ask Lexi

Have a dog training question? Ask Lexi... well, ask Lexi's mom. PAWS volunteer and dog owner Becky Toner will take your questions and post answers to our website. Is your best friend chewing on furniture? Having housetraining issues? Jumping on people? Ask Lexi! Email your dog training question to dogsrmyfav@yahoo.com. Please be sure to put "ASK LEXI" in the Subject Line of your email. Thank you.

He is also a coward as he has lunged after people when they go to leave. He bit the back of my dads leg the other day as he was going out the door. He also doesn't like when kids run away from him. He would never bite our own kids but he has bit about 3 of my sons friends.( again in the back of the leg.)

Because of this behavior i have just begun to put him in his crate if someone comes. I don't know if this is helping or hurting the situation. All knowledge he has to obedience commands goes out the window when someone comes. It is simply stressing me out since my boys have friends come often. Any insight on these issues would be greatly appreciated. We love him but it seems his days in our home are numbered unless we can help him. Thanks!

Kasi

Hi, Kasi --

You mentioned that you adopted Timmy about 18 months ago and that these problems surfaced at about six weeks of having him. This is pretty normal - the six-week time period. Most dogs, when they're adopted one or two or more times, will go through what some refer to as a honeymoon period. The dog is just great and on his best behavior (for the most part) for about six weeks. They are very observant and will see how much they can get away with. After that, they'll go back into their normal repertoire from before.

Most likely what happened is that Timmy was not socialized properly as a puppy. I believe that is where most behavior problems lie. There are unscrupulous breeders out there as well, and that does account for some behavior issues. However, there is a crucial time period of 3 to 14 weeks of age where the dog needs to be around anything and everything so that as they age, nothing really phases them.

Every dog has their own personality, as do people. Some are very outgoing; others are timid and shy. This isn't so big a deal, except when they start to act on their timidity - like biting someone in the leg as they go to leave. It probably is a combination of fear aggression and territorial aggression. But what is most important is how we go about fixing and/or managing it.

My first inclination is for you to get in touch w/ a trainer, more preferably someone that truly deals with behavior. I have a couple people I would refer you to if you would like their names and numbers. Please feel free to ask me for those referrals if that is the route you'd like to go. You'll really need someone to meet with you and Timmy and the rest of your family and get a real handle on what is going on, in person. I can give you all of my knowledge via email, but this kind of situation is really best with a hands-on approach.

A couple suggestions in the meantime:

1 - Take Timmy to the vet and get a physical exam. Sometimes behavior problems come across b/c there's something physically wrong. It's always best to rule that out, possibly by having some blood work done.

2 - Have everyone that comes to your house feed Timmy a yummy treat. Try chicken, steak, cheese, liver, something really good and has a good aroma. You want to do this b/c by having strangers (your kids' friends, your dad, anybody that visits) feed him a really yummy food, he'll begin to make an association that 'people equals I get treats.' You can do this anywhere, not just your house. Take Timmy to the kids' baseball game and have people just toss him food. They don't have to physically hand it to Timmy, just toss it on the floor for the dog to get at his leisure. Over time, this is one method that truly works.

NOTE - it's best to leash Timmy at this point before people enter your house or exit your house. Then you have a little more control of him, to avoid him lunging and/or biting as they come or go. I would have him stay back a distance - he doesn't need to be right at the door as folks enter or exit. Give him something else to do like sit, down, shake, whatever you can think of. The idea is to redirect him to something more positive, rather than him focusing on the person entering/exiting.

3 - Also, if you ever feel stressed, don't feel like dealing w/ Timmy when someone is over, or you're worried, etc., it's okay to crate him. This is acceptable. In a crate, he's got his own space and won't feel like he's got to defend himself for whatever reason. It's his safe haven. Just make sure not to use it as a form of punishment, meaning don't yell at him and then grab him and put him in the crate. Make the crate a happy place to go to when Timmy needs a break and you need a break. As long as he gets adequate exercise (a walk, some fetch, obedience work, etc.), he'll be more than fine in a crate. I always say better safe than sorry.

4 - I would look into enrolling in a class to get this dog out and about and socializing with other dogs and other people other than your family. Chances are, he just needs some rules and needs to learn what is acceptable and what isn't. Dogs don't come ingrained knowing everything that we humans want them to do. We have to teach them.

5 - You can also implement a program called Nothing in Life is Free. Check out this link for more info: http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm This will help establish rules and establish you as the leader w/out being harsh. I believe that every dog should be on this program, not just those that are having some issues.

Again, please let me know if you want those referrals. I think this is something that can be managed well; you just need someone to really show you how to go about it. It can be done, but you'll have to put some time and effort into it, like anything else.

That being said, I believe that if you are constantly grabbing a dog by the scruff, the dog may begin to become fearful (of being touched) or perhaps even aggressive if it hurts the dog. So to answer your question, my guess is that it could potentially cause physical AND emotional issues. I personally would not do this to any dog, no matter how small the dog is.

In order to correct this, you should begin to have this dog associate touching of its neck with good things, like feed it a small piece of chicken or cheese or hot dogs and then pet it around its neck. No dog should be carried by its scruff. Only the mother dog does this to a pup, and that is who we ought to leave it to as they know how to do it properly. And again, this is only done when the dog is a pup anyhow, not six months and older. You won't see older dogs carrying smaller dogs around by their necks.

I hope this helps. I would kindly suggest to your friend that a proper collar and leash are in order for this dog, not someone picking it up and carrying it by its neck.

I have a question that relates to dealing with puppies during the first 8 weeks and the impact that will have on them later in their lives.

I am on my 3rd Rotty and he is a 9 month old 100 pound bundle of nervous uncontrollable energy. He requires CONSTANT attention. He has demonstrated many times, when their are treats involved, that he understands all the commands; sit, stay, come, down, heel. He also has demonstrated that he will only obey them when he wants to.

Until recently he would bump, charge and ram us, particularly my wife who is almost the same size as him. He is very aggressive, but not vicious. He is a constant torment when on the leash, tugging jumping pulling, chewing on the leash, playing tug of war with the leash. When he wants to be noticed he will jump on us, for many months he was in the habit of nipping at the back of our knees. He currently wants to play an aggressive jumping around form of tag, that if ignored escalates into him charging in and nipping at our hands. If we try the ignore idea, where we turn away he will jump on our backs.

He wants to be involved in every aspect of what we are doing, and has no concept of his role being different than ours. I am 210 pounds and when heis on the leash and something distracts him he will leap at it, and literally pull me off my feet. Despite obedience training, private emergency training, physically dominating him, pinning him and every other idea we have heard or read about, it has not substantially improved.

My first 2 Rotties were challenging, but not even close to this. They were trained to the point where we didnt even use a leash by the time they were a year old. They were both from the same breeder, kept in a barn and had almost no human interaction until we took them at 9 weeks.

Our problem dog was raised in a family, with young children who were playing with the puppies right from the start. They wrestled with the dogs, chased around the house with them, sat watching TV with them in their laps, had them sleep in their beds. By the time we got the dog at 8 weeks he was an integrated part of their household, and was actually their daughters favourite puppy.

I am wondering if interacting with a puppy at too young an age interferes with the process whereby the mother dog teaches him manners.

What exactly is supposed to happen in terms of socializing puppies with humans. At what age should one start to interact with puppies.

This dog will most likely weigh 150 pounds when fully grown, and while it may be cute to have a 4 week old puppy play tug of war with a leash or the sleave of your coat, it is quite a different thing if a 150 pound rottweiler wants to do the same thing.

My goal here is not to blame, but rather to find out information for my next dog. We have done much in terms of obedience training, but if we cannot get this one under control, I dont see it as safe to keep him. Your advice would sure be helpfull.

Mark

Hi, Mark:

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I wanted to research some of this to be sure, plus I just got back from vacation.

According to The Rottweiler Today (written by Judy and Larry Elsden), what happens to puppies between the age of 3 and 12 weeks can make an enormous impact on how the dog will develop as an adult. This book also mentions that children should be encouraged to handle puppies.
(Paraphrased from Aggression in Dogs, by Brenda Aloff)

A - According to Scott and Fuller (1965), dogs go through three critical stages: weeks 3 to 8, learn to interact dog to dog; weeks 5 to 12, learn to interact with humans; and weeks 10 to 20, learn by exploring novel environments. "Puppies who leave their mother prior to 7 weeks old and are hand-raised will probably not interact normally with dogs, nor have normal dog-human relationships."

B - "Dogs genetically prone to developing an especially reserved personality and the potentially escalating aggression patterns that can result from this natural reticence should be extensively socialized and exposed to novel stimuli steadily from 8 weeks to 24 months of age. Then a protocol for continuing education at intervals throughout the dog's life as a preventative measure should be instituted. The guarding, flock guardian breeds and terriers are prime candidates here."

All of this being said, my own opinion of your situation is more that this dog just needs some rules of the road, not that there was any problem with the breeder's handling of the pups. From my own personal experience, I've got a rescue Rottie (now about 5 years old) that needs to be kept under wraps at all times. If you give him an inch, he will take three miles, no doubt in my mind. What you are experiencing is the male adolescence stage (common between about 9 months to 18-24 months). Your dog will push to see what boundaries he really has, and if you don't lay down some ground rules, he will begin to call the shots.

