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DIYDogProjects.com© Page 2 of 115
Better Dog Behavior Starts Today.
You’ve taken the first step to finally overcoming and managing your dog’s behavior.
So now you can finally stop keep searching the internet for the views of well-meaning
internet users on how to ‘fix’ your dog.
You have come to the right place to get ALL the help and solutions you need for every
issue and concern so you can enjoy that rewarding, loving and fun relationship with your
dog that you thought you’d have.
Imagine how great that is going to be!
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 3 of 115
But first let’s just confirm you are ready to move on from your current situation ……..
Do you feel like your dog is constantly playing up?
Are you feeling challenged and stressed that you can’t work your dog out?
Do you wonder why your dog seems to understand something today but the next day
he’s forgotten all about that and is back to same old tricks?
Is your dog barking and you have no idea why? Even when you tell (or yell) “Be
Quiet!”?
Does your dog jump all over you or your guests and won’t listen to ‘stop’?
Is your dog a challenge for you every time you are out for a walk?
Is your dog chewing shoes, clothes, or rugs to the point of destruction?
Well, that’s got to stop! You’re clearly ready to help your dog!
We wrote this eBook to show you how to get onto the path of least resistance to change
your dog’s behavior in a gentle, non-aggressive and kind way. That way you can finally
feel like you and your dog are ready for relationship you always knew you could have.
Now you are ready to take ACTION, let’s get started using this eBook.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 4 of 115
How to Use this eBook
1
Please make sure you save a copy of the eBook - before clicking any links
just so you don’t navigate away accidentally and need to download it
again.
2
Jump straight to any chapter that relates to your dog’s current behavior problem
by using the Table of Contents.
3
Click through to many more informative articles on Dogs and Dog Behavior
on our website www.diydogprojects.com from the index on pages 8 to 16 in
this eBook.
4
Share with us your # 1 biggest struggle with your dog’s behavior by emailing
[email protected]. A problem shared is a problem halved!
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 5 of 115
Introducing Our #1 Recommended Dog Trainer
You will solve your dog behavior problems with our #1 recommended dog behaviorist and
dog trainer Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer. Doggy Dan’s the professional we go to so
we know he will help you to get results and overcome your dog behavior challenges – no
matter how big or how small they might seem to you now.
You CAN do it in your own home, at your own pace, in your own time, whenever it’s
convenient and whenever you want.
There is NO schedule; no attendance; no distractions; and no fear or aggression
involved.
You will NOT be doing it on your own.
Get Your FREE Sample of Doggy Dan’s Program with his
FREE 4 Part Video Series – click below to learn more.
Why Keep Struggling With Your Dog's Behavior?
Take The Fast Track with Our #1 Recommended Dog Behavior Expert
Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer Discover The Easy Way to An Obedient Dog
Learn To Use Gentle and Proven Methods So That Your Dog Will Choose to Obey You Every Time!
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 6 of 115
Table of Contents
Better Dog Behavior Starts Today. ...................................................................................... 2
How to Use this eBook......................................................................................................... 4
Introducing Our #1 Recommended Dog Trainer .................................................................. 5
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 6
Let’s Get Started! ................................................................................................................. 7
Dog Behavior Solutions at www.diydogprojects.com .................................................... 8
Why is Your Dog Barking? .......................................................................................... 18
Why is Your Dog Barking When Left Alone At Home? ................................................ 29
Why Your Dog is Pulling on a Leash? ......................................................................... 35
Dog Body Language Made Simple .............................................................................. 46
How To Potty Train a Puppy and Make Sure it Sticks ................................................. 59
BONUS 1: Pet Insurance is All About Managing Your Risk ............................................... 73
BONUS 2: 31 Must Ask Questions Before You Get a Dog ................................................ 99
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 7 of 115
Let’s Get Started!
In this eBook we cover the following topics;
Why is Your Dog Barking?
Why is Your Dog Barking When Left Alone At Home?
Why Your Dog is Pulling on a Leash? And How You Can Stop it!
Dog Body Language Made Simple
What You Need to Know about Puppy Potty Training!
** PLUS over 40 ADDITIONAL topics and articles (at time of writing) that we have included
as a link in this eBook which starts on the next page.
** PLUS 2 BONUS Inclusions in this eBook
BONUS #1 is our hugely popular “31 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Get a Dog”. We
think this is essential reading for anyone that THINKS they want to own a dog. If you
already have a dog, then you may have been surprised by;
the care, attention and grooming a dog needs,
the equipment and accessories you need to provide,
the food and exercise needs of a dog,
the cost, and more!
Of course, you’d never give your dog back now but if you had known beforehand you
could have been better prepared?
BONUS #2 we have included our recent research into Pet Insurance to help guide you
to work out whether you should buy pet insurance or just self-insure. Have you thought
about the expected and accidental or unexpected health concerns your dog may face
during their lifetime? We have included a list of questions you should ask any pet insurer
BEFORE you make any decisions. If the insurer can’t answer these, then move on.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 8 of 115
Dog Behavior Solutions at www.diydogprojects.com
We invite you to click through to our website for more information on any of the topics we’ve
included on the following pages – remember we are updating constantly and regularly so
new topics will appear that you won’t find in this eBook today.
Keep an eye on your inbox for more relevant, and in-depth research into the latest
information available for dog owners like you!
Click on any of the following Better Dog Behavior Topics Now!
Dog Seat Belt – Necessity Or Accessory?
How does a dog owner justify not securing their
dog in a moving vehicle with a dog seat belt?
Watch these 'dog' crash test dummies and think
about the risk
How to Stop Your Dog Licking Their Paws
Can’t work out why your dog keeps licking his
paws like crazy? Think about it. Why do some
people chew their fingernails?
How to Get The Best Dog Food – Nutrition vs
Ingredients
It is important to select the best dog food because
good health begins with proper nutrition! How do
you select the best food for your dog?
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 9 of 115
Do You Have a Crazy Dog?
So you have a crazy dog. Are they really crazy, or
is something or someone (probably you) making
them act crazy? Come down the rabbit hole and
find out!
7 of the Best ‘Old School’ Games for Dogs
Games for dogs have been around for a long, long
time. Play is normal for dogs, just like running,
eating, and rolling in anything that smells
interesting.
Dogs and Babies: The One Lesson You Must
Never Ignore
There’s a lot of excitement associated with
bringing your new baby home. What does your
dog think about it all? How should you introduce
dogs and babies?
The Perfect Puppy Playpen
A puppy playpen can be a great help when you
are raising your new best friend, but it needs to be
the right one. There are some wrong ones.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 10 of 115
10 Top Tips for the Best Dog Crate Covers
Dog Crate Covers. How do you begin to choose
the right one for your dog’s crate when there are
so many to pick from? We've narrowed it down to
the basics.
4 Fearsome Features of the Most Dangerous
Dogs (And What You Do About Them). The most
dangerous dogs are fearsome indeed, but what
makes them so dangerous? And how do you
make sure that adorable puppy doesn't turn into a
monster?
Dog Carrier. What Do You Think It’s Good For?
Dog Carrier usage is becoming increasingly
popular with dog owners as it can make life much
easier.
Bark Collar: The Bad And the Ugly. No Good.
The Bark Collar. If you’re a fan of these dog
punishment devices, get ready to disagree. In our
view, they are only for people who don’t know any
better.
Best Dogs for Kids? Or Best Kids for Dogs?
The Best Dogs For Kids can potentially be any
dog that knows its place within the pack! The Best
Kids for Dogs will be those kids that are taught the
Rules.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 11 of 115
Dog Puzzle Games – How To Spice Up The Life
Of A Bored Dog.
Some dog puzzle games are simple chew toys
with tiny treats, while others can confound a
hound. Others are perfect for getting a lazy dog
up and about.
Here’s A Quick Way To Get the Best Crates for
Dogs
Crates for dogs can be so confusing! We give you
the low-down on dog crates and dog cages so you
can quickly and easily get to the fundamentals of
each type.
The Best High Tech Dog Games
Dog games may have been around since dogs
were first domesticated, but today high tech is
invading all parts of our lives. High tech dog toys
are here!
Dog Stroller: Never Leave Your Dog Behind Again
A dog stroller makes sense when used to protect
your dog and to give your dog engagement with
the outside world where otherwise you would both
miss out.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 12 of 115
How to Train Your Dog to Come Every Time You
Call
Train your dog to come when you call – every
time. Not just when they feel like it, but EVERY
time, no matter what they have their nose in.
Lost Dog. Does Your Heart Stop When You Can’t
Find Your Dog? A lost dog is every dog owner’s
nightmare. Take action to make sure your lost or
stolen dog is returned home quickly and safely.
Technology working for you!
12 Simple Dog Play Pen Facts You Need to Know
A dog play pen is the perfect solution to some very
specific problems. Use our 12 facts to work out if
you need one, what type, and how to get results.
Dog Leash Alert: What You Must Know About the
One to Avoid. Don’t let a dog leash (or dog lead)
ruin your walks. Understand how to avoid the
traps, select the right leash, and put the fun back
into those walks.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 13 of 115
How to Beat Your Fear of Dog Crate Training
Dog crate training is essential if only as a
precaution to all the situations that may arise
during your dog’s life. So it’s worth persevering
with your dog!
Owner Alert: A Dog Harness – No Pain in the
Neck
Dog owners beware – that dog collar could be
hurting your dog’s neck. We will show you how a
dog harness can be the right option for your dog.
A Dog Car Seat Is For Everyone (Not Just Your
Dog!)
It is not okay for your dog to roam freely in a
moving vehicle. A dog car seat is not just for your
dog’s safety; it is for the safety of all road users.
15 Fun Things to Do With Your Dog
Are you looking for fun things to do with your dog?
We have the list you need, from the everyday to
the downright zany. You're sure to love some of
these.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 14 of 115
Dog Safety Tips
Dog Safety Tips for the Holiday Season. It’s the
season for glitter and lights and alcohol and noise
and pretty presents so what could possibly go
wrong?
The Essential Dog Park Guide
A dog park is like a cocktail party, where you don’t
know anyone and everyone is drunk. You could
have fun, but it could be a disaster.
How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?
A wakeup call to dog owners who think their dog
is active. Are you giving your dog the exercise for
a healthy life? How much exercise does a dog
need?
