HOW CAN WE STOP OUR PUPPY’S FRANTIC BEHAVIOR?
WHAT DOGS ARE NOT THE BEST WITH CHILDREN?
HOW CAN I CONTROL MY DOG’S DESTRUCTIVE NIBBLING?
Q:Abby is our first puppy. She is great in so many ways, however when I leave the room to do laundry or take a shower she barks and carries on the whole time. We leave her in her crate so she doesn’t get into mischief and she is fine as long as someone is in the room with her. It is even hard to make a phone call. How can we stop this behavior?
Randy, Sarah, Hannah and Rachael Montgomery, Lutherville
A: Abby is learning at an early age to dictate human behavior. When she cries, you come. Abby has to learn that good things happen when you are away, too. When you leave the room, give her a favorite toy or safe chewy, a Dingo, or a bully stick, etc. She should only get these when you leave the room. The association has to be consistent with you or a family member leaving her area.
Q:We have two dogs; a Husky, Buddy, and a Catahoula, Buster. Buddy is free to roam and Buster is in a crate. When we get home, Buddy will run outside to do his business but Buster runs out of his crate and up to our room. He won’t come downstairs! We have to put his collar and leash on him and walk him downstairs. Once he is outside he is fine and playful! Do you have any advice on how to stop this behavior?
Laura, Baltimore
A: Thanks for your question! Catahoulas tend to by shy and timid around what is “new.” This includes people, situations, sound, etc. Something probably startled him a month or so ago to start his “darting” behavior. Try keeping Buddy in the room and giving him some affection before letting Buster out. If Buster has to “study” something, his focus may change and he’ll want what the Husky has. A spoon of peanut butter at the crate for him to lick before he gets out may alter his focus as well. Then you can lure him out or leash and take him out. He is probably starting to panic a bit when he sees the leash, so I would leave it by his crate and give him something small, treat wise, every time you put his leash on him. You may try moving the location of the crate as well; Catahoulas tend to associate things in spatial context. Let me know how it goes!
Q:Our German Shepherd is now 31/2 years old. When Lady was a puppy she had a blanket she would nibble on — her “wubbie.” The family thought it was so cute. After the first one was demolished, Lady was presented with a new one. Big mistake! Now she nibbles at every blanket that resembles her wubbie. We know this is somewhat our fault, but it is out of control and we need to stop it. Help!!
Helen Miller, Phoenix
A: The nibbling, or mouthing, is an outlay of puppy behavior. Puppies will suckle on their litter mates’ ears to feel secure and safe. This has now become a difficult habit to break. This can be a tough one, as removing all the blankets could just lead to potentially destructive behavior. Retraining Lady to be secure on her own is the key here. Limit her access to the blankets. When she gets close to a blanket or if you catch her in the act of nibbling, speak to her in a low voice as if you are very disappointed. Then replace it with something of higher value, a toy or bone she really likes, perhaps a Frostee Paw. Give her lots of praise and affection when she is doing the right thing. Another exercise to try is avoidance of the blanket. Work with Lady on commands she knows; sit, down, stay, etc., and give her treats and praise when she does them. (Keep a blanket she likes next to her during this.) This will teach her that listening to you and being rewarded is more important than the wubbie.
Q:I often hear people ask, “What is the best breed of dog with kids?” My question is, “What is the worst?”
Cole Freedman, Towson
A: Educating parents and children on how to be safe around dogs and understanding breed/dog behavior is one of my primary goals as a trainer. Truly, in my opinion, all dogs can be great around children. Teaching our children how to respond and act around all dogs, even ones they have grown up with, is really the answer to this question. Make sure your children are aware that dogs need their space and generally do not want to be hugged or tugged, or picked up and carried. Never allow your child to put their face in front of a dog! Always ask the owner if it is okay to pet his dog, and, if okay, pet the dog underneath the neck to ensure a pleasant dog experience. The CDC puts out dog bite statistics every year; however keep in mind most “family” dog bites are not reported, so even if Chihuahuas should be on the list, they may not be. Most small, one-owner type breeds, such as Dachshunds, Rat Terriers and Cocker Spaniels generally are not that good with children. Huskies, Chows and Dalmatians, for your medium-sized breeds; and Rottweilers, Malamutes and Great Danes for the larger breeds; may not be among the best choices either.
Q:This is a silly question but I hope you can help as we are at our wits’ end. Our Mastiff loves cat litter! We have three cats and it is nearly impossible to keep him away from the boxes all the time. He gets the litter all over his muzzle and it is disgusting!
Brook and Jaime Chasen, Reisterstown
A: Cat litter can be quite a disgusting delicacy for dogs. Since keeping him from the cat boxes is not possible, there are few things to try. A product called Forbid, which you can purchase from the vet, can be added to your cats’ food. It isn’t toxic, the cats won’t taste it and it produces a smell in the waste dogs do not like. Also, you can allow him to think the litter box has more “power” than he does. Mastiffs are particularly good at this as they are such gentle giants, often scared of their own shadows! Purchase a small horn, like the kind at sporting events, let him near the litter, and when he gets close, honk the horn. If you do this a few times over a few days, chances are he will not go near the litter box again!
Joy Freedman is a Dog Behaviorist/ Obedience Instructor who has been changing the behavior of dogs and their owners for more than 10 years. Joy is a Baltimore native and is the owner of 4 Paws Pet Services. www.4pawspetservices.com .
