Dogs & Kids, information for every parent

Misunderstanding Dogs & Kids

Many parents feel the family dog would never hurt their child.  We again see them as humans and believe they love our children as “siblings”.  Your dog may love you and your children, but in many cases they do not respect either.  The main reason for this post is a recent climb in child biting cases and some cases that I fear might have disastrous endings due to the passiveness in owners today.  If you are worried your dog may bite someone or it has shown aggression to anyone (even another animal), you need to be aware that your child may also be at risk. 

In 1994 Mathews and Lattal did a study about dog bites, it stated approximately one million dog bites occur each year just in the United States.  The number is now 4.5 million according to the ASPCA; and this number is just the bites that have been reported.   70% of these bites happen to a child, that’s over 3.5 million kids bitten annually in the United States.   Of these children bitten, 77% or just fewer than 2.5 million have been bitten in the facial area.  Sadly the number of children fatalities is climbing.  In 2008 the CDC recorded 23 dog bite fatalities, only 1 was not a child, 16 of these fatalities were kids under 11 yrs old.  These are eye-opening facts that every dog owner/parent needs to be aware of. 

The following are rules every parent should follow for your child’s safety.

1.  Never allow dogs in your child’s room.  This should be completely off limits!  If your dog is stealing your child’s belongings and sleeping in bed with them, they are not showing respect to your child! 

2. The dog should never be allowed to be around a child when unsupervised! Most bites occur when a parent is not there.  If your dog feels threatened, they will correct the child.  Their correction is by using their teeth, just as they do with puppies.

3. Your dog should have strong obedience commands already in place.  This way you can apply a down-stay if necessary.

4.     Your dog should see you as the leader of your pack!  If not, they will take it upon themselves to correct a child. Remember, only the pack leader decides who gets corrected.

5.     Your dog should not be playing a tug game with a child, under any circumstance! Tug is a challenge for rank in the pack.

6.     Children should not be allowed to go near a dog’s food dish or bone! Even the most highly trained dog can have a momentary lapse of reason.

7.     Your dog should have a strong groundwork foundation to build upon.

          Without strict rules or boundaries, it is impossible to expect your dog to “respect” you or a child

 

How to Avoid Dog Bites in Children

1.       NEVER disturb any dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.  This is the first rule of dog etiquette. In any of these situations, a bite is almost definite.

2.     NEVER pet a dog, even your own, without letting him see and sniff you first.  A dog uses their sense of smell before all other senses.  This is how they identify people and other animals.

3.     Children must always ASK PERMISSION from the owner and their parents BEFORE petting any dog. I never allowed my daughter near strange dogs much less pet them and she grew up with “misunderstood” dogs.  I have seen too many parents let their children run up to a dog on a leash assuming the dog was friendly, while the frantic owner is pulling the dog back to avoid an accidental bite.  Responsible owners of aggressive dogs walk them to expend their energy and show they are in control; they should not have to have the added task of intercepting unattended children. And NEVER approach a strange dog you don’t know or a dog that is not with his owner.

4.     If the owner cannot control the dog and have it SIT nicely for the child to pet, WALK AWAY, even if the owner says they “love kids”.  A 50 pound excited dog can do serious damage with its paws.

5.     NEVER approach a dog that is confined behind a fence, within a car, or on a chain.  It is normal for a dog to protect its territory.  We have seen many well-trained dogs that put on quite the display to keep strangers out of their areas!  Again, they are doing their job.

6.     NEVER RUN away from a dog that is chasing you. STOP, STAND STILL, REMAIN CALM, ARMS AT YOUR SIDES, be quiet, and DO NOT SCREAM. Walk away SLOWLY FACING THE DOG BUT NOT STARING AT its eyes!  If a dog attacks, “feed” him your jacket, a schoolbook, a bicycle, or anything else that you can get between you and the dog.  If you are attacked, STOP, CURL UP IN A BALL LIKE A TURTLE, COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS AND HANDS

7.     If a dog starts to circle you, turn with it and don’t let it get behind you! Turn your body slowly with the dog and NEVER stare at them!  Dogs hunt by circling their prey. They attack from behind 90 percent of the time to avoid being injured.  Play it smart, NO eye contact, no screaming!  If you scream, they will think you are prey or in a weakened state.

