Diesel's Box

Diesel is a smart dog. While he doesn't fit with us, stresses Kaytu, and it will be better for everyone when he goes to a new foster, I know that he is definitely smart. I decided to try "101 Things To Do With A Box" with him. I haven't even tried it on the girls yet but it seemed like the perfect game for him. The basic idea is that it's a clicker training game where you "capture" a behavior by marking it with the click, and then the behavior can be "shaped" by requiring a slight change in the behavior already being presented. [Note: The clicker must be "charged" first so the sound has meaning to the dog.] At first, you mark (click) when the dog even looks at the box. Then you start requiring the dog to touch or interact with the box in some way, and then build on that. After several sessions when the dog has caught on to the game the rules change so that the dog has to do something new with the box each time. Only new behaviors will be marked and rewarded each time. This can initially be frustrating for the dog as behaviors that were previously rewarded no longer work. The dog will catch on and come up with all kinds of interesting things to do. All on their own! Dogs are intelligent and perfectly capable of figuring out ways to train their humans to give them treats. There is no luring or physically touching the dog in any way, and it's good to limit using your voice as well.

I grabbed a shallow box about 10"x13" and about 3 inches deep, and armed myself with a bag of pea-sized treats and my clicker. I picked this box because it's relatively small but big enough to interact with. It also has big flaps to interact with.

I confidently placed the box on the floor and grinned. Diesel looked at me, his forehead wrinkled and one bottom tooth sticking out. He licked, a behavior I've previously taught him. No reward this time! He licked again. Then he licked again. He sat down and licked and smacked his jowls about another 7 times. No reward, that's not what I want. Should I help him? No! I crossed that thought out of my head. He would look at the box eventually, I just had to be patient. Minutes passed. He licked a little more, he walked around a little, and mostly he sat and stared at me with that wrinkled forehead. I admit to poking the box with my foot twice to get him to notice it. He didn't seem to care anyway. I knew I really didn't want to lure him so I didn't try to help him again. Eventually he turned his head to his right, away from the box. Then he looked left, directly at the box. Click! "Yes! Good boy!" and a tasty treat. He did it! It took over 5 minutes which feels like an eternity of waiting when all I was doing was staring at him, but he did it. Within the next 5 minutes he figured out the box was magical. Every time he looked at the box I would click, tell him Yes or Good, and give him a treat.

He was sitting face-to-face with me, the box on his left. He'd look at the box, click, treat, look, click, treat, look click treat, several times then he'd stop and look at me. I remained silent except for my verbal marker and praise after each correct behavior. After pausing for 5-10 seconds to look at me he would look back to the box. He's got it!

Soon he was not only glancing at the box, but holding his gaze to it for a second or two. Time to change the criteria! Any time he held his gaze or leaned toward it I would click and reward. A quick glance was not enough any more. If he leaned in or stuck his head down to it I would click and reward with several treats and excited petting. He is a very affectionate dog who loves petting, it's the ultimate way to show him he was a good boy. It wasn't long before the criteria changed again and he had to touch the box with his nose or mouth.

He was already guiding the game and choosing the path by using his face to interact with it instead of his paws or body. At this point, using his face, he has many options. He could try to push or pull the box along the floor, pick up the box, press down on the box, lick the box, whatever he wanted to do.

He was offering two different behaviors and I was marking them both. I was wondering if he would get confused, combine the behaviors, or choose one over the over. The first behavior he offered was using his nose to push down on one of the flaps. Every time he pressed the flap with his nose, I clicked, said Yes or Good, and gave him a treat. He experimented and found out that this game worked on every single flap! What a smart boy.. he tested! Was it only one flap that worked, or was it all of them? My jaw dropped the first time he tried a different flap then looked up at me with his even more wrinkled, head slightly tilted and ears forward as if he was asking "This one too?" 

He started pushing down harder on it sometimes and each time he did that he received an extra treat or two as well as petting. Gradually the criteria was changing from touching the flap to pressing it down with force. At the same time, he started mouthing the edge of the flaps- easily shaped into picking up the box and I just couldn't ignore it, so I marked and rewarded it the same way as I did the flap press. He would put his lips around an edge. He never progressed to trying to lift, push, pull, or do anything else, and his teeth never touched the cardboard (which was now very gross and slimy). Unless he offered something new on his own, the behavior could not progress to something new.

While marking these two behaviors he suddenly offered a new one. He gently lifted his paw and put it on a flap. I clicked and rewarded him, and cheered him on and pet him. I tried for several days to teach Diesel to shake and could never get him to lift his paw, and here he does it on his own with no lure! He is thrilled with himself and immediately stomps on the box again. "I like this game!" He stomps on the box several more times without offering any other behaviors. As he stomps harder, the box begins to sometimes flip up on its side. How fun! The criteria has now changed and he must step hard enough to flip the box up. He figures this out quickly and is rewarded each time.

While initially a new behavior is rewarded excitedly with petting and bonus treats, the behavior becomes mastered and I gradually give less of a reward by giving only a click, Yes or Good, and a single treat.

I don't think he likes that. Again, he chooses a new behavior on his own even though he is being consistently rewarded for something else. Why would he do that?? I'm honestly not sure why he would unless he figured out that new behaviors are more rewarding. He tentatively lifts his left paw and places it in the bottom of the box. He looks up at me with that extra wrinkly face, head slightly tilted. "What about this?" I click and reward excitedly with petting immediately.

Once again he is thrilled with himself, and once again he offers this new behavior several times in a row without offering any other behavior. Then he stops, looks at me, and pees on the floor. No, that behavior is NOT one I'm looking for. I get him outside asap and clean up the floor. I know better than to stop training. He is a smart dog. What if he thinks training isn't over until he pees? That would be an awful habit to create! I bring him back inside and stand by the box. What will he do?

He gently steps on the flap and looks up at me. Nope, not good enough for a click! You have to make it flip up. I give the first verbal encouragement of the session. "Mhmm," and a slight nod. He stomps on it. He goes back to stomping on the flap to make the box flip up and does this several times. Then he tries placing his paw in the bottom again, which I click and reward. He goes back and forth between the two. For a while he does both about equally but he starts doing more stomps to flip the box on its side than placing his paw in the bottom. It's always his left paw he stomps with or places in the bottom.

I decided to stop as we'd been going for a good half hour by that point. That's an extremely long training session for something new and I had not planned on doing that to him! My initial goal was to get him to touch the box with some part of his body. Once he started to figure out the game he was so engaged and so happy with himself that I couldn't stop. I wanted to know what else he could do! I chose to stop when I did because I didn't want him to get bored or disinterested, and a break is definitely needed after that long.

I set up the video camera to record this whole thing but of course the batteries died about 2 minutes in when all that had happened was me standing there with Diesel sitting in front of me staring and licking his chops. I'll charge the batteries and try to record what happens next session.

Microchipping Your Pet

Chipping has become a routine procedure that in some areas is even required by law. But are they safe? Do they really cause cancer?

To put it simply, there is a risk but it appears extremely rare for a microchip to cause any serious or permanent damage. The risk is insignificant and it's worth that risk to microchip. Microchips reunite pets with their owners every single day. HomeAgain's website claims "Every month, HomeAgain reunites 10,000 pets with the people that love them," and over a million pets have been reunited with their owners through HomeAgain.

