Before you bring your new dog home, however, you should give some thought to what kind of rules you want to set for him.  Some of your rules will depend on your own personality and preferences.  Other rules are some common sense suggestions.

Here are some rules to consider for your new dog:

1.  Decide whether your dog will live primarily indoors or outdoors.  This is a big choice and one that can affect your dog greatly.  If your dog lives outdoors you will have to provide him with his own dog house and shade. You will need to make sure that he is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  For indoor dogs you will need to make sure that they have enough access to the outside and that their housetraining needs are met.  I would like to share with you the fact that you can never truly enjoy your dog to the fullest unless it lives inside with you.

2.  Your dog will need to learn the rules about house training.  This is something that all house dogs should know.

3.  Decide where your dog is going to sleep.  This can be a surprisingly difficult rule to enforce.  You may think that your dog is going to sleep in the garage but he will have other ideas.  You may think he’s going to sleep on the floor but he prefers your bed.  You may buy him a crate but he prefers the sofa.  So, although this is a “rule” you will have to be a little flexible about it.  Do give some thought to where your new dog will sleep, but keep in mind that his crate is the best place, at least in the begining.

4.  Decide whether your new dog will be allowed to get on your furniture or not.  Many people do not allow dogs on the furniture while others think it’s perfectly normal and love to cuddle with their dog on the couch.  If you’ve had a dog before you probably already know your opinion on this issue.  If this is your first dog, you may find that you change your mind once you bring your dog home.  On the pro side, it’s great to snuggle with your dog.  On the con side, your dog can quickly begin to think that your furniture is his furniture.  You will also have dog hair on everything.  Whether your dog is allowed on the furniture is a matter of personal preference.

5.  Decide where your dog will have his food and water.  This rule is a little easier to maintain.  Many people choose to feed and water their dogs in the kitchen or in a laundry room.  These rooms usually have a tile or linoleum floor, or some other kind of flooring that is easy to clean in case your dog slops out water or spills food.  Your dog will probably be happy wherever you put his food and water.

These are the primary rules that most owners will have to decide when they get a new dog.  Other rules for your dog will depend on his particular circumstances.  You can decide what level of obedience training you would like your dog to have.  You will need the help of a behavior specialist if your dog displays any kind of behavior problems.  If you’d like to pursue an activity or sport with your dog you can create whatever rules you need to fit the activity.  The five rules listed here, however, are the kinds of rules that all dog owners face when they bring a new dog home.  Give them some thought before you get your dog and you will be well-prepared when you bring him home.

1.  Dogs cost money. No, not just when you get one.  Dogs cost money AFTER you get them.  They need a never-ending supply of dog food.  They need vaccinations, heartworm preventive and trips to the vet.  They need toys and bedding.  Your dog is going to dip into your wallet every single week.  In hard economic times some people have had to give up their dogs.  If this isn’t a good time for you financially then you should postpone getting a dog until it’s a better time.

2.  Dogs take time. When you bring a dog home, whether you’re getting a puppy or an adult dog, you’re going to have to spend time on things like housetraining, teaching your dog the rules of the house, working on any behavior issues (such as jumping on people, digging, barking), trips to the vet, and all of the playtime that your new dog is going to want.  Whether you’re getting a pup or a rescue dog you can count on spending some time trying to socialize your dog.  All of these things take TIME.  You can’t bring a dog home and let him fend for himself.  You basically get the kind of dog you’re willing to develop.  If you don’t put time into your dog then you’re going to end up with problems.  If you don’t have time for a dog right now, wait to get a dog when you have more time.

3.  Dogs are messy. Your new dog is going to come into your house and make a mess of it.  He’s going to chew on things.  He’s going to drool.  He’s going to slobber water.  He may not be housetrained.  He will have accidents in the house.  There will be dog hair in your home.  If you’re a perfectionist or you have OCD then you are in for a shock.  If you want a real dog these are things you will have to accept to a certain extent.  Your dog can be housetrained.  He will stop having accidents.  He may stop chewing on your things.  But he’s always going to be a dog and do dog things like shedding and drooling and slobbering.  If that bothers you then you may want to think about getting a stuffed animal instead of a real dog.

