Trainer Tips for the Holidays

As we get closer to the holidays, more and more people will be entertaining friends and family in their homes.  With guests can sometimes come unforeseen problems with your pets.  This month's Trainer Tips is intended to help you with some hints to survive the holidays.

Follow the Rules:
Just because its the holidays doesn't mean you should let your dog get away with bad behaviors.  All your normal rules and boundaries you have for your dog (which you should have), should still be enforced.  There may also be holiday rules added, such as:  pets are not allowed to go within a certain distance of the decoration and present areas.  Also alert your guests on how to deal with your pets.  It is always best for someone coming into your home to follow the Basic Rule: No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact.  Instruct your guest to completely ignore your dog until you say otherwise.  Guests should not look at the dog, talk to the dog, or touch the dog.  Once your dog calms down and is offering good behavior, you may let your guests say hello, if they wish.  If your dog is one who likes to jump on guests, remind your guests to turn their back and ignore the dog.  It is your job as the owner to gain control.  Plan ahead, add a leash before your guests arrive for easier control.  Stepping on the leash away from the doorway and allowing your guests to enter without being licked and jumped on is always appreciated.

Schedule & Exercise
Dog's thrive on a regular schedule, even if it varies slightly from day to day.  Over the holidays, many of us take time off work and have people over to the house.  This can sometimes cause us to forget the regular schedule our pet requires.  So even though we may have a week or two of planned relaxation, don't forget to keep your pet on their schedule.  This includes feedings, walks, play and affection times, and even rest times.  Don't let the hectic holiday rush affect your dog's happiness.




Also don't forget to make sure your dog has plenty of water.  All the holiday commotion can add stress to your dog's day, and therefore increase his/her thirst.  Be sure to keep your pup hydrated.





BEFORE your guests arrive (or before you leave to go visiting), make sure you have spent some time with your pup.  Don't forget to exercise your pup as much as possible.  Remember the old saying…"A tired dog is a good dog."  It is very true.  If you can wear out your pup a little extra before guests arrive, you will have a much easier time controlling your dog, and your dog will be much less stressed.



Dog Toys & Bones

Make sure your dog has plenty of his own things to keep him entertained.  This includes various toys and chew items that will help occupy him when you want to enjoy your guests.  If your dog has something he enjoys, he will leave you alone, and more importantly, leave your guests alone.  Try Kong toys stuffed with yummy treats and peanut butter, or a good old-fashioned bone.



DECORATIONS

Pets tend to find new things in the house very interesting.  Adding holiday decorations to your home can be fun, but remember to keep your pets in mind.  If your dog (or cat) cannot be trusted around items such as tinsel, ribbons, bows, plants, and other holiday items, be sure to secure your pet in a separate area when they cannot be supervised.






Every year pets play with and swallow many different types of holiday items.  Many of these items can cause serious problems.  The last thing we all want or need over the holidays is a very expensive trip to the emergency vet.  Keep your pets safe by planning ahead.





Holiday Food
We all enjoy the large amounts of amazing food over the holidays…so does your dog.  Remember that just because dogs will eat dry dog food, doesn't mean they don't like, and want, what you're eating.  Be sure to keep your pets out of the kitchen when preparing and eating food.  Your pets should always wait to get their meal until AFTER the humans have eaten.  This is also helpful because you can then add left-overs to your dog's meal.  I actually use this to help save money.  Sometimes there are just too many left-overs or you have eaten the same thing for too many days.  What then?  Add it to your dog's regular meal.  Notice I didn't say just give it to your dog, especially not from the table.  This will encourage begging, definitely NOT something we want around the holidays (or any time really).  Generally speaking, you can add almost anything to your dog's food.  Obviously if your dog cannot have certain foods, do not give those items.  If you are unsure if something is safe for your dog to have, it is best to not give it to them. Also be aware of the toxins for dogs.

Common Food Items that are Toxic for Dogs:

Alcohol
Avocado
Chocolate
Coffee/ Caffeine

Garlic

Onions
Macadamia Nuts
Milk & Dairy
Walnuts
Most nuts in general

Grapes & Raisins
many fruit seeds and some skins
raw meat or eggs
Yeast dough

For a complete list of items toxic to pets, visit the Pet Poison Helpline.

