puppy socialization Archives - Page 2 of 4

Why Your Dog Got Kicked Out of Obedience School

September 18, 2013

Group obedience classes aren’t for every dog out there. In fact, you’d be surprised at how many dogs shouldn’t be in a group class. That may surprise you, especially coming from someone who teaches group dog training classes for a living and who, by the way, happens to think that group classes are a real benefit to most dogs.

No one really gets “kicked out” of classes, if we’re being honest. I know a lot of people say their dog was kicked out, but in all the years of teaching classes, I’ve never kicked a dog (or human) out of my classes.

Here are some of the reasons I’ve recommended against group classes for some of my clients:

The dog is too frightened in class. Dogs are scared for lots of reasons: they’ve had a traumatic experience, they never got out much before they were 12 weeks old (lack of socialization), or they’re just skittish by nature. For these dogs, I recommend to the owner that we do some in-home private lessons first, to see how much progress we can make in a quieter, less stressful situation.
The dog isn’t friendly toward other dogs. Unfriendly dogs in a group class is an accident waiting to happen. It’s not fair to the other dogs in class (or to the unfriendly one!) to be put in that situation. Group classes are for dogs who don’t have any issues with other dogs (other than lack of self control). Again, for unfriendly dogs, in-home training is the recommended course of action.
The dog isn’t friendly toward people. Another unfair and unmanagable situation for the dogs and their owners. It’s a question of safety. Unfriendly dogs need more than general “good manners” behaviors. There’s a larger, more serious underlying problem that needs to be addressed. It’s important for unfriendly dogs to have one-on-one interaction in a controlled, distraction-free environment if real progress is expected.
Excessive barking. Out of control barkers usually fall into one of the above categories (scared, anxious, or unfriendly in some way). Excessive barking, for me, means uncontrolled barking that lasts at least 50% of the time in class, and it persists even when the barking dog can’t see any other dogs. In this case, the dog is way over the threshold where he can learn anything. Excessive barking is an indication that class is just too much for the dog at the moment. In-home coaching can help the owners teach the dog is a less distracting and stimulating environment and allows the dog to actually learn something instead of having the owner just try to quiet the dog.

When anyone “gets kicked out of class,” it’s not because their dog is bad. It’s because the dog needs a quieter, less distracting environment in order to have success. Once some in-home training has instilled the basic good manners behaviors and the owners (and dog) have learned some basics, re-entry into group classes is a real possibility. It’s never a badge of shame!

Never fear — all dogs can learn. Your trainer is setting you and your dog up for optimal success when she suggests in-home training.

Your turn: have you experienced success with private lessons with your dog?

Nanny Cam for Your Dogs

September 6, 2013

I found the coolest little techie gadget when I attended BlogHer last month. It’s a little camera called Dropcam and it’s the perfect tool for you if you want to keep an eye on your dog while your away from the house.

First, this is not a sponsored post. I won a Dropcam (can’t say now that I’ve never won anything!) from the BlogHer conference and have used it every day since it arrived.

What Is It?
The Dropcam consists of a small camera (4.5″ × 3.15″ × 3.15″) that you plug into a wall socket. As soon as you plug it in and tell it what wi-fi network to connect to, you’re up and running. Well, after you create an account (painless).

What Does It Do?
There are lots of different uses for a Dropcam, but I’m limiting this post to what interests dog people.

Peace of Mind. Know that your dogs are safe and secure by checking in on them while you’re at work or out running errands. It’s a relief for me to know my guys are snoozing while I’m out earning money to put food in their bowls.

Curiosity. What exactly do the dogs do while I’m gone? They sleep. A lot. They also sniff around to see what trouble they can get into. They trade sleeping spots. They bark sometimes if I leave the windows open and they hear the neighbor dogs. They get really excited when they hear me walk down the hallway when I get home!

Information gathering. Exactly how long does it take them to settle in after I leave? Are there any “discussions” between the dogs? Is anyone bossing anyone else around? When do they start to get restless? If there’s an <ahem> pile or puddle, just who left it? Who stole the stuff off the counter?

Accountability. Do you wonder if your dog walker really does come and spend time with your dogs? Now you’ll know.

Safety. Heaven forbid any tragedies, but hey, if you saw smoke in your house, you could call 911 and tell them to get to your address ASAP. There are documented positive burglar identifications and arrests thanks to the hi-def Dropcam cameras. Pretty worth it.

