How to Teach Your Pet Not to Beg for Food

By Linda Cole

I had a cat that was so insistent with begging that she would jump up on my right side and wrap her claws around my right arm. That was the hand holding the fork. She usually came from under the table in one of her stealthy cat attacks and before I knew it, my arm was locked in combat with her claws. She was so quick that sometimes she actually stole my fork on its way to my mouth! She did learn not to beg, but it took a few boxes of bandages before I finally won the battle. It is possible to teach your pet not to beg for food. After all, we're the ones who taught them to beg in the first place, and it's more a matter of us breaking our bad habit.

It's hard to look into our pet's pleading eyes and not give them a treat from our plate. Yes, I know they like it, but it's not good for them and it can cause health problems that can turn into life threatening conditions. Cooked bones can splinter, causing mouth and stomach lacerations. Round bones can become caught on a tooth and any bone can get lodged between the teeth or in their throat, causing them to choke. Spicy and fatty foods can cause intestinal problems and hyperactivity. Accidental poisonings from pets’ consuming the wrong foods – like raisins, chocolate, candy and walnuts – go up during the holidays, when there’s more food around and more people to beg from. Not only that, table scraps add unnecessary pounds onto pets, and it's just as important for them to maintain a healthy body weight as it is for us. A quality pet food like CANIDAE and FELIDAE is all our four-legged friends really need for optimum health.

Let's face it, most pets have us figured out and if they want something we have, their begging eyes can be hard to resist. Especially if you have a pet who adds their own little “begging” dance to go along with the eyes. But it's not the pet's fault for begging if we give in and toss them a bite of what we have. We have to change our behavior to correct the behavior of our pet. Whenever there's food around, most dogs and cats will be enticed by the smell no matter what kind of food it is. Even with their food bowl filled, pets who are used to getting table scraps will continue to insist you share your food.

I was just as guilty as the next pet owner for tossing a tasty ‘treat’ to one of my pets, and it only takes one time to start a bad habit. Since I have multiple pets, I learned quickly that if I handed out treats during my meals I'd end up with nothing to eat, so that bad habit was easy for me to correct. If your pet persists in begging, the best thing you can do is simply remove them from the room while you eat. However, proper training will eliminate begging as long as you stay consistent and committed to training yourself.

I know it's easier said than done, but ignoring your pet will teach him begging won't work. Don't look at your pet, don't talk to them, and stay strong and determined. You can try feeding your pet at the same time you're eating, but most pets will still wait in anticipation. You can also try exercising your dog or playing with your cat just before you sit down for a meal. Tiring them out will get rid of pent up energy, and might help to reduce their begging.

If you give in and feed your pet table scraps, it's your fault if they beg while you're trying to enjoy your meal. Every time you give your pet some food from your plate, you're encouraging their behavior and teaching them it's OK to beg. Ignore them completely for their good health. You can't yell at your pet for begging. If it's a problem, put them in another room while you eat and commit to a ‘no table scrap oath’ for every member of your family. The best policy is not to give any table scraps to your pet at all. Once YOU are trained, your pet will be too!

Photo by Dan Coulter

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Cat Versus Dog: Which One Makes the Best Pet?

By Julia Williams

Pet owners often engage in friendly – and sometimes not-so-friendly – discussions on whether cats make better pets than dogs, or vice versa. While there are quite a few pet owners who love both cats and dogs equally, others are adamant in their stance that one species is better than the other. Where we stand in the great ‘cat versus dog debate’ is often a result of which pet we had growing up, or a particular experience we had with one, either positive or negative. Sometimes a preference emerges for no apparent reason; it just is, and it’s how we’ve always felt.

Over the years I’ve been a pet mom to a dozen cats. I like dogs too but have only shared my home with one, so my experience with them is more limited. However, just because my BFF’s have always been cats doesn’t automatically mean I think cats make better pets than dogs. The relationships are different, not necessarily better. Nonetheless, for the sake of the debate I’ve come up with a few reasons why one might want a cat instead of a dog. Don’t think I’m bashing dogs though, because I’m really not. Rather, this is just my attempt at humor.

The Cleanliness Factor

Dogs need to be bathed regularly and even then, many breeds have a distinct ‘eau de dog’ shortly after getting squeaky clean. Cats win this category paws down because they are remarkably self cleaning. My cats wash themselves after every FELIDAE feeding frenzy, in between mealtimes, and pretty much every waking hour. Bathing a cat is rarely necessary, which is a good thing because it’s not exactly easy to do without getting shredded.

Physical Activity

All dogs need regular exercise. Some breeds can get by with a short daily walk or play session in the backyard, but others need more physical activity than this, which can be challenging if you’re more ‘couch potato’ than marathon runner. Cats need regular exercise too, but you don’t need to brave the chill of winter to help them burn off their kibble calories. A drawer-full of cheap cat toys is all you need!

Economics

Big dogs eat mountains of food, and even some small dog breeds put away more kibble than most cats do. Dogs need bigger pet beds than kitties do, and most felines prefer a cardboard box over a cushy pet bed anyway, so you might as well not buy one. There are typically more supplies to buy for dogs too, such as crates, leashes, harnesses, rain booties, and sweaters for those short-haired or hairless breeds. Cats don’t need to wear sweaters and most will claw you into itty bitty pieces if you’re foolish enough to even think about putting one on them. Same for the harness and leash…just don’t go there!

Training

There’s a big difference in the time and effort required to train dogs versus cats.  For cats, training generally consists of showing them where their litter box is kept, and keeping a spray bottle of water handy to discourage counter surfing. Dogs need rules and guidance to become canine good citizens who will follow your basic commands at home, at the dog park and on walks.

Barking Versus Meowing

A bored dog left alone all day tends to engage in excessive barking, which can really get annoying when you live next door. It’s certainly not the dog’s fault, but that doesn’t make the barking any less irritating. Conversely, have you ever heard someone complain because the neighbor’s cat meowed all day while they were away? Nope, me neither! If you’re gone a lot, a cat is definitely the better pet because they sleep all day anyway.

The Palate

It’s no secret that dogs view the things they find in garbage cans, the cat’s litter box and their backyard as tasty tidbits. Yep, dogs eat rotten food and poop, and they like to roll in the stinky stuff too. When have you ever seen a cat do that? Enough said.

I’m sure I could come up with just as many reasons why dogs make better pets than cats… but I won’t because that would mean I’d have to relinquish my lifetime membership in the Crazy Cat Lady club, and the tacky cat plaque that came with it. And you know, I’ve actually grown quite fond of that ugly thing. 

Photo by Dixie Wells

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Is Your Dog Digging up the Yard?

By Suzanne Alicie

Dogs dig! Puppies dig, middle aged dogs dig, and even old dogs dig if they’ve never been taught not to. Some dogs dig even if they know better. Trying to stop your dog from digging up your yard may just end up being a test of wills.

There are a few tips and tricks you can use that may help your case, but in reality it’s hard to break centuries of nature. Dogs smell things constantly and will often dig for the item they smell. This comes in handy if your dog is an Avalanche Rescue Dog – like the CANIDAE-sponsored Scout, who works at Colorado’s Copper Mountain Ski Resort – but if his digging place is your flowerbed or the center of your lawn you may not appreciate it quite as much.

