I once had a dog who refused to stop getting on the sofa.  Sure, I taught him to stay off the sofa when I was home, but as soon as I went to sleep or left the house, I could hear him jumping back up in his favorite spot on the sofa…

…and he got doggy fur all over the clean upholstery. We fought this battle for most of his life and I was always frustrated.  Since that time, though, I’ve learned a lot of little tricks and ways of training a dog so you can keep your fur friend off the sofa, and that training starts when your dog is young.

Puppy Training

Dogs understand the concept of territory and they respect restrictions about territory.  If you tell your dog not to go into a room or if you make a doorway your own, your dog will usually respect what you tell them.  Most of the time, your dog will only disobey these boundaries if you stop being the alpha leader or if you fail to set up the boundaries.

As soon as you bring your new puppy home you should set clear boundaries about where he can go in the house and when he’s allowed to go there. When your puppy is still very young you need to be extremely consistent.  As your puppy gets a little older you you can make some exceptions if you wish and your dog can comprehend that it’s an exception to the rule, but when he’s a puppy you have to be clear and consistent with the boundaries.

You’ll need to make rules for your household, too, and make sure everyone in your home adheres to them.  Children are often guilty of breaking the rules and letting a dog do all kinds of things they shouldn’t do.  Remember that you’re trying to teach the dog that the sofa belongs to you and he shouldn’t be up there, ever.

When You’re Away From Home

Of course, things don’t always go according to plan.  It just seems that the appeal of a soft, comfortable spot on the sofa, where you sit all the time, is too much for a dog, and when you’re not home your dog feels like he’s the master of the house.  What dog wouldn’t want to jump up on the sofa?

It won’t help to yell at your dog or try to catch him while he’s being naughty.  Your dog already knows when he’s likely to be caught and he waits until you won’t be there.  You need to find a way to dissuade your dog from jumping on the sofa and teaching him that it’s not a pleasant place to be.

You should avoid spray deterrents and odors.  They can make the sofa less comfortable but they don’t usually work for dogs that jump up there to sleep.  They will only keep the dog from licking the sofa.

One good way to keep your dog from jumping up on the sofa when you aren’t home is crate training.  You can keep your dog in an enclosed space if you are away or asleep and your dog will have his own spot for sleeping.

You can also try laying things across the sofa.  Try using balloons, books, plastic mats, cardboard boxes, or newspapers, and plastic coat hangers for example.  You can use anything as long as it’s not as comfortable as the sofa cushions that your dog enjoys.  This can help teach your dog that the sofa is not as pleasant as he thinks.

On the other hand, you will need to cope with all the things on the sofa that your dog may scatter around your living room.  Crate training as an alternate sleeping place is still a good idea.  Don’t allow your dog on the sofa or other furniture, even when he looks at you with pleading eyes; and watch your dog like a hawk so he doesn’t get on the sofa when you aren’t looking.

You may not be able to completely get your dog to stop getting on the sofa when you leave him home alone, unless you use a crate.  On the other hand some dogs will learn to respect the fact that the furniture is off limits.  You can also teach him that he has his own bed for sleeping.  In the end, that’s about all you can do to train him to stay off the sofa and in his own place.

If you are having trouble training your dog or training has been unsuccessful visit my website and give me a call.  Even if you are not in our area we have a program that can help.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

If you have a new puppy then you probably picked your new puppy up, brought him home, and may have let him start playing in a little pen in your home.  You may be laughing at the way he rolls around on the padding you got to protect your carpet or floor.  He may be nipping at your fingers.  And you may already be wondering how soon you can start training and how intensive it can be.

Many dog owners begin training their puppies at the wrong time.  They may start too soon, when a puppy’s bladder is too small to potty train or to be able to sit and stay.  Other people may wait too long and they may have a rebellious adolescent dog who likes to tear things up.  Here’s some information to help you know when and how to handle early obedience training.

House training

Dogs learn the basic concepts of canine social life in the first 8 weeks with their mother and littermates.  Without this early period with their mother and littermates they can develop problems with nipping and aggression.  Later, after your puppy comes to live with you, you should spend time socializing your puppy with people and other dogs.

