How to Make Halloween a Real Treat for Your Dog
Oct 7th
Dear Inquisitive Dog Guardians,
Fall is officially here! The air is a little crisper, white shoes are placed in the back of the 
closet, gourds are now decorations and football is topping the sports highlights. Being October, this also means Halloween! Well, here at Inquisitive Canine headquarters, Poncho and I thought it’d be a great idea to share our training tips for creating an evening of fun for you and your dog that’s anything but spooky. For this month’s installment, we’re covering both door greeting and dressing up, and hope you find the information a real treat!
Home Alone Needn’t Equal Lonely for Inquisitive Canines
Sep 9th
Dear Inquisitive Dog Guardians,
As we head into the fall season and get back to our usual routines with school and work, it’s not uncommon for dogs to develop behavioral issues. Why? Because they go from being around us humans all of the time to suddenly being home alone.
In fact, most people think of the “dog days” as being the hottest days of the year, but I like to define that phrase as the ideal time of year for dogs — when they get loads of added companionship from house guests, from getting to participate in family vacations and outings, and from having the kids and parents at home more throughout the day! I’m sure you can see why it’s a tough adjustment for canines to go from basking in all that extra attention to waiting all day for the sound of the keys in the front door.
Whether you’re a seasoned dog guardian who’s coming off lots of togetherness time with your canine family member, or you’ve taken advantage of the summer’s relaxed schedule to newly adopt a pup, the tips Poncho and I present below will help ensure a smooth transition for all this fall.
Canine Attention Deficit Disorder?
The pattern of going from the center of attention to complete independence can be rough on a dog (no pun intended). As a certified professional dog trainer, I all too often am contacted from dog guardians telling me their pup is destroying their home and property, or that they’ve received calls from neighbors reporting that their dog is barking and howling incessantly. These are responses to a sudden attention deficit: Some dogs end up bored, some become anxious and fearful, and others don’t really care. To help determine if your dog is bored or anxious, take this inquisitive canine quiz.
So before you place the cover back on the barbecue, Poncho and I would like to provide a few training tips to help your pooch make a smooth transition into your new routine.
Training Tips for Teaching Independence
Unless your dog is accustomed to being left alone for hours at a time, being apart from family — especially for long periods — can lead to behavioral issues like those mentioned above.
Whether you’re taking steps to prevent these problems from rearing their ugly head, or trying to fix an issue that has already started, the course of action is similar:
- Determine what you want: What’s your ideal situation? To come and go whenever you want while your dog is relaxed at home enjoying some alone time? If so, you’ll want to start with being out of the house for shorter increments of time. Even just leaving the room for awhile, along with ignoring and/or being “boring” as you come and go can help dogs adapt to being alone. Boring is good! Continuous interaction leads to continuous dependence — not healthy for either canines or their guardians.
- Determine what you expect from your dog: If your dog has never learned to be alone, you’ll definitely want to take steps to train him or her to do so. For those who work from home or are stay-at-home dog parents, think about teaching your dog to be independent through confidence-building activities and outings with others outside the immediate family. You’ll also want to consider crate or confinement training, conditioning your pup to feel comfortable in specific areas of your home.
- Create a fulfilling environment: Enrichment activities — to motivate your dog to spend time on his or her own — should be used for delivering meals and for mental stimulation. Interactive food toys, scavenger hunts and chew bones are just a few ideas to help provide recreation for dogs. These outlets should be made available when others are home, and even more so when he or she is left alone. Creating an engaging environment helps with building self-confidence, gaining independence, and prevention and handling of boredom-related issues like redecorating the house with their jaws or landscaping the yard through digging. For additional tips on providing enrichment for your dog, check out these blog posts on enrichment.
- Set up play-dates with others: Scheduling activities for your dog with people other than primary family members is a great way to not only help with independence, but also assist with socialization and expending energy! Asking outside family members, friends and/or neighbors to look after or even walk your dog can be fun for everyone involved. Other options include hiring a pet-sitter or dog-walker, or doggy daycare.
