Spring showers may give us hope of May flowers, but could also cause the booming thunder that sends your pet running for cover. An estimated 19% of dogs suffer from what veterinarians term “thunder phobia”. The phobia can range from mild anxiety, whining, frantic pacing, hiding and running away, even jumping out of windows.

Although no one knows for sure what causes some dogs to panic during storms, it is believed to be caused by a combination of noise, flash of lightning and change in barometric pressure. Some dogs even have the emotional element of having a bad experience during a storm such as a falling tree or owners’ own anxiety.

Thunder phobia, like other health concerns, can best be dealt with through prevention. Assuring young dogs and puppies that everything will be alright and keeping them from developing the phobia can be key. With most dogs, the phobia, once developed, will only worsen with age.

If your dog does have thunder phobia, it is never too late to work with your pet. Holistically, desensitization (behavior modification) can work well. It takes an investment of time on the owners part to slowly introduce the thunderstorm sounds (using a tape or CD). This will normally take several weeks.

Another approach is the use of herbs and herbal-based products. Products, formulated for pets, containing chamomile are found most effective. Many of these can be given prior to the start of the storm and the calming effect will last for several hours.

If you find yourself in the middle of a storm with a distressed pet, exercise caution. Talk in a calm, reassuring voice. Flower remedies such as Bach’s Rescue Remedy can be given. Some owners note almost an immediate calming of the pet.

Whatever your method, your reassurance and love is also needed. For sever cases of thunder-phobia, consult your veterinarian.

Marian Brown has been active in holistic health care for people and pets for over 15 years. She is editor of hhnews.com Holsitic Health News . Visit the site at hhnews.com hhnews.com to join our free email newsletter with more important pet tips.

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Tags: whining

Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog – or another dog – ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It’s great to know your vet’s phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don’t know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?

Enough with the questions already, right? Any emergency is stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest of owners can be instantly reduced to helpless balls of mush if something’s wrong with their dogs and they can’t figure out what to do.

1. Preparation is key.

The key to getting through a veterinary emergency is preparation. You may think you have that covered with a first aid kit and having the phone number to your vet handy, but what if there isn’t enough time to move your dog? You need to be well-versed in some of the more common animal emergencies just in case a situation ever arises. And hey, if a situation never arises, you’ll still feel more confident knowing that you have the ability to deal with one.

2. Know how to care for wounds.

Did you know that you shouldn’t use hydrogen peroxide on a bleeding wound? Nope. It slows clotting to the area, which means your dog could actually lose more blood than he would if you didn’t use the peroxide at all. In fact, the best way to treat a deep, severely bleeding wound is to apply a clean cloth and hold it in place for five minutes, then tape the cloth to the wound. That original cloth should never be removed – that also slows clotting – and should instead be layered with more clean cloths if blood soaks through.

3. Know what to do about poisoning.

Did you know that certain varieties of toads, salamanders, newts, and other amphibians are poisonous if licked? Hey, guess who loves to hold little woodland critters in his mouth! Your dog. If you notice your pup drooling, whining, and wiping at his mouth after a trip into the forest, get him to a clean water source and rinse his mouth thoroughly. While the poison can be fatal if left in the mouth, it’s fairly easy to cleanse from the tongue and glands.

Make sure you are prepared for any emergencies for that friend!

Paul Duxbury owns my-dog.co.uk my-dog.co.uk a leading sources of free information and advice for all dog owners as well as dog-lover.co.uk dog-lover.co.uk

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Tags: whining

Before you start any form of training in order to sort out your dogs barking problems you need to understand what is causing it. In some cases it may just be a simple case or removing a stimulus or you may have a dog that enjoys barking at everything and anything. But what ever the problem is it is best to start with a plan in order to sort it out. In this article we will take a look at some specific types of barking problems and how they can be dealt with.

1. Attention Seeking

If your dog is barking because it wants your attention then the easiest way of dealing with this is by not giving in to them. So instead of shouting at him telling him to be quiet what you should in fact do is walk out of the room where he is and ignore him. Then as soon as he stops barking and goes quiet return to the room and praise him. What is important when trying to stop the attention seeking barking problem is that you should praise and reward them enthusiastically when they have become quiet. You may find that initially you will need to praise them for just being quiet for a few seconds but the more time you take in dealing with this barking problem then the as time goes on you will find that the length of time your dog stays quiet will increase.

