Noelle making dog biscuits with Mo's "help."

Unfortunately there aren’t a ton of ways a girl in elementary school can volunteer with dogs on the level Noelle wants.  So when she asked her parents to contact us two years ago after seeing one of our marked cars in a parking lot,  we had to find a way to incorporate her into our team.  Since then she has helped us do everything from bake dog biscuits to manage our booth at various events.  She even participated in the Pit Crew’s training class, helping the dogs practice for their challenging roles as therapy dogs.  Still, this isn’t quite enough for her, as all Noelle wants to do is spend time with dogs.

Thankfully, allowing fantastic kids like Noelle volunteer and learn about animals just got easier in Austin.   With the help and support of her parents, Noelle is able to be part of Austin Pets Alive’s new Big Brother/Sister Program.  A lucky (and quite adorable) dog named Bunny got Noelle as her “Big” recently.   Noelle is familiarized with Bunny’s schedule and needs, wrote Bunny’s bio to help her get adopted, and gets to do fun stuff with her like play and teach her obedience cues.

Noelle Jack

While most ten year old girls are playing video games and making lists of all the toys, clothes and shoes they want, Noelle is focused on something entirely different.   She reads countless books on anything dog-related  and volunteers as much time as she can to opportunities that will allow her to help dogs and the people who love them.

Noelle’s love for animals, sense of humor, perseverance, and utterly amazing tendency for giving to others before she takes for herself, have made her a true inspiration in our lives.  We are proud to say she is part of our team and thankful for programs like APA’s Big Brothers/Sisters for giving her the opportunity to learn and grow as a truly good and wonderful person.  We hope to be more like Noelle when we grow up.

It’s a common misconception that allowing dogs on the furniture will “ruin” their temperament.   There is no magic respect switch that is flipped in a dog’s brain when they are not allowed on the furniture, and we’ve seen thousands of dogs maintain perfectly sweet and polite dispositions while enjoying the couch and bed with their people.  No use depriving them just because that episode of the Dog Whisperer said so. Instead, think of it as a personal decision.

Mo is no dummy: The couch is the most comfortable seat in the house...especially when his favorite neck pillow is available.

Some people don’t mind furring up the couch for a little extra snuggle time with their pets, while others prefer dogs stay off of their nice furniture and remain on the floor.  There is no right or wrong to this.  If approached properly, most dogs will see furniture as nothing more than what it is:  a comfortable place to cuddle with their family or a zone in the house that is simply off limits to them.

If you wish to share the couch or bed with your dog, that’s ok!  Just keep in mind that, like all other rewards, couches and beds are a privilege best controlled by the humans in the house.  Here are some simple tips and guidelines on how to do just that:

Puppies & New Dogs:

Keep puppies off of the furniture until they are about 1 year old and no longer chewing destructively or having accidents in the house.  Your couch will thank you for it later.

For mature dogs that are new to a house, we recommend 3 to 6 months without furniture access.  If other behavioral issues are being worked on, it may be best to wait a full year before allowing this privilege, or until those issues have been worked through with success.   The goal is to raise a dog that knows that furniture access can be taken away without causing any emotional distress to the dog or undoing any valuable training.

If you want to share your bed with your dog, first teach them to sleep separately on a dog bed or in a kennel for at least 6 months (possibly a full year or more  – especially for destructive and hyper puppies).  This teaches healthy independence as your dog learns that they can sleep alone – an essential lesson for young puppies as they build confidence.   It also helps maintain your freedom to sleep without your dog when you want, and prevents unhealthy dependencies that may contribute to separation anxiety.  Dogs who are allowed to sleep in bed from the time they arrive home often experience strong emotional distress when their human families travel and must be away from them for any period of time.

The On and Off of Things:

All dogs allowed on furniture should be taught an “off” cue so they can be asked to move politely when needed.  This is simple to teach and makes it easy for your dog to understand that just because they are allowed up on things, doesn’t mean they own them.

To earn access to the couch or bed, ask for a simple sit first.  After a nice sit, invite your dog up as the treat !  After a brief snuggle on the couch, then you have the perfect opportunity to practice off.  Get a treat and hold it to your dog’s nose.  Say “off” and guide them off the couch.  When four land on the floor, give them the treat and praise with “good dog!”

