Pets

How do I stop my puppy from crying when I leave the room?

Puppy crying when left alone? Try this simple trick!

Hi Abigail with Howard canine Behavior consult in here. The question is, how do I stop my puppy from crying when I leave the room? This is a wonderful question and a really common one for people with new puppies that are struggling with being away from littermates and being alone. In confined spaces, there are several ways to approach this problem, but the one that I usually try first is that I start by gifting my puppy. A long-lasting puzzle, toy or treat. I really love the Kong toys. They look like a little rubber snowman. They're red. They're the best. So I like to stuff it with something that my puppy is used to eating. So if they are on a certain brand of dog food, I try to find the canned food of that brand. And I mix a little bit of canned food with some of the kibble, so it gets a little bit sticky and i stuff it in the Kong and put it in the freezer overnight, freezer is a key piece. So, then when I'm wanting to practice leaving my puppy alone in a room, I put the In the room, I give them the delicious Kong and let them get interested in it. I step out of the room, close the door, maybe count to just a few seconds, 3 5 or 10. So 1, 2 3 and come back in the room and hang out with my puppy. Why they finish their Kong gradually over time? I increase the time, I'm leaving the room until my puppy is able to eat their Kong toy. And when it's finished there, Still calm and relaxed and the room, a pro tip is a webcam changes. This whole routine and makes it so much easier because you can watch your puppy from outside the room on your phone or mobile device. So, I really recommend a webcam. When practicing this, I hope this is helpful and I hope it works for your puppy.

To help your puppy stop crying when you leave the room, try giving them a long-lasting puzzle or toy such as a Kong. Stuff it with something they are used to eating, like canned food mixed with kibble. Leave the room for just a few seconds and gradually increase time as your puppy becomes more comfortable. A webcam will make this process easier as you can watch your puppy from outside the room.

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To stop your puppy from crying when you leave the room, there are a few approaches you can try. One effective method is to provide your puppy with a long-lasting puzzle toy or treat, such as a Kong toy. Stuff the Kong with a mixture of their regular dog food (canned food works well) and kibble, making it sticky, and freeze it overnight.

When you want to practice leaving your puppy alone in a room, give them the stuffed Kong to keep them occupied. Step out of the room, close the door, and start with just a few seconds of absence (counting to 3, 5, or 10). Return to the room and spend time with your puppy once they finish the Kong. Gradually increase the time you spend away from the room while your puppy enjoys the toy.

Using a webcam can greatly assist in this process, as it allows you to monitor your puppy from outside the room using your phone or mobile device. Consider investing in a webcam to make the routine easier to manage.

I hope these tips are helpful and that they work well for your puppy!

Can you discuss your background and experience in animal behavior and cognition?

Abigail: A Journey in Animal Behavior & Service Dog Training

Hello, Abigail wit Howard dog behavior consult in here. The question is, can you discuss your background and experience and animal behavior and cognition? Absolutely. Can I started kind of what I call the good old-fashioned way with a family that was really involved in purebred dog Sports. So I started with a passion and love for dogs and dog behavior at a very young age. I then began internships and going to seminars and conferences about dog behavior. When I was still an old, Our teenager. So I have a long history of being able to see this industry grow and change and learning from a huge amount of other professionals and that's been really amazing. My background then changed as I became a disabled woman to being more focused on service animals and service dog training in particular. So that's really what my focus has been in the last 10 years. I still have a really active practice and animal behavior particular with dogs with me. Behavior problems and major B histories but my real heart and passion lies in training service animals and running. My service dog program, which I've linked right down here for you to learn more about it. But I think that my experience has really been based on the generosity of others in this industry who have taught seminars written books and teach taught workshops that have allowed me to learn and really get a fullness of learning from them. And I'm so grateful for that. I love my work with service animals. I love my perspective as a disabled woman working with dogs with major behavior issues and working with service dogs. I hope that answers your question and I hope you have a great day.

