Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Ten Rules to Housetrain Your Dog in Ten Days.
Depending on your dog, your family and your lifestyle, housetraining a dog can be anywhere from easy, to almost impossible. Many dog owners get lucky and in spite of mistakes they unknowingly make, they find themselves with a housetrained dog. On the other hand, some dog owners need help from a dog trainer or dog behavior counselor. Even a small number of these pet owners may become desperate when everything they do, even under professional counsel, seems futile.
The more difficult house training cases to crack are those of dogs that, by mistake, have become ‘reverse’ house-trained by their owners. ‘Reverse’ house-training results when dogs have been allowed to go to the bathroom inside the home and then been inadvertently reinforced for doing so. Another difficult house-training example to correct includes puppies from pet stores, puppy mills and backyard breeders where the puppies have been raised in contained, unsanitary conditions. Since they have no alternative these puppies eat and sleep in the same area they use as their bathroom.
So, when you bring a new puppy or rescue dog into your home, or if have an older dog that is not yet house-trained, follow our “Ten Rules to House-training” and you should be relieved (no pun intended) to find in ten days you have a house-trained dog.
Managing the Environment
1. The first thing you need to do before you start your house-training plan is to ensure your home is free from urine stains and residual odors. Purchase a black light and a pet odor remover from your local pet store. When it is dark, turn off all the lights and thoroughly inspect your home, carpets, furniture and tiled area. The black light will reveal any old stains so you can effectively clean and remove them. There are many very effective pet stain/odor cleaning products available on the market.
2. If you don’t already have one, purchase a good quality wire crate that is large enough for your dog to stand up, lie down and turn around in. Position the crate in a quiet, but not isolated part of your home. You will also need three Kongs (chew toys you can stuff with treats), a squeaky toy, a nylon collar and a 6 foot nylon leash.
3. Develop and follow a 24 hour management schedule of potty breaks. This is critical because you don’t want your puppy to have an accident. Your schedule should include meals, play time, training time, bathroom breaks and sleep time for the entire 10 day program. Bathroom breaks should be scheduled every four hours except overnight when you can allow 6 hours. The plan should also include two or three feeding sessions, one in the morning, one midday and the last one no later than 6pm. Your dog should not have access to drinking water after 8pm or three hours before it goes into its crate to sleep for the night.
4. If you can’t be home during the midday break, either schedule some time off work or hire a dog walker or pet sitter that can help you with that portion of your house-training schedule. This will be vital for success.
5. Keep a daily journal on your dog’s eating schedule and bathroom habits. Note when your dog urinates and defecates. Note the exact time your dog eats and any other treats it is given during the day. Your journal will help you determine how long after eating and drinking your dog typically needs to use the bathroom. You can use this information to adjust your schedule if necessary.
6. Your dog’s day will include meals, sleep, play, training and bathroom breaks. During each of these periods the dog is either in its crate or tethered to you. Give your dog a Kong stuffed with yummy treats for mental enrichment while it is in its crate. Your dog must be supervised 100% of the time during the house-training period. When the dog is tethered to you, watch for signs of needing to go to the bathroom. If you notice your dog sniffing the ground, walking in circles or looking uncomfortable then quickly take the dog outside to its designated bathroom area and follow rule number 7.
Training the Behavior
1. At the scheduled bathroom times take your dog from its crate, on a leash, and take it to its designated bathroom area. Keep your dog on its 6 foot leash but let it explore while you stand in one spot. Initially ignore your dog. Because your dog isn’t getting any attention from you and there will be limited things of interest to explore in the restricted area defined by the leash, your dog will eventually go to the bathroom.
2. Once your dog has finished, praise it with ‘good doggie.’ Give it lots of attention and treats. Have a little celebration with your dog. This lets your dog know that its behavior is remarkable and deserves praise. You MUST create a situation where your dog wants to go to the bathroom in that particular area.
