Desensitization to Muzzle

Teach your Dog to be Comfortable Wearing a Muzzle

Proactivity

Start out by desensitizing your dog to a muzzle before you actually need it.  This way you won’t be in a hurry to get it on your dog and you’ll have plenty of time to allow him to get used to it.

If your dog is going to be wearing the muzzle for any length of time I highly recommend a basket muzzle so that he can pant properly and accept treats through the holes.

Remember: putting a muzzle on your dog is not meant to be punishing and it does not automatically mean your dog is aggressive.  It is a precaution to keep your dog and others safe.

Positive Associations

The first time you show your dog the muzzle, just hold it out for him to sniff.  When he sniffs say “yes” in a calm, quiet, soothing voice (or click if you use a clicker), then give him a high-value treat (something he really loves that will be reserved especially for muzzle training).

Next, put a little peanut butter or wet dog food inside the muzzle (or hold a spoon through the holes) and let him stick his nose in to lick it out.  Don’t be in a hurry to get the muzzle on properly, try to hold it still so your dog can enjoy the treat without being worried about the muzzle.

This might be all you do the first time.  Many short sessions are much more effective than a few long sessions.  Try to end on a positive note so your dog has good memories of the muzzle next time you bring it out.  You want him to see the muzzle and think “oh goody, treat time!”

Shaping

The goal of shaping is to have your dog place his nose inside the muzzle voluntarily so you don’t have to wrestle it onto him.  Hold the muzzle out again.  When he sniffs, click and treat (or say “yes” and treat).  Then wait for him to put his nose in a little further, then click and treat, then a little further and so on.  If he is hesitant to put his nose in, help him out by holding a treat through the hole to encourage him.

Duration 

Once your dog is placing his nose all the way inside voluntarily, slowly increase the length of time between rewards.  Hold the muzzle out, have him put his nose in for three seconds, then click and treat.  The next time count to five seconds in your head, then click and treat, then 7 seconds, and so on.  Take breaks between each step, you can practice this before each meal time for just a minute or two, remember to keep the sessions very short and positive and let your dog set the pace.  You can take breaks for play time as a reward.

Fitting

Once your dog is able to hold his nose inside for at least 15 seconds, start getting him used to having the straps done up.  Keeping the straps very loose, just place them behind his ears but don’t do them up just yet, click and treat your dog for allowing the straps to be placed behind his ears.  Practice doing them up as it can take time for people to get used to fumbling with the straps.  If you can work with a helper have one person holding the straps while the other provides reinforcement for your dog.  Keep the straps loose while you’re learning how to do them up smoothly, rewarding your dog each step along the way, and taking breaks for play time in between.

Once you’re able to put them behind his ears and do them up without difficulty, then you can start to adjust the straps to fit properly, remember to reward your dog heavily for this process.  The straps should fit loose enough that you can slide two fingers under the strap, but tight enough that the muzzle doesn’t slide around on his face and he is not able to paw it off.

Keep it Up

Once you’re able to put the muzzle on and reward your dog, bring the muzzle out frequently for refresher sessions.  If the muzzle sits gathering dust and isn’t brought out again until an emergency situation arises, it’s likely your dog will not be used to wearing it anymore.  It only takes a minute or two each day of putting the muzzle on and rewarding the dog to maintain the positive association.

Important

Once your dog can wear the muzzle comfortably, this does not replace training.  He may feel better about wearing the muzzle, but this does not help him feel better about whatever was threatening to him and making him a risk for biting in the first place.

If your dog has bitten or threatened to bite under certain circumstances, contact a certified professional dog trainer to help desensitize your dog to that situation.  This will help lower his stress levels as well as yours.

If you are concerned about your dog's behaviour, please visit our website for more information on professional training services.

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A great video on Teaching a Dog to Wear a Muzzle is available from Chraig Patel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FABgZTFvHo

Chraig Patel, BSc (Hons), PGCert (CAB), CPBC, DipCABT - Domesticated Manners

 About the Author:

Jillian is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), meaning her knowledge on animal learning theory, husbandry, health, ethology, training equipment, and instructing skills have all been evaluated to the standard of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.  This also includes adherence to a code of ethics and to the humane hierarchy for animal training. 

