We are of course looking towards New Years Eve as well, Christmas seems to also involve fireworks, as do weddings, and yes, even funerals (going off with a bang, as they say)

But what about our poor old dogs in all of this? They must think they are going insane with all the flashes, bangs and whizzes going on. Not good at all.

Time for us to take things in hand and paw, and let’s help our dogs deal with firework fear!

Listen to the WildPaw podcast – a special edition sponsored by the brilliant Dorwest Herbs www.dorwest.com

Listen to the podcast here:

or subscribe on iTunes.

You can also download the show here.

You can access the site www.dogsandfireworks.com for all the downloads mentioned in the podcast, too.
Please don’t forget to donate to Dogs Trust if you decide to download; the link is on the site above.

Also thanks to our other sponsors: Brentwood Dog Walker, Collarways and Complete Canine Care.

As you will see Miki has put together a whole resource for anyone with a dog that is blind or may be suffering from progressive blindness.

Have a look on the video page link so you can see for yourself what can be achieved. Little Nono learns to cross paws, spin, even retrieve with Miki’s careful and kind teaching.

From a technical training point of view the videos make for fascinating watching. I hope you enjoy it and thank you Miki for sharing. I hope to get Miki on the blog or podcast very soon.

Karen x

Some time ago a rather fantastic lady slammed a shock collar manufacturer on Radio 2′s The Jeremy Vine Show. Such was the passion and truth in the words spoken by caller Maureen Howard-Boiardi that I just had to track her down and ask her more.

I was delighted to interview Maureen for the podcast and hear her views on shock collars, on her own dog’s reaction, and that of her husband when she insisted HE wore it instead!

Listen to the podcast HERE

or subscribe on iTunes.

You can also download the show here.

For our American listeners, Maureen is daughter-in-law to the famous Chef Boyardee – Hector Boiardi changed the spelling of his name to make it easier when people wanted to ask for his amazing food.

Want to see a shock collar in action on a person and say it’s just a ‘tingle’?

There are many many more films on youtube of this sort with added profanity, to prove the point – please take time to train your dog nicely.

With great thanks to our sponsors, Enviro-Works Wee-Away – the probiotic pet friendly way to keep your home clean

Listen to the podcast HERE

or subscribe on iTunes.

You can also download the show here.

Episode 2 – Time for Housetraining

So, now you have your puppy – it’s time to housetrain!

This is one of the fundamentals of dog training so you really need to get it right from day one.

You can listen to the FREE podcast above or why not download my e-book on Housetraining your Puppy for only £2.99?

Sponsored by:

Karen’s latest e-book discusses the exact reasons why your dog may – or may not – want to bring things back to you. More importantly, it equips you with the tools to teach this to your own dogs.

A useful skill and lots of fun too.

See the accompanying training e-book here - Teach your dog to Fetch and Give

Please listen to the podcast here

or subscribe on iTunes

You can also download the show here.

See the accompanying training e-book here - Teach your dog to Fetch and Give

The e-book gives you plenty of tips and detail for what you need to get your very own dog trained to fetch and give. How about using it as a weekend training project for you and your dog? Fun and enjoyable and of course, VERY useful! Get the Fetch and Give e-book here 

With great thanks to our sponsors, Enviro-Works Wee-Away – the probiotic pet friendly way to keep your home clean

Listen to the podcast HERE

or subscribe on iTunes.

You can also download the show here.

Episode 1 – Get a great puppy

So, you’ve always wanted a puppy and have decided to go for it!

First of all – congratulations. Your life really is going to change. Ask any dog owner!

As you are going to have this pet for what could be up to 15 years or more, let’s make sure those years are happy, happy, happy.

Pick a healthy one

In-bred faults and exaggerated features and dreadful health problems are inherent in some breeds. Make sure you do your research. I KNOW it’s a bore, but you have to do it for your family’s sake. Not every puppy can be ‘fixed’, and vet bills are not funded by the NHS. Pick a good quality healthy puppy.

