leading is not mean, at least it should not be

It is hard to explain what I have found but, basically, it is all about doing what your dogs need. This is not the easy way out. It is not a quick fix or diet pill to get you success, bonding and finding your leadership voice. To succeed you have to trust and believe in both yourself and your dog. I had heard of methods where trainers are to try to channel into their leader idols like oprah or whom ever they thought would help. This isn't realistic and long term is set up for failure. I get the idea that they use it as a tool to find their way short term and save a dangerous dog from a early end but, come on. This won't help the gentle person or timid person find how they can lead. It puts insult to their personality saying only people who are like oprah can lead. This isn't true. Not only that but, when you undermind the personality of someone saying they aren't good enough then it robs them of their own tools and makes them second guess.I believe if you don't use what you have then you won't be honest in earning your dogs trust. Some people will feel they have to be louder and stern and use aggression of their own to "control" their dogs. People think a small woman can't lead her rottweiller because he is too dominant or whatever. They think that if you talk sweetly to your dogs they will push you around.
Well... this is not so much true.
Dogs are very keen on reading you like an open book. If you are caring and gentle and know what makes your dog get motivated you can use it to your advantage. Follow the rules nothing is free. Which simply means whatever your dog loves most:play, treats, meal time, running in the yard, these must be earned by performing acts of respect such as waiting at the door until they are released, sitting and watching before the food is placed, working some commands inbetween fetching the ball etc. Whenever your dog is driving you crazy... My dog was just running amock in my room, digging the carpet, tapping my guitar strings with his nose, batting the cord to the blinds. When that craziness seeps into your world remember your patience. He probably is just bored and look for something which will appease him. I let it go a few minutes then he lay down on the rug and pawed at the under the bed looking for a bone that had gone out of reach. I told him to go to his bed(which he did) then I reached and retreived the bone scoring points of my own. (If you can ever know what your dog is saying in his communications, treat that with great respect and deliver on the request, it builds a tighter bond) If you respect your dogs requests then it will be returned to you as well. I am not saying spoil your dog. You don't have to be a vigilanty, you can loosen up and play sometimes.
I encourage my softer side. My dog is shy and it takes him a little bit to trust himself. I try to encourage him when he is doing well and if he is using poor judgement or is getting upset about something not so scary I try to diffuse the situation by distracting. He gets terribly worked up for some reason when the neighbor dog plays in the park behind our houses. I have found I can work him with treats in the kitchen and it distracts him enough but if we were outside he would be beyond his own control. We work in the kitchen every chance we get trying to allow him to see that I trust him and he can trust that we will have good things during that frustrating time. I believe that my compassion reaches him far better than any fear based training. I push him into his uncomfortable zones with encouragement and it helps. I also check him for burrs and debris after our walks which shows I look out for him. I don't coddle him, watching him like he is some superstar, I live my life and lead with strong, caring ways that are right for me.
That said I don't take any crap. I am very tough that way. I don't take it from anyone really. I accept my responsibilities and I call out those who do me wrong. You need to remember this, for an honest strong leadership relationship with your dog, you needn't go over the top, practice your look, incorporate the showing of teeth, low eyebrows, tense stance, and low growl if needed. If my dog doesn't follow my lead, I understand that my commands are requests and I must show them to be followed through my belief in their value. It sounds odd but, if you say something expecting it to be done it will be done far more than if you say something expecting to say it again. Try is, without yelling, just really mean it and expect it to be done. Give praise for the respect that was given to you. If I am having some trouble getting my dog to follow direction be it from distractions, my delivery, or having a bad day I give him my serious look and a little growl if I deem it mandated (like if he runs out of my closet with my sneaker and looks at me to play) then I do a few commands and then ask him to play. once he give respect he gets rewards. It is hard to be strict sometimes but, by being strict and gentle in nature your dog sees a straightforward leader who they don't have to fear because of harsh treatments or inconsistencies. They don't need to show up in your relationship with your dog. You do.
Find and work to include your strengths, such as patience, agility, calmness, sensitivity, ability to read signals, and let those shine true and earn respect from your dog and yourself.

different techniques for different dogs

Some trainers push some cookie cutter approach for all dogs either negative or positive types of training for all their dogs. I wanted to use treat based training with my dog last year but, he was shy and too nervous to accept treats which made training in class difficult. I saw another trainer who encouraged flooding and making him deal with his anxiety head on but, he was too stern and forceful and my dog needed encouragement and a pleasing gentle tone to stay calm. To this day if I am gentle and calm with him he responds way better than if I nearly shout and sometimes he will get frustrated with what I expect and gives me frustration bark or even a nip. The second I turn off any aggressive type techniques he is back to happy go lucky. So what do you do when one size does not fit all? How do you balance training to tailor fit each of your dogs?
Well that is tricky. What do I do? I read a ton of books to find what fit my dog. I went to a bahaviorist for advice when he couldn't seem to shake the shyness at all. I saw many trainers more so he would see that people are there to help him. When I got him he was shy and got worse. He would hide behind me, cowar in stance and jump away or bark and growl at people who looked at him "too long" He remains shy. The first trainer I saw had me give him so many treats he didn't like even the best treats, he refused to take them from others and sometimes would be so nervous he didn't take them from me either. I couldn't move ahead on the shyness at all because of this, even with verbal praise baby talk voices or anything else. I switched to a much rougher trainer. I thought it was great at the time. He had me try a wedge pinch collar supposedly to encourage him like his mom would. I don't know why I fell for it probably part exhaustion part desparation. It was paired with flooding of walking in crowds, walking by people, sitting while others passed. We went to a conformation class to help with strangers touching him but, since it was the same instructor each week that lost its "stranger" quality fast. He is a smart dog and once he warms up he isn't really bothered much. We still have the problem with people leaning over and trying to pat the top of his head.... dogs see both of those actions as a threat and it is hard to explain to people in a way they actually listen. It comes down to doing what you think your dog can handle and trying to push the limits a little as tolerance grows. I liken it to lifting weights. You can't start with a heavy weight on your bicep, you start with a small amount and when you find you have little or no pain after lifting as usual you increase weight. Same thing, you have to get used to and tolerate the difficult emotions without going into overload or shock. I find encouraging him in a gentle tone helps greatly.
Some friends just got a puppy and I try to tag along when they take him out to socialize. He is a cute fuzzy golden retreiver and people rush to say hi to him. He wags and gets excited. Then my dog who is standing near looks to me, I tell him it is ok to "sniff" and he reaches out to the people more. He did bark at a little girl today who was looking at him while he was in a small spot but then some little boy was walking by and reached out and touched his back and he was fine. I know the support helps him out a great deal because he doesn't have someone at him staring at him and reaching out, he has time to sniff and reach out to them first which is way less pressure.
I did have apoint originally... Just as we humans are different from one to another, our dogs need help finding what works best for them individually as well. It can be a hard road to go if you don't really know your dog well but, with love respect and a bit of patience you can find what works for your dogs needs. oh an my dog no longer wears that collar he uses a gentle leader if he is in a situation with need for better control or he is on his buckle collar only. and now he takes most treats from people and will even do his sit when they ask. What strides... now if I can just get him used to people touching and staring at him so I could get his conformation title, then we would be just in great shape, he would be moments away from accepting all people then. I am patient enough to know he will get there eventually. He is improving and not getting worse and that is the best sign.

