“Dogs weren’t bred to lie on the sofa all day and then walk in perfect step with their human for 30 minutes a day,” said trainer Eric Goebelbecker, CPDT-KA, owner of Dog Spelled Forward. “They get bored just like we do and need to exercise their brains.”

Providing the right stimulation can be a critical step in eliminating problem behaviors. As Goebelbecker points out, bored behavior is often mislabeled as separation anxiety. A dog who is bored will spend his day searching for activities, like disemboweling your television remote or barking incessantly. Providing adequate mental stimulation is easier – and more fun – thank you might think.

When you’re hanging around the house, play with your dog. Consider a game like tug or fetch. Hide in your house, and let your dog find you. You can repeat that exercise with treats and toys, too.

When you leave for the day, give your dog food puzzles he can solve on his own. To up the ante, Goebelbecker suggests hiding the toys. This gives your dog two separate activities – first, finding the toy, and second, solving the food puzzle.

Nina Ottosson makes a range of eco-friendly and pet-safe toys that will definitely keep your dog busy. Warning: These toys, which come in a variety of skill levels, will probably require your participation at first. (Check out her YouTube video demonstrations!) Another great option, though less eco-conscious, is the Kong. You can stuff a Kong to keep your dog occupied. “Kongs are great. You can put treats in them or even actual meals,” said Goebelbecker. “If your dog gets good at un-stuffing them, freeze them.”

Keeping your dog’s mind active will help eliminate problem behaviors like destructive chewing or excessive barking. According to Goebelbecker, “Mental stimulation can result in more relaxed and satisfied dog.”

Your dog will be happier and healthier for it, too!

Image: OakleyOriginals on Flickr, licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

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Garbageman? Try Garbagedog! An environmentally-responsible dog owner in the UK trained his dog, Lucky, to collect trash in their local parks. If he locates glass, though, instead of trying to pick up potentially dangerous shards, Lucky barks twice to alert his owner. Not only does Lucky pick up the garbage he finds, he also tosses it in the nearest trash can.

Lucky’s owner William Keating said in an online interview, “I don’t understand why people throw litter away because if a dog can put it into a bin then so can they.”

Click here for a gallery of photos showing Lucky on the job in a local park.

Try it with your dog! Teach your dog “take it” or “pick up” with his favorite toy.

• Offer him the toy while you say “take it.”
• When he mouths the toy, immediately praise him (or click if your dog is clicker-trained) and give him a treat. Repeat for a few minutes.
• After a handful of successful repetitions, place the toy on the floor in front of your dog. Point at the toy and repeat the “take it” command. If he picks it up, immediately praise (or click) and give him a treat.
• When he’s successfully picking up his favorite toy, try increasing the distance between your dog and his toy – or, maintain a short distance, but replace the toy with a less desirable object.
• Practice a little bit each day, slowly increasing the distance and the variety of objects. However, during each session only increase the difficulty by one notch – for example, move his favorite toy a foot away from your dog, or switch the toy for a less-interesting one, but keep it right in front of him.
• Training tip: Only train for three to five minutes at a time and no more than three times per day. Otherwise your dog may get bored or frustrated.

Once he’s mastered “take it,” incorporate the “drop it” command by exchanging the toy for a treat. Just like teaching “take it,” increase the distance incrementally, and slowly work toward your dog dropping the object into a trash can. And remember: Just because he’ll put his favorite toy in a can at home, doesn’t mean he’ll go straight to the park and perform the same behaviors. Work up to that slowly with a lot of patience.

Image: Muffet

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While bringing home a new pet can be exciting for the human members of your family, it may be less-than-thrilling for your current pet. “Multi-pet households can be very complex,” said Eric Goebelbecker, CPDT-KA, owner of Dog Spelled Forward, a dog training school in New Jersey. To help ease the transition, Goebelbecker has a few suggestions.

Plan Ahead

Goebelbecker suggests starting with your current dog before adding another pet. “Train the dog you have first,” he says. “Just having one of the two dogs trained can make a huge difference in being able to proactively avoid problems.”

Consider crate training your dog. That way, if you need to separate the dogs, you can place the “senior” dog in a spot he feels comfortable. Also, figure out where everyone will eat and sleep. “Some dogs that have never guarded things like food and beds from people will from other dogs. Be prepared for that,” Goebelbecker said.