3. Only after your dog has been to the bathroom should it be let off the leash to play or taken for its ‘long’ walk. This ensures that your dog will soon learn that the more quickly it completes its bathroom behavior the more quickly it gets its reward of treats, play, its walk or all three. ALWAYS exercise or play with or train your dog for at least ten minutes before you take it back inside to its crate.
Developing the Relationship
1. Show your dog you are a trusting and benevolent leader. Never punish your dog for mistakes. Your dog’s accidents are your accidents. If, as described in rule 6, you notice your dog displaying signs of needing the bathroom while inside and you are slow getting your dog outside, simply get their attention with a loud clap of your hands and immediately take your dog outside to their bathroom area (you can clean up any inside accident later).
When dogs are exposed to consistent, accident-free house-training systems you will be surprised at how quickly they learn. With the right level of commitment and conscientious use of a training schedule you can train a dog to be solidly house-trained in ten days.
For a FREE copy of the House training plan contact your local DogSmith www.DogSmith.com or 1-888-Dog-Smith (364-7648)
The more difficult house training cases to crack are those of dogs that, by mistake, have become ‘reverse’ house-trained by their owners. ‘Reverse’ house-training results when dogs have been allowed to go to the bathroom inside the home and then been inadvertently reinforced for doing so. Another difficult house-training example to correct includes puppies from pet stores, puppy mills and backyard breeders where the puppies have been raised in contained, unsanitary conditions. Since they have no alternative these puppies eat and sleep in the same area they use as their bathroom.
So, when you bring a new puppy or rescue dog into your home, or if have an older dog that is not yet house-trained, follow our “Ten Rules to House-training” and you should be relieved (no pun intended) to find in ten days you have a house-trained dog.
Managing the Environment
1. The first thing you need to do before you start your house-training plan is to ensure your home is free from urine stains and residual odors. Purchase a black light and a pet odor remover from your local pet store. When it is dark, turn off all the lights and thoroughly inspect your home, carpets, furniture and tiled area. The black light will reveal any old stains so you can effectively clean and remove them. There are many very effective pet stain/odor cleaning products available on the market.
2. If you don’t already have one, purchase a good quality wire crate that is large enough for your dog to stand up, lie down and turn around in. Position the crate in a quiet, but not isolated part of your home. You will also need three Kongs (chew toys you can stuff with treats), a squeaky toy, a nylon collar and a 6 foot nylon leash.
3. Develop and follow a 24 hour management schedule of potty breaks. This is critical because you don’t want your puppy to have an accident. Your schedule should include meals, play time, training time, bathroom breaks and sleep time for the entire 10 day program. Bathroom breaks should be scheduled every four hours except overnight when you can allow 6 hours. The plan should also include two or three feeding sessions, one in the morning, one midday and the last one no later than 6pm. Your dog should not have access to drinking water after 8pm or three hours before it goes into its crate to sleep for the night.
4. If you can’t be home during the midday break, either schedule some time off work or hire a dog walker or pet sitter that can help you with that portion of your house-training schedule. This will be vital for success.
5. Keep a daily journal on your dog’s eating schedule and bathroom habits. Note when your dog urinates and defecates. Note the exact time your dog eats and any other treats it is given during the day. Your journal will help you determine how long after eating and drinking your dog typically needs to use the bathroom. You can use this information to adjust your schedule if necessary.
6. Your dog’s day will include meals, sleep, play, training and bathroom breaks. During each of these periods the dog is either in its crate or tethered to you. Give your dog a Kong stuffed with yummy treats for mental enrichment while it is in its crate. Your dog must be supervised 100% of the time during the house-training period. When the dog is tethered to you, watch for signs of needing to go to the bathroom. If you notice your dog sniffing the ground, walking in circles or looking uncomfortable then quickly take the dog outside to its designated bathroom area and follow rule number 7.
Training the Behavior
1. At the scheduled bathroom times take your dog from its crate, on a leash, and take it to its designated bathroom area. Keep your dog on its 6 foot leash but let it explore while you stand in one spot. Initially ignore your dog. Because your dog isn’t getting any attention from you and there will be limited things of interest to explore in the restricted area defined by the leash, your dog will eventually go to the bathroom.