A couple suggestions I would have for you:

1 - Enroll this dog in a formal class, such as basic training or something along those lines. If you tell me where you're located, I can give you some schools to check out. I know you mentioned that you've done some training already, but enrolling in a class that you go to once a week for several weeks will give you a good foundation of basic obedience, get this dog socialized with other people and other dogs, and also continue to build a strong relationship between you and your dog, with you as the leader.

2 - I would try to take this guy everywhere you can to get him in all kinds of environments. Rottweilers can be very bossy dogs if you allow them to do so. By exposing him to all kinds of different places and things, people, dogs, kids, etc., you'll be better off as this guy gets bigger.

3 - Implement a program with this dog such as Nothing in Life is Free. This does not mean that you do not show any affection to the dog; it just means that he must learn to earn. If he wants outside to pee, he must sit at the door and wait until you release him. If he wants his dinner, he has to lie down and stay for a minute or two, etc. Make him work to get his rewards, and he will start to look to you as the leader more and more. See this link for a full explanation: http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

4 - Be consistent with the dog. If you've got a wife and kids, everyone should try to be on the same page as far as training and what is expected of your Rottie. This will make it easier on you, as the dog will begin to get the idea that he can't push anyone around anymore; and it also makes for less confusion for your dog when everyone is consistent with what is expected of him.

5 - Perhaps you can consult one-on-one with a behaviorist/trainer. I have a few people in mind that could definitely help you if you would like their information. One is a fellow instructor of mine and the other is a vet/behaviorist that I have personally consulted regarding my own Rott. (My Rott has serious issues with people and dogs; this vet/behaviorist has been a Godsend to me.)

I've also attached a file that includes some information that I pass out to classes of my own. This particular class that involves this information I'm sending to you was developed from what I learned from my own Rottweiler. He has aggression issues, and I figured that if it helped save my own dog's life, it might help someone else. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me back.

Most dogs work things out on their own. As long as the other dog is not bullying the other dog, like if you see the one dog trying to give off signs of i give up, rolling over, laying down, and the beagle doesn't still give up, then step in and take the beagle by the collar, pull him off and tell him "No, that's enough." Then give the beagle something else to do like play a game of fetch, give him something to chew on, but ask him to sit or down first, or something along those lines, so he is getting rewarded for the sit/down and not picking on the yorkie. Bottom line, when the dog gets too rough or mouthy, you want to redirect him to something that is more appropriate.

Chewing relaxes the dog and soothes their adrenal system. You could give him something appropriate to chew on. I like marrow bones, which you can buy at your local pet store. They are kind of large, have lots of protein, and it takes the dog quite some time to really get through them. In other words, they last a long time, even w/ the hardest of chewers. Just be sure to only allow the dog about 15 to 30 minutes of chewing on these kinds of bones. More time than that will give the dog diarrhea b/c the marrow is so rich w/ protein. You can also get a Kong toy, the rubber beehive-shaped toy. They come in various sizes. Get one that is large enough for the dog so that he won't get it stuck in his mouth. You can stuff these with just about anything: treats, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, etc. You can even freeze them, too, so it takes a lot more work for the dog to get all the goodies out. These can keep your dog occupied for a long time, and it tires them out. Isn't that the plan?!?

Also, make sure the beagle gets lots of exercise. A tired dog is a good dog. Some dogs are more playful than others and have a higher energy levels. Get this dog outside and running (until his tongue is a mile long!) if possible each day for 15 to 20 minutes two times per day. You can go on walks, play fetch, play hide and seek in the house (you hide and call the dog to you), hide treats for the dog to find to keep him busy, etc. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation.

And it's okay to separate the dogs and crate them for periods of time. (almost like giving them a time-out) It's okay for a dog to be crated as long as they are getting adequate exercise. And if one dog is bullying or seems to be bullying the other dog, it's best for them to not be left alone together. It's not fair to your other dog to have to deal with that, esp. when you're not there to supervise.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Every dog is different just like every human. We all have different personalities and quirks about ourselves; dogs are no different!

ANSWER

Well, I did some research, and I found nothing regarding insect eating or specific breed tendencies, per se. What your dog is doing is called pica, which is ingestion of nonfood items, like stones, plastic, fabric, etc. I wouldn't concern yourself too much with her chasing and perhaps eating flies and the like. If you do catch her doing this, I would just redirect her to something else, like practicing some sits and downs or a game of fetch.

My dogs (Lab, Shepherd & Rottweiler) have eaten chipmunks, rabbits, grass, small rocks, socks, flies, spiders and the like. While I've never had any major problems with their ingestion of these foreign materials, I usually redirect them to something else to break their focus on the insect/rabbit/whatever. Give them something else to do that is more appropriate is the name of the game.

It doesn't necessarily mean there is anything missing from the dog's diet. In extreme cases (like the dog avoids all other activities and just tries to ingest foreign materials), some may classify it as a form of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), but my best guess would be that it's just boredom. Again, give her something more constructive to do.

Glad to hear you're going to do some formal classes with her and get her certified as a therapy dog. Fieldwood Dog Training Center in Carlisle, PA, offers, among other classes, a class on the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test items and then will test you at the end of the session. (www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com) Then all you would need is the Therapy Dog portion of it, which includes just a few other items. You can test for Therapy Dog certification at the Pawsabilities event held at the Farm Show Building every March.

It sounds to me that your GSD had a good romp around the neighborhood! I had to laugh, b/c this, too, has happened to me w/ my dogs! You are not alone!

First, I would suggest that you check your fenceline thoroughly and be sure there are no spots for her to slip out. Next, check your gates and be sure they are shutting properly and/or locking as they should.

One thing that is tough to do, but it's a must if you're having this issue w/ the recall, is to be sure that when someone goes to walk outside of your fence, that the dog is recalled back to you BEFORE the gate is opened. I know that sounds simple enough, but it would be an easy way to prevent this from happening again.

Couple options you can work on to beef up your Shepherd's recall:

1 - Practice what is called a Long line recall. You could use a Flexi lead that will lengthen out to 16 to 26 feet, or you could go to Wal-mart or Kmart and get a 30 to 50 foot rope and a leash hook to make one. Then hook this onto your dog so you can practice recalls, but this enables you to reinforce that Come command if she does not comply. Say your GSD is out romping in the yard and is hooked to the long line. Call her, Lexi, Come! in a very happy, excited voice. If she doesn't look at you and start to come to you, then reel her in like a fishing line, encouraging her and being very happy about it the whole time -- good girl, good come, good girl!

Another spin on this is to call her while she's on the long line and then turn the other way. Dogs will usually chase after you b/c most dogs, esp. German Shepherds, have a pretty high prey drive, which is their instinct to want to chase, bite their toys, dig holes, etc. Just make sure you make lots of noise and be very excited and call her while you are running the other way. Use that long line to reel her in, again, if she isn't complying.

2 - Practice what I call the Chase Me Down exercise

This can be done inside or outside, and it's very fun for your dog - and she will still be learning something along the way.

Have the dog CHASE you (be quick about it, run, be very excited) and then turn towards the dog and ask her to DOWN (help her if needed by guiding her w/ a treat into a down position). Once the dog gets the idea, she will DOWN more quickly as you go. Once she downs, praise her (good girl, good down) and then release her with the word 'Okay!' (This tells the dog she can get up and go back to doing whatever she was doing.) Turn away from the dog and have her CHASE you again; turn towards her and ask her to DOWN again. Repeat this until you are both dog-tired!

This is a good activity b/c the dog is working on the down command (which is always a good thing for a dog to know; also, laying down is a submissive gesture for dogs) and also working on the recall command. When you teach this kind of stuff in a game format, you and the dog will have more fun but still be training. (sorry my font got messed up in this paragraph)

Then when your dog gets loose out of the yard, run the other way and act like an idiot, making lots of noise and being very, very excited -- this will usually get the dog to come after you to see what the fuss is all about.

3 - Kneel down and call her, pretending you have food in your hand -- or have food in your hand if possible. (If we are standing up straight and then maybe leaning over the dog as they get close to us, this will just cause the dog to back up and play a game of "keep away" where they get within just five to ten feet of you and won't come any closer.) Praise her (good girl, good come!) as she comes to you and feed her the treat when she gets up close. If you don't have a treat, pet her. Verbal praise is first and foremost, though, so she knows that what she just did was right.

It's good to work on recalls as much as you can, even when you think your dog finally has a good recall. You want the dog to be out romping around in the yard, call her to you, then release her to go play again -- this teaches her that the Come command isn't that bad and that her fun doesn't stop every time you call her to Come. Also, try practicing the Come command (on a long line preferably so you can reinforce if needed by reeling her in) in other environments, like your neighbor's yard if possible, a park, a trail, a field, etc. Dogs do not generalize like humans do. She might come just fine in the house, but outside it might be a different story. That is why it's so important to practice that Come command as much as possible - so it becomes ingrained in the dog, no matter where she is. I think the long line is the safest and easiest way to really work on that Come command.

One other suggestion is to enroll in an obedience class. I personally teach at Fieldwood Dog Training Center in Carlisle. We have many classes that work on various commands, but the Recall command is reinforced in every class. We also have a class called Look Ma, No Hands that works specifically on off-leash work and being able to safely have your dog off leash. Check out our web site: www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com for more information. A class will also help you bond more w/ your dog (especially since she is fairly new to you) and create an even higher level of respect and cooperation b/w you both.