Unlock the Secret to DIY Dog Grooming
DIY Dog Grooming can be fun for both you and
your dog. Or it can be a nightmare if your dog is
unprepared. It's up to you which you choose.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 15 of 115
Do’s And Don’ts of DIY Dog Toys
Dogs love to play, and what they play with
matters. In this article about DIY Dog Toys, we'll
explain the important Do's and Don'ts.
Is A DIY Dog Crate The Best Kept Secret?
We think that a DIY Dog crate might be the secret
to successful house training. And so do a lot of
canine experts. So how do dog cages and dog
crates work?
DIY Dog Treats – Helping or Hurting?
Do You Know The NUMBER 1 Reason You
Should Be Giving Your Dog Treats? Did You
Know That Dog Treats Come in many Forms.
Top Tips for DIY Dog Beds
If you've read our research on the 3 Big Mistakes
people make with DIY Dog Beds, you know the
importance of Size and Style and being Machine
Washable.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 16 of 115
DIY Dog Shampoo – To Shampoo Or Not To
Shampoo? We answer the Four Most Common
Questions Dog Owners Ask About DIY Dog
Shampoo Why? How often? Can I just use human
shampoo? What is best for my dog?
DIY Dog First Aid Kit – Three Easy Steps
A little knowledge and a DIY Dog First Aid Kit
could save your dog's life. This DIY Dog Project is
a must! Take action now and follow our easy
instructions.
Do You Know How Much Dogs Sleep?
Why do you need to know how much dogs sleep?
Because a change in your dog's sleep pattern
may signal that something is wrong.
Are You Disturbed By Your Dog Not Sleeping
Through The Night? Did you stop to think that the
right DIY Dog Bed could influence your dog to stay
in his dog bed through the night and stop any
disruptive behavior.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 17 of 115
Build a DIY Dog House in 5 Steps
A DIY dog house is a great project to take on. The
key to a successful DIY dog house project is to
plan properly first, and we'll guide you on that
journey.
Top 10 Best DIY Dog Projects
The Ultimate Top 10 DIY Dog Projects. From the
simple to the "Number 1 DIY Dog Project" every
dog owner MUST learn. We show you how!
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 18 of 115
Why is Your Dog Barking?
You can’t stop a dog barking if you don’t understand the real cause. You need to recognize
the type of bark and then work out the underlying reason. Armed with this knowledge,
you can apply our 4 C’s and some simple techniques to totally calm the chaos.
We’ll cover dog barking recognition throughout the article and step through the common
causes of problem barking.
Important Note: Recognising the sound of different barks is only part of the picture,
you always need to check your dog’s body language if you can see them to get an
accurate reading.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 19 of 115
Introducing the 4 C’s to Control Dog Barking
First let us explain the 4 C’s. These are the missing ingredients that cause people to fail
when they try to deal with barking dogs.
1. Clarity
2. Consistency
3. Calm
4. Cause
Not what you expected? Let us explain why you need them.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 20 of 115
The 4 C’s – The Missing Ingredient
1. Clarity
This is about being clear in your mind about exactly how you need to act whenever you
have problem barking. In order to have that clarity, you need to learn your lessons
well and rehearse in your mind before the barking starts. That way, you’ll be ready to do
the right thing first time. This also helps with the second C.
2. Consistency
Dogs are smart, but it can take them a few times to understand what we want them to do.
By being consistent, we help them learn. If you act differently for the same problem,
you’re just confusing your dog. Be patient, be consistent, and you’ll reap the rewards.
3. Calm
It’s the easiest thing in the world to wind a dog up and get them excited. It takes a bit more
skill to lower their excitement levels. But why do we need to do that? So they become
more responsive to our training. A child in a shop screaming his head off isn’t really
paying attention to his parent. It’s the same with excited barking dogs.
4. Cause
All your consistent, calm clarity won’t help if you haven’t identified the cause of your dog
barking. This really is key, and there are several general causes that cover the majority of
situations. Let’s work through them one by one now.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 21 of 115
The Causes of Dog Barking
1. Home Alone. The ‘Where are You?’ Bark.
Recognize the Type of Bark:
If simply lonely: a single bark or howl, repeated after long pauses.
If stressed and anxious: high-pitched, repetitive barking.
You may not hear this second, stressed or anxious pattern of barking except when you leave
or when you come home, but your neighbors will surely be hearing it. This dog barking
behavior is an indicator of bigger problems. It is a tricky one, because you’re not
there to work on the problem at the time your dog is barking. We give you help with this
problem in the next chapter on Why Is Your Dog Barking When Left Alone At Home.
Alternatively, if your dog is barking or howling to show they are lonely, exercise them more
before you leave, and set them up with some challenge toys.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 22 of 115
2. I Heard Something! The ‘Warning! Warning! Warning!’ Bark.
Recognize the Type of Bark:
A string of 2, 3 or 4 medium pitched barks, repeated frequently (calling the pack).
Body language is very alert and focussed.
This is very common. Your dog has heard or seen something, and they start barking. That’s
not necessarily a bad thing, but we don’t want it to go on and on.
So what do you do? Tell your dog to be quiet in a loud stern voice? No! That’s like you
barking too, so your dog becomes even more concerned that there’s a real threat out
there. He’d better bark some more, and louder!
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 23 of 115
This is What’s Going On and What You Need to Do about It
Let’s think a bit more about this. Your dog has perceived a potential threat and
is warning you about it. How do we defuse the situation? If an electronic alarm system
goes off, you check for the cause and if all is clear you reset the alarm. You need to do
something similar with your dog, and it can take a bit of practice.
First, be calm. If you’re excited, yelling or moving fast your dog will pick up on that energy.
You need your clarity of thought so you don’t react the way you always have done.
Instead, (assuming you and your dog are indoors) calmly walk to the window and briefly
look for the ‘threat’. Calmly turn back and say in a very quiet voice to your dog, “It’s OK”,
and go back to what you were doing. That’s all you do.
One of two things will happen. Either your dog will accept by your actions that there is no
real threat and start to settle down, which is great, or your dog will totally ignore you and
keep on barking. If they keep barking, try once more to calmly assess the threat and gently
let you dog know it’s o.k.
If doing it twice doesn’t work, your dog isn’t really paying much attention to you or
doesn’t care that much about your opinion. Your dog isn’t seeing you as their leader, and
that makes everything harder. If your dog is ignoring your lead, getting that fixed
is your number one priority.
You’d better get some help from Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 24 of 115
3. Over-excited. The ‘Wow! Gee! Woo-hoo!’ Bark.
Recognize the Type of Bark:
Rapid, often high-pitched barking. In some breeds, it can sound ‘breathy’ like they’ve
lost their voice.
This barking is almost always accompanied by a lot of physical activity, especially in young
dogs. Your dog has basically got themselves in a state and it’s all just sooOOO exciting.
The solution of course is to bring the energy levels down, and it’s not helping if you are
yelling and being animated just like your dog. You need to be calm and consistent.
Depending on how far off the planet your dog has got themselves, it can take a little while to
get them back to earth.
To show you how to deal with an excited dog, we have two videos to share with you on
the next page.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 25 of 115
Video 1 - Calm Energy
The first shows how calm energy can quieten a dog, demonstrated by some other dogs!
Dogs use body language all the time, and that’s why we need to be calm ourselves in
order to have a calm dog. The lively dog in the video is a Boston Terrier, one of the
most energetic of breeds. If these techniques work with a Boston Terrier, they should work
with your dog.
Click through to this article on our website and scroll down to view the Video
http://www.diydogprojects.com/the-4-cs-of-dog-barking/
Video 2 - The Calm Freeze
This next video demonstrates the Calm Freeze technique, which is a very simple and
effective tool.
Click through to this article on our website and scroll down to view the Video
http://www.diydogprojects.com/pl-dogbarking-ebk1v4-dogbarking
Consistency is the key to controlling over-excited barking dog. Be patient with yourself and
your dog – your calm energy will win through.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 26 of 115
4. I Want It Now. The ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!‘ Bark.
Recognize the Type of Bark: (remember to check for body language)
Want to play: A two-part bark ‘rr-ruff’ often ending higher pitched.
Want food: Single bark often accompanied by whining.
Your dog wants out, or in, or for you to throw the ball, or to hurry with the food. This is the
bark where your dog wants something and is telling you all about it. And it’s often a trap
for you.
On the following page we explain how you respond with your actions and reactions may
actually be reinforcing the bad or unwanted behavior rather than teaching your dog the
good behavior! It’s a trap many dog owners fall into and may be contrary to how you think.
But it’s not how you think, it’s what your dog thinks that will influence the behavior you want.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 27 of 115
Let’s use the DIY Dog Projects Six Key Question Tool to look at what can happen.
The Key Questions What’s Really Happening?
1. What’s the trigger? It could be anything, but say your dog has
decided they want to go outside.
2. What does your dog want? To get out now!
3. What’s your dog’s action? Stand at the door and bark.
4. What’s your action? You let your dog out.
5. Does the dog get what they want? You bet they do!
6. What dog behavior is rewarded? Barking!
If you give your dog what they want when they’re barking, you’re telling them that barking
works for them. You may have told them this many times! Your dog is not dumb; they will
keep barking because it is effective. You’re also letting your dog be the boss of you, and
that leads to all sorts of other problems.
So, what’s the solution for this dog barking problem? Teaching your dog that not
barking is the way to get what they want. At its simplest, that means waiting until they stop
barking. Wait calmly, while ignoring them. You only reward them once they’ve stopped.
You will be tempted to give in, but that’s rewarding the barking again which will only
reinforce the unwanted behavior.
The reward needs to come once your dog has stopped barking, and quite soon after
they’ve stopped so they can associate the not-barking with getting their desire.
Does your dog know how to behave when they
want to go out?
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 28 of 115
A Fifth C?
You need the four C’s – your clarity, consistency, cause and calmness to make this work.
And one more C we haven’t mentioned yet, control. You need to be in control of your dog at
all times. Sure, you let your dog play, but you do so knowing they will obey your
call every time no matter what wonderful thing they have their nose in.
Obeying your call without fail every time is what Doggy Dan calls ‘perfect recall‘. If you don’t
have perfect recall, you need to keep a short line or long line on your dog’s collar when
they are off leash so you are able to catch them and bring them back under control. (You
saw the short line used in the first video).
At DIY Dog Projects, we think that teaching your dog good behavior is the most
important and most rewarding project you can do for and with your dog. We hope this
chapter has helped you think about how you have been dealing with your dog
barking problems.