8.    Just because a dog wags its tail does not mean it’s friendly! A dog’s tail tells a lot, not just that it is happy.  A high set tail that is wagging is not a friendly tail.  A very quick wag is a sign of an anxious state. Just the tip wagging in a lowered position means the dog is afraid.

9.    If a dog is injured, do not touch or try to help it. Go get an adult!

10.   Do not tease a dog by poking at it through a fence and never chase a dog. 

If you own any dog, but especially a dog that has had the smallest amount of aggression; it is your moral and legal obligation to make sure that you do everything possible to insure that your dog is never in a situation where it could bite a child.

Tara, Brandie & the Pack.

 

 

 

Why you should not “alpha roll” your dog!

When I ask “how do you correct your dog” on a consult, sometimes I hear, “I roll him on his back until he submits”.  I hear this daily from owners with dogs who have aggression due to dominance or fear.  In most cases, the owners have tried to correct aggression by “rolling” their dogs and think their dog is just a lost cause because they will get right back up and show aggression again.  The old time theories were to “alpha roll” your dog into submission.  If a person had a dominant dog, they were often told to roll that dog over onto their backs and hold them in that position until they stopped struggling.  This, in theory, was to make a dog see you as a leader.  Unfortunately, many trainers and owners paid the price for misinterpreting canine body language.

   Too many people think a dog on their back is submitting when they are actually in a defensive position.  If you watch two dogs fighting or “rough playing” until the end, you will understand why this is incorrect.  A conflict usually involves two dogs, the “attacker” and the “challenger”.  The “attacker” generally is on top and standing over the “challenger”.  The “challenger” is usually on their backs, so they can use their paws to defend themselves and if the chance arises, they can inflict a fatal bite to the neck.  The fight does not end with the “challenger” on their back; the “attacker” will not end it until that dog is lying on its side. A dog on their side has surrendered and admitted defeat.

   I had the opportunity to meet a trainer early in my career who still had the scars on his face from an “alpha roll” gone wrong.  He admitted in hindsight, he should not have attempted to “roll” this dog and put himself and the owners at risk. When you put a dog in a defensive position, they will try to fight you; it’s natural.  In most cases, people receive multiple bites to the forearms upon releasing the dog and in some cases, the dog will get the chance to inflict a damaging bite to the face.

  I try to explain to people that first; your dog should not fear you! Wrestling your dog to the ground and trying to overpower them is pointless and causes more damage psychologically.  You simply cannot win a fight with a dog without getting hurt.  A dog generally will not take on a challenge they cannot win and people should learn this too.  Even the smallest dog can inflict damaging results with their teeth.  Secondly, if you have to keep correcting, you’re obviously doing something wrong! 

  Every dog has a different personality, it does not matter what breed it is.  If you try to “overpower” a fragile dog, you will make them a fear biter.  If you try to “overpower” a dog that has a high fight drive, you will definitely get hurt and normally not just a small wound. Your best chance at helping your dog is to contact a professional that can “read” your dog and work with you to rehabilitate them and start a proper program.

Tara, Brandie, and the pack

Muzzle Training Your Dog Without Stress

Early in my career working as a veterinary technician, I witnessed countless dogs and owners stressed about their appointment.  In many cases, owners are nervous because their dogs generally show aggression when being handled or are typically suspicious about people outside their pack.  The dogs are nervous because strangers are going to be handling them and in certain cases, putting a strange thing on their nose. 

