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Moving house - a pet's survival guide

Moving house can be an incredibly exciting yet stressful time for us, and it can affect our pets too. Dogs and cats like status quo and they’re incredibly intuitive; so, a combination of their environment changing and picking up on our frazzled emotions, this can lead to our pets displaying unwanted behaviours after the move. Below are some helpful tips for a safe and stress-free pet!

· Check the property for any potential problems such as holes in the fence, dangerous items being left in the garden and so on.
· Introduce your cat to his new home gradually; restrict him to one or two rooms at first. Place the litter box, bed, scratching post, food and water in the room with it. This gives your cat the chance to get used to the new sounds and smells, and provides him with a ‘safe’ place to use later as a refuge or if he feels uncertain. Place your pet’s favourite bed, blanket, toys or any item that’s familiar to them in that room. This helps him feel more secure in the new surroundings.
· If your cat will be allowed outside, keep him indoors for at least two weeks, so your home is familiar to him. After two weeks, take the cat outside with you, let him explore a bit. After ten minutes bring him back inside. Each day increase the time until he feels safe and knows the area.
· Ensure your pet is properly tagged with your new address and phone number.
· If possible, allow yourself some time before you go back to work. This enables you to help your dog adjust. During this period of change, practice ‘Gesture Leaving’ - where you spend time coming and going from the house, building up in small increments (from a couple of seconds to minutes) to see how your dog will respond. This helps reduce separation anxiety and with practice and repetition your dog should adjust to being home alone in the new environment.
· You should also take your dog straight into the garden of the new property on moving day. Ensure he is on the lead and allow him to explore his new environment. Practice some heel work and general obedience requests to get him focused onto you too – this keeps his pulse rate steady and avoids over excitement. Introduce your dog to his new area very slowly. Explore the area one street at a time, so he can ‘suss out’ who else lives in the neighbourhood. Strange dogs can pose a threat and cause your pet unnecessary stress.

Focus on puppies
How cool would it be if you could learn to successfully communicate with your dog so you can understand one another? Well now you can! Walk the Dog Puppies launches in February; these are puppy classes and young dog progress classes designed to help owners learn how to teach their dog the basics from recall, sit, stay, heeling, ‘leave’, as well as, learning how to avoid unwanted behaviours and deal with common problems in a calm, consistent and convincing way. So, we’ve got some top tips below to set you and your puppy on the road to successful dog training.

· Lower your expectations. Remember, your puppy is just a baby; he doesn’t know he should toilet outside, or know even his name. A human baby takes many months to learn to walk, talk, and toilet training can take years. It's the same principle when you're training your puppy – patience, understanding and consistency is the key to successful training.
· Adolescence. Around 4 months of age, the puppy moves into adolescence. They get bored easily and have no self-control, they like action and speed. Set some boundaries (e.g.) is the puppy allowed on the sofa by invitation only? Is the dog allowed upstairs?
· Avoid long training sessions. The puppy’s ability to concentrate over long periods is poor, and you need to help teach him self-control. Keep training short, fun and easy. Teach in steps, like the ‘sit-stay’ - build from one second to three seconds, five seconds and so on.
· Have fun with your puppy. Play with your dog! This teaches him to focus on you and builds the association that you’re fun to be with! Playing helps build a bond with your dog too. Focus more energy into playing than walking the puppy. Playing gives the dog mental exercise, as well as, physical exercise.
· Allow the puppy breaks and rest if he looses his concentration while training.
· Slowly introduce new experiences, environments, noises, machinery, clothing, animals and people to the puppy. Take it slowly! You mustn’t put pressure on your puppy or yourself. Your behaviour dictates the behaviour of your dog. If the puppy is scared by something move away in a calm manner, do not make a fuss of the dog (this will only re-enforce the dog’s scared behaviour). Show you are not bothered and there is no need for concern.
· Never hit, shout or punish the puppy. Aggression only begets aggression.
· Toilet training. Look for the key times the puppy will go, typically upon waking, playing and eating. Pups will sniff and circle. Encourage the puppy outside into the garden. As the puppy eliminates say a word like “be clean”, this builds the association of that word to that action, so in time you’ll be able to say the word and the dog will eliminate. Once the pup has finished, praise with food reward immediately and say “good dog”, this positively re-enforces this ‘wanted’ behaviour. Don’t go inside the house straight after the pup has been to the toilet, as the puppy may learn to hold on for longer, as they want more time to explore the outside. If the pup goes to the toilet inside the house and you haven’t caught him in the act, simply clean it up with no fuss (say nothing and no eye contact). If you catch the puppy about to go or mid-flow – pick him up gently and take outside (repeat as above).
· Start grooming early. Teach your puppy that grooming is a pleasant experience. Brush him when he’s sleepy, gently touch ears/teeth/paws to enable him to get used to being investigated in these areas. This will help when he goes to the vets, or when you need to clip his claws or brush his teeth.
· Learn to communicate with your dog. Learn the dog’s language and you’ll understand each other and have the relationship you deserve. Speak to Hanne about how you can achieve this.