If you need more help, if you’re struggling to be in control, click through to Doggy Dan the
Online Dog Trainer
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 29 of 115
Why is Your Dog Barking When Left Alone At Home?
Dogs always bark for a reason, and once we understand the reason we can fix the
problem. So what are the main reasons?
Over-excitement can lead to barking, but most problem barking dog situations come
from stress and anxiety.
In this chapter we will look at just one particular situation so you can see how it works.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 30 of 115
Barking When Left At Home Alone
This is a very common problem, and you’ll soon see why. Right now, the biggest cause of
conflict between neighbors around the world is noise.
Are your neighbors annoyed with you or your dog?
Do you constantly feel embarrassed because you can’t control your dog’s barking?
Frustrated? The problem happens while you are out, so how on earth are you
supposed to fix it?
Don’t worry. Once you understand the reasons for this behavior you will know how to fix
it. Now a dog left alone at home is unlikely to be over-excited because there’s no one there
to wind them up. Your dog is either stressed or anxious, and that’s what’s causing the
barking. But what are they stressed or anxious about?
To understand the underlying reasons, we need to dig a bit deeper into how dogs
think. Stay with us, it will all make sense.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 31 of 115
Pack Animals
Dogs by nature are pack animals (not the sort that carry loads, the sort that live and hunt
in packs). This fundamental, in-built part of their nature determines the type of
relationships they form. Not just with other dogs, but with people. It dictates how they relate
to you. This lies at the heart of the problem, and it’s the key to our Barking Dog
Solutions.
Let’s keep digging into this – there’s more to understand.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 32 of 115
Who Is The Boss?
You know that every pack has a pack leader. That pack leader is responsible for the well-
being of the whole pack, and the other members of the pack follow happily.
You’re probably thinking right now that you are the pack leader for your dog, right? Guess
what? That’s not the right question! This is: Who does YOUR DOG think is the Boss?
Just for now, let’s pretend your dog thinks that he or she is the pack leader. Your dog
feels responsible for all the members of their pack, for their safety, for keeping them
together, for providing that feeling of comfort and security that they are in charge and taking
care of business. They think that you are one of their pack.
So when you leave the house, when one of your dog’s pack goes missing, and they are
blocked by doors or fences from doing anything about it, what happens? Stress?
Anxiety? You bet! And what do stressed, anxious dogs do? They bark. (They also might
chew furniture and a bunch of other things too).
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 33 of 115
Dogs can dig or chew and also bark when they are stressed or anxious.
Let’s try that around the other way, where your dog thinks that you are the pack leader.
Now when you leave, it’s OK. After all, the pack leader can do what they want because they
are the boss. It’s much less stress for your dog.
Becoming the pack leader takes care of the biggest cause for problem barking, but we’ll
get back to the pack leader discussion in a moment. Here are a few other DIY Barking Dog
Solutions that can help.
Leave a TV or radio on in the house – that can provide a bit of comfort.
If you can, give your dog some exercise a little while before you leave. Dogs love to
sleep and lay about (see our other articles), so this can settle them before you go.
Make sure they have somewhere sheltered to lie, and that they have plenty of
water available.
Be calm, quiet and gentle when you leave. Don’t excite your dog just before you go.
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 34 of 115
Be the Boss
The best of our DIY Barking Dog Solutions is for you to be your dog’s Pack Leader. To
be more precise, it’s for your dog to see YOU as the Pack Leader.
This isn’t a constant thing. Your dog will be testing you in lots of doggy ways all the time to
see who the boss is. And being the boss doesn’t mean being bossy or being aggressive.
It’s a simple and gentle process that’s easy to do when you know how. Anyone can do it.
Check out the dog owners who have already solved this problem by following Doggy Dan’s
advice. Click through to view the Video on our website http://www.diydogprojects.com/diy-
barking-dog-solutions/
At DIY Dog Projects, we think that teaching your dog good behavior is the most
important and most rewarding project you can do for and with your dog. We hope this
chapter has helped you think about how you have been dealing with your dog barking.
If you need more help, if you’re struggling to be in control, click through to Doggy Dan the
Online Dog Trainer
DIYDogProjects.com© Page 35 of 115
Why Your Dog is Pulling on a Leash?
How do YOU stop a dog pulling on the leash?
If you’re having this problem you are not alone. It’s a very common problem. In fact,
its two very common problems, and we’ll tackle them both.
Problem #1 How to stop a dog pulling on the leash all the time.
Problem #2 How to stop a dog pulling on the leash when they see another dog.
We’ll tackle Problem #1 first, and it all starts at home.
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How to Stop a Dog Pulling on the Leash ALL the Time
It’s about energy levels, it’s about control, it’s about reading the situation and it’s about
being patient and taking the time to make it right.
We’ll take you through some examples, give you our DIY Dog Projects Six Key Questions
Tool for looking at dog behavior, and also show you a video so you see how easy it can be.
Let’s get started.
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Scenario 1
Picture this: you’re in the house and have decided to take your dog for a walk. You pick up
the leash and your dog goes crazy with excitement. What happens next can be part of the
problem or part of the solution. Our goal here at the start is to bring the energy level
down before we go for a walk.
We’ll use our DIY Dog Projects Six Key Question Tool to understand what’s going on.
The Key Questions What’s Really Happening?
1. What’s the trigger? You pick up the leash.
2. What does your dog want? To go for a walk now!
3. What’s your dog’s action? Jumps excitedly, goes crazy.
4. What’s your action? You clip on the leash and go for a walk.
5. Does the dog get what they want? You bet they do!
6. What dog behavior is rewarded? Jumping and going crazy…
Do you see what happened? Your dog got all excited and was rewarded immediately with a
walk. What do you think your dog will do next time you pick up the leash?
image source
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Scenario 2
Just like last time, you’re in the house and have decided to take your dog for a walk. You
pick up the leash and your dog goes crazy with excitement. This time you do nothing
and wait for your dog to calm down. As soon as your dog’s energy level has reduced,
you clip on the leash and head out.
Let’s analyse this one with our DIY Dog Projects Six Key Question Tool.
The Key Questions What’s Really Happening?
1. What’s the trigger? You pick up the leash
2. What does your dog want? To go for a walk now!
3. What’s your dog’s action? Jumps excitedly, goes crazy, but calms
down eventually.
4. What’s your action? You clip on the leash and go for a walk
ONLY once they’ve calmed down.
5. Does the dog get what they want? Yes, after they settled.
6. What dog behavior is rewarded? Being calm before a walk.
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Stop a dog pulling on a leash? Easy. Calm your dog before the walk.
A couple of different things took place this time. Firstly, your dog was rewarded for
becoming calm. Dogs are very good learners when we teach them correctly, so your dog
will get the idea pretty quickly. If they want to go for a walk they need to be quiet and calm.
Secondly, you have shown your dog that you are in control. You have won a battle in the
‘who is the boss‘ game your dog is constantly playing. (We’ll talk more about that ‘pack
leader contest’ in a moment).
The first time you try to make your dog calm before the walk, you may strike some difficulty.
It depends on how well and how often the old high energy behavior was rewarded in the
past. We mentioned it’s about being patient, so the first time you try this you may need to
put the leash back in its place to ‘cancel’ the walk for a while before trying again. It’s
also essential that you are calm because your dog will pick up on your energy.
Why do we need a calm dog?
We want our dog calm before we
start the walk so they will be
more receptive to our commands
once we’re out the door. It’s very,
very hard to get through to a dog
who’s gone ‘hyper‘.
Before we leave the property
Your dog is already straining on the lead and pulling you toward the gate. We need
to stop that before we go on to the street.
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Who is Leading the Pack?
If this is happening to you, it’s almost certain that your dog thinks they are the pack
leader. After all a pack leader runs at the front of the pack, so that’s what they’re doing.
It’s time for you to take control again, and there’s a simple trick you can use. You change
direction.
Simply by you turning around, your dog suddenly ends up behind you. Who is the
boss now? You can repeat this trick as often as you need until your dog gets the idea
that you are in control of this walk.
Let’s have a look at how it’s done. We have included a video on our webpage of Doggy
Dan the Online Dog Trainer which demonstrates it beautifully. Click through and scroll down
to view the Video at http://www.diydogprojects.com/stop-dog-pulling-leash/
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Now You Are Leading the Pack
So, you now have the tools for controlling your dog when going for a walk. If these
tools don’t work for you, it’s almost certainly because your dog still thinks that they are
the boss. They just aren’t giving you the respect you need. As we said earlier, it all starts
at home. You need to learn the actions that will make you the pack leader before you pick
up the leash.
Fortunately we have good help available. Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer can certainly
help you with establishing the right relationship with your dog in the easy and gentle way.
OK. Now we have our dog walking calmly beside us, we can move on to the Problem #2.
Before we do, check that you’re not using the wrong type of leash – the one leash you must
avoid.
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How to Stop a Dog Pulling on the Leash When they See Another Dog
This problem is most common in dogs that are 12 to 18 months old, and they’re
just excited to meet and play with other dogs.
Make sure you observe your dog at this time.
Is it just excitement, or is there aggression or fear as well?
If your dog is barking, listen to the tone of their bark.
What is their tail doing?
If you detect aggression, that’s a whole different problem and we will deal with that in
another article.
So, let’s say you have a young dog that’s just way too keen to go and meet another dog.
What do you do?
If you take them over to meet the other dog, what happens? Remember to think about
what behavior is being rewarded.
Let’s use the DIY Dog Projects Six Key Question Tool to think about this one;
The Key Questions What’s Really Happening?
1. What’s the trigger? There’s another dog.
2. What does your dog want? To go and meet them now!
3. What’s your dog’s action? Pulls on the leash, maybe barks.
4. What’s your action? You take them over to meet the dog.
5. Does the dog get what they want? You bet!
6. What dog behavior is rewarded? Pulling on the leash!
Does that make sense? If you immediately give your dog what they want you reward their
problem behavior. You need to do something different.
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Why You Need to Control the Situation
Here’s another good reason we need to control this situation. If your dog is young and
still learning proper social skills, putting them in contact with another dog while they are
excited could put them at risk. The other dog may not take kindly to your dog’s eager
advances. Therefore, we need to bring the energy down before we put them together.
image source
So what do we do? There are a few techniques that we discuss on the next page that will
help.
