Success Story One; Milo - Blog Fourty Three

As an occasional interlude from the educational posts, we thought we'd post a success story! A break from the norm to post something happy! We hope you enjoy--

HI. IS THIS THING ON? It is? OH, I'm too close. Sorry, I have no thumbs. So, hi there! My name is Milo! Sometimes I'm HEY and occasionally I'm STOPPIT! I'm a Chihuahua Jack Russel mix, and just as it sounds, yep, I have loads of energy. Sometimes I'm a little much, but I am way better now than I was before Ideal Companions helped us out! I have wonderful humans, don't get me wrong - I have two humans, Muscley One and Soft One (they have human names but I remember them like that because I can't show you their scent like this!). They are pretty awesome as humans go. I get food and play and walks and all kinds of love!

Thanks to Ideal Companions and Treats and Tall Lady (the other two humans!), I am a totally different dogs. They showed my humans how to become the humans I needed them to be to help me succeed. Man, I was scared of so many things - but I wanted to be brave and keep Muscley One and Soft One safe too, so I pretended to be super brave to scare off all the scary things. Boy was that not helping! I liked to bark and snap sometimes. I had way too much energy, I wasn't so good at listening, and I didn't take my humans seriously at all. They were too mild mannered and nervous to help me back then. But now, they have almost as much dog sense as Treats did! Wow! What a difference. Treats and Tall Lady showed Muscley One and Soft One all kinds of cool tricks and tools to help them have more confidence - and especially me!

First, Treats came in and made sure I knew he and Tall Lady were safe, fun people. We played, I got treats, we went on walks! It was GREAT! Then, Treats showed me things were going to change - but it was okay, and that I wasn't going to be allowed to act out any more. But you know what? I learned to trust myself more, and trust the world around me. I learned to take my humans seriously, and listen - and most importantly, I learned to trust THEM. Before long, the world wasn't scary any more, and I learned to  love the world I was in! It was such a big turn around for me, and lots of people say what a different dog I am!

Thanks for reading my story, everyone! I hope I have encouraged you! Woof woof!

Common Puppy Behaviours; What They Mean - Blog Fourty Two

When we bring home that new dog, we don't always know what to expect, or what our dogs are trying to tell us, especially with first time owners, or people who have not had a dog as a puppy before. The aim of this blog entry is to help owners sift through the most common behaviours, and sort out what they really mean.


1. Non teething chewing or destruction

When puppies aren't teething, a common complaint with most owners (even from adult dogs on this) is that their dogs are chewing EVERYTHING. Shoes, tables, sofas, pillows, blankets, you name it - it all gets destroyed, even if there are toys out, and sometimes even if they're crated with just their blanket. What does this mean?

Boredom!

It means your dog has too much mental energy! Mental and physical energies are totally different, and have different needs. When you want to curl up with a good book, would a long hike help? Likely not. Dogs are the same way, and they get bored almost as fast as a toddler. Puppies are even worse, and need frequent challenges to their mind to feel fulfilled - they can't just go grab a book. So, when they're bored, they occupy themselves with ways they know how, and usually that involves chewing!


2. Peeing Indoors in a Trained Dog

If your dog is successfully toilet trained, and hasn't had accidents, if they're starting to pee indoors again, many people get either frustrated, or angry. If you've ruled out medical problems, and are left wondering exactly what's going on, there's a common root cause.

Fear/Dominance/Excitement/Habit

When a dog is nervous, or getting to a deeper level of fear, they can lose the ability to hold their bladders, or they do so as a submissive behaviour. These are usually smaller puddles of urine, but bigger than dribbles. Smaller dribble puddles are usually due to excitement, and a dog forgetting to withhold pee. Larger puddles near walls or edges is a territorial behaviour, and has roots in instability, or fear dominance, a sign your dog thinks he's in charge, but doesn't want to be because he's scared. If however you find your dog peeing on the same spot continually, just as if he's outside, you've fallen victim to habit! Dogs that pee indoors like this are doing so because they still smell their own pee, and want to remark that spot. If you're using any ammonia-based cleaners or cleaners that are not strong enough to mark over urine, your dog is marking over top of it because he can still smell it and believes another dog is marking in his home. It's his way of saying "Hey, this is my space, clear out!" If this is the case, a deep clean is in order - time to call in a cleaning company!


