How to Teach Your Golden Retriever Polite Behaviors

December 4, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Training Golden Retrievers Polite Behaviors

Golden Retrievers are one of my favorite dogs to work with. They’re outgoing, driven, and usually pretty food and toy motivated. Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of Golden Retrievers, but unfortunately, I’ve never had the pleasure of sharing my home with one. Working with them on a regular basis has given me great insight into their common characteristics and behaviors. Hopefully, that can help you live more comfortably with your Golden Retriever.

Not-So-Polite Golden Retriever Behaviors

All dog breeds have their quirks and differences just like people. Becoming familiar with what is considered normal breed behavior will help you tailor their behavior to your lifestyle. With Golden Retrievers, you may deal with a lot of mouthy behaviors, such as always picking up unacceptable items or mouthing your hands while playing, petting or greeting. Let’s talk about how to make some of these Golden Retriever behaviors a little more manageable.

Always remember: with any unwanted behavior, you want to provide your dog with an acceptable behavior.

Mouthing (Putting Mouth on Your Hands)

In this case, we want to provide your Golden Retriever with proper chew toys and retrieval items, such as Kongs, Nylabones and retrieval toys for play. To help prevent your dog from mouthing you during playtime, only interact with him with his toys. This way, when your dog mouths you during petting, you can redirect his attention with your hand that contains the food treat while you pet with your other hand.

Sometimes, Goldens can become fascinated with mouthing unacceptable items. However, we can help them make the right choice by making the unacceptable item less intriguing. You do this by using a chewing deterrent on the unacceptable items, which may be your keys, remote controls or shoes. Be sure to follow the directions on the bottle. Most of the deterrents are water-based, so you most likely need to reapply every couple of days.

Now that you’re providing your dog with the appropriate chew toys and deterring them from the unacceptable items, make sure you praise all correct behavior to increase the likeliness of your dog repeating it.

Excitable Greetings (Jumping Up)

Excitable greetings are nice to come home to because you can tell how happy your dog is to see you, but on the other end of the leash it’s not so nice of a behavior when you’re carrying groceries or you have a guest coming over.

Again, teaching an alternate behavior is the best place to start; in this case, it’s the “sit” behavior. Start in a low distraction area. Use a high value food reward to lure your dog into the behavior and reward once he successfully sits. Gradually fade the lure after many dog training sessions and begin asking for the behavior in lieu of the jumping.

Another great tool you can use to gain more control of your dog during walks is the head collar or front clip harness. These dog products help you redirect your dog on walks and allow you to ask for the known “sit” behavior instead of him jumping on people.

All dogs have their own personalities and characteristics. It’s all about figuring out how to live more harmoniously with your specific dog breed and enjoying all the great things about him. Using a little bit of training and management will most certainly help facilitate polite behavior.

How to Treat a Torn Dog Nail

December 2, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Treating a Torn Dog Nail

Dog Nail Ripped Off — misscherrygolightly/iStock

Torn dog nails happen, and I’m totally convinced it only happens on weekends when my regular veterinarian is closed. You know the look and sound; your dogs are playing in the backyard and you hear yelping followed by one dog holding up a paw. As you’re walking toward her, you’re hoping she just stubbed it on something. Then, you see it—your dog’s nail ripped off. Fortunately, we’ve provided you dog grooming tips to treat a torn dog nail.

Step One

Get a good look at the dog nail that ripped off. Check to see how much of the nail is torn off and if your dog’s paw is otherwise uninjured. When checking, move slowly and keep pressure to a minimum while holding your dog’s paw. Torn nails are extremely painful.

Step Two

Bring your dog inside and wash the area with an antibacterial soap and warm water. I highly recommend keeping Nolvasan in your pet first aid kit for this purpose. When rinsing, allow water to trickle down and pat dry.

Step Three

Usually, after washing the area, the bleeding from the torn dog nail will have stopped. If your dog’s nail continues to bleed, you can apply Kwick Stop (anti-coagulant powder) to the bleeding area. Now, wrap your dog’s ripped off nail in a clean towel and apply some pressure to help the anti-coagulant powder do its job.

Step Four

Now, you probably have a chance to look at the torn dog nail. This step depends on the severity of the nail injury, but more than likely you’ll need to plan a trip to the vet.

Types of Dog Nail Injuries

Minor Crack or Split

Once your dog’s torn dog nail is cleaned, trim the nail shards sticking out while making sure to keep clippers away from the quick. If the nail injury is minor, trimming will prevent the nail from splitting further up or over. If your dog is walking normally and the nail looks better after cleaning and trimming, you’ll need to keep the area clean. This means keeping your dog from licking the ripped off nail. I place an Elizabethan collar on my dog for a few days, so the nail area can breathe.

If your dog is in pain or the area gets worse, contact your vet. Sometimes, the nail can crack even more, so check it twice a day.

