We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of the Jabula Dog Academy. See all the AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: I have an 8-week-old black lab puppy that loves to bite and chew on my hands. What can I do to help him break this habit? I keep chew toys all over the place, but he seems to be more interested in chewing on me. I will be traveling with my sister and her small children soon and don’t want the puppy to chew on them. Please help!
A: Mouthing and chewing are a very natural part of a puppy’s development. Puppies learn through their mouth. You need to teach your puppy the appropriate use of its mouth. When you interact with your puppy make sure you always play and even pet with a toy in your hand. Dogs think in black and white, so you need to be consistent! Make it a rule to never allow teeth on skin. When your puppy’s teeth touch your skin make a sharp, firm noise such as “Egh, Egh,” and end the interaction immediately by freezing briefly and then walking away. Your puppy should learn that when his teeth touch your skin, interaction with you instantly ends. Mouthing and chewing the appropriate articles, like toys, means more fun and interaction with you. Make sure your puppy has chewies that are tasty and appropriate. Do not give too many at one time or your puppy will get bored. Frequently change out the toys and chewies to keep interest up.

Q: I think my dog (a Shih Tzu) has a split personality. For example, he loves my mom and will jump on her lap and sit there while she pets him. But on two occasions he has turned around and bit her (while looking totally calm the second before the bite). Please advise.
A: There could be several different reasons for this issue. If aggression suddenly starts with a dog you should consult your vet. It could be that your Shih Tzu has some pain, and when your mother touches a certain spot on him it causes the aggressive reaction. This is something you would want to rule out with your vet before you seek behavioral help.
If your vet does not find a cause for the aggression, then you need to look to the behavioral side. He would need an evaluation based on his age and the history of aggression. In the mean time, do not allow him to jump up onto a lap. Jumping on furniture is an act of dominance.He should only be invited up on occasion, petted for a short period of time and then go back to the floor. I would also make him earn rewards such as sitting on your lap. For example, have him sit and wait a few seconds before you invite him up. By having him earn rewards, you create more value and he will appreciate the time more. You also need to make sure he is getting enough exercise. Dogs will develop a host of issues when they do not get enough exercise. Even though he is a small dog, he still needs to walk in heel position and not stop to sniff and pee along the walk. If things do not improve, and his vet check comes back clear, you should seek professional help. He might need more intensive behavioral counter-conditioning.

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Tim Link, president of Wagging Tales and a practicing animal communicator and Reiki energy healer for pets. Do you wonder why your pet does that? Have Tim ask them why. He can speak to your pets, both living and dead. Read about all the AJCpets experts, then submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: Hi, I rescued a kitty 3 years ago, Lilly, from my office park. She was in bad shape and is now doing well. But she has some emotional problems. What is going on and what can I do to make her happy and calm?
A: Lilly is still going through some emotional trauma from being alone. She also is unsure about whether you want her to stay. Lilly will need constant reassurance that she is doing well and you are happy with her. Some calming herbs and flower essences added to her diet may help as well. Look for ways to offer Lilly confidence, stress relief and love.

Q: Our dog seems to be very well but she has changed her eating habits. Sometimes she doesn’t eat anything in the morning, other times it’s the evening. This has only happened about a couple of times over the last month and when she doesn’t eat the night before she is chowing down the next morning. We are just concerned that she can actually go a day without food. Is this normal behavior?
A: Though it is not recommended, dogs can go a day or two without eating. As long as they are staying hydrated, they should be fine. If the eating habits change drastically, if there is a change in appearance or behavior, or the dog stops eating for multiple days, contact your veterinarian immediately

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We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of the Jabula Dog Academy. Meet all the AJCpets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: I am away from home 10 hours a day. I purchased a female Shiba for my male, but he made our lives miserable for 3 weeks and I returned her to the breeder (he’s very possessive). How can I keep my dog entertained, while gated in my kitchen, so he doesn’t chew/destroy things? I can’t leave him out; he would destroy my entire house. But that is too long to crate. He is 9 months old. What can I do?
A: Before you leave for the day, make sure you have given him sufficient exercise. He should go for at least a 40-minute walk. Leave some toys out that will keep his attention and make him work for a reward.

