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Charlie Traffas
Charlie Traffas has been involved in marketing, media, publishing and insurance for more than 40 years. In addition to being a fully-licensed life, health, property and casualty agent, he is also President and Owner of Chart Marketing, Inc. (CMI). CMI operates and markets several different products and services that help B2B and B2C businesses throughout the country create customers...profitably. You may contact Charlie by phone at (316) 721-9200, by e-mail at ctraffas@chartmarketing.com, or you may visit at www.chartmarketing.com.
Pets
2006-11-01 11:31:00
Bad dog! Tips to help your pooch
My dog is so bad and destructive! He digs holes in the yard and chews up everything. He has tons of toys but still chose to chew the garden hose into a dozen pieces. What can we do?
ANSWER: Digging and chewing are common complaints of dog owners especially if the dog is less than 1 year old. Your dog is not being BAD by chewing and digging. He is simply doing what dogs do to entertain themselves. These are normal behaviors for dogs. If a dog smells something wonderful in the ground he will dig to find the source. Remember, dogs have millions more scent receptors than humans. If a dog is hot it will dig to cooler soil. If he is cold he will dig to protect himself from the elements. Digging is self rewarding and fun. If your dog is in a yard with privacy fencing he may dig to get out so he can see the things that he can only smell and hear inside the fence. If you have privacy fencing, you are putting your dog in an environment of sensory deprivation. You should cut 2 or 3 areas in the boards and cover with chain link so your dog can see out of his box. Chewing is also very entertaining. Puppies under 6 months of age are teething. They instinctively chew to speed the process of getting the deciduous (baby) teeth out and the adult teeth in. It feels good on their gums to chew hard objects. Dogs interact with their environment for three reasons. 1. It feels good, 2. It tastes good, 3. It smells good. Bored dogs are destructive dogs. They cannot watch TV or read a book. They cannot take themselves for a walk. They will find ways to entertain themselves as much as possible within the limits of their yard or home. That means anything in the yard belongs to them. They cannot distinguish their toys from the garden hose. Your favorite feather pillow is much more fun to tear up than the boring rubber bone. So, what is the solution? Just because we have established that these behaviors are normal does not make them acceptable. One solution to help with both digging and chewing is to make your dog a Treasure Island. This will be her area to dig, hunt, and chew to her heart’s desire. Find an area of your yard or build a "sand box". Fill the area with sand or loose dirt. Bury a multitude of treasures for your dog to find. The objects should include treats such as milk bones or other snacks. Bury her toys, new and old. Best of all bury some long lasting edible objects such as knuckle bones, bull sticks, or compressed rawhides. Renew the objects daily to keep your dog interested. Another important aspect to curbing unwanted behavior in your dog is to spend more time with them. Play games such as fetch to run off energy. Go for walks; join an obedience or agility class. The exercise will be good for both of you. Take your dog to a doggy day care on occasion. It is important to stimulate your dog mentally and physically. Teach him tricks; give him a job to do. The more things your dog learns to do that are acceptable to you the less time he will have to do the things that are unacceptable. Dogs are happiest when they are spending time with their pack. We are important pack members to our dog and it is up to us to provide them with an exciting and stimulating environment. This can be very fun and rewarding for the whole family, especially the furry, four footed member.
 
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