Keeping Cool in the Summer Heat

If you're suffering in the heat this summer, chances are your dog is suffering too. Take care to supervise your dog's outdoor playtime and bring him into the air conditioning if he starts to look run down and make sure he's got plenty of water. Also, try these fun ideas for keeping cool.

Have a Pool Party
Many dogs love water and if you have a pool in your yard your dog might like to join you for a refreshing dip. If you don't have a pool, or your dog isn't a swimmer, you might want to get a small wading pool for your pet to enjoy. Smaller dogs who are intimidated by a large pool and older dogs who would prefer to relax may enjoy wallowing in the wading pool instead while younger, more energetic dogs will love jumping in and out and splashing water all over. Encourage your dog's interest in the wading pool by tossing in some favorite toys or some small bits of carrot.


Make a Frosty Treat
Mix up a frosty treat for your dog to enjoy outside (they're really too messy for inside)

Doggie Ice Cream
Combine 1 cup plain yogurt or kefir with 1 tablespoon natural, unsalted peanut butter at room temperature, blend well and pour the mixture into ice cube trays. Freeze and serve!

Frozen Fun Time
Mix this snack in an empty plastic yogurt, sour cream or cottage cheese container. Select the size based on your dog's size.

Put some of your dog's kibble, some biscuits, leftover or raw veggies, pieces of meat, rice, etc. Cover this with water and freeze until solid. Then, dip it in some warm water so you can slide the mess out and toss it out on the back patio and watch your pup go to town!

Five Simple Steps to Establishing Yourself as Pack Leader

I have come to realize that some of the stuff I've written about pack leadership is a little complicated, so here's a short and sweet article to drill it down to the basics of how. For more detail about the whys, be sure to take a look at Who's the Boss? Establishing Pack Leadership and without further ado, here are your five simple steps. The goal of these steps is to give your dog the impression that you control every aspect of his life. Because you do. And if your dog is aggressive or otherwise trouble, you absolutely must because it could be your dog's life if you don't. 

Step 1 Control Your Dog's Movements
At first, your dog should be on a leash all the time. You should keep him close to you in the house and he should be at rest when you're at rest. When you are standing, but not moving, he should be sitting at your side and when you are sitting, he should be laying at your feet. You should take the time to obedience train your dog and practice daily. You can and should practice and walks and during playtime. When you are doing something that makes it difficult or impossible to supervise your dog, he should be secured in a crate. You make all the decisions about where you go and when and you go first.

Step 2 Control Your Dog's Schedule
Feed your dog at the same time every day (1-3 times based on age and size) and give him 15 minutes to eat. After 15 minutes pick up the bowl and put the food away till the next meal time. Never feed your dog because he's begging. If you want to give him table scraps, save them for the next meal and put him in his bowl. Very small treats can be given as training rewards. Take your dog outside to go potty at the same time every day (4-10 times a day depending on age). Take your dog to the potty spot and give him a command to potty. Take your dog for a walk (1-2 times a day) at the same time every day. When you get up in the morning, ignore your dog while you brush your teeth, make your coffee and put on your clothes and shoes, only then call him over and put him on his leash for his morning walk. When you come home, hang up your coat, put away your purse, get yourself a refreshing beverage before you even look at your dog. Then, when you're ready, call him over and put on his leash for his afternoon walk.

Do not respond to requests by your dog to alter the schedule.

Step 3 Control Your Dog's Stuff
Actually, your dog has no stuff. Everything in your house is yours, not your dog's. All the dog toys in the house belong to you. You simply allow your dog to play with your toys when the mood strikes you and you end the game likewise when you decide the game is over. All the furniture is yours. Your dog is not allowed on it unless you invite him. If he ever shows any possession over the furniture, such as spreading himself out over the couch so there's no room for you, leaning on and pushing people off the furniture, or growling at people when he is moved off the furniture, he can not go on the furniture. At all. Ever. The crate is yours, you tell him when to go in it and when to come out of it (and graciously allow him to retreat to it for comfort and security). The yard is yours; you decide when he goes out in it and what part of it he's allowed to use as a bathroom. Etc.

Step 4 Make Your Dog Earn Everything
Your dog must sit and stay while you are getting his dinner ready and putting the bowl down (If he breaks his stay, put the food away and walk away, come back a few minutes later and try again). He must sit and stay while you are getting his leash, putting the leash on and opening the door and must not get up until you invite him to do so. He must not have free access to toys. You decide when to play with the toys, you start the game and end it. He must sit to earn a ball throw, etc. If your dog wants to be petted, he must sit calmly first or do some other trick at your whim.

