Had one of those "kicking myself" experiences the other day. A couple of friends of mine were coming over to help with some work on the house, and I had my two older girls crated and Keagan loose in the dining room behind a baby gate. There was some unstructured time as everyone was arriving, and during the milling around, one of my friends went into the dining room to try to pet Keagan. My friend was actually very good with him, squatting down and letting Keagan come up to sniff on his own, but even so Keagan suddenly decided everybody there was terrifying and probably ate whippets for breakfast. He started dribbling urine as he ran in circles... all over the dining room carpet.
(Digression here-- I've seen dogs urinate in fear or submission before, but their body language was way more stressed than Keagan's was. He'd just been pottied so he wasn't desperate to go, at five years he's too young to be incontinent, and it hasn't happened since so I don't think he has an infection. Oh whippet, why are you so weird?)
Now here's why I'm so ticked off at myself. Normally when it's total chaos like this, I crate the dogs and ask people to please ignore them for a while until everything settles down. Especially with Keagan, who's really hesitant about strangers. But I've had two people express their opinions that when I ask them to not interact with the dogs I am bossy and mean, and one of those people was going to be coming over, so it was on my mind. And I wanted to be appreciative that people were here to help me, and I always do feel mean telling people they can't pet my dogs. So as my friend went in to pet Keagan, I gritted my teeth and told myself that I was worrying over nothing, and let him do it against my better judgment.
And now I need to rent a rug cleaner. *sigh*
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Hugs for science!
Patricia McConnell mentioned in a recent blog post that most dogs really don't like being hugged... but how often can you really tell, right, because you're not looking at their face. Now, I have three dogs, and I experimentally hugged all of them to bring you this video. The life of scientific inquiry is not an easy one.
And yeah, between the lip licking, the turned-away heads, and the leaning backwards-- all classic calming signals-- I'd say they weren't really that into it. (The whippet doesn't usually mind being held, actually. I think that even though I tried to be at their level on the floor for this video, I still loomed a bit too much for him to be 100% comfortable.)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Pushing my luck
Beautiful sunny Saturday morning here in Boston... but 14°F! Brr. So Mr. Whippet and I went off to train in the aisles of the local Petsmart.
We're working on finishing Level 3 of Sue Ailsby's training levels, which is a training program I love because big goals are broken down into little steps, and when you reach a goal you get to turn a box green on your scoreboard! (See what I mean.) Apparently I am pretty easy to motivate. :-)
Anyway, so we got a couple of our goals checked off, met a super sweet Golden puppy (I love how floppy three month old puppies are-- they look just like giant hand puppets), and got some good practice in coping with strange environments. In fact, it was going so well that I fell into the "just one more" trap. He did that sit great... let's see if I can get another! That was great, let's see if I can do a sit-stay from a couple feet away! We'd been there what I knew was a long time for him, but I was having so much fun and he was working so well for me...
And then an excited cockapoo walked right by us, and Keagan was mentally out of there. He didn't want to engage with me, he didn't want to take food, he was done. A stressed whippet doesn't go nuts like my Golden does, he just shuts down.
Sigh. It would have been much smarter of me to get him out on a good note, before he'd had too much and just wanted to go home. No real harm done, just... not as well as I could have handled it.
I hustled him home and gave him a good session of chasing a rag on a lunge whip in the backyard. Now that makes a happy whippet!
We're working on finishing Level 3 of Sue Ailsby's training levels, which is a training program I love because big goals are broken down into little steps, and when you reach a goal you get to turn a box green on your scoreboard! (See what I mean.) Apparently I am pretty easy to motivate. :-)
Anyway, so we got a couple of our goals checked off, met a super sweet Golden puppy (I love how floppy three month old puppies are-- they look just like giant hand puppets), and got some good practice in coping with strange environments. In fact, it was going so well that I fell into the "just one more" trap. He did that sit great... let's see if I can get another! That was great, let's see if I can do a sit-stay from a couple feet away! We'd been there what I knew was a long time for him, but I was having so much fun and he was working so well for me...