- Plan and practice: Once you determine what it is you want for yourself and from your dog, you can arrange your dog’s environment to implement the new routine. Begin with integrating training steps into your dog’s daily agenda before your own schedule changes. This way, you’ll be able to concentrate on your dog’s needs, without being preoccupied with yours and that of other family members. Dress rehearsals are key in setting everyone up for success!
Home Alone Dos & Don’ts for Canines
- DO engage in planning, environmental management and training to prevent your dog from developing behavioral issues due to being alone.
- DON’T make a big fuss before leaving, nor for the first few minutes when coming home.
- DO teach your dog to look forward to being left home alone by providing enrichment activities.
- DON’T go from constant to zero interaction if your dog has never spent time on his or her own, especially for longer periods of time.
- DO seek assistance from a qualified professional if your dog appears anxious when left alone.
Canine Caveat
Be mindful as to whether your dog appears anxious while you’re getting ready to leave or exhibits any of the following behaviors:
- chewing and/or digging at doorways and windows within the first hour of being left;
- not eating when left alone;
- howling or barking throughout the day; or
- eliminating in the house when he or she is already house-trained.
If any of the above behaviors occur, we recommend you speak with a certified professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist to evaluate and help make the correct diagnosis and receive proper treatment.
Remember, dogs are social animals by nature. The transition period between current and post-summer vacations can be stressful on everyone. But you can still help your dog enjoy the last few dog days of summer, along with a new routine of self-sufficiency and enjoyment. All it takes is knowing what you want, realistic expectations, a little patience and some dress rehearsals.
BBQs and Beyond: Teaching Your Dog to Make Better Choices
Aug 5th
Dear Inquisitive Canine,
Learn how to keep your canine's paws off your surf & turf!
We have a 5-year-old boxer named Austin. The problem we’re having is we’re not sure what to do when he does something bad, like pulling a whole fish off the BBQ and eating the entire thing at once! How do I show him that this is bad?!
Also, he tends to play with items that aren’t toys, such as sleeping bags, socks, etc. How can I distract him from those items and teach him to play with good items?
Nicki the boxer mama
Dear Nicki,
Well, I have to commend Austin for being so clever and resourceful — he’s designed his own scavenger hunt! Quite the little engineer, he is. I understand this wasn’t your intention though, since you consider it “bad” behavior. Let’s see what we can do to provide Austin with enjoyable activities around the house, giving him the opportunity to make “good” choices, while at the same time keeping you happy.
First, allow me to send out a gentle reminder that scavenging and “counter-surfing” are among some of the more common everyday behaviors exhibited by our endearing domestic doggies. My sidekick, Poncho, can totally vouch for that! As a matter of fact, he provided some wonderful training tips for another inquisitive canine who wrote with the same concerns. For Poncho’s pooch perspective, check out this Inquisitive Canine piece on training tips for counter-surfing canines.
Now, let’s create a plan you can use both indoors and out. As a certified professional dog trainer, I see the overall plan as twofold: First, managing Austin’s environment so he’s not given the chance to exhibit behaviors you don’t desire; and secondly, training Austin to perform the more exact behaviors you want, in the situations you want, thus teaching him what the good choices are.
BBQ Dos and Don’ts
The safest and most reliable way to prevent Austin from searching for and scoring tidbits off the barbecue is to heed the following tips:
For training tips around grills, combine the basics with an emphasis on rewarding any and all behaviors you want! Remember, dress rehearsals are key, especially since barbecues and daily-life chaos tend to keep us preoccupied.
Basic Training: Canine Grill Safety
- Reward your pup for ignoring the barbecue: Say he walks by it and decides to stay away. Whether you’ve asked him to or not, he should be thanked. Acknowledge him with anything he finds motivating to reinforce that behavior. Use praise, petting, a game of fetch or tug, and even a yummy treat to make an impact.
