Dog and Puppy Care

We recommend dogs live inside. Alternatively a dry, draught-free kennel should be provided for your dog. Pups will need to be kept warm as well. A laundry where newspaper can be placed on the floor is ideal - you can set up the bed and toys in there.

Obligations to care for your animals

As the person in charge, you are legally required to provide the following:

• Proper and sufficient food and water
  
  
• Adequate shelter
  
  
• The opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour
  
  
• Protection from and rapid diagnosis of any significant injury or distress
  
  
• Adequate exercise
  
  

Identification for your pet

Dogs need to wear a collar and identification tag at all times. They can’t tell someone if they are lost. Dogs over the age of three months must be registered. Micro-chipping is a legal requirement also.

Introduction to the property

When you get your dog home for the first time walk it around the property on a lead several times.

Introducing a new pet to an existing pet

TWO RULES

1. Play it cool
   
   
2. Patience is essential

The only tricky part is the introduction. Even among humans "matchmaking" can be awkward.

Spend a lot of time with the introductions. Your presence reassures your original pets and enables you to supervise the animals. Don't leave them alone until you are confident that they are comfortable with each other.

Be patient, it could take a day or many weeks for the animals to get acquainted. Dogs and cats live in a “pecking order”. That's what this acquaintance period is for. There may be a few scuffles; growling and hissing is perfectly normal. Don’t worry unless the fighting appears to be serious and does not diminish over time.

Resident dog meets new dog

Have the two dogs initially meet on neutral territory such as a park.

Keep the dogs in separate rooms when you are not home – unless you are certain that they will not fight.

When you are home, have short fun periods with the animals – play games, go for walks and be liberal with doggie treats so the dogs associate being together with having a good time.

You can try 'affection training' if the dogs are not yet getting along. For example, you have the resident dog (on a leash) next to you while a friend brings in the new dog (also on a leash). Praise your dog ("good boy, good boy") for good behaviour. Do not praise for bad behaviour.

Resident cat meets new dog

A new or resident dog is likely to get along well with a kitten. However, a dog will have to be supervised, as a playful canine nip could injure the cat. Individual adult canine/feline relationships depend a great deal on the personalities of the two animals and on the attitude of the human guardian.

Let your cat explore the house without the dog so it can find safe places if needed. When introducing the dog to the cat have the dog on a lead and praise him for good behaviour. Don’t be surprised if the hisses and strikes out. Initially, do not leave the cat and dog together unsupervised. Dogs can play too rough, so ensure you reprimand over boisterous behaviour.

Once the dog knows the cat’s limits, they will hopefully settle down to become good friends.

Nutrition

What you feed will have an effect on the way your dog feels, his energy levels, the way he grows and his overall health so it is very important he is fed correctly.

General rules for feeding dogs & puppies:

• Always have fresh, clean water available.
  
  
• Introduce any new food to your pet gradually over a week to avoid tummy upsets.
  
  
• Puppies and dogs do not need to be fed milk - in fact it will usually cause stomach upsets.
  
  
• Buy the best quality dog food you can afford; but the food MUST include the words “complete and balanced” on the label or it will not supply everything your dog needs. Also look for the words “AAFCO Tested” on the label. This is an assurance that the food supplies all your pets needs.
  
  
• Unfortunately, many types of dog roll are NOT complete and balanced nutrition for your dog. Look for the reputable brands such as Champ or Pal rather than the 2 for $5 varieties - these are very poor quality and can even harm your dog.
  
  
• Raw meat, household scraps, veges or poor quality dog roll must not make up more than one third of your dog’s diet.
  
  
• Dogs do not need to be fed bones. If you would like to give your dog a bone as a treat, the ONLY safe ones to give are raw, large, beef cannon bones. They should never be fed any other bones as they can become stuck in the gut. As a general rule, feed bones they can chew on – not chew up.
  
  
• Steer clear of vitamins and calcium supplements. As long as your dog or pup is being fed good quality food it does not need these, and they may actually cause the dog harm.
  
  
• Keep a record of the weight of your pet as it grows and as an adult, and get your vet to advise you on your pets ideal bodyweight.

>>What should I feed my puppy?

Correct feeding of the young puppy is vitally important, as it is at this stage that bones and joints are growing and forming.

