Your New Dog - County Of Greenville, SC

CHAPTER 4INTRODUCING YOUR NEWDOG TO OTHER PETSSeparate the dogs when you are not home untilthey have proven that they can get along.Dog To CatDog To DogYou are off to a good start as the dogs metalready at our shelter, but before you go inside,take a short walk with your dogs (NOT TO THEDOG PARK THOUGH!) to help reduce stress.Arguments often occur when entering territory,going through doors or gates, in tight spaces,around food, toys, beds, games and over yourattention. Fights can be avoided by giving thedogs time and space to get to know each othercalmly. Keep the leash on the new dog andcontrol his movements. Do not give either dogattention until both are quiet and wellbehaved. It can help to increase praise to yourcurrent dog whenever the new dogapproaches.Important! Do not feed the dogs next to eachother. Refrain from giving either dog a bone orlong-lasting food treat, as this can easily lead tofighting. Wait until they are accustomed toeach other (a few weeks). Remember that foodguarding is a normal dog behavior and thereare some dogs that may never be able to eattogether.If you are worried at any point, pick up theleash and walk the new dog away. It may helpto spray the dogs with water if they start tofight. Do not grab either dog, as you may getbitten by mistake.Avoid playing high arousal games with the dogs.Tug-of-war or a fast game of fetch may cause afight to break out as they are both energized. Donot expect the dogs to share the same bed. It maybe wise to crate your new dog until a relationship isestablished and you know she is potty trained.Eventually it would be ideal to have both dogs,with a dog bed each, sleeping in the same room.Be prepared before the dog comes home. Makesure the dog does not have access to the cat’sfood, water, and especially the litter box! Whenintroducing your new dog to your cat, put the caton a raised surface like a table or dresser. This willhelp the cat feel less threatened. Bring your newdog into the house on a leash. If they both seemcalm, allow them to sniff each other and thendistract the dog with a treat or praise. After a fewmeetings, if all has gone well, you can drop the endof the leash and let him drag the leash around thehouse so you can grab it if necessary. It is normalfor the cat to hiss and growl at first, especially ifshe has not lived with a dog before. Cats take timeto adjust to changes. Never allow the dog to chasethe cat, even in play, as this situation can easily getout of control.If the initial interaction isn’t good then keep adistance between them to allow time foradjustment. Distract the dog with treats andreward calm behavior. You can try spraying themwith water if they start to fight, or throw a towelover the cat if he attacks the dog. Make sure thecat has an escape route or can leap to a high place.Do not let the dog chase or corner the cat or viceversa. Separate them when you are not there tosupervise until you all are comfortable with thesituation.If your cat hides, don’t worry. Make sure the cathas a private place where she can eat and drink inpeace and feel safe. Ensure that the cat has accessto her litter box, but that the dog does not. Allowthe pets to adjust in their own time - be patientand act calm and relaxed. Often they becomefriends, but sometimes they just tolerate eachother. Either way you should respect thearrangement.Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 10

