For some dog owners, the bouncy, joy-filled greeting that they receive from their beloved pooch upon returning home is a pleasant and welcomed antidote to the stress of modern life. For others however, the idea of being jumped all over and having their faces licked in a display of such unbridled affection may not be entirely appreciated!
In the past, dogs displaying behaviours such as jumping up have been described as trying to ‘dominate’ their owners. This is completely incorrect and I feel that it is important to stress that the ‘dominance’ myth surrounding dog and human interaction has long since been discredited by the scientific community. To understand why dogs jump up we need to look at where this behaviour originates. Dogs display their emotions primarily through body language. Greeting behaviour begins in puppyhood, initially seen when puppies instinctively lick their parents mouths, attempting to get them to regurgitate food which they can then consume (as would occur in the wild). When puppies grow older they no longer require this method to obtain food, but they retain a very similar behaviour of jumping up to nuzzle the side of their parents face as a way of reinforcing the bond and saying “hi”. As we are surrogate families to our dogs, and knowing that they have evolved to live socially as members of a group, it comes as no surprise that they attempt to jump up to nuzzle the side of our face when we return home, desperately trying to re-strengthen the attachment with us following a period of unnatural social isolation. If you are trying to stop your dog from jumping up, it is important to remember that he will be more likely to do this if he is rewarded with your attention when he does it. Try to ignore the behaviour or turn your back on the dog and wait until he is calm before giving him your attention. Alternatively, calmly ask him to “sit” and offer him praise and attention when he does so. By making sitting more rewarding than jumping up, your dog will soon offer you this behaviour instead. © Having a well-behaved dog is a priority for most owners. To help achieve this, the dog’s requirements for physical exercise and mental stimulation must be met.
One of the ways we can mentally stimulate our dogs is through the use of toys and chews. Dog toys come in a variety of forms; some are designed specifically for solitary use (e.g. food dispensing balls), and others are more appropriate for play with humans or other dogs (e.g. tug toys). When choosing appropriate toys and chews for your dog, you should be aware that extremely hard products could potentially break teeth, especially if your dog is a powerful chewer. The size of the product should also be appropriate for your dog, in order to minimise choking or ingestion risks. In the past, people have been led to believe that engaging in a game of tug with a dog can increase the likelihood that he will show aggressive behaviour. However, research does not show this, even when the dog is given the opportunity to regularly ‘win’ the game! Nevertheless, playing tug can be very exciting for some dogs, so it is important to teach your dog how to ‘take it’ and ‘drop’ upon request before the game is played. The tug toy should also be long enough to avoid accidental contact between the dog’s teeth and your hand. If your dog is elderly, or has physical difficulties limiting his level of exercise, puzzle toys such as the ‘Nina Ottosson – Dog Tornado’ offer a great way to provide mental stimulation without too much physical exertion. Supplying your dog with toys doesn't have to be expensive either. Homemade toys are a cheap, safe and effective way of entertaining your dog, as long as their use is closely supervised and they are immediately removed if any attempt is made to consume them. So, why not try tying a few knots in an old towel to make a tug toy, or give your dog an old cereal box to rip up and throw around? Some other doggy favourites include old plastic water bottles (with lids removed) and empty margarine tubs with pate smothered inside!© Most dog owners will agree that walks in the park are more enjoyable when you are able to let your dog safely off lead, knowing that he will happily return when called.
Having previously trained guide dogs, I never underestimate the importance of a reliable recall. Can you imagine letting your dog off lead to play in the park, without being able to see where he is and trusting that he will return? The key to good recall lies in the ability to effectively compete for your dog’s attention against all surrounding distractions, such as other animals, dogs and people. In order to do this you have to convince your dog that you are interesting and worth coming back to. The first step is to find out what your dog loves the most, such as food or toys, and then use this as your dog’s reward for recall. Initially you should practice in your home and garden, creating a positive association for your dog coming back when called. Remember to reward each successful recall and also try increasing your distance from your dog. Once your dog is returning to you reliably, you can then choose environments with increased distractions, in order to consolidate his recall. This allows you to build up a solid foundation of successful recall responses, making it more likely that your dog will respond when the distractions become even greater. Please remember never to tell your dog off when he returns, despite how long it may take him, as this will punish the very behaviour you have requested, making him less likely to come when called in the future. It is also a good idea to practice recalling your dog throughout the walk, to avoid your dog predicting the end of the walk and so choosing not to return. Happy training!© Aside from training, there are few better ways to improve your dog’s general behaviour, than the provision of regular opportunities to expend his energy through exercise.
Taking your dog for a daily walk, is a great way for you both to get out in the fresh air and spend some quality time together; it also offers the positive health benefits of regular exercise. Walks with dogs can vary from off-lead romps through the local park, to simple lead walks through the streets. All types of walks offer ways for your dog to engage in natural behaviours that he will find enriching. Whichever type of walk you choose, you can be sure that there will be value in it from your dog’s perspective! It is well known, that a dog’s sense of smell enables remarkable feats such as drug or cancer detection, and is actually thought to be more than 10,000 times more powerful than that of a human’s. As any dog owner will testify, use of this powerful sense is often displayed on walks, with the dog’s nose stuck to the ground following some secret, mysterious aroma! Knowing how important the sense of smell is to dogs and seeing how much they enjoy a good old sniff, why not allow your dog’s next lead walk to include more of what he enjoys? If this means patiently waiting whilst your dog is glued to the spot sniffing a lamppost, then why not do just that? After all, your dog is simply fulfilling an instinctual urge to gain information from any previous dogs’ ‘pee mail’. Allowing your dog to engage in this enriching behaviour, without constantly dragging him away, will provide increased mental stimulation and an additional outlet for his energy. It may even lead to a happier dog! © |