1. Use the turn away
2. Use basic commands
3. Use the Calm Freeze
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1. Use the turn away
Just like we did before, you change the direction of the walk. This will break your dog’s eye
contact with the other dog and reinforce your leadership. When your dog is calmer, change
direction toward the other dog. When their excitement goes up, turn them away.
2. Use basic commands
If your dog is well trained already for Sit and Lie Down, use those commands. Again, this
helps remind your dog who is boss, and a dog that is lying down will automatically
be calmer than they are when standing.
3. Use the Calm Freeze
Position your body so your dog can’t see the other dog and use the calm freeze
technique we shared with you previously to bring down the energy. Remember to look
down and away and be calm in yourself.
Like we did with problem #1, once your dog has calmed he can be rewarded by being
brought closer to the other dog. When your dog is calm enough, let them meet.
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When Training, Always Remember to be Patient
Be patient with your dog, and with yourself, and always think about what behavior is
being rewarded.
Remember our goal was to stop a dog pulling on the leash, so make sure there’s never
a reward of any kind for the unwanted behavior.
So there you have it. Put these ideas to work and stop that leash pulling behavior today.
If the tips don’t work for you, it will be a pack leader problem – a lack of respect, and you
need to get some help so click through to Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer.
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Dog Body Language Made Simple
Watch any two dogs playing and you’ll see dog body language at work. The trouble is, it can
be a bit like watching a movie with the sound turned down.
You think you know what’s going on, but you’re not completely sure. You could have it
totally wrong.
The Good News
The good news is that you already know more about dog body language than you realize.
Let’s take a simple example.
Q. You see a dog that is wagging his tail so fast that his whole body is wriggling.
What does it mean?
A. Of course, it means the dog is feeling happy and he is keen to interact.
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Let’s try another example.
Q. Do you think that both of these dogs are comfortable with being hugged?
Dog One
Dog Two (image source mnn.com)
A. No! Dog One is showing signs of discomfort. So, what are the tell-tale signs?
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Mouth Open Vs Mouth Closed
An open mouth with the tongue hanging out is generally a sign of a relaxed dog.
A closed mouth means something else is going on in a dog’s head. We’ll dig into that a bit
more later.
Half-Moon Eye or Whale Eye is a Sign of Distress
Look at the difference in the dog’s eyes. Dog One’s eyes are showing a lot of white but
you can’t see any white at all in Dog Two’s eyes. This part of dog body language is not so
different to human body language.
The actress at left is wide-eyed to portray her
discomfort as she silently signals for help.
She has the advantage of being able to mouth
some words too, but her eyes convey
distress and urgency.
Why Dog Body Language is So Important
Before we jump into our next example, let’s step back a little and think about why dog body
language is important. It’s important to you for your safety and for the well-being of
your dog. If you see a dog that is tense, mouth shut, ears up and forward pointing and
eyes fixed in a stare, there could well be imminent danger. Do not let a child approach a
dog showing these signs!
If you can read your dog’s discomfort you can take actions to relieve their stress, which
will lead to a happier and healthier dog.
Naturally, dog body language is important to dogs because it’s their primary form of
communication. Sure, they can bark and growl in a few different ways, but the core of their
language is non-verbal. It’s how they talk to each other, so watching dogs meeting and
playing together is a great way to learn what’s being said.
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Let’s get into a few more examples, this time with Dog to Dog interaction.
First Things First, Who is The Boss?
Whenever two dogs meet, they will work out Who is The Boss. This is their normal behavior,
and a dog doesn’t really care if they are pack leader or just one of the pack. They just need
to know their place.
Click through to our webpage to watch a Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer video that’s full
of great, real-life examples of dog body language at work. Take particular note of what
happens before they start to play. http://www.diydogprojects.com/dog-body-language/.
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Let’s Add to Our List of Tell-Tale Signs
Rear end in the air, tail wagging,
head and front shoulders down
low, front legs out wide. “Let’s
play!” This is sometimes called
the play bow.
Tail raised. This means
confidence. It also exposes the
dog’s scent glands so they are
stating “I am here.”
Rolling onto the back to expose
the stomach. This is submissive
and saying, “I am no threat to
you”.
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A dog placing his head over
another dog’s neck. This means “I
am the boss.” If the other dog
agrees, they will move their head
down submissively. If they don’t
agree, well, that can get
interesting.
Tail between the legs. This means
submission. The dog is saying,
“You be the boss, I’m not.”
Did you get all that?
It’s important to note that any ‘Who is The Boss’ dog body language during play is
largely meaningless. The important interactions happen before the dog’s bow to each
other and say “Let’s play”. We also saw the 360 degree spin in the video, what Doggy
Dan called a Flirty Twirl. This means, “Let’s play more!”
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More About the Closed Mouth
Let’s revisit the closed mouth. This can mean your dog has spotted something and is about
to act when you see it in combination with these other signs.
whole body tense
ears up and forward pointing (if they have that type of ears)
eyes fixed in a stare
tail held high and either still or wagging slowly side to side
This is not the time for kids to run over and hug your dog. Your dog is very focused and
doesn’t want any interference. It may be that he’s just seen a squirrel and is about to give
chase – it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but be careful.
A closed mouth can also indicate uncertainty or curiosity, especially if your dog’s head
is tilted to the side.
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What the…?
Sometimes, a closed mouth can be an indicator that your dog is in pain, a doggy version of
‘grit your teeth and bear it’.
Some dogs do naturally tend to keep their mouth shut most of the time. If that’s true for your
dog, just watch for the other signs and see if you can learn the difference between
a relaxed closed mouth and a tense one.
If your dog normally has their mouth slightly open and you see them close their mouth, it’s
a sure sign they are reacting to something.
Remember to keep it simple. Observe your dog’s relaxed look so you can notice when it
changes.
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The Bad News
Some dog body language signs are not what they seem, but don’t worry, we’ll make
them simple too. We’ll use examples again. Let’s take body shaking.
We all know how a wet dog can shake their whole body to get the water off. (Best to stand
clear or you’ll take a shower).
But what does a body shake mean when your dog is dry? Dogs use the body shake to let
off stress. If you watched Doggy Dan’s video to the end you will have seen his dog Inca do
a body shake when she was being reprimanded. Dogs literally ‘shake it out‘, just like
that pop song you may have heard.
If your dog is dry and they do a body shake, they are doing it to deal with some emotion.
It might be frustration if they can’t get what they are wanting, or it could be to bring down
their excitement if they think you’re about to take them for a walk. Watch for the dry body
shake. Whenever you see it try to work out why your dog feels the need to shake. You
might be surprised at what you find.
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How about Yawning?
If your dog is tired and ready for bed, a yawn is just a yawn. Or if you just yawned, they
might mirror it.
Otherwise it’s another technique your dog uses to control his emotions, especially if they
are uncomfortable or nervous. Yawning helps your dog calm themselves. Even puppies
will use a yawn to deal with situations.
Just like with the dry body shake, watch for yawning as a sign that your dog needs to bleed
off some emotional energy. Work out what is causing the stress or conflict. You may be
able to fix it and give your dog a better life as a result.
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Take a Load Off
One big cause of stress for a dog is when they think they are responsible for the pack. It’s
a big job. They need to protect and worry about all the pack members, and that includes
your family.
You saw in Doggy Dan’s video how happy Odin was to be a follower. He could just relax
and play and leave pack-management to someone else.
Dogs are always working out ‘Who Is The Boss’ and they’ll be testing you whether you
know it or not. More on that later. Let’s recap what we’ve learnt so far.
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Dog Body Language to Watch For. Our List of Tell-Tale Signs.
The big whole body wag. “I’m happy. I’m here. Let’s do something.”
Whale eye or half-moon eye. “Get me out of here!”
Open relaxed mouth. “I’m feeling fine.”
Closed mouth (if that isn’t their normal relaxed look). “Don’t bother me, I’m
focused on that thing.”
Closed mouth and tense body, intense stare. “I’m about to take action!”
Closed mouth but no obvious focus. It could be a sign of pain.
Head tilted to one side. “What IS that?”
The dry body shake. “Shake it off, shake it off…”
Yawning when not tired. “I’m a bit stressed or conflicted (or maybe excited). I need
to calm down.”
When they are with other dogs, it’s either about ‘Who Is the Boss’, or playing.
Tail held high. “I’m confident. If I’m not in charge I probably should be.”
Tail between the legs. “I’m no threat. I’m not the boss.”
Roll on back and expose belly. “I’m REALLY no threat.”
Head above the other dogs neck. “I’m the boss of YOU.”
Head down looking up sideways. “Yes, you are the boss of me.”
The play bow. “Let’s play.” The other dog answers with their own play bow to start
the games.
The flirty twirl. “Come on, play with me more!”
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Is Your Dog Having Fun?
This one is so obvious when you think about it, but it’s also very easy to miss. You can be
so intent on watching all the little interactions when dogs are playing that you miss the big
picture.
If a dog keeps coming back for more, they like what’s going on!
Dog play can look like one dog is getting bullied, but if that dog keeps coming back for
more you have nothing to worry about. They are having fun.
How simple was that one?
A Final Word
If your dog is talking to you in dog body language with lots of yawns, half-moon eyes, dry
body shakes or other more serious stress indicators like chewing themselves, you need
to take action. You have to be absolutely certain that your dog does not think that they are
your pack leader.
Dogs shouldn’t have to manage humans. It’s just too hard for them, but it’s what they think
they have to do if they are the pack leader of the house.
Make sure that you are the pack leader the gentle and easy way by following Doggy Dan’s
5 Golden Rules.
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How To Potty Train a Puppy and Make Sure it Sticks
Learn how to potty train a puppy the right way so you never get that nasty, smelly surprise
when you come home. Most dog owners don’t know there’s a second, important part to
the process.
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There are Two Parts to Potty Training
The first part everyone knows about. It’s the teaching part, educating your puppy
on where they should be going potty. We’ll take you through the steps and include
some great tips to help your success.
The second part is psychology element that most people miss. When your fully-potty-
trained dog leaves you a present in the middle of the living room (or worse, on your bed),
it isn’t because they’ve forgotten where they should go potty. All that training didn’t
suddenly leave their mind. No, that’s the sign of a different problem and we’ll cover that for
you too.
First, let’s deal with the basics.
How to Potty Train a Puppy
Part 1: Education
Puppies are adorable, but they do have tiny little bladders so they need to pee frequently.