Dog To Caged PetKeep caged pets out of the reach of your dog insecure habitats in a separate room. Anyintroductions should be done with the dog onleash and must be monitored carefully. Mostsmall pets get very nervous and frightenedbecause many dogs have a prey drive towardsthese types of animals. Always be present andkeep visits short.Children & DogsIt is very important to consider carefullywhether a new dog is a good choice when youhave young children. Many puppies and dogsthink of children as littermates becausechildren have higher pitched voices, get easilyexcited, run and fling their arms about, and arecloser to the dog’s size. All of these behaviorssignify “Play-Time” for a dog or puppy and theybecome excited and overactive. They nip, jumpup, bang into, knock over and wrestle with theclothes of children. If the dog is getting tooexcited, teach the children to stand still “like atree;” fold arms and hide hands, then walkaway slowly and calmly. Also, young childrenare not capable of handling dogs with propergentleness. They want to hug and squeeze thedog and are often too rough despite theirsweet intentions.*** SUPERVISE ALL INTERACTIONSWITH CHILDREN AND ANIMALS***Teach your children how to interact with dogs: Allow the dog to approach you, not theother way around! Pet the dog under the chin or chest. Don’t look directly into the dog’s eyes. NEVER approach or touch a strange dog. Never disturb a dog that is eating, chewingor sleeping. Do not allow children to climb on the dog,hug tightly, pull the tail, or grab feet. Keep your children’s faces away from thedogs.Look for these warning signs that a dog isanxious: The dog is standing stiffly. He is looking sideways at the child. He is trying to get away or hide. His tail is tucked. He emits a low, deep growl. He is staring your child in the eye, with araised lip.Most Importantly: Never run from a dog; his natural instinctwill be to chase. If a dog does run up to you, freeze withyour arms folded or by your sides. Once thedog loses interest, walk away slowly.RESPECT YOUR DOG – and encourage others to dothe same. Your new pet is your friend andcompanion. Forcibly moving him, hitting or pinninghim down will lead to problems. The dog may seeyou as a threat, as someone to fear, and may shutoff from you or become aggressive. Your petshould welcome your touch and not be afraid ofyou.Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 11

CHAPTER 5 Initially give your dog a confined amount ofspace in the home—not free run of theentire house. Restrict access until youestablish some training and get to knowyour new pet better. A tired dog is a good dog! Your dog will notexercise himself, so leaving him in your yardall day just won’t work. Dogs need to usetheir brains as well as their muscles, so ifyou don’t have time to regularly play withand walk your dog, you should reconsiderwhether you have time for a dog at all.Developing Routine andStructure With Your New DogThe whole family should use thesame positive training methods foryour new pet. Your new dog will belooking to you for clear guidanceand gentle leadership to shape hisgood behavior. Be consistent andpatient. Provide clear rules and guidelines. There isnever a need to physically reprimand yourpet. Time outs, ending the game andremoving rewards are suitable punishmentfor a dog that is learning where theboundaries are.Please take a training class.Go slowly. Introduce new surroundings androutines gradually.Feed on a regular schedule and teach yourdog to sit and stay before giving him hisdinner. Don’t disturb him while eating.Sleeping–Don’t let your new dog sleep onyour bed (he can do this at a later date aslong as he will get off cheerfully on yourcue).Catch your dog doing something right (lyingon his bed, chewing his OWN toys, sittingfor attention, etc.), and reward withaffection, attention and treats when he ispolite or does what you ask.As with people, dogs develop new behaviorsand change with age. You should be preparedto continue your dog’s training and guidancethroughout his life. Teach and train withpatience and rewards. The results will beamazing!Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 12

CHAPTER 6Behavior & TrainingUnderstanding your dog’s behaviorand learning how dogs think willmake life with your new pethappier and easier. Positivereinforcement, also known asreward-based training, is proven tobe far more effective in creating awell-adjusted, well-mannered dogthan punishment-focused methods.GCAC recommends all new dogs/puppies andtheir family members attend at least a basictraining course to solidify the loving bond andto help him understand what is expected ofhim.PuppiesThe experiences your puppy has, or doesn’thave, will shape him for the rest of his life.Introduce your puppy to new experiencesgradually and make sure these experiences arepositive and not overwhelming. Puppies may whine a lot their first few daysin their new home. Remain calm; this phasewill pass as your puppy gains confidenceand feels secure. Begin teaching your puppy basic mannersas soon as you get him home. Takeadvantage of your daily routine; whenfeeding, ask the puppy to come, sit and stayuntil you give the okay to eat. Ask him to sitor wait before letting him out of his crate,going through doors, etc. Teach your puppy to be very gentle with histeeth on human skin and to chew onappropriate toys and bones. If your puppyhurts you with his teeth, simply say “ouch”and ignore him for a minute. Please do notuse physical punishment. Dogs work oninstincts that you cannot change but youcan redirect. Hitting or tapping on the nose,etc., only reinforces that you cause pain. Practice touching your puppy on his paws,tail, ears, etc., and reward relaxed behaviorwith treats and kind, calm praise. Regularlygroom your puppy and wipe his feet off(even if it isn’t raining). Do not play wrestling games or tug-of-war.A nice game of fetch is better.Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 13

