The Aussie - Spring 2019

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Raindrops keep falling on our heads Ask your Aussie to go into the gaden on a wet day and the answer is o\en NO. Take them to do something they enjoy and the rain doesn’t seem to maUer at all! A question which many of us Aussie owners ponder is - why wont Aussies go out into the garden when its raining? They develop a form of temporary deafness. Lie so still pretending to be deep in sleep. Or if pushed go out of the door, they return almost immediately with the oscar award winning face saying “of course I’ve been clean.’” You know full well they have not been clean. They are just humouring us! ‘The Aussie’ asked a southern based dog behaviourist if they could shed light on the reasons and offer any hints and tips. Dogs don’t like rain on their heads. This Aussie shows a very typical breed expression of - I am not impressed.
We’ve all been there—huddled in the rela?ve shelter of the porch, a tree or garden umbrella as we aUempt to convince our dogs to stay outside to be clean on a wet day. Most who have faced this dilemma will know there is no more worthy adversary than a dog who hates to get wet. Dr. Bonnie Beaver, Professor at Texas A&M University has looked into the issue and concluded that dogs probably don’t like going out in the rain for the same reason we don’t—it is just unpleasant. We have the advantage of being able to use umbrellas and raincoats, especially to keep rain from hiPng our face. Dogs don’t have the ability to look in their wardrobe and pick out suitable all weather gear! Some owners have invested in raincoats, but it seems that dogs can live with wet body coats and feet, but it’s when their head gets wet that seems to be the big issue. There are ranges of dog coats with hood, but equally gePng them to have a hood over their heads seems to be yet another ‘no no’ for most dogs. Then there is our ac?on to see that it’s raining and get out the dog coat, put in on and then get the dog outside. Again, this can take ?me and it really doesn’t work so well when you are merely sending them out to be clean. When it’s a dog walk – well its different – a different process and the enjoyment of a dog walk seems to override many of the issues of being wet. They simply shake off the water and then con?nue on their walk. And o\en they do shake the water all over us! What op?ons do we have to de-sensi?se the resistance to rain? Once we realise that even if we do cajole them into the garden, they may just pretend to be clean and rush back into the home. Then we can begin the re-educa?on. One of the worst mistakes owners can make is to leave dogs to their own devices – even when they are fully housetrained. Be prepared to go outside with your dog on a wet day – even when it’s first thing in the morning and winter. Be prepared for this training by: When going out with your dog – make sure you are dressed for the rain – and have a very large umbrella Hold the umbrella over your dog, not yourself Give the usual commands for your dog to be clean Once they are clean – then lavish your dog with high value treats and lots of praise. If the dog refuses to do anything, then bring them into the home. Don’t give them freedom. Maybe crate them or keep them on a lead near you. Then take them out again 20 minutes later. You can repeat this again. Generally the call of nature is strong and they will go. Then its lots of praise and rewards. If you have a sheltered area with trees or an overhang, why not train your Aussie to use this spot all the ?me. Then, when it’s a wet day they will go there, find it’s a dry spot and this will be the start of a behaviour change. Dogs are happier to walk in wet weather as they get an obvious reward from this ac?vity. Once housetrained, the rewards tend to stop. It becomes an expected ac?vity that your dog performs. So it’s good to reward your dog when it’s being clean and with a bit more than “good dog.’ A game with a toy, a treat. Something the dog can recognise as being worth the effort. You don’t have to reward every ?me. Just enough to keep the dog on its toes. One way to encourage your dog to realise that rain can be fun is to indulge them in games when the hose pipe or sprinkler is switched on. They have fun, get wet and suddenly rain is not such a bad thing. You can even give your dog a chew, or a new toy to play with on damp grass. Again, the aim is to reinforce wet with something beneficial to the dog. Acclima?sing to rain is something that should start when doing the ini?al housetraining. We all give in by not lePng a young pup face the wet and cold. But this can imprint the determina?on not to go out in wet weather into your pup and it will linger for the rest of it life - if unchecked. LePng the dogs have fun with a sprinkler and gePng soaked makes a fun associa?on with being wet.
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Page 41 and 42: Final Word Don’t forget…. Dogs

The Aussie - Spring 2019

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