Dog Training Initial Training how to train a dog

Dog training – Initial Training

Dogs are known as a faithful animal, most dog owners or dog breeders would love to have a calm and obedient a dog. It is said that a calm and an obedient dogs can be acheved by a good training program on how to train a dog. Moreover, these trained dogs will have lesser tussles with people and other dogs.

If it is a puppy, you will need much more patience and time to house train your puppy correctly.

If you want your puppy to use the bathroom outside, you have to observe to its need to use the bathroom. When he needs to go outside, it will help if you condition him by saying "outside" or "out" in a high-pitched tone of voice, just to get him used to the idea of where he is going. He will soon learn what you mean and that it is time to go to the bathroom. Never forget to reward him with a praise when he follows or obeys your command.
Whatever dog training we give the dogs, there are some basic trainings and commands a dog must understand and follow. There is will be great to have a good program on how to train a dog.

http://www.mdarma.com/dogs

Some of these commands are:

· Sit – Training your dog to sit on a command is a basic and an important part of any dog-training program.

· Stay – A well-trained dog should be able to remain where his or her owner commands. So stay is another very important command in dog training.

· Down – Lying down on command is more than just as necessary; it is a key factor of any successful dog-training program.

· No – the word “NO” is one word that all dogs must learn and obey. Training your dog to respond to this important word can save you a lot of unnecessary trouble.

A well-trained dog will respond well to all the owner’s command. This dog will not be confused or show displeasure. Therefore, to achieve this it is vital to embark on a good dog training program.

Also a well-trained dog will also be a very good companion to you and your family. Further, you will have fewer problems like getting into tussles with people or with other dogs. So a good dog training is necessary

Obedience training is essential and is a great way to satisfy some of the dog’s own needs, example, exercise, relationship with it’s owner or handler.

Obedience training should be on going sessions; apart from dog training, playtime should be part and parcel of the training. This will ensure that the dog does not become bored and it also reinforces the bond between the owner and the dog.

Have many happy years with your friend and companion. Cheers

P.S.
Dove Cresswell is Professional Hollywood North Dog Trainer. Find out her success secrets.

2006 (c) mdarma.com - All Rights Reserved Worldwide A Dog Training

Read More..

New Zealand Farm working Dogs 5 Further training

-->  By Dr Clive Dalton
 

Casting

This is the wide sweep a dog takes around stock when sent to gather them.  It’s a strong natural instinct in the Border Collie.   When the dog sights its first sheep, it then takes another wider cast so as not to miss any more, and it keeps on casting wider itself. 

Problems arise when dogs dont cast well and run straight at the first sheep they see, or cut in on sheep and split mobs.  A wide cast is especially important if you send a dog away to find sheep that may be out of sight, called "casting blind". 

Some dogs have a favourite side to cast and will "cross the head" to get to it.  To stop this youll have to go back to the basics of "putting the sides" on the dog.  Do it up against a fence so the dog cannot cross.  For a novice handler, teaching a dog to widen its cast is not easy.  You can end up souring the dog by over-checking it, at the stage of high excitement when it sees sheep to gather.  

Probably the simplest technique is to get the dog on a long cord.  As it moves away from you on the go-right or go-left command, start to add another command to “keep out” getting it to go wider, and use a long stick to direct the dog further out.

Some experts dog trialists teach this by driving the dog in a harness and one trainer (Mills et al, 1964) used a system of ropes around a post to pull the dog to widen its outrun.  Other trainers have used a chariot-like device to steer the dog while giving spoken and then whistle commands.  Another trick is to attach a spare collar around the dogs loin carrying a cord from the neck collar.  At your command to “keep out”, pull the cord and it shifts the dogs bodily direction.

It would not be wise to get involved with these techniques unless you had expert help.  Contact a local dog trainer for some simpler way to solve the problem.

Recasting

This can be hard for some dogs, as it means leaving the sheep theyve just captured.  First you have to strengthen the commands to "stop," and then "leave go" the current job.   Then the new command to recast or "go back" is taught. 

Its also useful to teach a body signal as well as the go-back command.  An extended arm or stick is good, as the dog being visually alert can see this at a long distance, and it helps to reinforce the message, especially if you walk in the direction you want the dog to go.

