6 Dangerous Games Dog Owners Must Know About

Dogs need exercise, play and mental stimulation. In previous posts I've written about safe, fun ways to keep our dogs active, happy and healthy, but in this post I'd like to warn about some games that we should NEVER play with our dogs:

1) Laser pens. Using a laser pointer to tease your dog might be amusing for you, but it's no fun for your dog. At best, it builds frustration, and at worst, it can create OCD behaviors like chasing reflections, lights and shadows. If your dog has a strong prey drive, teach him to play fetch, or teach him how to play the 2-ball game - not how to chase laser dots.

2) "Find the Food." This game involves  hiding food treats around the house and cheering your dog  on as he runs frantically around the house looking for the food - encouraging him to probe between cushions on the couch, crawl under furniture, root around in and under your kid's toys, etc. This game can teach some very bad habits - such as food stealing, tearing up your furniture, becoming possessive of your children's toys, etc. A better idea is to teach your dogs to earn his treats by working with you - learning useful obedience commands like sit, down, come, stay and drop-it.

3) The "muffin pan game" when played with more than 1 dog.  Get a muffin pan, put some kibble in some of the compartments, and cover them with balls. Puppy learns to remove the ball and find the treat. Pretty harmless when played by only one puppy, but when you allow MORE THAN ONE puppy to play the game, you're teaching them to compete over food while in a state of high arousal, in effect teaching them to become resource guarders against other dogs (and possibly even against humans) later on.

4) Flirt pole jumping. A flirt pole can be a great way to exercise your dog. But the right way to do it is to allow the toy to "run" across the ground, NOT to make your dog jump up in the air after it, risking serious leg injuries.

5) Playing tug the wrong way.  Tug of war can be a great game. But there are rules! Playing it the right way builds a strong bond and provides plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Playing it the wrong way creates bad habits. Here's a video showing the right way to play tug:

6) Allowing play among unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. Dog parks can be fun if you know the other dogs and if you supervise the activity. But I do not recommend allowing dogs to play with unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. (In a previous post I warned about the risks involved. Since then, I came across an excellent DVD by Sue Sternberg that I highly recommend if you go to dog parks regularly: "Dog-Dog Engagements Between Unfamiliar Dogs - Why It's So Risky.")

Wolfdogs (Wolf Hybrids) Are Not For Everyone

Courtesy of our friends at Howling Woods Farm. Visit them at www.howlingwoods.org

High content wolfdogs are very strong and difficult to train, require large secure outdoor pens, have special diets, and require a great deal of attention. They are very intelligent and get bored easily. While in some ways the behavior of wolfdogs is not much different than that of the typical canine family pet, certain traits are greatly magnified. For example, wolfdogs:

• react poorly to standard dog training
  
• may dig large holes in their pens or the backyard, especially if bored or tied down
  
• can jump or climb a six-foot high fence
  
• are smart and learn commands easily, but often decide to ignore them
  
• require an enclosure large enough for exercise and play.
  
• will roll over and over again in the most obnoxious smelling substance known to the human nose.
  
• do not respond to discipline the way most dogs do. Training a wolf dog is about as 'easy' as training a house cat.
  
• do not like to be alone (they need a canine or human companion). Providing a companion often negates undesirable behaviors discussed in this section. Remember, wolves are highly developed social animals that normally live in groups; it's not in their nature to be alone. A lone wolf is not a happy wolf.
  
• require a very high protein diet. Most commercial dog foods are difficult for wolf dogs to digest due to their high vegetable/low protein content.
  
• may be very fearful of people outside of the family. Taking them to public places may cause high anxiety and stress.
  
• Require a very high amount of socialization, often and repeatedly, from a very young age through adulthood, if you expect to ever take them to public places (or even for a walk).
  
• are not good off leash; they may run off in pursuit of something interesting and are difficult to call back; or they may find that obnoxious smelly stuff discussed above.
  
• bark very little, but boy do they howl.

Lastly, they bond strongly; should you ever give them up, they could languish. At best, they would not bond as easily with their next human companions as they did with you. A decision to bring a wolfdog into your home is a major lifetime commitment. Giving one up, no matter how good a reason, would likely result in its death; it would most likely never make it out of the shelter.

Wolf dogs are poor watchdogs!