It’s very important that your puppy interact with other dogs and people before he is 20 weeks old for the sake of his mental and social development.  With regard to house training, you should try to have your puppy’s training completed as soon as possible

You can make house training go faster by using crate training as soon as you bring your puppy home.  This will help your puppy understand how to hold their pee longer than a few seconds.

Basic Obedience

You can pursue basic obedience training with your puppy when he reaches 16 weeks (4 months) of age.  You can do this at home or in a class. The training should cover basics such as sit, stay, down, sit stay, down stay and anything else you would like your puppy to know.

If you teach your puppy these commands when he is young, he will learn that you are his pack leader, and he will also learn these lessons thoroughly and remember them all his life.

Future Training

Once your puppy’s basic obedience training is completed, you have a long time to train him to do other things.  For most people and their dogs, the basics are enough.

If you decide you want your puppy to learn new tricks, you should make sure they are old enough to handle any physical stress involved.  A dog should be full grown before they are asked to sprint, jump, or dive.  These activities can cause great stress to a young dog’s body.

Puppy’s are a big responsibility.  They require lots of attention, authority, and time to bond with their owner. If you try to train your puppy too soon you can make them fearful and anxious.  If you wait too long, you can allow your puppy to become overbearing and aggressive.

Bring your puppy home at the right age, train him at the right age, and be consistent with training as he gets older.  Your first few weeks together can be frustrating but the extra work you put in will pay off.

1.  Assume the Alpha Position. Most of the time if your dog is exhibiting aggressive behavior he is trying to assume control of the household, making a challenge toward your alpha position.  Even if your dog isn’t trying to challenge you, life will be easier if you have a clear pack order.

Take charge, make your commands clear, train your dog with care, and show your dog that you are the one in charge at all times.  Even if this doesn’t stop the aggressive behavior it will make it easier to manage.

2.  Separate Problem Dogs. If you have more than one dog that is causing problems or if your dog has issues with guarding food, get rid of the issue.  If you have two dogs that fight over food, for example, feed them in separate rooms. If you have two dogs that can’t walk together, walk them separately.

Don’t be too concerned.  This kind of solution isn’t usually permanent.  But they do work in the short-term and prevent more serious problems.

3.  Obedience Training. Obedience training is a good way to teach your dog how to follow specific commands and to respect your authority.

4.  Keep Your Dog Busy. In some cases a dog will become aggressive if they don’t have anything to keep them busy.  If they are bored, have too much energy, lack focus, or anxious, they can become aggressive.

This is an easy problem to fix.  When your dog is behaving well you should pay attention to him, give him plenty of exercise, and provide him with toys to keep him busy when you are away.

5.  See Your Vet. In some cases aggression can be caused by a health problem.  If your dog is sick or lacking in proper nutrition you should take him to the vet.  These issues can cause your dog to behave aggressively.

6.  Your Dog Needs Plenty of Exercise and A Good Diet. Good training won’t help your dog unless he is also getting plenty of exercise and eats a good diet.  A cheap dog food may not cause aggression but a lack of nutrients can make your dog’s behavior worse.

7.  Avoid Triggers. If you know something triggers aggression in your dog, avoid the trigger.  If your dog doesn’t like children or has problems with leashed dogs, or acts up when a truck drives by, avoid those negative stimuli.

8.  Reduce the Fears in Your Dog’s Life. Fear can be a cause of aggression.  To reduce the fear in your dog’s life, don’t use negative punishment to change his behavior.  Correct behaviors instead of punishing them.

If your dog has any phobias, don’t reinforce them by giving him extra attention or care when he is upset by them.  This will only emphasize to him that there is something to fear.

9.  Work with a Good Dog Trainer. If you aren’t making good progress with your dog’s aggression, hire a professional. There are many good dog trainers who are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to handling dogs with behavior problems, including aggression.  Contact a good trainer before your dog does something to hurt someone.

