I Love My Mutt Dogs

Lasse Kohau asked:


How to avoid an attack from a dog !

 

A dog may be a man’s best friend, but even a friendly dog, can turn into a monster in a few seconds. No matter how much we train them, so long as nature is nature, there will always be an underlying threat between dog and man. In fact, dog attacks account for almost 5 million injuries in the U.S. every year, and attacks are rapidly growing in Europe as well, especially among the most dangerous ones, like pitbulls, and rottweilers. Nonetheless, dogs are among the easiest and most loyal pets - you and your family can get. In general, they are most playful and funny creatures and a real family member, and the loyal ones will risk their lives to guard their family and trainer.

Responsible owners and non dog-owners, must prepare themselves with defense techniques in the situation, that the dog decides to attack. Everyone in the family, who shares their home with a four-legged friend - should know basics to diffuse an attack situation in a calm and effectively way with minimal injury to both man and dog(s).

 

TIPS FOR DEFENDING YOURSELF, WHEN A DOG ATTACKS.

 

1.) Avoid the attack

 

It has been said many times, that prevention is better than a cure, so before you find out how to defend yourself from a dog attack, it’s important to look at ways - you can avoid attack completely.

 

After all, who wants to wrestle with a four-legged beast at 50 kilo, when you could avoid the attack from a start.

A) Avoid intruding on a dog’s territory. No matter how ignorant you’re willing to be about their characteristics, dogs are one of the most territorial animals on earth, and will lash out if they think you’re moving in on their territory. It is an absolutely NO GO. In this instance, never approach an unattended dog; odds are - that the dog has marked his patch and, invariably, you’ll be stepping on it. If this happens, slowly edge out of the dog’s personal space, and don’t make any sudden movements to suggest that you’re a threat. Leave the dogs territory without saying anything or looking at the dog. Eventually, step backwards to show the dog – i´m leaving fright now.

B) Make sure, that the dog knows who you are before attempting to handle it. Move carefully toward the animal and allow him or her to sniff you. Many dogs attack on reflex because they have been crept up on. Establish your presence, make friends with the dog, and avoid this common pitfall. Don’t either disturb the dog, while eating or drinking. Respect the animal as a human.

C) Don’t tease the dog or get it excited; let sleeping dogs lie on their own. Female dogs, that just have become mothers are particularly on guard; exercise extreme caution in her presence.

Look for warning signs at the dogs eyes, mouth, and body.

 

Growling is typically one of the first signs, that a dog is likely to attack. In addition, if the dog is drooling from the mouth, and the eyes are wild with rage, you can pretty much assume that an attack is likely. The body of the dog functions in a similar way to a human, in fact - it can be used to identify mood and emotion. Check to see if the body is tense, hackles (the area between his shoulders and tail) are up, ears are erect, and if his tail is held high and wagging faster than normal.

 

2.) DO NOT:

 

A) Do not look directly into an angry dog’s eyes, which is seen as an aggressive behavior and will almost certainly provoke an attack. Do not EVER allow a dog to move behind you; if a dog begins to circle you, this could be a sign of an impending attack, always front the dog to control the situation. The bottom line is that it’s easier for the dog to attack you from behind, so don’t make yourself an easy target.

B) Do not try to run away from the dog, as almost every dog can easily outrun humans + you turn the situation into a hunt for prey. Don’t click the killer and hunting instinct of the dog.

 

C) If the dog is still a threat and attacks, avoid wildly kicking or punching it. It wont help you further. Although running away or lashing out are instinctual reactions, it’s important to reign these in; they will antagonize the dog and lessen your chances of survival or getting away unscathed.

 

DO THIS:

 

If you feel threatened by a dog, stand absolutely still and always face it/Front it. So stand strong, show no fear to the animal, put your hands by your side, and wait to see how the dog reacts. Sometimes it just gives up and run away. If you are scared, and the dog smells it, it most likely could be an appetizer for an attack.

It’s often a good idea to place something between you and the animal. Do break the dog’s direct line of attack with a “weapon”, and even if the dog attack, it will get a mouthful of something other than your flesh.