3. Whining or Yelping while Crated in a Crate Trained Dog

Typically, when a dog has been successfully trained to use a crate and has shown no issues, it can be confusing when a dog won't stop whining or yelping. This is almost always the same problem!

Too Much Energy!
If you were super excited for an awesome day at the mall, or going for a hike, would you be super happy about being stuck in a small room with no way out? Obviously not - even if that room was your bedroom or TV room. Dogs are the same way; who wants to sit in a small crate when there's a whole world out there to explore and games to play! A dog that's whining or yelping in the crate is most often suffering from too much energy - your dog needs  mental and or physical exercise before you can expect them to relax in their crate!

Habituating a New Puppy - Blog Fourty one

Many families choose the holidays to buy a puppy for family - its also the busiest time for shelters, pounds, and rescues, because many people don't truly realize how much work and time consumption that a puppy comes with. This sad statistic could be helped very quickly if people had better information before they get a dog, and better support systems for those who decide to see puppyhood through. However, even with all those things in place for some families, its still overwhelming, and many early errors make for very frustrating behaviours when the puppy isn't so small and cute anymore. Today's blog topic will be all about new puppies - and what owners should do (and expect) from a brand new baby animal.


Day One
The First Hour

Regardless to whether the dog is a surprise gift, or the family already knows, the first thing, before your dog even gets "wrapped" or introduced, the moment the dog is brought away from the breeder, it is absolutely important that the little one be allowed to explore - even if that means putting him in a coat and booties and letting him smell your yard in the snow. Inside, outside. Let him get a feel - and smell - for his home, including the crate, bathrooms, everything! Spend thirty or so minutes outside (weather permitting - if it's really cold, spend five and do it in bits), and thirty or so inside. This will let your dog become more comfortable with your house. Please don't just wrap the poor little one up and present them as a gift on the big day. Arrange to have time before for your dog to be comfortable. This is a very frightening time for your dog. Imagine a human child, just barely learning to walk, suddenly uprooted from their family, and sent off to a family of aliens with giant furniture and new sights and things to smell. Just as terrifying as this would be for a child, imagine how it is for a puppy who also has no realm of understanding of what's going om and why they're not with their mom anymore.

Bonus Points:
If your puppy pees in the yard, become excited (as they pee), saying things like "Yay! You went pee! Hooray!" and if you can, offer a bit of steak or chicken to mark this occasion. He'll start to pick up that peeing outside is a good thing..

Do Not:
Offer any excitement or squealy voices (Except the aforementioned) on the first day. This will set your dog up to feel overwhelmed and hyper (which might seem cute now, but just wait a month or so when your dog can knock stuff over and play nips). Stay calm and quiet today. (I know, it's so hard!)


After The First Hour

Once your dog has had time to explore (and hopefully pee!) your dog is likely going to be super tired. This is a great time to start crate training, if your breeder or seller hasn't done so already. No dog is born hating crates. When your dog is clearly tired, place (or lure) them into the crate, and get down there with them. You're going to say "Crate!" (or whatever word you want to use - bed, place, and cage are others) to mark what this place is. Offer some affection and leave the door OPEN for this nap. The idea is to teach the dog that this is a place to sleep, not that they will be stuck in it. Your pup should fall asleep easily, especially with soothing rubs and having you nearby. Pet them to sleep only the first nap or to - then he needs to drift off just with you nearby. Use this time to prepare your dog's first meal at home (if they haven't eaten yet beforehand). Serve this meal inside the crate with water too, leaving the dish near the back or the side, once he's starting to wake up, serve the meal. Your dog will learn that the crate is for eating, as well as resting, and will become a very positive place very quickly. You might even find him returning to the crate and sniffing around and barking when he gets hungry - a good sign he knows the crate is a happy, calm place.

