What is Bad Behavior?
Dogs are known for their strong personalities and wide range of behaviors. More than any other kind of pet, dogs give us a true sense of what they’re feeling from moment to moment. Unfortunately, there are times where dogs choose destructive actions to let us know that they’re not feeling so great. Actions such as digging, biting, growling, barking, jumping, and other forms of erratic behavior are all sure signs that your dog is feeling out of sorts.

Note: This article is not intended for dealing with excessive bad behavior, such as injurious biting and attacks, or bad behavior caused by earlier abuse. These issues should be handled by professionals.

Identifying Bad Behavior
The best way to understand your dog’s occasional bouts of bad behavior is to observe your dog’s routine and to assess your own way of handling your dog on a daily basis. Getting at the underlying causes for bad behavior is the first step toward correcting it.

Causes of Bad Behavior
Dominance
Two of the main instigators of bad behavior in dogs is intimidation and dominance. Dogs are pack animals, and their powerful hierarchical instincts guide them through their dealings with you, your family, strangers, and other dogs.

As an owner, your dog should acknowledge you as the “leader of the pack.” If your dog is allowed to believe she is the pack leader, not only will she act out, but she will be confused by any correction or punishment you dish out.

Boredom
Believe it or not, boredom has severely negative effects on a dog. Boredom can be classified as lack of attention, lack of stimulation, and lack of exercise. When dogs become listless and bored, they tend to act out in ways that may be destructive.

Dealing with Bad Behavior
Asserting Dominance
Your dog responds primarily to your voice and your grip. In everyday interactions with your dog, using a firm, even tone with your dog in order to guide her behavior is one of the most effective ways to assert your dominance over the household. At the first sign of your dog acting out, use your grip as a pack leader dog would in the wild. A firm grip on your dog’s guide points, the neck and snout, simulate a dominant, parental form of control. Firm should be understood as relative to the size and strength of your dog – excessive squeezing or pinching will only make matters worse.

Other effective forms of asserting your dominance include setting boundaries within areas of your home where your dog is not welcome. If your dog is allowed to roam free throughout the home, she may take this as a sign of her equality or dominance of the home. Areas such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and kids’ playrooms should be established as “off limits.” Physically remove your dog from these areas when she strays into them, and she will respect your authority in the home.

Keep in mind that punishment and boundaries are not the only aspects of dominance. Your attention and praise are of great value to your dog, and by appropriately and evenly balancing stern, firm tones when your dog acts out with gentle, loving praise when your dog does a good job, your dog will come to understand a more complete spectrum of interaction. Just like Pavlov’s dog responded to the bell, so too will your dog respond to praise and happiness.

Battling Boredom
In many ways, asserting dominance goes hand in hand with fighting boredom. By taking an active role in regularly guiding your dog’s behavior, you provide the necessary mental stimulation she needs on a daily basis. Interact with your dog as another member of your household and acknowledge her presence often. Keeping your dog engaged in interactions – while asserting your dominance over the household – helps your dog to feel welcome and happy in the home. An interactive dog toy is a great way to stimulate your dog mentally while allowing you to control the game.

Exercise presents a great opportunity to battle boredom. Regular exercise is required by dogs to stay physically healthy and mentally sound. Use exercise as a way to expend your dog’s pent up physical and mental energy, and you’ll find that the phrase holds true: “a tired dog is a good dog.”

Prepare for Bad Behavior
Some incidents of bad behavior require your immediate attention and swift, decisive action. There’s no one way to treat these scenarios, but it is best to be prepared. By asserting your dominance and battling your dog’s boredom, you’ll have a solid foundation upon which to act should your dog act out in an aggressive or otherwise dangerous manner.

An example of aggressive behavior that would require your immediate attention may include lunging and attacking other dogs or people. If you’ve established your dominance over your dog and within the household, use a more dramatic display of dominance appropriate to the situation. In the example of aggressive “attack” behavior, step squarely in front of your dog and demand her full attention. Firmly grasp your dog by the nape of the neck and use a loud, firm, but even tone and tell your dog “No.” These are all actions that should be established within the scope of daily interactions with your dog, and as long as the scenario isn’t too severe, this should be enough to get your dog’s attention and make her realize her actions are wrong and need to stop.

