It may be cute in a puppy, but when your full-grown dog jumps up to greet you, it can be a nuisance and dangerous for children and elderly friends. Because dogs jump up to say “hello,” it can be difficult to break them of the habit. With some consistent training, however, you can teach your pet a more polite way to welcome you and your guests.   When puppies greet an older dog, they often lick the adult’s muzzle as an appeasement gesture. In the same way, your canine companion tries to meet you nose-to-nose, jumping on his hind legs to do so. To break your dog of his highflying habit, it is important to show him that you will only greet pets that have all four feet on the ground. If your dog jumps, don’t acknowledge him by pushing him off, but instead look over his head and turn away if necessary. As soon as your dog’s front paws are planted, reward him verbally and with affection or a treat, withdrawing your attention immediately if he hops on his hind legs again.   It is also important to replace your dog’s jumping with another behavior, which you can do by practicing the “sit and stay” greeting. Practice this type of training on your own, or with a friend by having your friend hold your dog on a loose leash and asking him to sit. You can then walk towards the two from about a dozen feet away, stopping and returning to the starting point each time your dog hops up. This will eventually help your pet form a connection between a seated greeting and a reward— your attention. If your dog gets too excited to meet a person while seated, you can try replacing jumping with holding or playing with his favorite toy instead. Remember, if he jumps up during training, remain calm and never shout or knee your dog or cause him any other pain when he hops up on humans.   Once you’ve experimented with replacing jumping with another behavior, try greeting real guests. Crate your dog, put him on a leash, or otherwise keep him calm when company comes over until he has mastered a composed “hello.” With some time and practice, your canine companion should master the art of welcoming humans without hopping up. If, however, you are struggling with training your dog shows signs of aggression, such as growling or bearing his teeth, seek help from a certified trainer. Most importantly, remember you can’t teach your dog a behavior some of the time, so be consistent about ignoring your dog when he jumps up and reinforce acceptable behavior immediately. 

Dogs are pack animals by nature and follow a sophisticated set of rules regarding pack order. Establishing yourself as your dog’s leader, then, is important from Day One. Not only will this create structure and purpose in your dog’s life, but it also ensures you have a healthy, balanced relationship with your canine companion.   One of the best ways to assert yourself as pack later—or “alpha”—is through body language and tone of voice. Dogs respond well to calm, confident commands, so remember to stand tall and stay assertive around your pet. Dogs tend to see nervous behavior as a sign that all is not well within the pack, and may try to take charge if they perceive that the order is failing. Another key to establishing dominance is to set firm rules and boundaries. Train your dog to wait at the door and enter after you’ve given him permission, for example. Have him sit or do another trick before he receives a treat or toy, and don’t let him walk ahead of you and pull on the lead during walks. Mealtime is a great opportunity to establish pack order because, in the wild, pack leaders eat first. Practice a similar setup with your dog by eating your own breakfast before he has his, and do not allow your dog to approach the table during mealtime. Make sure your pet is calm and obedient before receiving his food.   Pack leaders generally do not approach their fellow dogs, but rather, let members of the pack come to them. In the same way, do not force your affection on your dog, but allow him to approach you when he wants attention. This will reinforce your role as alpha while still giving your companion the attention he loves and deserves. You can also shower your pet with belly rubs, since your dog’s stomach is a vulnerable spot and making it available to you shows submission. Spend quality time grooming and petting your dog, slowly working your way up to petting touchy areas. Remember, leaders are always kind, never hit, and react with praise or corrections immediately and in a straightforward way that their dogs understand.   If your dog is aggressive or dominant, remember to start asserting your alpha position slowly. A sudden display of dominance could trigger a challenge and potentially lead to aggressive behavior. Creating a plan and sticking to it over time will not only give your dog structure and control, but will also create a stronger pet-owner bond, demonstrating your affection for your dog in a way he understands best.

