Calming Cap for Anxious Dogs

I was a little skeptical at first, but this product really works!  Premier's Calming Cap is a spandex material cap that fits over the muzzle and covers the eyes with a "screen" of which the dog can still see through, but with a limited perspective.

It attaches to the collar both under the chin & behind the head.  It is comfortable, light weight and Tucker did not seem to mind wearing it at all.

I put it on him to block his view of everything that sets him off outside of the car on the way to the vet on Saturday.  My hope was that he would be less "revved up" at the vets if he had a relaxing car ride there.  He did great in the car.  Did not react once (which has never happened) and he even laid down for most of the ride.  He never fussed with the cap or tried to take it off.

Having a Chevy Tahoe with Tucker in the far back and me driving it is very difficult to prevent or interupt his reactive behavior.  I am in LOVE with this product!

http://www.premier.com/App_Content/media/calmCap/CalmingCapInstruction0506.pdf

You can purchase it from Cherrybrook Pet Products  as I did for only $12.74!

Counter Surfing

I have been looking for a good video on Counter Surfing / Stealing Food for a while and just stumbled across this one. It is great! Follow step-by-step to achieve wonderful results.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZCIeEUm_n8

Ian Dunbar is a remarkable dog trainer and behaviorist. His approach is innovative and compassionate. Check out his presentation on the link below!

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ian_dunbar_on_dog_friendly_dog_training.html

Click to Calm Book on Clearance!

This is one of my favorite books for reactive dogs!!! Check out this great price!

http://store.clickertraining.com/cltocacolisp.html

NEW! Canine Good Citizen

I have added the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training and test to my list of services. The CGC test is good for all dogs, especially those who like to visit public places, live in close proximity to other dogs & people, dogs who have access to children & the elderly, and for those who just want "proof" that their dog is as good as they think he/she is. For more info visit AKC CGC

Insurance companies have black-listed some breeds of dogs such as Rottweilers, pit bull-type dogs, Dobermans, etc. meaning they will not insure a home with such breeds or will raise the premium. Some insurance companies in certain regions have accepted the CGC certificate as a way to determine a dog is a good citizen and therefore will in fact provide coverage and/or offer a discount. For more information about Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) go to
ASPCA BSL & see if your city or state is listed at Dogs Bite.



For more information on the CGC training and testing, please contact me directly.

Fear-Reactive Dogs

It seems that reactive dogs are becoming more common. Below are some photos with step-by-step instructions to help your reactive dog.

Start by walking parallel at a safe & comfortable distance. Figure out what your dog's threshold is before you begin. 6 ft, 16 ft, 60 feet. This is the distance you can be from the stimuli without the dog reacting. I encourage you to use a clicker and really great treats during this exercise. When ever the dog looks at the other dog, but does not react, simply click the clicker & offer him a treat. The conditioned response is when the dog looks to you for the treat. Over time, your dog will automatically look to you when he sees another dog approaching. Dog approaching means good stuff!!! You will also want to click and treat for any automatic check-ins (dog offers you eye contact or looks to you for permission).

Then do some head-on approaches starting again at a safe distance and then creating a large circle to do a c-curve around the oncoming dog. Ex: You can get within 20 ft of an oncoming dog without your dog reacting, so at 20 feet you then turn to the left slightly and your helper turns to the right slightly and you walk around one another in a big circle. In a situation where one dog is bomb-proof with other dogs, you would then bring the fear-reative dog to greet the bomb-proof helper dog from behind. Allow the fearful dog to sniff the other dogs rear end first. This is how dogs shake hands and is very non-threatening.Finally, allow the dogs to greet one another in a normal canine greeting. You will want to keep leashes loose and remain as calm as you can. The dogs will sense your tension and fear through the leash so you must be relaxed. I like to use Valor and Peace & Calming essential oils when working with dogs who are reactive. You may also apply the oils directly to the dogs. Please note: this may not happen on the first introduction to a new dog or person. Take your time & work SLOWLY to increase the chance of success.

Friends at last!

