Selasa, 31 Mei 2016

Training your dog like a pro

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Most people enjoy all kinds of pets, but especially dogs. Puppies often start out as destructive and somewhat difficult to control, though. This article describes methods for training your dog like a pro.

Do not allow your dog to use a wee-wee pad to go potty. These types of pads will leave a mark on your floor because of the enzymes. Wee-pads will also make your dog think that anything which looks similar is a great place to go to the bathroom. Teaching your dog the appropriate place to go from the start is always the more practical idea.



 Positive reinforcement is the most effective way to train your dog. Utilize rewards during training by giving your dog a treat to reinforce good behavior. Using punishment and negative training techniques will only make the dog afraid of you and less likely to want to please its master.

 To ensure you succeed in training your dog, you should make sure they are active in life. Dogs arent sedentary creatures. It is crucial for them to exert themselves often if they are to remain contented. There are many options for activity, such as going running, playing with toys outside or even agility classes. Try not to let boredom set in with your dog by keeping him active as much as possible.

 When training your dog, use discretion and regard for your dogs attention span. Your dog will get bored and antsy if you spend too much time on one thing. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.

 Be conscious of your dogs needs, and allow them to act like a dog. Dogs also need to be fed a healthy diet, get exercise, and be kept busy, just as you do.

 Dog training is most productive when you know what incentives that your dog will work for. You need to learn about what your dog likes, and know what will work with him and what wont. Be sure that you are giving your dog a wide assortment of different training exercises and be lavish with your praise and support. When your dog is happy, he will perform better.

 For a happier and more content dog, be sure to provide it with things to do that will stimulate its thinking and keep its mind active. Giving your dog fun toys and treats such as Kong Toys or Busy Bones is a great way to keep them happy. You should also walk them on a regular basis so that they can get out any pent up energy. Bored dogs wont stay that way long; they will quickly entertain themselves by destroying your house.

 If youve noticed that specific things trigger your dogs bad behavior, then keep it busy when that thing is occurring, so your dog cant concentrate on it. As an example, if your dog doesnt like to be around other dogs, then you need to keep him busy with his attention focused on you when you approach other dogs while on a walk. This could re-jigger his associations and make him associate other dogs with positive reinforcement.

 Do not let other sources of stress affect your training sessions with your dog. Start the training session with good feelings and expectations. Only correct your dog after he has done something you dont want him to.

 Do not wrap him up into your dramas with a stern voice when he is not the target of your anger. If the boss yelled at you at work, dont take it out on your dog. Dogs react to the tone of a human voice, so be careful not the be harsh to them without provocation.

 Have a good time while training your dog. Playing with your dog helps build a stronger bond between dog and human, which encourages the dog to respond positively during training. Training can be pretty fun, but make sure you get plenty of non-training play in too.

 It might be a good idea to enroll in obedience classes in order to learn how to make your dog obey you. Instructors can help you teach your dog tricks, to listen to your commands, and to behave appropriately.

 You are the leader and you should not let the dog decide when he wants to listen. It is better to not give a command if you are not prepared to follow through and enforce it.

 You need to show your dog how to properly walk while on a leash. This is important for the safety of your pet, and it is also beneficial for you as well.

 If your dog suddenly starts misbehaving for no apparent reason, it is essential to take him to a veterinarian to see if an underlying health problem is the cause of the negative behavior. Inappropriate behavior is a symptom of some health conditions, as the pain associated with some conditions can cause dogs to go into attack mode. Since dogs cant communicate, this is how they let you know there is something wrong.

 If you dog begins displaying negative behavior out of the blue, you should make him an appointment to go and see the vet to rule out any illnesses that could cause the behavior. Some health conditions or pain can cause animals to lash out or act out of their element. This happens because they are unable to voice their pain to their owner and this may help the owner to identify that something is wrong.

 It is important to take your dog on a rather long walk if you plan on being gone for several hours. If you play with your dogs and exhaust them, it helps the dogs handle the anxiety they may feel from being separated from you when you leave.

 Most dogs are eager to please and respond better to rewards than punishment. You need to demonstrate proper behavior, then work with your dog over time and reward him when he does the right thing. This is the best way to teach your dog new tricks. Show your pet the right way through rewards and repetition.

 Whenever you want your dogs attention, use its name. You will not be able to control your dog if you do not get his attention first. Practice calling your dogs name and letting him respond at least tens times a day. Also, it is very inappropriate for you to call the dog over to you and then punish him, as this will teach him to fear you and discourage him from coming when called.

 When you get your puppy, be sure to create a bond to him by helping him learn his name. Repeat his name regularly, so he will learn to come to you when he hears it. These should be the primary words your dog needs to learn. Spending a lot of time interacting and playing with your puppy is the best way to establish a bond of love and trust. This will make him easier to train later.

 Dog training centers around the establishment of rules. Once the rules have been set, your dog, and you, will find the relationship even more worthwhile! Always reinforce everything you have taught your dog. Keep his memory crisp, and do not let any deviations from acceptable behavior slide through. Once the basic dog training skills are mastered, the world is your oyster when it comes to working with your dog.

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Rally trial day one of two Bahia Kennel Club

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KIKO ROCKS! With a perfect score of 100 and a first place. 
I was very pleased. My friend filmed for me but instead of recording during, she had the camera on standby by mistake! I thought that was hilarious.  I was horrified today about how cruelly the other owners treat their dogs. One mans dog ran away from him in the ring, and ran right out of the ring. Someone caught it and when he got it back he basically  beat the crap out of it, and I started to yell "hey! What are you doing? while the judges looked the other way, when some friend of his pulled him away. That is a great way to teach your dog to never come to you when he runs away.  Another man grabbed the hair on the top of his dogs skull and yanked it before entering the ring while the dog was doing nothing wrong, I suppose like an or else and of course, the dog didnt listen and they didnt qualify.  Someone consoled him afterwards saying "Dont give up!" and I was thinking Oh no! Dont say that!  There were so many dogs there that looked like their one wish in life was to get as far away from their owner as possible and especially NOT do rally with them.  I felt proud of my little Kiko, who did all these silly exercises for me, not because I MADE her, not because she wanted to please me, but because she ENJOYS doing them and playing our games.  She was the only dog in Rally Novice A who ENJOYED being in that ring (there were two other clicker trainers in the higher levels, who you could see the dogs were dancing through it like Keeks). 
Tomorrow we do our 3rd Leg. Fingers crossed, but who needs luck? And who cares if she chooses not to do anything? She will still want to come home with ME at the end of the day! :)
Happy training to all! 

