Two Bostons' Pet Blog

Hi Mel,

My shiba inu female just turned a year old recently and we are still having problems with accidents.  It seems she has accidents more when my fiancé is around.  The 6 year old husky is trained to ring the bell and the shiba will use it sometimes but not all the time.  We have been giving her treats outside when she does her stuff and we always praise her outside, but yet she still has the accidents.  It seems they happen more at night when we are both home.  Could it be for attention??  I have been trying everything recommended… Help??

Katie

Dear Katie and Shiba,

This is a tricky one.  The first recommendation I have is to visit your vet if you have not done so already.  Sometimes despite our best efforts, there is a medical reason that is impeding the pup’s potty training abilities; this could be as simple as a reoccurring bladder infection or perhaps a side effect from being spayed at a very early age.  If the vet gives your pup the thumbs up for health, then I would try the following steps.

–Use the crate.  Every time the pup goes potty in the house, they are beginning to form a new habit.  Dogs are much less likely to soil in a smaller area such as a crate, and this can be a fantastic tool in potty training.  If you are unable to keep an eye on her (because you actually need to take a shower) or if you are going to be out of the house, the crate will not only keep your puppy safe from the fantastic world of chewing, but will also give them a bit more reason to hold “it”.

–Start over.  Pretend that your pup has just come home as a very young dog, and retrace the steps that you’ve done with her.  Somewhere along the line she may have misinterpreted that outside was the place to potty, so starting over might be just the ticket.  Begin by taking her outside every half an hour whether or not she lets you know that she has to go.  Give her every opportunity to potty outside instead of inside, and keep up with the praise when she does her business outside.  Remember that if she does have an accident in the house, to be nonchalant about it (no yelling or punishment) and use a cleaner like Nature’s Miracle to get the stain and the scent out.  The idea is to prevent her from going in the house as much as possible, so that she starts to associate outside with her potty place.

–You mentioned she seems to do this much more when your fiancé is around.  I’m also wondering if she may “forget” when she’s playing with dad…you know how little kids get so wrapped up in play time that all of a sudden they realize they have to go and sometimes it’s too late?  Same deal, but in puppy form.  Make sure she has had lots of time to go out prior to your fiancé coming home, and now that the weather is nicer, him taking her outside to play is a great choice.

–On the chance that she is peeing when someone comes home, or when someone greets her, I would also take the approach that coming home is NBD…No Big Deal.  Sometimes the anticipation of mom or dad coming home gets them going, and sometimes the excitement of seeing someone after a long day (or even a short time) is enough to get them to pee on the spot.  When you come home (and when you leave the house for that matter) make sure everyone is calm, no high excited voices, no fuss…put down your bag, take off your coat, and hang up your keys without acknowledging the pup.  At that point you can calmly say hi, with the first priority to go outside to potty.

The treats and praise are great, and you are absolutely headed in the right direction!

Good luck!

Mel

Hi Mel,

I have 2 two-year old Bordie Collie sisters.  How do I keep them from jumping on people and on the furniture?

Help!

Christie

Dear Christie and the Jumpy Twins,

This is one of the most popular questions that I get asked…how do I keep my dog from jumping on people??  There are a couple of basics that I like to start with first.  Beginning with these and using those to build on will make more advanced training easier on you and your pup.  Having two of them absolutely makes things a little more complicated, so I recommend working with them one on one as much as possible and then combining the training with both at the same time.

–Jumping is the #1 complaint of owners of young dogs that I deal with.  And the easiest way to contend with this is to do…nothing.  You heard me correctly!  Many people choose to push the dog off or knee them in the chest, and that results in a pup that found a great rough-housing game!  So they jump up again, you push them off, its great fun…you get the picture.  I use something called “four on the floor”, meaning all four dog paws must be on the floor in order to get me to give attention, pets, or even eye contact.  Puppies are attention hogs and are all about games, and with this technique they learn fairly soon that by jumping on people they get ignored.  Frankly, that’s no fun.

