DogTrainster.Com

Source from: Spot On K9s

By Crystal Mack

Imagine walking into a crowded bar. The music is turned up so loud the lyrics are barely discernible. Couples are shouting to get each other’s attention. Glasses are clinking, dishes are dropping; there are so many sounds, you cannot hear yourself think.

Your dog probably felt the same way over the Fourth of July.

While some dogs are born with a sensitivity to noise, others can develop a problem after experiencing a particular jarring sound, such as fireworks, thunder or sirens.

Logan, a 4-year-old French bulldog, never had any issues with noise sensitivity, until this year’s first major thunderstorm.

“All of a sudden, he went running down the hallway,” said his owner, Jo Hakanson of Algonquin. “Now he seems to be scared of a lot more things.”

This change in behavior is not uncommon, according to Julia Lane of South Elgin. Lane runs her own business, Spot On K9s, offering classes in positive dog training and agility instruction, and has been working with rescue dogs for years.

She also knows a thing or two about facing scary situations. Along with her husband and pack of five dogs, Lane lost everything in Hurricane Katrina while living in New Orleans. The family relocated to the Chicago area after the storm.

Most of her dogs, like her 4-year-old dalmatian Jolie, were adopted from shelters and experienced trauma in their own lives. Jolie had been abandoned by her original owners and left for days without food or water. When Lane brought the young puppy into her home, Jolie cowered in fear around people and always tried to hide.

After receiving much love and guidance, the dalmatian now performs in competitive agility shows and has a sweet, friendly demeanor.

Any problem can be overcome with the correct approach, Lane believes.

There are many signs to indicate when a dog is agitated. Cocked-back ears or a slightly foaming mouth are physical cues, while hiding or restless pacing are behavioral hints.

“Dogs may not speak, but their body language clearly tells what they’re feeling,” Lane said.

Once you’ve recognized the clues, there are several techniques to help ease your dog’s sensitivity.

The most effective strategy, Lane believes, is desensitization. Introduce your dog to potentially frightening sounds in a nonthreatening way.

Try filling a plastic container with coins and encourage your dog to knock it over. When it falls, reward your dog with a treat, showing that the sound is not threatening. You can try this on a variety of surfaces, starting somewhere soft like grass or carpet, and gradually build your way up to harder, louder flooring.

You can also play common disturbing noises from a sound CD or from clips from YouTube. Because the sound would not be as loud coming from speakers as it would in its true occurrence, it is a nice, easy transition.

Keep the training light and playful. Anytime your dog tolerates a new sound, reward with his favorite treat.

In addition to games, you can try aromatherapy. A lavender scented spray creates a calming effect.

For a severely noise-sensitive dog, purchasing a custom-fit anxiety wrap can help. The wrap reduces stress by pressing on key acupressure points.

If nothing seems to help, a trip to the vet may be in order. A doctor will be able to determine if hearing difficulties are an issue.

The important thing is to take it slowly and not to reinforce your dog’s phobia with your own input.

“Dogs mirror our reactions, so if you validate their fear, they will continue to react in that manner,” instructs Lane.

Instead of coddling, give your pup guidance and the tools he needs to adapt to scary situations.

All of this extra time spent with your beloved pet will not only help build their confidence, but the relationship with you as well.

“Strengthening your bond is something you can work on for a lifetime,” said Lane. “No one knows your dog better than you.”

Tips for positive training

Be patient. Phobias are not erased overnight

Be playful. If you make the scary noises fun, your dog will have fun too

Be rewarding. Give your dog what he likes best, whether that be food or a favorite toy

Be prepared. If you know you will be encountering a loud sound, be ready to help your dog cope.

Source from: stabroeknews.com

By Eileen Cox

The Guyana Society for the Preven-tion of Cruel-ty to Animals has kindly provided an article on ‘How to be a responsible Pet Owner.’  This is not the be-all and end-all of the subject.  As is stated in the article, there are books and material on websites for those who wish to derive the utmost benefit from owning a dog. Here goes:

How to be a responsible pet owner

Owning a dog brings many benefits, including, as some studies have found, a healthier and happier life for the owner. However, becoming a dog owner can also add many responsibilities to your life. A pet needs proper food, veterinary care (when necessary) and a safe environment to live in. This safe environment is one that has no place in which your dog can get hurt (by getting stuck or falling), and should also ensure that your dog is not able to roam freely in the public domain. If you own a dog or are thinking of doing so, make sure you can meet your responsibilities as a pet owner.

Preparing a safe environment for your pet

Before bringing a pet into your home, prepare a special place for it to eat and sleep. At first, try to maintain the animal’s daily schedule for play, eating, and answering the call of nature. You should pet-proof your home just as you would child-proof your home to avoid accidents. Harmful cleansers, plants, electrical cords, and breakable objects should be removed from potential contact with your pet.

