Wonder what dogs think about? Food! In nature, dogs would need to be hunting or scavenging for a major part of each day. If they were blessed enough to get a full tummy then they could take a break and rest, but as soon as that meal was absorbed they would be right back at it. Eating is a vital part of your dog’s world and it is important to do it right.

It is essential to teach your dog to eat in a timely manner, and that the food belongs to you not him. Leave the food down for your dog for approximately 10 minutes. If you leave the food down for too long then the dog begins to believe it belongs to him and will not feel the need to finish it right away. He will come and take a little bit at a time and walk away from his food to chew it elsewhere. This is not what a dog’s body was created to do. He is built to gorge now and digest later. If the food is in the bowl for only ten minutes he learns that you, as the leader, will take it away and he will condition himself to eat it all at once.

This is important when your dog is older and/or ill. He needs to eat a hearty meal – not just take little bits here and there. Eating a proper meal can help insure a faster recovery, or keep an older dog more alert and enthused about his feeding routine. It is also great for when you have to feed in a hurry. You are on a road trip and you need the dog to eat now so that you can keep driving. This way the dog is more cooperative and the whole schedule runs more smoothly.

If you say, “but my dog is a slow eater and he is rather picky”, then our reply is – if he were living in a natural state he couldn’t afford to be so picky. You have actually trained him to be this way. We had a friend who thought her dog would only eat if she fed it by hand – no, in fact she had trained the dog to believe that if it waited long enough to eat, she would rescue it by hand feeding it. If you begin the ‘ten minutes down and then it’s gone’ routine today, in approximately three days he will be eating much more quickly and looking forward to his meals.

Feeding Schedules

Young Puppies (6 weeks to 6 months) – need to eat three times a day
Older Puppies (6 months to 12 months) – should eat two times a day
Adults (12 months and older) – can eat once a day. Preferably in the morning so that they have the whole day to burn it off.

Giant breeds need to continue their dinner meals longer than smaller breeds because the largest breeds can take up to four years to complete filling out. The bigger breeds also have disproportionately smaller stomachs in relation to their larger bodies, and the smaller breeds have larger stomachs in proportion their bodies mass. The giant breeds benefit from having an evening snack. It doesn’t have to be as large as the morning meal, but needs to be substantial enough to prevent him from getting a grumbly tummy in the middle of the night, or you might notice them throwing up yellow bile in the middle of the night. Try feeding a light evening meal and see if this helps.

Dogs with deep chests (sight hounds, Great Danes, German Shepherds…), or who gorge their food, have a tendency towards bloat and need to be monitored in their eating habits. Do not feed them and then vigorously exercise them, or visa versa, this causes the food to expand more quickly in their heated bodies and can lead to bloat, or cause the full stomach to flip and cause torsion. Deep-chested dogs could benefit from their largest meal being feed at night, so they can digest their food during quieter hours of the evening.

Diet

Kibble: Kibble is the hard cereal-like substance you buy in a bag that makes life a little easier for us all at mealtime. Kibble has only existed for a very short time in the history of dogs, as it was created from the surplus in the processed foods industry. Some one thought that the ideal use for these by-products would be to convince the public that it was good to feed to their pets.

The problem is that this product is typically manufactured with very poor quality ingredients (wings, beaks, feathers, feet, noses, diseased tissue, corn, corn husks, even newspaper, etc.) and processed at extremely high temperatures, then extruded into the kibble that you scoop into your pet’s bowl. The extrusion process is similar to dehydration – the moisture is removed and the product is reduced in volume. When the animal drinks water (which it always does right after it eats kibble) the kibble begins to expand in the animal’s stomach – this is not natural or healthy for your pet. Even if the kibble were made from the best ingredients possible, the processing removes and destroys most of what was ever good in it in the first place. There are some kibble products that are baked and those are at least better than the extruded.

Kibble is touted to be the miracle tooth cleaner for dogs, yet we are now being asked by our vets to brush our dog’s teeth and have them cleaned professionally every year to the tune of hundreds of dollars. If wolves’ teeth were at risk to the degree that our canine companions are today, then wolves would have died out a long time ago. They would not be able to take down an animal, tear at the meat and crush the bones because their teeth would be weak and infected – too painful to function properly. Instead wolves have thrived for thousands of years, because they clean their own teeth on the bones they are eating. They work on a large marrowbone for hours scraping away the marrow along with bits of calcium. They work all of their teeth as they shave pieces from the bone. Their gums are exercised beautifully and any tartar that might be there is cleaned off. The pH of a naturally fed animal also creates less tartar in the first place – so there is less to be concerned about. Heck, if we ate more naturally our teeth would be better off as well.