And then an excited cockapoo walked right by us, and Keagan was mentally out of there. He didn't want to engage with me, he didn't want to take food, he was done. A stressed whippet doesn't go nuts like my Golden does, he just shuts down.
Sigh. It would have been much smarter of me to get him out on a good note, before he'd had too much and just wanted to go home. No real harm done, just... not as well as I could have handled it.
I hustled him home and gave him a good session of chasing a rag on a lunge whip in the backyard. Now that makes a happy whippet!
Monday, November 9, 2009
4 Tips for House Training Puppies
Toilet training your puppy can be a breeze, or it can be a slow and frustrating process. Fortunately, a lot of this is up to you, if you make the effort to provide consistency and feedback for your dog.
Here are four things to keep in mind until your puppy is reliable:
And it comes out pretty predictably after it goes in, too. If food and water are left down for your puppy all the time (free feeding), you're going to have a harder time predicting when he needs to go. Most puppies need to go out about 10-30 minutes after they've eaten, so you need to know when that is. Try to feed meals at set times instead of leaving food down all day, and make sure you're outside with him 10-30 minutes later.
For the same reason, take away the water dish half an hour before your puppy's last potty trip for the night. He may need to go out at night anyway, depending on his age and physical maturity, but he definitely has no chance if he starts off the night sloshing like a water balloon.
While he's being house trained, your puppy should be either the direct focus of your attention, or he should be in his crate or pen. Puppies aren't very high off the ground, and you'd be surprised how quick and subtle a squat can be. If you're watching TV or talking with the kids about their day, the best place for the puppy is in his pen or crate. This is one reason you'll want to crate train your puppy.
There is an exception to this rule: you can also physically pick up the puppy or hold him on your lap. That's another way you'll notice real fast if he needs to go. ;-)
So you're paying attention to your puppy in the house, and he starts to sniff and circle, or actually begins to squat. What do you do?
You interrupt him verbally-- "eh!" or "uh-uh" works well, aiming for the tone of a firm kindergarten teacher, not a frothing drill sergeant. You immediately pick him up and hustle out to the designated outdoor potty spot. Really pick him up-- this is not the time for him to decide he doesn't want to walk on the leash today.
You can keep a leash ready to grab by the door if you're not going out to a fenced yard. You plunk the puppy down, he relieves himself, you tell him what a brilliant puppy he is.
What if he's actually in the middle of relieving himself when you notice? Same thing, only faster. You still praise him for finishing outside-- you really want to emphasize how that's a great place for him to go! Even if you're cranky about the carpet, you praise when he goes outside because you really, really want him to learn that.
And, finally, what if you find the evidence too late, and the puppy is nowhere nearby? You clean it up, and you resolve to supervise better from now on. You don't drag him to it and yell at him, and you don't rub his nose in it (yuck!).
Puppies understand that yelling means you're angry for some reason, but they have absolutely no clue that it's supposed to communicate "pee outside next time". You're much smarter than your dog, but what if your boss periodically stomped by and yelled, "I'm really ticked off at you!" and you had no idea why? Is your boss just in a bad mood, did you fill out those reports wrong, was it that customer you talked to yesterday, is your spider plant on the wrong side of your cubicle? Who knows? That's no way for a boss to improve your performance, and it's not a good way to teach your puppy either.
Puppies are constantly learning. The more often your puppy relieves himself outside, the more that will get set in his mind as the right place to go... especially if successfully pottying outside is followed by a small treat or a fun game.
The opposite is true too. Every "accident" is another chance for the puppy to learn that hey, peeing in the house works pretty well! That's not a lesson you want him to practice. The more you buckle down and supervise and keep a consistent schedule, the faster he'll figure out the rules.
Here are four things to keep in mind until your puppy is reliable:
1. What goes in must come out.
And it comes out pretty predictably after it goes in, too. If food and water are left down for your puppy all the time (free feeding), you're going to have a harder time predicting when he needs to go. Most puppies need to go out about 10-30 minutes after they've eaten, so you need to know when that is. Try to feed meals at set times instead of leaving food down all day, and make sure you're outside with him 10-30 minutes later.