How long are they a pup?

You will have a puppy for around 6 months. Be prepared for them to then transform into hulking adolescents. A peaceful homelife with visitors to the cute fluffy ball of baby dog suddenly becomes a non-stop hive of activity and constant supervision.

What is the right dog for your family?

I see many dogs in the wrong households. Owners tearing their hair out about what to do next, whilst a very active-breed dog is driving itself crackers on a diet of cheap food and not enough activity and stimulation. Big dogs in small homes, more than one dog, dog vs cat, unruly kids and nervous dog, there is no perfect scenario. I might be a good trainer, I might be a good behaviourist, but truly, you can’t train a dog to enjoy being left on its own for 10 hours a day. You can’t train a dog to not bark if you are not there to help relieve the boredom or stress felt by a social creature.

Look carefully at Mum and Dad dog, aunties, uncles, and really play with them. Do they seem like nice, settled and enjoyable companions? If so, the pup sounds like a good bet. If you are’t allowed to mix, it’s a cause for concern.

Listen to the podcast for a lot more detail on this essential topic (see link above)

How did you get YOUR puppy? Or, did you decided to get a rescue dog? Tell us your success story below!

Sponsored by:

So, for light relief from all the problem-solving training, I thought I would share this excellent youtube video.

Bamboo clicker training’s other videos explain how the dogs are trained, so get yourself over to their other videos. This one is a huge favourite of mine:

They show how the dogs are taught to do the actions, using the trusty clicker. Try a few yourself and send me the videos to make your dog a star of the Intellidogs Martial Arts Hall of Fame!

Karen x

Listen to the ‘Vet Visit’ podcast, complete with up to date news and chat from Karen Wild and Jon Buscall

How your dog sees the Vet

What happens when they get to the Vet surgery? There is the smell of various animals your dog might like to chase, plus any accompanying fear that goes along with poorly animals. There is noise, they have to be handled by people they do not know very well, and to top it all, your dog may be ill or in pain.

Aggressive behaviour at the Vet

It is natural for a dog that is feeling fearful to show aggression. Don’t be horrified if they do. Don’t ignore it, either. Be open and honest with the Vet and nurses that your dog is feeling under pressure. Ask them to take a little time, perhaps examine your dog in a more open space outside if they can. If it is suggested that your dog wears a muzzle, this is not a criticism. It is simply to prevent injury.

What if dog has a problem being handled?

What do you do as an owner or what can the vet do? Firstly, go back to basics. Teach your dog to enjoy being touched and handled all over their body, using a tasty titbit. Start at home, with the person the dog likes the most. Place the dog on a non-slippy surface on a table (a bathmat works well). Give the dog plenty of happy fuss and treats. Your aim is to de-sensitise the dog to the whole process.

Gradually take your time to become a little more ‘invasive’ with your handling, as long as the dog is calm and happy. Mimic things that a Vet may need to do. Get other people to do the same process, beginning at the first stages above. If the dog appears stressed or worried, and especially if they refuse to eat, you have taken things too far, too soon. Go back a few stages until your dog relaxes, perhaps after a couple of days break.

Your next stage is to begin social visits to the vet surgery. Call your Vet and ask if you can begin to do this at quiet times. Remember that a relaxed happy dog is easier to examine and treat, so this will help the Vet and nurses, too.

Never underestimate the time you will need to accustom your dog to this process. You really do need to take plenty of time and be very gradual in your progression.

Visiting the Vet

Once you reach the actual Vet visit, your dog should be reasonably comfortable with being handled. They will be familiar with the place, the sounds and smells. Even then, take plenty of nice food with you and ask the Vet nurses or receptionist to toss some treats to your dog.

