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.

Yesterday, I received a call from a former client telling me her dog has begun growling at her outdoors in the evening. Strangely, this new behavior began when she was ready for bed and asking him to come indoors. She wanted me to come over and correct this odd new behavior. I asked her to describe the issue. She said that her dog seemed spooked and would sort of hide in the back of the yard and as she approached him he began to growl. I asked her to describe what she did prior to leaving him in the yard. She confidently said that all she did was give him a bone while she was out and let him outdoors to enjoy the summer evening for a few hours. Bingo! Hello?

Giving a dog a bone outdoors can create problems like digging and territorial behaviors. Some dogs hide the bones and in the evening it can draw other animals to it. Not a good idea!

If leaving your dog in the yard for a few hours, exercise him first, then leave hard rubber toys or a ball to enjoy, instead.

Here’s my fun Paws for a Minuteâ„¢ 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!

Maggie

Dear Inger,

My 4-year-old Goldendoodle, Maggie, has a bad habit.  In her puppy days I was very proactive in teaching her to not become possessive with her food.  To this day she is fine with me touching her or her food while she eats.  However, she gets possessive when she gets a hold of something she knows she isn’t supposed to have- whether it’s bread from the counter or something that might look like a toy.  Once she gets a hold of these no-no’s it nearly impossible to get it back.  The more aggressive I am to get it back from her the more growling and snapping she does.  I have tried to be less aggressive and coax her away from it with treats but she still rarely lets it go.  The reason I am asking for help is because I really can’t leave her with anyone besides my immediate family because I’m afraid she’ll snap at someone.  I want to get a roommate but feel like I can’t until I can solve this dilemma.  Also, I’m afraid if she got a hold of something that could really hurt her I wouldn’t be able to get it back!

Thanks for your help!

Amy F.

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Hi Amy,

Well, the answer to this question has many layers to it! Firstly, there are two phrases you used in describing your situation with Maggie that jumped out at me and concerned me!  You described your behaviors as, “The more aggressive I am to get it back the more growling and snapping she does,” and “trying to be less aggressive and coaxing her away from the object with treats.” Those two “owner” behaviors of aggressively approaching a dog to get a toy or object back and/or even coaxing will pretty much assure automatic misbehaviors in dogs. Why? Because the action of  chasing and your body language of cornering a dog will create a possessive reaction. This is how she would respond to another dog wanting what she is possessing. Coaxing your dog is like begging and sends a signal to your dog that she has the power and guess what, she does!

What you need to do is guide her and be a little smarter than your Goldendoodle. First of  all, a little on leash training in the house is in order. Maggie seems to be lacking positive boundaries and structure in her daily routine. One way to establish that is to put the leash on and do a 5 or 10 minute training session with her in the house. This is not meant to be a punishment or discipline! Just a few minutes of basic commands on a leash. Basics like heel, sit, stay and come! Doing this on a leash creates eye contact from her to you. This also helps her understand how to please you and reverses the pecking order that has developed. Using a happy voice makes it fun! This creates a little structure, which Maggie needs.

Another tip is to never chase her when she has an object. Puppy proof  your house as much as possible, for now. Teach her how to play hide and seek. One person holds her by her collar in the house and the other person hides with a treat. The person hiding should call Maggie repeatedly. The person holding Maggie’s collar should let let her go on the third call of her name. The person hiding should continue calling her until she finds them. Once found, gesture the letter ‘J” while holding the treat and say, “Sit,” and give her the treat. Voila! You will have just taught her to seek you out based on her name. This game will teach Maggie to come instantly and she will associate seeking you out by hearing her name. This game will become a habit. Instead of chasing her, she will learn to seek you out. Remember, you can not fight aggression with aggression. Use a little reverse psychology instead and be smarter than Maggie.

Good luck!

Inger

If your dog has the, “Call of the Wild” fever and this scene is familiar to you, that means trouble! You should always be able to take a bone away from the family dog without him growling. If you can’t, seek out professional help. And remember, never leave bones lying around in the backyard. This can create aggression over time!

Hi there,

Here is my quick tip of the day!

Many of my dog clients over the years have made a common mistake that creates aggression. Innocently I might add, but never the less a bad mistake. Giving your dog a bone to chew outdoors is a huge contributer to aggression. No matter what breed of dog small or large, allowing your dog to chew a bone outdoors can create potential barking, digging, territorial behavior, growling, dog fights, and harm to children. Don’t do it. Give your dog a delicious bone indoors and create a bone chewing time, supervised. This is the best way for you both to relax.

