Teaching your dog to "Watch Me"

The Watch Me
From Shannon Malmberg, Zen Dog Training

This exercise is the precursor to all dog training. It teaches the dog calm focus and attention to his handler. Without teaching your dog the "watch me" command, you are competing with the world (ie. squirrels, children, other dogs) for his attention - and without his attention, you can't properly reach him through training. Once your dog understands this command, use it before giving him anything he adores - going through the door for a walk outside; being let off leash in a park; getting his dinner; etc. By looking into your face before receiving something wonderful, he learns that all heaven comes through you.

Start with your dog on leash, in a sit-stay, if possible. Draw his attention to a food treat (make it yummy - like wiener bits) in your hand. As he focuses on the food, draw your hand up to your mouth and lean so that you are a few inches above your dog. As his eyes come into your face, give praise with "good watch me" and drop the food into his mouth. Make this easy for him - you want him to catch the food from your mouth the first few times, so get as close to his face as you need to. Repeat repeat repeat. Remember to drop the food the instant he looks into your face - you are rewarding his eye contact. Always attach the words "good watch me" with your actions.

As your dog becomes proficient at catching food from your hand, move a few inches up above your dog's head, making the exercise slightly more difficult. Should a piece of food not make it into his mouth, do not let him eat it off the floor - this is where holding his leash comes into play. He is not to learn that "watch me" means to start looking around on the floor for food. If you need to, keep the leash taut.

Once you are about 6 inches above your dog, remove your hand from this exercise. Draw your dog's attention to the food and then place it in your mouth. Hide your hand behind your back. If you need to, make smacking or kissing noises to get your dog's focus back on your mouth (and realizing where the food is). Again, watch for the eyes coming into your face and then reward by dropping the food from your mouth.
Most likely your dog will miss the food drop at this point because you have changed from hand to mouth feeding. Be persistent. Do not let him eat off the floor. Instead, repeat the exercise until he wins. Then BIG praise and a jackpot of a few extra pieces from your hand. Give it a break and try again in a few hours.

As your dog gets better with catching food from your mouth, move further and further back from his face. At the conclusion of this exercise, unless you have a toy breed, you should be able to stand up straight.

Barking While Driving

Q: My dog has recently started barking uncontrollably in the car, when she senses that we're about to stop. I think she's just excited to get out of the car - but it's very loud and distracting. She's 6 years old, and has been going for car rides since she was a baby, so I'm not sure why she now barks so much. What should I be doing when she barks while I drive?

A: Heather Patz of Good Dog Training responds: Dogs misbehaving in the car can be dangerous and also hard to deal with, as you are generally too busy driving to train!



Make sure that your dog is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation (i.e.- obedience training, even at 6 years old!), firstly. Some dogs may be so pent up that the very thought of going to the off-leash dog park, a friend’s house or any other exciting destination may put them into an uncontrollable frenzy while on the way there!



Practice some obedience training in the car! It’s a great place to teach your dog manners, boundaries and patience. Do a few down commands and/or sit commands, as well as ‘stay’.



I highly recommend having your dog restrained in the car. You can do this with a doggy seatbelt, a crate or a dog barrier. It is safer for you and your dog - especially if you ever get into an accident. Also, restraining your dog will prevent them from being able to run around the car and build up excitement, which may lead to a barking episode.



In order to break your dog of a habit like this, you must do some conditioning work, which will take some practice! Bring some yummy treats with you and someone else to drive the car. Practice speeding up and slowing down – praise your dog BEFORE she barks by saying ‘Good Quiet!’ and giving a treat.



If you can interrupt your dog in a positive fashion like this, you will be desensitizing your dog to the feeling of the car slowing down.



If she begins barking, you can sharply say ‘Quiet!’ and when she stops, PRAISE her instantly with ‘Good Quiet!”. Repeat this sequence until you can slow down without her barking, and make sure you praise her for that.



Be careful how you are praising. If you are too loud or excited while praising, your dog may also go back to being loud and excited! Praise calmly – and never praise your dog while she is making noise!



Also, never let your dog get out of the car and do something fun while she is barking. If you come to a stop and your dog is barking, wait until she is quiet and then let her out of the car – do not positively reinforce the barking by rewarding her with leaving the car.



With practice and patience, this problem is a relatively easy fix!