All puppies should be fed a commercial "puppy" or "growth" formula dog food. The best of these diets are available from vet clinics and pet shops including the SPCA Village Shop. Some good brands to look for are Pedigree Advance, Eukanuba, Hills and Proplan. These diets may seem expensive at first glance, but do not work out much more expensive on a daily basis, due to the smaller amount the pup will need of these premium foods.

Both dry and canned puppy foods are fine for pups. To get them used to eating biscuits, try soaking them in water to soften them.

The puppy should be fed this growth or puppy formula food until 12 months of age when you can change to adult dog food.

Again, steer clear of vitamins etc. for pups, especially calcium supplements - too much calcium during growth can be very harmful to bones and joints.

For large breed puppies such as Mastiffs, Great Danes and other large dogs, nutrition during growth is particularly important. They need to be fed very carefully to avoid growing too fast as this can harm their bones and joints also. See your vet to advise you on exactly how to feed this type of pup.

>>What Should I Feed My Dog?

Read through the general rules for feeding dogs and puppies above, as these will help answer this question.

A dog over 12 months of age should be fed a dog or maintenance formula food which is complete and balanced as at least 2 thirds of its daily diet. If desired, the other one third can be made up of fresh meat, vegetables or scraps (no bones!)

>>How much & how often?

How much you feed your dog at each meal will vary. Puppies need to be fed small meals often, whereas dogs get a bigger meal. Carefully read the packaging of your food to get an idea of how much to feed, as it will vary with the type of food.

Number of meals per day for your dog

Vaccination

Your new dog will have had at least one of its first courses of vaccinations. The date it is due for it’s next shot will be recorded in the animal health record card, which we have provided with your dog.

IMPORTANT:

• Until your puppy has received its full initial course of vaccinations, it is important to avoid exposing it to disease.

This means the pup should not be taken to parks or beaches where other dogs may have been. It should also not be allowed to mix with other unvaccinated dogs. Not continuing with the vaccinations may result in your dog catching a fatal disease.

>>What diseases is my dog vaccinated against?

At the SPCA, we use two of the highest quality vaccines available to protect our dogs against several serious diseases:

• Parvovirus or "Parvo" is a very serious disease of puppies and dogs, which is fairly common in some areas of Auckland. It causes very severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is usually fatal.
  
  

• Kennel Cough is quite a common disease in dogs. It is not as serious as some of the other diseases dogs are vaccinated against, but it can cause a nasty dry, hacking cough.
  
  

• Distemper is another disease, which can be fatal to dogs. It is not as common as parvo, but can cause brain disease if contracted.
  
  

• Infectious Canine Hepatitis: is a virus, which causes liver disease in affected dogs. It can also be fatal.
  

There is another vaccine dogs can receive in New Zealand, against Leptospirosis. This disease affects many different species of animal, including many farm animals and also humans. The most likely way for dogs to catch it is by contact with dairy cattle, or with rats. If your new dog is likely to go onto farms a lot, we recommend you discuss leptospirosis vaccination with your vet.

>>When should my dog be vaccinated?

All dogs should receive an initial course of vaccinations as a puppy. The last of these should be given at around 14 weeks of age. If your dog missed out on puppy vaccinations, it will have received its initial vaccine here as an adult.

After this, your dog will need a booster shot every year or two (depending on the type /brand of vaccine) to keep its immunity.

Worming

>>Why do I need to worm my dog?

There are several types of worms that dogs can get. The worms live in the gut of the dog, feeding off their food and also sometimes from the blood of the dog. They can cause the animal to feel tired, to have a dull coat and a pot-bellied appearance, and often to become thin. In young animals with severe cases of worms, they may become anaemic, and may even die.

>>When should I worm my dog?

Your new pet will have had at least one worming treatment here at the SPCA. The date it is due for its next worming treatment will be recorded on the Animal Health Record Card we have supplied with your dog.

As with most things, prevention is better than cure, so you should follow a good worming plan through your dog’s life, rather than waiting until they become sick.

As a general rule, puppies should be wormed every three weeks until they are 6 months of age. After three months of age dogs should be wormed every three months for the rest of their lives.

>>What should I use to worm my dog?

There are a large number of worming products available for dogs. Unfortunately they are not all created equal. Many worming tablets do not kill all the different types of worms dogs can get; this is especially true of most brands you can buy from the supermarket.