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Puppies have mischievous streaks

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It is very common in households around the world to incorporate dogs and other domestic animals into the family home. Puppies, like most baby animals, have mischievous streaks. Read on for some ideas on training your dog.

There are a lot of tricks you can teach your dog to do; a common one is training him to hold a toy in his mouth without chewing it. Use a clicker to give the dog a treat whenever the dogs uses his mouth to hold a toy. After a few tries you should allow the dog to pick up the toy on his own. As soon as the dog does this, use the clicker and give a reward. If he holds it in his mouth, you can give him a reward.



 Inform guests on the proper protocols for interacting with your dog. These kind of things can cause your dog to jump on people or adopt a dominant attitude.

 Disciplined leash walking is very important in dog training. Not only is this safer for the dog and easier on your body, such a frequent activity mandates good self-control and reinforcement of the chain of command from training.

 If you are feeling anxious, or feel like you cant be patient, it is best to not even start a session. Your patience is vital for encouraging the focused attention your dog needs to get the full benefits of training.

 Anxious dogs are prone to chewing on things they shouldnt. If you give the dog a chew toy and put him in the safety of a dog crate, he can occupy himself while youre not at the house.

 Use treats your dog really loves to achieve maximum training efficiency. This might be an extra-special treat that your dog does not ordinarily have the opportunity to enjoy.

 Big dogs need a bed that can accommodate them, especially if they like to stretch and sleep on their back. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. A crib mattress is also an easy to care for alternative to a dog bed because the sheets can be changed regularly with little fuss. Theyre waterproof, too!

 When considering the possibility of hiring a professional to work with your dog, look into their background, reputation and conduct an in depth interview with them. Many animal behavior specialists have opposing opinions on how to correctly train dogs. Be sure to verify that the trainer you hire has similar ideas as yours, prior to implementing any of their tips.

 Include plenty of physical activity in your dogs training routine. Dogs can easily get bored. A bored dog will try and find something interesting to do, and training is not usually interesting. Keeping your dog exercised and happy will help them pay attention more due to releasing all excess energy that often distracts them from your commands. Go for long walks and runs with your dog.

 Get everyone in your house on the same page regarding dog training. If the dog jumps up and you use "get down" but your husband says "no boy", the dog will get confused. You give your dog a greater chance for success if everyone is on board with using the same words.

 The way dogs learn is by repeating techniques and being rewarded. You need to make sure your dog understands what the expected behavior is, be consistent in your expectations and practice the behaviors daily. This is the correct way for a dog to learn a trick. You have to show them with plenty of repetition and rewards.

 A consistent schedule of feeding and potty-time is very important when house training your dog. By establishing a regular potty-time every day, you will get your dog in the habit of doing his business at the same time daily. Sticking to a schedule will teach your dog how to control himself until his next scheduled potty break.

 Training should be fun for your dog. Only train your dog in ten to fifteen minute sessions. A dog has a limited attention span so any longer will cause him or her to become bored. Be sure to provide rewards often, and give different treats from time to time. You should lavish praises on your dog for following your instructions. The more enjoyable training is for your dog, the more he will look forward to it!

 When it comes to training your dog, never give up. Dogs need consistent reinforcement in what you have taught them so they remember the good behaviors and dont revert back to their old, disobedient ways they had before training. Training never ends. It is an important part of taking care of your dog.

 Limit the duration of training sessions. A long, uninterrupted training period is going to exhaust your dogs attention. Start off with individual training periods of no more than 10 minutes.

 Limit the duration of training sessions. It is possible that your dog will lose interest if it is made to do the same thing over and over. Do not spend more than 10 minutes on each session.

 If its possible, start training your dog when it is a puppy. Its not absolutely necessary, but young dogs do better with training. If you train your dog when he is a puppy, then he will continue to be a good dog for the remainder of his life.

 Dogs that have trouble with separation anxiety need to develop stronger relationships with others in your household. Allowing the dog to establish relationships with new people will lessen its dependence on the owner.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 You should be able to have a clean home and a loving dog. While a dog can cause quite a bit of destruction, and make a mess in your home, proper dog training will alleviate most of these issues. Take advantage of the tips mentioned here, and you will be rewarded with a peaceful environment and a loving dog..

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Dog Behavior Down on the Farm Causes Issues With Owners

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My sidekick Poncho the dog and I received a dog behavior advice question from an inquisitive canine named Kia. This lucky dog lives on a lovely coffee farm in Hawaii where, in addition to the coffee, there are avocado trees and wild pigs.

Seems these environmental conditions have resulted in plentiful amounts of avocados for Kia to hunt and dine on, as well as piles of pig poop to roll in. Poncho, being an inquisitive canine, confirmed that this is the ideal place for a dog! I mean, how much fun is it to have your own "entertainment center" (aka: enrichment) right outside your front door? Snacks and one doggone fun activity such as rolling in nasty stinky stuff.

As you can see from these photos, Poncho likes to "rock n roll"
too! Maybe because hes smaller and easy for me to bathe I allow him to roll in whatever he finds appealing - as a matter of fact Ill use it as a reward if I can! I call these "environmental rewards" or "real life" rewards.
For instance when were out on a walk he sees something interesting and starts showing signs of wanting to roll. For Poncho this includes: lots of sniffing, followed by scratching the area with one of his front paws, more sniffing, scratching, then rubbing the side of his face against the surface. If he likes what hes "sensing" then he starts his rolling....

If hes on leash Ill ask for a behavior first, like "watch me", sit or "touch" - then Ill send him off to roll, after Ive given him his release cue of "okay". This allows Poncho to be a dog, but still minding his loose leash walking manners - as opposed to just pulling me wherever he wants.

The guardians of Kia can use this same training plan. Allow Kia to roll in the pig poop, but only when shes been given the cue to do so. (And shes had clearance from her veterinarian that its okay to roll in that stuff).

A few other training tips for both the rolling and avocado issue Id recommend are:
  • Reward Kia every time she ignores an avocado or pile of stench. And I mean reward! More than just a “Good dog!” Set it up where you are actively walking Kia near to where these items are, and whenever she looks at one and ignores it, throw a party!
  • If she goes towards either of these items, use the “Leave it!” cue, lure her away from whichever item you want her to ignore, then reward her.
  • If Kia decides the item in question is more motivating, give her a “Time out!” penalty - put her on leash for 20 seconds or so. But then let her off leash so you can give her another chance to make the preferred choice.
Lastly, management of a dogs environment is key when setting him or her up for success! A farm filled with a bounty of avocados and piles of stinky stuff to roll in is an ideal place for total fun! Its unfair of us to expect they wouldnt want to go and explore, so we need to take the time to teach our dogs what we want in a way that he or she would understand.