When the pup jumps up, cross your arms and turn your back to them, and stand there until they have decided it’s not working for them and they are no longer jumping.  Take that opportunity to turn around and calmly ask them to “sit”, followed immediately by a treat.  Rinse and repeat.  And repeat.  And repeat again.  It takes time and consistency, and lots of both.  But with a pup that young, usually within 15 minutes or so they get the drill.  The harder part is getting everyone else to do that consistently, including family members and people visiting your house.

–Same thing goes for furniture jumping, but instead of sitting there ignoring him, stand up and assume the position (arms crossed, back to the pup).  Also keep in mind that allowing the pup on the furniture at ANY TIME gives him the ok to jump up there…so decisions have to be made about where he is and is not allowed, and getting him to stop jumping on people on the couch might be a bit more difficult.

–You can work on some distraction techniques with the pup on a leash in the house and you at the ready with your bag of treats.  Doorbell rings, you ask the pup to sit and pay attention to you (I like the “watch me” command) as people come into the house.  Better yet, once they are in and settled they can join in the fun and ask pup to sit and give treats.  Pup then gets the light bulb over his head that doorbell rings, I sit.  People come over, I sit.  And I get treats!!  How cool is it to be a puppy!!

–I also recommend that if you know there are people coming (or if you are going somewhere as you mentioned for Christmas), TIRE THAT PUPPY OUT.  A tired dog is a happy dog, and a happy dog means happy humans.  Make an effort to do a bit longer walk, or let them run at the park, every day.

–Last but not least, use those treats!!  I tell new puppy families to have treats in their pockets at all times.  Now is the time to take advantage of their little spongy brains and get them off on the right foot.  Reward all those great behaviors that you want to see, and don’t give any reward (no treats, no attention) for those behaviors that you don’t.  Make it a game with the whole family…the pup will not only learn faster, but he will be so busy sitting for everyone in the family he will forget how much fun it was to jump.

Good Luck!

Mel

Hello Mel,

I have a question regarding training. Every time I take my dog to the park she gets overly excited when she sees other puppies or dogs. I believe she thinks they all want to be her friends but that is not always the case. Other dogs will bark at her and she’ll be wiggling her tail thinking they want to play with her so she’ll pull me very hard and try to go play with the dogs. I try to calm her down, and tell her to sit down or rub her neck and say Relax. She’ll sit down but then get right back up and start pulling. Is there any tips you might have on how to control Kitana at the park around other dogs?

Sincerely,

Jessica – Pit Bull mommy

Hi Mel, I have a cocker spaniel girl, Cora, who is a year and a half.  She is very affectionate and sweet, but when we go on walks, if we see other dogs she growls and pulls at the leash very hard.  It is getting embarrassing since she is so small compared to other dogs, not to mention it makes our walks stressful instead of peaceful.  When we go to the dog park, she is fine with other dogs, never aggressive towards them.  She plays with my mom’s Australian Shepherd fine.  How do I stop this pulling/growling behavior on the leash?  I tell her ‘no’ and keep her on a close leash but that doesn’t seem to help.  Any thoughts are welcome!
Thanks,
Laura

I have a 2 year Boston terrier, and she is a wonderful bundle of energy. I was just wondering if you had any advice or tips for getting along with other dogs. Although Zoe loves to play, play, play she gets almost too excited when she sees other dogs. She barks and jumps and pulls on the leash, and when I try to calm her down it’s like she doesn’t hear me. I know she just wants to play, but other dogs are usually not as eager to roll around with her.

Thank you

Sam

Hi Jessica, Laura, and Sam and Respective Fur Kids,

I’m answering all of your questions together because the stories are so similar.  It’s so hard to contain one’s self when other puppies are just waiting to be played with!!  All of you have mentioned issues on leash when it comes to reacting to other dogs.  Leashes are a necessary evil in our society, as most places have leash laws that mandate you can not walk down the street with your pooch unless they are tethered to you.  Because none of you have mentioned any issues with your pups playing with dogs off leash, I’m going to focus on you working with them on the leash.

