Canine Behaviour Foundation Course
Module 1 - Section 6 - General Theory & Puppies
Module 1 - Section 6 - General Theory & Puppies
1. Inoculations
2. Crate Training
3. Sterilization
4. Auditory Habituation
5. Picking Puppies Up
7. Grooming and Handling
8. The Importance of Exercise
2. Crate Training
3. Sterilization
4. Auditory Habituation
5. Picking Puppies Up
7. Grooming and Handling
8. The Importance of Exercise
1. Inoculations
Although there is much discussion going on at present as to whether annual vaccinations need to be given as dogs mature, a pup must receive its early vaccinations. What one needs to make clients aware of is that although a pup receives a certain amount of protection against disease from about two weeks after the initial vaccinations are given, the pup is NOT safe until about two weeks after the third set of vaccinations are given at about 16 weeks. This lack of knowledge often results in owners exposing pups to area’s such as dog parks, walks in the street etc, where disease can easily be picked up. Parvo, for example can contaminate an area for 5 – 7 months unless the area is sterilized. As the virus is shed in the stool, one does not need the actual dog to be present. The main problem where Parvo is concerned and why is cannot be contained as yet, is that over 98% of the dogs in SA have not been vaccinated.
This extract from an article in Puppy Health website gives one of the best descriptions I have ever heard for us to use to describe to a client why vacs are necessary:-
“Vaccinations help “program” the specialize cells of the puppy’s immune system to act like smart missiles to seek and destroy problems before they cause disease. Once programmed, these cells recognize, find, and destroy viruses, bacteria or other pathogens both in the bloodstream or at the cellular level—in the nose or eyes—before they cause disease.
A puppy’s immune system won’t be mature enough to protect itself until she’s about eight weeks old. Passive immunity fills this gap when the puppies nurse from the vaccinated mom-dog’s milk. This antibody rich “first milk” is called colostrum, and protects against viruses that might threaten the puppy’s health.
However, the antibodies in mom’s milk also neutralize most vaccinations. The exceptions are some newer vaccinations made with recombinant DNA technology such as the Recombinant Distemper Vaccination. But in general, puppy shots won’t be protective until Junior’s own immune system matures enough to take over. That’s why a series of boosters are recommended during the period when Mom’s protection fades while Junior’s matures.”
The owner should always request a copy of the vacs that the pup has already received when adopting. If the breeder/shelter says they will forward the vac certificate – walk away! When checking the vac card if owner has done the vacs themselves and there is not vet stamp – walk away! Taking an unvaccinated puppy is a recipe for the pup harbouring possible disease and should not be considered under any circumstances, especially when other dogs are in the home.
If the pup is adopted from anywhere other than a registered, responsible, recommended breeder, my first stop on the way home would be at the vet. It is highly recommended that when a pup has been adopted from a rescue or shelter organization, that the pup does not attend either puppy socialization or any other classes for at least a 2 week period even if it has received the first two set of vacs. This is simply a precaution against any diseases that may be incubating but have not yet manifested in symptoms as yet, and could be viewed as a quarantine period.
Pup is not safe until all vacs given, so what do we do about puppy school and socialization?
Above we said that the pup is not 100% safe until 2 weeks after the 3rd set of vacs but by the same token we tell clients that the most important stage to socialize a pup is up to 16 weeks of age - so what happens?
The good news is that if you use basic common sense your pup should be safe. To start with, Puppy school should not be missed. If one attends a good puppy school you will find that they will not accept a pup until at least the first two set of vacs have been given. This can change depending on how bad Parvo is in your particular area. In 2013 and first half of 2014, at our school we would only accept a pup two weeks after third set of vacs. When the Parvo situation improved with much less cases, liaising with our vet we then started accepting immediately after second set of vacs If a puppy school does not ask for sight of your vacs cards when you apply – walk away - disease such as Parvo are highly contagious and you don’t even want a pup on your premises such as these as the risk factors are much higher.
The above then makes the risk of infection slight compared to the very real risk of the pup developing serious behaviour problems later in life. Remember that the early socialization period sets the foundation for the pup’s future social interactions.
Places to be avoided are parks, dog parks, walking in the street and all areas where other dogs will be walking where you cannot confirm if either the area or the other dogs are safe.
Some ideas of safe socialization:-
The following was supplied courtesy of St. Francis Vet.:-
The standard vaccinations required for a pup in SA are the following:-
Although there is much discussion going on at present as to whether annual vaccinations need to be given as dogs mature, a pup must receive its early vaccinations. What one needs to make clients aware of is that although a pup receives a certain amount of protection against disease from about two weeks after the initial vaccinations are given, the pup is NOT safe until about two weeks after the third set of vaccinations are given at about 16 weeks. This lack of knowledge often results in owners exposing pups to area’s such as dog parks, walks in the street etc, where disease can easily be picked up. Parvo, for example can contaminate an area for 5 – 7 months unless the area is sterilized. As the virus is shed in the stool, one does not need the actual dog to be present. The main problem where Parvo is concerned and why is cannot be contained as yet, is that over 98% of the dogs in SA have not been vaccinated.
This extract from an article in Puppy Health website gives one of the best descriptions I have ever heard for us to use to describe to a client why vacs are necessary:-
“Vaccinations help “program” the specialize cells of the puppy’s immune system to act like smart missiles to seek and destroy problems before they cause disease. Once programmed, these cells recognize, find, and destroy viruses, bacteria or other pathogens both in the bloodstream or at the cellular level—in the nose or eyes—before they cause disease.
A puppy’s immune system won’t be mature enough to protect itself until she’s about eight weeks old. Passive immunity fills this gap when the puppies nurse from the vaccinated mom-dog’s milk. This antibody rich “first milk” is called colostrum, and protects against viruses that might threaten the puppy’s health.
However, the antibodies in mom’s milk also neutralize most vaccinations. The exceptions are some newer vaccinations made with recombinant DNA technology such as the Recombinant Distemper Vaccination. But in general, puppy shots won’t be protective until Junior’s own immune system matures enough to take over. That’s why a series of boosters are recommended during the period when Mom’s protection fades while Junior’s matures.”
The owner should always request a copy of the vacs that the pup has already received when adopting. If the breeder/shelter says they will forward the vac certificate – walk away! When checking the vac card if owner has done the vacs themselves and there is not vet stamp – walk away! Taking an unvaccinated puppy is a recipe for the pup harbouring possible disease and should not be considered under any circumstances, especially when other dogs are in the home.
If the pup is adopted from anywhere other than a registered, responsible, recommended breeder, my first stop on the way home would be at the vet. It is highly recommended that when a pup has been adopted from a rescue or shelter organization, that the pup does not attend either puppy socialization or any other classes for at least a 2 week period even if it has received the first two set of vacs. This is simply a precaution against any diseases that may be incubating but have not yet manifested in symptoms as yet, and could be viewed as a quarantine period.
Pup is not safe until all vacs given, so what do we do about puppy school and socialization?
Above we said that the pup is not 100% safe until 2 weeks after the 3rd set of vacs but by the same token we tell clients that the most important stage to socialize a pup is up to 16 weeks of age - so what happens?