That's nice, but what about the risks? You're sticking something under your pet's skin. It can migrate, a cancerous tumor can grow around it, and there can be fatal or permanent complications. Fear not! These are all very rare incidences. An extremely small percentage of pets get tumors or cancerous growths around the chip.

Note: Many of the sources I've cited are anti-microchip sites because they have many of the studies and rare incidences all in one place. I am not anti-microchipping and in fact strongly support chipping; I believe the risk is insignificant as microchips save hundreds and hundreds of lives every day.

If nothing else, read this. This is the bottom line. Keep it in mind as you continue:

"Microchips have been used extensively in pets over the last decade. They are especially prevalent in the United Kingdom, where over four million cats and dogs have received the implants. The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has been tracking adverse reactions to microchips since 1996. They identified a link between microchips and cancer in two dogs.
Two dogs out of four million is a very low number indeed.

It turns out that the strains of mice and rats cited in the studies that first noted the microchip-cancer link had been developed to be especially prone to cancer. In these animals, microchips caused tumors at very high rates. So did anything else that was implanted under the skin. In this case, it may not be appropriate to draw a direct link between these rodents and household pets." [source]

What percentage is 2 of 4,000,000? It's 0.00005%. I hope you'll remember that bottom line. Microchips carry a risk, but the risk of losing your pet is immensely greater than the risk of cancer or adverse affects caused by the chip.

"You can treat most cancers," wrote a dog enthusiast in a recent online debate about microchipping. "You can't treat a no-kill shelter's last-day policy." 

Do Microchips Cause Cancer?

The studies that have been conducted concerning cancer and microchips are not reliable studies.

"A 1998 study of 177 mice reported an incidence of cancer of just over 10 percent. A French study in 2006 noted tumors in 4.1 percent of 1,260 microchipped mice. And a German study in 1997 linked cancer to microchips in 1 percent of 4,279 mice.

None of the studies had control groups of nonchipped mice, which means that there were no "normal" cancer rates to use as a comparison." [source]

Most tumors/cancer are found between the shoulder blades, where the chip is implanted- but that is also the site of vaccinations which is another thing to think about.

As far as I know, there are no scientific studies about microchips that are done with dogs. There are case studies but the experiments are all rats or mice with no control groups, so you can't tell what the difference is. Even if 10% of mice got cancer with a chip, maybe 9.8% would get cancer anyway without a chip. Or maybe only 1.4% would. You don't know. You need a control group and to use the right kind of mice. Can mice compare to dogs anyway?

There are a couple case studies of dogs who had a malignant cancerous tumor attached to/surrounding the microchip. It could be from any number of other things, including (over)vaccination, but it very well could be a direct result of the microchip and it does appear that way.
Dog 1: http://www.antichips.com/cancer/02-vascellari-et-al-fibrosarcoma-2006-overview.pdf

Dog 2: http://www.antichips.com/cancer/03-vascellari-et-al-liposarcoma-2004-overview.pdf
 

Here is the larger study which included these two dogs, as well as 9 other studies on rodents. Again, keep in mind the rodents studied were prone to cancer and there were no control groups.
http://www.chipmenot.org/pdfs/P074.pdf

Are There Risks Other Than Cancer?

Unfortunately yes, and they can have quite horrible outcomes. There are other very rare occurrences not related to cancer or tumors I've come across, when the microchip is being inserted.

In 2009 a Chihuahua bled to death through the tiny hole created by inserting the chip. Read the full story here. My gut reaction was that the dog must have had a blood clotting disorder or something wrong but it's important to note that the dog did not have a blood clotting disorder as he had previously undergone neutering and a tooth extraction. As mentioned in the story, the space between the shoulderblades is not known to have any major blood vessels. The vet is unsure of why the dog bled so profusely, and was not held at fault.

In 2004 a struggling kitten died immediately after being microchipped, and in another case a cat was neurologically damaged.

"A post-mortemexamination later revealed that the microchip had been accidentally inserted into the kitten's brainstem(BSAVA, 2004).

In another case a cat suffered severe neurological damage when a microchip was accidentally injected into its spinal column (Platt et al., 2006)" [source]

These incidences of cancer, tumors, death, and permanent damage are tragic to say the least. Microchips are designed to save lives, not cause harm. I've said the risk is insignificant. The risk is insignificant until it's your pet. Until your dog is bleeding out, until your dog has cancer. That is significant and a sobering thought. I still stand by my statement of fully supporting microchips. As of now, based on the science and literature available, every pet I own will be microchipped. Chips save lives. That is the case every day- lives are saved. Remember how HomeAgain saves 10,000 pets a month? On average over 330 pets are reunited with their owners every single day, and that's just one microchip company. I'm not going to be overly worried or intimidated by a 0.00005% risk.

I Don't Want to Microchip! What Can I Do?

One of the best alternatives to microchipping is tattooing. An identification number is typically tattooed on the pet's inner thigh or the inside of the ear. It takes only a couple minutes and therefore pets are not anesthetized for this procedure. Anesthesia carries a risk in itself. If your pet is going under for a spay/neuter or another procedure it would be a good time to get the tattoo done however your pet does not need to be under for a tattoo. There is claim that the procedure does not hurt as pet skin is different from our own but I'm not sure I believe that. Pinch your dog's skin and guess what? He doesn't like that because it hurts. Speaking from personal experience, having a vibrating needle under your skin hurts and the vibration itself is an odd sensation that I imagine a pet may not appreciate.

Tattoos can fade but the number can be reapplied. Dogs with furry inner thighs must be kept shaved or trimmed very short there so the number can be visible.

Find out more information at the National Dog Registry.

Escape, and Shock Collar Work

Another moment of terror. Kaytu got out. Again. The garage door was up and when my husband went out from the house Kaytu bolted out. She's been *dying* for a run but it's been far too hot. Part of her treatment plan in helping her to not run off is bike rides at least 3x a week but that's only been possible late night at about 9 or 10pm and even then it's often still above 70*. I heard hub yell "KAAAAYTU! OH, S***!" and the door slammed. I bolted out the front door to the porch and didn't see anyone but the neighbor lady clutching her little nightmare of a dog. Ran back in the house and grabbed my keys and peeled out, rolling all the windows down as I went as I know Kaytu has the urge to jump into the car (from her last escape at my parent's house not long ago). Lady was now around the corner, I slammed the brakes and asked which way they went. She pointed. I peeled out again. k2 has got be headed for the park, I figure. I turn toward the main road and there she is, standing calmly on the sidewalk with hub sneaking up on her and 3 cars in my way. One guy opens his door and gets out and tries to lure Kaytu. During all this I'm wiggling my way through a gap between the cars I never would have normally tried to fit through. Very surprised I didn't scrape. Kaytu sees hub coming up and blots again straight toward that busy 4 lanes of traffic. I'm fully prepared to run the red light to block cars. I blast my horn over and over, and Kay turns right, following the sidewalk. I scream KAYTU!!! as I get next to her. She cowers and I kiss to her. She starts heading up to the car.

Oh yeah, hazard lights. Better turn those on. She hops right into the back seat. I roll the windows up and pull further into the shoulder, and hub isn't far behind. He gets in and we drive back home. Kaytu's ears were back the entire way home. She wasn't sulking or sad looking, more like she was pleading. She looked like she was saying "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it! I was so excited!!! I needed to run and explore! You're not mad are you?" She received no punishment or even a harsh glare. We loved on her and I strapped her e-collar on as hub was still going to be in and out of the garage for a bit. Hub told me that the neighbor lady had picked up her dog and was just standing there shrieking as Kaytu jumped up to say hi to it. Maybe next time you could grab a loose dog when it approaches you? My husband is obviously in pursuit and calling out, and you choose to just stand there shrieking like a fair maiden of olden days, completely helpless and scared? Puh-lease.

