Understanding Your Dog

To be a responsible dog owner you have to understand how important your role is in developing your dog’s character. Yes, all dogs come with different characters and temperaments, but it is your reaction to his/her actions that mould the finished product that is the character and temperament. You only have to watch the many recent television programs to see how badly behaved some dogs get, and all because the owners have either ignored the signals that the dog is giving out, or the owners react to the dogs actions in the wrong way that make the dog think that it has done the correct thing, so of course it does it again and again, always going unchecked, so in a very short time it becomes an unwanted or bad habit. Bad habits or behaviour are always far more difficult to solve, but rarely impossible if you know what you are doing, than they are to stop them being created in the first place.
That is the first and most important lesson to be learnt by any dog owner, new or seasoned, that the most important time in a dogs life is in the early stages. When you first bring that puppy home, do not make the mistake of ever thinking that it is too young to learn. Yes you may have to let the puppy settle in with you before issuing too many rules, ( usually about 24 hours ) but do not make a rod for your own back, try and think “what do you want the dog to be like when it is fully grown” because what ever you allow the puppy to do now it will continue to do all its life until you check it. If you do not want the dog to sleep in your bedroom as a fully grown dog then do not have it there as a puppy.
If you are to succeed in being the Alfa dog in your household then your bedroom should be your
“den” and your dog should respect your private place and know that it does not go there, ever! You will never have good control of your dog if it does not respect you as the “Alfa” dog in its pack. You may have to suffer a few lost hours of sleep, if it has been left in the kitchen by itself but it is rarely a problem for long. Make sure the puppy has plenty of toys to play with, food and water ( in a container that it cannot lift or turnover ) can also help, but something which is most helpful is leaving the radio on all the time for them. Silence is hard for them to cope with, it can also help to stop them barking at noises from outside, and being spooked by things that go bump in the night. You know yourself how noisy silence can be, especially at night. Also remove everything that is within reach that you do not want to be chewed, once again prevention is better than cure. If all chewable items are out of reach and the puppy has a nice tasty bone to chew on ,chewing should not become a serious problem.
So you have got through the first night, puppy should now be feeling more its self now as they do not tend to greave for their lost litter mates and Mum for very long. Now this is the time when the time you spend with your new puppy really is most important. Keep it confined to a fairly small area so it is easier for you to keep an eye on. If you watch puppy very closely you will notice a change in its actions just before it is about to relieve itself, it will walk around in circles sniffing the ground, this is when you quickly but gently scoop it up and take it out to the garden to spend a penny or tupence, if it dose not immediately relieve itself keep telling it to “hurry up ” or something of your choice, until it performs then make a really big fuss of it and even give a treat. You will need to have treats handy either in your pockets or in a bag by the door you use so that you can just crab one as you are going out with puppy. Any treat you are offering to a dog or puppy to impress on them that they are good must be given within a matter of seconds for the dog or puppy to connect its deed with the receiving of the treat, therefore encouraging it to do the same again in the hope of receiving another treat.
Like wise any reprimand for bad actions also need to be issued within seconds for them to be effective. On a note of reprimands; as a young puppy no telling off should be issued at all, an absolute no ! Only when you know they have fully understood what they should do should you begin to introduce mild reprimands to enforce your treats for the good behaviour. How much your particular dog needs to be corrected really dose depend on its own character. A very gentle character who quickly learns and wants to please you will probably need no reprimand at all yet a strong character which is going to try and be boss will need telling off when he/she dose something wrong or it will think its ok to do what he/ she wants to do.
Personally, my last dog, a German Shepard, never had even a verbal telling off because she was so gentle she just wanted to please, but her replacement is a very different matter, she is also a German Shepherd, but given her own way in the wrong hands would be an unruly dog. As so many Shepherds have the misfortune to suffer because they get bought by people who do not understand them.
A mistake that a lot of owners make is not realising just how expert, dogs of all ages, are at understanding body language. They are experts from the day one! They instinctively understand all movements you make, even when you do not realise that you have even hardly moved. If he/she was waiting for your next move and was paying attention to you, the very slightest lean forward will be seen and recognized by your dog that you are about to get up from your chair, when all you are really doing is moving to get comfortable. But if you really where about to get up your dog would sense it instantly. This is why they always know when you are about to either, take them for a walk, go on holiday or go to bed , or anything else you do regularly ,simply because you will go through the same motions each time any of these actions are about to happen .
The biggest reason for problems developing is boredom. The more intelligent that your dog is the quicker he/she will get bored, this is why you have to become very creative to keep your dog not only entertained but to give to give him/her plenty to think about. Entertainment for the brain will tire a young dog out much more than physical exercise. When young , you need to apply just the right amount of exercise to keep your dog fit without over doing it. Too much exercise for a young dog can be very damaging to the growing frame. Much better to play games that the dog has to really think about, not only is it good for them but it is also excellent for building your relationship with them.
Dog training needs to be fun , do it properly and you will learn how to stop bad habits forming, or how to eradicate unwanted behaviours that already exist. You will learn the practical value of all obedience exercises, how to develop good habits for your-self and your dog, which will lead to a harmonious relationship.