Picture this…someone ties you to a rope and takes you to a place that you are not comfortable with…a bad neighborhood, for example.  You have no choice to be there with them, but you also are not able to go up and meet people and introduce yourself or run away if you feel the need.  This is like being on a leash for some dogs, and some dogs can get a bit claustrophobic when something is interfering with their normal doggie intro routine and their fight or flight response.  Their solution to that is to do a lot of the behaviors that you all mention above.

There are a couple of tricks that you can use, but all of these should be tried and mastered prior to using them around other dogs.  Gotta walk before you can run!

–Watch Me Command.  This one is easy and your dog will think it’s great.  Take a little tasty treat, have your dog sit, and then hold the treat up to your face.  (I hold it by the tip of my nose out of habit, about two inches from my face.)  Show them the treat, say “watch me”, and bring it in front of your nose.  Most dogs will stare right into your face hoping, hoping, that you will let them have their cookie.  Try this in the house and in situations your dog is comfortable in first, then you can take it outside and in more public settings.

–If you know that your dog is fine with other dogs off leash, chances are the stuff I described above is coming in to play.  (BIG NOTE: ALWAYS make sure that if you are going to work with another dog, that dog (and owner) are tried and true and you know them well…you don’t want to take any chances with dogs or owners you don’t know.)  Try using a long lead instead of a leash when your pup meets another dog, and make sure that the leash is slacked (i.e. that you are not pulling on the dog).  Sometimes just the feeling of being pulled in the other direction is enough to make your pup get a little beside himself.

–I have two words for you folks…GENTLE LEADER.  Oh, how I love the Gentle Leader and how I sing its praises.  There are a number of uses in dog training for this magical item, and this is one of them.  Even if your pup is great on leash but tends to get over excited when it sees another dog, child, bike, car, mailman, etc and you feel like you need a bit more control, the GL will give that to you without having to resort to those nasty choke chains and prong collars.  The head halter acts like a horse halter, and prevents your pup from getting out of hand.  It is ONLY to be used for giving mom and dad a little more control at the greeting…it is not Auntie Mel’s recommendation to let a dog play or run free or in the house with the GL on at all times.  Check out your friendly Two Bostons store for a demo of how to fit and use one properly.

–RELAX!  Sometimes mom and dad relaxing instead of tensing up and anticipating the Dog-Dog Craziness can keep Fido from picking up on the anxiety.  If mom and dad don’t have anything to worry about, then hey…maybe Fido doesn’t either!

Last but not least, your pup has things that he gets excited about, just like we do.  For me it’s shoe shopping and chocolate, but for Fido it’s things like walks, playing ball, and yes…meeting and playing with other dogs.  As long as he’s under control and not displaying truly aggressive behaviors, it’s ok.

Happy playing!

Mel

Mel,

We adopted a female Yellow Lab mix, currently 6ish yrs old, 3 years ago.  We don’t have any history on her except that she found as a stray.  Our only real problem with her is that she barks at our children and their friends, especially when she is in the backyard.  Sometimes she will run across the yard as fast as possible and “charge” at them.  They are not even paying attention to her, let alone teasing her.  The neighbor kids are afraid of her because of this crazy behavior.  She is a very obedient and loving dog otherwise. 

Any advice?

Yellow Lab Mom

Dear Yellow Lab Mom and Miss Lab Mix,

This is a tough one to give advice on without seeing the dog, because it is possible that we are talking about a harmless play behavior and it’s possible that we are talking about something much more serious.  I absolutely commend you on adopting a dog and a stray, sadly one of the downfalls of having a stray is that you don’t know what the history of that dog is.  (For the record, all my dogs are rescues.)  There could be a number of reasons for her to bark and “charge” at the kids:

1. Something could have happened to her to make her uneasy with the kids or with what the kids are doing at the time.  It could be that she is defending herself or making it known that she is uncomfortable.
2. She could have some herding breed mixed in their which would give her a genetic propensity to “herd” or display some of those behaviors.
3. She could be trying to play in her own doggie way without understanding that  we don’t necessarily think that her type of play is appropriate.

