Raising A Well Mannered Mutt
Sallie Palmer
A common complaint that I hear from dog owners is that their lovely mutt is literally eating the house and chewing any item that is available and, of course, usually
valuable. Sometimes the complaint is the furry beast has dug up their yard and now it resembles a moonscape. Others complain that every time they open the front door their doggy does a 50 yard dash down the street. Still some are horrified to see their pintsize pooch turn into Cujo and act as if they will maul the ankles of any passing person or animal within close proximity of their property.
What's going on here? It might be as simple as your dog is suffering from boredom. Boredom is the number one cause of behavioral problems. Contrary to what people think, dogs like to work. They want a job. They do not want to sit around for eight hours a day waiting for us to come home from work. The truth is, if you don't give your dogs a job, they will most likely become self employed and you will probably not like the vocations they choose. Some favorite canine careers include demolition, excavation, homeland security, interior re-decorating, landscaping, and big game hunter.
So what can you do? Exercise would be the first order of the day. A tired dog is a happy dog. Any constructive running, walking or agility exercise is great for your dog. Don't be fooled by thinking "Well, I have a big yard he can run around in all day long". The dogs that usually do that are chasing squirrels that they seldom catch and therefore become extremely frustrated. They take out that frustration on, you guessed it, destructive activity. Plus how many of us have exercise equipment at home and use it! If you are reading this and saying to yourself "I know I'm not going to get the dog out for the exercise he needs." I have a few other suggestions to help keep your Labrador-Beaver mix too preoccupied to munch your deck.
DOG PUZZLES. As dogs mature they get smarter. Giving your dog 'dog puzzles' that they have to figure out is an excellent way to exercise their minds and burn up energy. The brain uses more energy than muscles so any new activity is exercise. Some of my favorite dog puzzles include the Buster Cubes. This is a hard plastic cube with a hole in the top. The cube has a maze of compartments inside so when you pour kibble into
it, the kibble is dispersed into the different chambers. The dog has to roll it around to extract every piece of kibble. The cube is practically indestructible, making it difficult for any dog to destroy. Other favorite toys include stuffing a Kong with treats, hollow rubber balls and other odd shaped toys that can be stuffed with dog food. Rainbow Agriculture has an abundance of dog puzzles available.
Something else we should keep in mind is that dogs are scavengers as well as predators. They like to hunt. They explore and discover. Try this activity with dry food. Instead of giving your dog his food in a bowl, scatter it like chicken feed. Just throw it up in the air and see where it lands (be careful not to throw it into any hazardous areas such as
foxtails). It's like sending your dog on a scavenger hunt-literally. If you give your dog wet food, you will need to place it in areas in clumps. Make sure your dog doesn't watch you do this actively. This will make it more challenging. When you let him loose, give a command such as "find it." And watch him put his nose to work. This will surely burn up some of that energy.
Another fun activity is to create a 'Tug Station' for those dogs that like tug of war. Tie a rope to a sturdy tree branch that will move when pulled on. Make sure you have a large knot at the end. Let it dangle at dog muzzle level. You might want to put a yummy scent on the knot first to get your dog's attention. Now encourage your dog to tug on the rope. Some dogs will actually swing around on it.
If you have a digger, construct a three sided sand box and place buried treasures on the bottom ( hardy dog biscuits, etc.). When your dog has dug up the treasures, replenish it with more but don't let him see you do it. Your dog will soon think this is the place to dig and not get in trouble. He will be fascinated to see if there are more treasures there
that she might have missed.
For those with herding breeds, try getting one, two or three large balls
such as 'Jolly Balls or Almost Indestructible balls'. These oversized
balls have to be pushed around and can't be easily carried. Your Border
collie, heeler and cattle dog will work on getting these toys right where
they want them by pushing them around. It's not easy for them to get the balls
to cooperate since they tend to roll away. These are just a few suggestions. You can be creative and adapt activities to your dog's unique personality. Please keep safety in mind.
Remember, dogs want something to do and if we don't direct the activities, they will create their own.
Check out the Sunday Morning Dam Dog Walk. For ongoing socialization (for both you and your dog) Starting April 15, 2007. 8:30 a.m. at the upper parking lot at Beautiful Lake Mendocino. Sallie Palmer teaches puppy classes, beginning dog classes and continuing dog classes in Ukiah and Willits. You can find out more information by logging onto www.wellmanneredmutts.net
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