When dealing with problems, prevention always pays. Prevent Spot from making mistakes and correct slip-ups instantly, and undesirable behavior will never become a bad habit.

Aggression

You should never, ever be afraid of your dog. Not for a minute. Not even for an instant. Don’t ignore or excuse threatening behavior just because it was over quickly. Next time Spot’s threat will be even stronger—and yes, there will be a next time.

A show of aggression sometimes occurs when a new dog tries to establish its position in the pack (that’s the family to you). For example, Spot may know he isn’t the leader because the person called Daddy obviously is, but he may try to dominate the person called Mom. Or maybe he knows Mom’s the boss because she trained him, but he’s jealous when she gives attention to anyone else and growls when Dad or the children try to get near her. This is the type of aggression that surprises people. The first time their dog growls a challenge at them they quickly explain that he never did that before. But he probably did. They just didn’t recognize the signs.

The first sign that Spot is vying with his human family for dominance is when he simply ignores a command. You say “Down” and he walks into the other room. He’s out of your way, which is what you wanted, so you don't bother to enforce and command and quickly forget the minor disobedience. But Spot doesn’t. Another couple of unenforced commands, and he’s ready to test you at a higher level. His opportunity comes up a few days later. In a rush to clean up, you bend to pick up his food dish before he licks the last morsel. He stands over it, body rigid, head cocked and eyes looking straight into yours. “Okay, hurry up and finish it,” you say, never realizing that you just lost round two. When round three comes, it may be a growl. Surprised and momentarily fearful, you won’t be able to deny that there’s a problem, but you’ll probably say he never did anything like that before.

This type of escalating aggression is much easier to prevent than it is to correct. First, socialize Spot well. By meeting many people, your dog learns that almost everyone is a friend. When he needs to differentiate, he will. Don’t push it. Never urge Spot to be aggressive toward humans.

Second, teach Spot a few basic commands and use them for everyday life. “Sit” for petting; “Down” for a biscuit; “Gimme Five,” for fun. And don’t allow Spot to yank you around when you walk him.

Third, and perhaps most important of all, never give a command you aren’t prepared to enforce. For example, don’t command Spot to “Come” when you’re soaking in the bathtub unless you plan to make wet tracks to him immediately and enforce the command if he ignores you. Dominance is mental and has nothing to do with physical strength or physical punishment. It’s as simple as this: When you train your dog and he obeys you, he is content. He knows how to please you, understands that you are dominant and doesn’t try to test you.

Chewing

Many dogs have a strong need to chew. Your home and your disposition will survive this stage if you give Spot lots of toys made especially for chewing, such as rawhide sticks or bones, nylon or gummy bones, and rope toys (see Adjusting Your Home and Habits for a New Dog). These are all available at any pet store and some supermarkets.

Remember, dogs don’t know the difference between a worn out shoe and your new- leather boots, so don’t give Spot anything to chomp on except chew toys made especially for dogs. If he picks up something he shouldn’t, simply go to him and take it away. Then replace it with one of his own toys and praise him for chewing the right thing. After you do this enough times, Spot will get the idea. In the meantime, confine him when you can't watch him, and be sure he has a safe toy to gnaw on.

Submissive Urination

Between animals in the wild, such as wolves, submissive urination means, “You're the boss and I hope you're not angry at me, but if you are, I’m sorry.’’ Dogs who greet their owners by submissively urinating (squatting and dribbling a few to several drops of urine while appearing happy but slightly shy), do not have a housebreaking problem. They have an anxiety problem that was caused either by heredity, abuse, or by corrections that were too frequent or too harsh.

Never correct submissive urination, because that only makes the problem worse. To help Spot overcome this behavior, toss him a treat when you arrive home instead of talking to him, hugging him, or leaning over him to pet him. Once inside, ignore Spot until he comes to you for petting, then tickle his chest and under his chin instead of reaching over his head.

