WHO do you really want to blame

15.54 in blame, do, Dog, really, to, want, who, you

I was in one of my favorite stores yesterday...waiting in line to buy groceries for din-din, and couldnt help overhearing the conversation between one of the cashiers and a customer. As soon as I heard the words "my dog" my ears perked up...Like any predator, my sense of hearing improved once I acknowledged my "prey" - so to speak... 

I guess the customer was buying lots of doggy treats, because the cashier commented about her own dog, and that she loved her dog etc... but that she (the dog) was "naughty" and in the "dog house".... Yes, this is what caught my attention, blaming the dog for something the human probably did in the first place to set the dog up for "failure"... 

From what I heard, and trust me, I didnt listen very long... once I heard the blame-game I shut my ears and diverted to the luscious chocolate display next to me...plus, I saw a friend there, who happens to be a former student of both my private and Manners class. Anyway, she arrived at the perfect time. We started chatting away, which was a great diversion for me. 

What was being said you ask? I guess the cashier and her boyfriend left a pile of food out on the counter at their home... including a pizza... Well, counter-surfing is a grande game to be played by any animal, especially dogs (and husbands when freshly baked cookies are sitting out)... Not only can dogs jump up on counters easily - or stretch and put their paws up...theyre also quite efficient at using their mouths and paws, pulling items onto the floor to be devoured. Especially when the said item is a freakin pizza!!! YUM! What a HUGE payoff!!! 

So, come on!! Really? Blame the dog? Really? Hmm... I myself applaud the dog for being so resourceful and clever, and for hopefully teaching those humans a lesson about "puppy proofing" their home... I say put the humans in the dog house for being naughty... Oh, and by the way, as much as I hate to admit it, being the professional that I am, its happened to me too! Yep, me, the one who teaches everyone else about dogs... My own dog Poncho taught my husband and myself about puppy proofing out home! Lets just say were much more careful about where we leave food, especially when were preoccupied with each other :-) These animals learned!

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Dogs Attacking Make News but What About Dogs Who Behave Well

05.27 in about, attacking, behave, but, Dog, dogs, make, news, well, what, who

Saw this question posted from a reporter. Of course I had to add my two cents...

"There has been a spate of pit bull attacks and maulings of children in metro Atlanta. What can dog owners do for ALL dogs to help socialize them and raise them so they are not a threat to children or anyone else? Also looking for any classes or programs to help dog owners."

Its unfortunate that pit bulls have received the reputation they have. There are SO many other pure bred and mixed breed dogs that bite, but often get overlooked or go unreported. As a certified professional dog trainer Ive worked with many dog training students whose dogs were bullied and even bitten by non pit bull canines. I even knew someone whose Manchester Terrier was killed by a Golden Retriever - but you dont hear about those stories. It would be nice to see more stories about how the sweet pit bull behaves graciously around other animals and children.

Although breeds were bred for specific traits, and certain breeds can do a lot more damage that others, I think its unfair that we "profile". And if we do, then as a society we need to do something to help the situation, not make it worse. Educating the public on dog behavior, more humane training methods that are effective in more ways than just getting the behavior, better monitoring of irresponsible breeding, and the cessation of dog fighting. And this is just a start!

Let it be known that 1) I am not breed biased 2) I adore pit bulls as much as any other breed, pure or mixed...But Im more attracted to personality, not looks or pedigree. I mean hey, look at me, I myself am a mixed breed and not supermodel material - so youre looking at someone that has relied more on her personality than anything else...except for my ability to cook ;->

To address this query allow me to say:

• "What can dog owners do of ALL dogs to help socialize them and raise them so they are not a threat to children or anyone else?" > If the owner(s) begin with a puppy, begin socialization as soon as possible. This doesnt mean taking their dog to an off-leash dog park when theyre 8 weeks old. But they can certainly introduce the puppy to new sights, smells, sounds, people and activities (car rides to the mall, schools, sitting on a lap in an outdoor cafe area) etc...You can protect the dogs health, while still exposing him or her to their new human surroundings. I understand vets wanting dogs to be protective health wise, but there are still safe measures for allowing dogs to be socialized to all Ive mentioned above. More dogs are euthanized because of behavioral issues versus dying of health related problems.
• Make experiences fun and non threatening: understand dog body language - Dogs will let you know if something is causing stress (stop eating is the first). Go slowly to socializing experiences, allowing the dog to build confidence.
• Train using humane, non-threatening, non-coercive methods. Again, this goes back to "make it fun!" Some of the pop-culture methods involve intimidation and fear invoking methods. No animal responds in a happy way to that. He or she will "behave" out of fear of being hurt. Not a good way to motivate any animal.
• For adult dogs, still practice taking him or her to various places to help them adapt, but again make it fun - and watch for signs of stress and other triggers that might cause a negative reaction. And if the dog does behave in an undesired way, do NOT punish. If you were upset, yelling at you, smacking you, and telling you were wrong wouldnt make you less upset, right?

• "Any classes or programs to help dog owners." > Being a graduate from the SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, as well as other programs that are more science-based, Id say to for dog owners to begin by looking for classes that are taught by certified professional dog trainers that have the same philosophy and use the same methodology for teaching - both the dogs and the humans.