The good news is that if you use basic common sense your pup should be safe. To start with, Puppy school should not be missed. If one attends a good puppy school you will find that they will not accept a pup until at least the first two set of vacs have been given. This can change depending on how bad Parvo is in your particular area. In 2013 and first half of 2014, at our school we would only accept a pup two weeks after third set of vacs. When the Parvo situation improved with much less cases, liaising with our vet we then started accepting immediately after second set of vacs If a puppy school does not ask for sight of your vacs cards when you apply – walk away - disease such as Parvo are highly contagious and you don’t even want a pup on your premises such as these as the risk factors are much higher.
The above then makes the risk of infection slight compared to the very real risk of the pup developing serious behaviour problems later in life. Remember that the early socialization period sets the foundation for the pup’s future social interactions.
Places to be avoided are parks, dog parks, walking in the street and all areas where other dogs will be walking where you cannot confirm if either the area or the other dogs are safe.
Some ideas of safe socialization:-
- Puppy play parties with pups from school or friends that have pups/dog that are deemed ‘safe’ from disease and well socialized to other dogs.
- Drive to a shopping centre where dogs are not allowed and stand near the entrance. You can even place your pup on a mat for extra safety. People love pups and this is a wonderful way for the pup to meet people of all ages, colours, sizes and dressed in an amazing assortment of clothes. Let people give the pup a food treat. Remember don’t overdo it, especially with a pup that may be slightly fearful. This will be covered in the fearful pups section.
- Visit friends homes with adult dogs that you know have been vaccinated and are safe.
- If your child attends dancing, scouts, Brownies, gym etc, take the puppy when you collect the child and take a lot of treats for the kids to give the pup. Remember again not to overdo this especially if the pup is in any way fearful.
The following was supplied courtesy of St. Francis Vet.:-
The standard vaccinations required for a pup in SA are the following:-
The combination-vaccines of dogs
The combination-vaccines of dogs consist of the following organisms:
Parvovirus ("Cat flu")
A very contagious, deadly virus that affects dogs younger than a year old on average. Treatment is expensive and often of no avail. It is essential that you make sure that the pup you have chosen has been inoculated against this and Distemper. So many new adoptions end in heartbreak due to disease being present and the puppy cannot be saved.
Signs of Parvo
Parvo can occur at any age but pups are more susceptible to it. If you are going to be working with pups it is essential that you make yourself familiar with the first signs of the more common diseases. No pup should attend puppy school if is it even slightly off colour. Disease occurs quickly especially Parvo and can kill in a very short period of time and is highly contagious.
Parvo is transmitted by oral contact with infected faeces. It can be carried on the dog’s hair and feet and also on equipment, bedding and toys they have used. The incubation is on average 4 – 5 days and the first signs are normally vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Any pup with vomiting or diarrhoea that happens more than once must go to the vet.
Distemper
A virus of equal danger, and also very contagious. This virus is similar to the human measles in humans. Dogs of any age are susceptible if not vaccinated properly and unvaccinated pups 6-12 weeks of age, are at a very high risk due to the maternal antibodies falling below protective levels – if the pup comes from a puppy farmer there is a good chance that the mom has never received the vacs and this disease is more common in dogs who are poorly nourished and ill-kept.
The trouble with distemper is that not all dogs that are infected show symptoms – some show mild symptoms and others no symptoms at all. Distemper tends to attack brain cells and cells that line the surface of the body. Normally if signs are present they will appear 6-9 days after infection.
If signs are there it is normally a loss of appetite, fever, a watery discharge from either eyes or nose (or both). Any pup that is off its food should be taken to the vet. After a few days the discharge from eyes and nose becomes thick and is normally yellow and sticky and a cough develops. At this stage vomiting and diarrhoea may occur and also pus blisters may appear on the tummy.
Adenovirus
Vaccination protects against upper airway disease as well as a liver disease that occurs seldom these days.
Parainfluenza
Causes upper airway disease.
Some vaccines include the following organisms:
Coronavirus
On its own causes light diarrhoea, but causes severe disease if simultaneous infection with parvovirus occurs.
Leptospirosis
Can cause liver and kidney disease. Associated with rodents.
Bordetella
This bacteria is one of the causes of Kennel cough. The vaccine is administered by nose and provides immunity within a few days. It is required by some dog kennels over and above the combination-vaccine and rabies.
Here are some articles for you to browse through regarding the discussion happening regarding continued vaccinations for adult dogs. You will not be tested on these but it is always a good idea to hear other points of view, discuss the option with your own vet and do as much research as possible before making a decision:-
The combination-vaccines of dogs consist of the following organisms:
Parvovirus ("Cat flu")
A very contagious, deadly virus that affects dogs younger than a year old on average. Treatment is expensive and often of no avail. It is essential that you make sure that the pup you have chosen has been inoculated against this and Distemper. So many new adoptions end in heartbreak due to disease being present and the puppy cannot be saved.
Signs of Parvo
Parvo can occur at any age but pups are more susceptible to it. If you are going to be working with pups it is essential that you make yourself familiar with the first signs of the more common diseases. No pup should attend puppy school if is it even slightly off colour. Disease occurs quickly especially Parvo and can kill in a very short period of time and is highly contagious.
Parvo is transmitted by oral contact with infected faeces. It can be carried on the dog’s hair and feet and also on equipment, bedding and toys they have used. The incubation is on average 4 – 5 days and the first signs are normally vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Any pup with vomiting or diarrhoea that happens more than once must go to the vet.
Distemper
A virus of equal danger, and also very contagious. This virus is similar to the human measles in humans. Dogs of any age are susceptible if not vaccinated properly and unvaccinated pups 6-12 weeks of age, are at a very high risk due to the maternal antibodies falling below protective levels – if the pup comes from a puppy farmer there is a good chance that the mom has never received the vacs and this disease is more common in dogs who are poorly nourished and ill-kept.
The trouble with distemper is that not all dogs that are infected show symptoms – some show mild symptoms and others no symptoms at all. Distemper tends to attack brain cells and cells that line the surface of the body. Normally if signs are present they will appear 6-9 days after infection.
If signs are there it is normally a loss of appetite, fever, a watery discharge from either eyes or nose (or both). Any pup that is off its food should be taken to the vet. After a few days the discharge from eyes and nose becomes thick and is normally yellow and sticky and a cough develops. At this stage vomiting and diarrhoea may occur and also pus blisters may appear on the tummy.
Adenovirus
Vaccination protects against upper airway disease as well as a liver disease that occurs seldom these days.
Parainfluenza
Causes upper airway disease.
Some vaccines include the following organisms:
Coronavirus
On its own causes light diarrhoea, but causes severe disease if simultaneous infection with parvovirus occurs.
Leptospirosis
Can cause liver and kidney disease. Associated with rodents.
Bordetella
This bacteria is one of the causes of Kennel cough. The vaccine is administered by nose and provides immunity within a few days. It is required by some dog kennels over and above the combination-vaccine and rabies.
