The most challenging part of the housetraining process is preventing the pup from eliminating indoors. Until the puppy is housetrained, you will need to provide constant supervision. When you are unable to supervise, confine the pup to a relatively small, safe area. Always take your puppy out to eliminate just before confinement. A wire or plastic crate provides an excellent area in which to keep the puppy when you cannot observe it. (See the article on crate training.)

If the puppy is home alone each day for long periods, restrict it to a larger area such as a small room or exercise pen. The area should provide enough space for the puppy to eliminate if necessary and rest several feet away from a mess. Place paper at the sites where the puppy is likely to eliminate. To associate good things with the confinement area, spend time in the area playing with the puppy or simply reading nearby as it rests there.

 

Returning to the Scene of the Crime

 

To discourage the puppy from returning to previously soiled areas, remove urine and fecal odor with an effective commercial product. If your puppy begins eliminating in certain areas of the home, deny access by closing doors to the rooms, utilizing baby gates, or moving furniture over the soiled areas. Most pets prefer to avoid eliminating in areas where they eat or play. Feeding or placing water bowls, bedding, and toys in previously soiled areas can discourage elimination.

Keeping Your Cool

 

No puppy has ever been housetrained without making a mistake or two. Be prepared for the inevitable. Punishment is the least effective and most overused approach to housetraining. A correction should involve nothing more than a mild, startling distraction and should be used only if you catch the puppy in the act of eliminating indoors. Immediately take the pup to its elimination area outdoors to finish.

A correction that occurs more than a few seconds after the puppy eliminates is useless because it will not understand why it is being corrected. If the punishment is too harsh, your puppy may learn not to eliminate in front of you, even outdoors, and you run the risk of ruining your bond with it. And don’t even think about rubbing the pup’s nose in a mess. There is absolutely nothing it will learn from this, except to be afraid of you. Some pets will squat and urinate as they greet family members. Never scold them. This problem is due typically to nervousness or excitement, and scolding will always make the problem worse.

 

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Crate Training

Pet crates are an excellent way to train your dog and provide it with its own sanctuary. There are numerous benefits to crate training your dog.

	Security for your dog
	Safety for your dog and young children
	Prevents costly damage
	Helps you train proper chewing and elimination
	Easy traveling
	Improved dog/owner relationship

Tips to Remember

	A crate should have enough room for the dog to stand and turn around.
	Because dogs are social animals, the ideal location for the crate is in a room full of activity.
	For the crate to remain a positive retreat never use it for punishment. You can, however, use the crate to avoid potential problems (e.g. chewing, jumping). If you use social isolation, or "time-out," place the dog in a separate room instead of the crate.

Training Puppies

Introduce the puppy to the crate as early in the day as possible. Place a few treats, toys, or food in the crate to motivate the puppy to enter voluntarily. The first confinement session should be after a period of play, exercise, and elimination (e.g., when the puppy is ready to take a nap). Place the puppy in its crate with a toy and a treat, and close the door. Leave the room but remain close enough to hear the puppy. Expect some distress at first. Never reward the pup by letting it out when it cries or whines. Ignore it until the crying stops, and then release it.

If crying does not subside on its own, a light scolding may be useful. Avoid any excessive correction— it can cause fear and anxiety, which could aggravate the whining or cause elimination. When correcting, remain out-of-sight so that the puppy does not learn to associate the punishment with your presence. A squirt from a water gun or a sharp noise (try a shaker can containing a few coins) can be used to interrupt barking.

Training Adult Dogs

Training an adult dog is similar to training a puppy, except regarding the initial introduction to the crate. Introduce the dog to the crate by setting it up in the dog’s feeding area with the door open for a few days. Place food, treats, and toys in the crate so that the dog enters on its own. Once the dog is entering the crate freely, it is time to close the door. When punishing the dog, take the same advice given for puppy training. Gradually increase the amount of time the dog must remain quietly in the crate before you release it.

