Help! My Puppy Just Growled At Me, What Should I Do?

December 26, 2017 by Fanna Easter

How to Handle Puppy Growling

When dogs growl, it can be scary. However, when puppies growl, it can become very confusing and concerning. As a professional dog trainer, I can tell you most clients are more concerned when puppies growl than when adult dogs do it. Let’s discuss why puppies growl and how to prevent the behavior.

What Causes Puppies to Growl?

Many pet owners have a hard time telling the difference between “play” and “scared” puppy growling. Puppies mostly growl when playing; it can sound vicious, but it’s harmless. During playtime, a puppy’s body language is rounded and fluid. A puppy moves quickly, and will growl and show his teeth while playing.

A scared puppy’s body language looks completely different from that of a playful puppy. Fearful puppies will freeze, and then move backwards. Their body language becomes straight and stiff. These puppies growl because they’re scared or uncomfortable, especially when children are holding them and they can’t get away. Basically, when a puppy growls due to fear, he is begging everyone to stop what she is doing.

Prevention is Best

Puppy play growling is fun, but it can scare some pet owners. If your puppy growls while playing, just stop the game. Once your puppy stops growling, start the game again. This teaches him that growling makes the fun stop. And when growling stops, the fun begins again.

When a puppy growls while playing with another dog, it’s best to monitor their puppy play session. Watch each dog’s body language, and step in and separate dogs with an interrupter cue if body language becomes rigid. If a puppy growls while being held or when approaching his food bowl, back off immediately.

How to Change This Behavior

If a puppy is growling while being held or touched, it’s time to change his behavior. Instead of walking over and picking up your puppy, call your puppy to you and reward him with cheese when he gets to you. Choices are important to puppies too, so only pick him up if he’s comfortable. Some puppies will growl when touched because they’re scared, so it’s important to pair something good with touching.

Also, it’s best to partner with a professional dog trainer who only uses positive reinforcement methods to address this behavior. There may be other things going on within the household, so a professional dog trainer can observe and address potential issues quickly.

Introducing A Kong Toy To Your Dog: Part 3

December 22, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Making Kong Toys More Challenging For Your Dog

Make Kongs More Challenging — eldadcarin/Adobe Stock

Food stuffed toys make for fantastic mentally enriching puzzles, and all dogs should be able to enjoy them every day. If your dog will approach and dig out loose treats stuffed into a Kong (part 2), then it’s time to make Kong toys more challenging for your dog.

Tightly Pack Kongs With Food

Packing food tightly inside a Kong toy makes the puzzle more difficult to solve. Start slowly by placing a Greenie inside a Kong, then press bananas or cooked sweet potato around the Greenie to keep it in place. Place the food filled toy on a soft mat and walk away. If your dog empties her Kong, it’s time to experiment with different food stuffers and also try feeding your dog her meals out of the Kong.

A few stuffers you can fill your Kong with include:

Stuff the toy with kibble and add layers of canned food to keep them in place.
Press and fill a Kong toy with sweet potatoes and molasses.
Press bananas and blueberries inside a Kong.
Firmly pack cooked oatmeal with honey inside a Kong.
Stuff hard treats inside, such as fish skins, inside the toy.

Advanced Kong Filling

This Kong stuffing idea is difficult. Stuff a slice of bread deep within a Kong toy. When bread mixes with your dog’s saliva, it sticks inside the Kong and your dog must really work hard to remove all bits of bread. 🙂

Freeze Overnight

Once your dog is able to empty different types of food from Kongs, it’s time to make the game even more challenging. Now, some dogs dislike licking frozen food stuffed Kongs. If that’s the case with your dog, stick with tightly packed Kongs.

However, if your dog becomes a master puzzle solver, stuff Kong toys with a few fillings listed above and freeze overnight. Licking a frozen Kong toy takes a bit longer to solve, and it’s a wonderful crate game when dogs are left alone.

Now, toss out your dog’s food bowl and feed all meals out of Kong toys!

WATCH: Making Kong Toys More Challenging

Introducing A Kong Toy To Your Dog: Part 2

December 20, 2017 by Fanna Easter

How to Introduce a Kong to Your Dog Part 2

Introducing Kong to Dog — eldadcarin/Adobe Stock

Keeping your dog mentally and physically enriched is important, and Kong toys are an excellent way to fulfill that need. Most dogs are unsure of Kong toys until they’re properly introduced, which can take a few days. If you’ve already read our guide to choosing the right Kong size for your dog and started to introduce a Kong to your dog, then let’s go over step 2!

Is Your Dog Ready for Step 2?

During step 1, we slowly introduced your dog to a Kong with a bit of peanut butter smeared on the outside rim and a few loose treats inside the toy. If your dog will happily lick away at the smeared peanut butter outside of the Kong, then it’s time to move onto step 2. Now, it’s time to make this food stuffed toy a bit more difficult for your dog. Remember, food stuffed Kongs are like puzzles, and your dog needs to solve it before getting all the treats out.

Digging Treats Out of a Kong

Smear a bit of peanut butter or cream cheese inside the outer rim of the Kong, so your dog must lick inside of the toy to get the food. Toss a few treats inside the Kong, such as bits of cheese, diced hot dogs or blue cheese crumbles.