To diffuse the escalating situation, speak slowly and calmly to the dog. Again, avoid eye contact and focus on his ear or tail while you whisper something like ”good boy” or “go home now.” Ease the dog into a sense of calm and security, and it will hopefully turn and walk away.

If the dog do attack and takes you to the floor, immediately curl into a ball, cover your face and neck with your hands, play dead, and avoid screaming. The dog will soon lose interest and go on to find something or somebody else to play with.

 

PLEASE DO REMEMBER: There’s no such thing as a dog that doesn’t bite, and while they are good company, they are also unpredictable animals, which makes them dangerous.

FINAL: Every dog is different and has a different temper - and no technique is 100 procent effective in any situation. To begin with, there are trained and untrained dogs, there are aggressive and non-aggressive dogs, which react differently in an attack situation. The same is true with different species and genders. Man and dog alike run on instinct in intense situations, and no matter how much we know, we still may succumb to human nature and do the wrong thing. Nevertheless, if you are armed with the right information and a calm personality, you’ll have the best chance of emerging from an attack with little or no injury.

 

SHOW THE DOG RESPECT AND THE DOG WILL ALSO SHOW YOU RESPECT.

 

 



Douglas

John Williams Dog Training asked:


Dog shedding can be a big pain in some households, and depending on how disciplined you are about your dog clambering around the furniture the fur mess can be more than expected sometimes, and can get absolutely everywhere.

Dog shredding happens as a result of a few different situations, the first and common in all breeds of dogs is to make way for a new shiny coat every now and again, and to get rid of dead hair that is no longer needed. Another cause for shedding is seasonal changes like some breeds are used to in their natural habitat, in theses situation there can be lots of hair being dropped at an almost worrying rate twice a year, but it is actually quite normal for this to happen.

If you are worried about how much hair your dog is loosing, then do some research or go to the vets and find out the different types of dogs that get affected by this seasonal change. In rare cases loosing large amount or fur can be caused by a poor diet and insufficient amounts of vitamins to keep the fur alive. All these can be answered by your local veterinarian.

If you are tired of all this fur and the effects of your dog loosing its coat, keeping your dog well groomed will help to stop the spread of hair and keep your dogs coat healthy at the same time and is always recommended to stop knots or matted hair along with keeping your dog healthier and happier.

To summarise, if you are worried about your dogs shedding and have looked to find the shedding habits of the breed of dog you have then visiting a vet is the best option and they will be able to give you a more in-depth analysis of the situation after an examination of your dog and keep your mind at rest about the health of your dog.



Jeff

John Williams Dog Training asked:


Dogs are wonderful creatures and are favoured by millions all over the world for their good company, working ability or any number of the other reasons dogs are used for work or companions all around the world on a daily basis.

Discussing the benefits of dogs is a big topic and I’m sure there will be thousands of you wanting to comment on your personal experiences and bring these situations to light for all others to be persuaded to switch to owning a dog and caring for a new canine friend, but as this is not possible I’ll go through some of the more popular reasons for owning a dog and why it makes people happier.

The first is a sense of security, if you live alone or are alone wile other are at work or otherwise engaged then a pet for the feeling of being safe and secure is more then enough to make thousands if not millions of people want a dog.

With security comes a friend, and a constant need for your love and affection. Some people love to play with their dog and like to have them keep them company, humans bond especially well with dogs witch is where the saying ‘mans best friend’ comes from. Without a pet of some kind, life can be quite lonely and dull. Dogs bring a lot of excitement and interests to households, causing a feeling of happiness and comfort.

Dogs are also used on farms and security type jobs, although these dogs often seem vicious and angry in their job, in most cases they are loyal, well trained, obedient dogs coming from friendly protective and affectionate breeds.

These reasons are just a glimpse of what dogs are all about and to really understand the happiness or excitement effects a dog can have on you, you have to own your own canine friend. If you have time to give and are educated about the different commitments dogs need then acquiring a dog will be one of the best things you ever did.



Duane

John Williams Dog Training asked:


So you have discovered evidence that your dog has these annoying little pests they call fleas, and now you have no idea how to get them out of your house and home, this article will talk your through the main ways to get rid of these fleas from your dogs coat and from your home.

Getting rid of fleas is no easy task as many other dog owners will tell you, but the chances are that fleas will happen through either another dog coming to play with yours or just picking them up from playing amongst damp fine gravel or sand where fleas like to live and breed.

