You know how cute it seems when a puppy begs for attention, food, or other goodies from their human?  Keep in mind how not cute that will be when they are no longer fuzzy little fur balls.  Like when they are 100 pound adults, begging for that Big Mac you barely have time to woof down before working from home for the next couple hours so that you still meet your deadline at work tomorrow when you just walk in the door after a grueling 12 or 14 hour day at the office.  (Not that yours truly would have ever done that )

You may be asking, “Why do dogs beg?”  The answer is simple…  We want something, just like when humans beg.  Some people do not want to hear this about their dogs, but dogs are scavengers.  They have been known to eat garbage!  This is probably one of the main reasons that dogs have such a bond with humans.  Humans make a lot of garbage, and dogs love to go through their human’s leftovers.

To help you eliminate begging from you dog’s repertoire, when he or she is a puppy, they should be in their crate when you and your family are eating.  Remember when we talked about keeping your eyes on the dog being Rule #1 during potty training?  It is also Rule #1 when we are working on getting rid of begging.  Train your dog to go to his room, crate, place, whatever you want to call it when it is meal time.  It is also a good idea to coincide your dog’s feeding time to occur about an hour before your meal time.  He may still want some of what you are having, but he is not going to be driven by hunger.  Mom is not going to have any of that though.  She says that alphas eat first and since the humans are alphas, no dog in my house going to eat before Mom!

If your puppy is out of his crate come meal time, he will probably follow you to the table crying, pawing, and salivating for your food like he has not eaten in days.  This is no way to enjoy your meal, and your guests, if you have them, will be unable to enjoy theirs.  The best way to combat begging from your dog at meal time is to never feed your dog or puppy directly from the table!  Also, it is very important that no one else is allowed to either.  This will strike the urge to beg at its foundation, keeping it from being an issue to tackle later on.

Unless your dog knows not to beg, he needs to be separated from you (in his crate, room, etc.) during human meal time.  If you do allow your dog out of the crate and he begins begging, simply ignore him.  This also applies to dogs that beg to be touched or walked.  Make sure that you do not give them any special attention as a result of their begging, like sending them away to their crate or to a different room.  Though it is negative attention, it is still attention that you dog is craving.  Ignoring him will show that meal time is a special time where he will not beg, nor will he given any attention.

This puppy has experienced dog parks and beaches since she was fully vaccinated, and she always enjoyed playing with the other dogs and never showed any signs of aggression.  However, in the last 3 months, they have noticed an exhibition of aggressive behavior towards other dogs.  The first occurrence took place as they were departing a dog park, where she got into a fight on the way out.  Things moved so fast, tt was hard to tell who had provoked the other but the dogs had to be pulled apart.  Since that encounter, she has gotten in little tiffs every time she is in an off-leash environment.  Most recently, she has acted with aggression towards another dog within minutes of entering an off-leash environment the last three visits to the off-leash dog park.

The family’s sister lived next door since the dog was adopted.  The sister had a Rhodesian Ridgeback that played together with the Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix multiple times a week.  Clearly, the Rhodesian Ridgeback was the more dominant dog in their arrangement.  The sister moved approximately 3 months ago, which seems to correlate with the behavior problems.  There has also been a noticeable aggressive actions (more eye contact, more play biting, more demanding) towards the family and their two cats.

Wow!  That was a lot of back story, but I thought it was relevant.  Before we delve into the issue at hand, I would like to thank the family for choosing to rescue a dog, rather than buy one from a pet store or a breeder.  From what I can tell, the underlying issue here is not aggression, but pack order.  Here, we have a dog who is 1 ½ years old that has lived next door to a more dominant dog nearly all of her life.  The Rhodesian Ridgeback was clearly the alpha between the two homes.  Now that the sister has moved, in your dog’s opinion, there is no longer a leader.  In her home, she is exhibiting behavior that tells me that she wants to become the alpha as evidenced by her eye contact, play biting and demanding behavior.  This is something that will get out of hand if it is not handled properly.  This is a situation where someone in the family will need to assert themselves as the alpha in your home to correct your dog’s inappropriate behavior.