Bonus Points:
Have some chew toys in the crate waiting! When you see your dog playing with them, say things like "Yes! Chew Toy! Chew in your Crate!" or "Oh, yeah! Chew! Crate Chews!" This will put the item in context with what it's called and where it's to be used. This will farther accentuate this place for your dog as fun and relaxing.

Do Not:
Close the door yet, do not leave them unattended, and do not correct them! Don't pet them to sleep every time either, allow them to fall asleep alone with you in vision nearby.


The Rest Of The First Day

After a nap, a good meal, and possibly a good chew, it is play time! This first session is critical for bonding and rule forming. It's an excellent time to introduce bonding games, name response, and recall. Things like tug and fetch should be started gently and slowly. However your dog wants to play with these items today is what you need to do. The first step is simply letting your dog investigate and learn about these toys, and associate them with you. Following the same pattern of using a word and excitement to mark what something is, you're going to do that with each toy once they mouth the items.  To start name response (and recall at the same time!) you're going to use raw meat (steak or chicken), and keep it where your dog CANNOT see it. You're going to say their name, encourage them over, shuffle backwards (to encourage forward movement), and once they reach you, you're going to award the treat after saying "YES! Name." They will pick up on this pretty fast. This process should continue all day (with pee breaks of course)! After the first meal with the door open, you're going to offer the food, and close the door. Open it when he's done.

Bonus Points:
Getting your pup used to a lead by using a short loopless drag leash with a puppy collar (not a martingale or choker)!

Do Not:
Overdo the excitement or exercise. Don't do anything with your dog now that you don't want them doing as an adult (such as lap sitting, especially if your dog is going to be over 100 pounds!)


Evening Time

After a full day of naps and play, this is the time to close the door. While your pup falls asleep before dinner, you're going to shut the gate. Your dog might notice or whine a bit, but with you being nearby, as long as you are there, he should fall asleep with little problem. While he's sleeping, prepare the meal, and put it in as he's sleeping, then reclose the door. This way, he will wake up and eat, and know that the door will be shut. This will be normal to him before long, and he will learn that the door shut means rest and food - more positive things.

Bonus Points:
Continue this pattern at night (pee, in crate, close door, puppy falls asleep with you in vision nearby), and maintain that they only sleep in the crate. This is for most dogs, but as some dogs have medical issues, some need to be monitored, so that is why this is in bonus points.

Do Not:
Close the door on a hyper dog without some distraction like food. This creates anxiety and a trapped feeling rather than the calm and happy that we want.


After One Week

Once you've had a pattern going for a full week (Your dog will need pee breaks all night long every couple hours and yes this is exhausting!), you're going to spend the full day today setting up rules. By now, your dog will know about the crate, food, sleep, its name, starts of playing games, and recall, now you're going to teach him that there are rules to life. Before now, your dog should have been either playing, peeing, or in the crate. There should absolutely be NO time where your dog is alone or exploring. Too much freedom too fast can create assertive, disrespectful dogs. Today, that changes! You're going to start teaching your dog basic commands today, leash manners, and that he must stop when you say so. You can also introduce a no-dog-zone such as a laundry room, cleaning closet, or bathroom (for safety reasons). To start commands, you're going to start teaching luring. Please review a video (such as Michael Ellis's theory on dog training or Leerburg's Puppies 8 weeks to 8 months) for more on this. To start a no dog zone, and the stop command, we're going to use the same premise. Start by leashing your dog and guiding them around. You can dance, be happy, whatever gets your dog moving. You'll be teaching him to follow leash pressure, and then you'll be stopping all your movements abruptly and say "STOP!" Your dog will stop too, and after a few times, learn that "stop" means stop moving immediately. This is the basics for both stopping on command, and not entering a room (because you can tell them to stop before entering a room). You can also couple this command with a recall by bringing them to you after a stop command with their name. To introduce no bolting from a crate, you're going to also train that just because a door is open doesn't mean they bolt out of an ex-pen or crate. Open the door, and as they move to bolt out, abruptly shut the door (well, don't slam it in their face, but bump the muzzle if you need to).