Driving

Some dogs with a strong heading instinct find driving sheep away from you difficult.  The way to overcome this is to teach the dog in a race so that its hard for the dog to head up each side.  When the dog heads, keep calling it "in behind" until it will work the sheep on short heads itself.  Accompany the dog at the start of the drive and then gradually hang back and let the dog do it alone from your distant directions.

Leading

This is where a dog stays ahead of driven stock, holding them up but not too much.  It simply restrains the leaders without balking the mob.  It learns to hold the mob until the last minute and then backs off.  Its best taught in a race with a big mob moving up to the dog (under pressure from behind) which naturally will want to hold them.

At the appropriate time as the pressure builds up on the dog, give the command to "back off" or "get outside".  A hand signal will help too.   A good dog wont need commands once it has learned the job. 

Shedding

This is the ability of a heading dog to separate off a sheep and prevent it from joining the mob again.  In British dog trials, it has to keep on doing this until a marked group are shed off.  Its a useful trait at lambing time when ewes and lambs may have to be sorted out individually in the paddock.

Note the dog has to do the shedding and not the person!  The TV spectacle of the shepherd running around frothing at the mouth, and the dog standing watching with a smile on its face is not the general idea.

The dog is trained to come through gaps between individual sheep at great speed, indicated by the shepherds stick to a command of "here" or "here this."

To get the speed into the action, you need a sharp eye dog and the dog on a light cord.  On the command, "here", if the dog is confused, pull it towards you.   You need great control after the shed, as many dogs want to go around and chase the sheep back again.  The dog has to understand that you want that sheep kept separate. 

Jumping, backing and bike riding

Dogs generally love to jump and can be taught this trick from a young age.  Get them to jump on to anything around the place, into their pens, on to boxes, wool bales, bikes, etc, to the command "get up".  Make sure they are strong enough to do it, and give them a hand in the early stages in case they get hurt and are put off.  Reward the dog with plenty of fuss when the task is completed.

Use the same technique to get them to jump on to sheep.  But make sure the sheep are well woolled and tightly packed so the dog doesnt fall off and get stood on.  Only when the dog is competent to run along on sheep, should it be commanded to jump on loose sheep.

On bikes and vehicles make sure dogs are safe and drive slowly until they learn how to balance to stay on.  Make a proper tray on a bike for them to provide grip and protection.

Catching sheep

Trainers disagree strongly on whether dogs should be taught to catch sheep.  Some are concerned it encourages sheep worrying, and can spread through the shepherds team of dogs.   Other shepherds (as they age) like a dog that will catch sheep, especially at lambing time and at docking.

Remember that dogs teeth can puncture hides and tear muscles, and this costs the industry a fortune each year.  So you need a dog with a "soft mouth" for the job, that holds with its mouth rather than bites.   Huntaways generally have much softer mouths than heading dogs, but the heading dog has the speed and agility to be ideal for catching sheep.

Teaching this task can be tricky so talk to someone who has been successful.  You have to develop the "catch-to-kill" instinct in the dog, and this is done by exciting the dog, then making sure it is checked at the right moment.  This is when YOU have hold of the sheep.

You can easily get things wrong.  The dog will often hold the sheep and under fear of your approach and being reprimanded for biting, will release it just before you grab it! This exercise can repeat itself two or three times, ending in a very punctured and suffering sheep, a confused dog and a crazed shepherd.

Some trainers teach pups to catch or hold things by playing with a piece of rubber or a rag.  Others are against the whole idea.  Some dogs show a natural ability for this job while others should be banned.  It depends on the nature of the beast.  Talk to an experienced handler about this.

Heeling cattle

This is a strong instinct in some dogs such as the Border collie and the blue heeler.  These dogs will bite the heels then the noses of cattle and can cause utter confusion to the beast if not controlled.  Some dogs will even finish the job off by swinging on the beasts tail.

The dog has to be fearless of cattle and have the skill to lie low once the heels are bitten to avoid flying back feet and injury.   The dog has got to have the instinct to do it properly or it doesnt survive.  You cannot teach an unwilling dog to do this.  Your concern is generally to keep the trait under control.

