The matchstick trick is a weird dog behavior training technique. Every time I suggest it to a client I typically hear, You want me to do what? It works, though. Let me preface the trick first, however, with the reasons why you would want to do this trick.

The matchstick trick is a method for getting your dog to go to the bathroom right now. There are several reasons why you would want to use this trick.

1.You are house training a puppy. When you are house training a puppy or any age dog for that matter one of your main goals is to get your dog on a bathroom schedule. In order to get that dog on a schedule your dog needs to go to the bathroom when you want him to go to the bathroom. For some dogs this is a challenge. You take them out and they just sniff around for a while and dont feel like going to the bathroom. You, being the person in the situation, know that it is going to be a while before Fido is going to have a chance to go to the bathroom again, so it would be in his best interest to go now. (It is tough explaining best interest to a dog) Use the matchstick trick and you will help Fido go now, and thus help him get on your schedule.

2.From time to time I have clients tell me that their dog is so conditioned to going to the bathroom only in the back yard. When they take their dogs on walks the dogs wont go to the bathroom because they associate only the backyard with bathroom time. Use the matchstick trick and you can help change the association. You can show your dog that it is okay to relieve himself in spots other than the back yard.

3.Constipated dogs. If your dog has a health problem you should take him immediately to the vet. It may not hurt, however, to try the matchstick trick to see if you can help relieve your old pal of his burdens.

Ok, so what is this trick, you ask? First, get yourself a book of matches. They need to be the soft kind that you rip out of a book. Second, rip off a match. Third, this is where it gets weird; insert the NON-sulfur side, or the torn side, into your dogs rear end. DO NOT LIGHT THE MATCH! I think that goes without saying, but believe me, I have fielded that question before. Insert the match about halfway into the backside of your dog and let the rest hang out. Any further and it could go all the way inside and that would be bad news. Now wait. The match is going to be an irritating feeling for your dog. Your dog is going to want to get rid of that feeling. To get rid of it your dog will squat to try and push it out. In the process of pushing out the match your dog will make a bowel movement and voila! Mission accomplished.

Please note, the use of a match in no way means that there will be fire in this dog behavior training technique. The only reason for using a match is because it is the right size and has a soft texture.

Obviously you must be careful with this dog behavior training technique. If you do it incorrectly it could cause damage to your dog. Do it correctly, however, and it gives you greater control when training your dog.

Ty Brown and Dogbehavioronline.com expressly disclaim any and all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which may be or is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of this method.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

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Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

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Crate Training Your Dog – Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I crate train my dog?
There are several reasons why crate training your dog is important. For starters, I believe that it is only fair to properly crate train your dog. Dogs have a natural den instinct. They desire a place that is comfortable and secure. A crate provides this location. It is also fair to you as a dog owner. Crate training is the best way to house train and teach your canine friend house manners.

Is crate training cruel?
This is somewhat of a trick question. Done improperly crate training dogs is cruel. Some dog owners use the crate as a method of punishment, definitely a no-no. Others use the crate as a means of doggy babysitting when they are too lazy or annoyed to deal with their dog. This is not what the crate is for.
Crate training your dog properly is not cruel. Proper crate training is humane and enjoyable for your dog. Your dog learns that he has a safe zone, or area that he can always feel comfortable and secure. As I mentioned above, dogs have a natural instinct to den. Sometimes this instinct is so overt that crate training your dog is easy, and other times you must bring that instinct out through good training. Either way, all dogs can be properly crate trained and learn to enjoy their crate.

Why does crate training your dog work?
Crate training your dog works because it provides a system for supervising your dog when you are not around. If you are house training your dog you can leave him in a crate and know that he wont go to the bathroom. He wont go to the bathroom because he views the crate as his den, and dogs avoid using such locations to relieve themselves. Crates can be means to supervise your dog when you are absent to prevent other behavior problems such as chewing, separation anxiety, and getting on the furniture. Crate training combined with vigilant supervision conditions your dog to have the behaviors that you desire.

Is crate training just for puppies?
No. Even an adult dog who has never been inside a crate can quickly be crate trained.