Finding a Good Dog Trainer

Call me! Just kidding. In all seriousness, it is not always that easy to find a good dog trainer that you can feel 100% comfortable with ALL of their training methods.

I have started working with several new clients in the last month alone that have had problems with other trainers. Some don't even realize anything was wrong until they experience my methods and then they recognize there are alternative ways to train a dog without force & aggression.

There are two basic concepts of training: force-based & positive reinforcement. Within those two categories there are thousands of different approaches and mindsets. For instance, someone may say they are a trainer that uses positive reinforcement, but they still rely on a prong collar to control the dog or there may be a force-based trainer who uses a clicker.

In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, a positive reinforcement trainer uses their brain to create a program using praise, treats, & play to reward a dog for good behavior and ignores most bad behavior. A positive reinforcement trainer works hand-in-hand with the dog's owners to set the dog up to succeed! They should not be using any type of force. Never hitting, slapping, punching, or kicking the dog regardless of pressure.

You should interview a prospective trainer before you hire him/her. Ask for several references and actually call them. Ask the references detailed questions about what the trainer's methods & results were. I will also caution you to be wary of references given by vets & local pet stores. They may be great, but don't just assume they are because your vet is referring them. Any trainer can walk into a vet's office or pet supply store and leave their cards behind without the vet or store owner ever experiencing the training for themselves.

Go with your gut! If you don't think something is right, don't do it. If a particular method seems to be hurting your dog...it probably is & you should stop immediately!!!

Sussex County Dog Walking Group

Looking for a Fun Activity to do with your Dog?

Is your dog driving your crazy because he is not getting enough exercise?

Then this group is for YOU!!!

We will meet once a week at one of our beautiful recreation areas in Sussex County, NJ including fun trails, waterfalls, lakes, & rivers!

Dogs of all ages & breeds are welcome!

This is a great way to get in shape, meet other dog lovers, socialize young puppies, and enjoy nature!

Reactive dogs are also welcome. I will help you manage the reactivity level so that everyone is comfortable especially the dogs!

Training suggestions will be offered during the walk!

Sign up at
Sussex County Dog Walking Group

Holistic Dog Training: A Kinder Approach

The fall edition of MARCI is ready! The entire edition is all about PETS!!!! Check out my recent article at MARCI Magazine.

Targeting

Teaching a dog to target an object such as your hand is a great way to get your dog focused on you, increase his confidence, and have a lot of fun in the process! I teach my dogs to target my open palm at a very close distance, then when I'm teaching them a basic recall...I say the dog's name, HERE, and hold my hand out to the side. It works every time! Sometimes when the dogs are preoccupied by what they are doing a simple voice command doesn't work (in other words...I need to practice with them more), but once I hold my hand out and say HERE one more time, they dash to me as quick as can be and tap their nose on my palm. It works like a charm.
Hand targeting is great for multi-dog households as well. You can teach dog #1 to target your right hand and dog #2 to target your left hand. When each dog taps it's nose to your open palm, say his name, click, & treat. This gives you the ability to get the dogs to come to you each to their own hand so there is no worry of the dogs fighting over what is in your hand because they will only go to the hand that has been designated 'their hand'. This is also a great way to teach dogs to mind their manners and not reach over to steal a treat or toy being offered to another dog in the house.
You can get fancy and have the dog target a piece of paper (to start) with their nose. Then you can tape the paper to the wall next to a light switch and have the dog continue to target the piece of paper on the wall. Then make the piece of paper smaller and tape it to the light switch. Before you know it you can add a command to the task and your dog can turn the lights on and off. You could use the same methods to get the dog to retrieve the phone when it rings, ring a bell to go outside, open a door, etc.

In the month of May I am teaming up with Noah's Ark Animal Welfare Association to promote positive reinforcement dog training and dog adoption. I will be donating 15% of proceeds from dog training sessions when this promotion is mentioned and the client signs up for a minimum of 4 private training sessions. This is a great way to promote adoptions, but is not limited to dogs adopted from Noah's Ark. Please spread the word and ADOPT!!! There are lots of great dogs waiting in shelters & their time is running out!