Unlike many dog behavior problems, aggression is serious and it can’t wait.  It needs to be handled right away.  Aggression can lead to worse problems such as biting or attacking.  It typically makes the entire family uncomfortable.  If your dog is suffering from problems with aggression, take care of it right away.

Don’t wait until it’s too late,  take a look at www.CanineBehaviorSpecialists.com

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

In order to eliminate bad behavior and make sure your dog always listens to you, as well as putting an end to embarrassing incidents in front of your friends, the best thing you can do is to make yourself the leader of your “pack.”

For lots of dog owners, however, this is hard to do.  It means they have to be firm and that their dog understands the owner is in charge at all times.  If you’re one of those big, soft-hearted people who finds this hard to do, or if you don’t know how to become the Alpha leader in your home, here are some tips you can follow.

Give Correct Praise. There are right and wrong ways to praise your dog.  Praising your dog the right way means placing your hands firmly on your dog, giving him a hug, putting your hands on your dog firmly, and keeping them there.  Don’t be stingy with your praise.

When you touch your dog you should do so firmly so your dog knows that you’re in charge. But you should never use physical contact to punish or hit your dog.  In addition, don’t draw out the praise.  Give your dog praise, be affectionate, and then stop.

Give Correct Reprimands. When your dog does the wrong thing you should not hit him or shout at him over and over.  This is confusing to your dog and it can cause fear issues that can lead to even worse problems with aggression.

Use gestures that are calm and assertive instead.  You can take hold of the leash and give a correction, with a firm verbal correction.  Be fast and authoritative. Show your dog you are in control of their movements. This works very well.

Only Give A Command You Can Enforce. If your dog is some distance away from you, such as 200 feet, there’s nothing to prevent him from doing what he wants to do.  Only give a command that you can enforce as the pack leader.

Once you have set up your position as leader this will be easier to do but in the beginning you need to be close to your dog to adjust his behaviors if he decides he doesn’t want to do what you ask.

Boundaries and Permission. Just like your children, dogs have to have boundaries about where they can go and when.  If you make the sofa off limits, or the kitchen, you need to make sure the dog can’t change his behavior at will.

It’s important that your dog should always seek permission from you before he tries to change his boundaries. If you want your dog to stay on the floor this doesn’t mean he can’t ever get on the sofa.  It means your dog has to have your permission before he can get off the floor and get on the sofa.

The Long Down-Stay. One of the basic obedience commands your dog must learn is the “down-stay.”  This command is considered very dominant.  If your dog is very dominant or aggressive you should give them this command to make them lie down and stay in position.  The longer you make your dog stay in this position, the more you are asserting your leadership role.

Be Dignified and Consistent. Dogs mirror their owners’ personalities.  If you lose your temper easily, give in on commands sometimes, and are inconsistent with your commands, your dog will also be erratic.

You must be consistent with the commands you give to your dog and in how you follow through on them.  This is the only way your dog will respect what you require of him.

Dogs are very smart, adaptable animals.  This has allowed them to survive in the wild.  However, unless you teach your dog to follow your commands and respect you, he will think of himself as the alpha in the pack, and your work will be useless.

Take time, teach your dog the chain of command, and be consistent about enforcing it.  Very quickly you should find that your dog is behaving better than you ever imagined possible.  If you need help visit my training website and then give me a call.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

From all the phone calls and emails I have been receiving I see that a lot of you got new puppies or dogs for Christmas.  Congratulations, BUT now you need to get them housetrained so I thought I would pass on this information.

New puppies are fun and exciting, but they can also be challenging. One of the biggest concerns for a new dog owner is making sure to housetrain their puppy. An un-housebroken dog can make a very unpleasant home situation, so getting your puppy started on training should be a priority early on.

One good thing to know is that dogs like to keep their homes clean just like we do. They must, however be able to do that, meaning that you need to be able to let your dog out several times a day to use the restroom. In the first couple of months with their mothers, puppies learn basic hygiene and should therefore already be inclined to go outside, away from their den, if they have the opportunity to.