So let’s take you through the easiest and best ways to rid of theses pests.

The first step is to take your dog or pet to the vet and have the fleas professionally identified to avoid giving your dog the wrong treatment, and get professional advice on possible new products that are on the market.

After this, the vacuum cleaner should come out. This is a very effective way of getting rid of many of the pupae, larvae or eggs that may be lurking beneath the surface of your carpet. Do this often and it will reduce the number of fleas quickly and easily.

The next step is to use household insecticide to clear your house of any flea related growths that your vacuum cleaner may have missed. Although I do not encourage insecticide and other chemicals near your dog or family this is one case where it is vital for getting rid of fleas. Always read the labels carefully and get a well known or professionally recommended product.

After the initial insecticide process and being careful to reach every possible area and corner you may want to insecticide your garden to ensure full removal of fleas, the garden could be more of a problem than the house, and could be where the flea problem began so be sure to target fine gravel or sandy areas where fleas may be living.

Your dog is the next obvious step and there are hundreds of products perfectly safe for your dog that will rid him/her of the annoying itchiness. Go to your nearest pet shop or vet and they should have sufficient products that will help.

After all this, you may think that the flea problem has gone forever but there may still be pupae that has survived the insecticide due to their protective cocoon, taking the same measurements as noted above two weeks later, should help the full removal of all things flea related and your dog will be able to sleep again.

If the problem persists, please contact your vet or other professional advice.



Gerald

Roger Matthews asked:


By - Roger Matthews

Adopting a fully grown shelter dog is usually not considered when a family decides to get a new pet. It may actually be the best choice for your family.

A fully grown shelter dog may already be house trained, trained in basic obedience and be past the teething stage. That means no messes in the house, no damaged furniture and a dog that listens to it’s owner. That sounds like a dream dog to me. You’ll also know what you’re getting in your new dog regarding it’s size, color, temperament and personality. There are fewer surprises and you’ll have the advantage of knowing what you’re getting before you get it.

If you’re looking for a loving family pet a shelter dog just may be the answer. If your looking for a show dog it’s probably not. I say probably because I’ve seen pure bred animals, with papers, in the shelter I worked in. It was rare but it did happen. Sometimes the dog out-grew it’s family and sometimes it was disobedient or chewed up something in the house. Occasionally the owner just wasn’t responsible enough to own a pet and it was just too much work. There were many reasons why they were brought to the shelter by their owners.

When shopping at the local grocery store, most people are picky about what they choose. There are many things they take into consideration before making decisions. They check the dates on perishables, squeeze the grapefruit and look for bruising. They make decisions based on color, quantity, packaging, size, fat content, calories and price. That works well for shoppers who want what’s best for their families but for some strange reason some of the same people don’t make the same kind of careful decisions when it comes to choosing a new family pet. A pet that may be around for ten or fifteen years. This is where the “cute” factor can really work against a pet and the family as well. The cutest dog in the bunch gets adopted and that usually means a puppy.

When you adopt a puppy, especially a mixed breed, you may be in for an unwanted surprise or two. When the dog becomes mature it may be too large or not look the way you thought it would. It’s really a crap shoot. You can guess how big the dog will get but it’s still just a guess unless you know the mix. Now mind you, I’m not speaking out against adopting puppies, it’s a fine idea, what I’m saying is that there are benefits to adopting an older dog too. Besides the reasons mentioned above, you’re also giving an older dog a second chance at a happy life. He probably deserves that chance.

A pet has to become part of your family, a part of your pack. He or she has to fit in well and be of the proper temperament and size for your family. Not taking those factors into account can have disastrous repercussions for both the pet and the family. I’ve seen it happen in failed adoptions and when families turned their pet over to the shelter. A family gets a puppy, the puppy is small, cute and manageable and then it quickly grows to maturity and is larger or more energetic than expected.

It wasn’t long after becoming an Animal Control Officer that I began to believe that it wasn’t a pet problem at all, it was a pet owner problem. After all, you can’t blame it on the dog. The dog just wanted a home, a family to be a part of, in essence, a new pack. Choosing a pet carefully is very important for your family and the pet. Here are a few tips on what to do if you’re interested in adopting a shelter dog.