Because this is one of those issues that I hesitate to make recommendations on without actually seeing the behavior happen, I will tell you the following:

1. If there is growling, snapping, biting or any other types of these behaviors there could be a more serious issue going on and I would seek professional help from a positive reinforcement dog training asap, limiting her exposure to the kids as much as possible until then in those situations where she seems to be displaying the behavior most often.
2. Having the neighborhood kids be afraid of her is not good for her or for you, as dog ownership comes with liability issues that protect people, not dogs or dog owners.
3. Take notes.  Watch her and see exactly what the kids are doing when she seems to be having issues.  I don’t doubt that they are not intentionally doing anything to egg her on, but there may be something that is triggering it; yelling, roughhousing with each other, a certain toy they are playing with, a ball being thrown, a dog in a nearby yard.  By carefully observing you may be able to narrow down the situations that are causing her to do this.
4. This does NOT make her a bad dog.  This makes her a good dog with a quirky behavior.  What you need to make sure of is that the behavior is not going to be a danger to the kids.

Ultimately, Auntie Mel’s recommendation is to have a positive reinforcement dog trainer come and visit with her so that they can see the behaviors first hand and give you a protocol that addresses the actual cause of the problem.  As a dog trainer it is our responsibility to educate, but also to ensure that we have all of the correct information in order to do so as efficiently as possible and to create a good outcome for your family and your pup.

Good luck!

Mel

We just adopted a 6 year old springer who is the perfect pet for our small family except for one annoying habit; he is aggressive with other dogs. I like to run with him in the neighborhood but as the weather gets warmer and more folks come out with their pets he wears me out wanting to chase or aggressive barking at other dogs when we pass by, the later being particularly embarrassing. We don’t understand it and this has always been a problem according to the previous owners and I want to emphasize again that he is as gentle as a lamb with the kids ages 4, 8, and 11. We would love to take him out with us on walks downtown and on a visit Two Bostons for a yummy treat but we cannot trust him to behave! Any suggestions?

Thanks Earl’s Mom

Dear Earl’s Mom & Earl the Springer, From your letter to Auntie Mel, it sounds like what Earl is contending with is what we in the training world call “leash reactivity”. There is a big difference between reacting to another dog and being truly aggressive towards another dog, and it can be a bit difficult to tell the difference without seeing him, but let’s use the info that we have to start. I also want to stress that just because a dog reacts to other dogs does NOT mean they are aggressive towards people and vice versa. It sounds like he is a charming gentleman with your kids, and that is fantastic. Dogs know the difference between a dog and a human…just because they may not care for other dogs doesn’t necessarily mean that holds true for all two legged folks.

Picture this for me…you are tied to a rope and tethered to a person and made to go somewhere that you are not sure about (for me, that would be the dentist). Once there, people come at you for different reasons, but you are not clear what those are. And you know and understand that you are tied to another human being, and you have no way of getting away from them as these other folks approach you. What do you do?

Leashes are absolutely needed for a number of reasons; safety of your dog, of other people, of other dogs, and frankly in most places it’s the law. However leashes to dogs can actually be quite intimidating, almost claustrophobic in some cases, as it limits their “fight or flight” response to situations and may make them feel uneasy. In Mr. Earl’s case, I would be willing to be that he is uncomfortable being in a situation that he feels he has limited options in, and is “aggressing” towards other dogs as a defense mechanism. It sounds from your comments that he was this way in his previous home, so my guess is that this is a learned behavior…he has learned if he gets in a snit when other dogs are around and he’s leashed that they go away. Brilliant puppy.

So what might you do now, you ask? I’d look at this as a chance to increase his positive association with other dogs, a chance to try to make him understand that seeing other dogs can be a GOOD thing, and that good things can happen.

1. Begin with Duke of Earl and a test dog, preferably a nice calm dog owned by friends or relatives that you know and that understand what you are trying to accomplish. It’s also important to begin on neutral territory, somewhere that is not at your house so that Earl does not feel that he needs to protect his domain.