Jillian is a Fear-Free Certified Professional. 

Reduce Jumping Up

Tips to Reduce Jumping  Up

Do you find yourself fending off your furry friend at the front door when you come home from work?  Do you worry that Buster will knock over Grandma when she comes to visit?  These are some general guidelines to help you reduce and modify this behaviour.  Keep in mind that these are a guideline only, for specific help tailored to your dog's and your family's needs, please contact a certified trainer for professional advice.

Do not reward the behaviour

If  your  dog  jumps  up  on  you,  do  not  reward  the behaviour  with  attention.  This  includes  both  positive  and negative  forms  of  attention.  Petting,  greeting,  and  even  scolding  the  dog  (i.e.  “GET  DOWN!”)  can  all  reinforce  the jumping  behaviour.  Punishment, by definition, serves to decrease a behaviour.  So if you have tried scolding, pushing, kneeing, etc. and your dog continues to jump, then these are not punishing the behaviour.  Your dog may think you are engaging in an exciting wresting match.  Jumping up can be a self-reinforcing behaviour, meaning it's fun to do and gets your dog closer to you or your guest.

Jumping up is NOT a dominant behaviour.  

I repeat: Jumping up is not an assertion of dominance.

Jumping up is your dog expressing excitement over you coming home or a guest coming to visit.

Some dogs jump to seek comfort when they are feeling anxious.

It may be bad manners, but it is certainly not dominance.

Walk  away (but don't look away!)

If  your  dog  jumps  on  you,  turn  your body sideways  and  move away,  or  stop  whatever  interaction  you  were  having  previously.   This  teaches your  dog  that  jumping  up  on  you  is  not  the  way  to  get  your  attention.  Keep your dog in your peripheral vision and if your dog offers polite behaviour (four on the floor, sit, lay down, giving you space, etc.), click and treat or acknowledge and reward with praise, throwing a toy, and attention.  The idea is to move your body enough that the dog cannot jump on you, but that you can still observe what he is doing and act accordingly.

Teach and Ask  for  an  Alternative  Behaviour

If  your  dog  is  jumping  on  you  because  he  is  excited to  see  you,  or  because  he  wants  to  play,  ask  him  to  do  something  else  to  earn  your  time and  attention.  Asking  him  to  sit  or  lay  down  means  he  cannot  jump  on  anyone,  and  then you  can  give  him  attention  for  a  desirable  behaviour.  You can identify specific situations in which your dog becomes over excited and jumps up, such as greeting visitors at the door, or greeting you when you come home.

Practice those scenarios (ask friends or family to help) and give your dog opportunities to practice the behaviours you want him to do instead.  Think of it as a rehearsal for the real-life situation, but with the environment (and the guest) under your control, so you can move slowly and allow your dog a chance to practice success many times before Aunt Edna comes to the door.

 If you're not sure how to do this, contact a certified professional dog trainer to help!  

Manage  the  Behaviour

While  your  training  for  modifying  this  behaviour  is  still  in progress,  utilize  management  tools  to  help  prevent  it  from  happening.  Remember that jumping up can be a self-reinforcing behaviour, so the more your dog is allowed to practice it, the more he will want to continue to do it.  Make the alternative behaviours (such as sit or lay down) more reinforcing than the jumping up by rewarding the polite behaviours with his favourite treats, toys, or praise & pets if they motivate your dog.

If  you  have  guests coming  over,  put  your  dog  in  his  kennel  or  behind  a  baby  gate  so  that  he  cannot  jump  on them.  Put  a  leash  on  your  dog  so  that  you  can  control  his  movements  until  he  is  under better  voice  control.  Be  gentle  and patient –  remember,  your  dog  is  just  showing  how  happy he  is  to  see  you  (or  your  guests)  and  needs  to  be  taught  a more socially acceptable  way  to  show  his excitement.

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Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

Boredom Busters for Pets

Update in the Time of Covid-19 

(April 2020 Update)

If you find yourself ordering online more often, you may also find your recycling bins overflowing with cardboard boxes and other packaging.  These cardboard boxes can be re-purposed for cheap and easy enrichment games for your pets!  Just hide toys, treats, and food inside and let them tear them apart.  It may be a bit messy, but better the cardboard box than your favourite pair of shoes! 