Treat balls provide mental stimulation, as the dog has to interact with the ball to get it to drop a treat. Kongs are a good option also. Fill them with plain yogurt and freeze them. It will keep your Shiba busy. Make sure there are plenty of sufficient chew toys that taste good. You local pet store should carry a variety of these types of toys and treats.

When you get home, make sure you take your dog out and let him get rid of his energy by running around and playing. Enrolling him in an obedience class also will help give him something more constructive to do mentally.

Q: I have a 2 1/2-year-old mixed breed dog who has gotten really bad at barking and jumping when he sees other dogs during a walk. Any ideas on how to make him stop?
A: Your dog might be lacking some socialization. He may need to have some time in a fenced-in area to play and run with other dogs.

Provided he is not showing aggressive behavior towards the other dogs, he may just want a chance to run and play. It might be a good idea to take him to a dog daycare to satisfy his need for social time with other dogs. Also teach your dog the rules of leash walking by having him walk at your side and pay attention to you. Show your dog that you expect him to walk at your side and teach him to automatically sit when you stop. This will teach your dog pay more attention to you on the walks and less on what is going on around him.

Q: How do I get my dog to stop jumping up on people when they come into my house? He is being friendly, not mean.
A: Dogs jump up because they learn it gets them attention. Most dogs would rather have the negative attention of being scolded than no attention at all.

Consistently ask your dog to sit before you pet him. By doing this, you are teaching him that to get attention, he needs to sit. Again, be consistent and do this without distractions. When guests do come over, ask them to fold their arms and ask your dog to sit. If he jumps, tell them to quickly turn their backs and wait for him to stop jumping. Then ask him for a sit. If he sits he gets petted. If not, he is ignored. With enough consistency, you will teach him that sitting gets him attention, not jumping.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta to answer your questions every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of the Jabula Dog Academy. Meet the AJCpets experts, then submit questions in the form of a comment.

Q: I have a four-month-old Carin Terrier. We made the mistake in not crate training him during the day. Is it too late for him to stop peeing his bed during the day? And, is it wise to keep a towel in his crate?
A: It is not to late to stop this behavior. It sounds like your crate is the right size. But you have to be have realistic about how long you can leave your puppy. It is unrealistic to expect him to go for a full day at four months.

Make sure he goes potty before you put him in his crate. If he is consistently having accidents in his crate you need to take the bedding out. It is also a good idea to feed him his meals in his crate. Dogs are typically clean animals and will not want to have potty accidents where they eat. Also, restrict his water intake for about 2 hours before you put him in his crate.

Q: I have a 5-month-old Labrador mix puppy (he’s actually starting puppy classes this week). How can I get him to stop attacking my 8-year-old son? I am hoping that the puppy classes will help him, and my “plan” is for my son to actually do the training, so the pup will know he is below my son in the pack. Right now the pup “thinks” he is above myself and my son, and right below my hubby. I scold, but nothing helps. HELP!
A: Start basic training with your puppy. Practice the commands with your son and start to teach the puppy to listen to you and your son. When his behavior escalates, teach him the “leave it” command and then ask him to do something productive like “sit” or “down.” Teach your puppy that every time his behavior gets out of control, he will have to perform obedience commands. When he is doing a good job at his commands, release him to play.

Manage undesired behavior by giving him something more productive to do. Exercise is a very big part of training. Because your dog is part Lab, build his retrieving drive. Teach him to fetch by reserving tennis balls only for fetch and keeping the repetitions low to start. Your dog also needs a 40-minute walk daily. Walking your dog daily is the responsibility of every dog owner. Good luck, puppies require a lot of work and patience.