bonding to better understanding

recently I read this incredible book which talks about the trusting bond that can be established and maintained between owner and dog. The book talks about how you need to connect with your dog not yank them to and frow. I had read about sending out energy to your dog and even sending mental praise when the dog does good but, it wasn't until I read this particular book that I connected the calm, peaceful energies with that of a deep bond with my dog.
In order to connect deeply you must understand and believe your dog wants to do as you instruct. Believing this leads you to signal better and communicate in ways which your dog understands. Afterall if the dogs intentions are good, we must see that our signals or their interpretation of those signals is confused.
This process involves a lot of watching and studying your dogs behaviors and their own signals. My dog will get frustrated when he does what he thinks I want but, the signal is too similar to another one. I experienced this one time and was like why are you doing this when I am asking for that.... then my brain clicked...oh that signal is a fist with one finger pointing up and the other signal it a fist which is open making a kind of o shape. It must be hard to see the difference outside in the sun. My answer was to change the pointed finger to a arm pointing up (which he very quickly picked up) I think sometimes we don't understand that dogs are not verbal beings and respond better to hand gestures but, we can teach our dogs many verbal words simply by making an effort to use a simple vocabulary with them. Always saying the same words for the same units will reveal tremendous learning potential. Example of these words other than everday commands like sit and stay etc. are ride,car,in, side, relax,neighbor,gate,slow,careful, eat, close, and stairs. My dog knows all these words and many more simply by my repeating them through daily life. By teaching these words he understands my directions better and is more willing to trust what I say because I try to communicate with him. it puts him at ease better and I think it helps our bond immensely.
Better bonds can be built through sitting. When you share a space you use some trusting tools. If you practice this (I would suggest when you are both relaxed,before bed) Call your dog over to an area he likes to sit and have him sit or lie down so he can lean on your legs while you sit. The exercise can be as little as 3 minutes but, help your relationship greatly. simply sit together. If your dog enjoys petting or brushing or massage you can try a little bit gently but, don't feel you must be doing anything other than sharing space. Use this time to try to read and understand your dog not reading the paper or watching tv. Tune out the world and tune in your dog. at first you may sit a few feet apart and gradually over days or weeks get closer together. Don't push, we tend to push as a rule and why? We have plenty of time to work on this with our dog and the slower we go the more ease it puts them at.
Another thing I do to exercise my bond sounds silly and simple. When my dog goes to bed each night. I tell him I love him and he was such a good boy today he made me very proud. I try to state an example of his good behavior. This is visualizing good qualities of my dog to myself and helps me believe in my dog. I also wait for his relaxing/release sigh before I turn in. All dogs will do this when they give in and relax ready for sleep. You know it when you hear it. It is a deep breath and long exhale. I tell him he is good boy when he does the relax sigh, then I can turn out my light. This sigh is also the "Igive up" sigh which is when they are annoyed, the tv is too loud and they want to sleep or the assigned task is boring them, they finally give up and accept what is around them. It is up to us when they do this to be sure they are indeed comfortable. It is the job of the leader to watch out for the charges.
I find that making a concentrated effort to connect or try to understand my dog is beneficial and helps you understand yourself more allowing you to work on your own challenges. To have a friend who relies on you so much and doesn't speak the same language can show you yourself in ways you never saw. It is so interesting to see what is really there, what we are made of. When we do it helps our dogs trust and want to please us. Patience is essential. As it seems to be in a large part of life.

bedtime

Many people will have routines they follow when they get ready for bed. It is alarming to find out how many do not have any such routine for their dogs. Dogs are such creatures of habit, and to get the last 10 or 15 minutes of their day in a way that they completely understand they need to relax and start the resting patterns, well, this is important.
What I do will give you an idea, though may not be perfect for your dog. When I am ready for bed. I say to my dog"let's go outside and get ready for nigh-nights" (I am not usually so cute-sy with my commands but, I call his bed bed and don't want to confuse the two) Then We put on the leash go out into the yard and I stand by the same bush by the deck until he lifts his leg and then I give him a command that to us means he won't go out for a while, I also use this when he is to be alone at home for a long while, I call it the "empty the tank" command. He then knows he won't have any more chances that night and will pee for quite awhile.
Next we go in and I give him a small snack. It is abot 1/2 the size of his main dinner meal and this is something that since puppyhood he has had and I haven't seen to get rid of. He is not overweight and I don't want him to go to bed hungry or have a slow metabolism so I stick with. My last dog would have a large milk bone before bed to settle down with. I guess I always worry my dog is hungry and since he can't really tell me I make adjustments to make myself feel batter. During his snack I get my routine done brushing teeth etc.
Then I bring him bed into my room and point him to go "nigh-nights" and he trots in and plops down on his bed. I change and do a little brushing (about 2 or 3 minutes shifting areas each night) If he had extra exercise that day like a long hike or daycare I will exchange the brush for a light massage.
I play a calming cd to drown out any noise as we settle in. Then I read for a bit and after typically 20 minutes I shut the light off and sleep.
I believe it is good for a dog especially a stressed or insecure dog to have some minutes in the nighttime in which they bond and realx with their owner. I don't care if your dog sleeps in a crate comfy in the corner of the room or on your bed sleeping next to your feet. I have read if you choose to have pets on your bed though that you settle in first and should be able to tell them to move if they crowd you in anyway.
Sometimes my dog gets a little too into play when we are haing rest time, I tell him to get on his bed, I only allow for chew hides in the bedroom (no balls or plush) he must settle on his bed or I will put him in his crate (which he likes and is comfortable with its large cushion bed in it) then I will let him out some time later.
I give free water. Some people limit the times and will take water away after 6 or 8 at night. If your dog can go through the night why limit? I have a small bowl on the crate door and fill it both before work and before bed.
Whatever you choose to do with your dog to relax into restng time, be sure it fits your dog and can be done comfortably each evening. make it known that it is bedtime and much like with kids don't let up on the guidlines.

When to look and what to look for

I was reading a great training book a while back and was shocked to learn about eye energy. Many people can't pick up on the body language or read just what their dog is saying. Perhaps they are a bit nervous or don't completely trust the dog because they are new and a bond isn't set or they may not know the body signals or misread them or even not understand there is such a thing. What happens next? They will look at their dog, constantly during walks to see what they do next or try to guide them to appropriate behavior. They do this around the house and when out at pet stores. What is interesting, I find, they don't do this when the dog is at a dog park. You canlearn a lot about dogs from watching them but, if you stare or don't know what you are looking for it is doing more harm than good. Have you ever been sitting somewhere and felt eyes on you? This is energy that is given off when others watch you and dogs feel this very well, I think it might be stronger than their actual sight.
Well what can you do?
First when you are on a walk or out, always be aware of your dog. If they become aggressive, be sure you know triggers or why they do this. Are they protecting you or the other dog or child in their pack? Are they afraid of children or of men or hats? Protect all involved.
What do you look for?
If your dog stands with ears forward, base of tail raised, scruff hair pricked, possibly showing teeth, eyes dilated... he is trying to asert dominance and possibly could lead to aggression if the other dog doesn't conceed.
If your dog has a tail set against his back it is so high and flutters in a wag or keeps the tail even with the back line this means calling for play or reading the signals and not wanting to rush posture. A play bow always means that, if your dog remains on leash during play, rotate yourself to keep leash untangled, reaching over a dog to untangle leashes is inefficient and could be read as a dominant posturing. A dog who chirps or is sniffing and then suddenly jerks could be playing but, if unsure lean toward thinking aggression.
I make mental notes about stances. He sees a bunny... ears go from back to up, he freezes and then bounces, this is the same with a squirrel. He sees a person he lifts head and if we are stopped he freezes for a second then he looks at me to see what I want of him, perfect. He is scared of some flag or trash bag that seems out of place... he freezes, leans forward, ears up, reluctantly approaches the preceived threat when he feels it is not a threat and wants to know what it is. Someone walks by the house... he gets wide eyes, slightly tilts head, ears up, bark alarm then bounces at me to ask why I am not alarmed then I call him over to me, treat the "come" and we move on.
A dog in charge will care for the others in the pack but not study the every move visually, a bottom rung dog will watch others looking for guidance, approval etc. Humans should be in charge earning others respect and leading with confidence. Relax and walk with a confident relaxed leash, walk quickly unless you are with a small dog and stop at intersections or paths and let your dog sniff and mark those areas most. If your dog decides to stop other places too slow down a bit and show interest in the area too, tap the ground with your shoes or lean over to pretend to sniff then after a moment give a kind,firm "let's go" or "hurry up" and start on your way, if you get to the end of the leash a gentle tug or two should do and if not use "leave it" and be sure to treat the good behavior when there is success. You don't have to stare at your dog and wonder if he will behave. Enjoy your walk and if you lead it well your dog will be happy to follow the plan.
I do look at my dog, he is being cute and good so I try to send him loving, good boy vibes. I try to envision him walking loose leashed by my side 100% of our walks but, I try to ignore the relapses or wandering dog he sometimes is choosing to praise the good. I try to only give short glances at my dog and I watch shadows to praise him for looking at me.
When in crowds I don't trust my dog because he is shy and a stranger could overstep his comfort without realizing it. To protect all involved I will typically have a treat ready to distract him with or I will be sure to have his gentle leader on. I have learned that when greeting people he is quick to warm up to the stranger and needs a few moments of them not looking at him so he can approach and sniff a pant or a hand. He will sometimes even give strangers kisses. I will talk to the person and after a moment I say"sniff" and he knows he should sniff, once he reads the hormones and pheromones and everything he is good.
I kept going to classes and the students were constantly staring and watchng their dogs. You can feel the energy they are transmitting most of the time through the leash and using your eyes is not allowing you to truly connect with your dog. We must learn to use our other senses which we find weak. we must pay attention to the signals our dogs send. When we learn what our dog is saying we have such a greater connection.
Recently I was reading about connections and how dogs respect posession, giving the leader the most buffer space when they have an object. I read also that they will use a low warning growl to warn the space buffer has been invaded. Dogs also do this at mealtime. When a puppy was introduced to our pack recently I watched as my dog gave signals to the new pup. Since I knew what to look for I saw not aggression but, correction. It was enlightening to understand what he was saying. I kind a felt like I learned how to speak dog.

