Congratulations on Your Adoption of a New Dog!

Thank you so much for giving this wonderful dog a new home. We hope that you get much love and enjoyment out of your new dog. New Rattitude is committed to doing anything possible to help ensure that he will live out the rest of his life with you in happiness, safety & love. If you ever want advice, need help, or have concerns, please share them with us. We have a whole network of very experienced people, and we are confident that virtually any problem will be able to be resolved. We are eager to hear how things go, how the settling-in period is, and anything new in your lives. And we would love to get periodic updates and pictures. Our former foster dogs will always have a special place in our hearts and we really do think of them as part of our extended family. Please stay in touch with your dogs former foster family and send updates to our Pawgress Report team at PawgressReport@NewRattitude.org. We prepared this document to help you get ready for your new dog. We recommend that all members of the family read it (or at least skim it) before your dog arrives so that you can be as well prepared as possible. Then use it as a reference, as needed, after your dog arrives.

CONTENTS

Transition Advice .............................................................................................page 2 Housetraining ...................................................................................................page 5 Feeding.............................................................................................................page 6 High Quality Dog Foods ..................................................................................page 7 Nutritional Aids & Supplements ......................................................................page 9 Heartworm Infection & Prevention.................................................................. page 10 Flea Prevention ................................................................................................page 11 Poison Control .................................................................................................page 11 Pet First Aid Kit ..............................................................................................page 11 Vaccination Schedule .......................................................................................page 12 Aggression ....................................................................................................... page 13 NILIF ..............................................................................................................page 14 Thundershirts ...................................................................................................page 18 Recommended Reading ....................................................................................page 19

Transition Advice
Excerpted from Heres How to Make Your New Dogs Adoption Work for Life, by Mardi Richmond in Whole Dog Journal.

Adopting a new dog is exciting, wonderful, and a happy time. But bringing a new dog home is also an uncertain time. What will your dog be like? Will he be a good match for your family? Will he be everything you hoped for? Bringing a new dog into the home can, quite frankly, be rather shocking for you and your family. Suddenly your normal routine is compounded by the energy and needs of the new family member. Everyone will go through an adjustment dogs and people alike. What can you do to ensure that you and your new dog will settle into a long happy life together?

Have Realistic Expectations

In the first three weeks, behavior issues often come up that people arent prepared for and dont know how to deal with. Having realistic expectations can help you get through the adjustment period with the least stress and the most success. How long will the adjustment period last and what will it be like? It depends on the dog, on you, and on your environment. Every dog is different. The process can take weeks or months, but the outcome of having a dog who is comfortable and happy is definitely worth the effort. Truthfully, some dogs settle in with few problems. Many dogs are even on their best behavior a honeymoon period for several days or weeks. They may experience stress, but they deal with it by being cautious and responsive. Other dogs may deal with the uncertainty of being in a new home with other, more obvious stress responses. Some of those may include: > Pacing and other overactive behavior; > Attaching to one person in the family, but being very shy of others; > Mouthing people, jumping up on them, barking, and chewing; and > Trying to escape or hiding. Dont panic if your new dog behaves in a less than desirable manner. In spite of the initial stress response, over the course of a few weeks most dogs settle in and become wonderful companions. What happens in the first few days or weeks is not necessarily indicative of what life with the dog will be like long-term. But how you handle the stress response can certainly affect the long-term outcome. And there is a whole lot you can do to make the transition easier. By being aware, modifying and redirecting any unwanted actions from the start, you can help your new dog become a good citizen.

Being Prepared is Key

1. Have basic supplies like food, bowls, collar and leash, bed, and toys already on hand. 2. Decide on and set up a confinement area, a place your dog will stay when you cannot provide supervision. Recognize that the dog will be new to your environment, and giving him too much freedom too soon can set him up to make behavior mistakes. Giving him a safe, confined place to be when he is not being supervised will allow for a gradual and successful transition. Make the confinement area the place he gets his meals and his favorite toys, ideally in the same part of the home that you spend time together. A crate works well, but you can also use baby gates or an exercise pen to section off a small safe section of your home. 3. Get the whole family involved in deciding what the rules and routines will be, and help him learn those rules from the first day home. Will he be allowed on the furniture? Where will he sleep? What treats can he have, and when? Providing structure helps a dog learn the house rules and helps him feel safe. 4. Dont be shocked if your new dog does some naughty things in his first few weeks in your home. Be patient with him while he learns the rules. Help him out by limiting his opportunities to do the wrong thing. For example, keep your counters free of food, keep garbage cans securely closed, and dont put food items or wrappers into wastebaskets. 5. If at all possible, allow extra time in your schedule to help your dog adjust. At minimum, bring your dog home before a weekend so you can spend extra time helping him settle in. Ideally take a few extra days or a week off from work.

Introductions
1. When introducing your dog to his new home, leave the leash on him. This makes it easier to stop any unwanted behavior or to get control of the dog if he is very skittish or scared. 2. Be calm. Talk to him gently while moving through your home. 3. Take him outside and spend time with him exploring the yard. Keep him on leash so that he will stay near you and you can continue to talk to him and demonstrate that you are in control of the premises. Praise him if he potties. After a half hour or so, take him to his safe area and let him rest there for 20-30 minutes. 4. Introductions to children should be done very slowly, gradually increasing the time they are together over the period of a week or so. Young children can easily overwhelm a dog with their volume and activity level, and a stressful experience on the first day can set a negative tone for the future, so keep initial meetings brief and very closely supervised. Never leave young children alone with a dog until you are confident you know the dogs temperament. Do not allow children to grab at the dog, put their faces in the dogs face, or blow on him. After a few days, allow the children to sit down and feed the dog Cheerios or small treats. First place the treats on the floor and let the dog pick them up; then put the treat on the flat of the hand and offer it to the dog very gently. 5. It is usually best to introduce your new dog to your current dogs outside in a neutral location so that your resident dog is less likely to view the newcomer as a territorial intruder. Each dog should be leashed and handled by a separate person. Allow time to see each other but not get too close. If all is calm, allow them to do all the sniffing and dancing around needed to check each other out. 6. Use positive reinforcement. From the first meeting, help both dogs experience good things when they are in each others presence. As they sniff each other, talk to them in a happy, friendly tone of voice. After a few moments, redirect the dogs attention to you give each a treat in return for obeying a simple command. Take the dogs for a walk and let them sniff and investigate each other at intervals. Continue with the happy talk, food rewards, and simple commands. 7. Be aware of body posture. The play bow, where one dog will crouch with front legs on the ground and hind end in the air, is an invitation to play and a posture that usually elicits friendly behavior from the other dog. Watch carefully for body postures that indicate an aggressive response, including hair standing up on one dogs back, teeth-baring, deep growls, a stiff-legged gait, or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures, interrupt the interaction immediately by calmly getting each dog interested in something else. Both handlers can call their dogs to them, have them sit or down, and reward each with a treat, which should prevent the situation from escalating into aggression. Then try letting the dogs interact again, but this time for a shorter period and/or at a greater distance from each other. 8. When the dogs seem to be tolerating each others presence without fearful or aggressive responses, take them home. But keep your new dog on a leash while around your current dog for the first several days. It is not at all unusual for dogs to be snarly or growly with each other upon first meeting; they will almost always work out their relationship in that unique doggie fashion and become best friends (or at least tolerant of each other) within a few days. 9. If you have more than one resident dog in hour home, it may be best to introduce the resident dogs to the new dog one at a time. Two or more resident dogs may have a tendency to gang up on the newcomer. 10. Keep stress to a minimum for the first few days or weeks. Keep in mind that just the act of moving into a new home is stressful for most dogs not to mention the stress he may have experienced before coming into your home. It can take several days or longer for the dogs stress hormones to return to normal levels once he feels safe and calm. Take your time before introducing your new dog to friends, friends dogs, the local dog park, and the pet store. Remember that you will have this dog for the rest of his life; there is no rush! Give him time and space to settle in and bond with you before he is exposed to the world. Have him play and exercise in your yard and take him for walks in a quiet low stress area for the first few days or weeks.