Boredom Busters for Pets 

Originally posted October 21, 2015

With winter coming up you may find it harder to get your pooch out for a walk, especially if you work long hours and it's cold and dark when you get home.  If you haven't already, you may want to consider hiring a dog walker... :)

But for those evenings when your pet is bored and getting into trouble (chewing inappropriate items, barking, meowing, or whining out of boredom, or displaying attention-seeking or boredom-related behaviours) here are some things to keep him busy and having fun (fun that's not at your expense!).  

Stuffed Kongs

One of the simplest ways to keep your pet busy is to fill a Kong or other hollow, fillable toy with kibble, treats, or canned wet food and give it to your pet to chew on and play with.  To make them last longer keep a couple prepared in the freezer ready to go whenever you need them.  They're so great for busting boredom, we have an entire blog post dedicated to Kongs!

They come in a variety of sizes, for cats and small dogs, as well as "regular" and "Xtreme" for bigger chewers.

Interactive Toys

Similar to the Kong toy, there are a large variety of interactive toys available online or in retail pet stores.  Kong wobblers, the Kong Gyro, food puzzles, or buster cube to name a few - Anything you can hide treats or food in that will allow your pet to have fun, use his brain, and get a reward for keeping busy with something productive rather than getting himself into trouble.  

You can even use an egg carton or muffin pan, hide treats under a dozen balls, and let your pet nose around until he has found all the goodies.  

Toys

Of course, our dogs are very social creatures and love interacting with us.  Spending time playing ball, tug-o-war, or any game our dog loves to play is a great way for us to have fun, get a little exercise, and bond with our pets.
For strong chewers, very durable toys can provide an outlet for that need to chew without sacrificing your favourite pair of shoes.
Cats love chasing things that move: cat charmers, catnip toys, small balls with bells inside, etc.   Some cats love cuddles and pets while others prefer their scratching post or a nice window perch so they can watch the world go by, know your pet's preferences and bond with them with activities you both enjoy.

The ASPCA has a great article on free and extremely low-cost cat enrichment ideas: https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/saving-lives-behavior-enrichment/5-free-or-darn-close-feline-enrichment-ideas and the Best Friends Animal Society has a wonderful article on Feline Enrichment: https://bestfriends.org/resources/cat-enrichment

"Clicking" for Calm

Yes, you can teach your pet the skill of relaxing!  Teach your pet a “bed” or “settle” cue and reinforce your pet for resting quietly on a bed.  You can capture this behaviour by catching your pet being calm.  Lay on the couch reading a book or magazine, wait until your pet gets bored and lays down nearby, then quietly walk by and drop a treat between his paws without saying anything.

Your pet will learn that getting into trouble or incessantly demanding you play with him are not the ways to earn your attention or get a reward, but settling quietly and being patient are how he earns the things he wants.  Better yet, wait until your dog lays down quietly, then calmly attach his leash and take him for a walk, or bust out your pet's favourite toy.  That’s the ultimate reward for calm.  

Positive Training 

Training is not just for behaviour issues!  Positive training is another great way to exercise your pet’s body and brain, to have fun, and to bond while working and playing together.  Check out Karen Pryor’s website for different clicker games you can play with your pet that encourage him to use his creativity and have fun, for example, “101 Things to do with a Box”.  And yes, cats can benefit from training too!

You can also try out fun dog sports such as agility, rally, skijoring or kick-sledding, disc dogs, fly ball, and so many more.  Hire a certified professional trainer to work with or simply take a positive reinforcement style training class that focuses on fun and relationship building.

When I returned to training after having my baby I wrote a blog post about the experience.  Training really does give you a better appreciation for your dog's abilities, and even a short training session can be great exercise for your dog's body and brain.   

And last but not least... 

Walks!

The best way to get your dog exercise is to get outside and walk or run.  Allow your dog to sniff and explore his environment.  Using his eyes and especially his nose to investigate and learn about the world around him is the best enrichment your dog could have.  If your walks are no fun because of behavioural issues with your dog (for example reactivity or pulling on leash), join a class that specifically covers these topics or engage the help of a certified professional dog trainer.  