For the same reason, take away the water dish half an hour before your puppy's last potty trip for the night. He may need to go out at night anyway, depending on his age and physical maturity, but he definitely has no chance if he starts off the night sloshing like a water balloon.
2. A watched dog is a good dog.
While he's being house trained, your puppy should be either the direct focus of your attention, or he should be in his crate or pen. Puppies aren't very high off the ground, and you'd be surprised how quick and subtle a squat can be. If you're watching TV or talking with the kids about their day, the best place for the puppy is in his pen or crate. This is one reason you'll want to crate train your puppy.
There is an exception to this rule: you can also physically pick up the puppy or hold him on your lap. That's another way you'll notice real fast if he needs to go. ;-)
3. Correct mistakes, don't freak out about them.
So you're paying attention to your puppy in the house, and he starts to sniff and circle, or actually begins to squat. What do you do?
You interrupt him verbally-- "eh!" or "uh-uh" works well, aiming for the tone of a firm kindergarten teacher, not a frothing drill sergeant. You immediately pick him up and hustle out to the designated outdoor potty spot. Really pick him up-- this is not the time for him to decide he doesn't want to walk on the leash today.
You can keep a leash ready to grab by the door if you're not going out to a fenced yard. You plunk the puppy down, he relieves himself, you tell him what a brilliant puppy he is.
What if he's actually in the middle of relieving himself when you notice? Same thing, only faster. You still praise him for finishing outside-- you really want to emphasize how that's a great place for him to go! Even if you're cranky about the carpet, you praise when he goes outside because you really, really want him to learn that.
And, finally, what if you find the evidence too late, and the puppy is nowhere nearby? You clean it up, and you resolve to supervise better from now on. You don't drag him to it and yell at him, and you don't rub his nose in it (yuck!).
Puppies understand that yelling means you're angry for some reason, but they have absolutely no clue that it's supposed to communicate "pee outside next time". You're much smarter than your dog, but what if your boss periodically stomped by and yelled, "I'm really ticked off at you!" and you had no idea why? Is your boss just in a bad mood, did you fill out those reports wrong, was it that customer you talked to yesterday, is your spider plant on the wrong side of your cubicle? Who knows? That's no way for a boss to improve your performance, and it's not a good way to teach your puppy either.
4. Nothing succeeds like success.
Puppies are constantly learning. The more often your puppy relieves himself outside, the more that will get set in his mind as the right place to go... especially if successfully pottying outside is followed by a small treat or a fun game.
The opposite is true too. Every "accident" is another chance for the puppy to learn that hey, peeing in the house works pretty well! That's not a lesson you want him to practice. The more you buckle down and supervise and keep a consistent schedule, the faster he'll figure out the rules.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Water snobs, and training
My creaky old Sheltie girl is totally a stereotypical Jewish grandmother. Like several cats-- but no other dogs-- I've known, she's a fresh water freak: she doesn't like to drink water that's been sitting in the water pail for more than about half a day. But whereas other dogs will try to get what they want by leading you to the food bowl, or whining at the door, Sheila's communication consists entirely of standing vaguely near the water pail, looking sad. "It's okay. Don't worry about me. I didn't really want a drink anyway. I'll just stand here in the dark..."
Mr. Whippet hasn't been running since Wednesday, so I am amusing my bored boy by doing one-minute training sessions, practicing differentiating between "sit", "down", and "back [up]". He loves these because, although his reward is just a dry treat, I toss it and it rolls and bounces and he gets to CHASE IT and that makes it prey!
Some notes:
1. For a trained dog, "down" means "lie down", which is why you don't have to bother yelling "down! down!" at a dog that's jumping on you. If he's that excited, he won't lie down, certainly not on some random person's say-so. If his owners have taught him a word for "quit jumping on me, you fool", it's most likely to be "off".
2. "Back" is one of the most useful commands you can teach a dog! Back up, this door swings towards us, back up, I'm coming through with bags of groceries, back up, I need to get to the door so I can let my guest in...
