You can teach an old dog new tricks

**This article is a re-print of one that I wrote six years ago for the Valley Shopper. It is reprinted with permission**

Meet Gracie. At the time, she was a three-year old German Shepherd – Blue Tick Hound cross (she’s now about 10). She was found roaming around Annapolis Royal. My husband David and I gave her a new lease on life by adopting her from the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) in Annapolis County. Now, we are about to do it again.

Gracie has always been a nervous growler. This is manageable with adults, but when she started to growl at our then year-old son, we consulted our book, Child Proofing your Dog by Brian Kilcommons (it’s a marvelous baby shower gift!). In it, the author says that any time a dog growls at a child, you must get help immediately.

But we didn’t know where to turn for this help. Then friends of ours told us that in England they had used a dog behavioralist to deal with some problems with their new pound-rescue dog, Willow, with great success. We had never heard of such a profession before. We decided to consult with the bigwigs. This is where Cindy Cavanagh, a professional canine consultant with Keep it Simple Dog Training came in.

1. Do Your Research: According to Cindy, the number one reason dogs are given up to shelters is because of behavioral issues. With a little work, however, many of these problems are either avoidable or can be fixed. First, before you get your dog, do your research. How much exercise does this breed need? Is it good with children? Popular culture is not a good guide either: Disney’s 101 Dalmatians portrays the breed as cute and cuddly, when they can actually be quite aggressive.

2. Spay or Neuter: Kings County Animal Control Officer Darlene Millett says that pets need to be spayed or neutered. “Ninety-nine per cent of bites come from un-neutered male dogs because of their higher levels of testosterone.”

3. Take Obedience Classes: “you need to be committed to obedience classes,” says Darlene. “Dogs learn the most in the first year, so they need to be in a class by three to four months old.” Cindy also says that it is “early socialization skills that help dogs the most.”

4. Research the Facility: If you are adopting an older dog, research the facility where the dog is housed. A shelter should be able to tell you the dog’s history (as much as is known), and whether it would be a good match for your family. Breeders should know the entire history. “If you don’t like what you see, or you are not allowed to see the dogs, this is a warning sign. Leave,” says Cindy.

5. Look at Diet: If you are having problems with your dog, Darlene suggests looking at its diet. “Not all food agrees with all dogs, just like with people.” Some dog food is higher in energy, protein, or sugar which might cause the dog to become hyperactive or aggressive. Darlene tells of “one family that had a dog for seven years which constantly destroyed the house. They were ready to put the dog down. However, after changing its dog food, they called me after 24 hours saying it was now a completely different dog.” This dog’s life was saved. Darlene recommends that if you are going to try changing dog food, substitute in some of the new food each time over several days, so as to avoid digestion problems for the dog.

Advice for Us:

After spending over an hour with us, Cindy gave us some great tips for dealing with our growler Gracie. These apply to any dog.

1. Supervision: “When it comes to dogs and children, supervision, supervision, supervision is key. Leaving a dog alone with a toddler is like leaving a toddler alone with a pair of scissors.”

2. Make a Safe Place: Gracie needs to have a safe place where she can go to escape the toddler. “Place a baby gate across a doorway, and make the space beyond hers, and put in toys and treats,” says Cindy. “Praise the dog constantly. Praise her for not reacting to or avoiding the baby.”

3. Work on Obedience Training: “A dog that can immediately sit or lie down, even with distractions, will respond better in an emergency situation.”

4. Involve the Children: When children are old enough, have them help with giving the dog commands, so the dog will learn that the child is dominant.

“I can’t guarantee that by making these changes,” says Cindy, “that the dog will absolutely change, or will not bite. It’s a lot of work, but you need to try. Dogs make dog decisions, so we need to give them the tools and make decisions for them.”

If you are having trouble with your dog, consider your own behavior to make sure there isn’t something else you could be doing. Does the dog need to be spayed or neutered? Does it need more exercise? Better training? A new diet? There are many resources available, so be sure to talk to your local vet. You might just be able to save the life of another dog.

If you would like an in-house consultation and you are in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, contact Cindy Cavanagh at c.cavanagh@ns.sympatico.ca or through Keep it Simple Dog Training at 902-542-4637. Cindy also offers dog obedience classes and will soon be offering canine massage! Otherwise, contact your local vet for some suggestions.

What are your experiences with your dog? What worked or didn’t work?

Our family loves shelter dogs and think they can offer so much to your home life. Give a dog another chance by adopting from a shelter. 

Need more reasons? Here’s a post all about why you need to have a shelter dog in your life.