This is not a complete list, but covers the basics.  If your left-overs contain these items, I would not recommend giving them to your dog.  Meats, rice, potatoes, and vegetables (without sauce or garlic) are all good things to throw in.  Be sure to mix it in with your dog's regular dry kibble.  If you are unsure if a particular food is unsafe, do not give it to your dog.  Always error on the side of caution when it comes to your pet's safety.

Have a fun and safe holiday season.

Adding a Second Dog to your Pack

Devo (L) & Caravaggio (R) helping Emmy (middle) experience a balanced pack walk.

Adding a second dog to your family can be a fun and exciting experience for your family and the dog you currently have.  However, some care must be taken in making these decisions.  Below are some tips and recommendations to follow.


Training:

If you are having any problems properly training your current dog, please do NOT adopt another dog.  Many times I hear people talk about how they want to get a second dog for their current dog to play with.  This is fine unless you are unable to control the dog you currently have, or unable to properly exercise him.  DO NOT adopt a second dog just to give your current dog something to do.  If you cannot control one dog, you most certainly will not be able to control a second or third.  Instead, focus on training and exercise with the dog you have.


Compatibility:

Just because you may like the personality of a second dog, does not necessarily mean your current dog will.  When adding a new dog member to your family, you must first consider your current dog.  Is your current dog friendly with other dogs?  Does your current dog enjoy playing with other dogs?  Even if your current dog is usually friendly, we must still be sure that the dogs will get along.  
Most rescues and shelters (including Maui Humane Society) will allow you to bring your current dog to the shelter for a "meet and greet" with a new potential dog.  This is an excellent idea and I recommend you do this before bringing home a new potential dog.  Allow your current dog to evaluate the possible new dog as well.  Do they seem to get along?  Does it look like they could become friends?  
If your current dog or the potential new dog seems exceptionally uncomfortable or aggressive, this may not be the correct match.  Staff and volunteers may be able to help assist you in helping make this decision.
Everyone involved, including all current family members, the current family dog, and the new potential dog should feel comfortable.


Energy:

Be aware of your current dog's energy level.  Is your dog low, medium, high, or very high energy?  If you have a current dog that is high or very high energy, it would be best to adopt a second dog that is similar.  If you have a dog who is low energy, he will most be able to get along with another dog with low or medium energy.  Just like humans, dogs get along better with others who have the same interests and energy levels.  One person who is a couch potato will not likely hang out with someone who hikes 5 miles every day.  Energy is important.  Be aware of it.  Also remember to be aware of your own energy when looking at new potential adoptable dogs.  Remain calm and observe a potential new dog's energy and temperament before adoption.


Gender:
Although it is not something usually considered by most people, gender can be important. I recommend adopting opposite sexes when their are two dogs within one family.  Some dogs have more issues or potential issues with dog's of the same sex.  Adopting dogs of opposite sexes eliminates many potential problems or competition.


Complimentary:

The best thing to do is to find a dog that compliments your current dog.  For example if your current dog is a little bit shy, adopt a dog that is more calm and outgoing.  If your current dog is sometimes reactive, adopt a second dog that is more calm and relaxed.  If your current dog loves playing with dogs his size or smaller, adopt a dog that fits into that restriction.  Additional members to the family should always compliment the current members of the family.


Bringing your second dog Home:

Once you have chosen the new member of your family, take it slow.  When first bringing a new dog home, I recommend taking a walk around your neighborhood with your current family dog BEFORE entering the house.  We do this for two reasons, 1) a dog with less energy will behave more calmly, and 2) walking dogs together is the best way to get them to make friends.
After your walk (at least 20 minutes, more if possible), keep your newly adopted dog on-leash when entering the house.  Start the new dog off with an on-leash tour of the house, only entering a new room or space when the dog is calm.  Doing this will reinforce to the new dog that you are the leader in this house and allow your current dog to relax because he sees you are in control of the new family member.

Monitor your dogs:
Be sure to closely monitor your dogs over the first few weeks to be sure everyone is continuing to get along well.  Use a crate or baby gates to separate the dogs when they can not be supervised.
ALWAYS supervise feeding time and when giving any bones or treats to the dogs.  Food can sometimes cause altercations between pets and supervision is important.  Also be sure to monitor play time with both dogs.  It is your job as the leader to set and enforce rules.  You must monitor your dogs to be able to enforce these rules.