First, we should discuss the in home activities.  When your dog makes eye contact with you, you should not look away.  Your dog is issuing a challenge to your authority.  Accept the challenge and stare her down, but make sure you do not get in the dog’s face.  Sometimes I play a little staring game with my mom, where I start to stare at her.  She just stares back and says, “What?  Do I owe you money or something?”  She never looks away.  I am pretty sure that she is the dog staring champion, but I have not found any documentation showing this though.  When she gets tired of staring, she stretches out her arm and snaps her fingers.  It never fails that the dogs turn their heads to look at her fingers.  Then, she declares herself the winner!  Hardly seems far, does it?

Remember, in a dog’s world, he who controls the food, controls everything.  So, I suggest that you not allow your dog to feed freely.  Reset their feeding to certain times a day.  This may also help you to control any weight issues, if they are present.  You should also make it a point to hand feed her several times a week like I discuss in this article.  One other way to show your dog that you are in control and therefore, the leader is to leash her while she is roaming the house.  Just put her leash on and let her drag it around the house.  Every once in awhile, step on the leash and give your dog a command.  A simple SIT will do.  Why would you do this?  Easy!  Because you can, and leaders do what they want, when they want!

In this case, I hope that your cats are not declawed, because a cat with claws can put a dog in their place in seconds, if they need to.  Also, if your dog has a leash on, you can step on the leash at the first sign of aggression and tell her to LEAVE IT.  This also gives the cat a chance to run away or pop the dog in the head with a claw should they choose.

Now, let us talk about the dog park.  Guess who just lost the privilege of being off-leash?  As I have said many times, you cannot correct her behavior if you have no control.  Your dog may just be responding to actions of another dog, but she needs to be under your supervision at all times because of her previous baad behavior.  When your dog shows any signs of aggression, your response must not be yelling or giving any other attention to that behavior.  You just simply need to leave the area, because your dog just lost that privilege as well.  Once things are under control at home, you may allow her to return to the dog park, but not off-leash.  Being off leash is a privilege she must earn again, and it may take some time.  As Spiderman’s uncle said with great power comes great responsiblity, so I suggest that you take a look at my thoughts on off-leash dog parks.

I do not have to tell you that both Rottweilers and German Shepherds have been the subject of some negative press in the past, so do not let your dog become a statistic.  Once you have asserted your authority at home, and she recognizes you as the leader, you should begin to work your way back to the park.  You are going to want to make sure that your dog has a vet checkup to rule out any physical problems, and I also suggest that if you have not gone through a training class with her, do it.  Since your dog is probably very large, seek out a trainer that understands the use of different types of training collars.  A good trainer will never rule out any options.

With interesting and entirely coincidental timing, Mom recently added two puppies to our home temporarily after hearing their story.  We think they are Newfoundland/Lab mixes, and they are very cute, fluffy balls of fur.  They are quite active, playful, and energetic.  Yesterday, I posted a video and some pictures of them, as well as their back story as the first dogs posted on Spike’s Shelter Dogs.

If you are interested in adopting either of these puppies, or any of the dogs listed on Spike’s Shelter Dogs, check out the contact info for each of them.  Also, if you are a shelter, rescue, or foster interested in having an adoptable dog listed on the site, check out the Ask Spike Online Contact Us page.  Something that we are doing differently to help gain attention for these dogs, we are utilizing the social media power of Twitter and Flickr to raise awareness.  To be the first to know about additions to Spike’s Shelter Dogs, follow @shelterdogs on Twitter or become a contact on Flickr.

Feel free to spread the word about my newest project to all you know, especially those who are looking to provide a forever home for a four-legged friend.

I’ve recently noticed, as my puppy [redacted] is now about 8 months, he’s doing something which is causing a bit of concern. We have an 8 month old kitten, Maya, (has yet to go into heat and has not been spayed yet), and the two of them have grown up around each other most of their lives, so they get along wonderfully and are great friends. Lately, I’ve noticed that while [redacted] & Maya are playing, he’s been trying to mate with her, and the frequency has been increasing over time.

This is not so uncommon for a puppy of his age, so I can understand it right now.  It would be far more concerning if this were occurring a year or more from now.  Right now, this dog is essentially going through puberty.  Remember how awkward and weird that time felt for you?  I certainly do. All of a sudden, I had GIANT feet and a body that grew inches every day.  It was also mentioned that he can also get a little “excited” during general playtime.  This is a time in his development where his hormones are raging, and since he does not really have any experience with them, he is confused by them and not sure what to do.  The important thing to remember here is that his behavior is immediately corrected and the play is also immediately ceased.

