Izzy's Place - A Dog Bakery

2011-07-09T15:29:00.001-04:00

CROWD CONTROL

2011-05-17T11:13:00.000-04:00

CROWD CONTROL

Five things to do when your dog goes bonkers over other dogs.

1 STAY CALM.

If you become angry, hysterical, loud, or violent, you only add to the stress that has put him over his emotional threshold. As horrifying as his display may be, your emotion only makes it worse for him. Try “square breathing”: breathe in for three seconds; hold for three seconds; breathe out for three seconds; hold for three seconds; repeat.

2 Leave

When your dog is having a huge emotional outburst, the best thing you can do is take him away. He is emotionally out of control, and all your pleas to sit or lie down are fruitless; he literally is unable to process your cues.

3 Create Distance. If you can’t leave for some reason, at least put distance between your dog an other dogs in the area. Most dogs have a threshold distance a distance at which they are able to maintain self control. It may be as close as 20 feet or as far as 100 yards-and may vary somewhat from one day to the next.

4 Use a visual barrier. Most dog reactive dogs are most stimulated by the sight of another dog. Try putting a visual barrier between your dog and whatever causes him to become aroused. You can use your own body, stepping between him and the others. Or, train him to step behind you and sit when he sees another dog at a distance. Look for a hedge you can step behind with your dog, or a wall, fence, or building that will block his sight.

If his arousal is a reaction to the sound of other dogs, try, Mutt Muffs, available at safeandsoundpets.com,to dampen the volume of sounds he can hear. Be carefull!.neither will he be able to hear approaching vehicles, or other sounds that help to keep him safe.

5 Teach him an emergency exit. Make this a fun game that you can play when there aren’t other dogs around. Your cue should be something that lends itself to happy play, such as “whee!” or “Runawaay!”.Teach it when your dog is waling with you on a leash by saying the cue in a loud, happy , high voice and then making a 180 degree turn and running as fast as you can in the opposite direction for at least 20 feet. Your dog should be galloping happily after you.

When you stop, toss yummy treats. The goal is to give him such a positive association with his run away cue that he doesn’t think about getting aroused by the sight other dog who just popped out from behind a parked car.

John Mikesell

Izzy’s Place a Dog Bakery

BUCKLE UP YOUR PUP

2011-05-17T11:08:00.002-04:00

BUCKLE UP YOUR PUP

Simple safety practices may save your dog’s life-and your own.

Dangerous driving details.

The dangers of driving with your dog unrestrained are numerous and hardly hypothetical.

In the United States alone, thousands of deaths of dogs, drivers, and passengers are attributed to unrestrained dogs each year, in addition to what must be an unimaginable number of injury accidents and fender benders

Even a low-speed crash may turn an unrestrained dog into a missile, possibly ejecting the animal out through the windshield or side window, or perhaps injuring passenger or driver, resulting in further loss of control of the vehicle. The Automobile Association of America estimates that a 10 pound dog will exert approximately 500 pounds of pressure in a 50 mile per hour crash, and an 80 pound dog 2400 pounds in a crash at 30 miles per hour.

If a dog survives the impact, he will likely be injured and frightened, and flee the scene, and risk being struck by another vehicle or becoming lost. A small dog on the lap of the driver in a crash is at risk of being crushed between the air bag and the driver.

According to AAA, more than thirty thousand accidents a year are caused by dogs riding in the front seat of a vehicle. As surprising as this number is, it is only dog owners insured by AAA.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

By a well- fitted harness/car safety belt product and use it every time your dog is in the car.

Or put your dog in a well secured crate in the car.

No small dogs on your lap while you drive. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Make sure your dog always has ID tags with your current contact information on them. It’s best if there is more than one contact person/ number on the tag

John Mikesell

Izzy’s place a Dog Bakery