Tips on Correcting Behavioral Problems

Back when I was still a little kid, I used to stay with my grandfather at one of the rural corners of the country. He planted vegetables, fruits, reared live stocks and like the rest of the village, we had a pack of dogs living with us. I wouldn't say that they are family pets as they definitely don't fit our modern day definition of pet, however they lived with us and helped protect our property and in return for their service we would feed them everyday. That was our way of life back then, it was a peaceful co-existence with our pack of dogs. However in our modern day society, our dogs have been alleviated unwillingly from the status of being an animal to being our little baby, son, daughter and the list goes on. This has inadvertently created an increased in behavioral problem in our dogs. Problems like destructive chewing, obsession, separation anxiety were all issues that were far and few back then. It was until I had my first dog, did I came to the realization that most of the time, we are actually the source of our dog's problems despite our good intentions. Many of us have made the most fundamental mistake of thinking that our dog is a human! The truth is our dog is much simpler than us, because they do not think and rationalize like we do, they don't plan in advance what they are going to do, they live in the now and everything they do is a reaction to our actions.

Due to my ignorance I had a lot of problem with my first dog, Belle, she was perpetually fearful to the extent that she would tremble, eliminate and totally shut herself down. She had a host of other problems which I had unwittingly created. Stress, frustration and sadness was welling within me as I struggled to find a fix to her escaliting problem. I searched the net, went to various forums and poured through numerous books. After much trial and error as well as great determination and patience, she got better as each month passed and today she is a happy and well balanced dog :)

As I continue to read more on canine behavioral problems, I soon realised that there is something similar in the techniques or methods that different people used. The baseline to bring out the things that will trigger them and correct them immediately when they start to behave in an unacceptable manner. Say for example you dog has a problem of chewing on the sofa. The following steps will be I will do:
1. Bring the dog to the sofa (the item that will trigger his unacceptable behavior).
2. The moment he start to move forward to the sofa, come in between him and the sofa.
3. If he continue moving forward, immediately give him a firm touch on his neck or rear just to snap him out of it.
4. Adopt a tall and proud posture and never back off.
5. Depending on the type of dog, some may back off while others will bark and try to move forward again.
6. By barking or lurching forward the dog is issuing a challenge, and must be correct immediately with a firm touch.
7. Once he stop. Take a step towards him. By doing so you are setting the boundary for him and telling him that you are claiming the sofa as yours.

A dog that submit on the first day does not necessarily mean he has learnt the new behavior. For the new behavior to last, daily routine is a must. The moment he tries to get near the sofa, the owner must go through the same step of claiming the sofa and making him back off. It may be challenging initially as it something new for the dog, but you will realize that as you keep repeating the same drill with him, very soon the new habit of repecting the sofa will be programmed into his head.

The steps above can be use for changing other unacceptable behavior as well. Behavior such as dominating your bed and refusing to let other on it, chewing your household item, dashing out the door etc. The underlying principle is the same. Some pointers to take note:
- Always start by going into a clam but assertive state of mind. Your dog can sense your aura.
- Never call his name when correcting his unacceptable behavior as you want to associate his name with positive events and not bad ones.
- Dogs can change from very mild to extreme aggression in split seconds so always be alert to his cues so that you can block him from reaching the aggression state.
- Patience and consistency are the key ingredients to successfully changing a dog's unacceptable behavior.

Recommended reads:
The Very Best of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan
Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life
A Member of the Family: The Ultimate Guide to Living with a Happy, Healthy Dog
Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan - Seasons 1-3 Collection - Amazon.com Exclusive

How To Tell If You Female Dog Is In Heat

Based on the observation of my dogs and feedback I gather from fellow dog lovers, most bitches reach puberty at about 6 to 18 month of age. This is the first time she comes into heat and it will occur again at intervals of about 6 months. It is at this time where she will start to pass out blood stained substance. 

Some common symptoms displayed includes:
- signs of abdominal discomfort
- increase excitability
- loss of appetite

This is also the time where they send out such a strong scent to the male dogs around the neighborhood that they becomes hysterical whenever you bring her out for a walk. However, she will only begin to show interest in mating after 5 to 10 days into her heat, where she will be just as anxious to meet another male dog. Based on studies, the highest probability of conception occurs around 10 days after the bitch has displayed signs of being on heat.

The estrous cycle is a regular occurring period of sexual receptivity in dogs where ovulation occurs and copulation can take place. It consist of namely 4 stages:
1. Proestrus
2. Estrus
3. Diestrus
4. Anestrus

Proestrus
This is the start of the cycle where the bitch first comes into heat. Her vulva will be swollen and blood stained discharge can be observed. An increase in urination can also be observed. This is also the time when she sends out her mating scent that gets all the male dogs crazy, however she will not show any signs of interest in mating or the males until the next stage. Duration of this stage is about 9 days.

Estrus
This stage will often being 8 - 10 days after the first sign of bleeding in the bitch. Ovulation occurs about 2 days into this stage. In preparation for mating her vulva will become enlarge and swollen. A lighter tone discharge will also be observed. This is the part of the cycle when the bitch becomes interested and receptive to the male dogs, and should therefore be kept away from all male dogs if you have no intention of breeding. It is important to note here that a bitch can be pregnant with a mix litter, a result of mating with more than 1 mate of different breeds.  Average duration of this stage is about 9 days.