New Baby In The Family

Q: We're expecting a baby in a couple months! However, until now, our 4-year old English Bulldog has been our only "baby". He's a great dog, and he's been really good with other kids he's met in the past. But he's also very much bonded to me and protective of his toys. Any tips on what we can do to ensure a smooth introduction and transition?

A: Heather Patz of Good Dog Training responds: Congratulations on your pending new addition! This should be a time in your life of joy and happiness – without additional stress coming from the new relationship you will have with your lovely old dog. As long as you are prepared to do some work before AND after the 'big day', the transition should be flawless.


Introducing a baby into a well established home should always be done with careful consideration and preparation.


Firstly, you want to address your dog's resource guarding tendency. If your dog is 'protective' of his toys, you will want to seek out professional help to properly deal with that issue, before he starts to be protective of your child's toys. Dogs will have a hard time distinguishing between human and dog toys if not shown properly.


A dog who is protective of toys are also often food protective – so please ensure that proper testing is done with your dog to prevent any of that behaviour when your child is a toddler and walking around!


Secondly, before you bring a baby into the mix, it is important that you establish a proper relationship with your dog. You say that you currently consider your dog your "baby", you may consider re-evaluating both of your roles!


It is important for your dog to consider you a leader in your household – you will find through obedience training and appropriate daily interaction that he will give you more respect and actually end up feeling more comfortable himself. Your dog should learn to listen well to every human in the house, including your child as he/she grows, but this must start with you!


Lastly, after you have put in some ground work for establishing a better relationship with your dog and addressing some of your dogs problematic behaviors currently – it is important to do a few more things before bringing baby home.


Make sure you set up all of the 'baby stuff' (crib, change table, toys, etc) well before the arrival day, so your dog has a chance to get used to the change of scenery. Give your dog lots of love, attention and treats around the new objects.


When baby is born, it is a good idea to have someone bring a blanket home from the hospital for your dog to smell.


When you arrive home with the new addition, introduce him/her to your dog in a calm, collected and positive fashion. Let your dog smell baby and praise him.


Don't forget to continue your obedience training with the dog around the baby! Stopping your training when the baby comes home is not a good idea – try to incorporate dog training into your daily life so it does not require you to have to put too much time aside for this activity.


Also, do not forget to dish out love to your furry child as well as your new one. You do not want to create jealousy by forgetting to give attention to your dog when the baby comes into the room.


There are numerous articles you can find on the internet with other great tips for introducing your baby to your dog. Good luck!

Sudden Temperment Change

Q: We adopted a 6 month old aussie shepherd cross a few months ago. She's bright, happy and great with other dogs - but seems to have a bit of a temper with us sometimes. For example, when we try to brush her, she bares her teeth and growls - and sometimes even snaps. She also acts similarly when we get too close when she's eating, or when we try to take away a toy, etc. While she's never bitten any of us, we worry because we have two small kids (ages 6 & 8) and it seems like she's getting more temperamental as she feels more at home. What should we do?

A: Shannon Malmberg , of Zen Dog Training, responds: The issues you are describing in part fall under what we classify as "possessive aggression" or resource guarding. You are struggling with handling and restraint issues as well, since your dog does not tolerate grooming well. Both of these behavioural problems in a young dog are potentially extremely serious - especially in a household with young children. Dealing effectively with them involves a careful, long-term approach and a professional should be consulted in working through these issues.



Scolding or punishing behaviour like you've described is not recommended because the dog is already in a defensive state. Anything punitive you do will likely increase her defensiveness and also, her aggressive responses over time, so that they will occur earlier in the behaviour sequence. Instead, a methodical approach needs to be taken, one which establishes leadership on many levels and also desensatizes the dog to the notion that she needs to guard treasured items, lest they get taken away.



Solid obedience training needs to be a way of life for this dog and will be of great benefit long-term. Training establishes a strong human-dog relationship and teaches the dog to function as part of a team - that she has certain responsibilities and jobs to uphold. Obedience also teaches self-control and confidence - both characteristics essential for your puppy. I am always amazed by the huge strides in self-confidence my puppy takes when I focus seriously on her obedience work! You can literally see a young dog transform.



