1. You think my tail wagging is always an invitation for you to pet me more. Wrong!
Italian researchers found that dogs wag their tails slightly to the right when they see something they like and to the left when they're confronted with something they want to back away from.

2. You might buy any old dog-grooming brush at the pet store...
...but you should really pick the right one for my coat. A rubber brush will promote circulation and loosen dirt. A bristle brush removes dead hair.

3. You're giving me too much food.
How can you tell? I don't seem motivated by food treats when you're trying to train me. Cut back, and I'll start to pay attention.

4. Grooming day means you bring out the big blow-dryer. Don't!
To make dogs like me look fluffy, shake a little cornstarch into the base of the fur and then brush. It will absorb oil and grease and detangle matted fur.

5. Please don't rush me when I'm going to the bathroom.
There's a reason dogs circle around before getting down to business: We have an instinct to be aligned with the earth's magnetic field before we poop. In fact, researchers watched 70 of us engage in 1,893 defecations over a two-year period just to figure this out.

6. You may think it's nice to let me sleep all day, but too much nap time can affect my personality.
A lot of behavioral problems can be solved by just taking your dog on a daily walk or by playing with your cat for 20 minutes every day.

7. Since I'm an old dog, I get to eat whatever I want, yes? No!
If I have arthritis, I'll be much happier if you give me a daily supplement that contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which protect joint cartilage. And switch me to a food formulated for an animal my age.

8. If you lose me...
...the first thing you should do is call every animal shelter within 100 miles of home, and visit the nearest shelters every day if you can. Many animal control bureaus euthanize animals if they go unclaimed for a specific amount of time. (For good measure, be sure to get me a microchip when I'm young.)

9. If you're getting me spayed...
...ask your vet if she can remove just my ovaries, not my uterus. A much less invasive procedure, it's the way cats and dogs are spayed in Europe, and many U.S. veterinarians have already made the switch.

10. Because I'm a creature of habit, even a subtle change in my behavior is a red flag that I might be sick.
So if it takes me an hour to eat my food instead of 60 seconds as usual, if I'm tiring out faster when we play, if there are more urine clumps in the litter box than usual, or if I seem to be drinking more water, call the vet right away.

11. There's no question that if you keep me inside and don't let me wander the neighborhood...
I'll have a better chance of living a longer life. I won't get hit by a car, stolen, or just plain lost. But once I've been allowed to roam free, it'll be hard to change me.

12. Please introduce me around when I'm young so I'm not afraid of strangers.
Some experts say I should meet 100 new people of different sizes, genders, and ethnicities in my first 100 days at home, even if it's just a quick greeting. Make sure you include people wearing hats and sunglasses, since those accessories can look awfully scary to me.

13. You may think it's cute when I rub my butt on the carpet...
...but it probably means that I'm itchy and would like to see a vet.

14. When you're choosing a new furry friend, ask a vet or trainer for simple tests you can do to gauge temperament.
For example, you can try rolling me over on my back to see how I handle it. If I really struggle, I'm probably going to be tougher to train than an animal who lies there placidly.

15. Forget the Milk-Bones!
If you want me to really pay attention when you're training me, use a treat that's moist, something so gross, you don't even want to hold it in your hand, like a piece of greasy chicken.

16. While some of us gulp down grass only if we've eaten something that doesn't agree with us and we're trying to regurgitate it...
...others of us just love to munch the lawn. So let me graze – just make sure the grass I'm eating is free of pesticides.

17. Beware, Mom, because I will eat your underwear...
...especially if they've been worn. Veterinarians surgically remove hundreds of pairs from dogs' bellies every year.

18. Please, please can I choose my own bed?
The most comfortable one will depend on how I sleep. Let me try out a few in a pet store. If I usually sleep with my legs sprawled out, I'll be more comfortable on a flat bed without side bumpers. But if I like to curl up, I'll probably love a bumper bed.

19. You say I'm great with kids, but...
...if I'm licking, pulling my ears back, turning my head away, or yawning (all signs of anxiety) while they play with me, I'm probably just barely tolerating them. If you keep letting them pull my tail, one of these days, I might lose it.

20. Hold those clippers!
No matter how high the mercury climbs or how long my hair is, I don't need to be shaved. My undercoat actually insulates me from heat, so it helps me stay cool. Just make sure you keep my coat brushed and mat-free to promote good air circulation.

21. If you leave me in the backyard when you're not home...
...don't fool yourself that I'm going to run around and have fun. The truth is, I'm probably going to sit in one spot and wait for you to return. Dogs are den animals, and many of us prefer to be inside, ideally with you.

22. I love to fetch and would like to learn how to catch a flying disc...
...but those hard plastic FRISBEEs can hurt my teeth and gums. Instead, look for a soft one at a pet store.

23. If I'm not used to strangers and you reach out toward me when you first meet me...
...your hand may as well be a meat cleaver. Instead, crouch down on one leg and look slightly away. Then let me approach you and give you a sniff.