Housebreaking

Housebreaking should be started as soon as a puppy arrives in your home. Young puppies cannot suppress their need to urinate or defecate for long periods of time. Therefore, as soon as they can walk properly, they should be taken out multiple times during the day (almost every hour at first and especially after periods of play, naps, and mealtimes. You should take the puppy to the same area each time and praise it immediately and enthusiastically when it eliminates. Do not play with, or talk to, the puppy until after it has urinated or defecated.

Obedience training

One of the first steps a responsible pet owner should take is to train his or her dog in basic obedience.

Many times, a dog exhibits “bad behaviour” simply because it did not receive basic obedience training. Pet owners can work with a professional dog trainer or can even train their dogs themselves.

Dogs are social animals and will display certain instinctive behaviour like digging holes in your yard, soiling your belongings and even biting people and other animals. While this is all normal behaviour for a dog, it is possible to prevent or treat certain canine behaviour problems so that they become acceptable in the usual domestic setting.

It is very important that the owner establishes a social hierarchy with the dog in which the animal understands that it plays a subordinate role. This may be done by teaching your dog to show submission through various obedience “tricks” like shaking hands (raising a paw), rolling over and the “sit” and “stay” commands. A properly trained dog will also go to its owner when called.

While some puppies may be at the age where they are easily distracted (and harder to train), most dogs will learn at any age. However, be warned that training a dog takes lots of patience and does not involve hitting the animal or any other violent techniques.

It is beyond the scope of this brief article to impart dog training skills. However, there are lots of good books written on this topic and many websites with good material for you to use. In the end, a well-trained dog is a joy to own and it is easier to control than an untrained one.

Source from: news-journalonline.com

By Jacque Estes

Every pet owner has discovered an overturned kitchen trash can, mess on the carpet or a favorite item chewed up by the family pet.

Our first dog, a wire-haired terrier, was initially a guest at our house. When the owners returned from their vacation, they asked us to keep the dog while they put an advertisement in the newspaper. Their logic was it would be easier on the kids. No surprise, I talked my husband into keeping the dog permanently. He had no reason to say no. The dog had been an excellent pet the two weeks we kept him.

That changed when we returned home one night to discover dirt from a floor plant in the living room strewn across the carpet and my newly upholstered couch. Luckily I had neglected to water the plant and the mess was easily vacuumed away.

Murphy, the golden retriever wasn’t destructive, he just had a game of taking one pillow off the couch and placing it in the middle of the living room floor as soon as we left. It was his rebellion for being left alone.

Shadow took the rebellion up several notches. She was a shoe chewer — mine. The final straw came when she expressed her displeasure about being left by chewing up a Raggedy Ann doll I had as a little girl. Something had to be done. I was going broke replacing shoes (yes I could have put them away!) and the doll — well there wasn’t anything left to save.

It was time for crate training.

Many look at crate training as cruel to the animal, but if the crate is the appropriate size and the training is done correctly, there is nothing cruel about it and most dogs appreciate having their own room.

Crates need to be large enough for the animal to stand up and turn around in. There are two types of crates; airline carriers that are two solid plastic pieces that bolt together and have a grate door and wire “windows” on the sides, and collapsible metal crates. Wire crates are the best for home use because they provide more ventilation.

Crate training does not happen overnight. It is a slow process that allows the dog to get used to the idea that he has a special place. Crates should never be used for punishment. If you shove the dog into the crate every time he flips the trash can the crate will never be associated as a positive thing. The crate should be placed in an area of the house where there is a lot of family activity. Your dog wants to be with you, if you seclude him in a back room he is not going to want to use the crate.

Make the crate comfortable by placing a soft, clean blanket or towel. Place an item of your clothing, a T-shirt you don’t wear or something similar with your scent on it in the cage and possibly a bone or favorite toy. You can also place a few treats inside to encourage your dog to explore the cage. Leave the door open and allow the dog to approach the crate on his own. He might not do this right away, in fact he may wait until you are busy with something else to check it out. One day you will not be able to find him and there he will be curled up in the crate.

It also helps to feed your dog near the crate. This is another way to make the association that the crate is a good place. Once the dog is willing to go into the crate you can gently close the door. Leave him in there a minute or two and watch from an area where he cannot see you. If he becomes upset, calmly walk to the crate, speak softly, telling him what a good dog he is and let him out. Spend a little time petting or playing with him and then go on about your normal routine. You are trying to impress upon him that this a natural thing. Continue encouraging him into the cage by repeating this process several times during the day with food or toys and close the door, slowly increasing the time. The dog should never be pushed or forced into the crate.

Soon he should be able to stay in the crate while you run short errands or at night after the family has gone to bed. Dogs do not like to soil the area where they sleep and it is important not to keep them in the crate too long.

Some animals take right to the crate. Shadow was one of those dogs. She had been abused and was extremely timid when we adopted her and the crate was a very comforting place to her. She is now 12 years old and I have no doubt that if I put the crate up she would settle in immediately.

