It is a mistake every pet owner could easily make. As spring approaches, you head to the local home and garden store for mulch to freshen up your flower beds. Next to the bags of traditional shredded mulch are bags of a newer type – Cocoa Mulch.

According to National Cocoa Shell, the nation's largest retailer of cocoa shell mulch, the material is leftover from the cocoa bean roasting process – making the product more environmentally friendly than regular mulch. Plus, who couldn't resist putting chocolate smelling mulch down in their garden? For chocolate lovers across the country it's a dream come true.

But there's a catch. Cocoa mulch is extremely toxic to pets, especially when curious dogs have access to the outdoors.

Dr. Maureen McMichael is a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana who specializes in emergency and critical care. She says, "Cocoa mulch is significantly more toxic than milk chocolate or even baker's chocolate because it has quite a bit more theobromine in it." Theobromine is the toxic compound in most chocolates that is responsible for the clinical signs seen in pets after ingestion.

Though it, too, can be deadly to pets, milk chocolate has only 44 mg. per ounce of theobromine. Baking chocolate has nearly eight times the concentration of theobromine in it compared to milk chocolate, making it one of the most toxic kinds of chocolate, but still not as concentrated as cocoa mulch.

In addition to having more theobromine in it, cocoa mulch is also usually found in an unlimited supply to the pet. Your Labrador may gobble up that chocolate bar on the counter, but left to their own devices, most dogs will eat cocoa mulch until you catch them or toxic effects start to set in, leading to the ingestion of large amounts of the toxin. "Unfortunately, many of the dogs that present with a history of eating cocoa mulch do not survive if they were not stopped quickly," notes Dr. McMichael.

The clinical signs of chocolate or cocoa mulch toxicity include: hyperactivity, muscle tremors, fast heart rate, hyperthermia, and seizures. There are anecdotal reports from gardeners who unknowingly purchased the mulch and later found their dog dead after a very short exposure time. Incidents such as this are likely a result of heart arrhythmias that develop after ingestion.

After time, the sweet smell of the cocoa mulch will wear off, and some have questioned if, after that point, it is safe for dogs to be around it. Dr. McMichael cautions that "it is possible that dogs are not attracted to it once the smell wears off but that does not eliminate its toxic load – it is still toxic."

The moral of the story is: don't purchase cocoa mulch if you have an outdoor pet. That said, if you happen to make the mistake of buying the mulch and you catch your animal eating a bite, time is of the essence. The quicker you can get Fido to the veterinary emergency clinic, the better the chances are of survival.

For more information on the topic, please contact your local veterinarian.

This is Frank, a 1.5 year old dog that only wanted some love and care to be happy. Now he is so happy that, even when sleeping, he shows it.

I did this video to show how can one change the life a being with only love and care.

When my wife and I spoke with the previous owner, we were sure that he would die in a few days. He was 5 months old and weighed only 6.6 pounds (3 kg).

When we arrived to see him, we saw that it was even worse: the owner had no experience in dog caring, he was locked outside in a 50 ft² (5 m²) ceramic tiles back area, fed only with adult dog food, shedding excessively and unbearable smelly. His only friend was a torn blanket.

We can't be sure, but we suspect that this mistreatment lead to the worse for him: he became totally deaf. We suspect that an overlooked infection did this to him. I even taught him sign language! Frank has learned several commands, and we are very well adapted to the situation. I'm very proud of it!

When we got him, he was afraid of shadows, glimmerings, peed on everything (including himself), had no tail wagging and was fearful. By the way, until today, he runs for his life whenever he sees a broom....

Now, it's moving to see him enjoying his dreams so much that he even wags his tail, and realising that we saved a life, bringing him happiness.

So please, if you can, spread the adoption idea (and this video). You too can safe a life.

Big Dogs, Shy Cats: Placing Them in Droves
By Tompkins County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
You have an adoption program. You have a spay/neuter program. Your community is saving more and more of the pets who come to the shelters.

Now what about the big, black, clumsy dog who has been living on the end of a chain for a year? What about the lovely kitty who takes a swipe at anyone who pets him for more than 60 seconds? The twelve-year-old pooch with a permanent limp and goofy eye? The blind kitten? How do you find them homes?

Finding homes for so-called "hard-to-place" pets is about taking responsibility, allocating resources wisely, doing some great marketing, and demanding – and getting – results. Here is a guideline for getting the job done.

Step 1: Accept Responsibility
Complaining about how hard it is to place certain animals or bemoaning the lack of loving homes in the community won't save the lives of shelter pets. It is up to each shelter, rescue group and humane society to take responsibility for the job of finding homes not just for the "cute and cuddlies" but the old, shy, hyper and disfigured pets who come our way.

