Urban Dog Living - How Rude! - Buck and Gus

Let me introduce Jane.  Jane is a responsible dog owner and participates in obedience classes and agility with her 3 year old golden retriver Buck.   Buck has received many awards and ribbons for his excellent behavior and obedience.

Now let me introduce Bob.  Bob is a dog owner.  His labrador retriever Gus stopped going to puppy classes because Bob was frustrated that Gus wouldn't listen and was embarrassing him in class.  Gus is now 15 months old and doesn't have very good manners.

Jane and Bob have never met, but on a sunny morning their walks crossed paths.  Bob complimented Jane on how well behaved Buck was.   Jane put Buck in a sit stay next to her to tell Bob about the new dog store that was opening up in the next week.  Halfway through Jane's first sentence Bob allowed Gus to walk straight up to Buck and invaded his space.  Buck snapped his teeth together one time (like an alligator) to warn Gus that his behavior was unacceptable.   Bob let out an audible "whoa!" in surprise to Buck's reaction to Gus.  Bob pulled Gus back and then allowed him to approach Buck again.   Jane then pointed out that Gus had a very rude/direct approach for a dog.  Bob just turned and dragged Gus away mumbling about "dangerous golden retrievers"

Tip for the Day:
Obedience classes are a must for all dog owners.  They teach you how to teach your dog.  You can learn loads about dog behavior.  If Bob and Gus had stuck it out in their puppy class, Bob would have known that he shouldn't have allowed Gus to invade Buck's space.
Always Remember - The owner of the dog is responsible for the behavior of the dog.   In this case Buck's alligator snap in Gus's face was justifiable dog behavior.  Jane did not correct Buck for his behavior because Buck was telling Gus in dog-terms "do not do that"

Urban Dog Living - The Ever Exciting Car Ride!

Going for a car ride can be an exciting event for any dog.  Whether you have a car or not it helps to have a well mannered dog in your vehicle.  If you have a car (or a friend who can let you practice with theirs) you can teach your dog to enter and exit the car in a controlled manner.  Teach your dog to sit before the door opens.  If he jumps up while you are opening the door, simply close the door and get him to sit again.  He will quickly learn that if his but stays on the ground he gets to go in the car!  Repeat for the exit.  Poochie needs to wait for a release command before he can exit the car.   This will come in handy when you are parked in a tight spot with traffic buzzing by.

When traveling with Poochie remember to buckle him in!  A dog seatbelt or dog crate are the best options.  I have read many stories of dogs surviving car accidents because they were in crates and not loose in the car.   Think of how many times you have to stop abruptly when out driving in the city.  Taxis and tourists are the main culprit.   Now imaging Poochie flying through the front of the windshield because you failed to secure him.  That is a horrible visual, but let it be a reminder to buckle Poochie up or put him a secure crate or carrier everytime.

Tip for the Day:
There are many soft sided crates that are lightweight and easy to transport even for the normal sized Labrador sized dog.  They also come in handy when using a car sharing service such as Zipcar which require pets to be in carriers.

Urban Dog Living - Fresh Breath and Shiny Teeth

One of the problems that can plague city dogs is dirty teeth.  Plaque on a dog's teeth can cause a myriad of problems from dental infections and bad breath to heart disease.   Some dogs will tolerate having their teeth brushed.  If you dog allows you to brush their teeth be sure to use a dog toothpaste.  The usually come in flavors like beef liver and chicken.

If you dog enjoys gnawing on bones then you job is a little easier.  The huge variety of dog bones out there can keep your dog busy and help clean their teeth.  If you have a finicky chewer you can get hollow beef bones from the pet store and fill them with peanut butter to entice your dog to chew and lick to get the peanut butter out.

Tip for the Day:
Keep a variety of bones and chews available for your dog so he doesn't get bored. 

Urban Dog Living - Wild Animals and Your Dog

Even in the big cities wildlife finds a way to sneak in.   Last week in Washington D.C. alone there was a Bear and a Red Panda running wild.  Foxes, Raccoons, Possums, and Squirrels are some of the wildlife that are more common in the city.  These are also the creatures that can carry rabies.   Be on the lookout for nocturnal animals that are still out and about when the sun is out. 