4,  Dogs need training. It’s great to meet a well-mannered dog — a dog that walks calmly next to his owner without pulling.  A dog that doesn’t jump up on people or bark too much.  A dog that might know a couple of tricks.  You may think that all dogs come this way.  They don’t.  If you want your dog to be polite and well-mannered then it takes training.  If you get your new dog and he behaves like a hooligan that’s not really all that unusual.  Many dogs start off acting like knuckleheads.  You can teach your new puppy or adolescent dog to behave but it takes some work on your part.  Make training fun and your dog can learn just about anything.  But, if you’re not willing to train your dog then you get the dog you deserve.

5.  Your dog depends on you. As crazy as a dog may be when he’s playing or as tough as he may seem when he’s protecting you, your dog will depend on you for all of the important things in his life.  He will depend on you for every need and comfort.  You can’t forget to feed him or ignore him when he needs to go outside.  Having a dog is fun and wonderful and very rewarding but it’s also a serious responsibility.  Make sure you’re ready for that responsibility before you get a dog.

Until next time…..

Most people first look to see if a dog is wagging his tail.  This is often a good indicator of your dog’s mood — but not always.  In fact, tail wagging has lots of different meanings besides happiness.  Your dog can show lots of different moods with his tail, from happy wagging to holding it stiff and straight out from his body, ready to attack.  A fast wagging tail, lowered, with the dog’s head down, may mean that your dog is being submissive,  A tail up, wagging in big, broad wags, with the dog’s head up, mouth open, tongue lolling, usually means the dog is relaxed, happy, ready to take part in play or petting.

You can tell a lot about your dog’s mood by his facial expression, too.  What do his eyes look like?  Are they wide open or narrowed?  Is he showing his teeth defensively or is he showing his teeth in a friendly grin or smile?  (Yes, dogs do smile!)  What is he doing with his ears?  Are they up in an alert position or are they flattened against his head submissively?

Some signs are seemingly unmistakable, such as when a dog stands with his hackles raised (hackles are the guard hairs over your dog’s neck and shoulders).  This is a definite warning sign that your dog is alert, guarding or ready to fight.

Most people can recognize a snarling dog, of course, but it’s surprising how many people think a dog that’s standing tensely, staring at them with a stiff, slow-wagging tail is being friendly.  He’s not.  If a dog is watching your every move like you’re an intruder, chances are you’re not welcome.

When a dog is standing tense, growling or starting to crouch, you should take the situation very seriously.  Do not attempt to touch this dog at this time.  Even if the dog is not directing his attention at you, chances are that he is so focused on what he’s feeling that he could bite you without thinking.  Many people are bitten each year because they try to intervene in dog fights.  Unless you have physical control of your dog it’s best to back away until the event is over.  Even if you manage to get your dog away, you have no control over the other dog and could still be bitten or injured.

Even if you have a small dog you should take the possibility of a dog fight seriously.  Many small dogs seem to be unaware that they are small and they will try to tackle much larger dogs.  If you are out walking your dog, regardless of his size, do keep your dog leashed and under control at all times.

Dogs have a great range of vocalizations that go along with their body language.  In addition to barking, which has many different causes and expressions, they also whine, cry, howl, whimper and make many other sounds.  You can learn to interpret these sounds and see how they fit the body language that your dog is using.

For lessons in canine body language you can take your dog to a dog park for a morning or afternoon of play.  Here you will be able to watch many different dogs, as well as your own, and see how they display different kinds of body language.  Most of the body language will be used in play but you will see a wide range, as well as some examples of more serious body language.

What about your dog?  Can you ready the body language?

Until next time……

As much as many of us love dogs there are some dogs that have jobs to do.  These are dogs that are not satisfied with being couch potatoes or love bugs.  They need work and things to keep them busy.  They need work to occupy their minds.