Mr. Whippet hasn't been running since Wednesday, so I am amusing my bored boy by doing one-minute training sessions, practicing differentiating between "sit", "down", and "back [up]". He loves these because, although his reward is just a dry treat, I toss it and it rolls and bounces and he gets to CHASE IT and that makes it prey!
Some notes:
1. For a trained dog, "down" means "lie down", which is why you don't have to bother yelling "down! down!" at a dog that's jumping on you. If he's that excited, he won't lie down, certainly not on some random person's say-so. If his owners have taught him a word for "quit jumping on me, you fool", it's most likely to be "off".
2. "Back" is one of the most useful commands you can teach a dog! Back up, this door swings towards us, back up, I'm coming through with bags of groceries, back up, I need to get to the door so I can let my guest in...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Dog days
My apartment has heat-stunned dogs draped all over it-- it looks like The Persistence Of Canines.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Preventing dog bites
A local-community post just went by in which someone's three year old got bitten in the face by a dog, needing nine stitches.
I always hate hearing stuff like this. Toddlers get bitten by dogs all the time, and they are of a height such that when the dog bites, they are going to get it in the face. This does not end well for the child (possibly lifelong facial scarring and very likely a lifelong fear of dogs), and let me just tell you it rarely ends well for the dog either (very often, if it is the family dog, the result is euthanasia; shelters won't accept a dog that's bitten someone).
So, some prevention information.
Parents, this is so important, watch your kids around dogs. Some dogs love kids, but some are totally freaked out by their unstable and unpredictable movements, jabby poking, and high-pitched voices. And a panicked dog, especially one that can't get away (because it's on a leash or the kid is grabbing on to the dog), is likely to bite in desperation.
Kids need to be taught three things:
1. Always ask the owner before petting a dog you don't know. Always. You don't start the car until your kid has a seatbelt on, you don't let the child make contact with the dog until the owner says yes. Give the owner a chance to say, "I'm sorry, strangers scare her," or "No, I'm sorry, she has arthritis and people touching her can hurt her." If that's the answer, thank the owner cheerfully and move on; there are many friendly dogs out there and you don't have to push your luck with your child.
(Note that even if the owner says yes, if the dog doesn't look *actively enthused* about meeting your kid-- a wagging, wiggling, face-licking type of enthused-- I would give it a pass. Many dog owners are astonishingly clueless about reading their dog's comfort levels, and there are many kid friendly dogs out there. Why risk it?)
2. Put your hand out, palm down, for the dog to sniff first, and then stroke her gently on the side of the shoulder or on the chest or the side of the neck. It's practically instinctive for kids who like dogs to automatically reach towards a dog, and because a dog sniffing them can be a little intimidating, they often try to avoid the face and go for the dog's back first. Or they try to pat a dog on the back as it walks by them. That can surprise the dog, and you really want to reduce surprises.
Practice the correct thing to do with your kids on a stuffed animal, and then with a known, friendly, tolerant dog. (I have one of those, and will be more than happy to bring her over to meet and practice with your kids. Seriously.)
If the dog turns away or backs away or ducks its head away, it's had enough; don't follow it, thank the owner and move on. A young kid probably doesn't have the self-control to do that, so you're going to have to redirect them if necessary.
3. If a strange dog comes up to you, stop and "be a tree". Keep your arms by your sides and look off to the side so you can watch the dog without making eye contact with it. Try to relax. Try to be boring. A child who screams and runs will make pretty much any dog give chase (and often leap up trying to grab the kid's clothing). This is how dogs play, but it can be a *terrifying* experience for the child, especially if they trip and fall and the dog jumps on them.
Dog owners? Know your dog, keep an eye on any kids in the area, and leave any situation that doesn't seem to be under control. If a young child is barreling up to your timid or nervous dog, back away briskly or physically step in between the kid and your dog. Smile, smile, smile, even if it's while you're making your getaway. Smile and tell the parent, "Sorry, she's shy" or whatever; most people won't take it personally if you can generate a little sympathy for the dog.
