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   food stores) to your dogs food can give the feces a bad taste for the
   dog. Also putting tabasco and vinegar on the feces themselves may
   work.
   
   In rare cases, this can suggest a trypsin deficiency. Trypsin is a
   digestive enzyme and affected dogs don't get enough nutrients from the
   food so they eat the stool. In many cases, despite eating quite a bit
   the dogs are still thin. There is a test for this syndrome and enzyme
   supplementation is part of the treatment. Your vet can help you rule
   out this possibility.
   
   This is a difficult problem and not always solved or stopped. It
   doesn't really hurt the animal, although you should take care to have
   it checked often for internal parasites, which it's more likely to
   pick up.
   
  Urination
  
   If it is a _change_ in your dog's normal behavior, it might be a
   bladder infection or some other medical problem, so check that with
   your vet first.
   
   It's rather common for older spayed bitches to start dribbling. This
   is easily fixed most of the time with doses of estrogen. In many
   cases, the doses can be tapered off after a few months. Some dogs
   require estrogen for the rest of their lives. Only small doses are
   needed, so it's not that expensive to treat.
   
   If your dog is urinating in different places around the house, you can
   try the "vinegar trick". Pour some vinegar on the spot in front of the
   dog. What you're telling the dog with this is "I'm alpha. YOU may not
   pee here." Then clean it all up first with an enzymatic odor remover
   and then a good carpet shampoo (see the Assorted Topics FAQ).
   
  Defecation
  
   Defecation is not as frequently a problem as urination can be.
   However, the most often recommended remedy for a dog that defecates in
   the house is to change its feeding times so that you are likely to be
   walking the dog when it needs to defecate or it is outside in the
   yard, etc. This will take some time of fiddling with the amount,
   frequency, and timing of feeding your dog to get the results you want.
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
Submissive Urination

   The genetically shy dog is a super submissive type and unlike many
   dogs are quite sensitive to any forms of "dominant" behavior in
   humans. Even ordinarily submissive dogs can become extremely
   submissive if its owner misunderstands and unintentionally forces it
   to increase its submissiveness. Mistreated dogs may also become
   excessively submissive.
   
   First, tone down your aggressive behavior -- with a submissive dog
   there is no real need to consciously dominate it. Examples of
   dominating behavior include:
     * Direct eye contact
     * Standing over the dog
     * Walking towards the dog while looking at it
       
   Tips:
     * Wait when you come home. Say "hi" and be verbally friendly, but
       don't touch or pet it for about 5-15 minutes. Try not to make the
       moment more exciting than it already is.
     * When you greet it, get down on its level. Rather than standing and
       bending at the waist, bend at the knees (or sit) so that your face
       is about level with his and you are not looking down on him. This
       is a less dominant position, and less likely to trigger a
       submissive posture.
     * Don't pet it on the head. Rather, tell it to sit, maybe "shake
       hands", then scratch it under the chin and on the chest. This is
       less dominating than the pat on the head (because you avoid
       standing over it).
     * When you correct this type of dog, do so with your voice only
       (avoid direct eye contact). If it starts to urinate, then say
       immediately, "OK, let's go out!" in a happy tone of voice -- and
       take it out. Or, take a toy out (something it likes to do) and
       play with it. What you are doing here is telling your dog, "OK, I
       see your submissiveness. That's good."
     * When guests come over, ask them to ignore your dog and not look at
       it even if it comes up and sniffs them. After a bit, when people
       are sitting down then have them gently put their hands out and
       talk to your dog, without looking at it. Usually after about 15
       minutes or so everything is fine.
       
   In general, show signs of low-key approval _immediately_ when the dog
   becomes submissive. Then distract it with something else. When you
   ignore submissiveness or get mad at it, you're in effect telling the
   dog "You're not submissive enough!" so the poor thing intensifies its
   efforts -- and submissive urination is about as submissive as it gets.
   
   Be really positive with your dog, this type lacks self-confidence and
   will look to you quite often to make sure everything is OK.
   
   One technique that helps many dogs with this problem is called
   "Flooding." You need a group of people, preferably ones who will
   stimulate the undesired response (in this case, peeing). You find the
   least intimidating step for your dog (the point at which she does not
   submissively urinate), and work on each step until she's comfortable
   with each. If she urinates, you've gone too fast and you should back
   up a step until she's more confident. This process will take a while.
     * Have your dog sit with you on leash (preferably not on carpeting!)
     * Have the group of people walk past your dog without looking at
       her; when they can do this without her peeing, move on to next
       step (this is true of all steps)
     * Next have the people look/smile at her when they walk past
     * Next have the people say something to her ("Hi puppy") as they
       walk past
     * Next have the people give her a treat as they walk past
     * Next have the people touch her (ex. pat on the head) as they walk
       past
     * Next, repeat the previous 5 steps but with the people stopping
       instead of walking past (ie, stop but don't look, stop and look,
       stop and say hi,...)
       
