Paper Training Is The First Step

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

To many people, there is nothing like living in the big city – the lights, the high-rises that glitter in the sun, streets buzzing with the sounds of cars, people throng the sidewalks and stores at all hours…

But can dogs be model citizens in this lifestyle? Can they be properly housetrained not to use the bathroom in your small apartment? Can they be housetrained to go in a specific area laid with papers as you wish? How about outside without making a mess on the sidewalk?

Absolutely! All it takes is a bit of extra work to conquer the unique problems of city dwellers.

Housetraining is really the same whether you live in the country, the suburbs with a yard, or in a high-rise in the city. Your puppy just needs to be educated about where the legal places are to eliminate.

As with suburban dogs, crate training is the best option for training and housetraining your urban dog. From there, though, city folks (as well as others faced with restricted living spaces and lack of yards and parks) often have to be creative.

One common problem, especially with medium and large-sized breeds, is where to put the crate. The good news is that the bathrooms or kitchens of apartments are often so small that they effectively can be used as crates. I’d also like to point out that many companies now make crates that also function as furniture, such as wicker or rattan crates that double as end tables or coffee tables.

Potty On The Papers, Please (change)

A paper training schedule is the same as a regular crate training schedule. The pup sleeps or eats, then goes to the paper area to potty. The pup gets free time with you after he potties and may have to go again after playing. Praise calmly during the act and profusely afterwards so your pup knows exactly what he’s doing right.

Once your pup is regularly going on the papers in the potty area, train him next to find the papers from any part of the apartment. That way, your pup doesn’t believe he can merely step outside the crate and eliminate.

Say to your pup, “Papers!” in a happy voice, then go to the papers together. Then lay on the praise. He will learn to run back to the papers no matter where they are. Going potty in the paper area now becomes fun and exciting for him, and stress-free for you knowing that your dog will not make a mess in your apartment.

Dog House Training

Conditioned & Unconditioned Reinforcement

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

Another important thing you must understand in order to effectively train your dog is conditioned and unconditioned reinforcement.

An unconditioned reinforcement would be for example to give food or water to your dog, because these are basic needs that need to be satisfied and should be given to your dog with no special conditions required . This kind of reinforces may vary depending on your dog’s preferences. For example some dogs may prefer food over playing, while others would enjoy playing and do not need any special conditions under which this reinforcement will take place. You should know your dog very well in order to understand what should be given for free.

A conditioned reinforcement would be for example a positive word like Good or Bravo when your dog does something you want her to repeat. Then the dog will associate the appraisal with a certain doing that you want. You can use an additional reinforcer like a treat or patting along with the verbal appraisal in order to enhance a behavior.

Spreading the Holiday Spirit

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

December 15th, 2011 by Minette

Animal rescue Spreading the Holiday Spirit I love the holiday season! I love the smell of Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, fudge and other goodies. I love eggnog and especially eggnog milkshakes and pancakes! And, I love that holiday spirit!

But, I hate Christmas shopping! For some of my family members Christmas shopping is easy, I know their needs and their desires and it is easy to get them the things that they and their families need for the year.

But for some, it is especially difficult! Even in tough economic times some people really don’t need presents or gifts to set on the shelf and dust or a new hideous seasonal sweater or tie that they will only wear once.

Even when it comes to myself, I sometimes struggle with what to tell others I want or need for the holidays. So I decided to tell my family to pick from some of my favorite charities and donate in my name or in my honor.

I would much rather have someone donate to help save the Cheetahs, find homes for animals in need, or help needy children rather than send me a hideous sweater or something that needs constant dusting (or in my house “de-furring).

So I figured I would make a plea to you. For those of you who have those hard to buy for family members please find a charity to make a donation to in their name in honor of the holiday season.

Things to keep an eye out for?

Guide and Service Dog Organizations are Another Great Choice

Charities that are 501(c)(3)s have to jump through hoops in order to get that status and they have to answer to the Internal Revenue Service.

It also means that monies and expenses are made public so you can see exactly where your money is being spent.