I have a digger. My dog digs up roots and usually eats them. She’s not a puppy and she hears the word “no” quite often when she is digging. After trying all the methods below I’ve finally given up. Instead of trying to change her and make her stop digging, these days I just make sure she has an area to call her own where she can dig without messing up my flowerbeds or the lawn.

First attempt to stop the digger

I walked her around the yard on a leash in order to pull her away and tell her “no” when we got near the flower beds. At that point I wasn’t concerned with the yard, just my flowers. Repeatedly we walked the yard; I enforced her not stepping one fuzzy paw into my flowerbeds over and over. WOW! It worked. She stopped digging in the flower beds. But I couldn’t tell her “no” for the entire yard, so what could I do about that digging?

Second attempt to stop the digger

Because so much of her digging seemed to come directly from what her nose picks up that she thinks needs to be investigated, I made sure I was on hand with a handy doggie repellant spray when she was out in the yard. As soon as I saw her make her first “pounce” and begin the frantic digging, I would run over and tell her no, pull her back and spray the area. Well, it sounded like a good idea at the time, but we’ve got a big yard and I did more running and spraying than I care to remember. She would simply move over a few feet and do it again.

Third attempt to stop the digger

I tried the dreaded electronic collar. I don’t like these things, but when I was at my wits end and the vet recommended one, I figured it was worth a shot. I put it on her and let her out in the yard. When she began to dig I pressed the button on the controller to give her a jolt. She paid it no mind whatsoever and continued her digging. I refused to turn it up and cause my dog pain in any way, so that bright idea was a waste.

Finally there was nothing to do but indulge my digger. The next time she started in on the center of the yard, I led her to a small area at the back of our property. I moved her run down there and shortened it up so that she could only reach the area I decided she could have. You’ve never seen a happier dog! She pounced and jumped and dug to her heart’s content. Once she had established herself as the queen of her area by riddling it with holes, I was able to let her out into the yard again knowing that she would head straight to her area to dig.

If she smells something really interesting, she occasionally attempts to dig in the yard, but all I have to do is tell her to go to her place and she’ll take off at top speed to “get it.” Sometimes it is a root, sometimes it’s a hidden treat, and sometimes she just digs for the joy of digging.

Photo by mercedesbbk

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How to Transition an Outdoor Dog Indoors

By Suzanne Alicie

If you adopt a dog from an animal shelter, chances are they will have been housed in an outdoor kennel. You might also find yourself providing a new home for a dog whose previous owners kept him outside. But you want your dog to be an integral part of the family, which means keeping him indoors where he can interact with you on a daily basis.  So, how do you get a dog who is accustomed to being able to go potty wherever he wants and who is not used to furniture and house rules, transitioned into an indoor dog?

Hopefully your outdoor dog knows some basic commands such as sit, stay, no and down. These are basic training words that all dogs should know. Even if he hasn’t been trained, you can still work with him and turn him into an indoor dog. The key thing to remember is that your dog is not a human. No matter how smart he is, he can’t know what is and is not allowed until you teach him.

Begin by bringing the dog inside on a leash several times a day. This allows you to let him explore the place while you are in control. He can sniff and check things out while you walk him through the house. When he gets near things that you don’t want him to become overly friendly with, a quick tug on the leash and saying the word NO in a firm voice will help with the indoor training.  This can be used to train him away from furniture, wiring, the kids’ toys and other things he might love to chew on and is unfamiliar with.

Have a place set up just for your dog with a bed, food and water dishes. It’s also a good idea to place some newspapers near the door for those inevitable accidents as your dog adjusts to being indoors. Find a way to secure your dog in this area temporarily using child gates. After several days of bringing him in and walking him around, letting him grab a bite of food out of his own new dog dish and then taking him back outside to go potty, you can move to the next step.

Bring the dog indoors and secure him in the area you have set up for him. However, don’t just leave him there alone and with no interaction. Be visible as you move about the house, talk to him and pet him to keep him from becoming agitated in his new environment. A few chew toys and CANIDAE TidNips™ treats will help to keep him happy. Take him out on the leash to go potty every hour and return him to his area.

After several hours you can let your dog go back outside. Repeat this process, keeping him indoors for longer lengths of time each day until you notice that he whines at the door when he needs to go potty, and you feel he’s ready to try a night indoors.

Transitioning an outdoor dog indoors is not impossible. But it does take time and patience as well as a lot of praise, love and understanding as your dog learns a whole new set of rules and commands. Expand your dog’s area a little more as you notice he is becoming accustomed to the way things work inside until he has the ability to roam freely throughout the house. Use consistent training methods. If he is not allowed on the furniture, don’t give in once and let him cuddle with you on the sofa; this will just confuse him when you tell him “no” later.

Be prepared for potty accidents and the inevitable chewing mishap. However, you’ll find that most dogs are quick learners and before you know it, your outdoor dog will be a real part of the indoor family life. Dogs are eager to please, and will bask in your attention and praise when they do well.

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How to Train Your Dog for Agility Competitions

By Linda Cole

Agility training is a sport that's been gaining in popularity for some time. It's a great way to give your dog plenty of exercise and stimulation to keep his mind and body healthy. You might be surprised to learn your dog isn't the couch potato you once thought after watching him jump, weave, and run around a course having the time of his life. Agility training requires time and patience, but it's worth the effort to have a sport you can do together. If you've taught your dog basic commands, then he's ready to learn how to navigate an agility course.

Contact obstacles include a teeter-totter, dog walk and A-frame. They're called contact obstacles because in order for the dog to successfully complete the task, he must touch a certain spot on one or both ends with at least one of his feet.

Teeter-totter – If your dog is reluctant to walk on the teeter-totter, begin with a square 4 x 4 piece of plywood on the ground with a small ball under it. Have him move around on the wood so he can get used to movement under his feet. Once he's comfortable with movement, move to the teeter-totter. With your dog on a 6 ft. leash, give him a description command for each obstacle (teeter-totter, A-frame, weave, etc.) and move him towards the obstacle. Make sure he touches any required spots before going on. When he correctly succeeds at each task, give him praise and a treat reward. As he gets used to the movement of the teeter-totter, you can increase his speed.


Dog walk – A balance beam with ramps on both ends. The dog runs up a ramp, across the beam and down the other ramp, making sure to touch required sports.

A-frame – Just what the name implies. The dog goes up the incline, over the top and down the other side. This also has required spots that need to be touched.

Jumps – Start at the lowest level and keep him on his leash so he won't cheat and go around the hurdle. If he is hesitant to jump and wants to go around, block his path with barriers on both sides. Increase the height when he's comfortable jumping over each level.

Tunnels – Have someone stand at the other end of a short tunnel with treats. Move your dog to the opening, use your description command and have the person at the other end call his name to encourage him through the tunnel. When he's comfortable running through the short tunnel, increase the length and add curves. Some tunnels are collapsed, so he also needs to be able to go through a tunnel he can't see through.