To test the dog’s instinct, try a hiss-hiss sound while moving cattle and see what the dog does.  A keen dog will dive in and heal stock straight away.

Negotiating fences and gates

Conventional fences

These are no problem.  You can get hold of the dog, reassure it and push it through between the wires or through the bars of the gate.  Use a command like "get through" and reward the success.  An arm signal may help to reinforce the command from a distance.

Power fences

These are a disaster for dogs.  Some dogs seem to get an unpleasant sensation through the ground from the fence, long before touching it so get very shy of fences in general.  Manufacturers have generally not faced up to this fact, and make suggestions that dogs can be taught to jump fences.  They can, but pups and old dogs cant jump very high.  The late Neil Rennie suggested power fence companies should design special insulated "bolt holes" for dogs in a fence, but nothing eventuated.

If using power fences, at least be consistent.  For example, dont make the bottom wires (or the middle wires) hot.  The dog will then learn where it is safe to get through.  Powered outriggers make things worse, so try to keep them above dog-crawl level.

You have to be very patient, as many dogs will not get through the fence and will go long distances to get through the gate that they know is safe.  Thats fine if you dont have an urgent job for the dog to do through the fence.

The most important fact about dogs getting shocks (which seems inevitable on modern farms) is not to speak to the dog for at least 5-10 seconds after the event.  Then it wont associate YOU with the shock.

Handling a pre-owned dog

With a new dog, the task is to build a new bond to replace the old one.  This could have been quite strong, so be patient.  Dogs with very strong bonds to one owner can be a nuisance at times, especially if someone else needs to work them during an emergency.  The old dog on the farm that will work for anybody is a great asset.  Hes usually working his handlers if they only realised it!

The first thing with a new dog is to take it everywhere on a lead and give it plenty of fuss and attention.  This is especially so at feeding time.   Let it off the lead in a confined area first and strengthen the "come here" command.  Start to work it only when youre sure it will stay and come to you.   Keep a short chain on its collar and tie it up when not working. Most keen dogs will work for a new owner after about a week.

The previous owner will tell you the commands the dog responds to.  Apart from a demonstration, vendors may provide a tape recording of whistles.  Dont expect too much from the dog when you try them, as the dog will hear them as close but different sounds to the vendor’s.

But the dog will recognise enough to know what to do, and then you can add your command or whistle to the old one if you want to change anything.  Remember to be patient, especially if the dog has been strongly bonded to the previous owner.  It will be missing its former “pack” of the boss and other dogs.  It now has to try to work out where it fits into a new pack.

Team working

If you start to build up a team of dogs, the key to avoid extra work and disaster is to make sure you have ALL team members under control.  Disaster is assured when you command one dog to work, and the whole team join in and help. 

Remember its very hard for a keen dog to sit and watch.  The dogs name is its alerting signal, and most top handlers have different whistles for each animals commands.  The most important one is the "stop" whistle, especially on Monday mornings after the dogs weekend off!

Regular work with the team and firm kind control is the key to success.  Build the team up slowly and be aware of the social ranking within it.  You are the pack leader and keep it that way.  Be alert to threats and changes within the social order.

Some handlers use dogs to discipline other dogs in the team.  This can be very effective but can also get out of control with severe damage inflicted on the culprit.  The top dog handlers do not recommend it.

Biting people

This is now a big concern.   Biting dogs are a “hazard” under Occupational Safety and Health laws where you have to Identify, Eliminate or Isolate them.  You could be responsible for any damage.  Why do dogs bite people?  Some possible reasons are:

·      The nature of the dog.

·      Over-stimulation or excitement.

·      A bitch protecting her litter.

·      To protect the pack leadership.

·      In fear (eg against vets and Dog Control officers).

·      To protect their territory (eg kennel or run).

·      Confusion or frustration.

Dogs dont like rules that change so be consistent, especially if more than one person is involved.  An example is Dad says one thing and Mum and the kids operate a different set of rules.

When meeting a strange dog, stand still and hold your hand out for it to sniff.  Never grab it by the scruff and pat its head madly.  Thats a very dominating thing to do to a dog, as this is where dogs grab each other in fights!  Rub its chest or somewhere low down instead.  Adopt a low posture if you dare risk it.

