A growl is better than a bite!

I am often called to a home where a dog has nipped or bitten a child.  I realize many think that a dog should NEVER use his teeth to resolve conflict with a human, and I agree in a perfect world, humans should NEVER hit a dog with their hand to resolve conflict either.

When there is a language barrier between two species, communication is often misunderstood and

Socializing pups with calm children is essential.

conflict can easily follow.  A three year old running at a dog with an object in his hand can be scary. How many times does your dog have to get up and move away to keep himself out of trouble before someone slows down the noisy moving child?

If by noon, the dog has looked away three times, offered a few tongue flicks, turned his head away five times and gotten up from his resting place four times to avoid conflict with the little tornado, then on the twelth time he may give a growl.  I can not tell you how tolerant a dog should be, but I can tell you that they all have a threshold or a breaking point just like we humans do.  I hope you recognize the growl as a low level warning that your dog is asking for space, and please do NOT punish the warning growl.  In the future, I guarantee you would prefer your dog growl as a distance cue rather than use his teeth!

What other pet animal is so tolerant of children?  Bunnies will squeek a warning and nip, cats will hiss and claw out, hamsters have also learned that nipping gets them safely back in their cage.

I like this child, she is not moving and she feeds me!

I am happy to report that many moms have asked me to speak to their children as a way to educate the child on how the dog is "feeling" when they are near.  While some dogs enjoy having kids around, clearly others do not. Our responsibility is to step in and help our dogs feel safe so they do not have to resolve the conflict alone.

If you live or work with children, it is especially helpful for you to know your dogs signals that he or she may be feeling worried. That way you can intervene so that your dog never has to growl or nip, or reach his or her threshold point.

I am certain that the dogs in the above photo, who are being fed by the young girl in the stroller, are feeling pretty good being fed by a child that is not running around.  However, if she were to get out of the stroller and run at these dogs, they would not feel the same way and one of them would need to be removed to keep him from hitting his threshold.  With lots of positive associations and yummy treats, both these dogs can learn to enjoy children running around them.

So please, if you observe a dog feeling worried about a child moving nearby, remove either the child or the dog so that the dog is feeling safe and the dog does not get into trouble.  An ounce of knowledge can go along way to helping both dogs and children grow up together in a positive way.

Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant now available in Portland Maine

BIG NEWS!!

I am very proud to announce my hard work and continued education has earned me the title of

Happy clients and well behaved dogs

Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant- ACDBC.  I am the only ACDBC south of Bangor, and the only one in Portland, Maine.  My desire to better understand dog behavior and behavior problems is on going and I will continue to study and learn to better help my clients.

For clients in the Bangor area, please reach out to Don Hanson, of Green Acres Kennels as he is a CDBC and a person I myself reach out to.  Welcome to Green Acres Kennel Shop - Green Acres Kennel Shop

Already have a dog trainer?  Please be sure you are using someone certified by a recognizable organization such as:

APDT  the Association of Pet Dog Trainers 

IAABC  International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

CCPDT Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers

For help in setting you and your dog up for success, I certainly recommend a Certified positive reinforcement trainer.  

Soft Mouth

I often visit families with a puppy that is biting much too hard.  Puppies use their mouths to play, explore, taste and chew, so it is important that we teach them to use a soft mouth when they touch our human skin.  Giving your puppy feedback is essential, so tell your puppy when it hurts, "ouch!", get up and walk away slowly.  Return and softly handle your pup, when his mouth is soft, reward him with verbal calm praise.  Too much excitement can encourage the pup to play harder.

How about an older dog, can you teach an older dog a soft mouth? Absolutely!  For example, hold the treat or even kibble under your thumb and offer it to your dog, if you feel teeth, just wait, when your dog licks the treat, release it as a reward.  Repeat several times, rewarding for a soft mouth and not rewarding when you feel teeth.

Remy came to us as a rescue with a hard mouth, he learned to be gentle and also drop the toy for us to toss it again. Here he is playing a game of tug, using good manners!

Allowing your pup to play with other pups in a socialization class is a great way to teach a soft mouth.  Notice that I said play with other pups, not play with two and three year old adolescent dogs at the dog park as their mouths are unknown and can teach your pup a much harder mouth.

Playing tug is a great way to teach a puppy a soft mouth, if you feel teeth during play, "Ouch!", drop the toy and leave the room.  Return and again reward with calm play as your dog learns the rules of the game!  Often saying "take it" "tug" and "leave it".  These are the basic rules of tug and are a great way to tach a puppy a soft mouth.