Another advantage of having an animal that is crate-trained is that when traveling, either on vacation or during an evacuation, you will be able to transport your animal safely.

Source from: examiner.com

By Jeff Millman

Many behavior problems including barking, fear aggression and separation anxiety can be prevented by socializing a puppy properly.

I always tell my new puppy clients that I will “nag” them about socialization to ensure that they are spending enough time on this time-critical task. You can teach a dog of any age how to walk nicely on a leash, come when called or any other behavior. The most important socialization period occurs until a puppy is approximately 16-18 weeks of age.

While the socialization opportunities do not stop completely after that point, it is a time period that you will never get back as a new puppy guardian. During that critical time, I think of a puppy’s brain as a big ball of clay that is moldable. After that time, if a puppy hasn’t been exposed to new things their first reaction might be to be cautious, fearful or even aggressive.

Often times with my new puppy clients they feel overwhelmed with all of the tasks in front of them including housetraining, crate training, biting and all of the other behaviors that are on the list when training a dog. To make it easier on yourself with your new puppy, it is important to prioritize your time and spend a lot of time socializing your puppy before 16-18 weeks of age and then continue throughout his life.

What Should You Know About Socialization?
You should consider all of the situations that your puppy will be in over the course of his life and introduce him to them paired with fantastic things. The easiest way to do this is to bring treats with you everywhere you go and give small bits to form positive associations. Whenever your puppy notices something new, you should give him an outstanding treat to help him enjoy that event.

My favorite example of socialization is helping a puppy enjoy the event of a fire truck approaching and going by with the siren blaring. If you mark the event with a “yes” or ‘click’ (if you are using a clicker) and then give your puppy a wonderful treat, your puppy will eventually hear a fire truck in the distance and look forward to the fire truck approaching.

The key with socialization is to make sure that your puppy is not stressed out. The easiest way to determine this is by using treats. If your puppy stops taking treats it is a sure indication that he is over threshold and you need to lower the intensity of the stimulus. Move farther away from the event and hopefully you can find a distance where your puppy will take treats. Always try and end on a good note if your puppy is uncomfortable. This will ensure that you are creating good associations. If your puppy remains stressed out, move away and add it to your list of socialization tasks that you need to focus on.

One key point to remember about puppies is that they do not generalize. What this means is that they don’t love “people” they love people that they are exposed to. What this means is that they need to be exposed to all sizes, races, ages and shapes of people for them to be socialized to people. They need to be exposed to countless sizes, shapes, temperaments and ages of dogs to be socialized to dogs. This is the same with noises, locations, movements and other experiences.

Socialization does not necessarily feel like “work”. You can make great progress by sitting outside at your local café with a pocketful of treats and ask anyone that wants to pet your puppy if they would give him a treat to help socialize him. You should also bring him to friend’s houses and make sure he can be in a travel crate and be quiet.

Here is a brief list of other things that you should consider for socialization. Just mark the event with a “yes” or a ‘click” and give an outstanding reward for examples such as:

* Skateboarders
* Lawnmowers
* Leaf blowers
* Street cleaners
* Being on an elevator
* Being at the vet’s office
* Being in the car
* Getting a bath
* Vacuum cleaner
* Blender
* Doorbell rings

Handling is also an important socialization topic. Give bits of your puppy’s dinner when you do the following:

* Rub his feet
* Touch his ears
* Rub his gums
* Gently pull his tail
* Open his eyes (eye drops someday)
* Cue tip in his ear (ear cleaning)
* Brush his coat

Your list will include other events. It is important to think about anything that your puppy will be exposed to and socialize him when he is young. Put the time in now and this will help him be a confident, well-adjusted adult.

Source from: examiner.com

By Jeff Millman

Do you want to prevent destruction, prevent separation anxiety, housetrain your puppy faster, train your dog faster and lessen overall frustration? Use a crate!

There are so many statements, misconceptions and questions about crate training that I hear all the time that I wanted to help clear up some of the confusion.

“I feel guilty about using the crate, it looks like doggy jail.”
One of the important strategies for acclimating a puppy to your environment is teaching her to be comfortable with your schedule. If you are able to be with your puppy 24 hours per day and are never going to leave your puppy alone then don’t worry about using a crate. But, this is not realistic. The crate provides a safe, humane place to keep your puppy safe and prevent some of the big issues like separation anxiety and destruction. Learn how to prevent separation anxiety.

“Since I am at work all day, I never use the crate when I am home because I want to be with my puppy.”
Puppies need to learn how to be in the crate in any situation they might be exposed to. What happens if you never teach your puppy to be in the crate when you are home and then have a few guests over for dinner? If your puppy is not comfortable in the crate your only options are to keep her out for the entire time or have a puppy barking and disrupting everyone the entire evening if she isn’t comfortable in the crate or another room. This may not be a problem when puppies are young and sleep a lot, but flash forward to an older puppy that is running around, chewing and getting into mischief when you want to visit with your guests.