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Not the high fiber diet I wanted my dog to have!

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Last Saturday morning found me and my little family off to Santa Barbara for an early morning race. It was kinda rainy, and a little windy. For those of you who know my beloved little pooch Poncho, he is not a fan of the wind! (HA! no pun intended) Im not a big fan of the wind either, but for a different reason. Anyway, we didnt want to leave him here, so off we went on a family adventure. 

For as long as I can recall, my darling husband gives extra "rewards" to Poncho by allowing him to lick the leftover crumbs from his napkins and wrappers. And, for as long as I can remember Ive asked him not to. Hmm, I guess this trainer doesnt know her animal,  since weve been having the same conversation over and over. Trust me, Ive used every approach of Skinners Operant Conditioning Quadrant, mostly sticking with positive reinforcement, ("Good job honey, thanks for listening to me, thanks for giving Poncho the crumbs out of your hand instead of the napkin!) And negative punishment, (I take Poncho away from him if I see a napkin about to be presented)... Well, I guess my "animal" still hadnt learned! 

So, Im
 out on my 1/2 marathon course...in the meantime, my hubby has run and finished his 5K, gone to the car to get Poncho, walked him around, then proceeded to get snacks (human treats) at the post-race finish area. They greet me excitedly when I finish. Im thrilled beyond belief to be done with it... Then, my darling hubby decides to drop the bomb...nice way to end a perfectly good race... 

  • Hubby: "Uh, honey? I gotta tell you about Poncho."   
  • Wifey: "Oh really? What did he do? Was he a good boy with all the people and dogs?"
  • H: "Has nothing to do with his behavior. Poncho is doing great with everyone."
Okay, so this is where the look on my face completely changed, you know, into the: this look I have on my face predicts nothing good for you
  • W: "Oh dear gawd what happened!?"
  • H: "Poncho ate a muffin wrapper." 
  • W: "HE WHAT??!!!" "How the......!!!!!" "WHAT THE....!" (insert multiple expletives here)
Needless to say, I finally made my point about dogs and paper products with crumbs on them! 

Yes, Poncho was being rewarded with the opportunity to lick the muffin wrapper that was so generously given by my husband - When my hubby tried to take it away, Poncho decided it was quite delicious and didnt want to give it up - "guarding it" if you will, which hubby and I know is not only "normal" in dogs, but very strong in our dog - at least with food. 

Was I concerned? Yes, you bet. Did hubby at least call the vets office? Yes, you bet. They confirmed that Poncho should be okay, and to watch his behavior: breathing normal? Check! still eating? Check-check-check! Still energetic? Check! Peeing? Check! He even pooped too! Normal all around...so we decided not to rush him off to the vet emergency. We would observe for any changes, and take him in if things got bad or we got worried. 

So, after I calmed down (now my heart rate was up because of the wrapper incident), I actually said "thank you" to my hubby for being truthful (want to reinforce those behaviors we like and never want to punish him telling the truth, right?), and for taking action by calling the vets office. Then we went about our day, while keeping a close eye on Poncho...the happy ending? Five hours later it passed :-) Phew... 

Which brings me to the topic of dogs and consuming anything that isnt nailed down! Check out the photo op of Sir Poncho the Graduate chewing up his latest Manner Class certificate... Fortunately, it was for the pleasure of chewing and not consuming. 

Lets revisit what dogs are: scavengers, predators, and omnivores! >>> theyll eat anything at any time, and its more fun
 if its moving! They are also chewers! And they chew for a variety of reasons.... Put it all together, theyll eat anything! Sometimes they just chew it, sometimes they eat it, and sometimes theyll even "guard" it so you wont take it from them! Hello? This is normal 
behavior, and its hard-wired into their doggy DNA - its one characteristic that makes dogs dogs!

I recall during my training up at the San Francisco SPCA there was one particular dog (Freddy, see pic of the handsome shepherd mix) that was very clever at grabbing the trainers treat bags
 off their waistband, removing the ziploc baggy of treats from inside of it, and ingesting the entire thing! I wasnt there either time, but the first time he was rushed to the vets, the second time the trainers rolled their eyeand remembered not to use a treat bag when working with him. Live and learn, right? You would think dogs would learn too, but alas, it seems the ingesting of something, even some innate object, is usually more motivating than the punishment of aftermath. 

One other comforting thought was when my dear friend Emilia emailed me on Monday saying she was swamped the entire weekend because her dog Nellie had eaten a highlighter! Emilia 
and her hubby realized this after seeing all the ink on Nellies rear end. They spent their weekend observing Nellie for "odd" behavior...(odder than usual I guess?) :-) Check out Nellies pic on the left... I guess she was considering interior decorating as a new career. Fortunately mom and dad have provided many new legal outlets for her, and the pillows are no longer an appealing choice. 

Well, I guess if Nellie can tolerate a highlighter, then Poncho and his extra fiber would be okay...although, I would never ever ever add something like that into his diet intentionally, nor would I risk leaving something like that around - As we have come to learn, dogs sometimes dont have the best judgement when it comes to meal planning. 

Another few things Id like to add about dogs and chewing/ingesting anything is:
  1. If your dog does, or you think your dog did ingest something that could harm them TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VET! (or at least call your vets office) Its not our job to evaluate our dogs health if were not a professional veterinarian. 
  2. Determine WHY your dog is chewing, destroying, or eating things they should be chewing, destroying or eating! Is it boredom? Is it because of isolation distress or separation anxiety? Is it because theyre teething? There are many reasons why dogs do any of those things. First determine "the why", then you can make plans on what to do about it, if in fact you need to change your dogs behavior. 
  3. Supply your dog with "legal" items, then reward them when theyre making the better choice. Check out the picture of Poncho and his "legal" items. 
For more intriguing anecdotes on items that dogs eat, check out this great Web site that Matt Goodman and his dog Watson have developed called: Things My Dog Ate! After looking at his site, I can honestly say Poncho aint that bad when it comes to ingesting the non-food items... well just keep the wrappers away, and count our blessings.

If you have questions about chewing, ingesting, or guarding, or want to teach your dog some training exercises that would help with any of these issues, please contact me. My classes and workshops at the inquisitive canine studio and Ventura College Community Education, and of course privates can help you and your dog. 

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The key to complex tricks rear end awareness

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www.dogmantics.com

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Senin, 30 Mei 2016

Positive Reinforcement and dog training what is is

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The term "Positive Reinforcement" is such the "in thing" to say nowadays when it comes to training your pet dog - but what exactly does it mean? In a very small nutshell, it means adding something, or giving something, to an animal they find pleasant after a behavior is performed in order to increase the frequency of that behavior. For example: you ask your dog to sit, she does, you give her a cookie. With consistency, she will probably start offering this behavior (sitting) more frequently because of the pleasant outcome. As you can see, it is the consequences that drive the behavior. 