It is necessary for your veterinarian to take precautions for their safety and the safety of their staff.  If a dog is a risk for a bite, they use a muzzle for protection.  It also prevents your dog from learning that their bite will stop human interaction.  Each bite your dog delivers to humans, gives them more courage to do it again; it did after all stop the human from touching them in their mind.  It is unfortunately, an everyday occurrence at some practices that deal with pets that are not socialized properly. 

If you have a dog that is muzzled regularly at your veterinarian or are nervous they will be muzzled, I would recommend starting a program to help reduce that stress.  If you condition them to see a muzzle as a reward and not a stressful experience, your vet visit will be less stressful for all involved.

There are different types of muzzles on the market.  I prefer owners use wire or plastic cage muzzles.  They allow your dog to open their mouths and provide adequate airflow while completely protecting anyone handling them.  When a dog is stressed, they pant.  Without the ability to pant, they lose oxygen making them dizzy or faint, causing more panic and their defense drive to kick in.  You can purchase an inexpensive plastic cage muzzle at most pet stores or online.  I do not recommend nylon, cloth, or leather muzzles.  These types restrict airflow and you can still be bitten.  You may not suffer a puncture, but they can still pinch you with their front teeth, which can have some nasty effects too. 

All dogs hate to wear a muzzle in the beginning.  They tend to thrash around or paw at it to remove it from their noses.  If you follow this program, you can condition them to accept a muzzle without stress and sometimes they even look forward to it.

The first step in muzzle training is to place high value treats in the bottom.  By high value, I mean if your dog never gets chicken then use it only for muzzle training.  If you use the same treats you use for all other training, it becomes less exciting.  Have the dog sit near you and place your high value treat at the front of the cage muzzle.  When your dog puts their nose in to get the treat, mark with a verbal “yes”, you do not have to touch your dog when praising them.  Repeat this for 4-5 times then put the muzzle away.  The next day repeat this exercise with the same high value treat again 4-5 times.  I recommend you practice this for a full week, at least once daily.  Again, only use a high value treat for muzzle training!  After a week, your dog will see the muzzle as a special treat.

The next step is to put a leash on your dog and repeat the above step while holding the leash.  When your dog is eating the high value treat out of the muzzle, fasten it behind his ears. Have more treats ready and if he accepts the muzzle being fastened, slip a piece of chicken in through the cage (Another reason I like this type) and mark with a “yes”.  If he fights to get it off, give a calm but forceful verbal correction followed by a leash correction.  The level of your leash correction must be enough to redirect the dog’s focus to you.  When they stop fighting it, mark it with a “yes” and reward with the treat.  Never take the muzzle off if they are fighting, always wait until they calm down.  Work on this for another week, your dog should have no problem wearing a muzzle after this.  This exercise should be practiced randomly throughout the year so they remember that they only get that high value treat when that cage covers their nose. 

  Muzzle training must be done prior to use; they must feel comfortable wearing it around the house before you expect them to be comfortable in public.  If you cannot get your dog to stop fighting when the muzzle is fastened, you need to regain leadership in your pack.  I would recommend contacting a professional to help you. 

Tara, Brandie & The “pack”

www.trainingbytara.com

Is it mean to crate your dog?

 I recently read a couple of ads on craigslist that truly bothered me and I have to touch upon this subject.  One owner has a dog that is chewing up the walls in their house the other is having housebreaking issues.  Even though I generally will not read the responses from people trying to give advice on craigslist,  I fell into the trap and started going through the answers the general public were giving.  I was horrified to see what some people were saying and upon contacting the owners, I was more upset by the options they will take.  In all the years of working with dogs, the crate has in most cases become that dog’s saving grace.  

  I have many clients who ask me if they really need a crate for their dog.  I always tell them, if you have a dog, you need to own a crate.  If you own 4 dogs, you need 4 crates!  It is a natural instinct for your dog to enjoy a “den like” area.  Most dogs feel secure and comfortable in their crates. 