Paws For A Minuteâ„¢ Quick Tip For Parents!

An important tip for parents with young children is to teach your dog not to become territorial over their food bowl. One of the best ways to do this for parents is to occasionally hand feed your dog just a few servings every so often to get your dog used to sharing food. For parents with toddlers, try baby-gating your dog indoors in a central area such as your kitchen or hallway. For busy moms this will ensure safety and allow your dog to eat and socialize to the sounds of your children!

All dogs need to chew! Chewing is a function, not a behavior. What they chew on over time can become a behavior, like for example: chewing your shoe. That’s why training is key. I know most people “wing it.” They assume their dog will understand in time or grow out of  the “puppy stage.” However, the issue can become far more complex than that! If training and owner understanding isn’t handled properly, other problems can develop including aggression, territorial behavior, destruction due to anxiety, and the list goes on…

Paws For A Minuteâ„¢ … Bone-a-fide Facts!

1. Don’t give your dog bones outdoors. This promotes digging and can create territorial behavior.

2. Make sure that the bone is a marrow bone and not a steak or chicken bone that can splinter. Ask your vet about different bone choices that are right for your dog.

3. Multiple dog owners should consider a separation training exercise for bone chewing time. Not all dogs have issues with chewing. Two young dogs together will chew happily side by side. Add an age difference between two dogs and you might have trouble. Gating or crating one just for bone chewing time might be your answer on that dilemma.

4. If your dog growls or shows his teeth while chewing a bone at you or another dog in your household–it is not OK. That’s your signal for trouble ahead. Leash training and obedience class is a must.

5. Each stage of a dog’s life has different chewing needs. Stay tuned as to what they are…

6. Hold your dogs bone for a few minutes while he chews it. This is a great way to teach your dog to share.

7. Unless your dog is well and formally trained do not leave bones out around children. If your dog is territorial around a bone in the least, a child will become a target. Always use foresight! It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.

This is an important tip for parents of infant children. Before long, your baby will be a toddler and your dog will become a moving target of affection!

Preparing your dog for this is a good idea and a great way to get your dog to tolerate touch is to brush him for a few minutes every day. Put your dog on a leash and gently brush him. The leash will help guide your dog to relax and keep things calm. Brushing your dog will teach him to accept being touched everywhere, including his tail!

Thinking of letting your dog or cat clean your plate? Think again. There are tons of foods that can have dangerous and severe effects on your pets!

Milk: Although commonly thought of as a cat’s favorite treat, pets do not possess the proper levels of lactase that allow them to break down lactose in milk products. Symptoms include diarrhea or digestive upset.

Grapes and raisins: The toxic substance in this fruit is unknown, but can have dramatic effects on animals with existing health issues leading to possible kidney failure.

Chocolate, coffee, caffeine: Cacao seeds contain methylxanthines. The lowest level is found in white chocolate and the highest (and most dangerous) is found in dark and baking chocolate. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and possibly death.

Yeast dough: When baked and fully risen, a small amount of bread is OK as a treat, as long as it is not more than 10% of your pet’s caloric intake. When eaten raw, yeast dough will rise and cause gas to accumulate in the digestive system, potentially rupturing the intestines.

Alcohol: A bad idea all around, giving your pet this beverage can potentially cause vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, blood acidity, coma or death.

Avocado: This fruit contains Persin which can cause diarrhea in dogs. Ingestion can be fatal for birds and smaller pets.

Raw meat, eggs, and bones: Raw meat and eggs contain bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Raw eggs also contain the enzyme avidin which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which could potentially lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding a pet raw bones is dangerous since a piece could splinter off and puncture or get lodged in the digestive tract.

Macadamia nuts: In dogs, this food has caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia, with symptoms usually appearing within 12 hours of ingestion.

Salt: Feeding a pet salty foods can cause excessive thirst and urination and even sodium ion poisoning. Other symptoms include vomiting, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and death.

Onions, garlic, chives: Cats are more sensitive to these foods which can cause gastrointestinal irritation in all pets. Large quantities can cause red blood cell damage.

Xylitol: This sweetener found in many products (gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste) can cause insulin release, leading to liver failure and hypoglycemia along with seizures.