You can try to find an enclosed space (such as outdoor rinks during the spring and summer when there is no ice in them) where you can toss a ball or just let your dog run out some of his excess energy.

If you find your work days or too long or your schedule is too busy, consider hiring a professional dog walker, a pet sitter, or a trusted friend to help you out, you'd be amazed at what a change regular exercise can have on your dog's behaviour.  For help in getting the most from a dog-walking service, take a look at this blog post.  

When your pooch is climbing the walls or getting into trouble, remember chewing, digging, barking, whining, howling, running, jumping, etc, etc. are all very normal dog behaviours.  They're not doing it to drive you crazy, they're doing it for fun or as a way to release pent-up energy.  Give them an appropriate outlet for these necessary behaviours and you'll both be happier for it :)

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How Much Is This Going To Cost Me?

After “can you help with this type of problem?” the second most common question I receive is “how much is this going to cost me?” 

The answer is, as usual: it depends. 

It depends on the severity of the problem.  It depends on the time and resources the people are able to put into doing their “homework” (management, practice, and follow-through), on how many people are involved, and how consistent they are.  

It depends on how long the problem has been occurring and how often the dog practices the unwanted behaviour.  

It depends on a lot of things.  

That said, once a trainer has developed a relationship with you and your dog and has done a thorough history, assessment, and started some initial training, they should be able to give you a general prognosis and/or time frame.  This is not set in stone and depends on all the aforementioned factors.  

At time of writing, our training rates are currently $100 for an Initial Consult & Assessment and $70 for follow-up appointments.  

The initial consult is an hour and a half long.  You should expect to sit down and talk with me for 20-40 minutes, depending on the severity and complexity of the issue.  We need to get a detailed history and in-depth information on the behaviour of concern.  Then you should expect to get started laying down the foundation of our program.  

Why $100?  No, I and other trainers do not make upwards of $66 per hour on an average day.  I can assure you that most trainers are making a very humble living.  An hour and a half spent with the client and their dog is not an hour and a half of work.  There is much preparation put into that first meeting: time spent emailing or phoning to get basic information, arranging the appointment, and researching and preparing for the consult.  Then the consult.  Then the trainer goes home and reviews notes, emails follow-up information and/or questions, and is available for ongoing support as needed.  There are operating costs such as fuel, travel time, business insurance, phone bills, website, advertising, etc, etc.  When you factor in the additional expenses and time spent on each case, a trainer makes closer to $25-$30/hour, and most trainers are only able to do 3 or 4 consults a day, depending on the types of services they offer. 

I have two University degrees, my CPDT-KA, and have spent countless hours attending workshops, conferences, seminars, classes, and reading training & behaviour books.  I put in a total of 6 years of formal post-secondary education and have been training dogs professionally and continuing my education in various ways for more than five years.  Some professionals with comparable educations are earning $50-$100 per hour in a secure, salaried position with benefits.  I have no job security, no benefits, and no paid vacation or sick days.  Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE what I do?  

I do.  I LOVE my work.  I get to meet amazing people and their incredible dogs, I get to help people improve their relationships with their dogs, and help dogs overcome difficulties in their canine lives.  I get to make my own hours and be my own boss.  I work hard and reap the benefits of my own hard work (most of the time).  I learn on the job every day, am fascinated and challenged by these wonderful dogs, and every work day is different.  I love learning about animal behaviour and using that knowledge to help people and their pets.  Sometimes I get to play with adorable little puppies.  I love my work!

But I digress.  

Getting back to what you should expect, the follow-up appointments are one hour long.  You should expect a shorter sit-down to catch up on how things have been going, to evaluate the training plan, and to review training goals.  As much of the hour as possible will be spent doing hands-on training and applying what we’ve been learning.   

If you are contacting me for private training, please expect to spent at least $170.  At least one initial consult & assessment and at least one follow-up appointment is a reasonable expectation to address a minor to moderate training concern, to help work out any kinks that come up during your practice, and to give you the tools and resources you need to continue the training on your own.  If the issue is more severe, well, we’ll probably need more time.  

