Doggone Etiquette —

In The Dog House?

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:                           

Soon, the days and nights will get colder. The nights will get longer and the days shorter. You can’t do anything about it, but both events will change your life either a little or a lot. If you’re a teeny-tiny wee dog, you’ll spend a lot more time indoors. On the other hand, if you’re a macho sled-puller, you’ll be in your element playing outdoors to build up your muscles and getting ready for the snow which will come eventually (you hope). For the rest of you, you’ll be indoors more than out, so brush up on your manners or you’ll be in that canine prison people refer to as the “dog house.”

A Word to the Dog’s Owners:                          

The autumn is a good time to do more than rake leaves for Rufus and the kids to roll in. Take the time to remind your canine “kid” of the rules for in-house behavior now, before he will be spending almost all day, every day, indoors due to the weather. He may be good as gold for starters, but dogs (like children) get bored (granted, dogs do sleep a lot more for which you should be most grateful). A bored dog turns to entertaining himself with things like idly chewing the rug, eating the candy wrappers found in the wastepaper basket, demolishing a wet shoe left by the door  . . . well, you get the picture.                   

Before any of that happens, and before winter is upon us, think of ways to prevent the catastrophes so you’ll be able to keep saying, “Good dog.” Lucky you (and Rufus) if you have a garage and/or a basement because on rainy or snowy days you can use either place for some good physical and mental exercise. Chasing a bouncing ball, retrieving a tossed toy (both include “Drop-it, good dog” for a retrieve) followed by an obedience training session to which you can add some fun things like having the dog do push-ups. You don’t know about canine push-ups? It’s done by giving Rufus the commands he already knows in steady synchronized order: Sit. Down. Sit. Down. Sit. Down, etc. Relax! You do not have to get down and show him how. Stand next to, or in front of him using hand signals. He gets one treat when it’s over. If you start some of this outdoors when the weather is still nice, it will be an easy transition for both you and the dog when the weather’s crummy.                          

Rufus isn’t the only one who needs a brush-up on in-house rules for winter. If you have children in school, remind them to put their treasured items safely away, out of the dog’s reach, to return snack leftovers to the garbage (not left on the desk or in a wastepaper basket), to close drawers and closet doors. Who knows, by spring you may have tidy teenagers!                  

As for Rufus, check his collar and all leashes you’ve been using all summer. Check fences for repairs you can easily make now, but not when the ground is frozen. If you haven’t already taught him to “Stand” (or “Wait”) when he comes in the door with wet feet, or a soaking wet coat, it’s not too late to start now. Keep a dog towel near the door and it will only take a minute or two to dry him off and save your floors, rugs and even the furniture that would be hit by one of those great shakes all dogs do so well.                      

If you’ve brought in plants from the garden for the winter, be sure they are safe for Rufus, or can be placed where he can’t reach them. Male dogs often “forget” and lift a leg on flowers brought indoors in large planters. Watch him!

Until next time – Be good!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me! which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award this year.