Here are some articles for you to browse through regarding the discussion happening regarding continued vaccinations for adult dogs. You will not be tested on these but it is always a good idea to hear other points of view, discuss the option with your own vet and do as much research as possible before making a decision:-
- THE VACCINE CONTROVERSY –pdf - http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-blog.html
- VACCINATIONS – ARE THEY TRULY NECESSARY YEARLY? http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-blog.html
- ·Frequency of CPV Infection in Vaccinated Puppies that Attended Puppy Socialization Classes http://www.jaaha.org/content/49/2/95.abstract
2. Crate Training
The concept of crate training your dog or puppy is a relatively new one to most dog owners in South Africa. However, crate training has been around for ages, especially in USA and UK and is used in obedience, showing, agility etc in our own country; it just hasn’t been introduced to the everyday pet owner as much here in SA, more the pity.
On first hearing that people put their dogs in crates, many people have the thought of ‘oh no, how cruel’. This is not the case at all and it will actually make not only your dog’s life happier by giving him a ‘safe’ place, but will also impact positively on your own life as you will be able to control elimination, chewing, cut down on separation anxiety etc.
If we look at dogs in their natural environment, they are ‘den’ animals and in the wild an adult dog will instinctively look for a safe area to sleep. When a dam is about to give birth she will set up her own den where she will give birth and keep her pups till they are old enough to go outside by themselves. When the pups are very small the dam will eat the faeces in order to keep the den clean and when the pups are a bit older, the pups will be taught by their dam where the elimination area is. The golden rule – you don’t mess where you sleep. When pups are kept in cages in pet shops this causes problems with toilet training and this is covered in the toilet training section.
Take a look at dogs in the home environment – you can normally find them cuddled up sleeping under a piece of furniture. If we look at dogs that are fearful of storms, the first thing they do is try to find a place to hide where they feel safer, this will often be in a cupboard, behind a couch etc. So crate training our dogs, either as puppies, or later on in life, is not cruel in any way at all and can be really beneficial.
What is important is the way the dog is trained to use the crate and the manner in which the owner uses it. I can assure you that after your clients try crate training they will never have a dog again without crate training it. You can liken it to a child’s playpen, it allows the child to be safe, the difference being that a crate has a roof.
The concept of crate training your dog or puppy is a relatively new one to most dog owners in South Africa. However, crate training has been around for ages, especially in USA and UK and is used in obedience, showing, agility etc in our own country; it just hasn’t been introduced to the everyday pet owner as much here in SA, more the pity.
On first hearing that people put their dogs in crates, many people have the thought of ‘oh no, how cruel’. This is not the case at all and it will actually make not only your dog’s life happier by giving him a ‘safe’ place, but will also impact positively on your own life as you will be able to control elimination, chewing, cut down on separation anxiety etc.
If we look at dogs in their natural environment, they are ‘den’ animals and in the wild an adult dog will instinctively look for a safe area to sleep. When a dam is about to give birth she will set up her own den where she will give birth and keep her pups till they are old enough to go outside by themselves. When the pups are very small the dam will eat the faeces in order to keep the den clean and when the pups are a bit older, the pups will be taught by their dam where the elimination area is. The golden rule – you don’t mess where you sleep. When pups are kept in cages in pet shops this causes problems with toilet training and this is covered in the toilet training section.
Take a look at dogs in the home environment – you can normally find them cuddled up sleeping under a piece of furniture. If we look at dogs that are fearful of storms, the first thing they do is try to find a place to hide where they feel safer, this will often be in a cupboard, behind a couch etc. So crate training our dogs, either as puppies, or later on in life, is not cruel in any way at all and can be really beneficial.
What is important is the way the dog is trained to use the crate and the manner in which the owner uses it. I can assure you that after your clients try crate training they will never have a dog again without crate training it. You can liken it to a child’s playpen, it allows the child to be safe, the difference being that a crate has a roof.
Below is my preferred crate to use. Metal, folds down for easy transport and mostly chew proof
Here are some of the many benefits of crate training your puppy:-
- Dogs by nature are ‘den’ animals, and when the crate is introduced correctly it becomes the dogs den.
- Teaches puppies bladder and bowel control
- Limits destructive chewing, puppy is given and learns what objects can be chewed and these can be given in the crate, making the use of same even more rewarding to the dog.
- Limits the chances of ‘accidents’ – pups chewing electrical wires or ingesting harmful substances.
- Crating your pup on a regular basis and the pup learning to be alone can avoid situations such as separation anxiety and over dependency on owners.
- It allows you to have a bit of a time-out!
- When travelling, a crated dog has more change of surviving a car accident and less chance of causing one.
- You can take your dog on holiday with you and be welcomed into hotels
- If your dog goes to the grooming parlour, kennels or has to stay at the vet, it is already used to the crate and feels safe rather than stressed
- When you have workmen in your house fixing electricity etc, you can pop your dog into the crate. This limits the chance of the repairman leaving the door open and your dog going walkabout.
- It is a place where your dog feels safe and will go by itself if it wants a bit of privacy or time out, or is feeling stressed in any way – if you have a dog that suffers from Brontophobia, a crate will go a long way to helping the situation as a safe place has already been provided, especially if a blanket is draped over the top of the crate.
- If the dog ever needs to be kept quiet after an operation, the crate is excellent.
- If your dog needs to be separated from other dogs or children, it can be put into its crate and still be part of the situation without danger and less stress – in a case like this the crate is not approached – dog is left alone in peace.
- If your dog has to travel by train or plane (in this scenario, habituate your dog to the actual crate to be used a few weeks before travel).
- If you participate in dog shows or obedience, you have a safe place to leave your dog if you want to take a quick walk around without him/her.
- It teaches a dog to be able to lie quietly.
The crate should be large enough to allow the dog to lie down, stand up and turn around in comfortably, but not large enough to let the dog relieve itself at one end and sleep at the other. Bear in mind as well, the size the puppy will grow too. If you do buy a bigger crate make sure that your dog will fit into it comfortably when it is an adult. Until then, simply block off part of it with a chew-proof obstacle until the puppy grows into it. This is much cheaper than buying several crates. The following sounds like it is a lot of work, but it is very seldom that I come across a pup or dog that does not enjoy the crate if the introduction to it is done properly, the dog adapts to it very quickly. The exceptions, and I have only had two, were dogs that had been adopted and had obviously been abused (perhaps being locked up was part of the abuse) and it just took a little longer to get them crate trained.
With a puppy who is introduced to a crate when it first comes home simply have the crate ready with either the blanket you brought back from the breeder, or a nice cuddly blanket and a really interesting chew toy or two. Be careful not to put too many blankets in the crate to ensure the pup does not get too hot. Lure the pup in the crate with a piece of food and offer the new chewy to have a nibble at (it is often helpful to ‘spike’ this a bit by smearing a little peanut butter in the cracks – if possible use organic peanut butter as excess peanut butter can be toxic to dogs). Do this as often as possible, leaving the door open. This allows the pup to come in and outside by itself and will eliminate any fear associated with the crate. A good way to speed this up is to hand feed the pup its daily ration by having the pup go in and out the crate to get individual pieces of dog kibble.
When the pup appears tired, again lure it into the crate with food, offer the chewy to the pup (or even have a new one, already spiked, for interest) and then close the door. At this time I don’t leave the pup alone, I just sit in front of, or next to the crate to give the puppy a sense of security. If it cries or whines, I just ignore it (this will be discussed at a later session) and the pup will soon drop off to sleep. What is very important here is that if your pup is crying or pining to get out, that you do NOT take the pup out till it is being quiet. If you take the pup out whilst a noise is being made all you are achieving is having the pup train you that ‘when I make a noise and cry, mum and dad let me out or come and see what I am doing!’