Housetraining your puppy may very well turn out to be easier than you anticipate it will be. A dog that has easy and frequent access to the outdoors, either through regular walks or a flap doggy dog, is much less likely to have an accident than if he were inside all day. Take your puppy outside every three to four hours and reward good behaviors with praise and he will soon be house trained. While this amount of freedom for your dog is ideal, it may not be practical due to daily schedules.

House breaking gets tough in situations where your puppy has to remain inside for long periods of time. While a dog will naturally not go where he sleeps, you have to teach your puppy the difference between your home, an inappropriate area to go and outdoors, an appropriate area to potty.

This process may be frustrating but investing time and patience into it will make it successful. Accidents will happen, but getting angry or upset about them will only hinder the process. Your puppy doesn’t understand this training situation the way you do and any negative energy directed at them during this time will only make them less likely to housebreak quickly.

A better idea than getting frustrated would be to keep an eye on your puppy and learn the signs of when he needs to go to the restroom. When he is indicating that he needs to go, take him outside and then praise him when he does his business. After he’s done his business, the area will be marked with the scent of his urine and he will be more likely to go back to this spot do his business again.

Remember it is a puppy so be patient.

I have written a great SPECIAL REPORT on potty training your dog or puppy.  Take a look “here” , I know you will appreciate all the help that you will find in the report.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

Even if you’re not home to hear your dog’s barking, you need to make sure your dog learns that it’s not okay to bark when he’s alone.  However, this kind of behavior usually requires more than just giving a command to correct problem.

Reduce Your Dog’s Boredom

The first thing you need to do is make sure that your dog is getting plenty of exercise and attention.  If your dog is spending each day alone at home and he has nothing to do, then he’s probably going to bark.  Afterall, what else does he have to do?

You should start taking your dog for a nice long walk every morning before you head to work, and another long walk once you come home.  Even if you have a Toy or small dog, take your dog for multiple walks each day so your dog doesn’t have a lot of energy stored up while you’re at work.

You should also make sure you give your dog some fun things to keep him busy while you’re at work.  Even a few toys can make a big difference to your dog and keep him from barking over and over again during the day.

Bark Training

The next thing you need to do is to train your dog so he knows when it is all right to bark.  You can teach your dog basic “Speak” and “Quiet” commands.  It is quite normal for dogs to bark so it can be hard to get them to control the impulse to bark, but once you teach this command it can cut down on a lot of the noise.

To teach your dog when to speak and be quiet, you can tie your dog’s leash to a post or have a friend hold the leash.  You should stay just out of your dog’s reach and hold a treat or toy that your dog will want.  When your dog barks you should praise him and give him the treat.  Keep doing this a few times and then you should remove the treat.  As soon as your dog looks like he is about to bark you should say, “Speak!” and give your dog the treat as a reward.

Your dog will soon learn that “Speak!” means he should bark.  You can teach your dog “Quiet!” by giving your dog the treat reward when he stops barking.  This can be a lot harder to teach because some dogs never stop barking.  You need to be patient so you can make sure your dog learns these lessons thoroughly.

Anxiety?

It’s also possible that your dog could be barking while you’re at work because he has some anxiety issues.  This problem is completely different from boredom or having too much energy.  If your dog is barking because of anxiety you need to teach your dog that you will be home soon and that you always return.

You should start working on your dog’s anxiety issues by changing your dog’s expectations.  Don’t pay any attention to your dog after you arrive home for the first 10 to 15 minutes.  You shouldn’t give your dog any attention if he starts crying in the morning when you are leaving for work.

You can also think about crate training your dog as one way of handling your dog’s anxiety.  This can help him get used to being alone and staying in a place that feels safe to him.  Sometimes if your dog is in a smaller space and he learns that you will always come back, no matter how long you’re away, he will stop the barking.

With anxiety issues it’s important to gauge how severe the problem is and take the best steps.  In some cases, if your dog has a severe case of anxiety, you may need to work with your vet and your dog may need to be treated with medication.  Before trying to modify your dog’s behavior you should talk to your vet to find out if there could be any physical problems causing your dog to bark.

