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11:33

Philly.com - Good afternoon! Opportunity Barks' Leigh Siegfried, a Certified Pet Dog Trainer will join us at 1 p.m. to chat about fun mind games and activities you can do to enrich the bond between you and your dog. Get your questions in early!

12:43

Opportunity Barks - Hi there, this is Leigh with Opportunity Barks Behavior & Training. Welcome to the chat!

12:43

[Comment From Libby]
Can you recommend the best leash or harness for my large rescued dog (Gordon Setter, 75 pounds) who constantly pulls while walking? He knows how to heel (and responds) but has to be repeatedly reminded and within a minute or two starts pulling again. Thank you for any advice!

12:54

Opportunity Barks - Libby,
Great question. Many folks struggle with walking their dog, but it doesn't have to be a battle of wills. I would highly recommend two products.

One is a front clip body harness, meaning the leash clips on the front of the dog's chest. I personally like the Sensation Harness or the Sensible Harness (available at www.softtouchconcepts.com). I find that these can go right on a dog, and most dogs take to wearing them in no time flat.

The other product I like is the Gentle Leader Head Halter made by Premier Pet Products. The head halter, unlike the front clip harness, will usually require some acclimation work on your end.

The head halter is made to fit over the dog's muzzle, but the dog should be able to eat, drink, bite, pant, pick up a ball, etc. It's not designed to restrict the dog's breathing or ability to open their mouth in any way. The leash attaches to the halter under the dog's chin.

To teach a dog to be comfortable wearing a Gentle Leader, you usually put it on, feed a bit and then take it off. Then you attach a leash to the halter and allow the dog to feel a little tension on the halter- still feed a bit. Then you take the dog out for a walk and try to keep the leash as loose as possible. A common reaction when first wearing a head halter is that the dog may nose dive or rub their face on the ground or against your leg as you walk. Many dogs acclimate to wearing them over time, and I find that the head halter often gives people the type of control that they need when walking a large dog that pulls.

Just a note- for "smush nosed" dogs- Premier makes a Gentle Leader that has a special strap to help these guys not overheat. In fact, a Halti Head Halter is usually a better fit for the boxers and bully breeds.
Thanks Libby!
L

12:55

[Comment From Angela]
My dog is more aggressive when meeting dogs on leash. can you recommend a way for her to meet dogs while on leash? (she gets nervous on her leash because i think she feels trapped, like she cant get away if she wants to..she is a very nervous dog)

12:59

Opportunity Barks - Angela,
If you have a dog that is dog social, but a anxious or stressed when meeting dogs, I'd recommend doing a few things. And I have a few questions for you.

1. Allow interaction on her terms.
That means ideally if she is greeting other social dogs, she will likely do well with other dogs that won't overwhelm her. If a dog is lunging at the end of their leash, this is not a good candidate for her.

2. Allow her the ability to get away.
Keep your leash loose and you may want to also use a Gentle Leader Head Halter when walking her if she is lunging towards other dogs.

3. You are right! Being on a leash can be stressful because avoidance may not be an option for her. Keep your leash loose and I'd walk her at least on a 5-6 foot leash.

A few questions for you.
• How old is she?
• What is her typical reaction to dogs (does she pull away? bark or lunge?)
• Where is she meeting dogs (on the street? in a park? in your home?)

1:00

[Comment From Mikey]
please help me...my dog wont stop crying without a towel or bedding when in the crate(he loves the crate with them). I've bought about 3 beds and 5 towels. The problem is he won't stop eating them..anything I can do to get him to stop? He is only a puppy but he has a ton of toys and chews around but chooses his bed as a chew toy. I'm afraid they will get stuck inside his body because he is so small. I've tried the apple spray but he doesn't mind it. Anything I can wash or soak the bedding in and let it dry so it tastes bad but doesn't smell? Any help is appreciated.

1:05

Opportunity Barks - Mikey,
Is the dog ingesting the shredded towels or just shredding them?
Many dogs will shred bedding as a stress response, they may not be happy being confined and then look to alleviate their anxiety by the next best thing- and the bedding and towels happen to be it.

Does this dog do other things when crated? Cry, vocalize, drool a lot? Those can be sign of one stressed pup.

If the dog is not eating the bedding...I'd just use towels, allow the dog to shred (again- IF the dog is not eating bedding). Many dogs love to shred and won't ingest.

Secondly, I'd use interactive or food stuffed toys. For example a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter, wet food or dry food mixed with chicken broth and frozen. Also frozen beef marrow bones are great for keeping a young pup occupied when crated. You can get those at your grocery store and they were a life saver with my newest pup.

If on the other hand the dog is not eating any of these "high value" chewies when crated, that could mean that he is indeed stressed by being crated or being left alone when crated. If that is the case, I'd recommend an in-home visit for something like that. Get started with more enrichment and let me know how it goes. I can always be reached at info@opbarks.com
Best!
L

1:05	[Comment From Lynn] How do I stop my three dogs (chocolate lab and two German shorthaired points) from jumping on people when they enter my home?

1:10

Opportunity Barks - Lynn,
Door drama, it's on of my favorites. Here's the skinny.
1. Are you preventing the dogs from rushing the door and jumping on people?
If not, leash them, use a gate or figure out some way to interrupt this old pattern.

2. Have you rewarded the dogs for doing something other than jumping on folks at the door? Or are we trying to get them to "behave" after they jump all over folks?

I'd focus on few things.
• Interrupting the old pattern- prevention, prevention, prevention.
• Setting some ground rules- "Yes, you can say hi, but only after you can pull yourself together and be calm."
• Reward what you WANT- Standing, sitting, not jumping, being CALM...then they get to say hi.

I'd recommend doing lots of set ups to have them rehearse this routine, because they will need some practice. And you may want to set up a treat station near your front door (jar with treats) so you can praise and reward when the dogs ARE doing the right thing. Good luck!

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