I haven't actually tested the level on her in a while so once I was sure she would feel something and had the collar tight enough and the prongs through her fur all the way down to her skin, I started bringing it up. 1/2.. nothing.. 1.. nothing.. up to 2.5 before she looked around and looked startled and made a really quiet whine. 2.5 it is! The other dogs were outside during this process, I wasn't going to risk her redirecting like "I felt pain, Nali is next to me, Nali caused pain, I'm going to attack Nali" because that's how dogs' brains work. I did some basic obedience training with all 3 dogs and also the cats and we chilled out for a couple hours. I then took Kaytu for a walk to get to a good park area for some recall training. She was wearing the shock collar still but the remote was off during the walk. She also had on her regular collar and a flexi lead. I like the flexi for shock collar training because it's so lightweight. With slack in it there's barely and tug on it at all. I want her (and myself) to feel like physically there isn't a tie between us, that it really is her choice to stay or go.

She was so calm on the walk. Focused. Stopped and sat as I'd slow down. Didn't pull. Didn't lag behind. We walked over to the park. We walked around the grass and she remained close and attentive. I was rewarding her generously with yummy crunchy treats during the walk and now for staying close to me and following my movements. Then I sat, she laid herself down, and I loved on her and had a heart-to-heart about why what she did wasn't a good thing and how scared it makes me. Belly rubs, ear rubs, paw rubs, and neck scratches as best I could with both collars on there.

She was so "soft" by this point that I didn't think 2.5 was an appropriate level anymore. When she was all worked up, 2.5 was what she needed. Now she was relaxed and attentive. I turned the remote on to 1. In previous training she's needed about a 1 or 1.5. I showed her I had no more treats in my hands. She didn't care. She laid there watching me. What a good girl. She's not going to wander off right now. Ok, backup plan. Usually I like to let her be wandering and not paying attention to me, then call her, zap if needed, and reward her when she gets to me. The zap starts when she chooses to ignore and stops the instant she turns toward me and starts coming. I use the continual button meaning the zap isn't one jolt but a continuous stimulation. She already has the foundation work and knows how this training works; the dog has to understand what you want before you simply zap it until it does what you want. What I was doing today is not the beginning of the training and is not the way to start training a dog with an e-collar. My backup plan was that I'd put her in a Sit-Stay and change it up between returning to her and rewarding her, or calling her to me. The first time I did a recall version she came to me. The next time, she looked away into space. Zap. She gave a startled face and jumped up a little and started coming to me. I turned it down to 1/2, the lowest setting (which admittedly is still enough to make my arm twitch a little if I hold the prongs on my thumb). We went back and forth between Sit-Stay-Come and Sit-Stay where I return, and I threw in some random obedience and tricks as well.

The idea was not to trick her or set her up to fail, that's never the point. I'd much rather reward her for coming than zap her for not listening. Sometimes we've done training sessions with the e-collar on and she never messes up and never gets a shock. Good for her!!! That's how I want it to be. The shock collar is NOT the primary method of teaching recall. The primary method is to teach her that coming when called = treats and all the good things in the world and it's worth it for her to come to me.

She got a total of 3 zaps today during the session. There were many more successes and rewards than punishments. On the walk home she lagged behind to smell and ended up about 10-12 feet behind me and not caring where I was. I took the opportunity to tell her to come, treats ready. She didn't listen. I did an instant zap instead of the continuous, still on 1/2, and she came right to me and got a bunch of treats. We had a very successful day!

I want to add that she does still randomly wear the e-collar around the house for random amounts of time. Usually it is not on. This is to prevent her from creating any kind of negative association with the collar on.

Recommended Reading

Here is my personal reading list and books I highly recommend. I haven't read all of them yet but I have plans to! I'll update the list periodically. These are great resources for basic training, specific issues, understanding animal behavior, or general life with dogs. There are several well respected trainers and authors such as Karen Pryor, Patricia McConnell, Pat Miller, Paul Owens, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, Susan Garrett, and many others.

Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog by Ian Dunbar


The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller 

Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor 

The Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training by Paul Owens 

The Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Non Violent Guide to Early Training and Careby Paul Owens 

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin 


Doctor Dunbar's Good Little Dog Book by Ian Dunbar 

The Dog Whisperer Presents - Good Habits for Great Dogs: A Positive Approach to Solving Problems for Puppies and Dogs by Paul Owens 

Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals by Karen Pryor 

For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia McConnell 

The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs by Jean Donaldson 

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia McConnell 

Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance for a First Class Life (Dogwise Training Manual) by Pat Miller

When Pigs Fly: Training Success with Impossible Dogs by Jane Killion

Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy Your Multi-Dog Household. by Karen B. London Ph.D. 

Raising Puppies & Kids Together: A Guide for Parents by Pia Silvani 

Control Unleashed: Creating a Focused and Confident Dog by Leslie McDevitt


Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program by Leslie McDevitt

The Cautious Canine-How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears by Patricia McConnell 

Behavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Fear, Frustration, and Aggression in Dogs by Grisha Stewart

Aggression in Dogs: Practical Management, Prevention & Behaviour Modification by Brenda Aloff 

Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash-Reactive Dog by Patricia McConnell 

Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson 

I'll be Home Soon: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety. by Patricia McConnell 

Dog Vs Dog Training

I admit it. I've been slacking. Obedience training has been infrequent apart from daily routines like Sit-Wait before feeding, Wait when I open the crates instead of charging out, and Sit when riding in the car. Denali listens automatically which I take for granted but I do continue to randomly reinforce her for listening so well. Diesel I'm still focusing on other things like personal space, sitting for attention, not jumping up uninvited, and other manners. Knowing how to give me his paw is nowhere near as important as teaching him to keep his nose out of the trash. Kaytu never really misbehaves apart from her occasional ninja skills appearing when she attempts to steal the cats' food but she has been getting sloppy and non-responsive when told to Sit, Down, or Come. From the very beginning it's been difficult to get her attention as she is very husky-like in terms of her "Why should I listen to you? I like what I'm doing so I don't care what you're doing!" attitude, but she's very food motivated and responds well with consistent training. She had to be taught to pay attention which was a major challenge in itself and I've noticed her falling back into those bad habits of ignoring me the last week or so. I'm not about to let that happen! With 3 dogs in the house (and two beggar cats) training can be a challenge. Individual training doesn't happen too much right now as it involves putting the other two dogs in their crates and also keeping the cats out of the way. Instead I decided put the dogs against each other.

The basics are that when I give a command the dog that completes the behavior first is the winner and gets two treats, and the next dog gets one treat, and the last dog also gets a treat. I go through the motions and mix up a bunch of commands and cues. Sit. Down. Stand. Down. Sit. Wait. Up. Stand. Focus (make eye contact). Down. Wait. Stand. Up. Focus. Sit. Paw (for us "shake" is "shake off your fur" not "give me your paw"). Diesel doesn't know Paw so I'll cue him to stick out his tongue, which the girls don't know. I ask the cats for Sit too, and also Down for Zebulon and Up for Everest. The little beggars are always hovering during treat time.