Pause table – The dog has to jump onto a table and pause for a specific time in a sit/stay or down/stay position. Pat the table to encourage him to jump up on it. Have him sit or lay down for just a few seconds at a time, and work up to at least 10 seconds.

Weave poles – This is probably the hardest part of agility for dogs to learn. Weave poles are the only obstacle that requires an unnatural movement for your dog. Start by placing the poles off center so your dog can walk between them. Then slowly move the poles closer to the center which will make him have to “weave” through the poles to get around them. Keep moving them closer to the center as your dog gets comfortable bending his body to maneuver through the poles. Once the poles are in the correct position for an agility competition, then you can increase his speed.

Well trained dogs competing in agility events make it look easy, but their owner or handler spent weeks or even months training the dog. Be patient and give your dog opportunities to succeed and lots of praise during training sessions. Any dog can learn agility regardless of his size or age. However, a puppy's body is still growing and an older dog may move slower. Don't force your dog to do something he doesn't want to do, and keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't overdo it trying to please you.

Since agility is an active sport, it's a good idea to take your dog in for a checkup to make sure he can handle this kind of exertion. Even if he isn't ready for prime time, agility training is lots of fun for your dog, and an excellent way of getting rid of pent up energy.

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Do You Talk to Your Pet?

By Linda Cole

Everyone I know talks to their pet, but I don’t think all pet owners do. However, those who don't believe animals understand our words are missing an important means of communicating – and bonding – with their pet. Research has shown dogs are capable of learning so much more than once thought. And we can learn what our pets’ whines, yaps, meows and barks mean, if we take the time to listen. Of course they don't understand everything we say, but they can and do pick out the words that mean something to them. Conversations with your pet can help you nurture and strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

My cat Jabbers, pictured above, is a handsome black kitty with a splash of white on his chest and huge emerald eyes. He got his name because as a kitten he jabbered constantly, and still does. Jabbers and I have discussed everything from what's going on outside, to a first base umpire who needs glasses, to what's for supper. He doesn't care what our conversations are about, just that I took the time to talk to him, and he's definitely a cat with an opinion, which he freely expresses during our conversations. And he never disagrees with me; well... at least I don't think he's disagreeing. He rolls over on his back and sticks his front legs up in the air and rubs his head against my hand as I talk to him. Then he whirls around and sits up so he can talk to me. I had a cat years ago who would put one of his paws on my cheek every time he talked as if he wanted to make sure he had my full attention.

I can't imagine not talking to my pets. I tell them I'm sorry if I've accidentally stepped on their paw or tail. My Border Collie Keikei and I discuss why she can't herd the cats. And I just recently had a conversation with one of my dogs on the perils of trying to eat the TV remote and why it doesn't belong inside her mouth. Of course they don't understand everything we say, but that's not the reason why we talk to our pets. Our touch and voice are special to them – just as special as when we are touched by or hear the voice of someone we care about. Hearing our voice gives them a comfortable and secure feeling.

Talking to your pet is one way they learn what we expect from them through informal training sessions. My dogs all learned how to back up not because I set out to train them that particular command, but as a result of conversations with them. To keep them from rushing through the door every time we went outside, I was in the habit of saying “back up” as I blocked the doorway. The full conversation was, “Back up so you don't run over me or the cats.” One day it dawned on me how well they all backed up when I asked them to, and how much easier it was to control them. They learned on their own what “back up” meant. It may have happened because of consistent training, even though I didn't consciously train them to back up, but it was also made possible because of talking to them and letting them know how I wanted them to behave. After all, that is what training is all about – communicating with your pet.

Pets are good at picking out and learning specific words we use in conversations with them and with other people in the home. They recognize words that describe things they want, like their favorite CANIDAE treats. Pets understand when we are getting ready to leave or put them outside because of our actions and what we say. Even when you try to confuse a dog by changing the words you use, sooner or later, they will learn those words too. They are so much more observant than we realize and they are always listening to our voice when we talk.

As pet owners, the most important thing we want to always maintain is a positive feeling of us in their mind. I want my pets to greet me when I return home. I want them to sit beside me on the couch or cuddle with me at night. I love those moments because it gives us a chance for some small talk. It doesn't matter if they understand my words or not, they do understand the moment. Talking to your pet is one way to instill that all-important positive attitude in them, along with trust and respect.

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A “Pointing Bird Dog” Training Overview

By Lynn Taylor

Training a pointing hunting dog can be a very simple process in some cases, and a long and complicated process in others. However, most people who wish to hunt with their dog, either for leisure or competitively, will find training a hunting dog to be somewhere in between those two extremes. Most hunting enthusiasts will agree the training process is greatly simplified if the chosen dog comes from strong hunting lines. Breeders who are seriously dedicated to promoting the dogs in their breeding lines as hunting dogs will take special care to ensure the litters they produce have traits which make them ideal for hunting. This is done through a process of selective breeding.

In searching for a good hunting dog of a particular breed, potential owners should look for kennels that breed specifically for hunting ability. Additionally, they should visit the parents of the puppy, and learn as much as possible about these dogs including the hunting abilities of the parents. However, even the best bred dogs will still require some degree of training. Many folks see a fine, trained gun dog in action and assume they could never accomplish that kind of performance with their own dog. If you devote some time every day to working with your pup on three basic commands – "whoa," "come" and "heel" – and work toward getting to the point where the dog will unfailingly obey those three commands, you will have a fine bird dog.

"Whoa" is by far the most important of the commands. It simply means, "Stop and DO NOT move until released." The dog must obey this command when it is given no matter how far away he is from you or what he is doing. It is useful in the yard, but it is essential when the dogs are working in the field. If you can "whoa" your dog at any time, you can then go to him and correct anything else he’s done wrong. If he is hunting too far ahead, you can use it to stop him. If he flushes some birds out on his own, you can use it to stop him and train on that offense in the very spot where he blew it. If he insists on goofing around with a shot bird he has picked up, if you can whoa him, YOU can go to him and get the bird from him. If you do it right, he will get the idea that bringing the bird to you and getting stroked is better than dinking around with it away from you.

You will also use the “whoa” command to keep you dog from interfering with the point of another dog when it finds birds and your dog comes up on it. This is called “honoring.” If you can stop your dog, it is then a simple matter to get him to come to you when you want. Most importantly, if you can stop your dog and have him stand still in one place, it is much easier to go to him and stroke and “love him up” for a job well done.

"Come" means "stop what you are doing and come in where I can get my hands on you." If the pup picks up a shot bird and starts to wander off with it, if you can first "whoa" him to stop going in the wrong direction and then tell him to "come," you will get every bird you shoot delivered right to hand. "Heel" simply means "walk by my side until I tell you to do something else." Any time you want to go somewhere with the dog under control, this is the way to do it. Trained properly, a dog will heel unfailingly without a lead so that you can have both hands free to carry things like your gun and all the birds he pointed for you.