Basic Training
1. Start a housetraining routine right away. Even if your dog was housetrained in his foster home, simply being in a new environment can mean that he will not understand when and where he is to go now. Just as you would with a puppy, set up a routine, confine your dog when you cannot supervise, take him out on a regular schedule, and praise or reward him for going in the right place. 2. Within just a few hours of bringing your new dog home, get him used to short absences. Take him for a short walk or bathroom break. Then introduce him to his confinement area (with a great chew bone or a stuffed Kong) and leave him there for a few minutes. Throughout the first few days, leave your dog alone in his confinement area for several minutes at a time. Vary the time you leave him from 30 seconds to 20 minutes. Start by leaving him in the confinement area for a few minutes while you are home, and gradually build up to leaving him for 10 to 20 minutes or so while you leave the house. By keeping your absences short, matter of fact, and pleasant, your dog will learn that being alone in the new home is safe. You can also make your departure a good thing for your dog by giving him a food-filled Kong each time you leave him. 3. Basic training sit, down, stay, come, and walking on a leash can begin the day you bring your dog home. This can help dogs understand that you will be taking care of them, and that they are safe. It will also help build confidence. For many dogs, training games will help them de-stress and settle in quicker. Some dogs, however, will be shut down at first and may have a hard time learning a new behavior or even doing something they already know. Dont worry if your dog is not as responsive at first as you might like. If your dog seems reluctant, just make training games very easy, fun, and rewarding. You can begin by simply hand feeding a portion of your dogs meals to help him learn to trust you. Use only positive training methods. 4. Although training right away is beneficial, wait a few weeks before taking your dog to a class if he is stressed at all. If you need help right away, consider having a trainer come to your home instead of starting a class. Waiting to start a class until your dog has settled a little, and you have had time to bond can help you both get the most from the experience. 5. All dogs have behavior quirks or issues. When you get an adult dog, you may suddenly be facing an unexpected behavior issue that feels alarming or overwhelming. By being alert to any issues your new dog may have, you will also be able to address them as soon as they arise, before they become a habit. Dogs can be very impressionable in a new environment, especially the first time they try a behavior. Setting your dog up for success, rewarding the behaviors you want and redirecting those you dont want from the first day home, can make a huge difference in the long run. 6. Imagine what your emotional state might be like if you were suddenly plucked from your current life (leaving everything you know and love behind), put into a shelter environment where you were forced to live with noise and uncertainty, then suddenly placed in a new family where you not only dont know anyone, but you dont know the rules or speak the language. Be patient with your new dog. Give him the best start possible in his new home. And remember, with time and patience, everyone will settle in.

House Training
from Re-Housetraining Your Adult Dog (c) 2000 Dumb Friends League

Many dogs who have been housetrained and show perfect house manners in one home will nevertheless have accidents in the transition to a new home. You and your new dog need some time to learn each others signals and routines. Even if he was housetrained in his previous home, if you dont recognize his bathroom signal, you might miss his request to go out, causing him to eliminate indoors. Any change in schedule or family situation, new smells, new sounds, new personalities, and new routines can set off a bout of mistakes. If coming from a shelter, the dog may not have gotten enough opportunities to eliminate outside, and consequently soiled the kennel areas, weakening housetraining habits. Additionally, scents and odors from other pets in the new home may stimulate some initial urine marking. Therefore, for the first few weeks after you bring him home, you should assume your new dog is NOT housetrained and start from scratch. If he was housetrained in his previous home, the re-training process should progress quickly. The process will be much smoother if you take steps to prevent accidents and remind him where hes supposed to eliminate.

Establish A Routine
Take your dog out at the same times every day. Praise him lavishly every time he eliminates outdoors and give him a treat. You must praise him and give
him a treat immediately after hes finished and not wait until after he comes back inside the house. Rewarding your dog for eliminating outdoors is the only way hell know thats what you want him to do. Choose a location not too far from the door to be the bathroom spot. Always take him, on leash, directly to this spot. Dont take him for a walk or play with him until AFTER hes eliminated. If you clean up an accident in the house, place the soiled rags or paper towels in the bathroom spot. The smell will help your dog recognize the area as the place where hes supposed to eliminate. While your dog is eliminating, use a word or phrase like go potty, for example, that you can eventually use before he eliminates to remind him of what hes supposed to be doing. Feeding your dog on a set schedule, once or twice a day, will help make his elimination more regular.

Supervise, Supervise, Supervise

Dont give your new dog an opportunity to soil indoors. He should be watched at all times when in the house. You can tether him to you with a six-foot leash or use baby gates to keep him in the room where you are. Watch for signs that he needs to eliminate, like sniffing around or circling. If you see these signs, take him outside immediately, on a leash, to his potty spot. If he eliminates, praise lavishly and reward him with a treat.

Confinement
When youre unable to watch your dog at all times, he should be confined to an area small enough that he wont want to eliminate there. It should be just big enough for him to comfortably stand, lie down and turn around in. This could be a portion of a bathroom or laundry room blocked off with boxes or baby gates. Or you may want to crate train your dog and use the crate to confine him.

Oops!
Most dogs, at some point, will have an accident in the house. You should expect this, as its a normal part of your dogs adjustment to his new home. If you catch your dog in the act of eliminating in the house, do something to interrupt him like making a startling noise (dont scare him). Immediately take him to his bathroom spot, praise him, and give him a treat if he finishes eliminating there. Dont punish your dog for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, its too late to administer a correction. Do nothing but clean it up. Rubbing your dogs nose in it, taking him to the spot and scolding him, or any other type of punishment, will only make him afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence. Animals dont understand punishment after the fact, even if its only seconds later. Cleaning the soiled area is very important because dogs are highly motivated to continue soiling in areas that smell like urine or feces. Use an enzyme cleaning product specifically for animal stains, such as Simple Solution.

Feeding
New Rattitude strongly recommends that you measure and monitor your dogs food with NO freefeeding (having food available all day long) for many reasons: With a regular schedule, you can ensure the quantity is right to strive toward and maintain a healthy weight. Free-feeding tends to lead to obesity. Free-feeding prevents you from monitoring your dogs appetite, which is often the first indication of a medical problem. Free-feeding is not ideal for a dogs digestive system. Dogs (and cats) in the wild have long breaks between mealsfar longer than humans, who operate ideally on 3 meals per day. These breaks give their digestive systems a chance to rest and prepare for the next meal. Dogs who free-feed tend to not have regular stools, which makes potty training more difficult. Free-feeding can make a dog passionless about his food, whereas food should be a dogs primary motivation and he should look forward to his next meal with anticipation and excitement. With some dogs, free-feeding can lead to stress and anxiety because they feel the continual need to guard the food, which can even promote aggression. A dog who is free-fed is less responsive when you use treats for training. Requiring the dog to rely on you for his food at regular mealtimes is the best, easiest way to properly establish your dominant role in the household pack order, which makes the dog feel more secure and less likely to develop aggression or other undesirable tendencies. So feed just once or twice per day, on a regular schedule, and have the dog promptly eat the food as soon as you give it, taking up anything that isnt eaten within 10 minutes. This routine will ensure your dog is easy to feed, comfortable, and is responsive to food when you use treats for training. Keeping your dog at a good weight is especially important for Rat Terriers, a breed with a delicate structure and thin legs. RTs should be very lean dogs. Carrying too much weight can cause joint and limb problems. Overweight dogs are at risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, digestive disorders, and liver and kidney disease. Obesity causes dogs to have less energy and stamina, leaving their immune systems weaker and putting them more at risk for contracting viral and bacterial infections. Being underweight has health risks, toosuch as anemia, osteoporosis, skin disorders, muscle wasting, mental confusion, and physical fatiguebut from a health perspective it is better to be a little too thin than a little too heavy.

