In my very first Ottawa Dog Blog post I talked about my Hopeful Hearts foster dog Snoopy, the teeny tiny maltipoo. I mentioned that he used to bite me daily – chewing my fingers, hands, and toes like a furry little alligator.

Although his biting seems like a lifetime ago, thanks to Bark Busters, he still requires continued training and socialization. This is all part and parcel of being a foster parent – to help our foster overcome their fears and become the best furry companion they can be.

When Snoopy was out in the backyard one day barking at various items that scared him (the garden hose, my neighbour’s barbecue cover flapping in the wind, a worm), I wondered, after all this time, why he couldn’t just stop being afraid and get over his fears.

And then it dawned on me.

I’m 30 years old, and due to my fear of driving, I still don’t have my full driver’s licence. I only recently took the test in December to get my beginner’s, however I haven’t taken the necessary steps to learn how to drive, nor have I sat behind the wheel of a car since I got my license. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to learn, and I have been given the tools, but I am just too afraid to take that next step.

Oh hello, hypocrite.

I think that sometimes we have expectations of our dogs that may be unrealistic at times. Just as humans have fears, our furry little friends have fears as well. The next time you find yourself getting frustrated because your dog is doing something out of fear, maybe think about the things you are afraid of, and whether you have faced those fears yourself.

So, I am going to kick my fear of driving in the butt. Once my partner in crime returns from his trip to Dallas, we’re going to head out on the open road. And yes, I will be behind the wheel. Watch out, Ottawa!

It’s kind of funny, though. I am the one who is supposed to be helping Snoopy, but in reality, he’s the one actually helping me. Maybe this is what fostering is all about.

The night before my first ever foster dog was to arrive, I received a phone call from Hopeful Hearts‘ foster coordinator. She said there was this teeny tiny maltipoo at the same Quebec shelter as my soon-to-be foster, and did I possibly have a room for another furry little body? She warned me that he had little man syndrome, but I thought, how much trouble can a teeny tiny maltipoo be?

While sitting in the Quebec shelter waiting to be adopted, this teeny tiny maltipoo developed kennel cough. By the time the staff noticed how sick he was, he had to be put on an IV and spent the rest of his time in the emergency shelter with the very amazing folks there.

The moment he walked into my home, this teeny tiny maltipoo stole my heart. I was told that his name was Lucky, which made me angry and then incredibly sad. We spent the first few days calling him “Little One”, then moving onto “Lo”, and then finally deciding on the name Snoopy. The first time I called him that he immediately looked at me, so it stuck.

Snoopy was on a buffet of meds when he arrived, so he was barely eating. I bribed him with chicken, hamburger, rice, yogurt.. you name it. He just wasn’t interested. We were fortunate if we could get him to eat a tablespoon of food a day. All he wanted to do was sleep, and he very much resembled a stuffed animal in those days.

I did a little happy dance the first time Snoopy showed any real interest in food. In no time at all he was gobbling down boiled chicken and rice, then wet food, and finally, his beloved Chicken À La Veg Fromm.

After his appetite increased he became more lively, doing twirly little dances when he saw his leash, knowing it was walk time. When Snoopy started doing zoomies around the house, I knew we were in the clear. However as his health began to improve, we got to know the real Snoopy.

The first time he bit me I was completely gobsmacked. I was in the process of claiming my space (thank you, Cesar Millan!) by trying to shoo Snoopy out of the kitchen when he did it. He latched onto my foot with his teeth and started flailing around like a little alligator. After that he bit us for various other reasons — I nudged him when he was sleeping, tried to take away a kleenex that he managed to steal from the garbage can, said “no” to him when he peed on the floor, and once he even bit me because I looked at him funny. No joke.

I was flabbergasted. But then I got a chance to read his intake file.

At six months old, Snoopy was purchased at a pet store by his owner. He was left alone 10+ hours a day, and had only met a total of 2-4 people in his 4 years. It was also very clear that he had never been socialized, as he didn’t understand how to be around other dogs. He had never been taught how to use stairs or to go to the bathroom outside, and he didn’t have the slightest idea what to do with a dog toy. Three and a half years later when Snoopy’s owner’s new girlfriend moved in, Snoopy bit her, and that was it. He was dropped off at the shelter in Quebec and they didn’t look back.

After reading his file, we vowed never to give up on him, and to continue working on his issues no matter what.

The first thing we did was teach him how to use the stairs. Then we started taking note of his “triggers”, and instead of avoiding them, we purposely put him in those situations where he would normally bite. With a lot of patience and a ton of praise, Snoopy eventually went from a dog who bit us a few times a day, to once every couple of days. With the help of some very amazing people (Alana & Marco from Bark Busters), his biting issue is now a thing of the past.

It’s been five months since that teeny tiny maltipoo walked into my life, and I am now faced with the daunting task of having to say goodbye, as he has captured the heart of one very lucky lady. I know that her life will forever be changed, like mine was, the moment Snoopy walks into her home.

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Mel keeps a blog where she writes about her life as a foster Mom. You can read it here. And you really should read it – it’s awesome and so inspirational.

Clients often tell us that their dog does not listen to them. They only way they feel they can “control” a behaviour is by using verbal commands like sit, stay and down. The problem with this is that the dog may listen initially but the always go back to doing the unwanted behaviour.