If the kid is mostly under control but just doesn't know items 1 and 2 from above, and your dog is kid friendly, you can intercept (and smile!) and explain, "She's friendly, but it's a really good idea to ask the owner if you can pet their dog, because some dogs are really shy around strangers." Every kid I've explained this to has then asked, and a lot of times the parents are like, "You know, that's right! That's a good point!"
Finally, if you have both dogs and kids, or you just have kids but they love dogs and you want to learn more about safety, I recommend Brian Kilcommons' Childproofing Your Dog.
I always hate hearing stuff like this. Toddlers get bitten by dogs all the time, and they are of a height such that when the dog bites, they are going to get it in the face. This does not end well for the child (possibly lifelong facial scarring and very likely a lifelong fear of dogs), and let me just tell you it rarely ends well for the dog either (very often, if it is the family dog, the result is euthanasia; shelters won't accept a dog that's bitten someone).
So, some prevention information.
Parents, this is so important, watch your kids around dogs. Some dogs love kids, but some are totally freaked out by their unstable and unpredictable movements, jabby poking, and high-pitched voices. And a panicked dog, especially one that can't get away (because it's on a leash or the kid is grabbing on to the dog), is likely to bite in desperation.
Kids need to be taught three things:
1. Always ask the owner before petting a dog you don't know. Always. You don't start the car until your kid has a seatbelt on, you don't let the child make contact with the dog until the owner says yes. Give the owner a chance to say, "I'm sorry, strangers scare her," or "No, I'm sorry, she has arthritis and people touching her can hurt her." If that's the answer, thank the owner cheerfully and move on; there are many friendly dogs out there and you don't have to push your luck with your child.
(Note that even if the owner says yes, if the dog doesn't look *actively enthused* about meeting your kid-- a wagging, wiggling, face-licking type of enthused-- I would give it a pass. Many dog owners are astonishingly clueless about reading their dog's comfort levels, and there are many kid friendly dogs out there. Why risk it?)
2. Put your hand out, palm down, for the dog to sniff first, and then stroke her gently on the side of the shoulder or on the chest or the side of the neck. It's practically instinctive for kids who like dogs to automatically reach towards a dog, and because a dog sniffing them can be a little intimidating, they often try to avoid the face and go for the dog's back first. Or they try to pat a dog on the back as it walks by them. That can surprise the dog, and you really want to reduce surprises.
Practice the correct thing to do with your kids on a stuffed animal, and then with a known, friendly, tolerant dog. (I have one of those, and will be more than happy to bring her over to meet and practice with your kids. Seriously.)
If the dog turns away or backs away or ducks its head away, it's had enough; don't follow it, thank the owner and move on. A young kid probably doesn't have the self-control to do that, so you're going to have to redirect them if necessary.
3. If a strange dog comes up to you, stop and "be a tree". Keep your arms by your sides and look off to the side so you can watch the dog without making eye contact with it. Try to relax. Try to be boring. A child who screams and runs will make pretty much any dog give chase (and often leap up trying to grab the kid's clothing). This is how dogs play, but it can be a *terrifying* experience for the child, especially if they trip and fall and the dog jumps on them.
Dog owners? Know your dog, keep an eye on any kids in the area, and leave any situation that doesn't seem to be under control. If a young child is barreling up to your timid or nervous dog, back away briskly or physically step in between the kid and your dog. Smile, smile, smile, even if it's while you're making your getaway. Smile and tell the parent, "Sorry, she's shy" or whatever; most people won't take it personally if you can generate a little sympathy for the dog.
If the kid is mostly under control but just doesn't know items 1 and 2 from above, and your dog is kid friendly, you can intercept (and smile!) and explain, "She's friendly, but it's a really good idea to ask the owner if you can pet their dog, because some dogs are really shy around strangers." Every kid I've explained this to has then asked, and a lot of times the parents are like, "You know, that's right! That's a good point!"
Finally, if you have both dogs and kids, or you just have kids but they love dogs and you want to learn more about safety, I recommend Brian Kilcommons' Childproofing Your Dog.
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