sensing a difference

There have been studies which have exposed that the canine species has trouble registering one sense when another is actively engaged. this leads us to believe that the brain either cannot focus and interpret complex sensory multitasking or it becomes so engaged that the brain shuts off the others in order to gather indepth information. I compare this to that of a blind person expanding their other senses or a deaf person who may develop a more intricate sense of touch to feel the vibrations as energy moves off one object onto another. Is it that the body is hindered from lack of one sense or given a gift of such indepth intensities of other senses? That being said, imagine you are on all fours and hungry and you smell this awesome, mouthwatering scent down amongst the leaves and it is close to the ground, if you were a bird you would open ears to the sound of underground bugs, if you allowed yourself you would feel the wet grass cold underfoot but, you allow yourself to open your nose to smuggle in the scent with your ears which dangle close by, you shut off the world and focus on that one scent, weed out the others and soon it carries you to the delicious piece of cheese someone dropped in the park. I would believe this to be a gift, such focus. Most of us humans try to tug the leash or yell at our dog, "what is with you, let's go, heel" these commands truely fall on deaf ears. What we work on with focus is getting our dog to not get to that intense "shutting out" senses and pull his interest in on what we want. That is why focus is such an essential command. When we start to read signs of our dog spotting a dog accross the park, we will see first the acknowledgement of the dog... then the brain processes what that could mean reading body language, then the action of how to proceed. The mind will do this for all sorts of things, prey,play, aggression, fear, etc. It is up to us to difuse the situation as close to the acknowledgement stage as possible, if we wait until the action it is near impossible to get those focus senses back on us. Practice focus exercises and whenever you see a distraction assume your dog is about to as well. Work that focus and call your dogs eyes onto you. Be confident, proud and interesting. Some people need help on the interesting part and may use treats or praise or may help the situation by placing distance or easing pressure by turning away from the distraction or blocking the line of sight with their own body. Whatever is used the timing is crucial. Some dogs are so sensitive to a certain sense that they may need a diffuser of sorts to help them through the situations with intense distraction, most dogs will be good with a smelly treat or something she really loves. You should take time to find out what your dog really loves. The smell will diffuse the distraction, you can also use aromatherapy oils to calm, relax or mask smells for you dog. Someone suggested to me recently that you can use a calming scent such as vanilla or lavender and place a diluted oil on a cotton ball and dab the snout above the nose to mask any scent which could disrupt . In this case it was for walking amongst other intact testosterone emitting male dogs so the dog would not get defensive and aggressive. There are also veil type products which will mask an insecure dog from staring onlookers (though I would imagine onlookers may look a bit more at a dog wearing a veil) these and many other ideas to help block or diminish senses intensities. Leading me to believe it is once it gets to the intense stage, this is when the senses are shut off and the brain is able to heighten a single one.
In our relationships with our dogs the respect for their ways is so important because it will tighten our bond and lead to better understanding. Understanding how the brain works is so complicated often the signals can be misread. What is important is that indeed the signals are attempted to be read because in the end this will indeed guide us to understanding our dogs. Don't be afraid to misread, do be afraid of not trying to read because then the connection will fade away.

the dark is still bothering with "our time"

I refuse to let my dog down and last year my schedule was super early for work so we had a 40 minute walk in the morning partially by street light. I had no choice but, to get up and walk in the dark. It was disciplined by my job and because I don't really have my own discipline I am having trouble adjusting this year. My schedule changed at work and I have trouble getting up in the dark to push myself into a walk with my dog in the dark before I hit the gym. I either will skimp on the gym or not go at all and thet is not good for me. I need the confidence it brings me and like how healthy I feel when I push myself.
How do we adjust to the winter months? It is hard. It is important not to compromise on your time with your dog. You can bring some training into the system. My current solution is I force myself to get up by 7am and that way I can walk about 40 minutes before I go to the gym for an hour class and return home for a half hour or so of play before getting ready to go to work. The night time is difficult. After being alone for hours my dog really wants to get out of the house but, I return when it is dark and we only have so many routes around the neighborhood which make it boring. The answer. When I get home put the leash on and hop back in the car driving a few minutes into another neighborhood like I do when the neighbor dog is in heat. We can walk 30 minutes or so and get a ride mixed in for added interest. The downfall of this plan is more eating on the go with less time at home to relax. Since my schedule has changed I miss the evening classes I used to attend with my dog and he misses his daycare which I can't pick him up from anymore. It makes things difficult. I wish my work would justify my schedule returning to as it was but, we are not busy enough and with the economy it makes me feel lucky to have a job at all.
The winter brings with it the cold and the cabin fever on those cold windy snowy or wet days when we can't play ball in the yard because then we would have not yard. So we play indoor games more. We use commands to dance. My dog knows "spin,through the legs, come, around, back, stretch" and when combined to music it makes a fun little work out. sometimes I add other commands and treats to mix it up. He loves it.
We also play a game called find it. My dog uses his nose to sniff out treats I hide one by one around the house while he is in a stay command. I walk up to him and let him sniff my hand with part of the treat and say find it he starts sniffing. If your dog doesn't sniff start with several pieces of large smelly treats and keep them close to the starting position. let him/her sniff your treat and point to the treat saying find it" they pick up quickly. You can branch out to article "find" like setting a treat in a piece of cloth and keep a small section with you then let sniff, etc. eventually they will only get the treat when they carry the item back to you. We also do a variation on this game with "find me" where he is on a stay and I hide behind a door or next to a bed and yell find me, and he comes running following my scent, and he gets a treat and praise when he finds me successfully.
We play tug and ball some but, mostly after dinner he has a chew toy and lies down to work on that while I relax with some tv or a book until bed. My dog is very high energy and sometimes that makes it tough but, I also really like that he is ready for doing things when it comes time. I really like the long walks because they are almost meditative for me and we get our connection time then too. My dog had an injury late this summer and was on exercise restriction for 3 weeks and he was like an insane dog. I realized why people get rid of their dogs due to lack of exercise because they blame it on the dog when really the dog just needs to run, run, run and then run some more. Really don't we all need a good little run now and again too!

