Food and Resource Guarding

Contributed by Sisi Soh

When  Lucy was a wee puppy, the first friend she made was BG, who became her best friend. He was the same breed as her, the same color, and the best part was that he lived right next door! BG often came over to Lucy’s house for play dates, and when he was over, he often found Lucy’s leftover kibble in her bowl that she never finished and gobbled them up. I was a new dog owner then and hadn’t met the rest of the crazy dog ladies, so I didn’t think it was a big deal. That was a big mistake because about two months later, when Lucy was about six months old, BG went near her chew bone, and Lucy growled for the first time in her life. Since that day, she did it whenever BG went near her food. I believe this was because I never intervened as an owner, and she decided to take matters into her own hands.

I freaked out after that and got some help! That’s when I learnt about resource guarding. Usually this refers to food, treasured toys or sleeping areas, but some dogs treat their owners like the best treat in the world so it can even extend to their humans. Basically, a resource is anything that is considered by the dog to be of high value.

Guarding can range from a quiet head turn to a loud growl, forward charge or an actual bite. There is guarding between dog and human, and dog to dog (Lucy’s is the latter). Lucy always gave first a soft warning growl  (one I often missed because it was so soft), and then a quick air snap if the dog didn’t catch the hint. Resource guarding, if unchecked, can be a serious problem – for example, if a dog threatens to bite his human family when they try to take something away. Dogs must be willing to give up things they would rather keep, like their stuffed toy or bone. Resource guarding is a major cause of aggression toward humans, particularly children. Children often carry around toys and food where the dog can reach them. They also don’t understand how to respect a dog’s possessions and are more likely to grab at it without warning.

Here are a couple of things I did that you can also do for your dog if they have food/resource guarding.

First of all, your dog owns nothing! They’re all yours. If they are especially possessive over a food item or toy, take it and keep it until the behavior has improved.

1. Once something is in your dog’s mouth, it is too late to tell them to leave it. The only thing you can do is to tell them to spit it out. So teach and reward the “Drop it” command. Lucy used to be very attached to her dog toy – it was the only toy she wouldn’t release when she was told to  “Drop it”. So the best treats were reserved for this. Every time she dropped it for me, she was rewarded with 3-4 pieces of her favorite treats and then got to play tug, which she loves. These days, she drops her doggy immediately when told.

You can teach this cue by placing a high value treat under your dog’s nose when he is holding on to something he would rather keep. Your dog will inadvertently spit the item out to get the treat. After awhile, you can add the “Drop it” cue. Over a few weeks, you can practice asking your dog for the toy or treat, and then praise your dog for complying. Give them a treat when they drop it and then return the toy or food. The key is to trade for an item of greater value and assure them that they get it back.

Lucy and her beloved doggy go everywhere together.

2. Lucy could not share water bowls with the other Furry Tales members. If the other dogs came near her when she was drinking, she would growl. Eating near each other was also out of the question then. This can be remedied by feeding treats to your dog together with others, or encouraging your dog to have supervised meals alongside other calm dogs. Have your dog and another sitting side by side, and then treat one dog at a time making sure to have plenty of praise for your dog for not reacting.

Twinkle the Golden Retriever comes to stay with Lucy sometimes. Twinkle is a sweetie pie with a very mild temperament. She is also very respectful of Lucy and never tries to steal her food. I first let them eat together in the same room, but back to back, so Lucy couldn’t see her. If I noticed Lucy eating slower or glancing at Twinkle, I redirected her attention back to her food right away. Later on, I increased the criteria and let them eat close to each other. I still make sure I’m close by to monitor her when she eats with other dogs but she no longer growls when she shares the water bowl with her friends.

Lucy can now go fine dining with her friends. For water.

3. Olive also used to show her teeth and growl if owner Vicky tried to take away a high-value (real) bone from her. To slowly counter-condition Olive, she made sure that when she first gave her the bone, she didn’t let go of the other end of the bone, so Olive would be chewing on it as Vicky was also holding on to it. This way, Olive didn’t feel possessive over the bone. Another effective method Vicky used was to approach and show Olive another bone of the same value or higher as she was already munching on one, and swap the bones – the “Drop it” command came in very handy here and made it safer for Vicky to reach in and take the bone from Olive.

4. It is best never to hit, scare, or threaten your dog in order to get something from them, even if they snarl or growl. They are telling you to “Back off,” and that’s a warning message you want them to be able to express. Dogs that are punished for growling may go straight to biting. You also don’t want your dog to associate playing/eating around other humans/dogs in a negative way.