2. Start off with Earl in one spot outside and the other dog as far away as he needs to be without Earl getting frisky, and have his handler slowly being him closer. Whenever Earl reacts, you will know that this is his “threshold”, or the point at which he is no longer comfortable. In your pockets or bait bag, you should have something really, really, really yummy…I’d suggest a super special bag of treats (little pieces are fine), little pieces of chicken or even bring out the big guns and use tiny little pieces of cut up hot dog. You want the reward to be DOGGIE AWESOME so that he has a reason to pay attention to you. (For those dogs more motivated by toys than treats, their favorite toy, ball, or squeaker can work as well.) Now comes the part that requires major patience by you, Earl’s Mom…

3. Walk the second dog around prior to Earl’s threshold point, and when Duke of Earl sees the other dog take that yummy treat and make a big deal about it, ask him to sit, and give him the treat. You can also teach him a “watch me” command to gain his attention during these times so that he is paying more attention to you and the goodies that you have than the other dog.

4. Repeat this exercise, bringing the second dog a tiny bit closer each time, and handing out those treats like coupons on sale day. Every time he sees that dog, Earl should be rewarded so that he begins to associate treats with seeing the other pup.

5. Take note that if you need to distract Earl for longer periods of time (especially if he likes to swallow his treats without chewing them and they last about a millisecond), don’t be afraid to keep the treat in your fingers and let him work to get it out to keep him distracted for a bit longer.

6. IMPORTANT – Without knowing if Earl is truly dog aggressive, I do not recommend that you bring him close enough to get at the other dog or for them to interact without a professional trainer around to play referee. This exercise is about making it easier for Earl to be walked in the neighborhood without causing a scene and giving himself a reputation, but most importantly it’s about increasing his confidence level as well as yours.

This process is not fast, it takes repetition, and Duke of Earl may forget himself and have some setbacks. Stay patient, and you will see him become more comfortable with time.

Good luck!

Mel

Hi Mel,

We have a 7 mo old golden retriever that likes to jump on us and others. We give her the “off” command, but it isn’t working. Any suggestions?

Wayne & Carol

Dear Wayne and Carol & 7 Month Old Golden Puppy Brain,

First and foremost, I truly think there should be a support group for people with puppies aged 6-9 months old.  Can you see it?  Hi, my name is Mel, and I have a 7 month old puppy.  The crown would nod understandingly, murmuring to themselves that they too know the frustration of having a pup that age.  This is the single most common reason that I get phone calls from people who need the help of a trainer.  Rest assured my friends, you are not alone.

So here is the scoop…this is a totally and utterly preventable behavior.  It all starts when those dogs are adorable, 12 week old piles of fluff with eyes that could sink a ship.  They are, no matter what their breed or size, lower to the ground and really really really really really want to be with you, preferably where you can pet them and give them the attention they so readily deserve.  And thus begins our problem…twofold:

1. Puppies put their cute little paws up on your legs all the time at that age, saying Pet Me!  Love Me!  And what do we do??  WE REACH DOWN AND PET THEM WHILE THEY ARE JUMPING ON US.  Without realizing it, we have just rewarded them for jumping up and reinforced that behavior…if they put those cute little puppy paws up on your legs, they get attention.  It’s not a big deal at this point because their size is relative and usually they are not knocking you over in the dirt.  Trouble is, as they get older they inevitably get bigger…and heavier.
2. Any family that has done training with me for a dog that jumps knows that I lay down the law about one thing, and have had to have some heart to heart conversations with families about this over and over again.  IF YOU ARE TEACHING YOUR DOG NOT TO JUMP UP, THEY CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO JUMP UP ON PEOPLE…EVER.  No jumping up to get a treat, no “oh but you are so cute come up here”, no “hugging” where the dog comes up and put his legs around you, nada.  Auntie Mel gets a little tough about this one, but you must understand that any of the above things confuse poor pooch and allow them to think that it’s ok to jump up…only to be told later that it’s not.  Give your pup the benefit of the doubt, give him the opportunity to succeed, and lay down the law.  (Side note – This goes for everyone in the family, and everyone that comes to visit or that the dog is around.  There is NOTHING wrong with you asking Uncle Ted to not ask Puppy Brain jump on him when he comes to visit.

