The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [54]
A final pointer: resist shouting drop it in an urgent tone while you chase after your dog. If you are overly annoyed or emotional, your dog will either swallow the goody fast or run with it, thinking it has value. The best strategy is to speak calmly (even though you may be quite upset) and reward with a high-value treat.
POISON HOTLINE
If you ever suspect that your dog has swallowed human medication or any toxic substance, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Hotline toll-free at 1-888-426-4435. Their Web site is www.aspca.org. Please note there is a consultation fee that can be applied to your credit card, but it is worth the price if you save your pet’s life. Put their number and the contact info of your own veterinarian and the nearest emergency veterinary clinic on a card and post it in a handy spot near the phone for quick reference.
Hand-Me-Down Crate
Q We are planning to get a second puppy to be a playmate for Gladys, our schnauzer-poodle mix. Gladys is nearly 18 months old and is finally being trusted in our home without being confined inside her crate when we’re at work. We leave her crate door open and when she wants to take a nap, she heads into it. Soon we will be adopting Jake, a young golden retriever-poodle mix. How can we convert Gladys’s crate for Jake without her getting upset or territorial?
A I’m a big fan of crate training. Dogs are den animals. They don’t demand much. They don’t clamor for a giant master bedroom or a pile of feather pillows, but they do want and need a quiet place in the house that they can call their own. Handing down Gladys’s crate to the new pup may seem to make sense, but I encourage you to purchase a second crate for Jake. For one thing, unless her crate is quite large, it is likely that he will quickly outgrow it, as he will certainly be a bigger dog. More important, if Gladys likes her crate and uses it as her established den, you will avoid problems by letting her keep her spot and providing a separate cozy spot for Jake.
Furthermore, in case you need to evacuate your house in an emergency, your two dogs can be placed inside their individual crates for safe transportation and temporary housing. Crates used in cars allow your dogs to travel safely and keep them from getting injured in the event you must make a sharp turn or sudden stop.
That said, if you still don’t want two crates, then here is how to ensure that Gladys is gracious about handing hers down to newcomer Jake. Before Jake arrives, treat Gladys to a new doggy bed. Make sure it is comfy and that you place it in the same area where the crate is now. She has established this area of your home as her turf. Have her lie on her bed and reward her for spending time there.
Next, thoroughly wash the crate with an antibacterial cleaning product and let it dry completely. Do not use products containing ammonia because they mimic urine odor. Before Jake’s arrival, keep the crate out of Gladys’s sight for a few days to diminish her memories of her former canine bedroom. Then move the crate to a different location in your house for the newcomer. Provide new bedding that does not have Gladys’s scent. Young puppies are big chewers, so I would advise you to use clean, old towels for bedding and wait to get a proper bed until Jake stops chewing. I learned this the expensive way with a puppy who chewed up three foam-filled beds before I switched to towels.
As you begin to crate train Jake, curb any interference from Gladys by tossing her favorite toy or treat onto her new bed. Tell her to go get it, praise her when she does, and then have her sit or stay while you work with young Jake. Whenever Gladys goes to her bed, praise her. Make a big deal out of her fancy new bed. Make it seem like a million-dollar mansion in canine real estate terms.
Of course, it can be challenging for Gladys to sit nicely while you spend time crate-training Jake. So consider ushering her into another room or enclosed yard with a favorite chew toy. Or take her for a long walk