(1) - Speak with your family and make sure they know the dog will be everyone’s responsibility. Feeding, walking, training and loving your new pet should be shared between family members. If everyone is in agreement it’s time to search for your new family member. Bring the entire family. You’ll want to know how well everyone will get along. It’s important that everyone in your family sees, pets and interacts with the dog if it’s possible.

(2) - If you have other pets, bring them with you to the shelter and have them meet the dog you may adopt if you’re seriously considering a specific dog. It would be a good idea to call the shelter first so that they’re prepared. They’ll usually be happy to work with you and help you find a dog that will be a great match for your family. You don’t need to arrive at home with your new pet and find out there’s a big problem. Do that at the shelter. It’s best done outside the shelter with shelter staff present. In busy shelters this may be a problem which is why you should always speak with them in advance. All of the pets should be on leashes so they can be controlled easily if there’s a problem.

(3) - Speak to anyone that has had contact with the dog. You can learn a lot from the staff members that feed and interact with the dog on a daily basis. After all, they’re the people that probably know the dog best.

A good shelter will appreciate someone that makes a careful decision before adopting. The shelter staff wants the dog to find a new home. They certainly don’t want to see a dog returned. It’s depressing for the shelter staff to see a dog return after being adopted.

(4) - When you first visit your local shelter get as much information as you can on a dog you may be interested in adopting. Don’t rush, take your time. Take a few days if you have to. It’s an important decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Use your best judgement when making your decision, not just your emotions.

(5) - Ask about the dog’s history, medical records and temperament. The more you know about the dog the more informed your final decision will be. Find out as much as you can about the dog’s shelter history. Ask if he or she has been neutered or spayed. You’ll also want to know what shots and flea and tick treatments the dog was given. Ask if the dog has been adopted and then returned to the shelter. If the dog has been returned find out why. The staff will almost always know why a dog was returned.

(6) - Ask about the dog’s appetite and either check or ask if the dog’s stool looks normal. This can be valuable information especially if the dog has no medical records. There’s a lot you can do to make a good, informed decision when adopting from a rescue shelter.

(7) - If the dog is a mixed breed ask the shelter staff what mix the dog is. This will give you a reasonably good idea how large the dog will get if it’s not already fully grown. The shelter staff may know from the previous owners or they may at least have an idea just by looking at the dog. Either way you’ll get some facts or at the very least, an educated guess.

(8) - Ask the shelter staff to allow you to meet the dog out of it’s run or cage and get to know the dog a bit. It’s very important and you can learn a lot in a short amount of time. If you feel comfortable with the dog it’s also a very good idea to take it for a walk if the shelter will allow it. Just remember, any dog can be trained. If the dog isn’t perfect, that’s ok. You’ll work together to improve.

Those 8 steps are good to keep in mind when adopting a dog from a shelter. Just remember, even an older dog can be trained with a little patience, love and understanding.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks”. I’ve heard that saying many times and I couldn’t disagree more. As an animal control officer I was often in charge of adoptions and taking care of the dogs and cats when I wasn’t on patrol or on an abuse investigation. I spent a lot of that time training some of the older dogs in the basics to give them a better chance at being adopted. They learned quickly and some dogs already knew the basic commands. Dogs want to please, it’s in their nature and with some patience you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Shelter dogs don’t get a lot of one-on-one attention from people. They get some from the staff but it’s limited. The staff is usually pretty busy and there are usually quite a few dogs to take care of so finding the time for one-on-one attention is difficult. So try to remember that a dog may be very excited when he first meets you. Spend some time with the dog so you can find out what he or she is really like. Spend that time with the dog and you may find that the dog is a lot different than your first impression would have lead you to believe.

If you do adopt a shelter dog be sure to visit a local vet as soon as possible. A healthy pet is a happy pet. If the dog has no known medical history then you have to start developing one. If there is a medical history then it’s still important that the dog is current on all vaccinations and treatments. Let the vet tell you what the dog needs.

Good luck if you’re considering adopting a dog from a shelter. I’m sure you’ll be very glad you did. It’s a great feeling to know you may have saved your new, best friend’s life.