You may have seen dogs acting as service dogs for the disabled or as therapy dogs.  Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and some other breeds take to this kind of training very well, becoming helpers for people who need assistance.  Training for service dogs begins when the dogs are puppies and they are placed with families who are willing to teach them basic training.  This involves a great deal of socialization and taking them out to places they would go as adult service dogs.  They will learn that when they are wearing their service dog vest they are working and they shouldn’t look for petting.  When the vest comes off they are pets again.  When the dogs become adults they go to school for more intensive training and to meet the disabled person they will be paired with so that the two of them can learn together.  Service dogs usually remain in service until their age begins to catch up with them when they may be retired and live out their years with their disabled partner or be placed in a home with someone who wishes to adopt them and take care of them.

Therapy dogs usually begin as someone’s pet.  These are dogs who may display a great deal of empathy with people.  Any dog can be a therapy dog including mixed breeds.  Therapy work requires that the dog have good manners and social skills.  It helps if your dog knows a little obedience.  Organizations such as the Delta Society train volunteers and screen owners and their pets for therapy work.  Dogs become approved, with their handlers, so that they can visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, rehab centers, schools and other facilities.  Therapy dogs and their owners bring a great deal of comfort and happiness to people’s lives.

Other dogs have much more athletic jobs, such as hunting dogs.  Dogs such as Pointers, Setters, Beagles, Coonhounds, Salukis and many other breeds were originally bred to hunt various game.  Although these dogs make wonderful pets many dogs of hunting breeds still have strong hunting instincts.  If you have a dog from hunting bloodlines your dog may not be completely happy unless he has the opportunity to do some field work.  Many people still field trial their dogs or go hunting on the weekends.  As soon as their dog sees them getting out the hunting gear the dog is at the door ready to go to work.  Hunting is a deep instinct in dogs that survives despite all the generations of domestication.  Many breeders still try to breed superior hunting dogs.  If your dog shows an interest in hunting or you are curious about it try to take your dog out and let him enjoy it.  If you are no good with guns your dog can still enjoy some aspects of field sports with events like hunt tests or lure coursing which simulate hunting conditions.

Other dogs perform jobs that are very important to our society today such as police work, bomb and drug sniffing, war service and detective work.  A dog has many abilities that can be trained for these necessary jobs, from using his nose to his guarding instincts.  Some police forces are beginning to breed their own dogs for this work but many of the finest law enforcement dogs still come from Europe — dogs such as German Shepherd Dogs and Belgian Malinois.  These well-bred, highly trained dogs excel at the skills required for tracking, obedience and protection.  War dogs have been used by armies for centuries.  The U.S. military currently employs many K9 teams in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are in the process of developing a breeding and training center for their future canine needs.

If you have a dog who seems bored at home he may need a job.  Perhaps there’s something he was bred to do or something that he excels at.  Maybe there’s something enjoyable that the two of you can do together.  Look into the things he’s good at doing or consider his heritage.  You may find that your dog needs a job.

What kind of job does your dog have?  Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Until next time…..

As any owner knows, sometimes there are communication problems when it comes to knowing when your dog needs to go outside for potty reasons. Even with older dogs your dog may not always give you a signal that you recognize. Sometimes it takes a definite “nudge” or a paw slapping to get your attention. There’s a very good way to teach your dog to let you know when he needs to go out and the message will be clear as a bell.

When you’re housebreaking your dog it can be very easy to teach him to ring a small bell next to your door to let you know that he needs to go outside. All you have to do is follow the same procedure for regular housebreaking — watch your puppy closely for signs that he needs to go outside. Signs may vary slightly from puppy to puppy (or dog to dog) but they usually include sniffing the floor and looking for a private spot. When you see your puppy looking like he needs to go out you should quickly, but calmly, stop him and lead him outside. Don’t descend on him like a screaming banshee! If you frighten him you will probably literally scare the poop out of him. Plus, you don’t want to make bathroom duties something traumatic for your puppy. That will simply set your housetraining back.