I have a long history of working with dogs, beginning with a family who was involved in purebred dog sports. Over the last 10 years, my focus has been on training service animals and running my own service dog program. I have learned a lot from other professionals in the industry through seminars, conferences, and workshops. I love working with service animals and dogs with major behavior issues, and am very grateful for the knowledge I have gained.

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Hello, I'm Abigail, a dog behavior consultant with Howard Dog Behavior Consult. I have a background and experience in animal behavior and cognition. My journey began at a young age, growing up in a family involved in purebred dog sports, which sparked my passion for dogs and their behavior. As a teenager, I pursued internships, attended seminars, and participated in conferences to expand my knowledge in dog behavior.

Over the years, I have witnessed the growth and evolution of the industry, learning from numerous professionals in the field. While I still actively work with animals, particularly dogs with behavior problems and complex histories, my focus shifted towards training service animals, especially service dogs, due to my own experience as a disabled woman.

I am deeply passionate about my work with service animals and run a service dog program. The generosity of others in the industry, who have shared their knowledge through seminars, books, and workshops, has greatly contributed to my learning and growth. I am grateful for the opportunities to learn from them.

My perspective as a disabled woman working with dogs with behavior issues and training service dogs has shaped my approach and deepened my understanding of animal behavior. I hope this provides some insight into my background and experience. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. Have a great day!

I keep hearing mixed reviews on puppy socialization. Is it safe to socialize my puppy or should I wait?

Safely Socialize Your Puppy: Expert Advice & Guidelines

I keep hearing mixed reviews. On puppy socialization. Is it safe to socialize my puppy or should I wait, this is a great question. I've linked for you here. In this video, a link to the American Veterinary Society of animal behavior, official position statement on puppy socialization, particularly as it pertains to various developmental growth cycles and vaccination safety. So, be sure to check out that link but the general rule of thumb is, yes, you should. Should socialize your puppy immediately. You should start right away, but it is important to note that there is a difference between socialization and exposure. Exposing your puppy is just taking your puppy. A lot of places and showing them a lot of things. And that's not always what we're looking for. What we're looking for, is socialization and creating positive experiences, in a really meaningful and persistent way. So that that puppy is now Associating, lovely things with new experiences. There are a lot of ways to do this. You can certainly pair new experiences with food. So, when a tall man in a hat, greets, your puppy, make sure that they also have a piece of chicken to give your puppy. When they say they're greeting, you can do it with play food petting. If your puppy finds petting reinforcing and lots of other things, but make sure that those experiences are not just exposure, but are in fact, And planned experiences of good things happening. When new things are presented. I hope this is helpful and good luck with your new puppy.

Yes, you should socialize your puppy immediately, but it is important to make sure that these experiences are positive and meaningful. You can do this by pairing new experiences with food, play, and petting.

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I've heard mixed reviews on puppy socialization, and you're wondering if it's safe to socialize your puppy or if you should wait. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has an official position statement on puppy socialization, which I've linked for you to check out.

In general, the rule of thumb is to start socializing your puppy right away. However, it's important to understand the difference between socialization and exposure. Merely exposing your puppy to different places and things is not enough. True socialization involves creating positive experiences in a meaningful and consistent way.

There are various ways to achieve this. For example, you can pair new experiences with food, so when someone new greets your puppy, they also offer a tasty treat. You can also use play, petting, or other things that your puppy finds reinforcing. The key is to ensure that these experiences are planned and intentional, with good things happening when new things are introduced.

I hope this information is helpful, and I wish you the best of luck with your new puppy!

Do you ever get bitten as a dog behavior consultant?