Unfortunately, too many shelters create their own stumbling blocks by continuing to rely on outdated clichés and beliefs that do nothing but make excuses for not saving lives:

Myth: "There are too many animals, not enough homes."
Reality: This is the old standby of the humane movement – an excuse developed to explain why the movement itself was killing so many pets. The truth of the matter is: there are homes out there, and it is up to us to appropriately promote our pets so they find their way into those homes. If there are really "too many animals and not enough homes," why are breeders and pet stores still in business?

Myth: "For every three animals we get in, we adopt one. You do the math."
Reality: Type this little gem into Google and you'll get 41 hits. That's 41 shelter directors making excuses for their own failures to get the job done. The fact of the matter is: shelters that save only 1/3 of the animals coming in are the exception today rather than the rule. And promoting this type of negative, depressing view of the shelter is more likely to keep people from coming to you for a pet than it is to guilt them into supporting you.

Myth: "If you increase the QUANTITY of homes, you have to reduce the QUALITY of your adoptions."
Reality: Shelters with high adoption rates have no higher return rates than shelters with poor adoption rates. Increasing the number of adoptions does not mean abandoning adoption standards.

Myth: "You just can't find homes for older/ugly/special needs/behavior problem pets."
Reality: In many cases, these animals are actually easier to place than so-called "perfect" pets! Many adopters like to feel that they are helping a special animal. Finding homes for "hard-to-place" animals requires attention, resources and marketing, but it certainly can – and is – being done all over the Country.

Taking responsibility means abandoning negative thinking and changing gears. Placing big cats and shy dogs requires creative thinking and hard work – something every single shelter staff member should already be good at doing. Justine needed action, not excuses.

Step 2: Adopt Accountability
Accountability requires a critical review of operations, programs and staffing to ensure that they are generating lifesaving results. It also means appropriately allocating resources.

Eliminate unnecessary programs
Just because you have always offered a certain program or just because it is a long-time favorite of the humane movement does not mean you must continue it. If your organization's goal is to save companion animals, your programs and services should be geared to get concrete results in those areas.

Eliminate unnecessary overhead and staffing
Review operations to determine which positions are key, whether any job duties are unnecessary or redundant, and streamline operations.

At the Tompkins County (TC) SPCA, we had:

• An Executive Director
• A Director of Operations
• A Shelter Manager
• A Development Director
• A Spay/Neuter Coordinator
• A Volunteer Coordinator
• A Humane Education Director
• A Veterinary Technician
• Four kennel staff
• Four and 1/2 front desk staff
• Three humane officers

After reviewing our operational structure we decided that cross-training employees, increasing individual productivity, and making maximum use of our volunteer resources would allow us to increase spending in areas that directly save lives.

We now have:

• An Executive Director
• A Shelter Manager
• A Development Director
• A Veterinary Technician
• Two and 1/2 kennel staff
• Two front desk staff
• Two humane officers

Case in Point: Humane Education
Shelters offer humane education programs hoping children will grow up with more humane views than their parents. In communities nationwide, shelter employees, often with dogs and cats in tow, enter classroom after classroom where overworked teachers needing a break meet them with relief, and wide-eyed school children pet animals while grinning from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, generations of shelter directors boast to their constituents about the number of school children they are reaching with their humane message and promising that the light at the end of the tunnel – the mythical place where animals are cherished and have lifetime homes – is as close as the emancipation of these kids. It is a lovely thought.

But has this effort ever been challenged to see if it actually gets results? In fact, no shelter director – not a single one – can point to any: Are more animals being sterilized because of humane education? Are people keeping their pets longer? Is the death rate at the shelter declining because of it? Will these children grow up to be more responsible pet owners? No one has any answers.

Despite tight budgets and cuts in areas of animal care, shelters continue to send legions of staff members into classrooms without any proof that it has, is having, or ever hopes to have any impact whatsoever on the death rate in shelters. 150 years of humane education has yet to produce a single study showing it has made any difference.

In reducing the numbers of staff, we did not reduce programs and services to help animals. In fact, we increased programs, increased services and increased lives saved!

Add Necessary Programs & Staff
With fewer managers, less staff and less fluff, the TC SPCA could afford to increase our programs and still save money. We:

• Hired a dog trainer
• Went from sterilizing 10% of shelter animals before adoption to sterilizing 100%
• Started a TNR program (trap/neuter/return) with free spay/neuter for feral cats
• Created the Angel Fund to provide surgery and other medical procedures to save injured pets

Each one of these programs directly impacts "hard-to-place" pets; yet previously, the shelter believed it could not afford to implement them.