A Natural Diet: 

If you know that dogs are wolves inside, then let’s look at what a wolf might eat in the course of a week. He might consume: a rabbit, some mice, some apples that have fallen from a tree, a nest of eggs, a little grass, a bird, the bones of a dead deer left in the woods. You get the picture. Wolves and dogs are hunters and scavengers – they are built to be hungry 24 hours a day. Today might be a feast, but tomorrow might be famine, so eat all you can today.

Think about this wild diet – did he peel the meat off of the rabbit and sauté it over a nice fire? Were the mice filleted? Were the apples the best he could pick from the tree? Did he crack the eggs over a hot rock and serve them sunny side up? The old dead deer – yuck, way too much contamination– what was he thinking?

Do you get the point? Dogs can eat it all and do just fine. It is important to remember that the raw state of most foods is what is natural and best. To imitate the wolf diet you need to think raw most of the time.

Grains and Vegetables: The only foods that must be cooked are the grains and vegetables. The wolf would get these from the stomach of the animal he is eating and therefore are already predigested and help him break it down more easily. Grains expand when heated with water, so you need to cook them in advance to prevent expansion in the stomach. Some dogs will eat grass (especially in the spring), usually as a cleanser and it will make them vomit – don’t panic, they wouldn’t do it if they didn’t know they needed to.

Dairy: Dairy doesn’t exist naturally in the adult dog’s life, they do not have the enzymes to digest it and they will get diarrhea. The counterpart to that theory is that yogurt and cheese are great for your dog – full of good protein, bacteria and enzymes. Your dog would love a tablespoon of yogurt (plain or vanilla) in every meal or cheese for treats.

Eggs: The eggs are raw and should be fed on a minimal basis – the wolf would only find a nest full of eggs on a rare occasion, but one egg two times a week is good for your dog.

Fruit: The fruit is not picked from the tree, but scavenged after it has fallen to the ground and is slightly over ripened and digesting in its own enzymes. Your dog can have all kinds of fruit – when it is a little too soft for you it is perfect for him. He will have his own tastes and love some fruit and not others. Be patient, some fruits are an acquired taste. Do not feed raisins or grapes: they have been related to renal (kidney) failure.

Bones: Your hackles are probably raising at the thought of your dog eating chicken bones. We have been told to never feed our dog a chicken bone – it will splinter and tear him up inside. Well, a cooked bone just might do that. It becomes more brittle and far less nutritious when you cook it. A raw bone is easily crushed and digested and full of good nutrition. Our dogs have been eating raw chicken bones for years now and we have yet to see a problem. They are loving the food, digesting it well, and pooping out glorious poops that are so full of leftover calcium that they just crumble into the ground (and they don’t stink!). Our clients who have taken the step towards a natural diet see all kinds of changes in their animals. They experience digestive improvements, energy shifts, allergy corrections, coats that glisten, over all health improvements, some even swear to a change in their relationship with their dog.

*This is not to say that a dog has never had an ill effect from eating raw bones. If you are at all uncomfortable with allowing your dog to chew up bones, then consider putting some chicken wings in the blender and break them up into small bits in advance. Feeding chicken necks is great because they are just cartilage and there are no bones to worry about.

Yes, we do feed a high quality kibble to our dogs, heck, our family eats breakfast cereal too, but all things in balance ~ make sure you supplement with fresh foods as well.

Article Reproduced by permission by Tenderfoot Training 
Tenderfoot Training encourages responsible animal parenting, healthy socialization, humane use of training tools, natural nutrition, and sensitivity to the animal heart, mind, and body.

When is the last time you learned something new: new software on the computer, a new sport, a new card game?  I bet it wasn’t so long ago and it wasn’t too hard to learn.  So why do people assume that a dog is too old to learn?  Not only should you continue teaching your old dog new tricks but you should never give up on his good manners or the wonderful communication you have fostered over the years.

Many older dogs are turned into shelters everyday because their people have given up on teaching them good manners; they just assume it’s too late to change them.  We are here to promise you it is not too late.  The beauty of dogs is they are incredibly flexible in their behavior and are able to learn new things everyday.  The challenge is for the people to take the time to engage their dogs mind so that they can enjoy learning – one of our favorite things to tell people is ‘when the person changes the dog changes too’.

Give yourself credit for everything your dog does well; however everything that annoys you about your dog you have also helped create.  It is simply a matter of learning how you have enabled the behavior and changing what you do.  If your dog barks at the door do you shout ‘quiet!’ and do nothing to stop him or show him what you do want?  He might not have a clue you are even speaking to him, and might just think you are simply joining in the barking.  Does your dog pull on the leash and every effort you have made does nothing to change him?  Well, if you allow him to pull you even one inch in the direction he is headed then you have just taught him pulling works!  Everything you do communicates something to your dog; you just need to learn how to clearlycommunicate the things you want him to understand.