It is also important to have a release command such as "ok!" for each of these commands. It lets your dog know he has performed correctly and is now free to hunt for you again. Always take a lot of time to stroke and praise the dog in a pleasant voice when he performs correctly. Good dogs are born wanting to please. If you can show the dog in clear terms what pleases you and repeat that scenario over and over, the dog will become positively addicted to doing the correct action if he knows that by doing so, you think he is the greatest dog in the world.

Upland bird dog training is really just that simple. Even the best field champion is doing nothing more than obeying these three commands very well and using an extreme amount of talent to its greatest potential to find and point birds for his master. Most bird dogs today are being bred with more bird finding and hunting talent than ever before. All you have to do is spend a lot of time with your dog to get him to apply that talent for YOU so that the two of you will be a solid bird hunting team. Neither of you are able to get a bird without the other, but together you’re a team whose performance might someday earn you awards on the field trial course.

Read more articles by Lynn Taylor

Pets for Vets Heals Hearts and Saves Lives

By Julia Williams

Last month, Linda Cole wrote about Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet, a wonderful organization that helps U.S. servicemen and women by providing temporary foster homes for their pets while they’re deployed overseas. Today I want to tell you about another important nonprofit organization that not only helps our military veterans, but countless shelter animals too! The Pets for Vets program brings together two wounded souls, so each can have a second chance at life.

Pets for Vets is a nonprofit organization created by 27-year old animal trainer Clarissa Black, in connection with local Veterans Affairs Hospitals. Their stated mission is “to heal wounds through friendship.” They do this by placing homeless shelter pets with veterans who need the special love and companionship an animal can provide. The Pets for Vets program is a way to give back to those who serve our country, while also giving shelter pets the opportunity to live in a loving forever home. It’s a win-win situation for humans and animals alike!

Many veterans suffer from physical and emotional injuries that make it hard for them to return to civilian life after military duty. As a result of their time in a war zone, many returning soldiers struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, addiction, nightmares, anxiety, anger management and other ailments. Pets for Vets believes that companion animals can provide the life-saving “therapy” these men and women so desperately need to turn their life around. In return, the veterans provide the pets with the friendship, affection and permanent home environment they deserve. In essence, together they help each other heal!

What makes the Pets for Vets program unique is the hands-on training the animals receive before being paired with a veteran. Clarissa Black, an animal lover since childhood, trained elephants and dolphins before deciding to become a professional dog trainer. In addition to training dog and cat “actors” to work in film and television, Black works with pet owners who need help with behavioral issues, basic and advanced obedience, and behaviors that facilitate relationship-building between dogs and their owners.

Pets for Vets is a Los Angeles-based charity, and any veteran in the southern California area with a condition that could benefit from having an animal companion is eligible to receive one from the charity. The veterans interview with the Pets for Vets team so they can determine what kind of pet would fit their needs and lifestyles. Once the perfect pet/veteran match is found, Black takes the animal to her home, where she trains it in basic obedience, socialization and behaviors it will need in order to live with the new owner. This might include becoming comfortable around wheelchairs and crutches, or important behaviors needed to help a veteran with brain injuries or PTSD.

Black’s training goal is to help ensure that the pet and vet are lifelong companions. Once the pet is fully trained and ready to go to his new home, Pets for Vets provides all of the necessary equipment for the veteran, such as food and water bowls, leashes, collars and crates. Although this program is currently only available to veterans in southern California, Black hopes to be able to expand the program to other areas soon.

If you’d like to help this worthwhile organization, there are several different ways to do so. You can make a tax-deductible monetary donation, or donate new or gently used items they need, including food bowls, dog toys, grooming supplies, towels and a good quality dry dog food that doesn’t contain wheat or corn, such as CANIDAE ALS (see their complete wish list here).

Pets for Vets also sells a variety of merchandise online, with all proceeds going to the charity. Items include T-shirts for people and dogs, hats, mugs, bumper stickers, tote bags, keychains and more. To learn more, visit the Pets for Vets website.

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How to Use a Clicker to Train Your Dog or Cat

By Linda Cole

Clicker training has been rising in popularity over the last several years as a useful tool for dog training. Many professional dog trainers never leave home without their clicker and use it in conjunction with treats and positive reinforcement. It works well for training both dogs and cats, but there is a trick to using a clicker the right way to reinforce the behavior you want to teach. It's not hard, but it is all in the timing and knowing when to click.

Dog training doesn't require a lot of time, but it does require commitment. A puppy's training should begin the minute you bring him home. This way he grows up knowing what you expect from him, and he's not as likely to develop behavioral problems down the road. An older dog whose training was neglected when they were young and now has behavioral problems can still be taught appropriate behavior using positive reinforcement. A clicker enhances the reinforcement with a quicker response from the person doing the training.

When used correctly, clicker training can give your dog or cat a response at the exact moment they've accomplished the task you want them to learn. The time it takes to say “Good boy/girl” or any other praise is not at the exact same time of their compliance. Using a clicker gives the pet instant acknowledgment for the act they just performed, which allows them to learn quicker. Clicker training doesn't replace the need for praise and treats though. You still want to have plenty of CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ or Snap Biscuit® treats on hand for earned rewards. A treat should be given after each click so your pet associates the sound of the click with a reward – the treat. The advantage of clicker training is that it takes away the variations in our tone of voice which can confuse some pets. And it allows every member in a household to train a pet using a clicker, giving a pet a consistent marker for completing a task.

Using a clicker isn't difficult, but getting the timing right may take a little practice. The first thing you want to do is get your pet to learn what the clicker means and associate the sound with a treat. Always remember – click first and then give the treat. When your dog or cat hears the click, it should be at the exact moment they sit, shake hands, come or do any command you're teaching.

Start by calling your pet to you. Use the treat as an incentive to get their attention. When you have it, click and then give the treat. This teaches your pet that the sound of the clicker gets him a treat. When your pet looks at you every time you click, then you're ready to move on to the next step.

Take a treat and hold it in your hand close to your face. Most pets will focus on your hand where the treat is hidden. Stay patient and wait for them to look at you and not your hand. The exact moment they look at your face, click and treat. Do this until your pet automatically looks you in the eyes. Give an immediate click followed by a treat. Don't forget to give praise as well. Clicker training reinforces faster than verbal praise.

When your dog or cat understands what the click means, you're ready to move on to anything you want to teach them. Keep the training sessions fun and make sure you give your pet plenty of opportunities to succeed. In other words, if they appear frustrated or not really into the training session, give it a rest. Training sessions should be done when your pet is hungry, otherwise the treat may not be as interesting.

Knowing how to correctly use a clicker is an important tool you can use that will reinforce your pet's positive actions. He will learn to associate the sound of the click as a positive reaction from you. If you're interested in clicker training, you can find clickers in most pet stores and online. They aren't expensive and are small enough to carry in a pocket for quick access. It takes a little practice to get the timing down, but once you get the feel of the clicker, you will get faster results with your training.

After your dog has learned basic commands, you might be interested in getting him certified in the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Julia Williams outlines the ten different tests your dog will need to pass before getting their certificate.

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1,022 words - largest vocabulary of any known dog

Chaser, a border collie who lives in Spartanburg, S.C., knows 1,022 proper nouns, a record that displays unexpected depths of the canine mind.