People tend fall into two camps when it comes to dog kisses: Some come home, swoop down and let Fido lavish them with slobbery smooches, while others are repulsed by the very idea of pet saliva. Similarly, research is ambivalent when it comes to the health hazards of your dog’s kisses. While numerous parasites and bacteria might lurk in your pet’s saliva, some studies suggest his smooches could also boost your immune system and even ward off allergies and asthma.   One thing to keep in mind when deciding how far to let your canine’s kisses go is that, contrary the old wives’ tale, your dog’s mouth is not cleaner than your own. This makes perfect sense when you consider some of the things your dog sticks in his nose in. Your pet could be breeding more than bacteria in his mouth, too: Parasites such as hookworms and roundworms can also pass from dog to human through licking. People with weakened immune systems, young children and the elderly should especially consider staying away from their pet’s kisses, as their bodies are less able to fight off infections. That being said, some studies posit that pet saliva also increases the amount of good bacteria we’re exposed to, potentially boosting humans’ immunes systems. Others cite the wound-healing properties of dog salvia, which may inhibit bacterial growth and shorten the time it takes wounds to heal.   While licking can be a sign of submission and respect, excessive kisses from your canine can indicate something’s wrong. One common cause for excessive licking is anxiety or stress, caused by moving house or introducing someone new to the household, for example. Illnesses or other health problems can also cause a change in behavior, so pay close attention if your dog has suddenly started licking and call your veterinarian for advice. If, on the other hand, your dog’s excessive licking is a behavior that’s built over time, you can try simple techniques to curb his kissing, such as replacing your face with his favorite peanut butter-filled Kong. You can also try basic obedience training to demonstrate to your pet that you are not pleased with his behavior. Remember, puppies offer up face and lip licking as an appeasement gesture to their elders, so comes naturally to dogs. That means it’s important to curb the habit of excessive licking early on, before it becomes a problem. If you do choose to let your dog lavish you with kisses, be sure to regularly deworm him and treat any parasites that show up in his annual veterinary exam.

A dog may be man’s best friend, but it doesn’t always feel that way when you come home to find he’s destroyed your favorite pair of shoes or gnawed the arm of the sofa. There are several explanations for Fido’s fixation on chewing, however, ranging from separation anxiety to boredom, and identifying the underlying cause can help lead to a solution.   Dogs are most likely to chew your prized possessions as puppies, when they lose their baby teeth and turn to teething to alleviate pain as their adult teeth grow in. The good news for owners of gnaw-happy puppies is that most will outgrow this phase. Chewing comes naturally to dogs, however, and some will continue chomping away at your Italian loafers well into adulthood. Often, unwanted chewing is the product of pent-up energy that your pet needs to expel. You can prevent this boredom-relate behavior by making sure you give your pet plenty of exercise, playtime and mental stimulation. If, however, you’re sure your dog is getting enough exercise, you should pay attention to when he’s munching away at your personal possessions to determine the underlying cause. If Fido’s chewing mostly takes place while you’re away from home, it may be a sign of separation anxiety. If, on the other hand, his chewing starts suddenly, it could be a symptom of nutritional deficiencies or other gastrointestinal problems and you should seek veterinary help. Other causes could be hunger, attention-seeking or even fear.   If your puppy is chewing up the household, remember this is a phase that will likely pass and in the meantime, puppy-proof your home by moving objects you don’t want chewed out of reach. You should also take this time to establish yourself as the alpha in the relationship so you can better control unwanted behaviors as your dog grows. Remember, even after his puppy years, your dog’s natural instinct is to chew, so establishing a pack order will help lay boundaries for what is and isn’t okay to eat. If your adult dog has made a habit of snacking on your favorite slippers, focus on redirecting him to his own toys. These should be things like a Kong filled with food or rawhide bone, which won’t easily be confused with your own socks and shoes. Correct bad behavior immediately — by giving your dog a treat in return for dropping your work file, for example — because even a few minutes after the fact, he won’t remember what he did. You can also discourage chewing by “claiming” the object your dog is gnawing, using body language and assertion to show your dog that the object belongs to you. If all else fails, invest in bad-tasting sprays to deter chowing. With some effort and consistency, you should see your dog’s chewing behaviors redirected to his own toys. If you’re struggling, however, you can consider seeking professional help to rewire Fido’s fixation on mastication.

