Once upon a time, a nice family brought home their first puppy. His name was Fido and everyone loved him dearly.
    Fido quickly grew into a handsome young dog. He spent his time jumping up on people, chewing everything, digging up the garden, barking at the moon (even during the day!) and nipping the children's ankles.

    Fido was driving his family crazy!

    Fido just didn't realize that his behavior was a problem. He was just being a dog and doing what came naturally. In order to have a happy ending, Fido needs to be taught which behaviors are inappropriate and which behaviors will bring praise.
     

       


    The best way to discourage many unwanted behaviors is to ignore them. Dogs discontinue behaviors that don't have rewards. If your dog barks at you to get your attention, ignore him. He'll soon learn that he only gets your attention and praise when he's sitting quietly in front of you.

    But some behaviors can be very difficult to ignore so you tell him "NO!". Your dog may have heard you say "NO!" so many times, he just tunes you out. A shake of the Shake Can or a quick squirt of water from the Spray Bottle will get his attention. Then you can redirect your dog to something he can do - chew on his toys rather than chewing on you! These tools should be used discriminately to get your dog's attention so you can teach what you want him to do. The Shake Can shouldn't be used with timid dogs. You don't want to scare your dog, just get his attention.


    When dealing with chewing or potty training, its very important to not yell at the dog when you come home to a chewed pillow or accident on the carpet. Dogs just can't comprehend why they're being corrected unless you actually catch them in the act of chewing or relieving themselves in the house. Yelling after the fact can cause anxiety and actually make the problem worse.

    Simple and inexpensive equipment that can be used in problem solving
    Shake Can Spray Bottle
    Fill an empty soda can with 15 to 20 pennies. Tape over the top. Fill with water and set nozzle to stream

    Please look through these following sections on the most common dog problems, you will probably find an answer!
    If you have any other problem not listed, go to the Questions Form to email your problem.
     

    Housebreaking    Chewing    Jumping
    Nipping Digging Barking
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  • When the dog is not with you, within your sight, he needs to either be outside or confined to a properly sized crate.  This crate should be just large enough for him to stand up in, turn around in and lie down comfortably in. Most dogs, in a crate this size, will not urinate unless they have been crated for too long or they have some urinary tract problem. Judge the time your puppy can be left in the crate by the number of months in age plus one, i.e. 4 months old = 5 hours. Any longer than 8-9 hours isolates the dog for too long.

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  • When not in the crate or outdoors, the dog must be watched. This can be facilitated by keeping him on a leash and stationing him in each room you are in within your sight. To station a dog, have him on a leash and fasten the leash to a chair or table. The leash should be long enough so the dog can be comfortable.

    •      Provide your dog with something to lie on, a non-tippable water bowl and a toy - in each room.  When you leave the room, take the dog with you and "station" him in the next room.
         When stationed in this way, you can watch your dog any indication of a need to eliminate. You can act immediately and take the dog out; preventing any accidents in the house.
     
  • If you notice your dog circling and sniffing around (a sign that he needs to eliminate), use a cue phrase to "ask" him if he needs to go. Act excited if he makes any response and take him out.

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  • Be sure to stay with your dog outdoors to make sure that he does eliminate. If he does, praise lavishly! Your neighbors might wonder, but you'll have a housebroken dog!

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  • Anticipate that dogs usually will need to eliminate after eating, upon waking and after playing. Feeding should be done on a consistent schedule, to encourage regular elimination.

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  • If you do discover an accident in the house, don't chastise your dog. This is very important.  If even a few minutes have passed, the dog can't connect the reprimand with the act of eliminating in the house. Yelling at your dog after the fact causes confusion and anxiety which makes housebreaking more difficult. Thoroughly clean any area that has been urinated in with an enzyme odor neutralizer.

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  • If you do catch your dog in the act in the house, say "EH" to get his attention. Take the dog immediately outside and praise lavishly if he eliminates outside.

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  • This method should be continued for a few weeks, and reinforced if any accidents happen later (ones not related to urinary tract problems or old age) .

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         The distressed look may be a popular furniture style, but some dogs take it too far.

    When puppies are teething, they will chew to relieve the discomfort.
     

  • Soak some washcloths in water. Wring out by twisting and put the twisted clothes in the freezer. When frozen, give one to your pup. Take it away when thawed.

    • Dogs enjoy chewing and it helps clean their teeth. Destructive chewing is usually caused by boredom and to relieve anxiety. You'll need to provide your dog with some appropriate chew toys. So, what's appropriate?

  • Kongs and other similar brands keep dogs busy for hours. These hollow rubber shapes can be stuffed with special treats and washed out to be restuffed.

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  • Rawhide is fine as long as your dog isn't chewing off and swallowing large pieces. These big chunks can be difficult to digest and may cause intestinal problems.