As long as you are actively training and exercising your puppy when she is out of the crate, there is a good chance she will be tired and sleeping in the crate when she is in there. All dogs need the appropriate physical and mental exercise and the crate should not be used in lieu of providing your puppy with her needs. Read about how much exercise to give to a dog. A rough rule of thumb for 7-12 week old puppies is to provide 60 minutes of training and exercise after going potty and then using the crate for 2-3 hours. Puppies can generally hold their bladders one hour per month of age, so you can adjust these numbers based on your puppy’s age. If you play and train your puppy for a period after going potty and then use the crate until the next potty break, this ensures that you are using the crate sufficiently. As your puppy gets older, she might be out of the crate for 2 hours and then in the crate for 2-3 hours. Eventually as her bladder gets stronger you can adjust these numbers accordingly. Want to know how to transition a puppy out of a crate? Read how old a puppy should be before he gets run of the house.

“I never use the crate as a punishment; I don’t want my puppy to have a bad association.”
This is a very common statement I hear, and there is no basis to this. A timeout is used to teach a dog that the behavior that she did resulted in her getting taken away from where she wants to be. If you put her in the crate for a timeout, do so for a short period of time immediately following the inappropriate behavior, such as jumping on you, biting, or chewing on furniture. Then, take her out after 5-30 seconds as long as she is calm and then reward her for anything but the offending behavior. If she performs the inappropriate behavior again say, “Timeout” and repeat. As long as you make sure to reward good behavior and use a timeout for inappropriate behavior, she will learn not to do the inappropriate behavior because it doesn’t benefit her. She won’t hate the crate itself, she will not like the fact that she was put in there and taken away from all the fun. That is an important distinction. The only caveat to this rule is that dogs that already have separation anxiety often do not like being in crates and can have a panic attack. These dogs are not good candidates for using this timeout strategy. Learn about timeouts and teaching a dog to stop certain behaviors.

Other Crate Tips

* For housetraining, the crate should be just big enough so your puppy can walk in, stretch and lay down
* Move the crate around your house, if possible, to provide different scenery for your puppy. This will help her get accustomed to being at different houses and being kenneled when you are away.
* Do not take your puppy out of the crate if she is scratching, whining, barking, digging or jumping on the side of the crate. You don’t want your puppy to think these behaviors get rewarded or she might do these behaviors for extended periods of time when alone and possibly acquire separation anxiety.
* Use stuffed Kongs or other stuffed toys to keep your puppy occupied and happy in the crate.
* Be cautious of bones, toys or rawhides that can be choking hazards. I never recommend leaving anything besides Kongs in crates to avoid choking risks.

Source from: 2.7online.com

By Elizabeth Wasserman

Dock diving — jumping off a dock into a body of water — is something you might think a water-loving dog would do at a lake on a hot summer day, but it’s actually a certified canine sport. Tournaments have even been broadcast on ESPN, with champion dog divers breaking world records for the canine with the longest leap from a dock into a pool or other body of water.

Your dog doesn’t have to be the next swimming superstar to splash in on the fun, however. A quiet afternoon doggie paddle can be just as enjoyable and rewarding. “Water is an excellent means of exercising your dog,” says Deborah Lee Miller-Riley, founder and director of Connecticut-based Canine Water Sports, which teaches dogs to swim and hosts water-based competitions, including such feats as retrieving submerged articles and towing a swimmer on a life ring.

Natural Olympians, or Not
A lot of dogs are naturally great swimmers. Some breeds come by that skill due to centuries of training. Retrievers have been bred to retrieve birds from water for hunters. Portuguese water dogs used to carry messages between boats in the days before cellular and satellite communications. But not all dogs instinctually take to the water. Some excellent paddlers, as with humans, have actually had to hone those skills with swimming lessons. Keep the following in mind, therefore, before unleashing your dog into the water.

The Importance of Water Safety
In addition to exercise, teaching your dog to swim is an important safety precaution. Scores of pets drown each year in water-related accidents. If your backyard has a pool, or if you take your dog out on your boat, get your pup to feel comfortable around water. You can teach it to swim — and to get out of the water. “A dog is not going to know how to exit on its own,” says Lisa Peterson, spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club.

Dogs can be trained to swim around the perimeter of a pool to find the exit, says Fred Hassen, CEO of Sit Means Stay, a dog-training business with 64 locations in the U.S. and Canada. “A lot of people teach dogs to come to you,” Hassen says. “The problem is if you put the dog in the deep end and you stand there, the dog would keep swimming in the deep end trying to get to you.” Hassen’s method involves training a dog to swim around the pool looking for stairs or a ladder to get out — no matter where its owner is.

To teach your dog to climb a ladder — be it in a pool or off the side of a boat –place your dog’s front paws on the ladder and then help it up with its hind paws. Entice your pet to climb with a treat. “It’s important to make it a confidence-building experience so the dog is not stressed or traumatized,” he says.