For more information about our 5 week puppy courses call us on 01442 878628 or email us at: info@walk-the-dog.net

Dog aggression

In my role as Dog Listener, I am often called in as the last resort to help clients experiencing a range of problems with their dogs from separation anxiety to excessive barking. While owners may tolerate some unwanted behaviours like pulling on the lead, one problem they can’t live with is aggression. It’s confusing for owners to have their loving dog suddenly turn into a Jekyll and Hyde character when out on a walk. As a result, walking the dog is no longer a pleasurable experience for the owner or the dog. So, why does this happen?

Aggression is a defence reflex, initially exhibited as a threat or warning, ultimately exhibited in a real form when there is no other option left. In other words, it can usually be avoided if you understand the cause, can read the signs and know how to desensitise the dog’s lack of trust towards the situation that resulted in the aggressive confrontation. Nearly all aggression results from a lack of trust on the part of the dog. So, it’s vital you get your dog to trust in you by giving him the right information whenever a question is raised “what happens now?” By getting your dog to elect you as leader, he will trust in you and follow your lead. There are four key areas where dogs look for leadership from us. These are; the hunt (or going for a walk), food/eating, status and perceived danger. Canine confrontation takes place within these four key areas (e.g.) dogs will fight over chew or may growl when another dog tries to cross its path. If we fail in our ‘leadership’ credentials then the dog’s survival instincts kick in, telling them someone has to take charge of the pack, and this is when the unwanted behaviours kick in.

The 4 F’s – flight, freeze, flirt or fight
Dogs exhibit four defence reflexes; flight, freeze, flirt and fight. This means when a dog feels threatened or challenged they will run away (flight), enter an almost catatonic state of immobility or snarl and growl (freeze), or try to initate some play and act like a puppy to avoid a fight (flirt) or they may finally bite (fight). The fight reflex is the most common reason for the popular diagnosis ‘aggressive dog’. Dogs that are prone to ‘fight’ as the first means of defence, will growl, snarl and eventually bite if we don’t read the signals. Dogs aren’t confrontational creatures; they won’t initiate aggression unless provoked. If a dog feels threatened – particularly if someone bends over it, directly approaches it, makes eye contact or tries to stroke their head and neck, then depending on that dog’s personality it will tell the human to ‘back off’ in the only way they can communicate. Below is a list from 1 to 7 of the warning signals dogs will give off, which if unheeded could lead to an attack.

1. Yawning, blinking, nose licking
2. Turning head away, then turning body away/sitting/pawing
3. Walking away or creeping backwards
4. Standing crouched, tail tucked under
5. Stiffening up and staring
6. Growling/snarling, tail high
7. Lunging then bite

If you would like to know more about how you can understand your dog and get the relationship you deserve, then call Hanne Grice, dog behaviour specialist and dog listener on 01442 878628 or email us at info@walk-the-dog.net

Understanding your dog - canine body language and interpreting it

There are probably times when you wish you knew what your dog was thinking. By looking at your dog’s body language, watching their expressions and actions this can help you understand what they might be feeling. On average dogs have 30 calming signals. These signals are used in times of fear, to avoid confrontation and on a day to day basis. As humans we often fail to see our dogs using these signals, so much so, that some dogs may give up using them altogether. For others, they become so desperate and frustrated they can get aggressive, nervous or stressed out as a result. Below are some basic calming signals dogs use to communicate their feelings.