What type of crate should I use? There are two main varieties, the all wire crate and the plastic crate. I recommend the plastic crate because it is enclosed and better mimics a den.

How long do I have to use the crate?
Crate training your dog can span many different lenghts of time. A crate is a dog training tool that can either be used for the life of the dog or phased out gradually. Depending on your dog and your diligence in training you could crate train your dog and then phase out the need for crate in as little as a month. Some dog owners like to keep the crate for some maintenance training. I like to keep a crate around because my dog will often go there when he feels stressed or just wants to take a nap.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

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Canine Possession Aggression

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name. Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that its normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldnt take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

1.When you give a command, he does not always need to

obey.

2.If he shows aggression, you back off. And by our

actions, we have successfully taught him to resource

guard.

Advice?
Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early
Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isnt seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.

It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like Take it. When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to Drop or Dead Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, better item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to drop and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue
Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward
Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be dead drop leave or trade immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding. Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo
Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dogs behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment. Stan Rawlinson

24 July 2005

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. PAACT
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He is also a behavioural spokesman for Disney and has appeared on Television, Radio and in National Newspapers on many occassions

Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
http://www.doglistener.co.uk
Founder Member
PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Membership Number 101
http://www.paact.co.uk

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Everybody loves a baby animal and Westie puppies are adorable, but new dog purchasers often do not realize the commitment they are making when they bring a puppy home. For those want the companionship of Westies dogs, but do not have the knowledge or patience to endure the training process, rescuing an older Westie dog may be the right alternative.

When considering an older West highland terrier dog, the first thing that many people think is that they would be getting a dog with problems, either genetic problems common to Westies, or behavioral problems from improper training. The truth is, many Westie dogs go to shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dogs’ inherent qualities. Every year, dog owners die, move to retirement homes, change jobs, get divorced, have new babies, or, unfortunately, simply tire of the responsibility of caring for a dog.

The advantages of older dogs are many. They have already finished teething, and no longer feel the urge to chew holes in your shoes, rugs, and furniture. Westie dogs that are older have grown used to sleeping through the night while their people sleep, as opposed to westie puppies, who wake up and whine. Older pets will have already been housetrained and also should know the meaning of the word ‘no,’ making their continued training that much easier.

When you encounter a Westie puppy, you only have the breed standards to give you an idea of what kind of dog it will grow into. Although Westhighland dogs have a typical personality type, there are variations from dog to dog. The full-grown Westie is a know quantity. The Westie dog you meet is what you will get, and you can quickly determine if it will fit into your home.

It may seem like rescuing an older Westie provides you with an ‘instant dog,’ but that is not the case. At first they might become confused, upon arriving at a new home, and need to be reminded of their basic training. However, even allowing a few weeks of extra special care is easier and less stressful than the rigors of training a puppy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com

*****************************************
Want To Know How To Have The Healthiest
Happiest and Most Well Behaved Westie Puppies
You’ve Ever Dreamed Of! Then Click Here NOW!
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Dog Behavior Training

Over the years I have seen my clients commit numerous dog training atrocities. Okay, I too have committed my fair share. So let me share the benefit of having seen some dog training mistakes that I have seen time and time again so that you can avoid them. Here are some dog training donts.

Dont yell at your dog. Too many dog owners seem to feel that the degree in which a voice is raised is directly in proportion to the level of dog obedience. This is not true. In fact it is my experience that the opposite is true. The more you raise your voice at your dog the more you condition your dog to listen only when you are yelling. What happens then when you arent yelling? Better to never get in the habit.

Dont forget what you have learned. Apply dog training principles across the board. Too many times a dog owner will learn a new technique for a dog training behavior and will apply it dutifully during training time. But after training time, during TV time or cooking in the kitchen time that same principle gets swept under the rug. What does your dog learn? He learns that he needs to be obedient only during training time and every other time is open season.

Dont go too fast. Good dog training is done at the speed of dog. It takes a dog much longer to form an association than it does a human. You have to understand that that your rate of teaching your dog should be slow and steady.