Bonus Points:
Have this time to train all basic commands!

Do Not:
Correct, say no, or otherwise use negative words! If your dog doesn't do it right, just ignore it and try again!


One Week and Three Days

Its time for the first walk! Many owners start walks from day one, but this is too much for a little dog all at once. By stalling the walk and working on at-home things and leash work, you're establishing that play and learning happens at home. Walks should be about burning energy and getting outside. Today's walk should be about half an hour, and in the immediate neighborhood. Encourage smelling, but also keep moving, and work on leash work.

Bonus Points:
Doing shorter, more frequent walks this week!

Do Not:
Correct your dog, discourage smelling, allow loitering, allow greets (just yet!).


The Second Week

After establishing that walks are for peeing and exercise, not loitering and greets, you can start to allow some greeting (although its better to train your dog to ignore other dogs, this prevents all dog-related issues and prevents fights or over-excitement for other dogs), and encourage on-lead exploring. You can also start playing tug or fetch outside partway through your walk. The big thing on the second week, though? You can start venturing out of your neighborhood! Now that your dog is used to walking nicely and and is accustomed to being outside, you should go somewhere brand new once a week (or daily if you can!)

Bonus Points:
Train your dog that "social" is DOG social - safely being near other families and dogs without the stress of saying "hi". This is not only abnormal for dogs to learn to greet like we expect them to, it creates a whole realm of problems. Your dog will adjust quickly to ignore and diffuse other more assertive dogs, and be near all dogs safely.

Do Not:
Correct your dog, discourage smelling, and do not overwalk your puppy!


The Third Month

After a good three months of all these things, you can finally introduce ex-pens and the word "no"! You can now leave your dog in an ex-pen and let him play by himself for an hour or two per day and get on with other things. Ex-pens are about play and containment though, so keep the crate for relaxing, sleeping, and eating. This will give you ample time to feel a little less like you have a puppy attached to you 24/7. This will also get your dog used to occupying himself alone, and not have to rely on you for it all. The first few days in an ex-pen tend to be the most difficult. To teach no, while training a command, if they make a mistake, instead of just retrying the command, you're going to say "No, command". This trains the dog that "no" means they've made a mistake, try again. You still SHOULD NOT offer a corrective behavioural negative like "No you messed up" as they're still too young to handle that.

Bonus Points:
Teach your pup that no bolting applies to the ex-pen too.

Do Not:
Offer a corrective behavioural negative "no" just yet. You can do this starting at eight months.


The Eighth Month - No!

If you've taught that No means wrong, try again, use a different word or sound for a corrective negative. Uh-uh or Aah! Are popular alternatives. The best place to start this is with inappropriate chewing, or indoor accidents. Your goal with these words is to mildly startle them at the beginning of the behaviour. So if your dog is chewing on the table leg, say "AHH!" sharply and loudly, which will usually make your dog stop what he's doing to look at you. Then immediately replace the table leg with a chew toy which you should have primed already by saying "Chew!" as a brand new puppy. Once your dog takes the toy, say "Yes!" and offer a pet or head scratch. This lets the dog know that he's obeyed you. This is a replacement offer. Instead of making your dog feel like he is failing, he will know that he made a mistake, but he did the right thing after. This will encourage obedience and compliance, because good things happen when he stops an unwanted behaviour in exchange for a better behaviour. The sane applies for other things like indoor peeing - see the squat or leg lift and offer the same correction, then take him immediately outside and amply reward the outdoor peeing.