As a general guide, puppies can hold on for about one hour for every month of age, plus a
little more. Expect a three month old puppy will need a pee every 3-4 hours, more often if
it’s a smaller breed.
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At What Age Do You Start To Potty Train Your Puppy?
Puppies are infants until they are 12 to 16 weeks old, and they don’t have sufficient control
over their bodily functions to be potty trained.
Other training starts the moment you get them home, e.g. establishing a routine, using ‘no’
and ‘good’ consistently, but potty training will need to wait if they are too young.
Also, be prepared for the long haul because training your puppy takes time. You will need
to keep your potty training routine in place consistently for 4 – 6 months.
Getting Prepared
Preparation is key in so many aspects of dog training. Everyone involved needs to know
how to potty train a puppy and exactly how it will be done at your house.
Decide these things ahead of time:
Where exactly you want your puppy to go potty
What words you will all use to prompt your puppy to go
What treat will be reserved specifically for potty training
Let’s explore all of these a little more, one by one.
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Decide Where Exactly You Want Your Puppy to Go Potty
Assuming for now you have an outdoor area, you need to pick a spot. (We’ll deal with
apartments soon).
You don’t want your entire yard to be the potty patch, just one area. Having said that, at the
very start of potty training anywhere outdoors is a win.
Anywhere on the grass is a good start
A great trick is to define the area using pieces of wood so your puppy can see the area as
distinct from the rest of the yard. Start with the area much larger than the final plan and
progressively sneak the timber in over time. The reason you start with a large area is so you
set your puppy up for success – it’s a bigger target. Potty training is all about rewarding
success.
Give a moment’s thought to the weather. Do you have any cover for the area you’r setting
up for potty? You can’t interrupt training just because it’s raining!
If your puppy is in an apartment that doesn’t have easy access to a suitable grassy area,
you’ll need a little artificial yard, like this one.
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Click for more information
Dealing with Distance
Whether your dog’s potty place is indoor or outdoor, you need to consider how far those little
legs need to travel with a full bladder. Keep your puppy’s bed or crate near the door if you’re
training them to go outside.
In apartments, it’s best to have the potty pad inside the play pen but diagonally
opposite the position of the bed. This opposite-corners arrangement works with your
puppy’s nature. When they’re tiny, their mother cleans them so they never associate their
place of sleep with any potty smells. They will naturally move away from their bed to go
potty.
Decide What Words Everyone Will Use to Prompt Your Puppy to Go Potty
It doesn’t matter what the word or phrase is, so long as everyone uses the same words. It
can be as simple as ‘Go Potty’, but that’s up to you. Everyone involved in the puppy potty
training needs to say the same thing and in the same calm tone. We’ll touch on that some
more later.
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Decide What Treat Will be Reserved Specifically for Potty Training
The key to proper potty training is positive reinforcement through rewards. That includes
praise, but it must also include treats. Not just any treat, but a high value one in the eyes of
your puppy. The treat shouldn’t be large, but it must be tasty and ideally moist. Small pieces
of cheese or boiled chicken can work well, but see what your puppy responds to best.
Once you have decided on the potty training treat, use it only as a potty training success
reward.
Be organised so you always have some on hand, and make sure you take them with you
when you’ve put your puppy in their potty patch.
OK, you’re almost prepared. You know:
the target area
what to say as a prompt, and
what to use as a treat.
Your final preparation is for everyone involved to know how to potty train a puppy, and that’s
our next section.
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How to Potty Train a Puppy – The Process
This is an education process, where you teach your puppy where to go and reward them
for every success.
It’s a process where you teach your puppy the right place to go, not one where
you punish them for going to the wrong place. There are good reasons you should do it this
way.
Negative Impacts of Negative Training
If you catch your puppy in the act of peeing in the corner of your lounge room and you
chastise them, all they learn is that that corner of your lounge room is not right. They’ll try
another corner. Keep chastising and they’ll find places to hide before they go potty in order
to avoid the punishment. Dogs can even develop a complex where they’ll eat their own
mess in order to cover up the crime! We don’t want that.
No chastising or punishment, please.
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When Accidents Happen
If you catch an accident about to happen, pick up your puppy and rush them to their potty
spot. If they finish their business in the proper place, reward and praise them as if they’d
done the whole thing there.
When there’s any mess inside, clean it up using an enzyme based cleaner to eradicate the
smell. Dogs use smell as one way to know where to go, so the desired potty area will start
to smell right over time. You don’t want anywhere indoors to smell right too.
If you have an older dog already trained for the potty spot, this is a great advantage as the
area will already have the right smell.
Don’t Forget to Clean Up the Potty Area Too
Before we leave the topic of cleaning, you also need to keep the potty area fairly clean. Your
puppy doesn’t like putting their foot into doggy-do any more that you do. Make sure it doesn’t
become an obstacle course. (You don’t use the enzyme cleaner for this area, naturally).
Fundamental Parts to the Process
1. Get your puppy to the potty area before they need to go potty
2. Use your encouragement words, and WAIT
3. Praise them and give them their special treat immediately they do their business
4. Rinse and repeat, consistently, for months.
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Timing, Timing, Timing
Timing is the most important
element in how to potty train a
puppy, in more ways than one.
You want to have your puppy
already in the potty area every
time they need to go.
They need to make an association between the area and going potty before they’ll ever
think to take themselves there. That association can take a couple of weeks to take hold, so
be patient.
Timing Tip #1. As soon as they wake up, take them there.
The moment your puppy steps off their bed or out of their crate, get them out to their spot.
Their bladder will have filled up while they napped.
Timing Tip #2. As soon as they finish eating, take them there.
Most puppies will need a bowel movement 5 – 30 minutes after eating. Have some outdoor
time while that clock runs down, and have those treats ready to go.
Timing Tip #3. Set your routine in stone.
Puppies find routines to be calming, and routines have the added benefit of making toilet
time predictable as well. Feed your puppy at the same times every day, and the other bodily
functions will follow. We recommend you make time last feed for around 4 pm.
Timing Tip #4. Set the alarm.
Although a puppy’s metabolism slows down overnight, young ones will still need a night time
trip. If you have people in your house with different sleep patterns, you might get away with
the last person to bed putting puppy out as well as the early riser; or you’ll have to set that
alarm.
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Just Wait
When you’ve taken your puppy to their potty spot, be calm and be patient. Use your ‘go
potty’ words in a calm manner. Don’t excite your puppy or make them anxious – you should
exude calmness so they can relax. And then you wait and watch. A big part of how to potty
train a puppy is simply waiting.
Your patience will be rewarded.
If your puppy is wanting to run around you may need to put a long line on them so it’s easy to keep control. A long line is a lightweight rope that you clip to your puppy and allow to trail behind them as they run around, making it easy for you to catch them. You’ll use this tool again when you train your dog to come, every time.
So, be prepared with your treat, be patient, and wait.
Give the Gold
As soon as your puppy goes potty in the right place, praise them and give them the special
treat. You need to be quick, so it’s easy for your puppy to form the correct association. It
needs to happen within seconds, so be ready.
This positive reinforcement of the correct behavior is at the core of your training.
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Keep Going
You will be tempted to easy off the training when your puppy starts regularly going in the
right spot. Resist that temptation. Quitting early is not how to potty train a puppy!
As we said at the start, this process will take 4 – 6 months. Don’t stop early. Your puppy
has learned what you expect, but you must reinforce that learning again and again.
Well done. That’s Part 1: Education, complete. You now know how to potty train a puppy.
Next we’ll deal with making sure it sticks.
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How to Potty Train a Puppy
Part 2: Psychology
This is where it can all go so terribly wrong.
As your young puppy starts to grow and becomes an adolescent, sometime from 6 -18
months of age, they will start to test their boundaries. They will work out where they fit in
your household, which in their eyes is a pack. They will test your authority.
If you handle this incorrectly, your adolescent can start to think they are the top dog. You
will have the pack leader problem.
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Dog psychology stems from their wild roots. Every dog needs to know their place in the pack.
The pack leader problem affects all aspects of your dog’s behavior, but for this article
we’ll stick to how it can ruin your carpet. Here are two examples.
Example 1: Marking
When a dog thinks they might be the pack leader, they can feel the need to prove it. This
can manifest in defecation in shoes or on beds, often picking on the youngest member of
the house. This marking behavior is more prevalent in male un-neutered dogs.
Example 2: The Scent Beacon
When a dog thinks they are the pack leader, the full responsibility for the pack falls on
their shoulders. When one of their pack wanders away (say, you go to work), the pack leader
needs to get the pack back together. Otherwise they can’t protect you.
Often this causes constant barking, a calling of the pack, but sometimes your frustrated
pack leader decides to use scent to help the lost pack members find their own way home.
In this instance, you’ll find the surprise right in the middle of a room.
When these problems happen, your young dog hasn’t forgotten their training. They
still know the right place to go. They just have more important issues to deal with.
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Easy to Avoid
You know how to potty train a puppy. Now you need to know how to avoid it going bad.
Fortunately, the pack leader problem is easy to avoid when you know how. It’s best to start
your puppy off right and avoid the problem altogether, but it is still curable in older dogs.
Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer has distilled the principles you need to apply into 5
Golden Rules. Every responsible dog owner needs to know and apply these simple and
gentle principles. They will firmly establish you as the pack leader, keeping that impossible
burden well away from your dog.
Start learning these important principles today. Take up the 3 day trial offer from Doggy Dan
(click the green button below), and go straight to the 5 Golden Rules for Pack Leadership.
You (and your dog) will be glad you did. Click through to Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer.
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Pet Insurance is All About Managing Your Risk
Let’s start off by asking the most difficult question when it comes to Dog Insurance.
Which of these two do you anticipate will cause you the greatest amount of pain?
1. The risk that you insure your dog and never need to draw on it – what else could you
have done with that money?
2. Or, the risk that you don’t insure your dog and an injury or emergency transpires that
requires immediate attention but you don’t have the money available and so your dog
suffers.
Now, let’s turn it around and ask which of the above do you anticipate will cause your
dog the greatest amount of pain?
And that’s the bottom line.
How We Will Help
Our objective is to present to you the questions you need to ask yourself as a responsible
dog owner as they relate to dog insurance. We have no view as to whether you should or
should not take out a dog insurance plan as only your personal set of circumstances is
relevant to the question.
We give you with a list of questions you need to ask any potential dog insurance company
if you just want to find out whether dog insurance is for you and your dog. Insurance policies
are not equal and neither are the coverage, premiums, benefit limits, annual limits, waiting
periods, or exclusions.
