This should be used as a basic outline for your dog. If you do not understand it or have problems, please call. The Pet Connection has the following services when you adopt from our facilities: supervised introductions at our facility with trained staff, adoption counseling, and follow up obedience classes and advice if questions need to be answered. Allow time for the dog to adjust, this takes from 2 to 12 weeks. Just because the dog is older, it does not mean it is perfect and you need to adjust and train the pet. Pushing your pet can create problems such as bad behavior, shyness, submissive behavior, inappropriate urinating, aggression towards other pets, etc…
Crate training is the most popular method of housebreaking your dog. Selecting the crate is the first step. Your dog should be able to stand up in the crate turn around and lay down, but with no more room than that. At the beginning of crate training your dog should be in the crate when you are not directly watching him so there are no accidents in the house. Dogs do not like to go to the bathroom where they sleep and with no extra space your dog will begin to understand that if they eliminate in the crate they will not have a clean place to lie down. If you catch your dog eliminating in the house the only thing that can be done is to get them outside as quickly as possible and reward them for going outside. If your dog eliminates in the crate or elsewhere there is nothing to do but clean it up. You cannot punish your dog for eliminating inappropriately if you do not witness that action. Punishment will only hinder the training process, but praise for the correct behavior will sped the process up. Tethering your dog to yourself is a sure way to know that they won’t be out of your site during this process so they can’t have an accident without you there to correct it. Every time your dog eliminates outside treats and praise are very important, think of it like potty training your child, the bigger of a deal you make it the more important it will be to your dog. If you want to make it extra rewarding get a treat they really like and is only given when they eliminate outside, not at any other time, such as dried liver, or what ever kind of treat they really enjoy. Creating a schedule is very helpful to the housebreaking process so the dog knows when it will eat, go outside, play, etc. When you put your dog in the crate say kennel or crate and reward them for going in with praise and a treat. This will make the crate a place the dog seeks for refuge and is a safe place for them. Using a crate is very evolutionarily historical for dogs because they evolved from wolves, which use dens for shelter, the crate is the modern day den for your dog and should be comfortable, safe, and a place they don’t mind being.
Things to remember:
- Praise and treats for eliminating outside!
- Praise and treats for going into the crate.
- Watching your dog so they can’t have accidents in the house will sped up the training process.
Barking dogs can be great when you don't know who is at your door, however, once it is clear that there is no danger; dogs should know how to be quiet. Training this behavior takes patience, praise, and treats! When your dog is barking say quiet or, good speak (if you want to train them to speak on command) and then get their attention by showing them a treat, crinkle the bag, what ever it takes to get their attention, which will also usually make the quiet and focused on you, then say good quiet, give the treat and praise. Be sure to say quiet once then make sure you have a way to get their attention, be prepared with a treat or toy to distract them from what they are barking at. At no time should you physically hold the dog’s mouth shut, this is a form of rough handling that is unnecessary for this exercise and quiet can be accomplished without it. This will take several repetitions and lots of patience, but with good praise you will quickly get that barking under control.
Things to remember:
Praise and treats for a good quiet dog! This can be done even if they are not barking, but praising for quiet at quiet times. Your dog is quiet more than it is barking, so take advantage of that time!
Having patients is key.
By Jenni Caiharr
Behavioral and Training Team
Teaching down is the first step in teaching some very fun tricks, but you have to start with this basic command. With a treat in hand have your dog sit, then take the treat and slowly move it down to the floor right in between your dogs front legs. Some dogs benefit from moving the treat in toward the belly to help them follow the treat to the floor and “fold” into a down. As soon as the dog is down on the floor say good down and give the treat. If this method doesn’t work have your dog sit, then take the front legs and slide them out from under the dog assisting them into a down. As soon as the dog is down on the floor say good down and give the treat.
Things to remember:
- Avoid pushing on your dog to force them down to the ground.
- This is the first step to teaching crawl, dead dog, and rolling over.
By Jenny Caiharr
Behavioral Team Member
Teaching sit is an essential step in the training process. After your dog knows this command you will be able to get their attention focused back onto you and the training you are trying to work on. Sit is very easily accomplished with a treat. Get you dog’s attention by waving the treat under its nose. Once you have its attention take the treat in front of its nose and raise it up over his head and toward the back of your dog, in one single motion. By doing this the dog’s rear end should automatically hit the ground at that point you say good sit and give the dog the treat. If your dog will not sit with this trick you can scoop his back legs down into an assisted sit. When his rear hits the ground say good sit and give him the treat, even though you had to help him. Avoid pushing on your dogs hips to make him sit, as this has been proven to increase the chance that your dog will get Hip Dysplasia, a very painful arthritic disease.
Things to remember:
- Don’t say sit over and over, if your dog doesn’t sit after the first command, assist him in the sit, then reward him.
- Avoid pushing on your dogs hips to avoid a painful disease.
By Jenny Caiharr
Behavioral Team
Stand is a behavior used for dogs that go to the groomers on a regular basis and paw wiping. This behavior is not the dog standing up on its back legs but standing up on all four paws. Have your dog sit, take a treat in front of your dog’s nose and bring the treat strait out toward you or to the side of you and say stand. If your dog doesn’t do it you can “encourage” them to get up by taking them by the collar and giving them a gentle tug forward. When they are standing on all four paws say good stand and give the treat.
