Episode 59 – Settling Dogs Alone

Graeme Hall tackles a number of questions listeners have about dogs who like to use their paws. First up is a cross breed who absolutely loves digging up the garden. Her owner has made her a sandpit so she can dig there... but she’s still intent on making a mess of the grass. Then, what does The Dogfather suggest for a dog who keeps flipping her water bowl upside down and causing a mess on the kitchen floor? Plus, help for an old Jack Russell who can’t stop gnawing at her paws. Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected]

Graeme Hall talks through how to help your dog settle in various scenarios, including when you’re busy working from home, when you leave them alone in the house, and at night time. How long should you leave your dog by themselves? Should the dog be able to sleep out of their crate? How much should you interact with your dog during the day? The Dogfather explains that the answers to all these questions is always ‘it depends on the dog’. Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall helps a couple of listeners whose dogs don’t like sharing things – particularly toys – with other dogs. First, he wonders if a spaniel who can growl when others try to play would benefit from learning some boundaries in other areas of his life. Then, he hears about a cockapoo who isn’t enjoying the company of the new puppy the family have brought home. Is the fact that he’s not neutered part of the issue? Plus, people have to learn to share too... if your new partner comes with a badly behaved dog, how can you help them understand that you need to share responsibility for training? Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall helps a couple of listeners whose dogs don’t seem to be particularly interested in toys. First, an owner who wants to use a toy to teach his food-motivated rottweiler an ‘out’ command, and secondly an owner who would like her rescue dog to learn how to play. The Dogfather also wonders whether it’s important that every dog likes playing, or if some just never will, and that’s ok. Plus, why might brain games be just as – if not more – important than physical games? Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall explains the principles behind why we generally communicate with dogs both verbally and visually with voice commands and hand signals. With this in mind, he then helps two listeners who have deaf dogs. One can’t hear other dogs barking when he might be playing too rough with them, and the other can’t hear his own incessant barking. Given these dogs can’t hear verbal commands, those visual signals become more important, as does communicating physically through things like little tugs on the lead and stroking as a reward. Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected]

Graeme Hall explains how dogs explore the world with the mouths and noses. He met spaniel Bertie on Dogs Behaving Very Badly; he was grabbing and eating everything from facemasks to fireworks. The Dogfather recaps with owners Jackie and Daisy how they taught Bertie a ‘leave’ command, and talks them through how to continue the training out on walks. A listener also has a question about her dog who sniffs obsessively out on walks. What will Graeme suggest to help combat this frustrating habit? Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall tackles two problems with dogs that bite. The first gets over excited when visitors arrive, and explores the new people by getting his teeth round their wrists. The Dogfather is clear he’s not being vicious, but he does need to be taught how to stay calm in exciting new situations. The second dog is chihuahua Hulk, who Graeme recently met on the TV show Dogs Behaving Very Badly. Owners Kathryn and Craig catch Graeme up on how their training’s been going since he left. They originally called him in as their dog was scared of them, and reacting by biting. Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall talks about dogs who don’t like cars – one that barks and lunges when he’s near traffic, and one who bites and lunges when she’s put inside the car. The first is Old English Sheepdog Wilson, who Graeme met on TV’s Dogs Behaving Very Badly. Owner Joanne joins The Dogfather to catch up on how she and Wilson have been getting on since their first training session, including talking about how different collars and harnesses have made a difference on their walks. The second dog is being fed in the boot of the car in the hope of creating positive associations with the space. Is this the right thing to be doing to help the situation? Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall explains why finding our dogs behaviour funny at first could be paving a path for that behaviour to become a worrying obsession. On this week’s episode of TV’s Dogs Behaving Very Badly Graeme met sprocker Brodie who was obsessed with licking bald heads. Owners Carol and Kenny join Graeme to talk through how they stopped this behaviour. Plus, why do some dogs lick in the first place? The Dogfather also comes to the aid of a listener whose spaniel’s obsession with chasing shadows and lights is affecting her quality of life. Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].

Graeme Hall talks to owners of dogs that have very strong opinions about their walks. He catches up with Lisa and Linda from TV’s Dogs Behaving Very Badly whose German Shepherd cross Buddy would often just plonk himself down in the road on a walk and refuse to move. Graeme explains how he got Buddy moving again through the right body language, tone of voice, and clever use of the lead. The Dogfather also gives advice to a listener whose Weimaraner refuses to come back to be put on lead at the end of a walk. The secret might just lie in some of his favourite treats... Do you have a question for The Dogfather? Send Graeme a voice note and a video of your pesky pooch to [email protected].