Let’s say you are taking care of a 2 year old child who is about to reach for the hot stove. Would you say: “Sit, here is a cookie” Or would you say, “Don’t touch, the stove is hot”? Most clients laugh at the notion of saying “Sit, here is a cookie” to their kids; yet this is exactly what most of us do with our dogs. We expect them to learn from it as well. You can say a thousand times: “Sit, here is a cookie”, never will child learn that the stove is hot. If you have a jumping or barking dog and you say “Sit, here is a cookie” you can say this a thousand times, never will your pet learn that barking or jumping is wrong.

The purpose of commands is to demand a behaviour and not to correct a behaviour. Every time you use a command to correct a behaviour it is a missed opportunity to teach your dog what the appropriate reaction or behaviour is. Miscommunication is one of the main issues.

What is the solution?
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In the spirit of the coming season, Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, offers helpful holiday tips for dog owners on how to keep their dogs safe and happy during the holidays.

In planning for this season’s holiday festivities, it’s important to keep your pets in mind. With a little thought and preparation we can make sure we all enjoy the holidays. While most of us welcome the sights, sounds and smells of the season, holidays can also be chaotic—especially for dogs. Holiday festivities can interrupt a dog’s routine and present a potentially unsafe situation. But by following a few common-sense tips, the holidays can be cheery for everyone—including the family dog.”

Holiday foods can be harmful

Many holiday foods can be harmful to canines, causing symptoms as mild as an upset stomach or as severe as vomiting and diarrhea. Avoid giving your dog fatty or spicy foods, bread dough, fresh herbs, alcohol beverages, caffeine and sweets of all kinds—especially those with chocolate or xylitol, a natural sweetener.

Particularly dangerous are cooked poultry bones. Cooked bones easily splinter, and the bone shards can cause choking, get stuck in your dog’s gums or possibly damage his intestines. Instead, treat your dog to “dog bones” specifically designed for him to chew. Ask your veterinarian for suggestions.

Discourage your dog from foraging in the garbage—secure lids on all trashcans.
It’s natural that you’d want to share holiday treats with your dog. While a little taste of turkey or sweet potatoes can make your dog happy, don’t overdo it—too much of a good thing can make him sick.

Decorations are not playthings

Keep your pet away from holiday plants, many of which are poisonous, such as holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and amaryllis (a type of lily). Also be sure all potpourri is out of your pet’s reach.

Snow globes can contain antifreeze, which is toxic to dogs. Whether it’s in the garage or in a snow globe keep antifreeze products away from your happy, tail-wagging dog. If there is an antifreeze spill, keep your dog out of the room while you clean up the liquid. Dilute the spot with water and floor cleaner to ensure your dog does not lick the area later.

Keep electrical wires and batteries out of your pet’s reach. Chewing or biting anything electrical can cause him shock or burns. Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. A lit candle knocked over by a swinging tail can burn your pet or cause a fire.

Christmas trees can be hazardous
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Here are some great videos shared by Dianne and Richard from Bark Busters East Ottawa.
They note: “You can teach your dog anything when using the right techniques.”

Roll the Barrel

Top of the Barrel

Their two dogs Stryker and Fence on a dreary rainy day, still getting their exercise.

Snoofy, a client’s dog learning to walk and loving it.

Snoofy was just a guest who learned to love tunnel runs

What is Clicker Training?

Clicker training is a game you play with dogs and other animals to teach good behaviours. A clicker is something that makes a short, sharp sound. If you don’t have a clicker you can use a retractable pen, you can push the button on top that you push to make the point come out. All you need to clicker train your dog is a clicker, treats.

Now here are the rules:

When you start training a dog, you always need to have a parent or other adult with you to make sure the dog is safe around food. Let your parents give the dog the first few treats to make sure the dog doesn’t nip or bite while being given the treat. If the dog barks, growls or tries to grab the food, give all the food to the dog and stop the training session.

But if your parents have decided that it’s safe for you to give treats to the dog use treats that the dog really, really likes. Most dogs like cheese, hot dogs, and chicken. You can also buy special soft treats. The pieces need to be very small so the dog doesn’t get full quickly.

How do you use it?

• Click when you think the dog’s behaviour begins to get close to what you want. So if you’re teaching the dog to sit, click when he sits or if he tries to sit and comes close. Then give the treat right after the click.
• You must always look and pay attention at the dog when training. Never hurt or punish the dog. Don’t pull on the dog’s leash and never use force. Find a way the dog will like to do the behaviour.
• Put treats somewhere you can reach easily and fast like your pocket or a fanny pack. You can put treats in a bowl easy for you to reach, but away from the dog. Give the dog a treat by dropping it on the ground in front of him or hold the treat in your open hand.
• If you’re not quick at giving the treat, the dog may think a treat is not coming after the click and he won’t understand what he did to get the click.
• So you must give the dog a treat after every click. Click when the dog is close to what you want. Don’t click more than once.
• Remember the dog is a beginner, go step by step and click for each step the dog takes towards the final goal.

So if you want your dog to come to you, click and treat when the dog looks at you, takes a step toward you, takes two steps or three steps towards you and click and give several small treats when the dog comes all the way.

Another example would be if you want to train your dog to sit on a stool, click when he looks at it or moves toward the stool until he finally sits on the stool.