If you have any questions about this, please just ask. Good recalls are not bred into the dog - it's something they all need to practice throughout their life. It is the one command that can save their life someday. Good luck!

LEXI

I have a 3 month old great dane puppy named George. He is an excellent dog, very smart, learns quickly, and very affectionate. However, I am having trouble teaching him to respect "No". Usually this happens when he wants to play with me and I am unable to spend time with him right then. (Please note that we play with him tons every day, take him for walks, go out in the yard - he gets lots of attention).

Thanks!

Amanda

Hi Amanda,

First off, I commend you for all the things you are already doing. You're definitely on the right track! This all sounds very normal to me for the age of the dog. Those puppies can be quite lively and drive us all crazy! Okay, deep breath....here are a few suggestions:

1. Ignore him - no eye contact, no petting, do not say anything, just get up and walk away and go do something else and act like you do not hear him. This is tough -- the barking will usually get worse and escalate before it gets better when you go this route. Oftentimes, the dog will give up (some of the hard-headed or very determined types take longer to get this) and realize that the barking is not getting them anywhere and will offer another behavior. The key w/ this is to immediately praise your pup verbally (good boy! good quiet) in a calm but happy voice as soon as he takes a break in the barking. This takes time, but it does work. BUT -- if you let him bark for say 10 minutes and then give into him, he just learns that if he barks harder and longer, he will eventually get what he wants.

2. Another option is to immediately intercede when he barks and say ENOUGH or QUIET in a very stern voice. You don't have to shout -- the dog will pick up on your tone of voice that you are displeased. Then you redirect him to something else -- a game, some quick sits and downs, give him a toy, etc. Some dogs (like Retrievers) will willingly take a toy and strut around w/ it in their mouth. So maybe try telling him Quiet in a stern voice, tell him to sit or lie down or shake (use your imagination as far as tricks go) and then give him a toy. You could also give him a bone to chew on (like a marrow bone - watch it w/ rawhides; they get wet when the dog chews on them and can expand in their digestive tract, causing problems w/ blockage.) Chewing relaxes your dog's adrenal system and will tire him out. Make sure you tell him Quiet and then ask him to do something and then reward that something (sit/down, etc.) with a bone or toy; otherwise you're rewarding the barking behavior. This association will work as well, but again, it takes time. Even if you do not have a toy right there handy, just walk on over to one and give it to him. (The pup barks - say QUIET - let's go find a toy!)

One word of caution is that dogs do not make the connection like we do when it comes to the word No. I find that most dogs respond to a verbal correction such as eh-eh (pronounced aannggghh) in a calm but stern voice. From what I've read, this is similar to a low growl that the pup's mom would have made when teaching him the ropes as a new pup. You can use the eh-eh for many things: if he's barking at you, nipping your hand while trying to get you to play, starting to pee on the floor, etc. I find that eh-eh is much more effective than pairing No to every behavior we do not like.

Another suggestion is that you enroll in an obedience class. A lot of people have this misconception that their dog will be out of control in a class and should be well behaved in order to attend a class. The opposite is true - it's best to get that dog, esp. at this age, into a weekly class where you will learn much more about bonding w/ your dog, training him (sit, down, come, stay), discipline and rules, and socialization w/ other dogs. It's very important at this stage of your puppy's life that you expose him to all kinds of things - people of all ages, shapes and sizes, men w/ beards, hats, etc.; children, other dogs, etc. Usually if you expose the dog to these kinds of things at this age (especially at 8 to 14 weeks and then continuing on throughout their life), you are less likely to encounter problems down the road w/ aggression and/or fear.

I personally recommend Fieldwood Dog Training Center in Carlisle, PA. (I have done tons of classes there w/ my own dogs, and I also teach there.) We have a variety of classes for all ages of dogs, and we have a positive reinforcement philosophy. See our web site for more info: www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com. If you're not nearby, Petsmart offers classes, and there are other training centers in the area. Best thing is to go observe a class and see what you think. Run away from trainers that use heavy corrections, such as hanging the dog, shock collars, etc. This kind of stuff may "fix" the problem at the moment, but it will ultimately frustrate the dog and can lead to issues w/ fear or aggression down the road.

One golden rule, or at least I look at it as a golden rule - ignore what you don't like and reward what you do. (Rewards can be anything: a game of fetch, tug-of-war, a treat, etc. You should always use verbal praise -- good boy, good work or Yes! in a happy voice so the dog learns that what he just did pleases you) Usually this will work very well.

If none of this makes sense, email me back! Good luck w/ that puppy!

LEXI

Our 10 year old collie/German shepherd passed away in May. Skylar, our 3 year old white German shepherd, has been digging through doors of our home if no one is home. Skylar has always opened doors in and out of our home by using her paws and rotating the door knob, however, the locked wooden doors and jams around the metal doors show her claw marks. During our recent vacation, two sets of neighbors each "exercised" her daily more than twice a day each in addition to our daughter who worked daily and stayed home from the vacation.

Skylar has cuts on both her nose and on her foot pads. What suggestions do you have for our family at this point?

Skylar adores our daughter who is at school. I have found that she follows me everywhere (I can't even go to the bathroom without her opening the door and laying in the room with me.) when our daughter is at school. Skylar in the past basically ignored me, or found me to be the disciplinarian.

The vet has labeled the problem as extreme separation anxiety. The school year is fast approaching and we will not be home during the daytime as we have been. I have tried being calm and matter of fact with my return homes. I have also rewarded her for being in another room (upon which she lays on the top step or under the door frame.

Thank you for any suggestions you might have. It is quite distressing to see Skylar injuring herself. One of the neighbors was frightened to look for her when he saw all the blood from her scratching and Skylar didn't come when she was called. I am also concerned about infection and splinters lodging in her paws in addition to the destruction of our home.

Cathy

Hi Cathy,

I do have a few suggestions for you. I, too, have two dogs that have some separation anxiety issues, so this is from past experience of what has worked for me.

I highly, highly suggest that you crate this dog if she is destroying items (doors) in the home. For Skylar, if she is a big chewer and is damaging herself as well as the door frames, etc., I would suggest you use a plastic crate. This will lessen the wiring of the crate for her to get into contact with her paws. I like the open wire crates better b/c they have more ventilation, but if you decide to use the plastic crate, be sure to provide Skylar lots of water and perhaps put the crate in a room with an open window or fan, a/c, etc. to keep her cool.

You need to teach the dog that the crate is a happy place, a safe haven for her. If Skylar is not already crate trained, to start this process, you should leave the door open and throw a few treats in. Encourage her verbally to go in and get the treat - be sure to do so in a very happy voice. (Get it, get it, good girl, etc.) You should crate the dog for short periods of time and work up to longer periods, such as all day. It is not cruel and unusual punishment to crate a dog all day as long as they are accustomed to the crate. Feeding Skylar all her meals in her crate will help to get the idea across that good things happen when she's crated. Here is a link to a very fine article written by fellow obedience instructors of mine about crate training. If you have further questions about the crate, please email me and I will help you. http://www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/cratetraining.html

I would also give Skylar mental stimulation to take her mind off of being alone. There are a couple pictures of various Kong toys in the crate training article above that are available to give to your dog when she is crated. (These are almost indestructible - I do know of one dog that was able to chew apart a Kong, but really, it is very rare for even the strongest of chewers. I have a large male Rottweiler who has a Kong and has not been able to take it apart.) Stuff it with peanut butter, some of the dog's kibble, cheese, whatever and freeze it. This will give her more stimulation as it will take longer for her to get the treats out. One word of caution is not to give her peanut butter every day as there is a lot of protein in peanut butter and you have to be careful about high amounts of protein in your dog's diet b/c it can affect their kidneys. I suggest peanut butter one time a week is fine.(But I'm not a vet. This is just what I do with my own dogs, and I've not had any problems.) There are also Buster Cubes available at most pet stores where you can stuff some treats in them and it takes the dog some manuevering to get the treats out. Mental stimulation in the form of toys like this will really help tire your dog out.

Another suggestion, which this is probably one of the most important and most common pieces of advice that I give to dog owners, is to be sure to get Skylar plenty of exercise. Take her for a long walk each day if at all possible, practice some training (like sit, stay, come, down, roll over, etc.) play fetch, hide and seek in the house, hide treats for her in the house to find and verbally encourage her to find them, etc. Physical stimulation is very important - a tired dog is a good dog. Doing some training exercises (like the sit, stay, etc.) also helps to tire a dog out b/c it's mental stimulation. Another great article on exercise - http://www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/Exercise%20Handout.doc I find that providing plenty of exercise for my dogs, especially my Rott who will follow me all around the house as well, truly helps the dog to relax and not be so worried about where his owner is at all times. As an example, I walk my Rott at least four times a week, one to two miles at a time, and I try to play fetch with him every day for about 10-15 minutes. This really helps with his need to follow me around and helps calm him down a lot. A tired dog is a good dog.

Sign Skylar up for an obedience class as well. This helps you learn more ways to work with your dog and provide mental stimulation and also establishes a bond b/ween you and Skylar.

My best to you - please feel free to contact me with further questions or any help needed.