So how can those folks who use squirt bottles when punishing their dogs, or jerking the collars, or rolling them onto their backs call themselves "positive reinforcement" trainers...? As far as I can tell by reading the dogs body language, being squirt, rolled over with force, or jerked and yelled at is not the most pleasant thing...and certainly doesnt tell the dog what you want. 

My philosophy and methodology at the inquisitive canine is centered around positive reinforcement. Which means I like to motivate the dogs with anything and everything they find pleasant and rewarding... food, petting, praise, toys, belly rubs, tug of war, and all sort of other fun and games... Life is full of enough aversives...why add to it - especially when it distorts learning, yes? 

I recommend everyone be inquisitive themselves when looking for a trainer - think about how well you would learn a new skill... being spoken to in a language you understand, being motivated by something you find to be pleasant...not afraid of. Its not just the words, but the actions of the trainer themselves.

Come check us out...sign up for one of our classes... you may be positively reinforced as well. 

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Dog Food Recalls

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Please be aware that there are several active dog food recalls at the moment.  We want to keep our pets healthy, so take a moment to review the lists.  The primary culprits are Diamond Pet Foods - involving a number of brands, including (but NOT limited to), Call of the Wild, Chicken Soup for The Pet Lovers Soul, and Diamond varieties, and other brands that have some of their food manufactured at Diamond plants:  Wellness Dry Dog Food, Canidae Dog Food, Natural Balance Dog Food, and Solid Gold.  Again, this is not a comprehensive list.  For a complete list, as well as up-to-date details, visit Dog Food Advisor or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which oversees the pet food industry. 

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Pet365s nice post on Dog Development

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Dog Development
Dog Development graphic created by Pet365 - a UK stockist of stunning dog beds and brands like Hamish McBeth. Click here to view the full post.

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On a Personal Non Doggy Note

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Those of you that have known me for a while are probably aware that I have a "bad hip."  A real bummer for anyone, let alone a dog trainer.  I have been plauged with hip pain on my right side ever since Ethan was born four and a half years ago.  Since arriving in Oregon (and making use of the health benefits that come with my husband Kyles job at Oregon Health and Science University), I have been seeing an entire team of doctors, all working to get me in better shape.  The bad news is that I seem to be worse than ever right now, but the good news is that orthopedist Dr. Andrea Herzka, along with the others treating me, think that a (second) surgery has a decent (60-75%) chance of "fixing" me. 

Gulp - under the knife again!  I go in for the procedure on January 4th, followed by 3 to 6+ weeks of recovery, determined by what the surgeon discovers and fixes while Im under.  We are blessed to have my mother, Jane Babbitt, flying out from Maine for the entire month of January to help with cooking, cleaning and taking care of Ethan.  Hopefully this will be a successful surgery, an easy recovery and a full resolution.  I am already looking forward to the chance to once again go for hikes with my family, run agility courses with Pistol and Apple, and in general lead an active, pain-free life.  Your prayers and good thoughts are welcome!

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Dog should enjoy lots of praise for a job well done

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If you have never tried to train an animal, the idea may be rather intimidating. There is a lot of information out there and sorting through it all can seem difficult. These are just some tips to help you start out with dog training the right way.

Your dog should enjoy being trained by you. Keep in mind that your dog does not have an attention span that goes beyond fifteen minutes. Keep your rewards coming and vary what you give them. Your dog should enjoy lots of praise for a job well-done. Your dog will be more receptive if you make training time fun!



 When you can learn what will motivate your dog, you will have more success in your training. Spend some time to learn what all about your dog - what will work for him, what he likes, and which training techniques will be a waste of time. Offer your dog a lot of positive reinforcement and an array of training techniques. When the dog is happy, he will want to perform better.

 If your dog has separation anxiety, its important that it learns to connect with more than one person. The dogs relationships to other people serve to dilute its unhealthy level of dependence and fixation on you that causes it so much grief.

 Do not take out your other frustrations on your dog by speaking to it sternly for no reason. Keep in mind that unless your dog has misbehaved immediately before your interaction, your behavior toward the dog should be positive in nature.

 Positively encourage your dog without using treats. Offering treats as rewards for learning new tricks or behavior can be effective. However, its unlikely that you will carry treats around every single day for the rest of your dogs life. Petting and hugging dogs as positive reinforcement while training is better than giving them treats.

 Modify and update your dogs training as necessary, so he remains in compliance with the rules. A lot of owners will train their dogs once and not conduct any refreshers. Like their human owners, pets truly are creatures of habit. Therefore, it is vital that your dog follows an established rule system at all times.

 Dogs can learn a multi-step behavior by stepwise refinement just like humans can. One example might be to teach him to fetch your daily newspaper. You will need to teach him or her how to hold something first. Next, your dog will need to learn the objects name. After that, he needs to learn how to lift up the object. Finally, he should learn to bring the object to you. If you break it down, your dog will understand the linear relationship of the behavior.

 Limit the time of your training sessions with your dog so he doesnt lose focus. Dogs can only handle a short amount of training at a time, so dont overdo it. Try limiting training sessions to 10 minutes or less.

 Dogs learn by repetitive technique and reward. Repetition and reward are the best ways to train a dog. However, you should limit your training sessions to a certain time frame otherwise you may both become frustrated. This is the most effective way to modify a dogs behavior or teach him a trick. You have to show them with plenty of repetition and rewards.

 You wont get anywhere in your dog training routine if your dog feels unsafe. If they do not feel safe, they may show bad behavior. Make your dogs surroundings comfortable and safe in order for this not to happen.

 Do not give your dog any punishments when you are in the process of training. Try to prevent bad behavior, but if it does happen, show your dog what he should have done. Training is about teaching your dog, and building a good relationship with him.

 Never try to train a dog while youre short on patience. If youve had a bad day or are unusually short-tempered for some other reason today, its better to put off training until another day. Your patience is vital for encouraging the focused attention your dog needs to get the full benefits of training.

 Your tone of voice is very important when you discipline your dog. Dogs tend to be well in tune with how their trainers are feeling. A firm but stern tone should be enough to reinforce discipline.

 Do not wear out your new puppy with an excessive training regiment. A puppys attention span is short and their energy is limited, so your sessions should be short and positive. If you push too hard, your puppy will remember it as a negative experience, and the next time you work to train him, it will be far more difficult.

