newsletter Archives - Smart Dog University

Happy New Year and All That

January 11, 2017

Happy New Year and all that…

It’s a new year, I guess talking about resolutions and things we’re going to change is what everyone does long about now.

I’m feeling a little deflated with how 2016 ended, but I’m willing to play the happy new year game.

A look-back

Travel. I was a busy traveler last year. I had five Karen Pryor Academy – Dog Trainer Professional (KPA DTP) series’ in 2016. For the most part, those workshops are scheduled over a weekend, which means I’m traveling to the workshop on Friday, and sometimes don’t get back into Baltimore until Monday. It makes for a short workweek — or a really long one, depending on how you look at it! Needless to say, travel kept me busy. I had only one “home” workshop and traveled to Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Kansas City. I like the travel that’s involved in my work, but it does take me away from writing this blog, from my family, from my business, and from my dogs. So there’s a definite price to be paid for traveling.

ClickerExpo. In addition to the KPA DTPs, I went to both ClickerExpos.

ClickerExpo, Reno — Editing one of my ClickerExpo talks.

I got to spend some time with my dad in January at the Reno Clicker Expo which was quite a treat. We took a day and left the valley and drove to Virginia City.

What a beautiful part of the country! Of course, I found some microbreweries and dragged my dad around so we could do some beer tastings.

Clicker Expo, beer, microbrew — My favorite beer: A Gose!

March found me in Cincinnati at the second ClickerExpo. I didn’t have to speak at that Expo, so I was truly a student! I reveled in my freedom and enjoyed going to as many seminars as I could fit into my schedule!

Smart Dog U. Smart Dog University stayed on track with its Puppy Charm School and K9 Building Blocks group classes. My weekday schedule stayed full helping people with their dogs in their homes.

Running. I also got even deeper into running. Even comparing running with dog training. Yes, the woman who three years ago said four letter words about running! I ran more races in 2016 than ever before!

running, Spook Hill race, Frederick, dog training — I run!

And thankfully, my personal bests have been getting better! My husband is a runner, too, so it’s a nice family activity we can do together. Schooner even ran a 5K with us!

Great Dane, Schooner, running, Turkey Trot, dog training — Schooner ran the Turkey Trot with us!

I went out to Kansas City a day early so I could run the Santa Dash 5K!

Running turned out to be my most fulfilling activity of 2016. I swear I would have called you crazy if you’d have told me three years ago that I’d be writing those words.

Blogging. Here at the blog, things slipped a little. I had it in my mind that I had to produce only the very best quality stuff. If it wasn’t the absolute best (whether it was video, handouts, or articles), then I just wasn’t going to do it. Between all the KPA travel, the speaking gigs, and Smart Dog U classes and appointments, “perfect” just never happened.

My dogs got older.

Nemo. A dog we thought we had at least two more years with us died suddenly and unexpectedly. Losing Nemo threw our world off its axis in so many unexpected ways. We’re still working to recover and adjust (does anyone ever adjust) to life without our silly, ridiculous Nemo.

Lily. Lily is slipping deeper into canine cognitive dysfunction — her mind isn’t always great, but she’s doing well physically. We laugh and compare her to a big tank — she walks up, over, onto anything in her path. She routinely still jumps onto the couch without any assistance. She walks more miles a day than anyone due to her pacing and circling thanks to her dementia. She seems happy enough, though, and we love having her around so as long as she’s happy, we’re happy.

Tango. Tango, my osteoarthritis mess of a dog, has progressed to joint injections because he can’t tolerate NSAIDs any longer. We had a horrible bout with ulcers about six months ago thanks to prolonged NSAID use. He gets weekly laser treatment and massage, along with supplements, and medicine to keep him feeling as best we can.

yellow lab, Labrador, yellow labrador — The handsomest.

