“Does your dog bite?”

“Umm, no, she just carries that mouthful of choppers around for show.”

That has got to be one of the most inane questions anyone can ask about a dog.

EVERY dog, barring crippling injury or birth defect, has the potential to bite if provoked,
whether it’s a three and a half pound Yorkie or a 200 pound English Mastiff, the potential
is there and it is irresponsible and unrealistic to ever forget that, no matter how placid or
forgiving your dog is.

So many factors can contribute to the commission of a bite, and most dogs will give
ample warning, up to and including the “air snap,” even attempting to remove
themselves from situation before biting a human.

If your previously gregarious dog suddenly takes a snap for no seeming reason, it’s
imperative that the first thing you check for is a medical problem. It can be anything from
a painful injury you were unaware of, like a thorn stuck in a pad that gets inadvertently
squeezed when he shakes paws with you or someone else or a disease that’s causing
him to feel vulnerable and/or in pain.

It’s your responsibility to protect your dog, to learn what stresses are too much and how
to read his signals before a situation escalates to the point he feels pushed past his
limits and either remove him from that situation or intervene and defuse the tension.
Then it’s up to you to work with your dog to see if his confidence and comfort level in
those types of situations can be boosted to achieve a higher level of tolerance, if the
stressor is something that should be tolerated.

There are some stressors that should never be allowed, such as provocation with the
intent to physically harm you or your dog. Those are the times it will be all on you to get
out of the situation or make sure your dog doesn’t get the blame. Other provocations,
particularly those that might be regular occurrences, need to have the threat removed.
Your dog needs to be acclimated to them, to learn that they just aren’t that big a deal.
One of the best ways to achieve this is simple desensitization. It sometimes takes time
and dedication, but it’s not complicated and is well worth your efforts. You will need
patience, a comfy dog bed, a source for the stress, a pocket full of treats, and a calm demeanor.

Take your dog, in a dog crate, to a place where he is exposed, at a distance, to the source of the stress.
Don’t take him close enough to start displaying signs of discomfort, though. It may take
you a few tries to find out just where his comfort zone ends, but bear with it. When
you’ve got him at the edge of his comfort zone, where he’s aware of what he’s normally
reactive to, but isn’t yet reacting you can start. Get his attention; talk to him in his
favorite happy voice, give him some of the treats. Keep doing this in short sessions,
working your way closer and closer to the problem, not pushing faster than your dog is
ready to go, though. You won’t always get one hundred percent non-reactivity, but
unless there’s a deep seated phobia there, maybe something that happened in your
dog’s past, you should eventually get to the stage where the two of you can walk on by
without it turning into a brouhaha of you hanging onto the other end of a shivering or
snarling beast.

Another important facet of desensitizing your dog is to build his self-confidence. A
confident dog is a safe dog. Fear is most often the goad to a bite. Think about what
kicks your own self-confidence up a notch (other than looking smokin’ hawt). It all
revolves around being good at what you do, realizing it and being recognized for it.
Easy to convey to the canine! Training isn’t just to make your life easier or to teach your
dog to make you look good after you’ve bragged on him; it allows him to learn to be
confident, in himself and in you.

While you’re working on those desensitization exercises, run through a couple of
lessons he’s very good at and be lavish with your praise. You will not only be
underwriting and improving that confidence factor by the simple fact of reminding your
dog of how good he is at being The Dog, but you’ll be teaching him that The Scary
Thing has no power to take him off his game; he’s still The Dog and together the two of
you are still in control of the situation and everything is just fine.

Of the 70 million US households owning dogs or cats as pets around 10% of the population are allergic to them. That is, approximately 7 million pet lovers who suffer from allergies at the paws of their canine companions and feline friends.

Pet allergies are an immune system reaction to animal proteins that trigger inflammation in the lining of the nasal passages. These allergies cause sneezing, runny nose and a stuffy head for some sufferers; however, others experience more serious symptoms including contraction of the airways resulting in hives, wheezing, shortness of breath and other breathing problems. Read the rest »

When a couple moves in together or gets married they are busy combining two households into one, picking out new dishes or arguing over what color to paint the living room. Chances are the last thing on their mind is outlining an ownership agreement of their dog; however, it can be very important to outline who’s dog the dog will be in the event of a split. Read the rest »

The reality of the situation is this; puppies are going to make messes and chew on stuff. They are going to get into things they shouldn’t and explore areas they have no business in. This is what puppies do until they are taught right from wrong. While puppies can not rationalize as humans can, they can recognize what is acceptable and non-acceptable behavior from your responses. Puppies will be conditioned to stay off the furniture, chew on the correct objects and go to the bathroom in the same spot when consistently praised for doing so. It is up to you to shape your puppies behavior over time. Here are 10 tips for puppy proofing your home to set your dog up for success:

1. Put up your shoes. Puppies need to chew to ease teething pain as well as maintain their dental health over their lifetime. Proper chew toys are essential for any dog owner. Until your puppy has learned that shoes are not appropriate chew toys you should always keep them put away. While this might sound obvious, many people leave them lying about the house and are surprised and angry when their pup destroys their favorite pair of kicks. Thankfully, closets have doors that will keep your curious puppy at paws length from this seasons’ must have peep toe pumps. Read the rest »

Most of us can relate to the warm fuzzy feelings associated with the relationship between children and dogs. Movies and television have shown classic relationships of this sort for decades because of the popularity of dogs among children. Every time a dog walks by most toddlers and young children point and exclaim, “Look Mommy, puppies”! Read the rest »

A friend of mine called me a few months ago on the verge of tears. She called to ask if I could help her find a home for her two miniature poodles. My friend had had these dogs for over 7 years and was in a desperate position. While she loved them very much, she simply could not manage their behavior towards her 18 month old baby any longer. She had tried everything since she realized that her dogs did not like her daughter, but nothing seemed to work.

This is a difficult position to be in. On one hand, you love your pet and made a commitment to care for her. On the other hand you have a child whom you must protect and care for as well. You are exhausted, overwhelmed and have little time to deal with any additional stressors. This is not the time to start introducing your newest addition to your best friend. While there are no guarantees, with proper preparations this could be the start of a beautiful relationship between your human child and your furry one. Read the rest »

Every parent knows that it is just a matter of time before their child comes home with a stray dog asking, “Can we keep him Mom, huh, can we?” If it isn’t a stray then we will inevitably come across a box of puppies somewhere with the words, “Free to a Good Home” plastered across it in big bold letters. Let’s face it, children love dogs and America has gone to the dogs. According to the United States Humane society 40% of all households in the US own a dog. So in a country where dogs are more popular than ever, how can we be sure that we are selecting the right dog for our family? Read the rest »