 

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Socializing Your New Puppy

Little puppies don’t come into our world with ready knowledge about humans or the world in which we live. They need to learn all about us— about car rides, vacuum sweepers, weaving bicycles, and more. If they don’t have a chance to learn about the people, animals, and things in their environment, they may grow up to be fearful, anxious, antisocial adults.

The first few months of your puppy’s life are the most critical for its development. The socialization process should begin as soon as you get the new puppy. Start with simple, quiet, one-person introductions, and gradually include more people in noisier situations. Invite friends, relatives, and their pets to come to the home to meet, greet, and play with the pup. As soon as your veterinarian says your puppy is adequately vaccinated, take it on as many walks and outings as possible. Avoid situations that might be high risk for disease such as neighborhood parks or areas with stray dogs. To make the new introductions special, give a small biscuit to the puppy whenever it meets a new friend. If your puppy seems exceptionally cautious when introduced to situations or stimuli, start off with mild exposure, and give food rewards for nonfearful responses.

And it’s important that your puppy meets a variety of people of all ages and appearances. A puppy that grows up in a restricted social group (e.g. all adults or all females) may show fear and aggression when later exposed to people who appear or act significantly different (e.g. children, men with beards).

Another excellent way to promote early socialization is to take your puppy to training classes. Ask your veterinarian about classes available in your area. Punishment during the early development stages can impact good people skills. Avoid training methods that involve physical discipline, such as swatting the pup, thumping it on the nose, or rubbing its face in a mess.

Properly socializing and shaping your puppy’s temperament requires an investment in time. You will find that your efforts are well worthwhile when you become the proud parent of a social, friendly dog.

 

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Separation Anxiety

Does Spot love you so much that when you leave she can't stand it? Does she get so upset that your rugs, furniture, and anything else she can reach or knock down show signs of her affection? If she is a well-behaved dog when you're home and only turns into a nut case when she can't be with you, then Spot is probably suffering from separation anxiety. It is estimated that 10-15 percent of the canine population experiences some type of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is tied to a dog's natural instinct to be part of a pack, which explains why cats do not seem to suffer from this problem. But there are many things you can do to help your lonely pooch out. She certainly deserves the help; after all, she acts out because she's longing for you.

The difference between separation anxiety and just plain bad behavior is easy to spot: pets with separation anxiety only act out when they are unable to get to their owners. In severe cases, anxious pooches will act out even when their owner is simply in another room with the door shut. Common ways of acting out include destructive behavior, excessive barking, house soiling, attempts to escape, loss of appetite, inactivity, sadness or depression, and psychosomatic disorders such as diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive coat licking. Also, a dog suffering from separation anxiety will often closely shadow her owner when they're together.

Why Spot?
Why does your dog suffer from separation anxiety while your neighbor's dog is fine? The possibilities abound. Some dogs simply do not ever gain enough confidence in themselves to be on their own. For some, it's because they were left alone for too long when they were puppies. Others have had the misfortune of being abused or neglected. Then there are the poor pups who are pushed from home to home until they finally end up in an animal shelter; needless to say, they might be afraid of being left again.

Often a beloved pet is fine for years, then suddenly begins to act out. If her behavior seems inexplicable, take a look at the changes in your lifestyle that occurred around the same time Spot decided she loved the taste of your favorite chair. Maybe Mom went back to work, or the kids left for college. Or maybe you got a new job requiring longer hours. Whatever the reason, Spot is spending more time alone, and she doesn't know what to do with herself. She worries: "What if they don't come back?" When the stress is more than she can take, she acts out.

Taming the trauma
Dealing with separation anxiety is different than dealing with just the problem behaviors. First, you must learn to check your anger at the door. Punishing Spot will not fix the problem--it will create a bigger problem. Once she associates your absence and return with punishment, her anxiety will increase. There are many different ways you can help your dog deal with her fear. Your number one goal is to teach Spot that you can be trusted to come back. One of the first exercises to practice is sit and stay. This will prepare your panicky pet for practice departures. Make Spot sit and stay while you move from one place to another. If she obeys, give her a treat. If she couldn't stand it and didn't stay, try it again for a shorter time and distance. Once you find something that works, even if it's just moving from the living room to the dining room, you can slowly increase the time and distance.