Schooner. Schoons continues to amuse and entertain us. A true giant of a dog, he regularly hogs the bed and the couch, snoring like grown man who’s had too much to drink. He’s as goofy as he looks and sweeter than you can imagine. He’s expanded his horizons this year, getting more comfortable with his veterinary visits (thanks to our wonderful veterinary hospital, Kingsbrook Animal Hospital and lots of “happy vet visits,” where we just kind of hang out and visit with the different technicians and veterinarians). He’s a great running partner for me and helped me achieve a new 5K best in November! He’s been sidelined from running recently due to a foot surgery, but he’ll be back to running with me in a month or two.

A look ahead

Travel. I have some more travel scheduled for 2017, but I’m trying to cut back. I want to cut back for several reasons, one of the most important reasons being our aging dogs. With Nemo’s sudden death — and the other dogs seemingly so much more vulnerable — it’s even more important for me to be home as much as I can in order to keep them healthy and to spend as much time with them as I can. I’m scheduled to travel to Atlanta, GA, St. Louis, and then home for local KPA DTP series in Arlington, VA.

ClickerExpo. I just canceled my airline reservations and registration for ClickerExpo in Portland. I love Portland and have family out there. Thinking about not going was depressing, but once I made the decision not to go, I instantly felt relief. With Lily’s dementia and accompanying incontinence, Tango’s osteoarthritis (and medications), and Schooner’s foot surgery (and required bandage changes and meds), it was just too much to leave to a neighbor and my husband. And it meant leaving the dogs alone and unmonitored for too many hours each day. While I’ll miss seeing all my colleagues in Portland, I’m happy to hang with this crazy passel of dogs to make sure everything is alright.

I’m speaking at the Stamford, CT ClickerExpo in March, so I’ll be able to see all my colleagues and friends there — I need my CE fix every year! I’ll be giving 5 talks in March:

Smart Dog U. I’m considering adding a trainer to help me with group classes. Nothing’s been finalized (this is the first I’ve even put it down in writing!), but it’s something on my to-do list. I have plans as well for an online dog training class! I’m gearing the course toward people who can’t take their distracted and excitable dog to a group training class. Stay tuned, I’m meeting with an online course developer later this week to finalize the course structure. It’s quite exciting for me and that’s a fine and fun new development.

Running. More running in 2017! My husband and I are planning even more runs this year and are looking to run a couple 10Ks instead of just one. I’m in training for an April 10K (the earliest race I’ve ever entered, particularly for that distance!). We’ve already decided to take Schooner to any dog-friendly races we can find because he did so well at the Turkey Trot last year.

The family that runs together stays together!

Blogging. You’ll see more blog posts in 2017. They may not be perfect, they may not always be polished and SEO optimized. So be it. 2017 is the year of going for it, not going for perfection!

Nemo. Later this year, we’ll be cracking open a fresh, new homebrew called “Ode to the Load” as we sit in our Adirondack chairs and soak in the sun, fresh air, newly cut grass, and hang out in the backyard with the remaining dogs. My husband brews his own beer and two days before Nemo died, he brewed a Hefeweizen (with Nemo by his side in the kitchen the entire time). Over the years we typically named our homebrews after one of our dogs. Neemie always got the Hefeweizens: Simple-Hefe-a-Load, McLoadaWeizen (“Load” or “McLoad” was one of Nemo’s nicknames).

microbrew, Nemo, — “Ode to the Load” microbrew in honor of our Neems.

Lily. We’re going to keep this girl going as long as we can. On Monday, January 16, we’re having a 15th birthday celebration for the sweet Lily! I made her promise me many years ago that she’d make it to 15. And I’m holding her to it! Once we get some warmer weather, she’ll start walking again with me. Even at her advanced age, she loves to walk (and walk fast), so I’m happy to oblige my sweet senior girl.

black Lab, labrador — Lily helped us pick our Christmas tree!

Tango. We’ll be keeping Tango’s massage and laser appointments and, like Lily, I hope to get him out and moving more when the weather warms up. He’s due for another round of joint injections soon.

