Escaping And Roaming
You should never allow your dog to escape your home and roam in the neighborhood. That is irresponsible on your part. It can also pose a danger to your dog and the residents in the area. In most places, you are required to have a leash on the dog. If you allow this to happen, you could get in trouble and probably face a fine.
There are sometimes when it’s not your fault that the dog has gone astray. Some dogs will work an escape plan by themselves. Once they get out, they will go after anything in sight. That includes humans, cars or anything that makes a movement. Working to prevent this from happening is easier than trying to get your dog back once they have gotten out.
One of the things that you can do is eliminate anything that will provoke your dog to get away. You must keep your dog busy. If they are bored, they will want to get away and will scheme to do it. If they have plenty of toys, along with water and sleeping arrangements, they won’t think about getting away. They will be too busy playing and getting their rest.
If you have a dog that has a lot of pent up energy, they will want to escape. They are not using their energy and it makes them bored and anxious to get out. Allow the dog to work off the energy that has built up inside of them. They will feel better later.
You must also make your home so that it won’t be easy for your dog to get away. Make sure that the fencing is sufficient enough that they will stay in the controlled environment. If you have a dog that has a habit of digging, you may have to place metal stakes in the ground.
You may also have to make the fence higher if your dog has a habit of jumping. The last resort is to keep your dog confined when no one is at home to watch him.
It’s important that you do whatever you need to do to keep your dog from escaping and roaming around in the neighborhood. They can be a danger not only to others, but to themselves as well. There are people out there who would not mind getting their hands on a dog that does not belong to them. So it’s crucial that you take the appropriate steps to keep your dog and others safe.
Dog Fighting
It’s important that your dog is kept under control in the event they meet up with another dog. Your dog may not be an instigator when it comes to fighting, but the other dog may be. Make sure that you have trained your dog to be obedient. They should be able to obey all of your commands.
Here are some ways that you can prevent your dog from fighting:
• Make sure that your dog’s collar is fitting properly. It should not be too loose or too tight.
• Carry an umbrella and spray bottle for protection.
• If an aggressive dog comes in your path, have your do to sit and look away from the aggressor. Have your umbrella available.
• Neither you nor your dog should run. This just escalates the situation.
• Put the umbrella between the dogs so that it will open.
• Put your foot in front and say “Stop!”, then open the umbrella.
• As you open the umbrella, the aggressive dog will try to escape your clutches.
• If you use the spray bottle, go for the aggressor’s nose and say “Stop!” and spray. Try to avoid the eyes.
• As long as your dog is trained properly, they will do what you say and not egg on a fight with other dogs.
• If the umbrella or spray bottle trick does not work, you and your dog back away slowly.
• Avoid making eye contact with the aggressor. It just makes him more prone to attack, whether it’s you or your dog.
• If the other dog is extremely aggressive, they may still try to attack. You may have to seek additional help.
Begging
Some dogs have a habit of begging. This is an easy behavior to curb. You must be consistent when you are trying to break them out of it. It’s important that if there are other people in your house, they have to follow suit by being consistent as well.
• Get something that your dog dislikes. You can try fruits such as grapes that are sour or apples that are bitter. You can get these from pet stores that sell supplies. Also, try using Tabasco sauce combined with vinegar.
• Give your dog a sample to see whether he likes it or not. Use other foods that you think the dog may not eat. If they don’t eat them, they detest the smell and the taste of the food.
• As you feed the dog, provide him with the food that he does not like to eat or smell. If the dog starts to beg, give him a piece of food along with the stuff that he does not like.
• The dog will be familiar with the taste and not want to consume it. If there are other people who are eating, have them assist you with this test.
• Be consistent and use something that your dog dislikes. The more consistent you are, the more your dog will get the message.
• You can also say “no” consistently. Make sure that you mean it; otherwise, your dog will know that you are not serious.
Eventually, your dog will get the message and stop begging. On the other hand, it’s important that you feed him regular meals so that he won’t go hungry and start begging.
Keeping Your Dog Out Of The Garbage
Dogs are attracted to garbage. They like how it smells and figure that they can find some leftovers that they would eat. Sometimes they just like to rummage through trash to combat their boredom. You can break your dog from this habit. Here are some ways that you can do that:
• If you should catch them going through the garbage, you can walk up on them. Call them out by telling them they are a bad dog and to get out of the trash.
• Impose discipline on your dog. Put them in room and let them have some time alone. Repeat why they are alone in the room.
• Continue to repeat and reinforce your stand on your dog not going in the garbage. Eventually through your consistency and repetition, they will learn to stop.
• Make sure that you are doing your part by blocking every opportunity for your dog to get in the garbage.
• Change out the trash. If you don’t have a garbage can that has a lid that only operates with your foot, you should get one. Make sure that you garbage can stays closed.
• If you have trash to be thrown out, do it as soon as possible. Allowing it to lie around will only attract your dog to rummage through more trash.
• Don’t be forceful when trying to get your dog to stop going through your trash. Be patient with him.
• A gentle, but firm response will resonate with your dog instead of a forceful one.
• As long as you are consistently making an effort, your dog will eventually get the message.
Aggressive Behavior
You may have a dog that is aggressive in their behavior. This can be a scary situation because you don’t know when they want to attack. In order to burn off some steam, you can take him to the park. However, try to keep him away from other dogs as to prevent an attack on other dogs or people.