Understanding Dog Behavior

Dogs are considered the most genuinely happy creatures on earth. Their entire day is filled with you whether you are there or not. They are waiting for you, sleeping on your bed, watching for you out the window, wondering where you are while they are patiently waiting for you in their crate.
Once you come home it’s all about you. Your attention, your love, your food, your commands, and of course, your time. For an animal that revolves his whole life around you, it can be confusing why he does some of the things he does. If he loves you so much, why is he destroying your shoes? If you are the light in his life, why is he ignoring you when you come home?
Dogs have a very unique way of expressing themselves. Most people believe that dogs have and show genuine emotion such as love and fear and even anger. We understand that when they sit at the door and bark they are telling us they need to go outside. We understand that when we have a leash in our hand and they get a little goofy that they are excited about the upcoming walk. Understanding their more subtle or destructive cues takes a little insight into your dog’s world.
Returning Home Behavior
Some dogs get so excited that you are home after a weekend away they completely get beside themselves with joy. They follow you around and may even be uncharacteristically clingy as you wander about the house. Others get so excited when you first walk in the door, and then leave you in complete peace for several hours. People usually say that he is angry with you for leaving in the first place.
Most experts say their behavior is more about security than anything. You are your dog’s entire world and when for some reason you disappear for a long period of time, and there is a sudden change in his routine, his security is thrown a bit. He is very happy to see you but he also needs a little reassurance that everything is getting back to normal. Some dogs do this by following you around the house until they are sure, and others do this from a more observatory stance. Either way your canine family member is just looking for reassurance and his typical routine to return.
The Canine Garbage Disposal
He knows better and he knows that you know he knows better. However, every chance he gets you see him scampering off with something that you just absolutely don’t want him to chew. He eats your best shoes while you’re in the shower, the corner of the bedspread while you’re getting dressed, and the phone cord while you were talking on it. And you haven’t even made it to breakfast yet. As much as you love him you are contemplating the moral issues of drop kicking him right out the door. You’ve tried everything that you can think of and yet he is still eating everything in sight. He is beyond the age where teething causes chewing but yet he still can’t seem to find his own toys to consume.
There are two key factors in a garbage disposal dog. The first and easiest to solve is a health problem relating to his teeth and gums. If his mouth is bothering him, he is going to chew on everything he can. Start with a vet visit to rule out any periodontal issues.
The more likely culprit of his unflattering behavior is stress and anxiety. Yes, your happy go lucky guy can suffer from stress. Has there been a change in the household such as a new baby, dramatically increased arguing or is someone who is supposed to be there suddenly gone?
For starter, confine him when you can’t watch him, although preferably with you. A puppy gate here can go a long way in simple things like keeping an eye on him while you are showering and watching his every move while you are getting dressed. Often the hurried morning is a higher anxiety period for your dog.
Then begin to address the problem. Make sure there’s an appropriate toy available to him at all times and make a big deal about it when he eats the right things. A sharp reprimand and a quick and immediate discipline is in order when you catch him at the wrong chew toys. You don’t want to stress him more by smacking him, although a rolled up newspaper banged on a hard surface is a quick attention getter. Never strike him with it. He will make it his mission to eat it if you do in an effort to eliminate an already stressful period.
Try to identify the stressor and relax him around the problem. If you can get him comfortable enough around the new baby to lie down even when the baby is crying, you have made strides. If there is tension in the house try to tone down the arguing, or take it to an alternative room. If your dog can be comfortably confined to an outdoor yard, that is the best option, but don’t get so wrapped up in your arguing that you leave him out there for extensive periods of time. Whatever the stressor is that is causing the chewing, try to get him comfortable and relaxed around it. This may take some time, but relieving his anxiety will also reduce the tension in your life as well.