They all come running over when they hear me get the treat bag. I ask for a sit immediately to prevent Nali from bumping her nose against me and to prevent Kaytu and Diesel from jumping up. Timing is everything. Tip: Holding treats in your hand lower instead of up at chest level helps keep them from jumping up. The dog that sits first gets two treats fed one immediately after another. Treat-treat. Giving both at once is meaningless to a dog. A dog doesn't really care if the treat is the size of a pea or the size of a quarter, and eating two treats at the same time may as well be one big treat. Think of it like someone giving you mini M&Ms. Giving you one is pretty much the same as getting two at a time. But if you get one and then are given a bonus one after already eating the first one it's awesome! On a basic level, getting a bonus mini M&M would be better than having just one regular sized M&M too. Giving one treat after another is more rewarding, exciting, and motivating for a dog than giving one big treat or two treats simultaneously. Another variation is to give a highly desirable awesome treat like cheese or peanut butter or whatever the dogs love to the winner and to give a less valuable/less awesome treat to the other dogs. I'm not coordinated or fast enough to treat 3 dogs with different treats though.

When I first did this Kaytu was sloppy and slow. Her sit was good but she didn't lay down when I gave the command. What did I do? Repeating a command is not helpful to a dog or their training. Sit means sit your butt on the ground right now, and Down means lay down right now. The command is "Down," one time. Just once. It is not "Down.. Dooown.. DOWN..DOOOWWWNN!! I SAID DOWN!!!" She is smart enough to figure it out and she knows the command. So what to do? I continued to give Denali and Diesel treats for staying down. Guess who decided to lay down. No lure, no vocal encouragement, no pushing or touching her. She did it on her own. I jackpotted her by placing about 5 treats on the floor between her paws. I gave Denali and Diesel another treat for remaining down, and just as Kaytu was finishing her treats I gave her another few. Laying down is rewarding!

From there I continued and randomly mixed up the commands. Random mixing of the cues is important because dogs catch on to patterns. If for example you always do Sit, Paw, Down, Roll Over in that order then the dog is going to figure out the pattern and give you all four behaviors when you only ask for Sit. They can also start skipping behaviors so, still using that example, you could ask for Sit and they go straight to Down and Roll Over. Suddenly "sit" means "roll over." Don't let that happen. Mix it up!

We played the game for about 10 minutes the first time. Winner got two treats, second and third got one treat. There are no losers as they are all listening and doing the right thing. They all get rewarded every single time they do the right thing. This keeps them interested and motivated, and rewarding a behavior increases the dog's desire to perform that behavior. The only way the dog loses is by not performing the command. If the command was to be completely ignored (hasn't happened yet) I'd lure the dog into doing what they were told. They're getting pretty good at this game. If I give a command and more than one dog instantly responds creating a tie, they both get two treats. If they are slow and tie they get one treat. More effort = more treats.

Kaytu wised up pretty quick and was soon beating Diesel on laying down. For this first competition style training session I continued to give her an extra treat or two to encourage her even if she wasn't first.

Why does this work? The dogs motivated each other and themselves to do better. The winner not only got two treats but was rewarded first. They quickly figured out that they don't have to wait for their reward if they listen immediately. Dogs will always take the shortest path to the reward.

The next night we played again. Guess who was the first dog laying down. They were all much more attentive and quick to move. A little competition can go a long way in improving a dog's reaction time.

Diesel Dilemma

Diesel is still here. I'm not thrilled about this. He was supposed to be gone by now and I'm going to have to call the foster organization yet again to find out what the hold up is. The main reason he's going to be leaving us is because he stresses Kaytu out. I'll get to that in a minute. Diesel is a great dog. He's sweet, bouncy, fun, and listens well. I love how active he is and that he can keep up with our huskies. Unfortunately he doesn't fit well with us. He is is very needy and pushy. When he wants attention, which is often, he demands it by shoving his drooly face into your lap. If we're petting one of the huskies he tries to push his way in between. This does not amuse me. It's not cute. It's never cute to me when a dog demands anything. At first, 3 and a half months ago, it was much worse as he would jump up on us instead of just pushing his way in and drooling on us. That behavior is almost completely vanished as we insist that he sits before receiving any attention. Ever. The only exception is if he's laying down calmly already.

[Tip: If you have a dog that jumps on you all the time, try it. It's like magic. Ideally I tell him to sit before he's thinking about jumping up. He only gets attention and petting if he is sitting. The instant his butt pops up the petting stops, I say "ah-ah!" and tell him to sit again. If he does jump up I say "ah-ah!" as I turn my back on him for a moment. I ask him for a sit again. If he is too excited to sit then he goes outside or in his crate for a few minutes until he calms down then we try again. Remember to pet calmly as excited rough petting will encourage the excitement and it will be more difficult to get the behavior you want. If he is ever laying calmly or randomly sitting calmly near me I give lots of calm petting and attention. Behavior is repeated more frequently when it is rewarded consistently.] 

Diesel is also very clumsy which may not sound like a big issue but it is. He's not aware of his body, though he has become more aware while being here. This is not appreciated by me, my husband, or the huskies. He is constantly stepping on us, bumping into us, knocking things over, stepping on the huskies, and bumping his drooly face against the furniture or walls. Bleeding feet, messes, and fights are the result. Kaytu and Diesel don't always get along. She is quite annoyed with him and tends to ignore him for the most part when she's not humping him. She does sometimes play with him. Playing with Diesel means she has a mouthful of his neck skin locked in her teeth and is trying to pull him down. Poor dog ends up with many little scratches on his neck and shoulders from both girls pulling on him but he never yelps and loves every moment. He's certainly not being mauled or seriously wounded. This is the major issue with keeping him though- it stresses Kaytu. Our own pets have to come first. She growls at him often. She has fought with him many times where I had to snap them out of it and separate them for a few minutes. She does not get along well with him and it's not fair to her. Most fights start because he stomps on her or doesn't take the hint when she growls and turns her back on him to decline an invitation to play. He is clumsy and when a 65 lb dog steps on you it hurts. Kaytu lashes out at him.

We do recognize that he is an amazing dog, but he just doesn't fit with us. He deserves to be fully appreciated for his bouncy, velcro, clingy, derpy self. We like that our huskies are independent and don't need attention constantly. Many people like a dog that is like velcro. Velcro dogs are not for me. I don't like when a dog is glued to me, always underfoot. The huskies don't care if I'm sitting in the living room and get up and go to the kitchen. They stay where they are. Diesel follows. He always follows. He wants to know what I'm doing all the time and he wants to be part of it. It's a trait that many people love in a dog but personally I don't. I find it annoying and irritating. I have worked with him on waiting while I go out of the room and it's not nearly as big of an issue as it once was but he likes to be right next to someone. If I go out of sight he waits right there for me to come back. For example he used to follow me upstairs when I had to go to the bathroom. After gradual steps he now usually stays at the bottom of the stairs while I go up and come back down. I don't need an escort to the bathroom and I don't need him crashing into my legs up and down the stairs.

Diesel has come a very long way since we first got him in May. Physically and socially he is much improved. He knows how to play appropriately with other dogs (for the most part, he does have a "scary game" that is harmless but terrifying to watch as he stands over another dog and shakes his head around while vocalizing). He has put weight on, his scars are healing well, and with a food change his skin and fur are better, he farts less, his poops aren't runny and he doesn't poop 6x a day, and he actually enjoys his food and eats it all.

Check out the vanishing scars! Specifically on his back leg.
Also note how much shiner and healthier his fur looks.
His muscle tone is also a lot better from running and mushing.