2. Dogs who find it difficult to be on their own.

If you discover from your neighbors that your dog is barking whilst you are away in the day then this is their attempt at trying to gain your attention so that you don’t leave them alone. However, it may be worthwhile taking some time and recording your dog during a day when you are out to see if anything in particular is causing them to bark. You may find it is something as simple as them being able to see out of a window and they start barking at anyone who walks past your home. If this is the cause then move them to an area of the house where they can not see people passing the front of your property. But if your dog is barking constantly for no apparent reason then you will need to spend a few days teaching them that they need to be quiet when you are gone. The best way of dealing with this type of barking problem is by you pretending to leave the home and then sitting just outside your front door. Once your dog begins barking or whining you should not enter the house and start yelling at them instead have a good throw can that you can shake outside the door. Then once your dog has stopped barking and is quiet you can enter the home and praise him.

These are just a couple of barking problems that owners of dogs may face so the way in which you deal with any barking problems relies on you being patient.

Would you like some additional tips on how to
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stop dog barking along with more dog training tips. Then visit us on
the web at dog-training-stuff.com dog-training-stuff.com
for you online solutions for all of your dog training needs.

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Tags: dog training, whining

One of the most important skills you can teach your dog is self control. All too often I hear from people whose lives revolve around their dogs, in a way that’s not good for the people or the dogs.

If you’ve got a puppy, now is the time to start teaching self control. Well-meaning but misinformed dog owners think they are doing right by their puppy by attending to every whim and want of their puppy. They love their puppy so much that they forget to teach one of the most important doggie skills there is – self control.

WHAT IS SELF CONTROL?
You’ve probably seen it – dogs that bark incessantly until they get what they want. Or dogs who are so excited to greet visitors that they forget there’s someone on the other end of his leash and pulls the person down the street (or through the mud puddles). You may think it’s lovely that your puppy loves visitors so much that he runs and jumps on them to say Hello, but the reality of the situation is that you have a rude puppy.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Neglecting to teach our dogs this skill does them an enormous disservice. By not teaching our dogs this crucial skill, we actually limit their freedom in public. Dogs that cannot control themselves are bothersome to people and dogs alike. A dog that drags his owner down the road because “he’s just so friendly” or barks for attention isn’t cute, and the behavior shouldn’t be glossed over with excuses or explanations. Dogs deserve more credit – they are smart enough to learn self-control if the humans in their life take the time to teach them.

Don’t know if your dog has self-control issues? Describe your dog’s questionable behavior as if he were a person. Now that it’s phrased in “people terms” does it seem unreasonable? If it sounds shocking, then your dog could probably sharpen his self-control skills.

For example, do you have to play with your dog when he brings you a toy (or suffer the consequences such as barking, pawing, whining)? Would you think it a bit strange if a parent got up from the dinner table because Johnny wanted to go play baseball at that moment?

Does your dog go bonkers at the sight of other dogs because he’s so friendly and wants to play? And he drags you across the yard to get to the other dogs? Now rephrase that — Your ten-year-old sees her friend with her family and dashes across the street without looking (you in tow) because she just has to say Hello?

It’s never too late to teach your dog self control. Even older dogs can learn this skill. The longer the dog has practiced the behavior, however, the longer it will take to teach self-control. But self control is so important that it’s worth taking the time to teach it!

HOW TO TEACH SELF CONTROL
The first skill to teach your dog is to look at you; to pay attention to you. Next, teach your dog to sit as a way of requesting anything he wants. Before you do anything for your dog (petting, feeding, playing, going on a walk, etc.) request that they sit first. Not until they sit do they get to go outside, or get attention, or get dinner, or whatever it is that they want. Sitting is an easy task for most dogs, and it’s not asking too much for them to “say please” in this manner for something that they like.

A common mistake people make is letting their puppy do something “because it’s so cute.” Yes, it’s really cute when your little 8-week old puppy squirms and wiggles and jumps on your friends. But in a few short months, that puppy will be well on his way to being a full grown dog and what’s cute for a puppy can be disastrous when it’s a full grown dog.

Cute only lasts for a few months…the habits they develop as puppies can last a lifetime and the behaviors are no longer cute when your dog is an adult.

QUICK SOLUTIONS
If your dog barks at you to get your attention, simply turn away. Walk into another room if you have to. If your dog follows you and barks at you, go into another room and close the door. Don’t talk to him, look at him, or give him any attention until he stops barking.