How to Teach Your Dog to Swim
Just like a child who takes swimming lessons, a canine needs to gain confidence before it can swim comfortably on its own, experts say. Here are five steps to getting your dog’s paws wet:

1. Start with water exposure Get your pup used to water with a spray bottle, a hose or a shallow plastic pool, Hassen says. This ensures that it gets accustomed to the feeling of water.

2. Start at a pool or lake with a gradual slope Your first lessons should take place in a body of water in which your pet can gradually walk in the water with you, Peterson advises. You can promote a positive attitude by bringing toys, such as a ball, and encouraging your dog to retrieve.

3. Move into deeper water with your support As you move into deeper water, support your dog’s backside or belly to help it learn that it can float as it paddles with its paws. Hassen says it’s important that the dog learns to “level out” its torso to actually swim in the water.

4. Help your pup find the exit Once your dog is in the water, make sure it follows your commands to find the exit — be it from a swimming pool or into a boat. Hassen suggests leading the dog gently on a leash.

5. Don’t overdo it Dogs that have not swum a lot before don’t necessarily have the muscle conditioning for a strenuous swim. “If your dog never swam for more than five minutes before, don’t ask it to swim out a mile to a raft where you’re going,” Peterson says. “The dog may be too tired to swim back in.”

Safe Places for Your Pet to Swim
If you’re taking your dog out on a boat, fit your pup with a life vest, experts say. You never know when the boat may hit a bump and the dog may end up overboard. Also, keep in mind that swimming is exercise, and on hot days in particular, you need to keep your pet hydrated with fresh water.

Given the right precautions, there is a wide variety of safe places for your pet to do the doggie paddle — or something more befitting of a canine athlete. For dock diving, organizations such as Dock Dogs and Splash Dogs hold competitions around the United States. A number of canine spas and private trainers will also help introduce your pup to the water and get it accustomed to going for a swim. Dog clubs additionally offer options to help you and your pet learn the joys of taking a dip in the water — or competing to be top dog.

“It’s a nice opportunity for dogs to have a pleasurable event,” says Miller-Riley, of Canine Water Sports, “and to exercise without as much damage to their joints as they might get on land.” Since you can enjoy these benefits, too, your dog will likely turn out to be your best exercise and sports buddy this summer.

Source from: examiner.com

By Jeff Millman

There are certain topics in dog training that come up at least once per day. I find myself saying “Change the pattern, change the behavior” in many situations and I realized that this is a powerful concept that you might find useful when working with your dog.

My dog training philosophy is based on changing a dog’s behavior, and not focusing on what the dog might be thinking. Many people fall into the trap of making assumptions about why the dog performed a certain behavior and then run the risk of basing their training strategies on murky hypotheses. Examples of murky hypotheses include:

* “My dog jumped on me because he was being dominant.”
* “My dog urinated on my bed because she was being spiteful.”
* “My dog bit me because he is trying to take charge.”

I get many questions about why dogs do things and I often say, “I don’t know, but I do know that your dog did the behavior. That we can all agree upon, so let’s start there.” Once you move past the “why” and focus on changing behavior, your world may very well open up to a whole new way of looking at animal behavior. Keep in mind that this is not limited to dogs. You can use these strategies on any animal, including the two-legged variety that roam freely around the streets.

Behaviors can be innate (hardwired) such as breathing, yawning or blinking, or they can be learned such as sitting for a treat or responding to one’s name. Often dog behavior problems such as jumping are rooted in learned behaviors over time. How does a dog learn? A dog, like any animal learns through repetition. A situation presents itself, the dog responds in a certain manner and there is a consequence to his actions. If he enjoys the consequence, then the motivation kicks in and he wants to do that again!

Examples of learned behaviors include:

* Dog puts paws on person’s leg, dog gets petted
* Dog barks at person, person moves away
* Puppy grabs sock and runs, person chases, dog has fun

In each of the previous examples, the dog interacted with the environment in a certain way and, in turn, the environment responded in a certain way.

* In the first example, the dog put paws on the person’s leg and he got petted. What happens if he is never, ever, ever allowed to put his paws on the person’s leg? He doesn’t have an opportunity to learn that this might result in getting petted.
* In the second example, what if the dog was kept at a distance where he never felt like barking and never learns that barking causes a person to move away?
* In the third example, what happens if  the puppy is never left alone near socks and never learns that grabbing a sock might result in a fantastic game of chase?

I can tell you with certainty what would happen. The dog would never have a chance to decide if the consequence of his actions are enjoyable and these behaviors would not become strong, well-rehearsed “habits”.

So, how do you use this information with your dog?

Stop behavior patterns quickly when you see them developing. Make sure that you think about what you do not want your dog to do. If you don’t want your dog to dig holes in your nice garden, watch him like a hawk and prevent him from ever learning that digging holes is fun. Stop him as quickly as possible when it does occur, and redirect his behavior into a more acceptable behavior such as playing fetch or playing tug. If you can’t watch him, bring him inside.

