Training
 

There are four simple, yet essential skills, that a dog must master before you can consider your dog housetrained. It does not matter if your dog is living in an apartment in the Gold Coast of Chicago or in a mansion in Lake Forest.

If any one of these four potty training skills is not mastered your dog will continue to have "accidents" for the rest of its life. Can you imagine living with a dog that uses the toilet all over your house for ten to twenty years? Well, you don’t have to live in filth, all you need to do is toilet train your puppy dog. If you have a plan and a program you can housetrain almost any dog within six months.

In order for your dog to have a big and wonderful life, he must be housetrained. If you have children this is doubly important as children can become sick if they touch canine fecal matter.

If you purchased your puppy when it was young, between five weeks and five months of age, you will have about six months to put the puppy on the correct potty path. The four foundation skills that a fully house trained dog must master are:

• NEVER go in the house or the crate for 31 consecutive days
• ALWAYS go outside.
• ALWAYS hold "it" until the puppy is outside.
• ALWAYS tell your owner when you have to go outside to potty.

Age Counts
It is important to understand that the skill of housetraining cannot be effective until your puppy is at least sixteen weeks old. A dog does not have any control over his bowel and bladder muscles until this age. If on the other hand, your dog is an older puppy (more than five months of age) or an adult dog, you have about thirty days to assist your dog in mastering these important foundation skills before these accidents become habits.

Breed Matters
With some breeds of dogs such as the toy breeds such as Chihuahua's, the scent hounds such as Beagles, and the sight hounds such as Whippets, it may take at least a year to completely housetrain your dog. Toy dogs offer a special set of problems, as some toy breed puppies will have to potty as frequently as every 10 minutes when they are young.

Pet Store and Farm Puppies
Dogs that are purchased from pet stores, puppy farms may need more care and effort in order master potty trainng. Dogs that removed from the litter at a very young age, purchased from inexperienced “hobby” breeders, purchased from farms, purchased from Internet “puppy brokers” or purchased from retail outlets (farms, pet stores, backyards) tend to have greater difficulty becoming housetrained and crate trained.

The Point of No Return
There is a point in a dog's development, where, if he has not mastered the four foundation skills, your dog will be at point of "No Return." This is a point in your dog’s development where improper conditioning, long-standing bad habits and age converge (9months to 1 year of age). Once at the "Point of No Return" the chances that a puppy or dog can be properly housetrained are greatly reduced.

Your duty as the owner of a very young puppy is to prevent accidents, ignore mistakes and reward good behavior. Always display "Alphatude" when you are teaching your puppy. As of today, any potty accident is always your fault. Never, ever punish a puppy for housetraining accidents

This article was written by Ami Moore, located in Chicago, Illinois. Ami Moore can be contacted through her websites www.chicagodogcoach.com and www.dogdoright.com.

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By Ami Moore, The Chicago Dog Aggression Expert; Author of Alphatude Attitude
847-284-7760

I am a professional dog behaviorist serving the Chicago area, my name is Ami Moore and I am with the Chicago Dog Coach group. One of the most frequent questions I am asked about is crating dogs.

A common misconception is that crating your dog is an easy way out for the dog owner or cruel to the dog. Neither supposition is correct. Dogs are den animals. They like to have a place of their own where they feel safe and secure. Even if they are happy in the house they live in, having a crate adds to the sense of security. Crating your dog also helps in disciplining him so that he becomes accustomed to your rules, routine and his responsibilities.

The problem for most dog owners face is how to get themselves and their dog used to the idea of a crate. This is where dog training and people coaching come in. Here are a few of the questions that my clients have asked me and my responses.

How long does the crate training process take?
Ami Moore: This varies depending on your dog’s temperament, his existing habits and his age.
There are several things to keep in mind when beginning the training:

• ensure that the crate is associated with a pleasant experience
• your dog should never fear the crate
• introduce the dog to the concept of the crate in small steps

How do I get started?
Ami Moore: The first thing is to introduce your dog to the crate. Place it in an area where the family spends a lot of time, like a family room. Bring your dog over to the crate and let him examine it while you talk in a friendly tone. Let him feel it is his area.