• that was killing 100% of feral cats to killing none
• that was killing healthy dogs and cats to killing none
• that was killing treatable sick/injured dogs and cats to killing none
• that reduced the death rate by 75%
• that spayed/neutered 10% of animals prior to adoption to 100%

• reduced total expenses by approximately $150,000 per year
• reduced the number of employees from 16 to 12
• went from a $150,000-a-year annual budget deficit to a $23,000 operations surplus
• nearly doubled the average gift

• Public Access Adoption Hours. Believe it or not, some shelters still close at or before 5:00 every day. Even underfunded libraries have public access hours. Being accessible to the public doesn't necessarily mean more hours, just different ones. For example, instead of being open 9 am to 5 pm when most people are at work, try opening at 11 am and closing at 7 pm. That way, working people have a chance to adopt or reclaim lost pets. In addition, stay open on weekends and close a different day, say Monday, when most people are just starting their work week and may be too busy to visit the shelter.
• Offsite Adoptions. If the people can't come to the animals, bring the animals to the people. People love seeing pets where they work and play.
• Special Events. Attend church bazaars, business ribbon cuttings, car sales events, blues festivals – any neighborhood/community event. We even attended a Harley Davidson motorcycle festival! And don't hesitate to develop your own special events. Some of the events the TC SPCA puts on include:




Home for the Holidays – We have animals available for adoption at the local mall every day of the month in December, and Santa personally delivers the new pet.

Every Valentine's Day weekend, we have pets available at the same mall, and Cupid provides a nice card for each adopter.

Dog Days – Every September, to increase dog adoptions, we offer several special incentives.

Twice the fun, twice the love, not twice the cost! During kitten season, two adult cats can be adopted for the price of one.

• Foster Care Program. This is a must, not only for saving easy to place animals like healthy kittens, but for rehabilitating and training hard-to-place animals, as well.
• Rescue Groups. By working closely with rescue groups – purebreed or otherwise – shelters can not only increase adoptions, but also tap into group members' knowledge about fostering, training, behavior.
• Incentives. Talk to local businesses – most are delighted at an opportunity to promote problem resolution and more.

• Free health exam at any local vet
• Free dog grooming at local pet salon
• 10% discount at pet supply store
• Free dog behavior advice for life
• Free month of dog doodoo pick up
• Free engraved pet ID tag
• Free bag of pet food
• 10% discount at puppy class
• 10% discount for pet massage
• Pet Lover's Guide to new pets
• Free bag of goodies
• Discount at local coffee shop
• Periodically: free video, free Kong, free collars/leashes, etc.

• Work with groomers in your area to make your pets look their best.
• Place toys in cages with the animals – it looks homey and adds color to the animals' surroundings.
• Just as people are more likely to enter a store where others are already shopping, the same holds true for shelter animals. So, make sure you have adoption counselors and dog/cat socializer volunteers working with the animals at your peak visitation hours. People are drawn to an animal who is interacting with a person. Simply having a volunteer petting an older cat or sitting in the lobby with a long-term dog can make all difference.
• Let people take animals out of their cages and play with them in a comfortable setting. Potential adopters will stay longer, and are more likely to adopt.
• If you have the space, set up a doggy pool and/or have Frisbees and tennis balls in a fenced yard, and invite the people to walk and play with the dogs.
• Give your hard-to-place dogs an edge – training. Teach your longer-term shelter guests how to shake hands, sit and roll over. Adopters love it! Not only does a little basic training promote the dog, it helps ensure a more permanent placement!

• Radio PSAs (the FCC requires radio stations to allocate time for free public service announcements; take advantage of it!)
• Public access television
• "Pet of the Week" feature
• Local radio programs
• Pet advice column
• Press releases
• Posters in windows of local businesses
• Speak to community groups – bring an animal!
• Offsite adoptions

Download PDF: http://www.nokillnow.com/bigdogsshycats.pdf
  

Tompkins County SPCA

---

Also, see:

• Saving Hard-to-Place Pets
• Top 10 Reasons Dogs are Dumped at Shelters
• Financial Assistance with Vet Bills
• Adopt or Foster, but DO Something!
• Visit a Local Shelter or Rescue to Adopt

You've taken the first step – you've decided to begin your journey for your next dream rental. As the famous saying goes, there's no place like home. And, like all responsible pet owners know, your dog's coming with you.

As a new tenant, there's no doubt you'll want to work hard and take the extra necessary measures to please your landlord, especially if he's cautious about having a pet in the mix. While every situation is different, it's best to err on the side of preparation and know what to expect from your landlord before the lease is signed and the deal is sealed.

