Happiness can be a Deadly Problem

One thing that really annoys me about pet owners is the complacency on fixing problems that "seem" cute at the surface, but eventually "are NOT cute."  

One such case is a dog in a local shelter here in LA.  The dog jumps on people and was placed and returned and is now scheduled to be killed.  The thing that keeps surfacing in the mails is that it's OK to be happy.  Well, as a person who works with trouble dogs, I say that its OK to be happy, but teach your dog to express it in different ways.  If your dog jumps up it is displaying some sort of dominance.  People are constantly making excuses for their dogs behavior without looking at the repercussions, and that is SELFISH.  Read my blog at BOUND ANGELS and see how many dogs are killed for behavioral problems if people were only not so selfish and took the time to correct a dogs problems.  Dogs should be well behaved pack animals that we care for, protect and love.  If they are well adjusted, they generally don't act out, and thereby "generally" don't end up in shelters and get killed.

The problem with jumping is as follows.  If a small dog jumps up on a big person, its cute.  If a large dog jumps up on a small child and knocks the child down, its not cute, or if its an older person its also not cute.  A dog that is out of control will jump and run and act like a goofball whenever they like.  These "out of control" dogs are on the short list for the kill shelters of America, and all the selfish, non-correcting dog owners are NOT beating down the doors at the shelter to save them.  They are on to another cute puppy.

When your dog jumps up on you, do not acknowledge him.  Turn away.  Pushing him down generally starts a game with him, unless you can do it with authority.  The best way to correct this behavior is with a long lead and a firm correction.  Generally this problem can be solved very quickly.  Acknowledge your dog for good behavior.  Don't instigate him by getting him excited enough to jump on you.  Throw him a ball in a yard to get his enthusiasm up.  Jumping up on people is NOT cute and it leads to a maladjusted dog.  

If you really LOVE your dog, you will instill in him positive behaviors that will protect him or her.

4th of July - NOT A GOOD DAY FOR DOGS

Please read this post if you have a dog:

Traditionally the 4th of July is a very bad day for dogs because of the fear and instinctual tendencies that are triggered with fireworks.  Dogs become very skittish from the sounds of explosions as well as the whining and whistling sounds of rockets and other fireworks.  A dogs hearing is 100 times more sensitive than ours, so there is no doubt that these sounds cut to the core of the dog.  

At the times surrounding this holiday when humans are having fun, remember that this is a torturous time for your dog and all dogs.  Dogs that are spooked by these sounds often run away and keep running.  It is commonly a very busy time for animal shelters as many dogs end up in shelters around the 4th of July..  Which means, more dogs are killed to make room for the incoming.  If you have any interest in the highly problematic KILL shelters in our society, I urge you to visit my Bound Angels Blog, the link to which is at the right.

Some simple steps to take to protect your dog:

1. keep your dog inside

2. if your dogs must stay outside, be sure the fence is strong and tall enough to contain him (however I recommend bringing dogs inside where there are lots of fireworks)

3. since your do is going into a state of fear, it is not a good idea to coddle the dog.  it is much better to use a strong loving tone, assuring your dog "its ok..  you're a good dog."

4. playing music in your house, can distract the dog from outside noises

5. some of his/her favorite treats is a good distraction

The most obvious thing to remember is to distract the dog from the fear they are facing.  Brushing/grooming, playing... anything to keep them busy.  I say don't coddle them, since it shows weakness.  The dog is a pack animal and looks to the alpha (which should be you) for strength.  A leader does not coddle, but instead assures the dog that they are safe.  This is an important thing to remember.