How to Assess Your Dog

The ideal weight for a dog is approximately the weight where the last 3 ribs are just barely visible when the dog is standing or can be felt with a very light touch. You should not have to prod to feel the dogs ribs. If you cant feel them, or if you have to apply pressure to feel them, the dog needs to lose weight. Look at the dog from the side. There should be a definite tuck-up in the tummy area (between the rib cage and hind legs). The height of the chest should be approximately 1-1/2 times the height of the tummy. Stand directly above the dog and look down. You should see a waistan indent between the rib cage and hips that makes an hourglass figure. If its not there, or if it bulges out, its diet time.

Diet Tips
Start by cutting back the amount fed by a third. This includes treats and snacks of any kind. If your dog begs for food, thats a good sign! But dont give in. Research has shown that a healthy dog can abstain from food for five days before any noticeable health effects occur, so dont let him convince you he is starving. Always be sure fresh water is available. Reweigh him in 2 weeks. If he has lost weight, you are on the right track. Keep it up. If he has not lost weight, reduce his daily consumption by another third. Keep in mind most overweight pets have slow metabolisms and simply dont burn off calories very fast. Because of this, they dont require very much, so just a little extra makes a big difference over time.

Many vets believe you should NOT feed Reduced Calorie or Lite diets. These have very restricted fat levels to reduce calories but therefore have increased carbohydrate percentages, which stimulates additional insulin secretion, which tells the body to store unused calories as fat. Many dogs actually GAIN weight on Reduced Calorie dog foods! Diet dog foods also often contain non-nutritious fillers such as peanut hulls. Your dog needs a high quality, complete and balanced dog food that is high in protein and fat, and low in carbs. It is also important to get everyones cooperation in restricting the dogs intake. Someone in the household often feels sorry for the dieter and surreptitiously provides just a little something extra. It would be more loving for the person to take him for a walk or run to burn off a few calories. Establish a daily exercise routine. Sniffing around the backyard isnt enough. Food is not a substitute for love and attention. Your dog will love you just as much if you give him a massage, let him lie by your side, throw a tennis ball for him, or take him for a walk.

High Quality Dog Foods

The brand of food that you feed your dog can make an enormous impact on his health, vitality, coat, digestive system, and immune system, among other things. Selecting the right food isnt always easy, as there are so many brands, opinions, and misleading advertising claims. Start by educating yourself about what constitutes a good quality dog food so that you can make an informed choice. Here are some great websites to help you. In these reviews, avoid anything with a rating of only 1 or 2 stars: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ http://www.asuperiorgsd.com/dog.food.htm http://www.dogaware.com/diet/index.html In addition, Whole Dog Journal published a system for judging the quality of commercial dog foods, and then graded over 60 popular brands. The results were quite shocking for some people. Here is how it works: 1) Start with a grade of 100. 2) For every listing of by-product, subtract 10 points. 3) For every non-specific animal source (meat or poultry meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points. 4) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points. 5) For every grain mill run or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points. 6) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (e.g. ground brown rice, brewers rice, and rice flour are all the same grain), subtract 5 points. 7) If the protein sources arent meat meal and theres only one meat in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points. 8) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points. 9) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points. 10) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points. 11) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points. 12) If lamb is the only animal protein source subtract 2 points. 13) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points. 14) If it contains wheat, subtract 2 points. 15) If it contains beef, subtract 1 point. 16) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point. If it contains corn syrup, sugar, or any other sweetener, subtract 2 points. 17) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points. 18) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points. 19) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points. 20) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points. 21) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points. If it contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains) add 3 points. 22) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free add 2 points. 23) If the food contains barley, add 2 points. If it contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point. 24) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds) add 2 points. If it contains sunflower oil, add 1 point. 25) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count chicken and chicken meal as only one protein source, but chicken and as 2 different sources) add 1 point. 26) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point. 27) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide free, add 1 point.

DOG FOOD GRADES (based on the scoring system) Alpo Prime Cuts - Score 81 (C) Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy - Score 114 (A+) Authority Harvest Baked - Score 116 (A+) Authority Harvest Baked Less Active - Score 93 (A) Beowulf Back to Basics - Score 101 (A+) Bil-Jac Select - Score 68 (D) Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice - Score 83 (C) Blue Buffalo Chicken & Rice - Score 106 (A+) Burns Chicken & Brown Rice - Score 107 (A+) Canidae - Score 112 (A+) Cesar Canine Cuisine - Score 52 (F) Chicken Soup Senior - Score 115 (A+) Diamond Maintenance - Score 64 (F) Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice - Score 92 (A) Diamond Large Breed Formula - Score 99 (A) Diamond Performance - Score 85 (B) Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra Premium Score 122 (A+) Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Venison & Brown Rice - Score 106 (A+) Dick Van Pattens Duck & Potato - Score 106 (A+) EaglePack Holistic - Score 102 (A+) Eukanuba Adult - Score 81 (C) Eukanuba Puppy - Score 79 (C) Flint River Senior - Score 101 (A+) Foundations - Score 106 (A+) Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold Score 93 (A) Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium - Score 73 (D) Innova Dog - Score 114 (A+) Innova Evo - Score 114 (A+) Innova Large Breed Puppy - Score 122 (A+) Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, & Vegetables Score 110 (A+) Members Mark Chicken and Rice - Score 84 (B) Merrick Wilderness Blend - Score 127 (A+) Natures Recipe - Score 100 (A) Natures Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice - Score 116 (A+) Natures Variety Raw Instinct - Score 122 (A+) Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice Score 81 (C) Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy - Score 101 (A+) Nutrisource Lamb and Rice - Score 87 (B) Nutro Max Adult - Score 93 (A) Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice - Score 98 (A) Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy - Score 87 (B) Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free - Score 86 (B) Nutro Natural Choice Senior - Score 95 (A) Nutro Ultra Adult - Score 104 (A+) Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice - Score 23 (F) Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Adult dry - Score 109 (A+) Pro Nature Puppy - Score 80 (C) Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach - Score 94 (A) Purina Beneful - Score 17 (F) Purina Dog - Score 62 (F) Purina Come-n-Get It - Score 16 (F) Purina One Large Breed Puppy - Score 62 (F) Royal Canin Boxer - Score 103 (A+) Royal Canin Bulldog - Score 100 (A+) Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult - Score 106 (A+) Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ - Score 63 (F) Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies - Score 69 (D) Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice - Score 97 (A) Solid Gold - Score 99 (A) Summit - Score 99 (A) Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry - Score 120 (A+) Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken - Score 110 (A+) Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold - Score 97 (A)