Schooner. I have aspirations to get Schooner into Nosework. Nemo loved that sport so much and Schoons shows a similar interest. It’d be fun to get back into a sport with a dog again. I am in an online course with Schooner now — it’s a prep course for competition obedience. It’s great fun to work with Schooner — he’s an enthusiastic and goofy learner. So I wind up laughing as much as I’m learning. He’s great fun.

Great Dane — Schooner is our official greeter!

3 Ways to Make Training Stick: Easy Ways to Get Your Dog to Listen to You

September 7, 2016

What if I told you that YOU had the power to get your dog to listen to you more often? Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not and even better: it’s really easy!

These three things are simple enough for everyone to do with their own dog. Try it for a month and let me know how much better your dog is doing when you ask him to do something for you.

Why do these things?

It may feel like a waste of time to do this extra work. You’ve already taught your dog good manners, why should you have to do more? Because, like people, dogs do better when they get a little more support, attention, and instruction.

Sure, you can go along with a dog that sorta sometimes listens, but why stop halfway? Especially when it’s so easy to take it to the next level where your dog isn’t only listening to you but is happy to do it!

Plus, life is a whole lot easier for you when cooperation is the norm, instead of the exception. Wouldn’t it be nice if your dog came the first time you called (and was wagging his tail the whole way), instead of going out into the yard and chasing him around a bit, resulting in your being late for work?

What are the three things?

These are all pretty easy, dirt cheap, quick, and effective. Let’s dive right in without delay!

Change up the reward. Make a list of the things your dog really likes. No need to spend much time on this — make your list on the back of an envelope or on your phone, even. It doesn’t matter where you write all this stuff down, the purpose of this quick exercise is to show you just how many things your dog enjoys.

Here’s what would be on my dog’s list:

cherry tomatoes, cheese bits, any food leftovers, really
dog treats
pork rawhide
back scratches, tummy rubs
walks
car rides
“squirrel” and then racing to the door to chase the bird feeder pilferer to the fence
squeaky toy
face massage
happy talk
opportunity to be chased by me through the house
opportunity to chase ME through the house
a quick training session
stuffed Kong
meal
game of tug
a round or two of fetch

Look at all those different things I can offer my dog when he’s done something I’ve asked! Switching up rewards keeps your dog interested in what you’re asking, makes it fun to listen to you, and will greatly improve his manners.

Make it unpredictable. If your dog knows that when he comes inside, he gets a boring old dog cookie, you can bet he’s not going to be in much of a rush to do what you’ve asked. Think of it this way: if you knew that when you go back to work after lunch, you’ve got a 4-hour boring teleconference, wouldn’t you want to hang out at the restaurant a little longer? Would you really want to rush back to work? Just to sit in a meeting all afternoon? (If you answer yes to this, you’re an odd character and I don’t understand you.)

With the list you created above, you’re now ready for huge variability in how you reward your dog for doing what you like. You’re the gatekeeper to all the things your dog loves. Open that gate to those things when your dog does what you like! Be generous! No one appreciates a stingy gift. If your dog comes to you — no matter how long it took him — reward generously with one (or two or three!) of those things on the list above. I’ll bet you he comes even faster the next time you call him. And even faster the time after that! It’s a beautiful cycle — you reward generously and unpredictably and your dog responds faster and with more enthusiasm. It’s a cool thing to see when your dog recognizes that listening to you opens up the door for him to have fun, get a goodie, or play a game with you.

Practice. How many days a week do your kids spend practicing with their school sports teams? How many practice days do professional athletes put in before every game? A LOT in both cases. We completely expect athletes to put in the practice time if they’re going to be star players, right? The same thing goes for your dog. Your dog will be as good as his practice. If he’s going to be a star, he needs practice time.