Once you are leading or carrying your puppy outside you should stop for a second by the door and touch your puppy’s paw to the small bell that you have installed next to the door. This bell can be some chimes, a bell from a hardware store or a thrift shop, a cowbell. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s something that makes a bell sound that you can live with. It should be loud enough for you to hear it in another room. The bell should be hanging at a height that will be easy for your puppy/dog to reach with his nose or paw when you aren’t with him. Let your puppy touch the bell and then go on outside with him so he can take care of his potty needs.

Continue this routine each time you take your puppy outside, making sure that you praise your puppy and reward him for using the bathroom when you take him out. Your puppy will associate touching the bell with going out to potty. In fact, your puppy may be very smart and begin to associate touching the bell with simply going outside. He may start ringing the bell whenever he wants to go outside and get a treat. You will have to take him outside every time he rings the bell but you should only reward him when he goes to the bathroom. Your puppy will eventually figure out that he’s not going to get treats and rewards for ringing the bell unless he actually has a potty situation.

Of course, you can teach a dog who is already housebroken to ring the bell, too. You simply incorporate ringing the bell into letting your dog go outside. When your dog indicates that he needs to go outside take his paw and touch the bell then reward him when he completes his pottying. Do this each time and your dog will soon learn that ringing the bell is part of letting you know that he needs to go out and that he will get a treat when he follows the routine.

It’s very helpful to have a dog ring the bell to let you know he needs to go out. It saves you running around watching your dog to see if he needs to go out or wondering if he does. Your dog can communicate with you directly, telling you that he needs to go outside. And, it’s a fun little trick to teach your dog.

Until next time…….

This is a problem I see quite often with my dog training clients so I thought I would write an article about how to deal with a jealous dog.

We value our dogs for many reasons, including the close relationship we can enjoy with them. Dogs are loyal, devoted and loving. They are often our best friend. So, it’s not surprising that many dogs can be very attached to one person even when that person is part of a couple. You may find yourself asking at times why your dog is jealous of your spouse.

Your dog can be jealous of your spouse for many of the same reasons that a child would be. Your dog can feel bonded to you. He may feel that you are his “special person.” He may look upon you like a substitute mother or, at the very least, like a pack leader. Any other relationships that you form threaten to distance your dog from you and reduce the amount of time you spend together. Your other relationships may reduce the importance of your dog in your life and your dog instinctively knows this.

If you prefer more concrete reasons for your dog’s possible jealousy, your dog may be jealous of your spouse for reasons as simple as the time that your spouse spends with you. It could also be because your spouse gets the best place on the bed. Maybe your dog used to be able to sleep on the bed before you were married and now he’s not allowed to do so anymore. Your dog may be jealous of your spouse because he sees you lavishing affection on your spouse and your dog feels left out.

Although it can be a bad idea to anthropomorphize your dog too much, when it comes to jealousy, it’s likely that your dog gets jealous for many of the same reasons that people do. He may look upon you as someone special to him, and him alone, and he doesn’t like to see your spouse intruding on your relationship together.

There are plenty of tales about jealous dogs and how they can act out in the home. They range from dogs that may ignore your spouse to dogs that may pee on your spouse’s belongings. Some dogs may set out to destroy things that belong to your spouse. In extreme cases a dog may wage a battle with your spouse for your attention, inserting himself between the two of you both literally and figuratively. He may try to sit between you on the sofa, for instance, or interrupt kisses by jumping up on you. If your dog is jealous he will probably give some not very subtle clues about his feelings so your spouse knows that he or she is not welcome.

If your dog is jealous it can make things difficult in the home. Your spouse may try to win your dog over but, depending on the dog, this may or may not be successful. Some dogs may become friendlier to the spouse but some dogs won’t. With time most dogs will eventually accept that the spouse is not going to go away and some kind of détente can be worked out.