RELATED: Why Dogs Dislike Nail Trims

Cracked Dog Nail

You’ll need to visit your vet’s office if the nail is cracked more than 25 percent of the way. A cracked dog nail is extremely painful and can take weeks to heal and grow out, which can cause your dog unneeded pain. Once at your vet’s office, they’ll sedate your dog and clean up the area. Usually, pain medicine is prescribed afterwards and, depending on the severity, antibiotics may be too.

Dog Nail Ripped Off, Quick Exposed

Personally, I’ve had dogs rip their entire nails off, exposing the quick (i.e. blood supply of nail). That’s a sight I hope I never see again. Yes, we had to visit the vet’s office for sedation to clean the area and check for further damage of their paws. Pain medications were given and protective booties were worn for weeks until the nail grew back and protected the quick.

Entire Nail Ripped Off

Oh my, get to the veterinarian ASAP. This is an emergency, as there’s probably a lot of bleeding. Once your dog’s sedated, your vet will probably have to remove any remaining flesh and suture from the area. This is a common injury for dew claw nails. Those little things get caught on everything, especially if they’re not trimmed short.

Torn dog nails can’t be prevented, but keeping your dog’s nails properly trimmed will keep injuries to a minimum.

Treating Your Dog’s Paw Pad Injury

December 1, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Dog Paw Pad Injury

For the most part, it’s quite common for dogs to injure their paw pads, especially if they run or play on hard surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt. This type of dog injury almost always causes an abrasion like a burn on the paw pad, but no bleeding. Thankfully, this injury can usually be treated at home unless the injury is severe.

Usually, some dogs will limp on the affected paw, but it totally depends on your dog’s pain threshold. Sometimes, I notice my dog gingerly placing his paw in the grass almost like his paw pad is tender, but not entirely painful. Some dogs completely ignore the injury and you’d only notice they’re in pain when they’re napping.

If your dog cuts his paw pad and it’s bleeding, or he’s limping due to a paw pad injury, please take your dog to the vet ASAP.

How to Treat Dog Paw Pad Injury

Examine the Abrasion

Take a peek at all four of your dog’s paws and look for red or pink abrasions that resemble burns or look like your dog “skinned” the area. While looking at his paws, take a quick look at each nail for any injury. Abrasions on paw pads are usually paired with torn nails, so check everything.

If only one paw or area is affected, you can probably treat the area at home. If the abrasion is large and bleeding, and affects more than one paw, I recommend a vet visit. Paw injuries are painful to the touch, so always err on the side of caution.

Clean the Area

Wash the paw pad daily with anti-bacterial soap and warm water, and then pat dry. I highly recommend using Nolvasan Wound Cleaner. This product is an old school anti-bacterial shampoo and wound cleaner that does an amazing job, so keep a small bottle in your pet first aid kit at all times.

Keep It Clean and Dry

Waterproof booties will keep your dog’s paws clean and dry while he wanders around the yard during potty breaks. When your dog’s paws are left uncovered, it’s really hard to keep your dog’s paw area clean, as his paw pads are exposed to everything (and we all know bacteria are everywhere). After four to five days, you’ll notice the area healing and you’ll no longer need the booties.

If your dog’s paw injury becomes worse, contact your vet.

Minimize Exercise for a Few Days

Dogs, especially when playing outside, usually ignore minor paw pad injuries. Unfortunately, rough contact with the ground will only aggravate the area. It’s best to keep your dog’s activity to a minimum by walking him on leash outdoors. It’s only for a few days, but it’ll give your dog’s paw pad time to heal on its own.

Prevent your dog from running on hard surfaces. This will keep abrasions to a minimum.

Digestive Enzymes for Dogs

November 30, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Digestive Enzymes: Are They Really Worth It?

Should you give your dog digestive enzymes? If so, which type?

Digestive enzymes is a hot topic right now, and fortunately I’ve done a ton of research on these supplements for my dogs. Not all dogs need digestive enzymes, but some dogs most certainly do. In this article, I’ll go over how digestive enzymes work and the benefits of feeding them to your dog. Plus, I’ll share my favorite brand that has worked wonders. 🙂

How Digestive Enzymes Work

By providing digestive enzyme supplements, you’re helping your dog’s body not only digest food more effectively, but also absorb nutrients easier.

Not all digestive enzymes are made the same. Most are either plant- or animal-based, and each type works a bit differently, depending on your dog’s needs. For the most part, plant-based digestive enzymes are the most popular and usually contain a combination of papaya, pineapple and different types of fungus. Animal-based enzyme supplements contain animal organs usually derived from beef pancreases that specifically focus on breaking down proteins.

If you’d like more information on how different digestive enzymes work, check out this article. There’s some really good information there, but it’s a bit technical.

What are the Benefits of Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzyme supplementation works well for dogs with chronic digestive issues, such as leaky gut, bleaching, constant bloating and gas, diarrhea, or constipation. Dogs that have taken stomach acid inhibitors (e.g. Pepcid) for long periods of time may also benefit from digestive enzymes.