Scar on May 7th

Scar on July 19th. Where did it go?!

Dog Parks, Pt. 2

[Part 1 here]

10.Unaltered Dogs
I don't know of any dog park anywhere that allows females in heat to enter. Unspayed females are permitted but should not be brought when in heat. The heat cycle lasts about 21 days. It is best to avoid the park during this time as other dogs may become aggressive with the presence of a female in heat. I recently went to the park and there was a woman there with 4 dogs. Before I entered she called out to me and asked if my dogs were female or male. I responded both were female. She said "Oh good, one of my girls is in heat so I have to make sure no unneutered males come in." Regardless, the female's scent was now in the park and it could potentially cause issues even after they left. It was no issue with my dogs but for the safety of other dogs and your own don't bring dogs in heat. A female in heat will no doubt be harassed by other dogs and it can be extremely stressful for her at the park. Keep her away until she's out of heat.

In my experience unneutered males are usually fine. If your dog is intact be on the watch to make sure he is behaving appropriately and in a pro-social manner. Prevent him from humping or challenging other dogs. This is important with any dog but in my experience it's been intact males who tend to start trouble as they can have some raging hormones. Again, they are usually fine.

11. Bringing Treats or Food

Most parks have a rule to never bring treats or food into the park. I admit that this rule is one that I often break, but very, very carefully. You never know which dogs may be food aggressive or start a fight over food. Food draws a lot of attention and tends to make dogs extremely excited. If you have treats in your pocket or your fingers smell like treats and a dog sniffs them out it can be nearly impossible for the dog to leave you alone. The dog may begin chasing other dogs away from you or "guarding" you, or attacking other dogs that get too close. Even when the dog does not become aggressive the owner can still get quite frustrated as they came to the park for their dog to socialize and run around, not to follow a person around and beg. The reason I bring treats is to reward my dogs for coming to me randomly or when called. The dog park is a great place to work on recall. It's best to do this when nobody else is at the park. I never bring treats in at all when the park is crowded because it's impossible to give treats without another dog noticing. I never give treats when other dogs are near or paying attention to me. Sneaky treats are the only way. I never give treats to other dogs unless the owner gives me permission. I never pull the baggie out of my pocket. I'm as quiet and discrete as possible. Sometimes dogs will notice anyway. In this case I turn my back to the dog and walk away. I don't say anything. I try to not let the dog smell my hands. I don't make eye contact. Ignoring almost always works as the dog will lose interest. If the dog is persistent I will present my hands, wide open, fingers spread, so the dog can smell and see that there are no more treats. If the dog still persists I will put the treats back in the car. I will leave if I need to since I am the one breaking the rule. I've never had to leave and I've never had any issues with a dog becoming aggressive. I am extremely careful to not let other dogs notice. The only way the other dogs will know is if they have a good nose.

Offering Kaytu a treat at the dog park- no other dogs were present.

You also should not bring a picnic lunch or snack or any food for yourself because it will draw attention from the dogs and could potentially start a fight. Dogs may jump up on you, drool all over you, or try to steal the food. You also don't want to drop or spill anything that is toxic to dogs, or have a dog steal something toxic. If you need to keep food with you for medical reasons I suggest you step outside the gate to eat so as not to draw attention.

12. Water
Some parks will have drinking fountains for dogs and/or people but others won't. It is very important to make sure your dog can get a drink when needed to keep from having a heat stroke. This is especially a concern for brachycephalic dogs (ones with pushed in faces) as their anatomy prevents them from panting effectively. If there is no water fountain or other source of water you need to bring a jug of water and a bowl. Be prepared to share! If there is a permanent bucket you should contribute by pouring in the water you brought. At a dog park I frequented last summer there was no drinking fountain but there were 2 buckets. I would always bring a large jug of water (or 2) to help keep them filled. When the water level got low I would swish it around and dump it to dump the dirt and slobbery goo out before refilling it.

Kaytu getting a drink at a water fountain designed for dogs.

13. Barking and Vocalization
Barking is a normal behavior of dogs that has a huge variety of meanings. Hounds like beagles will often bounce in front of other dogs and bark and bay in their face as a way to initiate play. Some dogs will bark while chasing or being chased. Some dogs will bark when new dogs arrive. It is expected that dogs will bark at the park. Incessant barking is typically prohibited by the rules of the park. Owners do not want to listen to it and it draws the attention of other dogs and can excite them too much or cause aggression. Do not let your dog bark nonstop.

14. Fence Running
The different sections for small dogs and large dogs are divided by a fence of course. This invites dogs to do that annoying stereotypical unhealthy behavior known as "fence running."  Fence running is when the dogs run down the length of the fence, stop at the end to snarl and bark at each other, then run up to the other end, bark and snarl, back and forth and back and forth. It's a horrible behavior that should never be allowed. Quite simply it encourages dogs to fight. Sure they are getting exercise by running but it's a very bad habit and unhealthy behavior. Personally I'm fine with allowing dogs to sniff each other through the fence but not much beyond that. Fence running can cause a lot of other behavior issues, including redirecting their excitement from the other dog to another dog running the fence. I have seen a fight start because the dogs got so obsessed that they redirected their frustration and excitement onto other dogs running the fence.

uplanddogpark.org

15. Playing Fetch
It's a dog park. Accept that fetch with your own dog will likely not be possible unless your dog is very focused. Other dogs will distract yours. Other dogs will take the toy. Your dog might not stay interested. Don't be frustrated when another dog "steals" your dog's toy or when your dog runs off to play with the other dogs. It's a dog park! If you throw a toy expect many dogs to chase after it and that you might not get it back. Don't bring a toy that you care a lot about. Sometimes toys get ruined.

sansanpups.com

16. Weekends
Weekends and holidays are one of the only times I really try to avoid the dog park. In my experience Saturday and Sunday are when the dogs come out that have been caged up all week with nothing to do. They explode into the park with neurotic mindsets and can't keep themselves under control. They bark at other dogs nonstop, harass them, and have no control over their bodies or minds. No, I'm not saying every single dog that comes on the weekend is a crazy dog, but in my experience dog parks tend to get overcrowded with too many dogs that have too much energy on weekends. It often doesn't end well. Be careful going to parks on the weekend or holidays. I've gone before with no issues but more often than not there are neurotic dogs there that start fights because they can't control themselves due to their insane energy levels.

17. Leaving the Park
Leaving is much the same as entering. You don't want to cause a scene. I prefer to call my dogs to the gate, let them slip through, and once they're both in then I go through, shut the gate behind me, and put their collars on in between the two gates. Putting the leash on while still inside the park isn't always the best idea. Same as when entering, it inhibits your dog's ability to move and be social with other dogs. I've seen many dogs who have the leash put on in the park and are then jumped on and wrestled with the entire way out. Not very fun for the leashed dog! Again, make sure only one gate is open at a time.

Enjoy dog parks. They are fantastic for human socialization too!

Dog Parks, Pt. 1

I've been working on this post for a long time and keep adding more. I figured I should post it before it gets any longer!

I love going to the dog park with my girls but there are many things I notice that lead to bad experiences for dogs and people alike. Here is my view of the dog park and the rules and etiquette I follow. I will also be outlining the things that often result in a fight. Don't let me lead you into thinking fights are common, they aren't. 99% of the time I go to a park nothing bad happens, but it seems to always be the same type of things that lead to fights. I do whatever I can to let dogs be dogs while preventing fights or bad experiences. Each dog park will have it's own posted rules and you should read them and abide by them.