Nutritional Aids & Supplements

Rescue Remedy is a homeopathic product that is a combination of natural flower essences, considered by many to be the single most important remedy in animal healing. It has been described as a first-aid kit in a bottle. Many vets use it routinely to calm dogs before examining them, and before and after surgery and other treatments. Rescue Remedy provides a natural calming effect in traumatic situations such as stress, depression, injuries, fearfulness, anxiety, or homesickness. May be safely used with other medications and has no side effects. Available on-line and at health food stores and nutrition centers. See http://www.rescueremedy.com/pets/. Essential Fatty Acids Many high quality dog foods do a good job of providing Essential Fatty Acids, which are necessary for optimal health. Linoleic Acid (Omega6) maintains skin and coat condition. Without enough linoleic acid, dogs may experience dull, dry coat, hair loss, greasy skin, and increased susceptibility to skin inflammation and itching. Linolenic Acid (Omega3) acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, lowers blood pressure, reduces blood clots, and reduces abnormal heartbeat. To ensure your dog is getting optimal Fatty Acids levels, its often advised to augment the dogs diet with supplements such as DermCaps from health food or pet supply stores or through inexpensive oil supplements such as flaxseed oil, safflower oil, or fish oil capsules from your pharmacy or grocery store. Lots of information is available on-line about Essential Fatty Acids, including at: http://huntingsociety.org/ Fats.html. Prozyme Prozyme is a unique, scientifically proven, all natural enzymatic food supplement that provides the necessary digestive enzymes that are destroyed in the normal processing of canned and dry food. Enzymes are really the key to good nutrition. Even if you fed your pets huge amounts of vitamins, minerals, fats, protein, and carbohydrates, without enzymes to break them down, most essential nutrients would pass right through the digestive system and not get absorbed. The addition of Prozyme allows greater absorption of the important nutrients found in your pets food. Prozyme is a combination of four highly concentrated and purified natural plantderived enzymes. All ingredients are of human grade quality. Prozyme is not a drug and will not interfere with any medication or therapy. In fact, Prozyme will enhance any therapy that your pet is presently receiving. Prozyme comes as a powder that is sprinkled on or mixed in food ( teaspoon for every cup of food given). For more information, go to http://www.prozymeproducts.com/. Glucosamine and chondroitin work together to improve the health of joint cartilage. Healthy joints are important for the comfort of dogs in routine movements such as walking, climbing stairs, and rising. Overweight dogs, older dogs with arthritis and osteoarthritis, and dogs with joint injuries could all benefit from supplements to help rebuild joint cartilage. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a member of the sunflower family, well known for its use in liver therapy. The seeds of the milk thistle contain a compound called silymarin, which is an antioxidant known to help in protecting and regenerating the liver. Milk thistle is recommended as treatment for a number of liver conditions in humans, dogs and cats, including cirrhosis, toxicity (poisoning) from insecticides, pesticides, mushrooms, and some drugs (including chemotherapy drugs, chemical heartworm medications, antibiotics, and corticosteroids) by displacing toxins trying to bind to the liver, scavenging free radicals, stabilizing liver membranes, and helping the liver regenerate more quickly. It is also thought to be helpful for digestive disorders. Milk thistle is an all natural product with no known toxicity, safe for long-term use. Milk thistle is commonly available in the supplements section of drug stores, grocery stores, and health food stores.

Heartworm Infection
Heartworm disease is a severe pet healthcare issue that has been diagnosed in every state and worldwide. All dogs regardless of age, sex, or habitat are susceptible to heartworm infection. Dogs living in the southeastern states along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico seaboards are particularly at risk. Studies show that untreated dogs in these areas have a 45% chance of developing heartworm disease. Heartworms are a parasitic worm transmitted from one dog to another by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites a dog with heartworms, it sucks up microscopic baby heartworms. When the infected mosquito then bites another dog, those baby heartworms are injected into victim and continue development. Within 2-3 months, the heartworms reach larva stage, mature enough to work their way from the dogs bloodstream into the tissues, eventually reaching the heart where they stay and grow until they resemble thin spaghetti up to 12" long. The lifespan of a heartworm is 5-7 years. As the adult heartworms grow and multiply, they start also invading the big blood vessels going to the lungs. Heartworms congest and inflame the area, damaging the blood vessel walls. The scarred blood vessels lose elasticity and also become narrower, causing an increase in blood pressure. Pneumonia may occur because of the lung inflammation. Eventually, the blood pressure gets higher than the heart can pump against, resulting in heart failure. Heartworm preventative works by killing any baby heartworms in the dogs bloodstream. Since it takes 2-3 months from the time of a mosquitos bite until the baby heartworms are mature enough to leave the bloodstream as juveniles, monthly heartworm preventative is highly effective. The monthly preventative, however, is not effective against adult heartworms or juveniles, so if even one monthly dose is missed (or if the dog spits or vomits it out without your noticing), it could be too late by the time the next months dose is given. It usually takes many months for physical symptoms of heartworm disease to appear. Without an annual blood test to check for heartworms, dog owners will not be aware that their dog is infected until the disease has progressed so far that treatment may not be effective, and the dog could die. With an annual test to detect heartworm disease, however, there will be time to save the dog. Heartworm treatment is highly effective in dogs whose heartworm disease is caught early. Unfortunately, however, the treatment is expensive, very painful for the dog, and inconvenient for both dog and owner. Also, complications can occur during treatment, including a 1-3% death rate. Treatment requires careful medical care and complete inactivity afterwards for at least 30 days. Immiticide (an arsenic derivative) works by killing the adult heartworms through injections into the dogs back muscle. Most vets will give a dog two injections, a day apart. The Immiticide quickly kills the adult heartworms, but the dead worms must gradually decompose, with the residual eliminated through the bodys normal blood cleansing process. The disintegrating worms cause inflammation and swelling of the heart and surrounding vessels. And any activity that makes the heart pump faster risks breaking off small worm fragments, pushing them out into small blood vessels where they act like blood clots, with significant danger of causing pulminary embolism, stroke, or heart attack. Vigorous activityor even normal activitymust therefore be strictly avoided for at least 30 days following Immiticide injections. A dog not kept inactive following treatment, particularly in the ultra critical Day 10-15 range, is at high risk for sudden death. The dog should not be permitted to jump up and down off furniture, climb stairs, or bark excessively. Avoid excessive panting by keeping the temperature cool (70-75 degrees). Most dogs must be kept crated during this month and let out ONLY to potty on-leash. After 30 days, the dog may be allowed to resume activity gradually over the next 15-30 days. Keep your Dog on Heartworm Prevention! From a financial point of view, this is certainly smart since an annual heartworm test ($18-25) plus a years worth of preventative ($25-40) is significantly cheaper than a course of heartworm treatment (which at a typical vet will cost $500 or more). In addition, keeping your dog heartworm free will lessen the likelihood of other dogs in your home or neighborhood contracting the disease from a shared mosquito. Please use your calendar to remember to give your new dog his heartworm preventative on the same day of each and every month. Read more at: www.heartwormsociety.org/CanineHeartwormInfo.htm.