George

John Williams Dog Training asked:


The heel command is another very important and popular command for your dog along with many others listed on www.dog-behavior-training.co.uk, taking the time to teach your dog this command will save you hours of getting annoyed when your dog doesn’t behave on long or short walks around your local area.

The reason dogs are so ‘badly behaved’ when it comes to going for walks can be for many different reasons but the most common in many homes is the excitement of wondering the streets with all the new smells, tastes, and other local dogs to discover.

The best times to train your dog and get them to do exactly what you want without too much fuss is before feeding times, if your dog wants something they will give you a lot more attention than normal. Also puppy’s and younger dogs are better to train, even with them getting over excited over everything, puppies and young dogs will be much better behaved and easier to train when they get older.

The heel command, when performed well and properly is used to stop your dog or puppy in their tracks, drop everything and return to your left hand side. Any distractions should be left alone and your dog should carry on walking closely by your side.

To begin with you will need to go in a fairly open space with enough room to move around and walk around properly, and you will need to use a lead to gently correct your dog in this exercise.

Begin by tapping your thigh saying ‘heel’ to get your dogs attention and them to come towards you, when they are by your side wait a couple of seconds then start to stride forwards, at this point your unknowing dog or puppy will try to run off ahead. If this happens you should turn in the opposite direction letting the lead go slack for 5-10 feet, start to walk in the opposite direction and as soon as the slack goes in the lead your dog will realise you have gone in the opposite direction and run towards you again.

At this point repeat the first step of commanding heel to get your dog by your side. Continue doing this exercise for 10 – 15 minutes and about 2-3 times a day. Before long your dog will become used to coming to your side and obeying you whenever you command heel.

When your dog gets used to doing this command try going in circles, in figure of eight, and changing directions suddenly, if the command is still working then try your dog on short walks and then build your way up to longer walks as you progress.

Never use the lead to discipline and roughly tug on, if you feel yourself getting annoyed then you should stop and continue at a later date when you are calmer. Keep repeating the process and your dog will eventually come to respect you. Some dogs take longer than others to train so be prepared for this behavior.



Phyllis

Kevin Salem asked:


Have you ever wondered what “exactly” could be the reason why does your dog bark, pull on the leash, lunge, growl, attack, shiver, whimper, shy away or is dying to play when faced with other dogs that he is not familiar with?

Here are all the reasons:

? You don’t have the right timing, right technique, or the right training tool that can get your dog under your complete control. If a certain tool stops working or doesn’t even seem to faze your dog anymore, try another one. Use what works!

? You never thought socializing your dog with other dogs was really important or even possible. So you kept putting it off and now you finally admit that this has become a serious issue!

? You have been avoiding any dog you came across by changing routes on your walks, or by walking your dog really late at night or super early in the morning.

? Your training foundation is weak or even worse, you have no foundation. Meaning, your dog doesn’t even listen to you that well in private or in your home. So why would he all of sudden behave like a perfect angel around dogs that he doesn’t know or doesn’t feel comfortable with?

? Your dog USED to be friendly around dogs, but you slacked off on being involved on dog activities, daily walks, etc. And now, all of sudden your dog doesn’t know exactly how to behave around dogs he hasn’t met before.

? Your dog, or perhaps the other dog, isn’t spayed/neutered and they are dying to get it on and prove themselves. Jealousy also causes dogs to act aggressive toward one another.

? Your dog whimpers to trick you into thinking that all it wants to do is play, and when you get close to the other dog, all of sudden it charges for the kill. Very sneaky!

? You keep on patting your dog in an attempt to calm her down and by saying, “It’s OK. It’s okaaaaaaay. Nooooo…seeeee…. It’s a nice doggie.” But this doesn’t send the right message. In fact by doing so, you are “encouraging” your dog to keep on acting aggressively. This might work on some humans, but it never works on dogs. So do not pat or keep on massaging your dog while she is constantly lunging and growling at other dogs. This translates to: “Go ahead. Kill ‘em.” Even if you say “NO” in between, you are still not being crystal clear with your message.