Q: I adopted a 3-year-old Shih Tzu. My existing 2-year-old Shih Tzu (both are neutered males) is afraid of the new guy in town. Will this pass? The new guy is non-aggressive and loving.
A: It sounds like your new dog is a very sweet little guy. The tension should pass. Until then, never leave new dogs together unsupervised. Accidents can happen quickly, and you don’t want either to be traumatized.

You want both dogs to view bonding as a positive experience. Bring in the second dog into the room on a leash, but don’t allow him into the original dog’s space. Keep yummy treats around during these meetings, and shower the older dog with praise when he isn’t acting fearful. Allow your older dog time to adapt without having the new guy in his space.

Keeping the new dog on a leash leaves interaction up to your old dog, allowing him to interact on his terms.

Photo by The Washington Post

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Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of Jabula Dog Academy. Click here to see all the AJCpets experts. Then submit your question as a comment below.

Q: I have a yellow lab that just freaks when fireworks go off. I have been to the vet and they prescribed “doggie Xanax” but they don’t calm her down. She runs, and runs, and runs, and barks, and barks and barks.

I have to let her out in to the back yard because she destroys the house. 4th of July and New Year’s Eve are the worst. She runs back and forth in the yard for hours, and comes in sweating, and pants for at least an hour. She is 9 years old and I’m afraid she is going to have a heart attack. Why does she freak out like this?
A: If you know there are going to be fireworks, plan ahead. Start by taking her for a long walk about 1 to 2 hours before the fireworks start to tire her out. To make your walk more effective, make sure you have her walk in heel position the entire walk. By doing this you will engage her brain better.

Neurotic behaviors such as this often develop due to inadequate mental exertion. I would also give the medications before you set out for your walk. This will give the medication plenty of time to work into her system. Also, consider signing up for a training class of some kind. A dog is never too old to learn new tricks — contrary to the popular saying.

Make sure your dog knows a set of commands immaculately that she will be able to perform with a host of distractions and loud noises. In doing this, you will be able to ask your dog to perform these exercises during the fireworks to redirect her attention from the loud noises and onto her “job” of training. When she completes a task successfully use lots of praise and treats. By training in environments with lots of distractions and noise, prior to the fireworks, you will work on desensitizing your lab to noises.

Desensitizing is a process a trainer also will be able to help you with. Good luck!

Q: Our 2-year-old mutt is scared of kids. We adopted her at about 10 months and she has not been around children much since then. When she is around kids, the hair stands up on her back and she tenses up. She actually snapped at a child once. Is there anything we can do to stop our dog from being aggressive around kids?
A: I would suggest you seek professional help as soon as possible. You want to create a positive association with children. A professional could help you learn to redirect the dogs attention to a more appropriate learned behavior without applying any corrections. Applying corrections in this type of situation will only create more of a negative association with children making the situation worse in the long run.

Q: My dog constantly licks his front paw around “the first joint” — if he were to turn down his paw. If he’s not licking one paw or the other, it’s the carpet or the furniture. What gives?
A: You would want to consult your veterinarian to rule out any medical issues first. Your dog may have skin allergies, and you would need to rule it out with your vet before you pursued behavior modification.

Excessive licking or chewing could be a sign of stress or boredom. First make sure you are not adding to the issue by yelling at him for licking or constantly drawing attention to the fact that he is licking. You want to create some distractions for your dog such as a Kong toy filled with peanut butter or frozen plain yogurt.

Give your dog other things to do that are more appealing than licking his paw. Most importantly, make sure your dog is getting sufficient exercise and training. Nervous behaviors like this are often related to lack of exercise and lack of mental stimulation. By tiring him out physically and mentally, you will ensure that he has less energy to chew on himself.

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Dr. Will Draper of the Village Veterinary Centers for some general veterinary questions on dogs. Click here to see all the AJCpets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: I’m allergic to pet hair and dander. Is it true that hypoallergenic dogs have “hair” rather than “fur?” Also, a friend was telling me that her daughter had TERRIBLE allergies and someone suggested she get a Chihuahua to actually get rid of her allergies. Is there any way that this dog could cure her?