Now that Auntie Mel is off her soapbox, here are some tips to get Puppy Brain (you know I use that term with affection, right??) to stay on the ground.

1. I have a saying called “Four on the Floor”.  This means that pooch does not get ANYTHING from you unless all four paws are on the floor.  This includes such things as treats, food, petting, eye contact, and any acknowledgement from his people.  No rewarding for any of those furry little feet being off the ground.
2. Have treats in your pockets at all times so that you can reward when it’s appropriate.  It’s very important that the reward is consistent.
3. Here’s the clincher…ready for it?  Stay with me.  Dog jumps up…you do nothing.  I know, I know.  Sounds crazy.  But it works!!  Dog jumps up, you cross your arms across your chest (I do this because I am a bit short and don’t like them getting in the bait of mouthing my hands) and turn away.  No eye contact, no pushing, no shoving, no using any commands (we will talk about “off” in a minute), no nothing.  You are not giving the pup any reason to jump on you.  You are not fun, you are boring, and you are not paying any attention to his mountain climbing behaviors.
4. When the pup finally gets off you (and you may have to wait it out…be strong), you say “off” as soon as he gets down and reward with a treat and a resounding “good boy!”.  If he jumps up again as soon as you turn towards him, repeat the process immediately.
5. “Sit” will be your new favorite word.  We will use this to give Puppy Brain something else to do in place of jumping, and since all four paws will be on the floor he will get rewarded for it.  In addition, when going to pet your pup make sure that you lean down to him so that there is no added temptation for him to come up to your level.
6. Repeat.  And repeat.  And repeat.

Once Puppy Brain gets in the habit of jumping up, breaking the habit can be tough.  But it can be done!  Remember that there absolutely must be consistency in how you handle this, so as not to give the pup any confusion about what he should and should not be doing.  Getting other folks on board might be a bit tough, so if people come over don’t be afraid to give them all treats for their pockets and explain the little training game.  There are instances of dogs taking the jumping to a level that is extremely difficult to change, and for that I would recommend enlisting a positive reinforcement trainer in your area for help.

Good luck!

Mel

Hi Mel,

We adopted a female Golden Retriever, Maggie, about two years ago. She is six now, and although she is a sweet, wonderful girl she has one nasty habit that she developed in her first home. When she is out in the yard, she grabs clumps of grass and eats them! I am not talking about grass clippings that are on top of the lawn; she actually bites chunks of grass out of the ground! Our back yard is heavily shaded so the grass is thin and sparse to begin with, and this bad habit of Maggie’s is not helping! The yard was safe all winter when it was frozen and buried in snow, but now that things are beginning to thaw, she is at it again, sigh.

I have tried to bring yard toys out with me to distract her, and sometimes she will play with them, but not much. She does her business, sniffs out sticks and bunny droppings and then looks for a loose corner of turf to work on, aarrgghh!

Short of keeping her on leash out there or putting cayenne pepper on my entire back yard, can you think of any way to prevent this? No one has been able to help me yet!

Thanks much,

Don’t Have to Mow 

Hi Maggie and Mom,

My beloved little Mag-Pie…grass is just so much fun, isn’t it?  Cool and full of water, and throw some dirt in there and you’ve got yourself a toy that is built in and available 24/7.  What fun!  Auntie Mel’s old Golden Baxter understood this compulsion…and embraced it until we had holes in the backyard that looked like they had been dug by rodents the size of, well, dogs.