At the SPCA we use “Paratak Plus” for our dogs, which is an excellent product; however there are several others available. Your vet will be able to advise you on this, and will be able to sell you good worming tablets without a consultation.

Flea Treatment & Prevention

Although many pet owners do not see fleas as a serious problem, they can cause your animal severe discomfort, as they are intensely itchy and uncomfortable for the pet. In addition to this, a lot of fleas can make an animal become anaemic, and there are some animals that are allergic to the flea’s bite and can have a nasty allergic skin reaction.

In Auckland, because of our warm, humid climate, fleas are often a problem for pets throughout the whole year. This means that pet owners often need to use a flea treatment product year round.

>>How do I tell if my pet has fleas?

• The pet may be itching and scratching at itself a lot.
  
  

• You may be able to see the fleas in the pet’s coat by parting the hair and looking carefully.
  
  

• You may see “flea dirt” in the pets’ coat. This is the flea’s excrement, and it looks a little like ground coffee - small, black, crumbly stuff.
  

>>How do I get rid of the fleas?

There are many products on the market to treat fleas, and they vary greatly in their effectiveness.

• ‘Advantage’ and ‘Frontline’: We would recommend one of these two products as the best and safest way to control fleas on your pet. They are both very safe, easy to apply, and kill 100% of the fleas on your pet for 4 to 8 weeks after each application (depending on the product). Both these products are available from most veterinary clinics, and from the SPCA shop.
  
  

• Revolution: is a new product that is available to protect cats against fleas and roundworms. It is a world first in parasite control for cats and gives cat owners the ability to control both internal and external parasites with one easy topical application, once a month.
  
  Revolution provides broad protection against internal and external parasites including roundworm and ear mites, as well as adult fleas, eggs, larvae and flea allergy dermatitis.
  Once applied to the skin it is rapidly absorbed and distributed throughout the body within the blood stream to protect against both internal and external parasites.
  
  Until the development of Revolution, the only roundworm control option available was either a paste or pill, both of which can be difficult for many cat owners to administer.
  
  

• Flea Bombs: are used to fumigate your house to kill fleas and flea eggs living in the carpet. They are not intended as the sole method of flea control, but are useful if you are having a serious flea problem in your house. They are available from supermarkets, vets and pet stores.

Your veterinarian will be able to give you advise on the best flea treatment for your pet.

When Your Pet Is Sick or Injured

If at point you are concerned about the health or well-being of your pet, contact your local veterinarian.

All animals should see their vet for a check-up once a year. This generally can be done at the time of the annual vaccination, and is important so that any health problems can be detected early. Where all care has been taken to ensure the health of adopted animals; there is always the possibility of a disease in incubation that will not manifest itself until after adoption.

If you adopt an animal from the Auckland SPCA you will automatically benefit from a free 14 day health insurance cover with the SPCA Pet Protection Plan from Pet-n-Sur, enabling you relax, secure in the knowledge that should any problems occur your pet is covered to a maximum of $50 (excluding accidents).

You must contact our Veterinary Clinic for advice first, they will then advise you what to do.

Coughing

In dogs, a common cause of a dry cough is "kennel cough". This is an infection of the throat and windpipe, caught from other dogs. If you think your dog may have kennel cough, it needs to see a vet for a course of antibiotics.

There are also many other causes of coughing in dogs and cats, some of which can be serious. So if your pet has a persistent cough it needs to be checked by your vet.

NEVER give an animal human medicine such as Panadol or Aspirin, as these may harm or even kill the pet.

Dog & Puppy Training

Socialising is very important to develop an even sound temperament in your dog. We recommend you take your puppy or dog to an obedience school. Get them used to other people, dogs and their urban environment. The more time you put into your new dog the more pleasure he or she will give you back.

When the dog is used to being trained with positive reinforcement, he will respond to it for the rest of his life.

It is also important to note that teaching your dog a few basic commands can make it far easier to remedy behaviour problems or bad habits. For example, a dog that scratches at a door can be made to sit before the door is opened; soon he will associate sitting with getting through the door instead of scratching. This can be a far more effective method of behaviour modification than reprimanding alone.