2. Once your dog has finished, praise it with ‘good doggie.’ Give it lots of attention and treats. Have a little celebration with your dog. This lets your dog know that its behavior is remarkable and deserves praise. You MUST create a situation where your dog wants to go to the bathroom in that particular area.
3. Only after your dog has been to the bathroom should it be let off the leash to play or taken for its ‘long’ walk. This ensures that your dog will soon learn that the more quickly it completes its bathroom behavior the more quickly it gets its reward of treats, play, its walk or all three. ALWAYS exercise or play with or train your dog for at least ten minutes before you take it back inside to its crate.
Developing the Relationship
1. Show your dog you are a trusting and benevolent leader. Never punish your dog for mistakes. Your dog’s accidents are your accidents. If, as described in rule 6, you notice your dog displaying signs of needing the bathroom while inside and you are slow getting your dog outside, simply get their attention with a loud clap of your hands and immediately take your dog outside to their bathroom area (you can clean up any inside accident later).
When dogs are exposed to consistent, accident-free house-training systems you will be surprised at how quickly they learn. With the right level of commitment and conscientious use of a training schedule you can train a dog to be solidly house-trained in ten days.
For a FREE copy of the House training plan contact your local DogSmith www.DogSmith.com or 1-888-Dog-Smith (364-7648)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Whispering is not Enough, Learn to Talk Dog – They will love you for it!
All behaviors that dogs exhibit are designed to either access pleasurable situations or avoid and escape unpleasant situations. A dog’s communication systems are much ritualized and designed to avoid or cutoff conflict. This has made dogs as a species very successful in terms of their numbers and their variety. Things go awry when we humans misread the signals dogs send us leaving them helpless to effectively communicate their feelings to us. We cannot know or understand what dogs think and vice-versa. What we can do is understand canine body language, observe them as we interact with them and then respond appropriately. ‘Talking dog’ is simple if you remember a few important rules and it will make interacting with dogs fun and safe. The dogs you come into contact with will really appreciate it.
The types of social behaviors dogs demonstrate can be broadly grouped into either distance decreasing or distance increasing. A dog uses distance decreasing behaviors to promote approach, play and continued interaction. A lumbering soft gait, relaxed body and a relaxed face indicate the dog is encouraging interaction. Dogs who want to engage in play will demonstrate the ‘play bow,’ a posture where the dog bows the front of his/her body so that the front legs are parallel to the ground while the hindquarters remain in the standing position, the dog may offer you a paw, lean into you or rub against you.
Distance increasing signals vary and can be easily misread. The distance increasing signals we all seem to ‘get’ are when a dog stands upright making each part of their body appear as large as possible, weight on the front legs, upright tail, upright ears, piloerection (the hair on their back stands up), and the dog will bark or growl. We seem to instinctively react to these signals and take them as the warning they are.
The distance increasing signals that we commonly misinterpret are the more appeasing behaviors dogs demonstrate. Dogs use these appeasement behaviors to make friendly encounters more reliable and to help them pacify what they anticipate to be a hostile encounter if escape is impossible for them. These behaviors are a nonaggressive way to ‘cut off’ conflict. When a dog displays these behaviors we have to recognize that this is the dog’s way of showing us that they are unsure and a little scared.
You may see appeasement signals in one of two ways. Passive appeasement behaviors are easily misunderstood and are often labeled as ‘submissive.’ Dogs displaying passive appeasement will present themselves in a recumbent position exposing the underside of their body. The dog’s ears are typically back and down against the head and the tail is often tucked between the upper legs. Sometimes the dog will expel a small amount of urine while it waits for the attention to cease. The active appeasement dog is often incorrectly labeled as ‘excited’ or ‘overly friendly.’ They will often approach you with the whole rear-end wagging in a “U†shape allowing both its face and genital area to be inspected and they may be desperate to jump up and ‘get in your face’.
