She's Still A Puppy

With Hush’s first birthday less than a month away, I have been thrilled with how much she has matured. She no longer sleeps in her crate, instead, now she sleeps on my bedroom floor with the door to the crate open so she can come and go as she pleases. She has been an absolute saint with the added freedom. The most destructive thing she has done is tear the head off of her plush duck toy that quacks. She has not chewed any furniture, nor has she gone anywhere near any of my shoes. She happily sleeps on the floor with Milly all night, and quietly waits for breakfast and her walk in the morning. When I am not home, however, I do still crate her.

With so much great behavior, I was absolutely shocked two nights ago when I heard a tearing noise and looked down to see her eating the corner of one of my books. I had two books sitting on a trunk at the foot of my bed. Of course, Hush decided to go for Tipsy in Madras, an out-of-print satirical preppy drinking guide that is selling used on Amazon for nearly $50.00. And, of course, my copy was in mint condition. I would not have cared at all if she'd gone for the beach read beside Tipsy In Madras that I snagged in a used book swap. But, alas, she went for the expensive one.

The silver lining is at least all of the words are still intact, which I discovered upon opening the book, and was promptly inspired to make a tasty beverage found on the first page I turned to. I suppose the bite marks do give the book more character, although I hope to never be in this position again. I am glad I caught her in the act so I had the opportunity to scold her, but I probably should not have left such temptations within her reach. This was the first, and hopefully only time, she ever chewed on any paper product or book... so it really caught me off guard. In many ways, you don't want to set your dogs up to fail by giving them too much freedom, but at the same time learning to just be and relax in environments is critical. I certainly will not stop letting her sleep out of her crate, though now I'll check to make sure nothing is within her reach. And, this reaffirms she still is not ready to spend longer periods of time when I am away from the house outside of her crate. Since this incident, I have made a real effort to give her lots of physical and mental stimulation, as behaviors like chewing tend to be out of boredom.

Stop Burning Money on Useless Pet Products!

I’ve spent a lot of money on dog related products over the years, I shudder to think of the amount spent, and I’m grateful I don’t have the receipts from every dog-related purchase or I might have a heart attack if I ever saw the grand total! One thing I’ve found is I buy a product, try it out, and then find a product I like more, or learn why the product I bought isn’t quite as wonderful as I initially thought or marketing told me it would be.

I’ve gotten sick and tired of this. I waste money by not initially buying the better product, usually a bit more expensive than my first purchase, because I end up buying the cheaper product and then the more costly better product. I have a dog supply graveyard, a basket full of no longer useful training aids, grooming tools, and toys. I could have avoided this by just buying the better grooming tools and training aids from the get-go, but the toys are a bit trickier, as every dog has their own personal opinions regarding what is fun to play with!

What’s in the basket you might ask? Two slicker brushes – they work, they do the job, but I feel like they actually kind of damage the coat. They’ve since been replaced by a Chris Christensen slicker brush (which I love!) that cost the same as the two inferior ones. A Gentle Leader halter – Milly hated it, and I prefer actually training her to walk loosely on a leash. A Sporn Harness – this worked, but I’ve since replaced it with a prong collar for walks and Milly has really learned loose leash walking (even on a flat collar)! A retractable leash – they’re dangerous, they can literally decapitate your fingers, and they promote leash pulling. Nail clippers – many different types. Shampoos – many contain high amounts of alcohol and dull the coat. And that’s just the first layer of stuff in the basket!

In a world full of so many doggie doodads it’s hard to know what the better product actually is. Believe it or not, often the best dog products aren’t even available at big pet supply stores like Petsmart or Petco! They’re instead made by smaller companies who cater to the extremely educated dog owner or dog professional – whether it is a show breeder, handler, groomer, or dog trainer – and can be purchased online, at pet expo’s, dog show vendors or specialty boutiques.

In an effort to end this silly frivolous spending I contacted a Golden Retriever breeder whom I admire and respect greatly. I asked her what the best grooming tools she owns are, and why. What exactly I need, and don’t need. I’m slowly acquiring them, but there are many I’m still saving for.