The next step is to change your habits. Think about your routine. Do you do the same things every time you walk out the door? Kissing your spouse, grabbing your bag, closing your briefcase, or even picking up your keys can tell Spot that you're leaving. She associates your preparations to leave with her destructive behavior. Your goal is to change your pattern, teaching her new cues that let her know that you're always coming back and help disassociate her learned, destructive behavior from your absence. Do something unusual and different from your normal routine: turn on the radio or television, or give Spot a treat. There are many toys and treats designed to entertain your pet while you're out. A Kong toy stuffed with food is a popular option--she will spend many distracted hours working to get the food out.

New cue review
Begin using your new cue when you start doing practice departures. The key here is to take baby steps. When you first give Spot the new cue, leave the house for just a minute or two--a time short enough that you know Spot will be all right. When you come back, avoid a big fuss and simply go about your business. The expectation of a big to-do when you come home only increases her anxiety level. The principle behind practice departures is the same as that of sit and stay; you're teaching Spot that when you leave you will come back. Slowly, you will increase her confidence in you and in herself. Continue to practice your departures all day long for increasingly longer amounts of time. Stay away a couple of minutes longer each time, but remember to take it slow. If Spot becomes upset at a certain point, cut the time in half and be patient. For example, if Spot acts out after two hours, then decrease the time to one hour and work your way back up from there. Repeat the cycle over and over again, until Spot is confident that you will always return.

Ideally you will be able to spend at least a week gradually easing Spot into a new level of self-confidence. If you don't have that much time, try to begin early on a Friday evening and continue the practice departures throughout the weekend. Clomicalm(R), a new anxiety drug from Novartis, can help calm your anxious pup if you don't have enough consecutive hours to work on correcting Spot's behavior. Clomicalm is not a sedative; instead, it is designed especially for dogs with separation anxiety. Dogs take a daily dose to relieve some of their anxiety, making it easier for them to learn new, better behavior. Once the new behavior is learned, the medication can be discontinued. As with any drug, be sure to visit your veterinarian to ensure the medication is appropriate for your specific pet.

Another strategy to help you deal with the problem is to take Spot out for a good walk before you leave the house. Not only will you spend some quality time together, it will also help tucker her out, making it more likely she will spend her time away from you sleeping. Another benefit to the long walk is that once Spot sees the pattern, she will have something to look forward to when you leave. And the exercise will be great for both of you.

With these tools, you should be well on your way to boosting Spot's self-confidence. With enough time and patience you can teach Spot that you love her just as much as she loves you. Eventually she will realize that you won't leave her, and that destroying your house may not be the best way to tell you she misses you. Don't be afraid to seek professional help. Ask your veterinarian for suggestions, or if the problem persists, ask your veterinarian to recommend a behavior specialist. Chances are both you and your dog will benefit from some one-on-one guidance. Together, you can transform her anxious love and your tattered home into a secure peace you both can enjoy.

 

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Dogs Who Are Afraid of Noises

Summer is the time of year when heavy thunderstorms and celebrations with fireworks are common---at least in North America. Many dogs are quite afraid of the associated noises and can cause substantial stress for both you and your pet.

There are three ways to approach noise fear in dogs. But first you have to avoid mistakes that make the problem worse. You see---when you love on them and comfort them and tell them it's OK, you are actually reinforcing the fear behavior in the pet. All your dog understands is that this particular behavior gets your positive attention.

The first option for fixing the issue is to help your pet overcome the fear through extensive reconditioning. This means you expose your pet in controlled situations to the noise. You should consult your veterinarian on how to do this so that you don't accidentally make things worse.

The second option is to cover the offensive sound with other noises. For example, during a bad storm, put your pet in an interior room with a loud radio playing.