John W. Pilley, Chaser's owner, bought her as a puppy in 2004 from a local border collie breeder and started to train her for four to five hours a day. He would show her an object, say its name up to 40 times, then hide it and ask her to find it, while repeating the name all the time. She was taught one or two new names a day, with monthly revisions and reinforcement for any names she had forgotten.

It was hard to remember all the names Chase had to learn, so he wrote the name on each toy with indelible marker. In three years, Chaser's vocabulary included 800 cloth animals, 116 balls, 26 Frisbees and a medley of plastic items.

Source

How to Housebreak a Puppy

By Linda Cole

Puppies are so cute, until you find a little surprise waiting for you on the kitchen floor. Hopefully, you didn't discover it in the dark. Housebreaking a puppy can be frustrating, but it's not impossible nor is it the puppy's fault. Stay calm and committed and you'll be surprised how quickly you can train your puppy where to go.

A puppy can't control his bladder muscles properly until he's at least 12 weeks old, and he simply can't “hold it” for very long. He doesn't know going inside is bad. Housebreaking a puppy takes patience and consistent training to teach him where the appropriate place to eliminate is. Yelling at a puppy for going inside the house won't teach him anything positive. He will understand you're upset, but he doesn't connect his mess to why you are angry with him. Because dogs live in the moment, he relates your anger with whatever he was doing at that moment. If he eagerly greets you at the door and you respond by yelling at him, he learns greeting you makes you unhappy and he'll stop greeting you. You want your pup to have only positive thoughts about you. Inappropriate discipline creates unnecessary stress and a confused dog.

Housebreaking a puppy is more about you training yourself to know when the puppy needs to go outside. He should go outside after every meal, immediately after waking up from a nap, when playtime is over, and anytime you see him circling or showing signs he needs to go. Because dogs are individuals, as you get to know your puppy you'll begin to see little hints he uses to show you he needs to go outside. A bark or yip, sniffing, an agitated look, staring at the door or standing in front of it are pretty good signs he's trying to tell you something. Dogs can learn things on their own and they will learn how to communicate to you what they need. Pay attention to what he's teaching you and you will always know when he wants outside. Never ignore him when he's asking to go out, no matter what you're doing.

When housebreaking a puppy, take him outside often to the place where you want him to go. The scent from his last outing will tell him this is the place. Never allow him to roam the house when you're gone. Confine him in an area of the house with no carpeting and make sure to thoroughly clean up any messes or puddles. I'm not a fan of crating a puppy, but it does have a purpose if you don't have an acceptable area to keep a puppy in. Make sure the crate is just large enough for bedding and a few toys.

Take him out of the crate as soon as you get home and don't let him spend a lot of time locked up. Go home during your lunch break and take him out for a walk and if you can't get home, try to find a neighbor, friend or someone you trust who can. Changing your routine to accommodate a puppy will only last for a short time, but how you handle his housebreaking training will last for a lifetime. Once he learns where you want him to go and he's old enough to control himself, you can go back to your old routine.

Puppies understand our body language and our tone of voice. All you need to do to let them know you're disappointed is say in a firm voice “No, bad dog.” Pick up a mess or puddle with a paper towel. Take the paper towel and puppy outside and put both of them on the ground. Let him sniff the towel and if he goes again, praise him with enthusiasm. He will understand by your tone of voice how pleased you are and he will want to repeat it to make you happy. Praise him every time he does what you want.

Establishing a routine with your pup is important. Puppies need to go outside at least 6 or 7 times a day. While you are housebreaking him, don't play with him outside. Give him time to poke around and sniff the area. He may need to relieve himself several times before he's done, so don't rush him. When he's 5 or 6 months old, he won't need to go outside as often.

Housebreaking a puppy is about being committed, staying calm, understanding your pup and giving him lots of praise for going outside. It really isn't hard to housebreak a puppy. Keep your focus and stay patient. Stick to your routine and he'll learn the proper place to go. Then you can add something new and teach your dog how to ring a bell when he wants to go out.

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Earn a Dog's Trust with Positive Reinforcement

By Linda Cole

Dogs can be as difficult to figure out as humans are, but if we followed the same rule with our dogs as we do with people, we would treat them like we want to be treated. Dogs respond much better to positive reinforcement than they do to force. Training a dog with trust, respect and positive feelings is also much easier for the average dog owner. We should do no harm while interacting with our dogs. We often create unintended behavior by either not training our dogs or by not treating them with respect and understanding. Trust and respect goes two ways, and positive reinforcement will earn both. Gaining a dog's trust should be as important to us as that of another person.

Most dogs respond to us in the same manner we treat them. Affection, attention, understanding and patience are just as necessary when interacting with dogs as it is with children. We don't automatically get a child’s or dog's trust or respect just because we're bigger than they are. Both have to be earned, and positive reinforcement is the path to that goal.

I've been working with my ten month old Border Collie, Keikei. She was beginning to show food and leash aggression issues, and is still way too excited when we get ready to go outside, but she's a work in progress and doing a good job. Training her has been fun, even with her specific behavior problems, because she is willing and eager to learn. Using positive reinforcement to deal with her aggression and excitement issues has been more effective and faster than resorting to force. She's such a good girl and when I look in her eyes, I see a dog that wants to learn. By giving her the respect she deserves, I've gained her trust and respect, and she is happy to do what I ask.

Dogs should have only positive thoughts in their mind about us. I want my dogs to be happy to see me and be excited to learn what I'm trying to teach them. It doesn't matter if it takes a day, a month or longer to teach a dog something. The important thing is spending time with them in a positive way to reinforce your bond and keep their trust by being fair, consistent and patient at all times. Training a dog can be trying at times, but well worth the effort when you have your dog's trust and respect as his leader because he chooses to follow.

I don't believe in bad dogs or bad dog breeds. I do believe unacceptable dog behavior needs to be corrected before it becomes out of control, and changing their behavior is accomplished better by using positive reinforcement. Dogs are smart and they are capable of learning behavior from each other and their owner. Instead of forcing a dog to bend to your will, you teach a dog to do something because of mutual trust and respect. Dogs learn what we teach them, even when we don't realize we're teaching.

Dogs are just as imperfect as we are. Mistakes happen and at times, they can forget what we taught them. It's up to us as responsible dog owners to help our dogs maintain a positive frame of mind even when they need correction. If you have your dog's trust and respect, they know when you're disappointed or upset with them. The important thing about a dog's trust is that they know you will be fair and forgive them. Positive interaction with your pet is positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement isn't just about training and giving rewards. It's talking to them, petting them, snuggling with them, grooming and going for walks; this keeps the bond healthy and strong. When you love someone, you protect them, defend them, do what they ask and have trust and respect in their judgment. That's also how a dog sees you when you teach them using positive reinforcement, and why a dog is willing to follow.

Positive reinforcement makes a dog feel good about himself in the same way positive feedback gives us a good feeling. Treating him with respect earns his. Like us, dogs are social beings who enjoy the company of those who make them feel accepted and good. We have a positive image in our mind of people who have our respect, and that's how we want our dogs to see us. A dog's trust and respect goes hand-in-hand with positive reinforcement, and that's why it works.