Sibling Rivilry

I have considered myself very lucky. For the most part, all of my dogs have always gotten along. That’s not to say that a little squabble won’t break out occasionally over food, but it is always easily resolved. We make sure to do our best to not create unnecessary animosity between the dogs. The dogs only receive precious raw bones when each is in it’s own crate. They also eat their meals in different areas as to not provoke any sort of competition over resources.
When a fight does occur between two resident dogs it can be very scary and the future may seem uncertain. If you have children in the house, this creates even more concern. Some are nothing more then minor arguments while others can be very dangerous to both the dogs and people in the house.
Dogs may engage in arguments over anything from one dog being too pushy going through the doorway to vying for the attention of their favorite person. First, the reason for the disagreement must be established and then training can begin to teach the dog that his behavior is not necessary.
If you have two dogs that fight over eating their daily meals...you can simply feed them in separate rooms which will certainly eliminate the opportunity for the fight. It will likely reduce the anxiety that one or both dogs are experiencing in anticipation of a fight so that they can both enjoy their meals in peace. If it is impossible to feed them separately and the dogs are causing bodily harm to one another, you can feed one or more dogs in a crate.
If your dogs are not trying to tear each other apart while eating...you can teach them impulse control by training each one individually to sit and wait until you release them by name to eat their food. I still would not feed them side by side, but this will make it more manageable to feed them in the same room. It is also important to teach a “leave it” command in case food drops on the floor while both dogs are present.
If you are going to share your life with more than one dog at a time it is absolutely essential that each dog knows it’s name and have a good recall meaning that when you say the dog’s name & come, the dog responds immediately without thinking. All too often, we let our dogs get away with the response “I’ll be with you in a minute” and they continue to play with their house mate. It is not up to your dog to decide when they are done playing...it is your decision and it needs to be respected.
I like to train each dog who comes into the house to target my hand. I simply hold my hand out in front of the dog and wait for the dog to tap my hand with his nose...then I click and treat. In a multi-dog household I will start to add the dog’s name after a few minutes of repeated taps. Over time the dog learns when it hears it’s name and sees my hand held out it will automatically come running and touch it’s nose to my hand. This is especially helpful when you have two dogs that are engaging in play or are about to escalate it to something more and you say each of their names and they each run to their designated hands which automatically separates them and you once again regain control.
Another important aspect of impulse control is a solid sit / wait. Dogs often get into fights when racing one another through the door. If you teach your dog a sit / wait and then release each dog by name, then one dog at a time will go through the door and you eliminate the opportunity for a fight to break out.
Finally, everyone in the house must learn how to read canine body language. Some great illustrations can be found at ASPCA Canine Body Language to dispel the myths and help you understand what your dog is trying to tell you.
Once you feel confident that you can call your dog successfully out of just about any situation, you can detect when a situation might be about to occur, and you can reduce or eliminate the anxiety your dog is experiencing, you will be on your way to a fight-free household. Don’t forget that your dog can easily pick up on your stress. So while you may think you are cool as a cucumber...your dog knows better. Take a couple deep breaths and remember what you have been working on. When you exude confidence your dog will turn the leadership role over to you and you should be able to restore peace in your pack.

What Is This???

This is a video of Tyson's nightly teeth cleaning session. I look at it and think that Tucker is showing submission to Tyson, but then again it could be a calming signal, however Tyson is sleeping soundly until Tucker starts licking, so Tyson is not openly acting stressed. As you can see Tyson gets a little annoyed and Tucker offers a calming signal in way of a head turn and then he goes back to work. What do you think is going on here?

Giving Your Dog a Place to Stay

This exercise comes in handy when you are eating dinner and you don’t want the dog to beg at the table. You will give him “place” or “bed” command and he will go to his bed and lay down.

To break it down, first you start with the dog’s bed or mat. Sit near the bed and toss a treat on the bed. When the dog touches the bed even if it is just his mouth to eat the treat you will click. His reward following the click is the treat off the bed. Repeat several times.

Then you will want to build up to the dog standing, then sitting and then laying on the bed (which you will most likely have to give the down command for him to comply).

You will add the command when he is on the bed and is staying on the bed for more than a few seconds.

