Trimming Dog Nails: Let’s Get Busy Scratching

April 21, 2015 by Fanna Easter

How to Teach Your Dog to File Her Nails

Once your dog will drag her nails along the scratch board, it’s time to ask for multiple scratches before clicking and treating. Grab a clicker and treats, and let’s get started.

Two Nail Drags

Goal: Two nail drags in a row.

Place nail scratch board in place.
Wait for two nails drags before clicking.
- About 50 percent of dogs will drag once, stop and look at you (or the clicker), waiting for the click sound. If they don’t hear the click sound, they’ll usually drag their nails again. Click and treat. The other 50 percent will remove their paws from the board, think for a moment, then offer two quick nail drags. Click and treat!
- Tip: Wait for second nail drag. If your dog becomes frustrated and leaves, then she is confused. Go back to single nail drags for a couple of training sessions and slowly wait for two nail drags.
Practice five times. Pick up board and end training session.

RELATED: Dog Nail Trimming Tools

Three Nail Drags

Goal: Three nail drags in a row

Follow the instructions for two nail drags.
If your dog gets stuck and you’re seeing results, there is nothing wrong with two nail drags for one treat. 🙂

Other Paw

Goal: Other paw (non-dominant paw) scratches board.

By now, your dog is probably switching paws in between nail drags. If not, move the scratch board directly in front of the non-scratch front paw. This usually gets it moving. When she offers her non-scratch paw, click and give her two treats. Trust me, she will notice and start offering it again!

Both Paws

Goal: Both paws scratch one after the other (digging motion).

Depending on your dog’s personality, this may have happened already. Stella (my Bull Terrier) offered this behavior in the beginning so I clicked and treated. Some dogs need to experiment and practice more, and some dogs may never offer this behavior. Remember, the goal is filing down nails. 🙂

Dog Barks When People Approach Crate

April 10, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Dog Barking in Crate

This can be scary for both people and dogs. As with any dog behavior, the more it’s practiced, the stronger it becomes so let’s teach your dog that quiet behavior and guests bring goodies!

How to Keep a Dog Quiet in Her Crate

Provide a Food Stuffed Toy

Give your dog something else to do in her crate. Provide a food stuffed toy when someone arrives at your door. When the doorbell rings, which usually produces a barking explosion, give her a stuffed toy, then answer the door. By pairing a yummy treat with guests arriving, she’ll learn guests mean cream cheese stuffed toys!

Put Up Visual Barriers

If your dog is afraid of people, provide visual barriers along three sides of her crate. Blocking your dog’s view will usually stop barking. If dog barking in crate continues, try placing your dog’s crate in a room further away from the front door and living room, and play soft music to drown out voices. Don’t forget to give her a food stuffed toy to keep her busy.

Dogs bark for many reasons. Most are excited and others are nervous so determine the reasons why your dog barks. Check out this offensive aggression article for suggestions. If your dog is scared and she can’t get away, she’ll do what it takes to scare someone away.

Play the Toll Game

If your dog is overly excited when guests come over, play the toll game. Dogs can’t bark when eating treats–well 99 percent of them can’t. 🙂 So your dog learns to be quiet and anticipates your guests walking over and giving treats.

Give your guest a small bowl of tiny yummy treats.
Ask your guest to walk past your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside. Ask him to repeat three or four times.
Now, raise your criteria. Ask your guest to stand near your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside when your dog stops barking. Practice for one minute, then give your guest and dog a break. Pop into another room and enjoy your guest.
Before your guest leaves, ask him to pay the toll again. 🙂

If your dog becomes too excited and explodes into barking, ask your guest to leave the room. Once your dog is quiet again, your guest can pop in and give your dog a handful of treats. Don’t forget to practice with several different guests. I usually ask each guest to spend two or three minutes playing the toll game upon arrival.

You may also like: 4 Tips for Renting with Large Dogs

My Dog is a Messy Eater

April 7, 2015 by Fanna Easter

What to Do if Your Dog is a Messy Eater

Oi, some dogs insist on spilling or carrying kibble to another spot to consume and I’m not exactly sure why this happens, but it does. So let’s tidy up our dog’s eating habits.

Place Mat Under Dog Bowl

If your dog picks up and chews her food next to the food bowl, try placing an easy-to-clean mat under her bowl. Not only will a mat catch crumbs, it’ll also protect flooring from moisture.

For food-relocating dogs, try adding a floor protector over their coveted eating location to protect flooring and keep the area tidy. This works 50 percent of the time and the other relocating percent finds another area to eat in peace.

Try Food Stuffed Toys

Stuff your dog’s daily meals into a food dispensing toy. My favorites are Kongs and the Kong Wobbler. Not only will this keep things tidy, but your dog will also be exhausted after each meal.