Have a CD on with some quiet calming music which I find helps the pup to settle easier. Keep an eye on the pup and when it wakes up, open the door, pick the pup up and take it to the toilet. By picking up the pup you eliminate the chance of an ‘accident’ happening.
The pup does not spend all its time in the crate of course, but for eating, sleeping, alone time chewing sessions you can use the crate and this will ensure that the pup gets used to the crate and you will be able to close it the first night. Then simply put the crate next to your bed, and pop the puppy in with its blanket and some nice chewies.
An additional method you can do here is to have the crate in the safe area for the pup and then it can come in and out by itself. If you are at home to supervise, I would suggest that you move the crate to the area you are working or sitting in so that you can see the pup wake up, and then interact and take the pup to the toilet.
The following is for puppies that have not yet been introduced to a crate when very small.
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INTRODUCING A PUPPY OR DOG TO THEIR CRATE
Make sure that the crate is inviting before starting the training. Put in a favourite blanket or toy and make it comfy and inviting. As mentioned above, don’t put in too many blankets or it may make the crate too hot.
If you are starting crate training with a pup that did not start his new life off in a crate then start off by throwing in a nice tasty piece of food. Make sure your pup is hungry when you do this! If the pup prefers toys to food, then simply substitute a toy instead. Practise this over and over; with the puppy happily going in and out, at this stage don’t attempt to close the door. When the puppy is happily going in and out, you can add a cue, such as ‘bed’ or ‘crate’. Whenever it is sleep time for your puppy, take him/her to the toilet first, then simply pop him in as described above, and let it have its sleep inside, remembering to take puppy straight out to the toilet on waking.
When your puppy is happy with this, you can start closing the gate. Do this for short periods initially, always starting with a treat and leave a nice chewy inside to keep your puppy happy. You can slowly make the time period longer.
As above, it is very important here is that if your dog is crying or pining to get out, that you do NOT take the dog out till it is being quiet. Rather wait till the pup/dog is quiet and then open the door. Don’t make a fuss of the dog, in this instance for being quiet, just open the door and let the pup out.
Having the crate next to your own bed helps the pup to settle down as he hears and smells his human pack and he also starts to match our own patterns of sleep.
Keep the crate in whichever room you happen to be in when home with a puppy. You will find, in a very short period that the pup/dog will start going into the crate of its own accord.
Here are some of the crating rules to bear in mind
Make sure that the crate is inviting before starting the training. Put in a favourite blanket or toy and make it comfy and inviting. As mentioned above, don’t put in too many blankets or it may make the crate too hot.
If you are starting crate training with a pup that did not start his new life off in a crate then start off by throwing in a nice tasty piece of food. Make sure your pup is hungry when you do this! If the pup prefers toys to food, then simply substitute a toy instead. Practise this over and over; with the puppy happily going in and out, at this stage don’t attempt to close the door. When the puppy is happily going in and out, you can add a cue, such as ‘bed’ or ‘crate’. Whenever it is sleep time for your puppy, take him/her to the toilet first, then simply pop him in as described above, and let it have its sleep inside, remembering to take puppy straight out to the toilet on waking.
When your puppy is happy with this, you can start closing the gate. Do this for short periods initially, always starting with a treat and leave a nice chewy inside to keep your puppy happy. You can slowly make the time period longer.
As above, it is very important here is that if your dog is crying or pining to get out, that you do NOT take the dog out till it is being quiet. Rather wait till the pup/dog is quiet and then open the door. Don’t make a fuss of the dog, in this instance for being quiet, just open the door and let the pup out.
Having the crate next to your own bed helps the pup to settle down as he hears and smells his human pack and he also starts to match our own patterns of sleep.
Keep the crate in whichever room you happen to be in when home with a puppy. You will find, in a very short period that the pup/dog will start going into the crate of its own accord.
Here are some of the crating rules to bear in mind
- The crate is NEVER used as a punishment
- A dog should not, apart from during the night, spend long periods of time confined to a crate. Especially when teaching a pup to accept a crate, try to make sure that it is tired – having gone for a walk, exercise etc, which will make it easier for the pup to settle. A pup that is full of beans will not lie for a long period of time, even with a chewy.
- Ensure that the experience is taught slowly and carefully making it a positive experience
- Make sure the crate is always clean
- The crate belongs to your puppy/dog and is to be left alone by children or other family pets.
- Don’t use the crate if the pup has diarrhoea or vomiting or if the pup has a temperature
- Keep the crate in a section of the house with the family
3. Sterilization
In addition to stopping unwanted pregnancies, sterilization tends to be curative when the problem behaviour the dog is exhibiting is of a sexual nature. The male dog will exhibit behaviours which are influenced by testosterone i.e. humping, scent marking, roaming (to find mates), reactive behaviour towards other males and often reactive behaviour to determine its rank in the canine pack.
Statistics (overseas) prove that the majority of dog bites to human are made by un-neutered males. The largest of percentage of roaming dogs are un-neutered males and the largest incidence of dog to dog aggression happens with un-neutered male dogs.
Research, both here in SA by the late Dr. Odendaal and by experts overseas, has shown that when a male dog is sterilized there has been a definite reduction of certain problem behaviours, such as the following:-
In addition to stopping unwanted pregnancies, sterilization tends to be curative when the problem behaviour the dog is exhibiting is of a sexual nature. The male dog will exhibit behaviours which are influenced by testosterone i.e. humping, scent marking, roaming (to find mates), reactive behaviour towards other males and often reactive behaviour to determine its rank in the canine pack.
Statistics (overseas) prove that the majority of dog bites to human are made by un-neutered males. The largest of percentage of roaming dogs are un-neutered males and the largest incidence of dog to dog aggression happens with un-neutered male dogs.
Research, both here in SA by the late Dr. Odendaal and by experts overseas, has shown that when a male dog is sterilized there has been a definite reduction of certain problem behaviours, such as the following:-
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Mounting Behaviour
Roaming Intra Male Aggression Urine Marking |
Reduction of 60 %
Reduction of 90% Reduction of 60% Reduction of 50% |
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This was based on sterilization only and no behaviour modification was undertaken.
In an adult dog it can take between 6 weeks and up to three months for the testosterone levels to drop completely and for a change to be seen in the dog’s behaviour – this is dependent on the age when the dog is sterilized and if an adult dog, average is 3 months. This is where the use of behaviour modification can help to change the behaviour. The average age in SA for dogs to be sterilized at present is 6 months of age and this is because on average a dog’s hormone levels will peak at 8 months of age. At the end of this section I have put in links for you to 3 articles – one on Early Stage Sterilization, one on Later Sterilization and lastly an article as to how the canine population can explode if sterilization is not undertaken, to increase your knowledge. I have also included a link which is totally against sterilization where research has been done into this and is ongoing. It is always important to see both sides of the fence, so to speak and keep yourself up to date with research, although honestly I would go with what the local vet recommends until research has proven that better to keep dogs intact. http://www.angryvet.com/neutering-and-behavior/
I have found that a great number of dogs that appear to ignore their owners and engage in unacceptable behaviour such as trying to raise their status in the pack, growling, nipping, biting etc are intact males. When the sterilization has been completed, the behaviour seems to improve very quickly – the dog seems to pay more attention to the owners, the reactive behaviour improves and with behaviour modification major changes can take place.