 If you know that your dog will react negatively in response to certain triggers, distract him until the moment is over. If your dog is antisocial around other dogs, distract him with something interesting if you get near other neighborhood dogs. This will allow him to make the relation between the positive stimuli and positive things happening.

 Mentally stimulate your dog if you want it to be healthy and happy. Among some of the best things for your dog are plenty of strolls in the neighborhood, chew toys and rawhide bones. If your dog gets bored, chances are he will find a way to stay busy, and you probably wont like what he chooses.

 When you begin training your puppy, create a bond with him by first teaching him his name. Simply start by calling his name as often as possible. Once he learns his name, you can encourage him to come to you when called. Your dog should learn these items before any others as theyre the most important. Spend plenty of quality time with them, so that they know that they can trust you. In this way, he will be more receptive to advanced training later.

 When looking at dog trainers, do a lot of research. Check user reviews on the Internet and learn their training methods. Make sure that the specialist has ideas in line with yours.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 Utilizing the fore-mentioned tips can enable you to curb common training problems and misconceptions. If you keep these tips in the back of your mind when its time to train your dog, it will kick-start your training into an ultra-efficient routine..

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Help My Dogs Chewing

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Help My Dogs Chewing!


Chewing is essential for maintaining the health of your dogs teeth, jaws, and gums. Puppies especially have a strong need to chew to relieve the irritation and inflammation of teething. Dogs chew to relieve anxiety and boredom, as well as for entertainment. Your dog’s jaws are his tools for carrying objects and for investigating his surroundings. Essentially, a dog’s approach to all items in his environment is “Can I chew it?”


Chewing is Normal, Natural, and Necessary 


Dogs generally sleep at night and in the middle of the day. However, chewing is your dog’s primary form of entertainment during his morning and late afternoon activity peaks. After all, there are only so many things your dog can do when left at home alone. He can hardly read a novel, telephone friends, or watch the soaps! Indeed, most chewing sprees stem from your dogs relentless quest for some form of occupational therapy to pass the time of day when left at home alone or un-monitored.


Chewing is a perfectly normal, natural, and necessary canine behavior. Prevention and treatment of destructive chewing focus on management and education—to prevent your dog from chewing inappropriate items and to redirect your dogs natural chewing-urge to appropriate, acceptable, and resilient chew toys.


Prevent Destructive Chewing

When leaving home, confine your puppy or dog to a long-term confinement area, such as a single room or puppy play pen or crate —your puppy’s playroom—with a comfortable bed, a bowl of water, a doggy toilet (if not yet housetrained), and nothing to chew but half a dozen freshly-stuffed chewtoys. Housetrained adult dogs may be confined (with their chewtoys) to a dog crate. Your dog will happily settle down and entertain himself with his chewtoys as soon as you leave in the morning, and later he will be more inclined to search for chewtoys when he wakes up in anticipation of your afternoon return. This is important since most chewing activity occurs right after you leave home and right before you return. When you return, instruct your dog to fetch his chewtoys so you can extricate any liver or treats which he could not get out and give them to him. 


When you are home but cannot watch your puppy carefully, confine your puppy to her doggy den (crate) with nothing but a freshly-stuffed chewtoy for entertainment. Every hour on the hour (or at longer intervals with housetrained adult dogs), take your puppydog to her doggy toilet (see Housetraining), and if she goes, praise her and play some chewtoy games with her before putting her back in her crate with a freshly stuffed chewtoy.

The purpose of confinement is to prevent your dog from chewing inappropriate items around the house and to maximize the likelihood your dog will develop a chewtoy habit. If you can watch your dog carefully he or she does not need to be crated, if you need to answer the phone, have a shower etc be sure to put your puppy back in his/her doggy den. 

Redirect Chewing to Chewtoys

The confinement schedule described above optimizes self-training; your dog will train herself to chew chewtoys. In fact your dog will soon become a chewtoyaholic. With a good chewtoy habit, your puppy will no longer want to destroy carpets, curtains, couches, clothes, chair legs, computer disks, childrens toys, or electrical cords. Your dog will be less likely to develop into a recreational barker. And also, your dog will happily settle down calmly and quietly and will no longer be bored or anxious when left alone.


You must also actively train your dog to want to chew chewtoys.
Offer praise and maybe a liver treat every time you notice your dog chewing chewtoys. Do not take chew toy chewing for granted. Let your dog know that you strongly approve of her newly acquired, appropriate, and acceptable hobby. Play chewtoy games with your dog, such as fetch, search, and tug-of-war.



Chewtoys should be indestructible and nonconsumable. Consumption of non-food items is decidedly dangerous for your dogs health. Also, destruction of chewtoys necessitates their regular replacement, which can be expensive. However, compared with the cost of reupholstering just one couch, £50 worth of chewtoys seems a pretty wise investment.


Kongs, Tuff Toys, Biscuit Balls, Big Kahuna footballs, and sterilized long-bones are by far the best chewtoys. They are made of natural products, are hollow, and may be stuffed with food to entice your dog to chew them exclusively. To prevent your dog from porking out, ensure that you only stuff chewtoys with part of your dogs daily diet (kibble or raw food) with a few nuggets of really yummy treats for him to be surprised by. Firmly squish a piece of liver in the small hole in the Kong, fill the rest of the cavity with moistened kibble and a few yummy treats, and then put the Kongs in the freezer. Voila, Kongsicles! As the kibble thaws, some falls out easily to reinforce your dog as soon as she shows interest. Other bits of kibble come out only after your dog has worried at the Kong for several minutes, thus reinforcing your dogs chewing over time. The liver is the best part. Your dog may smell the liver, see the liver, (and maybe even talk to the liver), but she cannot get it out. And so your dog will continue to gnaw contentedly at the Kong until she falls asleep.
Until your dog is fully chewtoy-trained, do not feed her from a bowl. Instead, feed all kibble, canned food, and raw diets from chewtoys, or handfeed meals as rewards when you notice your dog is chewing a chew toy. 


Here is a great video on stuffing Kongs: 




Here is my video on being prepared for puppies, bored teenage dogs and adult chewers:







To learn more, read Doctor Dunbars Good Little Dog Book and our Chewing booklet, available on-line from www.amazon.com.  Reprinted by www.dogstardaily.com with permission of Dr. Ian Dunbar and James & Kenneth Publishers, behavior blueprint by Dr. Ian Dunbar


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Puppy Biting Ian Dumbar

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Puppy Biting is Normal, Natural, and Necessary!





Puppy biting seldom causes appreciable harm, but many bites are quite painful and elicit an appropriate reaction—a yelp and a pause in an otherwise extremely enjoyable play session. Thus, your puppy learns that his sharp teeth and weak jaws can hurt. Since your puppy enjoys play-fighting, he will begin to inhibit the force of his biting to keep the game going. Thus your puppy will learn to play-bite gently before he acquires the formidable teeth and strong jaws of an adolescent dog.


