Doggie Insanity

Doggie Dress-up

2011-10-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Fancy dresses, designer outfits, boots, shoes, coats, and jewelry are just some of the many products that are becoming increasingly popular for dogs. And at Halloween, there's no limit to the creativity when it comes to dressing up dogs. There's the foam bun with mustard so the Dachshund can be a "hot dog," no end to the princess and action figure themed costumes, animal costumes so your dog can spend the evening as a lion, tiger, or bear (Oh my!), and too many more to list. My all-time favorite was a Greyhound wearing a bus. Of course, he was a Greyhound Bus.

Apart from Halloween, we see everything from celebrities dressing their dogs up in costumes to the average pet owner walking his dog in a raincoat. For Halloween, special events, picture taking, or simply for fun, dressing your dog up in outfits and accessories for short periods of time won't hurt, but should be done with precaution.

Here are some tips to remember when deciding whether or not to put clothes or costumes on your dog:

Canine coats and boots can be important for keeping your dog warm and dry in places where there is cold and rainy weather. This is one time where clothes are ok.

In addition to the sailor suit or ruffled dress, keep in mind that your dog is already wearing a fur coat and can easily become overheated when running around with extra layers.
Dogs naturally need to move around in order to make sense of their world by sniffing, exploring, or digging. Some canine couture can restrict your pet's movement, or become a safety risk by getting caught on various objects or affecting your dog's ability to see clearly.

Remember that your dog is just that -- a dog -- not a baby or fashion accessory. Make sure you allow your pet to run through the grass, chase a bird off of the fence, and do whatever else your particular breed was bred to do. On Halloween, enjoy those costumes for photos and then take them off before you take your dog trick-or-treating.

Just like humans, dogs communicate with each other using subtle signals and body language. While you may love your dog's outfit, it may actually mask these signals and hinder your dog's communication with other dogs. Unless outfitted in a coat for harsh weather, forget the doggy wear when your dog is interacting with other dogs.

This is a post from AKC's blog... I thought it was great so re-posted it... I hope you enjoy.

Stefanie

Crate Training...

2011-08-31T21:36:00.000-07:00

Crate Training

Providing your puppy or dog with an indoor crate can satisfy many dogs' need for a den-like place of refuge. Because dog's have a natural reluctance to soil his den or sleeping place, a crate can also help with potty training and aid in reducing separation anxiety.

A crate will also prevent destructive behavior, such as chewing, and keep a puppy away from potentially dangerous household items (i.e., poisons, electrical wires, etc.).

Crate training your dog can ease traveling with your dog, as your puppy will already be quite used to being in the safety of his crate in the home so the car ride will be easy going. I recommend everyone crate or seat belt any dog riding in a vehicle, this will keep both you and your dog safe for travel. In Addition, if you travel with your dog a crate is a must. Most hotels which accept dogs on their premises require them to be crated while in the room to prevent damage.

Most dogs who have been introduced to a crate while still young grow up to prefer their crate as their place of rest and down-time or for stress relief. This is one of the reasons your dogs crate should NEVER be used for the purpose of punishment.

I recommend that your dog have a crate accessible to him throughout his lifetime. Dogs never grow to old for their crate, remember this is his place of rest, safety and solitude.

WIRE FRAME CRATE

Types of Crate

There is a wide variety of crate types available. I myself have two different types in my home. I have a soft crate for travel and a wire fold up crate for home. You should choose one that you feel best suits your needs. Just remember that its not a good idea to put a puppy or untrained dog in a soft crate and leave them unattended, as they can chew through the side of the crate or even tear the mesh.

SOFT CRATE

Size of your Crate

Your crate needs to be an appropriate size for your dog. Crates that are to big will more than likely not hinder puppies from using the extra space for a potty area. Crates that are to small can be harmful to the growth of your puppy. Your dog should be able to stand up and raise his head most of the way up, he should be able to turn around and lay down comfortably. Older, house trained dogs can have larger crates, but puppies should have a crate that is just a bit larger than his actual body size.

What can my puppy have in his crate?

Toys and Treats: Place your puppy's favorite toys and dog treats at the far end opposite the door opening. Toys should always be inedible and large enough to prevent their being swallowed and tough enough to keep them busy for a period of time. Toys like Kong's that you can fill with food is a good way to give your puppy something to do while in the crate

Water: If your dog or puppy is to be in his crate for longer than two hours its a good idea to supply him with an attachable wather dish.