Yawning
Your dog may yawn when someone bends over him, when you sound angry or there’s yelling, when he’s at the vets, and when someone’s walking or staring directly towards him. This tells you he feels uncomfortable and is trying to calm the situation down. When your dog is excited and there’s anticipation such as going out for a walk, dogs will yawn to take in more oxygen, as instinctively adrenalin has kicked in to prepare them for the ‘hunt’. Threatening signals (making direct eye contact, fast movements, bending over the dog etc) will often cause your dog to use a calming signal.

Licking
Licking is another calming signal - when meeting new people, dogs or in stressful situations. Licking is especially used by black/dark coloured dogs and dogs with a lot of fur around their faces as their facial expressions are harder to read. To show a dog you’re not a threat, avoid making direct eye contact, yawn and lick your lips – this is a pacifying signal and helps the dog to feel less anxious.

Turning away
A dog will turn his head slightly to one side or turn completely around so his back and tail is facing whoever the dog is calming. If a person seems angry, aggressive or threatening, dogs will often turn away. When you bend over a dog to stroke him or he’s taken by surprise - lookout for his head turning away. Dogs will use this signal to other dogs to prevent possible conflicts. Dogs that perceive themselves to be head of their pack will also use this body or head turn as a way of showing you where they want you to pat them. It’s a case of ‘who do you think you are?’ when you try to stroke them over the head. To show a strange or a nervous dog you’re not a threat, crouch down, don’t ‘invade their body space’, avoid direct eye contact, let the dog sniff you, then slowly hold your hand out for them to smell you. Once the dog is calm, then stroke him gently under the chin.

Play bow
A dog bending down on his front legs is an invitation to play if he’s moving his legs from side to side in a playful manner. But if the dog’s standing still while bowing, this is a signal to calm someone or another dog down. However, the invitation to play is often a calming signal by itself because the dog is making a potentially dangerous situation less tense and diverts with something safe.

Sniffing the ground
You’ll often see this when out walking with your dog and someone’s coming towards you, in noisy situations or places where there’s a lot going on or when your dog sees objects that he’s not sure of and finds it intimidating. Sniffing the ground may be anything from moving the nose swiftly down toward the ground and back up again to sticking their nose to the ground and sniffing persistently for several minutes. Of course, dogs sniff a lot anyway to find out whom or what has passed along the street before them! But depending on the situation this is used as a calming signal.

Sitting down/lifting one paw
Some dogs will sit down and lift a paw towards another dog or human to calm a situation down. Dogs will also sit or lay down as another dog approaches as a way to calm that approaching dog, if they feel it’s coming towards them too quickly. Dogs may also sit with their backs turned against the owner when they sound too strict, angry or the owner’s speaking in a loud voice!

Walking in a curve
This signal is the main reason why dogs react so strongly to meeting other dogs when they’re forced to walk straight at them. Instincts tell our dog that it’s wrong to approach someone like that – as humans we think differently. The dog can get anxious or defensive and this results in the dog barking and/or lunging at other dogs. When we’re outside with our dogs, we’re at our most human. So, if our dog barks or acts in an aggressive manner towards another dog, we then get flustered and anxious and may even shout at our dog. This creates a chaotic and stressful situation and now the dog has a negative association with other dogs. When given a chance, dogs will walk in curves around each other. Watch how your dog meets another dog when off the lead. Some dogs need large curves; others only need to walk slightly curved. Don’t walk your dog directly toward a dog, instead stop and change direction. If this isn’t possible give him some more leash to enable him to manoeuvre away from the dog and walk the other side of you. The more anxious your dog is, the wider the space you create between you and the other dog. Remember to take a deep breath, stay calm – keep your pulse rate steady and show your dog you’re not concerned and he will soon follow your lead.

Puppies – the secret to having a happy and well behaved puppy

Wild dogs raise their offspring into perfect wild dogs. So, when humans raise puppies into dogs, they run into trouble. Why?

Well, we don’t allow our puppy to get the natural upbringing they’d receive being brought up by other dogs, and we expect the dog to respect our human rules. These are meaningless to the dog, and we fail to take into consideration the dog’s age, developmental stages and its capacity. So, as a result our dog fails to meet our too high demands. This month we’ve listed below some key rules to help you and your pup on the road to success.

• Lower your expectations. In the wild dogs are allowed to grow up naturally in a pack, they learn self-control gradually.


