It’s Me or the Dog: How to have the Perfect Pet

It’s Me or the Dog: How to have the Perfect Pet Victoria Stilwell Victoria Stilwell provides her successful programme for perfect dog training.Do they ignore every word you say? Have they started coming in at all hours? Are they wrecking your home? No, it’s not the nation’s teenagers – it’s our pets. Nearly five million homes in the UK own a dog – but who really calls the shots? With bad behaviour rife, it’s time to put the pets in their place – move over power nannies and parenting, this is Supernanny for pets.The Channel 4 series It’s Me or the Dog has established expert dog trainer Victoria Stilwell as a major TV talent.Her accompanying book offers a superb, practical manual for pet owners – whether faced with training a new puppy or with correcting the bad habits of an existing pet. Seeing the world from the dog's point of view is key and at the heart of Victoria's highly successful philosophy. She explains how dogs learn and provides a timed, structured programme for both puppies and older dogs, plus a wealth of problem-solving advice – from how to handle persistent barking to dealing with car journeys and interaction with children. Absolutely packed with info on everything from dog talk to diet, It's Me or the Dog is the must-have manual for every dog owner. Copyright (#ulink_a8e9fa9c-c69e-5289-9974-a5e91d6136d1) Collins An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/) First published in Great Britain in 2005 by Collins, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Text copyright © 2005, 2007 Ricochet Photography copyright © 2005, 2007 Mark Read The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work A catalogue record for this work is available from the British Library Note: Dogs are referred to as “he” throughout this book. This is no reflection of gender bias but was simply intended to make things easier for the reader. I see dogs of both sexes in my work, and the techniques outlined in the following pages will work whether your dog is a “he” or a “she.” All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication Source ISBN: 9781401308551 Ebook Edition © JANUARY 2017 ISBN: 9780007279258 Version: 2017-01-23 Dedication (#ulink_cd685b37-5a2d-53aa-8e6e-1787fd04d0ac) I dedicate this book to my beloved husband Van and daughter Alexandra. I am blessed to have you in my life and love you both so much. Contents Cover (#ucffd9d29-cf68-5b77-b0f1-4ae17983fc37) Title Page (#u27c83d72-f942-5690-83a2-4f22477ba00e) Copyright (#ulink_25a08a57-a448-500b-86a8-81f8655c05ec) Dedication (#ulink_c2b4cd30-3b31-571f-9801-04dc740c2a96) Introduction (#ulink_75cb7dff-c975-576e-be40-8de68b458453) Think Dog/understanding your dog (#ulink_fb211b56-c12b-5ba8-9215-55c5822eaacb) Talk Dog/communicating with your dog (#ulink_251659f7-e55a-57ec-9250-5f43c11c5b30) Dog School/basic obedience training (#litres_trial_promo) Dog’s Dinner/feeding your dog the right diet (#litres_trial_promo) Accidents Will Happen/how to house-train your dog (#litres_trial_promo) You’ll Never Walk Alone/exercising your dog (#litres_trial_promo) Ain’t Misbehaving/teach your dog how to live in your world (#litres_trial_promo) Worker’s Playtime/how to have fun with your dog (#litres_trial_promo) Contacts (#litres_trial_promo) Index (#litres_trial_promo) Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo) About the Author (#litres_trial_promo) About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo) Introduction (#ulink_7bc47b4e-4a9d-592e-91f9-af04403241dd) When I was a child, I longed for a dog. I used to put notes under my father’s pillow at night. “Please Daddy, can I have a dog? I promise you that if I get a dog I will never be naughty again.” My father always refused. There was one important reason why, and it was not the fact that he was not a dog-lover himself. Instead, it was because he knew that after the novelty wore off, he and my mother would be the ones who would have to look after the animal. As they both worked, it simply wasn’t practical. Looking back, I know they were right. In the last 15 years, I’ve more than made up for lost time. I’ve been a professional dog-walker, I’ve worked at dog shelters and in dogs’ homes, and continue to advise various rescue organizations. And I’ve fostered more than 40 dogs that were too old, too difficult, or too sick to be easily re-homed. When I was growing up, the closest I came to owning a dog was to visit the Beagles my grandmother bred. Our favorite outing was to walk the dogs along the fields beside the River Thames. Occasionally, the dogs would make a run for freedom. I have lasting memories of four Beagles taking off into the sunset, ears flapping, mouths turned up in grins at the thrill of the chase, while my grandmother, to no avail, yelled at them to come back. They were the worst-trained dogs you could imagine, but when they eventually returned home by themselves a couple of hours later, dirty, tired, and exhilarated, they were the happiest creatures on earth. My grandmother was a great inspiration to me, and has been a huge influence on my work. She grew up in a privileged, well-to-do home, with four older brothers, but she never conformed to how her father expected his little girl to behave. Rather than wearing pretty dresses, she longed to ride horses, work in kennels, and get muddy and dirty like her brothers were allowed to do. When her father died while she was in her teens, she proceeded to go her own way. Well before I came on the scene, she set up one of the first dog-grooming parlors in London, and then she became a breeder of Beagles. Her dogs, while a little lacking in training, were never spoiled, but they always came first in her affections. Those dogs had a five-star lifestyle. Benno was my first dog. I say “my,” but he wasn’t really mine. I was a young aspiring actor, and like many actors, was spending more time waiting tables than appearing on the stage. My sister was a veterinary nurse who supplemented her income by taking occasional dog-sitting jobs. Flat broke, and desperate to lead some semblance of a normal life, I took her advice and advertised myself as a dog-sitter. Within days, I received my first call, from Benno’s owners. Benno was a Border Collie puppy who lived with two busy lawyers. Even then, it seemed strange to me that two people who were working all day had decided to bring a puppy into their home, but at least they had the good sense to employ someone to care for him while they were out. I will never forget our first walk on Wimbledon Common. Benno looked up at me with such excitement, and somehow his eyes conveyed an energy that flowed right through me. That moment marked the beginning of my wonderful relationship with dogs. Within a couple of months of taking that first job walking Benno, I was exercising 20 dogs a day. The morning shift consisted of what I called the “misfits,” a motley crew representing many of the more popular breeds. Teddy, the Labrador puppy, was only too happy to roll in every patch of mud he could find. Shanty, the epileptic Bearded Collie, liked to leap over ferns like a would-be Giselle, while Wilbur, the white Boxer, who pretended to be the tough guy, was always the first one to run and hide behind my legs when any of the other dogs got angry with him. The afternoon shift comprised the “aristocrats”: The Schnauzer, Willie, and Archie, the West Highland Terrier, looked down their noses at all the other dogs, while delicately sniffing the ground around them. However, Jessie, the German Shepherd, whose owner was a well-known politician, kept everyone in their place. Whether with misfits or aristocrats, I would walk for hours on Wimbledon Common surrounded by these glorious creatures. The dogs never ran away, even though they were off the leash, nor did they fight. I never questioned why they didn’t. It wasn’t until I became a trainer that I understood why those dogs wanted to be with me. To the dogs, I was their leader and they listened to