Like CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver, breaking up a dogfight is one of those skills you hope you never use. The fact is, however, not all dogs get along. The best way to deal with a dogfight is to watch for warning signs and stop aggressive behavior before it escalates. Sometimes, however, a full-fledged fight is already underway.   Your first instinct when a fight breaks out between dogs is to reach into the scuffle and grab your dog by the scruff of his neck. This maneuver, however, is more likely to leave you injured than stop the clash. Instead, if you and another person are breaking up a fight together, you should each grab a dog’s back legs and raise them up, just like you would lift a friend’s legs while doing the “wheelbarrow” when you were a kid. Without the use of his back legs, your dog will have no choice but stand on his front legs, precluding any efforts to continue fighting. Back both dogs away slowly, continuing to hold their legs in the air while you move in a backwards arc that will prevent your dog from reaching around to bite you. Once the two dogs are safely separated, try holding your pet securely until he is calm. It will help to turn him so he’s facing away from the infringing dog and distract him from his tiff.   Breaking up a dogfight up solo is significantly more challenging and dangerous, but you can proceed with caution if necessary. First, get a leash and then slowly approach the more aggressive dog until you’re close enough to loop the leash around his midsection. You’ll want to catch the dog just in front of his back legs and slip the free end of the leash through its looped handle so you can pull the loop taut. You can then pull the dog backward until you find something to fasten him to, such as a telephone pole or fence post. At this point, shift your focus to the second dog and grab him from behind using the technique described above. Again, pull him at least 20 feet away from his adversary and restrain him until the dogs are calm or help arrives. In both cases, remember to remain calm and avoid screaming or panicking, which can further agitate the dogs.   Breaking up a dogfight is dangerous and should only be a last resort. The best way to prevent injuries to both you and your pet is to know the warning signs of a fight and prevent the kerfuffle before it happens. If your dog is “smiling;” cowering and looking away; licking his lips; yawning; turning away and flattening his ears; flicking or tucking his tail; or turning his head away from the threatening dog while keeping his eyes on him, you can be sure a fight is about to break out and you should separate the two dogs immediately.

Your dog’s decision to nap under the table or behind the sofa may seem odd, but to him it is perfectly natural. That’s because dogs seek out safe spaces to sleep, where predators cannot easily attack. More often than not, these are small, enclosed areas, which is why crates make an easy fit for most pets. Though some pet owners are put off by crates’ cage-like appearance, your dog’s crate can become his personal den, providing him with a safe space to rest once the legwork of training is over.   Crate training doesn’t just give your dog security, but can help speed up house training, protect your home from chewing, and give your dog a familiar carrier during trips to the vet or family holidays. Once your canine companion feels safe in his crate, he can stay there during short periods when you are out or busy. And, although you should never use the crate as punishment, it can be a valuable time-out spot when a puppy is feeling overly excited or tired.   Dogs that are simply placed in a crate and left there will associate the space with an unpleasant experience and be reluctant to enter again. That’s why introducing your dog to his crate slowly and carefully is crucial to successful training. As is often the case, it is best to begin crate training with a puppy. Size matters when choosing a crate, and the dimensions should be big enough for your full-grown pet to stand up, turn around, and stretch out when lying down. After picking the right crate, make it comfortable by equipping it with soft bedding, fresh water and toys or long-lasting treats, such as a stuffed Kong. To create a cozy, den-like feeling, you can also cover the crate with a blanket or sheet and place it is in a quiet corner of the house where your dog can see what’s going on, but won’t be disturbed. At the start of training, leave the door open so your pet can come and go as he pleases and praise any voluntary exploration. Encourage your pet to check out his new digs with treats and food. As you work up to asking your dog to go fully inside the crate, use a simple associative command such as “Crate” or “Bed.”   Eventually, your dog will be comfortable entering his crate and you can begin to close the door for a second or two and work up to longer spans. At this stage, you can begin feeding your dog meals inside his crate, reinforcing positive associations. Remember to remain in the room with your puppy in the beginning, but don’t acknowledge any whining or barking, as this is a cue that the closed door is cause for alarm. Instead, wait until your dog is quiet to let him out, immediately visiting the bathroom afterwards. Remember, never leave your dog in his crate for more than a few hours, except overnight once training is complete.