In addition, I feel that to keep a dog intact, without being allowed to engage in its natural instinct of reproduction, is frustrating to dogs. Remembering that a dog’s sense of smell so much stronger than our own, and an intact male can scent a female in heat and twice annual hormonal surges which can make a female dog more irritable, subdued, depressed and nervous for up to three month each season and, in the case of pseudo /phantom pregnancies, make her aggressive towards other dogs and humans while she “protects” and “defends” her substitute puppies, which may be one of your kid’s toys or even your own slippers!
- Sterilization can increase our dog’s life expectancy. Sterilization prevents testicular and prostate cancer and eliminates uterine infection and the risk of mammary cancer in females.
- It will reduce the possibility of your dog going ‘walk about’ to find a potential mate.
- Finally, sterilization is the most effective and humane way of reducing the number of executions of stray or discarded dogs whose only crime is that they are unwanted!
Disadvantages of Sterilization
When recommending sterilization we always suggest that this subject be discussed fully with your own vet who can point out any possible disadvantages.
- It does involve risks from anaesthesia and surgery.
- Not all dogs recover quickly and some may need post-operative care and/or observation.
- Side effects, such as loss of appetite, lethargy and diarrhoea are possible.
- There has been research done that indicates that although spaying reduces the incidence of reproductive cancers and uterine infections, that spayed bitches do have a higher risk of developing other types of cancer, joint problems and thyroid disease.
- When a male dog is neutered, the amount of testosterone is greatly reduced but this hormone is not eliminated completely. This means that if you have a dog that roams a lot or is very aggressive, the sterilization may assist in reducing this behaviour, but it is not a guarantee that it will stop it altogether. This is where behaviour modification comes in.
- In some female dogs, especially if reactive behaviour and/or resource guarding has been present previously; it does occur that the behaviour could get worse, not better. I have only come across two dogs since I started working professionally in this profession where this has occurred. Situations such as these are normally monitored by the vet and hormone replacement therapy is undertaken.
- In some very dominant type bitches, the reduction of hormones will result in the bitch starting to lift her leg to eliminate, rather than squat.
- Especially in the big breeds more and more people are recommending that the dog is only sterilized when about 18 months of age.
- Long Term Health Risks and Benefits with spay/neuter in dogs http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/
- Early Stage Sterilization :http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/sterilization---is-early-sterilization-an-option.html
- Neutering/Spaying http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/spaying_neutering.shtml
- Spayed or neutered dogs love longer.
4. Auditory Habituation
(Habituation can be described as the process whereby an animal becomes accustomed to non-threatening stimuli and learns to ignore them – David Bailey)
When we speak about dogs auditory abilities, we need to realize the extent of their hearing abilities. Not only do dogs have the ability to hear and discriminate between wide ranges of sounds, they can distinguish same at approximately four times the range of us humans. Their inner ears are designed in a manner that they can operate their ears almost like radar – they can hear the sounds but can also perceive the height and depth of the sound that they hear. They hear ultra-high frequencies that we humans can’t (the dog whistle for example) and they can pin point exactly where the sound originated from.
Habituation to different noise should not be a haphazard affair (indeed the same can be said with socialization); it should be approached from a systematic point of view with the pup being exposed to as many different noises as possible, as often as possibility. Remember the fear aspect and make these experiences as positive as possible for the pup, ignoring or desensitizing the pup if a fear response does occur.
Things that can be done in the home
Visitors: Introduce the pup to as many people, being as noisy as possible. Even go to the extent of having a braai with your hubby’s rowdy rugby mate (the type you normally can’t stand!). If you have young children, have their friends over and let them engage in noisy play, even playing with drums and trumpets. Have the pup safely in the crate or being held by owner, on lead, with a nice chewy to get busy with. Always start the noise at a low volume and increase as you go along. If at any stage the pup stresses, then reduce or take the pup a bit further from the origin of the noise. I find it helpful when doing exercises such as this that rather than holding the pup, supply a really nice chew bone to occupy it or have a game of ball, pullies etc, which gives the pup something else to focus on.
Noises in the home: The burglar alarm, banging pots and pans, the radio blasting, the vacuum cleaner, washing machine and tumble dryer, the doorbell etc, in fact anything you can think of. I know an adult dog that although it loved its food, it used to cringe when the food bowl was placed on the floor as it was metal and made a noise. Don’t limit to noises inside the home, think about what comes out of the garage – drills, lawn mower, weed eaters and so forth. Get the pup used to the postman, the rubbish truck, and the rubbish collectors.
Away from the home: As early as possible the street. So many dogs can tolerate being in the car, but go nuts when motor bikes, trucks and the like come past. Start with quieter streets and build up to the busy ones. Again you can supply a safe chewy to entertain the pup.
Any place where people congregate. This can be shopping centres, vets room (which are often noisy) and especially schools. Have you ever realized the noise that kids make when the home bell, or play time bell rings?
Not living by the sea, we do tend to forget this side of things! Take the pup to the beach; let it hear the sounds of the sea breaking on the rocks, the horn of any boats in a harbour etc.
This one may sound a bit strange, but try and have the dog exposed to heavy winds. On the same point, try and take the pup to a public garage (BP, Caltex etc) so that it can experience the smells and noises and especially the tear drop flags that garages have advertising different products. These make a strange noise in the wind. I speak here from experience! Drive past the airport and park in the area where planes fly overhead.
What about the countryside? Although the pup may not be one that goes out riding with the owner, it may well be exposed to the mooing of a cow or braying of a donkey, the noise of a tractor.
Storm Phobia Habituation - As fear of storms is such a major problem in South Africa, especially the Gauteng area, unless an owner has no possible alternative,we would always recommend purchasing a new puppy during our rainy/storm season. Yes, you can help a pup to be desensitized to the noise a storm makes, but a CD with all the sounds of a storm does not take the place of the other factors that accompany storms – change in Ions, static electricity, howling wind, trees bending, hail, the sound of rain on a metal roof, and of course the thunder and lightning. We need to realize that a phobia can be caused from a single experience (this is called one event learning) or even from continued exposure to the fearful stimulus.
Some pups may only exhibit mild fear responses such as panting, pacing or hiding behind an object, and if your pup is racing outside and trying to ‘catch’ the thunder, this is a sign that the pup is not coping – one which people do not often realize is a sign of a stressed dogs. These are the pups that tend to develop full storm fear phobia if the problem is not attended to, as the odds are that the phobia will get worse! Other pups may get so panicked that it can result in destruction, elimination and/or defecation or really injuring themselves trying to get away from the perceived threat.
If you have ever thought that this is not a serious problem, all one has to do is to see a dog that has storm phobia to realize that owners must do as much as possible to safeguard their pups from suffering from this terrifying phobia. If the pup is showing any stress at all when a storm is approaching, rather than leaving the pup to cope, the owner would immediately start with some counter conditioning by engaging in a game to occupy the pup.