LEXI

Hi Casey,

Yes, there are options. Try not to get frustrated - this can be fixed.

First off, crate training is the fastest, most effective way I know of housetraining a dog. But it still takes some time. Here is a link to a fine article written by fellow obedience instructors of mine about crate training if your Boxer is not already crate trained.

http://www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/cratetraining.html

A word of caution on housetraining - rubbing the dog's nose in his urine is not effective. Really, this just diminishes the dog's respect of you and teaches your dog to fear your reaction of coming home rather than relating that the pee on the carpet from five hours ago is why you are mad. Dogs do not have a concept of time like we do. They think in terms of immediate cause and effect -- if I do this, this happens. So if you come home (and she has been alone and loose in the house while you were gone for about two hours) and you find pee on the carpet, do nothing. Take the dog straight outside to go to the bathroom. Quietly wait for her to go and as soon as she does, verbally praise her and give her a small treat. (Good girl, good potty, and give the treat as a reward.) Then come back in the house, give the dog a toy or something to keep her busy and go clean up the mess. No punishment b/c it just doesn't get across to the dog that is why you are mad.

If you are lucky enough to catch the dog going in the house, say No firmly and pick her up or leash her and take her outside midstream. Then immediately praise her verbally as she goes outside. This takes time, but this is what needs to be done.

Crate the dog when you are not home or you are at home but you cannot supervise her. As long as the dog gets enough exercise, it is not cruel to crate her for periods of time through the housetraining process. Get the dog on a routine where you give her regular potty breaks when you are crating her while you are home. As soon as you get home, take her out of the crate and go straight outside. Wait patiently until they go to the bathroom and then lavishly praise her for what a good girl she is for going outside.

For cleaning up messes and getting the smell of urine out of carpets, I have found that Nature's Miracle is the best product available. You can buy this at most pet stores. It's in a red and white bottle. Best thing I've used, hands down.

This is how I have trained four dogs to potty outside. As an example, I would say that my dogs were housetrained within about three to six months (depending on their age - the puppy was six months total; older rescue dogs took about three months to really get the idea) following this suggestion of crating and giving regular breaks, being sure to take the dog directly outside when you let her out of the crate, as well as even carrying the dog outside midstream when you catch them in the act.

My best to you - please feel free to email me with more questions as you go through this process. Try to be patient. The light will come on eventually, trust me.

LEXI

Hi Ellen --

It's good that she's used to the crate, but it sounds like you're using it too much as a crutch rather than teaching her what is appropriate and what isn't outside of the crate.

First, I suggest that you make sure this dog gets plenty of exercise every day. It's okay to crate a dog for longer periods at a time as long as the dog gets to stretch and run and play until her tongue is hanging out. It's no wonder she's got pent up energy if you're not meeting this goal. Go play fetch with her, take her for a walk or run, play hide and seek in the house with her, etc.. Have your husband hold her and you go hide somewhere else in the house and then call her and keep calling her (Suzie, Come!) in a very happy voice until she finds you. This begins to build her recall (come command) but it's in a game, which dogs love games and they learn very well through games.

Chewing and being a little crazy is very normal for this stage, b/c she's still a puppy. These are very normal behaviors, and it's important that we let the dog express these behaviors but in an appropriate way. This means that if she is loose in the house, then you keep an eye on her. You can even attach a lightweight leash onto her collar as she begins to get used to being out of the crate. You can grab the leash to give a little more reinforcement if you need it. (Don't yank her neck; just a little tug on the leash will get her attention.) Example -- If she gets into something, starts chewing on your dining room chair, your slipper, whatever else you don't want her to chew on or play with, then you step in and redirect her to something she is able to play with or chew on. (a toy, a bone, etc.) As long as you begin to keep an eye on her while she is out of the crate and you step in the minute you think she is doing something inappropriate and you redirect her to a favorite toy or bone, that is the right path. The dog will get it eventually, but she needs to be shown what is right and what isn't. They just don't come hardwired with all the knowledge of "I must chew on my bone, not the chair." Show her what you want and be sure to verbally praise her when she does the right thing. (Good girl! in a happy voice). If she's into something she shouldn't be, you can say "eh-eh" (or anngghh) in a low, calm voice. This will usually break their concentration so that you can show her what she should be doing. (The eh-eh is similar to a low growl their dog mom would have made to show them what to do and what not to do.)

If you haven't already, I highly, highly suggest you enroll her and yourself and your husband in an obedience class. There are several training centers you can go to; it just depends where you live. I recommend Fieldwood Dog Training Center in Carlisle, PA, if it's not too far for you to drive. I personally teach there, and we have a whole range of classes available for every stage of a dog's life. Since she is about a year old, the most appropriate class for you would probably be Basic Manners. See our web site for a description of all the classes and times. www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com. You can always do a private session as well with the director or one of the other instructors. Taking a class or two will also help with socialization issues so that she learns how to play and interact with other dogs and new people. Plus having some basic obedience will strengthen the bond b/w you and her and also give her some mental stimulation which will help enormously with her energy levels.

If you have more questions, send them my way. Good luck - and go get her out of the crate and try it out!!

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

Hi Lexi

I wanted to update you on Keesha...She is coming along fine being out of the crate a little each day and free roaming the house...she hasn't done anything bad at all, and she is so smart every time we play hide and seek she finds us right away... She loves to play with our little black kitten who is about 12 weeks, they seem to have hit it off...

Every day we take her out for about an hour or two and let her run free, watching her, playing her, loving her, etc.

Thanks for your advice, just wanted to let you know how it was going...

Ellen

Dear Ellen

Great news...you're on the right path. I would try to bump up her time out of the crate to more than just an hour. She can be crated for longer periods of time, but you really need to make sure she is getting adequate exercise. (Perhaps you can get her out in the morning for an hour, afternoon for an hour and then an hour or night, or something along those lines. Break it up a bit for her so she exercises, gets tired and then rests in the crate maybe three times throughtout the day rather than just once per day.)

I think your next step would be to enroll in an obedience class. You will get a lot more information of how to work with your dog in a class than I can give you via email.

Good luck and keep doing what you're doing. I'm glad for Keesha's sake!

LEXI

Hi Tina,

If the dog was housetrained beforehand and is now going in the house, I suggest you get the dog checked by your vet for a urinary tract infection or bladder infection. A urine sample is all you need for this test. Sometimes when dogs have a bladder infection, they will pee in the house (even when they didn't ever do this before) and they can't help it.

If your dog was never totally housetrained, I suggest you use a crate to get the idea across to your dog. Crate training is the fastest, most effective way I know of housetraining (or re-housetraining) a dog. But it still takes some time. Here is a link to a fine article written by fellow obedience instructors of mine about crate training if Callie is not already crate trained.

http://www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/cratetraining.html

A word of caution on housetraining - rubbing the dog's nose in his urine is not effective. Really, this just diminishes the dog's respect of you and teaches your dog to fear your reaction of coming home rather than relating that the pee on the carpet from five hours ago is why you are mad. Dogs do not have a concept of time like we do. They think in terms of immediate cause and effect -- if I do this, this happens. So if you come home (and she has been alone and loose in the house while you were gone for about two hours) and you find pee on the carpet, do nothing. Take the dog straight outside to go to the bathroom. Quietly wait for her to go and as soon as she does, verbally praise her and give her a small treat. (Good girl, good potty, and give the treat as a reward.) Then come back in the house, give the dog a toy or something to keep her busy and go clean up the mess. No punishment b/c it just doesn't get across to the dog that is why you are mad.

If you are lucky enough to catch the dog going in the house, say No firmly and pick her up or leash her and take her outside midstream. Then immediately praise her verbally as she goes outside. This takes time, but this is what needs to be done.

Crate the dog when you are not home or you are at home but you cannot supervise her. As long as the dog gets enough exercise, it is not cruel to crate her for periods of time through the housetraining process. Get the dog on a routine where you give her regular potty breaks when you are crating her while you are home. As soon as you get home, take her out of the crate and go straight outside. Wait patiently until they go to the bathroom and then lavishly praise her for what a good girl she is for going outside.

For cleaning up messes and getting the smell of urine out of carpets, I have found that Nature's Miracle is the best product available. You can buy this at most pet stores. It's in a red and white bottle. Best thing I've used, hands down.

This is how I have trained four dogs to potty outside. As an example, I would say that my dogs were housetrained within about three to six months (depending on their age - the puppy was six months total; older rescue dogs took about three months to really get the idea) following this suggestion of crating and giving regular breaks, being sure to take the dog directly outside when you let her out of the crate, as well as even carrying the dog outside midstream when you catch them in the act.

Please don't give up. Sometimes dogs need some refresher training. Following the above process I'm sure will help. Please feel free to email me back with questions or more help if needed. If you do decide to give up this sweet girl, contact PAWS first. They may take the dog back and try to place her again. My best to you and Callie.

LEXI

We have a 10 month old husky mix who is still not housetrained! He will go outside at times, but every day we find "surprises" (both kinds) in the house. We will let him out with our other dog (she's 3 and a Black Lab/German Sheppard mix) many times a day but he rarely goes. He seems to do better when my boyfriend lets him out, but when I let him out - and I usually wait awhile before letting him in - he will come back in and go on the floor within 5 minutes. I do take them both for regular 30-60 min walks. Sometimes he goes on the walk but not the majority of the time.