There is quite a bit to cover, so let’s get on with it.
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Dog Insurance
The Case For Dog Insurance
The number one reason for taking out dog insurance is that it can be a cost-
effective way of ensuring your dog will get the health care needed, when it is needed, in
the future.
The Case Against Dog Insurance
The number one reason for not taking out dog insurance is the cost to you today.
The Unknown
None of us are able to predict the future and your dog’s medical requirements may result
from accidents, illnesses, chronic conditions or emergencies. In general, they are
unforeseen, unexpected and highly stressful. And so is the cost.
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Insure
The reason to take out any type of insurance is that your assessment of the downside
risk of loss is that it would leave you significantly worse off. In many insurance scenario’s
a loss could cripple you financially in the short term and indeed can have a long term
financial impact.
Self-Insure
The alternative is that you determine that the downside risk of loss would not impact you
in any meaningful way and then further, that the chances of such a loss were very unlikely
or low, you may choose to ‘self-insure’ and wear the impact. Instead of paying annual
premiums to an insurer you could put that money away for a rainy day.
One concern is that most people don’t or can’t put that money away and even when they
do, it gets used for other life ‘emergencies’ that may crop up along the way and then isn’t
available for a dog emergency.
Another concern is that dog owners are forced to take out short term loans at high costs to
provide their dog with urgent and immediate medical attention. The savings made by not
paying for annual premiums up to that point may be moot. Dog insurance would have
covered the majority of the cost so you wouldn’t have paid the total cost of the procedure or
treatment or surgery. However without dog insurance, you will be liable for 100% of the cost.
That 100% is financed resulting in a higher overall cost than the actual procedure or
treatment.
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So Where to Begin?
As a dog owner you should consider the question of whether dog insurance, which will be
an ongoing annual or monthly expense, is necessary for your personal set of
circumstances.
The Options
There are only two options to ensure your dog will get the medical care needed when it is
needed.
1. Take out an appropriate dog insurance plan for your dog or
2. Self-insure (put aside money on a regular basis for ‘emergencies’ or always have
access to savings).
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The Health Costs of Dog Ownership
Medical expenses for vaccines, parasitic prevention and routine maintenance will need to
be paid over a dog’s lifetime and most owners can afford these as they
are routine and minor in dollar terms.
However it is the unexpected injuries, accidents, conditions and illnesses that can
cause financial hardship, stress and grief. With the cost of vet care rising, even a non-
critical visit to the vet can leave your bank account bruised.
Vets, treatments, surgeries, and medicine that may be required to mend, heal and
rehabilitate your dog can run into thousands of dollars. When it’s an emergency your dog
cannot wait for you to save or find the money. That is when your self-insured savings or
your dog insurance plan can be a saviour, literally, for you and your dog.
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And that is the risk you need to weigh up when answering the question of whether dog
insurance is necessary for your own personal set of circumstances.
How will you cope with the added, and sometimes unexpected, need to pay potentially
thousands of dollars to save your dog’s life? Can you afford and access a lazy thousand
or so dollars? Having insurance could alleviate the financial burden of vet and treatment
bills and ensure that your dog could get what he needs when he needs it.
After-The-Event Insurance
Every year dog owners are caught out trying to purchase dog insurance after their dog has
become sick or hurt. At that point, it’s unfortunately too late to get coverage for that
particular accident or illness.
Insurance Plan Confidence
All pet insurance policies are not created equal. We will show you how you can
be confident of what you will be precisely paying for when you decide to take out a dog
insurance plan. We will show you how easy it can be when you know how.
As you go through The Checklist, remember that not everything will be relevant to your
personal set of circumstances. You may be willing to forego a benefit to keep your premiums
lower. It’s up to you.
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What You Must Ask The Insurance Company
Dog Breeds
Pet Insurance companies are fully aware that some dog breeds have a predisposition to
particular genetic or other known conditions.
Premiums, exclusions and inclusions will be correlated, to some extent, to these and there
is not much you can do about this if you already own your dog. However, if you are using
the information in this article before you have committed to the adoption or purchase of a
dog then you should clearly include medical predispositions in your research.
As an example it is reported that more than 50% of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel breed
suffer incurable health concerns. You can read about their many health problems on
the Cavalier Health Organisation website, but here are just a few:
Heart disease (1 in 2 Cavaliers develop mitral valve disease (MVD)
within their first 5 years, and it is the number one cause of death)
Neurological disease syringomyelia (incurable abnormal skin
sensations and sensitivity to touch affects 1 in 2 Cavaliers)
Epilepsy
Hip dysplasia
Eye diseases
Skin conditions
So, let’s get into The Checklist.
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THE CHECKLIST
Geographical Coverage
There is absolutely no point in continuing to research a particular dog insurance plan if
it won’t cover you in your current State or another State or Country if your dog will be
relocating with you. Not all pet insurance companies are licensed to sell insurance in all
States.
Q1. Does the dog insurance cover my dog nationwide?
Q2. Which States are excluded from the plan?
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Insurance Company Stability
Clearly you want the insurer to be around to pay out a claim when it’s needed so make
sure you find out how solid the company is.
Q3. How long has the company been in business?
Q4. Who is the ultimate owner of the company? Is it a large insurer which is publicly
listed?
Q5. What is the name of the company that is the underwriter of the dog insurance
plan? How long has the underwriter been in business?
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Illness, Accidental Injury or Both?
Be very specific about what will be covered. It would be tragic to find that your dog is
only covered for illnesses when you have a need for emergency treatment.
You also want to know what the % is you get back on eligible vet bills.
Q6. Is the cover for accident injury only?
Q7. If yes, is there a dog age limit to the accidental injury cover?
Q8. And how much, or what percentage, will the plan cover?
Q9. Is the cover for accident injury and illness?
Q10. If yes, is there a dog age limit to the accidental injury cover?
Q11. And if yes, then is there a dog age limit to the illness cover?
Q12. How much, or what percentage, will the plan cover?
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Premiums
This is the amount that you will need to pay the insurance company for your dog insurance.
Dog insurance premiums can be reduced with the careful selection of these options;
Payment timing ie weekly, monthly or annually. A one-time annual payment can
often be cheapest.
Including a co-payment. The higher the co-payment or your payment, the less the
insurer will reimburse and so the premium will also be cheaper.
Deductibles. Annual and Per-Condition Deductibles can reduce the premium (see
the next Paragraph on Deductibles).
Possible discounts for insuring multiple pets on the one plan.
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Co-Payments
It is worth checking if you are able to vary the co-payment as this can affect the premium
you will pay. For instance you may prefer to pay a slightly lesser annual premium and if there
is cause for a claim then you contribute a higher amount to the claim.
Q13. What are the co-payments available?
Q14. What is the decrease in my premium as these co-payment levels are
increased?
How Much Will I Be Reimbursed For My Vet’s Bill?
This is the bottom line. You need to know how much your insurer will contribute to your
vet’s bill for both illness and accidental injury. The contribution may not be the same for
each of these.
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Benefit Limits
An insurer may set THREE DIFFERENT LIMITS on any benefits it may pay.
The particular incident or service you can claim per incident.
An annual total for a particular incident or service you can claim.
The particular incident or service you can claim in total over your dog’s lifetime or the
lifetime of the plan.
You will need to know how each of the THREE will apply to each of services, treatments,
items that the insurer WILL COVER.
Dependencies
You should be aware that as well as the Benefit Limits the amount the insurer reimburses
you may be less than the vet’s bill due to one or more of these variables.
The inclusion of a “Benefits Schedule” in the plan, and/or
“Usual, Customary and Reasonable” (UCR) clause in the plan,
A pre-agreed “Co-Payment” amount, and/or
Annual and/or Per-Condition “Deductible”.
So, what are all of these and how do they work?
Benefit Schedule
Some pet insurance policies determine the amount of your claim refund using a benefit
schedule. In some cases you might get back much less than you expect. You will need
to fully understand the limitations when it comes to claim reimbursement to avoid
disappointment.
Q15. How is my claim refund determined?
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Usual, Customary, and Reasonable (UCR)
Some pet insurance policies determine your reimbursement with reference to UCR which is
a way of reimbursing claims based on the actual costs of procedures in a geographic
area. The insurer recognizes that actual costs of vet care do vary depending on where you
live. For example you could expect to pay more for the same vet service in Manhattan, New
York than in Manhattan, Kansas.
Q16. How is my claim refund determined?
What are the Co-Payment and Deductibles?
You can choose to contribute to your dog’s treatment cost to reduce your dog insurance
premium. This is known as a co-payment.
There may also be two types of deductibles available so check with the insurer. Basically
a deductible is an amount that you specify to pay for a treatment for a condition within the
policy year. If you claim multiple times for the same condition your deductible will only be
applied once, providing all treatment took place within one policy year. If you file claims
for multiple unrelated conditions your deductible will be applied for each claim.
Annual Deductible
Q17. Do you have an annual deductible?
Q18. What is it and by how much will it reduce my premium?
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Per-Condition Deductible
Q19. Do you have a per-condition deductible?
Q20. What are they and by how much will they reduce my premium?
Here’s a basic example that illustrates the amount the insurer may pay towards your vet’s
bills after co-payments and deductibles:
Insurance Plan with
a 90% reimbursement/10% co-payment and a
$100 deductible
Insurance Plan with
a 70% reimbursement/30% co-payment and a
$100 deductible
Claim for Bella for an ABC $1,000 Claim for Bruce for a DEF $1,000
10% co-payment ($100) 30% co-payment ($300)
Deductible (per condition) ($100) Deductible (per condition) ($100)
Total reimbursement $800 Total reimbursement $600
Guaranteed Renewal
Knowing that you can keep renewing your dog insurance, regardless of your dog’s age or
claims history, will give you certain peace of mind.
Q21. Will there be continuous cover for my dog regardless of his age or claims
history?
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Discounts for Multiple Pets
Some insurance companies have special policies when you insure multiple animals.
Q22. If you have multiple pets, ask if the insurer has a plan for this.
Q23. If yes, ask how it works. In particular, what if one pet requires more medical
care than the other? Do benefit limits apply to the plan or is it per pet?
Be aware that some insurance companies will limit the number of ‘high risk’ breeds they
will insure in one plan, or ban these breeds from their insurance plans.