So often when someone brings a new dog home they sign up for training classes and put lots of time and effort into teaching their dog tricks and manners.  As the dog learns and succeeds the person seems to think their job is done and they back off.  A few months/years go by and it seems the dog has forgotten his manners.  The person is bewildered and wonders where it all went wrong and how did their once wonderful dog get such bad habits?  It is the same in all relationships, people work hard in the beginning to start things on a good foot, but as time goes by they slack off and the relationship suffers, sound familiar?  Dogs need their people to engage their minds, keep the relationship fresh and in balance.

Mental stimulation is vital to a dog’s well being, but most dogs end up just hanging around the house and left to do as they please.  They get bored and either act out to relieve the boredom or act up in order to get the families attention, either way it can lead to unhappy families with out of control dogs.

Take a long look into your dog’s eyes and remember laughing at her antics as a pup, the fun hikes, the times you couldn’t stop staring at how cute she was, or just cuddling on the couch.  Now think about what you can do today to start recreating a strong relationship again, get to work engaging her mind, and don’t hesitate to call a good trainer to help you teach her some new tricks, and repair some bad habits. It is time well spent together.

Article Reproduced by permission by Tenderfoot Training 
Tenderfoot Training encourages responsible animal parenting, healthy socialization, humane use of training tools, natural nutrition, and sensitivity to the animal heart, mind, and body.  (Article updated  03/19/2015)

But when it comes to respecting the personal space(s) of humans, many dogs ignore our personal boundaries and invade our personal spaces when we don’t want them to. This space can be our immediate personal space or any space we choose to set boundaries for (like when we are using a kitchen or a bathroom). This pet podcast teaches you how to get your dog to respect your personal spaces through boundary training. (Updated Dec 17, 2014)

Shownotes and links of interest:
Tenderfoot Training DVD

You can download this pet podcast directly by clicking the first link in this post link or listen to it almost immediately, with the embedded player below. This podcast is 00:30:52 in length.

Shownotes and links of interest:
Tenderfoot Training DVD

You can download this pet podcast directly by clicking the first link in this post link or listen to it almost immediately, with the embedded player below. This podcast is 00:39:24 in length.

Pet podcast 60 – Separation anxiety in dogs

Shownotes and links of interest:
Cesar Millan Live – Upcoming Canadian Tour information
Cesar’s Way – Cesar’s website
Thundershirt.com

You can download this pet podcast directly by clicking the first link in this post link or listen to it almost immediately, with the embedded player below. This podcast is 00:21:48 in length.

Pet podcast 59 – Interview with Cesar Millan

Since so many dogs are motivated by food, food treats are probably the best reward to start off with when trying to train your dog and dog trainer Sherry Bedard offers up a few tips on which dog treats may be best and which to avoid.

“When it comes to the best treats for dogs for training, your dog will tell you. Dogs are like people and they don’t all like the same things. A good piece of advice would be to try out different treats and see what works best for your dog. While some dogs would prefer hot dogs others might prefer dried liver treats or beggin strips. It is highly recommended that owners refrain from giving their dogs dairy foods. Dairy foods can often cause health problems. Chicken is one of the meats that is most often problematic for dogs and often causes slight allergies such as dry skin and dogs being more prone to skin lesions and infection.

When relaxing and just hanging around with your dog, it is not recommended that you give treats to your dog if the dog has not been asked to perform a specific task. Dogs are often prone to obesity when owners don’t give their dog enough exercise and give too much food and extra treats. Although many people think the contrary, it is normal to see the last ribs of your dog! If you don’t see them, your dog may be over weight. If your dog has a little belly (meaning when the dog is standing, looking at his belly, the dog’s stomach is level or almost level with his ribcage) or looking at your dog from the top, his body is straight (he has no curves, his belly is in a stright line or curves outward from his ribs to his hips), he is obese. Dogs that are over weight are not healthy and are prone to developing many diseases not to mention living a lower quality of life. For more advice on your dog’s ideal weight, please ask your veterinarian.

Using treats to help you train your dog is an effective method but care must be taken not to overdo the treats. For a large dog, each treat given for a command should be no larger than the size of a 10 cent coin. For a small dog, the treat should be no larger than a small pea.

Two of the most effective methods of using treats for training are to make sure your dog is hungry so the treats will be most effective, and make sure your dog can concentrate on the task at hand by getting him to get out all of his excess energy before beginning to teach him something that will require him to concentrate.”