For humans then, it is important when meeting and greeting dogs to be able to recognize if a dog is friendly and wanting to greet you or if the dog is experiencing stress or fear. A conflicted dog will want to approach but is too scared or unsure of the outcome. Their body language will vacillate between displays of distance decreasing behaviors and distance increasing behaviors. Interacting with a dog that is conflicted can be risky. If you make a wrong move and the dog cannot avoid the approach then they may become aggressive. This is often the case with a fear biter. If a dog is demonstrating ambivalent, mixed signals then it is advisable to avoid sudden movements, and to allow the dog an escape route. Don’t force the meet and greet by moving toward the dog or having the dogs’ owner manipulate the dog toward you.
In general when you meet and greet a dog make sure you have a relaxed posture. Let the dog approach you, turn slightly to the side as this is less threatening for the dog than you standing in a full frontal position leaning over them. Always ask permission from the dog’s owner to pet their dog. Talk gently to the dog without making eye contact. It helps to crouch down and keep your hands by your side without making any sudden movements. When you have determined the dog is not showing any signs of stress or fear and their body language is relaxed and happy then you can slowly move your hand under their chin to stroke them. If the dog is showing passive appeasement signals, as described above, then step away, give them space and allow them to approach you on their terms and in their preferred timing.
It is important that we recognize a dog’s “cut off’ behaviors. ‘Cut off’ behaviors are designed to cut off the social contact. If, when greeting a dog, you don’t recognize that the dog is scared or stressed or you choose to ignore the dog’s communication and push forward with your approach you are unfairly pushing the dog into a situation where it may only be left with one option and not a favorable option to either dog or human.
Dogs will typically give plenty of warning if they are uncomfortable with something that another dog or a person is doing. These warning signs may include a direct stare, a rigid body, a growl and showing “whale eye†(flashing the whites of their eyes). The dog’s ears will be flat against the head and they may have a closed tense mouth, if you see any of these signals then stop what you are doing immediately and allow the dog to slowly back away.
Dogs are wonderful animals that love and need to be a part of our social lives. But, like people, their personalities range from being social butterflies to wallflowers. Tailor your approach and greeting style based on the communication they are giving you. Dogs are very clear with their intentions and emotions and respond appropriately to ours. Remember our body language and approach speaks louder than our words to a dog.
Niki Tudge is the owner and founder of The DogSmith, America’s Dog Training, Dog Walking and Pet Care Franchise.
Please contact www.dogsmith.com or 1-888-dog-smith (364-7648)
All behaviors that dogs exhibit are designed to either access pleasurable situations or avoid and escape unpleasant situations. A dog’s communication systems are much ritualized and designed to avoid or cutoff conflict. This has made dogs as a species very successful in terms of their numbers and their variety. Things go awry when we humans misread the signals dogs send us leaving them helpless to effectively communicate their feelings to us. We cannot know or understand what dogs think and vice-versa. What we can do is understand canine body language, observe them as we interact with them and then respond appropriately. ‘Talking dog’ is simple if you remember a few important rules and it will make interacting with dogs fun and safe. The dogs you come into contact with will really appreciate it.
The types of social behaviors dogs demonstrate can be broadly grouped into either distance decreasing or distance increasing. A dog uses distance decreasing behaviors to promote approach, play and continued interaction. A lumbering soft gait, relaxed body and a relaxed face indicate the dog is encouraging interaction. Dogs who want to engage in play will demonstrate the ‘play bow,’ a posture where the dog bows the front of his/her body so that the front legs are parallel to the ground while the hindquarters remain in the standing position, the dog may offer you a paw, lean into you or rub against you.
Distance increasing signals vary and can be easily misread. The distance increasing signals we all seem to ‘get’ are when a dog stands upright making each part of their body appear as large as possible, weight on the front legs, upright tail, upright ears, piloerection (the hair on their back stands up), and the dog will bark or growl. We seem to instinctively react to these signals and take them as the warning they are.
