Fresh fallen snow? Don’t be too discouraged when your dog
suddenly develops the selective-listening syndrome. Wound up and
bubbling with excitement, dogs can quickly exult beyond their own
containment capacities. Just yesterday on a trip to the park, standing
not three feet from Whoopsie’s shoulder, I called and called
— and like a 7-year-old being called in for dinner, I’m
sure she didn’t hear me. If the initial blush of snow does
not rub off, however, a few quick leash lessons outside will serve
as an ample reminder.
Hat-Scarf –Mitten Snatching
One game that is high on many dogs’ fun list must be curtailed
immediately. If your dog finds grabbing mittens, scarves, or hats
off a moving target fair play, take action: a dog must learn never
to grab at their humans’ outerwear. If you’re dog is
doing this, engage him with other activities (two ball toss, empty
soda bottle soccer game as described in any number of my books)
and then arm yourself with a canister of Binaca
or Spray Shield.
If your dog comes racing over to wrassle you, discreetly spray between
your bodies and shout “STOP.” If your dog is chasing
the children, supervise all interactions and use a
long leash to retard any maniac approaches. Do not let the 6-year-old
who was bundled with a scarf around her neck and then playfully
strangled to death by the family golden retriever go unremembered.
And last but not least, do not engage your dog, young or old, in
games of tug. While dogs do love tugging, you can tie a rope toy
to furniture or trees—reinforcing that possessing or stealing
objects is not the focus of any game. And once taught, dogs love
the game “Fetch and Deliver” just as much!
Winter Time Housebreaking Woes
If your dog is turned off by the prospect of snowy paws and content
to remain indoors, he will not change his mind this winter or any.
Cajoling an older dog outdoors or housebreaking a thin-coated or
small puppy in the winter presents another challenge. With regard
to housetraining, it is more than mere distain for cold weather,
it has to do with muscle constriction. It’s hard to eliminate
when your body is tight as a clamp, although creative winter potty
training may help to remedy this situation. Don’t ask your
dog to go far, creating a temporary spot by shoveling a short path
from your door and/or defining the area with a more comforting surface,
such as pine bark or mulch. When you escort your dog out, walk straight
to the area, holding your dog on a leash if she refuses to stand
still. If yours is a small dog, you might also consider a mulch
tray in a corner of a mud-room or garage.
Finally there are booties. Yes booties for dogs… and they
come in all sizes. Made by a company who manufactures sledding gear
these boots are as good as they get. Check them out: www.dogbooties.com.
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Sarah's
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Compassionate, fun and uniquely effective, Sarah's techniques are simple
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I'm not teaching dogs, I'm talking dogs! I've appeared on all
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advocating for dogs everywhere. I've covered pet adoption, puppy selection
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