Personal Space

KT trying to be friendly to Pablo.

These 3 photos were taken one right after another just a few months after I started working with KT (Fall 2009). KT asked for a photo of my dog Pablo for her new flyer so we opened the back of my truck and I took this photo.  As you notice from Pablo's body language here in the car, he is not very comfortable having KT in his personal space.

Seeing his body language, I moved him to the ground to help him feel less confined.





Keep in mind that this dog had met KT many times before, yet his reaction is clear in these photos.

Notice the look away in this second photo, tongue flick and ears drawn back.

Notice also how much she is leaning into his space, although she is trying to get low for him, he is not very happy about this intrusion of personal space.  KT's body language is normal for humans, but not so much for many dogs.

Here Pablo lifted his paw in a submissive gesture, as he looks and leans farther away from her.  Now his mouth is closed tight and he appears to be saying "just take the --- photo" or in canine words "I hope this ends soon".  It was time for me to give him a break by calling him to me to create space.

I always create space for him so he feels safer when he is in a situation he is uncomfortable with.  I have had hundreds of people toss treats, hand feed and touch and treat him so he has a positive association with people.  So, while many dogs tolerate people petting them, many do not enjoy it as much as the human does.

Recommended Reading for Training Your Dog

We can all agree that there is no shortage of available dog training advice and material.  From the many different books, websites, television shows and even your well intended friends or family members.  If you are looking for dog friendly training that builds a trusting relationship with your canine friend, then the list below is for you.

I highly recommend any books or videos by the following Professional Behaviorists/Veterinarians:

• Patricia McConnell 
• Karen Pryer
• Jean Donaldson
• Dr. Ian Dodman
• Dr. Nicholas Dodman
• Stanley Coren
• Karen London
• Sophia Yin
• Kathy Sdao
• Sue Sternberg
• Brenda Aloff
• Suzanne Clothier
• Turid Rugaas
• Victoria Stillwell

I recommend you read the description on the book or article so you know you are choosing one that fits your level of understanding.  I have personally met each one of the authors above with the exception of Stanley Coren, although I have 4 of his books!

Why is Ceaser Milan not on my list?  I believe he makes stressed out dogs submit to their fears.  While correction training inhibits the unwanted behavior instantly, it does not change the emotion which is causing the dog to react or behave the way it is.  I believe saying "no" without offering a more acceptable behavior is frustrating and increases stress.  For this reason, I prefer a more scientific approach  using Classical and Operant Conditioning which have proven positive results.

Happy Reading!

A Stranger in My House

Sophie with the stranger

Sophie, my scottie is clearly concerned about the presence of this stranger near her.  Her eye is on him, her tail is up, she is standing rigid and not moving.  I quickly asked him to stand still until I could reengage her in her ball.

As this worker moved about the house, I used play to desensitize her to his presence.  This Counter Conditioning process involves taking a fear provoking stimulus (stranger) and changing the association to one of signaling something (pleasant) in this case, a play session.

I began this process over 1 year ago with children and strangers on my street and in my yard, by using yummy treats or play to counter condition Sophie's emotional response when strangers were present.  This generalization stage is the phase of learning where the dog learns that the new association is relevant in a variety of circumstances and situations. Sophie now enjoys strangers entering our home as she associates them with something positive, but having this stranger disappear and reappear with no warning from inside is something very unsettling for her.

I am sure once I get this situation comfortable for Sophie, she will again alert me to something new with a guest or stranger that she is not comfortable with.  I believe I will always need a maintenance stage in which I incorporate repetitions from previous training stages to encourage the appropriate emotional response from her.

While many dogs can be counter conditioned quicker, I adopted Sophie at age 5, so her behaviors had been practiced for some time, but her progress is steady and improving with each play session!

Relationships based on Motivation

I cannot tell you how many times I have asked my teenage daughter to finish her summer homework.  "Later" was the response I received many times.  I realized she needed motivation!   Knowing she would soon be asking for a new school outfit, I offered to take her shopping once her homework was complete.

Funny how the right motivation can get results.  Once I offered to take her school shopping, her project was completed in record time!

Threatening all kinds of negative punishment rarely works, often makes you feel horrible and can certainly make your child avoid you.

Motivation is contagious in relationships, if I do a favor for someone else, they are more likely to do one back.  Relationships both canine and human based on motivation and rewards has and always will be a primary focus for me -- because it is effective and it works!

Having a Baby?

Was your first baby your dog? Mine was. In fact, I had two small mix breeds when I brought home my first of 3 babies! I want to give you some important advice and offer you some practical training that will help your dog love your new bundle of joy!