Forbidding a young puppy from biting altogether may offer immediate and temporary relief, but it is potentially dangerous because your puppy will not learn that his jaws can inflict pain. Consequently, if ever provoked or frightened as an adult, the resultant bite is likely to be painful and cause serious injury.
Certainly, puppy play-biting must be controlled, but only in a progressive and systematic manner. The puppy must be taught to inhibit the force of his bites, before puppy biting is forbidden altogether. Once your puppy has developed a soft mouth, there is plenty of time to inhibit the frequency of his now gentler mouthing.


Teaching your puppy to inhibit the force of his bites is a two-step process: first, teach the pup not to hurt you; and second, teach your pup not to exert any pressure at all when biting. Thus the puppys biting will become gentle mouthing.

Puppies bite. And thank goodness they do! Puppy play-fighting and play-biting are essential for your puppy to develop a soft mouth as an adult.

Teaching your puppy to inhibit the frequency of his mouthing is a two-step process: first, teach your puppy that whereas mouthing is OK, he must stop when requested; and second, teach your pup never to initiate mouthing unless requested.

No Pain

It is not necessary to hurt or frighten your pup to teach her that biting hurts. A simple "Ouch!" is sufficient. If your pup acknowledges your "ouch" and stops biting, praise her, lure her to sit (to reaffirm that you are in control), reward her with a liver treat, and then resume playing. If your pup ignores the "ouch" and continues biting, yelp "Owwwww!" and leave the room. Your puppy has lost her playmate. Return after a 30-second time-out and make up by lure-rewarding your puppy to come, sit, lie down, and calm down, before resuming play.

Do not attempt to take hold of your pup’s collar, or carry her to confinement; you are out of control and she will probably bite you again. Consequently, play with your puppy in a room where it is safe to leave her if she does not respond to your yelp. If she ignores you, she loses her playmate.

No Pressure

Once your pups biting no longer hurts, still pretend that it does. Greet harder nips with a yelp of pseudo-pain. Your puppy will soon get the idea: "Whooahh! These humans are soooo super- sensitive. Ill have to be much gentler when I bite them." The pressure of your puppys bites will progressively decrease until play-biting becomes play-mouthing.
Never allow your puppy to mouth human hair or clothing. Hair and clothing cannot feel. Allowing a puppy to mouth hair, scarves, shoelaces, trouser legs, or gloved hands, inadvertently trains the puppy to bite harder, extremely close to human flesh!


Should a dog ever bite as an adult, both the prognosis for rehabilitation and the fate of the dog are almost always decided by the severity of the injury, which is predetermined by the level of bite inhibition the dog acquired during puppyhood. The most important survival lesson for a puppy is to learn bites cause pain! Your puppy can only learn this lesson if he is allowed to play-bite other puppies and people, and if he receives appropriate feedback.


For more detailed information about bite-inhibition exercises, read our Preventing Aggression booklet and watch the SIRIUS Puppy Training and Biting DVDs. Both are available on-line from www.amazon.com. If you feel you are having any difficulty whatsoever teaching your puppy to play-bite gently, seek help immediately. To locate a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) in your area, contact the Association of Pet Dog Trainers at 1-800 PET DOGS or www.apdt.com. 

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Good dog training skills

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When you decide its time to train your dog, its very common to be a bit lost. Good dog-training skills come naturally to very few people. In order to train your pet properly, preparing yourself with some good advice is an excellent idea. This article contains good guidelines for several different aspects of dog training.

If any sudden behavioral issue occurs, take the dog to the vet to make sure that there is not a health issue involved. Sometimes pain and other health conditions can cause some animals to act strangely or lash out. Animals cant tell us when something is wrong, so they depend on us to interpret their behaviors.



 Giving your dog mental stimulation is an important part of keeping your pet happy and healthy. Visit your local pet shop for new and entertaining toys for your dog on a regular basis. Bored dogs will often turn to chewing furniture, shoes or even drywall, to amuse themselves if they are not given proper stimulation.

 Use your dogs name whenever you are offering it a treat. This will direct his attention to you immediately every time, and especially right before you issue a command. Use your dogs name several times a day. If you need to punish your dog, go to your dog. Dont call him or her to you and then punish.

 To learn how to effectively train your dog, you may want to take an obedience class. The instructors at these schools are trained to deal with a variety of different dogs, even the impossible cases. They can teach a dog to follow commands, heel on a leash and to stop any unnecessary barking.

 Anxiety in dogs often leads to destructive behavior like chewing or clawing. Placing the dog in a safe environment such as a dog crate and providing a chew toy keeps the dog safe and occupied until your return.

 Most cases associated to dog bites result from fear. This occurs whenever dogs feel trapped, threatened, and frightened. Dogs cannot be trained through force. This makes your dog more likely to bite. Your dog will be ready and willing to regard you as the dominant one.

 Dogs tend to concentrate on one thing to the exclusion of everything else unless that concentration is interrupted. With enough training, you will have your dog focusing solely on your signals.

 Once you decide to train your dog, it is very important that you continue with the training no matter what. Without reinforcement, your dog will revert to his old behaviors. You always need to keep training your dog, just like you need to continue feeding it and providing it shelter.

 Avoid tug-of-war games when training a puppy. These games often encourage a puppy to start biting. Dont let this behavior take root by avoiding these games until the dog is older.

 If your dog chews things when you leave him in the house alone, consider building a doghouse and leaving him outside when you go out. When this is not possible due to weather or living in an urban area, close your doors to all of your rooms. This keeps your dog out of your things. Be sure to leave chew toys out for them.

 Always give your dog the tools for success. If you are training it to stop chewing things it shouldnt be chewing on, give it things that it can chew on. In addition, keep the household objects that could be dangerous away from your pet. Items like hairbrushes can cause a dog to choke or could block their airway.

 Training should be done when the dog is young. This is not concrete, but it is known that puppies respond easier to training. If you start training your dog when he is young, he will be almost as well-behaved as a child.

 Remember how many treats you reward your dog with during the course of the day to avoid fattening him up. A lot of people forget to account for treats given during training when considering a dogs diet plan.

 Stay consistent when training your dog. Write down the commands that you use and then make sure each person who needs to know them does. Behavior should be rewarded or not depending on the affect that is being sought. When the people around the dog use different commands and responses, he may become confused and training could suffer.

 Teach everyone in your family to use the same commands to train your dog. Avoid confusion when it comes to disciplining your dog; keep command words consistent throughout the household. Using consistent commands all the time from every person who trains the dog will make training much less confusing for the dog.