Aggressive strains of dogs should be culled.  Dogs that are known biters are a concern and veterinarians say they rarely can be cured.  Its too big a risk these days to keep them.  Muzzling dogs all the time is not a very practical solution, and one day you’ll forget but the dog won’t.

Biting sheep

The concern here is that biting leads to worrying.  Working a dog in a muzzle is not practical.  Some veterinarians will advise removing the canine teeth in valuable dogs, but the dog can still do damage to stock with the remaining teeth.  A much more humane method these days is the electronic-training collar when properly used.

If you have a savage mature dog that bites consistently, the solution is often euthanasia.  The problem could be genetic and you don’t what those genes in the strain or breed.   The time to check this problem is at the puppy stage before the habit has developed.  Talk to your vet about the problem.

Sheep worrying

Dogs are d

Read More..

Tip of the Day Talk to Your Child After a Dog Bite It is NOT the Childs Fault

It is Child Mental Health Week and Dog Bite Prevention Week, so we are starting off our series of daily tips on the topic of emotional support for children after a dog bite.

Children who are bitten by a dog often experience significant stress that can persist long after the incident. The may feel betrayed if their own dog bit them, guilt if the dog is put down or sent away, anxiety due to the distress that this has caused their parents and fear of some or all dogs. Signs that your child is experiencing emotional distress or even post traumatic stress include, nightmares, social withdrawal, fear of going outside or other changes in behavior that surface after the incident.

Please remember that no matter what, it is NOT YOUR CHILDS FAULT that they were bitten by a dog. If the dog was supervised and secure the child would not have encountered the dog. Be sure to reassure your child that it is not his fault and avoid using language that might add to a childs guilt ("you should have..." or "why didnt you..." or "if only you had..." or "I told you not to..."). In many cases neither the child nor the supervising adult, nor the dog owner realized that there was a danger of a bite because the dog was a generally friendly family pet. In other cases the child encountered a strange dog running loose, a situation that should have been prevented by the dog owner. Learning about dog body language and how to read the signs from a dog will help prevent these types of bites in the future and will be empowering for the child. We do not blame the victim, but we do encourage education for children just as we would for any hazard. The more they know, the less likely they are to be hurt.

Child psychiatrist Dr. R. Larry Schmitt recommends that parents repeatedly encourage and allow their child to talk about the incident and their feelings.

Read an article by Dr. Schmitt about why it is important to keep encouraging your child to talk about the bite or attack and more importantly to listen to your child.

Find out more and read answers by Dr. Schmitt to frequently asked questions from parents.

Dr. Schmitt will be giving a lecture for parents about how to help a child after a dog bite. This will be held at the San Diego Humane Society on May 22 from 6:30-8:00 PM. If your child has been bitten, be sure to attend so that you know how to prevent lasting emotional effects.

Click here for more information or to register. 

Help us with our research into the lingering effects of a childhood dog bite by taking our survey:

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the worlds leading questionnaire tool.

Read More..

Why Dogs Chew and How to Stop It

Predominantly an issue with younger dogs, chewing can become quite the unwanted action, considering the scope of property damage that may occur as a result. To consider the potential risks involved with chewing, let’s take a closer look at the habit.

Curiosity: Puppies tend to chew more than older dogs for many reasons, including environment discovery and easing teething pains. Just like human infants, puppies will test objects with their mouths to learn about surrounding environments and objects. This can be incredibly destructive if shoes or other items small enough to fit inside mouths are left out unsupervised.

Between 3 to 6 weeks of age, puppies grow what are known as deciduous teeth. Later, between months 4 and 6, permanent teeth begin protruding. Because growing new teeth can be rather unpleasant, puppies will chew frequently to reduce the discomfort.

The best way to go about curbing chewing issues in puppies is to provide them with appropriate toys on which they may chew. Try giving them a number of options, as they will likely choose a favorite toy.

Boredom/Anxiety: This is a tough one for pet owners who work long days outside of the home, as dogs are incredibly social creatures and being left alone can cause them to feel boredom and anxiety. As an outlet, dogs will sometimes chew any and all surrounding items in attempt to relieve stress and energy levels. Even if left in empty rooms, they can destroy moldings, walls and doors. Owners with herding or sporting breeds should be especially careful because their pets require much more exercise.

