Everyday I play the same game with my Houndy-mix Eddie. I give him a rawhide and he buries it in the yard. He spends a few good hours being paranoid about it -rushing to the back garden at the slightest sound; leaping to his feet if the other dogs go outside; and finally not-so-cleverly giving away the secret location. When its time to collect the bone I move around the yard and watch Eddie's face. I can tell by the paranoid look in his eye when I am getting warm... getting warm... RED-HOT! Then, I collect the rawhide and store it for the next day.
Today's "Secret" Location
Why do dogs bury things?
There appears to be no answer. Don't get me wrong, there is a good deal of conjecture and lots of opinions, but no real scientific answers. The common theories seem to be that dogs are:
1. Saving snacks for later
2. Hiding food from other hunters
Whatever the reason, some dogs are compelled to bury their stuff. From a behavioral perspective the "WHY" is only one part of the mystery. The "HOW" is equally as interesting. The burying of bones (and other stuff) is a Fixed-Action-Pattern. This means that all dogs follow the same basic recipe and that they don't need to learn the ropes from any other dog -it comes pre-installed as a complete behavior.
Scratch with paws...
Push with nose...
Scrape with muzzle...
Push with nose...
Scrape with muzzle...
There are variations for sure, but the basic building blocks are performed the same way by the tiniest lapdogs and the biggest hounds.
So, why do dog's bury bones?
Because their genes tell them to; because long ago dogs that buried stuff had some kind of advantage over those that didn't and they survived and produced more dogs that buried stuff.
How serious is it when a dog fights?
Most dog fights are minor spats -I consider them playground scuffles. There's a lot of noise and a lot of commotion, but when the fight is interrupted, the dogs go their separate ways, shake-off the fight and resume playing as normal. However if your dog is consistently getting in fights you should contact a certified trainer or behaviorist so that the problem can be diagnosed and a behavior modification plan can be implemented.
The usual Cause-Of-Fight Suspects are:
1. The dog is uninterested/uncomfortable with other dogs. Dogs like this can appear to do fine at a park, but rarely seek out other dogs for play. they tend to go about doing their own things (sniffing, playing with a toy, or walking by themselves or with their people). Fights erupt when other dogs try to engage the loner-dog in play, try to sniff the unsocial dog, or inadvertently invade the sensitive dog's personal space.
2. The dog loves playing with other dogs, but gets carried away and the play tips into a fight. This is common with rough-players like young Labradors, Boxers, Bulldogs, Staffordshire Terriers, Jack Russell Terriers and Ridgebacks (individual dogs of any breed can enjoy rough play, this list is not complete by any means). Dogs that like rough play often don't take play-breaks to sniff or change roles (chaser vs. chasee) they simply keep mouth-wrestling until one or both dogs are unsure about the status of the game: Real or play?
3. The dog gets along fine with known dogs and often plays well within that social group, but guards resources from unknown dogs. Resources are anything the dog feels are valuable. Some dogs guard toys, some dogs guard their playmates and some dogs guard people, food and locations (the park bench).
More on Playful Body Language >>>click here.
More on Guarding >>>click here.
Whether your dog fights a lot, or has only been in one fight...
The seriousness boils down to ONE KEY QUESTION:
How much damage did your dog do to the other dog?
Dogs have what trainers, behaviorists and veterinarians call Bite Inhibition. This refers to the amount of tooth/jaw force used by a dog when they fight or defend. Bite Inhibition is learned when the dog is a puppy. At about 3-4 months of age, a dog's socialization window closes and the dog will have established their Bite Inhibition. Puppy classes include puppy-to-puppy playtime to increase the practice time puppies have and improve their Bite Inhibition skills.
Dogs with Poor Bite Inhibition (sometimes called a Hard Mouth/Bad Mouth) use greater force than is needed and cause damage: punctures & tears.
Dogs with Good Bite Inhibition (Soft Mouth/Good Mouth) limit the force that they could use and do little to no damage when they bite: yelp, brusie, scrape.
More on Bite Inhibition (appropriate corrections in play) >>>click here.
What it means...
Bite Inhibition cannot be re-learned, trained, or punished out. A dog that fights vary rarely, but who causes serious damage (veterinary care and sutures required) is far more dangerous than a dog that fights all the time, but never leaves a mark.
If your dog has seriously injured another dog, the prognosis for rehabilitating the dog's Bite Inhibition is poor. Dogs that cause damage, even if they fight rarely, should be muzzled at the dog park. Exceptions are rare and I limit them to ear-tears. Ears are thin, tear easily and bleed profusely. But exceptions are rare and this decision is left best to training professionals.
So if you have a dog that has injured another dog in a fight, the dog should always wear a MUZZLE. There are many, perfectly happy, muzzled dogs. It beats never getting out to play, paying large vet bills, or going to dog court!
NOTE: A Muzzle is NOT a replacement for TRAINING.
Dogs that fight need help from a certified trainer!
Even A Well-Behaved Dog Is A DOG!
Dogs need to do Dog-Things. Puppies, like children need to do everything and they have short attention spans.
A common behavior concern is chewing! Punishing a dog for being a dog is a sure way to ruin your relationship with your new pup. Dogs need to chew. They should not be punished for being dogs.
Puppies and inexperienced dogs see the whole world is an unexplored chew toy. There are endless places to find new chews and hundreds of ways to sneak a chew. If your dog isn't getting the chew-fun she needs from her toys, your dog will find something new to chew.
My clients are constantly frustrated and overwhelmed when they focus all their energy on catching their dog chewing forbidden items (table legs, tissue, clothes, remote controls, etc...) Make your life easier; make your puppies day. Put most of your energy into creating chew options, not just limiting them. Make toys and chew puzzles fun and exciting for your dog.