  Too many people feel they are being mean by crating their dogs.  They feel they are restricting their “exercise” and freedom.  If you are walking your dog and providing adequate exercise a crate will not affect your dog.

   A large number of people tell me they would hate to be crated and confined, and therefore their dog must be uncomfortable.  Your dog is not a person, they cannot stop and rationalize that chewing your furniture, shoes or walls is wrong.  They cannot stop and think that the outcome of eating a sock or clothing may be an expensive life threatening surgery to remove it.  They follow their instinct! 

  There are many reasons why you should crate your dog.  The first would be for housebreaking reasons.  A dog usually will not soil where it sleeps.  Those that do generally have a bigger issue going on then simple housebreaking problems.  Using a crate for housebreaking is quicker and more effective then old ways of just waiting to watch your dog sniff your expensive carpet area.  It gives them a set schedule to follow, your schedule.  How many people do you know that have a dog that needs to go out every hour and they panic if they can’t get home to let them out?  I know many, and the reason is the dog has the owner set to their schedule.  The dog demands the owner to follow their lead.  Tell me what is worse, coming home and becoming angry at your dog for something they have already forgotten or coming home happy because your house is the way you left it?  To your dog, you coming home and greeting them happily means more then being confined with a really good chew toy.

  The second reason is stated above.  A dog that gets bored and has free range of the house while you are gone, will find something to keep himself busy.  Usually it is very expensive to replace or remove from the dogs belly afterwards.  Your dog does not know you spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on that beautiful sofa or dining room table.  They see their surroundings differently.  In the wild they chew on trees (table legs), rocks (nick naks), or dead bodies (garbage).  This is normal for them.  Then when you come home, they get scolded and punished sometimes harshly, for doing what they naturally do.  In a crate, you can supply them with the appropriate toys to chew on.  You can stop them from making their natural mistakes without breaking the trust they have for you.

  Another reason why the crate is needed is dominance.  If you have a dominant dog, it is imperative to keep him crated.  A dominant dog will take the leader position if not controlled properly.  To do this they must understand you are the leader, and you control everything in their lives.  When a dominant dog becomes the leader, they show aggression towards strangers, dogs, even family members.  Statistics show the majority of reported dog bites are from the family pet.  Children are usually the victims, and the face is the target.  A dog that shows aggression thinks it is the leader.  Only the pack leader shows aggression, or says when aggression is allowed!  If you have a dog who is displaying aggression, you need to get a crate and get some help.

  Another reason for the crate is separation anxiety.  Dogs with separation anxiety will sometimes go through windows, doors or even walls to get out and find their pack members.  They are so stressed by being left alone that they send themselves into a panic.  I have seen a dog literally chew through the sheetrock at the front door so badly you could see the wood shingles.  This is not healthy, and needs attention.  It also needs management, which includes a crate for their safety. 

  I highly recommend plastic airline crates that have the wire strip on either side.  Wire crates are OK for calm, quiet dogs that do not seemed phased by their surroundings.  High energy, anxious dogs need more secure crates.  If you try a wire crate with these dogs, you will most likely come home to a crate that looks like a truck hit it.  We had rescued a Greyhound/Shepard mix all of 50 pounds who made a wire crate look like the Hulk broke out of it.  She did great in plastic airline crate and went in it to feel secure even when not asked.  Wire crates allow the dog to see everything, and with an anxious dog this creates more anxiety.  Your best bet is to save money and automatically get a plastic airline crate.  If you make it a calm and comfortable habit of crating your dog, everyone will be happier in the long run.

 

 One of the people I spoke of in the beginning of this blog was debating leaving a muzzle on their dog while they were not home.   This is a dangerous and possibly the laziest solution I have heard.  Unfortunately thousands of dogs are surrendered to shelters and killed each year for housebreaking issues or destructive behavior.  The majority of these owners think using a crate is mean……..

 

 

Dog Parks, Why I avoid them!!!