Ruthie Bently’s article, Training Dogs with Kindness, relates a lesson she learned from her dog Nimber, and how she came to realize that respect and kindness will always get better results than bullying.

Photo by Beth Loft

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CANIDAE Special Achiever: Bryce Mann’s Gun Dogs

By Suzanne Alicie

I recently had the pleasure of conducting an interview with Bryce Mann, another of the CANIDAE Special Achievers. The Special Achievers are an elite group of pets and pet owners sponsored by CANIDAE Natural Pet Food Company.

When your earliest memory of childhood is sitting between your brother’s feet on the floor of a cotton picker while your brother hunted and being lowered to the ground to go fetch the pheasants, what do you suppose you’d want to be when you grew up? One thing is for sure: you wouldn’t want to “be” the gun dog sent to fetch the prize.

Bryce Mann’s experience “being” the hunting dog for his brother and a lifetime of hunting and being around hunting dogs has led him to his current profession. How many of us can say that we love our jobs, that our work is fun and that it is almost like playing? Bryce Mann can say all that. His profession as a trainer and handler of gun dogs is something he has been working toward since he was small.

Bryce Mann offers guided hunts, dog training and the opportunity to see and be involved in gun dog competition. Bryce has written articles on various topics for Gun Dog Magazine, Pointing Dog Journal, and Gundogs Unlimited online magazine. He has also done interviews and articles for Western Outdoor News and Outdoor California magazine and for TV (Bird Dogs Forever), radio & newspapers. However, Bryce says he prefers presentations and speaking engagements to writing assignments. Bryce Mann’s Gun Dogs are sponsored by many well known companies in the world of hunting and dogs, including Tri-Tronics, Happy Jack and Hi-Viz Sights.

Bryce is the best kind of pet owner – he is a responsible pet owner who will go to any length to ensure that his dogs and the dogs he trains are healthy, happy and energetic. He works with each dog personally and understands the many personality traits dogs have that make them ideal for being gun dogs, which enables him to individualize the training to get the best out of each dog.

Bryce is also involved in providing specialized training for mobility impaired hunters and dog owners, and is the President of the California Wheelin’ Sportsman. He participates in guided hunts with hunters in wheelchairs and benefit hunts as well. This year is the 11th year for the Persons Dependent upon a Wheelchair Pheasant Hunt. It’s a benefit hunt where wounded hunters and veterans, trained dogs, handlers and enthusiastic hunters in adapted wheelchairs hit the great outdoors to hunt together.

While Bryce’s gun dogs are working dogs, they also are his pets. There are four German shorthairs that live in the home with Bryce. His dog Reno is not just a gun dog; she is also a breast cancer survivor and a service dog for mobility assistance, as well as his pet for 12 years. His dogs are treated like family members, and are usually found wherever Bryce is, whether that is indoors or out.

Some hunters feel that gun dogs or hunting dogs should be kept in a kennel unless they are hunting, but Bryce does not agree. His dogs and the dogs he trains are not just there to perform on command, they are pets and they are loved. Many times when in the puppy stage the dogs are hyper and a little out of control just as you would expect. Bryce says he has a two year old dog that is “wound up like an 8-day clock,” who spends a great deal of time outside until he calms down and mellows a bit.

The innate intelligence and exceptional natural ability of the breeds used as gun dogs makes them ideal for training and competing. Training begins at 3-4 months for basic obedience, hunting training and competition training. 

Bryce Mann raises birds for training and trains dogs on private grounds; he also keeps a small rotation of dogs for training because he feels that the dogs he trains deserve as much time as possible and that won’t occur with several dogs training at the same time. One-on-one attention, socialization and well rounded training make for a solidly trained gun dog.

Bryce is part of the CANIDAE Special Achievers team, and feeds his dogs the CANIDAE All Life Stages grain free formula. Bryce had run into a problem several years ago with one of his dogs who would go off his feed when traveling, and the veterinarian told Bryce to supplement his dog food with proteins such as potatoes and eggs. So when they traveled Bryce had to cook food to feed to his dog. Once he found the CANIDAE grain free food he never looked back. The grain free formula is ideal for his hard working and very active dogs.

When his dogs are retired or not working in tournaments or guided hunts they are able to have the other CANIDAE ALS product because they don’t require as much protein and can even gain weight if fed the high energy food. Bryce also approves of the CANIDAE heritage of being made in the USA and their commitment to providing natural and beneficial foods for pets. Ironically, Diane from CANIDAE had approached Bryce several years ago about being a sponsored pet owner, after seeing him at a presentation. He turned her down at the time, but happily has seen the error in his judgment and is now proud to be a CANIDAE Special Achiever.

To learn more about Bryce Mann’s Gun Dogs or to arrange a guided tour or training for your dog, visit Bryce’s website. While there, take the time to watch the video from the Wheelchair Pheasant Hunt; it’s informative, touching and amazing. To learn more about the challenging competitions that his dogs participate in which are a celebration of the hunting heritage and a sport which has something for everyone in the family, visit the North American Gun Dog Association.

The men and women who work with gun dogs are dedicated to their pets, to the spirit of competition and often spend more time with their dogs than with their families. Bryce’s dogs go with him to presentations and showcases at places like Bass Pro Shops, and are friendly, energetic and they love photo ops!

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What Does a Veterinary Behaviorist Do?

By Linda Cole

Pets find themselves in animal shelters for a number of reasons, but too often, they're surrendered because of behavioral problems their owner couldn't or wouldn't deal with. Qualified veterinarians are applying their specialized knowledge in animal behavior and working with pet owners to help them solve bad behavior so a pet and his owner can stay together. Like an applied animal behaviorist, veterinary behaviorists are helping to solve behavioral problems and keeping pets out of shelters.

Dealing with a pet that has a behavioral problem is extremely frustrating for an owner who has no idea why their pet's behavior has suddenly changed. When a once quiet dog barks insistently for no apparent reason, it can drive a loving pet owner, and their neighbors, up the wall. However, the dog does have a good reason and to him, it isn't an unnatural behavior. A cat refusing to use her litter box may have a medical problem or is upset because of a change in the home. A veterinary behaviorist can step in to help a pet owner solve the mystery of why their dog is barking or why the cat isn't using her litter box.

The difference between an applied animal behaviorist and a veterinary behaviorist is education. Animal behaviorists are people who specialize in a particular field of study like wild animals or pets. They come to your home and observe a pet in their environment and watch how owner and pet interact with each other to help them make recommendations to correct behavioral problems. However, you need to make sure the applied animal behaviorist you call is someone with expertise in dealing with your pet's specific behavioral problem. Animal behaviorists need at least a B.S. or B.A. Degree.

Veterinary behaviorists are vets who have at least a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM) and have spent a year as an intern. Upon graduating, they then go into a behavioral residency training program for two or three years. While in the program, they're required to do a research project and publish their findings. As a veterinary behaviorist, they are then able to help pet owners with behavioral problems.

