Consistency

Dogs remember, but they don't reason.

Your dog will remember where the bag of garbage was that he was able to get into and gorge, he will remember the time he was allowed on the bed, or climbed into Grandpa's lap for a cuddle.  If these things are not allowed, they should never have been allowed.  It is YOUR responsibility to keep things consistent for your dog- if he is not allowed on the furniture, then he should NEVER be allowed on the furniture.  If he is not allowed to rush people at the door, he should NEVER be allowed to rush people at the door.

He can't figure out when it's ok and when it's not- that is YOUR job.

Consistency means ALWAYS or NEVER to a dog.  Don't let there be gray area.

How to De-Skunkify your Dog

Skip the tomato juice, visit to the groomer/vet, or any special product at the pet store.  These simple ingredients are effective and common household items:

• hydrogen peroxide
• baking soda
• dish soap

Remember, do not rinse the dog or wet him first!

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Little River Duck Tollers

Cold Days

In the chill zone of Canada, we often need to spend more time indoors this time of year.  Inside time can be boring for your dog, as there is way more to see and do out of doors!

Recommendations for alleviating boredom from cabin fever:

• seek out 'indoor' dog activities- some cities have indoor dog parks and pools, or you could take an obedience class, agility class, join a flyball team, check out scent hurdle, herding or freestyle
• teach him/her to hop on the treadmill.  Clear off the ironing, dust off the control panel and get it going- with patience and direct supervision, your dog can go quite the 'distance' right there in your living room.
• research and teach him/her some tricks.  Dogs can learn "play dead", "shake a paw", and many more things while the snow flies outside.  It might not be physical exercise but it is good for his/her mind!
• play hide and seek, tug, wrestle, retrieving down the hall, or hide the cookies.
• there are lots of neat interactive toys you can find for your dog, or you can get a treat-dispensing toy that needs to be moved around for little bits and pieces to come out.
• grooming- every two weeks, I get out the old towel, sit on the floor and do a complete brushing, nail trim, ear clean and check for lumps/bumps on each dog.  It is both good practice and keeps them in good condition.  Also excellent for bonding if done with patience, love and gentleness.

Discipline and Punishment

There are many, many ways to show your dog your displeasure with something he or she has done.  Just try to remember that they honestly don't see what they do as 'wrong'.  Everything a dog does has a reason or a purpose that makes sense in his or her own head, and they don't intentionally do things to upset you.  That makes no sense at all.  It assumes that the dog not only thinks about 'revenge' but also plots opportune moments to exact this revenge.

Sounds kind of ridiculous huh?

If a dog pees or poops in the house, it is not to get back at you for going out.  It is because he had to pee or poop and access to the outdoors was not available or s/he did not get your attention to permit access.

If a dog eats something nasty out of the garbage, it is not to tell you s/he doesn't like her food, it is because that item smelled good and s/he could not resist the temptation.

If your dog gets on the couch when you are not around, even though s/he is not allowed on that couch (ever?) it is because s/he has figured out that s/he gets in trouble for being on the couch when you are there and in NO trouble for going up when you are NOT there.

If your dog freaks out when the doorbell rings, it is because s/he has been taught that this is ok.  In other words, has not been taught something else to do, such as lie down on his bed and wait to be called.

See where I am going with all this?

Tennis Balls

While tennis balls are the perfect size for an adult Toller to grasp in its mouth, beware the fuzzy covering.  That bright yellow (or pink, orange, blue, etc.) material is extremely abrasive.  It might not seem so to the touch, but how would you like to run it against your teeth for awhile?  No?  Well how would you like to rub it against your dog's teeth?  Make you think?  I thought so.

Now I am not saying tennis balls are evil (almost, but not completely.)  And even the ones which say on the package, "Won't harm your dog's teeth" are not to be trusted.  Tennis balls should never be included in the toybox your dog has access to, but should be managed by the humans and brought out/put away by you.  This way, the dog's realtime access to the damage is limited. 

The dog should be discouraged from chewing or excessive mouthing of the tennis ball when retrieving, as this is what causes the most dulling of sharp canine teeth.  Other similarly sized items are a much better choice in the first place, and many good pet stores carry balls made of rubber and other dog friendly materials.  We have several, of slightly angled balls that bounce unpredictably and even ones made of glow in the dark material so we can play at night.

And this doesn't just go for tennis balls.  Any shape of item covered in the fuzzy stuff should be treated with caution.  Chuckit balls (the blue and orange) that say they are less harmful to the teeth, are ultimately what caused the most damage to Topaz's major canines top and bottom, before I even noticed. So beware the marketing my friends.