- Teach “down-stay” in one location: Train Austin to perform a settle down-stay on a bed, towel or mat. Reward him for being on his “magic carpet” — all good things hap-pen when he spends time there. If he starts to wander toward the BBQ, you can ask him to “leave it!” and as soon as he comes away from it, reward him heavily. If he continues to push his limits, you can send him indoors. After a minute or so, allow him to return to his special mat and reward him for being there. He will soon learn this distinction: “Hmm, if I stay on my blankie, I get treats and I get to hang out. If I wander to-ward the hot thing with food on it, I end up inside … bummer.” He’ll soon learn what the better choice is.
Life of the Pawty
For additional training and management tips for parties and barbecues, check out this post on teaching your dog to be the perfect host.
The Great Indoors
When it comes to teaching Austin to choose “good” items indoors, start with the most straightforward step: Pick up, clean up and put away anything and everything you don’t want him to touch. You’ll also want to close doors, drawers and cupboards. Leaving stuff lying around the house is common behavior exhibited by us humans! But setting him up for success is important for instilling good manners.
For behavioral training, reward Austin for leaving forbidden items alone, while at the same time rewarding him with high-value treats for choosing and playing with his own toys! Remember, these “good” items need to be ones he loves, not just ones you think he should like. With consistency, he’ll soon learn that making the better choice has the more advantageous payoff.
Paws & Reflect
Allow me to reiterate that dogs are scavengers, predators and omnivores who enjoy keeping busy and problem solving. Anything and everything in your dog’s environment that is both within reach and interesting will more often than not be investigated —- and many times played with, chewed or eaten (especially if he is bored). But with keen management on your part, and some simple training, you can have an inquisitive canine who makes better choices, including leaving your dinner alone.
Holiday Pet Safety for the Fourth and Year-Round Social Graces
Jul 1st
Dear Inquisitive Dog Guardians,
According to my calendar, the summer season has officially launched. This means warmer weather, parties and vacations! Wow, time flies when you’re working hard and having fun (like answering Dear Inquisitive Canine questions and barking at trucks — two of my favorite activities).
This month kicks off with the long Fourth of July weekend, including lots of partying and fire-works, so before I talk training and management tips for having company over, mom recommends we share a few gentle reminders to maintain a fun but safe environment for you and your own inquisitive canine.
Holiday Safety Tips for Pets
Independence Day can be very stressful (and dangerous) for many animals, not just us dogs. We encourage you to go through your safety checklist to help protect the furry friends in your life:
Read more tips from mom for protecting your pets during this high-spirited holiday, or check out tidbits from yours truly on precautions for pooches.
OK, now that we’ve covered the topic of safety, it’s time to share some tips for refining those canine social skills!
Year-Round Training Tips for a Well-Mannered Pooch
Summertime is the social season, as our schedules fill with parties, picnics and other outings. That means plenty of situations when you might need your pooch to mind his or her manners. But my certified professional dog trainer mom [ LINK TO: http://www.inquisitivecanine.com/about-inquisitive-canine/joan-mayer/ ] is a big believer in “Train it before you need it” to ensure that you and your inquisitive canine are prepared. Similar to school children practicing fire drills before there’s an actual fire, she recommends rehearsing behaviors you’re likely to need before you ask your dog to perform them.
I know when we have company, the following things may be asked of me:
- Greeting people (and other dogs) politely at the door: Sitting or standing is the preferred way humans would like to be greeted by us canines. They also prefer if we stay within our own property lines, meaning door-dashing is not on the approved list!
- Being able to chill out quietly in a specific location: Sometimes our guests want time to themselves, so when I'm asked to “Sit” or “Stay” I do so where mom prefers. This includes near the front door, living room, in the kitchen area and/or outside in the yard or on the patio.
- Leaving things alone when asked: We doggies are scavengers and enjoy hunting and gather-ing as much as you humans, so if you leave food lying around, then it’s fair game!