   Actually, this technique can be used for all kinds of other responses:
   a dog that jumps on people, barks at them, etc.
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
Other Common Problems

  Chewing
  
   Many puppies like to chew on everything they encounter. Certainly,
   very young puppies explore the world around them by tasting most of
   what they find. First of all, as a practical measure, remove anything
   harmful from the dog's way. Put electrical wiring behind furniture
   wherever possible, put cleaning supplies up out of reach or secure the
   cabinet doors to them. Clean small objects off the floor.
   
   Make sure you have a supply of allowable chewing items on hand.
   Whenever the dog is in a crate or small room, there should always be
   some of these toys to chew on. Whenever you are at home and see the
   dog about to chew on something it shouldn't, say "AH-AH" and give it
   one of its toys.
   
   There are products available to spray on items to make them taste
   unpleasant. Some caveats: a few dogs are not bothered by the taste;
   it's not really a cure for the underlying problem, but it does help
   you train the dog; you must make sure the product does not harm the
   item to be sprayed first. Bitter Apple and Bitter Orange are available
   at most pet supply stores; veterinarians have other formulations they
   may sell to you.
   
   The judicious use of crating, toys, and watching the puppy closely
   will be the way you teach it to leave your house alone.
   
  Biting
  
   It is natural for young puppies to bite and chew on people; however
   DON'T let them do this.
   
   If your dog is a puppy, yelp pitifully when it chomps on you, and
   replace your hand with a chew toy; praise heartily when the chew toy
   is used instead. If it persists, stand up and stop playing with it. It
   is no fun for the puppy if you stop interacting with it, and it will
   learn to stop chewing on you fairly quickly.
   
   With older puppies and dogs, say "NO BITE" sternly and withdraw your
   hand.
   
   If the dog goes through a cycle where it seems to be infuriated by
   your correction and returns ever more aggressively to chew on you,
   call a timeout and put the dog where it can't get to you, preferably
   its crate. When it calms down, let it back and be prepared to
   interrupt the cycle if it starts again.
   
   Never put up with a puppy biting or mouthing you. When they are adult,
   the problem will be far more severe.
   
  Fear-biting
  
   This is a separate problem, caused by a fearful and submissive dog
   that feels cornered. It indicates an extremely poor temperament and
   possible abuse. Such dogs should never be bred.
   
   To deal with a fear-biter (evidenced by a dog that bites/threatens to
   bite but has its ears laid _back_ along its head rather than facing
   forward), first you have to deal with the insecurity and temperament
   of the dog. This kind of dog has no self-confidence at all, hence its
   ready alarm at normally innocuous situations.
   
   Think of the submissive dog outlined above. You need to build up its
   confidence: pay close attention to understand exactly what sets it off
   (some are afraid of men, men with beards, people holding something in
   their hand, small children, etc) and for now, remove that from its
   environment. Do some training or other work with it to build up its
   confidence (the training in this case becomes a vehicle for praising
   the dog). Then work slowly on its fear.
   
   You should really enlist professional help to deal with a fear biter
   unless you are experienced with dogs. This kind of dog takes lots of
   patience and careful reading and may never become trustworthy. If you
   cannot resolve its problems, consider having it destroyed; don't pass
   it along to someone else to become a problem for that person.
   
  Barking
  
   Each and every time your dog barks, go out and see why the dog is
   barking. If your dog is barking for a good reason (such as a stranger
   in the yard), you should praise your dog and then tell it to be quiet.
   If the dog is barking because there is a squirrel up the tree, or
   something similar, tell the dog to be quiet and immediately go back
   into the house. You will have to repeat this every time the dog barks.
   Pretty soon, in a week or so depending on the dog, the dog will only
   bark for a good reason. The dog may still bark at the squirrel, but
   not continually. Instead, one or two good barks to scare the squirrel,
   and then it considers its duty done. At the same time, you have not
   dampened your dogs ability to bark when there is something wrong.
   