everything I said. They knew that they had a good thing going, and that when I showed up to walk them, pleasant and exciting things were about to happen. They respected me because I treated them with the utmost care and respect. They trusted me and knew that I was their protector. Those dogs with their quirks and diverse personalities were my introduction into the fascinating world of canine behavior. One day on the Common I met a behaviorist and we got talking. By then, I was becoming more curious about why dogs acted the way that they did, and from that point onward I began to back up my observations with study, reading books, going to seminars, and taking courses. At the same time, I volunteered as a walker for the famous Battersea Dogs’ Home – my first experience of handling rescue dogs. I also worked with Greyhound rescue agencies and other dog shelters. When I moved across the Atlantic to New York City in 1999, my work stepped up a notch. I set up a training school to instruct families with children on safe and effective dog training. I worked with the ASPCA and with rescue shelters in Manhattan in addition to training dogs in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. After spending two years filming It’s Me or the Dog in Britain, I relocated down south to Georgia, where I now run a training organization as well as serve as a behavior advisor to a number of rescue shelters in the north Georgia area. My husband and I fostered many dogs while we were in New York – dogs that we pulled from the municipal shelters before they were put to sleep. We looked after the elderly, and nurtured the young ones, many who were sick or had mental scars from abuse. In many cases, we were able to rehabilitate these dogs and find them new homes. We were careful not to form too close a bond with our foster dogs so they would find it easier to bond with their new owners, but it still wasn’t easy to say good-bye. We missed having our own dog, but work commitments kept us traveling and we were unable to offer a dog a stable lifestyle. Now, after many years, we are the proud owners of a rescued chocolate Labrador called Sadie. The two sides of my work, dog rescue and dog training, are deeply linked. Do you know that 96% of dogs that end up abandoned in shelters have never had any training? The year before I arrived in New York, 67,000 dogs and cats found themselves in shelters, and 47,000 of them were put down. That’s a tragic waste of life. The situation has now improved somewhat, with owners becoming more aware of the need to neuter their pets, but more dogs are still being bred than there are people who are willing to look after them properly. I have a profound respect for the domestic dog. For thousands of years, the dog has cohabited with humans, and put up with all the idiosyncrasies of our world. This unique and unbreakable partnership between dog and human has made the dog one of the most successful species on the planet. Your dog’s predecessors ensured the survival of the species by aligning themselves with the one other species that has the utmost power to protect them from threat: man. From fighting a constant battle for survival in the wild to sleeping on a comfy couch with an endless supply of food and affection – now that’s a clever animal! When I ask a new client what they want to achieve by training their dog, the standard response is that they want to train their dog to be obedient. They want their dog to respond to commands, such as “sit,” “get down,” and “stay,” to be house-trained, and to get along with other people and other dogs. Then I ask them: What do they think their dog needs? The reply is always very similar. Clients usually say that their dog needs to learn to “sit,” “stay,” and “get down,” to be house-trained, and to behave. And that is the popular view of what dog training is all about. What I hardly ever hear is that a client wants to learn how their dog learns, how their dog communicates, and what their dog needs in order to be successful. But that’s just it – training is about understanding how your dog perceives the world around him. Using this knowledge, you can then become a better communicator and create an environment where your dog is happy and has the confidence to cope with domestic life. Understanding and communication: It’s as simple as that. We’re so focused on getting our dogs to sit, stay, and come when called that we lose the very reason why we are doing this. This book is all about giving you a solid foundation of knowledge on which to build your training. Think of it as your support system. Of course, you can teach your dog to “sit” and to “come” without understanding much about his innate behavior. But sooner or later you will run into a problem or an area of difficulty that demands a more subtle approach. If you don’t understand what makes a dog tick, or how to communicate with him in a language that he can understand, you won’t be able to solve the problem. And at this point, many owners respond in one of two ways: Either they give up and ignore the situation, or they resort to harsh punishment that inevitably makes things worse. Some people carry on living their lives with an unruly pet, accepting all the restrictions that this state of affairs imposes upon them. Others find themselves at the end of their wits and decide to give up their dog. It doesn’t have to be that way. As a trainer, I’ve seen it all, from the dog who tried to eat through a wall every time his owner left the house, to more common problems, such as chewing shoes, barking in the garden, and chasing cats. As a dog fosterer, I know only too well what price pets pay when their owners can’t or won’t train them properly. That’s why I was delighted to be asked to take part in the television series It’s Me or the Dog, and show how fundamentally simple techniques can really turn around what seem like hopeless situations. Throughout the book, you will find advice on every aspect of caring for dogs, from what to feed them to how to walk them. At the same time, you’ll also find tried and tested solutions to the type of common problems most dog-owners encounter from time to time. Training isn’t about imposing your will on your dog; it’s about giving him the tools he needs to live in your world. Dogs are amazing animals. They never cease to fascinate and inspire me. Take the time to train your pet and you will be rewarded many times over by the love, affection, and sheer good company that dogs bring into our lives. My top ten rules for raising and training a dog 1 Think dog Understand how dogs learn and what makes them tick as a species. Dogs are not humans, but many people treat them like they are. 2 Talk dog Learn how to communicate effectively in dog language. Dogs can’t speak English, or any other human language. You, however, can learn to talk dog. 3 Top dog Who’s in charge? You are. You have to be a confident leader. Your dog will be much happier if he has an effective leader to follow. 4 Accentuate the positive Reward good behavior. Good things happen when your dog does well! Ignore or correct behavior you don’t want to encourage. Sounds simple, but many people do exactly the opposite without meaning to. Never, ever use harsh punishment. 5 Perfect timing Get the timing right when rewarding or correcting. Dogs won’t associate a reward or correction with an action if you leave it too long to respond. You need to give feedback within one second of the behavior. 6 He says, she says Be consistent at all times – and that goes for everyone in the family. Use the same commands and agree on your house rules. Can the dog sit on the sofa or not? Mixed messages confuse dogs and make them anxious because they can’t work out what they’re supposed to do. 7 Know your dog Your dog is an individual with his own strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Whether he’s purebred or a mixed breed, there are breed characteristics to take into account, too. Go with the flow. 8 Vary the picture Offer a variety of different experiences to stimulate your dog’s brain and senses. Dogs like to play and they get bored, just like we do. Don’t just train in the same place or using the same posture. Teach your dog to respond to you in every situation. 