How Much is That Doggy in the Window What to Know When Getting a Dog

12.36 in a, Dog, doggy, getting, how, in, is, know, much, that, the, to, what, when, window

Honestly, the biggest problem I see when training dogs (and their owners!) isnt jumping up, running away or housetraining.  By far, the biggest issue is people getting a dog that wasnt a good match for their family. The article Getting a Dog addresses the important qualities to consider before selecting your next dog.

Learn when the perfect time is to bring a new dog into your home, based on your living situation, the time of year and more. Look at the pros and cons of getting a puppy, young adult or senior dog, as well as which is a better match for you - purebred or mixed breed.

Once youve determined that the time is right and youve closely considered what type of dog fits your life, its time to examine your options of where to get your new dog. Learn more about well-run animal shelters and rescue groups and how to identify and avoid rescue groups that dont act with the dogs best interest at heart. If you decide to purchase a dog from a breeder youll have lots of research to do, but our Selecting a Good Breeder article will help you ask all the right questions.

Lastly, learn why it is so important NEVER to buy a puppy (or anything else) from a pet store or a backyard breeder.

Once youve read about how to select a dog thats a good match for you and your family, you might find you still need some help. If thats the case, please dont hesitate to ask!  Email me or call me at 503.686.5890. The most important decision you make about your new dog happens before you even bring him/her home!

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Dog Breeds When is the Discrimination Going to Stop

06.25 in breeds, discrimination, Dog, going, is, stop, the, to, when

I know that dogs were bred for specific traits, and that is what makes each breed different. But there are days when I get a little vexed every time I hear someone say "My (insert name of dog breed here) is so: 

• smart
• stupid
• stubborn
• aggressive
• dominant
• talented
• lazy
• intelligent 
• scared of everything
• obnoxious
• and the list goes on and on... 

because s/hes a (insert name of dog breed here, again)."

UGH! Okay, yes, there are times when Ill look at my own dog Poncho and say "Oh, youre being such a terrier!" Why? Because his behavior displays more of the "grab-shake-kill" personality - which terriers were bred for and are known for, right? But hey, Im Irish and Russian - and Im not much different than most of my non-Irish non-Russian friends... except maybe I sunburn more easily. I do however know a few Irish and Russian folks with olive skin that tan beautifully! So there ya go, once again I cant discriminate. 

I think its important that we look at our dogs as them being just that: dogs. Yes, each were bred for specific traits - but that doesnt mean they will display those specific traits. It also depends upon environment, upbringing, how behaviors are learned and reinforced... which brings me to a very important question for you: if your dog is doing something specific, are YOU the one rewarding that behavior? And then, are YOU the one blaming the dog for behaving a certain way? Hold yourself accountable before blaming their breed. No excuses for your own behavior! 

So if your dog is "smart", then I can conclude that 1) your dog is motivated to learn 2) that youre pretty darn good at teaching them 3) maybe you took them to a dog training class and learned a few things. 

If your dog is "stubborn", then maybe its because 1) you havent taught them what you wanted in a way they understand 2) you have unrealistic expectations 3) you assume because they do something once that they actually know what youre asking them to do. 4) you need to take them to a dog training class 5) youre impatient and get frustrated - which is normal human behavior, therefore, I wont think youre "stubborn". 

So before you start labeling and discriminating against dogs and their breed, ask yourself these questions: is my dog just being a dog? Have I been the one rewarding the behavior? Have I not been rewarding a behavior? Is it MY fault my dog isnt doing what I want him/her to do? 

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What not to do when training your dog

08.36 in beginner, do, Dog, not, to, training, videos, what, when, your

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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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How to Fade A Lure when training with food

23.10 in a, Dog, fade, food, how, lure, to, training, when, with

1 Get RID of the lure as soon as you can! The goal is within 3 trials. 

2 If you dont have a clicker use a very short word like "yes!" or "yep!" 

3 Always make it harder and harder, dont get stuck at the same level of criteria

4 If you go to far to quickly you can always go back a step

5 If your dog is not following the lure, get a smellier lure- real meat!

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Does your dog have a waist

07.34 in a, do, does, dog, have, not, to, training, waist, what, when, your

If you are interested in working on tricks and behaviors with your dog, your dog should be the proper weight to prevent injury, discomfort and disinterest in working. A dog that is even slightly overweight can loose interest in working for food (not all dogs mind you!). If your dog is slightly overweight, try to maintain your dogs appropriate weight and see what a difference it can make in training. All dogs should have a waist!!! Depriving a dog of food is not the idea, the dog should feel comfortable not hungry. If your dog is ravenous, feed a small meal before training, to stop frustration.

I got this weight chart off the internet, I could not find who is the actual artist who created it, as it was on many internet sites without credit. So if you know where this diagram originated, please let me know so I can give them credit for their work!



A lot of vets will not tell you that your dog is overweight! It is up to you to assess your dogs weight and decrease or increase calorie intake accordingly. It is especially important with toy dogs as they can gain and loose weight rapidly if you feed a varied diet.

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