Step 5 Exercise Your Dog
Engage your dog 15 to 30 minutes a day in obedience training practice. Practice sit/stay, down/stay, leave it, drop it, come, place, kennel up and more. You can and should combine your obedience practice with games and walks. See Games Good Dogs Play: Three Ways to Stay. Once you've got your basic obedience down, you can add more tricks to his repertoire. Check out The Everything Dog Training and Tricks Book.
Your dog needs 30 minutes to an hour of brisk walking every day and 15 to 30 minutes of play. For that matter, so do you.

Training your dog and leading him in walks and play enforces your standing as pack leader. However, if your dog becomes aggressive or overly hyper during play, end the game immediately, put the toys away and try again in a few days. If you are at all frightened during play, then don't do it at all. No big deal.

If your dog is already extremely bossy, you may need to do a reboot. Spend a three days to a week ignoring your dog. Let him out to go potty, put down his food, put him in his crate and go about your business. Once the time you've determined on has passed, re-establish your relationship using these five rules. Note that very bossy dogs may become extremely sassy during this time, butt-biting is not unheard of. If this occurs, do what you need to do to protect your bottom and continue to ignore her until she gets well past that (Although I usually use him/her randomly when I write, using her here is very appropriate). Very sensitive dogs may become withdrawn and depressed. If you see any sign of this, abort the reboot and go straight to the rules.

Keeping Your Aggressive Dog

When your best friend attacks a friend, neighbor or family member, you may be advised to re-home or euthanize your pet immediately. However, not everyone is willing to give up on their pet so easily and you may be wondering if you can keep your dog without anyone else getting hurt. The answer to that question is maybe.

Aggression is like cancer. A doctor will never tell you your cancer is cured, but will say instead that it is in remission. You can never really say that a dog's aggression is cured until he has lived out his natural life without ever biting anyone again. Some dogs never see biting a human as an option but for those who do see it as an option, it will always be there under the surface; the willingness to bite. Your dog may never bite someone again, but the fact that he already has bitten someone tells you he can and will if properly provoked. Your job then, if you choose to keep him, is to make sure that never happens.

So, it's important to take this decision very seriously and spend some time thinking about it and discussing it with your household.

Know the Risks and How to Mitigate Them
Keeping an aggressive dog is obviously risky. Someone could be bitten, you could be sued or face police action if you slip up. It is important that you take steps to minimize the chances of any of these things happening.

1. Make sure you have homeowners insurance and your family has health insurance. That way if something happens you are prepared to handle any costs associated with it. It may be helpful to also have legal coverage.

2. Train your dog. If you are going to keep your potentially dangerous dog, it is important that you have complete control over him at all times. Hire a trainer who is experienced with aggressive dogs and practice, practice, practice! Your dog should be able to sit and stay, down and stay, come, leave it and drop it at a word and/or hand signal with no backtalk. Also, your dog must be crate trained so that she has a safe place to stay when there are guests or there is a high level of energy in your house. She should go to the crate on command, again with no backtalk. Depending on the level of aggression, you may also need to muzzle train your dog.

3. Maintain a healthy pack structure in your home. See http://www.thegooddogjournal.com/2009/02/whos-boss-establishing-pack-leadership.html

4. Exercise your dog. Give your dog a good walk (at least 30 minutes) twice a day. Nervous energy can lead to aggression.

5. Learn your dog's triggers and body language so that you can intervene before things get ugly. You can ask your trainer for help with this and you may also find this guide helpful: http://www.pawsacrossamerica.com/interpret.html

6. Manage your dog's environment to keep things calm and remove her from any environment that you can't manage. 


7. Keep up with your dog's veterinary checkups. There are several health conditions that can exacerbate aggression so make sure you have your dog checked out regularly and let your vet know his history. Also, if there is a biting incident, someone may want to see your dog's shot records, so keep them where you can find them.

8. Have an exit strategy. Discuss this with your family so that everyone knows what the final straw will be. One more bite? One more snap? One more lunge? Discuss this with your veterinarian ahead of time so you know what your options are on that front. You will be very lucky to find a new home for a dog with a history of aggression (though it is not impossible). If things turn out badly at his new home or a shelter, chances are the end will be very unpleasant for him. It may be kinder for you to have him euthanized surrounded by the people who love him than to send him off into the unknown on the off chance it'll work out and risk a lonely, frightened end.


Keeping a dog is a huge responsibility but keeping a dog with a history of aggression is an even bigger responsibility. However, it's not hopeless. Some types of aggression seem to disappear completely with a little pack leadership, but it's important to always remember what your dog is capable of and maintain whatever measures you have in place.