We have thought about getting a trainer to come to our house, but I am not sure if that approach would even work. Any ideas would be much appreciated!

Hi Nicole,

Yes, there are options. Try not to get frustrated - this can be fixed.

First off, crate training is the fastest, most effective way I know of housetraining a dog. But it still takes some time. Here is a link to a fine article written by fellow obedience instructors of mine about crate training if your Husky is not already crate trained.

http://www.fieldwooddogtrainingcenter.com/cratetraining.html

A word of caution on housetraining - rubbing the dog's nose in his urine is not effective. Really, this just diminishes the dog's respect of you and teaches your dog to fear your reaction of coming home rather than relating that the pee on the carpet from five hours ago is why you are mad. Dogs do not have a concept of time like we do. They think in terms of immediate cause and effect -- if I do this, this happens. So if you come home (and he has been alone and loose in the house while you were gone for about two hours) and you find pee on the carpet, do nothing. Take the dog straight outside to go to the bathroom. Quietly wait for him to go and as soon as he does, verbally praise him and give him a small treat. (Good boy, good potty, and give the treat as a reward.) Then come back in the house, give the dog a toy or something to keep him busy and go clean up the mess. No punishment b/c it just doesn't get across to the dog that is why you are mad.

If you are lucky enough to catch the dog going in the house, say No firmly and pick him up or leash him and take him outside midstream. Then immediately praise him verbally as he goes outside. This takes time, but this is what needs to be done.

Crate the dog when you are not home or you are at home but you cannot supervise him. As long as the dog gets enough exercise, it is not cruel to crate him for periods of time through the housetraining process. Get the dog on a routine where you give him regular potty breaks when you are crating him while you are home. As soon as you get home, take him out of the crate and go straight outside. Wait patiently until they go to the bathroom and then lavishly praise him for what a good boy he is for going outside.

For cleaning up messes and getting the smell of urine out of carpets, I have found that Nature's Miracle is the best product available. You can buy this at most pet stores. It's in a red and white bottle. Best thing I've used, hands down.

This is how I have trained four dogs to potty outside. As an example, I would say that my dogs were housetrained within about three to six months (depending on their age - the puppy was six months total; older rescue dogs took about three months to really get the idea) following this suggestion of crating and giving regular breaks, being sure to take the dog directly outside when you let him out of the crate, as well as even carrying the dog outside midstream when you catch them in the act.

My best to you - please feel free to email me with more questions as you go through this process. Try to be patient. The light will come on eventually, trust me.

LEXI

Hi Sarita,
I?m sorry it?s taken me so long to respond. I have had some major trouble accessing my yahoo email.

First off, I was a little confused by your email. Is Winnie the 5-year-old or the 7-month-old? Either way, the way to approach the problem is basically the same. It sounds to me that you have some issues with your dogs, mainly on the hierarchy (pack ladder, or where each dog is on the totem pole). I have a few questions for you first. Have you had both of these dogs since they were pups? Has this behavior just started to occur, or has this been going on for a long time? When you notice the behavior occurring, what are the dogs doing right before that? Are they fighting over resources ? toys, food, affection from humans, etc.? If you answer these questions, it will give me a better idea of what to suggest.

At first glance to your problem, it sounds like Winnie has some issues of dominance, meaning she likes to challenge people/other dogs (Tigger) to help her gain a step up on the ladder of who is in charge. You should be the alpha, or leader, of your pack. The dogs usually will fall into place once they work out issues between themselves. If dogs are wrestling or carrying on, you usually don?t have to intercede, unless they are drawing blood. In your case, since Winnie is drawing blood, I would first suggest that you separate the dogs when you can?t supervise them closely. Baby gates, crates, or assigning them to separate rooms are good ideas.

Sometimes young pups (if the 7-month-old is Winnie) will challenge older, adult dogs and try to establish their role in the pack. Most older dogs are very tolerant of young pups and their boldness and sometimes bad manners. Also, females can be more aggressive with other dogs, even males. I would suggest that you keep a watchful eye on how Winnie conducts herself, before she even gets to the point of biting/wrestling Tigger to the ground. Watch her ears, eyes, body movement/stance, if she is up on her toes trying to make herself look bigger, tail placement ? is it high, low, steady, wagging, etc.? Dogs give off lots of clues on how they feel just by their body language. Once you know how to read your dog, you have solved half of your problems b/c then you can anticipate when they are going to act out. Once your dog is acting out or wrestling/biting, it?s a little hard to calm them down.

Stand right by the dogs and loudly say, Knock it off, in a commanding voice. You can even spray water at the dogs to stop a dog fight. If they are seriously fighting, I wouldn?t reach in b/c then you run the risk of you yourself getting hurt/bitten.

For dominance problems, putting your dogs on the Nothing in Life is Free program is a great start. That means that Winnie sits before going outside, she sits before getting her dinner, etc. -- in other words, she gets no freebies. She must work to gain anything worthwhile. This does not mean that you do not show affection to your dog. It's more like you really lay down rules and structure and then expect compliance. If they are not complying with your commands, then you help them comply - i.e., if she doesn't sit on the first command, you tuck her butt into a sit with a hand on the collar and say SIT.

I hope things work out for you and Winnie. I am no expert, just trying to be helpful. Perhaps you should look into working with a behaviorist. I have some suggestions of people who are experienced with this sort of behavior if you need some contacts.

LEXI

Dear Lexi's Mom,
Could you recommend a good breeder of German Shepherds in the Central Pennsylvania area?
Many thanks,
Sarah

Hi Sarah,
I personally do not know of any breeders in this area for German Shepherds. We at PAWS encourage people to adopt rather than buy a dog. There are so many dogs out there and not enough homes. Perhaps we can find you a German Shepherd (or Germ. Shep. Mix) rescue that would be suitable for your family. Many shelters and rescues have pure bred dogs just waiting for you! You can check out our web site for the current dogs in foster care who are eagerly awaiting a home, www.pawsofpa.org.

Also, you can check out www.petfinder.com or German Shepherd Breed Rescues (do a search on Yahoo!) Here is one contact for you...Mid Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue, PO Box 5, Laurel, Md 20725, Ph 410-644-7763, email magsrmail@yahoo.com, web site www.magsr.org. I believe there is a rescue in Southeast PA, but I don't have their info handy. It should be on www.petfinder.com.

Good luck. Please adopt/rescue from a shelter/rescue! You will save a life and ultimately have a wonderful companion who will be happy you gave them a second chance on life.

Dear Lexi,
My sister and her family have a 7 year old small terrier mix. She has been living outside in a fenced yard and garage with her buddy, a Doberman until this year when the Dobie died of heart disease. She's been brought back inside and re-housebroken and is fine when someone is home or when she's left in the fenced yard when they're away. When she's left inside the house, she's very destructive. When she was left in the crate, she wet.

The problem is that the family is moving to a very expensive, pristine home with no fenced yard and no possibility of fencing it. They're seriously thinking of trying to find a new home for the dog. I think she's still grieving over the Dobie and confused about her inside status. I've suggested to my sister that she'll probably get over the messing in the crate thing given a chance. Or maybe she needs a smaller crate. Can you give me any advice for them?

I should mention that my sister is a wonderfully kindhearted person who has, in the recent past, adopted an elderly cat and dog and given them good homes for their last few years. She's pretty exhausted right now with the move, school and family activities. I'd like to help resolve the situation to everyone's benefit.

Thanks so much
Petie's concerned aunt
PS We adopted a wonderful 2-year- old Scottish terrier from PAWS a couple of years ago. He's a delight. Thank you.

Hi Petie's Concerned Aunt,
It sounds to me that this dog has some separation anxiety. I believe that dogs do mourn the passing of their playmates/siblings, so that is probably part of the problem. Also, if she has lived outside for most of her life, there is an adjustment period to moving into the house.

If the dog has not been used to a crate, they do sometimes wet in the crate at first, especially dogs that have lived outside beforehand. I had a dog that did the same thing when she had lived outside for about 10 years and then came with us and had to adapt to living inside. I would get a crate that is only big enough for the dog to lay down in and completely stand up in and turn around. Any bigger than that and the dog will pee/poop in one corner and sleep in the other. For a small terrier mix, you should probably need just a small crate, I'm guessing around $30 tops for one at the local pet store. Perhaps, if the dog is very small, a cat carrier will also do the trick.

While in the crate, I would also supply the dog with Nylabones or Kong toys (both can be purchased at your local pet store) stuffed with squirt cheese or peanut butter and also mix in some of the dog's kibble in the Kong as well You can even freeze the Kong toy with cheese in it to make the dog work extra hard on getting its treat out of it. This will keep Petie busy and also tire her out. Another suggestion for sep. anxiety is to leave a radio on playing some music or the TV, just to relax the dog. If the dog is not completely used to the crate yet, also suggest to your sister to hand feed the dog its meals for about one week or so in the crate. This will help the dog think the crate is a good place to be b/c it gets fed there as well as build more trust between Petie and your sister.

Also, when your sister lets the dog out of the crate at any time, make sure the first thing she does is let the dog outside to eliminate. When the dog does eliminate outside, give the dog a treat and lots of verbal praise.