The Benefits:

There are benefits to allowing your pets on the furniture.  Not only do you get bonus snuggle time with your dog, but you are more likely to catch any health issues early on.  For example: a client of ours recently found a small lump on her dog’s belly that she swears she would have missed if it weren’t for her nightly couch snuggle time with her dog.  And things like smelly ears and halitosis are classic signs of infection or digestive issues that may be missed if you aren’t accustomed to being so up close and personal with your dog.

Furthermore, this is one more place you get to practice polite habits and boundaries.  A dog who is never allowed on the couch may not understand the “off” cue as clearly – something that comes in handy in a number of other situations other than furniture manners. We view it as a great sign of respect when our dogs happily remove themselves from a warm, soft seat so that we can enjoy the spot.

When furniture is not OK:

A small percentage of high status-seeking personalities may identify having furniture access as a status symbol, and may become territorial of the furniture as a result.  In severe cases the dogs will behave this way toward humans in the house.   It is more commonly seen in multi-dog homes where the pack structure is unstable and the dogs are competing with each other.   One dog will guard an area from another, which can cause some serious conflict.  This is usually not limited to just furniture though.  We’ve seen dogs guard entire sections of a house from other dogs in the family – and sometimes other human family members as well.  The couch or the bed are just one more zone that a dog on a power trip can guard, but limiting access to these spots alone is not a magic fix as it is not the root of the problem.  This behavior is a sign of imbalance, and that more boundaries, training, guidance, and exercise are needed with the dogs.  In the worst cases we’ve seen, the dogs typically have no daily structure, no feeding routine, no prior training, and therefore no real respect.  It’s typically doggie chaos that causes these problems, not the magic height of the couch.    In other words, if you see signs of furniture guarding (or any guarding) in your home, chances are the humans need to step it up on their dog duties before someone gets hurt.

Any dog who displays this type of behavior should have their furniture privileges revoked immediately to remove at least one catalyst for doggie disagreements.   This is a sure sign that further behavioral troubles are on the horizon with your dog (if they aren’t already rearing their ugly head), so contact a professional to further explore the reasons as to why your dog feels they can control things like furniture access in your home.   It’s not hard to address these problems, and the sooner you work to fix them, the easier they are to fix.

By: Crystal Dunn, Lead Trainer and Founder Leaps N’ Hounds LLC.

Socializing your puppy is probably one of the most important things you can do for them.  It helps stabilize their temperament at an early age, teaches strong social skills that they will use throughout life, improves manners, and prevents neurotic and over reactive behaviors from developing over time.   It’s also fun.  Who doesn’t love seeing their young pup tumble with other puppies, greet new people, or snuggle up to a big friendly dog?  But there are a few things everyone should consider as they take their impressionable pup into new environments.  In this first article of the series I’ll talk about places to and not to socialize your puppy.

What not to do:  The Dog Park
The biggest mistake many new puppy owners make is going straight to the dog park.  Before I go on, let me stress that I am not ANTI-dog park.  I am just anti-puppy at the dog park – and for good reason.

It seems like the obvious choice, but dog parks are actually very dangerous places to socialize an impressionable puppy.  Many dogs find the environment overwhelming, sending the pup into panic and/or ultra submissive or aggressive states of mind.  At this delicate stage in your puppy’s life it is crucial to make sure all of their dog-to-dog experiences are good and constructive.  Panic does not do anything good or constructive for your puppy.

Consider the potential crowd at the park.  Do you know any of these dogs?  Just about anyone who has ever been to a dog park has seen some behavior that is scary between dogs.  It’s like throwing your pup to the wolves and telling them:  ”Figure it out, buddy!”  There’s no support, control, or trust being developed there.  All you can do is hope for the best.   Some dogs play way too rough or show rude dog behaviors, and your puppy does not have the maturity to deal with those behaviors properly yet.  Liken it to taking a 5 year old to an R rated film.  You don’t want your child to repeat bad words or violence any more than you want your puppy to learn to play too rough.