Diestrus
After mating the diestrus stage follows. Typically this stage last for 60 to 100 days in bitches that are not pregnant. For bitches that are pregnant it usually last for about 56 - 58 days. During this period bitches that are pregnant and not pregnant will both undergo hormonal changes in their body. And in certain cases, non-pregnant even exhibit symptoms of being pregnant and this is known as false pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy. During this stage, bitches will gain weight, show signs of mammary gland development leading to production of milk and display signs of nesting.

Anestrus
This is basically the period of sexual inactivity inactivity between cycles where she has no attraction to or from the male dogs. This period usually last for about 6 months.

Owners who do not plan to let their bitch mate should consider spaying her. Spaying should not be seem as harmful to a dog and on the contrary it has more benefits than not doing so. Few of the greatest benefits of spaying are:
- Spaying lowers the risk of developing uterine problems and hormone related disease such as mammary cancer.
- Avoid the mess that accompany the bitch when she is on heat.
- Helps to make her calm as a bitch that is in heat is susceptible to temperament changes.
- Prevents unwanted pregnancy, as raising a litter of puppies is a very time consuming and laborious process, albeit a rewarding one.

Recommended resources:
The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies: A Complete and Practical Guide
The Complete Book of Dog Breeding
Canine Reproduction And Whelping: A Dog Breeder's Guide
Book of the Bitch: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Caring for Bitches (New Edition)

Top 2 Most Common House Training Challenges

House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread! Today I am going to deal with two of the most common problems surrounding the issue of house training:

- Submissive/excited urination

- Scent marking

A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and any guests you may have!) in situations of extreme excitement or stress - like when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off. Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse (often these last two go hand-in-hand.)

Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, eg arguments
- During a correction (you’re telling him off)
- Sudden loud noises (thunder, fireworks)

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to “cure” your dog of his submissive/excited urination. First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or a bladder infection.)

Next, it’s time to take control of the problem:

- Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time, but if you know there’s a situation coming which would normally result in urination – for example, you have guests coming over, or are planning on a play session soon – take his water bowl away for a period of time (maybe half an hour to an hour) before the event.

- When greeting your dog, keep it calm and mellow. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, so don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, a quick pat, and then go about making yourself at home.

- It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s certainly not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can interrupt him (a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops should suffice) but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and try to be sympathetic: he doesn’t mean to do it, after all!

Scent marking - where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is technically not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality rather than insufficient house training (a dog can be perfectly house trained but still mark inside the house.) However, because – since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training: and since this is one of the most widespread problems among dog owners, we thought it worthwhile to include some practical advice. 

Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two

Your dog’s probably scent marking, rather than genuinely relieving himself, if:

- The amount of urine produced is relatively small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, etc)

- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones –if you have an unneutered dog in the house, you can pretty much expect a certain amount of scent marking. (Unspayed females also mark, but it’s less common; spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent)

- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break

- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc

- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs

- There are other, unneutered or unspayed pets in the house

First things first: spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can. If you can do this early enough – ideally, at six months of age - this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he or she may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like pee) and stay away from vinegar too (it smells similar to pee.) Oxi-Clean mixed with warm water is particularly effective; there are also plenty of commercial cleaners designed specifically to lift pet stains and odors, which you can buy from pet stores and some supermarkets. Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.

You can do this in a number of ways:

- Feed him next to or on top of the spot
- Play with him there
- Groom him there
- Put his bed over or next to it
- Spend time there yourself: hang out with a book or sit down and work

If there is rivalry between dogs in the household, you’ll need to take steps to resolve it. Any conflict is likely to be hierarchical in nature (a “power struggle”), which means that all you have to do to stop the tension is pay attention to which dog seems to be more dominant than the other one (which one eats first, gets the toys he/she wants, “stares down” another dog), and reinforce this position. 

How to do this: feed the dominant dog first. Pet him/her first. Give him/her a toy before anyone else gets one. This makes it clear to all dogs in the house which one really is the dominant dog – and when this hierarchy’s been recognizably established, territorial/dominant behaviors like scent marking often vanish overnight.

For more information on how to successfully house train your dog (as well as a whole bunch of in-depth information on house training troubleshooting and related issues) you’ll probably want to check out The Ultimate House Training Guide.

How To Love Your Dogs

Just the other day while I was at one of those local phone shops checking out the prices of mobile phones when I saw a middle age lady pushing a stroller into the shop. As the space was rather narrow, so when she approached me I had to step aside in order to let her pass and that was when I realized that it was not an infant or a child in the stroller but a chihuahua! Which is why I was motivate to put up this post on showing affection to dogs.

Now I am not trying to insult the intelligence of anyone here nor am I insinuating anything. However I feel that it is important to dispel the misconception that a lot of people have with regards to showing affection for our dogs. I can totally understand the human desire to just go up to that cute dog and pour our affection onto him with kisses, pats, hug and so on. The situation is exacerbated if we adopted a dog who have had a rough life hitherto. Feeling sorry for him, we tend to shower him with even more affection and anything that we thought could possibly make his life better.

That is the most fundamental mistake that most of us make, especially dog owners who have had no experience with dogs before. I was once there as well, I made the mistake of pouring my beloved dog with my immense affection such that I was unwittingly creating all her behavioral problems, I was literally creating an unbalanced dog! There is no doubt that the intention is noble and good, however if we do it from the human perspective, we are actually doing more harm than good to our loyal companion. We cannot interpret affection to our dogs like the way we show affection to another human, instead we have to do it in their way.


Leadership
Contrary to the belief that affection for our dogs equals to giving them freedom, to let them run around our household and do as they deem fit. A dog living with his human pack that does not provide his need for leadership, will take it upon his shoulder to be the leader. A dog becomes the alpha of his human will disregard his owners instructions as he sees himself as the leader of the pack, and everything in the 'large kennel' is his possession and that is where behavioral problems emerge. In some situations, behavioral problems is a result of the dog inability to cope with the tremendous stress place on him as a leader, as he will always be trying to be on top of everything.