Things will get better, I'm sure. If they cannot have a fence at their new house, just leash the dog and walk it around the yard at the boundary line. Anytime the dog steps over the line, just give a quick pop on the leash and say eh-eh or angghhh, to teach the dog that that is off limits. It can be done! I have four large dogs and no fence, and they stay in the yard.

Any other questions, don't be afraid to ask. Good luck and thanks for caring about your sister's dog and for adopting a PAWS dog!
LEXI

Lexi,
We have a three-year-old Golden Retriever. I think he needs to be around other dogs?needs to socialize. Sometimes I feel like he is attached at my hip. I was at the dog park on Friday, and he seemed afraid to leave my side. I think it may have something to do with the fact that we tell him to stay that close when he is off leash...do you? So would it help if we take him out with us a lot? How do you break shyness?
AMB

Dear AMB,
First of all, the fact that he stays close to you when he?s off leash is definitely something to be happy about!

I would say that you should try to socialize your dog as much as you can by taking him everywhere pets are allowed. Take him with you to baseball games, to the pet store, along for the ride when running errands ? just don?t leave your dog in the car, of course, especially in hot weather. The more people and situations he is exposed to, the better behaved and well-adjusted dog you will have.

Shyness can be inherited to a certain extent, as in the type of breed of dog. However, I think most dogs are shy just b/c they have not had proper socialization as a pup. The critical period for socialization is from three to 14 weeks? old. If the dog was not properly socialized, or say introduced to 100 different people by the time he?s three months old, then you have some work ahead of you. It can be done, but you have to be patient and take baby steps. Also, if you notice your dog getting worried/nervous, don?t comfort him. Just act casually about the whole situation as if there really is nothing to be afraid of. If you sit and say it?s okay, buddy, don?t worry, it?s okay, you are actually reinforcing his fears of the unknown and praising him for acting nervous/afraid.

Your dog could be somewhat protective of you as well if he is afraid to leave your side. You are his ?pack,? so he feels the obligation and duty to protect you. However, if your dog is a little unsure of new things, he probably looks to you for comfort and protection as well. I?ve seen my rescued German Shepherd, Belle, do this a million times with me. If I walk out of a room when we are out somewhere other than my house, Belle gets very agitated and nervous. She will move her tail below her belly, watch the exit where I left from, look around the room very nervous-like, etc. I just believe that Belle knows I?ve never steered her wrong, and that?s why she is nervous to leave my side. (She was very undersocialized when I got her at four months old.) But Belle has come a long way in the past two years by going lots of places and meeting lots of new people.

It just takes time to build trust between you and your dog and to help them be more outgoing and confident. Just try not to overwhelm your dog; learn how to tell when enough is enough when exposing him to something new. You can tell when he is getting stressed by panting heavily, drooling, shaking, etc. Good luck!
LEXI

Dear Lexi,
Our dog is keeping us up at night. She is three years old, a Great Dane. She walks around our bed barking when we are trying to get to sleep. I think she may want up on the bed, but I don?t want to start that habit! She has her own doggie bed and two big, fluffy blankets to sleep on. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks, Sara Dog?s Mom

I would say those two factors are probably involved in what is going on. If she keeps this up, I would feed her a few hours before bedtime, make sure she gets outside to eliminate right before you go to bed and maybe even take her for a quick walk before bed. I find my dogs go to sleep easier if they are tired ? hence the old saying, a tired dog is a good dog! You can accomplish this by physical or mental stimulation, or better yet, both! Work on five minutes of obedience with her and take her for a ten-minute walk outside to let out some pent-up energy. That should solve the problem.
LEXI

Lexi,
Last May, 2003, I adopted a golden retriever/collie/german shephard/perhaps a little husky/maybe a little chow mix when she was a year old. I acquired her from a rescue group and she had been fostered in a home since she was a 7--8 week puppy. They no longer wanted her because she became a little too aggressive in the sense that she was too protective with regard to the small children. She barked/growled at everyone who came near the children. We certainly had some issues when I brought her into the home--she was scared to death of my 25-year old son and growled and barked at him for 2 months before accepting him. My daughter and Rue didn't seem to have any problems. Rue seemed to bond with me immediately. She accepts and loves my son now. It seems when people come to the house or in the yard, she'll start barking very protectively and does seem to scare some people. However, the ones that ignore her she seems to walk away from. The ones that talk nicely to her are the ones she follows and sometimes nips on the leg. I'm usually out in the yard with her and her brother, Bear (blind) but there are times that I just can't be. I should mention we have a complete, large, fenced-in yard. I don't want to tie her when she is out without one of us. I've disciplined her in front of the people she has nipped just by talking to her and having that person put their hand out and she puts her head down and certainly appears to be sorry. But then it happens again with someone else. Thankfully all the people she has nipped are animal lovers. I'm worried about the one that may not be! Do you have any suggestions? I should mention she immediately was the alpha when coming to our home because Bear, our older adopted blind male collie/shepherd mix, is very docile. She does occasionally nip at him and when we go for walks, occasionally she will get very aggressive towards other dogs that are either in their own yards or out walking with their owners. I keep her on a very short leash until we're in an area that is open with no people around.
Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,
Your dog sounds much like my rescued Rottweiler! I would suggest that you have any person that she is around (besides you, since she seems to like you just fine) feed her a high quality food. I suggest string cheese, liver, steak, chicken, turkey; you get the idea. First I would have your dog leashed around people she doesn't know or isn't very fond of. Then I would have people ignore her when they come around and not make eye contact, but also have them toss the treat towards the dog. This hopefully will make her realize that new people means good treats; associating food with people...which is a good thing to a dog. If safety is an issue or it's a brand new person who she has never met before, try using a muzzle for safety's sake. Better to be safe than sorry. Just realize that you really shouldn't muzzle your dog for any longer than 20 minutes, as they can get very overheated. Have your dog meet the new people and get a few treats from the people and then put her in her crate to relax. Baby steps! Eventually if you feel comfortable enough, you can have strangers hand feed her the treats, again not making eye contact with her, so she doesn't perceive them as a threat.

Also when you are out on a walk and you see a dog up ahead of you, I would feed her again a high-quality food. This will help her to associate seeing other dogs as a good thing, b/c she gets fed a yummy treat when she sees them. I would start this at a distance to begin with, where you can still control her but where she can see the dog up ahead. Then as she gets more relaxed, you can move her closer to the other dog a few feet. This takes time; don't rush it. This is called desensitization, where you introduce the dog to something that triggers the dog but at a distance where you still can maintain control of the dog. Also, when you are approaching other dogs, try not to tense up on the leash and pull it tight as you get closer to the dog. This will just make your dog even more alert and on guard. The leash is like a lightning rod to your dog. If you yourself try to breathe and remain confident, that will hopefully transmit to your dog that there is nothing to be worried about or to think that the other dog is a threat. Basically in a situation like this, food is your friend.

Good luck. Let me know if you have any more questions as you take on this process. Working with rescues takes lots of time and patience. As you build the trust between you and your dog, things will get better. Your dog is probably a bit wary of trusting other people, as she may have had some bad experiences in the past or perhaps was just neglected. Woof!

Lexi,
I need some advice. A friend of mine?s dog is pregnant. I know -- I already lectured her about the importance of spaying/neutering. It is a pitbull, not even a year old, and she is VERY aggressive. My friend is afraid of her. Do you think the puppies will be ok? Do you think they will be nasty like their mother? Their mother was bred poorly, and her siblings were put down by the police. Her dog is really nasty -- will this be a problem for the puppies? I have heard of bad breeding and it being inherited by the pups. The dog is fine with me because she knows me, but she doesn't obey me. She just lets me pet her. My friend?s boyfriend is the only one that the dog listens to. I am worried that the puppies are going to end up being aggressive.
Thanks, D

Dear D,
My first thought is it could potentially be a problem. Aggression is a learned behavior. Each time a dog snaps/bite/bark-lunges, etc., that just engraves that behavior even more into their brain and reinforces their thought that aggression works to get what I want ? i.e., get that dog to move away from me, the car to drive away, etc. I do believe that some dogs just are not wired right to start with. That kind of evaluation, though, is best made by an experienced behaviorist.

Although I'm a firm believer in that you can turn most dogs around and help them get over their fears and aggression for the most part, if she is afraid of her, she ought to be working with a trainer/behaviorist to help her dog not be so aggressive. Your friend should probably decide how committed she is to her dog and if she is willing to put in the time to help her dog through her fears/issues. I'm only saying that b/c it does sound that her dog has major issues and she has a liability on her hands if she doesn't confront the problem and take steps to correct it.

As for the pups, I would think even keeping them with their mother, as you should for the first seven/eight weeks, could be a problem if the mom is really aggressive. She may teach her pups the ropes by instilling in them that aggression gets what you want, since the mother has learned to be aggressive and probably believes that it is warranted b/c it has not been corrected up to this point.

Desensitization and classical conditioning are the best approaches to aggression in my opinion. This means exposing your dog to low levels of the stimulus (whatever might trigger your dog, keep it at a distance) and then gradually increasing the amount of stimulus (decrease the distance between your dog and whatever triggers it). High-quality food (like steak/chicken) is a best friend in cases like this, something to distract the dog and to focus their attention on instead of just reacting to the stimulus by barking/lunging/snapping, etc. This process is best accomplished by working with a trainer/behaviorist who is experienced in dealing with issues like this.