Obtaining the status is not easy and also means that your donation is tax deductible.

Not all charities are 501(c)(3)s but this is one of the critical facets I look for before I donate.

With the life money and times being tight, charities and their employees are struggling, so if you can I suggest you share some Christmas cheer!

Some of My Favorite Charities?

White Oak Conservation Center (this is where I worked with Cheetahs), and I know they do fabulous work! Simply amazing animals and people!

I have Belgian Malinois and a Dutch Shepherd so I love those rescues and Weimaraner Rescue is close to my heart, along with the Big Dog Rescue Ranch.

And, I love P90X and Tony Horton so the charity close to his heart, the Go Campaign that helps children and the RED Campaign to end AIDS are also a favorite.

Some of My Favorite “People” on Earth! I LOVE Cheetahs!

Certainly, you don’t have to support the charities that I hold dear, but do some research and find your own. Decide what you love or what the person you are donating in the honor of loves and find something that supports your cause!

And, if you can’t donate financially, just go to your local shelter or rescue and spend some time petting the animals and soothing them in their time of need. Animals are so easy to love and cheer up!

But, whatever you do get out there and spread some kindness and some cheer this holiday season! And, if you work for a charity feel free to tell us about it and add a link! Lets change the world together!

Dog Obedience Training Blog

Working for a Living in Dog Training

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

December 26th, 2011 by Minette

dog food Working for a Living in Dog Training

Is Your Dog Bored at Dinner?

So I’ve done it, I have gone and crossed over into the dark side; I entered a competition with my dog Fury the other day!

Now, you first need to understand ME to understand my thinking and why this is extraordinary and a problem for me.

I am clearly not normal. I hate competition. Hate may not be a strong enough word; I loathe competition!

I vividly remember being in kindergarten and running my first “real” race. Apparently I was “super fast” for my age because I was going to cross the line first (this is not a trait that lasted for me) but I hesitated, slowed down and looked back for my friends. There was a part of me that didn’t want to cross first.

That trait stuck. Whenever I talk about competing I always share how much I loathe it. Some of you must wonder; if I despise it so much WHY do I do it? Because competition bonds me to my dog!

Even though I hated it and I still hate it some of the best times I had were spent training for competitions with my former dog “Mr. Snitch”. Not necessarily competing, although I have some great memories of our competitions together as well, the training was spectacular time spent together. We enjoyed every moment of it together because, of course, I worked him with positive reinforcement training and in drive.

I never cared whether he won the biggest blue ribbon, whether we barely passed or the few times we didn’t even qualify!

I wanted the same relationship with my 18 month old Dutch Shepherd. I went through some major depression after my father died and then Mr. Snitch died of cancer and my Nix was then diagnosed with meningitis. Fury, the little beast, was unintentionally put on the back burner.

Recently I have been spending an incredible amount of time working with her and shooting some videos and our bond has certainly strengthened. And, a few weeks ago when I was at a client’s house working with his biting puppy, I recommended that he work his puppy for each of his meals.

take dog to lunch Working for a Living in Dog Training

Take Your Dog to Dinner…by Working on Obedience Together of Course!

A lot of times I hear people gasp when I recommend this, like working for his or her food is a despicable idea! And, I tell my clients it’s like taking your kid to dinner and enjoying his or her company versus tossing his bowl on the table and making him eat alone.

Really how often do you “interact” with your dog while he is eating? Most of the time the bowl barely touches the floor before the food is gobbled up and gone, ready to be filled yet again at another meal time.

If you work with your dog while you feed him his meal, you are actually interacting with him and that lessens the treats and fatty foods you are giving him while you train.

As long as you are using positive reinforcement, games, drive and fun this is a win-win situation whether you have a Lab puppy, a German Shepherd puppy or a Golden puppy!

I almost always recommend this type of training if you have a dog that is food aggressive, because this gives you all the control and makes your dog realize that food actually comes from YOU and so he should listen to you and respect you.

But I got to thinking…why not incorporate this into my already busy training regimen? Now that we have our eye on the prize (or at least some basic goals together) I have been working with her “highness” several times per day.