Daily desensitizing must be done to help the fearful pup to cope with both storms and noise fears in the section below. This really is an area where TTouch comes into its own to be added in as a modification and also the use of the Avalon Pure for dog’s products being Storm Fear and Firework and Noise fear. If the fear is already serious, then vet intervention must be undertaken, although this is exceedingly rare with pups. Modifications to assist with these phobias will be dealt with in detail in the problem behaviour section.
Fireworks - This is another area where severe phobias can develop, and is much easier to desensitize a pup to as you can buy CD’s which contain the sounds of fireworks on them. When using these CD’s make sure that it is started at a low volume and gradually turn the volume up. At the same time, use desensitization to turn this into a pleasurable experience for a pup, even playing outside with it as long as the people next door are not letting off fireworks which may result in the pup being startled. As in the Storm Fear Phobia above, if the pup is trying to ‘catch’ and bark at the lights in the sky and the bangs, this pup is not coping.
As above, continued modifications must be undertaken.
(Habituation can be described as the process whereby an animal becomes accustomed to non-threatening stimuli and learns to ignore them – David Bailey)
When we speak about dogs auditory abilities, we need to realize the extent of their hearing abilities. Not only do dogs have the ability to hear and discriminate between wide ranges of sounds, they can distinguish same at approximately four times the range of us humans. Their inner ears are designed in a manner that they can operate their ears almost like radar – they can hear the sounds but can also perceive the height and depth of the sound that they hear. They hear ultra-high frequencies that we humans can’t (the dog whistle for example) and they can pin point exactly where the sound originated from.
Habituation to different noise should not be a haphazard affair (indeed the same can be said with socialization); it should be approached from a systematic point of view with the pup being exposed to as many different noises as possible, as often as possibility. Remember the fear aspect and make these experiences as positive as possible for the pup, ignoring or desensitizing the pup if a fear response does occur.
Things that can be done in the home
Visitors: Introduce the pup to as many people, being as noisy as possible. Even go to the extent of having a braai with your hubby’s rowdy rugby mate (the type you normally can’t stand!). If you have young children, have their friends over and let them engage in noisy play, even playing with drums and trumpets. Have the pup safely in the crate or being held by owner, on lead, with a nice chewy to get busy with. Always start the noise at a low volume and increase as you go along. If at any stage the pup stresses, then reduce or take the pup a bit further from the origin of the noise. I find it helpful when doing exercises such as this that rather than holding the pup, supply a really nice chew bone to occupy it or have a game of ball, pullies etc, which gives the pup something else to focus on.
Noises in the home: The burglar alarm, banging pots and pans, the radio blasting, the vacuum cleaner, washing machine and tumble dryer, the doorbell etc, in fact anything you can think of. I know an adult dog that although it loved its food, it used to cringe when the food bowl was placed on the floor as it was metal and made a noise. Don’t limit to noises inside the home, think about what comes out of the garage – drills, lawn mower, weed eaters and so forth. Get the pup used to the postman, the rubbish truck, and the rubbish collectors.
Away from the home: As early as possible the street. So many dogs can tolerate being in the car, but go nuts when motor bikes, trucks and the like come past. Start with quieter streets and build up to the busy ones. Again you can supply a safe chewy to entertain the pup.
Any place where people congregate. This can be shopping centres, vets room (which are often noisy) and especially schools. Have you ever realized the noise that kids make when the home bell, or play time bell rings?
Not living by the sea, we do tend to forget this side of things! Take the pup to the beach; let it hear the sounds of the sea breaking on the rocks, the horn of any boats in a harbour etc.
This one may sound a bit strange, but try and have the dog exposed to heavy winds. On the same point, try and take the pup to a public garage (BP, Caltex etc) so that it can experience the smells and noises and especially the tear drop flags that garages have advertising different products. These make a strange noise in the wind. I speak here from experience! Drive past the airport and park in the area where planes fly overhead.
What about the countryside? Although the pup may not be one that goes out riding with the owner, it may well be exposed to the mooing of a cow or braying of a donkey, the noise of a tractor.
Storm Phobia Habituation - As fear of storms is such a major problem in South Africa, especially the Gauteng area, unless an owner has no possible alternative,we would always recommend purchasing a new puppy during our rainy/storm season. Yes, you can help a pup to be desensitized to the noise a storm makes, but a CD with all the sounds of a storm does not take the place of the other factors that accompany storms – change in Ions, static electricity, howling wind, trees bending, hail, the sound of rain on a metal roof, and of course the thunder and lightning. We need to realize that a phobia can be caused from a single experience (this is called one event learning) or even from continued exposure to the fearful stimulus.
Some pups may only exhibit mild fear responses such as panting, pacing or hiding behind an object, and if your pup is racing outside and trying to ‘catch’ the thunder, this is a sign that the pup is not coping – one which people do not often realize is a sign of a stressed dogs. These are the pups that tend to develop full storm fear phobia if the problem is not attended to, as the odds are that the phobia will get worse! Other pups may get so panicked that it can result in destruction, elimination and/or defecation or really injuring themselves trying to get away from the perceived threat.
If you have ever thought that this is not a serious problem, all one has to do is to see a dog that has storm phobia to realize that owners must do as much as possible to safeguard their pups from suffering from this terrifying phobia. If the pup is showing any stress at all when a storm is approaching, rather than leaving the pup to cope, the owner would immediately start with some counter conditioning by engaging in a game to occupy the pup.
Daily desensitizing must be done to help the fearful pup to cope with both storms and noise fears in the section below. This really is an area where TTouch comes into its own to be added in as a modification and also the use of the Avalon Pure for dog’s products being Storm Fear and Firework and Noise fear. If the fear is already serious, then vet intervention must be undertaken, although this is exceedingly rare with pups. Modifications to assist with these phobias will be dealt with in detail in the problem behaviour section.
Fireworks - This is another area where severe phobias can develop, and is much easier to desensitize a pup to as you can buy CD’s which contain the sounds of fireworks on them. When using these CD’s make sure that it is started at a low volume and gradually turn the volume up. At the same time, use desensitization to turn this into a pleasurable experience for a pup, even playing outside with it as long as the people next door are not letting off fireworks which may result in the pup being startled. As in the Storm Fear Phobia above, if the pup is trying to ‘catch’ and bark at the lights in the sky and the bangs, this pup is not coping.
As above, continued modifications must be undertaken.
5. Picking up Pups
As pups as such wriggly little things it is not uncommon that they are either dropped or jump out of arms, causing damage and also fear of being picked up. Picking up a puppy incorrectly can also cause the puppy to fear the experience. Pick up your pup only when necessary i.e. grooming on a table, getting into the car, on a vet’s table and avoid picking up when you arrive home – this is also often the beginning of a bad habit.
As pups as such wriggly little things it is not uncommon that they are either dropped or jump out of arms, causing damage and also fear of being picked up. Picking up a puppy incorrectly can also cause the puppy to fear the experience. Pick up your pup only when necessary i.e. grooming on a table, getting into the car, on a vet’s table and avoid picking up when you arrive home – this is also often the beginning of a bad habit.
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Small Breeds
These exercises must be done by as many people as possible, as often as possible as structured exercises. An important note is to practice this at both vets rooms and also groomers.
