In this issue, I'm going to be pulling some questions from the mail bag and doing my best to respond to our readers' concerns.

Here's the first one:

Hi!

We are so in need of help! Here's the situation --> Small adorable dog shows up at our door in the pouring rain, he's soaked to the bone and extremely dirty and hungry. From neighbors we find he's been living on his own for over 1 month when owners up and moved.

We bring him into our home bathe, feed, give comforter to sleep next to our bed, love him enormously all for him to bite at us for telling him "No" to getting on our bed and that's not even our worst problem - he continually humps our daughter and tries to bite her every chance he gets even when she's out of his vicinity. He has snipped so many times at my husband, myself and daughter and refuses to stop knocking our 6 year old down and humping her!!!!

What should we do before were forced to take him to shelter???

From "Just want to love the dog"

Emily Responds:

Dear "Just wants to love,"

It sounds like this dog is lucky to have found a kind-hearted family like you to take him and relieve him from his prior difficulties in eeking out an existence.

Unfortunately, many dogs who were not raised in loving homes like yours come with a few behavior problems as well as an unkempt appearance. It can be difficult to adopt an adult dog into the family whether it's a stray from the street or the shelter. You'll need a lot of patience and consistency to help your dog discover his new role in your family.

Dogs are pack animals and it looks like this dog is working hard to find his place in the pack. Biting/Nipping and humping can be signs of dominance. Humping is not just a sexual behavior, it is also a way for dogs to show their superiority to one another. It sounds like your dog has identified your daughter as an "inferior" member of the pack and is working to show her that he's boss with the nips and his other bad behavior.

In order to correct this, you'll have to make it clear to him that EVERYONE with 2 legs is superior to everyone with four. Start to work on socializing the dog and your daughter in a variety of situations. Put a choke chain or pinch collar on your dog and give him a very firm verbal correction "NO!" as well as a pop on the leash whenever he does something that is socially unacceptable in your house. These are very humane if used correctly. If the choke chain is not getting the results you want, try switching over to a prong dog collar. Even a RESPONSIBLE child should be able to give a correction that's effective with a collar like this. (Directions for proper leash corrections are given on that page.)

This could be anything: Nipping, humping, getting to rowdy... You need to give him a stern correction to get him to settle down. It's up to you to make sure your dog knows the meaning of the word "no." Don't hit or abuse your dog, but consistently employ verbal and leash/collar corrections to communicate with him effectively.

Conversely, be sure to praise and pet the dog for his good/positive behavior. You want him to do more of the things that bring him praise and less of the things that make you say "NO!".

Also, a six year old is too small a child to be left alone with a new dog with behavioral problems. If you or another adult is not in the room with the dog to supervise him, put him in a crate or another safe place where he will not get into trouble or hurt your kids.

-Emily

Here's the second, this is a question for you!!

My question is more out of curiosity. I have a 7 year old Shih Tzu (Sadie) and we just adopted a 1 year old Great Pyrenees (Shiner). They play together all the time. Shiner is always biting (not hard, more like nipping) Sadie all over her back. Sadie loves it. She rubs right up against him while he's doing it. What is Shiner doing? Just being a loving brother and scratching her back? Roni

Emily Responds:

Dear Roni,

Great question, and I'm not sure I have an answer for you. I'm putting this in the newsletter to see if anyone else has a possible reply...

My theory is they are playing. Shiner probably started out just play-biting Sadie to see what she would do, she probably enjoys having fun with him and who knows... maybe it does feel like a massage! She must be doing something to encourage him to keep up the good work!

- Emily

If anyone has any other theories or replies to these two great questions, please post them on the Discussion Forum. Or post your own question and perhaps we'll be able to answer it in a future issue of Dog Lovers Digest.

Emily@Gifts-for-Dog-Lovers.com

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Thanks for your great questions and feedback, lately. I always love to get email from you!

Wish your puppies LOVE on Valentine's day this year and keep them out of the chocolates!

Emily Cunningham

P.S. Don't let the decision on whether to offer your aging pet medical treatment be a financial one. More and more pet owners around the country are investing in pet medical insurance to ensure their pet receives the very best treatments modern medicine has available! Find out how to prepare to protect your pet from "economic euthanasia" at the Pet Health Insurance Page.

Copyright, Emily Cunningham. 2005

This email is protected by copyright, 2005, Emily Cunningham.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Emily Cunningham.

Emily Cunningham
POB 1901
Clemmons, NC 27012
336-766-2270 Phone
336-766-2270 FAX
Emily@Gifts-For-Dog-Lovers.com
http://www.Gifts-For-Dog-Lovers.com