Here are some questions your landlord may ask you regarding your dog:

• How long have you had your dog?
• Do you have written proof of vaccination/good health?
• Were there any previous complaints about your dog at your previous rental?
• May I contact your current/past landlords about your dog?
• Who would look after your dog when you're away?
• Has your dog been spayed or neutered, and is he/she housetrained?
• Do you make a point of cleaning up after your dog?
• How often is your dog alone at home?

Once the question process has been completed to both your satisfaction, your landlord may next develop a pet policy in the form of a written agreement between the two of you.

A basic pet policy may include the following:

• Screening applications: A few simple questions will help sort out responsible pet owners and tenants.
• A written agreement: This will ensure everyone has the same information regarding rules and regulations for pet owners.
• Realistic limits: The pet policy should have clear guidelines on the type and number of pets allowed per dwelling.

• Specific parameters: It is useful to set specific parameters concerning which common areas pets are and are not allowed to go, when dogs must wear leashes and whether any types of pets must be confined to tenants' apartments.
• Assurance of cleanliness and healthy pets: Responsible pet owners will agree to immediately clean up after their pets and take all necessary sanitation precautions. They will also have a medical record of their pet to show all required vaccinations have been administered.
• Written disciplinary procedures: Written procedures which are jointly agreed to and state clearly what actions will result in a warning or some sort of punitive action will reduce disputes and make for better relations between the property management and tenants.
• Predetermined emergency arrangements: Property management may wish to have on hand details of local vets in case of emergency, especially in a situation where you are not immediately available.
• Available services: An outline of the locations and availability of parks, pet washing services and other amenities in the local area may be included.
• An agreement on cleanliness of premises: Tenants should readily agree to undertake to keep the property in excellent condition and free from animal odors and hairs.

Remember, it is more than possible to establish a friendly relationship with your landlord and co-exist in a way that's fair to everyone involved. If you're already a responsible dog owner, you're over the first hurdle!

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.
 

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals – as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.
 

Potty Training a Puppy

 
Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.
 

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.
 

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.
 

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.
 

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.
 

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.
 

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.
 

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.
 

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.
 

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com
 

Stray dogs in Moscow take the train. Many of Moscow's stray dogs actually live in the suburbs and take the subway downtown daily to forage for food. While on the train they do normal commuting stuff like napping and listening for their stop to be announced. They find seats and sometimes remind one another where to get off the train.

Once their workday begins, they go looking for easy targets like people eating street food and children. They employ a number of tactics to get fed, based on the mark. They bark at noshing adults to alarm them into accidentally dropping their food. They rest their heads on the laps of kids and flash them their cutest puppy dog eyes. When the day is done they head back to the suburbs and rest up for the next day's adventures.

November 4, 2013
 
When you rescue a dog from the shelter, you give him a second chance at life. Here are 10 ways you can get off on the right paw.

1. Talk with the shelter staff. Have them introduce you to their favorite dogs. Tell them what you're looking for in a pet. Let them know what pets you already have and whether you have children. They'll guide you to one that's a good fit. Find a dog who matches your temperament.
   
   If you enjoy lengthy hikes or other athletic endeavors, a high energy dog like a lab mix may be good for you. On the other hand, if you have small children or are looking for a dog who loves to snuggle, an older, more mellow dog may be a better option. The shelter staff can help you narrow your choices.
     
2. Once you've narrowed your choices to 2 or 3 dogs, see if you can take them each for a walk. Getting them away from the kennel environment will help many dogs relax and show you more of their personality.
     
3. Introduce your other family members to your candidates. This will help eliminate unpleasant surprises once you get home together.
     
4. If you already have a dog at home, see if you can bring your current dog in for a "meet and greet" or trade towels/blankets with each dog. The idea is each dog smells the other and begins to get accustomed to the other's smell so they aren't completely new to one another.
     
5. Once you've made your choice, determine where your new best friend will spend the first few days at your home. Even if your new friend is house-broken, the stress of moving and a new environment may cause him to "forget." If you confine him to a kitchen, you'll have easier clean up, yet, he'll be able to adjust to family life.
     
6. If you plan to crate train, get the crate ready and decide where it will go in your home. When your new pet comes home, leave the crate sitting in its area with the door open and let him explore the crate on his own. You may find he enjoys being in it when he's relaxing.
     

7. Aim for a calm schedule the first few weeks with your new pet. Take a few days off work if you can, and avoid planning travel right after adoption. Stick to scheduled meal times and walking times. The first few weeks are a critical adjustment time for everyone. Give yourself time.
     
8. Take your new friend to your veterinarian for a full checkup shortly after you bring him home. This gives you a baseline on health and temperament independent of the shelter.
     