Chronic allergies from food or environmental factors can also greatly improve from digestive enzyme supplementation. Digestive enzymes can help support dogs with chronic inflammation, especially if they’re under constant stress due to anxiety and fear. Lastly, if your dog swallows his food whole (we all know dogs that inhale their meals), he’ll need help digesting each meal, with which supplementation can help.

If you’re still not sure, take a good look at your dog. Non-thriving dogs with dull dry coats, runny eyes, constant hot spots (skin infections), dry flaky skin and brittle nails improve after several weeks of taking digestive enzyme supplements. Understand that supplements should never replace healthy dog food that contains whole foods. Digestive enzymes are a supplement that require nutrient-rich foods to do its job.

When to Feed Digestive Enzymes

Feed digestive enzyme supplements with a meal unless otherwise indicated by your veterinarian or a specific brand’s directions. I feed enzymes with every meal–both morning and evening–for best results. Some brands recommend feeding before your dog eats a meal while others recommend immediately after a meal, so it depends on your selected brand. If you have a difficult time giving your dog a pill, choose a chewable or powdered option. It’ll make both your lives much easier. 🙂

Don’t forget to add a really good probiotic to your dog’s daily meals too. Probiotics are different than enzymes. They feed good bacteria into your dog’s gut, which is especially beneficial for dogs with chronic issues.

Best Digestive Enzymes

For the last two years, I’ve been obsessed with finding the best dog digestive enzyme out there. We’ve tried a ton of different brands. So far, both of my dogs have thrived on animal-based enzymes by Standard Process. Before consulting with a holistic veterinarian, we used plant-based ones that never really did the trick. Our vet suggested Standard Process Canine Enteric Support and Pancreatrophin PMG, and the difference has been amazing!

Is It Really Worth It?

If your dog isn’t thriving, then yes, I do believe digestive enzymes are totally worth it. During my research, I found a few claims on how digestive enzymes are killed by stomach bile, which renders them useless in the small and large intestine. Also, some experts (and non-experts) feel that giving digestive enzymes makes the pancreas and liver kind of lazy since the supplements would essentially be doing their job.

While I hear what they’re saying, I believe non-thriving dogs (i.e. dogs with digestive allergies and chronic inflammation) are missing something that thriving dogs have. So if supplementation works, then by gosh go for it! Just to be sure I’m not talking out of turn, it seems many holistic vets feel digestive enzymes are needed when dogs have an imbalance or they’re just not thriving.

All I can say is digestive enzymes have helped my dogs, so let your dog be the judge. If you’re still uncertain on whether or not digestive enzymes can benefit your dog, find a holistic vet in your area. She’ll point you in the right direction.

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How to Train Your Dog to Back Up

November 27, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Training Your Dog to Back Up

Teach Your Dog to Back Up — marinv/Deposit Photos

Training your dog to back up is not only useful in practical situations, but it can also be added to the list of tricks your dog can do. When I first taught my dogs this behavior, I used it for dog training purposes, such as boundary training, space crowding and safety situations. However, I quickly found out that people thought it was pretty neat, so now I add it to my routine of tricks!

Get Your Dog’s Attention

When teaching a new dog behavior, it’s always a good idea to begin in a low distraction area with a high value reward, as this will help keep your dog focused on the task at hand. Let’s say you’re in your living room: engage your dog by calling his name. Have your food reward in your hand, get your dog’s attention and reward.

Reward for Each Step Backwards

Now that your dog is interested, take another treat and hold it a little above your dog’s nose. Begin walking toward your dog. Once your dog takes one step backwards, give your marker word “good” followed by a treat. After your dog quickly learns taking one step backwards earns him the reward, start requiring two to three steps backwards before rewarding him again. Continue to add more steps until your dog is taking two steps backwards with each paw.

Add the Cue

You don’t want to use food every time you need your dog to back up, so let’s add a cue (word) to the behavior. The cue can be something as simple as “back up,” or you can become creative with it and use “reverse.” Whatever verbal cue you choose, be sure you stay consistent with your choice to prevent confusing your dog.

Once your dog is following your lure backwards 90 percent of the time, begin adding your cue while you’re luring him into the behavior. After you’ve practiced this about 20 times, begin asking for the behavior by cue without using a lure.

Fade the Reward

I like to have my hands smelling like the treat and using a hand signal–I call it an air cookie. This is kind of like you’re using a lure without a lure. Once your dog completes the behavior, give your conditioned reinforcer “good” and follow it with a high value treat. When your dog can back up on cue, you want to begin fading the food treat by only rewarding perfect performances with food and rewarding other performances with physical praise.

Generalizing the Behavior

We know your dog can back up in your living room, but this doesn’t mean he can perform the behavior as easily in a more distracted area. When you move to another area of your house, ask your dog to back up at an easier level. You can train your dog to back up using the food lure and hand cue to jog your dog’s memory of the behavior you’re asking for. Once the light bulb turns on, begin using this cue in your everyday life and when you want to impress your dog-loving friends!

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