If you can’t afford to take your dog to a pet-friendly daycare or to hire a trusted dog-walker, try spending extra time exercising with them before leaving them alone for extended periods of time. Consider waking up early to take them for a walk, play fetch or to socialize at a local dog park.

Although loneliness is more difficult to treat than boredom, there are a number of ways to help dogs that are suffering from separation anxiety. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance recommends leaving for short periods of time and then gradually increasing the amount of time you spend away. This method will slowly reduce your pup’s separation anxiety. However, it’s important to make the event of departure or arrival as uneventful as possible. This ensures that either event is a simple, non-rewarding activity.

If inappropriate chewing goes uncorrected, wide-scale and continued property destruction may ensue. There are few things that will ruin a day faster than returning home to a demolished living room. If the problem persists, contact your veterinarian to see if they have any advice. If you have a pet insurance plan, costs for those treatments might even be covered.

Read More..

What kinds of dogs are troubled by fireworks and what to do about it

Hi Mia,
I agree with you. As much as I enjoy New Years celebrations, it breaks my heart to see so many dogs distressed over our reverie.

(Source)

Which dogs are troubled by noises?
As you say, some dogs are la-di-da about fireworks and others act as if it’s Judgment Day times ten. What could be behind those differences?

Early Fireworks
You shared a really interesting finding that dogs who heard fireworks when they were puppies were less likely to show a fear response to noises later in life. This reminds us of the importance of early exposure to (and happy experiences with!) stimuli that might be freaky! 

Paw Preference and Fear?
Is it possible that seemingly unrelated behaviors like paw preference and noise phobia could be related?

(Source)

As you know, paw preference has to do with whether a dog chooses to use one paw over the other when performing certain tasks, such as repeatedly using the right paw to hold down a Kong stuffed with food while he eats. For anther test of paw preference, researchers look at which paw the dog uses to step forward from a standing position.

What in the world could paw preference tell us about a dog’s fear of fireworks? You know about the research done in your neck of the woods -- in Australia -- by Branson and Rogers (2006). They found that ambidextrous dogs, dogs who did not have a clear right or left paw preference, showed greater reactivity to fireworks and thunderstorms than dogs who either preferred the right or the left paw.

They suggest that non-ambidextrous dogs -- dogs who prefer drawing from one side of the brain hemisphere during a particular behavior -- might have a more tempered response to disturbing stimuli. The researchers note, “One way of inhibiting an intense response to a disturbing stimulus is to shift attention to another, less disturbing stimulus,” and it seems that an ambidextrous dog might be less capable of doing that.

At the same time, the study of brain lateralization in dogs is in its infancy. We are only beginning to understand the relationship between lateralization and how dogs behave and perceive the world. It will be interesting to see how this field progresses 

The “Why”s of noise phobias are interesting, but the other part of the situation is how to help a dog once he is freaked out.

A dog is afraid of noises, now what?
You offered a number of great suggestions to treat fear and noise phobia such as DAP, behavior modification and medication.

(Source)

On our Facebook page, someone offered their solution: "Nothing worked so I book a Forest Service cabin in the middle of nowhere and stay there with my dog who hates Fireworks. It was a nightmare time now its vacation."

A number of people look into products that swaddle dogs, such as Thundershirt and Anxiety Wrap. The product manufacturers claim that wrapping reduces fear by maintaining pressure.

You showed me a forthcoming study that investigated whether the Anxiety Wrap (Animals Plus LLC, Huntington, IN) helped dogs with thunderstorm phobia. In this study, owners reported on their dog’s behavior during thunderstorms with and without the Anxiety Wrap.

Was the Wrap helpful?

• 79% of owners reported that the Anxiety Wrap was somewhat to totally effective (25%-100% effective).