If your dog brings a toy and thrusts it into your lap to get you to play, ignore him and his attempts to solicit play. Go into another room if you need to. If he follows you with the toy, simply take the toy away and put it out of his reach. If he goes to find another one, take that one away, as well.

If your dog pulls to get to another person or dog, keep your hands close to your body (so the leash is consistently the same length) and stand as still as a tree. No conversation, no yanking on the leash, just be quiet and still. When you get some slack in the leash or when your dog turns to look at you, THEN say “good boy” and continue to move forward. If your dog doesn’t turn around at all, YOU turn around walk away (still holding onto the dog’s leash) from the person or dog that your dog finds so interesting.

Once you have taught your dog self-control, you’ll look back and wonder how you ever got along without it! It’s that powerful – it will change the interaction that you have with your dog in a positive way. Your dog will be afforded more freedom to go out in public, which is more fun for the both of you!

Laurie Luck, CPDT

Smart Dog University, LLC
Certified Pet Dog Trainer
Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Member 3335
Box 1111
Mount Airy, MD 21771
smartdoguniversity.com smartdoguniversity.com

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Tags: whining

People let me tell you ‘bout my best friend, he’s a warm boy, cuddly toy, my up, my down, my pride and joy. People let me tell you ‘bout him he’s so much fun………….

If you’re old enough to remember that theme song – let’s get together for lunch and commiserate. If you’re not, it’s from an old TV show called “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” and you should seek it out on DVD. The point here isn’t nostalgia, though. It’s a cute theme, but it’s not good parenting – of children or dogs.

Dogs are pack animals and need leadership clearly defined. If you don’t take the lead, Muffy thinks she’s in charge. And Muffy has absolutely no clue how your household should be run. You can be absolutely certain that if Muffy rules the roost, everyone’s going to be miserable. You won’t be able to eat, sleep, or live in peace.

On the other hand, if you’re in charge, Brutus is going to be a happy camper. Teach him the rules and insist that he lives by them. It works.

The most difficult dog we’ve ever had is a Boston Terrier. She’s a sweet dog, but her wiring is tangled. A friend of mine who works in a social service agency likened her to a child with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. We have developed a strict schedule for her and we stick to it.

Given the opportunity, she would play constantly, whine when we didn’t indulge her, and generally make life difficult. She does get to play fetch – when we decide it’s time and for as long as we choose. We have a special timer for play sessions and when she sees us reach for it, she sits and cries for her special ball. We get the ball from her special shelf and throw that ball, without interruption, for as long as that timer is going, sometimes just five minutes, or as long as 15 minutes.

When the timer beeps – that’s it. The ball goes back on the shelf. Playtime is over. It took a while for her to adjust, but now she hears the beep, drops the ball, goes to get a drink of water and then finds a place to lie down.

Our dog is an extreme example – but a valid illustration of the concept. When guests come over, she is allowed to greet them, but not jump on them, harass them, or drown them with licking (unless they invite it). After she’s given the opportunity to say hello, she is confined to a crate in the same room, with chew toys to occupy her, where she can see and hear everything. We’re able to have a nice evening with our company and without
worrying about the dog ruining the gathering.

It may be easier to “give in” to your dog’s whining, begging or bad behavior. It’s also a recipe for disaster – most dogs who are given up or abandoned lose their homes because of behavior problems. It’s never too late to train a dog – they can always learn new tricks – and the most valuable trick of all may be learning to sit quietly.

That’s a good place to start. Put on your dog’s leash and collar. Grab a handful of treats. Go sit down at the dining room table. Tell your dog to sit next to you – you sit on the leash. Read a magazine for five minutes. Have someone join you for a conversation. Drink a cup of tea. When Zeus is good, say “good quiet” and pop a treat. Ignore him if he whines. Try it for five minutes today. Maybe six or seven tomorrow. Don’t push it too far – you want him to succeed. Reward like crazy when he’s good. It’s a first step in taking control of your dog and your life.

Hope Saidel is the co-owner of gollygear.com GollyGear, a bricks-and-mortar and online small dog shop featuring fun, affordable and practical products for small dogs. She has trained and competed in Obedience with small dogs for over a decade and is on the Board of Directors of the North Shore Dog Training Club

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Tags: dog training, whining