? You misread your dog’s or other dogs’ body language. Sometimes when owners hold the leash tightly, this makes the dogs seem bigger, more tense, nervous, dominant and sometimes even a bit aggressive. Often you notice an owner’s dog is completely relaxed, yet the owner acts scared and desperately tries to pull the dog close to her. This makes the dog appear taller, more tense, with his head up and chest out, which reads a very confrontational gesture to other dogs. So please don’t wrap the leash around your hand three times by anticipating a dogfight.

? Your dog always lunges and attacks other dogs and doesn’t really know how to behave. Like a barbarian, it’s totally natural to him to act like a maniac. Basically your dog is thinking, “It doesn’t really matter if the other dog is small, big, black, white, friendly or aggressive. I always lose it when I see other dogs. It’s fun and it keeps me alive. I have that spice in me. Rrrrrruf!”

? You have a poor attitude and might even be prejudiced or scared of certain breeds. And guess what? Dogs never miss this and will try to protect you or at least try to scare the other dog. Maybe you hate certain breeds and your dog or the other dogs sense it from your energy, body language, or the fact that you totally changed direction, walked on the other side of the street, or picked up your small dog, hiding him from the rest of the world.

? Your dog never lost a dog fight in his entire life and always managed to scare, bully and lunge at dogs and actually get away with it. He probably sees himself as undefeated. The bigger the other dog, the more of a challenge; the bigger the fight, the better the pay per view.

? Your dog has been attacked by a dog in the past and got injured badly which resulted in him losing trust and confidence in you. You see, when you couldn’t protect your dog from another dog attacking it, your poor dog had to find a way to protect himself. So now it anticipates another dog attack. This is why now he acts tough to scare the other dogs away. Can you blame him?

? Certain dogs provoke your dog more than others. See if you can find any pattern. Is your dog getting aggressive more toward males, females, puppies, adults, small dogs, black dogs, white dogs, fluffy dogs with floppy ears, pointy eared dogs, or even dogs that are not neutered. How about their owners? See if you notice any pattern with them. Some dogs love a challenge and prefer to fight the biggest dogs they can find. Some can’t stand the small dogs’ bark, and the fact that they are more spoiled than bigger dogs, and probably see them as Costco’s appetizers.

? You’ve been letting your dog constantly mark on walks and thought it was normal and harmless. Now when your dog sees another dog in your neighborhood, he gets upset and tries to defend his territory. Just as your dog is overprotective of your house and your yard, he now thinks he owns the entire neighborhood just because he peed in every corner and every bush around it. How dare another dog walk in his hood!

? Something or even someone has irritated your dog, and now he decides to let it out on another dog. Be honest. Don’t YOU pick on someone or at your loved ones when you aren’t in a good mood? There you go. Your dog has learned it from you!

? Your dog is dying to play and interact with the other dog, but doesn’t really know HOW. So he gets mad at you, mad at the other dog, at the leash, at your training tool and at the world! This could be a dog that once he manages to get loose, will lick the other dog to death to show his affection. Most dogs when they want to play, just pull on the leash, whimper, wag their tail happily, or maybe bark and whine in excitement. Not your dog. And it’s really hard to know for sure exactly what he’ll do, when he finally manages to get to the other dog. Will he play or go for the kill? And who’s brave enough to find out?

? Your dog gets aggressive only when he is leashed. This might be another form of fear or frustration an attempt to keep the other dogs away. Or your dog notices that when he acts this way, you and the other dog owner walking another dog automatically pull back and don’t let them get close to each other. Your dog knows that he can’t do much while being leashed and his movements are limited. Therefore, it’s much safer to act like a maniac. Basically each bark and growl translates to: “Let me go. Let me go, Mommy. I can take him. Let me show you what I can do. Let me put him on the news for you.”

? Your dog is using your “other” dog as a shield/back up and knows it gives her more power when they attack as a pack. These dogs may walk politely one-on-one, but never as a team.

Conclusion: One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is that they automatically assume that if their pooch loves some dogs, that it will remain dog-friendly with all breeds of dogs for the rest of his life. The truth is, some will, but most WON’T. You must be able to get your dog’s full attention around friendly dogs, aggressive dogs, hyper dogs, small dogs, big dogs, fluffy dogs, and male or female dogs.

It’s like a serial killer. They rarely go on a killing spree of their friends or relatives. It’s always the poor complete strangers.



Bradley