I would like to introduce you to a dog named Jake. He is in what in human terms most psychologist would call passive aggressive. Only in terms of how he displays his affections, though! I don’t mean to make light of this situation because any aggression in a dog is not good. However, what I’m about to share with you is important for dog owners to realize and learn. Sometimes slight gestures and reactions or even non-reactions on the part of the dog owner can contribute to your dogs behavior! What do I mean? Well.. keep reading some of this information may ring a bell for you or someone you know that has a dog with similar issue’s.

In Jake’s case he is never aggressive with food or while going or on trips to the park.. of course! At least those were the words used by Jake’s owner to describe the unwanted behavior he wanted to change in his beloved dog. So after hearing the many stories of how Jakes greets the mailman I decided to delve further into investigation as to how, why and when this behavior happened.

Sweet most of the time, but Jake’s energy range goes from energetic to slug at different intervoles throughout the day and then suddenly when the mailman approaches psycho-dog! Then like clockwork, the mailman approached. Jake was in his usual “lounge lizzard” position draped over his usual chair, and then like a rocket, jumped out of the chair, and fired off his machine ( I’m gonna kill you) bark, upon hearing the rattle of the mailman open the mail box. Needless to say, this was not good.

O.k. so a lot of issues, right? I think many dog owners could use a basic understanding of how these behaviors develop and then that can the cure. Firstly, many (not all) dogs are not so mailman aggressive one would think. Actually, it’s the noise of the chain or opening of the mail slot they are hearing and usually barking at. In Jake’s case, he was not able to see the mailman, he just heard the mail being dropped in slot. So what to do?

Here are a few suggestions that I gave Jake’s owner. Dog’s respond to repetition and consistency in both the positive and the negative sense. Jake’s owner did not correct this behavior. Sure he said no, but after the fact. What was needed was to change the place Jake hung out on a daily basis, at least during the few hours a day that the mailman comes. By using a baby gate and creating a new space in the kitchen or hallway, just for a few hours, creates a positive boundary. Secondly, music would help drown out the alert cues of Jake’s hobby of listening to the mailman coming. A third option was to create a mail basket instead of opening the slot. If a behavior is allowed to be repeated such as daily barking then over time this can get out of hand and a really bad accident can happen. Dog owner awareness is key!

P.s. If you, as a dog owner, find that your dog is “over the top” aggressive toward people approaching your yard or property always seek professional help from a dog trainer in your area.

Crate training your puppy should happen in phases depending on your dogs age. For example, very young puppies should be socialized into the crate slowly over a period of time, even a few weeks, before the door is shut. Once your dog  can hold the urge to go to the bathroom all night,  you can then shut the crate door for a few hours a day to begin with. Remember, your daily routine is key. You should always give your dog lot’s of walks, exercise and hang time with you, as well as crating time even when your home. This is really important to realize. Many  people crate their dog only when they leave and the crate is associated with abandonment when it really should be thought of as the a plush condo. The length of crate training will depend on your lifestyle, work habits, age of your dog, and training that you have given while raising your dog. Obedience training ( heel, sit , stay , down and come) creates a language and allows you to develop trust. The rest takes time just like any other relationship. How do you know when you can stop crate training your dog? You’ll know. There will be no accidents for months, nothing chewed up during your dogs free time loose in the house and you’ll just know!

Friday the 13th scary face? Well you might be familiar with face or know of someone who has a little dog that that will take your face off when going over to their house. Not good! When a dog shows his teeth and growls that’s a clear warning which usually comes before a bite. In other words, the translation from the dog becomes if you take one more step closer, I’ll bite you. Why do some dogs get to this place of protection? Usually dogs who growl or show their teeth in self defense are not trained and socialized. What I mean by that is proper boundaries have not been set. I don’t mean discipline, I mean boundaries. Boundaries can be positive. Training a dog to learn basic obedience ( heel, sit ,stay ,down and come on a leash helps create eye contact and a positive boundary. The process of training also allows you to verbally and physically praise your dog for accomplishing something! These steps create a foundation and teaches your dog that through learning these steps your dog is able to please you. If you own a little dog who is sweet to you and then decides who he/she likes it becomes confusing to your dog that you are not redirecting him. Therefore, he/she will take over the territory (your house) and deem anyone else a threat to his territory, This behavior can happen to many little dogs from over coddling as a form of affection rather than praising your do for accomplishing a command.