During doggie puberty, where dogs will also begin to challenge their humans for the dominant position, or “alpha.”  This behavior in UNACCEPTABLE, and it must not continue.  It may not seem like something important to humans, and they may laugh or joke over it, but it is very real to the dog.  He is showing dominant behavior and challenging his person, who is allowing to happen.  From here, things can only get worse.  Any inappropriate behavior that a dog is doing whether it be to a cat, person or another dog must be corrected, as our reader is doing.  Continuing to correct the behavior with a firm “NO!” is a good start, but it needs to go further than that.  This behavior warrants a complete separation of the two immediately.  It was not mentioned, but if the kitten involved still has all four claws, I suspect that as she ages, she will get pretty tired of that behavior and she will put a stop to it.  This will not be a good day for the dog, but a pretty good smack across his face with those claws will teach him a new lesson.  Mom calls that a “Come to Jesus” moment.

Now, let’s talk a little about male canine sexuality.  Our reader is under the impression that a male dog’s need to mate can be satisfied with two occurrences a year, and that will keep him under control and healthy.  I have never heard this, nor has Tax or Mom.  They are pretty sure that a human male could not handle a male dog being neutered and told her that story.  In fact, male dogs WILL NOT become more emotionally stable with sexual experience.

Testosterone, the male hormone, begins affecting male canine behavior before a puppy is even born.  Just prior to birth, while still in their mother’s womb, they experience a surge of testosterone through their bodies.  This sets them up to be “masculinized” outside her body.  Of course, this is something that female pups do not experience.  A scientific study showed that nerve cells in the spine are affected by testosterone, causing a male pup to develop his behavior of mounting.  Male puppies as young as five weeks have been seen showing mounting and clasping behaviors.  This is entirely due to the testosterone he has surging through his pubescent body.  Right now, he is experiencing secondary sex characteristics.  If he is exposed to a female in season “heat,” he will mount her if she allows him, and the pieces of the puzzle he is currently confused by will fit together.

While that may cease his desire to mount, it is not a substitute for neutering him.  Remember, “fixing” a dog, regardless of gender, should be practiced for several reasons.  I discussed them in detail here, but I will summarize as well.  The most obvious is to avoid more puppies being born into an already over-populated world.  It is also good for the health of the dog as he or she ages.  For the males, neutering can certainly help to modify a behavior problem, particularly with aggression.  “Fixing” a dog will not ALWAYS be an answer to a behavior problem, whether male or female, but it can certainly help.

The issue of inappropriate mounting is not restricted to males only.  Female dogs have been known to mount cats, people, and other dogs, even males.  A female dog practicing such behavior is simply trying to show dominance.  Humans must be aware that whether they have a male or female dog, the HUMAN is the “alpha,” and it is their responsibility to correct inappropriate behavior in their pack.

If there are any reasons that you do not want to have your dog fixed yet, consider the following:  If he is a registered, purebred dog with wonderful traits that you feel need to be passed on, please check with the breeder (and maybe even some of the other people of his litter mates to make sure your experience is not unique.  There could be undesirable things among his litter mates that he is not exhibiting.  Often, breeders may not be aware of a problem or characteristic among one of their until they are told.

So, if you are not ready to get him the “Big Snip,” you MUST establish your role as the alpha and let him know what behavior you will and will not tolerate in your pack!

Though many dog foods are similar, you do not want to shock your dog’s system with an immediate and drastic change from one food to another.  Trust me, both you and your dog will appreciate the extra care you take to transition from one food to another.

All of the retriever breeds are born being comfortable with having or carrying something in their mouths.  I am no exception, as I often wander the house with my toy du jour.  We are also notorious chewers, especially as puppies.  Sometimes I spend a whole day just wanting to walk around with something in our mouth.

My doggie mom, Autumn, used to fall asleep with a tennis ball in her mouth.  If it happened to roll out, she would wake up, position the ball back in her mouth and go back to sleep.  My doggie grandfather used to walk around with this goofy looking moose hanging out of his mouth, when he was not retrieving other things like tennis balls or sticks and carrying them about.