If your dog is jealous of your spouse you should support your spouse and let your dog know that you expect him to respect your spouse in the home. For instance, if your spouse wants to sit down and your dog is occupying the space next to you, it’s a good idea to back your spouse up and make your dog get down. You want to send your dog the message that he needs to obey the spouse, if for no other reason than because you say so. The same goes with your bed. Make sure that your dog understands that your spouse belongs there and has higher status than the dog.

On the other hand, you should also make time to spend with your dog. Do not ignore him or leave him out. Make sure that he gets plenty of your time and attention. His role may be different with your spouse in the house but he should still feel loved and wanted. If you find ways to include your dog in your activities, along with your spouse, then you will have fewer problems with a jealous dog.

Do you have any jealous dog stories to tell us about?  Use the comment area to tell us about your experiences.

Until next time…..

We all want to be proud of our dogs. That’s one of the reasons we get a dog. We love them and they become almost like a child in some cases. You can see bumper stickers that say “My Dog Is Smarter Than Your Honor Student.” How embarrassing is it then when your dog does something that makes you want to crawl into a hole? You’ve been telling people how smart, how cute, how wonderful your dog is and as soon as they see your dog he does something you hate.

1. Jumping on people. One of the embarrassing things some dogs do is jumping on people. Whether you’re out for a walk or your dog jumps on people when they walk in your door, this is embarrassing behavior. It’s a clear sign that your overly-enthusiastic dog seems to be out of control.

What can you do to stop the jumping behavior? One of the best things you can do to head off jumping behavior is teach your dog the Sit command when she is preparing to jump. It’s best to practice this in a confined area at first. Practice when it’s just you and your dog. Make sure he already knows Sit. When he starts to jump on you tell him to Sit. Depending on how excited he is it may take a few tries to get this right but it will work. Make sure you praise him and give him a reward he really enjoys, whether it’s treats, a favorite toy or lots of petting and attention.

Once your dog is reliably sitting when he starts to jump on you, you can practice having a friend or family member ring your doorbell or knock on your door. Your dog may get very excited again and prepared to jump on them when they enter. Practice having him sit before opening the door. Again, this may take some practice but your dog should get the idea that he is supposed to sit instead of jump. If nothing else, he should be responding to your command to Sit.

Eventually you will move on to the hardest part — teaching your dog to politely sit when he has the urge to jump up on someone he meets in the street or elsewhere. This is an uncontrolled situation so you should always have your dog leashed when you’re out. Make sure that your dog gives you a perfect Sit at home when he has the urge to jump before you try this outside your home.

2. Lunging at Dogs. It’s very embarrassing, not to mention rather dangerous, to have your dog lunging at other dogs when you’re out for a walk. The best way to prevent this problem is by making sure that you socialize any puppy well from an early age. However, if you have a dog that is already lunging at other dogs or people, it’s a little late for socialization. You need to take steps to keep your dog from hurting anyone. You may want to consider whether you should be walking your dog in public and whether you are able to control him.

You should consider whether your dog could have any kind of veterinary condition causing him to lunge or behave aggressively toward others. Your vet may be able to find a physical cause for your dog’s behavior. If not, then you need to consider possible behavioral problems. If your dog lunges at other dogs (or people) on an ongoing basis then you may wish to ask your vet to recommend a dog behaviorist. They may be able to work with your dog and find the problem.

There are some things you can do yourself if your dog lunges at other dogs. Consider a properly fitted muzzle or head collar. A head collar such as a Halti or Gentle Leader is not a good choice for every dog but it does give added control over dogs that lunge and pull their owners. You should be careful about possible neck injuries to your dog when he’s wearing a head collar.

Avoid walking where there may be loose or stray dogs. Your lunging dog doesn’t need an added reason to pull on the leash.

Walk your dog in quiet neighborhoods and more controlled settings.

3. Constant Barking. One thing that frequently embarrasses people with their neighbors is a dog that barks constantly. If your dog is a nuisance barker and you’re outside yelling at him to shut up, the neighbors can become annoyed with both of you very quickly, especially when they’re trying to sleep.

