dog behavior

Your puppy checklist is complete, and you’ve purchased everything from chew toys to puppy pads to a monogrammed food dish. You’re almost ready to bring home your new arrival, but in the excitement you forgot about one thing: your other pets.

Well, we’ve got you covered. Week 3 of Dog Tails’ Puppy Month is all about introductions. We’ve consulted the experts, and shared their rules, tips and tricks with you. Learn the correct steps to a successful first meeting between puppy and the resident pet, and hopefully it will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. And don’t forget to capture these eventful first meetings with your camera – a perfect way to preserve the memory AND a perfect way to capture a great image to enter into our Puppy Photo Contest on Facebook!

Introducing Your Puppy to Your Cat

The most important rule of introducing your new puppy to your cat is to take it slow.  When it comes to a dog and a cat’s first meeting, do not just open the door and let them chase each other.  Instead, let the two animals slowly move closer to each other, while maintaining control of them at all times. For this reason, it is best to have another person help with the introductions, so that both animals can be quickly pulled away if necessary. Finally, for particularly nervous cats and boisterous pups, we suggest starting off with the pets in crates placed near each other, or separated by a baby gate.

On your puppy’s first day home, schedule sufficient time for the introduction. The best time for it is often after your puppy has had some exercise and a meal. This will put him or her in a more calm mood for what can be a stressful situation for all involved.

During the introduction, be sure to reward good behavior. As always, treats are helpful signal for both animals. Ask the puppy to look away from the cat and look at you. If he complies, give him a treat – he is doing very well! If he does not comply, continue working with the dog to calm him down and divert his attention away from the animal. Toys and treats and words of praise are all helpful here.

Finally, don’t forget about your cat in these whirlwind first days. Make sure to give your cat plenty of time and space to adjust to this new situation. You should designate areas that are off-limits to your puppy. The blog Raising Spot suggests giving your cat “safe zones” where she can roam peacefully and not feel “evicted” by the puppy.

One last note: some dogs will need more guidance and training than others – it depends on the dog’s breed, and prior history. It is also important to remember that some dogs may not be suitable for a home with a cat or cats. Certain breeds – specifically, sighthounds (greyhounds, whippets, etc.), pit bulls and terriers – are more likely to be aggressive towards cats. We says this not to malign these wonderful breeds, but to prepare you. Some aggressive and predatory dogs may attack or even kill a cat if left unsupervised.  This activity could occur even if the dog and cat appear to get along when you are present; as a result, experts recommend separating the animals when you leave the house.

Luckily, starting early is often the key to a good dog-cat relationship. According to the ASPCA, puppies raised with cats are less likely to be predatory towards them as they grow older.  Most dog experts report that nearly any dog can learn to live comfortably around cats, if they are properly introduced and trained.

Introducing Your Puppy to Your Dog

When it comes to dog-dog introductions, the same basic rules apply: take it slow, reward good behavior, and be alert. At the same time, resident dogs require their own set of tips and tricks.

One of our favorite dog sites, Dogster, suggests starting with your dog’s strongest asset: his nose. Prepare both your new puppy and your current dog(s) by letting them sniff objects with each other’s scents (for example, toys, towels, beds or even you own clothes). These “smelling sessions” give the dogs opportunities to pick up information about each other and be prepared for their first meeting.

When the big day comes, we suggest enlisting a family member or friend to assist you. That way, each pet has his own handler, who can give treats and encouragement for good behavior, and, importantly, can pull a dog away if he or she senses hostility or aggression. If your current dog has a history of aggressive behavior towards other dogs, we strongly recommend that you hire a skilled professional dog trainer to supervise and guide you through the introduction process.

The initial introduction should take place in a “neutral” area – such as your neighbor’s yard or a nearby park. That way, your resident dog will be less protective of his turf. Allow the dogs to approach each other slowly. If the puppy is very small, ask your assistant to hold him while you allow your bigger dog to watch and sniff briefly. After a few of these quick “visits,” you can start to put the puppy down and slowly walk him towards the older dog.

With all dog-dog introductions, start with short periods of sniffing and greeting, followed by time apart. Be alert at all times during these meetings, and watch out for aggressive behaviors, such as hair standing up on one dog’s back, teeth-baring, deep growls, a stiff-legged gait, or a prolonged stare. If you notice any of these behaviors, separate the dogs immediately. Distract both dogs with toys and treats, and reward them when they switch their attention away from the other dog and back to you. Once they both have calmed down, you can try again.

As with most dog training tasks, consistency is key. Repeat these meetings over and over again, extending them a little bit each time. Once they are comfortable together, try the introductions at home, again starting with quick meetings and then gradually increasing the length. Stay positive and patient – it will help you and your dogs get through the process much more smoothly. Eventually, if all goes well, you can progress to group walks and off-leash play sessions!

For those of you blessed with a full house of dogs, experts suggest introducing new puppies to one resident dog at a time – for your sake and the dogs! Another good tip for multiple dogs: start with the least excitable dog first, and work your way up to the feistiest one!

We hope these tips help your new puppy make a great first impression! Share you own experiences here in the comments, or via Facebook. And don’t forget to check back soon for more Puppy Month fun!

