Question: I have a very active wire haired fox terrier that just turned one. She is very good natured and confident, but she demands constant attention. When I’m at my computer she barks, jumps and claws furiously on me. I’ve tried to turn sideways and ignore her or squirt her with a water bottle (neither of which work). When I reach to pet her, she [play] mouths me. When I walk, she nips at my heels and jumps to nip at my shirt. I walk her at least once a day, twice when I can, and throw the ball for her to chase in the yard, but nothing wears her out. Do you have any suggestions? I hate to have to crate her, but I also need to get my work done! Ellen P – St. Louis Answer: Dear Ellen, It sounds like you have adopted yourself a typical terrier… … Read More
Hot Weather Driving Your Dog Crazy?
When you wake up at 6 a.m. and the temperature is already 85 degrees, you can be sure that it’s bound to be a rough day ahead. What’s worse is that this record-breaking heat has wreaked havoc on the behavior of otherwise good dogs across the metropolitan area. Lots of dogs just simply aren’t getting the exercise that they might normally get, due to the unusually extreme weather. So what can you do when the weather is too hot (or too cold) to get out and exercise your dog? There are plenty of things that you can do to help him or her expend a bit of extra energy. Tempers usually rise when the thermometer readings are off the charts, so a little proactivity can go a long way in ensuring you are prepared and can remain level-headed when your dog gets a little stir crazy inside the house. Make … Read More
So You’re Thinking About Getting a Dog
It’s summer. The kids are out of school, the weather is nice, there’s a certain welcome laziness in the air. All of a sudden, you stop mid-porch swing and think to yourself… “This is nice. We should get a dog.” And just like you should finish the other half of that swing, you should finish the other half of that thought before someone gets hurt! In all seriousness, getting a new dog is a wonderful idea (rescuing a new dog is an even better idea), but only for some people and in certain situations. There are many things to consider before getting a dog, whether from a breeder, a shelter or a rescue group. Here are a few things to think about before you hop on the Internet or over to the closest shelter to find your next dog: Consider why you want a new dog – Is it for the … Read More
Old Dog, New Tricks?
Who ever said that an old dog can’t learn new tricks? It turns out that an English author by the name of Ebenezer Cobham Brewer was the first to reference the saying “Old dogs will not learn new tricks” in his 1894 publication Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, a compilation of popular idioms and proverbs of the time. Leave it to someone named Ebenezer to dwell on the negative, yes? Well, it turns out that this old folklore was referring to human behavior and had nothing to do with the canine species at all. And as you might guess, of course, both humans and dogs alike can definitely learn new behaviors. It’s certainly true that a puppy between 8 weeks and 16 weeks, in what is known as the socialization period, can soak up new behavioral information (both good and bad) like a sponge. Unless there are physical or … Read More
Functional Cues: Palm Targeting and “Here”
Hi everyone! It’s been a while since my last post. It’s been pretty busy, so I wanted to leave everyone with something that is quick, yet useful. Nothing is quicker to teach your dog, or more versatile of an exercise, than nose targeting. If you haven’t already taught your dog to nose target, great, it’s time to get started! In this video, the wonderful and creative Emily Larlham asks the dog to target her index and middle fingers with the use of the word “Touch.” This is a very common way to teach targeting and extremely useful, when trying to guide your dog via pointing. However, another common method of teaching targeting is to have the dog touch his nose to the palm of your hand. I love to teach targeting this way for many reasons. Think of the inside of your hand as a magnet, and your dog’s nose … Read More