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DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR

When a Play Bow Is Not a Play Bow

We’ve all seen it. A dog stretches out her front legs and leans down on her elbows with her chest to the ground but leaves her rump in the air. It’s called a play bow. That’s because it’s an invitation — to another dog or to a person — to play. Most of the time.

Why You Shouldn’t Leave a 4-Year-Old Alone with a Dog

We have often said that leaving a dog and a child younger than 6 alone together is not a good idea. That’s true no matter how gentle the dog and no matter how well behaved the child. A preschooler may not realize she’s hurting the dog if, say, she wants to press her pet’s eyes to see if they’re squidgy. Or she may want to play with the toys of a possessive dog and may misinterpret the animal’s displeasure. A new study only strengthens the case for not leaving small children and dogs to their own devices.

New Thinking on the Right Way to Help a Dog with Conflict Aggression

If a dog gives a warning bark or snaps when the person who takes care of her goes near her food bowl or picks up one of her toys, she she may be afflicted with what is known as conflict aggression. A dog with conflict aggression might also sound a warning growl when the person goes to touch her, perhaps even just to attach the lead in order to go out for a walk.

Why Won’t My Dog Settle Down at Night?

It’s people with cats who frequently say their pet can’t settle in for the night and keep them up with their weehour wanderings throughout the house. Those with dogs often just complain that their pet hogs the bed. But there are plenty of dogs who experience nocturnal disturbances, too. Unlike with cats, the reasons for their difficulty staying calm at night can be quite serious, requiring your intervention. Here are four possibilities to consider for a dog’s late-night anxiety.

Crate Uses

Q: You said in a recent issue that the only time to lock a crate is during potty training. But what does someone do when she cannot be home, say, because of needing to go to work or a doctor’s appointment? The reality is that not all people have the resources to hire sitters or do doggy day camp. Also, what about when the vet prescribes strict crate rest for a dog recovering from an injury or surgery?

How Well Can You Read Your Dog?

Are you readily able to understand the expressions your dog makes? The answer is more likely to be “yes” if your dog has a plain face of a single color rather than a face with more than one color or a lot of markings. So say the results of a study of more than 100 dogs and their people called “What Is Written on a Dog’s Face?”

If a Service Dog Comes Over to You

You know that you’re not supposed to pet a service dog without obtaining permission first from the dog’s person. The dog is working and could be distracted by your attention.

Listen Up! You Can Make Your Deaf Dog a Lot Safer — and Happier!

As many as one in 10 dogs is deaf in one or both ears, according to the American Kennel Club. And many dogs that are not completely deaf don’t hear as well as a dog should. People often assume it’s only white dogs that can be deaf, but a dog doesn’t have to be all white, or even mostly white, to be genetically predisposed. The merle gene, present in collies, dappled dachshunds, American foxhounds, and other colorful breeds, increases the odds for deafness. So does the piebald gene, found in Samoyeds, greyhounds, beagles, and Dalmatians.

Anxious, Fearful, or Confident?

See if you can profile the dogs in these three scenarios:

Truly Hungry, Or Just Bored?

A number of years ago, the American Animal Hospital Association published a chart listing a number of things that stand in the way of weight loss for overweight dogs. Topping the chart: begging. Also way up there: guilt on the part of the pet “parent.”

Some Dogs Are Fools for Pools!

Indoor dog gyms are on the rise all over the country, and we’re all for the trend. In some locales, for months on end the weather is either too hot or too cold for adequate outdoor activity. Just like for people, a climate-controlled fitness center is the solution for getting a dog’s muscles moving and her brain’s mood-stabilizing endorphins flowing.

When Your Dog Says “No Canoodling!” with Your Human Partner

Perhaps your dog barks when you and your partner hug or kiss or show other signs of amorousness. Maybe she even tries to stop acts of physical intimacy, getting between you and your mate. Is she jealous?