While dogs are capable of forming a range of barks, grunts and whimpers, their primary means of communication is body language. As with people, eye contact is one of the foremost forms of body language used by our canine companions. However, locking eyes means something very different in the canine world and people need to be aware that their friendly gaze may be considered a challenge or threat before meeting the eyes of an unfamiliar dog.   Humans view eye contact as a polite way to connect and show interest. Dogs, however, see the same action as a sign of dominance. Dogs rarely make prolonged eye contact with other dogs and a straight gaze is generally deemed threatening behavior. In most cases, one dog will break eye contact with another to avoid a potential fight. In the same way, a dog you’ve locked in a stare may show submissive behavior, such as looking away or rolling over onto his back. Some dogs, however, react aggressively to the perceived challenge, backing up and barking or even biting in response. Rather than unwittingly threaten a dog you’ve just met, then, greet him in a way that is comfortable for both parties. Approach the dog with your body slightly angled, so your shoulders aren’t squared towards him, and avert your eyes from a direct gaze. This non-threatening body language combined with a soft voice will let the dog know you are not a threat and should deflect any aggressive reactions from your new canine friend.   There are, of course, some settings in which eye contact doesn’t disturb dogs. Dogs will locks eyes with each other to initiate playful games such as chasing, for example. However, you’ll most often catch canines politely avoiding any prolonged stares, with one dog turning his head away from the other in an appeasing gesture. In the same way, your dog may defer dominance to you by avoiding your stare, but you can teach him that eye contact with people is positive and can lead to rewards, such as attention or treats. Ideally, eye contact training begins when your dog is a puppy, although adult dogs can learn to make non-threatening eye contact with humans, too. One easy way to teach your dog to meet your gaze is by simply putting him on a leash and either waiting for him to make eye contact on his own or prompting him with a treat a few inches from your face. Once he locks eyes with you, reward him with a cue, either verbal or with a clicker, and a treat. Over time, you can practice the same routine in different settings and with new people, teaching your pet to lock eyes with a range of people. If your dog displays aggression in response to eye contact, however, ask your veterinarian to refer you to a professional trainer for help.

Every dog owner’s seen his pet rush to the door only to chow down on the nearest patch of grass. While common knowledge holds that this is a quick fix for Fido to make himself sick, vets have largely debunked this myth. Dogs lack the enzymes needed to digest grass, too, meaning there is little nutritional value in their grazing. So the question remains: Why do dogs engage in this seemingly senseless behavior?   Unlike their feline counterparts, dogs are not full-fledged carnivores. For thousands of years, canines operated as opportunist omnivores, scavenging most anything that met their dietary needs. Modern dogs, however, no longer eat like their predecessors. While wild dogs often ate their prey in its entirety, including the stomach contents of plant-eating animals, our pets consume a very different diet. This may explain why some seek out grass as an alternative food source. Some theorize that grass helps improve digestion, especially in cases where Fido is lacking in fiber.   While eating plant matter may come naturally to dogs, this doesn’t explain why your canine companion sometimes throws up after eating grass. Some theorize that dogs intentionally graze on grass to make themselves sick when they’re not feeling well— to ease nausea or bloating, to clear a blocked digestive tract, or as a reaction to parasites or bacteria, for example. Evidence suggests the vast majority of foraging canines aren’t ill when they start eating grass, however, and veterinarians have found that less than a quarter of dogs that eat grass regularly throw up afterwards.   While some dogs seek out grass and other vegetables matter due to nutritional deficiencies or an upset stomach, vets believe many cases of “pica” — eating things that aren’t food, including grass — are simply a sign of boredom. If you suspect your dog’s pica is due to under-stimulation, ensure he’s getting enough exercise by engaging him in fun activities such as playing interactive games together or buying him a chew toy. If, on the other hand, you suspect your dog’s grazing is due to a nutritional deficiency, try switching to a higher quality dog food with more fiber. Some dogs, however, may continue eating grass simply because they like eat. Though experts agree that grazing isn’t harmful in and of itself, pesticides used on lawns can be toxic when ingested by your canine companion. And while some afternoon snacking on grass is normal, you should take your dog to the vet if he seems distressed or eats grass often in order to vomit, as these may be signs of underlying veterinary conditions.