Flea Prevention
In most cases, fleas are more of an annoyance than a serious health issue. But these days they do not have to be an issue at all because truly effective flea preventative medicines are available. If you are serious about keeping fleas off your dog, dont bother with flea collars, flea shampoos, sprays, or the inexpensive topical ointments you can buy in a grocery store. These may help reduce flea infestations somewhat, but are not truly effective as a preventative. The products that provide real protection for your pet and your home are listed below. The liquid topicals eliminate 98-100% of the fleas within 12-18 hours, then have residual effect for a month afterwards, even after swimming or bathing. Advantage - Topical liquid - flea prevention K9 Advantix - Topical liquid - tick, mosquito and flea treatment Frontline Top Spot - Topical liquid - flea and tick protection Frontline Plus - Topical liquid - flea (including flea eggs) and tick prevention Revolution - Topical liquid - heartworm, flea, tick, ear mite, and sarcoptic mange prevention Sentinel - Flavor tab (edible) - heartworm, flea, hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm prevention Program - Flavor tab (edible) - flea control

Poison Control

ASPCA POISON CONTROL HOTLINE: (888) 426-4435

Many common household products are highly toxic for dogs and can be very dangerous. Please never let your dog lick or eat any of these items. If your dog ingests any of these, seek vet help immediately. Foods Chocolate Coffee or tea Grapes and raisins Macadamia nuts & walnuts Onions (raw, cooked, powder) Cooked bones (esp. poultry/ fish) Xylitol artificial sweetener in baked goods, candy, gum, breath freshener, toothpaste Avocado Yeast dough Alcoholic beverages Cleaning Products Disinfectants Bleach Detergents Drain cleaner Pesticides/Insecticides Rat/mouse or gopher bait Snail/slug bait Insect repellent Mothballs Medicines Ibuprophen Tylenol Cold medicines Diet pills Anti-depressants Human vitamin supplements containing iron Household/Garden Items Citronella candles Cocoa mulch Liquid potpourri Fabric softener sheets Chemicals Oil-based paints Kerosene and gasoline Pool chemicals Ice melting products Antifreeze Expanding glues Plants Azaleas Rhododendrons Sago palm Bulbs - amaryllis, crocus, iris, daffodils, daylilies, tulips Poinsettias Hydrangeas Tomato plant leaves/stems Aloe Lilies

Pet First Aid Kit

Dog owners can treat minor injuries for their pets if they have the appropriate remedies, tools, and equipment available. The following items are suggested for any home first aid kit: Muzzle E-collar Childrens aspirin (81 mg) Pepto Bismal tablets Benadryl capsules (25 mg) Panacur worming powder Hydrogen peroxide (unopened) Rubbing alcohol Petroleum jelly (Vasoline) Triple antibiotic ointment Hydrocortisone 1% cream Sterile, non-adherent pads 4x4" gauze sponges Sterile gauze 3" bandage 3" width Ace bandage Rectal thermometer Tweezers & bandage scissors Saline eye wash

Recommended Vaccination Schedule

Canine vaccinations have been subject to much debate in recent years, with many challenges to the traditionally-accepted practice of vaccinating all dogs annually for a large number of diseases, both common and uncommon. Following much study and research, in 2011 new guidelines were issued by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and separately but similarly by nationally reknown veterinarian Dr. Jean Dodds. The premises and recommendations from the AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines and Dr. Dodds Vaccination Protocol have been adopted by multiple North American Veterinary Schools. In consideration of these guidelines, New Rattitude adopted the following vaccination schedule for all New Rattitude foster dogs and advocates continuation of this schedule post adoption. Puppies Under 16 Weeks Old 1. Rabies: 2. Parvo: 3. Distemper: 4. Parainfluenza: 5. Adenovirus: 6. Bordetella: Recommended to wait until after 16-20 weeks of age. If required by law, single dose may be given, but not earlier than 12 weeks of age. Initial dose at 6-8 weeks, with 2 more doses administered at 3-4 week intervals. Initial dose at 6-8 weeks, with 2 more doses administered at 3-4 week intervals. OPTIONAL - Single dose in conjunction with one of the core vaccines. OPTIONAL - Single dose in conjunction with one of the core vaccines. OPTIONAL - Single dose at 6-8 weeks. Revaccination after 6 months in high-risk dogs only.

Dogs/Puppies Over 16 Weeks Old 1. Rabies: Initial: Single dose of a 1-year rabies vaccine. Revaccination: Single dose of a 3-year rabies vaccine within 1 year after administration of the initial dose, regardless of the dogs age at the time of the initial dose. Subsequently, revaccination with a 3-year rabies vaccine every 3 years thereafter. Initial: Single dose. Revaccination: Dogs who completed the puppy vaccination series by 16 weeks of age receive a single booster not later than 1 year after completion of the initial series, then are revaccinated every 3 years. Dogs whose initial vaccination was after 16 weeks of age are revaccinated every 3 years. Initial: Single dose. Revaccination: Dogs who completed the puppy vaccination series by 16 weeks of age receive a single booster not later than 1 year after completion of the initial series, then are revaccinated every 3 years. Dogs whose initial vaccination was after 16 weeks of age are revaccinated every 3 years. OPTIONAL - Single dose in conjunction with one of the core vaccines. Revaccination annually in high-risk dogs only. OPTIONAL - Single dose in conjunction with one of the core vaccines. Revaccination annually in high-risk dogs only. OPTIONAL Single dose. Revaccination after 6 months in high-risk dogs only.

2. Parvo:

3. Distemper:

4. Parainfluenza: 5. Adenovirus: 6. Bordetella:

High Risk Dogs Only (follow links for risk assessment) 1. Canine Influenza: 2. Lepto: Initial: 2 doses required; first not earlier than 6 weeks of age, and the second 2-4 weeks later. Revaccination annually Initial: 2 doses required; first not earlier than 12 weeks of age, and the second 2-4 weeks later. Revaccination annually Measles vaccination, Corona vaccination, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake vaccination

Not Recommended:

Aggression
If your dog starts showing aggression or bites someone in your homeor if you encounter other behavioral problems that you do not know how to handleconsult with your vet and contact New Rattitude for advice immediately. We have a wealth of information and experience, and our foster parents can undoubtedly help with things to check for. Sometimes there is a medical reason or an environmental trigger. Dont be afraid to ask questions! First try to objectively assess the conditions leading to the aggression, which is essential to understand to work on resolving the issue. Is it usually in a particular situation (e.g. on leash)? Is it usually only when certain people (e.g. men) are around? Does the dog actually bite, or just threaten? Is food involved? Does he give warning (e.g. growl or a hard stare) beforehand? What is his attitude afterwards guilty? fearful? pumped up?

Nipping
Be sure to distinguish between a nip and a bite. A simple nipa quick pinch of the teeth that doesnt draw blood or puncture the skincan be a frustrated dogs way of trying to communicate. A dogs teeth are one of its tools and it uses them to accomplish its goals. Dogs know full well how to behave with each other, but they dont automatically know our human rules. Fortunately, most nipping is fairly easily controllable. Dogs can nip for various reasons. The most common reason is because it thinks its the boss. In the wild, dogs are pack animals who follow their leader. Each dog knows its place and they all know who the leader is. A low ranking dog will NEVER nip or snap at the leader. When dogs nip family members it is usually because the dog thinks it is of a higher rank. The most usual targets are children or adults that show fear. The scenario goes like this: The dog threatens a family member by snapping or nipping, the family member backs down, and the dog gets a confirmation of its higher status by this submissive behavior. The most gentle and humane way to control this situation is by teaching the dog that all humans are higher ranking than dogs. This is easily accomplished by controlling the dogs food and toys, and by making the dog work for what it wants. In the wild the top dog controls the food resources, and it eats first. Therefore let your dog know that YOU are the boss of the food. The human family should eat all meals first. The person toward whom the dog is showing aggression should be the one to feed the dog, with the dog watching him put the food in the bowl. If the dog doesnt finish his food in 5-10 minutes, take it away and do not leave food out all day. Dont let the dog nip at your fingers when youre giving a treat. Fold your arms while NOT looking at the dog and wait until it calms down. Then look at the dog, tell the dog to sit, THEN give the treat. Dont just give or drop a dog toy because the dog threatens to nip. Instead, teach the dog to sit and then reward it with the toy. And do not allow the dog to hump you or your children since that, too, is usually an act of dominance. These techniques gently demote the dog to a lower ranking member of the pack (your family). Dogs that have been demoted dont nip their superiors and are generally calmer and less stressed because they dont have to worry about being top dog.

