Tag Archives: Crate Escape

The benefits of a crate

No, not every dog needs one. But, for those that do, dogs and owners alike can find comfort in a sturdy crate. As den animals, most dogs take well to a crate, and treat this as their home inside your home!

Often, owners of newly rescued dogs feel that a crate is cruel. They would prefer to give their dog free roam immediately because said dog has had it rough, or spent “x” amount of time in a kennel, or *insert any other reason here.* Unfortunately, when this new family member doesn’t yet know the rules of your home, having free roam can actually create quite a bit of anxiety. Especially coming from somewhere like a shelter, where the routine is the same every day, they simply don’t know what to do or what to expect in a new place! Having a routine that involves a crate can really help during the adjustment period, and can prevent common behavioral problems like anxiety and housebreaking issues.

Crating young and old dogs alike can be beneficial to curb unwanted behaviors, as well. Any number of behaviors can occur from boredom and lack of exercise- chewing is a common one that comes to mind. Crating can keep your dog safe from chewing on dangerous or expensive items, and you can place items the dog is allowed to chew on inside the crate! Of course, if the behaviors are a result of boredom or a lack of exercise, addressing these issues is important, as well.

Interested in learning how to best crate train your dog? Contact us for details!

Enroll in group or private lessons at www.muttmagic.com

Be a LEADER!!

Most dogs, like most people, are natural followers. In fact, humans have bred dogs to follow our leadership for thousands of years. Even if you’re not a natural-born leader, your dog needs you to learn to be one for his sake!

Many behavioral problems are a result of a lack of leadership in the home. (As you well know I’ll say: The rest are likely a result of a lack of exercise!) Leadership related behavioral problems can be seen in anxious dogs and dominant dogs alike. In fact, a simple lack of leadership that can magnify fear, anxiety, dominance, and many other common behavioral concerns. Leadership is essential for a newly adopted dog, as well as one that has been in your home for years.

So, what are some actions that you can take to become a better leader for your dog? An easy start is a “Nothing in Life is Free” program (NILF, for short). This means that your dog must work for everything that she gets. It can include sitting and waiting for food (being on a feeding schedule, if free-fed), performing obedience for affection and/or treats, having a handler enter/exit doors first (This includes being let into the yard!), and staying off of the furniture. These are some simple, but highly effective, changes that can be made. The best part? They won’t take extra time in your daily routine!

One more note to make regarding leadership: It’s important to remember that in a pack of dogs, it’s always the submissive dog to initiate play and interaction from the other dogs. (Watch them at the dog park, it’s true!) Because of this, be sure that your dog is the one to initiate play time with you, and not the other way around. If you initiate ball play, you’re inadvertently putting yourself in a submissive position. Wait for your dog to request play time or affection. From there, you have the choice to play or not- and now you’re the leader. Simple!

Visit us online: www.muttmagic.com OR www.baltimorecrateescape.com

Starting a training journal

Keeping a training journal while working with your dogs can be very rewarding. I often suggest this to clients that own dogs with behavioral concerns when they enter into a training program, although this can be very useful for all dogs. I keep one for each of my dogs, in fact. Now that we’re well into the new year, I can look back to last year’s entries to see how my dogs have progressed, and what still needs to be worked on. Perfect!

What should go in a journal entry?

Every month, I create a calendar as the first entry. Then, I mark each date that I’ve trained. I also mark when I’ve exercised the dogs, what the exercise routine was, and what the temperature was outside. This way, I have an overview that I can easily reference that shows how many days the dogs and I have worked together and what we’ve done.

Following the calendar page, I enter detailed information regarding what was accomplished on each training date. Did the dogs do anything well? Did they need more attention on certain aspects of what we worked on? How was their endurance when exercising? These details will help you to adjust your next training and/or exercise session.

Next, once you’ve progressed and have several entries, you can look back to see how far you’ve come! I suggest monthly and yearly reviews. This is particularly beneficial if you’re trying to accomplish something specific like behavior management, competitive obedience, or endurance training. It can be used for anything, however. If you come up with a new use for journaling your dog’s progress, please share it with us! info@muttmagic.com

Visit us online: www.muttmagic.com

Appropriately Exercising Your Dog in the Heat

Heat can be very dangerous to our pets. Last month, I repeated an essay by Dawn Rexroad on the “Hidden Dangers of Summer,” which included information on parasites that are common, as well as how to recognize and, more importantly, prevent, heat stroke. This month, let’s address how to safely exercise your dog so that he doesn’t go stir crazy during the summer months we should all enjoy!