The distance increasing signals that we commonly misinterpret are the more appeasing behaviors dogs demonstrate. Dogs use these appeasement behaviors to make friendly encounters more reliable and to help them pacify what they anticipate to be a hostile encounter if escape is impossible for them. These behaviors are a nonaggressive way to ‘cut off’ conflict. When a dog displays these behaviors we have to recognize that this is the dog’s way of showing us that they are unsure and a little scared.
You may see appeasement signals in one of two ways. Passive appeasement behaviors are easily misunderstood and are often labeled as ‘submissive.’ Dogs displaying passive appeasement will present themselves in a recumbent position exposing the underside of their body. The dog’s ears are typically back and down against the head and the tail is often tucked between the upper legs. Sometimes the dog will expel a small amount of urine while it waits for the attention to cease. The active appeasement dog is often incorrectly labeled as ‘excited’ or ‘overly friendly.’ They will often approach you with the whole rear-end wagging in a “U†shape allowing both its face and genital area to be inspected and they may be desperate to jump up and ‘get in your face’.
For humans then, it is important when meeting and greeting dogs to be able to recognize if a dog is friendly and wanting to greet you or if the dog is experiencing stress or fear. A conflicted dog will want to approach but is too scared or unsure of the outcome. Their body language will vacillate between displays of distance decreasing behaviors and distance increasing behaviors. Interacting with a dog that is conflicted can be risky. If you make a wrong move and the dog cannot avoid the approach then they may become aggressive. This is often the case with a fear biter. If a dog is demonstrating ambivalent, mixed signals then it is advisable to avoid sudden movements, and to allow the dog an escape route. Don’t force the meet and greet by moving toward the dog or having the dogs’ owner manipulate the dog toward you.
In general when you meet and greet a dog make sure you have a relaxed posture. Let the dog approach you, turn slightly to the side as this is less threatening for the dog than you standing in a full frontal position leaning over them. Always ask permission from the dog’s owner to pet their dog. Talk gently to the dog without making eye contact. It helps to crouch down and keep your hands by your side without making any sudden movements. When you have determined the dog is not showing any signs of stress or fear and their body language is relaxed and happy then you can slowly move your hand under their chin to stroke them. If the dog is showing passive appeasement signals, as described above, then step away, give them space and allow them to approach you on their terms and in their preferred timing.
It is important that we recognize a dog’s “cut off’ behaviors. ‘Cut off’ behaviors are designed to cut off the social contact. If, when greeting a dog, you don’t recognize that the dog is scared or stressed or you choose to ignore the dog’s communication and push forward with your approach you are unfairly pushing the dog into a situation where it may only be left with one option and not a favorable option to either dog or human.
Dogs will typically give plenty of warning if they are uncomfortable with something that another dog or a person is doing. These warning signs may include a direct stare, a rigid body, a growl and showing “whale eye†(flashing the whites of their eyes). The dog’s ears will be flat against the head and they may have a closed tense mouth, if you see any of these signals then stop what you are doing immediately and allow the dog to slowly back away.
Dogs are wonderful animals that love and need to be a part of our social lives. But, like people, their personalities range from being social butterflies to wallflowers. Tailor your approach and greeting style based on the communication they are giving you. Dogs are very clear with their intentions and emotions and respond appropriately to ours. Remember our body language and approach speaks louder than our words to a dog.
Niki Tudge is the owner and founder of The DogSmith, America’s Dog Training, Dog Walking and Pet Care Franchise.
Please contact www.dogsmith.com or 1-888-dog-smith (364-7648)
Got Dog? Need Training !
Enroll for a DogSmith specialist training class. Don’t pay for skills or time you don’t need.
Walk Nicely
This class focuses on taking walking nicely into a more controlled heel behavior. This class is ideal for owners wanting to eventually advance to ring obedience or to take longer strolls with their dogs.