Dog Behavior Consultant: Avoiding Bites is My Top Priority

Do I ever get bitten as a dog behavior consultant? So the answer is, if I get bitten, I've done something wrong. That's usually my frame of reference when I'm working with dogs. The vast majority of my caseload is dogs with a bite history and with usually a pretty significant byte history. And if I am in a situation where the dog has bitten me, I have made an error as a professional, my goal is to keep that dog under threshold and in a ation where they feel safe and comfortable while we're working on their behavior problem. If I put the dog in a situation where they feel the need to escalate to B, then I've made a mistake in my treatment protocol plan, so we can learn a lot from our zookeeper friends on how to work with animals in protected, contact and with scenarios and planning and pre-planning. So that we're not in a position for the animal to feel that over threshold. Or to feel that emotional during a behavior consult. So, the last time I Was Bitten severely by dog was about 10 years ago, and it was absolutely an error on my part as a professional. So, my goal as a dog behavior professional is that, I'm never in a position to get bitten because I shouldn't be putting the animal in a position to be that emotionally, volatile, and that upset in that time frame. So with good planning pre-planning, with the client and pre-planning, with protected, Intact and working. The animal under threshold, I should not be bitten as a dog behavior consultant.

As a dog behavior consultant, I should never get bitten if I am properly planning and pre-planning with the client and working with the animal under threshold. The last time I was severely bitten by a dog was 10 years ago, and it was an error on my part as a professional.

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As a dog behavior consultant, my goal is to ensure that I don't get bitten by dogs. If I do get bitten, it means I have made a mistake in my approach. The majority of my clients are dogs with a history of biting, often with significant bite histories. It is my responsibility to keep the dog in a safe and comfortable state during our work on their behavior issues. If a dog bites me, it indicates that I have made an error in my treatment plan or protocol.

To prevent such situations, I draw inspiration from zookeepers who work with animals in protected contact scenarios. By planning and pre-planning, we can avoid putting the animal in a state of emotional distress during a behavior consultation. It has been about 10 years since I was last severely bitten by a dog, and it was entirely my fault as a professional.

My aim as a dog behavior consultant is to never be in a position where I get bitten. By implementing good planning, pre-planning with the client, and working with the dog in a protected and controlled environment, I can ensure that the dog remains under threshold and that I can safely address their behavior issues without putting myself at risk.

Is it possible to determine when a fearful aggressive behaviour has become “learned,” and would you treat it differently?

Unraveling Learned Fear: Treating Aggressive Behavior

Hello. So to answer your question, is it possible to determine when a fearful aggressive behavior has become learned? And would you treat it differently? This is a really excellent question. Sometimes, we do know that a fearful or aggressive behavior has been learned because we are very aware of a traumatic incident or a situation, which started the incident. So for instance, if a dog had a traumatic experience with a person that entered the house like a break-in or some other event. Like that. We usually know that that has learned a fearful or aggressive behavior. Ultimately, for me, it doesn't particularly change how a treat the behavior because what's happening is that August sensing threat and fear and has an association with a set of objects or a particular situation that they find to be very stressful and they start to do a little bit less thinking and a little bit more feeling in their fight or flight response. So Mike It's generally to try my very best to teach that dog. A new association with the thing that they are fearful and aggressive towards. So I try to pair that thing at a distance where the dog doesn't show the fearful Behavior sometimes that can be several hundred feet, sometimes it can be breaking that behavior into tiny or pieces and then pairing it with positive things, like food toys, relaxation games, and things like that. So my treatment plan is generally the same, whether I know Oh, the cause of the behavior or not. I hope this answer was helpful to you and I wish you well with your fearful dog. Have a great day.

It's possible to determine when a fearful aggressive behavior has become learned, but it doesn't really change how to treat the behavior. Generally, the treatment plan is to teach the dog a new association with the thing they are fearful and aggressive towards, whether that be through distance or breaking the behavior into pieces and pairing it with positive things.

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To determine if a fearful aggressive behavior has been learned, we can sometimes identify a specific traumatic incident or situation that triggered it. For example, if a dog had a traumatic experience during a break-in or similar event, we can attribute the learned fearful or aggressive behavior to that incident.