The next thing is to get your dog to enter the crate. Every once in a while drop a biscuit or other treat near it. Once he gets used to eating near the crate, toss a treat just inside near the door. If he is hesitant about going after it, encourage, but do not force him. Be patient, it may take a while for him to get ready to go in.

Once he has had a few treats near the door, toss them further in until they are at the back and he has to enter all the way.

Finally, close the door of the crate for longer periods of time until your dog is comfortable. A crate is not a crate if you don't close the door.

How do I make the crate a routine part of my dog’s life?
Ami Moore: The short answer is food.

Once your dog is happy to enter the crate, start feeding him and keeping his water bowl near the crate. Once you feel he is used to eating near the crate, place the food just inside the door. If he hesitates, encourage him to go in. It may take a few tries.

After he starts eating just inside the crate gradually push the bowl further and further back till it is at the rear. Once he is comfortable, start closing the door at the same time that he’s eating and gradually increase the time till he’s eating only with the door closed.

If you do not want to make feeding him in the crate a regular habit, do it at least a few times each week so that he continues to feel comfortable eating there. There may be times when you need to go out for an extended period and have to leave his food and water in the crate.

How do I get my dog to spend longer periods in the crate?
Ami Moore: Once your dog is eating in the closed crate, start keeping the door closed for a few minutes after he finishes. Say nearby and comfort him if he gets tense or nervous. Gradually increase the time he is in the crate.

Once he is happy staying in the crate after eating the next step is getting him to enter the crate without the lure of food. Call your dog to the crate and point into the crate while giving him the command you want to use like “kennel.” Be patient, this may take some time. Encourage him to enter with a treat once he is in the crate, give him his treat and talk to him for a while before letting him out.

Once he is used to this start leaving him in the crate and exiting the room. Start with a few minutes and slowly increase the time. Each time you return, spend a few minutes talking to him. Then let him out. Start by doing this once a day and slowly building up the frequency. Once he is comfortable spending an hour alone in the crate you can look at leaving him crated when you go out and for sleeping in at night.

When can I start leaving my dog in his crate and go out?
Ami Moore: Once he is happy in the crate for an hour without you in the room, you can start leaving him alone for short periods while you go out. Put him in the crate by using the regular command and a biscuit or other treat. Leave a toy or two in the crate for him to play with. Put your dog in the crate 5 or 10 minutes before you leave so that if something unusual is troubling him, you will know.

Do not make your goodbye to your dog seem as though it is something unusual. Talk to him as you normally do and quietly leave. When you return, you will get an enthusiastic welcome. Ignore your dog until he is relaxed and calm -- never let your dog out of the crate if he is excited or anxious.

Your dog must understand that being left alone in his crate is a normal thing and part of his routine. Start by leaving the house for an hour and gradually increase the time away.

Depending on how long you will be away, you can look at leaving a bowl of water or even some food in the crate. Keep in mind that what goes into your puppy has to come out of your puppy. You don’t want him making a mess in the crate. Besides anything else, this will make him unhappy with being in the crate. At the same time, you do not want to be cruel an

d deny him food or water if he is hungry or thirsty. You know your dog best, so you will have to make the call on this. Be prepared for the occasional accident until you get this sorted out. If possible, take him for a walk before crating him.

Even if you are going to be at home for a few days and don’t need to crate your dog, do it anyway and leave him alone. Otherwise he will stop being used to it as part of his routine and you will have to start the training all over again.

Can I crate my dog at night?
Ami Moore: Yes you can. Initially, keep the crate in your bedroom or in the hall where you can hear him if he starts to whine. This is important because your dog should not feel isolated from you or that he is being punished. Get him into the crate using your normal command, turn off the lights and go to sleep.

Your dog may be restless the first few nights, especially if he is a puppy who may need to go out. If you hear your dog whining or being restless in the crate, go and comfort him for a few minutes till he relaxes before returning to your sleep.

