To discourage garbage raiding, get a garbage can that has a locking lid. Or, simply put the garbage can in a place your dog can’t reach, like under the sink. If you attempt to correct your dog when you catch him raiding the can, chances are that all he will learn is to avoid going on a “garbage hunt” when you’re around. You’ll essentially have created an owner absent garbage hound.
Your dog has lots of reasons to want to dig. Digging is fun and it relieves boredom. To prevent unwanted digging, don’t let your dog spend unsupervised time in the yard. Go outside and watch him play or better yet, play with him.
If you don’t want to ban digging, you can teach him that it isn’t digging you hate, just digging everywhere. So, choose one spot and designate it as his digging pit. Think of it as his sandbox. Let him watch you bury a couple of tasty chew-toys. Then encourage him to dig in that spot to get them out. Your dog will learn that this is the best (and only) place for him to have his digging fun.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on January 10th 2007 in Dog Behaviour
Growls can stand alone or be used to modify barking sounds to add a degree of threat. Below are 5 different ways a dog may grow and what the dog means by that growl:
1. Soft, low-pitched growling: “Beware!” “Back off!” This is used as a threat and usually causes the listener to move away, giving the dog more space.
2. Low-pitched growl-bark: This is a clear growl that leads to a bark. It means “I’m upset and I’m ready to fight!” This is a clear warning that pressing the dog will lead to aggression.
3. Higher midrange-pitched growl-bark: “I’m worried [or frightened], but I will defend myself.” This is the threat of a less-confident animal who will, however, most likely fight back if pushed.
4. Undulating growl: This is a growl that goes from low midrange to high midrange with a kind of a semi-bark often added as the pitch rises. It means “I’m terrified. If you come at me, I may fight or I may run.” This is the fearful-aggressive sound of a very unsure dog.
5. Noisy growl, with teeth hidden from view: “This is a good game!” “I’m having fun!” It is usually part of the play sequence and may be tucked in between a series of stutter-barks. It usually indicates intense concentration, as in a tug-of-war or play-acting aggression.
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dogandmaster on January 7th 2007 in Dog Behaviour
Ancient dogs survived on whatever they could find or catch. If they managed to get more than they could eat in a sitting, they had to make sure it would be there when they came back to it later. “They stored spare food by burying it,” says Benjamin Hart, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of physiology and behavior at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine at Davis. “It was a pretty resourceful way of keeping leftovers.” Dirt may be gritty and hard on the teeth, but it is also protective.
The temperature in the ground is cooler than it is in the air, so burying food helped it stay fresh longer. Buried food did not roast in the sun. It did not immediately get covered with flies and insect. All in all, burying food and juicy bones was a very good solution.
Dogs do not need to bury their food anymore. But when they have an excess of rations, they feel that old urge coming on. So they look for a secluded spot, dig a quick hole, and put some goodies away for a rainy day.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 31st 2006 in Dog Behaviour
There are many different causes of fits in puppies. The usual ones are irritation of the gums due to teething, and irritation of the intestines by worms. Both of these conditions are not serious and can be cured. The more serious cause of fits is distemper, when an encephalitis or chorea ensues. Only expert veterinary advice can help you in this case.
Some puppies have hysteria, which produces fits, but the cause of this is unknown. A puppy that has constant fits is not a good proposition, and your vet may suggest that you have it put to sleep. Vitamin B complex in large doses is always worth trying, as experiments on rats lacking in this vitamin have proved that they have fits. But as all puppies should have vitamins given to them from the moment they come to your home, fits from this cause should not occur.
Worm the puppy three times from birth to six months old, and thereafter if any signs of parasites are seen in the stool. If fits continue, it may be worth having a laboratory examination of his stool to determine whether a tapeworm is present.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 19th 2006 in Dog Behaviour
