Dog’s need something to do. And if you don’t direct them to what they CAN do…well, guaranteed they will find something. (and you might not be so happy about it!) You can take your dog for a walk or a jog or enjoy a game of fetch, but you can’t be there all the time. Teaching a dog to entertain themselves is part of the process of raising them properly and that is where toys come into play.

Toys allow your dog a way to exercise the mind and the body and thus, alleviate boredom (the nexus for most problem behaviors).

Make sure you give your dog *the right* toys. Toys that aren’t easily destroyed or mistaken for other household items make the best choices. Our preference for chew toys are those made of hard rubber or nylon. These items don’t smell like the other things in your house, they are simple to clean up and dog’s get satisfaction out of gnawing on them for hours.

If you have a preference for giving your dog soft or plush toys but have a problem with them getting dissected, try using toys that have no stuffing like these Bottle Buddies. The dog’s have fun with the crackling sound but there is no stuffing to be constantly picking off the floor.

Avoid giving your dog household or personal items for toys. Things like old socks and shoes are not appropriate toys. We can’t expect Fido to know the difference between the old and the new since it all smells pretty much the same from the dog’s perspective.

If you’re dog shows very little interest in the toys you bring home, add some excitement to the presentation. Rather than just putting the toy on the floor make it a game of “you can’t have it”. This adds an element of intrigue to the new item. Dog’s tend to want what they can’t have…(remember how that puppy loved stealing and running off with your underwear?)…so if you play a little keep away when first introducing the toy you add interest and it becomes much more desirable for your dog to play with that toy!

Toys are commonly an afterthought to your dog’s routine but with the above insights in mind they can be part of a lifestyle that keeps you, your dog and your underwear happier.

Check out this little clip of Diva and her Kong Wobbler.

Diva vs the Kong Wobbler

It was taken at a recent workshop I was teaching. It demonstrates all that a good relationship with your dog is about. Attention

Attention is everything.

If your dog has learned to pay attention to you (especially when you really need it most – during distracting circumstances!) then you have it all. You and your dog can embark on any adventure and know you will be safe and secure because Fido will listen and pay attention when you speak.

Teaching a dog to pay attention involves getting their attention to begin with and then rewarding them for the behavior. One of the  common mistakes I see people make is that they chatter and talk to their dog too much to begin with. We don’t mean to, but we end up teaching our dogs to ignore the sound of our voice. Any intention is lost in the constant banter of “Oh, no, no…why did you do that, you know you should not jump on Uncle John, you should know better, now be a good dog and just go lay down?”  It is far more successful to teach your dog the meaning of words like “sit” or “down” then simply use that one word and have your dog pay attention to it.

Teach yourself to say what you mean and mean what you say.

If you need some help…866-DOG-LADY or learn the skills at home.

You can achieve the same picture with your dog, anywhere, anytime!

Woof!

All that, plus lots of problem solving for behavior issues like jumping up, barking, whining and door bolting. To top it off we all survived the high August temps and humidity! Good job to everyone and we are proud that Sarah and Eileen will be busy helping dog owners in their area to have better control and improved relationships with their pets.

Woof!

Thanks to the Dubuque Ski Club for letting us use their property. We had perfect weather and the perfect location on the back waters of the Mississippi River.

A few tips to help your dog get comfortable in the water:

Wade in with your pet starting at a shallow entry. Reward and encourage each step toward the deeper water.

Toss a treat or toy in front of your dog to lure them forward.

It may be helpful to use a leash with forward pressure to help encourage the dog to keep moving.

A life jacket can help a beginner or anxious dog to feel more secure the first few times in the water.

Many dogs need assistance in learning to keep their back end up. Place a hand under the belly to help teach the dog how to level out in the water.

Avoid the sink or swim approach of just pushing your dog off the dock. It may take a few practice sessions but the goal is to get your dog comfortable and enjoying the swim rather than feeling a panic to escape the water.

Most of all, have fun!

During a discussion session I stood up and left my seat to illustrate a point. As I spoke, giggles from the group bubbled up which caused me to turn and find my Belgian Malinois, Tommy making his own point to the audience. While I was distracted he had slyly made himself comfortable in my chair!

We all shared a good laugh over it and Tom, in his agreeable nature posed for some pictures to poke fun at the idea of who is really in charge of this relationship. At least he didn’t drink my latte’.

For more feedback on the workshop and views on remote collar training check out my new blog, The Truth About Shock Collars. But be careful, What you don’t know might shock you!

Happy Training,
robin

Meet Bella. She is a… well, can you guess?

An American Pitbull Terrier?

An American Bulldog?

A Staffordshire Terrier?

Do you know? Does it matter?

Apparently to some it does. To Bella’s owners it mattered cause after they adopted her from the local humane society they took her out and about to socialize and no one wanted to pet this 8 month old wiggly, happy pup.

Apparently because of her genetic phenotype….she is vicious.

Now lets look at her again.

What do you think?