What does this mean for you? It means that right before you’re going to give your dog something from that list you created (above), you’re going to ask him to do something for you. If we look at the coming when called example again, it means maybe you call your dog three times before you really need him to come in. Let’s say you’re getting ready for work and you know that you have to leave the house at 7:30a to get to work on time. Instead of calling your dog to come in at 7:25a (where he’ll be “rewarded” by being crated and your leaving , call him at 7:10a. When he comes to you, give him a tasty treat and send him back outside to play in the fenced yard. Call him again at 7:15a. Maybe you throw a squeaky toy for him and let him continue to play and explore the yard. At 7:20 call him again, this time you chase him for 15 seconds around the yard (if he loves to be chased, of course). Then at 7:25, the for real, I need you to come right away call, he gets a stuffed Kong inside the house (in his crate if you crate him during the day) as you leave.

This doesn’t take much extra time, but boy does it make a big impression on your dog! If you stick to this practice regimen (calling your dog when you can reward him and send him back out to play [another reward!]), before you know it, your dog’s recall will be stellar! He’ll come to you the first time, every time!

These three things work independently of the other. They work even better if you implement all three strategies together. This stuff is easy — anyone can work it into their schedule. It’s cheap, it’s easy — and it’s effective. Start by making the list of the things your dog loves, then start the program. You’ll be amazed at the difference you can make!

Shut Up and Train

May 4, 2016

Shut Up and Train

As I creep closer to my next Big Birthday, I’ve come to realize that just cutting a few calories and walking the dog isn’t going to do what I need (which is to reduce the jiggly bits). I reluctantly, recalcitrantly, grudgingly, and unenthusiastically started running. I’ve been running a little over two years. I started out hating it. HATING IT.

Ew, it was awful. I ran just to get it over with. I ran so I could have the rest of the day without the threat of the run hanging over me. Run days were awful. I was grumpy. I started slow (with hate in my heart) with Couch to 5K. It wasn’t as awful as having my wisdom teeth pulled, but it was definitely worse than my annual physical exam.

Anyway, I now love running. LOVE IT. I’m one of those people that used to mystify me: love running? Get real. No one, and I mean no one loves running. Ah, but now I do. And because I fly my nerd flag proudly, I research the hell out of anything and everything – and running is not exempt.

Which is how I found Beth Ridson’s blog Shut Up and Run (SUAR). I’m a blogger (obvi) and I love to read other people’s blogs, especially when they’re not related to dog training. So I found Ms. Ridson’s blog (who has no idea I’m writing about her or that she inspired this post) and was immediately hooked on her no-nonsense mantra and wicked sense of humor. Plus: running!

So for this month’s newsletter, I’m borrowing her sentiment and I’m coming on strong with Shut Up and Train (Your Dog). I’m busting your “I can’t train my dog because…” excuses right here, right now. More myth busting here.

Excuse #1: No Time.

That’s baloney. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. No one gets more, no one gets less. How you spend them, now that’s up to you. Short on time? Train your dog when you’re brewing your coffee or tea. Toasting a bagel? Train your dog! Waiting for the kids to get their soccer clothes on and get in the car? Train your dog!

How: Keep some shelf-stable treats around the house so you can do some on-the-run training. You don’t need a 15 minute block of time! You need about 30 seconds. If you don’t have 30 seconds, you’re in trouble, Jack.

Excuse #2: Stubborn Dog.

Another claim I’m going to call BS on. There are no stubborn dogs. There are dogs that have been (1) taught to listen only if you have food, (2) don’t completely understand what you’re asking, (3) are too distracted, or (4) haven’t been taught what to do. Shut up and train and watch your stubborn dog disappear.

Excuse #3: Never Prepared.

This is an easy one to fix. If you’re willing to train your dog, but just find yourself unorganized and unprepared, I have your fix. Make a list of when and where you’d like to train your dog. Maybe you’d like to teach your dog how to greet guests politely. Great. Keep your dog’s leash near the door. Put some treats in a closed container there, too, while you’re at it. Now, whenever someone comes to the door, you’re ready to train!