Language and Communication

Most trainers speak about body language and how the postures and manners speak volumes when dogs meet and silently speak to one another. Why are they for the most part silent? what is spoke is important and the words are generally few. When I speak to my dogs I have always tried to use few words. I say things like relax, slow, close, cross, go----, and these words are understood not as commands but the clues of plans to come and readying for those plans. I try to also speak with a confident leadership posture, keeping greetings with others positive with my higher pitch friendly happy greetings and ignore his caution when it is unwaranted.
Why are postures important. Honestly I find dogs are very visual and learn better with hand signal commands than with actual verbal cues. I notice when my dog is confused and does the wrong command it is because my hand signal resembles the other signal very closely and I was lazy in signalling difinitively. There have been studies which have disclosed certain breeds are more visual than others and some dog breeds which are widely known as unintelligent actually are the strongest visual breeds and are not being taught correctly. Think about how differently we humans learn and how some developementally challenged students face difficulties due to their individual needs. All dogs are different and we need to do what is best for each individual but, if we know that they all learn better visually we should adjust our own verbal world to meet those needs accordingly. That being said, what is the best way to get your dog to follow visual cues, they don't always see you. They may be far across the yard or downstairs in your house but, if you are a good leader they will have one ear on you or have you in their periferal sights. They don't want to be left behind by the leader. They are ready to move with your slightest indication.... unless they find somethine else more interesting.
In puppy class I learned you must bond with your puppy and be more interesting than anything else. This starts with good socializing to ensure that what they see out of norm is no big deal. My dog grew up in a house under construction so he hears jack hammers or roofers and sleeps through it. The contrast there, because you can't expose them to everything no matter how you try, the other night we walked by a house decorated for halloween and they had 2 straw scarecrow decorations and he froze staring at them with a hint of low growl. He had no idea what to think. I did not make fun of him and call him silly. I simply stood there a moment told him "sniff" and walked in a non direct path toward them.(dogs approaching mysterious dogs or people, like to approach in a arc veer off to the side,keep moving and depending on the fear intensity give wide berth to greater fear and shallow to less fearful items, arc in towards item) He was cautious and slow but I touched the sleeve of one of the scarecrows and his ears softened. then he leaned far forward ready to bounce back if needed and gently sniffed the sleeve. Realizing it was nothing to fear he let go and sniffed the ground instead. His way of saying "oh, that was silly of me now I am embarrassed and will sniff this spot on the ground so you don't look at me" Dogs arte sensitive creatures and we may not know all that passes through their minds or fully understand what they mean to tell us but, we shouldn't be afraid to try to understand. Afterall do we understand the opposite sex? and we still speak the same language and live in the same social world.
I went to a trainer in the past who was teaching we are the providers and leaders and therefore the subordinates (animals) should get out of our way and do what we say the first time and if they block us they should be stepped on etc. I understand it was because the people coming there needed to see themselves as the leaders and had to take it to that extreme to get results but, I was outraged because without respect in the relationship, you can never get to the point where the leadership is given over to you. It is disrespectful to tell a dog something and expect them to do it when they don't know what you are saying. There is this game where people at training class are paired off dogless and one acts as the dog and the other gives commands using words totally unrelated such as fruit names. The leader is to get the person to obey using these words and gestures such as raising the treat hand overhead (sit) etc. It is to feel the confusion a dog must experience living with a new person and wanting to please them and not knowing what they mean. It starts off with just the words and people get louder as they yell "apple" the trainer shows them they are to show the dog with directions and then it sinks in. You must lead with respect if your dog is in the way don't yell at them to back off or move simply teach them the command for "side" and as they leap to the side they won't get stepped on. They want to have respect and with giving them what they need you will get what you want.
more on this later.

Grooming- static, undercoats and brushes

I feel it is important to properly groom dogs as determained for the breed. Some dogs have double coats, where the top coat covers up a shorter thick almost poly-fill esque base coat. Other breeds have thick wire or single coats with water resistance. Other breeds have hair which does not shed but, needs to be shaped and trimmed. Whatever the breed most dogs find a brushing very relaxing and will settle in for some comfortable grooming time. In order for this statement to be true we need to identify any difficult or sensitive areas, use proper brushes and follow proper techniques to support the type of coat each dog has.
If a dog doesn't enjoy their brushing time you can work them up to liking it. Be gentle and keep sessions short. Give treats and again be gentle. I have been at grooming places in stores where I actually wanted to storm in and unarm the harsh groomer who is riping out the poor dogs fur. I have also been at shows where dogs will jump up on their table and stand there happily while they are groomed. We can all do this.
What do I do. Well I don't have my own table so I let my little boy lay on his side as I work slowly over his body with my slicker brush. I have 3 tools a comb, a slicker brush and a pin brush which I use for each grooming session. Sometimes I will need a undercoat stripper brush which pulls the undercoat gently out during shedding seasons. My dog needs to be wet so I spray him with a mist bottle (you can use a tiny amount of leav in conditioner in the mist if your dog has tangles) I do about 10 sprays on each side.
Spray the side then use the slicker brush to work from the tail and the feet up and forward. I use one hand placed over the area where the fur meets skin then I use the other hand to work small areas until each area is brushed move forward and up on the body until you reach the neck and face/ears then switch to the comb. The comb will be gentle on those areas. The final step is to use the pin brush to go over the coat to shape it much like we use a round brush, guiding the cowlicks and stray hairs and making it all look even.
There are many books available to help find the right brushing for your dog. Remember to start slow, do a single body part gently and then treat and break. Maybe continue or you can wait until that evening and approach again. Most dogs can take a single session each week but , you may need to use the pin brush to "go over" the coat and minimize any tangles each day.
After each bath your dog will probably have some loose fur for a few days and it is a good time to refocus efforts since the tangles should be gone. I am certain we all buy the appropriate shampoo for our dogs bath and rinsing extra well will ensure that the dog is comfortable. Some dogs have sensitive skin and need conditioning lather or oatmeal, while some dogs need a clear coat rinse to take out over oily coat. There is also whitening for light dogs and flea for dogs with fleas. Don't just buy anything, take a moment and access your dogs needs. Once you find one that works well you can stick with it. You may want to write where you bought it in permanent marker on the side of the bottle.
My dog likes his water and will even jump in the tub after I showered so he can get the "raindrops" from the faucet. I let him do this because he then has no problem jumping in the tub when I want him to have a bath.

winter months= waking and walking in the dark

With the summer ending and the crisp cold mornings walking in near dark and returning home after work to near dark as well I have to ask " how do I keep my dog interested and well exercised ?" I mean if I slack for a moment he will get crazy nonexercised dog thing happening. I asked some friends last year andthey gave me some games to try.
Our favorite is "find it!" this is played by having the dog sit stay in one room while you hide several treats or toys around the house (start easy with a few close by and get advanced by hidding them on different levels, in things, in far away rooms) then go to dog and let them sniff your hand then say "find it!" and if he needs it point him to the first treat, each time the treat is found say good boy then let him know there are more with a "find it" command until all the treat have been found.
Another one we play is the control game. Hold a treat in your open palm and when your dog pokes, sniffs or tries to grab it you shut your hand. When they back away you open your hand, say good and with the other hand give them the treat. you can advance by bringing your hand close to the dogs nose, then put treats on floor, extend time they must wait and distractions around. This game will help your dog with control issues.
Hide and seek with housemates or family and your dog is similar to find it however we hide ourselves then the dog tracks our route until we are found. You can make more difficult by back tracing steps or walking all around before hiding. remember the praise when you are found.
As far other games winter is a great time to focus on training and tricks because the mental stimulation will help you have a healthy relaxed dog on days you cheat a bit on the walking length. You can find books on tricks at your local library. The ones we worked on so far are: sit, down, stand, stay, back, off, drop it, leave it, around, spin, skip, swing, wait, stay, in, stairs,car (sits close to back tire while I open door) heel, close, front, side, here, pivot, take/carry, through (leg tunnel), and he also knows some agility commands: climb, walk, go, jump, table
Walking is so difficult because I don't like to get up when the sun isn't joining me. I work later in the morning so I try to get my long walk in in the morning time. I walk my dog about and hour or more each day because he requires a little more exercise than most and it is typically somewhere between 30 minutes and and hour and 20 minutes in the morning walk. I live close to trails and try to arrange my route to the neighborhood parts first so as not to encounter any dangerous wildlife on the trails when the wildlife are still active. I also will try to gauge my dogs energy level and our schedule that day so as not to force him to do much if he is being slow waking up or try to get him to be enthused if he will be alone all day long. In the evening when I return from work it is nearly dark this time of year so walking in the dark is expected. I again access the day and will walk an appropriate duration to try to settle my dog into a relaxed zone. I typically come home and grab a few treats, a poop bag, a snack for me to eat and the leash and we are off for about 20 minutes or a half hour. I try to stay to the lighted areas like the neighborhood but, again here I am lucky because I have a few routes I can take that keep it safe. I trust anyday would try to step up if faced with trouble and my dog is a deterant for any would be crazy because he looks threatening and I trust he would protect me though I hope he never has to try. It is always a good idea to walk with someone or at least stay on well lit roads and carry a whistle and cellphone just in case. Some people carry a stick or a cane incase they get into trouble with animals (some people let their pets wander and get into trouble because they are too tired or whatever to look after them responsibly)
It is a few months of adjustment but, if we keep up with it our dogs will remain good company in those months.

