It is around this time of year that I get a slew of questions regarding the holidays. People ask things like:
Should I take my dog with me on vacation?
What should I do with my dog when the family comes over?
Is it safe for my dog to have turkey / ham / pecan pie / etc?
How can I keep my dog from jumping on the table / people / etc?
Are poinsettias really bad for my dog?
Where should I place my Christmas tree so I know my dog won't damage it?
The thing with most of these questions is that they all depend on your dog and your lifestyle. So, let me first address the more generic questions.
Is it safe for my dog to have turkey / ham / pecan pie / etc?
I'll be honest. I'm fairly lax here and will often give my dogs a small treat or let them lick my plate. However, just like with most things, there is definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing. I would never give my dogs a whole plate of turkey or even their own slice of pie. Chances are it would make them sick, and I'd be left cleaning up the mess. And there are a few things that aren't so great for any dog. Raisins (which are found in many Christmas desserts) can be dangerous and pork is almost guaranteed to make them sick.
How can I keep my dog from jumping on the table / people / etc?
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: obedience, obedience, obedience. A dog who is in a down / stay or place is not going to jump on the table or your grandmother. In addition to that, though, a lot of exercise will help your dog stay a little more relaxed and that should help keep them on all four paws as well. Lastly, if your dog is not trained and you don't think you're going to monitor him / her, consider boarding or day care. I'd rather you drop your dog off somewhere for a night than get horribly frustrated. There are enough frustrations during the holidays. Your dog shouldn't be one of them!
Are poinsettias really bad for my dog?
Surprisingly no. Most people think the white sap and the red leaves in a poinsettia are deadly for both dogs and cats, but that's a myth. While the berries can be somewhat toxic, poinsettias pretty much have a needlessly bad rap. Still, though, you must ask yourself if you're OK with your dog or cat eating your plants. If you're not, you may want to stick with an artificial version (I have one at the kennel that's nice to be able to use year after year).
For all the other questions, it really depends on your dog. Do you have a calm dog? Does your dog enjoy traveling? Is your dog fully house trained? Are you willing to watch your dog a little more than normal while there are new distractions? What about your family? Are they dog people too, or are they having trouble comprehending why you would want anything in your house that has fur on it?
Personally, my dogs are always part of the festivities. They travel with me, and they're there for everything except Christmas Mass. They're well-behaved through Christmas dinner, and I just keep a little extra eye on them as people start coming in (they love being around new people and will sometimes get a little over-excited). Not everyone is like that, though, and not everyone has a family that is as dog-friendly as mine. If you think your dog may cause more trouble than you can handle, it may be best to board your dog, have a friend watch your dog, or even just put your dog in a separate room for a few hours.
I hope the next few weeks find you relaxed and happy. No matter what your plans for your dog over the holidays, spend this next week enjoying your dog. Go for long walks, play games, just have a good time. I promise it will put you in a good mood and in more of the holiday spirit!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Jack the Jack Russell Is Being a Jack A**
About 5 months ago, my family adopted a 1 ½ year old neutered jack
Russell/poodle mix (we think!) named Jack from the SPCA. He has proven
to be a challenge, but until recently we have not had any issues that
aren’t fixable through simple training. On Thanksgiving day, Jack
somehow got a hold of a cotton swab and took it into his crate with him.
I idiotically reached in to get it from him, and he left some nasty
bite wounds on my hand. Yesterday, my dad had the leftover turkey on the
kitchen counter, and when he left the room for a minute, Jack managed
to grab a turkey leg and bring it into his crate. My dad had to use a
garden rake to retrieve it, which Jack proceeded to bite and attack the
rake throughout the process. Today, my mom had the turkey out on the
counter, and when I stepped in front of Jack in attempt to get him away
from the turkey, he immediately went into attack mode; if I had not been
wearing plush slippers, there’s a good chance I’d be in the emergency
room right now. Other than this newfound aggression over turkey, Jack is
a sweet, affectionate and playful dog. It would be my worst nightmare
to have him put down over this. I understand that there are no quick
fixes to such severe behavioral issues, but my family and I obviously
cannot go on living in fear of Jack attacking every time we eat. PLEASE
HELP!
Let me start by saying that this is a VERY serious issue. Biting of any kind is concerning, but the fact that he's biting to the point of breaking skin and possibly needing stitches is worrisome. So, what should you do?