They don't bark and tend to be fearful of strangers.  

How to Teach Your Dog to Take Treats Gently, Without Biting Your Fingers

Here's a method you can use to cure "Hard Mouth." Hard mouth refers to a dog who snatches treats fast and hard from your fingers, accidentally making contact.

Hard mouth usually begins in puppyhood, when owners (especially children) pull their hands away at the moment a treat is offered, to avoid contact with the puppy's teeth. This teaches the puppy that he has to lunge forward quickly to get the treat. This bad habit often continues into adulthood, and his bite gets harder and harder.

The following method will train a puppy, and can also be used to retrain an adult dog, to take treats gently:

1) Get some small food treats about the size of popcorn. Have the dog sit. Offer the treat to your dog in a closed fist, start with your hand at your side and slowly swoop your fist up just below his chin.  When the dog gives your fist a gentle nudge with his nose, open your hand, palm up, and let the dog eat the treat from your flat hand.  

2) While the dog remains seated, repeat the presentation of the treats exactly as described above. Do this several times. (If he stands up, tell him to sit again.) When the dog has calmly and gently eaten the food from the palm of your hand several times in a row, move to the next step.

3) Move the hand with the food treat toward the dog exactly the same way (swooping up from your side to just under his chin) except now, instead of holding it in your closed fist, you should be holding it under your thumb, completely hidden under the thumb. Thumb on top, all four fingers together on the bottom. When the dog touches his nose to your fingers, move your thumb out of the way revealing the treat. Do this several times. When the dog has calmly and gently eaten the food from your fingers several times in a row, move to the next step.

4) Continue offering the food as in step 3, only now you can begin to hold the food slightly exposed. Be sure to slowly swoop the hand up under the dog's chin the exact same way as before.
Congratulations, your dog is now taking treats without snapping!

Over the next few days, every time you give your dog a treat, start with step 1 and work toward step 4. Eventually it will take fewer repetitions between steps to achieve the desired result. With practice, the bad habit of snapping at your fingers will completely disappear.

Be careful not to pull your hand away while giving treats, or the bad habit may return.

Dog is Aggressive Upon Waking Up

Some dogs will snarl, snap, growl or bite when they are awakened from sleep. Let’s start by discussing what this behavior is NOT:

It is NOT a dominance issue (i.e. “Hey! Don’t bother me when I’m sleeping!”).

It is NOT idiopathic aggression (also known as “rage syndrome”). A variety of studies and testing over the past 30 years have failed to produce a clear cause for idiopathic aggression. But fortunately, it is extremely rare today.  Idiopathic aggression has basically been bred out of the most susceptible breeds (Springers, Cockers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dobermans). It is so rare that it is practically unheard of today. And most importantly - idiopathic aggression typically does NOT present as aggression upon waking. 

So now that we’ve established that your dog is not trying to take over your house, and your dog is not crazy, here’s what this specific behavior usually is:  It is an involuntary fear or startle response, completely outside of the dog’s control.  

For clients who have dogs with this particular problem, we suggest the following:

• Crate train the dog and don’t allow him to sleep in places where humans are likely to disturb him (especially not in bed next to you, as the chance of rolling over onto him can trigger a bite).
• Don’t waste time trying to systematically counter-condition or desensitize the behavior. This is not something you can fix with training. The key is management and prevention.
• When you need to wake your dog, do it from across the room, NOT by touching him. Call him in a happy voice, clap your hands, give him time to stand up, walk over to you and be fully awake  before you touch him.
• Instruct all family members (especially children!) to stay away from the dog when she’s sleeping. Again, this is easier to do if you crate train the dog.
• Don't punish the dog for this behavior - it is completely outside of his control.  
• Be aware that certain medications (Benadryl for example) may put the dog into a deeper sleep and may, therefore, intensify the startle response upon waking.

(Note: The above discussion is about dogs who aggress when they are awakened from sleep. This is NOT the same problem as dogs who growl, snap, snarl or bite when approached while they are resting (but wide awake).   That is a different problem - sometimes rooted in dominance, sometimes in fear, and sometimes it’s a form of resource guarding. In those cases you will benefit from the help of an experienced dog trainer to identify the specific cause of the behavior and help you work to correct it.)