Consider training an investment in your dog.  Pay a little now to avoid major costs, difficulties, or even heartbreak down the line.  Training should be a necessity in your dog’s life, like food, exercise, love, and veterinary care.  You pay a smaller amount annually for regular check-ups at your vet in the hopes of preventing more expensive and serious health problems down the line.  Pay a little now to attend training classes or have a private trainer work with you to avoid more difficult behavioural problems surfacing in the future.  Training can start as soon as you get your pup!  The more you invest in our dog’s behaviour now, the better his quality of life will be, and the better your relationship will be with him.  

Your dog is an intelligent creature, you will be amazed at what he is capable of when you give him a chance to learn :) 

If you're having a behavioural issue with your dog and live within our service area, please contact us.  If you're not within our service area we may be able to refer you to a qualified trainer or class near you. 

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Understanding Dog Reactivity

Why Are So Many Dogs Leash-Reactive?

On-leash reactivity is one of the most common reasons people contact me for private training.  Many dog lovers are puzzled by their dog’s aggressive displays (or otherwise anti-social or embarrassing behaviour) when passing dogs on leashed walks, especially when that same dog can get along just fine with other dogs in the home and some are even social butterflies off-leash at the dog park.  So why is meeting other dogs while on leash so problematic?  

There is not a simple answer and there are many factors at play when dogs become reactive, but I will focus on the main issues.

Curves are IN

Firstly, in polite dog society dogs do not meet face-to-face (head on), instead they approach each other circuitously to show that their intents are friendly, then often they circle-sniff with each dog’s nose meeting the other’s rear end.  Dogs can get so much information from a sniff and from observing the other dog’s posture.  When dogs are approaching face-to-face their postures are often stiff, heads held high, coming in a straight line with no opportunity for appropriate body language and doggy etiquette.  As they are getting closer the tension is already building before they’ve even come in contact.  

Walking along a sidewalk most people are walking in a straight line with not much room.  It is wise to give the dogs a wide berth so they can pass each other in a curved pattern rather than a straight line.  Always ask the other person if the dogs can meet, please do not allow your dog into another’s face, and if the other person’s dog is on leash and you’re not in an off-leash park, the polite thing to do is leash up.  It’s so hard for trainers, walkers, and owners to work with reactive dogs when they cannot control the environment and it sets dogs back quite a bit when they have an off-leash dog not under control approach them.  Often these off-leash dogs greet enthusiastically, and although they may be very friendly, it’s not polite and the off-leash dog may not heed the signals from the reactive dog to please back off.  

Frustration

Many reactive dogs started off quite social and eager to play and interact in a friendly manner.  Unfortunately, being on leash limits the ability to do so and can cause frustration in young, playful, social dogs.  A lot of dogs also spend time barking at their window at dogs passing by, further adding to these frustrating experiences.  Over time the dog associates seeing other dogs with frustration and as the occurrences accrue, the dog ends up acting out whenever he sees another dog.  

If you have a friendly, social dog right now - great!  Keep it that way by arranging play dates with other social, friendly dogs who are a good match for your dog.  Socialization is a continuous process and dogs need to continually practice their social skills and have an outlet for their playful energy.

If you have a dog that is reactive contact a certified private trainer or attend a group class specifically for reactive dogs.  If your dog is reactive but has some friends he gets along with, arrange as many supervised play-dates as you can so that they have an opportunity to exercise their social side and have positive experiences with other canines.  These play dates are best done in a large, fenced area with one adult for each dog in case the dogs start to get overly rambunctious.  If they do, call them away with treats, ask them to sit or down, reinforce them for settling, then allow them to return to play.  Continue interrupting and reinforcing for calm every few minutes so the dogs don’t get over-excited and start playing too rough, remembering to reward them by allowing them to get back to their fun. 

Provide Alternatives

In the mean time, when you are out for walks you can help your dog develop a more positive association with seeing other dogs.  Whenever he sees a dog (further away is better so that he remains calm) give him treats.  You can ask for alternative behaviours such as sit, lay down, watch me (eye contact), touch (target) or anything he knows that he can do easily.  Being rewarded in the presence of other dogs helps create those positive associations and gives your dog something to do with his nervous energy.  