Want to do the same thing, but own a different breed? Join your local breed club and contact other members for advice! You might spend a bit more up front, but you’ll save in the end!

How Much Do You Trust Your Dog???

I had a very interesting conversation with my boyfriend last night, and it got me thinking... do you trust your dog? If so, just how much?

I trust Milly completely, but I do know that she has claws and teeth, and while I don't think she would ever be destructive in the house, or bite a person, I know that she is completely capable of these things. I usually plan my life around this knowledge, and don't take chances, even though I trust her.

As many of you already know, I firmly believe in crate training. Not only is this, in my opinion, the optimum way to housebreak a dog, but it also provides a safe haven for your pup. Dogs sleep in dens, they like to have their own space, and feel secure in their crate if you crate train them. A crate trained dog makes life much easier should you ever go out-of-town and have a pet sitter. If your dog is crate trained, and ever is injured and activity levels need to be limited time in the crate is ideal. 

I also believe that at least as puppies it can be very helpful to keep the crate not in your bedroom. There are two reasons for this - first, you'll get more sleep... just set your alarm for some middle of the night potty breaks for a very young puppy, and secondly, keeping the crate not in your bedroom makes your puppy less dependent on you, and can help separation anxiety problems from developing. 

When I got Milly she was petrified of her crate, but she has come along way, and now happily walks in when asked. I doubt she'll ever walk in it on her own (like a dog crate trained from puppyhood would), but she does not mind her time in the crate. When I am not home, Milly either is outside with access to the sun room, in her crate, or in my bedroom with the door shut, TV on, and the door leading into my bathroom closed as well. One thing I never do is leave her with free range of the house. She'd probably be fine, and not do anything naughty... okay, I know her, she'd probably jump on the sofa while I was out, and she isn't allowed on furniture. She might even get into the trash if something tasty was in it, and she's been known to do a little bit of counter surfing, especially if there is a loaf of bread on the counter. I don't want to be mad at her, and I don't want to set myself up for disappointment, so I just avoid the instances that could be potential problems. I find she is happier, and feels much more secure when left in my bedroom with all of the doors closed than she would if I left her alone with free range of the house.

When it comes to behavior in other situations, and my trust of Milly, I work very hard to have a positive relationship with her, and a lot of this comes from her feeling secure. When we go to the dog part I work on her recall (this needs a lot of work, especially when at the dog park) from the very beginning. I don't just let her play and then start calling her when I want to leave, because this is counter productive. Why would she want to listen to me calling her if I've ignored her for 45 minutes as she played? She should respond whenever I call, and she should feel secure that I am there for her. So I'll take the time and call her over every few minutes. While I want her to have fun at the dog park, I also want her to feel secure. If there was ever a fight at the dog park, or something I didn't want her near, I want her recall to be strong enough that she comes when called with distractions, and knows "leave it" if she shows interest in something I don't want her to have, or something that could be dangerous for her. I've noticed a lot of dog park conflicts come from dogs whose masters are not working on their dog's recalls, and instead are talking on their phones, reading the paper, or simply not paying attention to where their dog is, their dog's body language, and the relationship to other dogs around their dog. 

I recently dog sat two toy breed dogs. The dogs had a lot of fear of new people, new dogs, new houses, and were filled with anxiety. Both were rescues, adopted together, and still had a long way to go before they felt secure. I wanted their time with me to be as positive as possible, and really worked on emphasizing their security. To meet Milly they were in their crate, and Milly was leashed on the other side of the room. Eventually Milly walked around the room, but the little dogs still were in their crate. I took them out, and they were introduced (obviously, all dogs on leashes), and things went okay, not great, but okay. When it came to them being outside I kept them in a large pen for the first three days, and let them get used to seeing Milly, and smelling her from the security of their play pen. By the time I removed the play pen the toy dogs were totally confident, and realized the play pen was their safe place, just like their crate is their safe place when inside. They were free to come and go as they pleased from the playpen, but they really seemed to enjoy having this security.

