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 .

It’s not the worst thing that can happen, your dog gets extremely excited when you have people over for a visit.

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 .

If you ask most people they would probably tell you that dogs don’t have the same kind of psychological problems that people have.  However, if you’ve ever encountered a dog who obsesses about every small thing they see or do, then you probably know that dog can suffer from an obsessive compulsive disorder just as humans can.

What’s important is how you treat your dog’s compulsions and what your dog learns to expect at home.

What Is OCD?

OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, is something you sometimes find in a dog who is bored, stressed, or anxious.  It is usually diagnosed by behavior that is obsessive, with actions that are focused and repetitive.  The dog may do the same thing again and again without any apparent reason.

For instance, a dog may dig numerous holes for hours on end, or chew countless chew toys, or he may lick himself and traumatize his skin when he itches.  These are all obvious examples of OCD and how it can show up in your dog.  OCD not only can result in lots of health issues for your dog, but it can also have lots of different causes.

If your dog has OCD he could destroy property, or he might be obnoxious and loud, or he could become aggressive in ways that seem unpredictable and odd.

If your dog has OCD due to stress then the best thing to do is to take your dog to see a vet.  It can be difficult to handle a stressed dog and your dog could exhibit some dangerous behavior.  Your vet may need to prescribe some medication for your dog.

Boredom

In some cases OCD is caused by boredom.  If that’s the case there are some things you can do to relieve the boredom for your dog.  The first thing to do is to increase your dog’s activity level.  It’s possible that your dog isn’t spending enough time outdoors. This can lead to other health problems as well.

So, go outside with your dog.  Take some long walks together, play fetch with him, play a game of chase or tag.  If you can’t spend the time with your dog, take him to doggy daycare so he can get more exercise when you can’t be with him.  If your dog can use up more of his energy in healthy ways, he will be less likely to use his energy destroying your furniture and other objects.

Separation Anxiety

Another frequent cause of obsessive compulsive disorder in dogs is separation anxiety.  Some dogs that are separated for too long from their owner or from their family and who respond to the situation with certain kinds of behavior can start to show their anxiety in very destructive ways.

If you have a dog who usually shows compulsions like these when you are away from home then it’s probably because he feels anxious about you being gone.  It can take a long time to solve this kind of anxiety problem but it begins with you putting yourself forward as the leader of the pack in your home.

Once your position as pack leader is clear, you can start focusing on lowering your dog’s anxiety when you leave the house.  You can do this by not paying any attention to your dog when you come home, and by giving your dog a safe place to sleep such as a crate.

Does your dog have separation anxiety?  Take a look at my new special report.

Genetic Predisposition?

There is some discussion about the role a dog’s breed may play in OCD behavior.  Some breeds seem to have more compulsive behaviors than others.  For example, Bull Terriers often stick their heads under objects; Dobermans tend to lick their skin; and Shepherds will chase their tails.

However, most of the time, if you provide your dog with enough attention and exercise, don’t encourage behaviors that lead to anxiety when you leave the house or return home, and seek the help of a good dog trainer when necessary for behavior issues, you should be able to manage or eliminate OCD problems.

Does your dog suffer from OCD.  Tell us about it in the comment section below.

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 .

There aren’t many animals much more interesting than dogs.  I’ve always been amazed by the things I’ve discovered about them through the years.  It’s really no wonder that dogs are so popular as pets all around the world.

I’d love to share with you a few interesting facts that I’ve learned about dogs since I started researching them.  I think you’ll agree that our furry companions are special in more ways than you would ever imagine.

1.    The Dog’s Sense of Smell. While humans only have about five millions cells for smelling things, a dog has between 125 million cells (for a Dachshund) and 220 million cells (for a German Shepherd).  Dogs have a huge advantage when it comes to finding things with their nose!  A dog’s sense of smell is much stronger than any of our senses.

2.    The Dingo. Do you know about Dingos?  Dingos are a native dog that is unique to Australia.  They were brought to the island continent many thousands of years ago when humans first migrated there.

3.    A Dog’s Sense of Time. Dogs don’t seem to have the same kind of sense of time that humans have.  However, dogs have a wonderful way of sensing how things relate to each other in time.  Your dog knows when it’s time to take a walk, when you’re supposed to come home, and when it’s time to eat.  That’s why it’s important to keep to a good schedule when you have a dog and don’t let your dog get too excited or veer off the schedule.

4.    Shaking and Digging. Your dog uses some of his survival instincts every day.  When he shakes a toy that’s part of the way a dog would hunt and kill and animal.  When your dog buries a bone or a treat that’s a survival technique for saving food after the kill.  Your dog’s instincts tell him that in the wild he might go days without making a kill so he needs to save food for later to survive.

5.    Barking and Chasing. Do you know why dogs bark at cars or the mailman?  Or chase them?  It’s because they’ve had some success with doing it in the past.  If a car drives by and they bark at it, or chase it, and it drives away, your dog likely thinks he has chase it off.

The same thing is true when your dog barks at a delivery person and they leave.  Your dog thinks that his barking has chased them away.  It’s a very satisfying feeling for your dog!  And it makes the habit hard to break.

6.    Circling before Lying Down. Have you ever wondered why your dog turns in circles before he lies down?  This is an instinctual behavior that dogs do in the wild.  Circling before lying down flattens grass and makes a spot more comfortable for a dog to sleep on.  If there are any undesirable pests, circling can get rid of them.  Your dog is just following his instincts.

7.    Training Puppies. Puppies learn a lot of things from their mother and littermates.  In order for your puppy to learn things like how to get along with other dogs, and not biting, he needs to stay with his mom and littermates until he is at least eight weeks old.  When you’re choosing a puppy you should not pick the boldest puppy in the litter.  They are usually harder to train and may have trouble accepting you as the pack leader.

8.    Dogs and Literature. People have included dogs in literature since before we had written languages.  There are dogs in the Bible, in Greek mythology, and in The Odyssey.

9.    Dogs in Space. The first living being sent into space was a Russian dog named Laika.  She went into orbit aboard a satellite in 1957.

10.    Dogs Are Fast. Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, running at speeds up to 45 miles per hour.

This is just a quick look at some of the things that makes dogs so unbelievably interesting!  You will find a virtually unlimited number of fun facts in articles, blogs, and other sites online.  Considering that dogs have been our faithful companions for thousands of years, it’s amazing how much history there is about them and how much we know about them.  And there’s always more to learn!

Share some of your interesting dog facts with us in the comment section below !

Does your dog have separation anxiety?  Take a look at my new special report.

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 .

Until next time…..