Introducing a Dog to a Dog

Introduce your new dog to your current dog in a “neutral” territory. At the neutral site, walk them in parallel for a few minutes without letting them greet. If all goes well and both dogs seem calm, take them to a safe, fenced-in area and let them off the leash. According to Goebelbecker, the off-leash portion is key. “On-leash greetings are not an accurate indication of how the dogs will get along,” he said.

When it comes time to bring the new dog home, Goebelbecker suggests having them meet outside for a nice long walk before entering the house.

Introducing a Dog to a Cat

Unlike dog-dog introductions, introducing the cat with the dog on leash is fine. “In this case they really, really, do not have to be best friends,” Goebelbecker said. “It’s great when they are, but they really just need to be able to co-exist.”

If the dog seems obsessed with the cat, you may need to separate them when you’re not around to supervise. Training you dog to respond to a solid leave it can go a long way, too. Also, always ensure that the cat has a way to leave. If the dog bothers the cat and the cat just leaves, problem solved.

Troubleshooting Tips

No matter how carefully you plan, you may still encounter problems in a multi-pet household. Goebelbecker offers a few troubleshooting tips:

• Squabbles often arise over “resources” like toys, food, space, and even people. “If the dogs are squabbling over toys, don’t leave toys out. If they squabble over food bowls, separate them,” he says. “Getting in the middle of these arguments is how people get bit!”
• Don’t pick a favorite pet.
• Supervise play and institute time outs to keep dogs from getting carried away.
• Walk your dogs daily. Tired dogs fight less often.
• Spend time with each pet separately. “Fights over attention from Mom or Dad can be a problem. If you take the time to develop a relationship with them separately, this problem can be diminished.”

Images: daveynin, fazen

The post How to Introduce a New Pet to Your Current Pet appeared first on EcoSalon.

Nothing is more exciting than bringing home your brand new bundle of joy! But for your dog or cat, a new baby can be a stressful change. However, there are a few steps you can take before and after your baby comes home to make the transition easier on your pet.

Practice Makes Perfect

Dogs are creatures of habit. Before baby is born, habituate your dog to baby-related sounds, smells, and routines. Je’ree Hamlet, a dog coach and owner of The Dogspert in Washington, DC, suggests setting up the crib, baby swing, bouncer seat, and even the car seat several weeks before your baby is born to allow your dog to sniff and explore. Purchase a small baby doll and put the lotion you plan to use on your baby on the doll to let your dog adjust to new smells. If your dog is noise-sensitive, download baby sounds to play for your dog. Desensitize your pet to as many things as possible before baby comes home.

Training tip: If your dog seems nervous or scared of all the new baby products, encourage him to be brave! Each time he sniffs or peeks at a new item, praise him and give him a treat.

Arrange Introductions

If it’s possible, arrange for your dog to have some exercise on the day you’re coming home with your new baby. Ask a friend or neighbor to take him for a walk or to the dog park to expel some of his energy. When you get home, hold your bundle of joy close to your chest while allowing your dog to sniff. Do not discourage your dog from sniffing – and maybe even giving a little lick – because you don’t want him to make a negative association to the newest family member. If your dog becomes overexcited or tries to jump, simply turn your back to your dog until he settles down. Then turn back and allow him to sniff more.

Keep the Peace

Consider whether you want to allow your dog into the nursery or if you want to keep that room off-limits. Hamlet suggests waiting a couple days to make sure your pet is respecting your new baby. “You especially don’t want him wandering into the nursery at night, when you’re sleeping,” she said. So even if you are going to allow your dog into the nursery, be sure to close the door or set up a baby gate at night.

Maintain Order

While caring for your little one requires all your time and attention, it’s crucial to still pay attention to your dog or cat. Consider spending the first five minutes of your baby’s naps to scratch your pet or throw his favorite toy in the living room. Make sure you’re exercising your dog consistently – a bored, pent-up dog can be a troublemaker. Put baby in a sling or stroller and head out for family walks, which are not only great for exercise, but they’re great for reinforcing your bond with your dog.

Most importantly, never leave your baby unattended with your dog. No matter how friendly your dog might be, dogs can become overexcited or playful and accidentally hurt a delicate little baby.

Images: jilbean3, Lunchbox Photography

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