We go outside and work 5-20 minutes a few times a day but I have also started putting her food in my pocket and having her do some basic stuff for it. This isn’t as barbaric as it sounds and I guarantee if you were to ask her, her opinion she would much rather play games and interact with me than eat alone from a cold sterile bowl.

She has a great time working with me for her food, and sometimes, when the day is busy this helps me ensure we are getting at least 2 good training sessions in for the day.

You don’t have to make your dog work for every piece of kibble. I often jackpot and give her a handful of food so that she is satiated!

How to Implement This Training Schedule

Decide what you want to work on before starting! Does your dog need help with his basic obedience? Does he come when called? Do you want to do more challenging advanced obedience? Or would you like to teach him some tricks?
I don’t care what you work even a multitude of the things above on as long as you are working and spending time together!
This requires meal feeding, I don’t like free feeding dogs anyway!
Measure the regular food you are giving your dog and put it into a bag, a tool belt or a fanny pack.
Get your clicker
Begin working on whatever skill you desire.
Don’t just have your dog do ONE thing like laying down and waiting to be fed. Interact with him and make it fun!
Utilize lots of jackpots to keep it fun and keep your dog motivated.

Work Together! You’ll be Happy You Did!
Calling your dog: I back up and call my dogs to come; when they sit in front of me I feed them. I may even dash into another room while calling my dogs to come, then having them sit in front.
Have your dog find heel position.
Work on sit and/or down stays.
Teach your dog to shake.
Or, take your dog outside and work on more advanced obedience. I am working on out of motion down stays, so I toss some food down in the grass as I tell her to down.
Most importantly HAVE FUN TOGETHER!

This is all about bonding with your dog and working on your obedience together. Using their food simply give you a set time and an outlet and keeps your dog a bit slimmer than using treats! You will see your bond deepen and your dog listen to you more readily just by implementing this simple plan.

So make a pledge to your dog to “go out to dinner” together if not once or twice a day at least 3 times a week! And you will see his obedience and commitment shine!

Dog Obedience Training Blog

Importance of appraisal & rewarding – Part I

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

Your dog should learn to associate different kinds of rewards or appraisal with certain behaviors that you want her to repeat. It is important that you repeat any action so as the dog associates a behavior with a reward at all times.

Example: Take a cookie in your hand hold it in front of the dog and start moving it up and behind her face until you lead her to sit down as she cannot follow the cookie anymore. As soon as the dog sits you say sit and appraise her, Good Dog, and then give her the cookie. The dog will associate the appraisal and the cookie with sitting. The desired result would be after a lot of repetition; the dog connects the above mentioned actions with sitting and reaches a point where she reacts only to the word sit, thinking that the rewarding will follow. After that the dog reaches a point where she can “obey” to the word no matter who gives it. This means that another member of your family can make her sit, just by saying the word wherever the dog is (during her walk, or in the house etc). In order for her to maintain the desired behavior you should repeat it many times, even under various circumstances and in different places, so as the dog performs in the expected way at all times (at least 9 out of 10).

Smart Tips on Dog Training

Got a Crate Squawker?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

January 30th, 2012 by Minette

Someone Reluctant to Crate Train?

Recently I have had a few questions about those of you that have crate whiners!

I HATE whining! I can almost tolerate full out barking before I can tolerate the sound of whining. I guess it is the pitch and my tendency toward migraines but whining is one of my biggest pet peeves, so I completely understand!

But, it is important to understand crate training from your dog’s stand point before we go much further!

Most whining and crying comes from our puppies when we try to crate train them. Understand that they come from a world where they lived with their mom and their littermates in a fairly confined space. They have never really experienced being all ALONE and it can be kind of scary, at first.

Dogs are den animals, that is true, so acclimating to a crate is somewhat natural for dogs, however they are never “locked” in their dens. This inability to get our takes some acclimation and the understanding that nothing bad is going to happen to them in this new environment.

Most of our pets are spoiled. We take our dogs with us and spend lots of time with them, catering to their every need; so they can be taken aback when we lock them up and leave them alone.