Especially during these months, when I ask clients the question I always ask “How much exercise does your dog get?” The answer is often “Plenty, her tongue is hanging on the ground by the time we’re done!” While panting can be a sign that the dog is winded, it can also be a sign that the dog is hot, or even stressed. Panting alone cannot be an indicator of adequate exercise. However, if you notice a fat, swollen tongue, that is probably a sign that you need to make an effort to cool your dog down.

So, how do we safely ensure that the dogs get the amount of exercise that they need? I don’t recall a summer where we’ve had this many days over 100 degrees in a row, but it’s time to start getting creative! Personally, I’ve been making an effort to go to bed early and wake up to walk dogs at a safe time. I learned that even 8am is too late to walk the dogs the distance they need to go for proper exercise. So, we’ve been getting up and walking at 7am. Late night walks are an option for those that are night owls, as well. Swimming can be a GREAT way to exercise dogs and keep them cool, if your dog is inclined to like the water. Fortunately, swimming is also an activity that we can join them in, staying cool ourselves! Last, indoor activities can suffice in some cases. For some dogs that I normally walk in the afternoon, I’ll give them a quick potty break, and then give them a run on a treadmill (if one is available and when the dog has been introduced to it properly).

While there is no substitute for proper exercise, other activities such as teaching new commands using target training (watch: teaching touch), playing hide and seek, and having interactive toys and puzzles for your dog to play with are good ideas. These will all burn some mental energy, which can help keep them entertained during the day when it’s not safe to play outside.

Be creative; exercise and train safely. Enjoy your summer!

Please visit Mutt Magic online: www.muttmagic.com AND The Crate Escape: http://crateescape.muttmagic.com

It is NOT a Pit Bull problem. . .

. . .and I am not a “pit bull” person. I am a “dog” person.

 

. . .it's a human problem.

. . .it's a human problem.

Pit Bull News

It was noted on WJZ news on Tuesday morning/evening that there is a “pit bull problem” and that there is currently a pit bull overpopulation. A local “Pit Fix” program was also noted as a solution to overpopulation and abuse. The fact that the breed is, unfortunately, notoriously popular at the moment is true. That does not make our current situation a “pit bull” problem any more than there was a “cocker spaniel” problem in the 70’s or a “dalmatian” problem in the 80’s. The problem is people! The pit bull is just as abused and overbred as any other breed in history right now. It is probably more publicized than any other breed in history in part because of the internet- something that wasn’t in existence (or popular) when other breeds were under attack.

While spaying and neutering of pets is important and can certainly help overpopulation and homeless animals, breed specific clinics have the potential to give the wrong message. Much like this news report indicated, the message given is that pit bulls need to be spayed/neutered more than any other breed. This is simply not true. Keep in mind- spay and neuter programs are used by RESPONSIBLE dog owners. Individuals abusing dogs do not spay/neuter regardless of cost- it’s a completely different mindset. Promoting the spay/neuter of an individual breed will not prevent animal abuse any more than banning a breed will provide public safety. This is an effort that needs to be directed to individuals and it goes much deeper than spay/neuter.

We have created and bred dogs for companionship and service. It is our responsibility to care for them. Please do spay and neuter your pets, and encourage all to treat companion animals with love and respect. . .regardless of breed!

What is the Crate Escape?

. . .you’ll have to wait and see!! Not good enough? Ok, I’ll give you a hint- it will be located at our new location. HA! You’ve got to love anticipation.

This is my first attempt at a Blog for Mutt Magic. I hope those that read will find it fun and insightful.  I’m hoping to include content for clients, fellow trainers, and dog lovers. Please stay tuned for more posts.

Bonnie, Amber, and I will be at DogFest 2009 tomorrow (yes, it’s tomorrow already. . .hear I am, burning the midnight oil again) I hear it’s supposed to rain throughout the day. Bring your umbrella; hopefully we’ll see you there!