A second important step for your situation is to employ a solid "Nothing In Life Is Free" program. You can google this phrase and find a whole host of articles that discuss this concept. Basically we are expressing to the dog that WE humans own all the resources (yes, even their dog food) and that WE dole these resources out for good behaviour - the dog earns all that she gets. An excellent book for you to buy is Mine! by Jean Donaldson. It really is the definitive word on resource guarding for lay persons and breaks down a desensatization program that needs to be employed with your dog around food and treasured objects. Your dog needs to learn that she has nothing to fear from you approaching her food dish or her favourite toy, In fact, we want her to understand that we bring good things! I often throw bits of cheese and hot dogs into a puppy's food bowl while she is eating so the puppy comes to understand that hands reaching toward her bowl are a good thing! For a dog that is already guarding their food, a more careful approach needs to be taken: any from a number of strategies (ie. feeding the dog's kibble scattered on two large cookie sheets so there is no defined "space" for a dog to guard; or hand feeding) can be used to bring the conflict down in your dog. It is my belief that "once a resource guarder, always a resource guarder," so you will have to stay on top of this issue, most likely, for the life of your dog.



I teach puppies early on the grooming is a fact of life: bathing, brushing, nail clipping, ear and teeth examinations. This goes a long way in making puppies more comfortable with vet care and more serious medical attention. Getting control of your puppy's head (by putting a leash and a flat collar on her) is an essential first step before grooming can begin and then again, like her resource guarding with food and toys, a gradual approach must be taken - paired with lots of high-value treats (my favourite is beef heart) for showing self-control and calm energy.



The characteristics a puppy displays early in life are likely to be more pronounced as she grows into an adult dog. It is critical to get on top of these issues now with a multi-faceted approach that takes several angles and under the guidance of professional help.

Giving Puppy Confidence

Q: We just brought home a new husky-cross puppy. She is now about 4 months old, and she's a wonderful little pup with family. One thing that worries us though is that she seems very shy with strangers, and acts very scared in public. She doesn't have a history of abuse or neglect - so we don't understand why she is so fearful. What can we do to help her be a more confident pup?

A: Jen Cross, of Zen Dog Training, responds: It' s normal for puppies to be cautious when introducing them to new environments for the first time, it's what you do about it that counts. In order to have a happy and sociable adult dog you will need to get your new puppy exposed to as many new things as possible starting now. Take her to the beach, to Granville Island, downtown, or anywhere that there is lots of action, sounds, smells and new surfaces. It is important that you do not pet, coddle or reassure your pup at any point when she is showing fear. This tells her that fear is a justified response.



If you act confident and upbeat, your pup will be more inclined to feel safe and investigate things by herself. You can also reward your pup with pets, praise and/or treats when she takes the initiative to step forward and check things out. If your pup is very nervous about meeting new people, don't allow strangers to rush up and overwhelm her. Instead, have them squat down and offer her a treat, allowing her to approach the stranger on her own terms. The time you invest socializing your puppy now will will have a more profound effect on helping her to become a self-confident adult dog than any other stage of her life.

Excited Leaks

Q: My dog is the happiest, most loving guy ever - but when he's really excited (like when we come home, have people over, etc.) he pees a bit. We thought he'd grow out of it, but he's now 10 months old and still sprinkles every day. How can we address this?

A: Shannon Malmberg, of Zen Dog Training, responds: Submissive urination is not a uncommon occurence in very young puppies, but by 10 months of age it is now a conditioned response to over-excitement, almost as if exuberant greetings have "trained" your puppy to piddle! We humans find puppies adorable and our gushing over them can lead to problems.



The immediate remedy for this behavioural problem is quite simple but must be practiced with patience and complete consistency before you will begin to see a turnaround. I've had some puppies very quickly give up sprinkling, whereas others take a few weeks of practice to bring their energy down at the front door.



Ensure that every person coming through the door (that includes yourself) ignores your dog completely (no touch, no eye, no voice) until he displays calm energy and a decreased interest in the person's arrival. In this more balanced emotional state, the puppy can be interacted with in a CALM almost disinterested manner. (In the early stages of training, this might mean waiting a half hour!) Some people post a note outside of the door, advising friends and family on how to enter calmly, to ensure consistency in working through this problem.



As a longer-term measure, proper obedience training will benefit your dog because it will teach him self-control and the ability to focus and work through distractions. I teach a go-to-place command at the front door, so puppies have a "job" to do when people enter the home. This helps to prevent over-excitement, jumping up, barking, aggression, piddling and all the other front-door behaviour problems many dogs develop.

2nd Dog In The House

Q: Our dog Molly is 11 years old now and has been the heart of this household since she was six weeks old. We are now thinking it would be a good time to get a second dog but are pretty worried about how to integrate the two. Molly is super friendly and gets along well with other dogs at the park, but we are not sure what she will think of sharing her house and people. What should we look out for and how can we make this an easier transition for our senior doggie?