Tip for the Day:
Always make sure your dog is current on his vaccines.  Also teach your dog the leave it command.  A crazy wild animal running toward your dog is not the time you want to start teaching your dog that he needs to get away.  The shots for a Human who has been exposed to rabies are not cheap and they are very painful.

Urban Dog Living - Police/Military/Working Dogs and your pet dog

"Common Sense is not so Common" - Voltaire

This is a topic that is a no brainer.  NEVER, EVER allow your dog to approach, interfere, socialize or even 'say hi' to any form of K9 working dog.   Unfortunately like Voltaire said not everyone exercises or even appears to have common sense.  I watched a woman allow her american bulldog to walk/wander (on leash) right up to a Secret Service K9 and it's handler.  If it wasn't for the fast handling and reaction of the K9 handler the bulldog would have had a chunk of it's side removed.  Luckily there was a whole inch and a half between the K9's teeth and the bulldog.   To make the interloper seem that much more intolerable she was on the phone during this entire encounter. 

Now this doesn't mean you cross the street or avoid every German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever or Giant Schnauzer.   The large police car or vehicle with "CAUTION K9" emblazoned on it should be enough of a clue.  The person accompanying the dog will usually be dressed like an officer (that's another clue).   These K9s are highly trained working animals.  They don't have to get along with anyone other than their handler.  Yes, there are some K9s that are social, but they are few and far between. 

Tip for the Day:
Always give a working dog a wide berth when out with your dog.  If you can't cross the street turn around and go the other way.  You can get a ticket for interfering with a working dog.  You can get a ticket if an officer doesn't like the way you are behaving around a K9.  They are considered law enforcement officers.

Urban Dog Living - Hot Weather and Your Dog

Hot weather and cities go hand in hand.  The sheer amount of concrete in cities can make them 10-15 degrees hotter than surrounding suburbs.  When you take your dog out for a walk or exercise in any heat over 85 degrees you need to be on the lookout for heatstroke.  Symptoms include:

• Rapid, sometimes frantic, excessive panting
• Tongue and mucus membranes are bright pink or red and the saliva is thick and tenacious (drooling does not mean that your dog is hydrated! Check the consistency of the drool!)
• Vomiting and sometimes diarrhea that can be bloody
• Unsteady, staggering gait
• Nose and ears dry and hot to the touch
• Body (rectal) temperature is 104 degrees or higher (normal dog temp is 100-103)

What to do when you see these symptoms:

• Move your dog to the shade
• Drinking cool water alone will not fix the problem! Do not let your dog guzzle large amounts of water at a time.
• Immerse your dog in cool NOT icy cold water. Use a garden hose or bucket to cool the undersides including the groin and arm pits. Use a wet towel or bandana to cool underside if a hose is unavailable
• Pack ice in wet towels and use on underside and head to help cool dog
• Get the dog to a vet! Even after he seems to be cooled down!

Tip for the Day:
 Carry an extra bottle of water for your dog on your walks.  Watch out for exposed areas of concrete that can burn your dog's paws.  Manhole covers will get very hot in direct sun.

Urban Dog Living - Housebreaking in a Highrise

Teaching a new puppy to go to the bathroom outdoors is almost a right of passage for new puppy parents.   In the city urban puppies have to be trained to hold their pees and poos a little longer than their suburban cousins. 

As a general rule of thumb your puppy can hold their bladders about 1 hour for each month of their age.   An 8 week old puppy shouldn't go more than 2 hours without a potty break.   If you have a job that allows you to work from home this makes the training a little easier.  If you work for 9 hours a day you will have to hire someone or ask a neighbor to take your dog out for you.

If your puppy is small enough you can carry them quickly outside to get to the designated bathroom location.   Once they go to the bathroom praise them and give them a treat.   If they have an accident in the house calmly ignore them and clean it up quickly.   Do not yell or hit the dog.  This only confuses the dog and makes training more difficult.

Tip for the Day:
Make sure you keep your puppy on a schedule.   Take your puppy out at the same time (or as close to the same time as you can) every day.  This will allow the puppy to know how long he needs to hold it in.

Additional Tip:
Adult dogs (dogs over 18 months of age) should never be left for more than 9 hours without a break.