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…………………