9. Your new pet may benefit from doggie training classes or other forms of socializing such as dog parks. However, it's important to discuss this with your vet and watch your pet's temperament. Not every dog does well in these environments.
     
10. Make sure everyone in your family is onboard with the training plan. When everyone adheres to the schedule and uses the same commands, it's easier for your dog to learn.
      

By giving a shelter dog a "forever home," you'll be deeply rewarded. You may find yourself the recipient of deep gratitude from your pet.

What tips do you have for a successful adoption?
  

Adopting a dog can be one of the great joys in life for pet owners, but it's also a big decision that should be taken very seriously. In this video, Dr. Julie Dinnage, co-founder and executive director of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, offers some advice on finding the right dog for you and everyone in your home. For more info, visit American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
 

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.
 

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals – as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.
 

Potty Training a Puppy

 
Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.
 

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.
 

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.
 

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.
 

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.
 

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.
 

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.
 

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.
 

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.
 

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com
 

You can find them everywhere – at dog parks and doggie daycare centers, in dog training classes, in your neighbor's yards ... perhaps even in your own home. "They" are canine bullies – dogs who overwhelm their potential playmates with overly assertive and inappropriate behaviors, like the out-of-control human bully on the school playground.

Jasper is a nine-month-old Labradoodle from a puppy mill, currently enrolled in one of my Peaceable Paws Good Manners classes. He was kept in a wire cage on a Pennsylvania farm until he was four months old, when his new owners purchased him. Katy Malcolm, the class instructor, asked me to sit in on the first end-of-class play session with Jasper because she was concerned that his lack of early socialization could present a challenge. She was right.

Four shots of the same playground bully, taken over a 20-minute period at a dog park. In the first photo, the Boxer-mix bully has blindsided a dog who just entered the park. In the next three, she focuses her attention on the same victim, a young Lab-mix. She clearly enjoys holding him down as a variety of other dogs come over to investigate.

Sam was a 10-week-old Golden Retriever puppy, well bred, purchased from a responsible breeder by knowledgeable dog owners who immediately enrolled him in one of my Peaceable Paws Puppy Good Manners classes to get him started on the right paw. Sam unexpectedly also turned out to be a challenge at his first end-of-class puppy play session.

These two dogs had considerably different backgrounds, but when it came time to play, both dogs exhibited bullying behaviors: Jasper because he never had a chance to learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs; Sam because – well – who knows? Genetics, maybe? Early experiences in his litter, maybe? Regardless of the reasons, both dogs required special handling if they were ever to have a normal canine social life.

Bullying Defined
In her excellent book, Fight!, dog trainer and author Jean Donaldson defines bullying dogs (not to be confused with "Pitbull-type dogs") as those dogs for whom "roughness and harassment of non-consenting dogs is quite obviously reinforcing." Like the human playground bully, the bully dog seems to get a kick out of tormenting less-assertive members of his playgroup. Donaldson says, "They engage at it full tilt, with escalating frequency, and almost always direct it at designated target dogs."

When released with permission to "go play," the poorly socialized Labradoodle, Jasper, immediately pounced on the back of Mesa, an easy-going and confident Rottweiler who was playing nicely with Bo, a submissive but exuberant Golden Retriever. Jasper barked insistently, nipping at Mesa's back as she tried to ignore his social ineptness. Finally, fed up with his boorish behavior, she flashed her teeth at him one time, at which point he decided Bo was a better target for his attentions. Indeed, Bo found him overwhelming, a response that emboldened Jasper to pursue him even more energetically.

We intervened in his play with Mesa several times by picking up Jasper's dragging leash and giving him a time-out when his behavior was completely unacceptable, then releasing him to "Go play!" when he settled a bit. Each time we released him he promptly re-escalated to an unacceptable level of bullying, until Mesa herself told him to "Back off, Bud!" with a quick flash of her teeth.

Human-controlled time-outs, however, made no impression on Jasper. The canine corrections were more effective, but didn't stop the behavior; they only redirected it to a less-capable victim. Because Bo wasn't assertive enough to back Jasper off, we ended the play as soon as Jasper turned his attentions to the softer dog.

Bully #2
Like Jasper's preferred victim, Sam's favorite bullying target was also a Rottweiler – not a breed you'd expect to find wearing an invisible "bite me!" sign. Max was a pup about Sam's own age, who outweighed Sam considerably but was no match for the smaller pup's intensity.

Sam had given us no indication during class that he had a play problem. In fact, he was a star performer for his clicks and treats. However, when playtime arrived his demeanor changed from an attentive "What can I do to get you to click the clicker?" pupil to an "I'm tough and you just try to stop me!" bully.

