The Pet Friendly Canada Newsletter
For Pets and The People Who Love Them!
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April 2009

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We welcome your pet photos! Please send them to us and you could see them in a future issue of this newsletter.

PET QUOTES

"Every dog should have a man of his own. There is nothing like a well-behaved person around the house to spread the dog's blanket for him, or bring him his supper when he comes home man-tired at night." (Corey Ford) "There is, incidently, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person." (Dan Greenberg)

PHOTOS FROM PROUD PET PARENTS

"Brodee (in the red raincoat), a 1½ year old Schnerrier, is a rescue dog, who was abandoned in the woods at 2½ months of age in Indiana. We drove from Toronto in a blizzard to get him from a rescue facility when he was 7 months of age. Lara, a pure-bred black Schnauzer is going to be 3 years of age on April 3rd. We love them and they love us as well as each other." - Greg & Dee C.

Photos sent in by Geri H.

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COPPER'S RESCUE

"On September 16, 2008 Andrea, Chad and their dog Copper were driving down an old forest road when an animal, possibly an elk stepped out in front of the car. Andrea did what her father always told her not to do, she swerved. She instantly knew her mistake and told Chad, “hang on, we’re going over”. What they didn’t realize until daylight was that “over” meant a 150 foot cliff. After what seemed like eternity the jeep finally came to a rest upside down. Andrea was unconscious and covered in blood, the windows were blown out and Copper was missing..." [ Continue reading... ]

HOW TO GET A DOG TO STOP JUMPING ON PEOPLE

Dogs like to jump. When you watch a group of dogs at play you'll see them jump all over one another. However, in the human world, dogs need to learn how to greet humans politely. With consistency and lots of positive reinforcement, your dog's jumping problems can be a thing of the past. Now, every dog responds to different things. One training method may work wonders with one dog, while it has no effect on another. So below is a list of some techniques to try with your own dog. Remember, positive reinforcement dog training is key - do not punish! Dogs learn to repeat behavior when they're rewarded for it, so encourage and reward your dog throughout the training process. TECHNIQUE #1: TURN YOUR BACK As you come in the door, you're likely expecting your dog to jump up on you in greeting and in pure excitement. Before she jumps, turn your back on her and ignore her wild jumping. Keep an eye on her. The instant she puts all four paws back down on the ground, turn around and greet her calmly and with a brief, "Good dog!" or something similar. Try not to over-excite her again. If she attempts to jump on you again, then turn your back again. Repeat as necessary. You want to teach her that staying down on the ground means she'll get attention, while jumping up means she'll get ignored. This may take a while... but practice makes perfect! Be consistent and don't get frustrated. Remember that timing is important - you should greet / praise your pup when all four of her paws are on the ground, not when she's jumping on you. TECHNIQUE #2: THE SIT/STAY This involves teaching your dog to sit quietly whenever someone comes to the door. She stays in that position until you give her your "release word" (use anything you want, just be consistent, ie, "okay", "let's go", etc). Teaching this method is actually very similar to the first. Before you begin, your dog should already know how to sit/stay in a normal, calm situation. Now you want her to do it when one of the most exciting things happen - a visitor comes to the door! When your dog jumps on you, ignore her. Wait until her paws are all on the ground, and then say a command, such as "off". Then greet / praise her. Make sure you wait until her paws are on the ground before you give her the command - you want her to associate the command with keeping her paws on the ground, not with jumping up on you. If you like, you can take the training a bit further. After your dog holds a sit/stay, you can have her either offer her paw on cue, or give a single greeting bark. This will give your dog something to think about (and dog lovers find it irresistable). TECHNIQUE #3: GO GET A TOY! This is a great method for dogs that like to have a "job" to do. First, train your dog to retrieve a toy on command (in a normal, calm situation). Once he understands and can do so reliably, then you move onto getting him to fetch a toy when someone comes to the door. This will give your dog something to do and use up a bit of energy... plus the dog may be so happy and preoccupied with the toy that he won't be so inclined to jump on you in greeting. TECHNIQUE #4: TEMPTING WITH TREATS If you have a dog that's food-motivated, you will probably find this method the easiest. Carry tasty treat tidbits with you, or keep a stash near the door. When you come in the door, pick up some treats. Ignore your dog's jumping (he might be even more enthuastic now that he senses food!). Once he puts all four paws on the ground - or responds to your command of "Sit!" - instantly reward him with the treats and with your attention. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "OFF" AND "DOWN" Many people use these two commands interchangeably, but it can be confusing for your dog. "Down" usually means "lie down", while "off" is most often used when you want the dog to get off something like a piece of furniture, the counters, etc. ___________________ Article provided courtesy of ScamperingPaws, a library of dog health, behavior, and training tips. www.scamperingpaws.com

UPCOMING PET EVENTS

Saturday April 26, 2009: Victoria, BC -- the German Shepherd Rescue of B.C. is holding their first Pub Night in Victoria at Six Mile Pub. Join them for dinner, a silent auction, games, and door prizes. More info If your non-profit pet organization is holding an event, please send us the details!

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