The first thing I would do would be to take away any possibility of him getting anything he shouldn't have. How do you do this you ask. Well, you have to make sure you can monitor him at all times. The best way to do this is to utilize two different tools: The leash and the crate. When he's with the family have him on leash, attached to someone who can keep a good hold of him. When no one can watch him, put him in a crate.
Next comes training. He needs to learn how to listen to you. Even just one command will go a long way. For this instance, I would teach him a solid recall (come) or a sit. That way, if he does happen to get a hold of something he shouldn't have, you can give him a command to call him away from it. Ideally, though, you would put him through a good, solid training program. I like to make dogs work for all the things they really want in life (to go outside, to eat, to play, etc). Essentially, he'll learn that everything good comes from you and he has to work for it.
After that, we need to work on desensitization. I'd start when he's eating his food. Start by giving him his regular food, and every few seconds drop a high-value treat in his bowl (hot dog, cheese, etc). Don't move around him or pet him. Just drop the treat in his bowl. After a while he'll start to recognize that your approach of his food is a good thing. He may start to wait for you to give him the treat, or he may just start wagging his tail when you approach him. At that point, you can try moving away from him and returning to him before dropping the treat. When you get tail wags for that, try taking things up another notch. Try approaching from different directions, then try touching him, all while giving him treats. This will help him learn that your approach does not necessarily mean he's going to lose something good. Rather, he may gain something better.
Lastly, if he does happen to get something he shouldn't, don't just try to take it away. Try to trade it for something better. Offer him a toy or a better treat. See if there's something special enough for him to give up. That way, it's no longer a fight over who gets the treat, but rather an opportunity for him to have something better (in his eyes anyway).
I will recommend that you consult a professional trainer as well (more than just on this blog). It's hard to diagnose and treat an issue without meeting the dog or knowing the family dynamic, so it's best if someone is able to meet with you.
Good luck with Jack. I know it's a lot of hard work, but having someone who is willing to work with him is extremely important for Jack right now. Many rescues won't spend much time with a dog who shows severe aggression, and even if they do work with him, it becomes difficult to transfer his good behavior into a new home with new rules. I wish you the best!
Let me start by saying that this is a VERY serious issue. Biting of any kind is concerning, but the fact that he's biting to the point of breaking skin and possibly needing stitches is worrisome. So, what should you do?
The first thing I would do would be to take away any possibility of him getting anything he shouldn't have. How do you do this you ask. Well, you have to make sure you can monitor him at all times. The best way to do this is to utilize two different tools: The leash and the crate. When he's with the family have him on leash, attached to someone who can keep a good hold of him. When no one can watch him, put him in a crate.
Next comes training. He needs to learn how to listen to you. Even just one command will go a long way. For this instance, I would teach him a solid recall (come) or a sit. That way, if he does happen to get a hold of something he shouldn't have, you can give him a command to call him away from it. Ideally, though, you would put him through a good, solid training program. I like to make dogs work for all the things they really want in life (to go outside, to eat, to play, etc). Essentially, he'll learn that everything good comes from you and he has to work for it.
After that, we need to work on desensitization. I'd start when he's eating his food. Start by giving him his regular food, and every few seconds drop a high-value treat in his bowl (hot dog, cheese, etc). Don't move around him or pet him. Just drop the treat in his bowl. After a while he'll start to recognize that your approach of his food is a good thing. He may start to wait for you to give him the treat, or he may just start wagging his tail when you approach him. At that point, you can try moving away from him and returning to him before dropping the treat. When you get tail wags for that, try taking things up another notch. Try approaching from different directions, then try touching him, all while giving him treats. This will help him learn that your approach does not necessarily mean he's going to lose something good. Rather, he may gain something better.
Lastly, if he does happen to get something he shouldn't, don't just try to take it away. Try to trade it for something better. Offer him a toy or a better treat. See if there's something special enough for him to give up. That way, it's no longer a fight over who gets the treat, but rather an opportunity for him to have something better (in his eyes anyway).
I will recommend that you consult a professional trainer as well (more than just on this blog). It's hard to diagnose and treat an issue without meeting the dog or knowing the family dynamic, so it's best if someone is able to meet with you.
Good luck with Jack. I know it's a lot of hard work, but having someone who is willing to work with him is extremely important for Jack right now. Many rescues won't spend much time with a dog who shows severe aggression, and even if they do work with him, it becomes difficult to transfer his good behavior into a new home with new rules. I wish you the best!
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