- To get the pup used to being picked up, practise the following exercise: - gently cup your hands under the pup’s chest and lift it just slightly off the ground.
- Next step is to do as above, but hold in that position for slightly longer. Put pup back on the ground and praise and treat. If the pup starts to struggle while being lifted, don’t let go! Hold the pup gently while the struggling continues (no talking or interacting), and the second the struggling ceases, place pup back on the floor and praise and treat immediately. If you put the pup back on the floor while it is struggling, you have started a bad habit.
- When pup is happy in this position, place you other hand under hindquarters and support against your body.
- Large Breeds
- Place your right arm between the front legs, under the chest, and your left arm under the body, close to the hindquarters. This position will make the pup feel secure. As above, hold off the floor for a few seconds and then praise and treat and follow the procedure above.
- When picking up anything heavy, one must always remember back health, so be sure to bend your knees and pull in your tummy muscles before trying to lift the pup.
These exercises must be done by as many people as possible, as often as possible as structured exercises. An important note is to practice this at both vets rooms and also groomers.
7. Grooming and Handling
Grooming
There are differences of opinion as to what age a pup should first go to the groomer; your best bet is to check with both your vet and groomer for the age they recommend and also ask why. Originally, the pup did not go to the groomer until about 16 weeks of age, and if your groomer is in agreement about this, ensure you habituate your pup to visiting there on a regular basis and being left for period of time in a crate with a nice chew toy to keep it busy in order that location separation anxiety does not occur.
The groomer can place the pup on the table, brush it, trim nails, and look inside ears etc, right from an early age. This will help the pup to become used to the whole process and future visits to the parlour will not be stressful.
Whether you are going to groom yourself or have the parlour do it for you, start to gently brush your pup as soon as you can, and make sure that you can touch all areas of the body. Nails and feet can be played with, the pup shown a pair of nail clippers, and a tiny bit taken off the ends of nails. This is a good idea as puppy nails are like needles!
Here are some points about the differences in human and canine skin.
If you are going to wash the pup yourself at home, here is a procedure you can follow:-
Handling
The more a puppy is handled (gently) the better, especially during the early critical period. Ensure you can touch the puppy all over, especially inside the mouth, paws and tail, which tend to be the area’s most dogs don’t like. Don’t stop at doing this yourself, get children to touch and handle (always ensure that the puppy is held correctly) and as many different people as possible.
Take your pup for regular ‘visits’ to the vet and let as many nurses, receptionists, vets handle and interact with the puppy as you can. At puppy class one of the exercises that is normally always done, is called ‘pass the puppy’. The puppy is handed from person to person, with each puppy being handled by multiple people – a wonderful way to get the pup used to this experience.
This process can be taken further with regular visits to the vet and receptionists, vet nurses and vets all handling the pup and having ‘mock’ examinations. Not all vets work on dogs on the floor, many will place the pup/dog on a table, so ensure that the pup gets used to both methods.
For pups that have areas that they do not like being touched I will show you a manner using TTouch to quickly get them over their concern.
Grooming
There are differences of opinion as to what age a pup should first go to the groomer; your best bet is to check with both your vet and groomer for the age they recommend and also ask why. Originally, the pup did not go to the groomer until about 16 weeks of age, and if your groomer is in agreement about this, ensure you habituate your pup to visiting there on a regular basis and being left for period of time in a crate with a nice chew toy to keep it busy in order that location separation anxiety does not occur.
The groomer can place the pup on the table, brush it, trim nails, and look inside ears etc, right from an early age. This will help the pup to become used to the whole process and future visits to the parlour will not be stressful.
Whether you are going to groom yourself or have the parlour do it for you, start to gently brush your pup as soon as you can, and make sure that you can touch all areas of the body. Nails and feet can be played with, the pup shown a pair of nail clippers, and a tiny bit taken off the ends of nails. This is a good idea as puppy nails are like needles!
Here are some points about the differences in human and canine skin.
- The pH of human skin is acidic at around 5.5 whilst a dog’s skin has a pH of 7.5, being almost neutral. Therefore it is important to use a shampoo that is designed for canine’s (never human shampoo) otherwise you can cause irritation to the skin.
- Human skin’s superficial layer is about 3-5 times thicker than that of a dog and thus may be less susceptible to damage, infection or irritation.
- The human epidermis regenerates itself in about 28 days as opposed to about 20 days in a dog.
- Human hair grows continuously whilst dog’s hair grows in a cyclical manner with the old hairs being pushed out of the hair follicle by the new hairs, hence the shedding.
- Human skin has sweat glands and the dog only has sweat glands under its paws.
If you are going to wash the pup yourself at home, here is a procedure you can follow:-
- Brush all over the body gently and slowly. Make sure you have all you are going to use right next to you i.e. shampoo, towels etc., the last thing you want to do is run around with a wet pup looking for a towel!
- With a pup, I prefer to wash it with running tepid water and not put water in a sink or a bowl. Use a cup or a shower head and gently wet all over – leave out the head area for now and make sure you get under the tummy and in the creases of the body as well. Talk to the pup softly, gently and reassuringly all the time you are doing this.
- After the pup is completely wet, place a small amount of dog shampoo on your hand and work up to a nice lather. Dogs normally love this part. Once again, work up the neck and chest and the whole body including the area under the tail, but avoid the head.
- Once the body is washed, wash each paw individually by lifting it up, bent naturally towards hindquarters and wash between the pads. Don’t leave out the area under the tail.
- Keep talking to your puppy to keep it calm.
- Now, just rinse her the same way, starting at the back of her neck. Make sure you give her a good rinse to get rid of all that shampoo.
- Now wash the ears and head area gently. Be careful of eyes and then quickly rinse off
- Grab her towel that you placed near you, put it around her and gently pick her up and start drying.
- Dampen a soft cotton cloth and wipe her face and eyes. Then wipe the inside of her ears.
- As many parlour's use either fans or hair dryers to dry dogs, I would definitely include the use of same right at the beginning in order to get the pup used to both the noise and the feel of the air flow omitting from these. Don’t make this too hot.
- You can give your puppy another good brushing after she is dry
- Rub her teeth with canine toothpaste and a doggy toothbrush. . Check her nails, if they need to be trimmed, just trim the tips.
Handling
The more a puppy is handled (gently) the better, especially during the early critical period. Ensure you can touch the puppy all over, especially inside the mouth, paws and tail, which tend to be the area’s most dogs don’t like. Don’t stop at doing this yourself, get children to touch and handle (always ensure that the puppy is held correctly) and as many different people as possible.
Take your pup for regular ‘visits’ to the vet and let as many nurses, receptionists, vets handle and interact with the puppy as you can. At puppy class one of the exercises that is normally always done, is called ‘pass the puppy’. The puppy is handed from person to person, with each puppy being handled by multiple people – a wonderful way to get the pup used to this experience.
This process can be taken further with regular visits to the vet and receptionists, vet nurses and vets all handling the pup and having ‘mock’ examinations. Not all vets work on dogs on the floor, many will place the pup/dog on a table, so ensure that the pup gets used to both methods.
For pups that have areas that they do not like being touched I will show you a manner using TTouch to quickly get them over their concern.