- Coming when called: Just in case someone isn’t familiar with your house rules or you get sidetracked and leave a door or gate open.
Manage, Manage, Manage!
If you’re really busy and don’t have the time to train your dog, or are caught up in the festivities, then I’d suggest you opt for plan B: Management! Manage your dog and/or his or her surround-ings, whether at home or out and about. This means setting up barriers and boundaries to help create an environment in which your furry friend isn’t able to practice unwanted behaviors. (’Cause every time we practice, we get better at it!)
For example, if your dog hasn’t been taught to greet people and other dogs politely at the door, it might be best for you to either have your dog on a leash, or sequester him or her to another location while you escort friends and family inside. If you choose to sequester your dog, pick a place where he or she can hang out that is safe but still fun and rewarding. In other words, create a playground for your dog, not a dungeon.
To create an area of recreation while avoiding time out situations, make sure your dog has enrichment — such as interactive food toys or chew bones, along with water — at his or her disposal. This way, your dog will actually look forward to hanging out in his or her “fun zone.” Once you have a break and everyone has settled in, then you’ll be more relaxed to bring your dog out to meet the guests.
For additional dog training tips about creating a rewarding environment for your dog, read this previous post about enrichment for dogs.
We know that this time of year can be really fun for everyone, including the family pets. We appreciate and applaud you for taking the extra time to take care of your animals, including maintaining a safe and rewarding environment, and wish you a happy and safe holiday weekend!
_______
Dear Inquisitive Canine is written by Joan Mayer and her trusty sidekick, Poncho. Joan is a certified professional dog trainer and human-canine relationship coach. Poncho is a 10-pound mutt that knows a lot about human and canine behavior. Their column is known for its simple, common-sense approach to dog training and behavior, as well as its entertaining insight into implementing proven techniques that reward both owner and dog.
Joan is also the founder of the Inquisitive Canine, and developer of the Out of the Box Dog Training Game, which highlights her love-of-dog training approach and the importance of understanding canine behavior. If you or your dog has questions about behavior, training or life with each other, please email them directly.
Dear Inquisitive Canine: Moving to a New Home With Pets, Part II
Jun 3rd
In our last column, “On the Move with Pets, Part I,” we addressed behavioral concerns from an inquisitive dog guardian who is on the move and relocating across the country with her husband and three dogs.
We shared our management and dog training tips for preparing for the move, easing any associated anxiety and traveling across country. We wanted to devote this installment to ways to make the transition as smooth as possible during the moving day itself.
As a dog guardian and certified professional dog trainer, I know how important it is to plan ahead and am happy to offer my best training and management advice to help ensure a safe and successful transition for everyone.
Moving Day!
- Minimizing stress: During the time when your household is being relocated, consider ways to make it less stressful for everyone — including your dogs. Ask a friend to help by watching your dogs when you’re doing last-minute packing or loading of the moving truck or while movers are trekking in and out of the home. Another option is setting up a doggy playdate with friends’ dogs. Alternately, you could hire a dog walker or pet sitter. If your dogs spend time at a doggy daycare, then that could be another option to keep your inquisitive canines busy while still having fun.
- Taking the comforts of home with you: Remember to pack items that are part of your dogs’ normal everyday lives. Consider the bare necessities such as water, food and treats, his or her favorite blanket (or bed/towel), a crate if this is what you use for transportation, medical records and medications (if any) and a leash. A favorite toy and/or chewies for times when at hotels or rest stops could be helpful, too.
Another “comfort” can be a sweaty T-shirt that you or other family members have worn that you place in his or her crate or bed. The “smell of home” can help provide reassurance through sensory memory that he or she is still with family. As a reminder, all of your dogs should be wearing collars with current IDs and rabies tags at all times. Also, having extra towels, sheets or blankets can be quite handy for a variety of reasons.
Movin’ and Shakin’: Heading Out on Your Journey!