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  • Large sterilized bones and chew hooves; but don't give these to a really enthusiastic chewer, he might crack a tooth.

    • What are some of the wrong things to give to your dog to chew on?
     

  • Old shoes, socks or your children's discarded toys. Fido isn't able to tell the difference between the throwaways and the good stuff.

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  • Small bones-these can splinter into sharp shards. Throw the chicken bones in the garbage can and keep a lid on it.

    • What about your stuff - furniture legs, slippers, electrical cords etc.?
     

  • Keep a close watch on Fido. If he starts to chew on a no-no, tell him No. Use the shake can or spray bottle  if necessary  to get his attention. Then give him one of his toys and praise him for taking it. This will focus Fido on his own toys.

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  • Treat other objects with a bitter tasting spray or paste like Bitter Apple (at your pet store). Be sure to follow the directions on the label. Hot sauce is another good chew deterrent.
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    Dogs naturally jump up to get closer to your face to give you a proper nose to nose greeting. You need to teach your dog that it's better to keep everyone's feet on the ground.
     
  • With your right hand, use a sweeping motion from your left to right and gently, but firmly brush your dog's feet off of you. As you "sweep", turn your body to your left and look away from the dog. Give the command OFF in a low, but not loud voice. Look back to your dog. Praise and pet if he has all four feet on the ground. 

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  • Ideally, Fido should sit for a greeting. If your dog knows to sit when told to (and he should), give the SIT command when you look back at your dog. Then praise and pet.

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  • You can use the shake can or spray bottle.  Just before your dog jumps up, shake the can or spritz some water at the dog as you command OFF. Follow up with praise and petting.

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  • You will probably have to repeat this procedure many times. Eventually Fido will learn that he will get the attention he craves only when he is standing or sitting politely.

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  • You have to be consistent if you really want your dog to stop jumping up on you and visitors. If you let your dog jump up sometimes, he will think it's okay to do it all of the time.

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  • Don't play rough with your dog. It is fun to roll around with your dog; but if your dog is nipping instead of nosing you, the game has gone too far.

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  • Don't play chase-me games that tempt your dog to nip at your ankles.

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  • Don't encourage your dog to nip by putting your hands in his mouth while playing. Toys can be chewed on, but not fingers.

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  • Do play fetch or tug-of-war. Just make sure you, as the leader of the pack, always end up with the toy when the game stops.

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  • Do take your dog for walks, it's good for you both.
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    One way to satisfy Fido's urge to dig  is to provide him with his own special digging area.
     
  • Mark off an area about 4 feet by 4 feet. Loosen up the dirt and add some sand. The next step is to focus Fido on this spot by playing digging games together. Bury a toy a couple of inches down into the dirt/sand mixture. Pretend to dig for it and praise Fido when he helps you.

    • Now you have to stop your dog from digging up the rest of your yard.
     

  • Many dogs dig out of sheer boredom. Provide proper chew toys and make sure your dog gets adequate exercise according to his breed.

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  • Provide an appropriate shelter. Dogs will dig to find a cool spot on hot days.

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  • After filling in an existing hole, put some feces (Fido's, of course!) on top. He won't dig there again.

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  • Keep his nails trimmed short. It will be uncomfortable on his foot pads to dig without long nails.

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  • Place small lava rocks in the areas Fido usually digs in. These will be uncomfortable on his pads.

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  • Blow up some small balloons. Place them in a hole and lightly cover with dirt until hidden. When Fido digs in, the popping balloons will startle him. He may think twice before digging again.

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  • Don't let your dog keep you company while you garden, he might mimic you
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         It's natural for dogs to alert the rest of the pack (your family) by barking. You want your dog to be a good watch dog and warn you about intruders.
     
  • Teach your dog to "alert bark".  Have someone knock on your door or ring the door bell. Encourage Fido to bark (if he isn't already) by looking at him and excitedly saying "Who's that?" a few times. Go to the door, tell Fido OKAY. If he stops barking, praise. If he continues barking, tell him QUIET in a firm voice. Praise when he is quiet.

    • If your dog barks excessively or to demand your attention: 
     

  • Use the shake can or  spray bottle to get your dog's attention. Command QUIET and praise when he is quiet.

    • If your dog is barking when you aren't home (your neighbors will let you know!), your dog may be suffering from boredom.
     

  • Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise and give him proper chew toys to keep him occupied when you are gone. 

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  • If your dog continues to bark excessively when left alone, you'll need to set-up a surprise. Leave the house as you usually would, but stay close by where you can't be seen by your dog. When you hear barking, rush in and say QUIET. Fido will be quite surprised and stop barking. Immediately praise him for being quiet.
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