A: Christine Reynard of Downtown Dogs responds: Integrating a new puppy into a household with an older dog can be tricky, but there are a lot of ways for you to keep Molly feeling secure and happy when the new little one arrives.



Ease into the Introduction: If possible, bring home something ahead of the pup's arrival that has his or her scent on it. Show it to Molly, let her sniff it and give her favourite treat, telling her what a good girl she is. Soon she'll be meeting her new playmate!



Introduce the Dogs on Neutral Territory: When it's time to bring the new pup home, have Molly meet her out of the house or car. A favourite park can be the perfect place, and will allow for lots of sniffing and a romp in the grass. If Molly enjoys playing ball, throw in a quick game- this will build positive associations around meeting your new pup for the first time! Give Molly lots of praise, attention, and rewards for being such a good girl. Now it's time to head home.



Put Molly First: Since Molly is now the "senior member of the pack" it's your job to show her that you acknowledge her status over that of the puppy. Older dogs feel much less accepting of a newcomer if they feel that their position within the pack is being threatened. Giving Molly the respect she deserves is as easy as remembering to give her everything first- firs

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New Puppy, Older Cat

Q: I am thinking of adopting a new puppy, but am concerned about how my 3-year old cat will respond. Could you give me some suggestions on how I can make it easier for my cat?

A: Julie Bolden, of Faithful Friends Positive Pet Training, responds:



I have the good fortune of living with a dog and two cats and, while I wouldn't say they are all best friends, they do live together harmoniously. When you are adding a new pet to the mix, it is important to take the introductions slowly. Ideally, make the initial introduction through a closed door, so that the cats can smell the dog, the dog can smell the cats, but neither can see each other. Use high value treats to reward your pets for calmly approaching the door. This will help each to develop a positive association with the other. If the closed door approach isn't feasible in your home (it wasn't in mine), use an exercise pen or baby gates to separate the puppy from the cats. Allow your cats to approach the pen and reward both the cats and your puppy for calm behavior. Remember: behavior that gets rewarded, gets repeated. When it is time to introduce your puppy to your cats without the exercise pen, do it with your puppy on leash. Never progress from one step to another until you have had several days of success at the previous stage. Depending on the animals involved, the whole process may take several weeks or longer. Don't leave your pets with full access to each other when you cannot pay 100% attention to them.



Feed your puppy and your cats in different locations and don't allow your puppy access to your cats' food – consider feeding the cats on a table or counter. Keep puppy away from your cats' litter boxes. Start to work on your puppy's basic manners (sits, downs, leave it) as soon as he comes home. Be sure to spend time with your existing cats, and not just with the puppy. Puppies require a lot of your time, but they do need lots of sleep, so take advantage of that time to play games with your cats. Be sure to provide your cats with escape routes, places where they can go away from puppy.



Think positive, but try to keep your expectations realistic. Your puppy and your cats may not be best friends right away, but with a slow, considered approach it just might happen!

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Encouraging Play

Q: Our dog doesn't seem to know how to play with toys. It's our first dog, and we are not sure how to play with him. He doesn't chase or fetch balls or sticks. When we take him to the park, he just walks beside us and sits down if we stop to play. Can you suggest any games or toys that might encourage him to play? We'd love to have him play fetch.

A: Shannon Malmberg from Zen Dog responds: Teaching a dog to play involves a bit of creativity and a good deal of interaction on your part. For dogs lacking an instinctive natural fetch (or "ball drive" as many sport dog trainers term it) you want to build desire in your dog for a toy. I see play as an interactive sport that goes beyond standing in a park and throwing a ball. The toys I use for my dog's training and play are chosen so that I can be involved in the play process. Balls with ropes or tug toys with handles are great for tug games and for exciting the dog in going for the object.



A few key concepts are necessary:



* Start in an area of low distraction so you aren't competing with other dogs, smells, etc.



* Choose a toy that is appropriate in size and construction for your dog - some dogs like squeaky toys, others like squishy objects that feel good to bite down on. Some dogs like the firmness of something to bite down on.



* The toy is never left out after the play game has ended - otherwise you risk him becoming bored with it. At the end of a training/play session, all of my dog's toys go back into the training bag.



* Play is initiated by you when the dog is rested and feeling energetic.