 Keeping your dog outdoors when you are not home is a good way to prevent chewing. If you cannot put your dog outside make sure you do not leave anything out that your dog can ruin.

 As with most things, and this goes with dog training as well, dont ever give up. Dogs need consistent reinforcement in what you have taught them so they remember the good behaviors and dont revert back to their old, disobedient ways they had before training. Training never ends. It is an important part of taking care of your dog.

 Behavior problems that suddenly occur with no reason may indicate a medical problem that needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian. Your dog might be acting out because he is suffering. This behavior may be his way of telling you that there is something wrong with him.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 Since you now have what you need, you can use this information to properly train your dog. If youve struggled to determine the right place to start your training efforts, you now have a clear answer..

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Minggu, 29 Mei 2016

Controversy in Management Route For Dog Aggression

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The July 24th 2009 L.A. Times story about a dog named Cotton whose guardian treated his aggression situation with a medical procedure called "Canine Disarming" (filing down of teeth to help prevent bite damage). She had initially tried some behavior modification, even went to the self-proclaimed Dog Whisperer. But it was the dental procedure that stirred up a lot of controversy, at least according to Craig Nakano, the journalist whose follow-up article in todays L.A. Times Home and Garden section has stated. 

When the article first came out, of course I had my two cents to add. This treatment is used as a "management tool", as opposed to behavior modification. (As a certified professional dog trainer I would have used a plastic basket muzzle and behavior mod that Cottons guardians could easily follow). 

I wrote to the editor not expecting to hear anything back. But what do ya know, Craig contacted me yesterday. He said out of all of the emails they received, mine was one that stood out from the others because I remained more "neutral". I think "neutral" in the sense that I didnt completely berate Cottons guardian. Hey folks, isnt this similar to castrating a rapist? Ruh-roh, now Im gonna stir up my own controversy. 

Anyway, although I do not agree with this treatment, and I would have completely gone a different route had she contacted me for private dog training services, I think berating her would have been too punishing, and that is not in my nature. I also believe that:
  1. They still love Cotton.
  2. The family probably felt this was their last resort.
  3. They wanted to protect the public at all costs.
  4. They didnt want to unload Cottons issues onto anyone else - which seems to be more the norm in our society, and I commend them for that. (I received three emails alone this week of people looking to get rid of their dogs because they didnt want to deal with them any longer...including one situation where one person in the household wanted for the dog to sleep outside, and the other said inside, so instead theyre going to re-home the dog! UGH, but thats a whole different post...)
Im hoping a situation like this will prompt the powers in charge to develop laws and protocols that protect our domestic pets, not only for situations if a dog end up like this, but in hopes of preventing these behavior issues from happening in the first place. Hmm, how about making it mandatory that:
  • Breeding dogs MUST be an actual professional legitimate business. Not breeding out of their backyard just because the dog is cute or they need the money.
  • Breeders pay a higher fee for breeding since they are contributing to the increased pet population. What, you dont think purebred dogs get dumped at shelters? HA! 
  • Breeder and dog guardians MUST BE required to socialize dogs properly to our human environment so they can adapt more easily and reduce the risk of developing aggressive tendencies in the first place!!!
  • Dog guardians MUST BE required to enroll their young dogs into dog training classes that adhere to humane methods of teaching. And, they must continue their dogs education (and their own, right?) with dog training classes, workshops, sports like agility or Rally-O so everyone can keep up their skills - especially their socialization skills. 
  • And finally, if I may so bold: mandatory spay/neuter... Ruh-roh, more controversy! 
It would also be nice to have more dog-friendly places to take our dogs. Instead of having to either take them to the same places over and over again, or resorting to leave them at home all of the time, and not allowing them to be exposed to people and situations that we all of a sudden want them to be used to. 

Okay, now that Ive stirred up my own controversy Im gonna take Poncho out for some socialization, then have him help me set up for our Canine Circuit Training class tomorrow, while you write in with your comments. 


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Sabtu, 28 Mei 2016

Teaching Your Dog To Relax Properly

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Relaxing or capturing calmness by Emily Larlham 
This video is a tutorial on how to teach your puppy or dog to be calm. 

It is excellent for teaching dogs to truly relax, teaching a down stay or stay on the bed does not teach the do to relax, it teaches them to stay still. Your dog can still be very tense, stresses or alert even if they are still. Emily uses another dog as a distraction, you can also use other things at a low level which tend to over excite or arouse your dog. Start at a low level of distraction and work up to higher levels as the dog relaxes more and more and as they understand the concept of "settle". 

This can work for dogs who chase shadows, are reactive to people and other dogs, are hyperactive, destructive, stressed or anxious. 



Some dogs need help to learn how to relax. Calmness does not come naturally to some breeds .By reinforcing your dog for being calm, your dog will start to choose calmer behaviors in the future and actually enjoy being calm.

Tips for teaching a Default Settle:
Don’t drop treats if the dog looks up at your hand as you move to give the dog the treat, instead try again later.
Don’t cue the dog “down”. It works better if the dog figures it out on his own and CHOOSES to lay down.
Use high value treats like real meat or cheese for such a wonderful behavior.
Miranda Sasse 

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Holiday Gift Boutique a Benefiting Ventura Humane Society Sunday November 15th

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The Inquisitive Canine is happy to report that we will be hosting our second annual Holiday Gift Boutique benefiting our local Ventura County Humane Society. It was such a success last year, weve decided to have it again!

A few details of the event:
  • Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009
  • Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM
  • Place: The Inquisitive Canine Training Studio 2159 Palma Drive, Suite D, Ventura CA 93003
Each vendor will be donating a percentage of their sales to the Ventura County Humane Society. Participants include:
  • Building Bright Minds (childrens books)Decorative Gourds
  • Custom Wind Chimes
  • Passport Pearls
  • Pampered Chef with Patti Brown
  • Tastefully Simple
  • Custom Knitwear
  • Mexican Crafts
  • Arbonne products
  • Home Accessories and Gifts by Mock Orange
  • Out of the Box Dog Training Game - the ideal gift for all dogs and their humans!
The Inquisitive Canine store items will also be on sale for this event - great time to purchase holiday gifts for your canine companions! We look forward to seeing you there!

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Splash! learns to paint!