• But the product did not decrease all dog anxiety behaviors. Of the anxiety behaviors you mentioned, owners claimed that only shaking and pacing decreased, whereas dogs continued to perform any of the following: panting, performing inappropriate elimination, seeking attention, vocalizing, not eating, salivating or hiding. Although the Anxiety Wrap claims it doesn’t decrease mobility, it is possible dogs are not actually less fearful, just less ambulatory. At the same time, dogs performed less shaking, which does not relate to locomotion, and this behavioral change is definitely notable.

• If we want a product to have a fighting chance, we’ve got to make associations with the product itself as happy and "positive" as possible. Don’t only put the product on when bad %*!?@#! is going down. In this study, “Owners were instructed to practice fitting the Anxiety Wrap once before using it during a thunderstorm and associate its first use with a reward.... [and] owners were also instructed to fit the Anxiety Wrap on fair weather days at least 3 times during the course of the study to avoid the dogs from associating its use with thunderstorms.” This is one of the most important pieces to any successful behavior change (and emotion change) program.

• Why might wrapping help? Other research has suggested that tactile pressure can have a calming effect on a number of species (ourselves included), but there are two other elements to consider: how much pressure should be applied for the desired effect, and should the pressure be constant or changing so as to avoid habituation? For example, Temple Grandin found that she habituated to steady tactile pressure after about 15 minutes and would need to vary the intensity of the pressure.

Overall, owners reported that the Anxiety Wrap was helpful, and I’d say it’s certainly worth a shot. From a research perspective, there are a number of topics not yet explored, such as intensity and consistency of tactile pressure as well as behavioral and physiological indicators of a decreased stress response.

Good luck to you all! Happy (almost) New Year!

Julie


Want to learn more about Pawedness in Dogs? 
~ An interview with Dr. Paul McGreevy.
~ A short video of Dr. Karen Overall reporting on the findings of handedness in dogs.

Reference
Branson N.J. & Rogers L.J. (2006). Relationship between paw preference strength and noise phobia in Canis familiaris., Journal of Comparative Psychology, 120 (3) 176-183. DOI: 10.1037/0735-7036.120.3.176

Cottam N., Dodman N.H. & Ha J.C. (2012). The effectiveness of the Anxiety Wrap in the treatment of canine thunderstorm phobia: An open-label trial, Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2012.09.001

© Julie Hecht 2012 

Read More..

How to Love Your Dog Believe It or Not!

Think that your dog likes hugs and kisses? Well if he is like most dogs, then he does not enjoy this type of human affection. Children want to show love to dogs by giving hugs and kisses, because this how they show affection to people they love. Hugs are not a natural form of canine interaction to show affection. To show your dog that you love him, learn to give him the things that he really does like and teach your kids to do the same.

Most dog bites are to children, by the family dog or another dog known to the child. Hugs and kisses are a major cause of facial bites to children. Doggone Safe offers suggestions for safe ways to love your dog that the dog will appreciate.

Children (and adults too) often want to show love to dogs the way we show love to each other, through hugs and kisses. Dogs do not naturally understand this, or even enjoy it. Hugs and face-to-face contact can be very threatening to dogs. The dog may tolerate this for a while, but at some point may bite or snap to protect himself once he has exhausted all his means of more subtle warning. Some dogs do enjoy a hug from a special person, if it is on their terms and done with some extra scratching on the chest. Few, if any dogs enjoy hugs the way young children do this, which is to clasp around the neck and hang on. Parents, teach your children to avoid face-to-face contact with any dog (even their own dog) and to show love to the dog in ways other than hugging and kissing.

Doggone Safe offers the following suggestions for Valentine’s Day about how to love your dog in a way that the dog will appreciate.

Touch Your Dog

• Invite your dog to come to you for attention. If your dog turns away or moves away, respect his wishes and leave him alone. Many dogs like to be near you, but not necessarily to be touched.
• Scratch your dog on the side of the neck or on his chest.
• Avoid hugs and kisses. People enjoy this, but most dogs don’t like hugs and kisses. They might tolerate it, but few actually enjoy it.
• Invite your dog to sit with you while your read or watch TV. Let him lean on you or put his head on your lap on his terms.
• Some dogs enjoy a scratch behind the ears. Most dogs don’t enjoy hands coming down on the top of their heads.
• Pet your dog and then stop. If he tries to get you continue then you will know he likes it.