For food forging dogs, play along and scatter their food along a rug. They’ll sniff, hunt and chew each kibble. When they’re done, pick up the rug.

Add Yummy Stuff

Sometimes, adding yummy stuff, such as canned food or yogurt, encourages your dog to finish his meal quickly, meaning eating out of his food bowl. It’s worth a try!

Feed Him in Crate

Nothing like having raw bovine liver dragged across our white carpet, huh? My raw fed dogs eat in their crates. It’s super easy to clean afterwards, using a gentle disinfectant, such as Seventh Generation’s Lemongrass Spray. On nice days, try feeding your dogs outside. This works well for raw meaty bones.

Crate Rest Games for Dogs

March 9, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Stretches for Crate Rest Games

Dog Crate — Click and treat for small stretches.

I’ve researched crate rest games and there are some really good ones out there! So I created a list of a few since Sobek is the perfect candidate while recovering from cruciate ligament repair (torn ACL).

Depending on your dog’s injury, always consult your vet before performing any stretches. Be safe first!

Stretches are Good

Usually crate rest is prescribed after orthopedic surgery, meaning dogs should keep walking to a minimum during the first critical weeks. Sobek really enjoyed neck, shoulder and chest stretches. I noticed increased mobility during short potty walks. His neck and shoulders work harder, as he favors his repaired knee–poor baby boy!

Practice one stretching session in the a.m. and p.m.

Lure Dog’s Nose to Shoulder (Beginner Level)

With this stretch, your dog will stretch his neck and shoulder muscles. Move at your dog’s pace. His nose doesn’t need to touch his shoulder. You’re looking for tiny stretches in the beginning. Never force your dog’s head toward his shoulder, as this will make things worse. With continued practice sessions, your dog will become more flexible over time.

If your dog knows “touch,” replace the lure with your hand, then click and treat when your dog touches your hand.

You’ll need six yummy treats about the size of a penny and a clicker/marker word.

Hold lure in your right hand (or left, if you’re left-handed).
Place lure on your dog’s nose.
Slowly, lure your dog’s nose diagonally toward his left shoulder.
Click and give him the lure (treat).
Practice two more times.
Now, lure your dog’s nose toward his right shoulder. You may notice one side has more flexibility, which is normal.
Practice two more times.

VIDEO: Stretches for Crate Rest Games: Up and Down

Stretch Neck Up and Down

Picture a clock. You’ll lure your dog’s nose up into the 12 o’clock position. This will stretch your dog’s neck and chest. You’ll need several yummy treats about the size of a penny.

If your dog knows “touch,” replace the lure with your hand, then click and treat when your dog touches your hand.

Head Up

Holding a lure in your right hand, lure your dog’s head up. His nose should be pointing up in the air.
Refrain from lifting the lure up too high. You don’t want your dog to stand or sit up. You just want him to extend his neck and lift his head up.
Click and give him the treat (lure).
Practice two more times.

Head Down

Your dog can be sitting or lying down, whichever is most comfortable.
Place a lure on your dog’s nose and lure his nose toward the ground.
Click and give him the treat (lure).
Practice two more times.

Holding Stretches for One Second

After several practice sessions, hold the lure in position for one second, then click and treat.

Happy stretching!

You may also like: Teaching Your Dog the “Go to Place” Cue

Interactive Dog Toys for Car Rides

December 29, 2014 by Fanna Easter

How to Entertain Your Dog

Children play video games or watch their favorite DVDs during car rides, but how do we keep the family pooch entertained? Road trip puzzle toys! Interactive dog toys are not for home use only. They’re portable so take ’em on the road.

Using Interactive Dog Toys During Car Rides

Dogs get bored and frustrated during long car rides just like children and even adults. You have to give them something to do too. Chews are great, but sometimes they don’t last long enough. Try an interactive dog toy instead.

Smear peanut butter, cream cheese, baby food or a mixture of all three along the sides of an interactive dog toy.
To keep mess to a minimum, freeze overnight. Most dogs will like the smeared mixture for hours.
If your dog is prone to car sickness, smear ginger jelly on the inside of her toy. Ginger is a useful remedy to keep car sickness at bay.

Dog Toys Make Car Rides Fun

Some dogs (and puppies) just don’t like riding in vehicles. This is pretty normal and it’s a weird sensation. By providing interactive dog toys during car rides, your dog will associate yummy food (aka fun) with car rides. The more fun they have during car rides, the more likely they will learn to enjoy them.

Want to make car rides even more fun? Enroll in a group class so your dog has plenty of opportunities to practice her new car riding behavior while arriving at a fun place with lots of treats. Perfect combo! 🙂 My clients have mentioned their dogs love to ride in the car now. They know they’re going to class so they hop in and grin. Add a road trip-worthy interactive toy and you’re both well on your way to becoming road warriors soon!

Check out more tips on traveling with your dog here.