* Play ends long before the dog grows tired of the toy and the game. Initially this may only be a minute or two - sometimes less! You are building a "drive" in the dog to play so you want to end on a high note when the dog is starting to really enjoy the game. Some dogs take months to really get into the art of playing - take your time!



When I start play games with a puppy I will often clip a leash to the handle of a tug toy and drag it back and forth on the ground, initiating a prey chase in the dog. I tease the dog by almost letting him catch the toy, only to snatch it out of his reach a few times and then rewarding him with a win (him catching the toy) when he gives a good effort. I want to teach him to try harder with each play session, thus increasing his desire for the object.



Dogs have what we call opposition reflex - they fight against that which holds them back. With young dogs I will firmly hold onto their collar and toss the toy away from them. Then I "load" them up with a few excited words: "Are you ready? Are you ready?" and then (when I feel the dog straining on his collar) release him in a chase to see who gets to the toy first. If I win, I grab the toy and race off. A few repetitions of this and most dogs soon are trying to beat me to reach the toy. If he reaches the toy first, I run backward a few steps and call the dog into me. If he brings the toy, we have a little tug game and I let him win. If he drops it, I race back to get it and run off again.



The key is to be excited and animated. If you are boring with your play, expect the same from your dog. The more excited you get, the more likely your dog is to find the game fun too. Dogs build on the energy we project. My dog will play with everything from a ball to an empty Starbucks cup. I've taught him to play with anything I present to him - or run across on one of our walks through the park.



There are many good books out there on playing with our dog. A book I highly recommend to get you started is HOW TO GET YOUR DOG TO PLAY by John Rogerson. John Rogerson is known especially for his puppy work and this book is filled with exercises that are easy to follow.



Remember - be fun, be goofy, be animated. Your dog is likely to follow suit - it may take some patience first.

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Open Wound First Aid

Q: I take my dog to dog parks every day. She's very well-socialized and loves to play. But every now and then, we see dogs that played well before get into fights, and I'm always worried that she will get bitten one day. I want to be prepared in case something happens - is there something small I can carry around that would make a difference in minimizing the damage? What are some basic things I should know about how to treat the bite?

A: Michelle Sevigny of DOGSAFE responds: "Great question! Anytime that a group of dogs get together to play, there is the potential for minor cuts from rough play as well as more severe cuts due to an aggressive act that perhaps started out as play or two dogs meeting but not getting along.



Two major concerns with open wounds (where the skin has been broken) are blood loss and infection. The skin is there to protect the body so once the skin has been broken, dirt, bacteria and other contaminants can enter and cause infection. Wounds that are on the surface (eg. ear nicks) tend to bleed a lot but are usually not serious, whereas deep, puncture wounds (eg. dog bites) are the most prone to infection.



The goal of first aid in regards to minor wounds is to clean the wound site and prevent further contamination. For minor wound management, the first step is to clean any debris from the wound with saline solution (best) or clean, cool water. Clean the area with mild soap and water and pat dry. Cover the wound with a non-stick, sterile dressing and wrap with roll gauze. Keep the bandage clean and dry, change daily and watch for any signs of infection which includes swelling, odour or presence of pus. Anything more than a minor wound will require veterinary follow-up.



The goal of first aid in regards to more serious wounds (including spurting blood and large or deep open wounds) is to control the bleeding with direct pressure. Control the bleeding with a trauma or gauze pad (but any material will work in a pinch) and maintain continuous direct pressure. If blood soaks through, do not remove the pad, but simply apply another pad on top. Secure the pad with roll gauze to maintain pressure and immediately transport to a veterinarian.



It is best to always have some basic first aid supplies on hand whenever you are out and about with your dog. I would recommend that at the very minimum, you have sterile gauze pads, roll gauze and a small vial of saline solution. These basic supplies can be carried in a small pocket bag (similar to a poo baggie holder) that can be attached to your dog's collar or leash. A larger kit with more supplies should be stored in your vehicle.



The best first aid action is prevention so continually monitor the dog's body language and behaviour during meet & greets or play sessions with other dogs and stop any play that is getting out of hand before an incident occurs."

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Jumping On Visitors

Q: We have a cute, loving little yorkie/long haired Chihuahua.. he loves people too much..he constantly jumps up and scratches at their legs, and generally bothers them constantly.. He has a lot of attention at home, but doesn't have a lot of socialization with too many people other than our daily walks and friends coming over on occasion. I've tried the "off" or "down" command when he does this but at home he always has his way.. we let him up whenever he wants, and we enjoy this so why shouldn't we pick him up? What can we do to stop this behaviour?

