Dogs’ eating their own poop (or coprophagia) isn’t as common as some people believe.  Contrary to popular belief, it is not normal dog behavior.  Healthy dogs fed a good diet don’t usually eat dog feces.  They may be interested in feces from other animals (cats in particular) but it’s not a healthy sign if your dog is eating his own feces.  Dogs eat their own feces and feces from other dogs for several reasons:

1.    Starvation

2.    A lack of required nutrients in his diet

3.    Poor nutrition from poor food

4.    Anxiety, boredom or loneliness.  Psychological problems can cause a dog to experiment and taste things.

5.    Mother dogs do clean up after their puppies.  This is normal dog behavior.  However they only clean up after the pups as long as they are nursing.  They stop cleaning up after the pups when they begin eating solid foods.

6.    Pups will taste feces (and anything else).  They are exploring the world.  It’s usually something they only do for a short time.

There are some things you can do to discourage your dog from eating poop.

1.    A vet visit is a good idea to rule out any underlying health problems.

2.    Make sure you are feeding your dog a good food so he’s getting good nutrition in adequate amounts.

3.    Clean up your yard often so there won’t be any “deposits” lying around to tempt your dog.

4.    You may need to walk you dog on a leash so you can pick up after him as soon as he potties and give him the “Leave it” command so he won’t bother the feces.

5.    Products like Forbid, meat tenderizer or MSG have been used successfully to discourage dogs from eating their own poop.  They make the poop taste bad to your dog (if you can imagine that).

6.    Do not let your dog have access to cat litter boxes.  These litter boxes will keep him coming back for more and make it impossible to break his habit.

7.    Make sure that your dog is getting lots of time with you and lots of playtime and exercise.  Keeping your dog busy and occupied doing enjoyable things can help keep his mind off less agreeable habits.

About the Author: Marianne Hepp is a trainer and owner of Naples Canine in Naples, Florida.   She blogs here at AskMarianneAboutDogs.com .

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Picking the perfect dog is often a difficult thing to do.  Even so, the effort is well worth it because when you find one that is just right you’ll have a friend for life.   On the other hand, picking a pet that is the wrong fit can make life hard for everyone.

There are many things to consider when choosing a pet.  Some of the requirements are age, temperament, breed, and history.  Beyond those criteria you also need to think about how you live.  This might mean considering other pets in the home as well as the frequency of your travel.  If there are children involved it is especially important to consider the dog that is right for them.

Another thing to think about is whether or not you can afford a dog.  There are certain breeds that are more costly over the long run than others.  If money is tight, you might want to consider whether you should get a dog in the first place.

Also, consult your family.  If everyone in the household is going to have to live with this animal and care for it you must make sure they agree with the decision.  This means evaluating the size of the animal and the breed everyone likes best.

If you’re going to want an adult dog be sure your follow these guidelines:
•    The dog behaves well around children
•    The dog gets along well with the pets you already have
•    The dog is healthy
•    The dog is friendly to family as well as guests
•    The dog has a good history
•    The dog fits in well with your current lifestyle

If you’re going to want a puppy be sure to follow these guidelines:
•    The parents of the puppy are healthy
•    The facility where the puppy was born and kept is clean and professional
•    The siblings of the puppy are active and explore their surroundings
•    The adults in the kennel are friendly
•    The puppy has clear eyes
•    The facility owners have references
•    The facility owners have a lot of experience
•    There is a return policy
•    The puppy comes with records of all vaccinations and health issues

If the dog or puppy does not meet these guidelines you’ll have to make a tough decision.  You might want to look at other kennels and find a different dog.  If you’re not hunting around in kennels you can also check animal shelters.  Sometimes that’s the best road to take because you’ll be saving a life as well.

This certainly is not an exhaustive list of things you need to think about, but it can still give you a good head start.  Good luck in choosing your pet!

About the Author: Marianne Hepp is a trainer and owner of Naples Canine in Naples, Florida.   She blogs here at AskMarianneAboutDogs.com .

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Dogs can mean a lot of different things when they lick.  Believe it or not, licking is a form of communication for dogs, as well as something dogs use for grooming and eating.  So it can serve multiple purposes.  That makes it complicated and a little hard to figure out at times.

Licking begins in the whelping box, along with most of the behaviors that your dog displays.  A mother dog licks her pups to stimulate them when they’re first born.  Licking encourages their circulation, it rouses them, it removes the membrane covering them when they’re first born, and it stimulates them to nurse.  Later on the mother will lick them to encourage their bowel movements and to wash them.  Of course, to someone observing a mother taking care of her pups, all of this probably looks like maternal love!  And it may be, but it still serves many purposes.