I would kindly suggest to your friend that she work on correcting the problem with her own dog first, let the mom nurse the pups for the first seven/eight weeks like normal and then adopt those pups out to homes that are aware of the problem with the mother. This will give the new family a heads-up, and those new families should be encouraged to work on lots of socialization with those pups and nip in the bud any aggression problems that may surface. Aggression can be dealt with, but it takes lots of time, patience and commitment to the dog.

Oh, yeah, please encourage your friend to spay her dog after she has the pups so this won?t happen again!
LEXI

Lexi,
We got a new puppy. She is a gorgeous black lab but I am having trouble with her wanting to nip or mouth us all the time. It's not so much a problem with me but it scares my son and I want to work on getting her to stop doing this. Currently I try to replace my arm/toes/etc with a toy and that seems to work sometimes but not all the time. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot, KV

Dear KV,
As for nipping and mouthing, it's completely normal. All puppies do this and they eventually grow out of it. It's how you approach it and teach them that it's not appropriate that is the important thing and what lays the basis of their behavior down the road and how they treat you and your guests.

Try these ideas:
- When the pup bites/mouths anything you don't want him to, like toes, fingers, etc., say eh-eh in a low voice. Most dogs respond to this. It's much like a growl their mom would make when teaching them basic respect.

- You can also say OUCH! (even if it didn't really hurt) and watch the dog's expression. Most of the time if they think they hurt you, they will stop it. (And try to make up to you & lick you!)

- Replacing the arm/finger/toe with a toy or bone that is okay for the dog to chew on or bite is a good idea; I would just add the Eh-eh (or Angghh!) with it so they learn it is not appropriate.

- There is a stiff correction you can give the dog, but unless the dog is seriously biting your son, I would save that for something really bad. You only want to use that for extreme unwanted behaviors or else it loses its effectiveness. (Grab the scruff of the neck around the collar under their ears, not the top of their neck b/c it can cause injury, and say WHAT ARE YOU DOING? In a deep, commanding voice.) (PLEASE DON'T HIT YOUR DOG!)

LEXI

Lexi,
I have a young lab puppy. She doesn't really mess in the house other than in her crate. At night she has been getting me awake to take her out and when were home, I take her out all the time. Sometimes she doesn't even want to go but I carry her out. She is doing really well with the housebreaking when we are there... I know she is having a little trouble in the afternoon when we are both not there for about 4 hours but I hear that will get better. She is not real good about her crate. When we put her in her crate she cries, even when it's right by our bed. I also hear it's uncommon for them to go to the bathroom in the crate, but everyday (for the last 4) she has gone to the bathroom in there and then has her paws all in it. Is it just that she can't "hold it" ... or am I doing something wrong. We are really trying not to leave her alone, she is there from 1:30 until 5:45 alone about 4 days a week. Would it be better to just let her have the back porch, then she wouldn't be stepping in it... or do we just hang in and it will get better? Thanks, KV

Dear KV,
As for getting used to the crate, just be patient! Most dogs will not mess in their crate b/c that is their den and they don't like their sleeping quarters messy. Make your crate smaller by placing a piece of cardboard in there. The dog should have enough room to stand up completely and curl up and lay down. Too much room and they will pee in one corner and sleep in the other!

If she is going to the bathroom in a four-hour period, it is still probably a little too long for her to hold it yet. But that will get better. The rule of thumb on that is a puppy that is, say, two months old can hold it for three hours. (I say take the month of your dog's age and add 1 to be safe. So a pup that is three months old can probably hold it for four hours, etc.) Just try not to leave your dog alone any longer than you have to. Most people work, and it's probably just a bit too long yet for her to hold it. But that will get better, trust me. As they get older, they learn to hold their urine.

A lot of people suggest that you put the dog's crate beside your bed for the first few weeks or so. That is supposed to be a bonding tool b/c they can hear you breathing and feel you're close. Maybe you can try that for a few weeks and then stick the crate in another room for bedtime. Also, the crate, at least when they are a pup, should be out in a main area of your house when you're home, like your living room or kitchen. That makes them feel like they are part of the family and the action when you're at home but meanwhile they learn to like the crate at the same time.

I would not put her out on a porch or keep her in just one room; you're just asking for a mess to clean up when you get home, especially with a young pup like her. That gives her an even bigger space to mess at one end and sleep at the other. I would keep her in the crate (with the cardboard until she gets bigger) and just try not to let her alone for any longer than you have to. Housebreaking takes awhile, please realize that. I would say that it takes a good six months to housetrain a dog properly. The crate is the absolute best and easiest method out there to housetrain a dog. Don't let people try to tell you to use newspaper - bad idea. And I've yet to meet a dog that will use a litterbox. And it's not cruel to put your dog in a crate. It's safe and humane, so they don?t chew on things they shouldn?t when you?re not home or ingest something, etc. The people that say it's cruel have no clue about canine behavior.

Also, if you catch her going to the bathroom, don't hit her....you can pick her up midstream and carry her outside. Just say no, go outside and wait until she goes; then praise her big time, oh what a good girl, good potty. You can even give her a treat, too, to help her associate going outside with good things like food.

Teach the word Quiet! You just should put her in the crate and ignore her for the time being. She will learn to adjust. She?s still young yet. If she?s barking and carrying on and you let her out, she will learn that she can get out of her crate if she makes enough of a fuss. You don?t want that. But they do grow out of it and learn that the crate is their safe haven.

LEXI

Lexi,
Any suggestions on food/treats? I don't want my new puppy to scramble for food under the table but I didn't know if I could use food that we have as treats until I will get some for her. Curious Mom of New Dog

Dear Curious Mom,
As far as treats go, you can use people food if you want. I would not feed her from your plate/counter unless you want her to learn to beg! This is what I use for our dogs ? for training at home or in classes, etc., string cheese, small pieces of cut up chicken or steak or liver (liver is a big hit with my dogs but it?s nasty to cook and touch!) I personally don?t buy store-bought treats anymore because our dogs just seem to get diarrhea from that. But Milk Bone is fine, etc., the normal stuff they have at pet stores and the grocery store for treats. My dogs always liked Pupperoni. But now that the Rottweiler has some tummy issues and stuff, I buy my dogs natural homemade treats from Kylie?s Canine Treats in Camp Hill ? check out their site at http://www.kyliescaninetreats.com.

Their treats are awesome and only made out of flour, bacon, turkey, etc. Their dog has allergies and that?s why they decided to open up their store because they figured other dog owners have the same problems. What a huge difference it has made in my dogs!

As for food, this is my spiel?I didn?t really start looking into this until my dogs all started getting diarrhea and just never seemed to go away. I feed Wellness http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/dogs/wellness_overview.html because it?s human grade ingredients, no fillers, corn, and also it has vegetables and omega fatty supplements ? they help your dog to have shiny coats, bright eyes, etc. I also decided to go with Wellness b/c my local pet store carries Wellness. I could not find one bad thing that anyone had to say about Wellness Dog Food. I feed the Chicken mix. The dogs also seem to like the canned food, but I?m not big on canned food ? it?s messy, stinks, and tends to lead to diarrhea if that?s all you feed. (Plus if you feed dry food, that helps with tartar buildup on the dog?s teeth.) I only use canned once in a great while, and usually I only use it if I have to give deworming medicine like Panacur or something ? which I had to do because of the diarrhea problem about a month or so ago. I used to feed Pro Plan, mainly b/c it is a higher quality food than just grocery store dog foods and my vet suggested it and feeds her dogs that. However, there are fillers in it but no corn. Corn is a big no-no for dogs. They just can?t digest it properly. It comes out like it goes in, sorry to be so blunt! If you see stuff like Brewer?s Rice, corn on the ingredient list or if meat is not the main ingredient (listed first) then your food isn?t that great of a quality. I might sound like a freak about this stuff, but I have read so many articles about cancer in dogs, which is very common, and I believe that food plays a big role in that. I figure spending a few extra bucks on a better food will benefit my dogs in many ways. I pay about the same for Wellness as I did Pro Plan. So why not feed a better food if it?s around the same cost anyhow? I don?t want to talk you into anything on that. I think it?s a personal decision and one that should be made with lots of research and asking around. I just was really tired of dealing with my dogs getting sick, and it had to be coming from treats and food, becaise it?s gone now and they just look awesome and seem to be feeling fine. You should check and see what your breeder fed your puppy. You don?t want to go switching dog foods on her right away. It?s best to phase in a new food, by mixing a little of the new food with a lot of the old food and then gradually increase the new and decrease the old, over about a ten-day period. Otherwise, you?re going to probably have diarrhea from a food change if you do it too quickly. Plus feeding a higher quality food helps prevent gas!! (TIP ? I give plain yogurt one teaspoon on my dogs? food at dinnertime?I got that tip from other Rottweiler owners, and it seems to work great with all of our dogs ? hardly any gas!!)

LEXI

Lexi,
When do I give baths, how, how often, what do I use?
Thanks, New Owner of a Labrador Pup

Dear New Lab Owner,
You really should not have to bath your dog all that much except for when she would get really dirty, like rolling in mud or a dead animal or something gross like that. Labrador retrievers have a double coat. The outside coat is meant to get wet and be able to stand it. You should just get some Puppy Shampoo at the grocery store or pet store. You don?t need to spend a lot on dog shampoo. Some people get carried away about it, trying to buy shampoos that help make their coat look shiny, etc. If you feed a high-quality food, you don't need to worry about that stuff.