9 Lifelong learning Start training early and keep reinforcing the learning all through the dog’s life. You can, and should, teach an old dog new tricks. 10 Easy does it Make it easy for your dog to do well and succeed. Manage his environment. Put the shoes away so he can’t chew them. When you’re training your dog, accept failure as part of the learning process. Successful training requires patience. Think Dog understanding your dog (#ulink_7ef44f81-437d-570e-b8d6-0a8d7dd86546) In order to train your dog, you first have to see the world from his point of view. Dogs aren’t human beings, but many people treat them as if they were – and the problems start right there. Your dog may be living with humans in a human world, but his instincts remain pure dog. Let’s take one example. You take your dog to the park, he runs around for a while, sniffing the ground, and then he stops and rolls in the grass. If you see the scene through human eyes, you assume the dog is rolling in the grass for the sheer pleasure of it. Maybe you think he’s found a new way to scratch his back. Both interpretations may be partially correct, but it’s also likely that he is rolling in the grass to cover himself in a particular, appealing scent (and one that you probably can’t even smell). Experts aren’t entirely sure, but it is thought that wolves cover themselves in scent to reinforce their status within the pack, or to disguise their own scent when hunting prey. That’s a simple example of misunderstanding dog behavior, and one that has no particular impact on your relationship with your dog. In many other circumstances, however, getting the signals wrong can give rise to more serious problems. Understanding how a dog learns and how he perceives the world will provide you with a solid foundation upon which to base your training, and a means of communicating effectively with your pet. Your dog may be living with humans in a human world, but his instincts remain pure dog. The pack Dogs and people are able to live together so successfully because in some ways the two species are very similar. Like us, dogs are social creatures. In the wild, the wolf, the domestic dog’s ancestor, lives in packs composed of extended family groups. It nurtures its young for a relatively long period, and it communicates with its pack members using a wide range of signals – both gestures and sounds. The pack is structured in a clear order or hierarchy, with a dominant male and female pair at the top of the group and other members ranked lower down, depending on age, sex, and abilities. Communication is vital for the survival of the pack. It allows members to coordinate attacks on prey, and it plays a key role in establishing bonds within the group. Just as important, it reinforces the pecking order so that each pack member knows its place in the scheme of things. Many people wrongly assume that if left to their own devices, dogs would constantly fight for control and dominance. The reverse is actually true. Violence is an exception in wild dog or wolf behavior; deference is the norm. In fact, the hierarchy in packs is expressly designed to prevent the disruption of fighting, as well as to ensure that in times of crisis, the strongest survives to the benefit of the species as a whole. Why you have to be top dog When you bring a puppy or dog into your home, he becomes an important part of the family unit. In order for your dog to thrive, he needs a leader – and that leader has to be you. You are your dog’s guide to the weird and wonderful domestic environment in which he finds himself. Dogs may have been human companions for thousands of years, but that does not make it any easier for them to live by your rules without clear direction. When you are the leader, the dog will take his cues from you and settle much more confidently into your home. Some breeds are naturally more dominant than others, as are some individual dogs. But all dogs are happier and better behaved when they have constructive direction and clear boundaries to follow. If they know all good things in life come through you – including food, toys, praise, petting, and attention – they are more likely to listen to you. Many people wrongly think that punishment is the best way to show their dog who’s boss. In the past, a lot of dog training was overly corrective, using painful choke chains, for example, or the occasional smack. Hurting a dog is always wrong. It is also counterproductive. When you hit a dog, you teach him to fear you, you break his trust, and you weaken his confidence. Insecure dogs are the ones who are more likely to lash out in an aggressive display. It’s understandable – you’ve given them nowhere else to go. So how do you show the dog that you’re the leader? Well, this is where an understanding of dog behavior really comes into its own. Calm authority As a leader you must show calm authority. Think of yourself as the managing director of your company. It is much easier for people to follow a boss who is calm and in control. Dogs pick up every nuance of human behavior. When we’re upset, anxious, nervous, or stressed, our moods rub off on our four-legged friends. Projecting a calm, confident, and happy image will speak volumes to your dog. Attention Dogs, as social creatures, thrive on attention and are miserable when they are isolated. Attention can be a powerful reward for some dogs, so use it wisely in order to reinforce good behavior. Initiate contact on your terms. In the same way, ignoring your dog can help him to calm down if he is overly boisterous when he greets you. Wait until he has settled himself and then reward his calm with your attention. Relationship A good relationship is based on cooperation, not dominance. There is still a big trend in the United States to use more dominant training methods such as leash jerks and choke chains to stop pulling, “Alpha rolls” (where a dog is forcefully put on its side in an attempt to make the dog submissive and correct negative behavior), and other harsh punishments such as hitting and shouting. This kind of training has proven not only to be dangerous (many people get bitten as a result) but psychologically damaging (most negative behavior is due to a dog’s insecurity, not dominance, so using harsh punishment serves to heighten that insecurity and make the negative behavior worse). The real sadness, though, is that dominance training teaches a dog to respond out of fear, damaging that important human-animal bond. Harsh punishment has been shown to be detrimental to a child; the same is true for a dog. Positive training methods are much more effective, as a dog will respond to its owner because it wants to, not because of fear. Instead of numbing a dog’s natural and real emotions, positive methods can change the way a dog feels, promoting a deeper level of understanding in both dog and handler. The results are longer lasting, and this creates a happier dog and a happier owner. Food Food is a powerful tool in helping to focus your dog’s attention onto you. If your dog is food-motivated, then food can be used as a reward during training. Some dogs will become very protective when around food, and this can cause problems in a household. Limit and control access – never free feed (i.e., leave the food down all day so your dog can pick at it), and if your dog has stolen food, do not challenge him to give it back unless it poses a hazard to him, as this could illicit an aggressive response. (See also “Scavenging and stealing,” here (#litres_trial_promo).) Toys Many dogs are toy-motivated and love playing. There is nothing better than enjoying a game with your dog to increase the bond between you. The senses Much of the information the dog learns about the world, he receives through