- Safety in the car: Although there are no current laws for pet safety in cars, I am a huge proponent of safety belts for dogs. They’re inexpensive, work really well and help protect everyone. For smaller dogs, car seats with safety belts are available. If you choose to go another route such as a crate, make sure all safety latches are working well, and that each has a comfy mat/bed that doesn’t slide around. You’ll also want to ensure that each has ventilation and enough room to move about.
If your dogs haven’t been crate-trained, you can find out more about the benefits and get some basic training tips on my dog training blog. Choosing a form of safety restraint is ideal, as allowing dogs to roam free in a moving car is dangerous for everyone.
- Taking time for breaks: As much as you want to get to your new home ASAP, you’ll want to take the time to make frequent stops, giving yourself and your dogs the opportunity to potty, move around a little, stretch and get some fresh air. Finding an area to play a little fetch or run around will help reduce the energy factor, which in turn can help your dogs want to nap — but only if it’s safe to do so! Remember to abide by leash laws and be aware of your surroundings to help prevent your dogs from running off.
- Eating on the road: If either of your dogs has a sensitive tummy, you’ll want to limit food and excessive water intake. Light meals and a few treats here and there are usually adequate during the drive. You can check with your vet to make sure, though, since health conditions can factor into eating schedules.
- Fresh air can help with reducing tummy upset. Air controls turned on in the car or having windows down a few inches is fine, but allowing dogs to hang out windows while driving can lead to disaster, so that is something you’ll want to be aware of. Make sure the safety locks are on, too, to prevent heads or paws from getting caught in windows.
- Never leave your dogs alone in the car for prolonged periods: Short periods such as when you’ve stopped for a restaurant meal would be an exception, as long as you remember to leave them with plenty of air and water. You’ll also want to park where you can keep a watchful eye on the car. Another suggestion would be to offer your dogs a potty and stretch break before getting back on the road.
Home Sweet Home: The Big Arrival!
- Settling into your new home: This can be painless, provided you take a few extra steps to ensure it. Similar to humans, canines are homeostatic creatures. They like stability and the routines they’ve established as much as we do. This means you’ll want to do all you can to ensure your dogs keep within their routines as much as possible.
- Initially, you’ll want to keep him or her on leash even indoors, and especially outside when you first arrive. Walk your dogs around the entire home within each room so he or she has the chance to sniff and explore. If there were previous owners who had pets, various scents might trigger your dogs to mark his or her territory. Keep a watchful eye on this and interrupt gently with your happy voice to redirect away from the area. Reward your dog for ignoring, while making a note to yourself which areas will need to be cleaned.
- If you have a fenced yard, check each inch of the perimeter to ensure it is safe from your dogs getting out or other animals getting in. And unless you’re actively playing with your dogs outside in your fenced yard, you might want to consider keeping them inside until each one has made the adjustment and settled in comfortably.
- Feeding schedules, exercise routines and sleeping timetables are all routines you’ll want to maintain as much as possible. Taking walks together in your new neighborhood will give everyone a chance to check out your new location and maybe even meet your new neighbors. Who knows? You might even find some other doggies in the area for possible playdates. Remember to bring treats with you to reward behaviors you like!
Moving can be stressful on all animals, human and nonhuman. But with planning, a little legwork before you head out and management along the way, you’re sure to make this exciting adventure more peaceful and less traumatic for everyone. We’ll miss you in California, but we wish you all the best for a safe, stress-free and successful journey!
— Dear Inquisitive Canine is written by Joan Mayer and her trusty sidekick, Poncho. Joan is a certified professional dog trainer and human-canine relationship coach. Poncho is a 10-pound mutt that knows a lot about canine and human behavior. Their column is known for its simple common-sense approach to dog training and behavior, as well as its entertaining insight into implementing proven techniques that reward both owner and dog. Joan is also the founder of The Inquisitive Canine, where her love-of-dog training approach highlights the importance of understanding canine behavior. If you or your dog have questions about behavior, training or life with each other, e-mail them directly.
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