A few of the most common problems owners inquire about are incessant barking, jumping and biting, aggression, separation anxiety, thunderstorm phobias, rough play, insecurity, and resource guarding, just to name a few. No behavior problem develops overnight, thus none resolve that quickly. Each family’s situation presents a unique set of circumstances. Some behavior modification plans can resolve in as little as three to four weeks, when highly motivated owners take a dedicated approach to the tailored treatment plan.
No matter what unwanted behavior your dog demonstrates, the most important move you can make is to pick up the phone, call a professional and make an appointment to better understand the root of the problem and what it will take to resolve it. Everyone benefits when harmony exists between you and your dog.
For additional information on how you can help to successfully incorporate your dog into your family, click HERE.
Keeping the Walk Sacred
Walking or running your dog is the absolute best thing you can do for him. In our American culture, we believe that you can 'love' or feed anything enough to make it happy, whether human or animal. That could not be farther from the truth for dogs. A dog's most basic need is to be mobile. As Americans become more and more sedate, eating to obesity, we truly believe that our dogs enjoy this pace of life as well.
The single most loving thing you can do for your dog is to leash him up and take him for a walk, regardless of the breed or mix of breeds you own.
Something as simple as a walk is actually multifaceted and can be complex if you've had a bad experience doing it. In order for the walk to be successful, we must be sure of the following:
-The walk is not at all painful for the owner. The walk MUST in fact be enjoyable, or the human will fail to do it.
-The dog understands that the human is leading the walk, not the dog.
-Both the dog and the human have a similar 'exercise tolerance.' This means that if you can't physically keep up with your dog, adjustments have to be made so that you have a good return on your time invested in the walk. For example, if you can't scratch the surface of your dog's energy, a backpack may be in order for him.
- Your dog should behave on the walk; looking to you for direction instead of lunging at other dogs, barking or pulling on the leash.
- You should be prepared for the danger of off-leash dogs. Off-leash dogs are in every community, yours included. If you haven't seen them, it's because you don't walk enough. Off-leash dogs, whether they are 'nice' or not, should NEVER be allowed to approach your on-leash dog. The first thing an owner tells me when their off-leash dog is running at me is, 'Don't worry, he doesn't bite!' The second thing I hear from the owner, after their off-leash dog abuses our walking space is, 'Wow, he's never done that!' Protecting you and your pack is a vital piece of the puzzle when 'keeping the walk sacred.'
All dog owners should maintain the ability to walk their dog in peace. The day it's no longer an option for you to walk your dog, prepare for a whole host of behavior problems to surface over time. Anyone can walk their dog, regardless of age or disability. There are a scores of resources available for use to make the walk enjoyable, in spite of your personal physical situation. Frisbees, balls and other backyard toys will exercise your dog for sure, but those will never take the place of a balanced, leader-directed, structured walk outside your home. The walk or run is the 'nutrition' of exercise for a dog. Excitable play time like frisbee and ball are the 'dessert' of exercise. A well-balanced dog always gets at least the 'nutrition' of exercise every day of his life.