Padding: Pads, blankets or dog pillows are great however, some puppies and dogs will shred the cloth or foam mat. If this happens remove any pieces to prevent the pup from swallowing or choking on the pieces and do not replace the pad unless your dog is supervised.

Location of Crate

Whenever possible, place the crate near or next to you when you are home. This will encourage the pup to go inside it without his feeling lonely or isolated when you go out. Dogs and puppies are pack animals and do not enjoy being alone. Puppies are coming to you strait from a litter and plenty of company.

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy

Remember; dogs are associative learners, so its very important that we teach them about the crate in a positive manner. We dont want our dog to associate the crate with something harsh or negative or with punishment in any way. Going into the crate should be a pleasant experience for both dog and handler.

NEVER ever try to force your dog into his crate and slam the door behind him. This will simply cause him to become fearful and resentful of his crate and resist going into it.

The first thing I like to do is begin feeding my puppy inside his crate. We want him to associate the good experience of eating with being in his crate. This does not have to be permanent, but it helps in the conditioning process. Simply set the bowl of food just inside the door of the crate at first, so the puppy can put only his head in to eat. Once he is comfortable with this you cant place the food bowl further back in the crate so that he has to fully enter the crate to get his food.

“Crate” command

The next thing will be to begin to teach your puppy a command to enter his crate. With the door to the crate standing open, show your puppy a treat and just as he attempts to get the treat, toss the treat into the crate (just inside the door). As your puppy crosses then threshold to the crate to retrieve the treat, say “yes!” and give and additional treat reward. Repeat this over and over gradually reducing the number of treats you toss into the crate as your puppy learns and complies with the command “crate”.

Now that your puppy knows how to enter his crate on command we can begin asking him to stay inside his crate until he is invited out.

Give you puppy the “crate” command, once inside give him a treat and say “good”. Notice we didnt give a verbal “YES” marker here, as we are building duration in this exercise rather than ending it.

When your puppy enters the crate give the reward and say “good”... followed by several more rewards... then after a minute or so say “YES” and allow the puppy to exit, having a party with him for a job well done. Do this over and over gradually extending the amount of time your puppy is inside the crate.

Once your puppy goes into the crate on command and also stays inside for a period of at least a minute, you can begin slowly closing the door a little at a time.

Ask your puppy to go into his crate, say “good” giving a reward, close the crate door just slightly and say “good” again offering another reward. Do this exercise until you can successfully close the crate door for a period of time and your dog remains calm.

Teaching your puppy to be calm while in the crate

The next step is to again do the same exercises and build more time. Once your puppy is comfortable with being in his crate you can begin putting him in his crate and walking away from the crate for short periods of time. Remember short distances will be the best in order to keep your puppy successful. Walk back and forth to your puppy while he is in his crate and offer him a food reward for being calm in his crate.

If your puppy becomes overly stimulated or excited when you walk away or approach, simply turn your back to the puppy and pay him no attention. DO NOT be tempeted to yell or hit the crate, this will only cause your puppy to associate the crate with bad things happening.

Ignore your puppy until he is quite again, as soon as you get a few seconds of silence, turn around and say “yes!” and offer a food reward or open the crate door. The puppy should only be rewarded for acceptable behavior. Ignore all other behavior, but remember stay near the crate as you dont want to force your dog or puppy into feeling anxiety or fear while in the crate.

These exercises should only be done for a short period of time each time you practice, 5-10 min is plenty depending on the temperament and drive of your dog. Do the exercises several times throughout the day and end each session on a positive note, while your dog is successful.

In most cases a pup who cries incessantly in his crate has either been crated too soon (without taking the proper steps as outlined above) or is suffering from separation anxiety and is anxious about being left alone. Some dogs may simply be under exercised. Others may not be getting enough family interaction. Some breeds of dog are just particularly vocal. These dogs may need the "Alternate Method of Confining Your Dog", along with increasing the amount of exercise and play your dog receives daily.

Crating Puppies

Puppies under 4 months of age have little bladder or sphincter control. Puppies under 3 months have even less. Very young puppies under 9 weeks should not be crated, as they need to eliminate very frequently (usually 8-12 times or more daily).