Several seconds after the two pups began frolicking together, Sam suddenly pinned Max to the ground with a ferocious snarl, then released him briefly, just to pin him again in short order. Needless to say, we also intervened quickly in that relationship!

Appropriate Play
Owners often have difficulty distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate play. Some may think that perfectly acceptable play behavior is bullying because it involves growling, biting, and apparently pinning the playmate to the ground. Appropriate play can, in fact, look and sound quite ferocious.

The difference is in the response of the playmate. If both dogs appear to be having a good time and no one's getting hurt, it's usually fine to allow the play to continue. Thwarting your dog's need to play by stopping him every time he engages another dog, even if it's rough play, can lead to other behavior problems.

With a bully, the playmate clearly does not enjoy the interaction. The softer dog may offer multiple appeasement and deference signals that are largely or totally ignored by the canine bully. The harassment continues, or escalates.

Any time one play partner is obviously not having a good time, it's wise to intervene. A traumatic play experience can damage the softer dog's confidence and potentially induce a life-long fear-aggression or "Reactive Rover" response – definitely not a good thing!

Some bullies seem to spring from the box full-blown. While Sam had, no doubt, already been reinforced for his bullying by the response of his softer littermates, he must have been born with a strong, assertive personality in order for the behavior to be as pronounced as it was by the tender age of 10 weeks. Jasper, on the other hand, may have been a perfectly normal puppy, but months of social deprivation combined with a strong desire to be social turned him into an inadvertent bully.

There can certainly be a learned component of any bullying behavior. As Jean Donaldson reminds us, the act of harassing a "non-consenting dog" is in and of itself reinforcing for bullies.

By definition, a behavior that's reinforced continues or increases – hence the importance of intervening with a bully at the earliest possible moment, rather than letting the behavior become more and more ingrained through reinforcement. As with most behavior modification, prognosis is brightest if the dog is young, if he hasn't had much chance to practice the unwanted behavior, and if he has not been repeatedly successful at it.

Oops!
Successful modification of bullying behavior requires attention to several elements:

• Skilled application of intervention tools and techniques: Leashes and long lines, no-reward markers (NRMs) and time-outs;
• Excellent timing of intervention: Application of NRMs and time-outs;
• Reinforcement for appropriate behavior: Play continues or resumes when dog is calm or playing nicely;
• Selection of appropriate play partners: Dogs who are not intimidated or traumatized by bullying behavior.

While working to decrease or extinguish your dog’s bullying, you might have to let him drag a short leash, or keep him on a long line while playing. This enables you to stop his bullying the moment it starts. Keep him on a “time out” until he is calm.

The most appropriate human intervention is the use of "negative punishment," in which the dog's behavior makes a good thing go away. In this case, the most appropriate negative punishment is a time-out. Used in conjunction with a "no-reward marker" (NRM) or "punishment" marker, this works best for bullying behavior.

The opposite of the clicker (or other reward marker, such as the word, "Yes!"), the NRM says, "That behavior made the good stuff go away." With bullying, the good stuff is the opportunity to play with other dogs. Just as the clicker always means a treat is coming, the NRM always means the behavior stops immediately or good stuff goes away; it's not to be used repeatedly as a threat or warning.

My preferred NRM, the one I teach and use if/when necessary, is the word "Oops!" rather than the word "No!" which is deliberately used to shut down behavior – and as such is usually delivered firmly or harshly and unfortunately often followed by physical punishment. "Oops!" simply means, "Make another behavior choice or there will be an immediate loss of good stuff." An NRM is to be delivered in a non-punitive tone of voice; it's almost impossible to say "Oops!" harshly.

Timing is just as important with your NRM as it is with your reward marker. It says, "Whatever you were doing the exact instant you heard the 'Oops!' is what earned your time-out." You'll use it the instant your dog's bully behavior appears, and if the bullying continues for more than a second or two more, grasp his leash or drag-line (a long, light line attached to his collar) and remove him from play. Don't repeat the NRM. Give him at least 20 seconds to calm down, more if he needs it, then release him to go play again. If several time-outs don't dampen the behavior even slightly, make them longer and make sure he's calm prior to returning to play.

If a half-dozen time-outs have absolutely no effect, end the play session for the day. If the NRM does stop the bullying, thank your dog for responding, and allow him to continue playing under direct supervision as his reward.

Another sometimes-effective approach to bully modification requires access to an appropriate "neutral dog" – a dog like Mesa who is confident enough to withstand the bully's assault without being traumatized or responding with inappropriate aggression in return. A flash of the pearly whites as a warning is fine. A full-out dogfight is not.