Manage your dog’s access to the environment. Don’t be an absentee trainer. If you can’t watch your dog, manage him in a crate or dog-proofed area so he doesn’t learn that the couch tastes yummy, or it is fun to bark out of the window all day long and build barrier frustration in the process.

Change the chain of events.
For a dog that jumps on guests, the current chain of events might look like this:

* Dog sees person
* Dog runs towards person
* Dog puts paws on person’s legs
* Dog play bites hands of person

My recommended chain events looks like this:

* Dog sees person
* Dog doesn’t jump
* Dog sits to get petted

How to you change the pattern? First of all you need to stop the undesired chain of events from “going down the wrong path”. In this example, the situation degrades when the dog starts running towards the person, so that is where the focus should be placed. To prevent this from happening, the easiest thing to do is to have the dog on leash and prevent the dog from learning that he can run to the person and then jump and then get petted.

Friendly guests can derail great training by petting a dog for jumping. So, you need to take charge and make sure your dog never learns to do this behavior.

Do this:

* Have your dog on leash
* AS SOON as he sees your guest say, “Yes” or ‘click’ if you are using a clicker and give him a treat
* Move him a bit farther away if he is too interested in the events in front of him and continue the exercise
* As his interest moves from the events in front of him to getting a tasty treat, you can try and drop the leash (it is still attached to his collar) and continue working
* If that is too much for him, pick up the leash and try again
* At this point you can also ask for a “Sit” and reward that by giving a treat and also allowing your guest to come closer for petting
* If your dog jumps at this point, move him away and continue the exercise
* You can also redirect his attention by tossing his favorite toy down the hallway as soon as he sees your guests so he chases the toy instead of jumping on your guests

If you focus on stopping the chain of events before your dog starts the inappropriate behavior, you can change an infinite amount of behaviors including barking, digging, destruction, and even aggression.

Source from: canada.com

By Joan Klucha

As a trainer for over 15 years I have been fortunate to work with a wide range and number of dogs.

This time in the saddle, so to speak, has given me the opportunity to observe similar patterns in canine behaviour. These patterns of behaviour are not the equivalent to wild dogs or wolf behaviour but are actually behaviours you would never see a wild dog or wolf express in their natural environment. These behavioural patterns are a direct result of human interaction and handling.

One very common pattern is the “All about me” complex. These dogs have had a great deal of coddling, fussing, and cuddling as puppies, given whatever their whining and jumping has gotten them as adolescents and as adults they are obnoxious, demanding, and often labelled as out-of-control, as they have little or no time for training. They are the epitome of the spoiled child that throws a temper tantrum the first time their parents say the word “No!”

Owners of the “all about me” dogs are often confused about why their dogs are so “bad.” When in fact the dogs aren’t bad at all, they have simply been given far too many liberties and freedom and very few boundaries and limitations. This is because the owners have allowed their emotions to get involved with the training of their dogs.

When it comes to training dogs, there is no place for emotion. Emotions give dogs confusing messages about our intent because we are often confused about our intent. As a result the dog sees us as an unstable leader incapable of controlling a situation and they take over, often reluctantly.

An example of emotional training is when a dog is asked to sit. The dog refuses by ignoring the command, which in many circumstances is a natural first time response. The owner then raises the voice and the dog begins to show a healthy and normal submissive gesture towards the human by dropping its ears and tail. The resulting emotion from the human is that they have either scared their dog or have hurt their feelings somehow and thus discontinue the training. The dog then learns very quickly how to manipulate the situation and continues to defy the owner’s direction and play on the emotions of the human.

The appropriate step would be to ignore the dog’s attempts to manipulate the situation, but not ignore the dog and discipline the dog by forcing a sit. The dog then learns that there are consequences for its behaviour and is more likely to comply the next time to avoid the conflict of discipline and to incite praise and affection from the owner.

I want to stress that I am not advocating punishment. Punishment and discipline are two completely different things. Discipline means a form of consistent training that produces obedience and self control. Punishment implies severe treatment as a penalty for an offense.

In some cases the problem with a dog’s behaviour may not be as a result of over-affectionate owners but because the dog has not had any adequate dog-to-dog discipline. You are a lucky person these days if your puppy is raised by its natural mother and the mother understood the value of discipline.

But often this is not the case. Puppies are brought home early and then encouraged to limit dog-to-dog interaction due to fear of disease. As a result the puppies miss a valuable stage of learning that can only be had by interacting with other dogs at that particular period of their lives. The result is an adult that confuses other dogs with their lack of self control and often instigates conflict due to a lack of social cues.

Discipline should not be overlooked when it comes to training, and emotions should be left out, but I’m not implying that affection should as well.

Rather that the training should supply plenty of both but at the appropriate times.

Source from: blog.oregonlive.com

by Deb Wood

Sprite isn’t a quaking, cowering dog.