Mary Beth, you are absolutely on the right track.  Dogs in general have a whole lot of behaviors that they exhibit that we as humans don’t particularly care for; sniffing crotches, digging, or ripping up flower beds or clumps of grass for instance.  None of these are considered to be particularly acceptable behaviors by us two legged creatures, but to the four legged ones they are totally acceptable and alas, fun.  Maggie sounds like she is having a grand old time, and what you are offering her in exchange for that (toys and such) is just not worth it in her book to stop thatching your yard.

Keep in mind that in order to get a dog to stop doing something they really want to do, you need to offer them something better.  This doesn’t mean that you need to cook her a steak (although I’m sure she wouldn’t complain), but it does mean that if you want her to listen to you when you tell her to stop digging, that she knows it’s worth it for her…EVERY TIME.

I offer the following two pieces of advice:

–Start by teaching her the command “Leave It”.  This comes in handy not only for digging but also for Thanksgiving plates left on the coffee table, gum on the sidewalk, and in my world an occasional bunny.  Begin using a treat in your hand, as you are sitting in front of your dog.  I find it works best while the dog is lying down, but they can certainly be in a sitting position.  More than likely the dog will go for the treat in your hand, and when they do keep your hand closed and still and wait it out…you are going to wait for the moment that the dog brings their nose away from your hand.  At that moment, say “Leave it” just once, give them praise, and have a treat ready in the OTHER hand to give them.  They should never be rewarded with the same treat that you just told them to stay away from.  Most dogs take only a few times to get this game down pat, and then you will notice they begin either looking at you or looking at the other hand in anticipation.  The trick is to practice this but ALWAYS make sure there is a payoff…if the dog doesn’t think they will be getting anything for their efforts in the beginning, there is no reason for them to “leave it”.  After time and practice, you’ll be able to use the command in other situations such as the backyard.  You should go out there with Maggie with treats at the ready, and if you need to put her on a leash or long lead in the beginning go for it.  You will be able to let her off leash with time.

–Up the ante!!  Keep some really good, really special treats for Maggie for only your outside work or the Leave It command.  I like small training treats, and a favorite is the Bravo Buffalo Bites.  They are small, a little stinky, and my dogs offer to do my taxes when I bring them out.  If you’d like, you can even use some small pieces of chicken or, if you really need to bring out the big guns, hot dog.  Tiny pieces…they don’t need a huge chunk to get a great payoff.

And last of all, make it a game!  Your neighbors should think you’ve lost your mind when Maggie decides to leave her thatching duties to come running to you for a treat.  What a good girl!  Praise, praise, praise, and she will have every reason to listen to you when you ask her to stop landscaping.

Yours in dog hair,

Mel

Hi Mel!
Our fox terrier little girl Lulu lost her vision at the beginning of the year due to an immunological disease. Since then she refuses to walk on leash.  You put he on a leash and she puts the brakes immediately.  I have tried treats to get her to smell them and walk a bit to them, with no good results.  She just parks her butt and that’s it. Even without the leash she is doing minimal walking around the house and we are worried about her.  We know she must be scared with this change, help us help her.  We think she is around 7yrs old but we are not sure since she was rescued from a puppy dog mill, she was one of the very young bitches they found there.

–Thank you, a fox terrier lovin’ momma!

Dear FTLM and Miss Lulu,

What a brave little girl you are, Lulu!  It must be very scary for her to have lost her sight like that at an older age.  I commend you, Lulu’s Mommy, for trying to make the best of her situation!!

Blind dogs can adjust and, over time, lead very “normal” and healthy lives.  I think you are right to be a little concerned that she is not getting appropriate excersise, but I also think that since it’s only been a few months that perhaps our little Lulu needs some more time to become accustomed to her new situation.  In the meantime, I might suggest the following:

–Up the ante with the treats.  Instead of using her usual fare, try something that has a very strong smell to it like cut up hot dogs or even liver sausage.  This might entice her in a way that a regular dog cookie might not.

–Start in the house luring her with the treats, until she becomes relatively comfortable with the process.  Then move somewhere that she is still familiar with, like the backyard.  Once she is comfortable there, move her to the front yard, and so on.  She may do better with the same walking routine every day, using the same route so that she learns where she is going and what to expect.