House TrainingPuppiesA good rule of thumb is puppies can controltheir bladders for approximately one hour oftime for each month of their age. In otherwords, a three-month-old puppy cannot beexpected to last more than three hours withoutrelieving himself and typically they need todefecate 10-20 minutes after eating.Consistency and routine are key. If you can beat home with your puppy, take him out, onleash, to eliminate every two hours, after everynap, after every play session, beforeconfinement and any time he signals (circling,sniffing). Take him to the same area of youryard each time. Give him a word to associatewith the action and do not play with or interactwith him until he goes. Leave the door off the crate; place the crateclose to his food and water dishes.The puppy should sleep in his crate and getup to eliminate on a hard surface floorwhich is easy to clean and sterilize.When you arrive home DO NOT punish yourpuppy for eliminating on the floor. Thisteaches the puppy nothing except to fearyour return!When you are home, be diligent abouttaking him outside to eliminate and use lotsof praise.REMEMBER: Be patient. Young puppies havelimited control of their bladders and shortmemories. Some learn more quickly than others.Praise him for eliminating outside. If he doesnot eliminate after a few minutes take him backinside and confine him for 15 minutes, thentake him out again. Repeat this until he goes. Ifyou miss the signals but you catch your puppyeliminating, immediately take him outside,praising him when he goes in the appropriateplace. DO NOT rub his nose in any errors asthis does not teach proper elimination habitsor control. If you have to leave your puppy for longerperiods (over three hours), try confining him toyour kitchen area.Use a crate.Have the crate next to your bed and duringthe night, when the puppy whines, take himoutside, wait 2 minutes and when heeliminates, praise him.Place him back in the crate to sleep.Always keep his crate spotlessly clean; thiswill encourage him to do the same.Adult DogsYour new adult dog may already be potty trained,but she may be anxious and is certainly unfamiliarin her new home and not at all aware of what youwant; so expect some accidents at first.Take the dog outside to eliminate when you firstarrive home, first thing in the morning, beforeconfinement (if you go out), immediately afterconfinement, after his dinner, just before you go tobed, and any time she signals a need to go.If your dog, no matter what age, continues toeliminate in the house when you are at home,attach a leash to the dog’s flat collar and tie it toyour waist! This way you can watch your dog andtake him outside when he begins to show signs ofneeding to eliminate.Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 14

Submissive and Excitement UrinationLess confident dogs sometimes urinate to showsubmission or in excitement to greet you. Theywant you to know that they pose no threat orchallenge to you. Do not punish your dog, as this makesmatters worse. Just ignore your dog, do not make eyecontact or lean over to pet him. Try to distract the dog with another activitysuch as catching a treat or going to get atoy. Building confidence by practicing basicmanners and agility games may help. As your dog’s confidence grows, theproblem should lessen and eventually stop. Instruct guests to ignore the dog on arrivaland to praise him verbally when he sits, liesdown, etc. (everyone can help withtraining).Crate TrainingCrates are actually an excellent choice formost puppies and adult dogs as they keepthe pet and your belongings safe when youare not able to supervise. They aid in pottytraining because a dog will not want to soilhis sleeping area. Select a crate big enoughto allow the puppy/dog to stand up andturn around and stretch out when lyingdown.Methods That DO NOT Work: Hitting your dog. Pushing the dog’s nose in his accidents. Shouting.These methods lead to your dog being moreworried, making the urination worse.Why Use A Crate? CleaningWhen cleaning up an accident, use an enzymebased cleaner to effectively remove all odors. To provide a den for your dog.To help calm and nurture your dog in thenew environment.As a potty training aid.As a safe way to travel in your car.For airline travel.Good in hotels where pets are allowed.As a recovery room from illness or surgery.As a sanctuary when things get hectic.In some mild cases, it can be helpful foranxiety to help prevent destructivechewing.To protect your pet from children whocannot act appropriately around dogs.·Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 15