Dog parks are also breeding grounds for all types of parasites.  Even a vaccinated dog stands a promising chance of picking up a nasty case of Giardia or other parasite.  Dog parks are a very bad idea for dogs who aren’t completely vaccinated.  I guarantee you a puppy will pick up Parvo from a dog park faster than just about any other environment – and few puppies survive this terrible infection even if they’ve had one or two rounds of vaccinations already

And what about all that training you’ve been working on? Letting your pup roam freely in a space where they can ignore your very existence will not strengthen their relationship to you.  The dog park environment definitely reinforces more than just a few bad habits – namely the ability to completely ignore that oh so important “come” command.  Spare yourself some trouble and don’t put your puppy in an environment where they are guaranteed to ignore you and succeed at it.

If you must socialize your dog at the dog park, here are a few tips to make it a little safer and more constructive:
1.) Go when it is slow.  5 dogs or less is ideal.
2.) Choose a park that has trees and other visual barriers.  Stay away from big boring spaces where there’s nothing to do but obsess about the other dogs.
3.) Take your own water.  Community dog water=vet visits.
4.) Scoop the poop.  If you see a pile (yours or another dog’s) pick it up.  That Giardia parasite I mentioned?  Yeah, it’s found in poop and we all know how much dogs love to stick their nose in it.
5.) Familiarize yourself with dog body language.  If you can recognize rude dog behavior, you can defend your dog if needed and help others encourage friendly play at the park!

What to do: Visit Dog Friendly Places on Leash

Hop in! Mo will drive.

Austin is full of dog friendly establishments.  Home improvement stores, craft stores, pet suppliers, vets, groomers, restaurants, pubs, and leash parks – to name a few.  All of these places have a wonderful variety of people, objects, sounds, and even dogs!  Taking your dog to a variety of places will expose them to all kinds of fun new things- all while your dog is safely on leash by your side.  The leash may seem like a hassle at this stage (you’re probably still teaching good leash manners), but it is essential in teaching your dog to depend on you for guidance and protection.  Bring high value treats with you to make everything in these places a good experience while practicing sits, stays, and good manners.  Treats will make your experience with them much easier too!  Adding in a few trips to the vet or groomer without subjecting your dog to needles or clippers will also help create positive associations with these essential places for your dog.

One important note to add here (and we’ll elaborate more on this in a future article on this topic) is to protect your dog.  If at any time your dog is uncomfortable or frightened, give them space to move away from the scary stimulus.  If it is potentially dangerous (a dog you don’t know or an unfriendly person, for example), then get your dog out of there.  If it isn’t dangerous and you feel your puppy is overreacting, allow them space to move away, but give them time to evaluate the situation.  Add treats or other rewards to the situation if you think it may help change their mind (give a “scary” stranger treats to share, for example).  Never coddle them or force them, just let them observe and sniff.  Sometimes puppies just have to learn things for themselves.  There is nothing wrong with being a little cautious around new things.

For questions or to set up a training consultation, please contact us.

Your information is safe with us and will never be shared with or sold to any outside parties.

Sincerely,

Crystal Dunn, Founder & Trainer

Baby Jack at 6 months old looking for goodies on the counter.

No curious puppy can withstand the temptation of a lovely loaf of bread on the counter; especially when that puppy is big enough to reach it. Yet lack of height hasn’t stopped many tenacious little dogs from aiming high too. Once they realize the goodies are on the counter, your average dog may turn into a genius athlete capable of climbing cabinets, leaping incredible distances, and even pushing furniture closer to the counter.   Suddenly it’s all but turned into a black ops mission – all in the name of getting an ample piece of that forbidden chocolate cake.

How do we end this bad and dangerous habit?

