewarded gets repeated”

Here is the elusive answer to the ever present question of “how do I teach my dog not to pull?”

Don’t walk forward if there is tension on the leash.

Lets Practice!

Be prepared with lots of treats in your hand to give your dog when they do the right thing!

Start somewhere quiet like the backyard or in the house (Your dog is more likely to learn when there are fewer distractions).

Walk forward with the dog on your left. When the dog begins to pull on the lead –

• Stop
• Be a tree
• Wait for the dog to look at you and loosen the leash
• REWARD IMMEDIATELY
• Take another step or two until the dog starts pulling again.
• Stop
• Be a tree
• Wait for the loose leash, then reward.
• Repeat this process over and over.

The loose leash “magic” spot next to your leg should be the best place in the world for your dog to be. Using rewards and praise will make staying near you more rewarding than pretending to be a sled dog!

Sounds too simple doesn’t it?

Simply STOP every single time you note that the dog is about to put the slightest tension on the leash and the pulling will go away. (Yeah, right) No, honest – It really, really works! The truth is, that if you tire your dog out first with a good game of fetch and then take him for a walk in a quiet, non-distracting place every day this week with only ONE goal – to walk without tension and you absolutely refuse to take a single forward step when you feel tension on the leash – he will discover that pulling is “broken” and that the tension is a cue to slacken the lead. You will see the light bulb go on when he realizes this. If you are consistent and don’t give up, he will learn it. He will have good days and bad, but if you are diligent he will figure it out.

Part of the problem is that YOU want to get where you are going as much as your dog does.
Responding to your dog’s pull has been rewarding to you, too. You are probably thinking right this instant: “How will I ever get to the car, the park, the house, by standing still for heaven’s sake?”

Next we must break YOUR habit!

It is as much an ingrained habit to you as it is your dog. He cues you to take that step by putting tension on the leash and you dutifully obey. He has trained you to respond and you are fluent in the art of following his lead. You do it without thinking. He pulls without thinking.

Be consistent.

Don’t have a great training session and have super results and then mess it up and undo all the hard work you’ve done by allowing your dog to drag you to the car when you are late to leave for the park, or class. You must never move forward when the leash is tight. Put all your supplies in the car first so you aren’t juggling your purse and can concentrate on your dog. Do one step- wait for loose leash, one step –wait for loose leash, one step –wait for loose leash all the way to the car if necessary, but DO NOT allow your dog to drag you where he wants to go.

Try not holding the leash with your hand. No, that doesn’t mean turn your dog loose to run in traffic -TIE THE LEASH SECURELY

TO YOUR WAIST OR STRONG BELT – or better yet, use a waist leash, and go hands-free. This will keep you from pulling. The only thing in your hand is your food reward or a favourite toy hidden in your pocket. These items will be delivered when the dog makes the right choice. If you “feel” your dog decide not to pull, PRAISE AND REWARD lavishly!!! Reward any lessening of the tension by proceeding forward. Deliver the reward at the seam of your pant leg as you step in next to your dog to reinforce that magic position.

“But he keeps pulling when I stop”

Stop for a couple of seconds and wait, if your dog continues to strain like a maniac, turn abruptly and walk away from your dog (imagine you are facing 12 on the clock, you are going to turn and head for 4 o’clock.) The diagonal direction will set him off balance and he will turn toward you, as he catches up. PRAISE and deliver a treat in heel position next to the seam of your pant leg (this assumes that the dog is walking on your left side. If he is on your right, you will turn and head for 8 o’clock), then continue on your way.

Manage the pulling

It is very important to teach your dog NOT to pull. However, while you are working towards change, there are ways to manage pulling.

There are several helpful products available in pet shops, vets or the AWL shop.

The “Halti‟ and “Gentle Leader‟ are both halters which fit around the dogs nose and neck and work in the same way as a halter on a horse. They work very well in most dog breeds. They don‟t fit very well on dogs with small faces (such as pugs).

Dogs wearing the halters are still able to eat, bark, and play – they just can‟t pull!

There are several types of harnesses which fit under the dogs legs and attach between the shoulders. They are also helpful in preventing pulling.

Remember: Be consistent. NEVER move forward when the lead is tight.

This is a battle you CAN win!

You should always be mindful of your dog’s overall health. Knowing the warning signs and what to look out for just might save your dog’s life and excessive vet treatments, if you notice any of the below signs in your dog contact your vet – it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What to examine & What to look out for

• Eyes – Pupils dilated, different sizes or sunken eyes
• Ears – Redness on the inside of the ear, yellow, flaky, bad odours with excessive wax or pus
• Mouth – Ulcers, foreign bodies or problems with teeth
• Chest – Abnormal lung sounds, abnormal heart sounds or beat
• Abdomen – Swelling, lumps or bumps
• Temperature – Normal is 38 degrees celsius
• Overall condition – Flaky or greasy skin, any bumps or excessive hair loss, severe weight change
• Behaviour – Note eating/drinking, change to temperament, quiet/lethargic

Foods to avoid

• Alcohol
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Chocolate
• Cigarettes, tobacco & cigars
• Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffine)
• Cooked bones
• Corn cobs
• Fruit pips
• Hops (used in home brewing)
• Mouldy/spoiled foods
• Onions & garlic
• Potato peelings and green looking potatos
• Raisins and grapes
• Rhubarb leaves
• Tomato leaves & stems
• Yeast dough

If you are notice any of the changes listed above or you are concerned for your dog’s health, contact your vet immediately. You can also book an appointment at one of the AWLQ Community Vet Clinics.