Crate Do’s and Don’tsDO’S Make the crate a positive place.Use treats and toys to lead the dog into thecrate.Feed the dog his dinner in the crate at first.Leave the door open initially.Hide food treats in the crate.Place a clean, soft bed in the crate.Place a shirt with your scent on it in thecrate.Encourage your dog to sleep in his crate.Praise and pet him when he is inside hiscrate.Stay close when you first close the door.Teach your dog to “wait” before comingout.DON’TS: Force a dog or puppy into a crate.Use the crate for punishment.Keep the crate in an isolated area.Leave your dog in his crate for morethan six hours.Talk to or let him out when whining.Choose a crate that is too large. If yourdog can eliminate in one corner andsleep in another, the crate will not helpteach good potty habits.Choose a crate that is too small. Yourdog should be able to sit up and turnaround. For a growing puppy you maywish to choose a larger crate andinitially block off part of the space (witha box). As the dog gets larger, you canremove the partition.ChewingChewing is a normal and necessary behavior topromote healthy teeth and gums. All dogsshould have their own chew toys. Avoid cookedbones, poultry bones and rib bones as theytend to splinter and cause choking or intestinalproblems. We recommend you supervise your dogwhen he has a chew toy/bone. Avoid toys with squeakies or pieces that canbe swallowed. Show your dog the appropriate chew toyand make a big fuss over it. Praise your dogwhen he takes the toy. Sometimessmearing a little peanut butter or creamcheese on the toy can make it moreappealing. If your dog tries to chew on inappropriateitems, distract him, and give him anappropriate toy. Praise him and play withhim briefly when he chews his toy. Teach your dog to “drop it” and “leave it”so you can exchange an unsuitable chewyfor a more appropriate one. Prepare your home by putting away itemsyou value; the dog doesn’t know thedifference between your things and histoys. Prepare a puppy-proof room or crate, so hedoesn’t have access to unsuitable chewitems when you can’t supervise him. Bitter tasting (but safe) substances such as“Bitter Apple” can be sprayed on objectsand may discourage chewing. Remember to reward good behavior.Remember, the crate should never take awayfrom the contact and socialization that yourdog needs from you and your family. The dogneeds to spend much more time out of thecrate than in.Greenville County Animal Care Dog Adoption Booklet Page 16

Jumping UpThis is merely an inappropriate greetingbehavior, as your dog is excited to see you.Solution: Ignore the dog, stand still, fold your arms,and look away. The second your dog’s feetremain on the floor, acknowledge and greether. If she jumps up again, immediatelystand still, fold arms and look away. Repeatevery time the dog jumps. NOTE: yourfamily and friends should all follow thistraining plan as it needs to be consistent! Teach your dog to sit to be greeted andreward quickly before she jumps. If shejumps, repeat the above. Keep her on a leash, so you can prevent herfrom jumping on guests.BarkingDogs bark to alert you of danger, because theyare lonely, bored or anxious and seekingattention, or because they are being teased byan outside influence (i.e., squirrels).Solution: Keep your dog inside your home when youare not there. Leave on the radio or TV to mask outsidenoises. Ignore your dog if he is barking forattention.Consistently reward the silent pauses with yourattention. Your dog will learn that he is notrewarded for barking and hopefully will stop.DiggingUsually dogs dig because they are bored or leftoutside for too long. However, digging is anormal activity for dogs and many of themreally enjoy it.Solution: Control digging by spending more time withyour dog, giving him plenty of exercise,keeping him indoors, and providing himwith toys. Direct the behavior by designating an areain the yard where it is acceptable for yourdog to dig. Encourage him to use this area.You can buy him a sand

If the dog is crate trained, please use the crate for calm confinement. Have him sleep in the crate at night in your bedroom. Ask us for our advice if he is not crate trained. Go for long, on-leash walks for the purpose of brisk exercise. Start a training class with your new dog.