Things to remember:
- This is great for paw wiping so the dog knows to stand up all the way so you can reach the back paws.
Not all owners teach this to their pets, but it never hurts for your dog to know another command.
By Jenny Caiharr
Behavioral Team
Jumping up can be a very exasperating behavior that your dog does. It is, however, very easy to train out of your dog. For this training exercise your dog needs to know how to sit on command. When your dog jumps on you tell them to sit, attention and praise will only be given when the dog is sitting. If your dog is a persistent jumper then you may have to ignore them while they are jumping on you, ignoring them means no eye contact, crossing your arms, and saying nothing to them, but the sit command. Once again praise and attention will only be given when they sit. Pushing a dog down can inadvertently encourage the behavior because you are looking at them and touching them. Also for persistent jumpers if you have their leash on by simply stepping on it at a short length they are physically unable to jump and then can be praised once they sit.
When your dog jumps on you it’s because they want your attention, so by ignoring them you are not giving them what they want until they do the correct behavior, sit. This will teach your dog to sit for attention as apposed to jumping for it. Dogs that jump on guests can also be a nuisance. For this exercise the dog needs to be on leash when you know that guests will be arriving. Have treats handy for the guest to give the dog. Take the dogs leash and once the guest has arrived prevent them from jumping on the guest by restricting the leash by making it short or step on it. Instruct your guest to only give attention and treats once the dog is sitting. If the dog breaks the sit, redirect them into it again and continue praise and treats. A few sessions like this and the dog should get the idea and begin sitting for attention.
Things to remember:
- Ignore the dog when they are jumping on you, no eye contact, talking (except commands) or touching.
- Praise, praise, praise for sitting instead of jumping!
INGREDIENTS:
3½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 cups cracked wheat (bulgur)
½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
4 tsp salt
2 cups chicken stock
¼ oz active dry yeast (one package)
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine, in a big bowl, the flours, cornmeal, milk powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, dissolve yeast in ¼ cup lukewarm water; let it sit for a few minutes, until it bubbles.
Add the chicken stock to the yeast mixture. Mix well.
Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Knead about 3 minutes. The dough should be stiff.
Flour a board with cornmeal and roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch Cut out biscuits with cookie cutters in appropriate shapes, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Mix the egg and milk and use to brush tops of biscuits (for shine), and then bake the biscuits for 45 minutes at 300 degrees.
Turn off the heat and leave biscuits in the oven overnight. This will make the biscuits be bone-hard.
This is what we feed our dogs who need a boost!
Combine the following items in a crock pot. Cook on
high for 10 hours until all items can be "mushed" together.
1 lb hamburger meat
2-3 small to medium Sweet Potatoes
1 package frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup brown rice or oats
1 TBL spoon Ionized salt
2 TBL Spoons garlic powder
Declawing is a painful procedure that has long-lasting effects on cats. Once their claws have been removed, they can no longer perform their natural stretching and kneading rituals. They become weaker as they age and may experience debilitating arthritis in their backs and shoulders.
Furthermore, cats without claws have lost their first line of defense and because of this, they live in a constant state of stress. Less able to protect themselves, they cannot fight off other animals or escape quickly from a dangerous situation. They may also become biter because they no longer can use their claws as a warning. Groomers, veterinarians and people who care for declawed cats in shelters, find many of them to be nervous, irritable and difficult to handle. .
Finally, declawed cats often stop using their litter boxes. Some apparently associate the pain they feel in their paws when trying to cover their waste with the litter box itself. They seek a less painful place for elimination, such as the carpet or bathtub. Even though there are effective ways to modify a cat's litter box behavior, it is a particularly difficult challenge because a declawed cat's aversion results from pain.
You can make the transition easier for new pets by using gradual introductions. The new pet should be kept separate from the other pets whenever they are not closely supervised. This advice may be extreme, but it is designed to ensure that no injuries occur. It is also designed so that the existing pet has as little change in their “normal” routine and environment as possible. The original pet(s) should have access to the same areas of the house as previously.
DO-IT-YOURSELF CAT TREE FURNITURE BUILDING PLAN BLUEPRINT
Build a four-perch cat tree measuring
2' wide, 2' deep, and 4'-6" high.
Adapted from June/July 1994 issue of PETA's ANIMAL TIMES.
HYPERLINK "http://www.peta.org/" PETA materials are not copyrighted and may be distributed freely.
After actually building a few, we discovered that some modifications were necessary for structural stability and usability. We added 1x2 supports to the tops of the posts, a support shelf to the middle of the tree, used 2x4's instead of 4x4's, and used two bolts per post instead of one. Then we recessed the bolts so we wouldn't gouge floors. We also decided not to use carpet, because our cats scratch the carpet to pieces and then eat the pieces. This leaves a ragged, bare patch that is difficult to replace. Therefore, we used a heavy upholstery material and polybatting for the perches, shelf and base.