Some Healthy Tips

I don't really have a training topic tonight and thought instead I could share a few tips I have picked up along my way. I do not claim to be a vet now so do take what I suggest with that in mind and do consult a medical professional with questions.
I have a dog who loves to play. When he plays with the other dogs around he gets dirty and gets spitty around the collar. I do bathe him regularly but, sometimes you can't be putting him in the tub after daycare. I took a variation on a tip from my breeder. She recommended using a little water and vinegar mixture on a cloth and rubbing it over the coat to spot clean. I do this and then I rinse the cloth and follow with a brisk wipe to get the vinegar smell off. It kills bacteria and is safe if your dog cleans themself.
Mud- Well we get a great deal of mud where we live and my pups nails and feet will get well coated if I take the trail less travelled, to solve the mud issue I keep a rectangular dish pan under my sink and after the walk I fill it halfway with luke warm water and a teaspoon of vinegar. There can be many microorganisms in mud and can cause infection or granulomas on the pad of the feet if you don't tend to them. I have my dog stand in the bucket and I remove any mud then we dry off and go inside.
Nail care- I buy a natural product called un-petroleum which is a natural vaseline. I wipe it over the nails to condition them, I also use it on the pads of the feet or chapped dry skin during the winter months.
Scrapes- My dog plays with my cat. Sometimes the kitty can get a bit scratchy or on a couple occassions has pierced my dogs skin. I want to disinfect asap so I use hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball and dab the cuts. Peroxide will slow healing though so, be sure you don't continue use when risk for infection has passed.
Sometimes dogs will have a problem area and will lick the area trying to clean and care for the injury. Problem being that animals have so much time on their paws now that they may lick and lick and cause more issues than what they start with. The obvious answer is the partyhat, ecollar or whatever you want to call it. I have an interesting tip. Misdirection... If your dogs right front leg has a cut and you treat it follow up by applying some balm or oil to the left leg and messing up the fur a bit. Then take her for a walk and when you return home she may focus attention to the left leg or not focus on the right leg because both feel a bit off. I have heard of putting some peanut butter on the opposite leg or being sure to leave a treat toy such as a kong when your dog is injured.
anal glands- This one is a bit gross. I your dog drags butt or seems overly interested in their butt they may need the glands drained. You can have this done at the groomer or vet. If you aren't squemish you can do what I do and drain them yourself. take your dog into the bathroom. gather a large amount of tissue and use a gentle castile soap and water mixture to wet the tissue. Lift the tail and use gentle pressure at the base of the anus to squeeze toward the anal openning. Then wipe with a second supply of wash tissue.
Joint health- Please let others know this because some people still are unaware. If you have a puppy, until the growth plates have fused you should not run or perform high impact exercise with them. My breeder calls this forced exercise meaning they may play or romp around but not be pushed beyond their boundries (it is up to us to know what they should and shouldn't handle really) This means until your dog is 16-18 months old you should not treadmill, run, play on pavement or cement or jump such as agility jumps. You should also consider buying food with joint supplements in it or adding a quality joint supplement to their diet.
Speaking of supplements... I suggest you buy a food which supplies balanced nutrition and either includes or is supplemented with glucosamine,probiotics, omega-3's, and doesn't have by products or fillers. I subscribe to the idea of total nutition through variety and I will change on a rotating basis between 4 or 5 bags of kibble such as blue buffalo, avoderm, nutro, caster and pollack, and flint river.
Older dogs may need a little boost in their health without taking the vet recommended one size fits all nsaid called rymadyl. For years my last dog had arthritis and I used a homeopathic remedy for him called traumeel and zeel. They come in a tab or oil which work great for minor pain and don't cause the dog to seem drugged up, drunk and tired like the rymadyl did. accupuncture works great too.
Bathtime- I recommend getting your dog to like the tub by putting treats in it everyday. The other must have is a detachable shower nozzle. Wet the dog by holding the nozzle almost against the skin and wet them down well, then pour dog shampoo into your hand in large amounts and split the dog in sections, do back, chest, butt, sides, front legs, back legs and split half doses for tail and neck. Then you do what I call the wet rinse: the idea is to move te soap to the entire body just by wetting the body quickly. You then will use this extra water to lather the soap up all over. once you are lathered you can rinse very thoroughly starting at the neck and working over the back down much like you would a car. When you think you are all done rinse your hands and go over the entire dog once more to ensure no soap residue which could cause skin problems if not rinsed clear. I get in the tub and wear a bathing suit when I wash dogs. I also encourage and direct my dog around where I need him. I don't wash the face but with the bath towel when I dry him off because soap near the eyes can cause more harm than good and honestly isn't needed. Dogs will wipe their faces if they become dirty. Rinsing your dogs face can be scary for them. Make sure you cut away any matted fur before bathtime and you can stuff a couple cotton balls in the ear canal to keep stray water from getting inside, often the ears will need to be cleaned within a few days of a bath which you can do with cotton and alcohol being careful and gentle as you wipe the goop out.
A happy healthy dog is something to strive for!

Growing into impulse control

When my dog and I walk, I like to keep things interesting for him. Keep him mentally stimulated by varying routes and even simply walking the other side of the street. Tonight during our walk, I was remembering back when he was about 5 months old. He was driving me insane or to the point of exhaustion or something. Anyway he was learning what things were by putting them in his mouth. He would pick up trash or rocks or eat horse poop and I would almost contantly be saying "drop it" while we walked. I thought he would never stop and he did, eventually he would leave just some of the less interesting items and now he leaves 99% of them. He made me think of it tonight as we walked right over some horse poop without a glance, I told him "good boy" and felt proud that we have come so far. I notice it in other things too. He has learned what is what and doesn't become so obsessed or insistant about things, I can get him away from most smelly spot with a simple "let's go" I do still use "leave it" when smells seem too interesting for him and if he leaves it I typically praise him and guide him over to what he was smelling and say "ok" so he may sniff as a reward. He seems to back off and leave it if he thinks he may get a chance to smell the item afterall. He also used to go in my closet to "steal" socks or whatever smelled good to him at the time and now I find if I tell him to stay out he does pretty well at leaving that stuff alone too.
Don't lose faith in your pup because the rewards are forthcoming and oh so great!