Dont get frustrated. There will surely be times in your dog behavior training that you arent going to like how things are going. If this happens, stop the training session right away. Your frustration can cause you to want to force the issue and end up taking two steps backward with your progress.

Dont forget to praise your dog. Dog behavior training should be fun for both you and your dog. Give your dog plenty of praise for performing correct behaviors. Dog behavior training by nature is oppressive; you are asking your dog to submit his will to yours. This can create stress. Praise is a great way to alleviate that stress. A stress-free dog learns quicker and has more fun.

Dont be lazy. How many times have I been to a clients home after a weeks absence only to hear, After that first day we really didnt work on his training too much. Owning a dog is a big time responsibility with dog behavior training being one of those major commitments. If you are going to own a dog, invest time in training.

Finally, dont be too hard on yourself. With dog behavior training you will fail and you will succeed. Focus more on your successes and less on your failures to be able to have repeated and lasting success.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

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I was recently in a social setting where I was asked about my dog, Rocco. Rocco is my Rottweiler who has undergone extensive protection dog training. We were engrossed in a discussion about his training and capabilities when we were overheard by another person.

Oh, you shouldnt train your dog to do that stuff. That makes them vicious, was her statement injected into our conversation. I was initially a bit taken-aback and annoyed; not only was her comment unsolicited but it was based on a lack of knowledge. As I thought about it more, however, I came to realize that this is a common style of thinking. There are many misconceptions about protection dogs and protection dog training. Let me dispel some of the myths of protection dogs and talk about protection dog training at its root to combat some of the more prevalent misinformation.

First, let me do a bit of defining. There are many terms thrown around that are often interchanged incorrectly.
Attack Dog- A poorly trained, typically anti-social, and fearful creature. Ineffective except for looking tough.
Guard Dog- A dog that is trained to guard an area. Guard dogs are often used on estates, warehouses, or open areas that need guarding. Guard dogs may or may not be good with people and may or may not have obedience training.
Police Patrol Dog- A dog that is trained to work chasing down criminals. They are trained to be used on the offensive.
Protection Dog- A dog that is trained to be used first and foremost as a defensive deterrent. A protection dog is trained to show aggression on command and turn off on command. A protection dog is trained to attack on command or if the aggressor is not deterred by the show of aggression. A protection dog has high levels of obedience training.

So now let me return to the original statement. Does training a protection dog make him vicious? I understand why many people would assume this. After all, you are training a dog to show aggression, bite a person, and do what is necessary to combat a human. Protection dog training does not, however, make a dog vicious.

There are several styles and methods for protection dog training. At its root, however, there are two instincts, or drives, that protection dog trainers harness time and time again to achieve results. Lets examine them.

Prey Drive
Prey drive is a drive that most dogs possess, not just protection dogs. A Labrador retriever chases a tennis ball because of prey drive. The local mongrel chases a car because of prey drive. Essentially, prey drive is a dogs desire to chase and capture a fast moving object. Nothing vicious about it. A good protection dog trainer will harness this drive to teach a puppy to chase a rag. As the puppy grows older he graduates from a rag to a tug. From a tug the trainer teaches the dog to bite a sleeve or a dog training bite suit. All the while the training is approached as a game. As a fun way to use energy and satisfy drive. Basically, the decoy, or guy wearing the bite suit or sleeve, is not viewed as a bad guy but as a partner in a fun game. As training progresses, a good trainer will train the dog to discount the presence of equipment and view the person as the prey object. All of this training is done on command only. As training progresses the dog is taught to only respond when he hears the dog training command from his owner. This ensures for safety and control.

Defense Drive
All creatures have some sort of defense mechanism. Dogs have three ways of dealing with an aggressor: fight, flight, or avoidance. In protection dog training a good trainer will utilize a dogs defense drive to build on what he has learned with prey drive. The trainer will show the dog that in certain situations a person is a threat and can be dealt with using the skills taught in prey drive. In this way, prey drive and defense drive work together. In essence, a dog is taught that when given a command that the aggressor is a real threat and he should use his skills to fight the threat. As with prey drive these skills are taught only under command and with high levels of control and safety.