Pros of the Dropcam: In addition to all the above, I love that the Dropcam is so ridiculously easy to use. You need 2 things: (1) wifi and (2) electricity. If you’ve got those two things, you’ll be up and running in about 2 minutes (honestly). And I’m not a technology whiz.

I also LOVE that it has built-in night vision. And it’s really good night vision. I’m impressed at just how clear and sharp the “at night” video is. Warning: when you review the video taken at night, the night vision makes you think ghosts or something supernatural will appear. If you’ve ever watched any ghost hunting shows, you know what I mean. It looks creepy even when you’re just watching your dogs sleep.

You can watch your dogs from almost any tablet, phone, or computer. You also have the ability to talk to your dogs through the Dropcam. I haven’t used that feature, though, for fear that my dogs will think I’m home and get a little ballistic. But, still, it’s an option that might be attractive to some dog owners.

You get an alert anytime motion is detected. Handy so you don’t have to manually scroll through the video to look for movement if you’re archiving footage (which I highly recommend).

You have the option to turn the cameras on and off at scheduled intervals. Also, if you desire, you can share the Dropcam feed. Everything’s password protected, so no one else can drop in on what’s going on unless you’re sloppy with your password.

You can pay a nominal fee ($100/year) to have 7 days of video feed available. If you want more video archived, you can pay more money, but I don’t think any dog owner will need 30 days of footage. But it’s available if you want it.

The cost is ridiculous considering all the features. It’s $149. That’s it. Crazy inexpensive, isn’t it?

Cons: There aren’t a whole lot of cons. I guess the $100 for archiving a week’s worth of video might be a con. It’s not really, I mean $100/year for continually keeping 7 days worth of activity is pretty darn cheap, I think. But hey, it is money afterall.

You are limited to placing the camera where you have (1) wifi and (2) electricity. Again, not a huge con, but I think it’s worth mentioning.

I’ll be using Dropcam for business purposes when I work with clients who have destructive dogs or dogs with separation anxiety. The camera will give us an honest, accurate look at what’s going on in the house after the owners leave: when does the anxioius behavior start, how long does it last, how severe is it?

Those are my thoughts on the Dropcam. Again, I don’t have any relationship with the company except that (1) I won a camera and (2) I’m a big fan. If you have questions, feel free to ask me — I will tell you all I know.

Your turn: what would you use the Dropcam for in your house with your dogs? Please leave a comment below and let me know!

We’re God Parents!

July 29, 2013

I’ve never yearned to be a god parent. I don’t have brothers or sisters, so the chance of me being one was slim to none anyway, but I’m just not the kind of person to be voted god parent.

I mean, I guess I could do it if the kid was like 17 years old, gainfully employed, and going off to college in the fall. Other than that, I’m not god parent material.

At least to a kid.

But I’m not a kid’s god parent. I’m a dog’s god parent! Technically, my husband and I are the god parents to this particular dog, but this is my blog and my story. So we’ll leave him out of it for the purposes of this post.

Go ahead, laugh if you will. And then leave. Because this blog’s not for you, for I am very serious about my excitement and seriousness of god parenthood for dogs.

I think everyone should have plans in place for their dog if the inevitable happens and your dog is left people-less. Ideally, this will be put in a legal document like a will or a living trust or some other official document. I’m not an attorney, so don’t rely on me for advice on how to do this — consult your favorite legal eagle, I’m a dead end in that department.

Back to the real story — god parenthood. We were asked to be god parents to a dog we’ve helped raise. Quite a few pups have come through our house (we’re on #15 to be exact), and this is the first time we’ve been tapped to be the alternative if the worst should happen.

When we were asked, the asker said “take your time, talk it over with Dana, and get back to us. No pressure.” I was at the airport picking up my luggage from a recent trip and immediately wrote back on my phone “Yes.”

I didn’t have to think about it. I didn’t have to talk it over with Dana. The answer is YES. Thinking about it would only confirm my answer, and talking about it with my husband would only confirm his answer: YES.

This is what’s known as a no-brainer. Of course we’ll be god parents. There’s no way we wouldn’t be god parents. My life is now complete. I am a god parent.

It’s funny how something you never ever thought about and never expected can make you feel so good.