The third option is to use medications during particularly difficult times to ease your pet's anxiety. Discuss this option thoroughly with your veterinarian, then if it is a good solution for your pet's specific situation, your veterinarian will prescribe an appropriate medicine and instruct you on its use.

Sometimes a combination of all three is needed to control very difficult cases of noise fear in dogs.

 

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Barking and Growling

Most dogs get noisy when exposed to anything new or unusual. The stimuli that trigger noise can vary for dogs and includes barking, whining, growling, or howling.

Many situations can lead to barking:

	Strangers or other animals entering the dog’s property
	Sight of prey, such as a squirrel
	Separation from their pack, mother, or family members
	Novel sounds, such as a smoke alarm
	Need for attention, food, or affection
	Other anxieties or high states of arousal

Growling is associated with fearful or assertive displays. Whenever growling or barking is successful at achieving the pet’s goals, the dog feels rewarded. Subsequently, the growling will likely become more frequent or intense.

Medical problems can contribute to vocalization, and senile changes may lead to barking problems in older pets. In some cases where barking becomes intense, repetitive, and difficult to interrupt, it may be deemed compulsive. Pets with medical, geriatric, and compulsive disorders may benefit from drug therapy along with behavioral retraining techniques.

Prevention Starts Early
Socializing puppies to a variety of new people, animals, environments, and noises can reduce anxieties as the dog grows up. Owner control, training, and leadership are also essential. While young, the dog should learn to spend time playing or relaxing by itself so that it’s not too distressed when it must be left alone.

Correcting Bad Habits
Correcting a barking problem requires an understanding of the situations and stimuli that initiate barking. Until effective control and leadership is established, training programs are unlikely to be successful. Once you have effective control over your dog, you can begin to train it to quiet down when barking begins. Training the dog to stop barking on command can be accomplished with lure-reward techniques, disruption techniques, or head halter and leash training.

Begin training sessions with situations that are easily controlled (a family member knocking at the door) before proceeding to more difficult situations (a stranger coming to the door). Training a dog to be quiet on command allows it to continue to bark at stimuli but stop at your request. Rewards are then given for quiet behavior. At each subsequent training session the dog should remain quiet a little longer before the reward is given. Teaching a dog to stop all barking in the presence of the stimulus is much more difficult. To be successful, barking must be interrupted immediately as it begins, and the process repeated until the dog does not bark at the stimulus (at which time it can be rewarded).

Punishment is generally ineffective in the control and correction of barking problems. Excessive punishment can increase anxiety and further aggravate the problem, while insufficient punishment merely rewards the behavior by providing attention. For punishment to be effective, barking must be disrupted at the instant it begins, using a technique or device that effectively interrupts the barking. When you are not present as barking begins, the only solution might be to use bark-activated products. But unless the dog is also trained to be quiet in the presence of the stimulus, devices will only disrupt, not eliminate barking habits.

Practical Products
There are several products that may successfully interrupt barking. Owner-activated devices are often effective at disrupting barking and achieving a quiet response. Devices include ultrasonic trainers, audible alarms, water sprayers, and shake cans (empty soda can with coins or pebbles sealed inside).

Bark activated products are often the most practical means of deterring inappropriate barking, and may be a better choice than owner-activated devices since they ensure immediate and accurate timing. They are also effective in training the dog to stop barking in selected areas. Off-collar, bark-activated alarms or water sprayers are useful for training the dog to cease barking in specific locations. Bark-activated collars are practical when barking does not occur in a single, specific location. Audible and ultrasonic collars are occasionally effective but seldom a reliable deterrent. Citronella-spraying collars are effective with most dogs. Electronic shock collars are a final option. Since they have the potential for injury or abuse, discuss this option with your veterinarian.

As soon as the barking ceases, take the opportunity to direct the dog into appropriate behavior, such as play, so the problem diminishes over time.

 

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Chewing and Digging

Most puppies have a strong, natural desire to investigate. But this curiosity can lead to problems when your puppy digs up your roses or destroys your new shoes. Many owners rely solely on punishment to correct problem behavior, but you’ll find that reinforcing good behavior works better and keeps your dog happier.