Overprotection
Another type of dominance aggression involves an overprotective dog. This dog recognizes your authority but thinks its his role to protect you from other humans or dogs who it erroneously views as lower ranking. This situation develops when a dog shows signs of being protective and its owner or fosterparent inadvertently reinforces that behavior by trying to soothe the dog when it is upset. In the dogs mind, he is being praised for growling. If your fosterdog shows signs of undesirable aggression toward any particular person, you must react immediately. Step toward the person, in front of the dog, to show him clearly that you are in charge and do not require his assistance. Sharply tell him no! and do not give his behavior any positive reinforcement. The person being growled at should not be the one to correct the dog but should maintain a friendly, non-threatening attitude by turning sideways to the dog, avoiding eye contact, and laughing and chatting with you in a relaxed way.

Fear Biting
Dogs who are otherwise well socialized may nevertheless react with a snap or bite when startled or scared. This is done in a moment of panic in an effort to get you to stop whatever you are doing. Usually such a bite occurs after clear signals that the dog is beyond his comfort zone. If the dog is cowering and backed up as far away as he can get, he is telling you as clearly as he knows how to stop whatever you are doing. If you disregard him and reach for him anyway, his instinct is to protect himself in the only other way he knows how. If this happens, its not the dogs fault, its yours. Dont punish a fear biter for biting. Yelling or hitting only creates more fear, increasing the problem. The way to deal with a fear biter is to help train him to get over his fear, and to learn his signals so that you do nothing to cause his fear response. If the fear is gone, the fear biting will be solved. Training a dog to get over being fearful is a long process and requires a positive attitude, patience, and consistency. Dont soothe or coddle a fearful dog, which reduces his confidence in you as a leader so lowers his sense of security. Instead, project an image of happy, relaxed self-assurance. Dont try to convince him to not be scared; he will lose his fear when he develops confidence and that cannot be forced. Handle him frequently, socialize him, teach him about fun, do obedience work and, most of all, show him that you are not worried. Is your dog afraid of thunder? Get down on the floor with him, and stretch and yawn. Roll onto your back with your vulnerable belly exposed. Fake a sneeze. Laugh. Lie peacefully. What youre telling your dog with your body language is everything is fine, life is good. If the dog is afraid of strangers, approach the person confidently and pay no attention to your dog. Model brave behavior. Shake hands or otherwise touch the person. Chat. Laugh. If youre out in traffic and your dog panics, stop walking and start throwing some calming signals. If you act confident, your dog will believe you that nothing is wrong. Once you have him under control again, begin your walk, head up, easy strides. Remember that youre the pack leader. If you are unafraid, your dog will believe that you will protect him and therefore there is nothing to worry about. Never comfort your dog in what he perceives as a scary situation. Telling him that Its ok Im here dont be afraid. Good dog, is only reinforcing your dogs thinking that his fear is okay, that his fear will get you to stay with him, and that hes a good dog for being afraid.

NILIF
Nothing in Life Is Free (NILIF) is a tried and true non-confrontational method of reducing, controlling, and preventing dominance or dominance aggression in dogs. It is an accepted standard in dog training/behavior for dogs in good health and of sound mind and stable temperament. NILIF teaches a dog to respect your leadership by requiring him to perform to get anything he wants. As the human, you have control of all things that are wonderful in his life. Food, attention, affection, playing, walks, going inside or outside, getting on the furniture, going for a car ride, going to the park. Anything and everything that your dog wants comes from you. If he has been getting most of these things for free, there is no real reason for him to respect your leadership or your ownership of these things. The NILIF program is remarkable because its effective for a wide variety of problems. A shy, timid dog becomes more relaxed knowing that he has nothing to worry about and that his owner is in charge of all things. A dog thats pushing too hard to become top dog learns that the position is not available and that his life is far more enjoyable without the title. It is equally successful with dogs that fall anywhere between those two extremes. And it is a perfectly suitable technique for a dog with no major behavior problems who just needs some fine tuning. This program is best used in conjunction with other behavior modification techniques (such as coping with fear or treatment for aggression). It is not difficult to put into effect and its not time consuming if the dog already knows a few basic obedience commands. NILIF is based on the premise that you (and all other humans in the home) are above the dogs in the pack rank, and requires you to act like it. Dogs are happiest when the pack order is stable. Lack of consistency in leadership status stresses a dog out. Timid dogs who are never sure whos in charge cant relax; they are on edge because they have more responsibility than they are comfortable with, and may become demanding and clingy. A more confident dog, when sensing a power vacuum, will rush in to fill that vacuum to give the pack some stability. A dog that has assumed the position of alpha will become difficult to handle when told to sit or down or when some other demand is placed on it. Hence, either YOU are in control or the dog will be. If you confidently demonstrate that you are the one in control in the home, your dog will ultimately be much happier. The investment you put in training now will prove immeasurably valuable by keeping undesirable behavior from escalating into something quite dangerous to you, to your family and friends, and ultimately, to the dog.

Attention on Demand
The program begins by eliminating attention on demand. When your dog comes to you and nudges your hand, saying, pet me! ignore him. Dont tell him no, dont push him away. Simply pretend you dont notice him. Dont be surprised if he tries harder to get your attention. He will stop when he figures out that this no longer works. In a pack situation, the top ranking dogs can demand attention from lower ranking ones, not the other way around. When you give your dog attention on demand youre telling him that he has more status in the pack than you do.

Extinction Bursts
If your dog is used to demanding (and getting) attention, and suddenly he is no longer able to accomplish that, it will be confusing for him. Expect a reaction. We all try harder at something we know works when it stops working. If I gave you $20 every time you clapped your hands, youd clap a lot. But if I suddenly stopped handing you money, even though you were still clapping, youd clap more and clap louder. You might get closer to me to make sure I was noticing that you were clapping. You might even shout Hey! Im clapping like crazy over here, wheres the money? If I didnt respond at all, in any way, youd eventually stop. That last trythat loud, frequent clappingis an extinction burst. If, however, during that extinction burst, I gave you another $20, youd be right back in the game. And it would take a lot longer to get you to stop clapping because you just learned that if you try hard enough, it will work.

When your dog learns that the behaviors that used to get him your attention dont work anymore, hes going to try harder and hes going to have an extinction burst. If you give him attention during that time, you will have to work that much harder to get him turned around again. Telling him no or pushing him away is not the kind of attention hes after, but its still attention. Completely ignoring him will work faster and better.

