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…..

We all know that people develop allergies to food, but did you know that dogs also develop food allergies?  Your dog can be just as likely to develop a harmful food allergy as a person, if their body decides that there’s something in the food that isn’t good for them.

The question is, how can you tell if your dog has a food allergy?  And, if he does have a food allergy, is there anything you can do about it?  After all, your dog can’t tell you he’s allergic to something.  He can’t say, “I think this food is making me itchy.”  That’s why it’s up to you to pay attention to the way your dog acts and make any needed changes to your dog’s food.

Recognizing Food Allergies

Food allergies are the third most common form of allergies in dogs, behind flea bite allergies and inhalant allergies.  Experts estimate that about 10 percent of the allergies seen in dogs are food-related.  Food allergies are believed to account for about 20 percent of the skin problems in dogs that result in itching in scratching.

Food allergies can start at any time in your dog’s life after your dog is about five months old.  They can even start as late as when your dog is 12 years old.  There doesn’t seem to be any connection to particular breeds, genders, or even a dog’s medical history.  Food allergies can occur in just about any dog.  However, if a dog does have a food allergy, he may also have other kinds of allergies, too.

Just to be clear, there is a difference between a food allergy and intolerance.  A dog can be intolerant of a food and he may have diarrhea and vomiting.  Allergies, however, usually affect the skin and cause itching and redness.  Both intolerances and allergies are usually treated in similar ways, but intolerances can be more dangerous for your dog.

Common Foods

Dogs can become allergic to just about any kind of food but in the case of food allergies they usually become allergic to the foods that they eat most often.  These are usually common foods such as beef, chicken, fish, and lamb — foods that are found in most dog foods.  They can also become allergic to dairy products, chicken eggs, wheat, corn, and soy, which are also found in dog foods.

In most cases, dogs won’t be allergic to foods they haven’t eaten before.  They haven’t come in contact with these foods.  A dog usually has to be exposed to a food, and its proteins, a certain number of times before they start to become allergic to it.  This is how people start to develop allergies to foods when they’re children.

Allergy Symptoms

Allergy symptoms usually include itching skin around the dog’s face, paws, legs, ears, and anus.  Dogs also frequently experience repeated ear infections, lose their hair, have hot spots, and may have lesions that become infected and keep coming back after any antibiotics are gone.

Although these symptoms may sound specific, it can be difficult to diagnose a food allergy.  The symptoms are very similar to the symptoms for an allergic reaction to flea bites or an inhalant allergy, as when a dog inhales pollen.  One sign of a food allergy that does not usually occur with the other kinds of allergies, however, is a yeast infection in the dog’s ears.  This is a frequent sign of a food allergy, along with extreme skin problems and symptoms that last all year long.

Dealing With A Food Allergy

You can help your dog with a food allergy by using a food trial test.  These trials are a long process that involve removing outside sources of food from what you feed your dog.  You’ll need to take away all treats, rawhides, flavored medications, toothpastes, and food.

Once you have removed these outside sources from your dog’s diet, you can put your dog on a diet prescribed by your vet that features one strong protein.  Feed your dog this diet for 12 weeks.  Then you can start reintroducing your dog’s usual diet.  If your dog starts showing symptoms again you can start to find out which food in their diet is causing the symptoms.

This method is a great help in determining which foods are causing your dog’s symptoms.  Your dog can’t tell you that he doesn’t feel well.  You can use blood tests to isolate certain antibodies causing your dog’s allergies but this method is not as accurate as using a food trial.

If you think that your dog may have food allergies, see your veterinarian right away to talk about food allergies and your dog’s health.

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 neatest tricks you can teach your dog is to fetch a toy or ball and drop it at your feet.  This is a great way to give your dog some exercise without becoming completely worn out yourself.  Plus, it gives your dog a chance to let out a bit of excess energy.

You will need to train your dog carefully so he understands not just the fetching behavior but also that he’s supposed to drop the item on command.  Here are a few tips to help you get started.  Then you can move on to some fun games that will help be stimulating for your dog’s mind.

Tell us about your experiences with teaching your dog to fetch in the comments section below.

*Fetch is not the same as Keep Away: From reading this you might get the idea that your dog already knows how to fetch but that’s not the case.  Some dogs chase after a ball, bring it back to you, and then they try to keep it for themselves.  That is not fetch.  That’s keep away and most dogs can already do that.  That’s not what you’re aiming for.

Unhappily, that’s a behavior that can be very frustrating.  It can cut short your play sessions with your dog and lead to a lot of chewed up tennis balls.  Before you do anything else you need to teach your dog to “drop it.”

*Drop It: There are a couple of options when you teach your dog to “drop it.”  You can teach your dog to drop it by using a treat or a toy for a reward.  You’ll need one of your dog’s favorite toys and some time to work with your dog.

To teach “drop it” you should wait for your dog to pick up his favorite toy and then ask him to drop it.  Give your dog the command to drop the toy.  When your dog does drop the toy, give your dog a reward.  It may take some time for this to work because your dog may not make the connections between the two actions immediately.

You can also teach your dog to “drop it” by having two tennis balls and sort of tricking him into dropping one.  Throw the first tennis ball and send your dog to retrieve it.  Most dogs are already good at this part of the game.

If your dog won’t drop the tennis ball when he comes back to you, pull out the second tennis ball and start ignoring your dog.  Play with the second tennis ball and act like you’re having a great time.  It usually only takes a few seconds to get your dog’s attention.  As soon as your dog is paying attention, throw the second ball and send them to fetch it.

Very quickly your dog will start to realize that when you say “drop it” you’re going to throw another tennis ball.  It won’t be long before you’ll be able to use the same ball each time.

*Don’t Bore Your Dog: Some dogs love to play fetch so much that they can play for hours and never get bored.  Other dogs can retrieve the ball three or four times and they’re ready to take a nap.  You’ll need to try to figure out how soon your dog gets bored with playing fetch and stop playing before your dog decides he wants to stop.

If you can always manage to end the game while your dog is still interested in play, you’ll keep your dog interested in playing fetch the next time you pull out the tennis ball.  That will make the game a lot more fun for both of you.

*Keeping Control: More than anything else, you need to make sure that you stay in control of the game.  If your dog refuses to drop the ball, don’t spend time trying to take it away form him.  Just wait until your dog drops the ball.  Don’t let your dog feel like he can control the situation or decide what will happen in the game.

Fetch is a great game that is lots of fun for both you and your dog.  If you take just a small amount of time to teach your dog to “drop it” and then confirm your commands each time you throw the ball, you’ll both have a lot of fun when you go outside to play.

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…..