The Obamas Narrow Down Their Decision which puppy is right for them

08.05 in decision, Dog, down, for, is, narrow, obamas, puppy, right, the, their, them, which

First of all, I think it sets a great example for the public that the Obamas are looking to adopt their dog from a shelter. Dogs are the products of their environment, and if a dog is raised in a loving home with loving hands, that dog can be a healthy, happy and loving member of their family, regardless of pedigree.

And its also great that the President-elect has been doing his homework. However, it is important for Obama to keep in mind that breed descriptions and terms used by the AKC are all very subjective. Yes, many dogs are bred for specific traits and for carrying out certain tasks and activities. Their breed specifics will make that DNA a little stronger in some areas than other. But a dogs breed wont dictate personality - just like how you wouldnt say a person is friendly, reserved or aggressive based on their nationality or ethnic background.

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: Im not breed biased. First and foremost their doggy DNA makes them dogs. And I know that you can train and teach a dog to love or hate almost anything. In fact, you can train any animal to do anything they are physically and mentally capable of doing.

So the most important thing for the Obamas to consider is how the dog will fit in with their lifestyle. While they must be able to provide the dog with legal outlets for the innate behaviors that it was bred for, they must also remember that dogs are living breathing creatures that have individual personalities! Theyre NOT inanimate objects like furniture, cars and computers that you can shop for through a catalog. I am a strong believer that dogs should be adopted based on personality, behavior, and demeanor. How a dog reacts at your first meeting is a better indicator of how it will fit into your lifestyle than the history of how the dog was bred. Its best to pay attention to what the dog is doing, not what you think it should or might do based upon breed alone. 

And if they are considering adopting a puppy, they need to think about proper socialization and dog training focused on preventing behavioral issues. Its just like when the Obamas had their children, they had to think about consistency in parenting and all the various responsibilities associated with taking care of another life in the long term. They had to baby proof their home, among other things. And with a puppy, they will have to puppy proof their home and know how to manage the responsibilities of raising a healthy and happy puppy. 

From what I’ve seen, the Obamas seem like a real traditional family that’s big on responsibility (Malia and Sasha will be making their own beds in the White House!) and they will remain focused on instilling values in their children to encourage them to be productive. Kudos to them for being such responsible parents! 

So they need to think about the dogs needs - Will the girls be brushing and grooming the dog regularly? Will Barack Obama run with the dog 5 miles or have the Secret Service pulling doggy exercising duties?

And finally, they have to think about taking care of the dogs needs in the long run. The dog will likely outlive Obamas presidential administration, even if he serves two terms. So the dog will be with them long after they leave the White House. And if the kids leave for college, Barack and Michelle will have an adult dog to take care of even though their daughters have moved away. So its important for them to consider their immediate lifestyle as well as what their future holds.

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Owner Untrains Their Dog Coming When Called

01.53 in called, coming, Dog, owner, their, untrains, when

A simple yet frustrating problem: the dog wont come in the house when called.  Its a problem that repeats itself day after day.  Sometimes the dog will come, but often it wont.  Is training with treats the problem?  Does it backfire and create these situations?  A lot of owners think so.

In truth, its a problem of "untraining" where what an owner does (how they respond to a dog not doing what they are told), actually makes the problem worse.  "Untraining" is the process of reinforcing the bad, unwanted behavior, instead of the good, desired behavior. It goes a little like this:

Owner Untrains Dog, by Mary Majchrowski

Scene: Dog is in the backyard.  Owner is in the house, getting ready for work.  Owner decides it is time for dog to come in the house.

"Dog!" yells Owner. "Dog, its time to come inside! Come Dog, Come!"

Dog pricks an ear in mock interest.  Dog continues sniffing Very Interesting Leaf.

"Dog!" Owner calls again. "I need to go to work.  Lets Go!  Come on, Dog!"  Owners voice gets louder and more desperate.  "Not today Dog, I need to get going!"

Dog leaves Very Interesting Leaf and catches a glimpse of Totally Fascinating Squirrel.

"Dog, Come!" yells Owner.

"Squirrel, Run!" barks Dog.

"Dog, Come!" Owner repeats, with a threatening tone.

"Squirrel, squirrel, squirrel," Dog barks.

"Stubborn Dog," Owner mutters, turning back into the house.  Owner goes to the pantry and gets The Box.  Owner returns to back door with The Box.  Dog turns and looks at Owner.  Owner shakes The Box.

"Dog, want a cookie?  Treat, you wanna treat?"  Dog saunters over to Owner and gets a treat from The Box.  Owner grabs the dogs collar and drags Dog into the house. 

"Bad Dog!" Owner exclaims.  "You never do what I say!"

So, there are a few issues with the scene above.  How many can you find?  Lets go through them one by one, with the appropriate responses included.

1. Wrong Way:  Not using a single, trained cue word.  The owner in this case tells the dog come, come on, lets go and many other words.  Right Way: Practice inside the house teaching your dog a single, recognizable cue word, like "come" or "here." Train your dog to understand the cue before you expect them to respond to it, especially in distracting situations like where there are leaves and squirrels.
2. Wrong Way: The treat is offered after the dog has disobeyed.  After repeated failed attempts at calling the dog in, the owner then goes and gets the cookie box. The treat then becomes a reward for not coming when called - the dog will learn "If I ignore my owner long enough, eventually they will go get the cookies!" Right Way: While your dog is learning, set a jar of treats near the back door.  Every time you go to bring your dog inside get a cookie for your dog, then call him or her in.
3. Wrong Way: The owner used the treat as a bribe, not a reward.  By waiting until the dog had refused to come and then luring it in with the promise of food (shaking the cookie box), the owner bribed the dog.  Right Way:  Always pick up the treat before calling your dog.  If they initially get a treat every time they come inside, the dog will learn that they get good things for coming when called.  That is reinforcing good behavior. 
4. Wrong Way: The dog was punished (grabbed by the collar and yelled at) once it finally did come.  The dog will eventually learn to dread responding to the "come" command if punishment is the end result.  Right Way:  Praise your dog when they come to you, even if they didnt come right away, even if you had to chase them around the neighborhood for 20 minutes first.  If the dog ultimately comes to you (or even just allows themselves to be caught), that behavior should be rewarded.  Be the "good guy," even if you are angry.  Dogs connect praise to the last thing they did, like coming to you.

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