But she is shy.

When I picked her out, both her breeder and I thought she was an extrovert. And she is — when she’s someplace she knows well with dogs and people she likes. So, she was pushy among her litter mates and pushy here at my house.

All that changes when we walk out the door. She’s barky at other dogs because she doesn’t trust them. She pulls back from strangers’ hands because she assumes they might be trouble. (This from a dog who hasn’t had a bad day in her life.)

Interestingly, this brings me full circle. My dog Goldie, who passed away last year at the old age of 16, was a terrified, frightened, very shy dog when she came to me when she was 2 years old. Back then — pretty much a lifetime ago in the world of dog training — no one I could find knew what to do to help her. Over time, I learned, and found people who knew things I didn’t know.

All of my writing started with a book called “Help for Your Shy Dog” — which I wrote to help people who were in my situation. It’s still a big seller almost 10 years after it was published.

The lessons I learned from terrified Goldie (who was a happy if quirky dog by the end of her long life) I’m applying to Sprite.

Those lessons include:

Train your dog. The more a shy dog has a sense of normalcy, the calmer she is. Training helps immensely.

Be a leader — in a kind and gentle way. Sprite has to work for her treats (with a “sit” or other obedience command). She gets fed meals rather than free-feeding. The more she sees me as a gentle, kind, predictable leader, the more confident she will feel. The operative words are “gentle” and “kind.” No yelling, rolling the poor dog on her back, or threats. Just give her positive, happy, joyful leadership.

Expose your dog to the world. Shy dogs, like shy people, gain confidence from facing their fears and excelling in a situation. One of those activities for Sprite is the play group I talked about in Wednesday’s blog. She meets new dogs and makes friends, and that builds her confidence.

Don’t Over-do the exposure. Meeting other small, friendly dogs for a limited period of time is good for Sprite. If she were dealing with dogs that might hurt her, or doing the activity for so long that she became overwhelmed, it would make her worse.

I compare these situations to a shy child who’s asked to recite a poem in class. If she recites the poem in her friendly classroom and they cheer — she’s built confidence. If she tries to recite the poem and forgets her lines in front of a booing auditorium full of people — she’ll come out worse for the experience.

Shy dogs need to have their envelope stretched, but just a little bit at a time. They need to succeed each step along the way, just like that little girl reciting the poem.

Believe that your dog will get more confident. What I do know is that Sprite will always be a little bit wary and somewhat leery of new situations. I also know that, with training, continued careful exposure and socialization, and tons of time together, she will learn to be comfortable in places that now scare her.

In fact, in the last month I’ve had a couple of knowledgeable dog trainers remark on what a confident little dog my Sprite is. I knew that was behavior she’d learned, and it made me proud of the work my girl and I have done together.

Source from: wxii12.com

By Amy Clear

Consider Temperament, Breed and Age—Along With Your Lifestyle and Personality

A dog’s breed and temperament, combined with your lifestyle and personality, all play an important role in determining what kind of dog is the best fit for you. For instance, a slight or shy person could find a large-breed dog—especially one that is boisterous or hyperactive—difficult to control. On the other hand, a timid, little dog may not be a suitable match for an adventuresome, outgoing, or loud person.

So with all the choices available, how do you go about selecting the right dog for you?

Deciding Between a Puppy and a Full-Grown Dog
If you are considering adopting a dog, first determine whether you want a puppy or an adult dog. Adopting a puppy has certain advantages—you will be able to choose one with the best temperament for you and ensure it gets a proper education before behavioral problems or bad habits develop. But puppies bring added responsibilities, too. During the first few months, a puppy requires more of your time than an older dog.

• Puppies should not be left alone for extended periods of time.
• They need to be fed several times a day, constantly monitored, and handled with care.
• Owners must fill the void created when they take a puppy away from its mother and littermates.
• Attention is required to properly house-train the puppy.
• Other training is required with goals suitable for the puppy’s age. (Training goals will change as the puppy matures.)

If you do not have the time required for a puppy, consider adopting a full-grown dog that has already gone through the puppy stage.

• Usually an older dog will be housebroken and less likely to chew anything and everything within reach.
• More advanced training can begin immediately.
• As a newcomer to your family, however, even older dogs require attention and understanding while they become oriented to a new environment.

Before adopting an older dog, learn as much as you can about its background, such as details of its diet so you can be sure any change in diet will not be abrupt. If adopting a dog from another home, ask for a favorite item, such as a toy, a blanket, or a pillow that the dog can take with him. This will help in the transition. If you expect the newly adopted dog to serve as a watchdog, keep in mind that it will take approximately two weeks before the dog starts to consider your home his territory and begin protecting it.

Understanding the Importance of Temperament
Temperament has nothing to do with a dog’s size, breed or upbringing—temperament is something innate in a dog. A dog’s temperament has a lot to do with how easily it can be trained and, while good training can improve certain traits in a dog, training cannot change the dog’s temperament.

