READER QUESTION
My granddog is a boxer female 26 months old. In the mornings when I try to get her to go outside she snaps and growls at me. Can a dog sleep with a muzzle on? If they can is the my best plan of attack or put her back in her cage. Sincerely KB Houston TX
Dear KB,
Of course your dog could sleep with a muzzle on, but I wouldn't recommend it. I almost always reserve muzzles for dogs that BITE. Snapping & growling are warning behaviors -it is not to late to fix this problem. Both you and your dog deserve to sleep and wake-up in harmony.
It sounds as if your Boxer is a Bed Guarder. On the Guarding Scale (1-10) your dog is a light-weight. She only guards the bed, after having been there all night. Heavy-Duty Guarders will claim it as theirs (growl/snap/snarl) as soon as they lay down.
I'm not excusing the behavior, but I do understand it. I am a deep sleeper and DO NOT like waking up. I hate waking; I routinely abuse my alarm clock in the morning. The best days start with someone brining me coffee in bed!
Coffee MAKES me happy; coffee is NOT contingent upon my BEING happy :) As you read the following keep this in mind --The coffee I get in the morning is NOT a reward for waking up in a good mood. The coffee is a nice way to prevent me from being cranky.
By contrast, punishments for 'grumpy morning behavior' will not work. Think about it. If you already hate waking up to leave your warm, cozy bed your attitude will not likely improve if you get in trouble for not being a morning person.
WARNING:
Punishments: yelling, hitting, squirting, dragging, pinning, rolling, etc WILL MAKE CERTAIN BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS WORSE. In this case, the dog already hates leaving the bed in the morning. She is NOT is her right mind --me before coffee (cranky!) Punishments for cranky morning behavior will make your dog have an even bigger negative (yucky) association with waking up.
Try this instead...
1. Before you wake your dog, go to the fridge.
2. Get something tasty (some cheese or a hotdog).
3. Approach your dog, but stop before you are so close that she will yell at you.
4. Then, say something in a sweat voice: "Morning Girl -Rise & Shine." The phrase can be whatever you like saying and can say nicely.
5. Then toss a treat, right to her. Toss it on the bed, or even bounce it off her head.
DO NOT WORRY IF SHE BARKS OR GROWLS -Remember she is NOT a morning dog. She doesn't mean anything by it, she's just grumpy.
6. If she eats the treat, toss another and then toss the rest on the ground.
7. As soon as she is on the floor call her to the door and give her once last treat.
Please see the following ARTICLES for more information.
Dog Faces: Reading Body Language
Muzzles -When & How Should They Be Used?
Muzzles --Is Aggression The Only Use?
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.
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.
A STORY.
The other day at the park, I saw a woman walking her dog. They were walking casually and every once in a while the woman would stop, bend over, pick up a ball and toss it. Then the woman with the dog started to chat with a friend. The dog sat quietly at their feet, staring at his ball.
After a minute he began to whine. He whined louder and louder until his guardian picked up his ball. As soon as she had the ball in her hand, he got really, really excited and barked. She threw the ball anyway and resumed her conversation. When her dog returned, he dropped the ball at her feet and barked immediately. This happened 3 or 4 times.
Eventually the woman tried to reason with her dog. She bent down with her hands on her hips, looked right into his eyes and yelled, "Frankie, Stop-it!" To this Frankie replied with an barrage of barks, yelps, yips, and a "Woof!" The woman, shrugged, looked defeated, waved good-bye to her friend and continued walking her dog and tossing the ball.
I giggled and thought I bet the next time she even tries to stop and chat her dog will take the shortcut to the most effective behavior... "Pitch a barking fit and mommy stops chatting and does her job!" In the story above Frankie did what worked. Barking got him what he wanted. He will do more of it.
Sometimes we don't give big rewards at all -we "ignore" the bad behavior. However this only works if you IGNORE the dog COMPLETELY. This is too hard for most people, they crack and give in like the woman in the story above. Or, they unintentionally give hints that they might crack and give into the dog's requests.
When we bend down, look at, or talk to dogs we are telling them that they might get what they want soon. We don't do this on purpose. Its just that 99% of the time, right before we give a dog something they will LOVE, like food, walks, toys, pets, play-time or lap-time, we look right at them and talk to them... "Oh, boy Zip. Here comes....." So EYE-CONTACT and WORDS aimed at the dog become predictors of wonderful stuff. In dog-nerd-speak, we call these Secondary Reinforcers.
When the owner in the story bent down and looked at Frankie to say, "Stop-it" She might as well have said, "Do you want me to throw your ball?" Frankie, in that context (she'd already been rewarding his whines with a ball-toss) was anticipating that she would repeat the action. When dogs think they know what is going to happen, they don't really listen to the words you say.
If you don't believe me pick up your dog's favorite toy. Then use your goofiest voice and tell your dog how bad and stupid they have been. What did your dog do? Yeah, mine too -just staring at the toy wagging and panting. "Oh, boy, oh boy, she's gonna play squaeky-frisbeeeeee, with meeeee! Oh, boy, oh boy!" And I think he's a rather clever dog, but he is a DOG!
So, if poor Frankie wasn't really paying attention to her exact words. When his owner bent down, looked at him and talked to him (instead of her friend) he got REALLY EXCITED and barked back," YES, YES! Throw the BALL!"
Apply this to your situation. If your dog is crying and you get up and try to give him a toy, food, or attention, then you are giving A HUGE REWARD. If when your dog whines or cries you look at her and talk to her, you are giving a hint that you MIGHT give them something -this is a type of reward.
Regarding the appetite and "SPOILED-DOG" issue. If the dog is getting a balanced diet and your vet says your dog is in good health, then I don't care if you cook for your dog, or if they never eat food from a bag or can or bowl. However, if your dog is only eating junk food then the diet is not balanced and your dog will be unhealthy. To address the issue you will need to:
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Stop feeding your dog all kinds of cookies, treats and junk-food! Dogs can't shop or cook, so if they are eating badly, someone is providing the food and/or the opportunity.
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Get tough! Put down the food your dog is suppose to eat and if they don't eat it, pick it up and try again at the next meal. Unlike cats, dogs cannot get sick from not eating. Your dog will not stave herself. She will eventually eat!
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Be reasonable. If the food in the can looks bad, smells bad or you have a hard time looking at it or touching it, pick a better looking, tasting high-quality dog food. In general, high quality dog foods come from pet supply stores, not a grocery stores.
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