The Importance of Exercise
Although many people know that a dog needs exercise in order to maintain condition and weight, not many dog owners really understand the importance of taking a dog out on a regular walk. Because they have a large garden they think that the dog has more than enough space, the truth being, the majority of dogs spend most of the day sleeping in these large gardens when their owners are not at home! A dog that is fit and walked on a regular basis will be more alert and content, sleep better and be better at socializing and most importantly of all, the chances of behaviour problems happening are greatly reduced.
As was mentioned in the section on a dogs scenting abilities, the section of a dog’s brain that is used to analysing smell is over 40 - 45 times stronger than humans which equates to about 200 million scent cells and in the case of the Hound breed, about 450 million more! This is a point to really hammer home to owners, so get to know this section off pat – it really can make a difference in owners becoming aware as to how important it is to take a dog out for exercise. I often say to clients that don’t walk their dogs very often “although you have a beautiful house and garden, how would you like to be locked up in it for months or even years at a time with no mental stimulation at all?” This is normally enough for them to rethink the situation! It is estimated that 20 minutes of mental stimulation is the equivalent of an hour’s exercise for a dog.
The majority of dogs I see as a behaviourist have very little, if any, exercise. The owner will then enrol their dog in an obedience class which more often than not does not help at all. This is not due to the instructor being incompetent, but rather that either the dog will behave like an angel (it is out of its normal situation) or else like a hooligan and either nothing is learned or the dog is just too stressed to learn or, the owner is so embarrassed that they don’t come back. This is the main reason that I stopped doing obedience classes, most of the dogs over 8 months of age (the adolescent period) required a lot more than the standard exercises that are normally taught. Unfortunately, the behaviourist is often the last person to be called in.
Another problem that occurs is that the owner will then take the dog for a walk and all that happens is that they are pulled off their feet. The dog is so overcome by all the wonderful smells around that it will virtually pull its owners arms out, so an activity that should be great fun for both dog and owner becomes a major chore, and we all know what happens here – the owner just stops doing it and the behaviour progressively gets worse.
In addition to taking dogs for walks here are some exercises you can let your clients think about:-
Although many people know that a dog needs exercise in order to maintain condition and weight, not many dog owners really understand the importance of taking a dog out on a regular walk. Because they have a large garden they think that the dog has more than enough space, the truth being, the majority of dogs spend most of the day sleeping in these large gardens when their owners are not at home! A dog that is fit and walked on a regular basis will be more alert and content, sleep better and be better at socializing and most importantly of all, the chances of behaviour problems happening are greatly reduced.
As was mentioned in the section on a dogs scenting abilities, the section of a dog’s brain that is used to analysing smell is over 40 - 45 times stronger than humans which equates to about 200 million scent cells and in the case of the Hound breed, about 450 million more! This is a point to really hammer home to owners, so get to know this section off pat – it really can make a difference in owners becoming aware as to how important it is to take a dog out for exercise. I often say to clients that don’t walk their dogs very often “although you have a beautiful house and garden, how would you like to be locked up in it for months or even years at a time with no mental stimulation at all?” This is normally enough for them to rethink the situation! It is estimated that 20 minutes of mental stimulation is the equivalent of an hour’s exercise for a dog.
The majority of dogs I see as a behaviourist have very little, if any, exercise. The owner will then enrol their dog in an obedience class which more often than not does not help at all. This is not due to the instructor being incompetent, but rather that either the dog will behave like an angel (it is out of its normal situation) or else like a hooligan and either nothing is learned or the dog is just too stressed to learn or, the owner is so embarrassed that they don’t come back. This is the main reason that I stopped doing obedience classes, most of the dogs over 8 months of age (the adolescent period) required a lot more than the standard exercises that are normally taught. Unfortunately, the behaviourist is often the last person to be called in.
Another problem that occurs is that the owner will then take the dog for a walk and all that happens is that they are pulled off their feet. The dog is so overcome by all the wonderful smells around that it will virtually pull its owners arms out, so an activity that should be great fun for both dog and owner becomes a major chore, and we all know what happens here – the owner just stops doing it and the behaviour progressively gets worse.
In addition to taking dogs for walks here are some exercises you can let your clients think about:-
- Swimming – as long as a dog has been taught to get in and out of a pool safely this is a fantastic exercise for dogs. It is also an exercise that dogs can be undertaken after most types of surgery without doing damage – this should always be checked with the vet first. I had a GSD who had HD in both hips and on the second day after the first operation my vet advised me to take her swimming. She healed beautifully both times.
- Any Ball Games – these can also be used as training exercises and the owner does not need to work with balls only, they can really develop the ‘fetch’ exercise and get the dog to retrieve all manner of objects. For when the weather is inclement, I have two soft balls that I use inside with my dogs, throwing them up and down the hallway.
- Find It – this is a great game and enjoyed by nearly all dogs, especially those that were bred for hunting or ratting. Start off by showing your dog his favourite bone or toy and hide it somewhere where he sees you place it. As he finds it, go totally overboard, ‘find it, find it, find it’ in an excited voice and give him an additional treat. The dog is now being rewarded several times – the dog gets to play with its owner, he gets to retrieve his favourite object, gets back his favourite article, he receives a food reward and he gets rewarded vocally – get the idea why dogs love this game? Gradually make it harder and harder. This is a lovely game for your dog to play when left at home for long periods of time. Teach him how to play the game in the garden by hiding various objects in different places and then spike the garden when you are out, leaving with the ‘find it’ cue to your dog.
- Agility - you don’t need to spend a fortune and have expensive equipment, you can make your own at home and just put it in the garage when you are finished. A big cardboard box makes an excellent tunnel. Broom poles with a nail in the bottom acting like a spike to stick into the grass, make good weaving poles. Some broom poles and plastic buckets can be used for jumps. If you have a handy husband or willing hardware, holes can be cut in the buckets to make jumps of different heights. Get imaginative, the list is endless if you just think about it further. What is very important in this game is with pups they should never been made to just over anything high Max height about half the length of the front legs) as their bones are still growing. Rather place the jumps at the dog’s ankle height to avoid any damage.
- Brain Exercises – Take a plastic bowl and turn it upside down on the paving or tiles with some strong smelling treats underneath it. A dog will push this around for ages trying to get at what is inside and come up with a lot of creativity in trying to get the treat out. You can even buy various behaviour toys designed to stimulate pups and dogs.
- Cardboard Box – just give the pup an empty cardboard box and especially fun if put on tiles. The pup will climb in and out, scoot it all over the floor, ‘attack’ it and chew on it and in all, have a great game.
- Clicker – one of the best ways to entertain a dog and keep it mentally stimulated. My granddaughters love watching Brady doing tricks and it keeps them all entertained for ages.
- Hide and Seek – dogs love this. Start off in a similar manner as the Find It game by hiding behind a curtain or chair with your head sticking out. I use the ‘findies’ cue here as well.
- As with all activities, stop before the dog gets tired or bored. Not only will this raise you higher in the human/canine hierarchy, it will leave your dog looking forward to more. With all exercise make sure the dog does not overheat and try to include it in his daily routine – this will ensure that the dog has something to look forward to and will be enjoyed by both dog and owner.