24. Let's get one thing straight: Declawing is not the same as cutting our nails.
It's a hideous, painful surgery that's much more like amputating the last two knuckles of your fingers. If my scratching is really bad, try glue-on nail caps.

25. If I'm spraying "outside the box," I'm not being spiteful.
Something is stressing me out. It may be a new person, a new pet, or even a new piece of furniture in the house that seems to be encroaching on my territory.

26. I'm confused. When I jumped up on you earlier...
...you gave me such a nice pet. But now you're mad at me for jumping on Aunt Martha. Am I allowed to jump up or not?

27. If you let me on the furniture now, while I'm young and cute...
...I will always think it's OK, no matter how big I get.

28. What do you mean you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
My owner taught me to fetch the newspaper from the driveway and take it to him when I was ten.

29. Remember when I was little and you shoved my nose in a puddle of pee I left?
I have no idea why you did that. Instead, get me outside as quickly as possible and praise me whenever I pee outdoors.

30. Want me to learn to walk by your side on a leash?
Well, give me some incentive. As soon as I start to pull ahead, stop walking. When I turn and look back, offer me a treat right next to your leg. I'll quickly figure out I need to stay next to you in order to keep doing what I love most: moving and exploring.

31. If you're tired of finding pet hair on your sofa and want to keep me off...
...try a Scat Mat, which gives out a small, harmless electrostatic pulse when it's stepped on. Or buy a car mat and turn it upside down on your couch, so the little rubber prongs are facing up. I hate those.

32. When I bark, jump, and grab the towel off the countertop...
...I'm not trying to be bad. I'm just bored! I want your attention! Please, get off your smartphone and play with me.

33. If I'm a dog who is scared of thunderstorms or loud noises, get me a snug-fitting Thundershirt.
Or you can make your own. Wrap an Ace bandage across my chest, cross it over the top of my body and then back under, going over and under until it's midway down my back, and then secure it. The constant pressure against the middle of my body will help ease my anxiety and calm me down.

34. Remember, my digestive system is very different from yours.
Raisins and grapes can shut down a dog's kidneys. Other dangerous foods include chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts and avocado.

35. Want my coat to be thick and shiny?
Make sure my diet has plenty of essential fatty acids. Most high-quality commercial pet foods have enough, but pets on low-quality foods or homemade diets that aren't balanced may develop a dull coat.

36. Every bag of pet food has an Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) statement on the label...
...although you might need a magnifying glass to read it. Look for one that says the food has undergone animal feeding trials rather than one that's been “formulated” by a computer. The trials are expensive, but they indicate that real dogs actually ate the food for six months with good results.

37. Check with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist before giving me a homemade-food diet.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, who examined 200 recipes last year for home-prepared dog food found that 95 percent had some serious nutritional deficiencies.

38. Did you hear the hype about grain-free cat and dog food?
That's what it is: hype. There's nothing wrong with feeding me grains – they can actually be an important part of a balanced diet. Before you make any change, talk to your vet.

39. If you switch me to a raw diet, I may end up with cracked teeth or a bacterial infection.
Also, exposure to my feces could put anyone with a weakened immune system at risk. That's why the ASPCA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other institutions all strongly discourage raw diets.

Sources: Brian Hare, PhD, codirector of the Canine Cognition Center at Duke University; Rebecca Remillard, PhD, DVM, DACVN, a veterinary nutritionist at North Carolina State University and founder of petdiets.com; Jorge Bendersky, a groomer and pet stylist in New York City; Spencer Williams, owner and president of West Paw Design, a company that makes pet toys and beds; Nancy Kay, DVM, author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life; Jennifer Coates, DVM, veterinary adviser to petmd.com; Victoria Schade, dog-training and behavioral expert at pet360.com and author of Bonding with Your Dog: A Trainer's Secrets for Building a Better Relationship; Sophia Yin, DVM, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist and the author of How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves; K. C. Theisen, director of pet-care issues at the Humane Society of the United States; Amy Farcas, DVM, DACVN, a veterinary nutritionist at the University of Pennsylvania; Marilyn Krieger, cat behavioral consultant and author of Naughty No More; Karen “Doc” Halligan, DVM, author of Doc Halligan's What Every Pet Owner Should Know; Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist and host of Animal Planet's My Cat from Hell; Stephen Zawistowski, PhD, animal behaviorist and adviser at the ASPCA.

NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Millennials are usually seen as a demographic that is irrational, debt-saddled, underemployed and financially irresponsible. That inevitably means low disposable income. But you may be surprised by how much money 20-somethings are willing to spend when it comes to taking care of their dogs.

According to a report aggregated by an Arlington, Virginia-based market research firm Wakefield Research, 76% of Millennials are more willing to make impulse and pampering purchases for their pet than they would for themselves on certain pricey items, such as expensive treats or a custom bed. By contrast, only half of Boomers would like to spoil their pets by purchasing those items.