• Make the dog pay attention to you so that he can be distracted from seeing other dogs.
• If another dog is approaching your direction, pull sideways on the leash.
• If you pull the leash straight, you are giving your dog control. Keeping the leash sideways ensures that your dog will have less control.
• If you feel your dog starting to act up, try to distract him by making noises that he would respond to. However, don’t scream or yell.
• Slowly keep your dog away from other dogs. When you see he is starting to change his behavior, give him a treat.
• Get together with another dog so that they can meet. Keep your dog on the leash. Find a place that your dog is not familiar with. Your dog will become territorial in familiar place and feel threatened by the other dog.
• See how your dog reacts when meeting another dog. If you see that he’s not too pleased, then move on. Some of the signs are growling, stiffening or pulling on the leash to get closer to the other dog. It’s better to be proactive than reactive.
• See if you can find other dogs that you are willing to connect with your dog and repeat the process.
• If your dog still has aggressive tendencies, get him in a dog obedience school. There are specialized dog trainers that can work with your dog in a group. A lot of times a group setting can be better therapy for them.
Here are some other things to do and notice about your aggressive dog:
• Consider neutering your dog if it’s a male. Then they won’t feel as dominant or possess such aggressive behavior.
• Aggressive dogs should not be punished in a physical manner. That only escalates the problem.
• Use a leash that is retractable. It can help when you are meeting other dogs. Your dog will not feel restricted and you can still control his movements.
• Just because your dog wags its tail does not mean that they are interested in being friendly with the other dog.
It’s important that you continue to consistently maintain control over the situation, regardless of whether you are at the park, at home or wherever you meet up with other canines.
Digging Up Holes In The Yard
Walking in your yard, you may find a lot of holes. If your dog stays back there, you don’t have to guess where they came from. Eventually, sooner than later, you will need to teach your dog how to stop digging up holes in your yard.
Not only is it unsightly, you will also have to come out of your pocket to get your yard straightened out. Plus, if you do it yourself, that is time spent there when you could be doing something else.
Dogs are not thinking when they are doing this. They may get tired of playing with their toys and they are not hungry. One thing that you cannot do is to impose punishment to get them to stop.
If you do try to punish them, you may face the dog rebelling against you. You will need to find the root of why they are digging in your yard to begin with. Then you will be able to work from there to make changes in your dog and stop him from digging holes.
Here are some things that you can try to get your dog to stop digging holes in your yard:
• Place barriers in certain areas of your yard to keep your dog out. They should be placed in the areas where he likes to dig holes. Once they realized that their favorite areas are blocked, they will stop trying to gain access to dig more holes.
• You may want to have a sprinkler that will spray water on your dog. Dogs are not too keen about having water sprayed on them. They are not animals that like to get wet.
• Make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise. That can help them to stop thinking about wanting to dig holes in your yard. One of the main reasons that they do it because they get bored and feel that they have nothing else to do.
• Make time to play with your dog. Spend quality time with him. When they know that you are investing time with them, they will be less likely to think about messing up your yard.
• Your dog should have plenty of toys to keep them busy. Make sure that they have a variety so that they won’t get bored easily.
• If playing with them and taking them out for regular exercise is not enough, you may want to get your dog a sandbox. Or you can section off a portion of your yard where they are allowed to dig. You can also allow them to have toys and treats in that area. Once they get accustomed to it, they will not see the need to dig holes anywhere else in your yard.
• Dogs don’t like the heat, so they will dig holes and use the dirt to keep them cool. If you want to stop them from digging, give them a place where there is shade and provide them with plenty of water.
• One thing that you can do to keep or stop your dog from digging may not be a pleasant one. However, you may be surprised to find out that it can be effective. You can place some waste in the holes that are being dug up. Once the dog gets to the waste, they will want to stop digging up holes in your yard.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is when people do things over and over again and they don’t know why. It is an odd behavior and there are many people who suffer from it. However, did you ever think that dogs could suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Dogs gets obsessive compulsive disorder when they are suffering from stress or boredom. They can also experience it when they are dealing with anxiety. For a dog owner, dealing with OCD can be a pain in the rear. They can’t immediately figure out why their dog is acting like that.
Dogs can act out in a variety of ways, including damaging things, messing up yards, being aggressive toward others and barking for the sake of doing it. Once these become repetitive, the dog has entered into the world of obsessive compulsive disorder.
If you see that your dog is bored, you will have to find more activities for them to do. Or you will need to spend more time with them doing the activities that they are already engaged in. Add more time to your physical activity.
Dogs like it when you spend quality time with them. They are like children; if you don’t spend the time with them, they will get into things that they have no business getting into.
Your dog may feel that they are not getting enough exercise. Spend more time playing with them. Your dog may feel that you are not interacting with them enough. Since they can’t talk, the only way that they can show their frustration is to do repetitive actions until you take notice.
If your dog is stressed, consult with your veterinarian. Once your dog gets in that mode, he can become aggressive and put others in danger, including the dog himself. Your veterinarian can provide your dog with medication to calm him down.
Depending on what kind of breed you have, they may be genetically linked to OCD. There are certain ones, such as English Bull Terriers and German Shepherds that are known to link OCD to their genetic history.
Whatever the case, once you find out your dog has OCD, it’s important to get them help immediately so that they can live a normal life.