Dogs often bark because they are bored, lonely or frustrated. But there are some dogs that seem to bark to hear the sound of their own voice. The best advice to deal with barking dogs is to make sure that all of their needs are being met on a regular basis. Take away their reasons to bark. Make sure that your dog gets lots of exercise — tired dogs take naps. Make sure that your dog has plenty of fun toys. And, very importantly, spend time training your dog. Obedience training can help keep a dog mentally fit — the opposite of boredom. Spending time training your dog also means that you’re spending time together. When your dog is having all of his needs met he will, hopefully, have less to bark about.

If your dog still stands in the backyard and barks at least he will have had a little obedience training. When you tell him to “Come!” you have a better chance of him actually obeying you and coming inside where he will be quiet.

Simply stated these bad behaviors can all be cured with some good dog training. So call a trainer in your area and train that dog!

Until next time…..

People and dogs are alike in the sense that they both are somewhat territorial. Your dog probably has a good idea of the concept of your “property” or your area of the street or neighborhood. He knows where home is, especially if he spends much time outside. If another dog walks into your front yard, your dog will likely have something to say about it. However, that doesn’t mean that your dog will understand the concept of staying in the yard. It is never easy to train your dog to stay in the yard. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t know much about dogs.

Most dogs have a natural urge to roam, whether they are spayed/neutered or intact. Dogs are highly social animals, as well as being very curious. They like to explore. That means that if your dog is outside it’s very likely that he will soon be out of your yard. He may hang “around” your yard, meaning that he comes and goes. He may go up and down the street. He may wander the neighborhood. He may not go too far away. But, left to his own devices, it’s unlikely that your dog will stay put in your yard.

You may attempt to train your dog to stay in your yard. You can do this by making sure that your dog knows basic obedience commands such as sit-stay and that he comes when called. Practice teaching him (in the house) that he is to respect the boundaries that you set. For instance, you can teach your dog not to bolt out the door. Teach him to halt and sit politely waiting for you to open the door and give him the go-ahead to go outside. However, it must be said that it’s unlikely that your dog will make any kind of connection between sitting and waiting for you to open the door for him and not crossing an imaginary line in your backyard.

You can leash your dog and walk around the boundaries of your yard, giving him short corrective jerks when he goes where he shouldn’t. Give praise when he stays within the boundaries. If you do this enough, and watch your dog like a hawk when he is alone in the yard, it is possible that you can prevent him from leaving the yard, but you will need to watch him constantly.

It is really not advisable to depend on your dog not leaving the yard without a fence. Virtually any dog will leave the yard unless you are standing over them watching them constantly. Even if you think your dog is trained not to leave the yard, it’s usually only a matter of time before something catches your dog’s interest and he leaves to investigate. Even an elderly dog will leave the yard at times. You can’t trust your dog not to leave the yard.

The only exception occurs when your dog has been trained to stay in your yard using an invisible fence. If you have an invisible fence then your dog has been taught to respect the boundaries of the yard and he will not usually attempt to cross them.

If, however, you simply try to teach your dog to stay in your yard, your dog will probably leave the yard at some point. Please make sure that your dog is wearing a collar with your name, address and phone number. A microchip is also advisable. Make sure that your dog is wearing his rabies tag and licenses. Better yet, look into getting a fence or an underground invisible fence.

If you are in the Nashville area and need an invisible fence give me a call, I have a great company for you to deal with.

Until next time…………………

If you live in the Nashville area you know that we have an abundance of mosquitoes due to the flooding earlier this month.

Some dogs can be allergic to mosquitoes. However, it’s not always easy to know if this is what your dog is allergic to or not.

Mosquito bites on a dog generally look like lots of other insect bites. They may appear as a tiny bump. The bite may or may not get any larger. It may linger for a day or for several days.

However, if your dog is allergic to mosquito bites you can expect your dog to itch, to scratch at the bite, and even to bite at the spot, perhaps until it bleeds. The bites will usually look like lumps or welts if there is an allergic reaction.