A: Shannon Malmberg from Zen Dog responds: The one sure thing we can say about all dogs is that they will offer a behaviour time and again if it earns them a reward of some kind. If it works for them, they'll do it. Conversely, if the behaviour earns them nothing (or nothing that they like), they will quit. There may be an extinction burst first if the behaviour is entrenched, but they will quit.



Your dog has learned that through persistently pushy behaviour he will be granted attention. Rather than saying he "loves people too much" more this is a case of a dog that has learned to dictate attention his way. We all like to be the center of attention and I imagine your Yorkie/Chi shares this sentiment.



Rather than make this a negative situation or one where you try to mediate after the fact, take the opportunity to teach this little guy some much needed self-control and respect for those higher up than him.



One of my favourite in-home exercises to teach all dogs, especially young dogs, is the Go-to-Place command. It defines boundaries for the dog, and teaches self-control.



Start by finding an elevated surface such as a bed or foam cushion that is comfortable for the dog to stretch out on. Put the dog on a leash and, standing three feet away, lure the dog onto the bed with a treat or guide with the leash and use a PLACE command. Reward your dog once he has all four paws on the bed. If you do clicker training, click as his feet hit the bed. I find that the clicker helps in teaching this exercise in particular.



Release with a BREAK command. If the dog tries to release himself before the break, put him back on the bed with PLACE and have him hold the command for a few seconds before breaking him - you are teaching him self control here. Do this throughout the day several times. Repetitions will help him learn this - and be patient, as the place command takes a few months to master. Vary the situations. Have him PLACE while you are eating supper (and hold that place throughout the meal). Have him PLACE while you are preparing his food, answering the door, having people in your home. Until he is solid on this command, make sure a leash is on him so you can enforce the command. If your dog is holding a good PLACE, he can't be jumping up and scratching people, and he's learning to control his body somewhat. The leash should not come off the dog until he is rock solid on holding his command.



Break him off the bed when his energy is calmer and he is not so frantic to get attention from people. If his energy elevates, place him again.



There is nothing wrong with picking up your dog or allowing him onto your lap but doing so when he demands it is only asking for additional unwanted behaviours and leadership issues. Afterall, this behaviour wouldn't be tolerated by a Rottweiler so why excuse this is a little dog? He is a dog as much as a pitbull is a dog. Instead, get him to "work" for this honour, through some obedience (a sit, or a down for instance) so he understands that you control the situation. If he tries this attention-seeking behaviour with you as his object of desire, simply get up and walk out of the room for a half minute. He will soon understand that demanding attention gets him none, but that asking and working for it gets him much more.

Doesn't Come When Called

Q: We have a great dog. He listens quite well to most commands - but when we're playing in the park and it's time to go home, he will not come when he's called. It sometimes takes us quite a while to catch him, and I think it's become like a game for him even though we are quite frustrated. How can we teach him to come when he's called?"

A: Shannon Malmberg from Zen Dog responds: A good recall is one of the most important things you can teach a dog and will open up his world to him through more off-leash freedom - or make his world a danger if he doesn't come when called. It is a statement about the relationship a dog has with his owner as much as it is a training issue.



An experienced dog trainer will not allow a young dog much off-leash freedom until the dog demonstrates that he has earned it. Much of this comes through responsiveness to all commands in general (because if the dog does not listen when he is six feet away, he won't listen when he is 30 feet away); and gradually teaching the dog to filter out heavier distractions. Stepping up on all of the dog's obedience (sits, downs, leash walking) can only have a positive effective on the recall, as will proper human-canine leadership.



You need to return to some basics and teach your dog a solid recall, both from a distance and also away from heavy distractions. I would work on each separately. The quieter the environment, the more distance you can use in your distraction work - distance itself is a distraction for dogs and they need to be taught a reliable recall from a distance. Under heavier distraction, bring the dog's radius to you in closer and work him on a long drop-line with treats, recalling him back to you BEFORE you lose his attention to the surrounding.



I always make early recall training game-based to teach speed and a happy attitude. One of my favourite games starts with a hungry dog and a pocket of treats. Get your dog's attention and toss a treat away from your body. While your dog goes over to investigate, run in the other direction, calling your dog's name and COME! When your dog runs up to you, reward him with a treat and then toss another away from your body and run off in the other direction, again calling his name and to come to you. Repeat this until your dog is really getting into the game. I alway end on a high note - when the dog wants more. This builds drive in the dog and rewards for enthusiasm. With a young puppy I will play this game daily for months, imprinting the joy of the word COME.