Play With Your Dog

• Play games like fetch and hide and seek that do not involve chasing or rough play.
• Take your dog for lots of walks.

Understand Your Dog

• Learn to read dog body language so that you can understand what your dog is trying to tell you.
• A happy dog pants and wags his tail loosely. He may wag all over.
• An anxious dog might show a half moon of white in his eye or he may lick his lips or yawn. He may turn his head away or walk away. He wants to be left alone.
• A dog that suddenly goes stiff and still is very dangerous and might be ready to bite.
• A dog with his mouth closed and ears forward and/or with his tail held high is busy thinking about something and does not want to be bothered.

Reward Your Dog

• Look for things your dog does right and give him a treat or praise, petting or play. Never hit or yell at your dog.
• Give your dog a stuffed Kong or Chewber or other long lasting chew treat to enjoy while he lies on a mat or in a crate.

Visit our site to download this information as a handout

Read a previous blog post for more about why dogs dont like hugs and kisses

Read More..

Dogs dont speak English Give it a Name

My name is Not a command.

You can train your dog using the dogs name before a command as in "Joe Come" or even use the dogs name as encouragement after calling him but the dogs name itself should Never be used alone as the command.

Say for instance, you always call your dogs name, "Joe", to get him to come to you. The word "Joe" has now taken on the meaning of the command "Come". Likewise, if you yell the dogs name when hes snooping through the trash can or about to steal your lunch off the kitchen table, the dog learns that his name means 1) hes in trouble or 2) he should get away from something. This can be very confusing for dogs as one command cannot be associated with every action. Dogs become desensitized to their name.

Now imagine how confusing it would for the dog if he learned to come only to his name and now you want him to learn Sit and Stay. As the dog is sitting you must be very careful to not say his name. Even in encouraging ways. "Good boy Joe". To the dog "Joe" means "Come". The dog cannot sit/stay and come at the same time.

The dog needs to learn "Joe" what? "Joe" followed by a command tells the dog what you want him to do. "Joe sit". "Joe come". "Joe out". This way the dog learns each individual command and that his name is to get his attention and get ready to respond.

Give it a name.

Dogs have the ability to learn or recognize hundreds of words. We all use Sit, Down, Come or variations of these and other commands. We do this by associating a word with an action to get across what we want the dog to do. You can do the same with everyday words using consistency, patients and enough practice to build a clear association between the word and the action.

Name it!

"Kennel" as your dog is entering his kennel/crate.
"House" as your dog is on his way into the house.
"Outside" as you open the door for your dog to enter the backyard.
"ByeBye" as you gather the leash for a walk.
"Potty" as the dog is begining to urinate.

The opportunities are endless. Just be sure to use simple commands and use them each time your dog is doing the action you want to name. Use tiny treats to motivate your dog if needed and have fun with word play too. Just because a word means something in English doesnt mean it has to to your dog. It is just as easy to teach a dog to lift his paw and associate the word "Pony" instead of "Paw" as the dog lifts his foot.

Read More..

Dog Bite Prevention in San Diego

By Kay Thompson BSN RN, CPEN, CPDT-KA

We hear the same story way too often at Rady Children’s Emergency Department here in San Diego. “Our dog has never bitten anyone. The kids and the dog play nicely together all the time. Then today, out of the blue, he bit him.” As we prepare for the plastic surgeon to arrive and repair these tiny faces, we often wonder, “Why do we see so many dog bites?” As a trauma nurse and a dog trainer, I decided a few years ago that I wanted to find out more about dog bites. My hunch was that people can prevent nearly all of them. I am now certain that this is the case. The way we can prevent dog bites is by educating the entire community.

In 2009, I was honored to be the recipient of a generous injury prevention grant from The San Diego Chapter of the Emergency Nurse’s Association. I didn’t know where to begin, but I knew I would need some help from experts in dog bite prevention. That is when I found Doggone Safe. Together, we have created a complete educational program. It is suited for providing dog bite prevention education to all ages. Products available include colorful brochures, postcards, and a poster that gives a quick lesson in dog body language and explains that “Dogs Don’t Bite Out of the Blue.” Click here to view and order these.