If your dog is too worked up to focus on you or to take treats that means you are too close and he needs more space.  

Avoid Punishment 

It is not advisable to punish your dog for acting out, no matter how frustrating or embarrassing it may be.  This will further add to the negative association being developed and can worsen the reactivity and increase the risk of aggression.  Try to keep your tone light and positive when you are working with your dog, if he sees you are relaxed and having fun this will help him understand that there’s nothing to be worried about.

You Are Not Alone

As I mentioned, this is one of the most common reasons people contact me for private training, there are also many books written on the topic.  To further illustrate this point, out of 11 blog posts, this is already the second on reactivity.  Know that, as difficult as this issue can be, you are definitely not alone and there is help and hope!

If you need help and are within our service area, please feel free to contact me, and if you are outside my service area I may be able to provide an appropriate referral.

Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

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Related Posts

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Classical Conditioning

You Cannot "Correct" Fear Out of Your Dog

Puppy Potty-Training ("Housetraining")

Teaching Puppy to Potty Outside

We recently adopted a puppy from a shelter, she was about 4 1/2 to 5 months when she came home with us, and was not potty trained.

Phoenix, our Pointer-mix

We hadn't potty-trained a puppy in a long time (Maddy is 9 years old this summer), so it was a good refresher on the basics.  One of the most frustrating problems for dog-owners is when they have difficulty house-training their dog or puppy, so here are some tips for making the process go more smoothly:

1.  Confine puppy when you cannot supervise. 

Kennel train your puppy so that she is happy to lay on a blanket or dog bed and chew on a stuffed Kong while you are busy doing other things.  Puppies are much less likely to soil in their sleeping space (provided they are not confined for longer than they can hold it), so this sets you up to be able to take her right outside as soon as you open the kennel door and she will likely do her business outdoors.

You can also use an X-pen, or baby-gate puppy into a bathroom (make sure towels, razors, toilet paper, etc. are out of reach) to make for easy cleaning if she does have an accident.  A moment of distraction is all it takes for a puppy to sneak away and make use of the carpet, so it's always best to confine before you get focused on something else.  You can also tie a leash to your belt and keep puppy within your eyesight at all times, just be sure you are aware of your movements and how they are affecting puppy.

Keep your eyes peeled for signals that your puppy needs to go.  Some behaviours are:

• Sniffing for a spot 
• Circling
• Puppy seems unsettled and is pacing

2.  Go outside with your puppy.  

Yes, even if it's -50 and snowing, put on your boots and parka and mittens and take your treats with you.  This way you know puppy has done her "business" and you can reward her on the spot for it.  If you wait at the door or watch her through the window and give her a treat when she returns, congratulations, you are teaching your dog to come in from the yard when called - which is great - but you are not reinforcing her for going potty outside.  Puppies have very short attention spans and you need to get a delicious morsel into her mouth as soon as she has completed the act.

If you're lucky and you're potty training when the weather is nice, wander around the back yard and ignore your puppy.  Let her sniff and explore and play, but don't interact with her and just keep an eye on her.  Eventually she will need to go, then you can walk over telling her what a good dog she is, and give her something delicious.  Once she has done her business, then you can further reinforce her by playing and interacting with her.  If you are taking puppy out on leash - which is a good idea to do even if you have a fenced yard, because you want puppy to learn to go when on leash - don't end the walk as soon as puppy has finished all her business.  This will teach puppy that the fun (walking, sniffing, exploring) ends when she goes potty, so she will try to hold out longer to ensure the walk lasts.  Stay in the yard while puppy is on leash and wait for her to do her business, then use the walk as part of the reward for going potty outside.

3.  Make frequent trips outside

Young puppies have small bodies and cannot hold it for long.  When confined, puppies generally can hold it for 3-4 hours (depending on their age, breed, size, health, and individual differences).  However, when puppies are active they can go as frequently as every 30-45 minutes!