It's important to watch closely during interactions with the bully. Any sign the neutral dog is becoming unduly stressed by the encounters should bring the session to an immediate halt. A neutral dog may be able to modify your bully's behavior, and have it transfer to other dogs – or not. If not, you may be able to find one or two sturdy, neutral dogs who can be your dog's play companions, and leave the softer dogs to gentler playpals. Not all dogs get along with all other dogs.

Outcomes
Sam's owners were exceptionally committed to helping their pup overcome his inappropriate play behaviors. We continued to allow him to play with one or two other sturdy, resilient puppies, using an NRM and his leash to calmly but firmly remove him every time his play intensity increased. We moved him away from the other pups until he was calm, then allowed him to resume his play. By the end of his first six-week class he was playing appropriately most of the time with one or two other pups, under direct supervision. After two more six-week sessions he played well with a stable group of four other dogs, under general supervision, without needing NRMs or time-outs.

The last time I saw Sam was an incidental encounter, at Hagerstown's Pooch Pool Plunge event. Every year when the city closes its community pool for the winter, they open it up on one Saturday for people to bring their dogs for a pooch pool party. Sam, now a full-grown adult dog, attended the Plunge at the end of Summer 2005, with more than 100 dogs in attendance. His behavior was flawless.

Jasper may have a longer road, but I'm optimistic that he'll come around as well. We plan to continue having him play with Mesa, as long as she's handling him as well as she did in last week's class. Between Mesa's canine corrections and our time-outs, we're hopeful that he'll learn appropriate social skills and be able to expand his social circle to other appropriate dogs. Is there a Pool Plunge in Jasper's future? We'll just have to wait and see.

Although dog training has become more of a science than a craft in recent years, some persistent myths still mislead us when reading canine behavior. Don't let a myth harm your relationship with your pooch. Here, we dispel 14 common myths and look at the facts.

1. An old dog can't learn new tricks.

False. Old dogs not only learn new tricks but they thrive when trained. My late Pomeranian, Mr. Teddy, who was adopted at an estimated 10 to 13 years of age, was a training superstar in Vetstreet videos, which were filmed two weeks before he passed away. By the same token, older dogs without housetraining experience as puppies can successfully be housetrained. As long as a dog is mentally and physically capable of learning to perform a behavior and is properly motivated, it's entirely possible to train her. While intense agility training for Teddy was not realistic, teaching basic commands was.

2. A dog shouldn't sleep with you or be allowed on furniture, or she'll think she's the boss and will misbehave.

False. Just like humans, dogs simply want a comfortable place to lie down. If comfort can be combined with being next to their beloved human, whether it's right next to you on the couch, or even on top of your lap, then they're all for it. In rare cases, dogs will guard their sleeping and resting areas, and will show aggression when humans approach these sacred areas. This type of behavior will require remedial training. But for the average Rover, sleeping in bed or resting on the couch has no adverse behavioral effects.

3. When your dog has a potty accident, it's important to rub her nose in it to let her know what she did.

False. When you rub a dog's nose in her own mess, she often sees no association between that and her having had a potty accident. Nor does rubbing her nose in her accident teach her not to potty on the floor again. Instead, rubbing her nose in her accident teaches her that humans are dangerous and unpredictable, and she will likely begin to hide in safety by sneaking into another room to go to the bathroom, making housebreaking even more difficult.

4. A dog who cowers from people was likely abused in the past.

False. There are various reasons for dogs cowering, and not all of them are because a dog was abused. Commonly, the dog was not properly socialized or had negative experiences during her prime socialization period as a puppy. Genetics also play a role in the fearful dog. Other reasons for a dog to duck away might be that she has learned to dodge people who try to grab her collar, or she is uncomfortable with petting, such as having her ears handled. Unfortunately, well-meaning strangers often approach dogs by bending over the top of their heads and reaching down to pet, which will send timid dogs into a cowering position. A better way to approach is by getting into a kneeling position, with your body turned toward the side, and then inviting the dog to approach you. If you practice this method, it will be less likely to cause a canine to cower.

5. Shelter dogs have too much baggage. It's better to adopt a puppy to start with a clean slate.

False. Many shelter dogs are well-behaved pooches who, for an endless list of possible reasons, could not be kept by their original owners. Older shelter dogs make ideal candidates for people wanting to skip the puppy stages of chewing, potty training and mouthing. The interview process at most shelters also pairs canine candidates with the family setting that will best suit the dog's temperament, which can create cohesion from the beginning.

6. All dogs should enjoy being around other dogs. It's essential for dogs to go on outings with other dogs, such as at the dog park. If a dog doesn't enjoy other dogs, there is something wrong with her.