• Adolescence. Around 4 months of age, the puppy moves into adolescence. They get bored easily and have no self-control, they like action and speed. This is where patience and consistency with your puppy is key. Set some boundaries (e.g.) is the puppy allowed on the sofa by invitation only? Is the dog allowed upstairs?


• Avoid long training sessions. The puppy’s ability to concentrate over long periods is poor, and you need to help teach him self-control. Keep training short, fun and easy. Teach in steps, like the ‘sit-stay’ - build from one second to three seconds, five seconds and so on.


• Have fun with your puppy. Play with your dog! This teaches him to focus on you and builds the association that you’re fun to be with! Playing helps build a bond with your dog too. Focus more energy into playing than walking the puppy. Playing gives the dog mental exercise, as well as, physical exercise.


• Allow the puppy breaks and rest if he looses his concentration while training.


• Slowly introduce new experiences, environments, noises, machinery, clothing, animals and people to the puppy. Take it slowly! You must not put pressure on your puppy or yourself. Stay calm. Your behaviour dictates the behaviour of your dog. If the puppy is scared by something move away in a calm manner, do not make a fuss of the dog (this will only re-enforce the dog’s scared behaviour). Show you are not bothered and there is no need for concern.


• Never hit, shout or punish the puppy. Aggression only begets aggression.


• Toilet training. This is where ‘consistency’ is your friend! Look for the key times the puppy will go, typically upon walking, playing and eating. Pups will sniff and circle. Encourage the puppy outside into the garden. As the puppy goes to the toilet say a word like “be clean”, this build the association of that word to that action. In time you will be able to say the word and the dog will eliminate. Once the pup has finished, walk up to the puppy and treat with food reward immediately and give lots of praise. This increases the repetition of the ‘good’ behaviour. Don’t go inside the house straight after the pup has been to the toilet – if you do, the puppy may learn to hold on for longer, as they want more time to explore the outside. If the pup goes to the toilet inside the house and you haven’t caught him in the act, simply clean it up with no fuss (say nothing and no eye contact). If you catch the puppy about to go or mid-flow – pick it up gently and take outside (repeat as above).


• Start grooming early. Teach your puppy that grooming is a pleasant experience. Brush the puppy when he’s sleepy, gently touch his ears/teeth/paws to enable him to get used to being investigated in these areas. This will help when he has to go to the vets, or when you need to clip his claws or brush his teeth!


• Learn to communicate with your dog. Speak to Hanne Grice about puppy training and the Amichien Bonding method – we’re here to help you. Learn the dog’s language and you’ll understand each other and have the relationship you deserve!

For more information call us on 01442 878628 or email us at info@walk-the-dog.net You can find out more about Walk the Dog Puppies, our puppy classes by visiting our website; http://www.walk-the-dog.net/

Dogs and cats - can they get along?

A common question we get asked is “Can dogs and cats get along?” There is a common misconception that the two species cannot live happily ever after within a home. While there are some breeds of dogs that do not naturally interact well with other pets most breeds can be taught how to interact calmly with cats and live together in a house.

The way the two species are introduced to each other, their age and the pet’s previous experience with the other species will impact their behaviour. When introducing your dog to your cat it’s vital to create a calm and controlled situation where the two can accept one another and a positive association can be built. Here’s some tips on how to achieve this;

• Get a family member or friend to sit on the sofa with your cat at their side. Gently hold the cat and stroke.
• With your dog out of the room, practice some ‘sits’ or ‘stays’ to get the dog focused onto you. Then bring him into the room on his lead (say nothing, no eye contact with the dog).
• If the dog pulls towards the cat, barks or gets excitable upon seeing the cat, immediately take him out of the room (say nothing and no eye contact – so the dog understands why he is isolated). You may have to repeat this several times depending on his reaction.
• Once the dog has settled, bring him back into the room. If he dog remains quiet and calm, sit him down away from the cat. Pop him into a ‘sit’ and reward with a very tasty treat and praise “good dog”.
• The cat should be stroked or praised for being calm too.
• Let the cat move away if he wants to, but keep hold of the dog’s lead in case he tries to go after the cat. Repeat all of the above until both pets are relaxed in one another’s company. You can build up to the point where the dog is off the lead.