>>Shyness/Socialisation

Many people think of shyness and fearfulness as negative traits. On the contrary, shyness is quite normal, necessary and adaptive for all dogs. It is natural for dogs to be wary of things that are novel and unfamiliar. Normally, during development, the dog becomes socialised with familiar people, animals, objects and situations. Nonetheless, they will still tend to shy away from the things to which they are not familiar.

Shyness in itself is not a problem. It is only a problem if the dog’s shyness inhibits your lifestyle, or if the dog develops other behaviour problems that are often related to shyness. Fear-biting or submissive urination, for example. The fact that a shy or fearful animal may resort to growling, snapping or biting to defend itself makes fearfulness an extremely important concern.

The first principle of treatment is not to make matters worse. Be careful not to reinforce the dog’s shy or fearful ways. By offering reassurance to help the dog build its confidence, you may actually end up doing the opposite and unintentionally encouraging the dog to be more shy. When the timid dog hides, barks defensively, whines, screams or snaps our response is invariably the same. It is only human nature for us to feel protective and try to reassure the dog by talking soothingly, or petting the dog and perhaps even picking it up for a big hug. These actions inadvertently reward the dog for fearful behaviour.

Socialising a dog and helping it to build its confidence is a time-consuming task. It should always be left to the dog to make the first contact. If the dog is not keen on approaching, that is okay. Just give it plenty of time to 'hide and peek' and eventually it will come out of hiding. Forcing the dog to interact invariably makes matters worse. Let the dog proceed at its own speed.

Training can be of great help when socialising a shy dog. Simply instructing the dog to heel, sit and lie down each time it encounters a person or another dog, helps to take its mind off the stress of the meeting. The dog feels more secure since it does not have to worry about how to act. It only has to follow your instructions. In addition, instructing the dog to sit or lay down eases the tension during an encounter. A dog that is sitting or lying down is perceived as a relaxed, calm and cool customer. Consequently, another dog will be less likely to threaten. In turn, the shy dog will feel less threatened, so the meeting is more likely to go well. This simple procedure helps to diffuse potential stressful situations.

>>The Recall

This is where the dog returns to you when you ask him to. The vocal command is usually 'COME, and should be said only once in conjunction with the dog's name.

When teaching the RECALL, make sure you have your dog's full attention, then by opening your arms in a gesture and say "Oscar, come" in a bright, happy voice, your dog should come to you. When he does, reinforce him with praise and an edible treat. Repeat this with your dog when he’s only a short distance from you and in a different part of the house and backyard each time, and encourage ALL family members to do the same. When he is responding every time, make the distance between you and the dog greater each time, and start using intermittent reinforcement with the food, but praising every time.

Never call your dog when you are angry and intend to punish him, as this will frighten your dog and he will stop coming to you and may run away. If he runs away, don't chase him, as this turns into a game, you’re better off to completely ignore him until he decides to listen to you.

If you have problems with the RECALL, try practicing when your dog is hungry, and is quite close to you, show him the edible treat, and start moving back away from your dog, calling his name. When he starts moving towards you, reward him. You can use a long leash so you still have control.

The benefits of the RECALL are that you will be able to exercise him off the leash and feel confident he will come back to you. This way your dog can socialise with other dogs off lead, as some dogs are very protective on lead but sociable and quite relaxed off the lead. You can call your dog away from dangerous situations, or from a person who may be frightened of him. You can also teach him more exercises once you have his full attention; he is taking notice of your voice and knows his name.

>>The Sit

The SIT is a valuable exercise, as it becomes the dog's way of saying "please'. The SIT is a natural position for the dog, he will be relaxed which makes giving him attention easy, and is not jumping all over you or your friends/family.

The SIT should be taught from both in front of you and from your left side. When teaching the dog to sit in front of you, call him to you, show him a piece of food in your hand, hold it close to his nose/mouth and use your hand in an upward motion to tilt his head back. His bottom should naturally move toward the ground, say SIT and reinforce with the food as soon as his bottom touches the ground.

Repeat this until he is sitting on your vocal command of SIT, and then introduce intermittent reinforcement. You can also use a hand signal e.g. a pointed finger.

