DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR

[From Tufts December 2011 Issue]

We want to know how we can help my dog. Tan-Tan is a 4-year-old, 60-pound German shepherd mix. When she sees squirrels, deer, etc., in the woods, she runs and chases them. She also does this when she sees cars on the street. We try to distract her with treats and call her name; however, nothing works. Once she sees something moving, she can focus only on one thing. In the house, she is very good following commands. Is there anything we can do help her?

Our dog, Legolas, a Lagotto Romagnolo, is obsessed with eating paper. If you leave a juicy filet mignon unattended on the table, our dog will make a swoop and steal the napkin. If you try to blow your nose in his presence, he might just take your nose off trying to snatch the tissue. Does he have some diet deficiency? Patty Wendel Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. …

[From Tufts February 2011 Issue] My favorite approach to modifying fear aggression is counter conditioning and desensitization. Theyre often the easiest for dog owners to practice on their own without the constant presence of an assistant to help them. They work to change your dogs association with an aversive stimulus from negative to positive by pairing it with something wonderful. …

Teach It: Your dog will fetch his leash from its regular spot, either upon your command or whenever he wants to go for a walk. 1. Introduce the word leash to your dog by using it each time you put it on him. Toss his leash playfully and tell him to fetch leash." Youll want to secure the metal clasp within the leash so your dog doesnt bonk himself in the head with it in his exuberance!…

Teach It:Your dog will learn to paw a light switch on the wall, turning the lights on or off. A flat, rocker light switch is easiest, especially for flipping the switch to the up position. Small dogs may require a stool placed under the switch. 1. Hold a treat against the wall a little above the light switch and encourage your dog with lights, get it! Let him have the treat when he is able to…

Teach It: When shaking hands, your polite pooch raises his paw to chest height, allowing guests to shake his paw. This skill is taught for both paws. 1. With your dog sitting before you, hide a treat in your right hand, low to the ground. Encourage your dog to paw at it by saying get it and Shake. Reward your dog with the treat the moment his left paw comes off the ground. …

Our canine friends become stressed for the same reasons we do, says On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals. First and foremost, that means situations where they do not feel they can cope but also instances in which they feel the threat of pain or discomfort.

They show it by exhibiting calming signals — signals that, to another dog, are invitations to relax because no harm is meant. If you see these calming signals in your dog, try to figure out what you can do to limit his stress.

On the very first page of the very first chapter of his acclaimed book, The Well-Adjusted Dog, Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic Director Nicholas Dodman,...

Do you ever feel like your dog is training you rather than the other way around? Maybe teaching you to let her have some ice cream by looking at you with adoring eyes? Or letting you know that pawing at you means she wants to be petted and not giving up until you follow through? Or somehow ending up sleeping on the bed every night even though you swore that youd never let a dog do that?

Its very confusing. On one hand a video of a little girl feeding a half dozen sweet-natured, velvety-looking pit bulls goes viral, sending a message that the breed does not deserve the reputation of aggressive biters and killers. On the other, you hear stories of pit bulls attacking and taking the lives of other dogs-and people. Cities and states enact legislation either banning them outright or allowing them only with strict controls.

Q: I have a whippet, Greta, and a Border collie, Lex. Both are rescues whom I adopted last year within a couple of months of each other. Greta about three and Lex is perhaps four years old. Whenever I rub Greta's belly or give her any special attention, Lex seems to appear out of nowhere and starts to paw at my arm or even lets out a slight growl at Greta. Is Lex acting jealous? How can I give Greta some one-on-one time without Lex butting in?

A: You won't find envy in the canine dictionary, but the phrase "mine, mine, mine" certainly exists. Lex's behavior is triggered more by resource guarding than by jealousy over the attention Greta receives. Watch closely the next time Greta and Lex play with a toy and you can identify clear canine communication. Chances are that one will body block the other or lift an upper lip or make steady eye contact - signals that possession is nine-tenths of the law in the land of dogs. As hunters and pack animals, dogs have always demonstrated a "this is mine" attitude toward other canines when it comes to prized possessions, from the best part of the kill to a fuzzy chew toy.

When you rub Greta's belly, Lex steps in because he wants to guard the most valuable of all possessions - you.

Q: My three-year old beagle is a delight, but he has one vice: He insists on jumping up onto my furniture. His spiky hair gets embedded in the upholstery until it's nearly impossible to clean. I've tried putting old bed sheets on the furniture when I'm gone, but when I come home I find the sheets on the floor and Peppy happily snoozing on the sofa. I got him about a year ago from a rescue group and can only assume that he was allowed to get up on the sofa in his previous home. I'm planning to purchase nicer furniture and upgrade the interior of my house soon. Before I do, I want to find a way to end Peppy's possession of my sofa. How can I accomplish this?

A: Credit Peppy for having the good sense to bypass boring bare floors and seek a comfy sofa for his snooze sessions. However, it's your house and he needs to play by your rules. First, you need to provide him with a designated spot of his own. Before you begin picking out your new furniture, buy Peppy a comfy bed and put it in a spot where he will still feel...