New Year - Old Dog

Annie 

I hope this article finds you enjoying the beginning of this new year!  January brings so many beginnings, not just a new year, but New Year's resolutions as well.  Some personal, some professional and then some just for fun!

Lately, I have been thinking about the fun resolutions -- what it is I would enjoy, not what I feel I need to do.  My idea of fun is walking through the snow in the woods, enjoying the fresh air and watching the dogs be dogs.  Sniffing, chasing, marking, digging, what ever natural behaviors they choose as no leashes are ever used here!

On our early morning walk today along the snowmobile trail with my 4 dogs, I realized my old girl Annie, who just crossed her thirteenth birthday had decided to wander off the trail into 8 inches of soft snow and was having difficulty backing up.  As I headed her way she gave a big wag of her tail and managed to get herself back on the trail.  She must have either been thrilled to be free or simply didn't want the others to get too far ahead because she lunged and actually ran several strides along the trail.  With an open mouth soft body wags, she was one happy girl to be included on this adventure.  While it is true an older dog can not always join in the fun, I can tell when Annie is at the door waiting and bouncing with the others she is ready to go.  Other times, she does not get out of her cozy bed which tells me she is taking a pass.

So, my New Year's resolution is to spend more time and attention to my oldest and most loyal girl.  While I believe these winter walks are certainly life enrichment, I also believe there are several classes an older dog would enjoy! Even a dog over 10 years of age can enjoy the following:

• Nose Work
• Tracking
• Control Unleashed
• Loose Leash Walking (star of the class:)

If you have an older dog, I hope you have time in your busy life to add some life enrichment activities for him or her!  I believe you will find it both relaxing and rewarding.

Although Annie may be the last dog, she is still ahead of me:)

How Best to Feed Your New Pup

Many people are conditioned to put dog food in a bowl, ask for a sit and put the bowl down, end of story.  But we know that dogs learn through repetition just like humans do, so why not use feeding to teach an automatic behavior?

I believe we can truly prevent many unwanted behaviors by simply playing a daily game with our dogs during meal time.  Let's say you have a puppy who is a jumper or a dog with emotional control issues, a high energy pup, or a boxer that just can's stop climbing on you or a big rescue dog who is a bit reactive.  Having our dogs practice a bit more emotional control is a good thing, right!

Ok, let's begin, prepare your dogs meal as always and rather than asking him for a sit, take the bowl with you and go sit in a chair.  Think of a behavior you would like from your dog, maybe eye contact or a simple sit.  Wait for your dog to do this behavior and toss him some food over his head.  When he returns after eating, wait for the same behavior and repeat, repeat until his bowl is gone.  Do this once daily for several days. The first behavior you choose will most likely be the behavior he will offer you each day and all day long when he wants something from you.

I rewarded Puff for sitting politely in puppy socialization
so he kept coming back and sitting in front of me, each time
waiting longer and longer for the reward.

For example, you are rewarding the sit, your dog will begin to offer this behavior to have access to many things all day long.  Let's call this behavior the "automatic" behavior because your dog will automatically begin to offer this behavior when he wants his crate opened, or to go outside, to jump out of the car, to run into the dog park, or to have his leash put on, get his meal, receive petting from anyone, you to throw the toy, anything your dog wants in life will be asked with this automatic behavior.  With each pause you are lowering your dogs arousal and helping him think.  This game of rewarding your dog for a specific behavior and tossing food away and having him return to you and ask again is so easy and fun, even your kids can play!

To keep this behavior strong, I recommend you reward it often even when your dog offers it when you haven't asked!  Scratching, petting, massaging are all easy ways of rewarding a polite request.  Should you ask for the behavior?  Nope,  just let it happen, and reward it.  No behavior, no reward.  Your dog will be thinking rather than always needing to be told what to do.  Helping your dog learn to ask nicely to receive wanted resources will shape your dogs behavior into a calm, thinking dog, rather than a pushy reactive dog you will want to keep for a lifetime!