There are not many dogs capable of this level of training. A dog that can accomplish this is a strong and very confident dog. This level of confidence is what often makes protection dogs safe and good with people. They are so confident that they dont view people as threats unless told to under command by their owner. Protection dog training often bolsters this confidence as these dogs learn the power that they have and their innate abilities.

So are these dogs vicious? Absolutely not. Their natural drives have merely been harnessed to teach them new skills. I like to compare a well trained protection dog with a well trained soldier. Is a soldier more of a danger because of his training? Many would argue that he or she isnt. The advanced levels of training turn a soldier into a person who is extremely confident. A soldier is capable of being a loving and caring family member in one setting and tool of battle in another. Just because a soldier is capable of using weapons under one setting does not make that person vicious.

Confidence is the opposite of fear. Fear is what causes many problems both in dog and human alike. When you combine the confidence and high levels of control in a well trained protection dog, I contend that you have a dog that is safe to be around and definitely not vicious.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

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Human beings are bound by certain social rules and etiquettes. Dogs are too, however, their rules are entirely different from our rules. For example, it is rare that one person meets another person and within seconds begins a violent fight. This behavior, however, is very common with our canine friends. Introducing two dogs in public is an art and an exercise in training and control. You must be prepared if you are going to avoid not only dog fights, but if you are to steer clear of dog illnesses and other problems when introducing two dogs.

When I have my dogs in public the first rule I live by is assume the worst. What I mean by this is that I assume that most other dogs out there are ill-behaved and not dog friendly. I know this sounds extreme and perhaps rude but honestly, am I that far off? If you assume this position you will be correct a majority of the time. Most dogs in public are poorly trained and poorly socialized and shouldnt be counted on to automatically get along with your dog.

So how do you go about introducing two dogs with such assumptions? The short answer is, I dont. When I am in public, generally speaking, I keep my dogs separate from other dogs I encounter. Do I know if the approaching dog is current with his shots, do I know if the other dog is dog aggressive? The answer is no. Why would I introduce my dog into such an unknown situation where he could get injured from a fight or sick from an illness?

The next assumption I typically make is assume the other dog owner knows nothing about dogs. When I approach another dog owner on the street or in a park I often find that they are eager to have their dog meet both my dog and me. I often hear comforting words such as, Oh, hes fine with other dogs, or, Its ok, hes friendly. Well the truth is that maybe their dog has been friendly with a few dogs but who is to say that their dog will be friendly with my dog? I was once walking with a client and their dog down a path in the woods when along came a beautiful Airedale Terrier. As we approached the owner of the terrier called out, Hes friendly! following which the dog immediately proceeded to lunge at the leash while barking quite aggressively, obviously looking for a fight. Both I and my clients dog barely missed being bit as the other owner was nearly pulled over. Ever since this experience, and many similar ones, I have realized that I cant trust the judgment of other dog owners.

As a result of this style of thinking I religiously avoid dog parks. They are the bane of the dog world and should be avoided at all costs. They are a recipe for disease and fighting. You would be wise to avoid these settings.

Am I being too much of an extremist? No, I dont think so. In doing this I am almost guaranteeing a safe outing everywhere I go. You may be asking, But what about socialization? Shouldnt my dog learn to get along with other dogs? The answer is yes, but only under controlled settings.

I am very careful about the children that my young daughter meets. I try to avoid having her meet kids who are bullies or sick. Why wouldnt I do the same for my dog? Whenever I allow my dogs to meet new dogs I do so only when the situation is controlled.

So what is a controlled situation? It could be a variety of settings, but typically a controlled situation is one where I am familiar with the other dog owner, familiar with the other dog and feel that said owner can control said dog. A controlled situation finds both dogs on leash and under control. When introducing two dogs I am always confident that I can control my dog so I need to make sure I partner up with someone else who can also control their dog. With all of these ducks in a row I am ready to introduce my dog to the other dog.