However, in terms of treatment, knowing whether the behavior is learned or not doesn't significantly change my approach. The underlying issue is that the dog perceives a threat and experiences fear, leading to a fight or flight response. My goal is to teach the dog a new association with the object or situation that triggers their fear and aggression.

I work on gradually exposing the dog to the trigger at a safe distance where they don't exhibit fearful behavior. This can involve breaking down the behavior into smaller steps and pairing it with positive experiences such as food, toys, and relaxation games. The treatment plan remains consistent regardless of whether we know the specific cause of the behavior.

I hope this answer provides helpful insights, and I wish you success in working with your fearful dog. Have a great day!

What preparations should you make before leaving your dog with a dog sitter for an extended vacation?

Essential prep for leaving your dog with a sitter on vacation

Hello. This is a great question especially for this time of year with so many people traveling before you, leave your dog with a pet sitter for an extended vacation. I like to make sure that I've interviewed the pets that are thoroughly, and if they have experience and skill set with my dogs particular needs, whether those are behavioral or medical or just their little quirky behaviors. I also really like to make sure that my pet sitter is come over several times prior to my trip, and worked with my dog, with things they really enjoy games walks. Toys and treats so that my dog already feels like that. This is a friend and someone that they know very well, I like to make sure to let my vet know that I will be on an extended trip. And then my pet sitter has permission to get treatment for my pet. Both at my regular vet and my local emergency vet. I like to make sure that I've left payment information either with the pet sitter, but with the vet and the emergency vet, so that's not a hassle, if something needs to happen. Quickly, I always like having at least a second or third emergency contact, so a friend or family. Only member that lives close by and can arrive, quickly, those are things. I always think about when I'm leaving my dog with a pet sitter. I love exploring referrals and getting direct recommendations from friends. Family, veterinarians, dog trainers, things like that. I hope you have a wonderful trip and I hope this answer was helpful to. You have a great day.

When leaving your dog with a pet sitter for an extended vacation, it is important to make sure they have experience and skill set with your dogs particular needs. Also, set up several visits beforehand to get your dog accustomed to the pet sitter. Make sure to inform your vet that you will be gone and provide payment information as well as an emergency contact in case of an unexpected situation. Lastly, look into referrals and recommendations from friends, family, veterinarians, and dog trainers.

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Before leaving your dog with a dog sitter for an extended vacation, there are several preparations you should make. First, thoroughly interview the pet sitter to ensure they have experience and the necessary skills to meet your dog's specific needs, whether behavioral, medical, or related to their unique quirks.

It's beneficial to have the pet sitter come over multiple times before your trip to spend time with your dog, engaging in activities they enjoy such as games, walks, and playtime with toys and treats. This helps your dog build familiarity and trust with the sitter, making them feel like a friend.

Inform your regular veterinarian about your extended trip and give permission for the pet sitter to seek treatment for your dog if needed, both at the regular vet and the local emergency vet. Provide payment information to the pet sitter as well as the vet and emergency vet to ensure a smooth process in case of any emergencies.

Additionally, have at least one or two emergency contacts, such as a close friend or family member who lives nearby and can quickly respond if needed.

When selecting a pet sitter, it's helpful to explore referrals and seek recommendations from friends, family, veterinarians, or dog trainers.

I hope these preparations help ensure a smooth and worry-free experience for both you and your dog while you're away. Have a wonderful trip!

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Abigail is the founder and owner of Roverchase and has been a professional dog trainer for nearly two decades. As one of the most certified dog trainers in the southeastern U.S., she is a certified canine behavior consultant, a certified professional dog trainer, and one of just 70 trainers worldwide selected by Victoria Stilwell to hold the prestigious title of Victoria Stilwell Professional Dog Trainer. Abigail previously worked as a veterinary technician, professional groomer, and professional pet sitter. When Abigail is not at Roverchase, she can often be found on her small hobby farm in Alabaster and working within the non-profit The Roverchase Foundation. 

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Abigail Witthauer (She/Her)