For the past three years, I have focused my energy on educating San Diego area nurses, doctors, and paramedics about dog bite prevention. I have had the opportunity to give my lecture entitled “Who Let the Dog Bite?” to audiences throughout Southern California. This year, I will have the opportunity to take this education nationwide. I will be presently during Dog Bite Prevention Week at CFED West, which is a national education conference for paramedics and firefighters. In September, I’m thrilled to be speaking at The Emergency Nurse’s Association National Conference here in San Diego.

Thank you Doggone Safe for your wonderful partnership! I’m very proud of the progress we have made and the strides we have taken to bring Dog Bite Prevention to the forefront of injury prevention.

Read More..

26 Things Corgis Are Wearing What Dogs Want

Dog - wants - playtime (Source)

Hi Mia,

I agree. I am constantly asking the question: What do dogs want?

Research
This question is particularly apt in the “Land of Research." When crafting an experiment we’re considering how dogs might perceive or interact with an experimental design. Most importantly, whether what dogs might do -- or want to do -- is inline with our research question or is instead revealing something else. And, if what we are trying to investigate and what dogs want to do dont match up, an experiment might need some rejigging (which apparently is a word).

In the home: Dressing dogs
Questions of What do dogs want? also enter our homes. Some companion dogs can be incredibly amenable to the various things we want -- which might make it possible to lose sight that a dogs wants might be different. I recently took a look at the unfortunate fad of dressing dogs in pantyhose. Comments on the DYBID Facebook page make it clear that people are not cool with dogs in pantyhose, for example: "Thats just wrong on so many levels," and "that is torture. i feel so sorry for the dogs."

Zelda Frog Princess (Source)

While I agree that being a dog in pantyhose can stink, from the dogs perspective, do pantyhose really stink more than all the other crazy stuff were apt to put on dogs -- and then deem "incredibly cute"? For example, this dog in a Zelda Frog Princess outfit does not elicit a plethora of outraged comments. A comment from the DYBID Facebook page, "how embarrassing, and cute."

And you recently shared with me -- 26 Things That Youre Forced To Wear When Youre A Corgi. There can be a fine line between what humans consider incredibly cute (many of the above corgis) or absolutely disgusting (dogs in pantyhose). Regardless, from the dogs perspective, dogs dont know the difference between pantyhose, long johns or pants from a pirate costume.

In the home: A view
You brought up the awesome topic of visual access to the outside world for dogs in kennel facilities. This made me think of an interesting blog post by Patricia McConnell, PhD where she reflected on different dog laws around the world, with a specific focus on crating (the post also includes pictures of her homemade delicious apple butter!). She noted that in some countries it is, to some degree, illegal to crate a dog. From her blog:

"I was told when I was in Sweden that keeping a dog in a crate was illegal–any Swedes want to confirm or deny? Sweden has very strict animal welfare laws that also apply to domestic pets. For example, all indoor animals must be able to see out a “sunny window.” This is especially interesting to me, given that I’ve advised many a client to keep their dogs AWAY from windows when they leave the house because the activity outside often overstimulates and/or frustrates them. I’d never leave Willie loose in the front room with big windows facing the driveway; when I tried it earlier he was a stressed out wreck when I came home." 

(Source)

In another post, McConnell continues reflecting on crating and how it plays a role in her own dogs life...  

"I got an email recently from a Calling All Pets listener who was distressed to hear that Will spends some time in a crate. (He’s in one right now.) I am the first to say that crates can be, and are often abused, but I am absolutely convinced at the same time that crates can be used to a dog’s advantage..." (read more of the post here)

Is this an example of different human cultures, ethics, animal frameworks taking a stab at the question: Whats in a Dogs "Best Interest" and coming up with different answers?

Im not informed about different dog crating laws around the world and would love to hear more. 

And also worth considering -- how do we tease apart cultural perceptions and ethics from what dogs want or need?

Hope alls well! 

Julie  


References
Hecht, J. Dogs in Pantyhose. Dog Spies. Scientific American Blogs

McConnell, P. Dog Laws Around the World. The Other End of the Leash

McConnell, P. Lambs and Apples, Crates and Dogs. The Other End of the Leash
© 2013 Julie Hecht

Read More..