There are some trainers that use "Positive Reinforcement", but then they will also recommend choke, prong and electronic collars for "training". The former is fine, but the latter can actually have the opposite effect and inadvertently train aggression into a dog. The same goes for squirt bottles and Citronella collars. A good site to look for trainers is the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

I would also suggest owners contact the person training (or a knowledgeable assistant) and ask questions. Ask if they can observe a class, even for just 10 or 15 minutes (watching an entire class intrudes on those who have paid for the trainers time and information). Ask to talk with other students and get their feedback too.

Just like parents sending a child off to school, its important to check the school out and meet the staff and teachers first. Not just show up or ship them off without investigating. Same thing should go for dogs and dog training classes. Word of mouth is also a good way to go, as long as you trust the source.

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Changing behavior Who me

09.41 in behavior, changing, Dog, me, who

behavior modification |noun
the alteration of behavioral patterns through the use of such learning techniques as biofeedback and positive or negative reinforcement.

Why does training your dog have to be such a difficult process? Why why why? Hmmm, well, it doesn’t really. I think as humans we just make it as such...that is our innate behavior, no? ~ Let’s see. Behavior = the way in which one acts or conducts oneself. Just being alive is performing a behavior right? Sleeping in front of the TV is a “behavior”. Okay, that’s a simple one... It’s the whole “modification” process that sends us into a tizzy. After all, if we want to change someone else’s behavior we have to start with changing our own... Yikes! That’s too much work! Nah, it really doesn’t have to be...you just need a plan. Once you have a plan, consisting of a just a few small steps that you can fit into everyday life, then it too becomes part of your regular schedule... And therefore, a simple approach to reaching your goals...

Just go and experiment yourself... Pick one thing you love your dog doing. Then, be aware of when your dog is performing this behavior, and make sure you reward him or her with something that motivate them. Either a “treat”, praise, petting, playing a game. Something they find rewarding... This tells them “thank you”, “I appreciate that”. After all, don’t we all appreciate someone appreciating us.

Simple yes? Good. See? You’ve already modified your own behavior. Now, it’s time to go modify your dogs.

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House Training Dogs Who are Visiting Your Home

06.49 in are, Dog, dogs, home, house, training, visiting, who, your

My inquisitive canine Poncho the dog was working overtime yesterday (while hubby and I were stuck in traffic) to help our friend Karen Lee Stevens of All For Animals. She had written to us about providing a few dog training tips she could use while taking care of a foster dog Tinker during the holidays.

Poncho did an excellent job of providing dog training tips on his Ponchos Prose blog, including making sure she was creating pleasant associations so Tinker would enjoy anything new &/or different - people she met, places she went or situations she encountered. Poncho also included tips that focused on house-training for dogs and how best to introduce cats and dogs, especially since Karen is the proud parent of Bella, a doggy loving kitty cat.

Karen, who is a columnist, editor and writer herself, had a follow-up question regarding the issue of house-training. Well, I thought Id give my hard working inquisitive canine some time to relax (it is his favorite day - Garbage Truck Monday) and Ive addressed it myself. The following is Karens question to me, with my answer - hopefully Poncho will approve.

If you too have any questions, please feel free to submit them to our Dear Inquisitive Canine dog behavior advice column that can be found on both Noozhawk and Powerwomen Magazine, both online news websites.

Thank you for such a thoughtful blog, just for Tinker and I!!! She spent the first night at my house last night and I quickly discovered that shes not housetrained!! Three accidents, including one on the bed. I take her outside every two hours and she wont go, but the minute I bring her back inside, she lets loose. Do you think scented potty pads will help?!

Other than that, she and my cat are doing great together -- Miss Bella is especially interested in the new variety of food being served in the kitchen. :)

Best, Karen

Hey there Karen! As a certified professional dog trainer (and in my personal opinion), taking the extra time to teach Tinker to eliminate outside (or the #1 place you want her to go) is ideal - as opposed to allowing her to potty in multiple places. Unless you live in a high rise building or your living situation (weather/your age/your physical limits/dogs age/dogs physical limitations) doesnt allow you to take your dog outside, then I personally like to avoid pee pads. Dogs dont discriminate too easily between pee pads and a nice soft mattress :-)

So, these are a few things Id suggest you do:

• First thing in the morning or 30 minutes after you feed her, grab your laptop, newspaper (for reading), DS, iPod, favorite book, a snack for yourself, and a yummy treat for Tinker, put her on leash, get her outside where you want her to go, and wait...wait...wait...walk her around to sniff...wait...wait...wait...walk her around...And as soon as she goes - reward her heavily with petting, praise, and that yummy treat youve been holding in your pocket! Youre basically throwing a huge potty-party! If its safe you can take her off leash too for fun and games...(freedom is another reward).
• The "enrichment" for yourself is so youre entertained while ignoring her. Try to refrain from saying things like "go potty honey" - because until she knows what that cue means, youll be wasting your breath - and probably getting more frustrated.
• If youve waited for at least 15 minutes, and she still hasnt gone to the bathroom, then bring her back in, but keep her tethered to you, or in your lap - Dont allow her to wander off on her own...Then, take her out every 20-30 minutes until shes gone! She will go, trust me! You just have to be patient.
• Oh, and finally, once youve started the reward process, continue doing it over and over and over....we can never be thanked enough times for performing behaviors others want from us :-)

Speaking of, THANK YOU for writing to me and trusting me to help you reach your goals!

Joan

For additional house-training tips for you and Tinker, please see Ponchos blog posts on house-training dogs from a canines point of view, and my own dog training house-training tips right here.

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