Through observing my dogs and the numerous books that I have read on dogs, I have come to realize that the first thing that we need to provide our dogs with is leadership. Dogs in their natural environment are born into a pack and they lived as a pack. They are hardwired by nature to look up to their alpha for directions, the innate need for leadership is build within them in the DNA. They need someone whom they can follow, but they are also selective of who they follow. They will never follow a leader who projects a negative or weak aura around them as that translate to unstable energy for them. Ever seen how a mother dog handle her pups? She is always calm and firm, she communicates with her pups through her calm and assertive energy and physical touches, and her pups will just fall in line. So if you want to love your dog, show him that you are a worthy leader by projecting your calm and assertive aura, he will be able to sense it and it will help him to be calm as well. 

Rules and limits
The next thing you need to do is to establish rules and limits for your dog. A dog that lives without rules and boundaries will soon find himself overwhelm by the world around him. By exercising rules and setting limitations for them you are teaching your dog how to behave and live in your pack, which requires a great deal of focus from him which in turns drains him out and helps him to expand his energy. Just like how our world function with laws and regulations, likewise for a dog's world, they need rules and boundaries to function. However this will be impossible if you have yet to establish your role as a leader in your dog's eye.

Exercise
Exercising has the effect of helping a dog release his energy. The amount of exercising varies for every dog and is dependent on his energy level. A high energy dog would probably require up to three sessions on a single day with duration of 60 minutes each. A good form of exercising would be walking, but this is not just about bringing your dog out and letting him pull you on the leash, because it will be him walking you instead. By walking you dog, I am referring to keeping him by your side and slightly behind you. And while walking he must be discipline and calm not to be distracted by the things around him. And you as his leader plays a significant role in this.

Like I always advocate, a calm and firm aura is essential, the next thing you need to do is to condition him to focus on following you throughout the walk. This means that you as the leader have to correct his unacceptable behavior immediately through your aura and your touch and replace it with an acceptable behavior, much like how the mother dog discipline her pups. For example, if your dog get all excited whenever he sees the neighbor's dog, you can distract and block him mentally from going into that excited state of mind whenever you notice his physical que by giving him a firm tap. And get him into a behavior that you would prefer, such as sit. The whole idea here is to condition him to ignore all other things and focus on you.

Affection
Lastly affection must always be earn. It can be as simple as your dog listening to your command, and once he has executed your command and got into a calm state, you can give him all the affection you want. It is important to condition you dog to understand that he will have to earn your affection and he will only receives affection when he is calm and submissive. It is important to note here that giving affection to your dog at inappropriate time could have an adverse effect on him. By inappropriate I am referring to situations where the dog is excited, aggressive or fearful. By giving the dog our affection and attention, we are nurturing that state of mind that the dog is in and therefore doing it when the dog is not in a calm state can be detrimental to both dog and human.

And so in summary, to love your dog you have got to become his leader by:
1. projecting a calm and assertive aura
2. setting rules and boundaries for your dog
3. provide you dog with enough challenge to drain his excess energy so as to help him so into a calm and submissive state
4. provide affection and attention after your dog had earn it and only when he is in a calm state of mind

Recommended reads:
How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life
Cesar's Rules: Your Way to Train a Well-Behaved Dog

Excitation Barking

People often have the misconception that barking dogs are dangerous, dominant, aggressive and perhaps irritating. Although it may be true in certain cases, it is also important for us to understand that barking is a way of communication for our dogs. There are many reasons that can cause our dogs to bark, therefore it is necessary for all genuine dog lovers to understand and differentiate the different types of barking of our dogs. This can be easily acquired by observing how your dog response to different situations. Having a good knowledge will enable us to understand our dogs and understanding will provide us with greater insight and patience towards them.

One of the most common phenomenon observed in dogs is excitation barking. It is our dog's way of expressing his happiness or an expectation that something good is about to happen. Common examples of this is when the owner return home or when there are guest around. However it is important to note here that our dogs are not designed by nature to behave in this manner, it is usually us that conditioned them to behave like that knowingly or unknowingly.

Excitation barking is usually a high frequency barking that may sometime sound a little hysterical. And because of the excitation energy, the dog will be unable to keep still and would instead be running around, jumping  up and down or could even be running in circle. Although our dogs should never be punished for this, it is nonetheless important that we correct his behavior and replace that with something that is calmer. In the steady state they should be conditioned to stop barking whenever you are home or when there are guests approaching. There are many ways that people used to deal with their dog's excitation barking issues. Some will give their dogs a chew toy and others would distract their dog by getting him to play fetch. In my opinion those are rather effective quick fix but does not do anything to help correct our dog's behavior.

When I had my second toy poodle, Teddy, I realized that he was showing signs of excitation barking whenever I return home or when my family members are at my gates. What I did after some trial and researching was to condition him to associate that he will not receive anything from us when he is excited. What I did was to totally ignore him when I return and gave my attention to my other dogs who are calmer, while he was barking with all his might in his crate. Eventually he got tired and began to calm down, and that is the time when I would open him from his crate and let him walk over to me. But I refrain from giving attention because I have to create and deepen his association of calmness equal to affection. So I would make him sit until he is calm, he would usually go to the down position when he is fully relax, and that is when I reinforce his association with my affection.