his senses. As human beings, our dominant sense is sight. We live in an intensely visual world. The same is not true of dogs. The richness of experience that we gain through our eyes is gained by the dog chiefly through his spectacular sense of smell. The only time I came close to understanding what it was like to have a heightened sense of smell was when I was pregnant. For the first few months, a whole new world opened up to me. Even in my delicate state, I could still appreciate how incredible it was that I seemed to be able to smell everything. Of course, there was a downside to that. For a while I went around wearing a face mask in the hope that a certain smell wouldn’t make me run for the bathroom, but unfortunately I could still smell sausages being cooked in the next city. And that is just a fraction of a dog’s capacity. The dog has forty times more scent receptors in his nasal cavities than we do. The part of the dog’s brain that processes scent information is also much more highly developed than our own. And you expect your dog not to want to be close to you when you’re cooking and eating dinner? Try putting your favorite food on the kitchen counter. Don’t eat for five hours and then walk past without taking a bite. We expect our dogs to have amazing impulse control when we humans often have very little. The dog has forty times more scent receptors in his nasal cavities than we do. Smell In the wild, the dog’s highly developed sense of smell gives the species a great advantage when tracking down prey and identifying fellow pack members. Where we would size up a new situation with our eyes, dogs explore new environments by sniffing them. When they greet or meet other dogs, they will sniff them in what – to our eyes – are the most embarrassing places, places where odor is most concentrated. Scent passes on an incredible amount of information to a dog. Scent-marking with urine or by leaving deposits from the sweat glands between the toes is the way dogs communicate and establish their territory. Sacs inside the dog’s rectum also produce a scent that coats the feces. When you’re out walking in the park with your dog, he’s using his nose to pick up who’s been there before him – perhaps a dominant dog, a female in heat, an old dog, a sick dog, or a dog he’s already met. Dogs can smell females in heat who are miles away. Sight Dogs see very differently than human beings. Our field of vision is about 100 degrees. If we want to see things to the side, we have to turn our heads; if we want to see things behind, we have to turn around. Dogs have a much wider field of vision, which enables them to see to the sides and the rear. In sight hounds, such as Whippets and Greyhounds, the field of vision may be as much as double our own. While the positioning of the eyes in certain breeds may lessen that field of vision to some degree, all dogs have better peripheral vision than humans. Contrary to popular belief, dogs aren’t color-blind, but they don’t see colors as well as we do, and find it difficult to tell the difference between certain shades such as red and green. In lower light conditions, they see much better than we do, thanks to a reflective layer at the back of their eyes called the tapetum lucidum. In the wild, this enables the dog to hunt at dawn and dusk, when their natural prey is more likely to be out and about. What dogs are best at seeing, however, is movement. A dog can detect the slightest movement, which also has obvious advantages when it comes to tracking prey. The dog’s extreme sensitivity to movement means that hand signals and gestures are often much more useful in training than spoken commands, especially if you are working at a distance. Close up, dogs don’t see quite so well, and find it difficult to distinguish an object from its surroundings. If you put a treat on the floor right in front of your dog, he might find it hard to see – he’ll rely on his nose to sniff it out. Hearing A dog’s hearing is incredibly acute. Because dogs’ ears are large and movable, they can detect where sounds are coming from more accurately than humans. They can also hear sounds over greater distances than we can – nearly five times as far – and they can hear sounds of a higher frequency that are inaudible to us: hence the dog whistle that is silent to human ears. Dogs communicate through many different vocalizations, from barking to whining. Taste Dogs are carnivores but will eat almost anything – including what we would not consider to be food! We may not think that dogs have a very sophisticated palate, but they do appreciate variety and get bored when all they encounter are the same tastes and textures. You can make training more pleasurable for your dog by offering food rewards that stimulate his taste buds. Meat treats are always popular, but cheese can also be very effective. Touch Dogs can’t pick up and handle new objects to investigate them. Instead, much like human babies, they put them in their mouths. Mouthing is an important part of exploration for a dog, particularly for puppies. Special sensory hairs grow around the dog’s muzzle, under his jaw, and above his eyes. These are called vibrissae, or more commonly, whiskers, and they also help him gather information about his environment through touch. Human beings express their affection through touch, but this is not necessarily a natural response for a dog. Dogs have to become accustomed to gentle handling and stroking from puppyhood onward. Play-biting in puppies is an important way that dogs learn how strong their bite is. If a puppy is separated too early from its littermates, as is often the case with pet store puppies, it may not have had the chance to learn what is called an “inhibited bite” and may be more prone to nipping. Know yourself Bringing a new puppy or dog into your home should never be an act of impulse. Before you make that decision, you need to ask yourself some searching questions. Dogs, as the slogan goes, are not just for Christmas, they’re for life. Just as it’s difficult to appreciate before the event how much things will change when you have a baby, bringing a puppy into your life is a significant undertaking. When I got my first puppy, I was living in a fourth-floor apartment with no elevator in the heart of Manhattan. As a trainer, I knew what to expect, but even so it was quite an effort to go up and down those stairs twice a night so the puppy could have a pee. Nor was it particularly pleasant to walk him after dark on 46th Street! If you have had dogs before, or if you had a dog when you were growing up, you may already have some idea of what’s involved. If you have never owned a dog, think about the following issues: Will you be able to spend enough time with your dog? Once they are past the puppy stage, most dogs can be left for between four and six hours without becoming distressed. If you work full-time and there is no one else at home to look after the dog, you are condemning an essentially social creature to a life of anxiety, boredom, and depression, unless you hire a dog-sitter or enroll your dog at a doggy day-care center. Dogs need regular exercise That means a couple of walks and a decent run every day. Cats exercise themselves. Dogs, however, should not be left to stray without human supervision. Dogs need training Even the most seemingly docile animal can become a monster without basic obedience training. You need time to do this, and plenty of patience. Dogs need stimulation Just like us, they get bored without challenges, fun, and games. Do you have children? Have you got a dog already, or another pet? Settling a new canine arrival within a family can sometimes be difficult, especially if not everyone in your household is as overjoyed as you are at the prospect. Which breed to choose? Once you have satisfied yourself that you are prepared to meet the challenges that a dog will bring into your life, the next question is, which dog? Humans have been selectively breeding dogs for