The 3D's of dog training..distance, duration, distraction

I went to a trainer when my dog was a puppy. She discussed the 3D's of dog training during class. It goes like this. If your dog is learning something new you need to teach him the skills so he can complete the tasks 100% percent of the time whether he is in a new environment or around strangers or needing to follow direction for a period of time no matter what.
I practice the 3D's when I train a new skill or as a refresher to the old ones. If we are out on a walk or at a store or someplace distracting we will try to work a little because it helps with discipline and focused concentration. I also try to practice distance when we are in our yard or in the house. Sometimes I tell him to stay at the door while I get my coat and phone from the downstairs, or I have him stay in the kitchen when I go to the other room to do something. duration is something I typically will only use for long stays but, can be useful in other areas.
The idea is that while learning you should not expand on more than one area of focus at a time so if you are working distance keep duration at comfort level and distraction easy as well. The areas being expanded individually until each area is strong enough to have strong focus and control whatever the need. The way a dog brain works you need to set up for success so they gain confidence and don't get confused or unsure as to what they should do. They need to be clear about what you ask and focus on each individual area to help them learn.
The brain also makes it hard for them to remember when they are in a different setting. So many people will say " he does this great at home, and we get to class and he can't remember at all" Let any idea of impressing others or feeling embarrassed or ashamed of your dog. Trust that with time their brain will develop to the point they can do this or that at any place or time. For now they may not work well in class but, after a few weeks of focused distraction work in several settings and short sessions your dog will succeed and you will beam with pride.
My dog went to many classes when he was young, he would do great at home then at class all he wanted to do was play or sniff the other dogs. He had trouble knowing I was there even. I got amazing treats and he snubbed his nose, I brought sqeaker balls or tug toys and he couldn't care less. He wanted to play. Finally I decided it was ok. I would leave other commands aside and simply practice our focus. I would distract him and teach him leave it commands and work in very short distance and durations because he had little distraction control. I gave him super praise and would jump around with him making a fool of myself during class just trying desperately to keep him with me. I took a really reliable recall class and he did well except when a certain dog was around then he ran right over to her and we quit agility class because he would do one obstacle and then the same thing he runs over to the dogs. It was hard especially since he started off life loving all the other dogs and when he became of age and being he is unaltered he got in a couple little brawls and now doesn't like boxers. He likes most dogs and most of the time is great with male or female of most breeds but, certain ones I have to be careful with. I work these distractions in ways where I try to keep his focus on me. I have heard that if a dog goes through a trauma in formative times like the 9 month area then they hold those ideas strong in their decision part of the brain. We continue to work it.
Anyway the dogs minds do so much better with challenges faced singlely and when they acheive success it is time to regroup to another area until they are strong in all of the 3D's.
no matter what though make sure you always refresh on commands whenever you can.

Leashes,collars and the energy of it all

As you know last year I got my first purebred dog. He came with an actual manual with requirements and suggestions, do's don't and articles of how to handle certain things should they arise. There was a section on recommended leads and collars. I went to the store and got the proper one for his coat, so the cloth wouldn't tangle in his long neck fur I was to get the rolled leather. A leather 6 foot leash was also recommended which is strudy and easy on the hands. When he was a puppy a trainer suggested a harness, some people suggested a tab lead for agility training. There was another trainer who insisted on using a collar which was made of plastic wedges, some people swear by pinch,prong or electric collars. In shows you use a choke chain. It is all so much and I realized something on my long walk with him this morning.... It isn't what you use to maintain control of your dog. It is the energy that you both feel on either end of that leash. If you have tension and pulling or if you are able to walk in tandem, that is your relationship speaking to you. I had been walking my dog on only his rolled collar and he was not concentrating, excited about our route, all the smells. He wasn't feeling our connection. He kept pulling ahead and getting caught up in a sniff and lagging behind. The tension was something I knew I had to face. I said out loud" We don't need this line of tension between us" and I just got it. Somedogs will just go to the end of the lead and put that constant pressure because they know it won't hurt them, they will be able to force their way to where they want to be, and nothing stops them. I had used the loose leash walk and tight leash stop method for a while and my dog gets it, when I do stop he instantly hops "close" to release the tension. For some reason today I was lost in thought and not really stopping 100 percent of the time. I guess it made me realize that the energy can become the tool we use. We get lazy and want to use a collar that is easy for us and don't realize if we use the simple buckle collar and use it with the appropriate energy, we can control the situation just as if we use a pinch collar.
It was quite a realization. The thing is so many people will use these tools and not realize that their dog is still pulling they are just not feeling it on their end because the collar is absorbing it. Our end of the leash has no tension. Is that working? My dogs collar was positioned correctly, high up on the crown of the neck and I had my leash in proper handle with thumb through the hand loop and gripping with a loose fist on that loop and because it is a 6 foot it was gathered in a second loose loop about a foot and a half from there. My energy relaxed yet focused on my walk I began to walk with more of that connection. I sent messages of trust,love and positivity to my dog, which I read can help build a great connection with your dog. He began to slow down, and focus more on what I expected of him. I was amazed at first. I didn't know if he was tiring out but, he was looking at me more too. I am so glad we let the tension go and started to just work as a team to walk easily together. He wasn't perfect but, the pulling was much less and after I stopped a few times, he remembered he was to be walking with me.
I don't recommend the correction collars for general walking or the harnesses as I think they all are not productive in the heeling and leash walking disciplines. I instead feel if you use a treat to position your dog in the heel position and hold it there for 10 seconds increasing to 1 minute and reward/release your dog will learn heel to be used when you need it. I support the loose leash walking method of walking with a loose leash and if your dog reaches the end of that leash and your arm moves forward out of its natural position you halt. Do not say anything your dog may pull, eventually he will get it and return towards you loosening the leash then you say good, continue walking. After a while name the action I use "close" and he can get the command when he nears the end of the leash and will let up on his speed enough most of the time. Remember that walks are amazingly stimulating for dogs and they are often distracted by the walk, they will need a lot of patience and guidance but, correcting your dog with a swift jerk on their neck doesn't tell them what you want. Often my dog will smell something so exciting and he will begin to pull I don't let him to it if he is pulling but, if I let him pull a few moments and then tell him "leave it" and follow with"close" he is rewarded for the close by my walking over to the sniffy spot and telling him "sniff" I think this reward is great for him because he knows he doesn't need to pull insanely on the leash to get to sniff what he wants because I will allow him to sniff something he wants to sniff if he learns to control his behavior. Self control is a good lesson/behavior for our dogs to have.
I use a long line for swimming, a 6 foot leather leash, if we are going to walk near dogs who my dog may have issue with I use a gentle leader collar, and if we are walking every day I use his buckle rolled leather collar. My hand on the other end always remains relaxed and guiding with as much loving energy as I can.

