Although your dog jumping up on you can be cute as a puppy, it can be quite a nuisance when he's full grown. This behavior should be dealt with in early puppyhood. It may seem mean to try to control a dog’s excitement when he sees someone, but on the other hand, you don’t want him to end up hurting someone. Your dog doesn’t know his own strength.
How to control dog jumping
Consistency is key. You must discipline your dog EVERY time he jumps up. You cannot pick and choose when you will allow your dog jumping and when you won’t.
Stop Dog Jumping: Option 1
One option is to teach your dog a “SIT” command whenever someone rings the bell or knocks on the door. You can get a friend to come ring the doorbell repeatedly in order to teach the command. You cannot teach this disciplinary measure on the rare occasion that someone happens to ring the bell, it is not often enough for him to remember from one instance to the next. It is better to recreate the situation over and over again consecutively. This way he is more likely to retain the information.
Every time your friend rings the bell, your dog will react with excitement, which involves jumping up and maybe barking. Tell him to “SIT” in a firm tone of voice. Keep a short leash on him to hold him back from jumping. Don’t open the door until you get him to sit. If he stands once you open the door, close it immediately. You shouldn’t pet him or show him any attention until he obeys the command. Only then can you give him a treat and say “good dog.” You may not notice much of a difference in his behavior on the first few tries, but after repeating this procedure 10 or 20 times, you will start to see a calmer reaction every time the bell rings. Once he obeys the command when the bell rings, then you can remove the leash and try it a few more times with no leash. Before you try to teach your dog to sit in an excited state, he should already be familiar with the command under normal conditions. When performing this training option, you don’t necessarily have to teach him to sit. You can teach him to “HEAL” where he will just remain on all fours.
It is very important to reward him for his good behavior. Remember, when you come home from work and your dog hasn’t seen you all day, his excitement level is extremely high. Avoid provoking this behavior further by talking to him in a high-pitched tone.
Stop Dog Jumping: Option 2
Another option for dealing with your dog jumping up is, every time your dog jumps up on you, hold him up by his paws, making him stand up on his hind legs. Keep him up until he gets uncomfortable. Do not praise him or make it seem like a game. This will demonstrate to him that this behavior will illicit a negative response from you. When trying this maneuver with a large dog, be careful not to place yourself in a compromising position where you will be face-to-face with your dog. If he is not already disciplined in other areas, he may try to bite you.
Dog jumping requires much patience. It is not a behavior that can be controlled very easily. With time and perserverance, together you can accomplish this goal.
26 May 2009
Dog Barking: Learn How to Control It
Barking is a dog's form of communication. Dog barking can be quite annoying but on the other hand, your dog's bark can also save your life. Your dog's bark should not always be acknowledged as a problem. If a dog barks incessantly, then this would require the help of a professional trainer. The average dog will bark for a specific reason. Some of these reasons could be:
"I need to relieve myself please."
If this is the case, do not allow your dog's barking to be his way of alerting you. You can try using a clicker to teach him a "Hush" command and then teach him an alternate alert signal such as pawing at the door. Every time he barks to go out, hush him, ask him if he has to "Go Potty" and then paw at the door with your hand. Repeat this process every time he barks to go out. Praise and treat every time he follows your lead.
"There's a stranger near the house."
This is a situation where dog barking can be a good thing. First off, teach him a "Heal" command then reward him for being alert. Show the stranger that you are investigating the situation by turning on a porch light if it is dark out. If someone hears your dog barking, it can keep a stranger from coming back.
"Can I go out and play."
Do not allow dog barking to be a signal to you that he wants to go out and play. You can try using a clicker to teach him a "Hush" command and then teach him an alternate alert signal such as pawing at the door or bringing the ball to you. Every time your dog barks to go out to play, hush him, then once he's quiet, paw at the door with your hand or grab the ball and ask if he wants to go out and play. Repeat this process every time your dog barks to go out. Praise and treat every time he follows procedure.
"I think I hear my friend, Fido, calling me."