As they get older, puppies will lick their mothers (and other adult dogs) around the lips to try to stimulate them to regurgitate partially digested food for them.  This is quite normal for wolves and wild dogs, but our domesticated dogs can do it, too.  This behavior — licking a mother figure around the face — may be retained later in life.  Perhaps this is the reason why dogs try to lick people around the face?  In some cases this could be true.

As communication, puppies will lick around the faces of their elders to show their submission.  A dog may also lick their owner’s face for this same purpose.

Dogs also engage in licking behavior out of nervousness or because of feelings of anxiety.  Licking may help to relieve the nervousness.  A dog may lick as a way to try to appease someone higher in the “pack” and the pack may include their owner.  If your dog is nervous or anxious, or fears that he has made you angry, he may try to lick around your face as a way to make up with you.

Dogs can also lick people as a way of getting attention.  Like other behaviors, licking can be learned and become a habit if you reinforce it.  For instance, if your dog licks you and you think it’s cute, you may laugh or pet your dog.  This will encourage your dog to lick you again in the future because he’s getting positive attention (or any attention) for performing this behavior.  If your dog is very socially bold he may become very pushy about this behavior and try to lick your face whenever he feels like it.  It can be difficult to break this habit once it gets started.

Some dogs can lick things compulsively.  This licking is usually directed at their own grooming but it can also include things such as woodwork or furniture.  In some cases it may also include the owner.  Dogs may lick toes, feet, hands and faces in a compulsive way.  You may need to talk to your veterinarian about medication to help with these compulsions and you will need to work on changing your dog’s behavior.

Dogs may lick someone’s face for a lot of different reasons depending on the individual dog.  If you want the behavior to stop, try to figure out what’s motivating your dog.  Is he nervous?  Is the licking a habit?  Is he trying to get attention?  Once you know why your dog is licking you, then you can work on what to do about the behavior.

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Dog parks are not for everyone and certainly not for every dog.  Many of my clients enjoy taking their dogs to the dog park for interaction with other dogs.

Dogs are pack animals and accordingly, enjoy running and playing with other dogs. If they are available in your area, dog parks are a great place where your dog can run off leash and socialize with other dogs. Not only do they please your furry companion, but you can feel like a good owner in knowing that your dog is getting their social needs met.

Even though dogs are allowed to be off leash, they must still, obviously, be supervised by their owners. The dog park environment seems relaxed and in the dog’s favor, but you still have the potential to maintain teaching your dog to be obedient. Many dog park guests simply sit on the bench and wait for their dog to wear themselves out so they can leave. Doing this is neglecting your responsibility to your position as your dog’s master and teacher.

In such an atmosphere, there is the potential for your dog to cause problems that you might not notice if you allow yourself to disconnect from your animal while they are at play. To prevent such skirmishes and to remind your animal that they are still to obey you, take the time to do the following steps the next time you are out at the dog park. Making sure your animal is still listening and obedient, even while excited and at play, will ensure their safety and fun while out.

1.    Practice periodically leashing your dog and removing him from the fenced area. Go over a few basic commands he is used to, such as sit or stay, and reward him before returning him to playing. This technique reminds your animal that obeying you is still important, even when he is having tons of fun or is distracted.

2.    When dogs are loose and at play, dominance aggression is sometimes an inevitable occurrence. Social canine aggression can lead to dangerous tiffs in which your dog, or someone else’s dog, could get injured. You can minimize the potential for aggression cropping up by reminding your dog and nearby dominant dogs that you are in control of him. Do this by calling to your animal by name while they are at play, having him come to you and petting him before allowing him to return to the other dogs.

3.    Be careful to keep a close watch on your dog and to dissolve or remove him from bad situations with negative behavior. Red flags include tense or aggressive body language, mounting, intense staring, snarling or nipping. While in a pack, as is the case in dog parks, dominant dogs have a tendency to single out submissive ones. If your dog lies on their back, tucks in their tail or begins to urinate, make sure to remove him immediately, as this is a sign of being overwhelmed by stress and fear.

Good trips to the dog park can be a great experience for both you and your dog. Remember a tired dog is a happy dog and playing at the park can give your dog the much needed exercise he needs.

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Dogs are known as man’s best friend.  If you want to keep your best friend around and healthy for a long time to come you need to put him on the right diet.  If your dog is on the wrong diet he may suffer from certain medical problems.

Some of these medical problems include allergies, diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, and urinary tract infections.  You can’t just feed your dog scraps from the table and expect him to be healthy.  Medical research has shown us what is best for their food.

The first thing to realize is that dogs can eat certain meat and vegetable table scraps.  Never give them things like chocolate, broccoli, and alcohol.  These are unhealthy and dangerous for dogs.