A: There is really no difference between “hair” and “fur.” Some schools of thought say that hair continues to grow, while fur stops at a particular length. However, if you apply this to humans, it would mean that our eyebrows and eyelashes are fur!

There are difference types and growth patterns (curly vs. straight), and curly haired dogs (like poodles) do shed much less — and produce less dander — than other straight-coated dogs (like Retrievers), so they are usually considered better for people who suffer from allergies. There is no evidence that Chihuahuas can help get rid of or cure an individual’s allergies.

Q: My black lab freaks out when it storms. As soon as he hears thunder or loud rain he shakes real bad and tries to get under my legs to hide. The problem is when no one is home he tears up the rug in front of my bedroom door if the door is closed. If it is open he goes in our bathroom and goes on the floor. Is there any way to calm him down?
A: Lots of dogs suffer from “thunderstorm anxiety” (also called “storm phobia”), which causes the type of behavior you are experiencing with your lab. In an effort to “get away from” the storm, many dogs will damage doors, carpets, window sills- I’ve even had a patient of mine break through a glass window! My own dog, Gypsy (a Jack Russell Terrier,) suffers from the condition. There are medications that your veterinarian can prescribe to tranquilize your pet and help them get through it- Gypsy responds very well to this, and I usually give her a dose about 1-2 hours before the storm gets bad (I can always tell when a storm is heading our way by her behavior- she is a great barometer). Other dogs will need some behavioral modification and/or training.

Q: My dog continues licking a spot on his leg. He seems to lick the carpet when he gets nervous or anxious. I am currently bandaging the spot on his leg because he’s licked it so much that it’s raw there. The vet has prescribed medication, one of which is for depression. I do not want to begin giving him any medication for depression.
A: What you are describing sounds like an acral granuloma (commonly called “lick granulomas,” and “granuloma” is a fancy name for a mass of thickened tissue). This is an area of the skin that becomes raw and irritated after chronic licking. Acral granulomas can be secondary to an insect bite, allergies, anxiety, or even boredom, however, an underlying cause is often not determined.

Certain breeds (Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, Border Collies, Rottweilers) will obsessively lick their legs or toes, many times because they are restless and need more entertainment or exercise. Sometimes anti-anxiety medications are helpful; other times, a topical ointment may do the job. A second opinion — or even a referral to a veterinary dermatologist — may be in order.

Photo by Andy Sharp / AJC

We’ve rounded up some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Kate Jackson of Jabula Dog Academy. Click here to see all the AJCpets experts. Then submit your question as a comment below.

Q: We have a 6 month old Springer Spaniel. He continually jumps on my wife and nibbles at her. What can we do to break the habit? She has tried turning the other way and ignoring him but it does not phase him.

A: Jumping up and mouthing are common problems in dogs. They usually begin when the dog is young, and then as the dog gets older, the habit becomes ingrained.

Dogs jump up because they learn it gets them attention. For most dogs, they prefer the negative attention of an owner scolding, than not having attention at all. For persistent jumpers, simply removing your attention by turning your back is not enough. Jumping up needs to be addressed in two ways: Firstly, you need to teach your dog a more appropriate way to ask for attention. This needs to be done when your dog is not jumping, when your dog is calm.

Train yourself to require your dog to “Sit” each time you would like to pet it. Practice this hard! Don’t be tempted to sneak a pat or cuddle without asking your dog to “Sit” first. This exercise will start to teach your dog that sitting gets attention. If you are consistent with this exercise, you will start to notice your dog sitting in front of you when he wants attention. When this happens, you know you are making progress.

The second part of the training is practiced when the dog is jumping. When a dog is excited, he expels this energy through jumping. You cannot simply expect your dog to stop jumping without replacing the jumping with a more appropriate exercise to utilize this energy.

You need to highlight the negative behavior — the jumping — and replace it with a more appropriate exercise, the “Sit.” To highlight the negative behavior, the instant your dog begins to jump, fold your arms across your chest, make a loud “EGH, EGH” sound, and step gently into him.