Dog Breed Lists

Here are 154 American Kennel Club (AKC) breeds, ordered based on popularity of AKC registrations (2013 - 2015):

1.	Labrador Retriever		78.	Giant Schnauzer
2.	Golden Retriever		79.	Cardigan Welsh Corgi
3.	Yorkshire terrier		80.	Schipperke
4.	German shepherd dog		81.	Basenji
5.	Beagle		82.	Border Terrier
6.	Dachshund		83.	Irish Wolfhound
7.	Boxer		84.	Staffordshire Bull Terrier
8.	Poodle		85.	Bouvier Des Flandres
9.	Shih Tzu		86.	Gordon Setter
10.	Miniature Schnauzer		87.	Belgian Malinois
11.	Chihuahuas		88.	Toy Fox Terrier
12.	Pug		89.	Norwich Terrier
13.	Bull Dog		90.	Welsh Terrier
14.	Pomeranian		91.	Keeshond
15.	Cocker Spaniel(American)		92.	Great Swiss Mountain Dog
16.	Rottweiler		93.	Tibetan Terrier
17.	Boston Terrier		94.	Borzoi
18.	Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)		95.	Afghan Hound
19.	Maltese		96.	Norwegian Elkhound
20.	German Shorthaired Pointer		97.	English Setter
21.	Doberman Pinscher		98.	Flat Coated Retriever
22.	Miniature Pinscher		99.	Standard Schnauzer
23.	Pembroke Welsh Corgi		100.	Belgian Tervuren
24.	Great Dane		101.	Bearded Collie
25.	Siberian Husky		102.	Tibetan Spaniel
26.	Bichon Frise		103.	Fox Terrier – Smooth
27.	Basset Hound		104.	Manchester Terrier (Standard & Toy)
28.	English Springer Spaniel		105.	Kerry Blue Terrier
29.	Weimaraner		106.	Plott Hound
30.	Brittany		107.	Australian Terrier
31.	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel		108.	American Eskimo
32.	West Highland White Terrier		109.	Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
33.	Mastiff		110.	Pointer
34.	Australian Shepherd		111.	Belgian Sheepdog
35.	Papillion		112.	Norfolk Terrier
36.	Collie (Rough) & (Smooth)		113.	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
37.	Saint Bernard		114.	Anatolian Sheepdog
38.	French Bulldog		115.	Spinone Italiano
39.	Lhasa Apso		116.	Neopolitan Mastiff
40.	Scottish Terrier		117.	Irish Terrier
41.	Cairn Terrier		118.	Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
42.	Bullmastiff		119.	Saluki
43.	Havanese		120.	Bedlington Terrier
44.	Vizsla		121.	Briard
45.	Chinese Shar Pei		122.	Clumber Spaniel
46.	Newfoundland		123.	English Toy Spaniel
47.	Bernese Mountain Dog		124.	Welsh Springer Spaniel
48.	Pekingese		125.	Affenpinscher
49.	Chesapeake Bay Retriever		126.	Miniature Bull Terrier
50.	Bloodhound		127.	Scottish Deerhound
51.	Akita		128.	American Water Spaniel
52.	Airdale Terrier		129.	Lakeland Terrier
53.	Chinese Crested		130.	Curly Coated Retriever
54.	Rhodesian Ridgeback		131.	Black And Tan Coonhound
55.	Border Collie		132.	Puli
56.	Italian Greyhound		133.	Ibizan Hound
57.	Great Pyrenees		134.	Greyhound
58.	Alaskan Malamute		135.	Field Spaniel
59.	Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier		136.	Irish Water Spaniel
60.	Brussels Griffon		137.	Kuvasz
61.	Whippet		138.	Polish Lowland Sheepdog
62.	Bull Terrier		139.	Lowchen (Little Lion Dog)
63.	American Staffordshire Terrier		140.	Pharaoh Hound
64.	Chow Chow		141.	Black Russian Terrier
65.	Silky Terrier		142.	German Pinscher
66.	Shiba Inu		143.	Sussex Spaniel
67.	Irish Setter		144.	Skye Terrier
68.	Japanese Chin		145.	Komondor
69.	Old English Sheepdog (Bobtail)		146.	Sealyham Terrier
70.	Australian Cattle Dog		147.	Canaan Dog
71.	Portuguese Water Dogs		148.	Finnish Spitz
72.	Parson Russell Terrier		149.	Dandie Dinmont Terrier
73.	German Wirehaired Pointer		150.	Glen Imaal Terrier
74.	Cocker Spaniel (English)		151.	American Foxhound
75.	Samoyed		152.	Otter Hound
76.	Fox Terrier – Wirehair		153.	Harrier
77.	Dalmatian		154.	English Foxhound