Potty training! your rug will survive

I remember last year stuggling trying to make sense of all the techniques I was hearing. Then I gave up on papers on the kitchen floor because his bladder should be able to hold for 4 hours until my sister came home to let him out during lunch. He got it. We did this for 3 weeks and had 2 accidents which were probably my missing the potty break timing. I didn't use a crate to train him and I don't think they are cruel. He uses one for naps or if I go out for a few hours and think he needs rest. He uses one if he barks too much especially at night. He goes in on his own to chew a bone or to seek a quiet spot or for dog shows and if my car would fit one big enough for him I would use it to keep him safe while he rides. I don't believe in using a crate for extended periods. Puppies need movement and shouldn't be confined for more than a few hours, definately not day and night. A friend of mine dog sat for 2 full grown dogs who weren't house broken because they were in their crates all day and night unless the people were walking them or after they went out for potty breaks. These dogs went all over her house and she had to have a cleaner come and use enzyme cleaner on all her carpets so her own dogs wouldn't mark over the accidents these visitors had.
You can do better. here's how.
step 1 is finding out your dogs schedule. If she drinks water when she comes back from a walk or after eating or whenever.... how long before she goes potty? same with food and feces
step 2 make a potty/bladder chart.... and get out a timer to remind you when you need to bring her out
step 3 be dilligent... If she doesn't go potty outside when you bring her to the spot, stand there looking bored and wait for 5 minutes... bring her back inside place her on a teather leash attched to you or put her in a crate or in the kitchen/bathroom for 5 minutes and then repeat the outside ruitine.
step 4 Allow yourself enough time so you aren't bringing her out to potty then rushing inside and then leave for the day. Always praise and play after potty for a few minutes then go inside and train for a few moments at least before leaving. Puppies attention spans are short so it doesn't take much to diassociate a task with another. I ran around the yard a few times or tossed the ball 3 times and then went inside and did 2 or 3 mintues of sit/stay/come/down commands until I was ready to go.
step 5 remember to take her out many times a day especially in the beginning and once in the night too. Set and alarm if you don't get up, I get up to go to the bathroom myself and simply took that time to put on a sweater and slippers and jont outdoors to the pee-pee area for a quick minute or 2. I also use the command "empty the tank" and you ready for nigh-nights? during the pre-bedtime potty break. He got the hint and started to empty his bladder before bed.
Things to watch out for. Do not scold your dog for accidents. This is something they did not mean and got confused about. Puppies thrive on any attention and will take negative as well as positive so don't give them the negative if you can help it. Never scold your dog for anything you don't see so if you come home to a mess on your carpet ignore it no matter how hard, it does no good, they don't know why you are yelling at them. Please don't rub their nose in it, it is gross and does nothing productive. trust they will get it and had a set back. get out the enzyme cleaner to get the entire smell out, and forget it was there. and maybe let your dog out a bit more frequently.
They want to do good, they don't want to sit in a smelly urine, poop house and they want to please you. dogs are not doing things to spite or as revenge they don't work that way. readjust schedule and get back on track. If an older dog or a housetrained dog has an accident more than once assume it is a medical condition and call your vet. If left untreated a urinary infection can progress to the bladder and kidneys and can actually be fatal. nip it in the bud. Love your home and your dog and have fun together. Plenty of walks and some people will take the water up after 6pm so they don't get up overnight to pee. An amazing behaviorist and vet Dr Nicholas Dodman of Tufts wrote a book which includes sections on potty training which is put very simply.

Making business!!! and responsible owners

A responsible owner picks up after their dog. Let's face it though we have all been there, you drag yourself out at dawn to walk your dog and then realize oops.."I totally forgot to bring a bag" or you run out when your dog decides they are doing extra poops that morning. What to do? Well, I feel badly and try to cover it or mark it in someway so noone steps in it or anything and then I try to make a detour the next walk and pick it up. There are some who pretend to not see it happening or that their dog is meerly peeing and then they walk off like it is not their concern. It is a health concern really. Your dog may be sick or carrying a virus or a bug and could infect others especially young puppies. It is our responsibilities to keep the neighborhood and trails and parks clean so others don't dictate where we may bring our furry friends. Some apartment buildings and subdivisions won't allow dogs because of irresponsible owners of past.
We can make it better by cleaning up after our dogs and if you have an extra bag leave it at the bag station for others when it is empty. Also if you see an accident that was forgotten pick it up for them as a thank you for someone getting your forgotten one in the past. We can all make a difference positively.
I find the best bags are the newspaper bags and ask coworkers without pets to collect theirs for me then I have ample supply. I try to carry at least 1 extra and leave it at a bag station if it is empty because I know in the past I have gone on the walk and ran out of bags and rerouted to the bag station at the far end of the park and it was out of bags. I was sad because I had to then turn around and go home hopeing to mae it by the kids playground without incident. How embarrassing when others see your forgetfulness.
I am sure we have all gone on a walk on a nice long trail and about a 1/4 mile after the trash our dog decides he has to go. Well we intend on returning the same route and bag the poop up into the bag tie a knot and set it on the side of the trail out of the way. We continue on and then as we go back we pick it up and dispose of it. "oh no, When we get back to the trail head, we forgot to pick it up" I will try to pick up for others here too because my memory is pretty good and I have forgotten a time or 2 in the past. Apparently it is against the law in these parts to even leave it and pick it up later and they will fine you. Probably too many people forgetting or losing where they left it.
I think with a little honor and effort we can all help respect others and enjoy the trails and parks for many years to come. Please talk to your vet about certain vaccinations which would benefit in your area lepto,rattlesnake, bordetella etc. are all ones you may consider.

How amichein bonding makes life balanced

About 6 months back I read a great book. The dog listener, made me aware of amichein bonding techniques. As I started to use these techniques, I discovered how much more balanced my dog was and how our relationship strengthened. He became calm, more confident and began to really trust my leadership without my yelling or forcing him as some so called trainers suggested. It also completely allowed me to trust my own judgement for what I knew was best for both my dog and myself. I read about these success stories and gained confidence in myself as well. If I were to suggest 1 book to read it would be tough because I have read a bunch but, I would choose to recommend "the dog listener" over any other. What upsets me is I started to read it nearly a year before when I first got my dog but, I had to bring it back to the library before I read barely any of it. I think had I read it in its entirety to begin with how much better our start would have been.
I want to outline some of the techniques starting with the one that is the most difficult to do but, makes the most difference in your life. When a pack of wolves seperate and then return to one another they will reestablish the leadership role and read one anothers travel story. The leader doesn't concern his or herself with the others unless they need tending to or protecting so the key when you return from work or from the yard or wherever is to ignore the lower ranking pack members: do not look, touch or talk to them for 5 minutes time.
Come home walk in sit and read the mail or paper or go to the kitchen and fix a snack or a drink whatever you can do. I walk up my stairs and stand by the front window for a few moments and allow my dog to sniff my pants and access where I was etc. then I get a glass of cool drink and sip it for a few minutes while I relax. I know it is hard in the beginning, you love that your dog runs tail wagging to jump in your face and lick or whatever. That behavior is anxious behavior and should be separated from your return. By all means call your dog over after 5 minutes and hug and wag and whatever this does not stop you it only delays the greeting. by calling your dog they will respect your time and your space and still love you but, be in control of themselves not only on your return but while you are gone too.
Some dogs get so anxious awaiting your return they will eat, chew or destroy, dig, rearrange furniture, pee/poop, get on counters, bark non stop, you name it... This technique allows dogs to feel it is no big deal to be on their own because the reunion is no big deal nor is the leaving this means when you leave your house be it for a minute or 6 hours, you say nothing, you get up your stuff and walk out without a word. Believe me after a week you don't even notice this change in your behavior but, you notice a dog who is much calmer and comfortable with your comings and goings.
Some dogs will apparently get really upset in the beginning because they are in charge of your comings and goings and how dare you act like a leader when you didn't earn it. well these other bonding techniques and leadership responsibilities help you with being the leader.
Meal time!!! Leaders eat first, they can eat again after the pack if they want but, definately eat first. This doesn't mean if you don't eat a breakfast that you have to. We introduce gesture eating here. I used dried cranberries some people use a cracker or some nuts but, the idea is you eat a little bit and make it look to be coming out of the dogs bowl. Pour their meal into the bowl then I spit a tiny bit into the bowl, some people use their hands to get the food to smell of the leader. Then you eat your gesture food and bring the dog bowl to the dogs food station. You don't have to give a command but, I practice eye contact with my dog if he breaks the eye contact I lift the bowl back up slightly and represent it repeating the focus command. he then has 5 minutes to be left quietly to eat in peace. If he leaves the room the food is removed until the next meal and he is assumed to be done with this meal. Grazing is not a good idea with dogs because the leader controls food and if you let them eat all day they are in charge.
The barking!!! You can teach your dogs the "quiet" command but, most will do what is called alarm barking or sometimes protection barking. This is when the old lady down the street walks by your house and your dog barks to let you know. You address this in amichein like the wolf leader would. You investigate by going to the window and assessing the situation(sniff, look) and dismiss the action but thank the courtesy. I tap my dog twice on the side and say "good boy, thank you" start to walk away and if you need to follow up with a quiet or that's enough command.if they still don't relinquish control it is because they don't trust your judgement and you may go to the window and leash them up and do a little obedience with them. I found for me that watching the lady walk safely by my house a little longer seems to make him feel safer. Whenever I see him think about barking but chosing to either remain quiet or give a little grrr or buh I praise him for his "quiet" and good quiet. As time goes on he learns to not warn you of the people or dogs or garbage trucks you have already cleared from his responsibility. a couple months back we got neighbors and their dogs barked at anything then because he didn't know why they were barking he started in. Well I released him from being responsible for their alarms and kept telling him, thank you and that's enough and over the past month he only barks about 1 out of 10 times they bark. He doesn't bark at all when the other neighbor dog barks. I found this one hard because if I am in the bathroom brushing my hair and getting ready for work and the alarm barking starts I have to rush to investigate like a responsible leader does. Just remember, never tell your dog "no" for barking or tell them they are silly because it it the little girl or whoever. This gives your dog the idea that you are displeased with their instinct. You can train them to be quiet most of the time but, it isn't fair to expect your dog not to use his voice ever. you try it and see how you like being a mute.
Lastly is the walk. The leader always leads this means go through doors first, on the bed or couch first and you lead during the walk. I don't make my dog heel 100% of the time he sits on the couch with me and sleeps at the foot of my bed but, he knows he must ask for privledges and if he does not he gets none. If we are walking and he pulls to a tree I stop cold and if he doesn't retreat to me he does not get lead to that tree. Yes, it is annoying to stop when pulled but, if you don't you end up on a walk with your arm nearly pulled from your socket and being dragged this way and that which I think is a tad more annoying wouldn't you say. Some people hold their dogs in heel position thinking they are teaching heeling what they are teaching is that you don't care if they are pulling as long as their head remains in heel position. Your dog will get it they do what works and by not giving in to the pulling you make it not work. The dog will be happy to walk near you if you teach them that is the best option. Afterall they are all options really commands are disrespectful and a good leader is followed out of choice and are respected for what they bring to the table.. think of great leaders of our history and ask were they just commanding or were they followed because they were respected.
Respect is usually what we all want and dogs are no different in that value.