If possible they should avoid bending over the dog, as your dog may easily feel threatened. Imagine if you went to a party and someone you didn’t know yelled ‘Hello!’, then threw their arms around you or worse still then tried to stuff a canape in your mouth…? Do not allow patting or over-handling if your dog is showing signs of stress such as licking or moving away.

Try and chat with the staff a little at first so your dog can hear your normal happy tone of voice. The Vet can also greet the dog by throwing a few treats down to the dog!

When you book the visit, ask the receptionist for a quiet time of their day. Set the appointment for early morning or early afternoon – at the start of a clinic in case they run late for example.

Other tips on Vet visits to help your dog

You could leave your dog in your car with someone, until you are ready if the surgery is busy. This way you can go straight in if you KNOW your dog is going to be stressed or go manic at all the other animals in the waiting room (cats and rabbits dont want to be barked at either!)

Stay with the dog if you can – but if the vet asks you to leave, ask why if you like, but be prepared to leave rapidly if it is an emergency. It might be that they just need the space to help your dog properly.

Lastly, do not feel bad if your dog behaves badly. Note it down to experience and practice more next time. Dogs can and do enjoy Vet visits, so make this a regular part of their training.

Photo: Bjarwick

Firstly, thank you to @crazzledazzle99: (Chris) who asked the question “Hi any tips on how to stop my rather manic dogs jumping up at everyone who comes in, including me!”

Listen to the WildPaw podcast with Karen Wild and Jon Buscall – This week – Stop your Dog Jumping Up!

Direct download
 

At any event in the humdrum of everyday life, it is normal for a dog or puppy to become excited and jump up to greet a visitor. The scenario is all too common!
You are trying to let the visitor in. You are trying to open the door (and not let dogs out in the process). In the midst of all this you may even have your visitor saying ‘Oh it’s ok – I love dogs’ and actively encouraging the dogs to leap about. All very well for them perhaps, but the next visitor might be someone who is not keen. Or it may be you, dressed up and ready to go out!

Puppies are of course very hard to resist. It’s easy to ignore when the dog is cute, fluffy and tiny. We all know in our hearts that dogs do not stay puppies forever. In less than a few months they are angular, elbowing adolescents.

So – we have gone from a fluffy puppy (or, ‘fluppy’ as I call it) that jumps up to an adolescent dog that jumps up and smothers you in love. And dog hair. And doggy drool.

How to stop your dog jumping up!

Here are 5 tips, but you can download plenty more with my complete essential guide ‘Stop your dog jumping up’ here for only £2.99

1) Physical measures: Close a connecting door, use a lead or houseline, or get a stairgate across your hallway.
These are training measures – not permanent ones. First of all you have to stop rewarding the dog for doing it. It is a little unfair to ask your visitors to deal with it all alone! Only allow the dog to be greeted (or greet) when they are calm. If they go crazy again, keep them on lead or houseline until they calm down.

2) Teach door manners! How many of ours dogs go crazy around the door when it’s time for a walk? The trigger is the door opening (if not the lead beforehand). Teach the dog that they always stay calm around the door or – nothing happens. No walk. No door opens. No freedom, no social event! (More detail on door manners training is included within my guide here).

3) Teach the ‘off’ command. ‘Off’ means back away and wait. The reward comes to you! There is a video of this on my website and a handout on how to teach it.

4) Teach a ‘placement cue’ – this is where you associate the doorbell or a knock at the door with ‘go to your bed’. Or place a mat in a corner of the hallway and teach dog to go there. They can sit on it, lie down, anything you choose but they HAVE to be there or the door simply will not open.

5) Practice, practice, practice. Get the same visitor to come in, go out the back door, go round, come in the front door… etc.

Jumping up can be tackled in a very straightforward way and I have written a special handout for this, which includes the ‘off’ training. It is on my website, it is only £2.99 and has plenty of detail and support -and of course you can always ask me! www.twitter.com/wildpaw

Wave bye bye to Tigger the bouncing nutcase and greet your dog calmly and happily like you’ve always longed for.

Karen x