centuries, accentuating certain innate characteristics or aspects of appearance. While all dogs are individuals, each breed tends to have certain traits in common. Some need more exercise than others; some require more grooming. Some breeds are naturally more protective; others are more sensitive to noise. The great advantage of choosing a purebred dog is that you will know to a certain extent what to expect. Use this to your advantage and do your research thoroughly beforehand. Read books and magazines, talk to breeders, and ask friends about their experiences with their dogs. Don’t choose a dog on the basis of its appearance or because the breed is in fashion. Many people who rushed out to get a cute little Dalmatian after seeing 101 black-and-white spotted puppies cavorting in a Disney film found themselves owning a dog with substantial needs for exercise. Dalmatians were originally bred as “carriage dogs”; that is to say, they were bred to run alongside carriages and scare off footpads and thieves. They need exercise – tons of it – and careful, confident handling. Choosing the right breed is choosing the breed that is right for your situation. If you want a laid-back, easygoing pet that will be a good companion for your children, a Terrier, which is a particularly active sort of dog, wouldn’t be the most sensible choice. Labradors and Retrievers, on the other hand, are naturally good-tempered and sociable, which makes them ideal for families with children. However, they do need a lot of exercise. If you are not prepared to devote considerable time to training and exercising, don’t choose a working dog such as a Border Collie, who will go crazy without sufficient stimulation. Greyhounds and Whippets, although bred to be very fast, paradoxically don’t require vast amounts of exercise. The guarding breeds, such as German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Chows, and Akitas, are intelligent and loyal, but they can be over-protective and tend to be one-person dogs. It is important to know that while taking breed characteristics into account, every dog within that breed is an individual with his own unique personality and temperament. Aspects to consider: Size How big will the dog grow? And how much will he eat? Noise Some breeds are naturally more inclined to bark and yap than others. Some breeds are more sensitive to noise. Activity level How much exercise does the dog require? Working breeds, bred to herd sheep, need serious workouts. Temperament Terriers are naturally bossy and tenacious. Spaniels, Setters, and Retrievers generally have friendly, affectionate natures. Coat How much time (or money) will you need to devote to grooming? Weaknesses Because of inbreeding, some breeds suffer from congenital problems. Dalmatians, for example, can have hearing problems. British bulldogs can suffer from breathing problems. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can have heart ailments. Mongrels Unlike acquiring a purebred dog, taking on a mongrel is necessarily more of a leap in the dark. Mongrels or crosses (dogs bred from two purebred parents) will have characteristics of different breeds in their makeup, and you may not be able to tell which characteristic will come to the fore. It may even be hard to gauge how large the dog will grow. The size of a puppy’s feet may give some indication of how big he will get, but that is not an infallible guide. On the plus side, many mongrels are good all-rounders. Many are particularly long-lived and, because they have a mixed gene pool, they are much less likely to suffer the congenital problems that result from inbreeding. Where to find a puppy Always acquire puppies from good, reputable sources. In the case of purebred animals, that means going direct to a breeder. No self-respecting dog-breeder would ever sell a litter to a pet store. My grandmother knew each of the Beagles she bred by name, and she took the trouble to visit them in their new homes. You can find a reputable breeder by seeking advice from a national organization, such as the Kennel Club, or by contacting a breed’s organization. Alternatively, you could ask for a recommendation from friends. You will know you have found a good breeder when he or she asks you more questions than you ask them. A good breeder will only sell a puppy to someone they think will treat him properly and give him the care that he needs. They’ll want to know if you will be home during the day, if you have a garden, if there’s a park nearby where you can exercise the dog. They’ll give you advice on training and diet. They may want to come and see you at home. Only when they’re satisfied that you will make a good dog-owner will they sell you the puppy. Mongrels and crossbred puppies, which are less sought after than purebreds, are less commonly found in pet stores, but it is just as inadvisable to acquire a mongrel in this way as it is a purebred pup. While the puppy may look cute and appealing, buying him from a pet store may leave you with an animal that has health problems or with one that has been affected by poor handling. Instead, look at advertisements in reputable magazines, or at the vet’s, and visit the puppy at home before you decide to take him home. Contrary to what pet shop proprietors may tell you, puppies in pet stores are more likely to come from puppy mills or farms. While there have been efforts to control this despicable practice, it still carries on. Rescue dogs An alternative source for both puppies and adult dogs is to visit a dogs’ home, shelter, or rescue agency, and adopt a dog that has been abandoned. Rescue dogs have poor reputations, and many people consider that they are too unpredictable or too scarred by past ill treatment to be successfully re-homed. That is far from the case. Dogs end up in shelters for a wide variety of reasons. An unwanted litter may see the puppies abandoned; older dogs may be taken in if their owners are too elderly or sick to care for them. Greyhounds that have been raced professionally may be taken in by rescue agencies to prevent them from being put down when their racing days are over. Naturally enough, puppies are generally re-homed very quickly, while the older and more difficult dogs can take considerably longer to place. If you are considering giving a home to one of these unfortunate creatures, consult the shelter staff and be guided by their appraisal of each dog’s characteristics and what it needs in the form of support. A large proportion of dogs that are in shelters are there due to behavior problems; that is, behaviors that are natural for the dog but unacceptable in our society. It is easier to blame problem behavior on a dog’s character than to look at how the environment we have created might be affecting it. Most of these problem behaviors can be modified with a little time and understanding. Many people consider rescue dogs too unpredictable or too scarred by past ill-treatment to be successfully re-homed—that is far from the case. Here’s an all-too-common scenario: Lily is a typical puppy who, like a human baby, needs constant stimulation and guidance from her human pack for healthy development. Instead, she finds herself in a home where this support is lacking, and in an environment that is physically and mentally isolating. In order to cope with her insecurity, Lily begins to demonstrate increasingly desperate, attention-seeking behavior, which changes this picture-book puppy into an unwanted presence and a time-consuming menace. Struggling to understand her human world, Lily has no idea that she is living on borrowed time, until she finds herself at the doors of the local shelter. She enters a bizarre world where she experiences high levels of stress in response to the new sights, sounds, and smells surrounding her. The routine changes. She is fed strange food, which she doesn’t feel like eating. Her new home is cramped and smells of disinfectant. She senses tension emanating from the dogs around her, and endures a constant