–Having been involved in dog rescue for many years, I have seen my share of blind dogs come through our gates.  One of my favorite tricks is to put little jingle bells on your shoes, tied into the laces, so that the dog can hear where you are, when you are approaching, etc.  If you wear them in the house this may help her outside as well and may make her feel more comfortable there.  You can also use essential oils dabbed on the corners of doorways to let the dog know that there is a wall there or a doorway…and your house will smell good to boot!

–There are some great websites out there such as www.blinddogs.com that also offer support groups, tips, and idea sharing.  This particular website has a great list of games that you and your blind dog can play and that may build her self confidence as well.

Good luck!

Mel

Hi Mel,

We have a little six pound King Charles Caviler. She is amazing however….. She loves to lick Sophie is always licking our face, hands feet. She can’t go to sleep without trying to lick us for about 20 min. We love her to pieces but always having her try to lick at us is yucky. We will tell her no lick & sometimes she will obey, but she will always try to lick us when we sit down with her or when we let her sleep with us. She is VERY loving and sweet we are assuming she is showing affection to us when she licks us. Any solutions in mind for her NEVER ENDING licking?

Thank You, RC – Naperville

Dear RC and Sophie,

Oh my little sweet Sophie, you just have so much love to give!!  Licking can be interpreted in many different ways, and although I think your little Sophie probably is the sweetest thing since cheesecake, what you are describing sounds more like a habit than anything else.  Some dogs never lick, and some have a propensity to lick excessively either on themselves, an object, or in Sophie’s case her people.  If you have ever heard of a “lick granuloma”, that is essentially an ongoing wound that dogs can create when the lick themselves excessively, the most common area being a paw or leg.

This one is actually a little easier than it sounds, but like everything else that Auntie Mel prescribes it will take a little time and patience.  Are ready?  Here goes…don’t let her lick you.  Yes, I know, it sounds much simpler than it is, but the easiest way to get her out of the behavior is to not let her perform the behavior.   I believe that she is so used to this little ritual of hers, that sometimes she may even be doing it without realizing it.  Here are some tips:

1. You mentioned that she can’t go to sleep without licking, and that it happens when she sleeps with you in bed.  Tough as this may be, for the time being I would not allow her in bed with you.  By not giving her the opportunity to lick in bed, you are giving her every opportunity to change the behavior.  You wouldn’t take a chocolate addict to a candy store, would you?  I would also maybe try to replace her licking ritual before bed with another one…does she like to be brushed?  Perhaps you leave a brush in your bedroom and spend 5 minutes or so every night giving her a quick grooming.  During this time, it is important that you do not let her lick, so she learns that you are doing something else every night before bed.  If she cries or is unsettled because she doesn’t get her way, it is important to IGNORE her…otherwise the attention that she gets when she can’t sleep will help her learn that crying at night = mom gets up with her, and she may rely on that as a new habit.
2. It sounds like she is used to being able to lick to her hearts content, so I would be very conscious of when she tries to initiate the behavior.  Once it begins, at that moment you go away.  You can just stand up, move to another chair, move to the floor, move to another room.  The idea is to get Miss Sophie to understand that when she licks, mom goes away.  We are not punishing her for the behavior, we are taking away her reward (that’s you), and the absence of reward is usually enough to help them learn that they are not getting what they want when they do that certain thing.
3. Also be conscious of things that could be attracting her to lick; food on your hands, perfume, and lotion are all culprits of attracting dogs to lick.  Why they think lotion is yummy I will never understand, but that is a very common attraction to them.  By limiting these things, washing your hands, and performing the other steps it will decrease her desire to lick.
4. Lastly, do something else with her…throw a ball, squeak a toy, go for a walk, go outside, play tug, brush her…anything to distract her from what she wants to do.  Give her the opportunity to have another option other than giving you a tongue bath.

As always, this will take some time.  Just incorporate the steps into daily life with Miss Sophie and let her get used to not having her little habit to fall back on.

Good luck!

Mel