My clients ask me everyday if there is a solution to the chaos at dog parks and if I would recommend them. My answer is no and definitely not! There are a few reasons why I never take my own dogs to dog parks and I will explain them in detail in this handout.

 

          While dog parks were a good idea, they have become a common place for dogs to run amuck and do as they please.  The normal picture at a dog park is a group of owners gathered together drinking coffee and talking to each other or an owner sitting on a bench reading a book.  A very small percentage of owners are actually watching their dogs.  Dog parks were originally set up for canine socialization purposes.  The rules were your dog must be on leash and you had to have control of your pet. 

People think socialization means letting their dogs roughhouse with other dogs.  This is not proper canine socialization.  Adult dogs play rough for one purpose, to gain rank.   Now, some people may say that dogs play rough naturally and they will with their littermates.  When they are puppies, they learn how to soften their bite, when it is acceptable to play, and when it is too much. Again, they are told when it is acceptable & when playtime is over! Your dog’s mom had complete control over her litter and would not allow vocal rough play. Most people do not understand pack structure or body language and therefore, should not be allowing rough play with other dogs.  Allowing rough play at dog parks is about as foolish as thinking you can let children fist fight to get them socialized. You would not let that happen, so why let your dogs fight?

          Dog parks are not a proper place to exercise your dog.  I have some clients who strictly use them to exhaust their dogs. The reason most dogs are exhausted is due to the high stress levels.  Taking your dog to a dog park for exercise creates dog fights because if you take a dog that has been pent up all day or all week and let them loose among other dogs with the same problem, you are bound to have a serious dog fight due to high frustration levels.  Picture a child at a playground.  If you kept your child isolated all day or all week and let them run loose without any rules, you could imagine what would happen?  I have some clients who tell me their dogs never really run around with the other dogs at a park, they tend to stay with the owner and not “socialize”.  They think there is something wrong with their dog; the common phrase I hear is they are “socially challenged” or a “loner”.  My answer is these dogs understand what is inevitably going to happen.  They are reading the body language of other dogs and are staying clear of the unstable behaviors and pre-fighting stances.

          In normal pack structure, there is always a “top” dog.  If you have more then one dominant male or female at the park, they will constantly be “t-ing off” (a body posture that displays dominance) or mounting each other. These are not signs of play!  These are signs of 2 dogs battling for the “top dog” position.  If one of them relinquishes then no fight between them will occur, however; the next dog in line becomes the target for the loser. The 2 original challenging dogs will more than likely keep at it over and over again to get the higher rank. This type of pack structure is also the reason so many small “weak” dogs get attacked.  I have a client who insists on taking his dog/dog aggressive dog to a dog park even after I recommended he keep the dog on a leash and avoids dog parks.  Recently, he contacted me to tell me that his 175 lb. dog had picked up a 10 lb. dog and violently thrashed it around “thinking it was a squeak toy” (words he used).  His dog really did not mistake it for a squeak toy.  His dog was reacting to a challenge for a Frisbee (which really was not his, but anything at this park his dog claimed because he was the “top dog”).  Even after this incident, the owner takes him off leash to dog parks.  He admits he never watches him and usually spends his time there socializing with other owners.  Is this fair to the other dogs? Of course not, but unfortunately, it happens on a daily basis. 

          Your dog should be getting exercise with a good, controlled, military style walk. This is healthier for them mentally and gains you more respect as well as a stronger bond. Socialization can be done on leash in a controlled setting.  Walk together or go to a pet friendly pet store. Your dog will be happier without the fighting and will see you are in control rather then the other dogs at a park. 

          If you feel your dog needs to play off leash with other dogs then have a play date with compatible dogs in a controlled environment. As long as you can call your dog and the other dog out of play and there is no dominance displayed, you are in good shape.

          If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 512-402-4229 or email us at myheart4k9s@aol.com

 

Tara, Brandie & the “pack”