stream of strange faces passing by her pen. In order to cope with these pressures, Lily hides under a security blanket of self-preservation, her true behavior numbed by this alien environment. However, fortune favors her when she is adopted by a new human pack. She responds well to their attention and they, in turn, are pleased with her response. Her world changes again, but this time the environment is calmer. The bed smells good and the food is tasty. The pressures of shelter life begin to fall away. For the first weeks, the numbness that protected Lily at the shelter keeps her from showing her true colors, but renewed confidence awakens previous patterns of behavior that soon challenge her new owners. Their attempts at control cause confusion and turmoil. Unable to cope with their “problem,” the new owners take Lily back to the shelter. This time she is not so lucky. Her unpredictability is deemed a liability for prospective adopters, and her life is ended by the vet’s needle. This is not a sob story. This is the reality for millions of dogs each year. According to the Humane Society of America, between six and ten million dogs are put down in American shelters every year, and only 5% of these for medical reasons. In Britain, a nation of dog-lovers, the figures are a vast improvement, but there is no cause for complacency. Around 20,000 unwanted and stray dogs are put down each year, and that’s still 20,000 too many. What can we do to help adopted shelter dogs adapt to their new lives? First and foremost, rescue dogs take time and patience. The type of training outlined in subsequent chapters of this book can be used to address certain types of problem behavior that shelter dogs may display. Equally important, it is necessary to understand why dogs behave the way that they do, to see the world from their point of view. This is always important, but it is even more critical when a dog has been ill-treated or abandoned. The effort is worth it. With renewed confidence, the shelter dog can develop into what he was always meant to be: a happy and healthy companion that deserves our time and respect for coping with all the pressures that human life has thrown at him. It is easier to blame problem behavior on a dog’s character than to look at how the environment we have created might be affecting it. Should I have my dog neutered? The short answer is “yes,” but there are some factors that should be taken into account. Having a dog “spayed” (removing the ovaries and uterus) or neutered (removing the testicles) is an important part of dog ownership. Your dog could be healthier, more contented, could live longer, and have more of an even temperament without hormones confusing the picture. However, there are many different opinions about what age to neuter and if it is right to neuter a dog in order to “cure” various negative behavior problems. Many people are reluctant to have their pets neutered because it seems unnatural. But if you do not intend to breed your dog, what is more unnatural, allowing him to suffer tugs of instinct he cannot fulfill, or removing the urge completely? Whatever confusion there is about when and if to neuter, there is no dispute that neutering our dogs is the most significant way we can reduce the huge pet overpopulation problem in this country. Millions of dogs are taken into shelters every year and many are put down because there is no room and too few homes to adopt them. Perhaps you imagine that letting your dog have just one litter wouldn’t make much of a difference. Think again. If you placed all the puppies of that litter in the homes of people who thought the same, and they did likewise, your dog could be responsible for the birth of 200 puppies in a single year. If you are making a decision to neuter your dog because of a behavior problem such as aggression, you should be aware that neutering must never be seen as a “cure” for that problem. Neutering always needs to be done along with a solid behavior modification plan in place, and in some cases neutering may exacerbate the problem. Advice on what age to neuter should be sought from your veterinarian. Medical Pros of Neutering Eliminates risk of testicular cancer in male dogs Lowers incidence of disease of the prostate in male dogs Reduces the risk of perianal adenomas in male dogs – tumors that occur around the rectum in later life No possibility of fathering a litter and adding to the pet overpopulation problem Eliminates risk of pyometra – a potentially fatal infection of the uterus in female dogs Eliminates risk of uterine cancer in female dogs No heat cycles or risk of pregnancy in female dogs Reduced chance of female dogs developing breast cancer in later life Behavior Pros of Neutering Male dogs are less likely to roam Male and female dogs are less likely to scent “urine” mark Reduced likelihood of sexual aggression and mounting in males Removal of testosterone can make many dogs less reactive to other dogs Improves a dog’s attention to human owners Medical Cons of Neutering Early neutering – i.e., before puberty – increases the risk of a puppy not maturing properly, delaying the closing of growth plates in the long leg bones, which increases the risk of orthopedic disorders Weight gain, due to a larger appetite and slower metabolic rate (this can be managed with regular exercise and a good diet) A neutered dog can sometimes develop hormone-responsive alopecia (hair loss) Potential risk of incontinence in both sexes Behavior Cons of Neutering Dogs neutered before puberty can show pedomorphic tendencies – puppy-like behaviors into adulthood, such as higher excitability If dogs are serial humpers, then neutering might not reduce this behavior since it is not just sexually driven In some cases, lack of testosterone can lower confidence levels and make male and female dogs more aggressive Spaying an aggressive female in order to lower the aggressive response can make her more aggressive, as many calming hormones such as progesterone are greatly reduced Talk Dog communicating with your dog (#ulink_3180de4e-2044-5e24-b825-cdba8ba9de67) Let me begin by stating the obvious: Dogs do not speak English. Or French, or German, or Spanish, for that matter. They talk dog. The secret of successful training is to learn how to communicate with your dog in a way that he understands. He can’t learn your language. It’s up to you to learn to speak his. Dogs are terrific communicators. Have you ever stopped to think how many different words we have for the noises dogs make – words such as growl, snarl, whine, whimper, bark, and howl? All these various sounds and vocalizations mean different things in dog language, while the meanings may also change in subtle ways, depending on context and circumstance. Then there’s body language. Dogs communicate with sound, but they also speak volumes through their gestures and stances. A lift of an eyebrow, a yawn, a wrinkled brow are just some of the ways they signal their feelings and intentions to others, both canine and human. Learning to talk dog is the key to understanding your pet so that you can better meet his needs. This chapter covers the range of sounds and signals that form the basis of canine communication. With a little practice, you’ll be speaking it like a native! The secret of successful training is to learn how to communicate with your dog in a way that he understands. Sounds and vocalizations Dogs bark. It’s what they do. But they make a wide range of other sounds, too, and here is what they each mean: Whining The very first form of vocalization is the whine. Puppies whine to gain the attention of their mother. In adult dogs, this insistent, rather nagging, high-pitched sound is similarly often a request for you to take some notice. “Feed me!” it says. “Let me out!” Or simply, “Pay me some attention!” Whining can also indicate that the dog is nervous, frightened, or anxious. Whimpering When whining shades into the more pitiful sound of whimpering, it can be the sign of