Once the dog is sitting in front of you, try teaching him to sit on your left side. This is where all obedience exercises are executed. To practice this – call your dog and ask him to sit in front of you, keeping the food in your right hand, guide your dog behind your legs – swapping the food to your left hand. As soon as the dog comes from behind your left leg – ask him to sit, using the food – to tilt his head again. He should finish up sitting close to your hand with the food in it – keep it close to your body. If he moves away, or tries to sit facing you, practice the exercise next to a wall, leaving enough space for the puppy to sit next to you, until he learns to sit close to you, facing the same way as you.

When your dog learns to come around to your left side and sit, this is known as the HEEL position, and is where we teach the dog to STAND, DROP, HEEL and STAY. The hand signal to move to HEEL is using your right hand in a sweeping motion around to your right thigh.

If your dog is excitable and jumps up on you and your friends/family, by using THE SIT command you can stop him jumping for attention and ask him to SIT for attention instead. When the dog jumps up, push him down and say 'NO' in a stern voice and ask him to SIT. Once he sits (this may take a few attempts at first) give him lots of praise and get your friends/family to do the same.

Toilet training

The success of toilet training your dog is dependent on a number of factors: including whether your dog is indoors or outdoors; whether you are home to monitor your dog; or whether you’re being consistent with the training. Outlined below is a basic training program, which you can adjust to your needs.

When you begin toilet training, you must let your dog know where you would like him to go. Whenever he wakes up from sleeping, take him to that area and when he does anything, reward him with a treat and lots of praise. Whenever you see him sniffing the floor and after eating, do the same thing.

It is inevitable that he will make mistakes. Whenever he urinates inside, soak it up in some paper towel. When he defecates, pick it up in paper towel, with the dog present and then take the dog and his mistake outside and put it in the area he is to use for his toilet. Let him sniff it and then reward him.

Punishing the dog or 'rubbing his nose in it' won’t indicate to him that he’s not supposed to toilet inside, but it will make him think he shouldn't toilet at all, and he will never learn that he should do it outside. So please, give him an alternative when he does make a mistake and he will respond.

Crate training or restricting you dog/pup to a small area when he sleeps helps with toilet training as dogs shouldn’t deficate where they sleep. As your veterinarian or the SPCA for more advice.

Mouthing and play biting control

It is normal puppy behaviour to bite at each other when they play. When two puppies are playing together and one bites the other too hard, the other will yelp loudly and stop the play by walking away. When play resumes again it will be gentler and proceed for longer.

Do not encourage any biting towards humans when you are playing with your puppy. As soon as he bites hard, use a high-pitched voice and say 'ouch!' take your hand away and don't continue play for a few minutes. Resume play and test your puppy's response. If you have a very confident puppy that keeps coming at you to bite you, thinking it’s a fun game, stop it immediately by holding the puppy still, have eye contact with your puppy and say 'No!' in a stern voice. Stare at your puppy until he looks away – this is a sign of subordinance – loosen your hold on him, give him a pat and ask him to do something like ‘sit’ so you can reward him.

When using this technique, be very persistent and consistent. Don't allow him to bite or play roughly one instance and then the next time try stop him - this will only confuse.

We have included a list of Puppy Pre-School Classes and Obedience Clubs. Please get in touch with the contact person for more information.

Behavioural Problems & Solutions

>>Barking

Dogs need to bark; barking is normal, natural and necessary canine behaviour. It is unfair to try to stop the dog from barking altogether. Your goal should be to get it under control.

Dogs that are socially isolated or confined for long periods of time require some form of occupational therapy to pass the time of day. A dog that is left alone all day is given ample opportunity to take up barking as a hobby because no one is there to control it. In no time at all, barking becomes an enjoyable habit.

• A holistic approach: the first step in obtaining peace and quiet is realising that most dogs bark because they are lonely, bored, frustrated or frightened. These are all things that you can help alleviate. A well-exercised, happy dog will contentedly sleep the day away while you are not home. Play with your dog and spend as much time as possible with it. Take it for a long walk at least once every day.
  

• Take your dog to a dog park daily or weekly and let it make doggy friends; dogs romping around and playing together tire rapidly and will sleep happily.
  

• Provide a raw cannon bone or rawhide chew products to help keep the dogs mouth and mind occupied for long periods.
  

• Feed the dog as you leave for work, as this produces a feeling of calm and contentment.
  

• Having a radio playing a talk-back programme at a volume just load enough for the dog to hear may help to pacify him.
  