Important Reminder

Collars: Always remove your puppy or dog's collar before confining in the crate. Even flat buckle collars can occasionally get struck on the bars or wire mesh of a crate. Again we dont want any negative association with the crate, so preventing anything negative from happening while your puppy is in his crate is very important. If you must leave a collar on the pup when you crate him use a safety "break away" collar. Never leave a training collar on your puppy or dog while in a crate or kennel or when he is not being supervised.

Before Crating your Puppy be sure a few things are in order

your puppy has pottied reciently
he has had ample time to run and exercise
he has had plenty of time to interact with the pack (family)
he has plenty of toys in his crate with him to keep him busy

Accidents In The Crate

If your puppy messes in his crate while you are out, do not punish him upon your return. Simply wash out the crate using a pet odor neutralizer (such as Nature's Miracle, or vinegar and water). Do not use ammonia-based products, as their odor resembles urine and may draw your dog back to urinate in the same spot again.

The Crate As Punishment

NEVER use the crate as a form of punishment or reprimand for your puppy or dog. This simply causes the dog to fear and resent the crate. If correctly introduced to his crate, your puppy should be happy to go into his crate at any time.

NOTE: Sufficient daily exercise is important for healthy puppies and dogs. Regular daily walks should be offered as soon as a puppy is fully immunized. Backyard play time is great but not enough mental stimulation and physical exercise for most dogs.

Children And The Crate

Do not allow children to play in your dog's crate or to handle your dog while he/she is in the crate. The crate is your dog's private sanctuary. His/her rights to privacy should always be respected. Dogs can sometimes feel possessive of their crate, and it may not be safe to allow children to interact with the dog when he is in his crate.

I know crate training can be a time consuming and frustrating undertaking, but I promise you it will be worth it for both you and your dog. I hope this helped... Thanks for the suggestion Brenda!

-Stefanie

Doggie Diary...

2011-08-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

8:00 am - Breakfast! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

-fido
_______________________________________________

A Cat's Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity....

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously a snitch.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now.........

-the Cat
_______________________________________________________________________

A friend sent me this today, It made me laugh... I hope it did you as well...
-Stefanie

Doggie Incarceration

2011-08-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am a firm believer that we as a society must be responsible dog owners and keep our dogs where they should be when we are away. These days both husband and wife work a full time job as well as manage the household, making it necessary to kennel, crate or confine our dogs that are left at home. The problem lies with the busy lifestyle that most people lead these days.It leaves our beloved family pet in exile from the family pack, extreme boredom and all out doggie incarceration.

I am a mother of four great kids and own two dogs as well as have a full time job and run my own business. I can certainly appreciate having a lack of time to deal with the dog at times. I do understand leaving the house at 5 am and returning with barely enough time to get dinner on the table before football practice. However, I feel we need to really evaluate how our dog may feel about the life he lives, after all this life is not of his choosing. We, the owners, choose how our dogs live from day to day. In assessing the situation we need to ask ourselves a few questions. Is he fulfilled and happy? Is he an integral part of our family pack? Is he getting appropriate exercise and stimulation? Is he getting appropriate interaction with the family pack? A lot of dog owners feel that because they provide food, water and shelter that their responsibility to the family pet is complete. However, I could not disagree more. When taking on a family dog, we need to consider it to be an addition to our family. Our family pet is not a robot and can not simply be shoved into the closet or on a shelf until we have time for him.

What we need to consider is that dogs are pack (family) animals, they must be an interactive part of a pack (family) to thrive. Dogs are also intelligent and emotional animals. They, like humans, bond with their family and when they are away from that family they actually suffer emotional pain. They know and respond to our emotional state as well.

Now... that being said, at risk of "humanizing" our family dog, we all know that dogs are also hard wired by mother nature to be just what they are "dogs" and certain things need to be provided in order for that hardwiring to be satisfied so that negative behaviors do not form.