more serious distress – dogs often whimper when they are in pain. Otherwise, it could simply be the dog’s way of intensifying or heightening the plea of whining, particularly when it is accompanied by pawing. “What would it take to get you to pay some attention to me?” it says. Yelping A sudden yelp is a pain cry. If you accidentally step on a dog’s paw or tail, he’ll yelp to let you know that he’s hurt. Growling The growl is the dog’s key warning sound. But it is also an important part of the way puppies play. Play-fighting is how puppies test the waters, see how far they can go and how strong they are, and growling often goes along with it. When older dogs play with each other, they revert to this puppyish behavior and may growl at each other without intending to communicate aggression. When your dog plays with you – for example, when you’re playing tugging games – he may also emit a wavering growl. It doesn’t mean he’s going to snap at you, it’s just part of the mock battle you’re playing. When a growl is deep and sustained, and is accompanied by a tense body, it’s a clear warning to back off. This is the sign of impending aggression. The dog may feel threatened or under attack, and is giving you or another dog the chance to avoid further trouble before it’s too late. Snarling “You didn’t listen, did you?” When the warning given by the growl goes unheeded, the vocalization escalates. The growl goes up a level in intensity and vibrates a little, becoming less sustained. The lips are up and the teeth are bared. Snarling indicates that aggressive action is imminent. Howling Many people interpret the long mournful tone of the howl as a sound of distress. While it’s true that dogs will often howl if left alone too long – “Where are you, my human pack?” – howling doesn’t necessarily indicate unhappiness. The howl is the biggest sound a dog can make, and it carries over long distances. In the wild, it is used to signal a dog’s presence to others or to ward off predators. Some dogs – notably basset hounds – are more prone to howling than others. Dogs will also howl in response to the bark or howl of another dog. And, of course, we all know that some dogs like to howl along to the piano, no matter how well you are playing! Champing You may never have heard the term before, but if you’re a dog owner, you’ll probably recognize champing when you hear it. It’s a type of sucking, chewing noise that a dog makes - as if he were a horse champing at a bit, or as if he were licking his chops, except that he will make this noise when he is not actually eating. This is a pacifying sound. Some dogs “champ” when they are greeting humans or other canines; others do it to show that they are not a threat. Groaning Many dogs make a low, throaty, murmuring groan, moan, or growl when they are being stroked. This indicates bliss and pleasure. Barking Barking is a really important part of dog communication. Depending on the context, it has a variety of meanings. Barking can be used to sound an alarm or warning, it can be a call for attention, or it may simply indicate that the dog is excited. Dogs bark to signal their presence to other dogs that may not be able to see them – that bad dog on the other side of the fence, for example. They also bark in response to barking or to mark their territory. And, of course, they bark when they are bored and isolated. While excessive barking may indicate a problem, it is very important that dogs should be able to bark from time to time. It’s wrong to expect a dog to spend his life in silence. When they are very young, puppies do not bark. Timing varies, but in most cases a puppy will have started to bark by the age of two months. Some breeds also bark more than others. Maltese dogs are pretty vocal, and so are Shelties. Dachshunds are also predisposed to bark, for good reason. They were originally bred to go down holes after badgers and to bark when they found them so that hunters could identify exactly where the badgers were (the breed name means “badger dog” in German). Body language Body language is vital in dog communication. Take the time to observe your dog closely in different situations, and try to work out what he is trying to say by watching his body language. Signals pass between dogs faster than we can see – literally in the blink of an eye. Owners often call me to say that they were just walking their dog along the road when another dog coming toward them lunged out aggressively with no warning, and without their dog doing anything at all. Or vice versa – sometimes it was the owner’s dog that instigated the aggression. It may seem that nothing has provoked the behavior, but in that split second, those two dogs have been signaling to each other and have sized each other up. We humans are often very unobservant. Dogs, on the other hand, don’t miss a trick. Even a small lift of the eyebrow speaks volumes. Humans rely heavily on verbal communication. But we send out many physical signals of our own. In drama workshops, students are often asked to stand in front of another person in the group and try to communicate with them using only facial expressions. A great actor can show you what he or she is feeling without uttering a word. You can try it yourself at home with a friend. What follows is a description of what your dog is saying with his body language. Each part of the body acts in conjunction with other parts, so you can’t simply read the signs in isolation. Reading the body signals as a whole will tell you what your dog is feeling. In the dog, facial expressions in particular can be very subtle, which is why we humans often miss and misread them. It does not help matters that breeding for appearance has greatly affected the ability of dogs to communicate effectively with each other and with us. Flattened noses, overly wrinkled skin, and docked tails are just some of the ways in which our strange notions of canine “beauty” have compromised the dog’s means of expressing himself. Ears Let’s start at the top. It’s easiest to distinguish ear signals on dogs with pointed ears. Dogs with drooping ears, such as Beagles and Spaniels, use their ears to signal in the same way, but the signs are slightly harder to see. Ears that stick straight up represent alertness, confidence, and awareness. If the ears are drawn back on the head, your dog is showing friendliness, that is provided vigorous tail-wagging, a wriggling body, and a calm, relaxed facial expression accompany it. However, the ears can also be drawn back when the dog is nervous. In this case, the gesture is designed to be pacifying. It says: “I’m nervous, so please back off!” If so, there will be a number of other nervous signals. The tail may be between the legs, the body may be crouching, the front paw may be lifted, the eyes could be slightly closed with dilated pupils, or the mouth may be slightly open while the lips are licked. Forehead A wrinkled forehead suggests aggression. A smooth forehead, on the other hand, if it is accompanied by other relaxed body signals, indicates that the dog is relaxed. Or it may be a sign of submission if you notice other signals that indicate insecurity, such as a tail that is lowered or tucked between the dog’s legs, a crouching stance, or a curved back. Eyebrows Roger Moore, the actor, makes wonderful use of the eyebrow lift. So does my husband. Just a slight lift of the eyebrow communicates that he’s unhappy with something that I’ve said or done. It gets me every time. When a dog is trying to dominate a situation or assert control, the eyebrows seem almost to jump out at you as they are pushed forward, and the dog will stare at you in a challenging way. When a dog is calm, his eyebrows will not be pronounced. Eyes Stand in front of a friend or family member and ask that person to stare at you. Does it make you feel a little uncomfortable? At the very least, it will make you laugh. When a stranger stares at you, however, it’s usually very disconcerting. Do you stare back, or do you