1. A Place for Socialization
Dog parks should be viewed first and foremost as a place for socialization, not as a place to bring your dog that has been cooped up all day or all week and needs to let all that energy out. The physical energy used by playing and running around is a welcomed bonus but dog parks are not the place to bring your dog that is exploding with energy. Play fetch with your dog in the backyard for 30 minutes, go for a run/bike ride/roller blade/longboard/etc., even a 30 minute loose-leash walk, before coming to the park. When dogs burst into the park with uncontrollable energy it's an immediate recipe for a fight as other dogs typically do not appreciate the initial bouncing and jumping that takes the place of a polite greeting. You don't need to exhaust your dog before coming to the park but brief exercise to take the edge off that crazy, wild energy will be appreciated. I like leaving enough energy in there so they can run around, play, wrestle, and have a great time, but I get enough out beforehand that they can control themselves and listen to me. Often the way I handle exercise first is to bike to the park, which is 1.5 miles from our house. A short ride (for a husky) but it's enough to take the edge off that energy.

2. How to Approach the Park
One of the things that creates instant mistrust and nervousness in me is when I see a dog dragging its owner up to the gate. I sarcastically think, "Oh great, it's nice to see that you already have such good control over your dog, and that your dog is nice and calm!" Dogs entering the park in that frame of mind are so worked up that again it's a recipe for a fight. It's natural for dogs to be excited for the park. When I drive to the park my girls start whining as soon as we turn down the road. Once we get out of the car though I refuse to let them pull me up to the gate. I require them to walk nicely and to achieve a state of control and focus before bringing them in. Another benefit of taking your time in walking up to the gate is that most dogs already in the park will get bored of waiting for you and will run off. I'm a fan of not having a huge welcoming committee.

3. Entering the Park

Make sure you enter the right part of the park. Many parks have different sections for small dogs and large dogs. Use the appropriate side. Sometimes if there are only a few dogs I have seen little dogs invited into the big dog side if the big dogs are good with small dogs, and vice versa, so that the dogs can have playmates. Do not enter the "wrong" side unless all persons in that part have approved it. If there is any concern, don't do it. Always be safe. Be ready to remove your dog and go back to the appropriate side if there are any issues. When any new person is approaching, ask them if it is ok for you to remain on that side before they enter with their own dog. It's best to stay in the appropriate side for safety reasons. Big dogs can hurt little dogs unintentionally or if they have a strong prey drive may even hunt small dogs.

Every dog park I've been to has had 2 gates.  Lead your dogs through the first gate and shut it behind you. Both gates should NEVER be opened at the same time. You never know if a dog is going to run out of the park and then it would be your fault for having the gates open. I ask my girls to sit between the two gates so that I can remove their collars. I take the collars off and not just the leash because I don't want other dogs hanging onto their collars and choking them. Recently I heard that two dogs wearing collars nearly died because their collars got caught on each other. They were fighting, twisting, and panicking. They nearly strangled each other to death. I also don't want other dogs to hurt their teeth or mouths by biting on the collar or tags. It also keeps the collars clean. You don't have to take the collar off, it's just my preference. If your dog has a choke chain, pinch collar, or other correctional collar, take it off. These collars are a hazard to the dog and other dogs at the park as they can get caught on things or hurt other dogs' mouths.

You must take the leash off at this time before passing through the next gate into the park. It is common for first-time people to leave the leash on because they are nervous about how their dog will react and if it is safe. If you are very nervous leave the leash on but drop it. Don't hold it. That way you can step on the leash if you need to but your dog will have more freedom to move than if you were holding it. If you do this, be careful to not let any dog get tangled in the leash. I have seen too many fights start right at the gate because the owner is holding the leash tight and their dog is pulling but can't move. The dog gets surrounded by other dogs, feels trapped (because it is), panics, and starts lashing out at every other dog because that is its only option since it can't move. With leashes off the dog will be free to move and able to give and receive polite greetings. The chance of a fight is drastically reduced. I will always walk up to people who are beginning to enter the park with leashes on and will ask if they can take the leash off so their dog can move. It's very forward of me and I know that, but leashed dogs cause problems more often than not because their owners don't give them room to move, or will even drag their dog into the park.

So you're in between the two gates, you've taken the leash off, and your dog is sitting or at least waiting patiently. Step in front of your dog, swing the gate outward to gently push back other dogs, release your dog, and step into the park ahead of your dog. If you open the gate inward it invites the other dogs to rush in and surround your dog. Please walk forward into the park and don't just stand there at the gate! If you let the dog go in first in front of you, again the other dogs will be able to surround your dog. Surrounding your dog is usually not a bad thing but if there are many dogs then your dog may feel overwhelmed and may start to snip at other dogs to have them back up. This is also ok, but you'll need to keep an extremely close eye to make sure it doesn't turn into a fight. The gate into the park is where I see the majority of fights. Dogs enter with uncontrollable energy and get surrounded, feel trapped, and start lashing out. Teeth baring, snips, stiff posture, and little scuffles at the gate are fairly common if the dog entering is overwhelmed and you should not overreact to them. The dog entering is telling the other dogs to back off, which is appropriate social behavior as long as it does not escalate. Keep a very close eye on your dog and other dogs when you enter to make sure nothing escalates.

Never reprimand your dog or other dogs for showing warning signs like baring their teeth or growling. You should distract or lure the dog away (and leave if the dog is very stressed) but physical punishment or scolding is counterproductive and may actually make the aggression worse. Dogs use those signs as warnings, so to tell your dog not to use them is telling your dog to skip that warning stage and jump straight into fighting. Never a good thing!

Polite greetings are made much easier when dogs are *not* on leash.
Never stop your dog in the middle of a greeting, or discourage your dog from greeting other dogs
unless the other dogs are clearly not ready.
You can tell Denali is excited to meet the black dog- her tail is up and the fur down her back is also up.
Raised fur in itself does NOT mean aggression, it means excitement.

4. Submissive Greetings and Showing Submission

Young dogs and puppies will often immediately roll onto their backs and expose their bellies upon entering the park. Sometimes older dogs or less socialized dogs will too. They may walk low to the ground, tail down, head low, ears back, lick the other dogs on the face, and not make eye contact or look at the other dogs. They may hide behind their owner's legs or behind benches. They may urinate (hopefully not while on their back, but it happens!). This is all ok! This is a submissive greeting and you should not physically force your dog to stand up, and you should not try to call your dog to you or lead your dog away when it is trying to roll over. Leave your dog be! Observe your dog and stay near to it to make sure it does not become overwhelmed but give your dog space and just stand and watch. You typically don't need to say or do anything. Usually submissive dogs will begin walking tall and exploring on their own within minutes, and within 10-15 minutes will be running around with the rest of the dogs and will roll over or hide much less frequently. If you try to force your dog to stand up the other dogs will use that opportunity to play-bite, jump, and try to wrestle with your dog because your dog is no longer in a submissive position, so other dogs think it's ready to play- but it's clearly not ready. This will only serve to make your dog fearful and turn your dog into a toy for the others. Your dog isn't ready yet and by forcing it to stand you are not allowing it to adjust and take their time in the situation. Be patient. Again, you don't need to say or do anything to your dog and you don't need to fend off the other dogs.