Dog and cat photo by fazen via Flickr.

Dog and puppy photo by Jim Winstead via Flickr.

We’re approaching the end of January. How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Need an extra boost to keep it up during the rest of 2011? Why not include your dog in the action?

The DogWatch Hidden Fences team thinks that dogs make everything more fun – and we’ve come up with some ideas to energize your resolutions with the help of man’s (and woman’s) best friend!

Exercise With A Smile

Starting an exercise routine is a perennially popular resolution. Dog owners who take on this task can not only improve their own health but also the health of their pet. Bring your dog along on your walks and runs.  Your dog will get some much needed extra exercise, and their happy faces will encourage you to fight through those tough hills and that painful last mile.

If you prefer to exercise indoors, incorporate some fetching games into your warms up and cool downs. It will help you start and end your workout on a happy note. Furthermore, by including your dog in your routine, it will give you one more reason to stick with it. You don’t want to disappoint Max or Bella, right?

Flex Your Mind Muscles

If you’re anything like us, you love curling up on the couch next to your sleeping pup. While we all love these precious moments of relaxation, sometimes we also crave some fun activities that challenge us to think in new ways. These activities range from reading that new novel your co-worker raved about, mastering the New York Times crossword puzzle, or building that bookshelf that is still in pieces in the basement.

How do you find the time for these tasks? Get the whole family involved, including the family pet. Establish “puzzle hour” or “reading night,” and ask that everyone disconnect from their phones and computers and TVs during this brief period of relaxing “brain time.” As for the dog, give her her own learning activity. Stuff a KONG toy with her favorite snack, or place treats inside a “puzzle” toy (read about some examples here). She’ll be occupied and energized – just like the rest of the family.

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Thanksgiving is only one week away – are you prepared? Have you purchased your turkey, made travel plans, distributed cooking duties, unpacked the decorations, and worked out the seating chart? There is clearly a lot of work to do, and chances are, the family dog is low on your list of concerns.

DogWatch Hidden Fences wants to make sure the family dog has a fun, safe Thanksgiving, too, without adding too many new tasks to your growing list of to-dos. Review our quick and easy list, and don’t forget to sit back, relax, and enjoy the holiday (after the meal is served, of course!)

1) Keep dogs out of the kitchen

The kitchen on Thanksgiving Day should be a no-dog-zone. These curious creatures can run into serious trouble during this busy day – including getting burned by a hot dish or cut by a knife slipping out of someone’s hand. No pet owner wants to see their dog hurt – – or to run the risk of having the dog get into something in the kitchen that was intended for your guests. Why not send the dog out for a walk or a game of fetch in the den with the kids? You will have one less thing to worry about as you cook the turkey and mash the potatoes.

2) Watch out for bones

Bones are perfect chew toys for dogs, right? NO! Even though Snoopy carries one in his mouth all the time, cooked bones are actually very dangerous for dogs.  These bones (especially turkey and chicken bones) are often brittle and can break and cause damage if digested.  Rather than hand off the turkey bone to Fido, give him a dog-friendly rawhide bone or bully stick.  He can now safely chew and enjoy this holiday treat.

3) Don’t overdo it with the table scraps

Just like us, dogs can go a little overboard with the yummy food on this feast-filled day. Keep an eye on the amount of people food your dog is consuming throughout the day.  Bits and pieces of boneless, cooked turkey, green beans and mashed potatoes are fine – too much can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea. To avoid this potential disaster, inform all the guests that Sparky will get his treats after dinner, not at the table!

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It’s all politics this week at Dog Tails.  Tuesday was Election Day, and in honor of this annual tradition, Dog Tails is turning its attention to the pets of Washington, DC.

Small or large, young or old, cat or dog, Republican or Democrat, we salute all of the dogs who loyally follow their owners around the Oval Office or halls of Congress.  The DogWatch Hidden Fences team dove into the past and came up with a list of the most memorable political pets.  No matter which way you voted on Tuesday, we know you’ll love these famous furry friends!

Fala, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dog

Fala is arguably the most famous political dog of all time.  The Scottish terrier moved into the White House in 1940, at the beginning of Roosevelt’s third term.  He soon became a regular fixture in the halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., begging for food and performing tricks for guests.

Fala also enjoyed traveling with his master, joining the President on his many trips across the country and around the world.  In fact, the two were so inseparable that Fala is depicted alongside Roosevelt in his memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC (see picture at left).  He is the only Presidential dog to be given such an honor.

Checkers, President Richard M. Nixon’s dog

Checkers, a cocker spaniel, never made it to the White House, but he still had a sizable impact on Presidential history.  In 1952, then-Vice Presidential candidate Nixon was embroiled in a financial scandal.  In an effort to save his candidacy, he gave a televised speech in which he spoke of his humble beginnings.

The most memorable line from the speech referred to his dog, Checkers, who had been given to Nixon for his then-6-year-old daughter by a campaign donor.  “Regardless of what they say about it, we’re going to keep him,” he said.  The address became known as the “Checkers Speech,” and not only did it save Nixon’s candidacy, but it is now a term used to describe any heart-tugging speech given by a politician.

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