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Today was Splashs first training lesson in painting. 4 days ago she painted the living room with blue ultramarine paint that she had taken from my studio.  I took it as a sign she was needing a bit more creativity in her life... :)   Check out the youtube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwO9nJGnstg

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A new beginning

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Since Kiko got her right eye removed she has become a different dog.  Its as though we went back in time to when she was 2 years old.  She is playing more and more active.  Today she kept up with all the other dogs on our hike in the woods,  usually she would walk only a couple of minutes before needing to be carried.  She has been blind in her right eye for some time, so it has not been a shock for her not to be able to see.  So life has only gotten better, as she is not in pain any longer.  The lens of her eye had detached and was knocking into her cornea and even with drops that were supposed to keep the lens in place, she acted miserable.  Her eye used to bother her all the time.  Kiko is a joy to behold.  She is even going up to say hi to dogs she would usually avoid, like an excitable Flat Coated Retriever the other day.  

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Travelling With Your Dog in A Car

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Dogs traveling in cars

Travelling with your dog usually involves more than putting the them in a car and driving off, especially if you will be driving long distances or be away for a long time.
If your pet is not accustomed to the car, take it for a few short rides before the trip. This can help keep your pet from becoming nervous or agitated, and may lessen the effects of motion sickness. If, after a number of practice trips, your pet continues to cry excessively or becomes sick please contact Miranda or Jeff. 
Buckling up is an important safety precaution for your pet. Restraints have several advantages. They help protect pets in case of a crash, and they keep pets from running loose and distracting the driver. They also keep pets from escaping the car through an open window or door. Cats and smaller dogs are often most comfortable in crates or carriers, which can be purchased in various sizes. Crates give many dogs a sense of security and familiar surroundings, and can be secured to the car seat with a seat belt or a specially designed carrier restraint. There are also dogs restraints available that can be used without carriers, including harnesses, seat belt attachments and vehicle barriers. No matter what kind of restraint you use, be sure that it does not permit your pets head to extend outside the car window. If pets ride with their heads outside the car, particles of dirt can penetrate the eyes, ears, and nose, causing injury or infections. Excessive amounts of cold air taken into lungs can also cause illness.
While packing for your trip, remember to throw in a few of your pets favourite toys, food and water bowls, a leash, and food. You should also carry a first aid kit for your pet and know basic pet first aid. If your pet is on medication, be sure to have plenty for the trip, and then some.
Stick to your regular feeding routine while travelling, and give your pet its main meal at the end of the day or when youve reached your destination. It will be more convenient to feed dry food if your pet is used to it. Dispose of unused canned food unless it can be refrigerated. Take along a plastic jug of cold water to avoid possible stomach upset the first day, as new areas can have minerals or bacteria in their water supply that pets need time to adjust to. Give your pet small portions of both food and water and plan to stop every two hours for exercise/loo trips.
Remember that your vet is a good source of information about what your pet will need when travelling. Consider having your pet examined before you leave as well, to check for any developing problems. Have your current vets phone number handy in case of an emergency. Also, be sure to travel with a copy of your pets medical records, especially if the animal has a difficult medical history.
Find hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campsites that accept animals and book them ahead of time. Learn more about the area you will be visiting. Your vet can tell you if there are any diseases like heartworm or Lyme disease and vaccinations or medications your pets may require. If travelling outside of the UK your pet may require a pet passport. A health examination following your trip should be considered to determine if any internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, heartworms) or external parasites (ticks, fleas) were picked up in contaminated exercise or wooded areas.
To avoid losing your pet during a trip, make sure your pet is wearing an i.d. tag. To be doubly protected, consider having your pet tattooed or having a microchip implanted.

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Introducing Dogs and Babies Part One

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My wonderful friend, Kathy Nolasco, is getting ready to welcome her first child into the world.  Well, her first human child that is.  Kathy is also the proud parent of a beautiful German Shepherd Dog named Linda.  Which is what prompted Kathy to send me a message the other day, the gist of which was "How do we introduce our dog to the baby?"

Its a question I get a lot, at least from those who are expecting, or know someone who is.  So I thought Id share my answer with everyone.

A little background first.  Kathy and her husband Gerson have a one-year-old female German Shepherd, Linda, from the Dominican Republic (a Dominican Shepherd I tease her).  They are also expecting a baby boy in about 20 days, should he cooperate with his due date.  Kathy has made arrangements for Linda to stay with her parents while she is in the hospital after the baby is born, and they are already planning on bringing baby blankets to Linda so she can smell the baby before she meets him. 

But Lindas already nervous, and the baby hasnt even been born yet.  According to Kathy, Linda is scared of the new baby things in the house, especially the stroller and the swing.  So this is where the training needs to start.  Ill tackle part one - fear of the stroller and swing - in this post, and part two - introducing Linda to the baby - in a later post.

The first rule of training Linda to accept the new baby should be "100% positive."  Because we want the relationship between dog and baby to be a positive one, the training should always be positive too.  We dont want Linda to make any associations between bad things and the new baby.

To teach Linda to accept the baby stroller and swing, get some really yummy treats (PureBites, Natural Balance Rolled Dog Food, Charlee Bears, or Wellness Wellbites).  If she is clicker trained, grab the clicker, but if not, Kathy can tell her "yes" every time she would get a click (for more on clicker training basics see Karen Pryors website, clickertraining.com. Start out with either the stroller or the baby swing (tackle one before the other - the second time around will be easier). 

Lets say Kathy picks the baby swing.  Have the swing set up, but not activated.  Bring Linda into the room where the swing is, and the instant she looks at (or near) the swing, click (or say "yes!") and give her a treat.  Stand in such a way that Linda needs to look back to get her treat, away from the swing.  When she looks at the swing again, click and treat.  Repeat the exercise a couple more times, then take a big step towards the swing.  Kathy should click and treat for Linda looking at the swing, again, the instant they move towards it.  Do another 3 or 4 rounds, then move closer and closer.  Eventually they should be able to stand right next to the swing.

When Kathy is beside the swing, she should reward Linda for looking at the swing once or twice, but then hold off and see if shell voluntarily lean towards it, sniff at it or even touch her nose to it.  If she does, definitely click and treat!  Work on getting as much interaction as possible, without resorting to bribing or luring (an example of that would be putting the treat on the swing).  Be patient - it will pay off in many ways!

The first time Kathy moves Linda towards the swing the swing should be turned off, not moving at all.  Once Linda masters the exercise with the swing off, start over with the swing turned on low - bring Linda into the room and click and treat the instant she looks at the swing.  Continue progressing until there are no issues with the swing.  Then its time to move onto the stroller.

If Linda gets nervous at any point, things have gone a little too fast.  Keep things light and fun.  There dont need to be any commands, and dont force her at any point. This exercise is so effective because Linda is in control - something that goes a long way towards building confidence and eliminating fear.  By rewarding her every time she looks at the baby swing shell start to have a positive association with the swing.

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