1. Avoid it all together. Leaving food out on the counter only sets your dog up to fail, which is a grade A no-no in dog training. It’s dangerous and simply taunts the keen nose of a dog. Put the bread, butter, oils, and other foods away so your dog isn’t rewarded for their counter curiosity.
2. Teach your dog the “Leave it” cue. Every puppy should understand the concept of: that’s not for you. “Leave it” has a very positive effect on a dog’s respect-o-meter, and a million different uses.  We venture to say it may be one of the most useful obedience commands ever.
3. Teach the “Off” cue. “Down” means lay down, “Off” means: keep your four on the floor, puppy face!
4. Teach basic obedience. When put to practical use, obedience translates to communication, respect, happy bonds and healthy boundaries.
5. Catch them in the act. Correction is effective only when you catch your dog before they have eaten the whole stick of butter.   Correct them verbally and sternly when you catch your dog counter surfing, but do not yell or run after your dog.  Dog’s like games and nothing says fun like a good romp around the kitchen island while you chase excitedly behind.
6. Redirect. If your dog shouldn’t be surfing the counters, what should they be doing?   So if you don’t want them surfing the counters, make sure you show them what you DO want them to do.  How about a fun, interactive toy or chew?   If following a stern correction with a redirection, be sure to offer the redirect in a gentle, positive and friendly tone, as if to say: I was unhappy with your counter surfing, but you playing with this toy will make me happy.
7. Feed from the dog bowl, not the counter. We fully support adding dog-healthy veggies and other foods to your dog’s diet, but feeding from the counter only says to a dog: “Hey! Lookie where the food comes from!”  Put nutritious foods in their bowl to avoid creating a beggar and counter surfer.
8. Supervise & be patient. Young dogs are scavengers by nature and our human rules make no sense to them. Keep a close eye on your young dog at all times and spend the energy to be consistent about redirecting them when they are headed for trouble. They’ll thank you for it later by giving you many wonderful years of good behavior.

There are other techniques, such as booby trapping, that are commonly used to deter even the worst counter surfers from scavenging food prep areas.  Some of these techniques work for some dogs, but they may also have unwanted side effects like irrational fears.  We highly recommend contacting a professional Dog Trainer to assess your dog’s temperament and habits before trying these techniques.  Plus, chances are good that if a dog is counter surfing, there are other manners they could work on too.   You may be pleasantly surprised at how much better life with your dog is with a professional’s guidance.

The most effective training occurs in day-to-day life as you reward good behavior and challenge your dog to work and play politely in new and more exciting environments.    This teaches them that the rules that apply in the house also apply outside of the house , no matter how exciting the situation may be.  It also gives us the opportunity to do fun activities with our dogs that bond them to us, making them more eager to please us and more interested in learning.

Bailey enjoying the view after a fun day of work and play.

As our Beagle/Catahoola friend, Bailey, has been visiting us for a board and train over the past week, we’ve done our best to duplicate the various scenarios that she will be expected to behave politely in.   Our goal with Bailey is not only to teach her obedience in the home, but to to build her into the kind of dog that her people will want to take everywhere – A confident and interactive true member of the family.

Bailey has come a long way from her shy shelter days.   Throughout her training she has traveled:  in the car, to the pet store, to the park, to our friends homes with new (polite) dogs, and out hiking around town.  In all of these places Bailey has been expected to follow the rules and cues we defined for her previously in her home during our quieter foundation training.

Bailey’s progress is unmistakable.  She sits and waits patiently for her meals (instead of her previous counter surfing techniques), her isolation anxiety has vanished (along with the potty accidents it caused), she is highly responsive to

Audrey & Crystal -Overlook at Penny Back Bridge

light verbal correction and redirection, she leaves a room on cue, jumps in the car on her own, and has learned that a loose leash and considerate walk is the easiest way to go anywhere.   The patience and focus that Bailey has learned makes obedience cues like sit and down a common language that we use to communicate, challenging her with new and fun learning experiences.

When Bailey goes home this week we will miss her.  She has become part of our family too, and we consider her a friend whom we know very deeply.   But we will return her home with pride.  Bailey is a perfect example of how clear and consistent positive reinforcement, practice, and redirection are all key in raising a happy, healthy, and confident dog.  We hope her family will enjoy her in beautiful weather again soon, just as we have.  Maybe they’ll go for another fun hike to enjoy fantastic views of Austin or perhaps go to a festival.  Whatever they enjoy together, we are happy to have been a part of the fun times she will share with her family for many sunny days to come.

Still, feeding home prepared diet can be costly and require more time than many are willing to give, so it is often dismissed as silly or impossible.  Add in all of the myths about feeding a dog “people food,” and a lot of people start to feel good about not venturing outside of the bag.  But these are myths, fueled by misunderstandings and a dog food industry that would love to have every dog in the world directly hooked to their specially formulated feed bag.