Bonus Points:
Using Aah on the walk to disallow sniffing and greeting (you're teaching he does not always get what he wants and you can use this to keep him safe from assertive or dominant dogs).

Do Not:
Use this correction too frequently, or too sternly, or in anger. Ever.


These are all the tips we can fit in today's blog, we hope this helps!

Holiday Safety - Blog Fourty

With holidays creeping closer for many walks of life, there comes many potential hazards and problems. Dogs frequently get in to holiday treats, trees, lights, presents, decorations, you name it. It can often land them in trouble, or worse - and require a trip to the vet. Guests and strange people visiting can often send dogs into an anxious tizzy, and sometimes, they're not quite the same after the holidays. How do we prevent these kinds of things?

1) Impulse Control

Heading the top of our list is the number one way to prevent most dog-related holiday problems, and many other non-holiday ones, as well. It is the most under taught and undervalued skill a dog can have. Impulse Control teaches a dog to wait for permission to touch or approach anything at all, even his own food. It teaches a dog that simply because a human is not touching it does not mean that it is open for him to take or play with. Impulse control gives the dog the mindset that everything belongs to the human, and he is occasionally allowed to play with or eat a few things.


2) Leave It and Drop It

When Impulse Control fails (and every dog has their moments), the next best skill they can learn is Leave it (meaning don't touch that thing you're going for) and Drop It (Put that out of your mouth and leave it alone). These skills cover any situation where a dog is going for or has gone for something that could injure them - such as those dark chocolate candy cane bark treats, or the lights on the tree.


3) Kennel Training

In situations like dinners or parties where you just simply don't have the time or resources to monitor your dog, kennel training is an excellent way of mitigating potential disaster. If a dog is properly kennel trained, they enjoy time in their kennel, and don't try and break out or whine. This pretty much eliminates any possibility of holiday injury - but please don't leave your dog in a kennel more than a couple of hours.


4) Ex-Pen

For higher energy dogs where a kennel is just simply too much confinement in such excitement, using an ex-pen is a superb way of safely containing a dog while still leaving room to let your dog have space to play around.


5) Door Manners

The last thing you want is to have your over excited dog bowl some poor guest over at the door because they're so excited, especially if your dog injures themselves or your guest. Teaching a dog proper door manners will avoid all dog related door injuries.


6) Place/Bed Command

The Place or Bed command works like a less strict kennel, where your dog can occupy a space and move around a little, but essentially stay out from underfoot. This is good for small parties where you can keep an eye, but shouldn't be considered a means of safely containing your dog.


7) Not That, But This

A dog getting in to things they're not supposed to is an indication that they are bored, hungry, or both. The dog is trying to communicate that in some way, they feel left out, and need some form of attention, especially if they are chewing on your elf-on-the-shelf or trying to snag a shortbread. Instead of scolding and frustrating the dog that just wants some attention too, make a trade, with an appropriate correction. Our goal here is Correct, Require Behaviour, Redirect. In other words, you're going to issue a command, such as Drop It, Leave It, whathaveyou. Once your dog obeys, acknowledge that, and give them a task, such as sit, or such as paw the treat cupboard, bring a toy - anything that forces the dog to perform a behaviour and sidetrack the mind. Then, once that's done, you're going to give the dog exactly what he wants - just in a more appropriate form, such as a tug toy, game of fetch for a bit, or a meal or treat. Instead of simply correcting and frustrating your already frustrated dog, you're communicating that how they're acting is inappropriate, issuing a proper behaviour, and rewarding it with what they want. Given enough times, your dog will simply pick up a toy to play with you for a moment, or sit by their food bowl. The key here is to notice these signs, and engage your dog properly.

