In the midst of the holidays, I thought it might be fun to share a holiday “tail” with everyone instead of just plain, old dog training! I was reminded of a story while talking to my daughter this week about holiday plans with my grandson over Christmas. Way back when, I was a single mother with my daughter Jessica. In order to have a Christmas tree, I always bought a pass from the Forest Service
This time of year is so full; full of fun, friends, family, decorations, shopping, visiting, meal preparation and so much more! Sometimes, our dog’s needs get put on the back burner. When we own a fearful or nervous dog, the holidays can spell so much tension for your dog. Even the never-seen-before decorations can cause stress for the suspicious or nervous dog. Here are a few tips to help Boscoe get through the holiday safely and you and your guests comfortably.
The holiday season is approaching and along come some important considerations for dogs. We have all heard the hazards that include chocolate, macadamia nuts, poinsettias, grapes and even leftover turkey (especially the fatty skins). If you are unsure, ask your veterinarian what to be watchful for. But, often we forget about dog manners until the door opens and Fluffy jumps on Grandma, rips her dress or claws her fragile skin, or forbid, knocks her over.
As an IAABC certified Dog Behavior Consultant, I spend much more time with my clients than teaching the basics of sit, down, and come. Dog behavior and willingness to work for you is largely dependent upon more than just taking obedience classes. One of the eight components of having a happy and healthy relationship with your dog revolves around both you and your dog’s health.
I spend an average of 4-6 hours, maybe 8 hours with clients helping them train their dogs. Sometimes, I am indulged and get to spend more time. In that short time, I introduce new behaviors to each dog and then it is the owner’s responsibility to practice and continue on until the dog is reliable. There are a couple of important things to remember when training a dog.
We all experience a grieving process when we lose someone important to us and dogs can too. All dogs experience the process differently. In humans, there are 5 stages to grieving that we MUST go through, but that is not the case for dogs. Some dogs may grieve profoundly, while others show no signs at all. Some dogs also feel our grief and will reflect our own depression.
It is amazing what puppies can learn at a very early age. If I have puppies, I start their obedience training at 4 weeks old! By the time they are 5 or 6 weeks old they know things like sit, down, off, watch, their name and coming to their name, leave it, and bite inhibition. They are little sponges. What is important to realize is that waiting until a puppy is 6 months old to start training leaves that puppy with little direction and the ability to learn very bad habits that are extremely difficult to break. One of those very bad habits is jumping on counters and people.
Too much freedom too fast. EARN freedom with good behavior Let sleeping dogs lie. Puppies need private time away from the world. Children should never harass or pet sleeping puppies. Puppies should have a safe place from children like an exercise pen or crate. Just like children need their own space, like a bedroom, so do puppies. Teach your puppy to be happy when confined. This is a life skill. If you ever travel on a plane, your dog will need to be in a crate. And chances are every dog will have to spend a night at the vet during their lifetime. If they are comfortable with confinement, they will be much less stressed at the veterinarian.
One of your dog’s necessary parts of life is going to the veterinarian. Fifty-three years ago, I remember my first dog, Susie, a Brittany Spaniel, and her terror at walking in that door. She would shake, cry, pant and her feet would be soaking wet from sweating pads. As a child, this vision followed me into adulthood and I vowed never to make any of my dogs go through that.
NO! It’s not a carry along poop bag although having poop bags is a VERY good idea! A “Go Bag” for your dog is a bag that you can put all of your dog related training and first aid equipment in. It should be monitored regularly to be sure you have what you need so you are never anxiously looking for something AFTER you have left the house.
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