Note that shouting or erratic behavior on your part does more harm than good. Always be deliberate and firm with your dog, in praise and in correcting bad behavior.

Professional Dog Training
The best way to deal with your dog’s bad or erratic behavior is to consult with a professional. We have covered the most common, basic causes and solutions for bad behavior, but professional dog training is the most effective way to help you to better understand your dog, and for your dog to better understand you. Bad behavior can have several causes not covered here, some of which may include health issues that only a veterinarian may be able to detect. When in doubt, always talk to a professional.

For those without the resources to seek professional help, there are many online tools that can help. Sessions with Cesar is a helpful online dog coaching course taught by world renowned trainer Cesar Milan. Besides videos, there is a forum of dog owners that are willing to help with just about any problem that may arise with you and your pet. Please feel free to post any other online resources you have found in the comments below

Now call me naive, but before I saw this story, I had not known such things existed. Sure I’d heard of dog fighting, but reading in-depth I learned there is a whole industry built around pictures and videos of animals being tortured. Without getting into any gruesome details, the term used is Crush Porn. If you think real hard, you can probably figure out what is going on in those horrific displays of humanity. It is incomprehensible to me that there are people in society who receive joy from watching an animal suffer in such cruel ways.

Over the last couple decades, animal lovers have made great strides in educating the public and passing laws to prevent cruelty. Studies have shown that those who are cruel to animals are likely to be violent to people. This is especially the case when it comes toward violence toward women and children. We also have data that suggests many serial killers started their evil ways by practicing on animals. Simply put, there is a strong correlation between animal abuse and violent crimes that impact us all.

Now I’m a big fan of free speech, even that of speech I don’t agree with. But I don’t see how something that is patently illegal, not to mention immoral and evil, can be legally sold for profit. We don’t allow individuals to sell videos of sexual assault, so why should this form of pornography that tortures another living creature be allowed? It would seem that this act should fall under the same guise as child pornography which is not afforded constitutional protection.

But I don’t have a law degree and I’m certain that the eight esteemed Justices had a valid legal reason for overturning this law (although I do wonder if they are pet owners themselves). While this is a setback to those who wish to rid the world of these materials, it’s not permanent. There are forces at work to ensure that these people are never allowed to profit off this again.

Representative Elton Gallegy (R) from California (the one who introduced the first bill in 1999) has introduced H.R. 5092 which is a bill that gives a narrower focus. This should appease the Supreme Court. While I know our two political parties can’t seem to agree on anything these days, lets hope they can find some bipartisan support for this bill. It is necessary to pass it quickly as some animal rights groups have pointed out that the Crush Porn industry has started a revival after an earlier Appeals Court came to the same conclusion as the Supreme Court.

If you’d like to see this business put under again, please contact your representatives and tell them you want them to pass H.R. 5092 as soon as possible. The Humane Society of the United States has put together an easy to use form to help.

Size
There are no hard and fast rules for what kind of dog will best suit your needs and your home. In the absence of rules, use size as your guide. All dogs need space to lie down, stretch out, and play, and the more space you have in your apartment or flat, the better suited your home will be to successful, fulfilling dog ownership. A good rule of thumb is to look for a dog that will comfortably occupy the largest room of your apartment, usually the living room. Compare sizes of dogs to the square footage of this room, and you can begin to rule out certain larger breeds of dogs.

Small dogs will always be best for apartment and urban living. Smaller dogs require less space to be comfortable, and smaller breeds that are also known for being calm and quiet will save you and your neighbors a lot of stress.

Layout and Surroundings
An apartment with access to a lawn and garden is preferable, but dogs also need regular access to wide open green spaces to stretch their legs and exercise. Look for city parks, schoolyard fields, and other open green spaces for your dog to exercise within walking distance of your apartment. Again, size is relative here: your toy poodle will need less room to roam in than a German shepherd. Always be mindful of rules and laws relating to dog exercising – be a good owner and clean up after your dog.

Dogs, like humans, suffer from overuse and excessive stress on their joints. Dogs, however, have much more delicate joints than humans, and regular trips up and down stairs will wear out your dog’s joints. If you live on a higher floor of a walk-up apartment building lacking an elevator, consider a smaller dog that you can pick up and carry on your trips in and out of the building. If possible, find a ground floor, garden, or first floor apartment if your dog is too large to carry up and down stairs.

Socializing and Training
Your dog, like you, will need social contact on a regular basis. Thankfully, apartment living is great for socializing with your dog. Your dog will regularly encounter people and other dogs on walks and while exercising. Signs of aggression toward people and other dogs should be dealt with quickly and appropriately with the aid of a veterinarian or certified trainer.

Other forms of stimulation are required by your dog throughout the day. Regular walks are a great way to provide the stimulation and exercise your dog needs. If you work from home, make time for your dog throughout the day – take walks, set aside time to play with a favorite toy, and offer lots of love. If you work in an office away from home, make use of local dog walking services, as they are a great way to keep your dog happy, healthy, and fed while you’re out. Or purchase an interactive dog toy such as a Nina Ottosson dog puzzle which are popular among apartment dwellers.

Puppies
Puppies are not strongly recommended for apartment living, as they are generally very active and difficult to control. If you choose to adopt a puppy into your apartment or flat, you should definitely consider investing in a regular routine of professional training through your dog’s juvenile years.

As always, Designer Doggy is here to help provide stylish and comfortable options for not only apartments, but any living situation. We provide a number of designer dog beds that provide the urban chic look you’re searching for. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have in creating an optimal environment for your pet.

Hiring a pet sitter does not need to be a difficult process. Simply follow these steps to ensure that you make the best decision for you and your dog.

First, ask around for some recommendations. Your friends, your vet, and fellow dog owners in your area may be able to provide testimonials for local pet sitting services. If you already use a regular dog walker, inquire at the dog walking business office if the walkers also provide pet sitting services – it would be most beneficial to your dog to have a trusted figure, such as her regular walker, to look after her while you’re gone.

After you’ve found a few businesses offering pet sitting services, your next step is to find out what services they provide and at what cost.

Arrange a meeting with the owner or manager of the pet sitting businesses you’ve been referred to well in advance of your trip. Come to the meeting armed with questions about the business’s services and practices. Basic pet sitting services include three walks a day accompanied by feedings, watering, a brief grooming, and clean-up. Additionally, a quality pet sitter should be able to provide a few basic home care services, such as pick-up of mail and turning lights on or off at little or no extra charge. Pet sitters should be aware of any medical condition your dog may be dealing with, and they should be able to evaluate your dog’s well-being on each visit. Providing medication for older dogs or basic supplemental training for puppies may incur an extra charge, and it is best to ask about special situations at your initial meeting.

Some pet sitting services may prefer that the sitter stay in your home with your dog for the duration of your time away. This is beneficial to you, in that your dog will be looked after and cared for at all hours of the day, but such a service may also come at a premium and raise further concerns about your home’s care. Ask about the pet sitting business’s license and bonding information – should any conflicts arise, it is safer to deal with a business that can handle claims and pay out for any damages, as necessary. Ask if the business runs background checks on their sitters, and ask about what oversight the business itself has over its sitters on assignment. Owners and managers of locally operated pet sitting services will usually be able to “make the rounds” and check up on dogs and sitters to ensure that all is going well in each home.

Any special requests you may have as a first-time user of a pet sitting service should be met graciously by the owner or manager of a pet sitting service, as it is in their best interest to ensure that you return to their business the next time you are in need of a sitter. Remember, there are no “stupid” questions when hiring a pet sitter, as the pet sitter will be looking after two of your most valued assets: your home, and your best friend.

For more information on pet sitters, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) offers up tons of information and even gets you started on locating a sitter.

Now for just about everything else in the city, Yelp! was an amazing resource. A huge Yellow Page of places with user reviews in an easy to use format. So if you need a nice Italian restaurant or a dry cleaner that won’t ruin your favorite shirt, you’ll probably be able to find it on there.

The problem with Yelp and all the other Yellow Page sites is that they don’t really focus on dog owners. It’s tough to find out if a restaurant is dog-friendly or how a local park stacks up to the rest. Which is why I was pleased to find Fido Factor the other day while cruising the web. It’s basically a Yelp! for dog owners.

It appears to be in its infant stages still and new cities are being added sparingly. Areas like San Francisco seem to have much larger audiences at the moment than Chicago for instance. But it’s something I’ve been looking for and I think a terrific bookmark for any of our urban readers. Fido Factor also features some informational articles on proper etiquette and how to keep your dog safe in the city.

There is also a free iPhone app available for download on iTunes. To encourage reviews, Fido Factor has partnered with the San Francisco SPCA to make a donation in your name for every review written in that city. Hopefully they can expand it out to some other metropolitan areas.

If you have a resource to help dog owners navigate their way through local businesses, feel free to add it in the comments below.

The registry is not just built so you can snoop on your neighbors. It has a goal to make it easier for rescue shelters and adoption groups to identify those with criminal pasts that would not make them suitable owners. Law enforcement will also utilize the new tool for crime fighting.

While some might balk at putting money into something like this over other social issues, it’s worth pointing out that animal abuse is a precursor to more violent activity. The FBI has linked cruelty to animals to domestic violence, child abuse, serial murderers, and school shootings. Some of our most dispicable killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and David Berkowitz tortured animals before starting their killing sprees. There are simply too many studies and too much statistics that point to links that the public can no longer ignore.

One area not discussed in the bill is children. While it’s probably not right to list a child on the registry, it would be nice to see some other laws put in place. A psychiatric evaluation should be mandated by any judge who oversees an animal abuse case by a child. It’s worth noting that many school shooters practiced their inhumane treatment on animals before moving to their classmates.

While there is a lot of support for the bill, the biggest stumbling block could be the funding. On the table is a tiny tax on pet food that would go toward building the registry. That seems a tad unfair as everyone will benefit from this, not just pet owners. Another idea being floated around is finding animal abusers extra and having that fee go toward maintaining the list. That seems like the fairest solution as they are the ones who are making this list a necessity in California.

It will be an interesting year to see if this bill can be passed. If it does, look for other states to start following suit and having a registry become the norm.

For more information, check out the Animal Legal Defense Fund who helped craft the bill. They have a petition you can sign as well as a letter drafted that you can send to your legislator.

Now you may be saying to yourself, “a plastic bottle doesn’t seem real comfortable”. But in fact, it can be made to be. Pet bed manufacturer Bowsers has found a revolutionary way to construct polyester fibers from recycled plastic (PET) soda bottles. The bottles are first refined and purified before being chopped down into tiny flakes where they are processed into spun fiber strands. The strands are then knitted and woven together to create their “Eco-Tech” fabric.

Dubbed their Eco+ line, these pet beds meet all the requirements of a top of the line bed. They are soft, yet firm, and provide an unsurpassed night’s sleep for your dog. They perform just like non-recycled fabrics and you won’t be able to tell the difference. The Eco-Tech fleece also stays warm, is durable, retains color, and is machine washable.

Every year, billions of pounds of plastic bottles enter landfills throughout the United States. Not only do they take hundreds of years to begin to decay, but they use up countless resources and even potentially leak toxic additive into our groundwater. In a nutshell, not a lot of good comes from having a ton of plastic bottles taking up space in a landfill.

Depending on the size of the bed, you can help divert 20-30 plastic bottles from ever reaching a landfill. So besides keeping our landfills a little lighter, you also ensure that virgin materials are not being used in the fiber manufacturing process. Recycled fibers also use less petroleum and other natural resources. Which means you’ll also be helping keep harmful emissions out of the air which can cause acid rain and smog.

Currently there are four eco-friendly dog beds from Bowsers that we carry. Many come in various colors and sizes. You have the Eco+ Tahoe, Orbit Bolster, Futon, or one I’m sure Woody Harrelson would be proud of, the Hemp dog bed. All are competitively priced with their non-recycled counterparts and just as durable.

While there isn’t a huge selection of recycled dog beds on the market these days, it is a trend that we feel is only going to get more popular. There is of course caution with many consumers when it comes to the quality of recycled materials, but as technology has advanced, these materials are as strong, if not stronger than those made with virgin materials. In fact, you may be lounging on the couch right now with a fleece blanket made from plastic bottles and not even know it.

So if nothing here tickles your fancy, at least you’ll be armed with the knowledge that you can make a comfortable bed out of those old Diet Pepsi bottles you drank out of this afternoon. And with some luck, and consumer pressure, we can see all manufacturers using these technologies to make our planet a little cleaner.

A statement from their website:

After unveiling our plan for a spay-and-neuter billboard featuring Tiger Woods, our phones rang off the hook and our inboxes were inundated with tons of feedback from supporters and skeptics alike. Among the rapid responses? A courteous call from Tiger’s lawyers asking that we pull him from the ad—a request that PETA quickly honored.

Now that we’ve left Tiger off the billboard, we’re looking to replace him with another oh-so-familiar face: continent-hopping, scandal-producing Mark Sanford, governor of South Carolina. Our potential slogan?

So with Tiger out of the way, it looks like Mark Sanford is in their crosshairs next. The philandering South Carolina Governor was busted taking n trip to Buenos Aires to be with his mistress while his wife and kids stayed at home. He initially claimed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail.

While this new campaign idea is sure to bring publicity to the controversial organization, I wonder if it’s the right approach. I think we can all agree with their view on spay-and-neutering pets to help control the population and lower the amount of animals that have to be euthanized every year. But targeting celebrities and using a campaign of this nature tends to take the focus off the issue at hand, and on to the organization and newsworthy person being targeted.

The question that I think needs to be asked is whether these publicity stunts help save the lives of animals. Would a more conventional approach bring more attention to the issue? While PETA does stand for some good things in the world of animal welfare, they also tend to be publicity hounds that want the focus placed on them first and foremost. Instead of spending their resources antagonizing famous adulterers, perhaps getting their hands dirty in the trenches like the thousands of volunteers at no-kill shelters would be a more viable solution.

Case in point to an article reported by WYFF in Greenville, South Carolina. Twenty-two dogs were packed into a U-Haul and dropped off at the Greenville Animal Shelter because they were “the wrong color”. That’s right, puppies abandoned because their color just wasn’t right. I could see this disregard if we’re talking about a pair of shoes, but not another living animal.

Shelter manager Shelly Simmons says this episode is evidence of a growing problem with amateur dog breeding. Breeding is a complex skill that requires both advanced education on the process, but proper funds to support the animals in a humane way. Unfortunately, there are many looking for a quick buck who do not care about the animals in any way.

The bigger problem with this may be the lack of responsibility we place upon dog breeders. The fact that a breeder could simply dump off animals because they didn’t come out the right way is appalling. Not only do they place these dogs in a position where they may be euthanized, but they also add strain to a local animal shelter’s resources. The utter disregard for these animals and others in the community is a disgrace.

While we’ve seen laws passed to help curb bad breeding practices, it would be nice to see laws that would require owners to take responsibility of what their pets do. These individuals should be financially responsible for these dogs. It seems inhumane to allow people to breed animals and then toss them in someone else’s lap because the color was wrong. I’m worried that people like this will continue to make mistakes and cost many dogs their lives by burdening our already straddled shelters.

Throughout the month of March we’ll have sales of up to 15% off our extensive line of dog clothing, dog toys, and interactive dog puzzles. Sale prices are marked on the specific product pages and will last throughout the month of March.

As with everything in the store, there is a $5 flat rate shipping on orders under $150. Anything over that amount is completely free. We accept all major credit cards and are as safe and secure as you can get when it comes to your online shopping (256-bit encryption in the event you’re a security nerd).

So as we approach Spring, give your four-legged friend a surprise. A plush dog toy from the Haute Diggity Dog collection is always a fun way to treat your dog and give the rest of the family a cute conversation piece. Or if you’re still in training mode with your pet, a Nina Ottosson dog puzzle is a can’t miss game that not only helps enhance your pet’s IQ, but will aid you in teaching them patience and other skills required to help them learn. Or if fashion is more your forte, plan ahead for the warm months with a dog t-shirt from one of the many major designers featured on the site.

As always, if you have any questions about anything you find in the store, please don’t hesitate to call us at 877-55-DOGGY, or e-mail us at info(at)designerdoggy.com.