Part of Lucy’s “recovery” was doing all the above, and exposure to other dogs all the time. The other part could be that I got lucky and Lucy just grew up.

 

Dog Smarts

We all think our dogs are clever. Just like all parents think that their kids are the cleverest kids on earth.

There ARE ways to check the intelligence of our dogs, and problem solving is one of the best ways to determine just how clever they are. We have compiled ten tests from various sources to see how bright our dogs are (don’t do all ten in the same day).

1. Towel Test

Take a large towel or cloth and quickly throw it over your dog’s head and shoulders. Observe:
5 points – if your dog frees himself within 15 seconds
4 points – 16-30 seconds
3 points – 31-60 seconds
2 points – 1-2 minutes
1 point – if he doesn’t get free at all

Guess who!

2. Bucket Test

Let your dog see you put a dog treat or a toy under one of three buckets or cups lined up (about one foot apart), then ask your dog get it.
5 points – if your dog goes straight to the bucket or cup with the treat
4 points – if your dog searches systematically and finds it
3 points – if your dog searches randomly and finds it in less than 45 seconds.
2 points – if your dog searches but fails to find it
1 point – if your dog shows no interest or forgets to find it

Where’s the treat?

3. Favourite spot

Rearrange your furniture when your dog is out. When he enters the room, score as follows:
5 points – if your dog goes directly to his favourite spot or bed
4 points – if he takes 30 seconds to find his favourite spot or bed
3 points – if he finds it in 31-60 seconds
2 points – if he finds it in 1-2 minutes
1 point – If he goes to a new area completely

Why’d you move my bed ma?

4. Chair Puzzle

Keep a dog treat under a chair or shelf low enough that your dog can only fit a paw under but not her head (under a shoe cabinet or sofa).
5 points – if your dog gets the treat within 1 minute
4 points – if your dog gets the treat in 1-3 minutes
3 points – if he uses paws and muzzle but fails to get the treat
2 points – if your dog uses only  muzzle a few times and gives up
1 point – if he doesn’t try to get the treat

*sniff sniff* Is there food in there?

5. Recognizing the smile

Pick a time when your dog is sitting about 2 meters away from you and has not been told to sit or stay. Stare into his face when he looks at you, count silently to 3 seconds and then smile broadly.
5 points – If your dog comes with tail wagging
4 points – If your dog comes slowly or with no tail wagging
3 points – If your dog stands or rises to a sitting position but does not move toward you
2 points – If your dog moves away from you
1 point – If your dog does not pay any attention to you

Why are you smiling at me?

6. Barrier Test

Take a piece of cardboard and construct a barrier 5 feet long and taller than your dog. Cut an opening in the middle of the barrier (about 2-3 inches wide). Have your dog on one side and you on the other, and show them the treat through the opening.
5 points – If he gets goes around the barrier within 30 seconds
4 points – If he takes 31-60 seconds
3 points – If he takes 1-2 minutes
2 points – If he only pokes his head though the opening
1 point – If he stands confused

Painting barrier

7. Ball test

Take a ball and show it to your dog. Let him play with it and sniff it. Then show it to him and hide it in an accessible cup.
5 points – If he gets the ball in 0-15 seconds
4 points – If he gets it in 16-30 seconds
3 points – If he gets it in 1-2 minutes
2 points – If your dog tries and fails to get it
1 point – If your dog shows no interest

Ball? What ball? I got you a flower

8. Food under towel

Show a tidbit of food to your dog and place it under a small towel.Encourage your dog to get it.
5 points – If your dog gets the food within 15 seconds.
4 points – If your dog gets the food within 16-30 seconds
3 points – If he gets it in 31-60 seconds
2 points – If he gets it in 1-2 minutes
1 point – If he tries to get it but doesn’t manage to
0 point – If he’s not interested

Where’s my bowl?

9. Language Comprehension

Leave your dog for a moment and in your normal speaking voice, call his name (without saying the word “Come”).
5 points – If your dog comes if you call his name
3 points – If your dog shows some response
1 point – If he fails to come

We’re coming!!

10. Go for a walk

Choose a time other than when you normally go take your dog on a walk. Without addressing your dog, quietly pick up your keys and his leash.
5 points – If he comes to you for the leash
4 points – If he gets excited
3 points – If you have to walk to the door
2 points – If he sits there confused
1 point – If he doesn’t react at all

WALK TIME!!