Chew Toys

	Begin with a variety of toys and determine which types your pup prefers.
	Rotate different toys to keep them novel and interesting. Reward your dog when it chews its toys.
	Never give items to the puppy to chew that are similar to household items you don’t want destroyed. (e.g., your puppy may not distinguish between old shoes and new shoes.)
	Use commercial anti-chew sprays, citronella oil, or a small amount of cayenne pepper mixed with water as deterrents.

Chewing and Anxiety

Destructive behavior is often a direct response to anxiety. Lesson the problem by teaching the dog that it cannot receive attention on demand. Train it to rest in its own bed or crate, rather than constantly lying near you. Exercise your dog before you leave home, and try to sneak out when it is occupied. Practice short departures, then gradually increase the length of time your dog is alone.

Digging

Dogs dig for a number of reasons: to cool off, chase rodents, bury and retrieve bones, escape confinement, or just for the fun of it.

Digging commonly occurs when pets are left alone with insufficient stimulation. Provide your dog with stimulating chew toys, increased play and exercise, and perhaps even a second pet. Of course, give some thought to the addition of a second pet, since you could end up with two diggers instead of one.

Try these methods to discourage digging: remote punishment (turning on a sprinkler, pulling on an extended leash, tossing a tin can containing a few pebbles near the pet), changing or covering the surface (by placing rocks over the area or covering with concrete). For some dogs the most practical solution is to provide a digging area and to reinforce appropriate digging.

 

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The Dangers of Bloat

Bloat is a condition that is more common in large-chested dog breeds. It often occurs after large dry food meals that are followed by drinking a lot of water or exercising. Essentially, the pet gets a twist or kink in the intestine, causing vomiting and a gas build up. It comes on rapidly and can be fatal within hours. Here are some answers to common questions about bloat:

How can you prevent bloat?
Feed multiple small meals instead of one large meal. Presoak the food within water for 30 minutes, and avoid exercise immediately after feeding a dog.

How can you tell if it's bloat or a "normal" stomach distress?
If your dog vomits water when it tries to drink, can't stop vomiting after the stomach is empty of food, or acts physically depressed along with vomiting, it should be examined immediately. Bloat or not, your pet needs medical attention. You can also watch for a tight distension (sticking out) of the abdomen. Sometimes with bloat this can be seen or felt.

Can you feel the twist by feeling a pet's stomach?
The twist itself cannot be felt, but the stomach filling with air and sticking out can be felt best by a trained veterinarian who is familiar with how normal and abnormal dog stomachs feel.

Does the distending of the abdomen happen gradually or fast?
Bloat happens very rapidly and can be fatal in 30 minutes, when it's severe. If you think your pet may have bloat, take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

 

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Parvovirus

Parvovirus is a serious, deadly threat to the unvaccinated dog population. It is so infectious that virtually anyone or any moving object can become a parvovirus carrier simply by coming in contact with an infected dog’s feces (bowel movement). The virus can survive searing heat and subzero temperatures for long periods of time, and so the virus might remain long after the feces has been removed. Shoes, paws—you name it—can pick up and carry the virus.

 

Most veterinarians recommend multiple parvovirus vaccinations for the growing puppy. Vaccinations establish protective immunity, which can reduce the risk of the disease. Once vaccinated, your dog’s immunity is maintained through annual booster shots. If your dog is experiencing vomiting, severe diarrhea, depression, or loss of appetite, you should see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Specific drugs have not yet been perfected that will kill canine parvovirus, but proven treatments are available to control the complications of the disease.

To prevent the spreading of parvovirus:

	Immunize your dog or puppy according to your veterinarian’s direction.
	If you suspect that you have walked through an infected area, wipe off your shoes with one-part household bleach to 30 parts of water solution. Use the bleach/water solution as part of a general cleaning process of areas frequented by other dogs.

 

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