A great deal of negative behaviors we see our dogs display, can be avoided simply by giving our pet more of what he actually needs to thrive and fulfill more of his hard wiring. So many times I have people say to me, "he chewed my favorite shoes because he was mad at me". I have to let you in on a little secret, dogs are not out to get even with you or exact their revenge because they are angry. Most of the time the dog chooses something of yours because it smells like you, and he is in need of your affection or attention in some way. Dogs do not "get even" or do things because they are mad at us as owners, its simply not in the psychology for a canine. I know that blows most of our thinking out of the water but it is the truth. If we can take a long hard look at how our pet actually survives every day and compare it to what is actually desirable for a canine living within a human family pack, I would bet some changes would be in order. We need to consider not only what he needs as a species but also the needs of the breed, the temperament of our specific dog as well as the size of our pet. For example, some breeds need tons of exercise and some need very little.

We can avoid tons of negative and annoying behaviors by simply giving the dog something that is missing to satisfy a drive (ingrained desire) that he is hard wired with. Such as "prey drive" the desire to chase something that is running. We can satisfy prey drive and get a good amount of exercise by spending twenty minutes throwing a ball and letting your dog retrieve it. This activity also puts an end to to a lot of the high energy trampling and crazy running through the house as it relieves a lot of pent up energy. This is also very good bonding time with your dog.

We can also relieve begging at the dinner table and gain a bit more control of our pets manners at dinner if we can spend a bit of time playing ball and then feed our pet his dinner before we sit down to eat our family meal. This is not an answer to all of the begging your dog will do but it will help with some of the issues I see with dinner time. I got a call from an individual once who was having a big problem with her puppy and the family meal time. I went to the families home to observe and hopefully devise a solution. Well as you can imagine it was a very active and busy family with very little time to care for their very sweet puppy.

The normal day for the puppy was sleeping all night in a crate, then let outside to do his business at 6am, back inside and into his confined area with only 10 minutes to interact with a rushed family. Most of that ten minutes the family was annoyed because the puppy saw the rushed activity as play time and became overly stimulated and wanted to play. The family was away for about 9 hours, and returned home the puppy was let out to do his business and because the wife was starting her dinner schedule the puppy was put in the back yard so he would not be under her feet. While this is better than confinement, the puppy was still alone and without any interaction or stimulation. Puppies left without any kind of direction in their activities and play time will come up with some pretty creative and not so pleasant ways to entertain themselves.

So dinner was served and the family sat to have their meal while the puppy stared in the back door, after 10 or more hours I'm sure smelling the food cooking had this young dog watering and belly growling. As the family sat to have their meal the puppy began barking and jumping on the door. The woman says to me, "this is what we go through just to have our dinner". I know my face was locked on a blank stair as I could not imagine why she was not able to understand that this young puppy needed to eat more often than twice a day to begin with. But also imagine being alone all night then all day, anxiously awaiting for your beloved family to return. Then when they do you are shoved out the door for more alone time while they laugh and interact over a meal. This puppy was simply communicating not only his hunger but also that he really wanted to interact with his family as well. Dogs must satisfy pack drive, they are not hard wired to be alone.

The answer to the issue she had was simply some schedule rearranging. We included 10 min per day before dinner was started to play ball and interact with her puppy. We incorporated some obedience skills in order to stimulate the puppy mentally. We then fed the puppy his evening meal before the lady started cooking her family meal. Then finally, the puppy was blocked in a large portion of the kitchen with her while she cooked so she could talk and interact with no risk of the puppy getting under foot. The puppy was given plenty of toys and also given a toy that could be filled with food in order to further stimulate him. This family didnt realize that how this puppy was living was causing his behavior problems. So in doing some minor adjusting of the schedule to include more interaction with the puppy, the family was able to satisfy several areas of this puppy's life and now have a very well behaved family pet.

I hope this post was of some help to you, please give me your feed back.

Stefanie

Welcome

2011-08-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone, my name is Stefanie Kitcher, Owner and Master Trainer at Poochy Smooches Dog Training. I hope you all enjoy this blog, it's something that I have wanted to do for quite some time. I will give me the opportunity to get all of those articles and stories out here. If you have something you would like for me to share as well please send it to me at stef@poochysmooches.com.

I thank you for your patience while I get this site put together, I promise It wont be long, In the mean time pass the word and lets see just how many followers we can gather. It is my hope that this blog will provide useful, encouraging and uplifting information and stories.

If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to send them to me.

Thank you,
Stefanie