Then watch your dog! I spend countless hours just watching my dogs enjoy their chew-time. Their chewing pleasure is a site to behold. You too can learn to marvel at their canine abilities to chew, nibble, rip and dissect.
Just pick the items they chew on for them and make them worth their while so they won't want to waste time experimenting for better options. Then take some time to appreciate what they liked most, what they were good at chewing and how they can lull themselves into a near meditative state on the perfect chew.
Training Small dogs can be a challenge. Dogs that weigh less than 10lbs move quickly. They are also so close to the ground already that using a Food-Lure (a treat held in your hand, close to their nose) can be challenging. For medium and large dogs Food-Lures are a convenient ways to move dogs into positions like sit or down. However, with small dogs Food-Lures can sometimes cause more jumping-bean action than is conducive to training.
For really small, fast-flying dogs I prefer to sit back and relax when training. For this type of training a CLICKER is really, really handy. A clicker is a small device that makes a click-sound when the metal flap inside the small box is pressed down and released.
Clickers are used to train dogs, horses, cats, pigeonsrats and even marine mammals. Using a clicker is simple. In the beginning the animal in training needs only to learn that each click-sound will be quickly followed by a small reward (technically it must be a reinforcer) that the animal will enjoy and working for. I like using small, tasty bits of food like cheeses or meats.
The rules are simple.
1. Click what you like.
2. Click at the EXACT moment the behavior is accomplished.
3. Don't command the animal to DO anything, JUST WAIT for something -be patient!!!
4. Reward the animal after every click.
5. Train is short intervals 5-10minutes
Sometimes it is helpful to think of the clicker as a camera. At the end of the training if each CLICK was a PHOTO, and if you placed all those photos on your kitchen table you would have only photos of the behavior (sit, down, bow) that you were hoping to train.
Here are two Kinder-CLICKER lesson for fast-flying, jumpy little-dogs.
1. Click (and reward) the dog anytime they are NOT moving. Click the dog for being still in any position. Offer extra treats for clicks that marked exceptionally cute still positions (like sit or down). After 2 or 3 sessions, raise the bar and click only certain positions.
2. Click (and reward) All Cute Behaviors. This is my favorite. I will click anything cute!!! Head-tilts, play-bows, prairie-dog position, sit, down, waving. Then I pick one behavior that gets clicked and a special bonus treat (gorgonzola). I like to see how long it takes for the dog to offer only that behavior.
Do you have a question for Kelley?
This goofy pup is learning to LOVE his Grooming Muzzle (aka Mickey Muzzle). It isn't even clipped -he's just licking Peanut Butter from inside and learning that sticking his nose inside is FANTASTIC!
Dear Kaitlyn,
I am so glad to hear that your pup is OK. And yes, it is certainly possible to use a muzzle to prevent your dog from eating harmful substances or from scavenging nasty items when romping off-leash. It sounds as if you have already planned to use a muzzle for management while you complete training.
Please be sure that your dog is comfortable with the muzzle. A special training processed called Desensitization & Counter-Conditioning can be used to teach a dog (or any animal) to be more comfortable with new items. Also, if your dog is wearing the muzzle for long periods of time (more than 15-20 minutes in moderate temperatures) be sure that the muzzle is light-weight and that your dog can pant and drink water.
Mickey Muzzles (shown in the photo above) when fitted properly do not allow dogs to open their mouths. They are NOT for use in training situations as they should not be left on the dog for any length of time -especially if unsupervised. Sometimes Grooming Muzzles are used when dogs are taken on public transportation -in these situations the dog is supervised and should not be exposed to warm temperatures or long trips.
A flexible polyethylene Basket Muzzle is best for long-term use. They allow dogs to pant and drink water. Because they tend to look "scary" I like to decorate them; Ribbons,
non-toxic paint (nail-polish works too), and cute scarves, bows, and collars help soften the effect. If that isn't your cup of tea, you can try ordering one that matches your dogs fur (more of a blend-in, rather than a muzzle-flamboyant style).
Here are some other points to consider.
Puppy-Proofing is paramount, but if you don't know what is TOXIC, you can't do your job as a puppy parent. Check out tips from DOGTIME.COM. A good place to start is the article Poison Proofing Your Home.
Confine your pup or new dog when you can't supervise them. Create a nice, safe place for your dog to hang out when you are busy. This can be a laundry room, gated kitchen or bathroom. Whatever space you choose, clear the area of all potential hazards and valuables.
Teach your dog some manners. More on begging, stealing and commands for leaving items, like Drop-it.
Make sure your pup has plenty of LEGAL CHEW ITEMS! This is super important for dogs that have hunting backgrounds like Jack Russell Terriers & Beagles, or for dogs that are master chewers like Labradors, Rottweilers, and Pit Bull Terriers. I like Kongs stuffed with food. In fact, my dogs haven't eaten out of bowls in years. All their food goes into Kongs and they chew, lick, and suck their food out as if they were working on a freshly killed chunk of meat.
Get help from a Certified Dog Trainer. Not all trainers are certified and not all trainers use humane, modern dog training methods. For a list of certified trainers in your area try doing a search for an SPCA Certified Trainer in your area. The SF/SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers is run by Jean Donaldson, author of many wonderful books on dog training, including my favorite -The Culture Clash.
MORE ON KONGS!!!
http://blogs.dogtime.com/secret-shopper-pet-product-reviews/2008/10/kong-what-would-we-do-without-you
http://blogs.dogtime.com/go-dog-training/2008/09/behaving-badly
http://www.sfspca.org/resources/library/for-dog-owners/abcs/kong-stuffing.pdf
http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html