A solid recall takes many months - or more - to perfect. If you find that your dog's recall is unraveling, you will need to scale back on the freedom you give him and step up more on his training and being able to follow through with all of your commands. Enroll him in obedience classes; teach him to work more reliably around distractions; take the time to make sure he fully understands the exercise by re-creating a solid foundation in the recall work.

Older Limping Dog

Q: Our dog is almost 9 years old - and lately, she's been limping from time to time. It seems to happen more first thing in the morning, or after long walks. She loves to be out in the woods and in the park playing with other dogs - but should I be limiting her play time? How can I help her stay healthy and minimize her discomfort?

A: Dr. Susan Krakauer, the Roving Vet, responds: At 9 years old you are most likely dealing with an arthritic joint. That means that there is some wear and tear on the cartilage in the joint and there can even be little pieces of cartilage that break off and cause discomfort, swelling and pain. I would recommend seeing a vet to make sure that this is the case and this can be diagnosed by palpation and x-ray if necessary.



The conventional approach would be to start your dog on antiinflammatory medication, something like a dog style aspirin, and she would likely be on these for life. The problem with this is that over the long run, these drugs are hard on the organs - stomach, kidney and sometimes liver - and they also decrease the long term ability of the joint to heal. The holistic approach would be to try and decrease pain and inflammation but to also help her body to increase mobility and lubrication to the joint to help it to heal and prevent further degeneration. You can do this through diet, glucosamine and other supplements, antioxidants, homeopathy and acupuncture.

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Q: We have a great dog. He listens quite well to most commands - but when we're playing in the park and it's time to go home, he will not come when he's called. It sometimes takes us quite a while to catch him, and I think it's become like a game for him even though we are quite frustrated. How can we teach him to come when he's called?"

A: Shannon Malmberg from Zen Dog responds: A good recall is one of the most important things you can teach a dog and will open up his world to him through more off-leash freedom - or make his world a danger if he doesn't come when called. It is a statement about the relationship a dog has with his owner as much as it is a training issue.



An experienced dog trainer will not allow a young dog much off-leash freedom until the dog demonstrates that he has earned it. Much of this comes through responsiveness to all commands in general (because if the dog does not listen when he is six feet away, he won't listen when he is 30 feet away); and gradually teaching the dog to filter out heavier distractions. Stepping up on all of the dog's obedience (sits, downs, leash walking) can only have a positive effective on the recall, as will proper human-canine leadership.



You need to return to some basics and teach your dog a solid recall, both from a distance and also away from heavy distractions. I would work on each separately. The quieter the environment, the more distance you can use in your distraction work - distance itself is a distraction for dogs and they need to be taught a reliable recall from a distance. Under heavier distraction, bring the dog's radius to you in closer and work him on a long drop-line with treats, recalling him back to you BEFORE you lose his attention to the surrounding.



I always make early recall training game-based to teach speed and a happy attitude. One of my favourite games starts with a hungry dog and a pocket of treats. Get your dog's attention and toss a treat away from your body. While your dog goes over to investigate, run in the other direction, calling your dog's name and COME! When your dog runs up to you, reward him with a treat and then toss another away from your body and run off in the other direction, again calling his name and to come to you. Repeat this until your dog is really getting into the game. I alway end on a high note - when the dog wants more. This builds drive in the dog and rewards for enthusiasm. With a young puppy I will play this game daily for months, imprinting the joy of the word COME.



A solid recall takes many months - or more - to perfect. If you find that your dog's recall is unraveling, you will need to scale back on the freedom you give him and step up more on his training and being able to follow through with all of your commands. Enroll him in obedience classes; teach him to work more reliably around distractions; take the time to make sure he fully understands the exercise by re-creating a solid foundation in the recall work.

Raw Diet & Ear Infections

Q: My 2 year old golden retriever is on a raw diet. Since she was a baby, she's been getting chronic ear infections - and we've tried everything our vet recommended, and we clean her ears regularly. The vet now thinks the ear infections are due to a food allergy, and wants us to put her on a hypoallergenic kibble - at least for the next few months - but I'm really uncomfortable with changing her food. What else can we try?