Place the food filled Kong on a soft mat and walk away. Now, your dog is thinking, “Oh, this weird rubber toy smells really good and I must dig out all the goodness!” Practice twice a day for 2-3 days.

Multiple Dog Households and Kongs

When offering food stuffed Kongs to several dogs at once, it’s best to separate all dogs. Toss the dog toys inside secured crates or behind baby gates to prevent resource guarding among your dogs. Even the very best of friends will squabble over a peanut butter filled Kong, so prevention is key every time.

WATCH: Introducing a Kong Toy to Your Dog: Part 2

Choosing & Introducing A Kong To Your Dog

December 18, 2017 by Fanna Easter

A Guide to Kong Dog Toys

Introduce Kong to Dog — cbckchristine/Adobe Stock

Mental stimulation is an important daily requirement for all dogs of all ages; it keeps their brain busy. An easy way to provide your dog mental stimulation are food stuffed Kongs. As a professional dog trainer, I recommend putting your dog’s meals in Kong dog toys in place of bowls.

Before tossing your dog a food stuffed Kong, it’s important to properly introduce a Kong to your dog.

What Size Kong for My Dog?

Kong dog toys are made of toxic-free rubber with a hollowed out center inside. These dog toys look odd, but dogs love them because they bounce when tossed. Most dogs enjoy a large Kong while smaller dogs may need a medium one.

When giving any toys to dogs, bigger is better to prevent them from swallowing toy pieces. For strong chewers, choose the black Extreme Kong. This one is made of tougher material and can withstand a power chewer. When in doubt, larger and stronger is always best.

WATCH: Choosing a Kong Toy Size for Your Dog

How to Introduce a Kong to Your Dog

After you’ve chosen the right sized Kong for your dog, it’s time to introduce it to him! Proper Kong introduction is key. Many dogs will simply walk away from a weird looking rubber toy. However, once your dog realizes food falls out of his Kong toy, he’ll quickly become super interested.

Step 1: Show Him Food is Inside

Make it super simple at first. Think of food stuffed Kongs as puzzles. Smear peanut butter around the outer rim of the Kong and add a few tiny treats inside. Place the Kong on a soft surface, and walk away. Refrain from tossing a Kong across the floor, as this might scare some dogs.

Ninety percent of dogs will walk over and investigate this strange rubber alien on the floor because it smells like peanut butter. Placing Kongs on soft surfaces, such as a mat, prevents them from wobbling away, which can freak some dogs out too.

Step 2: Practice Twice a Day

Randomly, throughout the day, smear peanut butter and a few tiny loose treats inside of a Kong, and leave it on a soft surface. Follow step 1 for 2-3 days. Once your dog is licking away at the Kong, it’s time to move onto step 2. Of course, continue feeding your dog his meals out of a bowl until he’s completely comfortable emptying out a Kong.

WATCH: How to Introduce a Kong Toy to Your Dog: Step One

2017 Christmas Gift Ideas For Senior Dogs

December 15, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Gifts for Senior Dogs

As dogs age, they become a bit hesitant to chase a ball or empty out a food stuffed toy. With the holidays approaching, check out these gifts for senior dogs. Older dogs will sure to love one of these Christmas gifts.

Thick Orthopedic Bed

Seniors dogs certainly enjoy and appreciate a super soft bed. Depending on your senior dog’s size, choose a supportive orthopedic bedding for medium and large dogs. Smaller dogs enjoy fluffy comfort too, and enjoy snuggling into clamshell beds (i.e. beds with a cover). With that said, some larger dogs enjoy snuggling into large-sized clamshell beds too! Of course, make sure your senior dog’s new bed has a removable cover in case of accidents.

Fleece Blanket

All dogs enjoy thick fleece blankets, but seniors enjoy them just a tad more. Choose machine-washable twin- or queen-sized fleece blankets, and cover your dog’s bed with comfort. During colder months, cover your dog’s favorite napping spot with thick fleece blankets. Don’t forget to bring a fleece blanket during your senior dog’s next vet visit!

Boxes for Nosework Games

Senior dogs still need exercise and mental stimulation, so keep all of those Amazon boxes lying around. Once a day, place several empty boxes in a room and fill one box with a few treats. Open the door and let your senior dog wander around and hunt for treats. When treats are located and gobbled up, reset the “food” box with treats, and then place the “food” box in a different spot in the room. If your senior dog follows you around, toss a couple of treats over a baby gate and reset boxes, then let your senior dog back in to hunt. Check out additional details on playing nose work games here.

Ramp

Arthritis and painful joints are common as dogs age, and climbing into cars, beds, couches or stairs becomes difficult. Invest in a sturdy dog ramp to make it easier for your dog to climb up or down from furniture, stairs or vehicles. Small and medium dogs can be easily picked up, but it’s more difficult for larger dogs. With so many portable ramps available that attach to SUVs or that easily fold up, they make a great gift for senior dogs. Check out this DIY ramp version.

Senior dogs are such a treasure. Give them extra cuddles during this holiday season!