RESULTS:
40-50 = Genius (Einstein)
30-39 = Highly Intelligent (obedience school honors student)
20-29 = High Average
15-19 = Average (just an average Rex)
10-14 = Low Average (I’m a barker, not a thinker)
05-10 = Borderline
0-04 = Deficient (you may have just tested a mop)

Don’t take this I.Q. scale too seriously. A dog’s performance on these tests will no doubt be affected by many traits other than “intelligence,” such as confidence, greed, activity level, and previous experiences. It should be interesting, however, to see how different dogs react to these challenges.

Dr. Brian Hare, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and a member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, says, ‘In the animal world, we recognize there are lots of kinds of intelligence, and they vary widely. You can be a genius in one area but not in another.’ For example, you put down two overturned paper cups, allowing the dog to watch as you put a treat under one. You point to the empty cup and see where your pet goes. Both show a kind of genius: If Fido goes to the empty cup, he’s good at following orders and bonding. If he goes the other, he’s able to rely on his own devices — and gets the treat.

For some fun and also mental stimulation for your dog, go ahead and try these tests. Next week, we will post the results of The Furry Tales dogs so you can get an idea of how your dog responds to these challenges.

Sources: PositiveMed, Pets First

Making the Most of Being Stuck Indoors

The haze is so bad – both PSI and PM2.5 crossed 300 this week, bringing the levels to the HAZARDOUS range! This air really isn’t good for our dogs, so we’ve only been bringing them out for a quick potty 2-3 times a day. Last year, we did up a post on 8 Indoor Games to keep our pooches occupied at home so we keep our sanity.

Our mamas won’t let us go out in this haze.

Now is a good time to review some of these games, as we’ve had to use some of them lately!

1) FIND YOUR FOOD – this is still Olive’s favorite game. It can keep her going for 15-20 minutes, and Olive is tired out by the end of it as she is using her nose power so intensely. Olive is commanded to “stay” in the kitchen or bathroom as her kibble or treats are hidden around the house (sometimes her “stay” is several minutes long in order to work her out further), and she is then told her favorite words: “Find your food!”

Olive has graduated from easy hiding spots, such as wall corners and on her cushion, to more challenging ones, such as under her cushion, behind books, under a pile of toys and on elevated window sills.

Lucy started with this game by trying to get it out from under a small towel. This sounds easy but she surprisingly took a little while to figure out how to either push the towel aside or lift it to reveal the treat. When this gets too easy, you can put the treat in between two towels on the floor.

Lucy figuring out how to get under the towel.

2) HOLE-EE BALL – the Hole-ee ball is a good toy to have when your dog is stuck at home with nothing to do. Sometimes Lucy can occupy herself for ages trying to get out the treats that Sisi has stuffed in it. Sometimes she makes it harder by rolling the treats up into strips of fabric before stuffing it in.

Can’t get it out, mama.

Help me?

Vicky also keeps Olive occupied with treats stuffed into old socks, which are then stuffed into the Hole-ee ball. Be prepared for your socks to also become ‘hole-ee’ as they try to get the treats out – this can keep them occupied for quite some time.

3) NEW TRICKS – this is always an excellent way to drain their energy and improve the communication between dogs and owners. The Furry Tales mamas use mainly clicker training to teach our dogs (see our post on it here). These are some new tricks Olive and Lucy have been working on due to the haze.

Weave ‘Poles’: since we don’t have agility weave poles at home, we creatively made our own ‘poles’ out of 1.5L water bottles and stuck rolled up newspaper on top of the bottles. See Olive getting the hang of it in the video.

Start with fewer bottles, and add on more bottles once they know what you want. Luring with food will help them start going where you want them to, and then phase out the food but keep the hand movements, and then phase out (or minimize) the hand movements.

Basket Trick: this consists of teaching several steps and then stringing it together when your dog is confident in doing each step. Through free shaping, Lucy has recently learnt how to (1) pick up an object on the floor, (2) drop it into a basket,  (3) close the lid, and (4) carry the basket to Sisi. It’s really fun to teach and watch how your dog eventually “gets” it.

For more ideas on how to keep your pooch occupied, check out our previous post! Let us know any other ideas or tricks you have that we can try out. In the meantime, be safe!