A: Dr. Susan Krakauer, the Roving Vet, responds: Although I am a great proponent of a raw diet, and in many dogs this alone will solve allergy problems, unfortunately there are some dogs out there who will still have allergies and over reactive immune systems. Chronic ear infections are a pretty typical immune system disorder in dogs these days and it is unlikely that the underlying cause is a food allergy. We often like to pin allergies on food in dogs because it is something that we can control and change - unlike the other varied environmental allergens floating around in the air - and sometimes a change in food will cause a temporary improvement. I highly doubt that going from a good, nutritious raw food diet to a hypoallergenic processed food full of chemicals and additives is going to solve your dog's problem.



The other approach of conventional veterinary medicine is to use steroids and antibiotics to suppress the problem. As you have probably already discovered, this is effective for the first few infections, but as they recur, the medications don't work as well or last as long. As things get worse and worse and we start with stronger and stronger drugs, or even surgery, from a holistic perspective, all we are doing is driving the disease deeper into the body. From a holistic perspective if the ear infections keep coming back, that's a good thing. If they don't we might wonder where the immune imbalance will show up next and it will be much worse if it's in the guts, joints, or deeper organs.



As far as solutions to your pup's problem, unfortunately ear infections can be stubborn and difficult to treat, but I would recommend seeing a veterinary homeopath, putting your dog on some strong omega oil supplements and antioxidants and possibly changing the protein of the food you're feeding (ie, eliminating beef, or switching from chicken to turkey) for a month or so. I feel that in these cases the homeopathy is necessary to rebalance the immune system and deal with the underlying allergy.

Paper-training relapse

Q: We got our Papillon at 7 months old and were quickly able to paper-train him in our house such that we were able to rely on him to go "potty" on the newspaper in our kitchen. We would take him for walks and he would go outside as well, but when he was inside, both while we were home and when we were out, he would go on the newspaper.



Several months later, we moved into a larger place, and he can't seem to understand to go on the newspaper. He has had accidents all over our place, including on the sofa and on our bed. We try to take him out for walks whenever we think he needs to go "potty", but we can't rely on him to go on the paper. In fact, he does not go on the newspaper at all. We have had to resort to putting him in the exercise pen while we sleep and when we're out. We are not sure what to do now, and we don't want to have to lock him up all the time. Further, we don't understand why we can't paper-train him like he was before. He seems to lay on his newspaper more than anything. Help!

A: Shannon Malmberg from Zen Dog responds: I would imagine after your move, you gave your dog too much freedom too soon and so the "habit" of where to go to the bathroom fell quickly off the rails. By confining the dog to a smaller space within the home and gradually bringing the space out, the dog would have learned the household rules. I am not sure where your puppy came from (ie. breeder or pet store) but small breed dogs in general are a bit more difficult to house train, and if the dog came from a pet store type environment where the dog lives, sleeps, eats and plays where it potties, the task becomes even more challenging.



In instances like this, I advise clients to start from square one and establish a new routine. You first want to make sure the dog is not free fed (ie leaving the food out all day). Feed him twice a day at specified times and allow him 10-15 minutes to eat his food before you take away the dish. As well, if you find your dog is peeing late at night, lift up his water dish at 8 pm. Putting structure into food and water going in, helps with structure of food and water going out!



If your dog is crate trained, this is the best way to employ management when you are not able to monitor your dog's behaviour. Any time you need to leave the dog unattended (ie to shower, have lunch, go shopping), crate your dog in a crate suitable for his size so that you are taking away the free opportunity for him to go to the bathroom at will in your house. By crating you are teaching your dog to hold his bodily functions until he is offered with a desired spot to potty. Dogs by nature LOVE to go on soft surfaces - so roll up rugs, confine him to hard-surfaced floors, and get him off the bed.



I would also go back to frequent outdoor trips to give him ample chance to potty in desired areas and don't forget to bring special treats to reward the correct behaviour. Unless you live in a high rise building (which makes frequent trips outside difficult), I would remove the pee pads altogether and teach your dog that the best place to go to the bathroom is outside, making it much less confusing about going in the house.



When the dog is in the house with you, make sure to keep a very close eye on him, initially. Freedom is earned and should be given as he shows you that he is more responsible in where he chooses to go to the bathroom. If he makes an accident, don't scold. Instead, promise to be more vigilant in preventing future accidents. My rule of thumb is to aim for four accident-free weeks - then you are setting a new habit in place!