Let me first say “Congratulations” on your new addition or future addition!

Desensitization and training your dog can certainly help ease the transition of having a new, noisy bundle of joy in the home, but nothing is more important than safety. We know that most dog bites are directed at children. Why? The main reason is that dogs tend to be guarders, even the most wonderful dog can decide to guard food or a toy from a child. The second most common reason is fear. If a dog has never been socialized with children, they can be quite scary! The third most common is rough play or accidental bites. For these reasons, I do not recommend ever leaving a child under the age of 9 or 10 alone with a dog.

Here are a few tips I think you will find helpful in helping your dogs adjust to your new baby!

Positive Association/Desensitization:
Purchase or borrow a baby doll, one that cries, giggles or talks is best.  Wrap it up and pretend you are holding, burping and cuddling your baby.  When the dog comes to sniff, praise them while quickly setting boundaries. Ask for a sit and then reward! If you have two dogs, only allow one dog at a time to investigate the new doll, stroller, basinet, diaper bag, etc. If you like to use a clicker in training, then you would click and treat when the dog sniffs any new object providing the dog with positive feedback. A dog that gets punished every time he approaches the new baby will soon learn that the baby = punishment, I do not like the baby, grrrrr. Remember, the goal is that whenever the dogs are near the baby, great things happen with boundaries in place!

If you get frustrated every time your baby cries, the dogs will associate stress with the sounds the baby makes which will cause the dog to be nervous/anxious. If the baby makes a crying sound as it approaches your pup, can he become reactive to the baby? People always say “there was no warning or reason for the dog bite.” There is always a reason, we just miss our dogs signals. Practicing “calm energy” will not only be good for your dog, it will be great for you!

Give your Dog Feedback/Set Boundaries:
Practice putting the baby doll in a stroller and walking the dogs with the pretend baby so they get use to keeping their toes out of the way, the sounds it makes and wide turns.  Practice having the dogs sit often especially when you see another dog, this is best done behind the stroller, just in case they dash toward a dog, you want your leashes to be behind the stroller so they won't risk knocking your stroller over.

Practice laying the pretend baby on the floor on his/her blanket. Teach the dog that the blanket is not to be stepped on. How? Put a leash on your dog and practice walking past the blanket, say “off” if your pup starts to walk on the blanket. When he begins to avoid stepping on the blanket, reward! After several repetitions of rewarding the dog for good behavior, practice with the dog off leash. Do this in several rooms of the house, even on the deck or yard. Once your dog learns the rules and gets rewarded for it, he will be happy to comply. (For more information on this topic, read my blog titled “When Your Pup Asks Why”.)

What boundaries will you set around the highchair? What if at 6 months your baby starts to eat solid foods from the high chair, and some gets on the floor. Now your baby is 12 months old and is a messy eater! For 6 months Max your sweet Labrador has been rewarded for sitting nicely by the highchair, hey, he cleans up the floor, who would complain? What if at 14 months Mom says “stop feeding the dog, please keep your food on your tray”. Your child’s arm often dangles over the side, but no more food is randomly dropped. Max is use to being rewarded, Max gets excited and jumps up to take the food, but bites through your child’s hand on accident. Is Max a bad dog? Could this have been prevented? Absolutely.

Appropriate Play/Accidental:Teaching your dog the rules of play are essential, such as “take it” and “drop it”. If you allow your dog to jump up and steal the tug toy from you, then expect him to do the same to your toddler. Teaching him to only take toys or food on cue, will prevent him from taking things from your child’s hands. If you allow your dog to jump up then sit, he will again do this same behavior with children. Teach him to come, sit and reward!

The Anxious/Fearful dog:Finally, keep your dog in a safe place if he is fearful of children. Many dogs come into rescue with a fear of children. Slowly letting them gain confidence at a distance is key to building his positive association. Having a toddler or child toss food to a nervous dog will help, the key is to take this SLOW and always just toss, do not attempt hand feeding for weeks. Make sure your anxious dog never feels confined with a scary child in the room, this is a recipe for disaster. Confinement can be on a leash, trapped in a crate, in a room, a car, small back yard, a hug (most dogs hate hugs anyway, please never let your child hum your dog). The bottom line is make your dog feel safe if he is anxious around kids until you work with a trainer to desensitize him.

I hope you understand how many dog bites can be prevented if we only pay attention to what we are teaching and rewarding our dogs for. So be an aware dog owner and keep both your child and dog safe!