Your Turn: Are you a god parent to a dog? Do you have provisions made for your pets — just in case? Please leave a comment and let us know!

Shock Collars: Necessary or Not?

July 17, 2013

All of us who love dogs wouldn’t intentionally cause them pain. They are our true friends. Our faithful friends. Unconditional love.

Your dog’s unabashed love for you is one of the reasons you love your dog so much. Your dog wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s definitely in love with you, you, you! The way he greets you when you walk in the door, the always faithful walking companion, and the dog that needs his head on your shoe when he hangs out with you.

I talk to people everyday who love their dog like this. These folks delight in their dog. And their dog returns the emotion ten-fold.

When the talk turns to training, though, I occasionally hear things like “stubborn,” “hard headed,” and “corrections.”

This is the same dog who can’t wait for you to walk through the door, right? The dog that would walk over hot coals to get to you, yes? The dog whose devotion is unmatched?

So why the double-talk?

It’s because for so many years we didn’t know better and we didn’t really know how to teach dogs how to do what we asked.

We just strong armed them into doing it and we considered that a success. And success begets more “success,” — or, really, more strong-arming. The more it looks like making a dog do something works well, the more we tend to do it.

Thanks to the new studies on the canine mind, we’re learning that the old fashioned way — punishment, corrections, shock — are not really the fastest and easiest way to train our dog.

Teaching the dog what you’d like him to do, then noticing and rewarding him when he does is actually the fastest way to teach a dog something — anything!

Which should make all dog owners delirious with delight. No longer do you have to use corrections, prong collars, shock collars, e-collars, or stim-collars.

Deep down you didn’t want to do it anyway, but it’s the way dogs had always been trained, and you may not have known there was another way.

Think about how much you love your dog. How much your dog loves you. Teach your dog like you love your dog.

My “Take Your Dog to Work Day” is a Little Different

June 21, 2013

The first Take Your Dog to Work Day was in 1999. We’ve come a long way, baby! 300 companies participated in that first year. Now, thousands of companies are having dogs at work today!

Rocky, labrador, service dog, service dog in-training

Rocky, the Original

I started taking a dog to work in 2001. Rocky, our first service dog in-training, came to work with me every day at the Federal office where my husband and I worked.

It wasn’t easy — I was dealing with the Federal government and a dog in the workplace. But after some help from a Federal attorney in Florida who took his service dog in training to work with him every day, the government finally allowed the service dog in training on campus every day. There was an initial flurry of interest, but pretty soon Rocky and I were a familiar sight and no one gave us another look.

That’s not entirely true. There was a particularly stressful time when our agency had to perform layoffs. Almost every employee was at risk, and our human resources (HR) department was stressed from the pressure of ending employee’s federal career. During that time, some of the HR employees would stop by my office “just to talk.” What they were really coming for was to love on the dog. After the entire process was complete, several months later, some of the HR folks expressed their gratitude that there was a dog around — just having the chance to pet a dog decreased their stress levels significantly, they said.

I eventually left my government career to start Smart Dog University. But not before I’d raised five service dogs in-training with the help of the Federal government. Our three permanent dogs: Lily, Tango, and Nemo were all service dogs in-training and all spent time on the government campus. (They were released from service work for either temperament or health issues and we got to keep them!)

Schooner in training at a local supermarket

Schooner and I “at work”

Now I work from home and every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day. Because I raise and train service dogs, sometimes my “work” involves public places like the doctor’s office, restaurants, libraries, concerts, office buildings, and shopping malls.

Some of the more interesting places I’ve been with the dogs:

dentist office
open air concert
hospital
movie theater (the original Harry Potter movie!)
celebration dinners
award ceremonies
political fundraisers
live shots on television news
graduation ceremonies
hospice
elementary and junior high schools
football games
speaking engagements
conferences
trains

Generally, the service dog in-training goes where I go. They need to learn how to handle many different situations and experiences before they are teamed with their human partner. We’d rather they get all the kinks out with us.

Does your workplace allow dogs? Just for today or on an ongoing basis?

The 3 Essentials for Your Dog: Teach. Play. Love.

June 5, 2013

Everyone knows that dogs need food, water, and
shelter to survive. I’m here to
tell you three more things you can provide for your dog that will take their
life with you from good to GREAT! Your dog needs you to teach, to play, and to love. You’re probably already doing
some of these, but this newsletter will give you new ideas for ways you can
truly meet your dog’s needs.