Once he is sleeping through the night in his crate, gradually move it further away from the bedroom until it is where you want it to be.

A crate is not a magic wand that will solve all of your problems. It has to be used judiciously so as to meet your needs and also so that your dog is not unhappy by being kept in a crate for too long a period. The main thing to remember is to be patient and do it slowly so that not only does your dog not fear the crate, he is comfortable in it. The time and effort needed to train your dog for the crate will vary from dog to dog. If you have problems in training your dog for the crate or have doubts, call me and I will be happy to help.

And finally, a crate is not just for home use. Keeping a dog in a crate in the car can save your dog’s life if there should ever be a serious accident. It is more than worthwhile investing a specially designed travel crate.

Normal house crates are designed to keep your dog in, not to withstand external impacts. Your dog may suffer serious injuries or worse if his crate is crushed. Plastic travel crates, the kinds used for air travel, are designed to withstand impacts and protect your dog in case of an accident.

Getting your dog used to a travel crate should be done by replacing you normal crate with the travel crate for a few days before your plan to travel and following the regular crate routine.

By Ami Moore, The Chicago Dog Aggression Expert; Author of Alphatude Attitude
847-284-7760

August is the month that most Americans get in their car and go on the last road trip of the summer. Even though day-cations and stay-cations are very much in fashion for dog lovers who want to save money and remain close to home, the road trip is part of our American heritage. For many dog lovers, a car trip is no fun if the dog can’t come along.

Traveling can be stressful, both for you and your animal companions if you are not prepared. With thoughtful preparation, you can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone.

Traveling comfortably with a dog involves more than just loading the animal in the back seat of your SUV and heading for the sunrise. I offer the following tips to help you prepare for a safe and smooth summer car trip:

• Make sure your pet wears a collar with an ID tag imprinted with your home address and cell phone number. Microchips can migrate from the injection site and unfortunately due to competing technologies not all microchip scanners can read all microchips.
• Your dog should also have his training collar; prong, training chain or electric collar easily available. New locations are the perfect place to practice your dog’s good manners.
• If you are traveling across state lines make sure that you have proof that your dog is current on rabies and bring proof of any other vaccines or medical issues that your dog may have.
• Keep your pets safe and secure in a well-ventilated crate or carrier if the size of your car allows it. The purpose of a crate is to serve as a reminder to your pet to relax and calm down, which lowers your dog’s stress level. There are a variety of wire, plastic and soft-sided carriers available. Whatever you choose, make sure its large enough for your pet to lie down and turn around in.
• If your car or van is shaped in such a way that a crate just won’t fit, then you can get a metal or mesh barrier that will keep your dog in the rear seat or cargo area of your car. For many dog owners this is a better solution than a bulky dog crate.
• Most dogs will get carsick on a long ride if their stomach is empty but there are those dogs that will get car sick if they are feed a meal before a long car ride, the best preventative to dog car sickness is to know your dog’s habits. For some dogs ginger will reduce carsickness and nausea.
• On a hot day, even with the windows open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time. Make sure that you leave the air conditioning on and park your vehicle in the shade to keep the temperature at a reasonable level.
• Get your dog’s traveling kit together before your vacation. In addition to your travel plans and contact information you want to have your dog’s food, dog bowl, leash, a pooper scooper, plastic bags, dog grooming supplies, dog medication and a dog first-aid kit.
• Don't allow your pet to ride with his head outside the window unless he wears protective eyewear such as dog goggles. Dogs that ride with their head out of the window are subject to wounds to the eye, and he could be injured by flying objects. If you keep your dog in a crate as I suggested in an earlier tip is is not something that you have to worry about.

When it comes to water, go slow but go with the flow. Some dogs are not able to tolerate new water form a new location and they will get an upset stomach initially. Most dogs are as adaptable as we are and given a little time they can handle new water and food just fine.

My clients share my love of travel and my love of dogs, when you have a well-trained, well-socialized dog sharing you road trip, it is like a slice of heaven.