1
I have a beagle and he is two and half years old. When I take him for a walk he is in control. He pulls like crazy and when I don't walk that way he won't turn around and follow me, but turns and walks somewhere else. Is there anything I can do to stop him from pulling?
2
I have a black lab and chocolate lab mix. How much exercise does he need each day?
3
We have 2 chinese crested dogs, age 18 and 7 months that are hard to housebreak. If we keep them confined in a small area, they are fine, but if they are free in the house they are not to be trusted. We have confined them for weeks (of course letting them out to play and be with us in the room) but they just don't get it! We take them out a LOT, praise and treat for appropriate voiding, and still they make mistakes. Neither of them shows any signs when they need to go out. Any suggestions?
4
My German Shepherd has selective hearing. Indoors he obeys commands, but outside he doesn't listen. What can I do to correct his outdoor behavior?
5
What can I do? My dog is 13 years old and runs out of control when she's on a leash. Please HELP!!!
6
I adopted Ginny from the pound a few months ago and she bites. It's not an aggressive or mean biting but it seems like it's to get attention. How can I stop this behavior?
7
I work all day and have to leave my chocolate labrador retriever in a cage (approx. 6 hrs.). Am I hurting him in any way by doing this?
1
I have a beagle and he is two and half years old. When I take him for a walk he is in control. He pulls like crazy and when I don't walk that way he won't turn around and follow me, but turns and walks somewhere else. Is there anything I can do to stop him from pulling?
Dogs pull when walking on a leash for several reasons. The first is purely mechanical and based on the dogs nature. Dogs tend to pull against pressure, so when you pull backwards with the leash the natural tendency for the dog is to pull in the opposite direction! Second, the dog is often anxious to smell new things and move quickly. You can help both of these situations by using a headcollar to walk your dog. This is a device similar to a halter that a horse would wear. It fits around the head and neck of the dog and helps you guide him and avoid the tendency for the dog to pull against you. You can purchase different types from a pet store and I think you would find they will make your walk more enjoyable.
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2
I have a black lab and chocolate lab mix. How much exercise does he need each day?
The amount of exercise needed can vary from dog to dog, but a good place to start is with at least two 15 minute sessions daily. These should be aerobic exercise sessions such as fetch or a nice vigorous walk. If the weather outside is extremely hot, scale back and keep the sessions shorter to avoid overheating your dog. Besides physical exercise, many dogs like "mental" exercise as well. Consider enrolling in a training class and spend 10-15 minutes daily working on simple obedience tasks such as sit, down and come. Aerobic exercise combined with some training will often help calm down rambunctious dogs.
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3
We have 2 chinese crested dogs, age 18 and 7 months that are hard to housebreak. If we keep them confined in a small area, they are fine, but if they are free in the house they are not to be trusted. We have confined them for weeks (of course letting them out to play and be with us in the room) but they just don't get it! We take them out a LOT, praise and treat for appropriate voiding, and still they make mistakes. Neither of them shows any signs when they need to go out. Any suggestions?
The main thing that we are trying to teach our dogs when we housetrain them is location (where to go) and substrate (what to go on) preferences. It is hoped that the where to go is outside and the what to go on is grass. However, this requires strict supervision so that the dog does not learn the incorrect location or surface for elimination. Your dogs may have inadvertently learned that elimination in the house is acceptable. It may be necessary for you to keep the dogs on leashes near you all the time that they are not confined. This will allow you to watch them so they do not wander off and eliminate in the wrong location. It will also allow you to see if they need to go outside and then you can ask them and praise them for going outdoors. In many cases it is also necessary to go outside with the dog to be sure that they have eliminated before they are allowed inside.
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4
My German Shepherd has selective hearing. Indoors he obeys commands, but outside he doesn't listen. What can I do to correct his outdoor behavior?
When your dog is outdoors there are likely other distractions that compete with your commands. The best thing to do is not allow him to be outside without being able to get him to do what you want him to do. This might mean having him drag a long leash behind him so if he does not quickly obey you can get to him and gently show him what you want him to do. Another factor in noncompliance is that often when we interact with our dogs outside we want them to come to us so we can bring them into the house and end outdoor fun. So, if the dog doesn't listen he gets more time to have fun and avoids the end of his good times. Sometimes you can increase compliance by calling the dog, giving him a treat and praise and letting him go play once more. This way the dog will learn that when you call, good things can happen and he may be more willing to comply. If on average you let him go play again and occasionally bring him inside he will probably learn to come more quickly. Finally, it is of utmost importance that you never call your dog and then scold him when he comes to you even if he is slow or takes awhile to respond. This only teaches the dog that coming to you results in a bad outcome and he will try to stay away.
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5
What can I do? My dog is 13 years old and runs out of control when she's on a leash. Please HELP!!!
Many dogs do not seem to respond to leash control using a collar and a leash. You might get better results and control using one of the many head halter systems. These are designed like halters for horses and control the head of the dog. When you control the head, it is much easier to control where the dog goes. Not only do they increase control but also they are more humane since they do not choke the dog to get control. Another device that could be useful is a body harness. Depending on the size of your dog these also can increase your control. Most of these devices are available at your local pet store.
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6
I adopted Ginny from the pound a few months ago and she bites. It's not an aggressive or mean biting but it seems like it's to get attention. How can I stop this behavior?
Dogs will try to solicit play and attention from other dogs using biting motions. Although this is acceptable dog to dog, it is not acceptable when they do it to us. If you give her attention when she bites, she will learn that biting is rewarded with your attention. Try quickly walking away when she first starts and ignoring her so you will let her know that she is not going to get any attention for biting. Be careful about using any physical means to stop her biting as this may get her more excited or make her frightened. As she learns that biting does not result in attention, it should decrease. If it continues, consult with your veterinarian about other ways to intervene.
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7
I work all day and have to leave my chocolate labrador retriever in a cage (approx. 6 hrs.). Am I hurting him in any way by doing this?
A crate can help prevent your dog from getting into potentially dangerous mischief while you are gone. However, while he is in his crate he cannot meet some of his needs such as elimination and exercise. Therefore, before you confine him it is extremely important that you make sure those needs are met. He should have time to eat, eliminate and exercise before you place him in his crate and again when he is let out. If you cannot get home in a timely manner you should have someone come to your home and let the dog out, so he can relieve himself and be more comfortable.
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