Hi Sam, it sounds like your dog has quite a debilitating fear of fireworks and the outside world. Whilst making nothing of his fear, and also providing a safe space for him to hide away if he wants to, can be really helpful an often overlooked factor is whether or not your dog really trusts that you are the one capable of keeping him safe. Now I know you will say ‘absolutely’ but our dogs view the ability to do this in a very different way than we do. In order for a dog to trust that their humans have the knowledge and reliability to keep them safe we need to do that in a way that is relevant and familiar to them….and this is why I developed my membership website! In times of stress we want our dogs to really feel that they can look to us for direction and safety, rather than feel they need to fend for themselves. My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to achieve this relationship with your dog…maybe take a quick look…its a $1USD trial for 3 days…All the Best, Doggy Dan

Susan this is an incredibly beautiful story and Celine was very lucky to have found such a loving family to call her own. It’s never easy to make the tough decisions about a pet’s quality of life but as much as we would like to keep them with us forever, we always need to do what’s best for them. Your story is incredibly sad but I’m sure you have plenty of beautiful memories of your time with Celine, and that’s what I always try to focus on. Best, Doggy Dan

We had such a strong connection. I know she was a cat, but always said she acted more like a dog. We had an amazing connection and she knew my every mood. Thanks for your beautiful song and story!
Love,
Susan and Molly

Hi Phil….desensitising dogs to certain noises can be an effective way to reduce their stress but often there are other factors involved that also contribute to the fear of noise. For example, storm phobic dogs can actually feel the storm from the changes in the atmosphere, often long before a storm even arrives, and this factor is almost impossible to recreate. As with fireworks there is also bright flashing lights, or if the fireworks are close enough, then you can often even feel the force of the blast in the air. Of course it’s always worth a shot to see if playing noises via recordings will help a dog’s fear reduce. Thanks for your suggestion, Doggy Dan

I absolutely agree, trust is key in developing a good dog/human relationship. Dogs need to trust that we have what it takes to keep them safe in a world they don’t really understand the way we do. Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Glenda,
Using a Calm Freeze for a dog who is fearful can be incredibly helpful, just remember to stay calm and matter-of-fact yourself as your Goldie will read your cues as well. Often the more fuss we make in trying to reassure the dog that everything s fine in these situations the more fearful the dog becomes. Thanks for posting, Doggy Dan

Hi Laura,
The Calm Freeze is a pretty effective technique for helping a dog calm down! As far as whether or not you can teach a working dog to be a good house pet in y opinion you absolutely can. It’s just a matter of your dogs understanding that you decide when they are ‘on’ and working and when they are not and they can relax. My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to achieve this…maybe take a quick look…its a $1 trial for 3 days…all the best Doggy Dan

Hi Jackie,
This really depends on a few factors. If your dogs is really agitated and the Calm Freeze does not seem to be having an effect then it can be better to calmly place her in another room so is more likely to relax. This will be really helpful if your postman normally knocks on your door and you have to open it to receive your mail. If your dog just gets a little bit excited at the sound of the postman’s van, and he is not likely to knock at the door, then you can certainly try a Calm Freeze but just be sure to remain calm yourself and not speak to your dog too much. If you respond to her behaviour consistently and calmly then she is more likely tho think, “why am I getting so upset?”.
We do cover this issue on my website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com if you would like a bit more information…maybe take a quick look…its a $1 trial for 3 days…all the best Doggy Dan

Hi Ray,
The easiest way to stop a dog from jumping up on counters or kitchen tables is to ensure that food is not left unattended or in reach. If your dog is rewarded for jumping up on the bench, by finding food, then it will mean they are more likely to keep doing it. So be sure that you place all food away in the fridge or cupboards when you are not in the kitchen area.
I have a slightly older Blog that refers to dogs who jump up at people and I will have posted the link below so that you can have a look and my website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to overcome this behaviour…maybe take a quick look…its a $1 trial for 3 days…all the best Doggy Dan
http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/how-to-stop-a-boxer-dog-jumping-up/

Hi Tatiana,
Thank you for your post! I absolutely agree that the Calm Freeze technique is a fantastic one to have in situations where a dog is overly excited and needs a little help to calm down. It’s really important that the Calm Freeze is done correctly though, with very little tension or force as this is not helpful. It should be a calm and relaxed procedure where the dog (or owner) are not struggling with one another as this will escalate things. It is also important to point out that some dogs don’t like being help by the collar and so a short leash can be used instead. All the best…Doggy Dan.

Hi Gloria,
This is a really tricky question to answer without more detail, and I will admit I am not a professional in this area so it may be a better idea to speak to your Veterinarian. What I do know is that how much you feed your dog depends on a number of factors such as age, activity level and the type of food you are feeding your dog. If feeding a dry kibble then most packaging has a feeding guide listed on it to help give a general daily amount. Best check in with your Veterinarian if you are unsure though. All the best….Doggy Dan

Hi,
Thank you for your positive feedback! I always find that having a plan is the best way to keep things as calm as possible. All the best…Doggy Dan