Excuse #4: Don’t Know What to Train

I get this one. I know I need to do running things, but not sure what things I should be doing, so I don’t do anything. I hear mention of speed drills, tempo runs, and all kinds of things I don’t know anything about. Doing nothing is bad. Very bad. For runners and for dog owners. For dogs, basic manners build a good foundation for all kinds of advanced and fancy tricks later on. Here are some things you can teach your dog that fall under the “good manners” category:

Excuse #5: Don’t Want to Train.

Yeah, I get this one, too. There are some days I don’t want to run. I’m tired, I’m lazy, whatever. Here’s one of Ms. Ridson’s SUARs posts that pretty much demolishes any runner’s excuses.

Back to dog training. Like running, getting started is the hardest part. I promise you: just get through one training session – one session – and then quit for the day if you want. This is how I get myself outside on my lazy days. I promise myself that I don’t have to go far, I just have to GO. Once I’m out there, it’s the rare day that I go ¼ mile and then head for home. I’m out there and feeling good if I can just get past the getting started part.

The takeaway?

There aren’t any excuses on your part. Either your train your dog or you don’t. And just like running (or anything, for that matter), you’ll see the results of your inactivity way before you see the results of your activity – and you won’t like what you see if you don’t do something about it. Now shut up and train!

Dog Training Problem Solving: My Dog Won’t Listen if I Don’t Have Food (or the Clicker)

April 8, 2016

I hear it all the time: “My dog won’t listen if I don’t have food!”

One of the first things I teach students in my Smart Dog University group dog training classes is to get the food out of their hands. I don’t want any of my students leaving as Smart Dog U class uttering that phrase! The mistake is an easy one to make and a lot of people don’t know the hole they’re digging until it’s too late. And when they make their way to my classes, it takes a little bit of un-training to get their dog back on the right track.

Clicker training using food as the reward is a terrific way to train. However, if your dog listens only if you have food, that’s not very efficient, right?

This is all about how to make dog training stick — so your dog listens whether you have food (or the clicker) or not.

Dogs learn what we teach them. If we teach them that good things happen only when food and the clicker is around, like good, smart dogs they’ll believe us. If the food and the clicker come out only during “training time” and it’s the only time good behavior (listening to you) works for your dog, then that’s the only time you’re going to get it.

“But I want the dog to listen to me all the time! I don’t want to have to have the food for the rest of my life!”

I hear you. And I have your solution. Keep reading, grasshopper.

Instead of individual structured dog training sessions, make LIFE a training session.

Your dog wants to go outside, ask him to do something like sit. As soon as he sits, tell him he’s a good boy and open that door. Sitting when asked = door opens.

Maybe your dog wants an ice cube from the freezer. Another training opportunity! Ask him for a nose touch. The instant he touches your hand, tell him he’s a good boy and give him that ice. Touching your hand when asked = ice cube.

You know your dog loves to play tug. Call him to you and when he gets there, whip that tug toy out of your back pocket and play an impromptu game of tug. Coming when called = fun games.

You’re seeing a pattern here, I’m sure.

Look, you’re going to do lots of fun stuff with your dog every single day. Why not work training in right then and there. No need to carve out 30 minutes every day for a single training session. Have dozens of mini (single!) training sessions.

Here’s what it looks like in real life.

You’re ready to go for a walk. Leash is ready, you’ve got poop bags, your sunglasses and shoes are already on. All you’ve got to do is get the dog and head out. Great, you’re ready for your mini Recall Training Session. Here’s how you do it:

Call your dog to you in a happy voice.
When he comes to you: “Good boy!” as you clip the leash on and head out the door.
If he doesn’t come, don’t worry. Head out all by yourself. Maybe you go just to the end of the driveway and come back. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you’re not repeatedly calling your dog to you to go for a walk.

The beauty of this is that the good stuff for the dog depends on him doing something for you.

It’s a simple equation.

You ask + dog does = dog gets.

Think of all the times a day you can work this into your life! It’s crazy!