Here’s my fun Paws for a Minute™ quick tip!

Get a treat and put it in your back pocket. Use your body language to get your dog to come to you. Clap and praise your dog. As your dog approaches you reach into your back pocket, put the treat into your right hand and suddenly stand up! With your right hand ( the hand that’s holding the treat)  gesture the letter “j” or an upside down candy cane and say sit as you motion to your dog. That’s the training hand signal for sit! Your dog will focus on your hand and also smell the treat and drop the ball. When he spit’s out the ball give him the treat as you pick up the object he’s dropped!

* Tip: Fido Fact! Don’t chase your dog to get an object away from him. Hello? By doing that you are only teaching your dog to run away from you!

This is a great question that I get asked often! The answer may surprise you! Training your dog should be  is much like driving your car. It’s a step-by-step process that once understood, should be applied here an there within your daily routine, in and around your house. Dog training helps dominant and hyper dogs become calmer because the training and commands give them something to do with their energy. It also helps shy dogs become more confident because you are giving them boundaries on a leash and creating structure for them. All training should be taught at in the beginning on a leash. Then graduating over time to off leash commands. The problem for many dog owners is that they feel their dog should know how to be good, not bolt out the front door, or drag you down the street! Really though, it boils down to the dog owners application, consistency of teaching their dog in those locations where the commands are most needed, used or applied.

What I tell all my private clients to do, is to make a list of their vision of Lassie. To think about what areas in the house they most have difficulties with their dog. For example, if your dog is annoying you during meals. Then apply the stay command (on leash) and practice the command in that location. The main issue for many dog owners is that the concept of training becomes a huge task that never gets thoroughly finished. Sure you may practice training your dog in a group class and achieve some basics. But are you applying the same commands at home? My advice is to train your dog 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there, in and around your daily life. Once both of you are in sync and have created a trusting partnership, you can then apply the commands off leash.

Meet Maddox! A year old Pitt Bull/Pointer mix shelter pup from North Carolina who was rescued by two amazing college students attempting to do the right thing. While in his foster home he began mouthing and rough play to indicate wanting attention such as nipping, biting and tackling the girls when they walked across the room! If this sounds familiar to you, keep reading. General bratty behavior hit an all time high when he nearly drew blood. The girls called me seeking advice and I thought I would share this case with all of you who may have a similar issue.

To be clear, Maddox’s behavior is described by the girls as very playful and just plain BRATTY, not aggressive. No growling or showing teeth or food possessiveness. Just jumping up and wanting to play very dominantly. He would not take the word “No!” for an answer!

They told me they would have no choice but to but him in his crate as a punishment or a time out and then shut the door.

All righty, well here goes the answer as to why a dog like Maddox has these issues and how in the hell you go about resolving this behavior . A large part of why I have this blog for you all is to help with problems like this one so that dogs like Maddox don’t end up back in the shelter. Keep reading…

The “Heel” command signals a forward motion, functioning as a gas pedal. The word “Heel” tells your dog to walk at your side. It is quite simple. The leash lets you indicate to your pup how fast you want to walk and saying “Heel” reinforces the message.

Just as the steering wheel is on the left in a car, the dog should be on your left-hand side as you walk. To turn right or left, you signal to your dog through quick snaps of the leash in the direction you want to go.

The direction is further set by body motion. If you want to turn right, then walk to the right. If your dog is pulling you, then turn and walk in the opposite direction, saying “Heel” in a nice voice. He will have no choice but to follow you. After all, you are the driver, and he is on a leash. To indicate a stop, pull up on the leash, saying “Sit.”

How to teach your dog to “Heel”:

1. Have your dog “Sit” next to you on your left-hand side. Hold the leash in your right hand, then say “Heel” in a happy voice and start walking.

2. Say “Heel” or “Let’s go” and give frequent snaps of the leash, indicating how fast you want to go. Don’t forget to tell your pup what a good job he’s doing.

3. If you dog begins to pull on the leash, pivot quickly in the opposite direction and say “Heel” in a happy voice. Then resume walking.

4. To stop your dog, stop walking a pull up on the leash, saying “Sit” in a nice voice. If you dog doesn’t sit right away, repeat the word “Sit” while simultaneously pulling up on the leash again, repeating until your dog obeys.