Puppy Love

Many of us bring home a second puppy without making plans for introducing a new puppy to dogs that already live there. Adult dogs often welcome a new canine pal but it’s important to try to choose compatible pet matches. Sometimes, resident dogs may feel naturally protective of its turf. Proper introductions are very important to start them both off on the right foot.

Mama, carry me too!

Recently, Sisi had a pug puppy stay with her for a few weeks. Her own Lucy isn’t the most sociable dog, so making sure all the correct steps were taken to introducing them was quite vital. Here are some the things that Sisi did (with helpful advice from trainer Vivien of Rao Canine).

1. Introduce the dogs on neutral ground.

When you bring another dog home, your dog might feel threatened and protect his territory. Meeting somewhere neutral helps ensure that your dog does not view the puppy as an intruder. Both dogs should be on a leash and allowed to meet and greet. After that, they ideally should take a walk together.

Lucy and Hugo met at the car park on neutral turf. They were both on leashes, allowed to sniff and get comfortable with each other, and then Sisi brought them up to the house. Initally, Hugo was placed in a play pen so he could get used to all the scents in the house without being overwhelmed. Later on, he was allowed to explore.

You mean this is not my house?

2. Personal space or timeouts.

Both dogs should have their own personal space where they’re not forced to interact if they do not want to.

Dogs get overstimulated when they play and sometimes fights break out. Any growling from Lucy meant she was immediately put into a time out. Whenever Hugo was overly jumpy and didn’t listen, he was put back into his play pen to calm down.  Knowing your dog is important so whenever Sisi felt that Lucy was tensed, she separated them both for a short while before letting them be together again.

How’s jail treating you, Hugo?

3. Supervised play time.

As with any two dogs playing, supervision is always a necessity. Puppies need to learn how to play, how to read other dogs’ body language and follow instructions from their owners.

Lucy and Hugo played. They liked chasing each other and Lucy was gentle with him. But he also annoyed Lucy  by jumping up in her face repeatedly, biting her ear and trying to pounce on her while she was sleeping. Although Lucy was tolerant and didn’t growl or snap, she was uncomfortable – each time Hugo jumped at her, she froze and looked away. So Sisi would call Hugo away and praise Lucy for not reacting.

A common problem with the new puppy is that they don’t yet understand many commands, and when Sisi tried to call him away, he either wouldn’t respond, or he would run away and then come running back in full force. Which would frustrate Lucy further. To solve this, Hugo was kept on a leash during play time, so Sisi could teach him how to play appropriately and also to reassure Lucy that she was safe. Hugo got lots of praise for not jumping, and Lucy got lots of praise whenever Hugo was beside her. On good days, they lay side by side for a few minutes.

Stay on your side, and I’ll stay on mine k?

4. Be careful around food, treats and toys.

Food, treats and toys are often triggers for aggressive or possessive behavior. It is important to supervise the puppy around these items and up to the owners to teach them boundaries, especially if the resident dog has resource guarding issues.

Lucy and Hugo were fed separately the first few days but within sight of each other. Sisi also made sure Hugo learnt right from the beginning that his bowl would only be placed on the ground if he was seated and calm. Once he could do that, Sisi started feeding them side by side, and she made sure Hugo learnt not to go near Lucy’s bowl (she has mild food aggression).

Calmest dog gets fed first.

Lucy wasn’t aggressive or possessive about her toys, but there were a few incidences where Sisi felt she was being very mean! When Sisi threw a ball for Hugo, even if Lucy was far away or sleeping, she’d sprint to get the toy and run away with it. Once, she even carried her toys from her toy box one by one up onto the sofa where she knew Hugo wouldn’t be able to reach them!

5. Individual love and attention.

Sometimes, we focus so much on the new dog that we forget about our first love. Both dogs will need some individual time and attention from us. It is also important the the new puppy bonds with the owners and not prefer its canine sibling, so that training will be easier.

Sisi made sure to give Lucy enough time and attention even though there was a new puppy in the house. That way, nobody felt neglected.

Can I please borrow your ball Lucy?

Jumper Trial: Dogs Had Fun Despite Nerve-Racked Humans!

Contributed by Vicky Ti
Sisi and I tried out some basic jumper training with our dogs last year, but got lazy this year and took a 6-month break. However, we got off our butts and started again last month and challenged ourselves on Sunday with a pre-novice trial by Singapore Kennel Club (SKC)!