In many cases, if your dog is barking when you’re not home, then it is often easy to change the behavior.  You will need to be patient while you work with your dog and it may take time, but if you use the right method you won’t have to worry about upset neighbors or complaints about noise.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

However, we can be mistaken sometimes about what will make our dogs love us.  It’s not simply a matter of spoiling our dogs.  We also need to provide discipline and leadership.  Once you are in charge, there are some tips that can make your relationship even better.

1.  Discipline with Treats — Don’t give your dog table scraps.  When you give your dog table scraps it sends a confusing message about who is in charge.  Table scraps can also make your dog unhealthy.  However, occasional treats are fine and will make your dog love you more.

2.  Play with Your Dog Every Day — If you’re tired after a long day at work you may not feel like playing with your dog. But your dog needs you to play with him every day.  Play at least once a day for about an hour.  Just throwing a ball for your dog or playing a game of fetch can keep your dog from getting bored and lonely.

3.  Take Your Dog for Rides — If you are the unmistakable pack leader in your home, your dog will love to go on rides in the car with you. Try to take your dog with you to the store or on other short trips.

4.  Get Down On Your Dog’s Level — One of the best ways to get close to your dog is physically interact with your dog at his level.  Get in the floor and talk to your dog.  Play and give your dog some attention.  This is especially important if your dog is never allowed to get on the furniture.  He will feel left out if he isn’t allowed to interact with you at the same level.  You can share a special time for bonding if you will get down on the floor with your dog.

5.  Take Walks — Taking a good walk with your dog is great for both of you.  You may think that your dog is only interested in bushes and trees, but your dog loves to be outside with you.  You should remind your dog that you’re beside him from time to time.

6.  Health and Grooming — Although your dog may fuss when it’s time for grooming, the time you spend brushing and grooming your dog is bonding time.  Bathing, grooming, and health care are very important ways to show your dog that you care about him. Your dog enjoys being clean and he thanks you for it.

When your dog is healthy, he is happy, and when your dog is happy, he can focus that energy on you.  If your dog is grumpy it may be due to poor health or lack of exercise.  You can take care of those things.

7.  Show Your Good Feelings — Remember that dogs are experts at reading body language. They pay more attention to your movements and actions than to your language.  It doesn’t matter if you say, “I love you” to your dog unless you really show it.

Spend time with your dog and show your good feelings.  Don’t be annoyed or impatient. You can be the leader without being gruff.  Show your dog that you care.

When you spend time with your dog, you and your dog both get something from the relationship. It’s symbiotic. If you want your dog to love you, you must love him, too.

If you are willing to spend time with your dog and really love him, then your dog will give you the love and devotion that you have always dreamed of having.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

If you’ve ever seen your dog getting a little rough with your child then you know how scary it can be.  You may have felt scared and angry, or even yelled at your dog to stop, or punished him for his behavior.  Most of the time a dog doesn’t have any idea he was doing something wrong.

Most dogs are very playful animals.  They’re social animals and they learn to play and interact with the other dogs and people in their pack.  To a dog, a child looks more like another dog than you do, and they are closer in size to other dogs.  It’s little wonder that your dog wants to play with a child.  However, when dogs play with kids they can often get rough.  They can go too far by accident, or treat a child as though he’s really another dog.

Of course, there are lots of reasons why this kind of behavior isn’t good.  Your child can be scared or could be injured.  Or, even if your child isn’t scared or injured, another child might be, such as a neighbor’s child, or a child at a dog park.

If your dog runs into a dog park and starts playing with a child like he’s another dog, that child’s parents will be upset, but your dog may not have any idea what he did wrong.  Instead of letting your dog play with children in this way, you have to be able to stop this behavior right away.

Correcting Behaviors

You’ll need to correct your dog’s behaviors.  It’s not enough to tell your dog not to play roughly with children. Your dog won’t be able to understand this kind of command.  You will only confuse your dog and that will make him more dangerous than a dog that plays roughly.

Don’t try to set “conditions” for your dog’s behavior.  Instead, you need to stop certain behaviors completely.  You need to eliminate all of your dog’s rough behavior.  These rough behaviors include jumping, mouthing (when a dog wraps his mouth around your hand or arm), and chewing.