The steps are pretty simple but requires lots of patience.
1. Ignore your dog.
2. If he is jumping, running around or hysterical, leash him up and get him into a sit position and eventually a down position.
3. A dog that is not used to it will show initial resistance by jumping, whining, barking, but you have to stand firm. Because if you back away, he will associate his action equals to you backing away and him having his way.
4. Stand firm and let him resist. He will soon get tired out and would eventually submit and go into the down position.
5. Remove the leash when he is totally relax and calm and showing him affection so that he can associate calm and relax equal affection and attention.

What about guest? While the drill is pretty much the same. The idea is to get your dog into a calm and relax state before opening the doors and welcoming your guests in. The way I do it is as follows:
1. Walk to the door and put myself between my dogs and the door. This is to tell them that I am in control.
2. I will then get my dogs into a calm state where they will usually go into a sit position.
3. Never open the doors or gets while they are in an excited mood.
4. Anytime while I am in the process of inviting my guest in I will stop and correct them immediately so that they can make the association that I am not approving he behavior.
5. There is no need for yelling or shouting, just a firm touch at their sides will snap them out of their focus.
6. Correct them by making them sit and calming themselves down. I will only return my attention to my guests when my dogs are fully relax.
7. Always inform my guest if they are coming for the first time that they must ignore my dogs totally when they are coming in. Allow my dogs to smell them and once they are comfortable around my guest they will relax and that is the time when my guest starts to interact with them.

While training your dog, it is always beneficial to have the end in mind and always be calm so that your calmness can induce a calming effect on your dog. And remember that persistence and patience is the key to successfully changing your dog's excitation barking behavior.

Recommended reads:
Barking: The Sound of a Language (Dogwise Training Manual)
Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You
Scaredy Dog! Understanding & Rehabilitating Your Reactive Dog

Reading The Dog Food Label

The label tells us many important facts and figures that may otherwise dissuade or persuade us from purchasing the food. In short, it is important to read the labels. To actually read that label, and not to just give it a cursory glance, we will have to first know a little something about what can be found there and what it means.

The first thing most of us notice on any label is the product name. The product name may also contain primary ingredient names such as “Beef Dog Chow”, or what kind of dog the food is intended for, such as “Puppies, Adult, Lactating”, etc.

If, in the product name, an ingredient is listed, say for example “Beef Dog Chow”, that beef must be at least 95% of the total weight if there is no water required for processing, and at least 70% when water is included. So, for dry kibble, 95% of that weight needs to contain beef. When the title contains “dinner, formula, nuggets,” and other similar words, the ingredient named must be at least 25% of the weight. So in a product named Lamb Dinner, 25% of the total weight for the product must be lamb.

But, if only ¼ of that entire product needs to consist of lamb, the lamb may not (and probably is not!) the main ingredient. Ingredients must be listed in a descending order of weight. So, even though the bag says Lamb Dinner, the lamb may be fourth in order.

Example:

• Lamb Dinner Ingredients: Corn, meat and bone meal, wheat, lamb.

In that Lamb Dinner, the main ingredients are really the corn and meat and bone meal. Not desirable for a healthy meal.

On the other hand if the ingredients listed were

• Premium Lamb Dinner Ingredients: Lamb, ground rice, ground yellow corn…

This presents a more desirable meal and one that your dog can actually consume and digest properly.

When it comes to the words “flavored” or “flavor” such as Lamb Flavored Nuggets, no exact percentage of the named ingredient, the lamb, needs to be present, but enough of that ingredient needs to present as to be detectable

Often times, the main ingredients will not be present in the title. In such a case, these foods often include items such as: ground yellow corn, meat byproducts, tallow, and other items that are not particularly digestible for your pet. The actual named ingredient will probably be down the list and make up only a very small part of the product. Besides naming an ingredient with the product name, other phrases and adjectives are used.

Premium Dog Food, or X Premium and other like titles are making a justified boast, as these products complied with the nutritional standards for a complete and balanced dog food. This is definitely something to take into consideration when shopping. 

Natural Dog Food means that there are no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors.

If a product has given the calorie content on the bag, “Premium Beef Dinner: now with lower calorie content,” this is done so voluntarily as a service to the consumer. Because the calorie content of pet foods does not have to be displayed in their labels, however, here's a formula to help you make sure Buster is not eating too much: 

Multiply the carbohydrate by 4.2kcal (kilocalories) per gram, the protein by 5.65, and then the fat by 9.4 kcal per gram. If you need to convert the kilocalories to kilojoules (another unit of measurement for energy) simply multiply the total by 4.184. Of course, rounding to the nearest ten might be helpful, as long as you keep in mind that it’s an approximation erring on the low side.

Where's the Fat?

A good way to find the higher quality dog foods by reading the ingredient list is to search for that first source of fat. Everything that is listed before that fat source, and including it, is the main part of the food. Everything else is generally used for flavor, preservatives, vitamins, and minerals.

For example:

• Food A:Ground yellow corn, meat meal, chicken fat, ground wheat, chicken byproduct meal, dried beet pulp …

• Food B:
Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, ground brown rice, ground white rice, chicken fat, apples, carrots, sunflower oil…

The importance of finding the source of fat and where it is listed is so you can find ingredients that may or may not be harmful to your pet, such as beet pulp or corn gluten meal.

Learning to read the labels on dog food is the single most important thing you can do if you intend to feed your pet a commercial diet. Buster may be the smartest dog who ever wore a collar, but he can’t read, and he needs to rely on you to keep him healthy.

If what's in that can or bag doesn't sound like something you'd want to eat, it's probably not something your dog would eat if there were an alternative. So take the time to learn the language of labels!