Enroll today www.dogSmith.com or call Rachel Williams 561-271-3033 or 1-888-dog-smith (364-7648)
Enroll for a DogSmith specialist training class. Don’t pay for skills or time you don’t need.
Walk Nicely
This class focuses on taking walking nicely into a more controlled heel behavior. This class is ideal for owners wanting to eventually advance to ring obedience or to take longer strolls with their dogs.
Enroll today www.dogSmith.com or call Rachel Williams 561-271-3033 or 1-888-dog-smith (364-7648)
Just finished a very important meeting with Tom Brodigan, renowned pet photographer for palm beach county. We will have lots of new photos of the DogSmith, Palm beach, Gang, to post shortly. www.dogslifephotography.com check out his website for unique candid photography. The dogsmith Palm beach is happy to be partnering with such a talented photographer.
Just finished a meeting with Pet photographer Tom Brodigan
check out www.dogslifephotography.com for cool candid shots of dogs and their family.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
How to Help Your Nervous Dog While You Are Away
Trouble When Home Alone
Does your dog demonstrate signs of fear and nervousness when left alone? Separation anxiety has become a bit of a “catch-all†phrase in the dog world but dog’s can experience varying levels of anxiety, fear and nervousness when left on their own. For serious cases with complex causes, especially if your dog has become self destructive, consulting a Dog Trainer who is a qualified Behavior Analyst is recommended.
When trying to help your pooch become relaxed and calm when left alone the first thing you should do is take it to your vet so you can be sure its nervous behavior isn’t caused by a medical condition.
Once your vet has determined your dog is physically fit the next step is to make sure your pooch is getting adequate exercise and mental stimulation. And however much physical and mental exercise Fido may be getting now, increase it. Just like humans, exercise will help your dog’s brain regulate mood and reduce nervous behavior. Exercise alone will often reduce your pooches anxiety and nervousness. A dog that is well exercised will be more relaxed and less likely to display destructive behaviors. A tired dog is a happy dog.
Diet can also be a factor. Poor quality foods use ingredients like corn which can alter the brain’s ability to moderate mood by causing an imbalance in amino acids and brain functioning. The result of these imbalances can be an animal that becomes agitated, impulsive, obsessive and over-reactive. Always ensure your pet is fed a high quality diet free of corn, wheat, soy, hormones/steroids, by-products, artificial colors/flavors, or chemical preservatives.
Dogs often display anxiety, (pacing, whining, barking, inappropriate chewing, etc.) out of pure loneliness and boredom. If you suspect that boredom may contribute to your dog’s anxiety look into some of the excellent interactive toys now available for pets. You can even use toys that will dispense your dog’s meals keeping it mentally stimulated figuring out how to get its breakfast. Your pooch may not even notice you’ve gone to work.
Another important technique for your dog’s general well being is to make sure your dog is getting quality “face†time with you and your family. They are pack animals and we are their pack. And there is nothing like enrolling your dog in an obedience or agility course, using strictly positive methods, to help build a strong relationship between you and your dog. Also, consider putting your pooch into daycare or hiring a dog walker. Your dog will greatly benefit from the additional exercise and companionship.
Finally, one of the most effective methods of ensuring a happy, confident and well-mannered dog in general is to ‘crate-train’ it. A properly crate-trained dog feels relaxed, safe and secure in its crate (download our free e-book on crate-training).
Whichever of these techniques you use, success will come with time, patience and consistency. And under no circumstance should you punish your dog for anxious behaviors as that tends to make the condition worse. Remember, if your dog’s condition seems severe, especially where it may harm itself, consult a Canine Behavior Analyst. A Behavior Analyst is equipped to identify the root cause of your dog’s destructive behaviors and can guide you through a customized program of training tailored for your particular situation.
Who is The DogSmith
The DogSmith provides professional pet care services to homes and multi-family communities. Since 2006 The DogSmith has been providing the best in dog training, pet care, pet sitting, group dog training, home alone visits, dog walks and pooper scooper service to hundreds of clients across America. For more information contact The DogSmith at www.DogSmith.com. We also offer Pet Business Franchise opportunities.