We find chewing to be a natural thing to do, especially the retriever breeds, as we are so prone to just have things in our mouths.  When we are puppies, we chew because it relieves some of the discomfort brought about by teething, just like a baby.  For those of your with puppies that are chewing on everything in sight, like Lucy’s new friend, I have a few tips for you about the chewing thing.

Buy your dog a Kong.  When I was a puppy and Mom had to work all day, she would stuff my Kong with all kinds of puppy treats and then seal the end of the Kong with peanut butter and put it in the freezer overnight and in the morning, I got my Kong.  It would take me hours and hours of work, licking the peanut butter and chewing the toy to get all of the treats.  Sometimes I would work so hard that I would get tired and have to take a nap.  But when I woke up, it was right back to work with that Kong!  When puppies are teething, they may not be able to handle the peanut butter and they may have some loose stool.  When that happened with me, mom would stuff my Kong with cheese, instead of peanut butter.

My next suggestion for dogs that like to chew is to make sure your dog has a rope toy appropriate for your dog’s size.  You do not want to get a Pomeranian one that is meant for a dog of my size.  When gave me my first rope toy, I did not really care much for it, but Mom made it interesting.  She took the toy and let it soak in a jar or pot of chicken stock.  After a few hours, she would take it out of the jar, put it in a freezer bag and freeze it for me.  Oh, did this feel great on my little teething gums, it tasted GREAT!

Many trainers and other dog professionals suggest something called a “Nylabone.”  It is made of a hard rubber, and I can recommend it as a pretty good chew item, especially if it has been soaked in the chicken stock.  The last thing a person should do before leaving their dog alone at home, is to make sure they have something to entertain themselves in the human’s absence.  Tax and I are very devoted to the television set as a source of entertainment, even when Mom is at home.  We are quite partial to Animal Planet’s programming, especially Animal Cops.  I like to tease Tax with the theme to People Cops when Animal Cops comes on.

Bad Tax, bad Tax
Whatcha’ gonna do?
Whatcha’ gonna do
When they come for you?

HAHAHA! That gets him riled up every time I sing it.

Back to the issue at hand.  For every puppy that will spend time in a crate, you should purchase a CHEAP shower curtain liner to put underneath your their crate.  This will keep any accidents from getting all over your carpet or flooring.  Mom makes sure that we can see the television any time we are in our crates.  It is very important not to make a big deal out of leaving, as this will just get your puppy wound up right before you head out the door.  Just say goodbye and leave.

When dogs play, we can only use our paws and our mouths, so any biting you are getting from your puppy is a form of play.  Those bites are not out of meanness, but out of a desire to play.  This is the way that he or she chooses to play.  If you watch her with some other puppies, you will observe that she plays the same way with them as she does with you.  I recommend as much socialization as possible for your puppy at the dog park and with play dates.  This will help your dog to learn what a “soft mouth” is.

In the mean time, try putting some Bitter Apple on your hands before you play with your puppy.  Mom also suggests foul-tasting things like lemon juice and vinegar as a taste deterrents for dogs.  The first time that your puppy nips you, say “OW!” with a strong voice and take your hands away and stop playing.  After a period of thirty minutes, you can resume play, and if your puppy insists on biting, stop all play for the day and ignore her.  Your puppy truly wants to play, but biting dog play is painful to humans, and your puppy must learn that to keep a human playing, he or she must not bite!

Lucy’s friend also mentioned that her puppy likes to bite at her feet and pants.  To stop this behavior, put a leash on her, and when she jumps and growls in a vicious way, simply put a quick snap on the leash, with a harsh “NO” and ignore the behavior.  Remember, a dog will continually repeat any behavior that gets them attention.

Please, please, please, do not feel guilty about leaving a puppy in a crate.  A crate defines our space, and I think of my crate as my room.  We keep our stuff in there, and it makes us feel safe.  We bark because there is one thing better than our beloved crate, that is time with our human, but humans cannot always be with us, and your puppy will learn this.  So we accept this as our safe place, when our human is away.  Deep down inside, your puppy loves her crate.  She knows that a lot of fussing will get you to stick around and pay attention.  Be a good Mom or Dad and stay the course. You can always come back to me for the answers, since I have been through it all.  I am a pro…  After all, I am a dog!

