What’s the Deal with Humping?
Whether it was one of your own dogs being the guilty party or another dog doing it to yours, we’ve all seen two dogs hump each other at some point. Yes, it’s embarrassing and obnoxious, and it’s not something you want to encourage, but what does it all mean?
There are a lot of theories floating around out there about mounting and humping, some think that it’s sexual, humping is dominance, or it’s mainly done by intact males. While some of these and other theories can be correct in some cases, the most common type of humping/mounting that I see on a daily basis is redirected excitement that usually ends up in play.
While mounting and humping may be a way to start a nice game of chase, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t obnoxious or shouldn’t be interrupted out in public. You definitely don’t want to be the owner of that dog that is constantly mounting and going to town on every dog at the park, telling them to come would be an important management skill to have in this case. It’s extra important in situations like these to be able to interrupt it because some dogs will instantly turn and correct a dog for mounting them. But around a group of well-socialized dogs with no behavior issues – why not let them go?
Start to observe your dog a little closer when it comes to their humping. You may see them do it in times of high excitement or as a way to get another dog to play with them. While it isn’t appropriate in all situations, humping is not a sign of a bad dog.
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Tagg Pet Tracker
Back in 2008 we posted about the Garmin Astro, which is a GPS collar and receiver mainly used in the hunting industry. Over the years, the technology has improved, features have been added and the idea has been adapted for pet dogs!! The Tagg Pet Tracker is a GPS system that your dog wears on their collar! Not only does the device help locate your dog if they run away, but it has a lot more features as well.
The goal of the device is of course not only to locate a lost dog, but it’s to help prevent them from getting lost in the first place. Using a computer or smartphone, you can check on the location of your dog at anytime, but you can also set up zones and be alerted if your dog is outside of the established zone. So let’s say you leave your dog unattended in the yard while you are at work, if they should escape from the fence and leave the yard, you will automatically get a text or email.
The Tagg system comes in a variety of colors to match your dog’s personality, and attaches to most collars. As far as GPS units go, the Tagg is relatively inexpensive. The system retails for about $100 and includes one free month of monitoring, after that the monitoring will run about $8 a month. Check out the Tagg website for all of the details, images, and product videos. Technology rocks!
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5 Steps to Ruining a Dog
Last year at this time we made a post about Improving Your Relationship with Your Dog. This year we thought that we would take a different approach and tell you how to ruin your dog. Although there are MANY more that could have been added to this list, here are just a few.
Ignore Every Warning Sign of Behavior Issues - This is a good one if you’re trying to screw up your dog. Fido bit the kids, he growls when you approach his food bowl, he appears fearful when strangers enter the home, and pins dogs to the ground upon meeting them – ahh, that’s nothing! It’s probably just a phase, he’ll grow out of it automatically on his own, just ignore it!
Why this can ruin a dog - Behavioral issues usually start to present themselves long before an actual “event” occurs. So whether you realize it or not, that weird little character flaw that you are seeing from your dog can quickly escalate into a full blown problem, and often times it’s a lot harder or sometimes impossible to fix. Many dogs end up in shelters because warning signs were missed and now the responsibility falls to the shelter and the future owner(s). It’s hard enough to adopt out dogs, let alone those with serious behavior issues. If you see something you’re not sure of, ask a trainer!!
Avoid Crate Training Like the Plague - OMG, crate training – NEVER! How dare you! Fido doesn’t need a crate, he’s about 1.5 years old now and he only pees and poops in the house a few times while you’re at work. He can be trusted inside the home while everyone is out, the couch he tore up was old and you were thinking about replacing your kitchen table and chairs anyway, right?! Perfect!
Why this can ruin a dog - You may not need to crate your dog for their entire lives, but it’s a great aid in potty training, it’s a fantastic aid in controlling space, it make traveling with your pet a lot easier, and I have never heard anyone regret crate training their dog! At some point in your dog’s life they are going to have to be crated – there is not getting around this. Whether it’s at the vet’s office, the groomer, a boarding facility, or at a friends home, the time will come to crate your dog. If you never expose your dog to a crate and teach them the correct way to behave in the crate, they are going to nervous, anxious, they may panic, and it will be extremely stressful for them, and injury is possible if they try hard enough to escape.