These are all behaviors that dogs do with each other, but they are not acceptable when dogs do them with children or with other humans.  The best way to stop your dog from engaging in these behaviors is to immediately stop playing with your dog whenever he shows one of these behaviors.  You shouldn’t punish your dog when he does these things, as that will confuse your dog, but you should immediately stop playing with him.

You need to draw a clear line in the sand about each one of these rough behaviors and why your dog should be calmer.  If you do this then it will be much easier to keep control of y our dog’s behavior.

Coping With Children

You also need to tell your children to stop playing roughly with your dog.  This isn’t always easy, especially if your kids like to wrestle or rough house with your dog.  However, it’s very important for you to set consistent boundaries for your dog.  Your children shouldn’t encourage your dog to play roughly when you are trying to teach your dog not to be rough.

You should also practice keeping a calm and assertive stance toward your dog when your children are near.  This kind of attitude will help eliminate chances for your dog to get worked up and overly playful.

When you and your dog are in open spaces, such as dog parks or in your yard, keep a close eye on your dog.  Teach your dog a command for them to immediately relax.  You can use a command such as “sit” or “stay” or even “come,” but the command needs to be completely understood so when you use it your dog responds.  This can stop possible problems before they get started.

Remember that when your dog plays roughly with children he’s not trying to hurt them. Your dog is just having fun.  Your dog is just trying to let your kids know how much fun he’s having.  The problem is that most kids have a different idea about what’s fun than your rowdy puppy.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if there’s any real aggression when your dog is playing roughly, that makes things completely different.  In that case you have to treat the situation more seriously.  You should never allow an aggressive dog near children.  If your dog is aggressive, and not just rambunctious and rowdy, then you should seek help from an expert before things get out of control.  Rough play is normal with many dogs and puppies.  Aggression is not normal and you will need the help of a professional.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

One of the best things in the world is being able to make your dog dance around in happiness when you give him a treat he loves.  Unfortunately, some owners give their dogs way too many treats.  The treats may taste great but they can cause a lot of health problems if you give too many, or the wrong ones.

I’m not telling you to stop giving treats entirely.  Certainly you should reward your dog for doing things you like, and it’s great to indulge your dog a little occasionally.  But some treats can be good for your dog in ways other than just emotionally.

Foods to Avoid

There are some treats and foods you should not give your dog.  For instance, don’t give your dog table scraps for treats.  Table scraps can be bad for your dogs in some ways.  Even something as harmless as garlic powder can cause your dog to have some digestive problems.

Additionally, human food often has a lot of fat in it that your dog doesn’t need and it can lead to problems for your dog’s organs such as fat in your dog’s liver or an enlarged or weakened heart.  Your dog can even develop diabetes.  In general, if a food is not developed for a dog then you probably shouldn’t feed it to him.

Besides table scraps, inexpensive dog biscuits and cookies that are high in fat are often fed once in a while, but if you feed them every day they can lead to health problems for your dog.  You should avoid giving your dog treats that are high in fat or which are full of corn and wheat fillers.

Other things you should avoid giving your dog include pig ears (because of the risk of salmonella), ham bones, and cookies that are high in fat, especially if your dog is allergic to the grains which are often used in cookies.

Good Things for Your Dog

So, what kind of treats should you be giving your dog?  There are some treats that I have found dogs love and which are healthy.  Here is my list:

Stuffed Kongs: Kong toys are great because your dog can chew on them literally for years and they won’t be destroyed.  Even better, you can put treats, peanut butter, and even chunks of meat inside them to keep your dog interested in chewing on them.

Frozen and Ice Treats: Most dogs love ice, unless they have some dental problems.  Have you ever see a dog run at a snow bank? Somewhere inside your dog he is programmed to love eating frozen water.  And here’s the best part of all:  frozen and ice treats are free and they’re healthy for your dog, though they can get messy sometimes.