One day soon, I will figure out how to work Mom’s camera and provide a pictorial about how much a dog enjoys their crate.  The subject of that project will be my brother, Tax.  He hogs everything he has ever owned (and a few things he has stolen) and arranged them in his crate.  He lays on top of it all when he sleeps, so that no one sneaks in and steals it.  Mom says it is like a hen trying to hatch an egg!

This may not apply to everyone, but our new pal has to contend with some cats.  My solution to all cat problems is to send in Tax.  He would to love come over and visit the cats, but I do not think the cats would enjoy a visit from him.  Honestly, I do not understand why people are so worried and protective about cats, because a cat in possession of all four of its claws can open a whole can of WHOOP THAT DOGS A$$!  Since there are two, your puppy will learn his place REAL QUICK.  In this situation, I recommend that the cats come to your dog at introduction, especially since your puppy will grow to be much larger than the cats.  She should stay in her crate and allow the cats to approach her.  After they are aware of each others’ presences, put your puppy on a leash with very little slack and slowly introduce her to the cats.  Animals have our own way of “talking”.  They will work it out amongst themselves, but do not push it!

Submissive urination is a problem common to a lot of puppies, especially the exceptionally energetic ones.  This problem occurs when your pup is just so happy to see you, she simply releases her urine.  My first suggestion in this situation is to rule out any physical problems.  Unfortunately, that means a trip to your vet, where you can explain your concerns, and he or she can give your dog a physical exam to rule out anything physical.  When everything checks out, then it is time to work on training.  First, I would suggest that you read my guide to potty training and begin following it immediately.  Next, I suggest that you get your pup a crate and keep her in it based on the following rule: If you cannot physically keep your eye on the puppy, then she must be in her crate.

While you are working to train her, make sure that you do not yell at her.  Most dogs are not deaf, and this may startle her, causing her to release her bladder.  While in training, when you approach her, do not add to her excitement by using that little high-pitched, baby-talk voice.  Speak to her in normal, even tones, just like your normal conversation.  When she is in her crate, do not take her out if she shows too much excitement.

It is better to clean up the crate than the whole house.  Remember, dogs do not like to have a dirty crate, but this is not a dog, it is a puppy.  Puppies do not care if the crate is dirty, but she will grow to dislike it as she ages.  That is when she will learn to control the urination because she does not want a nasty room.

As discussed in the guide to potty training, remember to take her outside to the designated potty spot and give her the command word to potty.  Also, she must be on a leash outside while you are training, because you cannot train what you cannot control.  Use positive reinforcement to praise her when she goes potty in the designated area.  Make sure you have lots of toys and play with her in the yard, but nowhere close to the potty spot!  Once she learns that the yard is a great place to be because you are playing there, you have solved part of the inside excitement problem.

As with  most Springer Spaniels, you probably have a high energy dog.  To keep her properly exercised, check out things like frisbee and agility.  Springers enjoy both.  Need some proof?  Check out Chris McLeod in the Purina Dog Challenge.  Her dog is a Springer.  When she and I first met, that dog growled at me a lot, but it was OK because we were just sitting around.  Sitting around is a sport I enjoy, but it is not a sport not enjoyed by these dogs.

This article is a part of our Potty Training Page.

They hit the nail on the head when they recognized that it was due to her excitability factor.  Puppies think that everything is GREAT!  They are always discovering new things, re-discovering things, and getting into things as they look to discover new things.  Remember, they are still canines, even though they are usually small and very cute.

As we have discussed before, canines love attention, even bad attention.  Of course, when you come into their line of sight, she just sort of loses it!  At the age described, a puppy does not have the ability to control her bladder.  She is also not good at multi-tasking, as most dogs must learn as they age and receive training.  She simply cannot love you by showing her happiness and control her bladder at the same time.  This usually passes as the puppy ages.  To help you in the present, make sure that when you walk into a room, that you do not get her all excited by talking in that little baby (puppy) voice.  Do not attempt to play with her immediately.  Give her a few moments to calm down from the excitement of your presence.  Then, you can address her and pay attention.

This is common among puppies of all breeds, and it should improve as your puppy ages.  If you are successful in potty training her and these problems still exist, have your vet take a look at her.  If the vet says that there is nothing physically wrong with her, then you must make every effort not get him excited or play with him until he is calm.  Remember, your attitude and actions influence their attitude and actions.