Other helpful Such Good Dog's blogs on this subject:
Proper Leadership for your Dog
Trainer Tips:  A Schedule Matters.
Trainer Tips:  What do dogs really want to do?
Trainer Tips Video: Proper Dog Socialization.
Pack Walk.


Other helpful articles:
How to Successfully Introduce a Second Dog Into Your Family by the Barking Lot.
A new member of the Pack by Cesar's Way.

How To Successfully Introduce A Second Dog Into Your Family.

Fall safety tips

With several holidays and cooler weather approaching, I would like to share a few 
Fall safety tips for your dog.


Have ID on your pet:

Be sure to keep your pet's identification securely fastened to their collar at all times.

Don't leave your dog outside unattended:
Most of the U.S. is moving into the fall and winter months.  As it gets colder, be sure not to leave your pet out in the cold weather months.


Watch the holiday food:
With the holidays comes all kinds of yummy food.  Chocolates and candy for Halloween and even more delights for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Be sure to put away extra holiday food where your dog cannot get to it.  Also be especially aware of those things toxic to dogs such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic.  
Although you can add left-over food to your dog's regular meal, be sure you are not adding weight to your dog at the same time.  Also remember to avoid giving your dog any food item that may contain anything from the list above or anything that is spicy.  
Be sure to avoid allowing your dog to Beg for food, and mix any left overs in with their regular meal.

Don't forget your dog's needs:

The holidays become a very busy time for everyone and sometimes our dog's regular needs can fall to the side.  Be sure to keep up with your dog's regular physical exercise and mental activities schedule, even when you have company.  All the extra people around can make a dog excited or nervous.  Either way, having a well exercised dog will make the holidays go much more smoothly for everyone.

Halloween night:

If your dog is any way overly anxious, nervous, or excited, I recommend you leave them home during Halloween night.  All kinds of people will be out in all different kinds of costumes and many dogs will be frightened of these things.  If you have any doubts about how your dog may react, it is probably best to leave him at home.  Don't forget to keep the candy the kids bring home out of reach of your dog.

Monthly medications:
The holidays may be a busy time, but don't forget to give your dog all their regular monthly things including heart worm and flea/tick prevention (depending on your environment).

Winter:
If you live somewhere that gets cold with winter snow and ice, be careful with your pet.  These harsh conditions can tear up a dog's paws if you are not careful.

Trainer Tips--July 4th Dog Safety

The Fourth of July is coming soon and with it comes some terrifying sounds for your dog.  This month's Trainer Tip is focused on keeping your dog safe during the holiday and helping ease his anxiety and/or fear of the sights and sounds.


Have ID on your pet:
This is the number one most important thing!  More pets run away on July 4th than any other day of the year.  Be sure that your pet has proper identification tags with updated contact information.  On the 4th, be sure to keep your pet on a leash and keep a close eye on him when out and about.  

Preparation:
The best thing to do for a dog that gets nervous, anxious, or fearful during fireworks is to properly prepare BEFORE the day arrives.

Desensitize your dog to firework sounds:
One of the best things you can do is to prepare your dog before the 4th by desensitizing him to the sounds and sights of fireworks.  There are several places online that have video and audio downloads.  
Dogs & Fireworks has a free download and step by step guide.

To desensitize your dog to the sounds of fireworks, download one of the many free samples online.  Start by playing it near your dog at low volume while doing normal every-day activities and/or during feeding time.  If your dog seems comfortable, slowly turn up the volume while continuing to do activities.  Be sure NOT to stare at your dog when you play the video/audio clip.
Engage your dog in activities he enjoys while playing the clip in the background.  This can include short training sessions for treat rewards, or maybe a game of fetch.  Be sure your dog appears comfortable and seems to be enjoying himself.  Use high value rewards:  whatever your dog likes best.
If your dog is still feeling comfortable, continue turning up the volume to the max.  Remember to use very high rewards for calm and good behaviors.