Check out "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition" for more information!

Overcoming Canine Separation Anxiety

Dog suffering from separation anxiety are unbalanced dog who experience high level of stress in addition to causing emotional distress for their owners. While there are many possible reasons as to which some dogs display this behavior, personally I believe that it is because the dog was not taught how to handle such a situation. And more often than not, it is a result of human intervention that prevent the dog from learning. It could be that the dog was removed too early from his litter and mother's care, typically a mother dog will nurse her pups up until 4 to 5 weeks after birth, or could be us giving affection immediately after a dog had a traumatic experience and the list goes on.

The symptoms of separation anxiety includes:
- inappropriate urination and defecation
- excessive barking, whining or even howling
- destructive chewing
- trembling
- aggression during departure
- vomiting
- drooling

The above are just some of the symptoms commonly observed in dogs experiencing separation anxiety. And as their owners, it is imperative that we display the leadership that they need to help them learn the correct behavior. It is important to appreciate the fact that dogs live in a pack and must have a pack leader that he can always look up to for leadership and direction. A dog living with a human pack who does not provide leadership will place it upon himself to take the lead. A house with such a dog will eventually find themselves being own by the dog and behavioral problems will also begin to emerge.

Back to separation anxiety, a technique that many dog owners used is systematic desensitization. The aim of this method is to work on his discomfort of his owner leaving him a little bit at a time and gradually desensitize him to the absence of his owner.

The steps are as follows:
1. Designate a safe spot and get your dog to rest there.
2. Get a chair and sit next to your dog and give him a treat. In my opinion it is better to give him something that requires him to focus and takes some time to chew. Repeat a few times with a short pause in between.
3. Stand up for a brief moment while your dog is focusing on his treat. Repeat a couple of times until he is totally focus on his activity and not you while you are standing.
4. Give your dog his treat again and in addition to the sit and stand up routine, move a step or a few steps away from the chair and stay for a brief moment before returning to sit on the chair. Your dog should be totally focus on his activity at all times. If he show any sign of anxiety or gets up, you will have to correct it immediately by bringing him back to his spot and repeat from the previous step.
5. Gradually increase the distance you take away from your dog. In the steady state you should be able to move around the room without your dog getting anxious or away from his position without your permission.
6. Once you are able to move around the room freely, move out of the room for a brief moment and return. As before, your dog should be focus on his activity and not move away from his position without your permission.
7. Gradually increase the time out of the room.

This is a time taking process as some dogs requires daily practice with their owners to condition and change their behavior. Patience and commitment is the key to success. Other things to take note is, always start with the end in mind, you have to believe in it first before you can materialize it. Be confident and always project a calm and assertive aura so that your dog can be influence by your aura and be induced into a calm state too. When he sense your leadership, he will most probably follow your directions.

Recommended resources:
Don't Leave Me! Step-by-Step Help for Your Dog's Separation Anxiety
I'll be Home Soon: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety.

Caring For Your Dog's Teeth

Our dogs like us, should receive professional dental care on a regular basis. However having a good dental care program at home will significantly reduced the number of visit to the professional groomer. With proper routine care and a committed owner, many of the dental diseases related to dogs can be easily prevented.

Below are some of the things I do to keep my dogs' teeth strong and healthy:
1. Avoid feeding them any kind of bones. The basic principle here is not give them anything that is harder than their teeth. Provide them with the proper chew toys made of rubber or rawhide.
2. Brush their teeth every two days using a dedicated toothpaste that is made for dogs.
3. Consider putting them on a kibble diet, as the dry kibbles are rather rough and can help clean the dog's teeth whilst he is chewing on it.
4. Schedule a visit to the vet annually for checkup and cleaning.

There are a great number of tooth cleaning products out in the market that promise to keep our dog's teeth clean and sparkling white. Some of these are for general cleaning while some are specially designed to target dogs who are suffering from certain dental diseases. Therefore it is important to read the labels before making any purchase. Some manufacturers use oxygenating substance to reduce the growth of anaerobic bacterial while some other use substances such as chlorhexidine which has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Always consult the vet on the toothpaste to use, especially if your dog is suffering from dental diseases.

For general day to day cleaning, a tablespoon (14g) of baking soda and a teaspoon of water (5ml) can be added to the toothpaste. This is to help enhance cleaning via the abrasive action of the baking soda. Depending on the breed of your dog, you may either use a dog toothbrush or a finger brush where you insert your finger into. Personally I prefer to use the finger brush as it allows me to reach further and feel the teeth of my dogs. However there are some friends of mine who are jittery about using finger brush as they are afraid that their dogs might accidentally bite on their finger. Well for me, its all about energy like what I have mentioned in my previous articles. Start with the end in mind and always project a calm aura and you will most likely be able to get the full cooperation of your dog.

The way I brush my dog's teeth is as follows:
1. Lift the lips and rub the toothpaste on the gum and teeth in a circular motion.
2. Hold the toothbrush parallel to the teeth and angle the brush to 45 degree angle.
3. Brush in small circle overlapping the teeth and gum.
4. Clean and brush the portion where the tooth is attached to the gum.

This is all there is to brushing your dog's teeth and keeping them clean. It is best to start the brushing routine at a young age where the gum and teeth are at the healthiest. Remember to always make the session as enjoy and as positive as possible. Never force it upon them. If you are experiencing difficulties getting your dog to accept brushing his teeth, trying bring him out for a walk, making him tired. He will be in a calmer and more receptive state and if you approach him in the correct manner and project the calm and assertive energy to him, you will definitely succeed.

