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!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
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!
Don't lose faith in your pup because the rewards are forthcoming and oh so great!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, September 11, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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.
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.
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