   _Dealing with complaints about barking._ If your neighbors complain
   about your dog barking while you are not at home, first purchase a
   voice-activated tape recorder and set it up where your dog will
   trigger the tape if it barks. You may find that your neighbor is
   incorrect about how much your dog actually does bark (keep a log of
   the barking you record). You may find out what exactly causes it to
   bark (hearing a car drive by before each barking sequence, for
   example), giving you some ideas for eliminating the behavior. But do
   determine that there is actually a problem before you try to do
   something about it.
   
   If you know that you have a problem, you might enlist the help of your
   neighbors. Neighbors are often happy to help you with this problem!
   Have them squirt water at excessive barking, or rattle cans of
   pennies/rocks, etc.
   
   In any event, take a neighbor's complaint seriously, even if it is
   unwarranted. More neighbor disputes arise over barking dogs than
   anything else, and dogs have been injured or killed by neighbors
   desperate for a good nights sleep.
   
   There is some evidence that barking is an inherited trait: if the
   parents bark a lot, chances are their puppies will, too.
   
   Often, one method that helps alleviate barking is to give your dog
   specific permission to bark. Teach it to "speak" -- let it "speak"
   when appropriate (say, when you're playing in the park). Then "no
   speak" follows from that. However, there is often a problem when the
   dog is alone. The following methods outline some other possibilities
   to address this problem.
   
    Collars
    
   There are collars, called anti-bark collars, available that are meant
   to help train your dog not to bark. Dogs will react differently,
   depending on how well they learn, train, and handle. The collars by
   themselves are not the solution to your dog's barking: it must
   understand what the collar does, and you will have to *train* it using
   the collar. Some are electronic and others are sonic. These can be
   quite effective if introduced properly. Ideally the dog should not
   understand that it is the collar giving the correction so that you can
   ultimately wean the dog off the collar. Read the instructions on the
   devices; the good ones will outline exactly how to train them.
   
   There are two types, one will eliminate the barking -- that is, they
   are triggered by any barking the dog does. Others are "diminishers",
   they will kick in after one or two barks. There are a few that adjust
   to be one or the other. With diminisher collars, watch out for the dog
   learning to "pattern bark" -- they've learned they can bark twice,
   pause, bark twice, etc. You will need to switch to an eliminator in
   this case.
   
   The best collars are triggered by throat vibration rather than noise;
   this helps avoid having your dog corrected when a nearby car
   backfires!
   
    Debarking
    
   Surgery on the dog's vocal cords, called debarking, can be done to
   reduce the barking to a whispery sound. This is a controversial
   practice, banned in Britain and other places. Some vets will refuse to
   do the surgery.
   
   The dogs do not stop barking. They do not seem to notice the
   difference, or at any rate continue "barking" as if they still made
   the noise.
   
   There are different ways to perform the surgery, and it is possible
   for the vocal cords to grow back and the dog to regain its bark. If
   the vocal cords are cut, chances are the cords will heal themselves.
   If they are cauterized, the operation will last longer. Whether it is
   over a period of weeks or months, it seems that many dogs eventually
   regain use of their vocal cords.
   
    Muzzles
    
   There is a "No-Bark Muzzle" that is designed to prevent dogs from
   barking. Many dogs very rapidly learn not to bark when the muzzle is
   put on them each time they start barking. It is not binding or
   confining and does not put the dog through surgery. In general, though
   dogs should not be left alone with muzzles on, unless it allows them
   to drink.
   
  Digging
  
   Dogs may dig out of boredom or to make a cooling/heating pit.
   