The point of this exercise is NOT to flip your dog over onto his back, but rather to offset his balance so that he has to put his front feet back onto the ground to regain his balance. The second his feet touch the ground again, ask your dog to “Sit.” This may go on for a few minutes until your dog begins to understand he will only get petted when he is sitting. Expect this to take about 2 – 3 weeks of consistent practice before you see a noticeable difference.

The culmination of these two approaches will occur when your dog bounces over with excitement to greet you and, instead of jumping, proceeds to sit in front of you wiggling with anticipation. It is a very gratifying moment, and you need to praise your dog lavishly when he does this.

Good luck, they are not called “Springer” Spaniels for nothing.

Q: I have a miniature dachshund. She is two years old and still urinates and defecates in the house every now and then. Especially at night while we are sleeping.

We have made every effort to take her outside as much as we can and yet she still does this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. PS: She knows she is doing wrong because when we find her accident she runs to get into her house.

A: The first thing you need to do is get her onto a feeding schedule. Dogs of her age should eat twice a day. Dogs should not be permitted to graze. Meal times should be 10 – 15 minutes long, and what your dog does not eat should be taken up until their next meal.

The reason you do this is to have a better idea of your dog’s potty schedule as well as to avoid developing a “picky eater.” Dogs also thrive on routine, so structured meal times will help create a routine for your dog.

Seeing that one of the more common times for her accidents is during the night, I would suggest feeding your dog her dinner earlier in the evening, around 4 or 5 pm. This will give her enough time to digest the food and go to the bathroom before bedtime.

I would also suggest removing her water about 1 hour after she has eaten. It is also a good idea to confine your dog to her crate during the night. You may not have to do this forever, but while you are training her to hold it though the night, it is a good way to set her up for success.

Every time your dog has an accident without timely correction, you are allowing the bad behavior to be reinforced. Speaking of timely correction, you should never correct your dog after the fact for having a potty accident. Even though she may know she has done something wrong, she does not associate the “act of going potty” as the bad behavior, but rather the “finding of the accident” as the bad behavior.

The only time you should ever correct for potty accidents is if you catch her in the act. Even 2 seconds after the fact is too late. When you do find an accident after the fact, clean it up quietly without your dog seeing you no matter how mad or frustrated you are. You need to designate a very clear potty area in your yard. For a few weeks you need to walk her on a leash to the same exact place in the yard for her to relieve herself. Make a potty schedule and keep it on the refrigerator. Write down each time she urinates and defecates on the schedule so that by the end of a week you know pretty accurately when she needs to go potty. This will help make sure she is on “empty” before bedtime.

With housebreaking accidents, most dogs choose to go in the same area of the house most times. If this is the case, I would suggest feeding her in the area where she has been having accidents. Dogs are clean animals and don’t want to potty where they eat. To make sure she doesn’t choose a new spot to go potty, once a day take a handful of treats and walk around your house dropping treats on the floor for her to eat. This will help her claim ownership of the whole house as clean den space and not space to use to go potty. More than anything, you need to have patience. People don’t like to hear it, but the majority of house training accidents are human error. When your dog has an accident, don’t get mad at her, get mad at yourself for dropping the ball!

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About our AJCpets Expert: Kate Jackson

Kate Jackson is the founder and owner of Jabula Dog Academy. Born and raised in South Africa, Kate grew up on a farm among dogs and horses and is passionate about both. She currently owns three horses, four dogs and a cat. She named her training academy Jabula for the Zulu word for Happy.

Training has always been a part of Kate’s life. In South Africa she bred and trained Jack Russell Terriers. She is a certified trainer through both Animal Behavioral College and Sit Means Sit, and she also is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and a professional member of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals).

Kate started her training career in obedience, but now her facility offers a variety of classes, including flyball, agility and freestyle dancing. She also specializes in aggression issues in dogs. Her own dog, Winston, had severe aggression issues. Today Winston is a top demo dog, visiting retirement centers and participating in all Kate’s public appearances.

For more information: www.jabuladogs.com or 404-373-6258.

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