Encourage and Reward Whining and Other Signs of Anxiety - This seems to be one of the more popular items on the list. Fido cries in the crate, he runs over to you and shakes when the garbage truck drives past, he has also started to hide behind your legs when men enter the home, and he barks at the window to let you know that someone has just walked past the house. Make sure you let Fido knows that he’s doing a great job at being afraid, be sure to teach him that his crying is the best way to get your attention, and make sure you constantly touch him and tell him “it’s okay” when he’s fearful and hiding. That’ll learn ‘em!
Why this can ruin a dog - Barking, fearfulness, whining, and other anxious behaviors are NOT desirable traits in dogs. So why do so many owners pet, praise, and verbally mark such behaviors? From my experience, dog owners may be attempting to send the correct message in these instances, but they are using human emotion to deal with a canine problem. If your child was nervous of thunder and lightening, you are going to give her a hug and tell her that it’s okay, there is nothing to worry about. When you do the same for a dog, your’re basically encouraging them to be more fearful by implementing physical touch and verbal praise. Marking and encouraging behaviors is training. It’s up to us to make sure that we are marking and encouraging the correct behaviors in our dogs.
Expect Them to Fill a Void in Your Life – Did you just go through a hard break up, are you lonely, dealing with depression, or having a hard time dealing with all that life is throwing at you lately? Let’s get a dog!!!!! Fido will be a great listener, it will be his job to love you, Fido will fill in where your life was lacking. No need to get to the root of the problem or deal with people in a social manner, that fuzzy little BFF will make it all better!
Why this can ruin a dog - If you expect a dog to fill a certain void in your life, you will put unrealistic pressures and responsibilities on your dog. You’re not going to be providing your dog with what he/she needs from you, but instead you’ll be expecting things from your dog that falls outside their umbrella; this quickly creates an unhealthy relationship and behavior issues ensue.
Avoid Training and Discipline as to Not Make Them Unhappy – This is a good one. Your last dog never had any training or rules and he was the happiest dog ever – ask anyone, they’ll tell you! Sure you had to chase him around the neighborhood on a weekly basis when he bolted out of the front door, he was anxious in the house and was always pacing around, he panicked and drooled profusely whenever we took him to the vet, and he was constantly barking at people who walked by the front of the home; but it’s cool, he liked it! Yeah, he may have had some issues, but at least you never made him do anything that he didn’t want to do.
Why this can ruin a dog - Some people tend to believe that happiness or spirit is demonstrated by the complete lack of self-restraint and boundaries. This couldn’t be further from the truth for a dog. The bottom line is a dog that is unbalanced, anxious, and neurotic is not a happy dog. They need discipline, structure, and rules in order to thrive in their environment. They need to be taught to relax and shut off at times, they need to learn to think, they need to know what is expected of them, and they need to be taught skills in order to handle daily life. All of this is accomplished through training and leads to a balanced and happy dog.
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Top Posts of 2011
It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone already, and what a year it was! Not only did we move into our new training center in Leander, but we started some new training programs like K9 Scent Games, Dine with your Dog, and a Puppy Board and Train Program, we held a contest to redesign our t-shirts, and we worked with even more incredible dogs and their owners!
We have also expanded our dog training blog with a lot more informative, useful, and educational articles. Check out the 10 most popular posts of 2011.
10. Why is Crate Training So Important?
9. Do You Use an Emergency Recall Word?
8. New Dog Park Opens in Cedar Park
7. Indoor Summertime Training Ideas
6. What’s the Big Deal with Hand Signals?
5. A More Detailed Look at Black Dog Syndrome
3. 7 Steps to Improving Your Relationship
2. How to Introduce 2 Dogs on Leash
1. Denial Aint Just a River in Spain
Feel like taking a stroll further down memory lane? Be sure to check out the top 10 Posts of 2009 and 2010.