You Control Everything

You have control over all of the things that your dog wants. To implement the NILIF program, you simply have to have your dog earn his use of your resources. Hes hungry? No problem. He simply has to sit before his bowl is put down. He wants to play fetch? Great! He has to down before you throw the ball. Want to go for a walk or a ride? He has to sit to get his lead snapped on and has to sit while the front door is opened. He has to sit and wait while the car door is opened and listen for the OK to get into the car. When you return, he has to wait for the word that means get out of the car, even if the door is wide open. All of his toys are yours. Pick them up. Take them away. Give him a toy for playing when he has demonstrated a positive action such as being patient, sitting quietly, or following a command. When YOU decide play is over, take the toy away and put it away. Your dog must never be allowed on the furniture until he is invited by a human. If he jumps up uninvited, firmly push him off and tell him, OFF! Then ignore him entirely. Youre going to have to pay attention to things that you probably havent noticed before. When youre eating, do you just toss your dog a bit of hamburger? No more. He has to earn it. You dont have to use standard obedience commands; any kind of action will do. If your dog knows shake or spin around or speak, use those commands. Does your dog sleep on your bed? Teach him that he has to wait for you to say OK to get on the bed and that he has to get down when you say off. Teach him to go to his bed, or other designated spot, on command. When he goes to his spot and lies down, tell him stay and then release him with a treat reward. Having a particular spot where he stays is very helpful for when you have guests or otherwise need him out of the way for a while. It also teaches him that free run of the house is a resource that YOU control. Intentionally move into his space. When you walk or move around, make a point of moving into him. In the canine pack, only the alpha can move subordinate pack members aside by moving into them, forcing them to give up the physical territory they are occupying. In dogs minds, doing so is a very powerful message that says I, and I alone am in charge here. That little piece of land youre on belongs to me. I claim it. You find somewhere else right now! We humans invariably step over or around our dogs when they are lying comfortably somewhere because were compassionate and loving and dont want to disturb their peace. Thats human-think. How does a dog interpret our courteous human behavior? He sees it as deference to his superior position, according HIM alpha dog status and privileges. Move your leg into him every single time, and firmly (not a banging, kicking motion, of course!) and consistently apply pressure until he moves out of the way. Dont praise him for moving and dont verbally comment if he doesnt. Simply force him to move by applying steadily increasing leg/body pressure until he does. The moment he gives way, step into the spot then continue on your way as if it wasnt that important to begin with. This is a very good exercise to do each and every day at least once.

Keep It Easy
As you start NILIF training with a dog who has been with you for a while, dont be too hard on him. He has already learned that he can make all of these decisions on his own. He has a strong history of being in control of when he gets these resources. Enforce the new rules, but keep in mind that hes only doing what he previously has been taught to do and hes going to need some time to get the hang of it all. The NILIF program should not be a long, drawn out process. All you need to do is enforce a simple command before allowing him access to what he wants. Dinner, for example, should be a two or three second encounter that consists of nothing more than saying sit, then good dog! then putting the bowl down and walking away.

Attention and Play

Now that your dog is no longer calling the shots, you will have to make an extra effort to provide attention and play time. Call him to you, have him sit, then lavish him with as much attention as you want. Have him go get his favorite toy and play as long as you both have the energy. The difference is that now YOU will be the one initiating the attention and beginning the playtime. Hes going to depend on you now, a lot more than before, to see that he gets what he needs. What he needs most is quality time with you. This would be a good time to enroll in a group obedience class. Make certain the school/class instructor is terrier-savvy and uses ONLY positive reinforcement techniques, NOT corrections, such as choke collars. You must go through the school with him, and you must do the homework every day to reinforce in his mind that you are in control, not him. NILIF does NOT mean that you have to restrict the amount of attention you give to your dog! The NILIF concept speaks to who initiates the attention, not the amount of attention. Go ahead and call your dog to you 100 times a day for hugs and kisses! You can demand his attention, but he can no longer demand yours. Within a day or two your dog will see you in a whole new light and will be eager to learn more. Use this time to teach new things, such as roll over, or learn the specific names of different toys. If you have a shy dog, youll see a more relaxed dog who no longer has reason to worry about much of anything. He now has complete faith in you as his protector and guide. If you have a pushy dog hell be glad that the fight for leadership is over and his new role is that of devoted and adored pet.

Working with a Problem Dog

When youre working with a dog with issues, especially one who doesnt already have a history with you, the NILIF rules need to be even more firmly established right from the beginning. He must never go out a door in front of any human, ever. He should never have his head above any humans head, ever. He should never put his paws on any humans shoulders, ever. Growling at a human must NEVER be permitted for any reason whatsoever. He should not be permitted to sleep in your bed until the pack rank is firmly established and he understands its a privilege, not a right. He gets fed only after every single other household member gets fed, NEVER before. He must be on heel when he goes for a walk; he must not be ahead of humans. Keep him crated except during training time and other privileged time he has earned. Maintain an aloof attitude toward him except when he has correctly and immediately responded to a command. Two or three times a day, for 3-5 minutes maximum, practice quick sits and downs for food. (If you dont know how to train this, go to a class.) You are working for speed and attitude, so reward correct behavior generously with praise and food. These training sessions should be fast and fun, not a chore. Dont rush things. Privileges are earned. Dont go from confinement/isolation to full house privileges in a day. Free time must be earned and even then should be restricted to certain rooms or areas. Carry food at all times. Youre rewarding the dog for submitting. This is non-confrontational. Reward for a LONG time, then wean off food sporadically, but still praise the behavior.

Thundershirts
Thundershirt is the proven solution for dog anxiety. This simple product provides gentle, constant pressure that has been shown to have a dramatic calming effect on over 80% of dogs. Thundershirts are advocated by vets and trainers to aid anxiety, fearfulness, barking, hyperactivity, and more. New Rattitude was the recipient of a grant of Thundershirts through the Petfinder Foundation and has been able to use them on a number of our foster dogs, with good results. You can learn more about Thundershirts on their website at www.thundershirt.com. To purchase a Thundershirt for your newly adopted dog, and have 15% of the purchase benefit the Petfinder Foundation, visit http://www.Petfinder.com/promotions/thundershirt.

Recommended Reading
COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR DOGS The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash begins with a simple premise: All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume each tiny movement has meaning. With that in mind, Dr. Patricia McConnells recommendations for communicating with your canine make immediate sense. McConnell helps us break bad habits with both humor and common sense. Chapters are categorized by senses such as sound, sight, and smell; specific pack behaviors such as dominance and play also merit their own sections. McConnells wise and gently self-deprecating book brings trainingof both dogs and humansto new levels.

Positive Perspectives, by Pat Miller

Despite the fact that this book has enough depth to be an excellent learning resource for professionals and one every trainer should have in his/her libraryPat actually writes with the average pet owner in mind. Her warm, witty, user-friendly style makes it easy for even novice pet owners to read and understand what they need to know to communicate clearly with dogs, to build a great relationship with their dogs, and to handle problems along the way in a fair and gentle way. Another plus is that Pat includes a review of the latest dog products and equipment, some updates and advances in veterinary care and a resource/information list for further reading.

On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, by Turid Rugaas

This is a simple little book, but the content can revolutionize your communication with your dog. Its about dog language, but not the big wolf postures of dominance or submission that many of us already know about. This book is about the wide range of subtle signals that dogs use to communicate with other dogsor their owners! Dogs talk all the time, and every move or glance can carry a meaning. This book will help you understand that dog language is so much more than where the tail or the ears are. Its about signals that our own pets send to us daily. Start looking at your own dog and actually understand what he tells you...and use the dogs language to be understood by the dog!