Here is a list of dog breeds ranked by working/obedience intelligence (i.e. the number of repetitions required for the dog to understand a new command), based on surveys of professional dog trainers. Breeds ranked in the top 10 may learn new commands in as few as 10 repetitions, while breeds in the bottom 10 may require up to 100 repetitions or more to learn a new command.

1.	Border Collie		43.	Saluki
2.	Poodle			Finnish Spitz
3.	German Shepherd			Pointer
4.	Golden Retriever		44.	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
5.	Doberman Pinscher			German Wirehaired Pointer
6.	Shetland Sheepdog			Black & Tan Coonhound
7.	Labrador Retriever			American Water Spaniel
8.	Papillon		45.	Siberian Husky
9.	Rottweiler			Bichon Frise
10.	Australian Cattle Dog			English Toy Spaniel
11.	Pembroke Welsh Corgi		46.	Tibetan Spaniel
12.	Miniature Schnauzer			English Foxhound
13.	English Springer Spaniel			Otterhound
14.	Belgian Tervuren			American Foxhound
15.	Schipperke			Greyhound
	Belgian Sheepdog			Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
16.	Collie		47.	West Highland White Terrier
	Keeshond			Scottish Deerhound
17.	German Shorthaired Pointer		48.	Boxer
18.	Flat-Coated Retriever			Great Dane
	English Cocker Spaniel		49.	Dachshund
	Standard Schnauzer			Stafforshire Bull Terrier
19.	Brittany		50.	Alaskan Malamute
20.	Cocker Spaniel		51.	Whippet
21.	Weimaraner			Chinese Shar-pei
22.	Belgian Malinois			Wire Fox Terrier
	Bernese Mountain Dog		52.	Rhodesian Ridgeback
23.	Pomeranian		53.	Ibizan Hound
24.	Irish Water Spaniel			Welsh Terrier
25.	Vizsla			Irish Terrier
26.	Cardigan Welsh Corgi		54.	Boston Terrier
27.	Chesapeake Bay Retriever			Akita
	Puli		55.	Skye Terrier
	Yorkshire Terrier		56.	Norfolk Terrier
28.	Giant Schnauzer			Sealyham Terrier
29.	Airedale Terrier		57.	Pug
	Bouvier Des Flandres		58.	French Bulldog
30.	Border Terrier		59.	Brussels Griffon
	Briard			Maltese
31.	Welsh Springer Spaniel		60.	Italian Greyhound
32.	Manchester Terrier		61.	Chinese Crested
33.	Samoyed		62.	Dandie Dinmont Terrier
34.	Field Spaniel			Petit Basset Griffon
	Newfoundland			Vendeen
	Australian Terrier			Tibetan Terrier
	American Staffordshire Terrier			Japanese Chin
	Gordon Setter			Lakeland Terrier
	Bearded Collie		63.	Old English Sheepdog
35.	Cairn Terrier		64.	Great Pyrenees
	Kerry Blue Terrier		65.	Scottish Terrier
	Irish Setter			Saint Bernard
36.	Norwegian Elkhound

Can Dogs and Cats Live Peacefully Together?

Can dogs and cats live together in peace? Absolutely! But can any dog and any cat be reliably trained to get along perfectly with one another? Probably not.

One of the most frequent questions we hear is, “How can I train my dog to get along with my cat?”  Things get complicated when dog trainers try to answer that question.

First the trainer must start with another question: “What is your dog doing now when he sees the cat?” If your dog is aggressively chasing, fixating, growling, snapping or snarling at your cat – it’s safety first – you must manage the environment to keep your pets safe. Odds are that they probably will not be best friends any time soon.

But if your dog is simply trying to play with your cat, and if your cat grew up with dogs - then there’s hope.