The advantage of working with a veterinary behaviorist is that they can treat your pet's physical conditions along with behavioral problems. They can perform tests to find out if your pet's behavioral problem is due to a medical condition, and prescribe medication. If the bad behavior isn't due to an illness, then the veterinary behaviorist can work with the pet owner to determine if the behavior is from a lack of training, poor communication between pet and owner, or an owner who is unknowingly contributing to their pet's behavioral problem.

When dealing with a behavioral problem like barking, it's important to consider your dog's breed. Even mixed breeds will exhibit characteristics of one or more of the breeds in their makeup. For example, a Beagle barks and a mixed breed dog with some Beagle in him may also bark at everything he sees. Border Collies herd and Siberian Huskies love to run. Understanding who your dog is can help you determine if he has a behavioral problem. Sometimes, a dog just needs an owner who understands him and can provide him with proper training.

Pets don't do things to annoy us on purpose; there's always a reason why they do what they do. Most pet owners don't have the expertise to recognize and correct issues we consider to be bad behavior. As responsible pet owners, it's up to us to take an active role in helping our pets by educating ourselves on minor behavioral problems we can handle. More serious issues like any kind of aggression, are best dealt with by an expert. The next time your pet needs a check up, ask your vet if they are a veterinary behaviorist. Solving your pet's behavioral problem may be easier than you think.

Thanks to continued research into why pets act in certain ways, people who love animals and care for our pets can give us assistance in dealing with behavioral problems before they become unmanageable. If you have a pet that has any kind of behavioral problem, the solution is to find out what's bothering them and correct the problem with the help of a veterinary behaviorist, an applied animal behaviorist or a qualified trainer. A pet belongs in a loving home, not in an animal shelter. You picked out your pet for a reason, so give him the same unconditional love he gives you. Seek out the help you need to correct behavioral problems that can be eliminated with a proper diagnosis or dedicated training.

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How to Teach an Excited Dog to Calm Down

By Linda Cole

Some dogs can get so worked up when it's time for a walk or a romp in the backyard they nearly knock you over on the way to the door. Frenzied barking and jumping is the sign of a hyper, out-of-control dog who could become aggressive if they remain in that state of mind and meet another dog or person once outside. Calming them down before they go out is the best thing to do – but how do you teach a dog to stay calm? Read on.

An overly excited dog isn't focusing on you. If you are trying to get them outside and they are jumping, barking and running away from you, they are controlling the situation. Teach a dog to stay calm with basic commands and get him to focus on you.

Dog training is important for any dog, but an excitable dog needs to learn how to sit and stay. The next step is to teach a dog to focus only on you. My dog Keikei goes bonkers every time we get ready to go outside. She bounces and barks insistently. The louder I get trying to get her to stop barking, the louder she barks and I know I've lost control because she can out bark me. According to dog experts, ignoring her is supposed to help calm her down. Most of the time it works, but not when we're ready to go outside. Her state of mind is running on high octane. The only way to put on the brakes is to have her sit and stay before she can go through the door.

To teach a dog to calm down, have them sit right in front of you. It's easy for them to forget their training when they become hyper, but an agitated dog can become aggressive and hurt you or them. It's important for them to sit and stay until you release them. Stay calm, no matter what happens. You are setting an example for your dog to follow and he will feed off of you if you become as excited as he is. Teach your dog to focus on you and nothing else.

The best way to teach an excited dog to calm down is to begin training them to sit, stay and focus on you. Take a CANIDAE Snap-Biscuit® treat and hold it up so they can see it. If they get up, they don't get the treat. They are rewarded only when they sit, stay and look at you. Give your dog a command to focus on you and give them a treat when they make eye contact with you. After he's focusing on you every time and pays attention to what you are saying, then you won't need to make him sit and stay. Have him focus on you every time he becomes excited. This helps him redirect his mind away from what's causing him to overreact. You need to be able to control your dog's excitement and helping him learn to calm down takes away stress that only adds to his excited behavior.

Dogs can be like kids in a toy store at Christmas time. For some children, no matter how much you holler at them to come back, your voice falls on deaf ears once those little eyes see all the toys. Yelling at your dog won't calm him down and will only reinforce his behavior because he is getting your attention, even if it's negative attention. His level of excitement is more apt to increase. Training your dog to obey basic commands and learn  to focus on you puts you back in control. Dog training should be done on a daily basis and reinforced daily after they've learned a command.

When trying to teach a dog, don't worry about doing it overnight. Take your time and make it fun. Stay positive, calm, patient and consistent. Keikei has been a challenge to work with. She is a spirited soul with a mind of her own, but she is learning what I'm trying to teach. One of the best ways to teach a dog to stay calm is for you to remain calm. For most dogs, ignoring them will help subdue their level of excitement. For a more head strong dog, they may need to learn how to sit and stay until they can learn how to control their excitement.

Photo: "Ellie" by Keira Bishop

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Train Your Dog According to Their Personality

By Linda Cole

Dogs are not created equal when it comes to training. Some learn faster than others, and some just can't seem to get what you're trying to teach. All dogs can be taught basic commands as long as you're willing to invest the time and energy to stay committed. However, dogs are individuals and like kids, they learn at their own pace. Knowing your dog's personality can help you devise a training schedule that works best for them.

Dog training isn't high on some people's priority list. I know many dog owners who have never spent one minute training their dogs to sit, stay, walk on a leash or any other basic commands. They feel that as long as their dog will come to them most of the time when called, that's all the training they need. Animal shelters are full of untrained dogs who have been surrendered by their owners because the dog developed behavioral problems they had no idea how to correct. Lack of training to correct behavioral problems is one reason many people give up their dogs.

Another reason dogs end up in shelters is because their owner didn't really know or understand their pet. A dominant dog who borders on aggression can become aggressive if his owner doesn't take the time to discover his personality. I'm the proud owner of a 10 month old Border Collie who was given to us because she wasn't housebroken. She was 8 weeks old when we took her in. Within a couple of months, she was housebroken and she now lets us know when she needs to go outside. As she grew, she became more aggressive with the other pets, but her personality is really more dominant than aggressive and training with positive reinforcement has curbed her aggression. Working with her on basic commands has shown me that she is eager to please and excited to learn what I want to teach her.

A dog's personality is formed by their environment, what they learned from their mom, how well they were socialized, and how we treat them. A dog can be confident, aggressive, submissive, fearful, shy, outgoing, happy, independent or dominant.

An already submissive dog who is shy or insecure will need slow and steady training sessions. Loud or sudden noises could easily send him searching for a place to hide. The independent dog can be harder to train because he hasn't formed a bond with his owner, and a fearful dog can show aggression if he feels threatened. Keep things simple and quiet and give the dog lots of praise and opportunities to succeed to help boost his confidence and gain his trust. A happy, outgoing dog is usually eager to please his owner. He needs to learn how to sit, stay and stay down to keep from knocking people over when he greets them.