Aggression
You know him as your sweet and loveable friend. Your friends and neighbors know him as the terror on your doorstep who wants to eat them. Aggression is not a nice quality in your dog. Aggression comes from the desire to protect, and anything perceived as a threat is going to be treated like one. For some dogs this means anyone and anything that doesn’t belong. He is only trying to defend his home and his human family, but aggression is a serious behavioral problem that needs to be nipped in the bud.
Check your own behavior. How are you reacting to him when he is growling and carrying on at the neighbor as she walks by your house? Make sure the words “good boy” are the last thing your dog hears. “Be a good boy,” or “That’s not a good boy,” are not deterrents. Neither is “Shh. ”
Mild mannered people tend to have more aggressive dogs because their tones are not consistent with command. If your dog doesn’t believe you enough to listen to you, he certainly isn’t going to believe you can take care of yourself. I can’t tell you how many times our pups have been accosted on the street with an owner telling their dog that it’s ok. It’s not okay. The words you are looking for are firm and sharp and sound like “Sit” and “No. ” One word firm commands are much more effective than reasoning. Aggression is a serious offense and it must be treated as one. We have one dog who got a little out of control. When sitting wasn’t getting him under control on his nightly walk we actually went to making him lie down. Right there on the street or sidewalk we commanded our German Shepard to lie down to get his attention and then added a “Quiet” command to get our point across. His aggression quieted down in a week.
Some dogs do better if they can at least see what’s going on even if they can’t be a part of the process. Aggressive dogs are really protective dogs. The delivery man might not want your growling, snarling beloved pet to join you on the porch, but he might do better if he has a place he can be directed to sit and watch provided he stays quiet. Constantly sequestering him does nothing to solve the problem.
The Overbearing Overgrown Puppy
He is happy to see you. You are his toy and his best friend and he will pummel you over in an attempt to play with you. He has run over the children and covered the cat with his doggie saliva. You love him, but wow does his energy get annoying sometimes. It’s hard to talk to someone one the phone when he’s jumping on you and wrapping his big paws around you and forget leaving the house looking presentable.
He is the puppy who never grew up. His body got big, but he seems intellectually stuck at four months old. Most of the time this behavior is a matter of dominance. When a dog views you as his alpha leader, he gives you respect. When you are his peer, you are his play mate. Alpha leaders are by nature a food related dominance. Of course other factors play into it as well, but to a dog food is leadership. If you are not already the dog’s food source, consider taking on that responsibility.
Establish yourself as a leader. This isn’t all that hard to do and you don’t even have to stop playing with him in order to do it. Start by giving him random commands, especially around feeding time. With his food in your hand tell him to sit. With the food in the bowl and the bowl on the floor tell him to wait, and then make sure he follows through. When he has looked to you for permission, allow him to commence eating.
Slowly add random commands throughout the day and rebuke rough playing immediately. If he wants to play, he has to sit and wait for things rather than tackle you. You can just as easily give him commands with playtime as you can any other time. A few commands before you throw the ball is usually enough to get the right message across as you are establishing dominance.
Interpreting Your Dog
Understanding your dog’s behavior isn’t quite as mystifying as it seems. He really is doing his best to tell you. Watching his communication with other people and animals in the household can really open your eyes to how he expresses himself.
A dog wags his tail to express happiness, yawns when he is content, and growls when he is threatened. With over one hundred facial expressions, he is constantly telling you something. The more you get to know your dog the more you will learn what he is telling you.
Owning a dog is a wonderfully joyous experience. They bring so much into our world which is why so many people have them. They look to us to tend to their needs. We owe it to them to give them at least our very best shot at keeping them safe, healthy, and happy.

Dog Training: Dealing and Understanding Barking Dogs

Dog training professionals often hear dog owners who seem to want their dogs to stop barking, period. They feel a good dog is a quiet dog, and the only time that barking’s permitted is when there’s a man in a black balaclava and striped prison outfit, clutching a backpack with all our expensive jewelry in it, clambering in through your bedroom window.

Now, dogs don’t see barking in quite the same light. Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and she uses it just how you do too to communicate something to the people she cares about.

I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me, enough so that I can overlook the stentorian qualities of his voice in favor of his desire to communicate with me. It’s the thought that counts even if you occasionally need earplugs.

Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans is pretty well impermeable, which means it’s up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to parse meaning from a volley of barks.

So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words). Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons.

A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!).

However, all breed specificities cast aside, there are some circumstances where just about any dog will give voice:

* She’s bored

* She’s lonely

* She’s hungry, or knows it’s time for a meal

* Something is wrong/someone is near the house

* She’s inviting you to play

* She sees another animal

* She needs the toilet

If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it’s not really realistic for you to try to stop her: after all, she’s a dog, and it’s the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations. Presumably you were aware of this when you adopted your friend (and, if total silence was high on your list of priorities, you’d have bought a pet rock, right?).

Of course, there are times when barking isn’t only unwarranted, it’s downright undesirable. Some dogs can use their voices as a means of manipulation. Take this situation as an example:

You’re lying on the couch reading a book. Your dog awakes from a nap and decides it’s time for a game. She picks up her ball, comes over, and drops it in your lap. You ignore her and keep on reading. After a second of puzzled silence, she nudges your hand with her nose and barks once, loudly. You look over at her – she assumes the ‘play-bow’ position (elbows near the floor, bottom in the air, tail waving) and pants enticingly at you. You return to your book. She barks again, loudly – and, when no response is elicited, barks again. And this time, she keeps it up. After a minute or so of this, sighing, you put down your book (peace and quiet is evidently not going to be a component of your evening, after all), pick up the ball, and take her outside for a game of fetch. She stops barking immediately.

I’m sure you know that respect is an essential part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her regardless of the convenience of doing so, feeding her nutritious and tasty food, and showing your affection for her in ways that she understands and enjoys.

In order for her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. Something that many kind-hearted souls struggle to come to terms with is that dog ownership is not about equality: it’s about you being the boss, and her being the pet. Dogs are not children; they are most comfortable and best-behaved when they know that you are in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be a happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved pet.

In the situation above, there was no respect being shown by the dog. She wasn’t inviting her owner to play; she was harassing her owner to play. In fact, I’d even say bullying. And even worse, the behavior was being reinforced by the owner’s capitulation – effectively, giving in to this behavior taught her that to get what she wants, she has to make a noise – and she has to keep it up until her goal is achieved.

Affection and play-times are obviously necessary aspects of life with a dog, but they have to be doled out on your own terms. If she learns that she can get what she wants by barking, then your house is going to become a Noise Pollution Zone (and this is not going to endear you to your neighbors, either).

To prevent this bullying behavior in your dog from assuming a familiar role in her repertoire of communications, you have to prove to her that you’re not the kind of person that can be manipulated so easily. It’s simple to do this: all you have to do is ignore her. I’m not talking about passive ignorance, where you pay her no attention and simply continue with whatever it was you were doing – you need to take more of an active role. This means conveying to her through your body language that she is not worthy of your attention when she acts in such an undesirable manner.

The absolute best and most effective thing for you to do in this case is to give her the cold shoulder. When she starts trying to ‘bark you’ into doing something for her, turn your back on her straight away. Get up, avert your eyes and face, and turn around so your back is towards her. Don’t look at her, and don’t talk to her – not even a “no”.

She’ll probably be confused by this, and will likely bark harder. This is particularly true if you’ve given in to her bully-barking in the past – the more times you’ve reinforced the behavior, the more persistent she’s going to be. In fact, the barking will almost certainly get a lot worse before it gets better – after all, it’s worked for her the past, so it’s understandable that she’ll expect it to work again.

As in all aspects of dog training, consistency is very important. You must ensure that you don’t change your mind halfway through and give in to what she wants – because by doing so, you’re teaching her to be really, really persistent (“OK, so I just need to bark for ten minutes instead of five to get a walk,” is the message she’ll get).

But what can you do in other situations where bullying isn’t an issue and you just want her to stop the racket? If you want to get the message across that you’d like her to cease fire and be quiet, the most effective thing you can do is to use your hands.

No, I’m not talking about hitting her: this is a perfectly humane, impact- and pain-free method of conveying that what you require right now is peace and quiet.

Here’s what you do: when she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance – however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you greater control.

This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance.

Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority. When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her.

In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place.

The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more.

Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you’ll just have to exercise her more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning – it’ll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk her in the mornings and/or evenings. And if this is impossible too, then you’ll just have to resign yourself to having a loud, frustrated, and agitated dog (although whether you can resign her to this state remains to be seen).

The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention.

Stop Dog From Barking: Understanding Why Barking Happens

How do you stop the dog you just bought or rescued from barking? It’s midnight on a Tuesday and you have a long week ahead. You desperately look for answers. Well to be effective you need to get inside your dogs head and work out what is going on.
As a relative of the wolf who lives in packs, barking serves as a language. Originally barking was the Darwinian result of animals needing a way to fight off threats to their territory and pack. People use this behavior today when they need a guard dog, the often ferocious barking – no matter the size of the animal – scares away other animals and possible human threats as well. Baring their teeth is an added deterrent. Police dogs use this to great effect . . . I am told .
It’s hard as you are responsible for your dog who doesn’t even talk your language, but since you are higher up the food chain. . . you have to be the one to take the lead. The first step in quieting your dog is discovering what is making him bark. Once you have an idea of what your dog is barking at or for, you have a much better chance of teaching him to stop.
You may be surprised to learn that you are a member of your dog’s pack, perhaps the only member. His barking is his way of communicating with you. You have to find a way to communicate effectively with the dog. Your dog won’t be mute. . . dogs barking is a way of communication and an important way dogs express themselves.
It is normal for dogs to bark but all dogs bark for a reason and that reason varies. They could be lonely, afraid, excited or hungry. They could be barking to assert dominance but they may also need attention or to be let out. So which is it?
The key to stopping a dog barking is to know what is causing it and then learn to switch the behavior on and off!
Now that may sound counterintuitive – why would you want to turn on barking? Simply because it gives YOU the control and if you can turn it on, turning it off is as easy to learn. In psychological terms you teach your dog to bark only in response to the specific stimulus you give him and YOU control that stimulus. The dog thankfully often treats it as a big game. This game however, teaches the dog exactly what you (aka the pack leader) want.
It can simply be a word like “Talk” as the initial stimulus followed up by another stimulus to stop the behavior such as “Quiet”. The dog needs this combo so that he knows what begins the bark and what terminates the bark.
When you start this process, you have to become aware of what your reactions are as the dog is watching very carefully. . . if he barks and you get angry the dog will very often continue to bark because in dog world your reaction is justifying the barking and simply accelerates it. He is right to bark as whatever started him barking is making the human angry. Alas you have positively reinforced the barking. However if you train him with a trigger to start and to stop, then the owner has both the on and off switch.

Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems

• ISBN13: 9780307337979
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
“I rehabilitate dogs. I train people.” —Cesar Millan

There are at least 68 million dogs in America, and their owners lavish billions of dollars on them every year. So why do so many pampered pets have problems? In this definitive and accessible guide, Cesar Millan—star of National Geographic Channel’s hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan—reveals what dogs truly need to live a happy and fulfilled life.

From his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to his roster of celebrity clients to his reality television series, Cesar Millan is America’s most sought-after dog-behavior expert. But Cesar is not a trainer in the traditional sense—his expertise lies in his unique ability to com… More >>

Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems