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12:56

Philly.com - Good afternoon, everyone! Mary Remer will be along momentarily, so go ahead and get your questions in early.

1:01	Philly.com - Warning: Shameless Promotion - Sign up for our new Pets newsletter! - See user photos, pet news, and the latest from our Philly Dawg blog.

1:03	Mary Remer - Hi everyone, this is Mary Remer. I look forward to answering your questions for today's chat.

1:05	[Comment From Robert] mary- my dog is awesome, he is so smart and funny and well behaved, i think he is literally the best dog ever. is this possible? ps his name is jack

1:06	Mary Remer - Hi Robert - I think that's the best news to start the chat here today. Congratulations on having developed a relationship with your boy Jack, that gives him such a wonderful place in your life.

1:06	[Comment From Jack] What's the most common problem you see in your training classes?

1:14

Mary Remer - Hi Jack - Probably the most common problems we see are not coming when called, inappropriate leash manners, excessive jumping, separation anxiety and 'aggression'. The main root behind most problems we see is the lack of understanding dogs, their needs, why they do what they do, and then how to establish a system of communication that works for both the dog and the owner.

1:14

[Comment From Chris]
Hi Mary, I have a 2 year old Italian Mastiff that is always very nervous and seems to have anxiety. He is afraid of alot of little things and when he hears loud noises he jumps up and looks petrified. I let him run at a park for about 30 mins every morning then again at night for about an hour at the dog park. Let me know if you have any suggestions

1:18

Mary Remer - Hi Chris - I would work on desensitizing him to loud noises when he's in a safe environment. You can get tapes or CDs that you can play. Be sure to start it at a low volume and increase. You can also start making sounds in the house, starting low and increasing the intensity. Be sure you pair the sounds with something that your dog would find rewarding so that his focus is on what brings him joy, not what makes him worry and gradually he can alter his associative processes to loud noises that can make good things happen. If he persists in really having trouble, I would consider consulting with your vet for some medication. Then once loaded on the medication, begin again with the counter conditioning and the desensitization.

1:19	Mary Remer - P.S. Chris - For instance, you could put some favorite treats in a pan or a pot, hold it just above the floor where it will make a sound, but not too loud, drop it, and let him see that the pot is full of cookies.

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