Sometimes you'll find dogs barking to each other. This doesn't happen very often unless you have a dog next door that won't shut up. You can try to distract him by playing with him or starting a game of fetch but this won't solve the problem. Teaching him the "hush" command is the best way to eliminate this behavior.
"I heard a loud noise and I don't know what it is."
If you know that the noise does not pose a threat, stop the dog barking by playing with him or starting a game of fetch.
"I'm afraid."
Distract him by playing with him or starting a game of fetch.
"Who is this person that just entered my home."
Teach him the "Heal" command and slowly have him get used to the visitor by first smelling the visitor's jacket. If your visitor is not afraid, have him call the dog over while he is bent down at his level. Be careful if it is a large dog. This will reduce your dog's anxiety. There are some people that your dog will warm up to quickly and others that will take some time. Of course, there will also be one or two visitors that your dog will never warm up to.
"Don't leave me (again)."
If your dog barks from the minute you leave the house to the minute you come home, he may be letting the whole world know that he is lonely and he misses you. If this is the case, take an old shirt and put it in the hamper for an hour or two. This will make the shirt absorb the scents of everyone in the house. Then place the shirt next to your dog or have him lie down on it and this will keep him happy all day long. This will work 99% of the time. You can also try putting the radio on low and tune it in to easy listening. Music soothes the savage beast (so to speak).
"I'm thristy."
Try teaching him the "Hush" command by using a clicker, then when he has quieted down, fill his bowl with water. You can teach him to paw at his bowl by tapping on his bowl when he's alerting you to fill his bowl. He will pick up on this after a while.
"Don't you dare come near my food while I'm eating."
Do not allow him to respond this way whenever someone walks by him while he's eating. Next time its time to feed, place the bowl on your lap and feed him one morsel at a time. Do not allow him to reach the bowl. Show him that you are in control of his food. Do this until he get accustomed to having someone touch his food. Have different members of the household try it as well. This will help desensitize him and show him he can trust you. If you have an overly-aggressive dog, then I would not recommend this.
Dog barking can occur for any number of reasons. Don't be quick to assume that your dog's bark is a problem because many people have had their dogs to thank for warding off intruders. If your dog barks, rule out any potential threat to your family, then investigate the reason for his bark. Most of the time it is something trivial but if you don't find the problem and eliminate it, you will have a difficult time getting him to stop. If it is something that cannot be eliminated, then it would be best to desensitize your dog to the contributing factor by having him learn to deal with it. For example, if he barks every time the phone rings, have someone call the house all day long and teach him a "hush" command. When you are able to get him to obey the command, praise and treat. Repeat this procedure for as often as it takes to get him fully trained.
Make sure you spend enough time with your dog when you are at home in order to avoid having him feel neglected when you're gone.
Once again, it's important to always try to find out why your dog's barking so you can address the problem and establish tranquility in the household.
By : Nancy Settecasi
"I need to relieve myself please."
If this is the case, do not allow your dog's barking to be his way of alerting you. You can try using a clicker to teach him a "Hush" command and then teach him an alternate alert signal such as pawing at the door. Every time he barks to go out, hush him, ask him if he has to "Go Potty" and then paw at the door with your hand. Repeat this process every time he barks to go out. Praise and treat every time he follows your lead.
"There's a stranger near the house."
This is a situation where dog barking can be a good thing. First off, teach him a "Heal" command then reward him for being alert. Show the stranger that you are investigating the situation by turning on a porch light if it is dark out. If someone hears your dog barking, it can keep a stranger from coming back.
"Can I go out and play."
Do not allow dog barking to be a signal to you that he wants to go out and play. You can try using a clicker to teach him a "Hush" command and then teach him an alternate alert signal such as pawing at the door or bringing the ball to you. Every time your dog barks to go out to play, hush him, then once he's quiet, paw at the door with your hand or grab the ball and ask if he wants to go out and play. Repeat this process every time your dog barks to go out. Praise and treat every time he follows procedure.
"I think I hear my friend, Fido, calling me."