When it comes to feeding, I firmly believe in giving your dogs meals, and not free-feeding. This is my personal opinion, but I want my dog to eat on a schedule, and I'd like to know exactly how much my dog is consuming. I want her to eat when I feed her, and I practice the 15 minute rule: the bowl of food goes down at meal time for 15 minutes, if she doesn't eat it in 15 minutes the bowl is removed until the next feeding. Eventually, and usually pretty quickly, your dog will start to eat at meal times, and appreciate the structure of a schedule. If Milly needs medication in her food I want her to eat it at meal time. I really appreciate the structure of meal times, if I have to go somewhere, I know exactly how much time it will take to feed Milly. If I have to board Milly, I know that she will eat at meal times. Having a structured feeding schedule helps with your dog's overall sense of security.

In short, sometimes it's good to think about how much we trust our pets. I don't want to set my dog up for failure, and I really want her to feel safe and secure. I work hard to always be aware of her surroundings, and put her in situations where she is safe, and the amount of destruction she could cause is left to a minimum. When I introduce her to new people I always tell them the best way to pet her or approach her (especially with small children). I even practice taking her bowl away mid-feeding every few weeks. She's totally fine with this, and always has been, but I want her to know that we work on this. If ever I had to remove her food mid-feeding for a reason, I want her to not get upset or aggressive about this. If a child ever stuck their hand in her food bowl, I want her to not bite a hand. 

THUNDERSTORM ANXIETY

My childhood dog, VT (named for Vermont, where he adopted us), had thunderstorm and fireworks anxiety, and Milly has fireworks anxiety and mild thunderstorm anxiety, too.

With so much experience with anxiety associated with loud, I have developed a system that helped to lessen VT and now Milly’s nervousness.

First, do not wait until the storm arrives to address the anxiety. If you know bad weather is coming your way, start early. Milly responds very well to taking Bach’s Rescue Remedy before a stressful event (she is also terrified of vacuum cleaners, so we give her Rescue Remedy before our annual spring cleaning day too). You can also you’re your dog pure Chamomile Tea Leaves with a little bit of food – the Chamomile can relax them. Speak with your veterinarian before doing this, and test it ahead of time to ensure your dog reacts safely to it. Turn on the radio or TV. I like to use stations with people talking in soothing voices – HGTV or NPR are channels and stations where the voices in the background sooth Milly.

Next, turn on a floor fan to medium or high, and tilt it toward the floor of the room where your dog is (it doesn’t need to be directly on your dog, but you want it in the general direction of your dog). This creates white noise that will help drown out the thunder or fireworks. If your dog lies near the fan, the wind of the fan will feel good to the dog and the fan will create slight floor vibrations that will be relaxing for your dog. If you have a white noise sleep machine you can turn this on to drown out the thunder as well.

Because lightning is not nearly as scary or thrilling if you cannot see it, you’ll want to close all of the curtains in the room and turn on some lights.

Thunderstorms are not a safe time to be outside, especially for dogs with thunderstorm anxiety, who may run away out of fear if left outside. If you have a doggie door, close it and lock it before the storm.

Many dogs will head for their favorite safe place in the house when stressed about thunder or fireworks. Whether it is the bathroom, a closet, under a table, or your bedroom make it available to your dog. This is not the time to scold your dog for not going in the bathroom – if they feel safe there, let them be there (and bring the TV or radio, fan, and Rescue Remedy to their safe place). If your dog does not have “a safe place” you can create a den for them by draping a sheet or blanket across a table or chair to give them a place to hide. With VT we would place his dog bed under the table, and then drape the blanket over it for added comfort. Milly’s safe place is my bedroom, preferably with her head on my lap for added security.

When the storm or fireworks arrive you’ll notice your dog’s reactions. Some dogs, like Milly, will stick to you like glue, others will pace or bark or whimper.

Next, you’ll want to sit down. When the anxiety is setting in, it is a good time to stay in one place, and act unimpressed by the event (if you are also scared of thunderstorms, you should take some Bach’s Rescue Remedy yourself, so that you remain calm for your dog). You need to let your dog get a sense of calmness from you.