There are a variety of temperaments in dogs, and some dogs can have a combination of temperament traits, but generally speaking, dogs have four basic temperament types:

1. Nervous – This bottom-of-the-pack dog requires more effort and perseverance on your part to train. An older, nervous dog can act in a variety of ways around strangers. It might bark but then back off, or circle while barking and growling. Another nervous type might settle down when the stranger is seated but bark and possibly try to attack when the visitor gets up to leave. Its fear of strangers makes a nervous dog a challenge to train.

2. Timid – Also a bottom-of-the-pack dog, a timid dog will hold its ears back, squirm, put its tail between its legs, or roll onto its back. You can easily train this type of dog once it recognizes you as its leader.

3. Dominant – This top-of-the-pack dog requires owners to demonstrate their own dominance through a consistent and committed effort to train the dog, no matter how long it takes. When around strangers, this dog stands its ground and, under some circumstances, attacks. It will not relinquish its leadership position easily and, if you move too quickly with training, it might bite you. With professional help and a lot of determination, even the most dominant dogs can be trained.

4. Middle of the Pack – This dog is easy to train because it wants to please its owners out of respect for them as the leaders of the pack. Usually friendly toward strangers and not aggressive toward other dogs, this type of dog is delightful to own.

Spotting a Puppy’s Temperament
Even at a very young age, you can tell a puppy’s temperament. Within the litter, watch how the puppies run and play to determine where each puppy stands in the litter’s pecking order. More dominant puppies act bossy by standing over the other littermates. Less dominant puppies act submissive by rolling over or lowering their heads.

Then, observe the individual puppy you are considering adopting when it’s alone with you. A well-adjusted puppy will follow you freely when you lead it. Then drop a soft glove or cloth near the puppy and watch its reaction:

• A confident puppy will approach the object immediately to investigate. While this puppy could grow up to be a well-adjusted dog, it is likely to be strong-willed and might be a challenge for a soft-natured person.
• A less-dominant pup will jump and move away when the object is dropped, but it will usually return fairly quickly to investigate. Less bossy than the more confident puppy described above, this puppy will make a great pet.
• The puppy that takes longer to approach and runs around the object acting as if it is alive and might attack is a little timid but still will make a wonderful pet with proper, gentle training.
• The puppy that barks at the object, runs away and crouches down or refuses to return to the spot has a more nervous temperament and could be a difficult pet. More patience will be required during training.

Finally, lift and hold the puppy in your arms. A pup that settles in and sits still is far more acceptable than one that wriggles and tries to escape.

Choosing the Best Breed for Your Personality
In addition to recognizing an individual dog’s temperament, you would do well to investigate the breed that best suits your needs. Listed here are some of the most popular breeds and, based on our experience with hundreds of thousands of dogs worldwide, how their personalities and characteristics might match the requirements of different types of owners. While some breeds do have tendencies toward a certain temperament, keep in mind that this is not absolute. Use the information as a guide, but we recommend you make your final decision based on background information and observation.

Sociable Dogs with Soft, Even Temperaments
These breeds are typically less demanding and more docile, making them perfect for elderly people and families with children. They are loving and respond well to lots of attention, and prefer to not be left alone.

American Cocker Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Golden Retriever
Lhasa Apso
Poodle
West Highland White Terrier
Whippet

Dogs that Require More Discipline
Often exuberant, many of these breeds require more discipline and exercise—but are great for people with lots of energy. Their loyal, loving natures still make them wonderful family pets.

Afghan Hound
Boxer
Bull Terrier
English Cocker Spaniel
Dachshund
Dalmatian
Doberman Pinscher
German Shepherd
Great Dane
Miniature Schnauzer
Rottweiler

One-Person Dogs
Protective of their homes and owners, these breeds are perfect for people who live alone. Not in all cases, but these breeds tend to be less suitable for families.

Chihuahua
Chow Chow
Maltese
Pekingese
Shih Tzu

Mixed Breeds
Generally hardier and less prone to hereditary faults, mixed breeds can be pets that are just as good—and sometimes better—than purebreds. Still, some are better than others. As a basic guideline, a pup is likely to inherit its size from its mother but be slightly smaller than its largest parent.

Designer Dogs
Designer breeds, a cross between two purebred dogs, were developed to create a mix of the best characteristics of each breed. For instance, the Goldendoodle combines the family-friendly traits of the Golden Retriever with the non-shedding, hypoallergenic traits of the Poodle. Some of the more popular mixed hybrids are the:

Puggle (Pug / Beagle)
Schnoodle (Schnauzer / Poodle)
Labradoodle (Labrador / Poodle)
Chorkie (Chihuahua / Yorkshire Terrier)

Just like people, dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. A dog’s breed and temperament, combined with your lifestyle and personality all play an important role in determining what kind of dog is best for you. Do a bit of research first, then visit your local shelter. There is a dog with the perfect temperament for everyone.