Toothpaste that my dogs like:
Four Paws Dental Toothpaste
Four Paws Dental Toothpaste (chicken flavored)

How To Wash Your Dog

Even if you have got the most easy to care dog in the world, she will still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress free grooming. 

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?

Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog’s regular health care. It ensures that any skincare problems are minimized, and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition  because if you groom on a regular basis, you cannot help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps. This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs are unable to tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run. The trick is getting your dog to tolerate and even enjoy the process.

THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS

Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix. Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic stricken when the tub comes out. This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog  that it will keep both of you relaxed and happy. 

First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury. If you have got an adult dog, you probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.

As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she will slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it should not take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.

All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.

This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you are more likely to groom her which in turn increases the health benefits for her. 

HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG

Bathing always comes before dry grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective. You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)

Stand her in the tub, on the non slip mat. If she’s a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet. 

Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she is good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing. Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather. Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she might  get an ear infection. You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like. Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off, dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.

Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.

Then you will need to dry her off: if she’s got short fur, you can use a towel, for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it is set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.

KEEP YOURSELF CALM

Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic. Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her. The more she enjoys the process, the easier it will be for you!

Grooming your dog is just one tiny aspect of maintaining overall health and happiness. For a complete, encyclopedic survival guide to all aspects of dog health, from preventative care to choosing a vet to doggie First Aid, you should take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

Additional resources:

Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook 

The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook: The Definitive Guide to Keeping Your Pet Happy, Healthy & Active Through Every Stage of Life

Dogs Etiquette

I can still remember my first the first time I got bitten by a dog. I was visiting my grandfather at his place, upon coming out of the car I saw this cute brown dog with white patches over his eyes getting up and looking at me. As I approached him, I realized that he was standing only on three legs, one of his front legs was amputated. I felt sorry for him, so I stretched out my hand attempting to give him a pat on his head and that was when he turn vicious and bite my hand. Well I never really understand why he attacked me when I meant him no harm until years later when Belle, my first dog, came along. I learnt from the many books I read that everything I was doing that day, right from the moment I stepped out of the car was wrong!

Dogs and human communicates differently and more often then not, we humans have the tendency to impose our interpretations and ideas onto our beloved dogs. And the result of that is never a happy one. It is important to understand and respect our dogs, regardless of their names and how we may see them (son, daughter or baby). They are first and foremost a dog, so the best way to respect and love them is to let them be the dog that nature have wired them to be. So it is important for us to learn and understand their language and the way they communicate so that we do not have a communication break down!

First and foremost, you must be able to project a calm aura around you. Have the end state you want to achieve in your mind. With this, you will be able to project a more positive energy towards the dog.

Never ever make frontal approach to a dog that you are meeting for the first time. As a frontal approach towards them into their personal space would make most dogs uncomfortable and anxious and therefore more prone to attack. Always approach them with your sides towards them, so that they feel less threaten.

Never look or stare into their eyes because in the dog world, a direct stare is deemed as an adversarial display which often leads to aggression if not stop in time. Look at their mouth, chest or paw instead as you approach them.

Do not make any sudden movements or loud noise as this might create excitement or tension which can result in an attack. The best way is always to move near to them, remain at your position and ignore them. This would arouse their curiosity. Once their curiosity is arouse it will move towards you, allow the dog to sniff you while remaining calm. Once he is satisfy and ascertain that you are not a threat, you will be able to tell from his body language that he has accepted you.

Lastly never pet a dog that you are meeting for the first time on his head. Reach out for the chin, neck, chest or the side instead.

Of course do not forget about our human etiquette of asking the owner for permission before approaching their dog or petting them. And common sense will tell you not to touch a dog on the part of his body where he is experiencing discomfort such as a wound.

Additional resources:
Dog Behavior: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet
The Cautious Canine
Barking: The Sound of a Language (Dogwise Training Manual)
On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Rover, Get off Her Leg!: Pet Etiquette for the Dog Who Pees on Your Rug, Steals the Pot Roast and Poops in Improper Places

Massage for your poochies

Soon after I have Belle, my first dog, I found myself visiting the pet park on every weekends and while I was there I made a couple of new friends who shared a great deal of information. One of the things I learn from the other pet loves there was the power of giving a massage to my dog. Similar to how a massage makes us feel good by releasing tight muscles and helping us find our calm center, the same applies to our dogs as well.

Some of the benefits of massage includes:
- stress relief
- soothing and comforting
- assist healing process by triggering body natural ability to heal itself from injury, strain and fatigue
- helps detect swelling, stiffness, pain and tension
- helps the body to function more effectively
- improves our dog's agility
- helps increase the bonding between our dogs and us

There is a whole big field dedicated to massaging for dogs, books and information are easily available. I am not an expert in this field so I will be sharing the basics which I have learnt from my fellow dog lovers and found to be useful.

1. Get your dog to lie down on a soft but firm mat.
2. Begin with several long and slow stroke starting from head all the way down to the tail.
3. Once she is relax and calm, you may start scratching from behind the ears, under chin, slowly over the nose, between the eyes, around the eyes and to the top of her head.
4. Using three fingers, move slowly over the neck, shoulders, and chest in small, circular patterns, gently pinching folds of any loose skin in these areas.
5. Lightly squeeze down the length of each leg.
6. Placing three fingers on each side of the leg and softly rub opposite directions several times.
7. Place your thumb and index finger on each side of the spine and move down lightly toward the base of the tail, and then the outside of each thigh.
8. Finish with a few long and slow stroke from head to tail.

