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Curing Canine Cabin Fever
 March is here maybe that explains why your dog's coming in like a lion these days.
Months of winter weather and long stretches in the house mean you're both ready to roar. But neither of you need go stir crazy. We've got a few suggestions for curbing hyperactivity and putting that energy to good use:
Exercise the brawn and the brain
Tire her out. If the weather renders woodsy hikes or long runs impossible or uncomfortable, opt for short, brisk walks or brief rounds of fetch. Little bursts of physical activity throughout the day can help take the edge off. But don't forget that mental exercise can be just as taxing. Schedule some time every day - or a few sessions throughout each day - to brush up on basic obedience commands. Or better yet, teach new skills. Even if she's mastered every trick you know how to teach, train her to do something silly, like touch her nose to the carpet, just to keep her brain engaged. (Clicker training is perfect for teaching these sorts of arbitrary tasks.)
Crate-train your dog
If you don't have a crate, get one! They're incredibly handy on a variety of levels, and your dog has been pre-programmed to love them. If you've already got a crate, beautiful - this is her own little den where your dog feels safe and secure. So when she's hyper, putting her in her crate (even better, training her to do go there on command) should settle her. Note: She should never feel as if being put in her crate is punishment. If your dog is new to the crate, make the introductions slowly. Don't force her in; instead, "hide" treats and toys inside for her to sniff out on her own. Pad the bottom with blankets or pillows to make it comfortable, and soon she'll begin wandering in on her own. In no time, the crate will become her nest of choice, even when she stops discovering milk-bones in the corner.
Feed her from Kongs
Or at least have plenty of chew toys available. Nothing corrals unfocused energy like having an important job - and eating and chewing are just that. Our recommendation is to do away with food bowls and mealtime altogether - your dog should "hunt" for her sustenance. Here's what we mean: Instead of "serving" your pup one or two meals a day, mix that same amount of kibble with a bit of baby food, stuff the concoction into Kongs, freeze them, and then deliver the frozen Kongs throughout the day. Each time your dog must extract out a portion of her food from these little suckers, she's working her brain and channeling her energy toward something productive.
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And All That Jazz
 Another approach? A bit of reverse psychology: Put hyperactivity on cue with the exercise "jazz up, settle down." Tell your dog, "Be silly!" and then proceed to bounce around the room, play with her toys, giggle uproariously - anything to jazz her up - while praising her for acting deliriously goofy right along with you. Allow the revelry to continue five or ten seconds, and then in a calm, instructive voice, tell your dog, "Lie down." (If she doesn't know the lie down command, you'll need to teach this first.)
There's a good chance she won't oblige on your first request, so it's ok to repeat as needed. Be calm but firm. When she eventually does lie down, quietly praise her and offer a treat. After a minute or so, do it all over again. Say, "Be silly!" and encourage her to get really crazy. Then, calmly have her lie down. The technique is not a way to pacify your pup for hours on end, but it does allow you to help your dog settle when she's energized or aroused.
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Seminar: Dog Behavior, Medicine & Training
Drs. Dodman and Dunbar have known each other for nearly 40 years. Nowadays, with their busy schedules, they barely get the chance to meet unless lecturing at the same veterinary conferences or appearing in the same radio programs.
Nick and Ian recently appeared together in a New York Times' interview and on the Today Show. Consequently, they have decided to offer a couple of seminars together.
The first seminar is scheduled for March 2009 in San Diego and the second for June 2009 in Madison, New Jersey.
Friday: Fear & Aggression
Dominance Aggression: The Classical View & Modern Thinking - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Etiology, Real Danger & Treatment of Dog Bites: Safe & Easy or Difficult & Dangerous? - Dr. Ian Dunbar
Fear Aggression & Territorial Aggression - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Desensitizing Fear & Building Confidence - Dr. Ian Dunbar
Saturday: Anxiety, Phobias & Hyperactivity
Separation Anxiety & Treatment Protocols - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Separation Relief (for Dogs & Owners) & Re-channeling OCDs - Dr. Ian Dunbar
Storm Phobia & Other Canine Phobias - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Hyperactivity, Reactivity & Lack of Attention (at Home with Owner, On-Leash & Off-Leash) - Dr. Ian Dunbar
Sunday: Medical & Training Solutions for Medical & Training Problems
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Obsessive-Compulsive Dog Trainers - Dr. Ian Dunbar
Medical Causes & Treatments of Behavior, Temperament & Training Problems - Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Training Causes & Treatments of Behavior, Temperament & Training Problems - Dr. Ian Dunbar
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