Then you will start to add in “stay”. Take one step away from the dog on the bed, return to dog, click and treat. Slowly increase the amount of steps and the amount of time before returning to the dog. When your dog is very reliable, step out of the room and return back immediately to the dog, click and treat. Remember to release the dog before he releases himself from the stay position.

If your dog breaks the stay, just ignore it. Return the dog to the mat and start again.

Shaping Success!

Last fall I took Brandan to a Free Shaping workshop with Pam Dennison for two days. I wanted to do something that was outside my comfort zone. I had always thought that Free Shaping was all about teaching a dog to do tricks (which I had never really been drawn to). I am always looking for new things to offer my training clients, so I thought why not.
Long story short...It was a BLAST & I found a new training style that I now use in my every day training of basic obedience & behavior modification. First of all, Brandan loved it. He was so proud of himself as was I. I taught him to "take a bow", ride a skateboard, wipe his paws, and roll over & play dead.
In the months to follow my daughter actually recognized how happy Brandan was to have learned these new 'tricks'. She said, "Brandan seems so happy since you took him to that training seminar...he wags his tail more and looks like he is smiling" and she was right.
Now I use Free Shaping to teach a dog to drop an item, fetch a frisbee, roll over for examination, clip his nails, retrieve a particular item, go to place, etc. I rarely ever lure a dog into position any more. There is just no reason to. It is so much more fun to let the dog really think about the task and sit back and watch him figure out exactly what it is you want from him. It is very gratifying.

REACTIVE ROVER - Part I

The most complaints I receive as a dog trainer are those about dogs who are reactive on-leash. Why is this? I think it a combination of things that have made this such a problem for so many dog owners.

1. Dogs are not given proper socialization during the crucial period of 5-12 weeks of age to other dogs, animals, and people of all ages.

2. Dogs with unstable temperaments are being breed rapidly in puppy mills across the U.S. and are then sold to unsuspecting people with little dog experience.

3. Dogs in shelters often spend a long time in a kennel surrounded by other dogs that they can see, smell, and hear, but can't get to which causes an unbelievable amount of stress and frustration. This is the leading cause of barrier frustration when a dog is restricted for long periods of time to get to what they want and be able to perform normal doggie greeting behaviors.

4. People do not spend enough time training their cute little puppies and then they wonder why when the dog is 1 1/2 years old it is acting in unacceptable ways and it is much more difficult to reverse these behaviors given all the time they have had to practice.

5. People unconsciously cause this reactive behavior by putting choke chains, electric shock collars, and prong collars on their dogs and then yanking them or worse yet shocking them when the dog pulls towards another dog (naturally wanting to greet). Over time, this leads dogs to believe that approaching dogs cause them pain and therefore they begin to react before the punishment is given to prevent the pain.

So what can you do if one of the above has lead to your dog being a reactive rover?

1. Throw out the choke chains, prong collars & shock collars!!!

2. Teach your dog to focus on you starting inside your home with little to no distractions and then slowly start to add distractions at a distance.

3. Start a counter-conditioning & desensitization program right away (more to come).

4. Set your dog up to succeed by having as many positive interactions with others as possible.

5. Get your most valuable treats out for this one. Your everyday biscuits just won't do. I'm talking chicken, liver, cheddar cheese, etc.

Introducing Tucker!

I've been keeping Tucker a bit of a secret from the blogging community. About 2 months ago I received a call from a woman who said her son needed to re-home his Rottweiler puppy. Given our full house...I was going to refer her to a Rottweiler rescue until she said his name was Guinness. When I said the name out loud my wonderful dog-loving husband said "where is he...let's go pick him up" and so we did. No thought, no planning, we just drove to the apartment and met this little pup who was 4 1/2 months at the time. Like many people who don't always put a tremendous amount of thought into buying a puppy for the first time, this young couple with two small children were overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising a strong-minded puppy. I don't blame them...they didn't know any better...but I do blame the many puppy mills out there that have no concern for the temperament of the dogs they are breeding and no worries about where they end up. Tucker is a product of a puppy mill and to no fault of his own has some serious behavior issues. Unfortunately, the couple who purchased him did not have any experience with dogs, especially not that of an assertive, must-have-it-his-way puppy. So once again I find myself down a path of behavior modification with yet another Rottweiler named Guinness. Out of respect and memory for our beloved Guinness (who has been gone for 2 years now), we have renamed the puppy Tucker. Let the fun begin!