If your dog is feeling uncomfortable with having his feet handled, give each foot a couple of soft squeezes. While massaging your dog, it is also a good time to feel around and have a visual check on your dog for any abnormalities. It is important to remember to keep your touch light and gentle at all times.

Recommended resources:
The Healing Touch for Dogs: The Proven Massage Program for Dogs, Revised Edition
Canine Massage: A Practical Guide
The Healthy Way to Stretch Your Dog: A Physical Therapy Approach (Dogwise Manual)
The Dog Lover's Guide to Massage: What Your Dog Wants You to Know

All you need to know about fleas

External parasites are common to every dogs. A parasite is an organism that lives off the resources your dog has to offer: namely, fresh blood and a warm place to stay.

There are a wide range of parasites that affect dogs and the common ones are:

- Fleas
- Ticks
- Mites
- Lice

All of these parasites cause adverse reactions in your dog: typically, itching and inflamed skin, a dull coat, and bald spots. In advanced cases, your dog may develop anemia (blood loss) and become weaken, especially if she is very young, very old, or suffering from other conditions.

In addition to this, many parasites convey secondary and internal parasites to your dog – for example, fleas usually carry the common tapeworm, which causes constipation and flatulence, and ticks can cause a variety of much more serious problems like Lyme’s disease and paralysis.

So how do we detect and get rid of these parasite?

A CLOSER LOOK AT FLEAS

Fleas are without question the number one most common external parasite affecting dogs. They’re small, jumping insects that are light brown in color, although humans generally can’t see them as they move much too fast for our naked eyes. Thet live off your dog’s blood. The life cycle of a flea moves very rapidly from stage infancy to adult, and therefore capable of multiplying rapidly. An adult flea typically lays hundreds of eggs per day. Each egg will then become an adult flea, which lay hundreds more eggs of its own. One flea becomes a major problem very quickly! 

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG HAS FLEAS

The symptoms of a flea infestation are unmistakable. A dog with a flea infestation will scratch almost constantly, often at areas that fleas seem to favor: the ears, the base of the tail, the belly, and the stifle which is the webbing of soft skin between the thigh and the abdomen.

It is actually the saliva of the flea that causes the irritation, not the bite itself, and some dogs have a genuine allergy to this saliva. Dogs with allergies suffer much more significant negative reactions to a flea infestation, and usually develop “hot spots”. These hot spots are areas of sore, inflamed, flaking, bleeding, and infected skin, caused by the flea saliva and your dog’s own reaction to it. Bald patches will sometimes develop too, from repeated scratching and ongoing inflammation.

If you suspect that your dog has fleas, you can confirm your suspicions by taking a closer look at his skin: you probably won’t be able to see the fleas themselves, but you should be able to see what looks like ground pepper, a thin sprinkling of fine black grains on his skin, which is the flea poop. If you have a flea comb, try wiping it on a paper towel after combing your dog:. If red blotches show up on the towel, you know that your dog has fleas as flea poop shows up red on a white backgrounds. 

TREATMENT FOR FLEAS

Because fleas only spend a small amount of time actually on your dog, and the rest of their time leaping through your house laying eggs and feeding on human blood, it’s not enough to just treat the dog: you also have to target his bedding, the entire house, all human bedding, and the yard. Even if it’s cold outside, you’re not necessarily off the hook: cold weather doesn’t kill flea eggs, it just puts them into a state of hibernation. The eggs will hatch as soon as it gets warm enough outside.

You will need a broad spectrum treatment which kills not only the adult fleas, but also any developing fleas, and the eggs.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST

Prevention is definitely the best cure – you should keep your dog’s flea treatments up to date with the use of a calendar, and use a treatment that’s prescribed by the vet. Off-the-shelf treatments aren’t recommended, since different dogs require different strengths depending on their size, age, and activity levels. A particular benefit of prescribed flea treatment is that most are also designed to prevent other parasites from affecting your dog.

FOR AN EXISTING INFESTATION

If your dog already has fleas, you have two options:

- You can ‘bomb’ your house and yard with a flea-pesticide. These come as foggers, which coat each room, and the yard, in a fine mist of pesticide and sprays which are applied manually to each surface throughout the house and yard. They are very effective in killing fleas and eggs, however the drawback is they are highly toxic to humans, dogs, and the environment. If you have anyone in the house with allergies or a health condition you might want to think again.

- A more health friendly alternative is to target the dog with a topical anti- lea solution prescribed by the vet such as Advantage or Revolution, and to rigorously clean the house on a regular basis until the flea problem has gone. This means vacuuming each room thoroughly each day. Change the vacuum bag to remove any fleas that get sucked up and wash all human and dog bedding in hot water as often as you can, once every day or every two days is recommended. You will be able to tell when the problem is gone because your dog won’t be scratching, and his coat will be clear of flea dirt when you inspect it. 

WHAT NOT TO DO ABOUT FLEAS

- Don’t use multiple products on your dog, it’ll make him sick, since you’ll be overloading his system with toxins.

- Don’t forget to treat all the animals in the house at the same time: cat and dog fleas are interchangeable, and if one animal has fleas, they all will have them, even if some are not displaying the symptoms.

- Flea collars are no longer recommended as a safe option for flea prevention, since the collars are highly toxic as vets have realized that placing a toxic material directly against your pet’s skin for long periods of time  is detrimental to your dog’s health. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PARASITES AND THEIR TREATMENT...