A dominant or confident dog can be harder to train, because he'll try to be the one in charge. He needs an owner with a firm hand that's fair and gentle when the dog needs correction and gives praise and rewards when he does what is asked. I don't believe a dominant or confident dog is hard to train – as long as you know your dog and don't try to force him to submit to you, because you risk creating an aggressive dog with behavior problems you didn't intend. Stay consistent, patient and calm, and never let frustration come between you and your dog. When working with this personality type, if you or the dog become frustrated you need to stop, take a breather and try again. Once your dog understand that you're in charge, you might be surprised how fast he learns.

Regardless of what your dog's personality is, treat them with respect and love to earn their trust and respect. There's nothing wrong with taking a dog back to step one to reinforce what you're trying to teach them, and there's no specific time line for them to learn.

Dogs who are treated with love and respect will learn anything we want to teach them as long as we take the time to understand who they are and how best to train them. Just like us, dogs want and need to feel secure in their surroundings. We can eliminate confusing signals we send to our dogs simply by knowing who they are. It is that important to know your dog's personality to understand how they will learn. A dog owner also needs to evaluate their own personality as well, to know which breed or dog they are best able to handle.

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How to Teach Your Cat the High Five Trick

By Julia Williams

I’ve never been very successful at teaching my cats tricks. It’s not because training cats is impossible – I’ve seen plenty of performing cats in videos and at cat shows to know that felines definitely can learn tricks. My cat training failures stem mostly from a lack of patience and motivation. Since my cats run and hide from nearly everyone who comes to visit us, the payoff of teaching them tricks doesn’t seem worth the effort.

That is, until now. I’ve actually found a cat trick that is pretty easy to teach, most likely because it’s a fairly natural behavior. One of my cats, Rocky, is picking up the High Five trick quickly, and although we’re not at the “perform on command for your friends” stage, I’m betting it won’t be long. Of course, then I will have to find a way to keep Rocky from hiding under the bed when people come over.

If you want to teach your cat the High Five trick, keep reading for my step-by-step instructions. But before you actually start your cat training, make sure you have plenty of their favorite treats on hand. Cats are not usually motivated by praise, but most are quite motivated by food, especially if it’s something they love. So keep the cat treats handy, because you’re going to need them.

Step One: Take your cat and the treats into a quiet room where the two of you can practice without distractions.

Step Two: Have your cat sit in front of you on the floor or the bed.

Step Three: Hold one of the treats in your hand. Let your cat know you have the treat and allow them to sniff it.

Step Four: Slowly move your hand with the treat back and forth, above your cat’s head. If they get up on their hind legs or try to grab the treat with their paw, just move them back into a sitting position and try again.

Step Five: Hold your hand with the treat off to one side above your cat’s head to encourage them to touch your hand with just one paw. If your cat reaches for your hand and touches it with their paw, say “yes” and give them the treat. If they use their claws or mouth, pull your hand away and try again.

Step Six: Repeat step five several times. Next, make the same motion but without a treat in your hand. When you are able to get your cat to touch your hand, say “yes” and give them a treat you’ve stashed somewhere nearby.

Step Seven: Practice step six several times. Next, place your open palm in the same place above your cat’s head. Say “high five” if they touch your hand with their paw, and then reward them with a treat.

Step Eight: Repeat the entire sequence a few times each day until your cat learns the High Five trick. Just like people, every cat is an individual and they don’t all learn at the same rate. Some cats might pick it up with just a few training sessions, and others might take weeks. Be patient!

Tips for Teaching Your Cat the High Five Trick:

● Make sure your cat’s nails are kept trimmed for training.

● Keep the training sessions short and try to make them fun.

● If your cat becomes agitated during training, stop and try again later.

● Schedule the training sessions before mealtimes so your cat will be more motivated to get the treat.

If you decide to teach your cat the High Five trick, let me know how it works out! In the meantime, I’ll be working on Rocky to get him up to speed. Then I can work on teaching him to stay in the room when company comes over.

Photo by Michaela Kobyakov

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A smile before your busy holiday.

Like everyone else, I'm busy getting ready to stuff the turkey and bake the holiday pies. So instead of the usual Wednesday pet roundup, I wanted to share this--one of the absolute most adorable videos ever. Since more than 4 million people have viewed this video, maybe you've seen it too. But I still love watching it, and hope you will too. It's a perfect way to add a smile to your day! So while you are cleaning the house and peeling potatoes, take a minute to relax and enjoy.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Breaking Your Dog’s Bad Habits

By Suzanne Alicie

Dogs are supposed to be “Man’s Best Friend” but without proper training and consistency they can develop some bad habits. Each dog is different and may have a variety of bad habits which can make your life pretty stressful.

I am in awe of pet owners who always have mannerly, well behaved dogs. My dog is generally well behaved, but at times I have difficulty controlling her when we get ready to go outside. She jumps and barks and whines because she is so excited. I know why she does it, and it is my fault. I made the mistake of riling her up in the past just to watch her do this because I thought it was funny. Now she thinks that is what is expected when I say “Let’s go outside.” We are working to change this bad habit that I inadvertently taught her. Each dog has their own personality and that is reflected in both the behavior of the dog and the success of training methods. Some dogs require a different approach, but many dogs respond to basic consistent training.

If your dog has a problem with excessive barking, for example, you want to first figure out why he is barking so much. Dogs can bark because of being bored, frightened or just to hear their own voice. Once you understand why your dog is barking you can begin to work on how to stop it.

Some dogs have bad habits that can be dangerous to them and to their owners, such as chewing. Electrical cords, toxic items, etc. can cause serious problems for the dog and the dog owner. You can find solutions for how to deal with chewing problems in this article by Linda Cole.

Another dangerous bad habit that dogs may have involves running out when the door is open or dragging their hapless owner along on the leash as if they are taking their owner for a walk instead of the other way around. While it is easy to say that you are a human and can control your dog, it is more important to earn your dog’s trust and respect by practicing consistent training.

If your dog lunges out the door at top speed you must simply stand your ground and wait for him to realize that you won’t be walking anywhere until he comes to your side. This can be repeated throughout your outing anytime your dog pulls or strains at the leash; just stop walking and wait for him to come back to you before continuing to walk with him. By insisting that this is the way the walk will progress, you are enforcing the rules in your dog’s mind. He learns that this is what is expected of him in order to be able to go outside and walk. Be prepared to spend a lot of time standing on the sidewalk feeling foolish, because it takes time for your dog to learn this.

Breaking a dog’s bad habits is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, patience and consistency. You’ll notice the word consistent is used throughout this article.  That’s because the best thing you can do for your dog to ensure good behavior is to always be consistent. If you allow him to do what he wants half the time because you don’t feel like working at his training, he will not learn the rules and will continue to be strong willed and determined to continue his bad habits.

Dogs are intelligent, and can be taught to be well mannered and well behaved. Part of being a responsible pet owner is taking the time to work with your dog and help him not only fit into your family but to be safe and a pleasure to have around.

There are no bad dogs; dogs are a product of their environment, and can be redeemed from their bad habits and behaviors with love and understanding. A stern yet calm voice, repeated commands, some CANIDAE Snap-Biscuit® treats and consistent training can usually break a dog of their bad habits. If you feel unable to handle this task yourself, consider visiting a dog training class or consulting with your vet about how to get your dog in control.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie