Dogcharmer: Summon the Dog God
Dear Readers,
The other day, while I was watching my 7-year-old grandson Jasper scoring goals in his soccer game, some guy came up to me and said, "You're the dog guy, right?" Looking over his...
Dogcharmer: Close quarters
Dear Tom,
Does each dog need their own crate, or can they share a crate?
Elle
Dear Elle,
The answer to your question is a definite maybe. It depends on the answers to some questions. Are we talking...
Dogcharmer: Meet and greet
Dear Tom,
How best do we introduce our daughter’s new pup into our home when we already have two adult French bulldogs, Stella (10), and Louie (3), one of whom (Louie) defaults to an aggressive...
Dogcharmer: Territorial dominance
Not long ago I met a couple at a BBQ who told me that their two Boston terriers started fighting when a visitor came to the door and rang the bell. They said they...
Dogcharmer: Tired of always saying ‘No’?
Hi Tom,
I am sure my dog Toby thinks his name is "Toby No!" How can I change the grumpy madwoman that I have become in Toby's eyes? He is always doing something that I...
Dogcharmer: Housebreaking, the eternal challenge
I adopted Zeke, a very active poodle mix, in January. He is not my first dog, as I am 73 and have had dogs most of my adult life. I cannot seem to housebreak...
Dogcharmer: Post-Covid separation anxiety
Dear Tom,
I got my dog, Girlie, from the Susquehanna SPCA last December. She is a Rottweiler/Australian shepherd mix, about 7 years old. She has separation anxiety that has worsened in the past few months....
Dogcharmer: Porcupines are too attractive
Hi Tom,
My two mostly Lab rescue dogs, Gus and Gracie, have a great affinity to porcupines. They have been quilled a number of times — most recently a severe quilling. Yet they never seem...
Dogcharmer: Demanding dogs
Dear Dogcharmer:
When the phone rings, Coco barks for attention until I play with him. What can I do?
Thanks,
Maryanne
Dear Maryanne,
Having spoken to you earlier when Coco was attacked and traumatized by a much larger dog,...
Dogcharmer: My dog was attacked by another dog
Hello,
I have a situation my friend said you might be able to help me with. My dog was attacked by a large pit bull. I’m wondering if he’ll ever get over it.
Thank you,
Mary Ann
Dear...
Dogcharmer: A place of her own
Hi, Tom.
SkidHer is making some progress! How do I train SkidHer to go to a place or spot and stay there? I also am wondering how to choose the spot. I am thinking I...
Dogcharmer: Conquering excitement peeing
Dear Dogcharmer,
Thank you for taking my question. Please advise how to eliminate the behavior of my new 5-month-old Cane Corso. She pees from the excitement of meeting new people coming to the house.
Thank you,
Scott...
Dogcharmer: Nail clipping
Hello Tom!
Our question this time:
Our puppy has a fear of getting his nails clipped. We are trying to desensitize him by frequently touching each nail/toe while giving treats, and with the clipper out but...
The Dogcharmer: Hates to eat!
Good morning, Tom! I have a 10.2-pound rescue pup who does not enjoy eating! I was hoping you could help me out with this problem. I’ve tried all sorts of methods, and each eating...
Dogcharmer: Alex hits the Terrible 14s
Hey Tom,
This is my 14-week-old golden retriever, Alex sitting on my 4 year old, Brady. You could say he's been a bit of a problem child (Alex and Brady). In general he's (Alex now)...
Dog Charmer: Charlotte’s conundrum
Dear Dog Charmer,
My dog Charlotte is afraid of most other dogs. We rescued her when she was about 1 year old and now she’s over 10 years old. She is mixed breeds — an...
Dog Charmer: Max the nipper
Dear Tom,
We have a 6-year- old, un-neutered miniature ginger dachshund named Max. He has an absolute compulsion to chew holes in blankets and quilts, with, I’m afraid, occasional swallowing of stuffing. If I see...
Dogcharmer: New to outdoor walks
Hi Tom!
I have a question about my miniature schnauzer puppy, Louie. He’s 6 months old. I’ve had him since he was about 8 weeks old. So far, training has been going reasonably well, but...
Dogcharmer: Truffle the schipperke
Dear Dogcharmer,
At what age should Truffle start obedience training? Thanks!
Paul and Jared
Dear Paul and Jared,
In the 1960s, many thought the optimal time to start obedience training was when the dog was no longer a...
Dogcharmer: Coming when called
We have a beautiful and smart 6-month-old male Rottweiler named Dakota. He is really good with the basics of sit, lay down, and stay. We love to go hiking and the goal is to...