Rehabilitating Your Dog Post Halloween - Blog Thirty Nine

Many families choose to partake in Samhein, Halloween, or simply trick or treating. Religious debates aside, many people involve their kids - and pocket books - in one of the biggest financial holiday there is. There is however a fast rising trend to involve pets. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Some dogs can handle it, absolutely. We're not saying all dogs can't handle Halloween celebrations. However, MOST cannot, and should not - and there are many reasons why they should simply be left at home.

1) Humanizing dogs is an epidemic that is causing bratty dogs. These animals are animals. They aren't little humans. They're not furry toddlers. They are animals. Treating a dog like a small human is not only unfair to the dog, it creates many problems that trainers all over the world have to repair.

2) Costumes are foreign, frightening, and confusing for dogs. 99.9% of the time, humans don't dress in costume. Dogs get used to specific stereotypes in order to know what a "human" is, beyond scent. Costumes are not only completely different and strange, it can also change how a human looks entirely, and cause a dog to become bewildered. Its a human, but it doesn't look like a human. This smells like my person, but it's not my human. Some dogs even react out, negatively, and with suspicion. Some dogs can even associate your scent with that frightening occurrence, causing huge mistrust and relationship damage.

3) Fireworks are terrifying and loud. Imagine what it would sound and feel like to have your neighborhood blown up. Now imagine you're a dog, who doesn't understand what's going on, be trapped inside (or outside), and be unable to get away, or identify the sounds (which are quite louder for dogs, as a side note).

4)  Halloween candy which is everywhere on Halloween is deadly for dogs. Many children often drop candy. One piece is enough to seriously hurt or even kill your dog.

5) Mass crowds and large collections of people is frightening for many dogs. To make it worse, most of them are acting excited and out of character, but are also dressed strangely. Continued exposure to crowds (when not guided by a trainer) can cause a large number of behavioral issues.

6) Stressed dogs are far more likely to bite - even dogs that have never bitten before. This chance increases a lot with dogs that are more fearful, or very assertive. You wouldn't feel happy at all if your dog bit someone's child.

It is always wiser to leave your dog at home, or even better - at a kennel where there will be no fireworks or people in strange clothing.


What if my dog has a reaction to festivities?

Rehabilitating a dog from a fear reaction is difficult. It requires time, patience, and repeated, controlled exposure to the stimulation that frightened them. In the case of fireworks, loud noises, or things such as vehicle engines, jets, ect, we use YouTube! You're going to play the target sounds over and over, as low as it needs to be so your dog doesn't pee or react too strongly, and you're going to initiate some high intensity, high excitement play time. It is far easier to correct excitement at sounds than fear. You will be creeping the volume up until you can play with your dog with these sounds very loudly without fear. The same concept works with other things; if costumes set your dog off, rework this idea so that the costume can be on the floor on the other side of the room, closer, then immediately beside the dog, and finally, either on a human, or stuffed animal. Crowd fears will not be so easy to fix, however you can utilize the same exact concept by entering the core of your city or a busy park while playing with a favorite, high-energy game like tug or fetch.


What if my dog has completely shut down?

If something has set your dog off so badly that they pee, shiver and cower, or run and yelp at the sound or sight of the problem, you will need to get a trainer in right away. This type of reaction warrants an expertly timed hand, and one that knows exactly when to encourage, press/stretch the dog, and when to back off. A misstep here could cause a permanent, lifelong problem, because it could cause your dog to include you in the association. A very big, common Halloween fear is sudden reactivity at door noises, children, or people carrying bags or large hats.


What if my dog has gotten in to Halloween candy but looks fine?

Whether your dog looks fine or not, you need to see a vet immediately. Symptoms will pop up between 4-24 hours after ingestion, and they can deteriorate quickly. Bigger dogs can handle more chocolate than smaller dogs, but this does not mean that they may be okay. Be on the look out for vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness/hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle tension, poor coordination, fast heart rate, and seizing. Your dog will have to vomit. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING AT HOME UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, unless you already have medication to do so on hand from a vet. Drop what you are doing as soon as you realize your dog has had chocolate, and go immediately to a vet.