Sometimes you'll find dogs barking to each other. This doesn't happen very often unless you have a dog next door that won't shut up. You can try to distract him by playing with him or starting a game of fetch but this won't solve the problem. Teaching him the "hush" command is the best way to eliminate this behavior.
"I heard a loud noise and I don't know what it is."
If you know that the noise does not pose a threat, stop the dog barking by playing with him or starting a game of fetch.
"I'm afraid."
Distract him by playing with him or starting a game of fetch.
"Who is this person that just entered my home."
Teach him the "Heal" command and slowly have him get used to the visitor by first smelling the visitor's jacket. If your visitor is not afraid, have him call the dog over while he is bent down at his level. Be careful if it is a large dog. This will reduce your dog's anxiety. There are some people that your dog will warm up to quickly and others that will take some time. Of course, there will also be one or two visitors that your dog will never warm up to.
"Don't leave me (again)."
If your dog barks from the minute you leave the house to the minute you come home, he may be letting the whole world know that he is lonely and he misses you. If this is the case, take an old shirt and put it in the hamper for an hour or two. This will make the shirt absorb the scents of everyone in the house. Then place the shirt next to your dog or have him lie down on it and this will keep him happy all day long. This will work 99% of the time. You can also try putting the radio on low and tune it in to easy listening. Music soothes the savage beast (so to speak).
"I'm thristy."
Try teaching him the "Hush" command by using a clicker, then when he has quieted down, fill his bowl with water. You can teach him to paw at his bowl by tapping on his bowl when he's alerting you to fill his bowl. He will pick up on this after a while.
"Don't you dare come near my food while I'm eating."
Do not allow him to respond this way whenever someone walks by him while he's eating. Next time its time to feed, place the bowl on your lap and feed him one morsel at a time. Do not allow him to reach the bowl. Show him that you are in control of his food. Do this until he get accustomed to having someone touch his food. Have different members of the household try it as well. This will help desensitize him and show him he can trust you. If you have an overly-aggressive dog, then I would not recommend this.
Dog barking can occur for any number of reasons. Don't be quick to assume that your dog's bark is a problem because many people have had their dogs to thank for warding off intruders. If your dog barks, rule out any potential threat to your family, then investigate the reason for his bark. Most of the time it is something trivial but if you don't find the problem and eliminate it, you will have a difficult time getting him to stop. If it is something that cannot be eliminated, then it would be best to desensitize your dog to the contributing factor by having him learn to deal with it. For example, if he barks every time the phone rings, have someone call the house all day long and teach him a "hush" command. When you are able to get him to obey the command, praise and treat. Repeat this procedure for as often as it takes to get him fully trained.
Make sure you spend enough time with your dog when you are at home in order to avoid having him feel neglected when you're gone.
Once again, it's important to always try to find out why your dog's barking so you can address the problem and establish tranquility in the household.
By : Nancy Settecasi
Things to Think About Before Acquiring a Rabbit
Rabbits have been popularly kept as pets in Western nations since the 1800s. Rabbits can adjust well to indoor life, and can even be litter box trained. Like all pets, rabbits need a considerable amount of care and attention.
Often people purchase rabbits from a breeder. Many people prefer breeders under suspicion that some pet stores sell cross bred rabbits. Such a breeder who has a litter of young rabbits available for sale can be found in the newspaper classified ads listed under "Pets" or "Livestock." Some can be found through rabbit breeders' club publications or through rabbit-related magazines, which often include a breeder listing. With the advent of the Internet, many breeders advertise their stock online.
Finding a local rabbit breeder is generally preferred to shipping rabbits for long distances, as it can be stressful for the animal. Many pet shops nearly always carry smaller breeds of rabbit such as the Netherland dwarf, the Holland lop, and the Mini-Rex. These breeds, although smaller than 'normal' rabbits, still live long and healthy lives. A point to note is that often smaller breeds of rabbits are prone to tooth problems such as malocclusion.