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Top Twitter Pics of 2011
We are constantly taking photos during our training sessions, private lessons, down time, and pretty much all times of the day, and we use our twitter account to post the photos on a daily basis. We accumulated a lot of photos during the year, in no particular order, here are some of our favorites.
The photo above was taken by a client who was observing class. I love this one, it’s just one of our favorites. Everyone seems to be paying attention.
No attempt at a witty or funny comment here, just a shot capturing a sweet moment between Jay Roy and his friend Walter.
Maybe with enough interest, synchronized sleeping will be included in the next Purina Incredible Dog Challenge!
Here’s a shot of Bruno showing his version of planking, which was very popular earlier this year.
I’m not sure if he got lost looking for his dog bed, but here’s Winston snuggling up in the dryer. It must have been cold that day.
Above is a pic of Pippi and her human. Check out the excitement in Pippi’s face!
I think this photo was taken a few days after Pippi’s hard core recall (in the photo above). Maybe she’s still trying to recover; Rudy is there for support.
We got a call to come and see if we would be able to work with a pig. Here’s Tracey working on sit with some cereal, the pig’s favorite treat!
Border Collies are known for their intense stare and incredible drive. Here’s Dakota focused on the ball; he does this a lot.
I know she’s a Labrador and she loves water, but drinking from the pool is discouraged. Anyway, here’s Cali drinking from the pool.
Great Dog Available for Adoption
UPDATE 12/20/11: Westin has been adopted!! Thank you everyone who shared this post for helping to get Westin into a great home!
For the past few weeks we have been fostering a 2 year old male Doberman Pinscher named Westin. During that time we have temperament tested him and spent a lot time watching how he interacts with other animals, people, and we must say – he is terrific!
Westin is part of the A Doberman Adoption Placement Team (ADAPT), which is based out of Houston, and would make a great pet for the right family (he’s a pretty nice dog for a first time dog owner as well). Socially Westin is fantastic with dogs and people; very playful and confident. He’s up to date on shots and is on a heartworm preventative, neutered and ready to find a great home. If you or anyone you know wh=ould be a good match for Westin, check out his profile on the ADAPT website.
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Scent Games – January 2012
It’s here again; our next installment of K9 Scent Games begins on January 5th! The unique curriculum we have adopted in our classes promotes a positive, fun and motivationally-based methodology. By utilizing our dog’s search skills, we build confidence, burn off mental and physical energy, and a positive working relationship that develops between you and your dog when you both are out “hunting” together as a team. Come on out and get smelly with us!
This class is open to all ages and obedience levels! Please check out the K9 Scent Games page for a more detailed class description, schedule, and registration info, or you can click here if you’d like to skip all that and just register now!
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Dangerous Human Foods for Dogs
Each year the Animal Control Poison Center receives a few hundred thousand calls relating to dogs consuming dangerous human foods, plants, and other poisons. While some dangerous items like pesticides, non-food items, human medications, and household cleaners are clearly hazardous to our dogs, some other items that are commonly found in our homes can also be harmful. While we are all aware of the dangers related to our dogs eating chocolate, here is a list of some other dangerous human foods for dogs.
- Avocados - The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
- Macadamia nuts - These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.
- Grapes and raisins - Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic.
- Xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in many items) - Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbency and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.
- Onions, garlic, and chives - These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed.
- Milk - Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.
Santa Sacks are Here
It’s that time of year again and it’s very important not to forget your furry friend this Christmas! To make things easier on everyone, we have assembled gift bags for your dogs; all you have to do is click here and your shopping is done!
Each Santa Sack comes pre-wrapped and contain a huge 1lb box of Holiday Buddy Biscuits, a dog dish (it’s always great to have another one of those laying around), a limited-edition red Twiz toy and an unstuffed Ginger soft toy with squeaker (both toys are made by Westpaw Design).
If you are a local Austin Dog Training client and would like to pick up your Santa Sack at our North location (or check out other great gift options) feel free to do so. Everyone else can either contact us to arrange drop off or order directly from our website by clicking here. Regardless of what option you choose, act fast because we have a limited supply. Happy Holidays!
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