We arrived at West Coast Park dog run pretty stressed, thinking there would be about ten obstacles for our dogs to clear (to be fair, we had only been stringing four to six obstacles together up til our last practice, where we attempted ten obstacles, and that didn’t go very well)…and found out it was a challenging course of TWENTY OBSTACLES!!! Some hyperventilating may have happened, as well as some nausea and near-fainting.

Bunny Lucy and her floppy ears! (Photo by Mr Wong Seng Wai’s son)

While the humans were busy having a meltdown, our dogs had fun speeding around the park and making new friends. We were a little worried they would be too tired for the trial, but on the other hand, it was good for them to run off some excess energy.

I like to jump sideways, anything wrong with that?? (Photo by Mr Wong Seng Wai’s son)

The dogs did extremely well, considering the fact that they had never been in a tunnel this long and opaque before, they had never jumped through a life buoy hoop frame before, and that this was their longest course to date. The humans didn’t mess up as badly as we thought we would either, and all in all it was a great experience in retrospect.

Here’s Sisi and Lucy having fun.

Olive likes to clear her jumps with loads of margin to spare. I think she’s part antelope!

I know it looks pretty good…but here are the parts where we messed up! Haha.

Olive never completed going all the way through the long yellow tunnel and kept popping up behind me while I was on my hands and knees, making a fool of myself! Hey, anything for our dogs, right?

Thanks Alan from Pawsitive Mind for training us! We enjoyed it thoroughly and will be joining another trial this year!

More photos here: https://www.facebook.com/elsa.soo/posts/10206549875839661

Truly Pawsitive Boarding!

Contributed by Sisi Soh
Last month, I was away in Japan for over two weeks and got Alan from Pawsitive Mind to look after Lucy. Alan specializes in home boarding (boarding at the dog’s own home) because he believes they cope and do better when they are in a familiar environment. Lucy and I both suffer from separation anxiety. She had run away from my friend’s house once while I was away and I was petrified she’d do it again. So I was pleased about leaving her in the comfort of home. Alan also had his two border collies with him so Lucy had lots of canine companions to play with as well.

Lucy chilling with Alan’s two dogs, Hyper and Junior

Most of my previous trips were spent checking my phone for updates, or talking to her picture (hey, I know you do it too, stop judging!). Alan was so efficient in his Lucy updates that I hardly worried about her. He sent me videos and photos of her almost every day and it looked like she was having a good time. I had also left him strict instructions on her million and one allergies, and to shower her with extra TLC. Lucy got lots of cuddles and love when I was away.

My happy girl being carried by Alan.

Lucy also has skin problems that require daily care and Alan went the extra mile by sending me pictures and videos of her having medication applied, and updated me frequently on the condition of her skin.

Mama, you should go away more often!

The best part about Lucy boarding with Alan was the “boot camp” she got as a result. Positive dog trainer Alan was familiar with Lucy’s behavioral problems (barking at the door and growling at over-excited dogs) and he worked with her extensively on these issues while I was away. When I got back, he told me how to continue with the training. It’s still a work in progress but it was good to see the improvements she made. Lucy usually growls a little bit during the initial greeting with her friends because she doesn’t like it when dogs get excited, but Alan worked with her on this, so when I took Lucy to meet the TFT crew after I returned, I was surprised to hear no growls at all! Awesome work!

With Alan, I also didn’t worry about Lucy getting lax in her manners. Usually, when it’s just me that leaves the country and she is left behind with my boyfriend, I come home to a naughty Lucy that has forgotten her rules and boundaries, such as not rushing out the door, waiting for he food and walks calmly, etc. Alan is strict with his own dogs about these basic rules so I knew Lucy would be in excellent hands.

Only seated and calm dogs get to have their leashes put on to go for a walk.

Calmest dog gets fed first.

Pawsitive Minds is also good about returning your home to you in the same condition as you left it. The house was vacuumed and mopped and sheets and towels were laundered.

I highly recommend Alan from Pawsitive if you’re ever away and in need of boarding for your pooch. It is the first time I have traveled with such peace of mind since having Lucy.

If you make your booking with Alan by end of September 2015 and quote “TheFurryTales”, you enjoy 10% off boarding and dog walking services! You won’t regret it!

Alan mobile: 94897602
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pawsitivemindsg
Email: pawsitivemind@gmail.com

Sweat It Out!

We love to exercise with our pooches, in case you haven’t noticed by now! Cycling, stand-up paddling, dog yoga, and now, boot camp! Check out our video for suggestions on how you can sweat it out (and bond) with your dog – lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, bicycle crunches…

Let us know if you need ideas on how to train your dog on this – we primarily use clicker training when teaching new tricks.