Puppies most commonly need to go:

• After being physically active (after playing or anything exciting has happened)
• Shortly after eating (I mean shortly - as in minutes or even seconds!)
• Immediately after waking from sleep and after having been confined 
• Shortly after drinking a large amount of water

4.  Prevent mistakes, don't punish them

It will not help your dog learn to rub her nose in it, to hit or scold your puppy, or to punish her for soiling in the house.  This is especially true if you did not catch her in the act.  Puppies have short memories and will not know why they are being punished, they will think they are being punished for whatever they were doing in that moment, which could be happily greeting you at the door.   Punishing puppy if you do catch her in the act may cause her to be afraid to potty in front of you (even when outside), causing further difficulty with housetraining.

If you missed it entirely, just clean it up using an enzymatic cleaner and review your supervision plan, ensuring you have puppy in your sight at all times.  If you catch her in the act, scoop her up and get her outside as quickly as possible.  If she finishes potty outside, giver her a very tasty treat and tell her what a good girl she is, showing her that she gets rewarded for going outside and not in the house.

It's best to get puppy in the habit of going outside and to avoid mistakes as much as possible.  Once puppy starts going potty in the house it is much harder to break her of the habit (though still possible!).  The above protocol works with dogs of any age, but keep in mind that puppies and adult dogs learn differently and both their bodies and brains are very different developmentally.  Also a previously housetrained dog who regresses can benefit from going back to fundamentals until she is back on track.

*If a previously housetrained dog suddenly starts having accidents and you can't think of a reason for this, please make a trip to your veterinarian for a check-up as this could be a medical issue.

If you are struggling with a difficult housetraining situation, or are new puppy-owners and would like assistance potty-training your new pup, please contact our Certified Professional Trainer, Jillian to set up a consult.

Details on our rates and service area can be found on our website, and details about Jillian's qualifications and training philosophy can be found at Pawsitivecare.ca/about-the-owner

Enjoy your adorable new puppy, or new furry friend, and happy training!

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Preventing Heat Stroke in Your Dog

Originally written July 23, 2015

Today's heat advisory has brought back to the forefront our hot weather policies and preventing heat stroke in the dogs we walk. 

Here are some of our tips to help keep your dog safe when it's very hot and humid out:

• When the schedule allows, set the dog walk up for earlier in the day, when it's cooler 
• Provide a portable water carrier so your dog-walker can offer water to your dog throughout the walk 
• It is advisable that each dog have their own water bottle or bowl to prevent the spread of disease or illness 
• Dog walkers will take breaks in the shade and monitor the dog for signs that he needs a break.  Some early signs are:
• Panting more heavily
• Trying to search for shade and/or water, pulling towards trees or cooler areas
• Walking more slowly
• Thicker, more sticky saliva
• There are signs of more severe hyperthermia (heat stroke), however we advise being proactive and preventing the dog from getting to that point.  An article on the more serious signs and what to do in a heat stroke emergency is available on the Pet Education blog

With regards to our professional dog-walking service, our policy is that when the temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius or higher with the humidity index, we reduce walks to 20 minutes or less, or 20-minute intervals for hour-long walks.  

We will remain with your dog for the full scheduled visit, but will bring the dog back home to cool off, drink water, and can play games inside or snuggle and spend time with your dog in ways that they enjoy.  If the walk is a full hour, we can go back out again for a final opportunity for a potty break and a little more walking before we leave.  

If your dog is particularly sensitive to the heat, please let us know so that we can be especially vigilant and plan for more breaks in the shade or a shorter walk if needed. 

We can also do water play in your back yard if you have a pool or other water toys for your dog.  

Clients can also provide stuffed frozen Kongs or other cool treats for your dog to snack on when you are away.  If you leave a Kong or frozen treat in your freezer we are more than happy to offer it at the end of our walk.  For suggestions on preparing frozen Kongs, see our Kong Stuffing Blog Post.

If it's just too hot to take your dog out for longer than a potty break, check out our Boredom Busters blog for ideas to keep your dog entertained in the house.  

All of our dog-walkers and pet-sitters are trained in Emergency Pet First Aid.  We never transport your dogs in our vehicles without your express written consent, and dogs are never left unattended in vehicles.  

Manitoba Parks also has a Paws in Parks webpage with a list of dog-friendly activities in the province, including a list of dog-friendly swimming areas:

Click for enlarged image

Enjoy the summer and stay safe! - Don't forget water for the humans too :) 

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