Did You Know......

Your dogs ears....changes in your dog's ears are usually easy to notice. Whether your dog has erect upright ears of floppy ears, they will change position based on how the dog feels. If the dog has become aroused or very excited, the ears are forward and up high on the head (this also occurs in an offensive-aggressive or threatening dog). If the ears are low on the head and perhaps flattened and moved slightly backward, it is usually a sign of a friendly or submissive dog. Ears that are really flattened to the head and far backwards are usually a sign that the dog may be very timid or fearful. If the threat gets too close, the dog may make a defensive aggressive or threatening posture toward the intruder.

Personal space....most animals (and even humans) have an area of personal space that surrounds them. It is the distance between them and another animal or person where they feel comfortable. For some dogs, this space may be 20 feet when strangers approach before the dog moves away. For another dog, the stranger may get within 5 feet before the dog leaves. And for other dogs the stranger may be able to walk right up to them. When a dogs personal space is invaded, he has several choices: flight, flee (also called flight), freeze, fidget, or faint (the latter is quite rare)! The two most common are flight, where the dog may choose to move away (if he can) from whatever makes him uncomfortable, or he may choose to fight, and try to make the thing causing the discomfort to leave.

Chewing machines...what you can expect in the first 12 weeks....puppies will chew your personal belongings if they are not kept out of sight or high enough where the puppy cannot reach them. He is not spiteful-he is a puppy! Puppies will play with your children's toys and possible destroy them. Children must pick up after themselves since the puppy doesn't understand 'yours', 'mine' and 'theirs'. Puppies will jump on your children, knock them over, bite at their clothing, hair, legs, and arms, causing your children to become angry, upset or annoyed. He is simply reacting to their exuberant behavior. Puppies will chew on table legs, carpets, curtains, plants and more. The puppy is having a good time-in his mind!

Dog do not suddenly misbehave when they get older ....for example,if your dog is still soiling in the house a six months of age, chances are he has not been carefully watched as a puppy, and may not have been taken out each and every time he needed to relieve himself. Think about it from the dogs perspective-relieving himself is the reinforcement. The only consistency in the behavior is the fact that the dog is relieving himself, how will the dog know what you expect? Seeing your angry face several hours later doesn't teach the dog to relieve himself outdoors. If anything, you are to be mistrusted since you appear to be unpredictable. Sometimes you return home in a good mood and other times you return angry and upset. The dog doesn't understand why. The dog may eventually assume that you do not like the sight of stool or urine...That must be it!!

Puppies and children....through observation and interaction, puppies slowly learn about us, both good and bad. People tend to think that the puppy sees their children as littermates. While on the surface this may appear to be true, it is not. They realize that children are a different species, yet their behaviors are very different than the taller humans (adults). Since children's behaviors are immature and playful by nature, puppies tend to become stimulated by their actions and antics.

Behaviors that are intermittently reinforced causes the behavior to increase and strengthen over time.....you are simply conditioning the dog to continue to try since there could eventually be a reward in it for him. Why do people get hooked on playing slot machines at the casinos, yet they don't appear to be addicted to putting quarters into pop machines?? They are always hopeful about hitting a jackpot! Motivation has much to do with whether or not you dog continues to perform or offer behaviors. Motivation is internal with external incentives. It is your job to find out what motivates your dog. Like people, dogs must be motivated to perform the behavior or they think, "why bother?" Motivation incites us to take action. What motivates one will not necessarily motivate another. None of our dogs are particularly food motivated - they would prefer to play instead.

......and now you know!!