Rabbit rescue organizations or a local humane society are increasingly common places to find adult rabbits, who may already be spayed or neutered and docile from handling. Though most rescued rabbits are healthy, some may require special care for health conditions or behavioral problems resulting from prior abuse.
Training and Play
Pet rabbits can be trained to urinate and defecate in a litter box or on a newspaper in a specific corner of a room. The litter box may also be placed inside the rabbit's cage or the rabbit can be trained to treat the cage itself as the litter box. Litter training becomes much easier once a rabbit is spayed or neutered.
Rabbits cannot learn voice commands like a dog, but can recognize different patterns of the voice. For instance, If a rabbit is disobeying, for example biting, simply make a high pitched noise, or an extremely bass noise and the message will be conveyed. Rabbits can be taught their names, although they recognize the pattern of the noises more then the words. Rabbits are intelligent, and enjoy games and toys.
It is possible to permit a rabbit to run loose in the home if rooms have been rabbit-proofed (i.e. dangerous chewable items such as electric cords are removed from the pet's reach). Rabbits have a tendency to chew on items in their space, particularly wires, although they can be trained not to chew.
It is important that if a rabbit is allowed to roam in a house that it be impossible for the rabbit to chew or get into dangerous or valuable items. They do not possess the same comprehension as a dog or a cat, and often don't understand if punished physically; rather they will become scared or confused if some kind of punishment is used, as they do not see the damage they have done. If all this is taken into consideration, rabbits make excellent house pets.
Companionship
Other rabbits
Unneutered rabbits frequently fight when paired with another rabbit of the same gender. Generally fighting is a result of sexual mounting, which is engaged in by rabbits of both sexes upon other rabbits of either sex; this behavior stresses the rabbit being mounted and can make it aggressive toward its cagemate. Unneutered rabbits of opposite sexes will breed rapidly, so a pet owner should not leave them together, even if they do not fight.
Because of these problems, it used to be preferred to keep rabbits caged individually. However, it is becoming common to spay and neuter pet rabbits allowing male and female rabbits to live together. Fighting can result even from pairing altered rabbits. Keeping rabbits in pairs can limit behavioral problems (such as general aggression, biting or withdrawal) which may arise if rabbits are kept single.
Pairs of bonded and desexed rabbits, usually one of each gender to a pair, can often be adopted from animal shelters. These have usually already had all their major expenses taken care of (desexing) and they will rarely fight or harass each other, taking the trouble out of bonding two separate rabbits.
Guinea pigs
Some books recommend keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together to meet their social needs. While some people have seen success with this technique, the current consensus is that rabbits should never be kept in the same cage with guinea pigs. A rabbit can easily harass or injure a guinea pig; this can lead to severe distress or even death for the guinea pig. It may be unintentional or due to being startled, since the rabbit is larger and stronger so can seriously injure a guinea pig. They also have differing nutritional requirements, so it is therefore preferable that rabbits and guinea pigs are fed separately. Guinea pigs require additional Vitamin C in their diets that rabbits don't. Lack of Vitamin C may lead to scurvy.
Additionally, guinea pigs typically show very little interest in social activities necessary for the rabbit's well-being, such as grooming; this limits the intended benefit of housing the guinea pig and rabbit together in the first place.
Dogs and cats
It is generally recommended that dogs should never be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Cats, on the other hand, can become close and safe potential companions if properly introduced to the rabbit and they are of at least roughly equivalent size. In fact, when the cat is introduced in a home with a resident rabbit, the rabbit sometimes will act aggressively to establish his territory and the cat, which does not have such concerns, will typically cede the point to the resident.
Often people purchase rabbits from a breeder. Many people prefer breeders under suspicion that some pet stores sell cross bred rabbits. Such a breeder who has a litter of young rabbits available for sale can be found in the newspaper classified ads listed under "Pets" or "Livestock." Some can be found through rabbit breeders' club publications or through rabbit-related magazines, which often include a breeder listing. With the advent of the Internet, many breeders advertise their stock online.