Fleas are just one of the many, many types of parasites that affect your dog. To find out more about the complete prevention and treatment of all types of parasites, both internal and external, as well as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of dog health, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health. This book is an invaluable resource for the responsible dog owner, and will help you to ensure that your dog remains happy and healthy – just the way you want him to be!

Recommended reads:
Parasites (Natural Pet Care Pocket Series)
Guide to Skin and Haircoat Problems in Dogs
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

Nail Clipping

Initially when I learn about the importance of trimming my dog's nails I was rather hesitant as I kept thinking and was worried that I might accidentally cut her nails and end up injuring her. Unknown to many of us, dogs like many other animals can sense our emotions via the energy or aura that we project. By worrying that I might cut her nails, I was actually projecting a negative energy to my dog, and naturally she was reluctant to stay put and let me trim her nails which increases the anxiety that I was already feeling, and the whole cycle of me sending negative energy to her and her reacting negatively to me making me feel even worse repeated. I am sure many of the dog owners have experienced similar situation and to save all the hassle, decides to pay the groomer to get it done for them.

Trimming our paw friends' nails is not only part of the grooming process, it is also important for their health. Our dog's health will be growing continuously throughout his entire life and keep it trimmed can significantly reduce lots of hassle that we might otherwise have to go through. The first sign of overgrown nails, is the clicking sound you hear when your dog is walking on carpeted ground.

Untrimmed nails can cause
1. nails to bleed profusely due to nails splitting.
2. your dog to walk in an awkward way or in more serious case to give up walking totally due to aches on the paws.
3. nail to curl inwards under the soft pad of the paw, digging in and causing pain and possible infection.

Nail trimming is a quick and easy process, much like cutting your own nails. The first thing to take note is, nail trimming is all about trimming away the excess portion of the nail and not removing the whole nail. The next thing to take note is your mindset, always have the outcome you want in your mind before you approach your dog, in this way you will be able to project your energy and intention to her giving her confidence in you and allowing her to be in a calm state.

The trick to doing it right is to be able to differentiate the excess portion from the part with blood vessels. For myself I follow the simple steps below to get it done in a couple of minutes.
1. Always place your tools (clipper, file etc) near you first.
2. I prefer sitting on the floor with my dog. I then hold her paw with my thumb under her pad and push it down/back (depends on how you hold) to have the nails extended out.
3. Next locate the pink portion (also known as quick) on the nail. This is the part of the nail that is running with vessels which you won't want to cut.
4. Using a clipper, make several small snips from the edge of the nail. Gradually trim inwards until you spot a black or pink dot at the center of the nail when looking at eye level. This is where the quick begins and we must refrain from cutting any further.
5. Remember to trim the dewclaw as well. It is located a few centimeters up above the paw on the inner side.
6. If this is your first time and you are unsure, another alternative is to make a small snipe at the nail edge and then use a file to file inwards. A time taking method but for first timer it helps to build confidence :)
7. Once done, its time to praise her for displaying such wonderful behavior!

Should you accidentally cut into the quick, just clean the blood away and with a clean cloth press against the wound and the bleeding should stop in about 15 minutes.

Once you have done it once, you will be more confident on the next time round and very soon both you and your paw friend will enjoy nail clipping session just like my and my dogs :)

Body language

Ever seen a dog that seems docile and tame with its tail wagging, but the moment you walk within its reach it jumps and attack you? A lot of people have the misconception that when a dog wags its tail, it is being friendly and asking for affection. I was also one of the people until I had my first dog and after a lot of reading did I realized that it is not always the case. Besides its tail, there are many other signs that we can look out for to determine whether a dog is ready to attack, friendly or even fearful.

Below is a general list of behavior that I have come up with based on my observations and knowledge acquired from books. It may differ slight across the various breeds.

Relax
1. Standing or lying down
2. Either wagging its tail or lying naturally on the ground
3. Ear is relax
4. Either panting lightly or mouth closed
5. Eyes not staring at anything

Ready to attack
1. Standing tall and rigid
2. Tail rigidly up or out behind
3. Pricked up ears
4. Teeth baring
5. Look out for the line of hair that starts at the base of the neck to shoulders, it should be standing
6. Intense look, staring

Fear
1. Body lower down
2. Tail tuck between hind legs
3. Ears down
4. Might urine if very intense

Verbal ques
High pitch barking - excitement, especially when a family member returns
Low pitch barking - warning of possible threat, such as when the postman visits
Whining - complaining and wants attention
Growl - stay back

Recommended reads:
Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog
Barking: The Sound of a Language (Dogwise Training Manual)
How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication

Excessive Chewing

The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they’re driven to it out of sheer boredom.

The main reasons why dogs chew:

- Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)

- Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it’s the dog equivalent of comfort food.

- Underexercised dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.

- Growing puppies need to chew much like a human baby likes to chew when they are teething. Growing puppies chew because it helps to remove their 'puppy teeth' and allow a new set that is stronger and bigger to be grown.

So do we need to prevent chewing? Well the answer is no, but we have to limit and train our dog to know what can be chewed and what cannot be.

Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff – you just have to put in a little effort first, that’s all.

1. Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there’s still no reason to test her self-control.

Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs?

Common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.

It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables, put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance such as socks or a running shoe  the more readily she’ll target those items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give her two or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.

5. Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her crate, run, or the yard but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either. She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.

6. When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative  as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.

Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with. Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!

For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior such as chewing, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed to fast-track your dog’s learning.

Recommended reads:
Behavior Problems in Dogs
The New Better Behavior in Dogs: A Guide to Solving All Your Dog Problems
Outwitting Dogs: Revolutionary Techniques For Dog Training That Work!