Tell your dog to “Settle Down,” but know that every hair on your dog’s body feels like things are not OK, and you won’t be able to convince him that they are. A confident, but not aggressive or mean, “Settle Down” will be reassuring for your dog. When anxiety is setting in this is not the time for baby talk or coddling your dog. That will make him/her feel even needier. Instead, a firm and confident tone of voice, a quick pat on the head or a brief scratch is better than baby talk and soft stroking.

If problems continue, please speak with your veterinarian about other alternatives and ways to address your dog’s thunderstorm or fireworks anxiety.

Twist 'n Treat

It amazes me how far the pet industry has come in such a small amount of time. Do you remember the options for dog toys 10, 15, or 20 years ago? I remember my childhood dogs practically grew up on rawhide chews (the kind with the knots on both ends) that I would never feed a dog now. Toys were tennis balls, rope, or squeaky toys, and if you wanted to play fetch with your dog you had to be good at throwing a ball… these were the days before the Chuck-It. Back then, if you wanted to leave the house for hours and keep your dog occupied you’d probably leave him with his tennis ball and a rawhide, because you didn’t have a Kong or a bully stick to provide him with. We fed kibble once a day (at 5pm) - canned food was only in the house after Sweetie was hit by a car and had her jaw wired shut for a few months – the dogs spent the day outside - romping around the farm, doing whatever it is that farm dogs do – the ones that did play fetch did so with sticks that I threw. They were all wonderful dogs that were happy, fit, and healthy, but they lacked all of the toys, treats, supplements and advanced holistic diets that Milly has today. Perhaps their massive yard (68 acres) filled the void for them, or perhaps I simply have fallen victim to the pet industry and become a materialistic dog owner.

Have we really gotten so far away from nature that you can now buy FetchStix?!?!

This is one product I will not be purchasing, I'll just pull them off of a low hanging branch as needed.

I’m not going to lie, I sincerely enjoy buying things for Milly, and testing them out. I am intrigued by the variety of products available for pet owners, and I am usually an easy target for a sales person. I even sometimes let Milly go shopping with me and pick out her next toy. But, on my last shopping trip to AKA Spot in Clarendon (Arlington, VA) I was on a mission for two things: Texas Toothpicks and an Everlasting Treat Ball. They had the Texas Toothpicks (which had gone up in price by $2, and now are only a little bit cheaper there than at other stores in the area) and did not have the Everlasting Treat Ball.

Texas Toothpicks are a great alternative to rawhide bones, and are all natural & made in the USA!

Milly goes nuts for them!

Milly has started digging a lot when she is in the yard (she doesn’t dig on grass, but if the soil is loose around plants she loves to dig) and I know this is probably because she is bored, so I wanted to pick up something to keep her occupied. The saleswoman was wonderful, feeding Milly tomato treats (with my permission, of course), asking all about Milly, and making me feel very comfortable and welcome. She showed me the Busy Buddy Twist ‘n Treat and I was sold!

The Twist ‘n Treat is the first and only 2-piece adjustable rubber treat dispensing toy. You can adjust the rate of treat dispersal to suit the interest and ability of your dog by twisting the disks tighter or looser. When I first introduced the Twist ‘n Treat filled with Merrick's Lamb Fillet Squares to Milly, I left enough space in the opening to allow treats to fall out regularly, so she could “win the game.” Once Milly got the hang of it and played successfully with the Twist ‘n Treat, I screwed the opening tighter and this extends the length of play. Because the opening is adjustable you can fill the Twist ‘n Treat with a variety of soft, hard, and smear-able treats. I also love that it is made of natural rubber. Milly got the hang of it pretty quickly, and with in 4 days I was screwing the Twist ‘n Treat to the tightest setting. She’s figured out how to use her front paws and her nose to roll it on its side, and can get the treats out a bit faster than I’d like, but she seems to really love the action of playing with the toy, and having to work at a game.

I would recommend the Twist ‘n Treat to anyone and a bonus is it comes in three sizes, so you are sure to find one that works for your pup!