Submission
theendlessroadtrip.com

Other dogs will likely be nuzzling, mouthing, and trying to play and wrestle with yours. They are not being mean or aggressive by doing this. Unless your dog is yelping and crying and the other dogs are not letting up there is no reason for you to step in. The occasional yelp from your dog is ok, you do not need to step in as long as the other dog pauses a second before trying to play with your dog again. That yelp is important communication as your dog says "I'm not ready yet, please stop that, that's too rough for me" and the other dog says "oh, ok, my bad! I guess that was too much, let me try again." Your dog will be all right and it is beneficial for your dog to go through this socialization process. If you try to 'save' your dog every single time this happens then your dog will not learn that part of the social skills it needs. You do need to protect your dog from dogs who are much larger and may accidentally hurt yours, and from any dogs who are not pausing when yours yelps and are continuing to try to wrestle or play. Pauses are only a second or two and that is enough. If you do need to step in and block an over-playful or bigger dog who is overwhelming yours, first you should find out whose dog it is if you can and ask them to call or lead their dog away to give your dog a break. If that isn't possible I suggest you go to your dog and body block the other dog. Be the barrier between your dog and the other dog. This will allow you to form a kind of shield around your dog. Do not pick up your dog. Picking your dog up is an invitation for the other dogs to jump on you, bite at your dog, and your dog basically becomes a toy for the others. Only in emergency situations should you consider picking up your dog as a last resort to offer protection and move it from harm's way. The other dogs may also end up mouthing you and scratching you in attempt to get to your dog and play. You can also try to distract the other dogs away by getting their attention on a ball or toy and throwing it.

White dog submitting to the black dog, the black dog has a very stiff and dominant  posture.
woofandwordpress.com

If your dog is one trying to play with a submissive dog stay near and keep a close eye. Make sure your dog is pausing if the submissive dog yelps. It is ok for your dog to try to initiate play by nuzzling, mouthing, jumping, and wrestling, but if the submissive dog is very overwhelmed you should consider distracting your dog and luring it away to give the submissive dog a break. It is very polite of you to approach the owner of the submissive dog and tell the owner you will have your dog back off if they want. Some owners are not comfortable having dogs wrestle theirs in such a submissive state. If you need your dog to stop, approach calmly (do not chase or run up to the dogs) and gently lure your dog away. Luring is best, but if you need to lead them gently by the collar or scruff that's ok. If the submissive dog shows interest in yours while you are trying to walk away, stop. Let the submissive dog smell yours. At this point it will likely be impossible to keep them separated because they are showing interest in each other and likely want to play with each other. You may wish to tell the other owner that their dog seems to want to play and ask if it's ok to let them play again. Do your best to keep your dog distracted and to let the submissive dog get plenty of "breaks" in the play so it does not become overwhelmed or afraid.

These 3 huskies, including my two,  are "teaming up" on the yellow lab who was spending the majority of the time on her back in a submissive position. Every couple minutes or when the play got rough I would step in to block the huskies and allow the lab puppy to have a break. The lab kept coming back for more and was having a great time! Some dogs prefer to play on their backs.

If a dog shows submission to another dog at any time, it's fine. It does not mean the dog is "weak" or needs to "toughen up." It is social behavior and you should not try to correct it or change it. If your dog is always submissive, it's fine. If your dog dominates and stands over other dogs or sits on them, that's also fine and is also social behavior. The only "dominant" behavior I stop is mounting because often the dog being mounted is not happy about it and I have seen a few fights start due to mounting. In my opinion mounting and humping is not a dominant behavior, it is caused either by hormones or excitement or a combination of the two, but regardless, many dogs do not like to be mounted and I'm not taking a chance on which dogs will tolerate it. I do allow other dogs to try to mount my two girls because mine do not tolerate it. They spin away and give a little growl and air-bite to tell the mounting dog in a dog-appropriate fashion they do not want to be mounted. Many males at the park hump less now because the girls are such great teachers! Personally I often allow dogs to mount each other if both dogs are accepting of it and at least one of them is fixed, and if both owners are ok with it as well. It's dogs being dogs. Kaytu humps boy dogs sometimes and I have no problem with it as long as I know the boy dog.

5. The Welcoming Committee
Once you are in the park you should try to keep your dog from being part of the "welcoming committee" that gathers at the gate when a new dog arrives. It is for your dog's own safety as well as that of the new dog. As I said, most fights I've seen have been at the gate where dogs are barging in and then feeling instantly overwhelmed. Most often I will not call my dogs away unless there are more than 4 dogs at the gate including mine. Having a couple dogs as a welcoming committee is almost always ok but keep a close eye. I will always call them away if the dog entering the park is dragging their owner up and is out of control as that dog is already in an obsessive and neurotic state of mind and I don't want that being redirected onto my dogs and starting a fight. Once the dog has entered the park I will wait a moment for it to gather itself before releasing mine. Let go of your dog if another dog is approaching so that they can greet each other politely as dogs, and not feel trapped. When my dogs go to the gate I calmly back them up and put them in a Sit-Stay until the other dog has entered. 

6. Puppies
Very young puppies under 4 months old should not be brought to dog parks. They are not physically capable of moving around quickly enough and being able to play and keep up with the grown dogs. They are very likely to get hurt. Dog parks are also considered by many to be breeding grounds for disease. It is impossible to know what diseases the other dogs are bringing into the park and puppies are more susceptible. There could be parvo, distemper, or any number of diseases that are passed through feces or saliva. Most dog parks do not allow dogs under 4 months and personally I feel that is an appropriate rule. Puppies are better suited for walks around your neighborhood, puppy classes, or playing with small groups of other puppies.

7. Children
Some children do fine in dog parks and others don't. In general I'd have to say I don't recommend bringing children because of the risks but many children do just fine. Parents need to realize that it is a dog park and that dogs should take priority over children (though keeping everyone safe is absolutely the #1 priority). If the parent chooses to bring their child into the park they are accepting that risk. Children are really fun for most dogs and I have rarely seen problems, but children often don't realize their actions draw attention from the dogs. One thing parents must enforce is do not let your child run around, especially with toys in their hands. Children's hands are the perfect height for dogs to try to grab the toy and they may end up biting your child or knocking your child down in attempt to get the toy. Stay near to your child at all times and keep in mind that if you pick your child up the dogs may see it as an invitation to jump on you, follow you, and try to get the big fun toy in your hand that smells like Cheerios or fish sticks. Same as when dogs are picked up, the child becomes a target and a toy for the dogs. Dogs will jump up on the parent or try to grab at the child's feet, legs, or bum. Before coming into a dog park parents should explain to children how to greet dogs, to ask people before petting their dogs, and what to do if a dog barks at them. Also make sure your kids do not have food all over themselves. This will draw dogs in like a magnet and they'll be licking and slobbering all over your child and won't leave your child alone.

No babies. I personally don't think it's a good idea to bring a baby into a dog park. If you do bring a baby I suggest the baby stays in a stroller where the dogs can't get their noses over the top of it. I strongly advise against front/back carriers or just holding the baby as once again this makes the baby a target and a toy. Babies smell awesome to dogs and it is usually very difficult to keep the dogs away. Babies are also more susceptible to any diseases at the park and dogs can transmit many things to babies. For example a dog who recently had a Bordetella vaccine may give a baby whooping cough. I have seen several infants in strollers who are fine in the dog park, but they have parents who stay close and body block any dogs that try to come near.