GENERAL TRAINING Good Owners, Great Dogs, by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson
Solves all those bad dog problems that drive owners crazy and see how to raise a puppy into a happy, perfectly behaved dog. The trick is to understand how dogs think, read their body language, and communicate with patience, praise, and clarity. This book is an awesome training book for owners of puppies and adult dogs alike. Brian writes in conversational style, providing plenty of examples and personal narratives, and the many photographs are excellent for driving his verbal point across. The book covers basic commands, door manners, what games to play with your dog (and which to avoid), positive and negative reinforcement, how to approach the food bowl, and many other useful commands/activities. The book also addresses basic dog care, dog development, and common problems that each dog owner faces when teaching each command or facing daily life with a dog.

How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks, by Ian Dunbar

Fun, easy and effective, dog-friendly techniques for teaching a new puppy old tricks (such as basic manners), or for teaching an older dog that is new to training. Heralded by many dog trainers as the best dog training book ever written, its a comprehensive workbook for the motivated dog owner, comprising sections on basic offleash obedience, temperament modification, behavior troubleshooting, training theory and health care

Power of Positive Dog Training, by Pat Miller

The Power of Positive Dog Training is the best book yet on explaining how and why purely positive training works. Easy-to-read discussion of the philosophy of positive training is followed by training tips and exercises, geared toward the dog owner who wants to develop a relationship with his dog based on friendship and positive reinforcement, not fear and punishment. Includes instructive illustrations and an easy-to-follow, step-by-step, six-week basic training program.

Dont Shoot The Dog, by Karen Pryor

This clear explanation of reinforcement-based training is a worldwide. Whether you are dealing with a pet or a person, it tells how and why you can get better results with positive methods instead of punishment. It is a popular college text on learning and behavior; the bible for humane, gentle animal care in zoos and shelters; and a resource on using positive reinforcement effectively.. The underlying principles of behavioral training are explained through numerous fascinating examples shaping behavior, such as how to combat your own addictions; how to deal with difficult problems such as a moody spouse, an impossible teen, or an aged parent; and how to keep the cat off the table.

The Dog Who Would Be King, by John C. Wright

What would you do if your dog were terrified of your new lover? Or ate her way through your new kitchen cabinets to hide from a thunderstorm? Applied animal behaviorist John Wright tells how he helps exasperated owners solve these and other shaggy dilemmas, including the family that couldnt eat at home because their dog would swipe their food from the table. He also covers more ordinary cases of doggy phobias, separation anxieties, and aggression, giving valuable advice and demonstrating inspired insight into the motives of mischievous canines and their befuddled owners.

The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson

The Culture Clash is utterly unique, fascinating to the extreme, and overflowing with information that redefines the state of the art in dog behavior and training. Written in Jeans informal yet precise lecture style, the book races along on par with a good thriller, depicting dogs as they really are, with their loveable can I eat it, chew it, urinate on it, whats in it for me? philosophy. Jeans tremendous affection for dogs shines through, as does her keen insight into the dogs mind. Relentlessly, she champions the dogs point of view, always showing concern for their education and well-being.

The Dog Who Loved Too Much, by Nicholas Dodman, DVM

Dodman teaches behavioral pharmacology at Tufts University School of Vet Medicine and is the director of its Behavior Clinic. The book relates actual cases from his clinical practice. Hes clear in his explanations and cuts to the core of each problem. Part 1 deals with aggression: dominance, rage, territorial/fear, dog v. dog, and dog v. baby. Part 2 discusses fear of thunderstorms, inanimate objects, and separation anxiety, particularly geriatric. The final section deals with compulsive behaviors, hallucinations, lick granuloma, and house-soiling. A summary table for each chapter highlights the key symptoms and treatments for the condition discussed.

Peaceable Paws Yahoo group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/peaceablepaws

Trainer and writer Pat Miller founded Peaceable Paws Dog and Puppy Training after a 20-year career in animal protection. Its an email list thats an educational and networking forum for Peaceable Paws students and other companion animal owners and trainers interested in expanding their education about positive training methods, and networking with others who have similar interests. Discussions focus on positive training, upcoming events, and related animal protection issues.

How to Be the Leader of the Pack And Have Your Dog Love You For It, by Patricia McConnell
Learn how to love your dogs without spoiling them and provide boundaries without intimidation. This booklet clarifies how to be a benevolent leader and avoid aggression related to fear or dominance. If you want to be a natural leader to your pack and teach your dog that being polite is fun, this book tells you how to do it in a peaceful, kind way. The ideas and exercises in this booklet are based on the way dogs communicate with each other, so they are highly effective and easy for your dog to understand. An essential part of any canine library!

SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS:

Aggression: Feisty Fido; Help For The Leash Aggressive Dog, by Patricia McConnell
This booklet is designed for anyone, novice or professional, who works with dogs who are aggressive to other dogs on leash. Chock full of practical solutions to a common problem, the ideas within will help you change an out-of-control barker, lunger or growler into a polite neighborhood citizen.

Resource Guarding: Mine, by Jean Donaldson

This is a practical how-to guide about resource guarding in dogs. It contains aggression basics, kinds of resource guarding (food, object, location, owner, miscellaneous, combinations, body handling), working with and treatment for resource guarders, and prevention of resource guarding.

Separation Anxiety: Ill Be Home Soon, by Patricia McConnell

This booklet explains the difference between dogs who truly have separation anxiety and those that merely misbehave, and describes a behavior modification program for the prevention and treatment of both. A treasure chest of ideas for keeping your dog happy in your absence.

Fear: The Cautious Canine, by Patricia McConnell

So much aggression in dogs results from fear, but fear-based problems can become worse if treated incorrectly. This booklet provides a step-by-step explanation of desensitizing and counter classical conditioning. It can help you solve minor behavioral problems and prevent serious ones, covering important details related to identifying exact triggers, step-by-step treatment plan, monitoring your progress, and why you need to treat the fear and not just your dogs reaction to the fear.

Multiple Dogs: Feeling Outnumbered? How To Manage And Enjoy A Multi-Dog Household, by Karen London and Patricia McConnell
Filled with practical ideas about keeping life fun in houses that have two dogs or many more than that, this booklet is a great resource for all multiple dog owners, whether novice of professional. It gives tips to create a little order out of the canine chaos in your home, answers to whether all that growling during play means trouble or not, etc.

Housetraining: Way To Go! How to Housetrain A Dog Of Any Age, by P. McConnell

This clear, concise booklet can help your puppy or adult dog learn a lifetime of good habits. In addition to a step-by-step plan to get your dog to eliminate outside (only), Way to Go! is loaded with practical information about how long you can expect housetraining to take, tips for knowing when your pup needs to go outside, how to handle night time, how to clean up accidents, and how to teach your dog to eliminate on cue.

MEDICAL The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats, Prevention Magazine Health Books
Having a sick pet is a stressful situation. Some problems are fairly easy to remedy and can be handled by an alert, knowledgeable owner at home. Others are indications of more serious conditions requiring the intervention of a veterinarian. Here a panel of respected vets provides hints for everyday pet healthcare. Each section includes descriptions and suggestions for coping with or curing ailments ranging from arthritis to shedding. Almost 100 different symptoms and problems are covered, and several of the chapters have a section entitled When To See the Vet.

Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, 3rd ed., by James M. Giffin MD & Lisa D. Carlson DVM
This wonderful reference for any dog owner has chapters on emergencies as well as worms, infectious diseases, and skin care; digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and urinary systems; plus dog sex, whelping, puppy pediatrics, and geriatrics; cancers; and medications. In short, it covers every health dimension a dog owner might want to know more about, identifying possible causes, helping you determine the severity of the condition, and indicating what treatments or actions to take.