TEACH.

A little training goes a long way. You don’t need to spend a year in a training class
with your dog (although there are some really fun training classes out there, such as K9
Nose Work which every dog can do,
that’ll make you want to keep going back!).

Most dogs need a class or
two so you can teach them good manners. Good manners are the way dogs get more
freedom in life – the better behaved they are, the more places they can go with
you. The more places they can go, the more fun the two of you can have
together.

Teaching can go beyond (far beyond!) good manners.
You can teach your dog really
useful things like getting you a cool drink from the refrigerator, finding your
car keys, pulling your laundry basket to the washing machine. I’m talking about
really cool tricks!

Don’t stop there! Your dog is capable of learning almost anything. You can teach your
dog how to be calm during veterinary visits, how to accept having his nails
trimmed and his ears cleaned. And all of those things can be taught (and ARE
taught at Smart Dog U) with dog-friendly clicker training.

Smart Dog U works with a service dog agency to
teach dogs how to be service dogs.
These dogs can pick up a credit card and hand it to a cashier, bring the phone,
pick up the remote control, indicate high (or low) blood sugar, and provide
balance to a person. The dogs we work with aren’t any different from your dog –
these dogs start out in Puppy Charm School, move onto K9 Building Blocks, have
a little fun in K9 Nose Work, and then learn even more advanced skills specific
to what service they’ll be providing.

Teaching your dog new things – any new things – is
great for his mind. Teaching new
things can tire your dog out. A thinking dog is a happy dog!

PLAY.

Playing with your dog might seem like a no-brainer. Everyone knows how to play with his or her dog,
right? Yes. And no. Some dogs make it easy to figure out what toys they prefer
and what games they like to play. But what happens when your dog tires of that
game or that toy? Then what?

There are some really fun and interactive toys
available to pet parents these days.
Twenty years ago, we had to be creative and inventive– there weren’t many
options on the supermarket shelves for dog toys. From toys that can be filled with
food to toys you can make
at home, the options are as varied as they are plentiful.

Some dogs enjoy learning new games to play. Instead of fetch, try hiding your dog’s toy – see
if he can use his nose as well as he can use his eyes. If your dog loves to
retrieve, get a “Chuck-It.”
It’ll launch the tennis ball a lot farther than you can throw it
yourself – and it’ll give your dog a lot more exercise, too.

If your dog is young, healthy and active, see if
your dog is interested in agility.
Agility is sort of like an obstacle course for dogs. There are tunnels made out
of fabric, jumps (tire jumps, jumps with bars, etc.), A-frames, poles that the
dog weaves in and out, and all kinds of fun stuff. You can make your own
equipment, too. Until the agility bug bites you and you need to find
competition-grade equipment!

The best part about play is that it’s fun for both
you and the dog. And that’s what it’s all about.

LOVE.

This one’s easy – you wouldn’t have a dog if you
didn’t love him. But we go past the basic love idea. We’re talking about
things that go past just the emotion and get deeper into how you can keep that
dog you’re crazy in love with healthy and happy for as long as possible.

Safety falls under the Love category. Do you
know what common
household items are toxic to your dog? Know these items, know the symptoms,
and know
what to do. You’ll also want to program this number into your cell phone
contacts: 888-426-4435 (ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center).

Health is a big rock in the Love category. Lots
of people equate food and treats to love. If you do this, you could be loving
your dog to death, literally. Do you know how many calories a day your dog
needs? Do you know what an overweight dog looks like? Is your dog at his ideal
weight? If he’s not, you can help him find his svelte and athletic figure
again. Ask your veterinarian to show you the Body
Condition Chart and help you identify where your dog is on that chart.
Getting your dog’s weight into the normal range can be the best way to love
your dog. Put the treat down! Go out and take your dog for a walk! That’s
something both of you will love and it’s good for your dog’s waistline (and
yours, too)!

Teach. Play. Love.

Applying even one of the ideas in this article can
help you and your dog have a happier life together. All of the ideas are easy. They’re all fun. And
they’re sure to enhance the bond and the joy you share with your dog. Have fun
with your dog – he’ll love you for it.

What do you do with your dog to teach, play, or love? Share your experiences with a comment below!

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