Try Lavender Oil:
Lavender is a naturally calming scent for both humans and dogs.  I have recommended lavender in the past for dogs with arthritis.  To use lavender for your dog, take some time to give your dog a massage and give some good petting.  Put just a little dab of lavender oil on your hands before massaging your dog and/or petting him in his favorite spots.  Use nice, calm, slow strokes.  Slowly massaging the outsides of the spine from the neck down is another proven approach.  Be sure not to use a lot of lavender.  A little dab will do just fine.  You do not need a lot to get the smell, and we do not want to have dogs licking excessive amounts of oil off themselves.  The point of this exercise is to associate the smell of lavender with a nice calm, relaxed state of mind.  You should do this for a few days (or more) prior to the fireworks on July 4th.  Your dog will build an association to the smell of lavender and being relaxed and calm.  Before the fireworks begin, put your dog in his "safe place" with the scent of lavender.

Have a "Safe Place" for your dog:

For many dogs the thing that makes them feel best and most safe is to be able to get as far away from the sights and sounds as possible.  Have a spot ready that your dog will enjoy and be comfortable in.  Make it somewhere far away from outside walls and windows.  This will make it easier for him to relax.  The best thing would be a kennel or crate.  Dogs generally enjoy den-like enclosures, and having your kennel or crate set up before the 4th will help them have a nice spot to go.  It is also helpful to place sheets or towels over wire crates to help block sound and lights.  Be sure to take the temperature into consideration.  It is summer and things get hot quickly.  Do not make your "safe place" uncomfortable for your dog by making it too hot.  You are most looking for a den-like area for your dog to feel safe.  If possible feed and/ or treat your dog in this area prior to the 4th.  Make sure the area is lined with a bed or comfy blankets for your pup as well.
Also remember to try and give your dog something he enjoys to help occupy him such as a chew bone or Kong filled with some yummy treats or peanut butter.

Sedation:
This is not something I would generally recommend.  Sedating a dog during fireworks may not have the effect the owner wants.  Sedation may actually make a dog more anxious or nervous.  If this is an option you are considering, please talk to your vet.

Communication & Energy:
If you will be around your dog during the fireworks, the best thing you can do for them is to remember to remain calm and feel like the fireworks are no big deal.  Dogs react to energy.  If your energy is telling your dog that you are calm and not at all worried about the sights and sounds, your dog will feel that it is okay for him to relax as well.
Remember Body Language:
Energy is important, but always remember you also communicate with your dog through body language.  There are three things on your body that are rewarding to dogs.  Touch, talk, and eye contact.  This means that any time you touch a dog, talk to a dog, or look at a dog, you are basically rewarding whatever behavior they are doing.  This is important because we do not want to unintentionally reward bad behavior.  
That means during July 4th fireworks, if your dog appears fearful, anxious, or nervous, do not do any of these 3 things.  Do NOT pet your dog and tell them its okay.  By doing this, you are basically telling your dog to continue being scared.  Obviously this is not what we want.  Instead encourage or lead your dog to their "safe place."  Remain calm.  Ignore any nervous or fearful behavior and only reward calm, relaxed behavior.

Exercise your Dog before Dusk:

A fantastic way to help your dog is to thoroughly exercise him before the fireworks begin.  Be sure to get your evening walk in before it starts to get dark.  The less energy your dog has, the less energy he has to put towards being fearful.  A tired dog will be more comfortable and will be able to more easily ignore the sounds and sights of the night.

Other Helpful Tools:
There are many other helpful tools on the market that you may want to try.  These include soothing dog sounds, and shirts/ vests that are supposed to help keep a dog more calm.
Soothing Dog Sounds:
There are many places online where you can download free or cheap music sounds that have been proven to help calm dogs.  Many people use these sounds or even leave on the radio when their dogs are left home alone.  These soothing dog sounds might be useful to help drown out the scary sounds coming from the fireworks.  Try some free samples here.
Thunder Shirt:
The primary use for this product is for dogs who get nervous during storms, but it may also be helpful for July 4th.  The Thunder Shirt applies gentle, constant pressure to the dog.  It is similar to swaddling an infant.  It is supposed to help sooth the dog and make him feel more safe.  
Calming Cap:
The Calming Cap is a tool used to help block out possible sights that may make a dog nervous or fearful.
Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP):
DAP is a synthetic chemical based on a hormone produced by lactating female dogs that helps keep her puppies calm.  It may help relax your dog during fireworks.  



More Helpful Articles:
Victoria Stilwell July 4th Tips
Nine Calming Aids for Fearful Dogs
Keeping Dogs Calm on the 4th of July

Trainer Tips--Picking a pet food

I am realizing more and more than many people do not really know what they are feeding their dogs.  Your dog's diet has a huge impact on their health and life, the same way it does with us as humans.  I know that dog food can get fairly expensive, but that's no reason to be feeding your dog an unhealthy diet.