8. Playing or Fighting?
For most owners their worst nightmare at the park is a fight. Sometimes play can get very rough and it's tough to tell if the dogs are still playing or if it's turned into a fight. It is important to remember that noise does not mean aggression or fighting. Many dogs bark, growl, snarl, groan, whine, and yip while playing. It can get very noisy and sound awful but still be play. It is also important to know that bared teeth does not mean aggression, and biting or mouthing does not mean aggression. Raised fur does not mean aggression. Denali's fur always goes up when she is playing. You must take the dog's entire body language into account. Dogs play using their mouth and bodies. You know a fight when you hear and see one. If you can't quite tell, it's most likely playing because the sounds and look of a fight is unmistakable. Think about this: Is one dog trying to hurt the other dog? Often in a true fight one dog is doing the attacking while the other is defending itself. For me, the easiest way to tell is to just look at the dogs' bodies. Are they loose and wiggling, giving play bows and other play positions? Or are they stiff, tails stiff and straight out or straight up, chests out, keeping face-to face, legs stiff, snapping at each other, and fighting? Here are some images of common things you'll see in playing.

Standing up, jumping on each other, and mouthing
dog-breeds-spot.com

Stalking other dogs

Play bow! The invitation to play.
ask.metafilter.com

Mouthing each others necks, ears, or face. Sometimes the dog won't let go for
several seconds and may chew gently.
hemlockhollowdogtraining.blogspot.com

Now for aggression. I had a hard time finding good images of true aggression and aggressive postures. Bared teeth is very common but keep in mind some dogs may have closed mouths and not be showing teeth or wrinkling their noses at all. Their mouth will still be tight though.

Notice the ears are flat back and the expression is much more intense and tight than the previous images.

The corners of the mouth are forward. The dog is staring, eyes fixed on the target.
doggies.com

Aggressive body language. Note how the posture is very forward, upright, and stiff.

The tail may be more vertical or closer to horizontal depending on the dog, and may even wag stiffly.
This is the same posture you see with dogs who are aggressive on leash when another dog gets too close- they freeze in this position (maybe not with raised hair or curled lips) and stare down their target before lunging.
moderndogmagazine.com

9. Dealing With an Aggressive Dog
If a fight does occur, hopefully both owners are nearby and ready to stop the fight. If your dog is not involved keep your dog from approaching the fight if at all possible. The commotion is likely to draw your dog in. If your dog is involved, act as fast as you possibly can. To break up a fight one of the best ways is to use a dog repellent spray. Most people do not habitually carry dog repellent and have no tools to use but their own bodies. Do not try to grab the dogs by the collars or neck. Do not try to step between the dogs. Do not put your hands or arms anywhere near the dogs' heads. Do not hit, kick, or slap the dogs, including hitting either dog with a leash. Striking the dogs will provoke them. Usually it is one dog attacking the other and the other is trying to defend itself and get away. Grabbing the attacking dog by the back legs and lifting the dog upward is considered one of the safest ways to stop a fight. This may be impossible if the dogs are small or moving too quickly. I have done this a couple times and it IMMEDIATELY causes the dog to focus on you instead of the other dog. A dog's spine is pretty flexible so if you do grab the back legs, be prepared to instantly let go if the dog's head spins back toward you in attempt to bite you. Generally, grabbing any part of the dog and shoving it backward will work and will give you a chance to further restrain the dogs. Denali has been in a couple fights and always been the defending dog. She did a play bow in front of a dog twice her size and the dog instantly attacked her. I broke it up by grabbing Denali by the skin of her back and shoving her backward since it was all I could grab. Even though she was the defendant it still worked. Both owners should be trying to break the dogs up. If your dog is not involved in the fight, your job is to keep your dog out of it and keep yourself and your dog safe. Do not shout, scream, or yell at the dogs. Ultimately I believe in doing whatever necessary to prevent the dogs from injuring each other or locking their jaws down on each other. If you need to use your foot to shove a dog away, do it. Don't kick, but a push with your foot to shove a dog back may needed to get space between them. Her second fight, she was seemingly randomly attacked by a dog as she was walking past it. I grabbed her around the hips and shoved her back behind me and used my foot to push the other dog away.

If your dog was in the fight, after the fight is broken up lead your dog away from the other. Calmly check your dog all over for any bleeding, especially in their mouth on their gums and tongue, their face, ears inside and out, neck, chest, and front legs. Check their armpits and groin too, and feet. Do not make a big deal of it to your dog. You want the dog to move on, not think that the fight was a huge deal. You can create more serious issues by making a big deal of it. It is a big deal for your dog to be in a fight but the dog doesn't need you to baby it or create an even bigger scene. It's not helpful for the dog. Ask the other owner if their dog is ok. Take the dogs to the nearest vet if necessary, and exchange information with the other owner if necessary. If either dog is bleeding at all, you should exchange information to get vet records for proof of vaccinations. If the fight was very serious you may need to contact animal control or the police to do a formal report. If both dogs are fine, I highly suggest the defending dog not leave the park immediately. You want to end on a good note. Once your dog is calm, I suggest running around and playing more for at least a couple minutes before leaving. If you need to, leave the park itself and go for a quick walk around the area. Staying in the park is not always possible, and if your dog is still worked up it is best to leave to prevent further fights. Leaving right after a fight is not a positive experience, however it is sometimes necessary. You should of course leave immediately if veterinary care is required. If your dog was not involved, again you should provide at least a couple minutes of normal fun playtime before leaving unless the fight got your dog worked up, in which case I suggest leaving and going for a short walk.

A dog will not get along perfectly with every single other dog they meet. Think of it like this: No matter how nice of a person you are and how well you get along with most people, there will always be people who you don't like or don't get along with for whatever reason. To me, the same holds true in a dog's world. Do not let a fight discourage you from going back to the park. If your dog was the instigator you may want to seek the advice of a professional trainer to determine if your dog is showing signs of escalating dog aggression or if it was just one of those days when your dog met a dog that it didn't get along with for whatever reason. Keep your eyes open to recognize that dog in the future to avoid another conflict. Do not return to the park if you feel another fight is likely to be caused by your dog, and seek the help of a professional trainer.

If you know that your dog is aggressive toward other dogs do not bring it into the dog park when other dogs are there. You need to work with your dog outside of the dog park and will likely benefit from the knowledge and advice of a professional trainer. I have no problem with aggressive dogs being in dog parks when no other dogs are present. I think it's great for all dogs to get time off leash. If you are there by yourself with your aggressive dog watch for people to be approaching the park and be ready to stop them from coming in so that you can leave first. Stay close enough to the gate that you can stop people and tell them that your dog doesn't get along with other dogs, and to please wait so you can get your dog and you'll leave. It is your responsibility to keep others safe. If you can't do that, do not take your dog to the park. Working with an aggressive dog to overcome their dog aggression is very serious and you should be extremely cautious and work with an experienced trainer. You should NOT simply muzzle an aggressive dog and let it try to play at the park. The dog should not be brought into the park until it has shown it can be around many dogs and not react inappropriately. I cannot stress enough that dealing with aggression is very serious and it is easy to make the issue worse without using proper methods to slowly and gradually work up to the point of bringing your dog to a dog park to play with other dogs. Some dogs may never reach that point. Do not rush it, and do seek the help of a professional.

I want to remind you that the vast majority of the time you will not be experiencing fights or anything bad at all. Dog parks are fun places that give your dog a chance to socialize and play! Continue reading Part 2.