protecting you things from the chewy monster

Dogs play by chewing. They relieve boredom by chewing. Dogs need to chew and if you don't provide the things they like to chew on they search out for things which smell of you, their favorite smell. Everyone is different too, some dogs like rawhide and other prefer to gnaw on a smelly cow hoof. You can search and choose many many options to please your dogs palate but remember this. Your dog may like to chew on whatever it is but, he will get bored with it so mix it up with chews he may like and then plug in his favorite on those long days or when he seems a little more rowdy than usual. A teething pup could use a frozen toy, they sell different things you can soak or simply freeze and they chew on. My dog was happy with icecubes when he was teething. *Very important.... hands never get chewed on or waved by dogs mouths like a tease of a toy. This teaches inappropriate chewing behaviors and can actually encourage biting. No lie I took a puppy training class once and we sat in a circle and asked questions. I sat there watching this guy use hand play with his pup and the pup was very mouthy and when it came to his question the guy actually said" my puppy is so mouthy I can't get him to stop" then the instructor explained that he could have chosen a toy to play with the pup and should never use hand play. Hands are for command signals and never go in mouths because it is a respected posession of the leader. Respected items are items we own and if we leave them out like I did my phone and the dog forgets that is ok but, they should drop it (if trained to do so) when told to.
My dog loves bull penis, rawhide, stew "raw" bones and several others. I mix it up with him and usually he will only get chew time during tv time. I get the raw bone out of the freezer and allow him to chew on it for a couple hours and then back it goes. When I leave for work he gets something safer like a bully to chew on while I am away.
If you are like me you are concerned for your things. I don't have really nice things but, I still don't enjoy buying a new pair of running shoes because my dog pulled out the inside and ate part of the tongue or whatever. When I first got my dog he was confined to the kitchen while we were away. We cleared the counters of anything dangerous and when we were home we kept remotes and sunglasses and cellphones, watches, keys and shoes or socks out of reach. We shut the bathroom door to protect roll after roll of toilet paper because it may be cheap but, 10 rolls destroyed in a day can put a damper on funds. We are slowly reintroducing things. The lid on the toilet has been lifted and we introduced a dash of vinegar into the bowl to deter drnking. We still keep the paper in a drawer and the remotes up high but, last week my dog was alone for a full day and I left my closet door open and came home to find he only pulled out a sock onto my bedroom floor. you can get there. Don't be shocked to find accidents. The newspaper torn to shreds when it was left dangling off the kitchen table or the sponge left too close to the edge of the sink in bits. I heard of a man who fell asleep remote on lap and woke up to have no remote only little bits of plastic covering the floor. I personally left my sleeping pup to go check my laundry and I returned to my quite awake dog who was ripping the back off my cellphone the hard way. let me tell you cell phones aren't cheap if you have a contract already and not insurance on it.
My point is dogs chew. It is how they play by themselves. Those without chewy items find their own or some even chew on themselves. don't give your dog 85 stuffed and squeaky toys and leave them to play on their own because chances are... they will chew something instead.
Somethings must be protected like table legs and cords and things. You can buy a spray to spray on those things like bitter apple spray or others. If you do this remember to reapply the spray frequently and to wash up after spraying so you don't transfer the spray onto acceptable toys.
Everyday I set aside time. My time is set aside for play usually after dinned I get out a tug toy or a stuffed item, sometimes a ball. I play with him for 10 or 15 minutes. I switch toys if I want and stop playing when I say. I also set aside time for mental stimulation like training and practicing tricks and games. that is usually short like 5 minutes a couple times each day. I of course set asdie exercise time. I have a very active dog and he loves his long walks, short runs and playing ball in the back yard.
All of those things help with saving your personal items from destruction. Remember never scold a dog for something you didin't just catch him doing. We are talking 5 seconds after the act, anything later the train of thought has shifted. Dogs live in the now and part of that means memory of acts being placed in short term memory bracket. If you ever scold your dog post act it is weakening your relationship and confusing them. Just let it go, I know it seems hard but, if you must just leave the room, never hold a grudge because they didn't mean to ruin your new briefcase. Honestly you have a puppy and should know better than to leave those things out. Dogs chew but, you can decide with a little guidance, what gets chewed and as they get older the chewing gets less and less.

I survived you can too

Last year I could not begin to write about my ordeal of puppyhood. I would go to work and when I came home I would look at my cute little puppy and swear he grew during the several hours apart. I had help. My sister lives with me and was a huge help with caring for him. He had the toys and the classes and a crate. He was just so much hard work between socializing, training, walking and having fun. I gave him everything I had keeping him safe, stopping him from eating my shoes, the remote, plastic bags, you name it. Your know what though, he was totally worth it.
You see I have had many dogs before, when I went to college I got my first dog who was all mine. He was amazing a Collie mix (maybe) from the shelter and he was just all kinds of good. He had energy and would take himself on walks, eat toes of my socks and bark at the neighborhood kids but, I trusted him completely. When he passed away a few years ago of cancer. I was devastated. I was not ready but, when it did come time for another dog I did research,chose the right high energy,smart herding breed for me. I scoured my options and decided I wanted a dog I could watch grow from day one. I missed out on that with my shelter dog and wanted to learn about that part of dog life.
Thanks to my awesome breeder I got to see the puppycam in the whelping box and got to visit him 2 times before I took him home at 9 weeks. I would watch him working his little brain thinking things out and learning. He would get frustrated with me when I couldn't comunicate clearly and he would try to understand.
Now he is a bit over a year and a half and I am thinking that with all the books I have read and all the research and techniques I have picked up I would like to share that with others who may have questions or need help.
I have been giving advise to friends and collegues and contemplating going to school or opening my own consultation business or dog walking service. I know and understand not one method works for all dogs across the board. I learned that from my dog too.
It has been a well travelled road and I hope to learn more from organizing what I share with you regarding my journey.