Escape Artist

A few months ago, one of TFT’s pals, Lady-Mae, went missing for four days at Sentosa because she broke free of her collar when fireworks went off. This inspired us to think about our own dogs and, if given the opportunity or exposed to one of their fears, would they run too?

We have put together a few tips on how we think we can minimize the chance of our dogs running away for whatever reason, be it boredom, bad recall, a scary trigger, a dash for freedom. And unfortunately, our dogs do get rewarded for running away because they get to explore the world, dig in the trash, chase the cat, etc. The more successful a dog’s escape is, the more likely it is for them to want to do it again. How can we prevent this?

1. Identify what might cause your dog to run away.

Many dogs are afraid of loud noises such as thunderstorms or construction banging. Some dogs have extreme separation anxiety. They get so anxious and panicky when left at home alone that they try to leave to look for their family.

Going somewhere without me mama?

When Lucy was a puppy, she stayed with a friend when owner Sisi was away. Lucy’s separation anxiety kicked into full mode when she was left alone at home. She jumped out of her play pen, made her way up the kitchen counter, leapt out the window and squeezed through the main gate. Thankfully, she was eventually found at AVA. Lucy’s trigger was being left alone at home. This was remedied by addressing her separation anxiety issues right away.

For dogs that are afraid of loud noises or that startle easily, you can work slowly toward desensitizing their fears, but more importantly, being aware of their limits and not pushing them too much beyond that.

Loud noises do not bother me at all.

2. Being calm with open doors.

Any dog that dashes out of car doors, front doors and gates is potentially a dangerous problem. This behavior should be addressed before disaster hits.

• Before a walk, train your dog to sit and wait until you walk out the door first, then allowing them to follow behind. To train this, open the door wide and see if your dog tries to dash out. If they do, shut the door abruptly before they get a chance to exit – this will surprise them. If they sit, praise nd reward generously. Continue this until your dog sits and looks up at you for leadership before taking a step out the door.
• Before your dog jumps out of the car, they should also sit and wait for your instruction to do so.Having your dog learn the ‘wait’ command can be helpful here.
• For those who live in landed properties, front gates are always accidentally left opened. Your dog should get used to the gate being open without running out.

Can I come out now?

3. Not bolting as soon as the leash unclips.

Most dogs learn very quickly that the sound of the leash unclipping from their collar means they are free to go. Either to run free at the dog park, or any other open space. One of TFT’s friends, Leto, once ran away onto the road because her leash was unclipped accidentally when her minder was removing the leash from the cafe chair. Leto immediately bolted and it took several long and scary minutes to get her back.

You can address this by training them at home everyday after a walk. When you are about to unleash your dog, have them sit and make the unclipping motion/sound without actually releasing the collar, and only when your dog remains in a calm, seated position do you release them. This might take a few repetitions. If your dog runs off before you release them, bring them back to repeat the exercise.

Kaffy is leash trained by Lucy

4. Recall.

Your dog should always come when called. Apart from the fact that it could be very embarrassing to scream yourself hoarse while your dog happily ignores you, this misbehavior could also be potentially dangerous.

Awhile back, Olive was waiting at a traffic light with her owner, Vicky. Something spooked her and she pulled from Vicky’s grip and dashed across the road, in the middle of oncoming traffic. A loud “Olive, COME!” made Olive immediately turn and run back to Vicky. We dare not think of what would have happened if Olive did not have a strong recall.

Humans are bound to also make mistakes and leave gates/doors open, not leashing your dog before letting them out the car or your leash may snap at an inopportune time. Only time spent training our dog on its recall until it is perfected can “correct” this situation. As dog owners, unless we have this skill down to pat, we can never be truly assured that no matter what the circumstance, our dogs will return to us and out of harm’s way.

Gotta go! Mom’s calling me!

These are a few suggestions we have for minimizing the risk of your dog getting lost, and are by no means exhaustive. Share your thoughts and experiences with us.

Training with Para4Pets Collar & Leash and KONG Toys

Contributed by Vivien Chin
For this post, we have a sweet deal for you. Para4Pets is offering our readers 25% off all purchases, from now till the end of April! Quote “The Furry Tales” when you make your purchase with Para4Pets by Edna and to apply the discount.