Dog owners need to gain confidence in using the leash. As in driving a car, practice makes perfect. Otherwise, your dog will be zooming down the sidewalk at a hundred miles an hour, with you in the backseat!

Continued from the June 30th post…

I showed Jill and David gentle guidance of Bro on a leash into the kitchen area, rather than having to beg, coax or grab his collar. Then once in the kitchen area I pulled up on the leash while asking Bro to “Sit” and “Wait.” I slowly put up the baby gate and removed the leash. I then gave Bro a bone to chew on. David watched with skepticism. This gating exercise was not a punishment. It created a positive boundary for Bro, and calmed him down and taught him to “Wait.” It also enabled Jill and David to open the front door without having to wrestle an eighty- pound dog.  Gating Bro in the kitchen and giving him a bone helped reduce his anxiety. Both David and Jill knew when guests were coming over and when gating Bro would be best. So when the doorbell rang he was not able to rush the front door. You are then able to correct him by saying “No!” Additionally, you can shake a penny can. “Penny can?” “Yes. I happen to have an empty coffee can right here.”  I reached in my bag and pulled out a Folgers coffee can.  Put a hand full of pennies in it and the lid back on it. Voila, a penny can. The noise represents a sanction.  I explained the similarity to a police car pulling us over for speeding. Jill and David got the picture. Keep reading…

In my career, I have seen sweet Pitt Bulls and Dobermans, and snappy Poodles and Chihuahuas that could take your face off. Whatever the size of dog, dog owners need to become aware of the warning signs that a dog develops along the way. Sometimes the lack of correction by dog owners in certain seemingly benign situations, like greeting guests at the front door, can contribute and cause a dog to eventually become aggressive or even bite!

Recently, for example, I received a call to help a cute couple, Jill and David, who owned an unruly 18-month-old blonde Labrador Retriever named Bro.  There main concern was that Bro was rambunctious when guests came to the door. That was a complete understatement!  A more accurate depiction was to pass out full body gear for guests and possibly a release form upon entering. I heard Bro barking with the excitement of a bird dog on a hunt, his nails slowly digging into the wood grain as if he were trying to get through the front door. Then David’s voice echoed over the courtyard of the apartment complex, “NO! Bro!” A wrestling match ensued while David attempted to use brute force trying to grab his collar in order to open the front door. “Wow,” I thought. “There has got to be an easier way for them.”

Again, feeling a little like the Feng Shui with Fido™ super hero for dog owners, I entered and squeezed my body through the tiny crack allotted at the front door. Trying not to let Bro escape, I got in.  That moment the apologies began. “It’s Ok.” I chanted, “That’s why I’m here.” “See what my guests have to endure!” Gasped David. “Well, yes I do” I replied.  David continued to reprimand Bro verbally because he was so embarrassed and mad at his behavior while Jill smiled as if to assure me that he was actually a very sweet dog.

We discussed Bro’s exercise routines because they had just recently moved into an apartment from a house.  He was going to the park three times a week and walked everyday, which was good. I suggested that they teach Bro how to “Wait” behind a baby gate. To allow this behavior to continue to happen was crazy. To yell, “NO!” at Bro did absolutely nothing and wrestling him to the ground gave David an aerobic workout—but that was about it.  David nodded in agreement. I explained that they both had to use the same technique because Bro was defiantly getting mixed signals.  Jill was doing nothing at the front door and David was trying to muscle Bro’s bad behavior into submission.

…Want to know how I solved Bro’s bad behavior? Stay tuned!

Is your dog a watch dog? Does he bark at the doorbell? Go crazy over other dogs who pass by your house? What constitutes a good guard dog? Well oddly enough, a good watch dog does not go crazy over every movement or sound. A good watch dog is well trained and well socialized to people, children and other dogs. They are not overly aggressive in nature. Yes, it’s true, many breeds such as the German Shepherd Dog, Doberman, Rottweiler, Bullmastiff and  Giant Schnauzer have dominant and self assured temperaments, but don’t confuse that with aggression. A good watch dog should never be aggressive. Their job is to alert the owner and guard the property, never bite. Mean and unpredictable dogs are just not raised properly, it is not a breed issue.