As I said, both dogs are on leash so the first step is allowing the other dogs to be near each other to see initial reactions. I will have my dog about 10 feet from the other dog. If either of the two begins to show aggression I know that maybe this is not a potential friendship. If they are okay at this distance I proceed. One dog remains stationary, preferably in the sit command, while the other dog is walked by at a distance of 5-6 feet. The moving dog is then asked to sit while the other walks 5-6 away. Everybody still okay? Good, lets keep going. Now I put my dog in the heel position on my left hand side while the other owner puts her dog on her left hand side. From here we walk past each other head on. By walking head on with our dogs on our left hand sides and under control the dogs are still separated by our bodies and still havent come in contact with each other. At this point, however, each dog has seen the other from a variety of angles and from a variety of potentially threatening and non-threatening positions. If they are still okay you can keep going. Obviously if they have shown aggression at any point you should stop the session.

The next step is the actual introduction. Each owner should approach the other, each dog should be preferably in the heel position. At about 3-4 feet from each other the owners should have their dogs sit by their sides. If everyone is still all right the owners should release the dogs from the sit position and slowly allow the dogs to start sniffing. After a few seconds each owner leads his or her dog away from each other and walks in the opposite direction. Do a U-turn and return to each others proximity. Come back to a halt again 3-4 feet away from each other and repeat the process. Do this several times, each time allowing the dogs to sniff each other for a bit longer period. At this stage it is important to look for tell-tale signs. If the hair on the back of one dog goes straight up lead that dog away and go even slower with the introductions. Watch for other signs such as the lips being lifted, growling, or other very tense behavior.

It is important to keep your dogs on leash. If a fight were to break out both owners could immediately drag each dog apart from each other. If when you introduce two dogs like this and everyone is still okay you can gradually give the dogs more and more freedom and allow them to play even more.

As with all dog training, use common sense. Watch for signs in your dog. Introducing two dogs can be fun, but you must always exercise caution.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

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Everybody loves a baby animal and Westie puppies are adorable, but new dog purchasers often do not realize the commitment they are making when they bring a puppy home. For those want the companionship of Westies dogs, but do not have the knowledge or patience to endure the training process, rescuing an older Westie dog may be the right alternative.

When considering an older West highland terrier dog, the first thing that many people think is that they would be getting a dog with problems, either genetic problems common to Westies, or behavioral problems from improper training. The truth is, many Westie dogs go to shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dogs’ inherent qualities. Every year, dog owners die, move to retirement homes, change jobs, get divorced, have new babies, or, unfortunately, simply tire of the responsibility of caring for a dog.

The advantages of older dogs are many. They have already finished teething, and no longer feel the urge to chew holes in your shoes, rugs, and furniture. Westie dogs that are older have grown used to sleeping through the night while their people sleep, as opposed to westie puppies, who wake up and whine. Older pets will have already been housetrained and also should know the meaning of the word ‘no,’ making their continued training that much easier.

When you encounter a Westie puppy, you only have the breed standards to give you an idea of what kind of dog it will grow into. Although Westhighland dogs have a typical personality type, there are variations from dog to dog. The full-grown Westie is a know quantity. The Westie dog you meet is what you will get, and you can quickly determine if it will fit into your home.

It may seem like rescuing an older Westie provides you with an ‘instant dog,’ but that is not the case. At first they might become confused, upon arriving at a new home, and need to be reminded of their basic training. However, even allowing a few weeks of extra special care is easier and less stressful than the rigors of training a puppy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com

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Want To Know How To Have The Healthiest
Happiest and Most Well Behaved Westie Puppies
You’ve Ever Dreamed Of! Then Click Here NOW!
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Canine Possession Aggression

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name. Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that its normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldnt take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

1.When you give a command, he does not always need to

obey.

2.If he shows aggression, you back off. And by our

actions, we have successfully taught him to resource

guard.

Advice?
Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early
Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isnt seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.

It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like Take it. When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to Drop or Dead Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, better item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to drop and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue
Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward
Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be dead drop leave or trade immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding. Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo
Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dogs behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment. Stan Rawlinson

24 July 2005

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. PAACT
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He is also a behavioural spokesman for Disney and has appeared on Television, Radio and in National Newspapers on many occassions

Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
http://www.doglistener.co.uk
Founder Member
PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Membership Number 101
http://www.paact.co.uk

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