Last weekend, The Furry Tales were at the Pet Expo. We had a great time meeting old friends and making new ones. Kafka entered the Obedience Trial at the Intermediate level. Unfortunately, he did not do so well. He seemed to be under the weather and got rather distracted in the ring. He was looking for Lucy his girlfriend. Dum dum dum…. we have to have that “talk” soon. We didn’t do as well as we’d hoped, but at least he looked good! Thank you Para4Pets by Edna for the beautiful collar and leash so that he can look handsome! And thank you to KONG Singapore for his training toys so that he can be happy!

Kafka looking dapper in his Para4Pets collar and leash.

Are you ready? Forward…

Taking the first step forward!

Kafka doing heelwork.

Kafka following closely.

I be the tallest boy in class! Kafka in the sit-stay exercise.

Behind the scenes practice: gimme the ball!

Para4Pets makes bespoke paracord collars and leashes for your furry ones. Kafka had a set sponsored by Para4Pets. The leash was thin and light which is great for training. When you are in the Novice and higher classes, your dog is to heel off the lead. Having a light leash makes the transition from heeling with leash to heeling without leash easier. A thin lead is hard on your hands if you have to bring a 43kg dog around on his regular walks. I suggest ordering a thicker one for that purpose. It’s not advisable to let your dog drag a leash with a loop handle. Serious injury can occur if its leg gets caught in the loop while it’s running. You may order one without a loop handle if you would like to let your dog drag his leash around during training.

For a limited time, Para4Pets is offering our readers 25% off all purchases! It’s a great bargain! Make your order now!

Para4Pets leash. Looks good on Kafka!

Apart from the collar and leash, we were fortunate to also have our toys sponsored. Toys are a great way to reward your dog for good work done. Some dogs love to chase, and fetch and tug. Kafka’s favourite toy is a ball with a rope attached to it. Amongst his toys, he has a KONG Funster ball in X-Small size. He likes a ball that is not too big and fits nicely in his mouth. The X-Small KONG Funsters ball is 2.5″ while the small size is 4″. Four inches is a little too big for training. You want something that can be easy grasped in one hand.

KONG Funsters Ball.

Kong Tugger Knot

Kafka focusing on the “shoulder”.

Watch my “shoulder”.

One way to teach focused heeling in an obedience routine is to place a toy at your “shoulder”, (a nicer term for armpit). This teaches them to look up and not downward.

Wait for it…. wait for it…

The KONG Funster Ball is not just an ordinary ball. It is a fabric ball with a rope attached to it. The rope is rather important. It allows you to throw the ball farther, manipulate the ball, tug at the ball and turn it into a game of tug. Balls without ropes have the potential to get lodge in the dog’s throat. With the rope, you are able to, god forbid, pull the ball out when it gets stuck in your dog’s mouth. This happens, especially, with large, high-drive, dogs and tennis balls. You don’t have to worry so much if the ball is large and your dog is the sort who doesn’t have a sense of urgency.

Enjoying his reward after some work.

Kafka and his KONG Funsters Ball.

Other than a ball, Kafka loves his tug toys. The KONG Tugger Knot is soft yet tough enough even for a German Shepherd. It is made of knotted rope covered by a plush toy exterior. It comes in small, medium and large sizes. The medium sized KONG Frog Tugger Knot was just right for Kafka. It’s big enough for him to clamp his deadly fangs down on and small enough for his mama to manipulate. Large sized Tugger Knots are great just for fun but the smaller sizes are better for training.

Kafka tugging on his KONG Tugger Knots.

NOM NOM NOM!

After placing the toy at your “shoulder”, you can start moving it away so that your dog does not depend too much on the toy for its focal point. I held the toy in my right hand and whenever he looked up to my “shoulder” aka armpit, I rewarded him with the KONG Tugger Knot. In the photo below, I was petting Kafka’s chin with my left hand because he looked so cute.

Kafka must still look up even when the toy is in my other hand.

You have to be fit to keep up with a German Shepherd. I was tired out just playing tug with him.

Kafka the land shark!

Kafka giving me a workout.

In the obedience trials, your hand should not be disturbing the dog. Conventionally, your hand is placed at your side or on the left side of your tummy. The toy was in my right hand, sometimes by my side and sometimes behind me. Kafka still had too look up or at my left hand.

 

The last exercise of the training sessions are the sit-stays and down-stays. That’s best taught when your dog is not bursting with excitement. They need self-control and patience during those exercises.