   Some approaches:
     * _Filling in the holes_: Try refilling the holes with junk. With
       junk, dogs can quickly lose interest and pretty much stop digging.
       Fill the hole with whatever is at hand - dead leaves, sticks, pine
       needles, rocks or even dog feces. Fill the top 2 inches or so with
       dirt. The dog finds the stuff, gets discouraged and often quits
       digging. They seem to get the idea they'll never know where
       they'll find junk, and it's not worth the effort to dig only to
       find junk so they quit.
     * _Surprises in the hole_: The Koehler dog method advocates filling
       holes with water and sticking dog's head under the water for a few
       seconds or so. This may not work with some breeds (e.g.,
       Labradors), and may not appeal to you as a method to try.
       Alternatively, you can try burying a water balloon in one of the
       holes which will pop in its face when it starts digging
       (surprise).
     * A sandbox: Try to remember that digging is a natural tendency for
       dogs. So, if there is any place where your dog may be allowed to
       dig, you should encourage it (and only in that place). Designate
       an area where the dog can dig. Many people build a sand box for
       their dog. Place the box in an area that is cool in summer and
       warm in winter.
       To teach the dog to dig only in the box, place or bury toys or
       treats (sliced hotdogs, for example) in the box. Encourage the dog
       to dig up the toy or treat. Praise the dog. Repeat until the dog
       willingly jumps in and digs. Watch the dog. When it starts to dig
       in any other place, quickly go out and take your dog to its box.
       Show it (by digging yourself), that it should dig in its box. To
       deter boredom, place several toys/treats in the box before you
       leave for work. The dog will spend its time digging in the correct
       place rather than digging up your roses. You can also sprinkle
       animal essence (available at hunting supplies places).
       Remember that dogs like to dig in freshly turned earth. So get out
       that shovel and turn the dirt over in the sand box every now and
       then. Toss in some fresh dirt. Keep a close eye on freshly planted
       areas, as they will be very attractive (bury some extra hotdogs in
       the sandbox when you are putting down new plants).
     * Line the yard. for extreme cases you can line the yard with
       chicken wire and put a layer of sod over that. Use paving bricks
       or blocks around the edge to prevent the dog from injuring itself
       on the edge of the chicken wire.
       
  Getting in the garbage
  
   You should train your dog away from this habit. Crate it, to keep it
   out of the garbage when you are not home, and correct it when it gets
   into it when you are at home. This works best if you start in
   puppyhood.
   
   If you already have this problem, some approaches to try:
     * You can get "Mr. Yuk" labels and put them in the trash to keep
       them out of it or spray Bitter Apple into it. But you have to
       remember to do this regularly. If you can, put the trash out of
       reach of the dog, eg, under the sink. You may need to get the
       kinds of trash cans that have closing lids. Don't start easy and
       work your way up as the dog figures each one out: you are just
       training your dog how to open garbage cans. Get a good, well
       secured one at the start.
     * Get some jalapeno peppers, or something that your dog REALLY
       HATES. Slice them up and spend some time wrapping each one
       individually in tissues or kleenex. Fill the trash can with the
       wrapped surprises and let your dog at it. A few days of this
       should convince your dog that trash cans are not fun.
     * Put a mousetrap in the bottom of an empty can, cover it with
       newspaper, then put something that the dog really likes in the can
       and leave the room. Only do this when you are around, do not trap
       all the trash cans and then go off to work for the day!
       
  Jumping
  
   Since most dogs are shorter than you, their natural tendency is to
   jump up to see you. It is also an expression of exuberance and
   happiness. However, you may be wearing your Sunday Best. The dog's
   paws may be muddy. The puppy may grow too large. Some people are
   afraid of dogs. Train your dog not to jump on people. If you don't
   mind your dog jumping on you, then train it to jump on you only when
   it's "OK".
   
   In general, correct it immediately when it jumps on you, praise it
   when all four paws land back on ground. A helpful reinforcement is to
   give them a command and praise lavishly when they do it, e.g., "No!
   Brownie, sit! Good girl, what a good girl!"
   
   Try to anticipate the jumping: look for their hindquarters beginning
   to crouch down, and correct them when you see them *about* to jump.
   With medium-sized dogs, you can discourage jumping with a well-timed
   knee in the chest (never kick). This does not work as well on small
   dogs and very large dogs. With small dogs, step back so they miss you;
   you can also splay your hand in front of you so their face bumps into
   it (don't hit them, let them bump into you). Correct, then praise when
   on ground. With larger dogs, the kind that don't really *jump*, but
   *place* their paws on your shoulders, grab some skin below their ears
   (be firm but not rough) and pull them down, saying "No!" Again, praise
   it when it is back on ground.
   
   You should note that some dogs do not respond to the above physical
   corrections. They may view it as a form of rough play, or be so happy
   to get attention that they don't mind it being negative. In these
   cases, a much more effective approach is to ignore such a dog,
   stepping back slightly or turning your back when it jumps. Give lavish
   praise and attention when all paws are on the ground again.
   
   Gradually expand this to include friends and visitors. Start first
   with people who understand what you want to do and will apply the
   physical correction in conjunction with your "No!" As the dog
   improves, expand with other people. In the interim, a reinforcing
   exercise is to put your dog on a leash, and stand on one end of the
   leash or otherwise secure it so your dog can stand but not jump. When
   it tries to greet someone by jumping up, praise it *when it lands* and
   don't correct it for attempting to jump.
   