If she is really messy from going to the bathroom in her crate, then I would give her a bath. If it?s just her feet, just clean them off. Baby wipes or a wet towel will do just fine to wipe the feet down quickly.

LEXI

Lexi,
Do you know a good obedience school or dog training that you would recommend?
Thanks, Katie

Dear Katie,
As for dog schools, I highly recommend Fieldwood Dog Training School in Carlisle. That's where I take my dogs, and they are awesome. Mary Kutulakis is the director, and her number is 243-4451. She is located on the west end of Carlisle, (505 Barnstable Road, Carlisle).

Here are others I would check out:
*Dauphin Dog Training Club http://www.ddtc.org
*Petsmart East/West Shore - http://www.petsmart.com/training/index.shtml
*Obedience Training Class of Harrisburg - http://www.paonline.com/OTCH/
Ask your vet, too, for suggestions of where to go to class.

Dear Lexi,
My dog is a lab/shepherd mix and at first sight of other dogs she seems like she wants to greet them and play. Once she does her greeting though she becomes vicious and starts barking and growling like she could rip them apart. Even if they are much larger dogs than she. She has lived in a home with other dogs and does well with them but acts this way with any new ones. The other dogs in the neighborhood that she has become familiar with are ok too.

It sounds like your dog is a bit afraid of strange dogs. What I would do is let her greet a new dog, although you anticipate her barking and growling. Keep your leash loose ? the harder you pull and the more tension you put on the leash, the more anxious your dog will get. The leash is like a lightning rod from you to your dog ? if you tense up on the leash, they will think you are nervous as well, therefore creating even more tension for your dog. You yourself need to be confident when you and she meet new dogs.

If the dogs begin to wrestle or seem like they are fighting, it?s best to let them work out their issues on their own. You really should only break them apart (by loudly saying, knock it off! or squirting them with water if necessary) if they are really hurting each other, i.e., drawing blood, biting very hard and not letting go of the neck, etc. Usually the barking and growling, and even mouthing each other, is just posturing, where your dog is trying to size the other dog up.

Another thing to try is feeding your dog high quality treats when your dog sees another dog. You can do this from 50 yards away if necessary. The key is to feed her when she sees the other dog so she associates meeting new dogs with food, which is a good thing from a dog?s perspective. When the other dog is out of her sight, then stop feeding her. You can practice this several times before you let your dog meet another, if you wish. Also, while you are feeding your dog, I would say in a happy, confident voice, ?look at the pretty dog? and ?good girl,? etc., to show her that you feel the situation is not threatening. Most dogs will take control of the situation if you don?t. You need to show her that you?re the leader and that you call the shots and that you decide if someone is threatening or not.

You can also use a spray bottle when she barks/growls. Carry a small squirt bottle filled with water on your walk and spray it in her face when she barks and growls when meeting another dog. This will usually stop a dog from barking. And it doesn?t hurt them; it?s just a way to show them that their behavior is unacceptable to you. You can also fill the spray bottle with water and vinegar, if water isn?t enough for her to stop. I normally just use water, though. Supposedly the vinegar will not hurt them, but I?m not into spraying vinegar in my dog?s face.

You can also try a head collar. There are two types ? the Gentle Leader and the Halti. You can buy them at your local pet store. I think the Halti works best because it gives you control over your dog?s head movement and mouth. You just give a slight tug on the leash that is attached to the bottom of the head collar, and it will turn your dog?s head toward you and also shut its mouth, therefore preventing (hopefully) biting. But like I said, dogs do mouth and play bite each other, so it?s not something to really be concerned about unless they are drawing blood, etc.

Hope some of these ideas work for you. Just remember that patience works best ? if you try something and you feel it doesn?t work, give it a good week to really give the dog a chance to make the association between food and other dogs or the spray bottle is what I get when I bark, etc. Good Luck. WOOF!

LEXI

Dear Lexi,
My husband & I have a 3 yr old great dane named Sara. She's a great dog & for the most part well mannered. One problem that we do have with her is that she's a barker. If she's not getting enough attention she will stand right in front of us & bark for no reason. We've tried ignoring her, but that doesn't seem to work. Could you please give us some suggestions on how to break this rather annoying behavior?
Sincerely,
Barky-barker-ton's Mom

Dear Barky-barker-ton?s Mom
Barking is what dogs do; it?s obviously how they communicate. A few barks to alert you when someone pulls into your driveway or approaches your house is very normal behavior and one that I personally would not discourage.

You can try several things to stop annoying, constant barking. For one thing, and probably most importantly, make sure your dog gets enough exercise. Dogs will walk around and bark if they are bored. (My Rottweiler does this.) If you keep her mentally and physically stimulated, the barking should decrease. Examples of mental stimulation are obedience training or get her a Buster Cube or ball that you can stuff with small treats or a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. Those kinds of activities will keep her occupied for some time trying to get the treat out. Physical stimulation, of course, would be walking, running, chase me, fetch, agility, flyball, etc. Use your imagination!

Also, when she does bark, say when you?re watching TV, if you do decide to ignore her, although you said that wasn?t working, don?t even look at her. That is really hard, but make sure you never, ever give in to her and start petting her after she?s barked for five minutes. This will only reinforce her bad behavior.

Or you can try grabbing her collar, say no (or quiet or eh-eh) in a firm voice and make her lie down. Dogs respond to eh-eh usually. Say it in a low voice; it?s supposed to mimic a growl their dog mom would make when teaching them proper behaviors as a puppy.

You can also put your dog on the NILIF program ? Nothing In Life Is Free. If she wants petted, she must sit first; if she wants out to pee, she has to sit and wait for you to release her by saying okay. In other words, whatever your dog desires, make them work for it. This gives them some mental stimulation, and their reward is the petting, being released to play outside, etc. This also helps if your dog is dominant in some ways, i.e., barking to demand attention.

One more thing you can use is a spray bottle filled with water. Some people use water and vinegar. When she barks, say quiet (or no or eh-eh, whatever word you decide to use) and spray her in the face once or twice. This will usually stop them from barking, and they learn quickly to associate barking with getting sprayed. I just use water in my spray bottle because I?m not into spraying vinegar in my dog?s eyes, and it seems to work for me.

Good luck; hope this helps.
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!
LEXI

Hi, The Dane?s Mom,
First thing about teeth, dogs are similar to people in that they can get a buildup of tartar (the yellow/brownish stuff on the back teeth especially) and also periodontal disease, which can in turn affect other systems in the dog?s body. Proper teeth care is important in a dog. I read somewhere that it is best to brush your dog?s teeth every day. I brush my dogs? three times a week. I use poultry-flavored dog toothpaste, and my dogs absolutely love it. You can start brushing at any age, and it?s best to just give them a lick of toothpaste on your finger and then progress to a small finger brush and then to a special dog toothbrush that has two ends on it with different size bristles. You can get a starter kit with toothpaste and toothbrushes (finger brush & regular) at your local pet store.

If you decide brushing your dog?s teeth isn?t for you, there are other things you can do, like feeding your dog dry food rather than wet or canned food. That helps with tartar buildup. Giving your dog real marrow bones to chew will help to keep teeth white. Breath Buster biscuits & bones are supposed to work on stinky dog breath, but I can?t say from experience because I?ve never tried them. Some people feed their dog a raw diet, and that supposedly keeps their teeth white as well.

You can get your vet to clean your dog?s teeth, but be aware that they are put under for this procedure. I believe the cost depends on the size of dog. Check with your vet for prices. Some people recommend that if you decide to get your vet to clean your dog?s teeth, it should be done once a year or thereabouts. My parents adopted a nine-year-old Corgi recently, and they got her teeth cleaned by the vet for around $80. It really helped with the Corgi?s breath, too!

LEXI

Dear Lexi:
My lab continually jumps on me when I come home. I have tried numerous things to stop this but nothing seems to work. She is two years old. - Jay

Hi, Jay.
Labs are happy-go-lucky dogs, and she is probably just excited to see you. However, as they get older, a 90-lb. lab jumping on people isn't acceptable unless you invite her to jump up on you.

Anyhow, I would teach her the off command - when she tries to jump on you, you cross your arms over your chest and turn away from her and say OFF! I read somewhere that dogs jump up becuase that's how they greet people; they want to see your face. I would try the off command first to stop the jumping.

Another thing to try would be to leash her when you get home and make her sit/stay for petting. (Leashing her will easier to reinforce the sit/stay.) As long as she sits, keep petting her and say good dog, good sit. If she breaks the sit/stay, then she doesn't get petted.

Do you crate her when you are away? I crate my dogs, and I just wait a few minutes once I'm home before they're let out. That seems to calm them a little bit. They hear you are home, but you don't interact with them right away.

Also, being that she is a lab retriever and probably likes to carry things in her mouth, you could also try to have her put something in her mouth, i.e., a toy, blanket, bone, etc., and she could strut around with that when people get home. That is what my three-year-old lab does. Try these ideas; hopefully one will work for you. Let me know if any of them work or you're still stumped.

LEXI