Lucy tries her hand (or mouth) at training Kafka too. She’s doing quite well, I must admit.

Kaffy, heel!

I be walking my dog.

Check out our future post for an upcoming deal for KONG toys!

A big thank you to our fantastic sponsors:

Para4Pets by Edna for the beautiful collar and leash,

KONG Singapore for the fun toys, and

Omgoing for the super comfy and awesome yoga tights.

Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Contributed by Sisi Soh
Lucy suffers from separation anxiety. Awhile back, it used to be severe separation anxiety. Thank God for the crazy dog ladies who helped me help Lucy.

Lucy sticks to mama like glue. Won’t even let her pack for her holiday.

Things that have helped me and Lucy:
1. A tired and well-exercised dog will have a higher chance of resting when you’re gone. On days that I’ve left Lucy at home alone after a swim day, she is asleep as I’m getting ready and doesn’t bat an eyelid (anymore) when I leave.

A very tired Lucy not even bothering to lift her head

2. Leave your dog a special treat when you go out. Lucy loves it when I place treats into a kitchen paper towel roll and fold it up. I only give her that when I go out. So when she sees me take that out and give it to her, she’s so excited she doesn’t even look at me when I wear my shoes and walk out the door. That occupies her for a good 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I also hide treats in other puzzles so that when she’s finished the roll, she can go work on the puzzle. By the time she’s done, she’ll be tired and hopefully want to lie down.

One of the puzzles Lucy gets to play with when I’m gone

3. Lucy used to be so anxious without me to the point where if I leashed her at a cafe, I couldn’t even walk away for a minute without her crying. Even if she could see me.

Lucy’s watchful eyes never leaves me.

You can remedy this by working up to longer increments, starting at home.

To train Lucy, I would make her lie on her bed. I’d fold one piece of clothing in the hall, walk to the bedroom and return immediately with a treat (before she had a chance to get up to follow me). I’d fold another item and then walk away for one second. I did that till I had folded all my laundry. Eventually I could increase that one second to ten seconds, then to a minute without Lucy getting up to follow me.

Now, Lucy is fine being in another room without me at home except for night time, which I’ve yet to work on.

Once you’ve done some work at home, you can start training outside – at cafes or parks. This is still a work in progress for me but we’ve come a long way. Vivien from Rao Canine (also Lulu and Kafka’s mama) taught me to walk away from the table for short periods of time at first, then walk back to reward her for not barking/crying. If I walk back and Lucy starts jumping up or trying to walk to me, dragging the chair she’s tethered to, I take one step backward. This teaches her that I only come back when she is calm. So these days, when she sees me back away, she usually sits down and stops jumping.

She’s a lot better now. I can go into a cafe, order my food and come back without her barking. (She’s still watching me intently and probably panicking inside so we still have a ways to go but at least she’s no longer an embarrassment!). Once, I left her in Pet Lovers Centre while I went next door to buy something. I could hear her crying so loudly that everyone queuing up at the cashier was looking around. I had to pretend to look around too so nobody would know I was the owner of the crazy dog. Now, I can leave her in the shop while I buy my groceries.

Lucy waiting patiently outside a cafe while I go in to order my coffee.

Things you shouldn’t do:
1. You should never pick up and carry your dog to soothe them while they’re crying. This is actually how Vicky (Olive’s mama) and I met. Lucy was barking and I picked up Lucy in my arms to comfort her. Vicky was the one who pointed out to me that I was actually reinforcing the behaviour and communicating to her that she was indeed going through something traumatic when she was not.

What NOT to do when your dog is barking/whining.

2. Don’t make a fuss over your dog when you return home or from ordering your food at cafes. Wait a few minutes until they’re calm before acknowledging them. It’s almost instinctive for me to yell out “HELLO BABY GIRL!!! Miss Mama?!” when I return to my seat from the bathroom or buying a drink at a cafe, but I’ve had to train myself to refrain from making eye contact with Lucy and just sitting down without acknowledging her. Self-training is tough.

Lucy self soothing with her teddy?

Lucy still suffers from mild separation anxiety so it is a continuous work in progress. The upside is, her recall is excellent because of it! Haha!

To prevent separation anxiety in young puppies, a very useful tool is the crate. It helps to start crate training when they are still very young and still have not formed habits yet. It teaches them to relax even when you are not around and that they do not have to follow you everywhere. Olive, Kaffy and Lulu were trained this way and they can be left alone without panicking.