Finding a local rabbit breeder is generally preferred to shipping rabbits for long distances, as it can be stressful for the animal. Many pet shops nearly always carry smaller breeds of rabbit such as the Netherland dwarf, the Holland lop, and the Mini-Rex. These breeds, although smaller than 'normal' rabbits, still live long and healthy lives. A point to note is that often smaller breeds of rabbits are prone to tooth problems such as malocclusion.
Rabbit rescue organizations or a local humane society are increasingly common places to find adult rabbits, who may already be spayed or neutered and docile from handling. Though most rescued rabbits are healthy, some may require special care for health conditions or behavioral problems resulting from prior abuse.
Training and Play
Pet rabbits can be trained to urinate and defecate in a litter box or on a newspaper in a specific corner of a room. The litter box may also be placed inside the rabbit's cage or the rabbit can be trained to treat the cage itself as the litter box. Litter training becomes much easier once a rabbit is spayed or neutered.
Rabbits cannot learn voice commands like a dog, but can recognize different patterns of the voice. For instance, If a rabbit is disobeying, for example biting, simply make a high pitched noise, or an extremely bass noise and the message will be conveyed. Rabbits can be taught their names, although they recognize the pattern of the noises more then the words. Rabbits are intelligent, and enjoy games and toys.
It is possible to permit a rabbit to run loose in the home if rooms have been rabbit-proofed (i.e. dangerous chewable items such as electric cords are removed from the pet's reach). Rabbits have a tendency to chew on items in their space, particularly wires, although they can be trained not to chew.
It is important that if a rabbit is allowed to roam in a house that it be impossible for the rabbit to chew or get into dangerous or valuable items. They do not possess the same comprehension as a dog or a cat, and often don't understand if punished physically; rather they will become scared or confused if some kind of punishment is used, as they do not see the damage they have done. If all this is taken into consideration, rabbits make excellent house pets.
Companionship
Other rabbits
Unneutered rabbits frequently fight when paired with another rabbit of the same gender. Generally fighting is a result of sexual mounting, which is engaged in by rabbits of both sexes upon other rabbits of either sex; this behavior stresses the rabbit being mounted and can make it aggressive toward its cagemate. Unneutered rabbits of opposite sexes will breed rapidly, so a pet owner should not leave them together, even if they do not fight.
Because of these problems, it used to be preferred to keep rabbits caged individually. However, it is becoming common to spay and neuter pet rabbits allowing male and female rabbits to live together. Fighting can result even from pairing altered rabbits. Keeping rabbits in pairs can limit behavioral problems (such as general aggression, biting or withdrawal) which may arise if rabbits are kept single.
Pairs of bonded and desexed rabbits, usually one of each gender to a pair, can often be adopted from animal shelters. These have usually already had all their major expenses taken care of (desexing) and they will rarely fight or harass each other, taking the trouble out of bonding two separate rabbits.
Guinea pigs
Some books recommend keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together to meet their social needs. While some people have seen success with this technique, the current consensus is that rabbits should never be kept in the same cage with guinea pigs. A rabbit can easily harass or injure a guinea pig; this can lead to severe distress or even death for the guinea pig. It may be unintentional or due to being startled, since the rabbit is larger and stronger so can seriously injure a guinea pig. They also have differing nutritional requirements, so it is therefore preferable that rabbits and guinea pigs are fed separately. Guinea pigs require additional Vitamin C in their diets that rabbits don't. Lack of Vitamin C may lead to scurvy.
Additionally, guinea pigs typically show very little interest in social activities necessary for the rabbit's well-being, such as grooming; this limits the intended benefit of housing the guinea pig and rabbit together in the first place.
Dogs and cats
It is generally recommended that dogs should never be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Cats, on the other hand, can become close and safe potential companions if properly introduced to the rabbit and they are of at least roughly equivalent size. In fact, when the cat is introduced in a home with a resident rabbit, the rabbit sometimes will act aggressively to establish his territory and the cat, which does not have such concerns, will typically cede the point to the resident.
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