I am going to start with the basics.
Three things your pet food should NOT contain:
Corn
Soy 
Wheat

These things are filler products that offer little to no nutritional value to your pet, and are not easily digestible.  (This is true for cat food as well).  Furthermore, many dogs will develop allergies from these products.  Your dog could have been on the same food for several years without issues, then one day everything changes and they seem itchy and have bad skin or hot spots.  This is usually due to feeding a food that contains one of these things.

There is one particular popular brand that I hear many people use that is very unhealthy for your pet.  Can you guess which one it is?

 

 

So what was your pick for the worst dog food listed?  The answer is Pedigree.  Depending on the exact bag/ flavor, Pedigree ingredients lists 2-3 different corn ingredients.  This is NOT good for your dog!  Pedigree also lists:  wheat, brewers rice, and animal fat.  These are also not healthy things for your dog.
(See below).

So how do you know what to look for in a dog food?

The best way to pick a dog food is to flip over the bag and look at the ingredients list.  The first thing listed should be some sort of meat, or meat meal.  Better foods will have several kinds of meat listed.  A meat listed first (salmon, turkey, etc) is a better food than a meat meal listed first (salmon meal, turkey meal, etc).

Other things to look for in your pet food.  Obviously as stated above, you want a food with NO corn, soy, or wheat products.  Along with that you want to avoid foods that list "animal fat."  When a pet food lists animal fat in their ingredients, this could be anything from the grease at fast food restaurants, to animal products collected at a slaughterhouse.  Avoid foods listed with "animal fat."

Also beware of "Brewers Rice."  This ingredient is not as bad as the ones listed above, but if included on the ingredients label, it should be very low down on the list.  I generally try and avoid food with this ingredient.

Things you want to look for, of course, the meat listed first...but the label should also include plenty of vegetables and fruits.  Things like:  sweet potatoes, potatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yams, carrots, etc.

The best dry dog food that I know is Orijen.  Orijen is 70-80% meat products, 20-30% fruits and vegetables.  It is the best possible food you can buy your dog.  Of course that also makes it one of the most expensive.  A large 28 pound bag of Orijen can run $90-$100 or more.  Obviously, many of us can not afford that.

Some owners enjoy a food that is lower in protein for their dog.  If this is what you are looking for, Natural Balance is a good choice for you.  Natural Balance lists sweet potato or a similar first ingredient, then meat.  This food is still a good choice in many cases, and does not contain any corn, soy, or wheat.

One of my other favorite dog foods is Taste of the Wild.  It is an excellent food at a good medium price.

If you are on a really tight budget but want to improve your pet's diet, try mixing an excellent semi-expensive dog food with a less expensive, but still good, food.  This can help stretch your budget.  We have often mixed Taste of the Wild with a brand that lists a "meat meal"as the first ingredient (lower quality food).

Another helpful way you can stretch your budget is to mix in left-overs with your dog's regular dry food.  This is not something that we do every day, but if I have something that I need to eat or throw out, I will often give it to our dogs.  Please keep in mind, that your dogs can not and should not have just any left-overs.  We avoid giving them things that are spicy, or adding too much liquid over dry food (soup, etc).  Also remember that several common people foods are toxic to dogs (list below).  If the left-overs contain any of these items, we will not give it to the dogs.  Remember if you are adding extra food to your dog's meal (i.e. left-overs), subtract that much in dry food.  If your dog gets a cup of food at meal time, it should always be a cup, even if you have added left-overs.  Be careful with this.  Adding left-overs can be an easy way to make your dog over-weight and unhealthy if you are not careful.  Remember they don't always get something extra in their food, and they don't just get any left-overs.  The most common left-overs we add to our dog's food is meat rice.

Helpful Hint:  If your dog has diarrhea or constipation, you can add pumpkin (canned or fresh) or cooked rice to help properly adjust their stool and balance out their stomach.  We have used this trick several times.

Dog Toxins:
Onions
Garlic
Chocolate
Grapes/ raisins

Hopefully you will all take the time to read your pet food labels from now on and really know what you are giving your dog.  They are our pets and we love them...so let's help keep them around for as long as possible!