• Reward appropriate behaviour: many owners are eager to reprimand the dog for barking, but few remember to praise it when it is quiet, whether it was having a little quiet moment on its own initiative, or whether it was instructed to "Be Quiet!".
  
  Too many owners fall into the trap of forcefully commanding the dog to be quiet, but then saying nothing and virtually ignoring the dog if it obeys. In fact, many owners restrict their feedback to severely reprimanding the dog if it barks again. With this approach, training becomes an unpleasant series of punishments, and all the dog learns is not to bark when the owner is around. In other words, the owner creates an owner-absent problem.

>>Teaching your dog to "Be quiet!"

Just as a dog can learn the meaning of the word “SIT” and obey on command, so it can learn the meaning of the word “QUIET” and obey on command. Each time the dog barks, after 2 or 3 woofs, it should first be praised for sounding the alarm and then softly requested to be quiet. After requesting the dog to be quiet, you must devote your full attention to the dog. If the dog remains quiet it should be continuously praised. But if it barks again, it should immediately and effectively be reprimanded. As training proceeds the required period of silence is progressively increased.

When teaching the dog to sit-stay, you can’t expect it to remain in a stay for 20 minutes right from the start. You begin by teaching it to stay for just a few seconds and gradually build up the time period. It’s exactly the same for the "Quiet" command. Your initial goals must be realistic. At first, "Quiet" means silence for only 3 to 5 seconds.

Gradually and progressively increase it to 10, 20, 30 seconds and so on.

The training sequence is as follows:

• After 3 barks, say “Good Dog” and then quietly request it to “Be Quiet”
  
  

• If the dog stops barking it should be praised immediately and continuously
  

• An extra special reward may be given if it remains quiet for a full 3 seconds

One way to help the dog stay quiet is to keep talking to it quietly. You may softly count the three seconds out loud, interspersing a "good dog" between each count.

Because the dog does not know the meaning of the words "Be Quiet", it will almost certainly continue barking. But the unsuspecting dogs’ very next woof is met with a louder "Be Quiet!". Most dogs are so totally shocked and amazed by this horrendous outburst that they stare at you in disbelief. Praise the dog as soon as it is quiet and start the count over gain. A water pistol can be used as a short sharp shock.

The great secret of this method is that once you have requested the dog to be quiet, you must devote absolute attention to the dog for the specified length of time. Timing is of the essence. The effectiveness of the reprimand lies in its being delivered within one half-second following the first disobedient bark. Similarly, the effectiveness of the praise will be increased if it comes the moment the dog stops barking.

>>Digging

Dogs dig for many reasons: to bury and/or recover bones; they dig cooling pits when it’s hot and warming pits when it’s cold; they dig up prey (mice, rats etc); and pregnant bitches dig dens. Basically, dogs dig because it’s a highly enjoyable and normal canine activity. If the dog receives little exercise and is confined to the yard for long periods without supervision, most likely digging will become a habit.

A holistic approach: lack of physical and psychological exercise, prolonged confinement, boredom and loneliness are general causes for behaviour problems. If you provide the dog with more opportunities for walks, runs, play and training, the incidence of behavioural problems, such as digging, will progressively decrease.

If the dog is digging just the odd hole, especially with younger dogs, prevent the habit by filling in the holes and scatter dog repellents.

>>Chewing

Chewing is both normal and necessary. Pups 2-6 months old chew to ease the pain of teething. Older dogs with no previous history of destruction may suddenly start to chew because of dental problems. A trip to the vet for dental care will often solve the problem. Dogs, especially young pups, characteristically investigate their environment using their paws and jaws. Investigation leads to play and the dog continues chewing because it is fun.

If uncontrolled, dental or investigatory chewing simply becomes a habit. Often when dogs and puppies are left alone they become bored and lonely. Active dogs with lots of energy become restless. They resort to chewing as a form of occupational therapy to relieve stress and dissipate energy. Once established as a habit, chewing becomes an essential part of the dog’s day.

A holistic approach: there are some general reasons why a dog resorts to misbehaviour. Primarily, the dog is bored or has too much energy and nothing to do with it. Take time daily to schedule exercise and playtime with your dog. A happy, well-exercised dog is much more likely to sleep contentedly all the day and consequently be less likely to chew.