But, crates are essential to the safety of your dog and your “stuff”. Read more about why to use a crate and crate games here in my article The Joys of Crate Training.

I will always crate train my dogs. It makes them easier to travel with, because their home can travel with them, and it helps them with separation anxiety and anxiety at the groomer and the vet hospital. At some point almost ALL dogs will have to be crated or caged somewhere. Just last week I had to drop my dog off for x-rays and I know she was put in a kennel to await her turn!

So it is crucial not to give up! Remember it is normal for your dog to protest and how you deal with these protests will set you up for a lifetime of loud protests if you are not careful!

What Do You Do?

Crate Training will Save you From this Destruction!

First and foremost is to acclimate your puppy or dog to the crate to the best of your ability.

Also play crate games! The more you can make the crate a fun place the less stress and screaming you are going to get when you leave your or puppy in it!

Good training and the important things in your dog’s life take time! Don’t just shove your dog in and lock the door and hope he will be okay. Chances are this would be traumatic for him.

Find an extra great treat, like a sterile cow bone or Kong stuffed with peanut butter or chicken flavor; freeze it and make it a special crate treat. It must be safe enough to leave with your puppy or dog alone. So, make sure he can’t get large pieces off of it or shred it.

I never leave a blanket with a dog that is not crate trained. He could consume it and need abdominal surgery to have it removed.

These special crate treats should ONLY come out when he is in his crate NEVER when he is with you or just around the house. This makes his crate exciting and him happy to see you leave. If he has access to the same treat all of the time or at other frequent times it doesn’t make the crate special.

Leave a radio on and make it LOUD. We live in a world of constant noise and media. Many of us live in an environment full of noise, the TV, computer, kids screaming, people talking, music playing…but when we leave our dogs alone we leave them in a quiet and sterile environment. This is not something they are use to and it can be scary alone! Help them feel like they are in their normal environment by leaving the radio or TV on for them.

Loud background sounds also block the sound of the mailman, delivery man, or other strange noises. It can also help to calm a puppy in his while you putter around the house and get things done. But if you leave that puppy alone in his crate and proceed to make noises he can hear, he is more likely to resist vocally!

At night I believe in keeping the crate next to my bed. I think it is crucial for my dogs to hear that I am right next to them breathing and moving around. Remember your puppy is use to hearing his littermates, he needs to hear some familiar sounds. If he stirs in the middle of the night I can hear him and take him outside. But if he cries, whimpers, or whines when I put him in there I can tap on the side of the crate and tell him to be quiet. This stops the whimper from escalating to a howl.

Never ever break the cardinal rule!

The cardinal rule, you ask?

Puppies Should Love their Crates!

You must teach your dog that in order to get out of his crate he must be quiet! This is essential!

Dogs are much more strong willed than we are, so if he screams for 2 hours straight and you go to let him out he will object even more adamantly the next time you put him in and 3 or 4 hours will be nothing.

By letting out a dog that is throwing a fit, you are basically saying “YES! Please throw a fit when you want something”. And you are much more likely to see this behavior anytime he doesn’t want to do something. He will begin to scream when you leave him alone in the car, or alone in your home, or if he doesn’t want his nails trimmed. You have taught him that fit throwing and screaming to gets him what he wants.

Instead, you must teach him that being quiet is what you want. If he wants out of his crate he must be quiet, this teaches him impulse control and that he doesn’t get everything that he wants when he wants it. Impulse control is fundamental to good dog training.

Tricks

Exhausted dogs and puppies are too tired to scream. If I have a dog that is a screamer or likely to throw a fit, I will wear him out prior to his crate stay! Play ball, run him next to your bike, or take him for a hike and as he begins to drift off slip him into his crate.

I have had screaming puppies! I had a 6 week old puppy that screamed for nearly 4 hours one night but I didn’t let him win. I lost a night’s sleep, but it was better than losing several nights sleep or worrying about squishing a puppy in my bed!

Your Dog’s Crate Should be his Favorite Spot!

