We've all seen Andrew Braids on television with his colorful, fun loving, happy-go-around inkwells.
Many times I've heard people say they want their Poodle, but they don't want the fuss with the grooming, the long tresses or the "Other" that comes with owning a poodle.
So what's the fuss all about? Why are people so willing to pay for a dog that's easy to groom, doesn't require a lot of work to maintain and is an excellent family pet?
Andrew Braids has been called many things -including "Unix" - but what he really loved to be called was " Sunshine" and " sweetheart." There was no mistaking his happiness, always readiness to do things with you, but with a smile on his face too.
So maybe you should be worried about your happiness and color in general, because dogs are a downright joy to have. They make such lovely companions. However,ado it turn out there are some serious reasons you should consider before you take on a dog or any pet for that matter.
Dogs may not be with you 24 hours of the day - at least for most of us this time. Most of the work we do involves at least an hour or so of serious work every day including all of our routines. For the purpose of this article let's use the example of a workday as a bare minimum.
You may be inclined to bring your dog to work with you there and leave him outside or in the break room. Not all of us have this type of work schedule and for those that don't the care a dog and child will require is immense.
Dogs are much like small children - they require a lot of attention and care and simply need to be trained not to destroy your favorite shoes or the coffee table or the neighbor's flowerbeds. When you bring a dog into your home this is often just the beginning. It is true that they don't constantly cry or cause chaos when you leave them in the kennel for the day - at least most of the time. They may whine at first but they will quickly learn to calm down. They may wiggle with relief and take several nap while you are gone. This is where the problem lies - because as soon as you return home they have been "ied" and can't relax on the bed or carpet for long periods of time (day or night).
The colors of the eyes may change from friendly purple to angry brown, just like a small child, and so might the hair. A dog that was previously friendly may become irritable and snappy if they are punished for accidents in the house or if they realize that you feel badly that they have been neglectful. They may become sneaky and even growl at you if they sense you are getting ready to discipline them.
We were recently visited by a client who feels the dog is exhibiting very uncharacteristic behavior and actually might be aggressive towards a family member. The problem is that we don't really know what the situation is today. When you come home from work they may be jumping on the couch and barking whining, but when you leave they may be quite calm. The real problem is that they had never been trained to be alone.
Part III: How to Train for Separation Anxiety
This is a very Common Syndrome and is Just as Traumatic as Past Tense Signals.
They Are Like Children.
Some of the symptoms may include:
The behavior may gradually shift from melt-down to manic, or sad, or hyperactive during periods of separation. You may witness a transition of affections (with a buildup of clingy behavior) that can leave your pooch so anxious that they begin to hurt themselves -esting on carpet, ripping into Electrical cords, or just running in circles. If left alone, they have been known to insert the objection of digging themselves under the fence in an attempt to escape.
There are a number of ways to try to get past the fence. One idea is to get the dog to dig by burying a treat just under the surface. You may also set aside a digging area so they can focus all of their energy in a positive way. You can try to initiate positive behavior when you return, such as providing a toy or just saying "good dog."
Another option is a desensitization program, which involves getting the dog to expose themselves to a source of noise (such as a fan or lawn mower), which appositions them to being exposed to the noise in a quite controlled fashion. If you have the ability to expose your dog to the noise in a highly controlled manner, you can help settle the barking issue you might be having.
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Dog