Beyond that, dry food is better for your dog than the watery types of dog food.  The main reason for this is because the wet dog foods are generally loaded with preservatives.  Any food you do choose should have plenty of minerals, vitamins, carbs, and protein.  In fact, carbohydrates are so important that you should be sure they make up 50% of your dog’s daily diet.

There are some dogs that have special considerations above and beyond other dogs.  Diabetic dogs need more protein and less carbs, for instance.  Dogs with allergies need modified protein such as Omega 3 and Omega 6.  Additionally, if your dog has stones in his bladder you need to feed him a diet low in protein and make sure he is getting enough antibiotics.

If your dog is obese you should consider giving them two-thirds the amount of food you have been serving. Also, cut down meals to just three times per day.  Increasing their fiber intake is a great way to aid in digestion and increase weight loss.  Of course, this should be dependent on what their veterinarian recommends.

No matter what condition your dog has, it’s best to visit a trained specialist.  They will be able to refer you to proper treatment guidelines.  This can make the difference between making great diet decisions and poor ones.

Since you’re a concerned pet owner you want to do what is best for your pet.  The trouble is that what you think is best might not be.  There is no reason for your dog to suffer because all you need to do is a little research.  Taking the time to investigate can save your furriest friend from feeling discomfort, pain, or dying.

About the Author: Marianne Hepp is a trainer and owner of Naples Canine in Naples, Florida.   She blogs here at AskMarianneAboutDogs.com .

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Puppies are cute, affectionate, loving and silly. They’re fun to play with and cuddle with. What could be better than one puppy except two, right?

Maybe.

Puppies may be all of these great things, but remember, puppies are tons of responsibility. For all the work you’ll have to do to housebreak one puppy, you’ll have to do it all twice as much. For all the money you spend on food, toys, treats and supplies, you’ll have to spend double. For all the love, attention, work and time you put into one puppy, you’ll have to put in two times that amount.

Now, if you’re an experienced pet owner and have handled having two young dogs in the past before, you may already know all the work involved and are willing to do it. In that case, good luck and have fun. However, most of us have never had to bring up two puppies at the same time. That being the case, most of us can’t fully realize the kind of effort that goes into raising two dogs simultaneously. Remember this before you commit to two new family members.

One problem that is often brought up about rearing two puppies at the same time is that they get closer with each other than they will with you. If a puppy has another dog to be his companion, he doesn’t need the human partnership most pets crave. Additionally, once he passes a certain point without that human bond, he will never bond as close with his master as he could have if he were forced to at an early age.

An obvious problem with this is that oftentimes companion dogs will pay more attention to the other dog than they will to their humans. This can make the two dogs a lot harder to control, to train and to housebreak. Dogs are pack animals and once you have more than one dog, you have a pack. Packs are self-involved and hard to handle. They can also be dangerous in early years, as a pack order must be established and may or may not come easily. Fights can happen, intimidation, abuse from one dog to the other. Remember than all of these complications are very real possibilities that may occur from raising two puppies at once.

A common reason people have for wanting to get two puppies is that they want one to keep the other company. They overlook all the work that will go into raising two babies (as that is essentially what puppies are) at once and decide that one needs another. Remember that your dog will get plenty of company from you if you are devoting enough time and attention to it and if you still feel that your dog needs a companion, it is much easy and better idea to wait until your first puppy is a year of age, past housebreaking and training, to adopt another. That way, you’ll be positive that you can accept the responsibility of being a two dog household.

About the Author: Marianne Hepp is a trainer and owner of Naples Canine in Naples, Florida.   She blogs here at AskMarianneAboutDogs.com .

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If your pet is overweight you might be very concerned.  The sad fact is that almost a quarter of our pets are actually overweight.  It’s important to understand why this is happening.  Some think it correlates with the electronic age and the lack of time we all have for our pets.

People tend to take a lot of shortcuts these days.  There are remote controls, microwaves, dishwashers and computers that are all meant to make our lives easier.  These things that are meant to make our lives easier and leave more time for things like walking the dog often do not.  Unfortunately, there is no time.

Sure, our tasks can be completed quickly.  Even so, people are finding other things to fill their time with.  People spend hours on the Internet or in front of the TV screen instead of getting outside and walking the dog.

It is a sad shame that people can’t find pleasure in the simple things anymore.  Our pets are suffering, which is probably a direct cause of our own sedentary lifestyles.  People are even moving into more urban areas with less room for dogs to run around.

Another reason that pets are overweight is because of over-processed pet foods.  Pet owners also feed their dogs unhealthy scraps and think that it will have no effect.