My dog is now reacting aggressively to kids, costumes, bags, or something else because of festivities. What do I do?

If you are not experienced in rehabilitating reactive fear, please call a trainer. This is not something that is safe to self-correct. If however you're well versed in corrective training but simply unsure of how to correct this behaviour, typically we do slow, safe, controlled exposure, and only reward calm reactions - never any other kind.  If you reward a lesser fear reaction, you're going to INCREASE the problem.


Always leave your dogs out of Halloween. Have a great day everyone!

Top Complaints - Blog Thirty Eight

Today's blog will be about our most common house calls, what the real root causes are, and a basic glance over on how to fix these issues.

5) "Anxiety"
I put this one in quotes like that because typically what people (and many trainers and breeders) mistake a few behaviours for anxiety when its not actually the case. Most cases of "Anxiety" that we get is either a case of a dog and human having a broken relationship or trust problem, or a role reversal problem. When a dog acts bonkers when a human is missing, this is a role reversal problem. When a dog reacts, avoids, or otherwise seems to be nervous or anxious about something, this is typically caused by the dog not believing the owner is going to protect them properly - broken trust. First things first, you need to get that relationship back in order!


4) Fear
Next up is common fear issues. This does overlap with the last one, but classic fear goes beyond anxiety. Fear is classically associated with cowering and hiding, but it can also represent with aggression, contact, charging, and even biting. Fear is usually caused by anxiety being allowed way too far, or some kind of trauma. The only way past fear is through it. You have to safely show your dog that whatever they are afraid of isn't going to hurt them.


3) Dog-on-Human Aggression
When a dog believes humans are a threat, it can be difficult to solve. Either stemming from dominance or fear, a dog being aggressive towards a human usually stems from a dog either not believing their owner can protect them, or that it is their job to do the protecting. Usually, it's caused by the owner having social anxiety, fear of men or women, or unconsciously protecting a dog from certain people. It can also stem from abuse, or maltreatment. Just like with fear, the only way to solve this one is through safe exposure and behaviour management.


2) Dog-on-dog Aggression
Whether it's because of bad socialization, a trauma, or other relationship-based problems, dog on dog aggression is normally caused by inexperienced breeders or owners that do not address the early signs or do not properly introduce a dog to other dogs. It can also be due to a dog spending too long in a kennel or rescue, or simply being a street animal. No matter the case, it is best for everyone involved to train the dog in question to safely IGNORE other animals.


1) Hyper!
Our number one complaint is excitability, hyperness, and general too much energy for the owners to handle. Typically, we hear a variation of "We walk him 3 HOURS every day, and run him in the park, I just don't understand! My dog is CRAZY!" Would it surprise you to know that the root cause of this type of problem isn't usually an absence of physical exercise, but rather a lack or complete absence of mental exercise? Dogs need to think and learn just as much as children do, if not more. If you're doing the same paths, the same runs, the same games - your dog is telling you he is BORED! Dogs need new, exciting things to learn and do. You should always be spending time every day teaching your dog new games and commands!

Decoding Your Dog's Bark - Blog Thirty Seven

Today, we're going to go over some of the different barks (and other sounds!) your dog could make, and what they mean. Learning your dog's "language" is a very important step in mastering training, especially when some sounds are the biggest clue after body language that your dog can give you. I will be going over universal sounds - the ones that are true no matter the breed. In some cases, there are sounds that specific types of dogs make - like the Beagle howl, or the Husky teeth chatter - these are not included in today's blog.


High or Medium Pitched Fast Bark

This bark is really common on dogs at fence lines, or the shyer personalities at door sounds, or strangers. In essence, this kind of bark highlights the level of awareness, or in other words, the depth and type of anxiety. A medium pitch, fast bark of a collection of five or so barks is a beginning awareness of something causing fear or anxiety. It is a way of your dog saying "Hey, pay attention; I'm not so sure about this." It's a marker that you need to address and correct this fear behaviour, then force your dog to investigate and acclimatize to whatever is causing the unease.