Always be honest with your answers when asked for the details of your dog’s breed.
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Increasing Premiums
Insurance companies may increase premiums as a dog gets older, and sometimes if there
are many claims filed. You will need to understand how and when insurance premiums
can be increased.
Q24. How and when can you increase my dog insurance premium?
Q25. Will it only be annually?
Q26. Or will you review my annual premium during the period of cover if I make
a/any claim?
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Am I Free to Choose My Own Vet?
The insurance company may only provide you dog insurance cover if you select a vet from
their pre-authorised vet list. You need to know this to ensure it will be convenient for
you, especially in an emergency situation.
Q27. Can I choose my own vet?
Q28. If I can only use a vet that is on the insurer’s pre-approved vets list for all
services then how close is my nearest vet?
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Waiting Periods
It is usual practice for insurers to impose waiting periods for various services.
Q29. What are all your specific waiting periods? (Ask about the general services
and for previously diagnosed health issues)
What are my available Premium Payment Options?
Check specifically if there is a difference in the total yearly premium if you choose to pay
on a non-annual basis.
Q30. Payment – can I pay weekly, fortnightly, monthly and annually?
Q31. What is the premium for each option? i.e. How does the premium’s yearly cost
change if I pay in instalments?
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Claims
You want to understand how the claims process will work.
Pet health insurance falls under the category of property and casualty insurance, not
health insurance. Therefore the contract agreement is between the insurance company
and you, not your vet.
Ask these specifics about the claims process:
Q32. How do I make a claim?
Q33. How long do I have to make a claim after the service date?
Q34. How long will it take your company to reimburse my claim?
Q35. What can delay the reimbursement of claims?
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Do I Need Pre-Authorization Before My Dog is Treated?
Just for peace of mind. If your dog requires an expensive, but perhaps non-urgent
treatment, find out beforehand what the claim refund will be.
Q36. Ask the insurer if they offer pre-authorization of a service.
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THE DETAIL – INCLUSIONS, EXCLUSIONS, EXTRAS
This is the nitty gritty of the detail of what your dog insurance will cover you for specifically.
You will need to determine FOR EACH OF THESE
Q37. Is this item included?
Q38. What is the per-incident limit?
Q39. How much is the annual benefit limit?
Q40. What is the lifetime benefit limit?
Check the Specific Routine Inclusions
De-sexing and Micro-chipping
Heart-worm preventative medication
Teeth cleaning
Vaccinations
Prescription diets
Alternative therapies
Any others?
Pre-existing conditions
Q41. How are pre-existing conditions treated?
Genetic conditions
Q42. Does the insurer exclude genetic conditions?
Q43. What are these for your dog?
Q44. If genetic conditions are insurable, is the premium at a higher price?
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Specific Coverage (this is not an exhaustive list)
Check the plan details for a full list of
what IS covered.
Here is a starter list for you.
Are all emergencies like fractures, ingestion of foreign substances, and poisoning covered?
Is Emergency boarding included? Accidental injuries. Check if any accidental injuries are excluded. After-hours emergency visits? Lab and diagnostic tests – for accident only or accident and illness? Hospitalisation – for accident only or accident and illness? Radiology – for accident only or accident and illness? Medicine and drugs – for accident only or accident and illness? Illnesses. Check if any illnesses are excluded. Annual paralysis tick benefit Heart worm test or blood screen Cancer treatment including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy? Skin conditions. Does the insurer cover all the common types of skin conditions
covered? e.g. allergies, fungal (ringworm) infections, seborrhoea (oily and flaky skin) dermatitis and alopecia?
Infectious diseases Cruciate ligament surgery Hip Dysplasia. Ask what the insurer’s policy on bilateral conditions is. A bilateral
condition can happen on both sides (right and left) of the body e.g. like hip dysplasia and cruciate injuries. Some companies have restrictions on how much they will cover for these types of conditions.
Renal dialysis MRI Chronic diseases (e.g. Chronic Renal Failure, Heart Disease, Liver Disease,
Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer) Sudden and severe diseases such as acute Renal Failure and acute Pancreatitis. Cardiac Pacemakers Euthanasia (elective) Euthanasia (essential) Please add other items to this list that you think are more specific to your dog.
Contact the insurer directly if there is any ambiguity or you are unsure of the language or
jargon used.
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Check the Specific Exclusions of the Plan
Check the plan details for a full list of
what IS NOT covered.
Here is a starter list for you. Contact the insurer directly if there is any ambiguity or you
are unsure of the language or jargon used.
Dental procedures – which? Behavioral problems Elective procedures Food and diets Grooming Pregnancy Pet accessories Please add other items to this list that you think are more specific to your dog.
Optional extras
Q45. What are the optional extras that I can add to the insurance plan? e.g. Travel
Insurance, Alternative Therapies?
Q46. And what are the benefit payments, annual limits, and specific exclusions and
inclusions?
Cancellation of Plan Rules
Q47. How can I cancel the plan? For instance if your dog passes away you would
want to cease the plan immediately or receive a reimbursement of any prepayment
made for the plan period.
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The Verdict
Prevention is Better than a Cure
Preventing your dog’s needs for medical attention will always be a better alternative. Here
are a few thoughts on what you can do to make sure your dog doesn’t suffer unnecessarily.
Schedule and attend annual vet check-ups. Keep your dog’s vaccines up to- date. The annual vet check-up will get that sorted
for you. Neuter your dog. Low cost programs are available in many States. Check through
the ASPCA. Teeth – brush your dog’s teeth regularly. Don’t use human toothpaste and ask your
vet to show you how at your next visit. Protect your dog from parasites including fleas and ticks. Use appropriate products
only. Ask your vet at your next visit. Cigarette smoke – avoid smoking around your dog. Keep butts well away also.
These are a danger to your dog. Read our recent article on Dog Safety to discover all the other household hazards that are dangerous for your dog.
Feed your dog the most nutritious food that you can afford. Grooming. Daily, or at least regular, routine brushing of your dog’s hair is
essential. Read our recent article on the prevention benefits of DIY Dog Grooming.
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Dog Insurance – Where to Next?
Our objective in this article was to present to you the questions you need to ask yourself
(and any potential insurer) as a responsible dog owner as they relate to dog insurance. We
have no view as to whether you should or should not take out a dog insurance plan as only
your personal set of circumstances are relevant to the questions.
Insurance appears complex but when you break it down as we have here you can see
it’s quite simple. Yes, it’s time-consuming but once you’ve gone through each of the
questions we’ve provided you with you’ll be far more confident that you are choosing
the right solution for you and your dog.
What’s Your Bottom Line?
If you’ve decided that pet insurance could protect you financially and save your dog’s
life then we have made it easy for you. We recommend you try out your new insights with
both Top 5 Pet Insurance Companies Petplan pet insurance and Embrace Pet
Insurance.
Click through to our website for more details on Petplan and Embrace.
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31 Must Ask Questions Before You Get a Dog
If you are looking to start living with a new puppy or dog then we have the 31 MUST
ANSWER QUESTIONS to prepare you for a new reality.
Owning a dog – being a dog parent – can be a wonderful and rewarding relationship that
can last for years. Your dog will become an integral part of your life and so it’s important to
think about how you and your dog will live the next 10 or so years not just in the short
term.
So before you do anything at all, and prior to even thinking about which are the best
apartment dogs for you, take the time to answer every question in this guide.
“It’s better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret” (Source: Jackie Joyner-Kersee)
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What Are The Best Apartment Dogs?
The growing popularity of apartment dogs lead us to ask “What are the best apartment
dogs?” The best answer we came up with is that many dogs could be good apartment
dogs. However, the best apartment dogs for you will depend on you and your particular
circumstances.
It’s All About You
1. What breed of dog and dog personality will match;
Your Personality
Size and style of your Living Space (size of a dog is less of an issue if you
live in a 20,000 square foot apartment than a small NYC loft)
The Lifestyle you lead (active, business travel, homey)
Your Savings (Dogs cost. A lot!)
2. How much time, effort and money are you realistically willing to devote to
the responsibility of dog ownership? These will all be required on an ongoing basis
for;
Training your dog
Exercising your dog at least once daily, every day. Do you know how much
exercise a dog needs?
Socialization of your dog
Maintaining your dog’s health and well-being
The basics of food, treats, dog beds, dog crates, dog strollers, toys, collars
and/or a dog harness to name a few.
Now remember if you don’t have the time to make the effort to meet all the responsibilities
of dog ownership then you should not get a dog. Or a puppy. Take a visit to the local shelter
or dog rescue facility and meet some of the victims of “not enough (time, money, patience,
etc.)”. Dog ownership has many wonderful rewards that do come with responsibility.
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It’s Still All About You
O.K. so you still really want a dog. Let’s sit down and work through what you may need to
find out before you even think about the candidates for the best apartment dogs for your
situation.
We begin with the 31 MUST Answer Questions. We have presented these in the order that
makes the most sense. Firstly the Apartment Building Rules – there’s really no point in
proceeding to find the best apartment dogs for you if your Building Rules either don’t allow
dogs or only allow certain dogs.
The 31 Must Answer Questions are divided into these categories.
The Apartment Building Rules
Your Apartment
The Neighbors
Your Lifestyle
Dog’s Needs
And, if all the above work for you, then do you know the Cost of dog ownership (each
year and over a lifetime?)
Click through to check out our (growing) list of possible Apartment Dogs on our website.
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The Apartment Building Rules
1. Make sure you understand all the Rules of the Co-op or Board or Building
Management or Landlord as they relate to pets and dogs in particular. What are
the types of dog you are allowed (if it’s even an issue) and how many, if you intend
to own more than one dog?
2. What are the Rules as to moving through the building with a dog? When you take
your dog outdoors, you will need to make sure that you move him through the
communal areas with care so that no stress, fear or mess results for your neighbors.
You will also need to make sure your dog has been socialized to handle this.
3. What are the floor coverings in apartment’s common areas and within the
apartment? Will your future dog be comfortable walking on these?
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The Apartment
4. House proofing. Until you have trained your dog in the boundaries of the apartment,
how will you prevent your dog from ‘investigating’ his surroundings? How will you
keep your dog safe? Read our article on Dog Safety here.
5. If you live with other people are all of them prepared to accept a dog into the
apartment? Will they help with the responsibilities of owning a dog? What about
cleaning up and smells? Are allergies a consideration?