"It's a trend that Millennials are becoming the major power to the future consuming market in the pet industry," says Nathan Ritcher, CEO of the Wakefield Research. As the pet industry is predicted to be a $59 billion market in 2014, according to American Pet Products Association, Ritcher said, "It's good evidence to show that Millennials are redefining which products are more important."

Millennials made up less than a third of the U.S. adult population, yet their spending power is expected to surpass that of Boomers at $3.39 trillion in the next four years. As pet owners, they are grandiose, conscientious, and irrational; they think differently about what is "essential" when purchasing products.

Wakefield's report shows more than half of the younger shoppers own clothing for their pets and think it's important to carry their pets as a kind of accessory so that they are able to travel with their pets easily; meanwhile, pet supplies that contain chemical-free, natural, organic and hypoallergenic elements are more demanded by them than Boomers, since they usually value health and food safety more than their parents and grandparents.

But how come the younger generation who often asks for financial support is actually the main force of pet ownership with large expenditures?

The psychological explanation behind their consuming behavior is that most Millennials are narcissists who are pursuing self-recognition by all kinds of means, according to Dr. Peter Noel Murray, principal of a consumer psychology practice based in New York City.

"Their choices of what to acquire in life are made in large part on how well they validate their positive self-image," he told MainStreet.

Unlike most pet owners who are looking for companionship and love from their pets, said Murray, "the appeal of a pet to this young adult is more likely to be how well it reflects on the individual and captures the attention of friends."

To be noticeable, social media encourages Millennials to be exposed actively as pet owners, which also applies to the characteristic of being narcissistic. According to Murray, self-focus on social networks and the obsession with "selfies" both explained their unquenchable thirst for recognition.

"They see themselves, and want others to see them, as special and unique," he said.

Wakefield's report indicates that only 10% Millennials are not on social platforms. For Millennials who have a social media account for their pets, 66% are on Facebook, 38% are on Twitter, and 34% are on Instagram. Also, more than half of Millennials share "selfies" while only 9% of Boomers would do the same.

As the irrational behaviors have stimulated the pet industry, marketers are seizing the opportunity to cater to the potential market demand from Millennials.

"We are creating incredible mobile friendly website and apps and personalized offers to interact with our younger shoppers," says Jeff Eckerling, CEO of Doggyloot.com, a Chicago-based e-commerce site for dog products. Currently, the online shopping hub has more than one million subscribers, according to Eckerling, and most of them are at their mid-40s. That said, Millennials have brought one third of the web traffic to Doggyloot's website and 23% of them are being active on its Facebook fan page.

In the Wakefield report, despite the fact that Millennials see their pets as their family members like Boomers do, they are more likely to feel that raising a pet is part of the preparation for having a family.

"A lot of Millennials view their pets as a way to train themselves to be a good parent in the future," says Ritcher.

In response to that, Murray thinks it's wrong to confuse the relationship between having a pet and raising a kid.

"They think it might be helpful to develop their responsibilities [to be a future parent] but it's unrealistic; it's not happening," he said, "They are focused on valuing things but they don't care how they attain those."

In addition, he is also concerned since Millennials are highly prone to discard items when they no longer serve their purpose. When their pets have slowed down middle-aged or grown old and need comfort and care, Millennials may not be able to fulfill the psychological needs of their formerly pampered pets, Murray says.

"It could well turn into a crisis for animal shelters in the not-too-distant future," he said.

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).
 

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

A trainer friend came in the door looking haggard. Her new client puppy cried off and on all night crated in her kitchen. "I'm exhausted" she said, stating the obvious.

She got a hug then this advice, "Put the puppy's crate next to your bed."

She looked surprised. "I've always heard I should let them cry it out." she stated.

That is common advice and I used to say it, too. I was wrong.

Allowing your new puppy to sleep near you for a week or so makes things epically easier for everyone. Here are the benefits:

• You sleep which is critical to you being the sort of puppy person you planned on being.
• You can hear when your pup gets restless so can take them to their potty area before the crate is wet or the pup is upset.
• Your pup gets to bond more to you.
• Your family and spouse isn't stressed by the constant crying.
• Ditto your neighbors, if you have some close by.
• Your puppy gets critical rest after the stress of changing homes, leaving the litter, etc.

The pup in this story had been spayed the week before at 8 weeks, been vaccinated, flown across the country, landed in a new home for two days, been given a heartworm preventative, flea and tick treated and wormed for parasites all before coming to my friend. All that totals up to an assault on her tiny system and I advised quiet and lots of sleep for the next few days, at least, to give her little body a chance to recover.

1. Never let your off-leash dog go up to an on-leash dog.
2. Lock retractable leashes when you see other dogs.
3. Ask before approaching or petting any dog.
4. Have compassion for people with shy or reactive dogs.

Please do not chase us. Let us pass without interaction, and keep your judgments to yourself.

Source: http://doggiedrawings.net/post/842176625
© 2011 Lili Chin

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7 Dog Etiquette Rules

By Janine Allen
May 24th, 2009