Sherry Bedard is the author of Sherry’s Secret Dictionary, A Guide to Your Dog. She is an animal behaviourist and trainer working in Montreal. She founded Animal instincts school in 2005 and she teaches people how to become dog trainers and  consults on a 1-to-1 basis with dog owners that are having problems with their dog. Sherry also teaches canine and feline behavior to students in the adult education program at Vanier College and regularly volunteers her time and expertise at local animal shelters in Montreal. Recently, Sherry started a dog club called Power Paws Dog Club which offers free training in canine pulling sports.

Or how about this one, you get a new dog for your family and the dog is so excited that it goes through a jumping period where it constantly jumps on you and other family members.

There are quite a few ways to control a dog’s jumping and dog trainer Sherry Bedard offers up a few tips when I asked her how to control or correct a dog that jumps. Sherry responded as follows:

This question can be a little tricky since there are many reasons why a dog might jump on people as they enter the home. A few questions I might have as a dog trainer would be; Is the dog jumping on you, the owner, as you walk in the door? Does the dog jump on everyone as they walk in or just visitors (strangers or known guests to the dog?)

To begin correcting the problem of dogs jumping on visitors, I would recommend that the owners keep a leash next to the door and when someone is at the door, the owners would put the leash on the dog, ask the dog to either sit or lie down next to the owner and the owner should then step on the leash. This will keep the dog from jumping and teach the dog to stay quiet while the visitors are entering the house. The visitors should be advised not to touch the dog or even look at the dog as they enter. When the dog is calm, the owner should give the dog a treat or pet the dog as praise and slowly take his foot off the leash. If the dog remains calm, the dog may quietly say hello to the visitors. If the dog is not relaxed, the owner should continue to hold the dog in place by the door with the leash.

At first, this may take some time and I do realize that this method can be somewhat time consuming and visitors may look at the owners and ask why they are not allowing the dog to go free. But owners should stick to the program if they wish to succeed!

Another method of correction would be to simply put the dog in another room until visitors have come in and then give treats to the visitors to give to the dog and visitors must be asked to ask the dog to sit in front of them before giving the dog the treats. This will teach the dog to sit in front of visitors when the dog comes out of confinement instead of jumping.

All members of the household must work with the same program or the dog will not understand why it is okay to jump some of the time and not other times!

If the dog is jumping on the owners as they enter the house this usually means the dog was overly excited at one point and did not get any attention as the owner walked through the door so the dog tried jumping on the owner to see if the dog would get any attention that way and IT WORKED!!! So now the dog sees jumping as a rewarding behaviour even if the owners are yelling at him to stop! The reward comes from touching the dog as the owner tries to push the dog off.

Correction of this behviour can be done by confinement as with the example in dogs jumping on visitors. Alternatively the owner can keep a water bottle filled with water and water alone by the door as a deterrent. Timing of this method is everything! As the owner walks through the door, the owner should grab the water bottle and spray the dog in the eyes with the water and give a firm “NO!” It is important that the owner try not to touch the dog and the water must be sprayed in the eyes of the dog! Many dogs love water but no dog likes to have water sprayed in his eyes while being told “NO!” in a firm tone of voice!

Now, here is where timing is everything! As the dog sits or backs away without trying to jump on the owner, the owner should immediately praise the dog by saying “good dog” in a happy voice and can then pet the dog to give the dog the physical attention he was looking for. The timing must be done correctly for this method to work so the dog will associate the attention he is looking for with calm, non jumping behaviour and associate the jumping behaviour with the unharmful but annoying water spray in the eyes!

Sherry Bedard is the author of Sherry’s Secret Dictionary, A Guide to Your Dog. She is an animal behaviourist and trainer working in Montreal. She founded Animal instincts school in 2005 and she teaches people how to become dog trainers and  consults on a 1-to-1 basis with dog owners that are having problems with their dog. Sherry also teaches canine and feline behavior to students in the adult education program at Vanier College and regularly volunteers her time and expertise at local animal shelters in Montreal. Recently, Sherry started a dog club called Power Paws Dog Club which offers free training in canine pulling sports.

We LOVE comments so if you want to comment on this podcast you can do so here in this blog, in the bulletin board, or just email us at pets.ca (a t) gmail dot com but use the correct email formatting. Of course you can also suggest future podcast topics.

Links mentioned in this podcast:
VHS or DVD set from Tenderfoot training
Original thread that spawned this podcast
Pets.ca forum
Bubble blowing toy
Chuck-it dog toy

You can download this pet podcast directly by clicking the first link in this post link or listen to it almost immediately, with the embedded player below.