If you want to give your dog a piece of your toast
Before you take your dog for a walk
If your dog wants to get up on the sofa with you
If you want to give your dog a belly rub
When you want to play with your dog
When your dog wants to play with you
If your dog wants into the (fenced) backyard to chase the birds, squirrels, leaves
Meal time
Treat time
Play time
Fun time
Snuggle time
The list is endless – put anything on your list that your dog likes, enjoys, anticipates.

It’s important to note that you’re asking your dog to do stuff that’s really easy, that he’s already good at.

You don’t want to ask your dog to come when called from the yard if he’s barking at the neighbor – that’s too hard! He’ll never have a chance to get it right and will lose the opportunity to see that coming when called can lead to a walk, or breakfast, or a play session. So be sure your dog has at least an 80% chance of getting it right before you ask for it.

There’s a bonus!

Not only are you teaching your dog that training can happen anywhere, anytime, and without food – that’s good all in itself.

But do you see what we’re also doing here? We’re transitioning from food rewards to what I call real life rewards. Because if you get rid of the clicker, but still need food all the time, you’re not really making much progress, right?

Here’s where I tend to always use food: Coming when called, especially when the dog comes to me in the face of distractions. In our yard, the distractions are squirrels, neighbors walking down the street, or loose dogs. (Our yard is fenced, but the loose dogs can come right up to our fence and I have no control over where they run [which is usually up and down our fence line, guaranteeing barking, racing, and an exhilaratingly good time for both dogs involved], or how long they stay.)

In just about every other instance, though, I’ve substituted real life rewards for both the clicker and the food.

The dogs now think I’m a constant source of good stuff (which I am) so they’re keen on listening to me when I ask them for anything.

Quick! Tell me what two or three things your dog can do easily. Now: tell me two or three things you can do for your dog when he does those things for you when you ask. See how easy this is?

Super simple summary:

Using things your dog is already good at, ask him for one of those things before you’re going to do something nice for him (feed him, walk him, pet him, etc.). When he does what you ask, give him access to the food, walk, pets, etc.

Lather, rinse, repeat and you’re in business! Be ready for a dog who thinks the world revolves around you.

Ryan and Matt Do Clicker Expo Reno

March 2, 2016

Clicker Expo Reno

What do Matt Damon and Ryan Gosling have in common (aside from being good looking celebrities, I mean)? They both showed up at ClickerExpo – Reno 2016. Matt Damon helped Susan Friedman drive home the point for one of her talks, while Ryan Gosling helped Hannah Branigan and I explain and motivate dog trainers to use Triple Planning to build better dog training classes.

Clicker Expo, Triple Planning, Laurie Luck, Hannah Branigan, dog trainer

Work, work, work.

There was much running around, rehearsing presentations [or as I like to call it finishing the damn presentation], meeting up with friends seen only once each year at Expo, and shopping. There was also lots of learning. It’s always been hard to choose between talks at Expo, but it seemed almost impossible to get to everything I wanted to see this year. I needed another two or three me’s if I really wanted to cover every talk that appealed to me.

Clicker Expo, Hannah Branigan, Laurie Luck

Speakers

Ken Ramirez kicked off Expo talking about training butterflies and spiders. I’ll stick to man’s best friend, thankyouverymuch. Although, if I could train the spiders to stay outside, I guess that might be a worthwhile effort. Hannah Branigan’s talk in which she painted dogs was fascinating. If anyone can examine something to the degree of a gnat’s eyebrow, it’s Hannah.

Susan Friedman talked about a million fascinating things. I would listen to that woman read the phone book, honestly. Her voice is calm and soothing, I feel like everything’s going to be alright when she’s talking. She covered the stuff that really makes you think, like Functional Analysis: The Sexy Side of ABC. And she included Matt Damon in her talk. Can anyone ask for more?

I talked about a lot of business-ey things because that’s what I love — making a living teaching dogs and their people. There was a quick session describing why niche marketing might be something to help R+ dog trainers get more clients who are (1) willing to use the clicker right out of the gate and (2) understand the value of your services.