Shorter sessions are better. This makes sense but if you leave a dog for 8 hours that can be hard to adjust. If however you do 10 minutes when he is exhausted, with a safe chew bone, and end on a happy note you will ease into crate training much easier! Make sure he is tired before bedtime!

If rapping on the crate doesn’t work to quiet my puppies or being by the bed doesn’t seem to help them feel better, I try moving the crate as far away from my bedroom as possible so they can scream without bothering me. I can later bring the crate back into my room, but this allows me to get some sleep.

I have even moved crates to my air conditioned office that was located in my garage. I have let quite a few dogs scream it out. Once I know they aren’t going to hurt themselves, I let them throw a fit. This is like a child throwing a tantrum, if you give in it only gets worse. As long as they are safe, let them learn that fit throwing will get them nowhere.

At some point you may have to let a screaming puppy out to potty and we know you can’t break the cardinal rule…so how do you win?

You make a distracting noise and get ready to praise a quiet puppy. If you can’t wait for them to fall asleep and then surprise them, then make a strange noise and when they pause run down and reinforce quietness.

But overall make it as positive and fun as you possibly can! There are going to be some fits, that is normal but how you deal with them is the most important! Remember you are the stronger smarter animal

Dog Obedience Training Blog

Importance of appraisal & rewarding – Part II

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

It is also important to make your dog desire to execute a specific command. If for example you administer a physical correction during the acquisition phase of a particular command, it may decrease the dog’s desire to perform the command at all. That is why it is usually recommended to avoid physical corrections until your dog clearly understands and obeys to your commands.

Example:If you are trying to teach your dog the command “down” and what you do is pull her with the leash or you push her down with your hand, it is likely that the dog will react by moving away from your hand or resisting from being pushed. A good alternative would be to use a cookie or any food treat to lure her and increase her desire to sit down. So FOCUS ON REWARDING your dog instead of correcting her.

If the dog is being asked to perform a difficult exercise and she makes a mistake even after you try to correct her, then you should not repeat the exercise in the same way as it caused the dog to fail. Keep in mind that any corrections should not be given often, the correct timing is very important.

Example: if you are working with a dog on a long leash to develop a dependable recall (“come” – command), the timing of the correction and what you do after it will dictate what the dog learns. When you give the “come” command, if you correct the dog too early and not give her enough time to respond, she may not feel comfortable leaving your side. If you correct her after she has turned toward you or for not coming fast enough, she may learn that coming is not a rewarding behavior. This is why it is so important for your dog to understand what you want before you use corrections.

Stop Your Male Dog from Urine Marking

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

February 16th, 2012 by Minette

dog marking 2 Stop Your Male Dog from Urine Marking

Look Familiar?

I get a lot of questions about potty training and quite a few come from the owners of intact, older male dogs. But the problem is that urine marking is not a “potty training” problem!

A dog that cocks his leg on the furniture is much different than a dog that squats and pees in a puddle on the floor. Often one of my first questions as a trainer is: was the urine on a vertical or horizontal structure? Marking often occurs on furniture, doorways, clothing, and anything else that might be new or your dog deems is his.

Dogs use urine marking to show their dominance and to mark what they think belongs to them.

For dogs, urine is not gross or undesirable, in fact it is interesting and exciting and a way of signing their name to something. It is also a way to sense what other dogs have been in the neighborhood and a way to show confidence and to advertise mating availability!

An insecure dog may begin marking. Dogs that enter a new home, have the addition of a baby or another pet may also feel the need to mark.

This is an instinct in the beginning when the behavior starts, that can become a conditioned behavior. It is important to stop this behavior early before it becomes a habit or a conditioned behavior.

Not all dogs mark, however spaying and neutering at an early age is best!

Most dogs that do mark begin marking when they reach sexual maturity (depending on the size of your dog) between 6 months to a year old.

Small breeds tend to mark more than larger breeds and intact males tend to mark more than neutered males or females. Although many intact females may begin marking prior to going into heat to let the other dogs in the neighborhood know she is available.