Do you know what The DogSmith does?
Here are a number of things that we specialize in : pet franchise, dog training, dog behavior counseling, pet sitting, dog walking, pet nutrition, pet waste station servicing, group dog training, private dog training, obedience dog training, puppy training, in home pet care, dog day care, canine good citizen testing, puppy star classes, dog behavior modification.
We service the following areas. Palm Beach County.
www.dogsmith.com
Trouble When Home Alone
Does your dog demonstrate signs of fear and nervousness when left alone? Separation anxiety has become a bit of a “catch-all†phrase in the dog world but dog’s can experience varying levels of anxiety, fear and nervousness when left on their own. For serious cases with complex causes, especially if your dog has become self destructive, consulting a Dog Trainer who is a qualified Behavior Analyst is recommended.
When trying to help your pooch become relaxed and calm when left alone the first thing you should do is take it to your vet so you can be sure its nervous behavior isn’t caused by a medical condition.
Once your vet has determined your dog is physically fit the next step is to make sure your pooch is getting adequate exercise and mental stimulation. And however much physical and mental exercise Fido may be getting now, increase it. Just like humans, exercise will help your dog’s brain regulate mood and reduce nervous behavior. Exercise alone will often reduce your pooches anxiety and nervousness. A dog that is well exercised will be more relaxed and less likely to display destructive behaviors. A tired dog is a happy dog.
Diet can also be a factor. Poor quality foods use ingredients like corn which can alter the brain’s ability to moderate mood by causing an imbalance in amino acids and brain functioning. The result of these imbalances can be an animal that becomes agitated, impulsive, obsessive and over-reactive. Always ensure your pet is fed a high quality diet free of corn, wheat, soy, hormones/steroids, by-products, artificial colors/flavors, or chemical preservatives.
Dogs often display anxiety, (pacing, whining, barking, inappropriate chewing, etc.) out of pure loneliness and boredom. If you suspect that boredom may contribute to your dog’s anxiety look into some of the excellent interactive toys now available for pets. You can even use toys that will dispense your dog’s meals keeping it mentally stimulated figuring out how to get its breakfast. Your pooch may not even notice you’ve gone to work.
Another important technique for your dog’s general well being is to make sure your dog is getting quality “face†time with you and your family. They are pack animals and we are their pack. And there is nothing like enrolling your dog in an obedience or agility course, using strictly positive methods, to help build a strong relationship between you and your dog. Also, consider putting your pooch into daycare or hiring a dog walker. Your dog will greatly benefit from the additional exercise and companionship.
Finally, one of the most effective methods of ensuring a happy, confident and well-mannered dog in general is to ‘crate-train’ it. A properly crate-trained dog feels relaxed, safe and secure in its crate (download our free e-book on crate-training).
Whichever of these techniques you use, success will come with time, patience and consistency. And under no circumstance should you punish your dog for anxious behaviors as that tends to make the condition worse. Remember, if your dog’s condition seems severe, especially where it may harm itself, consult a Canine Behavior Analyst. A Behavior Analyst is equipped to identify the root cause of your dog’s destructive behaviors and can guide you through a customized program of training tailored for your particular situation.
Who is The DogSmith
The DogSmith provides professional pet care services to homes and multi-family communities. Since 2006 The DogSmith has been providing the best in dog training, pet care, pet sitting, group dog training, home alone visits, dog walks and pooper scooper service to hundreds of clients across America. For more information contact The DogSmith at www.DogSmith.com. We also offer Pet Business Franchise opportunities.
Do you know what The DogSmith does?
Here are a number of things that we specialize in : pet franchise, dog training, dog behavior counseling, pet sitting, dog walking, pet nutrition, pet waste station servicing, group dog training, private dog training, obedience dog training, puppy training, in home pet care, dog day care, canine good citizen testing, puppy star classes, dog behavior modification.
We service the following areas. Palm Beach County.
www.dogsmith.com
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