Two seconds after that talk was over, I was on stage with Hannah Branigan (and Ryan Gosling, naturally) talking about Triple Planning. It was my first co-presenting gig. It could’ve been way worse, but thank goodness Ryan was there to make everything alright. We had a good turnout (but we know Ryan was the star, not us) and hopefully enough Ryan’s went home with the attendees that they’re already making a difference with their new Triple Plans.

triple planning, clicker expo, reno, hannah branigan, Laurie Luck

Family and fun. (A little R + R)

I brought my dad along with me to Reno. He spent most of the days playing the card tables while I was getting my geek on in the conference sessions. My dog training life overlapped with my family life a little when my dad declared he’d like to come hear one of my talks. It was a bit odd looking out from my percha as a dog trainer/speaker and seeing family there, but it was reassuring all at the same time. Apparently one talk was all he could handle, though, as he spirited off as soon as I finished my talk. He did give me a thumbs up, but hey, he’s my dad. He had to say that.

The west is beautiful country. Here’s the sunrise from the hotel one morning.

My dad and I took off on a day adventure to Virginia City. It was incredible! On the way up, we left this (that’s Reno in the valley)

And went through this on our way up the mountain.

We arrived in Virginia City and I immediately wanted to take this mule home with me.

All kinds of places to visit in an old mining town like Virginia City.

It’s an authentic (touristy) old west town complete with saloons and “front street.”

I didn’t find any spare gold or silver lying around.

Virginia City, Comstock Lode, ClickerExpo

A week away was a long, long time. I wrote this on the airplane en route to Baltimore, MD. It was another 36 hours before I made it home, but I’m thrilled to announce that we managed to outfox the Reno Plague (Noro virus) and were one of the few lucky escapees who made it out vomit-free.

In a few weeks, I’m headed out to Cincinnati for the second Clicker Expo. Will I see you there?

Aging Gracefully (Your Dog. Not You.)

January 6, 2016

Aging dogs

We have a house of aging dogs. At 14, 12 ½, and 10 years old – and a 3 year old, the whippersnapper – our house is beginning to revolve around the oldsters. Having an older dog changes the way you budget, live, and well, love.

Dogs are living longer

Dogs are living longer now, thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, accessible veterinary care, and dog health insurance. Like people, as dogs age, they typically need more care. Young dogs are healthy for the most part and need to be seen by a veterinarian usually only for their yearly veterinary exam; generally they’re not suffering from anything other than excess energy and boundless enthusiasm (that you sometimes wish your veterinarian could prescribe a pill for!). Until their senior years, dogs don’t need the veterinarian until they start to develop age-related issues such as lumps and bumps, arthritis, back and neck pain, cancer, heart disease, liver and kidney disease, diabetes, weakness, and yes, even senility and dementia. Two of our older dogs are also starting to show some losses in both hearing and vision.

Because of those health changes, we, the caretaker, need to make some changes to help our dogs remain comfortable and happy for as long as possible. Some of the changes we’ve been making in our household over the past couple of years include budgeting more money for veterinary care. Two of our three seniors are on daily medication now (and will be for the rest of their life). That’s extra money out of our wallet each month, even though the costs of most of the medications are fairly low (so far). In addition to medications, we’re finding that we’re making trips to the veterinarian more frequently now, too. Thanks to advances in the field, we now have available to us tools such as supplements, acupuncture, laser treatment, and massage. These treatments can often improve your dog’s quality of life, range of motion, and activity level. These treatments, of course, come at an additional cost.

Comfort

Another area we’ve noticed that we’ve made significant changes in is our dog’s comfort. When they were younger, they were happiest lying on the floor. They’d bypass a bed to flop out, frogleg style, on the hardwood floor. It’s not a matter of want any longer, now they need a bed. And not just any bed – the cushier the better for their old, sore bones. We’ve been replacing the thinner “crate pad” style beds with the more comfortable orthopedic style beds. There are still a few thinner beds lying around here and there, but more often than not, you’ll find our seniors snuggled down into a 8” thick bed snoozing happily away.