Let’s take a moment to examine why dogs and cats "getting along" can sometimes be problematic. It's all about communication. Most dogs and cats who have grown up with each other will learn to get along fine. But dogs and cats who meet later in life will need lots of time to learn to communicate with each other. This is no easy task, because dogs and cats communicate through body language and the body language of  a cat is not the same as the body language of a dog.

For example, a “play bow” (chest down, butt up) means “let’s play” when displayed by a dog. But the exact same behavior  means “go away” when done by a cat.  Another example - a high tail displayed by a cat often means “I’m interested” while a high tail displayed by a dog usually means “I’m on guard.” 

Think of it this way: if you meet a person from France who speaks no English, and you speak no French, it’s going to take quite a while before the two of you can communicate. It’s the same with dogs and cats who were not introduced to one another at an early age. They will have trouble communicating.  This becomes even more difficult if the cat runs every time she sees the dog, especially if the dog is high drive and/or bred to be highly attuned to movement (e.g. terriers, sight hounds etc.)

The bottom line is this: some dogs will get along with some cats. Only time will tell. In the meantime, it’s up to you to keep them safely separated.  Cats and dogs can be seriously injured when they fight. This is NOT something that a responsible owner will  “just let them work out on their own.”

Bottom line: this is more of a management issue than a training issue - manage the environment to keep your pets safe. 

Tips for Fostering or Adopting a Shy or Fearful Dog

If you’re thinking about fostering or adopting a shy, fearful dog you are about to embark upon one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Shy and fearful dogs need lots of help to build confidence and learn to live a happy life. There are no quick fixes - progress will be made slowly, over time.

Lots of thought should be given to the special needs very shy dogs have before you make the decision to take one home with you.  Shy and fearful dogs tend to react out of context to common household occurrences. For example if a door slams, a confident dog will be startled for a moment but will quickly recover from the experience. In contrast, a fearful dog may submissively urinate then run and hide under the bed for the next hour. Or he may turn and snap at the person standing closest to him.


A visit the vet to rule out medical factors which might be contributing to the behavior is a good place to start.

Next, build confidence by establishing a close relationship and by providing a calm, orderly and predictable environment.  A few ideas that may help:

• Provide a kennel crate for your dog. Have the dog use the kennel crate for naps while you are home, for sleeping overnight, and whenever you are not home. This will help build confidence because the crate is a place of safety and security for the dog. It will also help prevent destructive behavior and housebreaking accidents.
• For the first few days with any dog who is new to your home, it’s a good idea to keep the dog on a leash inside the home. Keep the dog tethered to you and have him follow you from room to room as you go about your daily routine. This is especially helpful with a shy or fearful dog. It has a comforting effect, helps build trust and shows the dog that you are his leader and his protector.
• Do not let the dog run loose in the back yard during the first few days. Fearful dogs may be hesitant to return back inside the home before they have settled in. Instead, walk the dog on a leash, even if your back yard is fenced, until the dog feels “at home” in his new surroundings.
• Take the dog for at least 2 daily walks for exercise. Daily walks help strengthen the bond between dog and owner.
• Play with your dog every day! Play is a natural behavior – dogs need to play in order to build confidence.
• Sudden or fast movements, shouting, children racing through rooms etc. should be avoided.
• Instruct guests to completely ignore the dog until he approaches them. If the dog approaches them, they can reach out and scratch the dog under the chin or on the chest.  Avoid eye contact and frontal alignment at first. DO NOT PAT the dog on the head. DO NOT hug the dog around the neck or head.
• If the dog is afraid of something or someone, do not force the dog to approach. Instead, provide distance and redirect the dog’s attention.
• Provide a daily routine including daily obedience training.  
• NO physical punishment. Tactics such as rolling a dog on its back, hitting a dog or pinning a dog down only serve to frighten them. These tactics can quickly break down the bond between a dog and its owner.
• Never take a dog back to a housebreaking accident and put his nose in the mess. The dog will have no idea why you are doing this and it will hurt, not help, your housetraining efforts.  Instead, prevent accidents from happening in the first place, by using a dog crate, providing constant supervision and taking the dog outside for frequent potty breaks.

Dogs with serious fear issues will benefit greatly from professional assistance and training. Canine Dimensions can design a program to help your dog gain confidence and live a happier life. Call us at 1-888-281-3647 for more information.