I’m not saying that all dog food is bad, or that all dog food makers are bad – some even endorse or make foods equivalent to what you could make in your kitchen. But who says you have to pick one or the other? Couldn’t you feed a mixture of home prepared AND kibble-based diet and get benefits from both?  Sure you can!

The great thing about feeding whole foods is that, unlike changing from one brand of kibble to another, most dogs can transition instantly to home prepared diet without any stomach upset. This also means whole foods can be added to their kibble or replace a meal entirely without any issues.  So if you want to feed your dog a healthier diet with more whole foods, or just make something special for them on occasion, don’t let kibble stop you.

We created this concoction for our dogs last night in just five minutes:

• Sweet potato (1 can unsweetened – SP’s are great for regulating blood sugar)
  
  

  Sweet Potato Goulash - Yum!

• Frozen blueberries (1 cup of antioxidants!)
• Carrots (just a few chopped up)
• Frozen Green Beans (1 cup)
• Frozen Broccoli (2 cups)
• Yeast Flakes (a handful to help defend against bugs naturally)
• Water (1 cup to make it more gravy-ish)
• 1 Brownish Banana (Soft, sweet, and full of potassium)

I heated this mixture very briefly, just enough to soften the broccoli and carrots so they were easier to digest.  This wasn’t a whole meal’s worth of food for five dogs, so I cut the kibble amount back to about 1/4 of what I usually feed, then added a healthy helping of the mixture over the top.   I checked the temperature  to make sure it was cooled enough, and then it was chow time!

Now I may be humanizing a bit here, but on his way out back for a post-dinner break, Jack made sure to stop and give me a quick wag, an adoring look, and a happy lick of the chops before carrying on with his routine.  I’d say that qualifies as a happy dog “thank you.”   Ten minutes later all five dogs were blissfully passed out in the living room with full bellies and content snores.

The whole foods that we add to our dogs’ diets don’t have to complicated.  You can add simple ingredients like green beans or pumpkin to add variety.  When chopping tomatoes or carrots, set some aside for treats.   You can even set part of your plain oatmeal aside in the morning or some cooked lentils or beans so you can add them in with the dog’s food later.  It is not a perfect science, but there is no definitive answer to nutrition for dogs.    All we know is that some variety is better than no variety so long as it healthy food –  No junk food and no human foods that may be toxic to dogs.    Stick mostly to dog healthy fruits and veggies, and they will be well.  Just ask Jack.

To request more information or to have Healing Species visit your local school, please visit www.HealingSpeciesTexas.org

Students Learn Lessons from Dogs: MyFoxAUSTIN.com

The City of Austin in partnership with Emancipet will provide a free rabies shot, collar and tag, microchip and spay/neuter for dogs/cats in these zip codes:

• 78701
• 78702
• 78721
• 78723
• 78724
• 78741
• 78744
• 78745
• 78753
• 78758

These free animal services have a value of more than $150. (at least!)

The Spay Street Program will help the City address the issue of the homeless pet population in the community thus reducing the risk of animals being euthanized.

Instructions for Spay Street Program free services:

No appointment needed, simply take your animals to Emancipet:

7201 Levander Loop, Austin 78702 Monday- Saturday, except second Wednesday of every month. Please bring proof of residency (ie: drivers license w/current address or a bill or official piece of mail with your name and address on it).

Call (512) 587-7729 for additional information.

• Drop off is between 8 and 9 a.m.
• Pick up is between 4 and 5p.m.
• All dogs are to be leashed and all cats must be in carriers
• Kittens & Puppies must be 8 weeks of age or older

Benefits of spaying/ neutering your pet:

1. SAVES YOU MONEY! Financially caring for 1 pet vs. all of their offspring. (not to mention reduced risk of ovarian and testicular cancer in dogs and cats!)
2. No more stray males hanging around your property to breed with your female.
3. Siblings won’t breed with each other and/ or their parents.
4. No need to find homes for unwanted litters.
5. Reduces aggression in male dogs and reduces tendency to roam.
6. Microchip cuts down on theft of dogs and helps with recovering lost animals.
7. Males are less likely to mark and/ or spray inside your home.
8. No more mess to clean from females in heat.
9. Females will not try to escape to go breed outside your home or property.