To make a definite diagnosis of a mosquito allergy you need to take your dog to a veterinarian. There are several ways your vet can test to find out if your dog has an actual allergy. The most definitive way is by doing a blood test and sending it to a lab where they can match your dog’s blood to find out what he’s allergic to. This will give you a precise answer so you’ll know if your dog is really allergic to mosquitoes.

If you live in an area where mosquitoes are prevalent you will probably want to take some precautions for your dog. Advantix is available by prescription from your veterinarian. It’s a once-a-month topical to prevent fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. You can also use a flea spray that prevents mosquitoes along with the Advantix.

If your dog is having an allergic reaction to mosquito bites you will probably want to call your veterinarian, especially if this is the first time this has occurred. Your vet will probably advise you to give your dog an allergy medicine such as Benadryl but you will need to talk to your vet to find out the proper dosage for your dog’s weight and age.

If your dog has recurring reactions to mosquito bites your vet may recommend giving your dog a prescription allergy medication on a regular basis.

In addition to the agony of the allergic reaction, mosquito bites are dangerous to your dog because they can carry heartworm disease. It’s very important that you keep your dog protected against heartworm if you live in an area where you encounter mosquitoes. Heartworm disease is now found in all parts of the United States. It can be deadly if left untreated.

If you suspect that your dog is allergic to mosquitoes it’s best not to fool around with herbal remedies or so-called “natural” cures. These remedies have a doubtful track record and your dog is suffering. Talk to your vet and use the most effective preventives and treatments possible to make your dog feel better quickly.

Fortunately, most dogs are not allergic to mosquitoes and do not have a strong reaction to an occasional mosquito bite. If your dog does get a mosquito bite you probably won’t even know it. Keep your dog up-to-date on his heartworm medication and you shouldn’t have any problems from mosquitoes.

Until next time…….

Actually, many recent studies have shown that dogs who enjoy rough house play with their owners were generally considered better socialized than dogs who didn’t. These dogs also had less separation anxiety. This included games of tug-of-war. These dogs were considered more confident without being “dominant” or “aggressive.” These studies did not find any connection between playing tug-of-war and developing aggression or dominance. (Rooney and Bradshaw, 2003; Goodloe and Borchelt, 1998) J. O’Heare, in Aggressive Behavior In Dogs (2007) writes: “The relationship between tug-of-war and dominance aggression appears to be a myth.” (Ottawa: DogPsych Publishing).

There is no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy playing tug-of-war with your dog as long as you establish the boundaries and control the game.

Choose a toy to use for playing tug-of-war. This should be a toy that will withstand some pulling and abuse since your dog will be using his teeth. Make sure not to use a sock or shoe. Even if you use an old sock or shoe your dog won’t be able to distinguish between an item you’ve discarded and one that you’re currently using.

You should always be the one to give the cue for starting a game of tug-of-war. Offer the toy to your dog and say something like, “Tug!” You may have to shake the toy in front of your dog a few times to get him to take it. Once your dog has the toy and is tugging you should enjoy the game for a few moments and then tell your dog to “drop it.” Keep your tone positive and upbeat. Make sure you praise and reward your dog for dropping the toy so he will be willing to drop it the next time you ask. Treats are good. You can also start another game of tug with him as a reward.

If your dog starts to get too worked up or excited with the game you should tell him to “drop it.” This keeps you in control of the game. Be sure to praise and reward your dog for dropping it. If your dog refuses to drop the toy you should simply drop your end of the toy and move away. Your dog can’t play without you. There is no tug unless you pull, too. You should always be the person in charge of when the game starts and stops.

Do remember to always praise and reward your dog for dropping the toy when you tell him to do so.

If your dog tries to take over the game or pesters you to play tug-of-war with him, you should ignore him. Wait until he is doing something else before you offer him the toy. The game should always be your idea, not his.

As long as you control the game you won’t ever have any problems with your dog becoming dominant or aggressive playing tug-of war. You set the boundaries and the rules.

BUT….I still believe that tug-of-war is not good for children and their dogs and can actually lead to some aggression toward the children.

Until next time……..