Most dogs that are spayed or neutered will not begin marking (and yes females can mark too! Although it is more rare.)

Testosterone definitely plays a key role in urine marking, so neutering at ANY age can help even if the behavior has been conditioned.

Prevention is a much better cure than dealing with a behavior problem! I recommend spaying and neutering at about 16 weeks old or when your vet has finished up your puppy’s shots.

You must catch your dog IN THE ACT to let him know that what he is doing is wrong! Again, this is instinctual for him to mark what he considers “his things”. So you must be able to catch him and tell him NO.

Keep him on a leash or a tie down with you for many days. If you cannot watch him, keep him in his crate.

Treat him like an 8 week old puppy and keep him confined to small spaces that you are in until you are certain he is not going to mark.

dog marking 3 Stop Your Male Dog from Urine Marking

This requires Talent!

I don’t mind my dog lifting his leg in HIS yard when he is NOT on leash. But, I do NOT allow him to lift his leg on EVERYTHING while we walk or run. He must squat to pee to relieve his bladder while he is on a leash or only lift his leg when I tell him it is okay to do so. I don’t want him to get use to lifting his leg and marking everything all of the time. Walks and runs are my time and I wont be pulled to every tree so that he can sniff and pee!

Clean up the urine spots well with a urine enzyme cleaner. If he can still smell the urine, he is more likely to re-mark the area again and again.

If there is ONE favorite spot, I recommend feeding him in that spot. Dogs will not usually urinate where they eat, so moving his food bowl for a week or two might be effective. However, if you are not careful about supervising him he will just begin urinating somewhere else!

belly band Stop Your Male Dog from Urine Marking

A Belly Band covers the penis and keeps the dog from urinating on objects

Belly bands which is like a male dog’s diaper can also be effective.

I am more of a believer in training and supervision than I am in belly bands that can easily be taken off or chewed through; but, some people swear by them. Dog’s don’t want to pee on themselves so one leg lifting in a belly band can be just enough to curb the behavior of even a chronic leg lifter.

This is instinctual and can be difficult to curb, but if you put in the effort you will go back to having a urine free house fairly quickly!

Dog Obedience Training Blog

Health & Pet Meds

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

I would like to make some observations concerning your dog’s health. It is really important for all pet owners to monitor their pets’ behavior. As our beloved dogs, cats or other, are unable to take care of themselves and go to the doctor for their check-up we have to do it for them. We need to be in contact with a vet in order to have all necessary information on what vaccines need to be made or what actions need to be performed in different occasions. Don’t forget that our pets are like us, they might get sick; they may suffer from various problems / diseases, like arthritis, heart problems and other health issues. We need to take really good care of them, monitor their behavior and when we notice any changes, unusual behavior, go to the doctor for advice. NEVER act on your own, always consult your pet’s doctor for the right medication. There are many pet meds and the only person authorized to prescribe them is the veterinary.

Keep your dog healthy

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

Anti flea and tick protection. There are various products/meds that are appropriate depending on the age of your dog, the environment where s/he lives in and various other factors. You can use collars, pills, sprays and other special products.

There are also products that help promote healthy skin and hair coat, reduce unwanted shedding and come in various kinds so you can even use them as a food treat. Also a good shampoo is essential when you give your dog a bath.

You must give to your dog protection against worms on a regular basis. Your vet will advise you on which pills must be given.

You can also give to your pet vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, always in agreement with your vet; all these can help your dog live a healthy and extended life.

Especially for dogs we must be very careful of their weight. An overweight dog is an ill dog, vulnerable to many diseases and dangers. SO, BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR TREATS! If needed there are special food products, diet products that can help maintain or reduce your dog’s weight. The best natural thing you can do to keep your dog in good health is to give her/him exercise on a regular basis.

Another important point that needs to be made concerns your dog’s dental health! Teeth should be in good health because they are really important to your dog. You can choose chewing bones or other chewable products / food treats in order to help your dog keep his/her teeth clean.

Don’t forget to keep your dog’s eyes and ears clean!

Smart Tips on Dog Training