Rawhides Made in America: Dogs love rawhides and they make a great treat but you do need to be careful about giving them to your dog.  Make sure you buy pressed rawhide so big chips won’t tear off when your dog chews on it.  And, secondly, make sure the rawhide you buy is American-made as there has been some discussion from news sources that rawhides from other places may contain arsenic.

Heavy, Big Bones: It’s okay to give your dog some bones, as long as you watch and supervise your dog.  These include large, heavy beef bones.  But don’t give your dog small bones that can chip or break, especially ham bones.

Jerky: Dried meat, like jerky, is a great treat for dogs.  Jerky doesn’t usually have a lot of additives, dogs don’t choke on it, and they are usually safe to feed to your dog.  They can make good training treats, too, because they are easy to break up into smaller pieces.

When you’re looking for treats for your dog you should look for treats that don’t have a lot of fillers or artificial ingredients.  Look for treats that have organic, grain-fed meats from the U.S.  That way you’ll know they have been handled properly and they don’t contain ingredients that might make your dog ill.

Finally, every dog owner needs to have good treats for their dog, so take care, do your research, and always choose a treat that your dog will like.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .

Lots of people take that attitude and they let their dog’s behavior continue.  They even let their guests encourage the behavior by giving the dog attention when he’s so excited.

However, if your dog is jumping up on your guests or licking them, it means he’s showing some behaviors that you don’t want to see your dog doing no matter what the circumstances are.

If your dog is acting this way it can also mean you have some guests who may be scared, or you could have children or older people who get knocked over, and those are things you always want to avoid.

Why Your Dog Is Excited

In the first place, you should know that what you think is excitement in your dog isn’t always excitement.  It may be that your dog is jumping around trying to let your guests know that she’s the boss.  If your dog is jumping on your visitors she is telling them that she’s in charge and letting them know it.

Other times, a dog may be trying to get attention.  The dog knows that if they bounce around the room in front of people they will get some attention.  It gets your attention, doesn’t it?

Stopping the Behavior

If you remember this information then it’s not so hard to stop your dog from jumping on people and getting too excited.  Here are a few tips to help you cut the behavior out fast:

You Need to Be the Leader of the Pack at All Times

You should take charge of your home.  Your dog won’t try to take over the role of leader or be dominant if you are already clearly the leader of the pack in your home.  You can do this by being adamant and not giving in to your dog.

You should make your dog earn the things you give him, don’t falter or change your mind when you give a command, and watch carefully how your dog interacts with other animals and people in the house so you can stay in charge.

When You Come Home You Should Ignore Your Dog

If your dog gets excited or anxious when you come home you need to change your dog’s expectations.  He probably expects attention as soon as anyone comes in the door.  Start ignoring your dog when you come home everyday and you will change what your dog expects.

If your dog learns that you won’t walk him or pet him as soon as you come home each day, then he will stop looking for that same attention from your visitors when they come through the door.

Require Correct Behavior

If your dog engages in behavior like jumping on your visitors or licking them, you need to correct your dog’s behavior.  You shouldn’t hit your dog or yell at him.  That will only confuse him and lead to aggression.

However, you need to “reset” your dog or make him start over.  Have your dog sit and don’t allow him to have any attention until he becomes submissive and calm.

Have Your Dog Sit with Your Visitors

Before you allow people to come in the house, have your dog sit and wait for them to enter from a slight distance.  You can have an imaginary line that your dog isn’t allowed to cross.

You should “own” your door and take control of it.  If your dog starts to leave his sitting position you shouldn’t open the door.

Explain to Your Visitors

You should talk to your visitors so they understand they shouldn’t give your dog any attention right away.  Tell them they shouldn’t make eye contact with your dog or interact with him.  You may need to be just about as strict with your visitors as you are with your dog.

If you are consistent and behave as the pack leader in your home, then it will do a great deal toward getting rid of your dog’s bad behaviors, especially jumping and being overly excited when people visit.

Take charge and show your dog how she should behave.  If you are consistent with your dog and your visitors then this kind of bad behavior should disappear very quickly.

Until next time……

About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network, www.K9-University.com .