Rapid, Fast, High Pitched Bark, UnrelentingWhen this bark appears, it's sounding the alarm. This is a full fear bark, where the dog is just a few hairs shy of a full blown panic. It is basically your dog going "OH MY GOD PAY ATTENTION HELP HELP HELP". It is typically associated with fear, or high level unstable fear-dominance. It is a way for your dog to order you to deal with whatever the stimulation is - typically strangers, be they human, or dog. Instead of you dealing with the stimulation, leash up your dog, offer proper corrections, and don't relent.


Low, Deep, and Throaty Bark, One or Two

This bark is a warning - one that says "Stop", or "Pay Attention", but in a more authoritative way. Whether that is from assertiveness, dominance, threat response, or simply confidence depends on the body language. Mostly, this kind of bark is a bluff, and isn't indicative of a bite. If your dog is simply drawing your attention to something or is being dominant is up to you (or your trainer...), but in most cases, you'll need to make sure your dog understands they're to give up their attention and let you handle it. If they are barking out of dominance or assertiveness, they will need correcting and redirecting.


Low, Deep, and Throaty Bark, Unrelenting

This is warning that has become a threat. The dog sees whatever it is barking at as a clear and decisive threat, and they are warning action. This is a definite "correct immediately", as it's never coming from a stable, balanced dog. This is a sign your dog needs major intervention.


Medium Pitch Bark
Whether it is once or thirty times, a medium pitch bark usually means happy, energetic, excited, or generally interested in what's going on. Usually, a medium pitch bark that's rather incessant is in relation to play, fun, or interaction. A prime example of this is a dog barking at you while you're preparing to throw his ball; that's "THROW THE BALL THROW THE BALL THROW THE BALL!!!!!!" its usually safe and healthy, just a sign of their energy level.


Soft Growl With Thinner Pupils And Forward Ears

This is a play growl or a "love" growl! Not all growls are automatically negative. A growl like this, especially while playing competitive games like tug, are a good thing! It's a way of your dog saying, "Oooooh yeah!" Even better are the short growls that sounds like "Hawr, hawr!" those are a very gentle and very affectionate growl!"


Soft Growl With No Apparent Body Language

This is a funny one, and often people think its frustration. In a sort, it is - its more of a harumph, or a human groan. "Ugh." Imagine what you'd say when six toddlers want to play with you, or when you just sat and got comfortable and have to pee. Its really harmless and is a simple expression of your dog just not wanting to do whatever it is.


Low, Steady Growl Accompanied By Thick Pupils, But Ears Front

This is an alert warning. Your dog is saying "I really don't like this," or "I don't appreciate that". Its not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you should evaluate the situation. Is your dog growling out of frustration? Is he voicing fear or dominance at a stranger? Is he growling at a prey animal, or a dangerous predator?


Low, Steady Growl Accompanied By Thick Pupils, Ears Back

This is past a warning and a perception that you or your dog is in danger. In most cases, this requires fast and immediate response, because as far as your dog is concerned, the threat is real, and they will protect themselves and you.


Dead Silence, Following Barking, Growling, Accompanied By Fear Or Dominance Postures

A lack of sound can be a warning too - a really bad one. Before a dog strikes, they usually stop making sounds. In most cases, unless something is addressed, this has moved past the threat of a strike, and into a promise. Normally, lots of barking or growling does precede an attack, however, it rarely conjoins with it. A dog that's making sound cannot effectively bite or latch on.


Laughing
Yes, dogs laugh! It sounds a lot like a funny panting sound, but it's laughter. Its also usually for the same reasons; something is funny! This sound can also be one of comradery, meaning your dog is feeling close to you.