We all love our dogs and, as we do with people, often show our affection by showering our precious pets with hugs. Few of us stop to observe our canine companions’ reactions to these displays of affection, but if we did, most would notice our dogs lip licking, yawning, pawing or displaying other nervous signs. The truth of the matter is, dogs don’t like to hug it out like people do, and your pet likely interprets a warm embrace as confusing, if not threatening, behavior.   The simple science behind why dogs don’t like hugs from their humans comes down to one thing: Dogs don’t hug each other. Dogs are pack animals by nature and when another dog places his paws on your dog’s neck or drapes his neck overtop your dog’s shoulder, this is considered a social threat. Your dog doesn’t recognize an embrace as affectionate behavior, then, but instead feels he is being pinned down. Dogs show their affection through other behaviors, such as licking, physical proximity and playing. So, while your canine companion may not return your warm embrace, he could be showing his adoration in a multitude of other ways.   Signs your dog is uncomfortable hugging it out include tensing up; putting his tail down or ears back; turning his head away; closing his eyes or opening them wide; raising a paw; or trying to move or duck away from the unwanted affection. Because hugs can be confusing for our canines, you dog might also display displacement behaviors, which include lip licking and yawning. If your pet shows any of these behaviors when being showered with affection, it is a clear sign he is uncomfortable and you should stop. Dogs may try to bite children who try to hug them, especially when the child is excited or screaming. And while some dogs may enjoy hugs from their trusted owners, an embrace from strangers can send shivers down their spines. The best way to know how your dog is feeling is to observe his behavior and reactions to an event.   Receiving hugs can be confusing for our canines. After all, why would their most trusted humans lock them in a threatening embrace? Instead, owners should shower their companions with affection in ways that translate well to both species. Like humans, dogs enjoy being near to those they love, so allow your pet to sit next to you on the couch or in your lap. Spend time engaged in activities you both enjoy, such as playing with a favorite toy, visiting the local park or gentle grooming. Shower your dog with touch, which will affirm your bond with him. If you receive a few slobbery kisses in return, you’ll know your dog feels the same way. P.S. THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN BY US. IT IS REPORTING SOME RECENT RESEARCH. WE HUG OUR DOGS EVERYDAY!!!:) - Petbucket Team!

As all pet owners know, when their pets are sleeping, they sleep hard. It might be a dog sleeping upside down on the couch or a cat stretched out at the most uncomfortable angle possible, just to ensure that its entire body is in the splash of sun on the floor. Waking up the pet isn’t easy when it’s in a warm spot, taking a nap.   But after watching your pet snooze much of the day, you may start wondering whether the animal is sleeping more than it should. Then if that same pet is spending much of the night prowling the house and keeping you awake, you may start to wonder if the pet is sleeping enough.   Finding the Right Amount of Sleep   It’s important that you understand whether your pet is receiving the right amount sleep. When a pet is not sleeping enough or is sleeping too much, it could indicate an animal that is suffering from some sort of illness or disorder. The amount of sleep that each pet needs will differ for numerous reasons.   ?Activity. A pet that doesn’t have much of an activity level may sleep more than average, in large part because it’s bored. To keep this pet healthy, you need to ensure the pet starts getting more exercise and sleeps less.   ?Age. An older pet will begin sleeping more than it did in its early adulthood, while a young animal will also sleep more than the average.   ?Instinct. If you have a pet that normally is a nocturnal type of animal, such as a cat, it may sleep more during the day, when you can see its activity level. But it may quietly be awake throughout the night, when you cannot see what it’s doing, meaning you may think it’s sleeping too much.   ?Job. Some pets are working animals, where they may volunteer at a hospital or work with humans as a police animal or a companion animal. The more the animal works, the more it will mimic the sleep patterns of the human with which it works.   ?Predator. Animals that are natural predators, such as dogs and cats, will tend to sleep more. Those that aren’t natural predators, such as horses or rabbits, will tend to sleep less. Figuring Out an Average   Because of the reasons listed above, discerning the amount of sleep each type of animal needs is a bit of a challenge. Additionally, an animal in captivity will sleep a bit differently than an animal in the wild, skewing the average.   ?Least sleep. Pets that need the least amount of sleep include horses at about 3-4 hours per day and cows at 4-5 hours per day. A fish doesn’t need much sleep either, but studying sleep patterns of fish is extremely difficult.   ?Similar sleep to humans. A human requires about 8 hours of sleep, which is similar to rabbits (8-9 hours) and primates (9-10 hours).   ?Most sleep. A dog will require 12-14 hours of sleep per day, while a cat may sleep 14-16 hours of sleep daily. Rodents and parrots also sleep about 12-14 hours per day. If you have a reptile or a turtle as a pet, you may notice it sleeps much of the day during the winter, which is a time when it would be hibernating in the wild.   While it’s important to keep an eye on the amount of sleep your pet is receiving, it might be even more important to pay attention to a change in the animal’s sleep pattern. If an animal has a sudden change in sleep habits that cannot be explained by an environmental change or by an instinct to hibernate in the winter, it could indicate a potential illness, so be aware of your dog’s health. For example, arthritis in dogs can be heavily disruptive to sleep patterns. An altered sleep schedule could be an early indicator of a problem such as this. Check with your veterinarian if you are concerned about any change in sleep patterns!