Provide an appropriate outlet: the first order of business is to provide the dog with chew-toys, so that it has an appropriate and acceptable outlet for this important activity.

Reward appropriate behaviour: whether trying to cure or prevent a chewing problem, the single most important item on the agenda is rewarding the dog for chewing the appropriate objects (the chew-toys).

Simply dumping a whole bunch of toys in front of the dog is not enough. Unfortunately, the dog can’t read the labels and therefore will not know what they are for. It is important to specifically train the dog to chew these items and them alone. Before it is fair to reprimand the dog for chewing inappropriate articles, make sure that you have made it clear which articles you want the dog to chew. Take the time to train the dog to chew on the chew-toys.

Always be on the alert to lavish the dog with praise each time it approaches and starts playing with a chew-toy without your encouragement. Don’t take this for granted.

In addition, you may actively help the dog to redirect chewing activities to the new toys. Put the chew-toy on the floor and praise the dog each time it sniffs, licks or chews it. Make the chew-toy more tempting by wiggling it around or slowly dragging it along the floor with some string.

Most importantly, train the dog to 'find' its toys. Hide it behind a chair, and then tell the dog to "go find it". When it does so, reward the dog with praise and affection and maybe a treat, then continue the game. The idea is to get the dog into the habit of looking for toys even if one is not immediately apparent or visible.

Reprimand inappropriate chewing: with the security of knowing what it is allowed to chew, the dog now needs to learn what it is not allowed to chew. If you catch the dog in the act of chewing a forbidden article, it should be reprimanded immediately. The reprimand should be short, sharp and instructive. Quickly shout "OFF, Go Find Your Chew-toy!". The dog knows it is doing something wrong because you are shouting. But also, it knows what to do to make things right. Repeat the instruction until the dog grabs hold of a chew-toy. Once the dog takes hold of the toy, immediately praise it.

This is a valuable learning experience for the dog. In the space of only a couple of seconds you have indicated that it is wrong for the dog to chew on carpets, for example, but that it makes you extremely happy to see the dog chew its chew-toys. You have communicated that it is not the chewing behaviour that you find objectionable, but rather the dog’s choice of item to chew.

Helping your dog to cope with being alone

Separation anxiety refers to the distress that some dogs feel in the absence of a person (or less often, an animal) to whom they are highly attached. The anxiety can be expressed in one or more ways including vocalisation (barking, whining), destructive behaviour, salivation, pacing, house soiling, escaping or depression.

Here are some short-term strategies that can help your dog cope:

• Departure routines: many dogs will readily identify departure routines and use these as cues to become distressed. Ideally we need to try and identify ways that will relax the dog and help him tolerate your departures better. It is useful to carry out activities such as picking up keys but then staying home. Practice these “mock” departures many times.
  

• Relaxation cues: on days when you are leaving for short periods only, you can start to develop some specific cues that indicate your return is imminent. This could include such things as a particular piece of music. This signals to the dog that the departures are "safe" and that you will be back very soon and can be provided during the desensitisation programme set out in small steps towards a final goal. These items must be removed at other times or they loose their significance.
  

• Greetings and departures: greetings and departures should be downplayed. The dog should be ignored 15 minutes before you leave and for 15 minutes on your return. This helps to avoid the intense highs and lows that are contributing to the anxiety levels your pet is experiencing.
  

• Guilt: in the case of dogs with separation anxiety we often come home to find precious things destroyed or urine or faeces on the carpet. Our bodies get tense and we speak with loud, stern voice. Dogs are very sensitive to body language – this is a large part of their communication to each other. You think your dog looks "guilty" for what he has done! But, in reality he is just responding to your angry body language and submitting to your authority. Some dogs will cower before you even have the opportunity to assess if any damage has been done. This is because they have learnt from past experience that you are displeased if there is destruction or soiling, not as a result of guilt about making the mess. Punishment in these circumstances will only make him more anxious and the signs of distress will get worse.
  

• Do not have the dog with you at all times, when you are home get it used to being alone. For example, put the dog out in the backyard while you are in the house. This will allow you to reprimand unacceptable behaviour while you are home and also help the dog realise it can be alone while you are still near by.

Caring for canines

Dogs need to wear a collar and identification tag at all times. They can’t tell someone if they are lost. Get your dog microchipped today!

Dogs over the age of three months must be registered.