Free Raising the Perfect Dog; The Secrets of Law Enforcement K9 Trainers by Nicholas White

before you leave for work. This will give him more time with people and less time alone. However, it should be noted that this does not cure separation anxiety; it just prevents it. Meaning, it’s a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
    Overall, if your dog develops or already has separation anxiety, the best cure is more time apart and even more separation. Again, it’s important to do more separation while you are home. Start in small increments and then slowly increase until your dog gets used to being apart from you. Make the separation as positive an experience as possible and use the techniques listed above. If the separation anxiety continues to worsen, contact a trained professional.
    Excessive barking is a problem many people face with their dog regardless of breed, age, or size. It can result from a number of things. Like with separation anxiety, some dogs such as hounds, shepherds, and Labs are naturally more vocal than some of the other breeds. Shepherds are protective dogs, therefore, they will bark at someone knocking on the door, a noise outside, or someone walking by the house. Labs, like shepherds, are very prey-driven dogs. Therefore, if they see a squirrel or a cat outside, often they will bark excessively. Boredom and a lack of exercise can also contribute to excessive barking.
    There are a few things you can do to curb or completely eliminate this behavior. One of the easiest and most immediate fixes is the use of a bark collar. A bark collar is simply a dog collar that has a vibration sensor built into it. When the dog barks, it delivers a subtle electronic stimulation on the neck, and if the barking continues, the stimulation gets more intense until it reaches a very uncomfortable level. The dog will see that every bark is met with an increased stimulation and will begin to associate barking with the electronic stimulation. The dog will simply quit barking to avoid the stimulation. The great thing about bark collars is that they work almost immediately. Also, it does not teach your dog not to bark, it simply teaches him not to bark while the collar is on.
    Of course, as stated earlier, mental and physical exercises, keeping your dog stimulated, and desensitizing him to noises and objects all will drastically help prevent your dog from barking excessively.
    Aggression is one of the most common issues that we deal with at our facility in Virginia, both dog-on-dog aggression and people aggression. As I stated earlier, almost all aggression in dogs stem from a lack of socialization with people and other animals or bad experiences with them (being bitten, beaten, etc.). That is why I cannot stress enough the importance of positive socialization with other people and animals. If your dog becomes dog- or people-aggressive, you will probably isolate him from the thing toward which he is aggressive, when in fact, you need to take the opposite approach. Isolating the dog from the problem will never address the issue. Consult a trainer who can help you deal with the issue and start positively socializing your dog around the people or dogs to whom he is aggressive.
    Counter-Surfing is another common problem for dog owners, especially with dogs who have a very high motivation for food. This is when a dog jumps up on the counters or tables in an attempt to grab some food. Obviously, this can be very annoying after you just spent time making dinner; a cake; or something special for a family or friend, only to find that your beloved furry family member has taken the liberty of sampling it for himself.
    One of the best ways to stop this is by simply being proactive in prevention. Would you leave a box of candy or bars of ice cream in your five-year-old child’s room? I highly doubt it. This is because you know it would be too great of a temptation and they do not yet have the acquired discipline that it takes to refrain from eating. Your puppy or dog has the same mentality. Unless he is older, more mature, or