You do need to take notice and action if your pet is overweight.  If it continues your dog will die at an early age.  There are also many diseases associated with obesity.  Some are:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Heart Complications
• Endocrinal Diseases
• Bad Joints

The best thing for you to do if you suspect your dog is overweight is take him to a vet’s office. They can set you straight with an exercise plan and diet for your dog.  You might find that you’ve been doing some things wrong that directly contributed to your dog’s weight problem.

Another thing you can do is make sure you’re not too busy to spend time with your pet.  No matter how busy your schedule is you must make time for your pet.  Your dog will be a lot happier and healthier if you feed him the right things and take the time to do some healthy exercise.

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Your dog is a part of your family.  He might be your best friend who is always there for you.  If you want to keep your dog happy and healthy you need to pay attention to the summer heat and other conditions.  This is very important for your dog’s health.

Always keep your dog well hydrated.  If it is very warm it won’t take much to make them dehydrated.  This problem is even worse for dogs that have thick fur.  The best thing for you to do is to keep the water bowl very visible.  Every time you or a family member walks by you need to remember to refill it.  If you are going to be outside of our home you should bring a water bottle and stop your dog to drink often.

When there is extreme heat you also need to limit the amount of exercise they get outside.  You do need to take walks in order to keep them in general health, but consider different options when there are heat warnings.  You could just shorten the time of your walk or break it up into two halves.  Another option is to plan the walk for the very early morning or late evening.

It is a good idea to stick close to your home in extreme heat no matter what you do.  That way you can ask for help if a situation arises where you need it.  If you go on a hiking trail it will be hard to get help.  In fact, you can’t even take your vehicle to such a situation.

When you’re making your decisions it’s important to think about the health of your dog.  If it is very old you’ll need to take even more care.  Older dogs require more hydration and rest, and may need to stay inside completely during extreme heat.  Younger dogs can handle these changes more easily.

Beyond staying hydrated you also need to check for ticks.  These are tiny insects that latch onto your dog’s skin and can carry diseases like Lyme’s disease.  These are incredibly common in the warm weather and if you have a wooded area around your home.  Search through your dog’s fur daily and remove the tick carefully with tweezers.  If you find a deer tick you’ll need to get your dog evaluated at the vet.

A silly mistake that many pet owners make is leaving their dog inside of a car.  It doesn’t matter whether your windows are cracked or not.  A car is like an over that can quickly become over 100 degrees.  This can create a lot of trouble for your beloved dog.

Above all, use your common sense in the summer.  Take this advice and you’ll eliminate the chance that you’ll need to make an emergency stop at the vet.  This will give you peace of mind and create a happier pet for you.

About the Author: Marianne Hepp is a trainer and owner of Naples Canine in Naples, Florida.   She blogs here at AskMarianneAboutDogs.com .

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Isn’t it a huge pain when you’ve just planted a gorgeous garden and your furry friend of the house comes along to dig it all up? Or building a new fence to find that Spot already knows how to get around (or more literally, under) it?

Dogs are instinctually driven to dig, but that doesn’t mean you can’t train them to respect your yard.

First of all you should ask yourself why your dog is digging. Is he bored? If this may be the case, look into investing in more chew toys or treat dispenser toys that dogs have to play with to get food out of. Hiring a pet sitter to walk your dog may be a good idea, or hiding their food in small amounts around the house to keep them entertained at breakfast time.

Aside from boredom, stress may be making the dog misbehave. Before you proceed any further on fixing this behavior, ask yourself if there are any recent changes in your lifestyle or home life that might be making your pet act up. Are you remembering to take him out often enough? Are there any other stresses that may be affecting him? If you still aren’t sure about what the problem is, try these tips to getting them to stop digging:

The most obvious method that people use to try and stop digging is to catch their dogs in the act and scold them. While this may work while you’re around to enforce it, many dogs will just wait until their owner is gone and go right back to digging.

A better idea is to make your dog think you are not involved in the consequences they receive after they dig.

One idea is to have a sprinkler set up near the area your dog likes to dig. If you can, turn on the sprinkler when you see your pet tearing up the ground. This works especially well if you can leave on the sprinkler for short periods of time while you are away. Once again, they will not realize where the harsh response is coming from; they’ll just know they don’t like it.

One really good trick to keeping your dog from digging is to place their own feces in the holes they like to dig. Dogs do not like the smell of their own droppings (remember, it must be THEIR feces, not any other dog’s), and will refuse to dig in the hole anymore if they smell them.

If you are having problems with a dog digging under a fence, make sure there are no gaps in the fence. Lay down concrete in any holes or put chicken wire from the bottom of the fence to the ground. If there are no gaps, consider laying concrete blocks along the bottom of the fence.

Digging is a huge pain and certainly doesn’t improve the aesthetics of your yard. Remember to keep your puppy entertained and find ways to encourage him to play in positive ways over destructive ones.

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