6. Consider outdoor space. If you have a balcony, check that your dog will be safe and
cannot jump off or fall. In ground floor apartments with an outdoor area check that
your dog will be secure if let out.
7. Will it matter if the dog sheds a lot of hair? Are your furnishings precious to you?
What about rugs or carpets? Are you prepared for additional cleaning due to
shedding? Read our article on DIY Dog Grooming here.
8. Do you need to fit interior doggy doors to allow freedom to move through some of
the apartment? Will your landlord allow this? At whose cost? Will you need to
reinstate the old doors when you leave?
9. How will you remove your dog should the unlikely scenario of an emergency
evacuation arise? What if your dog is at home alone? Have you made provision for
someone to rescue your dog?
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Neighbors
10. Remember, your dog’s behavior may impact your neighbors, especially if your dog is
extremely active or noisy. Consider how much can be heard through the walls? Is
there sufficient insulation or soundproofing throughout the apartment?
11. Do you know your neighbors? Dogs are a great conversation starter so they can
be a great way to break the ice and introduce yourself to your neighbors. If all goes
well, your neighbors may be able to feed your dog, provide holiday care, or alert you
if your pet is causing any problems in your absence. You never know – you may even
be able to set up a dog community or doggy play-dates within your apartment block.
But if it all goes pear shaped you may find yourself in an antagonistic relationship
with your neighbors. Never a good thing so you need to be mindful of what your
dog is doing even when you are not at home.
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Your Lifestyle
12. Where will you take your dog for toileting? Is it safe at all hours of the day and night
for you both?
13. If you live alone are you prepared to feed, walk, groom and play with your dog on,
at least, a daily basis? Or are you out all day and intend to leave your dog home
alone?
14. Do you already own a dog? Or other pet? How will they react to a new family
member?
15. What is the plan if you leave your dog home alone all day? When you come home
are you prepared to do some of the 15 Fun Things to Do with Your Dog?
16. Who will train your dog? How often? Where? Having the flexibility to train your dog
when its most suitable for you (rather than a trainer’s schedule) will further strengthen
your bond with your dog. Click through to Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer.
17. Should you consider a dog walker? Can you afford this as often as your dog may
need it? Daily? Twice Daily?
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18. If you intend to travel where will your dog go? With you? A boarding kennel? Can
you afford this? Are you prepared to crate train your dog so that he will be
comfortable and stress-free if separated from you? To prepare you and your dog for
any travel requirements, read our articles on DIY Dog Crates and Dog Crate Training.
19. Are you intending to move house during the dog’s lifetime? Your dog may affect
the type of housing you can move to. Does that bother you? What if you a new
partner comes into your life and you decide to go move in together – whose place
suits you best? Whose place suits your dog best?
20. Puppy or dog? A puppy requires a lot more hands-on attention especially during the
first 8 months. Are you prepared for nightly toilet training walks? Or have you thought
about an alternative plan?
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Your Dog’s Needs
21. Exercise. Read our complete article on How much Exercise Does a Dog Need.
22. Are there dog-friendly parks and walking areas nearby? Are they well-lit if you
intend to use them during outside of daylight hours? Read our Essential Dog Park
Guide here.
23. What will your dog eat? What shouldn’t you feed your dog?
24. Do you know how much sleep dogs need? Read our article on How Much Sleep Does
a Dog Need?
25. Where will your dog spend his days? Is doggy day care an option? How much does
it cost? Where is the nearest or most convenient day care centre? How can you
determine if it is a good centre? What if your dog hates it? Where to next?
26. Where is the nearest vet? How will you transport your dog to the vet? How good is
that vet? Do you need to go further to find a better vet?
27. Can you afford ordinary health costs for necessities such as worming,
vaccinations, flea and tick control and de-sexing?
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28. Are you prepared for unexpected expenses if your dog gets sick or is injured? Our
guide to being ready with a DIY Dog First Aid Kit can help you get started.
29. Pet insurance or no pet insurance? What are the risks? How much? What’s included
and excluded from insurance?
30. Dog treats. You’ve probably heard about them but do you know what they are and
how you should use them. Read our article on DIY Dog Treats to find out more.
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The Cost
31. The monetary cost of dog ownership over your dog’s lifetime can reach into the
tens of thousands of dollars. Are you prepared for the both initial and then the ongoing
costs of dog ownership?
Excluding the cost of buying a dog, the first year costs which include all the set up
requirements are estimated to be between $4,000 and $8,500. These costs will reduce in
the following years to $2,500 to $6,000. However that doesn’t include any out of pocket
expenses after insurance claims for any injuries or illnesses your dog could be inflicted with.
Oh, and it doesn’t include damage to household items which may need to be replaced or
fixed.
So, how useful did you find that exercise? Had you already thought about all those
responsibilities and the commitment you need to make to your dog?
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Which Dogs Make the Best Apartment Dogs?
Doggy Dan the Online Dog Trainer has trained thousands of dogs and dog owners and
helped us out with his observations including “I think getting a dog is like a box of
chocolates, you never really know what you are going to get!”
Regardless, you do still need to determine some basics characteristics of any dog or puppy
you may be thinking will make the list of good apartment dogs.
Breed
Within a litter of same breed puppies it is pretty much accepted that you will
have different personalities. There may be a dominant puppy, a submissive puppy,
a clown, a loner and perhaps a thinker. That litter of puppies is all the same breed,
yet they are all different in terms of their personalities and character.
What that tells us is that selecting a dog based on its breed attributes and
temperament is a great start. However, it is only the first step in determining which
dogs may make good apartment dogs.
Personality
You need to realise that you can’t accurately predict what type of personality
your dog will have. There are certain physical attributes which you can categorise
within each breed, and you can estimate the energy level of a dog approximately by
the breed. A 100lb dog running around a small apartment space is likely to do more
damage than a 20lb dog regardless they are both lively.
Good apartment dogs should generally be friendly by nature as they will interact
with more people merely because of the communal aspect of apartment living.
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Energy Level
When looking for a dog consider the energy level of that dog breed firstly. That’s
because some dogs need more exercise and if you can’t exercise your dog properly
you will soon run into unwanted behavior issues. For example a Border Collie will
do best with space to run around in whereas a greyhound is (surprisingly) lazy.
Match Size of Dog to Size of Apartment
You need to be realistic about the size of adult dog your apartment can handle. A
studio apartment provides a lot less comfort for both you and your dog than an
apartment with 2 bedrooms and a separate living area. It will be easier to manage a
dog in a smaller living area if the breed functions well in confined spaces (maybe
a little lazy) but once again, personality may contradict this! Who hasn’t seen both a
feisty chihuahua and a mellow one?
Barking
Think of your neighbors. The best apartment dogs should not be known to
be excessive or reactive barkers. Guard dog breeds may be more likely to bark
as people come and go from apartments. Dogs that have not been thoroughly
socialised or are not familiar with their surroundings may also ‘alert’ bark.
Ongoing Research
In our research to date, we have determined that the best apartment dogs can be many and
varied. We think we’ve just scratched the surface on an important yet immensely complex
question. We are constantly updating Best Apartment Dogs on our website with our review
of a new dog every week (that should keep us busy for the next 3 or so years!). We have
included some of these dogs in the next few pages to give you an idea of what we look for.
Click through to our website to find more dogs we have reviewed for their suitability as
apartment dogs
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THE HAVANESE
Breed Group Toy Smaller sized dogs that were bred to be companions.
Hypoallergenic Yes Relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
Temperament Happy Happy, love to play, willing to please, love attention. Love people.
Shedding No Non-shedding so low cleaning requirement.
Grooming High Brushing 2 to 4 times per week, occasional trimming.
Exercise Needs Low Regular exercise like short walks, games & dog park.
Barking Low Will bark to alert owner but not considered a very protective breed.
Weather/Temperature Cold Does not tolerate the cold.
Heat Can handle the heat.
Size Weight 7 to 13 pounds in weight.
Height 9 to 12 inches in height.
Best Apartment Dogs? Well Suited If You Will exercise the dog daily.
Will brush the dog every 2nd day.
Live alone and want companionship.
Provide protection to the dog in cold weather.
Consider your apartment size to be small.
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THE MINIATURE SCHNAUZER
Breed Group Small Smaller sized dogs that were bred to be companions.
Hypoallergenic Yes Relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
Temperament Well mannered Friendly, smart, obedient (easier to train), companionable, well-mannered and gentle.
Shedding No Non-shedding so low cleaning requirement.
Grooming Medium Has a double coat with an undercoat and wiry, hard outer coat. Requires brushing often.
Exercise Needs Low Regular exercise like leash walks, playful games & visits to a dog park.
Barking Low Some may bark a lot but that can be addressed with good dog training.
Weather/Temperature Cold Can handle the cold.
Heat Can handle the heat
Size Weight 13 to 15 pounds in weight.
Height 12 to 14 inches in height.
Best Apartment Dogs? Well Suited if You Will exercise the dog daily.
Will brush the dog every 2nd day.
Live alone or with other people or children or other dogs.
Will provide lots of engaging activities if he’s left alone.
Your apartment size is small.
Are prepared to give a bit extra grooming like shaping and clipping to soften the texture of the coat.
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THE FRENCH BULLDOG
Breed Group Medium Medium sized dogs.
Hypoallergenic No
Temperament Well mannered Friendly, sweet, alert, willing to please, loves to play, loves to snooze, and enjoys cuddling. Fun loving dog.
Shedding No Low-shedding so low cleaning requirement.
Grooming Medium Coat care is minimal. However French bulldogs have facial wrinkles that need regular cleaning. These dogs tend to snore and drool.
Exercise Needs Low All dogs need exercise but the French bulldog doesn’t need a lot. Play activities inside as well as walks will help.
Barking Low Bark to warn but don’t rely on them to do anything more than that!
Weather/Temperature Cold Can handle the cold.
Heat NOT GOOD in the heat especially if it’s hot and humid. Cannot swim and is not suited for outdoor living.
Size Weight 28 pounds in weight
Height 13 inches in height
Best Apartment Dogs? Well Suited if You Will provide a walk and some inside activities.
Are prepared to regularly clean the dog’s facial wrinkles which can become more prominent as he ages.
Live alone or with other people.
Like cuddles.
Live in any size apartment as French Bulldog’s are well suited to apartment living and they don’t need an outside area.
Are prepared for the snoring, wheezing and drooling!
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Don’t forget to visit us at www.diydogprojects.com