break the stare and look away? If both of you keep staring at each other, the chances are that some sort of challenge is going on. The stare means the same in dog talk. Staring at another dog or human is a sign of dominance, or may indicate an aggressive challenge. The eyes are wide and unflinching. If the stare is accompanied by other aggressive signs such as raised hackles, leaning forward, and stillness of the body, then you would do well to pay attention and stay away! However, a dog that is staring at you is not necessarily exhibiting aggression. It could just be that he is confident and attentive. When a dog is insecure, he narrows his eyes and looks away from you to show that he poses no threat. Blinking is another important eye signal. Dogs often blink to show you they are friendly. Sometimes, however, they blink when they are frightened. Mouth The lips are often used to demonstrate aggression. One such signal, a slight lifting of the lips on one side, is incredibly subtle and may be hard to spot. When the lips are completely drawn forward, this indicates a more assertive form of aggression. When the lips are drawn back, this often signals an aggressive response that is the result of fear. Either way the teeth are exposed. A friend of mine owned a dog that would draw back her lips and expose her teeth when greeting you affectionately. Perhaps the dog simply didn’t know what she was feeling, but I always swore she was smiling. Lip smacking or licking with the tongue are signs of lack of confidence, stress, or fear, but are also used as pacifying gestures. Both wrinkle the muzzle, which is otherwise smooth when the dog is relaxed. Neck A confident dog will hold his neck straight and upright. A dog with less confidence will hold his neck lower. He may expose his throat to a dog that is more dominant. Exposing the throat says: “Hey, I’m no threat. I’m trusting you with a very delicate part of my body. And I’m turning my teeth away from you.” If this submissive gesture is successful, then the more dominant dog will expose his throat, too, in order to show that he is accepting the submission and poses no threat, either. Back My grandmother stood with a straight back until the day she died. She had good posture, but she was a proud, confident woman and carried herself that way. The same goes for dogs: A straight back means confidence. A back that is curled means that the dog is insecure and submissive. Hackles When a dog is nervous or scared, this triggers a chain reaction of physiological responses that raises the hairs on the back of the neck and down the spine. The effect is to make the dog look bigger and fiercer. He’s saying, “Don’t mess with me. I’m bigger and stronger than you!” Tail The tail is important for both balance and signaling, which is why it is a huge shame that the practice of tail docking still continues. How would you feel if an important part of your body that you relied upon for expressing yourself were cut off? Without its tail, a dog is unable to communicate properly, which means that other dogs may miss vital signals. The tail is a prime indicator of a dog’s mood. A confident dog will hold his tail high in the air. It is possible that this allows scent from the anal glands to circulate more freely in the air and advertise his presence. A tail that is held low between the legs means that the dog is fearful and submissive. Vigorous wagging usually means excitement, friendliness, and happiness. A tail that is held high but wagged more slowly means a cautious confidence. A tail that is held still and straight indicates a problem of some sort. One that is still, extended, and slightly curved says: “Get lost because I mean business!” Paws When my cat is feeling particularly affectionate, she will jump up and start kneading my leg with her paws. This is enjoyable for her because it’s what she used to do to her mother in order to stimulate the teats into producing milk. Puppies do a similar thing, while adult dogs will paw at a person or another dog for attention and as a pacifying gesture. One of the reasons why it’s usually easy to teach a dog to give his paw is that the gesture is already part of their vocabulary. A paw placed over the neck of another dog, however, signals a challenge. Placing two paws around the neck tends to be a prelude either to a fight or to mating. Both genders, even when neutered, may mount other dogs, pieces of furniture, or, even more embarrassingly, your leg. Mounting or humping is not just a sexual behavior, it can also be a sign that a dog wants to control or dominate another dog or human. In this context, it is easy to see why many dogs don’t enjoy being hugged. We humans hug to show affection. But what is a hug to a dog but two very large paws placed over his neck? You’re telling him you love him, but he might think you’re being controlling. The stomach Most dogs love to have their tummies stroked and will flop onto their backs happily to invite you to do so. This clear body signal is a submissive gesture that your dog learned as a puppy. While play-fighting, puppies like to pin each other down, practicing the body signals they will need as adults. Showing the opponent the stomach puts the dog in a vulnerable position. It says: “I trust you enough to show you the most delicate part of me. I am no threat to you whatsoever.” But there is another side to this signal. After a kill, wild dogs and wolves always go for the stomach of the prey first. For good reason: Entrails contain the most nutrients. When a nervous dog lies on his back to show you his stomach, he is not inviting your touch, he is asking you to back off. The play-bow The play-bow is an invitation to play and a demonstration of friendliness. It’s a very distinctive posture. The dog will lower his front quarters and bow down on his front legs, placing them flat on the ground in front of his body. His body will be curved, and the tail will be curved or wagging. The play-bow is often accompanied by a couple of short barks. It’s a very engaging stance, and one a dog will sometimes adopt if he’s been scolded. Sniffing Dogs do a lot of sniffing: It’s their most important way of exploring the world around them. Sometimes, however, a dog will sniff the ground to calm another dog down and show him that he is not a threat. He’s saying: “I’m much more interested in this patch of grass than you.” Yawning This is an easy one, you might think. What else could yawning mean but tiredness? Well, that’s not always the case. Yawning can mean a dog feels stressed and nervous. It can be used as a distraction or a calming signal. We humans do it, too, in situations that make us feel uncomfortable. Scratching Like yawning, scratching can also be a displacement activity. Humans bite their nails when they’re anxious; dogs scratch. I often see a lot of scratching when I start to train a dog. Sneezing Similarly, sneezing can also be related to stress and anxiety. Insecure dogs often sneeze when meeting another dog or greeting a human. Stretching Dogs stretch for the same reason we do, to relieve muscle tension when moving from a sedentary pose to a more active one. But they may also stretch as a distraction or as a displacement activity in situations where they do not feel very comfortable. Freezing There are three principal ways in which a dog will respond to a threat: He’ll run away, which is generally the most sensible option; he’ll fight, if he feels up to it; or he’ll freeze and hope that the threat goes away. If you touch a nervous dog and he freezes or his body tenses up, take your cue from that and back off. If you keep on stroking him, the next stage will be a warning growl, then a snarl, then a nip. Some dogs don’t even bother to give a warning, but go straight to a bite. Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/victoria-stilwell/it-s-me-or-the-dog-how-to-have-the-perfect-pet/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. 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