For more information or if you live outside of the qualifying zip codes and need assistance, please call the Spay Street Public Health Educator: 512-972-5832 or visit www.EMANCIPET.org for specials like this one:

If you are considering breeding your dog, please visit here first: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/

Please spay/neuter your pets!

Sincerely,

Your Pet Sitters and Dog Trainers at Leaps N’ Hounds

First things first: consider and prepare your dog.  They are a part of your family too, and while they will understandably take second place to the attention your new baby needs, expecting them to understand this without any preparation wouldn’t be fair at all and would only make things more difficult for you and them.  Take the time to do the following before your baby arrives, and set you and your dog up to succeed.

1. Set up a consistent walk/meal/play schedule that you (or someone in your home) can manage with a new baby. Now is a good time to start delegating, so don’t hesitate to ask other people in your home for help.  Dogs find stability and happiness on a daily schedule and will struggle less with other changes in the home if the factors that impact them the most don’t change.

2. Refresh that obedience.  We all let the rules slide from time to time, especially as our dogs get older and more relaxed.  But a new baby means a lot of change and you need to be able to communicate what you want from your dog in order to get it.  If your dog doesn’t know a lot of obedience, now is a good time to teach them.  It’s never too late to learn and challenging their mind gives the added benefit of a sleepy pooch.  We all know that a tired dog is a good dog – and every pregnant woman can appreciate that!

3. Teach new useful cues for optimal baby/puppy management.  “Back up” is an infinitely useful tool, especially if you have an excitable dog who likes to invade your space.  This helps you establish a personal boundary for you and your baby and can be used by visitors and in numerous other settings as well.   Teaching “avoid” using a blanket on the floor also helps teach your dog that some blankets are not for them – a very useful command for when you want to lay baby on their blanket without worrying about the dogs taking over.  A strong “leave it” and some practice with a few baby toys is also a good idea.  Other useful cues that speak for themselves include: Out, In, Go, and Settle.

4. Create baby and dog zones.  Teach your dog that controlled play time happens in a certain place of your home completely separate from where the baby will be.  The dog’s area should contain their toy box full of entertaining things and maybe even a bed or their kennel where they can go to get some peace if needed.  Every dog needs a safe zone where little hair-pulling hands can’t reach.

5. Set boundaries.  It’s easy to replace old pushy behaviors like jumping up for attention or helping themselves to your lap by teaching your dog what to do instead.  Enforce the earning system by requiring your dog to sit politely before receiving, food, attention, toys, play, or special privileges like access to your lap.  Also, all rough play and dog-to-dog romping belongs outside. Your dog may try to show off for you, competing with baby for your attention by displaying all of their athletic play moves.  This is normal, but will be a lot less dangerous if your dog already knows that those smooth moves belong outside.

6. Prepare yourself mentally.  Decide now that you will use these cues to communicate with your dog.  Practice the scenarios with a baby doll or rolled up blanket to get a feel for how they will play out.    Create a plan for caring for your pets while you’re at the hospital.  Delegate the responsibilities within your home to make sure your loyal friend continues getting what they need, even if it can’t come from you.  And most importantly, promise to yourself that you will be kind and calm with your dog when they are naturally curious about the new baby.  You are the role model on how to behave around the baby and your dog will pick up on your calm and soft energy.  Yelling or angry tones only create stress and negative associations.  Staying calm and relying on what you have taught your dog to control the situation will help foster a positive association between your dog and baby while keeping you in control and baby safe.

7. Introduce your baby.  First have someone bring home a blanket or piece of  clothing that smells like the baby and allow your dog to smell it gently.  Say your baby’s name repeatedly and give soft praise to create a positive association and identifier with the smell.  Then place the blanket in/near the crib and out of reach.

Have more questions or need help?  Just call or email us to set up a free consult: 512-814-PAWS    / Crystal@leapsnhounds.com

This post is dedicated to our new friend Abigail.  Welcome home Abby, and congratulations to your proud parents, handsome brothers, and loyal dogs: Jet & Tank.  You could not have picked a nicer family.