Employee Spotlight

Connie Winkle

Today's employee spotlight is Connie Winkle. Connie has been with the Animal Care Centers for almost 7 years now and she has a heart made for this job! Connie goes above and beyond her responsibilities to make sure every animal gets extra love and affection. Not only is she a part of our kennel staff but she also helps in the hospital.  She loves what she does and is dedicated to making every day count. She once got a hotel room next to the Blue Ash clinic during a snowy winter to insure she was at work on time to tend to the animals. Her continuous smile and helpful attitude makes her irreplacable.  Thank you for all you do, Connie!

Pet Spotlight

Hoya Shapiro

 Meet Hoya Shapiro. She is a 14 year old domestic shorthair. She is such a sweet, loving cat who moved here from Japan. She has been a frequent boarder of our cat condos at the Reed Hartman location since May 2003. Unfortunately, she will be moving again to Florida in a couple of weeks. We sure will miss her!!

Piranha Puppies

Puppies learn and explore by using their mouth. Biting during play and social interactions are normal, but having sharp teeth embedded in your ankle or arm is not fun. It is up to you to train your puppy how to use his mouth in an acceptable manner. Strategies for controlling the little piranha include giving him basic training, providing sufficient stimulation to meet his needs, encouraging acceptable behavior, and interrupting undesirable biting behavior.

 

Here's some tips

 

Don't encourage the behavior

Avoid games that encourage your puppy to attack your hands or any body part. You should also be careful not to reward "mouthy" behavior. If your puppy gets your attention when he places his mouth on you, the behavior will continue. Reinforcing behaviors can be anything from petting him, picking him up, gently talking to him, and even a light scolding. The best thing is to tell the puppy "no" and walk away. Do not give puppy anymore attention.

 

A tired puppy is a good puppy

Excessive mouthing, biting or playing too rough can all be signs that your pet is not getting enough exercise or mental stimulation.  Give your pup plenty of exercise by walking, playing fetch, romping in the yard, or chasing a soccer ball. You, not the puppy, should be the one to initiate these play sessions.

The more energy the pup uses for appropriate activities, the less he will use for mouthy biting behavior.  

 

Train early

Enroll your pet in puppy socialization and training classes as soon as possible. Then, teach him that you are in control by using obedience commands. Ask him to sit before giving him things he wants or needs, and occasionally command him to stay for a second or two before following you around the home or stairs or going through a doorway. Ignore all pushy behaviors, such as nudging, pawing or whining for attention.

    A drag line can be a helpful tool for managing the pup's biting behavior, and can be particularly useful in the yard. Tie a long line (10 foot indoors and 20 foot outdoors) to your pet's collar so you can quickly grab the line when you need to stop the biting. Be sure that the pet is closely supervised when he is wearing a drag line.

    More headstrong pups may require a leash and head halter for control. By leaving these attached when the pet is with the family, you can instantly stop mouthing and biting with a gentle pull of the leash. Release tension as soon as the biting or mouthing stops. Head halters can give all family members, even young children a considerable amount of control over the pet.

    

The "leave it" command

    While some mouthing during play is acceptable, it is important that the pet learns to stop on command. This can be done by teaching the "leave it"  command when he is biting. Begin your training when the pet is very calm. With a leashed puppy, place a piece of food on the floor. Walk up to the food and tell the puppy "leave it". Hand the puppy a small piece of dry food.  Be dramatic, lean toward the pup, and make eye contact when you give the instructive reprimand. Gradually increase the time the puppy has to wait before giving the pet a treat. Once he learns to leave the food alone on command, practice the exercise without food by using only the command "leave it". After some diligent training, when the puppy starts to bite, say "leave it" to stop the puppy from biting.

 

What not to do

   Use positive training methods rather than harsh correction or physical punishment. This kind of correction may make biting problem worse or lead to fear and aggression.