False. Not all people are social butterflies and neither are all dogs. Some dogs may prefer solitude and only a small, select group of people. Dogs also have their own preferences when it comes to other canines. Breeding can play a big role in their sociability, with terriers being notorious for contentiousness with other pooches. Other times, whether from lack of socialization as a puppy or simply an individual preference, dogs may not enjoy canine comradery. Even though plenty of dogs enjoy the dog park, not all of them enjoy the idea of dozens of other dogs frolicking around them and would instead prefer a quiet walk with their owners.

7. You should let dogs just fight it out when they get into a scuffle.

False (well, at least partly false). It's true that you should never get into the middle of a dog fight, because some of the most damaging dog bites occur when owners try to separate fighting dogs. There are some tactics you can use to break up the scuffle without actually getting in the middle of the fray. Try using water, a really loud noise, or even a distraction like grabbing a treat bag or using voice to direct them to do something else. Owners should do everything they can to prevent another fight in the future. Often dogs don't settle matters on their own, and fighting intensifies over time, especially with dogs in the same home. This calls for advanced training with the help of an animal behaviorist or a certified professional trainer.

8. My dog is trying to show she's in charge when she doesn't listen to me.

False. It's easy to attribute human motives like "getting even" or "being spiteful" to our dogs, but dogs don't have the same complex emotions as humans. The more realistic reasons why a dog doesn't do what's being asked is either because she doesn't understand what she's being asked to do, or the dog doesn't have the proper motivation to want to perform the behavior. For example, most dogs don't come when called because the payoff isn't worth it. When they do, they usually are put on a leash or taken into the house when they'd rather stay outside.

9. My dog knows she was bad after she goes potty in the house. Her guilty face says it all.

False. Dogs show a perceived "guilty face" not because they feel an actual emotion of guilt, but they are actually showing appeasement behaviors in response to their owners intimidating body language. Whether we want to or not, it's difficult not to display negative body language when we're upset with our pets. A 2009 study by researcher Alexandra Horowitz at Barnard College in New York revealed that the "guilty look" dogs display is solely attributed by humans and has no relation to whether the dog is actually responsible for an offense. The study found that dogs who had not actually eaten the forbidden treat, but were scolded by their misinformed owners for eating a treat, showed guiltier-looking body language than dogs who had actually eaten the forbidden treat. The guilty look is simply a response of the dog to her owner's behavior.

10. It's always the owner's fault when a dog misbehaves.

False. Most owners are well-meaning, but are simply misinformed or lack knowledge on how to train their dogs effectively. Blaming the owner for all of a dog's problems makes for good TV, but there are a myriad of reasons why a dog misbehaves, including lack of proper socialization or preventive training, or even the genetic tendencies of the dog. It's important for pet parents to push past feelings of shame or guilt; instead get started in the right direction with help from a pet professional using positive reinforcement methods.

11. Using treats for training is bribery, and the dog won't do the behavior later if you don't give her a treat.

False. It's true that dogs need motivation to perform a behavior. That said, the motivation doesn't always have to be a food-based reward. Dogs can be rewarded in many other ways. Reward them with playing, petting or getting to go outside. They can also be put on a random schedule of rewards with a lottery-ticket-like system so they never know when the payout will come. This system helps keep them motivated. For example: learning to walk on a loose leash may be taught in the beginning by using treats, but once the behavior is learned, treats can be phased out so that the only reward becomes getting to go on the walk itself.

12. When a dog chews up shoes or destroys furniture it's because she's punishing the owner.

False. Dogs chew on shoes, furniture and other human items not to punish their owners, but simply because it feels good on their teeth, it relieves boredom, releases energy and, in some cases, may indicate separation anxiety.

13. A dog can't really be happy unless she can run off-leash.

False. Leashes are made for a dog's safety. They should be perceived as tools that keep your dog from running into oncoming traffic, going up to unknown dogs or people, and prevent them from running way. Although regular off-leash play in a fenced area is essential for a dog's well-being, while out in public, dogs can learn to be perfectly content on a leash at their owner's side.

14. Dogs are great judges of people, so if a dog doesn't like someone, it must mean there is something wrong with that person.

False. In the majority of cases, dogs who react aggressively or fearfully to a person are not doing so out of a negative moral evaluation of the individual, but are responding out of their own self-preservation. With that said, there have been plenty of circumstances where pets have used an apparent sixth sense to pick up on cues that went unseen by their human and actually saved their human's life. However, the majority of dogs I see in my training practice are unfriendly with a person because they are reacting out of fear to a certain physical attribute, movement or the physical proximity of a person, and are not reacting based on any moral evaluation of the individual.

Source: VetStreet