In addition to getting thicker beds, we’ve also gotten some ramps and stairs so the dogs can get into the car without pain or injury. Our dogs are too big to lift into and out of the car or the furniture, and because it’s difficult for them to jump into/onto and out of/off our cars and furniture, we’re always on the lookout for things that will help them get around more easily.

Thankfully we live in a one-story rancher so the dogs don’t have to navigate steps every day. For dogs with arthritis, vision problems, or back/neck issues, stairs can be nearly impossible as they age. If you have a multi-level house and an aging dog, consider building them a comfy, safe spot to sleep on the main floor (and help them gradually acclimate to it).

Exercise

Exercise needs can change as your dog gets older, as well. There was a time when it took five full days of vacation (swimming 9a – 6p) before our dogs would take a break to catch a nap. Now, they’re sleeping more than they’re swimming. Instead of taking them on every hike and jaunt, we consider the activity level and plan to take (or leave) them accordingly. Most dogs don’t get enough exercise, whether they’re young dogs or seniors. Exercise is vital to your aging dog – check with your veterinarian to find out just how much and what kind of exercise is right for your dog. One of our seniors can handle about ½ mile walk, while another can go for 3.5 miles and still be ready for more. Adjust the exercise you give your pet to suit their particular needs – and health.

Cognitive and behavior changes

Dogs are living longer now and we’re starting to see dogs with dementia. Our most senior dog, Lily, is beginning to show signs of cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction can look like disobedience: pooping or peeing inside, not listening, unwillingness to sit or lie down, and stubbornness. Your older dog probably isn’t being stubborn or spiteful, she’s aging plain and simple. Lily will occasionally poop without being aware that she’s going to the bathroom. She’s not being bad or spiteful, she’s getting old. We don’t even blink now when it happens: we clean it up and move on without a word.

Resources

There are some great resources for caretakers of aging dogs. Two that I love are The Gift of a Gray Muzzle by Kathy Sdao and Lori Stevens (available at ClickerTraining.com) and Remember Me?: Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction by Eileen Anderson.

What changes are you noticing with your senior dog? Leave a comment and let us know (and if you’ve got any tips or hints to help improve our seniors’ lives).

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Happy New Year and all that…

A look-back

My dogs got older.

A look ahead

Why do these things?

What are the three things?

Shut Up and Train

Excuse #1: No Time.

Excuse #2: Stubborn Dog.

Excuse #3: Never Prepared.

Excuse #4: Don’t Know What to Train

Excuse #5: Don’t Want to Train.

The takeaway?

I hear it all the time: “My dog won’t listen if I don’t have food!”

This is all about how to make dog training stick — so your dog listens whether you have food (or the clicker) or not.

“But I want the dog to listen to me all the time! I don’t want to have to have the food for the rest of my life!”

Instead of individual structured dog training sessions, make LIFE a training session.

You’re seeing a pattern here, I’m sure.

Here’s what it looks like in real life.

You ask + dog does = dog gets.

It’s important to note that you’re asking your dog to do stuff that’s really easy, that he’s already good at.

Not only are you teaching your dog that training can happen anywhere, anytime, and without food – that’s good all in itself.

The dogs now think I’m a constant source of good stuff (which I am) so they’re keen on listening to me when I ask them for anything.

Super simple summary:

Using things your dog is already good at, ask him for one of those things before you’re going to do something nice for him (feed him, walk him, pet him, etc.). When he does what you ask, give him access to the food, walk, pets, etc.

Clicker Expo Reno

Work, work, work.

Speakers

Family and fun. (A little R + R)

Dogs are living longer

Comfort

Exercise

Cognitive and behavior changes

Resources

What changes are you noticing with your senior dog? Leave a comment and let us know (and if you’ve got any tips or hints to help improve our seniors’ lives).

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