   For those of you who don't mind being jumped, you can gain control
   over it by teaching your dog that it can jump on you -- when you OK
   it. At random times (i.e., not *every* time you correct it), after
   your correction and praise for getting back down, wait thirty seconds
   or so, and then happily say "OK, jump" (or something similar, as long
   as you're consistent) and praise your dog when it jumps up then. At
   other times, when it is *not* trying to jump on you, encourage it to
   do so on your permission, using the same phrase. You must make it
   clear that it shouldn't jump on you unless you give it permission, so
   you must still correct unpermitted jumping.
   
  Car chasing
  
   This is symptomatic of a larger problem: why is your dog free to run
   after cars in the first place? If the dog is being allowed to roam
   that should be stopped. A car chasing dog is a menace to itself as it
   may get killed, and is a menace to drivers as people may injure or
   kill themselves trying to avoid an accident.
   
   Have a few friends drive by (slowly) in a strange car. When the dog
   gets in range, open the window and dump a bucket of ice cold water on
   the animal's head/back. Repeat as needed (with a different car) for
   reinforcement.
   
  Tug of War
  
   The Monks (and former Monk, Job Michael Evans) seem to believe that
   playing tug is a form of "teaching" the dog to use its teeth, and
   therefore a precursor to the dog's learning to use its teeth as a
   weapon. In their view, you should never play tug with a dog. On the
   other hand, there are many people and organizations, especially in
   obedience and working dogs (patrol, narcotic, and search and rescue)
   that actively use tug of war as a reward and a way to build up a
   strong play response. People with hunting retrievers never play tug of
   war for fear of creating a "hard mouthed" dog (one that mangles the
   birds it retrieves).
   
   Dealing with the possible aggression incurred in tug of war is
   probably more constructive than never teaching your dog to use its
   teeth. Besides, studies on canine aggression show that even extremely
   docile dogs can be provoked to show aggression. Houpt and Wolski in
   their book _Domestic Animal Behavior for Veterinarians and Animal
   Scientists_ note: "Growling is an aggressive call in dogs, and is
   commonly known. It is interesting evolutionarily that even the most
   placid dog can be induced to growl if one threatens to take a bone
   away from it. A scarcity of food in general can increase aggression
   ..., but bones seem to have particular value even for the satiated
   dog."
   
   This can hinge on whether you (as the owner) can distinguish between
   challenges and playing. If the dog is playing when doing TOW, there's
   no problem. If it *is* challenging you doing this, you need to 1)
   recognize the challenge (versus just playing) 2) win and 3) stop the
   TOW and correct its challenge to your authority. If you can't make the
   distinction, then don't play tug-of-war with it. Couple any tug-o-war
   games with the command "Give" or something similar so that the dog
   learns to immediately let go ON COMMAND. If it doesn't, that's a
   challenge, and you need to deal with it. Teach your dog what "give"
   when you start playing this game with it. When you know that your dog
   understands the command, then periodically reinforce it by having your
   dog "give" at random times. This becomes a form of keeping your alpha
   position as mentioned earlier in this article. And tug of war,
   properly implemented, is an intensely rewarding game for many dogs,
   making a good "treat" during training sessions, for example.
   
  People Food
  
   Feeding your dog "people food," i.e., table scraps and such is a poor
   idea. First, you may encourage your dog to make a pest of itself when
   you are eating. Second, feeding a dog table scraps is likely to add
   unneeded calories to its diet and your dog may become overweight.
   Third, if your dog develops the habit of gulping down any food it can
   get, it may seriously poison or distress itself someday.
   
   Some guidelines. Do not feed the dog anything but dog food and dog
   treats. You might add vegetable oil or linatone to the food to improve
   its coat. There are other foods that you may want to add to improve
   its diet such as vegetables, rice, oatmeal, etc., (check with your vet
   first for appropriate food to meet the dietary need you want to
   address), but always feed them to the dog in its dish, never from your
   plate or from your hand while you are eating.
   
   Discourage your dog from begging at the table by tying it nearby (so
   that it does not feel isolated from the social activity) but out of
   reach of the table. After you finish eating, feed the dog. Tell your
   dog "no" or "leave it" if it goes for anything edible on the floor (or
   on the ground during walks!), praise it when it obeys you. Teach it
   that the only food it should take should be from its dish or someone's
   hand.
   
   If you are concerned about the "boring and drab" diet for your dog,
   don't think of food as a way to interest it! Play with it, take it out
   on walks -- there are many other and better ways to make life exciting
   for your dog.
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   
    Canine Behavior FAQ
    Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@netcom.com
    
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