Teach Spot something easy, such as “Sit,” as soon as possible so you have reason to praise him. Then use the “Sit” command immediately when you and Spot greet each other at the door. That will give Spot a positive and praiseworthy way of expressing his submission to you. Besides, praise is confidence building, and confidence is exactly what Spot needs to conquer submissive urination.

Jumping up on People

Some people enjoy having their dog joyfully jump on them the instant they come home. If you’re one of those people, there is nothing wrong with that as long as Spot’s buoyant greeting will always be welcome; no matter what you are wearing. Don’t allow Spot to do something one day that you won’t want him to do another day. He doesn't know the difference between jeans and a tuxedo. In the case of jumping up, simply condition him to change his greeting. Teach him to sit as explained earlier, then happily tell him to sit the instant you come in the door. When he does, (whether you have to put him in position or not), meet him at his level and happily praise and pet him. Spot jumps on you for instant attention, but if you withhold your affection until after he is sitting, and then kneel down to pat and praise him, he’ll soon adjust to the more well-mannered method of gaining your attention.

Possessive Over Food

Puppies compete with their brothers and sisters for food. Homeless dogs must steal food to survive. No wonder some dogs have to be deprogrammed when they join a human family. The good news is deprogramming your dog is usually easy. Just mix up these three actions, doing one during one meal and a different one during the next meal, and after a couple of weeks, Spot should be much more relaxed around his dinner dish.

1. Pet Spot for a second or two as he begins eating dinner, then walk away and let him eat the rest of his meal alone.
2. Give Spot only one-fourth of his dinner. Then, just as he finishes the tiny portion, put the rest of his meal in his bowl.
3. When Spot is nearly finished eating, place a small but very special treat in his dish. A slice of hot dog, a bit of hamburger, or a sliver of cheese will make him glad you put your hand in his bowl.

If Spot is still growly over his dinner dish after two weeks of alternating the choices above, use the strongest “No!” you can muster at the first sign of a rumble. If that doesn’t calm him, seek help from a professional trainer.

Noise Stoppers

Most dogs bark and whine the first few times they are confined in a new home. That’s why you and your neighbors will be much happier if you condition Spot during the daytime to accept confinement, instead of training him at night. There are several ways to squelch screaming, so begin with the least forceful and move ahead from there.

• The first time you confine Spot and leave him alone, try to put up with the noise for ten minutes without doing anything. Some dogs simply quit when they find themselves dramatizing to an empty theater.
• A radio playing softly relaxes some dogs. In fact, they even seem to have musical preferences. Just be sure to keep both the radio and the cord out of Spot’s reach.
• If a little time and a radio doesn’t help, make a sudden loud noise from another room such as stamping your foot or slapping the wall. Be sure not to say anything. It’s best if Spot thinks that his own racket, not you, caused the noise. As soon as he becomes noisy again, make the loud noise again. Repeat as often as necessary.
• From the room next to the one where Spot is confined, bang two metal pans together every time he barks, whines, or screams.

Never take Spot out of his place of confinement to stop his protest. That’s exactly what he wants, so he will feel rewarded for complaining loudly. Wait until he is silent for at least a minute before going to him and letting him out.

Always be sure Spot has a chew toy with him in his area of confinement. Nothing will keep him occupied longer than a sterilized bone stuffed with processed cheese (a long, rather thick, hollow bone that won’t shatter, available at pet stores—you supply the filling).

Moving Along Right

No matter what kind of past Spot had, you and he will need a period of adjustment to live comfortably with each other. During this period, give Spot enough attention so he feels loved and secure, keep him safely confined until he learns house manners, and patiently train and socialize him. Praise everything Spot does right, and never reward fear or noise tantrums, and the period of adjustment will soon pass, leaving fun and companionship in its place.

Now that you have the mental part down pat, let’s get on with the physical. The articles under "In Sickness and in Health" will tell you how to help Spot have a long and healthy life.