Still don’t know the breed…that is ok. Apparently a wardrobe change deemed her not vicious and everyone was willing to pet her.

Perception is reality and in order to create a new reality for Bella I suggested her owners dress her in flower leis or other cute apparel. Suddenly everyone smiled, giggled and lined up to say hello.

A paradigm shift is needed across the country for people who believe all bull breeds are inherently vicious. It simply is not true. By and large dogs and their behavior are a reflection of the environment they live in and the people they are raised by. The responsibility to have a social, well mannered dog lies with the owner, not with the DNA.

Congratulations to Bella’s owner for taking on the responsibility of good training and for giving her a great environment to grow up in!

And speaking of paradigm shifts, check out my new blog project.

Woof!

The last couple of weeks I have been keeping busy raising my new puppy, Diva. Diva is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and she is almost 11 weeks old. I brought her home at 8 weeks of age and since then I have been actively engaged in giving her lots of opportunities to learn about the world around her. She is going to be my next *demo dog* so that means she has big shoes to fill!

The first 16 weeks of a puppies life are considered their socialization period. It is during this period that a pup is gathering information about how they will react to situations through out their lifetime. They are learning to react to new people, animals, noises and things with curiosity, fear or indifference. Genetics certainly play a part in behavior but your role in raising the pup is of utmost importance. You can do a tremendous amount at this young age to set the stage so that the pup turns into a confident and well mannered dog.

I think about this stage of puppy development similar to the way I think about setting up a new computer. If you get things installed right you have a much smoother lifetime experience with the computer. If you raise your puppy right you have a much smoother lifetime with your dog. If there are lots of mistakes during the early *installation process*….well, you pay for it down the road.

Let me share some food for thought on what you should be doing to raise your puppy into a wonderful dog:

First off, remember that the cute little fur ball will be pretty close to full grown in size and weight in less than a year. So establish rules early about what will and will not be acceptable for your dog when they reach that size. Don’t make the mistake of thinking *well, she is a baby and we will change things when she is bigger. Things like; will you allow the dog on the furniture?, is it okay to jump on and play bite people? and were do you want to dog to poop? are the questions you should answer right from the beginning. Create your rules now and stick to them.

Expose your puppy to as many people as you can. Your pup should meet men, women and children and learn to accept friendly handling and touch. Having strangers offer treats can go a long way in teaching a hesitant pup that people are friendly, not scary.

Your dog is going to need routine grooming and care for a lifetime so begin brushing, bathing and toenail trimming early. Teach your pup to hold still for these activities. You can distract your pup with a treat while you do these things but it also perfectly acceptable to simply be insistent and teach that this type of handling must be tolerated. Just because your pup whines and wiggles does not mean you should put him down and quit. If you do….well, then just be prepared for lots of whining and wiggling each time you groom your dog.

Take your pup on lots of outings. By taking your pup with you to lots of places you will automatically expose the pup to new noises, people and situations. In the two and a half weeks I have had Diva she has been to the car wash, a few parks, the pet store, the auto mechanics, the ice cream place, several friends homes, the Veterinarian, a hike in the woods and she even road in a cart through the outdoor garden department when I was shopping for my annual flowers.

Start teaching your pup to walk on a leash and begin luring them to sit and lay down. This early shaping of behavior can make your obedience classes easier when you enroll in a few months.

You should also expose your pup to well socialized dogs and other puppies. This can be accomplished through enrollment in a puppy socialization class. A good class will expose your pup to supervised play with other puppies and will teach you the basics of how to raise a well mannered companion.

Have fun and take lots of pictures. It will only be a few short months and the little bundle of fur will quickly grow in size and behavior.

Congratulations to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society for another successful Grand Pet Excursion. This benefit walk with your dog is an annual event that we love to participate in. Our group is always happy to lend a hand to help raise money for lost, stray or abandoned animals.

We had a great day and our dogs enjoyed getting out and about for some exercise, games and socialization. We have more fun photos on our FaceBook page so take a look, even baby Diva made the 2 mile trek.

There is a sad part to the story though. Unfortunately, Dubuque, Iowa is not the dog-friendliest town. The Grand Pet Excursion is allowed a special one day permit, but as you can see from the sign, dogs normally are not allowed in any of our beautiful city parks.

We recently have formed a group called FIDO (Friendly, Intelligent Dog Owners) to help educate others on the idea of responsible dog ownership. It all starts with the simple act of picking up the poop! We hope to lead by example through education, hosting events and word of mouth. Perhaps someday we can win back the simple right of walking our dogs through the many gorgeous parks that Dubuque has to offer.

You can find out more about what is happening with FIDO by connecting with us here.

In the meantime, where ever you live and where ever your adventures with your dog take you, please remember to be responsible about your dogs behavior. Pick up after them and respect that not everyone is a dog lover. Maintaining control of your dog while in public sets a good example.

Let’s all do our part to show that dogs can be well behaved and welcome members of our communities.

Woof!