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Table
of Contents:
1) Digging
2) Nutrition
3) Housebreaking
 | Digging is a behavior that can be a result of boredom, heat management,
and instinctual predatory behavior. |
| No dog should be left outside
unsupervised. If your dog is going to spend a fair amount of time outdoors, they should have lots of toys. |
| Once digging has begun, put feces into the holes and cover them with
dirt. The majority of dogs do not like to dig in their own feces. |
| For those dogs that love to dig, try to give the dog a digging pit. Hide
toys in a kiddy (baby) pool filled with sand or dirt. |
| If you have rodents in your yard, remember that your dog might be
trying to get to them. Supervision with a good "off" and "come"
will help to resolve this behavior. |
| In extreme heat and cold, a dog should not be left outside long enough to
feel the need to dig. |
| Puppies of heavy-boned breeds (such as Labradors and Rottweilers) may
benefit from an early move to adult rations, since overly fast growth may
contribute to bone problems such as hip dysplasia (AVMA). |
| True food allergies are uncommon in pets. Consult your veterinarian if you
are concerned. |
| Better quality foods are more digestible, which means your pet needs less
food per day, so a bag of an "expensive" diet can last much longer
than the same-sized bag of a lower quality, "cheaper" food. Also,
pets on a better quality diet usually produce less feces, since more food is
absorbed by the digestive tract. (AVMA) |
| Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the CNS, which is synthesized in the
brain by tryptophan. Serotonin is believed to play an important part of the
biochemistry of depression, migraine, bipolar disorder and anxiety. In corn
protein the concentrations of tryptophan and lysine are so low that they may
limit the ability of the body to utilize amino acids for protein synthesis (Fernstrom,
Wurtman, MIT). |
| Puppies should be switched to adult dog food at 6 months. |
| You
should always be able to see a slight indentation in the hip area. It is better to
be lean then heavy. |
| The thought of getting a new dog is full of happy images: long
walks in the woods, playing ball, and cuddling on a cold snowy nights.
It can be all that, but the fantasy ends when your dog makes a mess
on your carpet, or a puddle on the floor after returning home from a 30
minute walk. Once a few weeks have passed, and many paper towels used,
owners find themselves wondering WHY they got a dog in the first place.
Housebreaking (a strange word for
teaching your dog to go to the bathroom outside!) is not rocket science;
there are no magic tricks or must have devices. All it takes is time,
consistency, patience, and the willingness to keep one eye on your dog at
all times!
It is never to late to train your
dog. Hopefully you will read this before you have a new dog, but if
that is not the case, just take a deep breath and start over. Basically, YOU
will be housebroken before your dog is. YOU will be the one that teaches
your dog to love going to the bathroom outside and YOU will be the one that
should be punished if the dog has an accident in the house. Before you even
ask, NO it does not work to push the dog's nose in
their poop when they have had an accident. They know it is their poop. What
does forcing it up their nose accomplish? YOU
are much smarter than your dog. YOU need to teach him to go outside!
There are only few necessary pieces
of equipment needed to housebreak a dog.
A leash that is comfortable for your hand, a collar (preferably a
nylon buckle collar) or body harness or head halter, and some treats or toy
that your dog loves. Additional items can make your life more peaceful and
speed up the housebreaking process. A crate that is large enough for your
dog to stand up and turn around in (not so huge that he can sprawl out or so
small that he cannot move). This is a safe and secure place to keep your dog
when you are not home, he will think of this as his bed or den. Dogs usually
do not want to soil their sleeping area. An exercise pen (which is a
moveable playpen for dogs) is a great benefit to you; it allows you to keep
the dog in the same room as you, while keeping him safe and under
supervision. An untrained dog, left to his own resources, will be a search
and destroy missile! If you are not home or cannot watch him, confinement in
a safe and comfortable place is the best solution for you both.
There are only a few simple rules to
keep in mind. Take your dog outside upon waking, after eating, after playing
for 10 minutes, and, if young, every 30 minutes when up and awake. Use the
leash and collar every time you take your dog outside. In a calm voice give
him a word that means go to the bathroom now (for example, "hurry
up" or "go potty"). Once he starts to respond to your
command, calmly praise him for his efforts. When he has finished, praise and
reinforce him with a small treat, a game of catch, or a petting (whichever
he values the most). DO NOT just open your door and assume that he will go
to the bathroom outside; there are a lot of neat things to smell and watch
in the yard and dogs are easily distracted.
If you are outside with him, you KNOW if he has emptied himself, and
you can be sure to praise/teach him that going outside is a GREAT thing to
do.
Note:
Never leave the collar/harness on when your dog is in his crate. The collar
can get caught on the door or bars and cause physical injury. Remember, a
housebreaking accident is a missed opportunity to teach a correct behavior. |
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