Dog Parks - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

There are good and bad dog parks out there. The dog park we go to from time to time is one of the better ones. There are 8 acres of wide open space. There is a smaller pen for small dogs, there are signs when you enter that instruct you to remove the dog’s leash in the entry pen prior to entering the play yard and there are plastic bags provided to help influence you to pick up after your dogs. Pretty basic instructions, yet I am continually amazed at how many people do not follow these simple directions.
Many people have the misconceived notion that if they leave the leash on the dog they will have "control" over the situation. I’ve heard a man say "my dog doesn’t really get along with other dogs", so he put him in the very uncomfortable position of being on leash while all the other dogs are running circles around him. Why would you bring a dog to the dog park who doesn’t like other dogs? One of the last times I was there, a man was walking a Rottweiler on leash to the center of the park. As I watched from a distance I could see the dog stiffening more and more. The dog continued to receive a leash correction from the owner every time he would pull towards another dog to play mistaking it for aggressive behavior. I could not watch anymore as I knew what was about to happen, so I approached the owner and offered him my suggestion of releasing the dog. He said he was just "easing the dog into a new situation" and reluctantly listened to me. The dog went on to play very nicely with the other dogs. It is these kinds of situations that set the stage for dog fights. Most dogs unless genetically predisposed or trained to, would rather be friendly or ignore other dogs rather than engage in a squabble. When a dog is confined to a leash, it knows it has limited boundaries to work within. If it feels threatened, the dog will react in a fight or flight response. If the dog can not flee due to the leash, it is likely to turn to fight mode within a matter of seconds.
On the other hand...dog parks can provide a great place to exercise, socialize and play fun games with your dog(s) and meet other dog lovers in your neighborhood. I suggest visiting your local dog park for the first time without your dog to simply observe the setting. Watch how the people are monitoring their dogs. Are they all clustered by the entrance while the dogs are a mile away or are the people spread out interacting with the dogs? Are kids using the agility equipment intended for the dogs? If a fight breaks out, how is it handled?
I prefer to go when only a few people are there. You know when it is 20 degrees and snowing your are sharing the park with true dog people who have at least a little knowledge about dog-to-dog interactions.

Prong Collars

I had a training table at an event last weekend for a local animal shelter. I was one of three dog trainers with tables, however I was the only positive trainer. I was truely horrified at the number of dogs including the dogs owned by the two other trainers that were wearing prong collars. I'm not just talking about the big, powerful Rottweilers & Shepherds, but the Standard Poodles, Australian Shepherds, Collies, and smaller breed & mixed breed dogs. One couple paraded their three German Shepherds around the "circle" of vendors and attendees for hours constantly jerking on the prong collars to keep the dogs within inches of them. The poor dogs could not look at another dog let alone interact. What is the point of bringing your dog to a "dog-friendly" event if you don't plan to let your dogs partake in the fun? These dogs were shutting down right in front of me. Their body language was screaming for help. I wanted nothing more than to say something to these people and I should have...but I didn't want to make a scene.
Prong collars are proven to cause and increase aggression in dogs. Before I knew any better I used a prong collar on my Rottweiler per the advice of multiple dog trainers beginning when she was 6 months old. I hated to do it, but the "professionals" were telling me I needed to in order to have control over my dog. From a very young age she learned that when other dogs would approach and pass her on the street, she would get a yank of the collar around her neck to prevent her from going to greet these dogs. It didn't take long for her to learn that dogs approaching meant she would feel pain and naturally the dog caused the pain in her mind. She became extremely reactive to all dogs outside the house. Even if we were in the car and she saw another dog walking down the street she would go crazy. I was able to help her through Counter Conditioning & Desensitization, but I was always on guard and managing her. I totally blame myself for allowing this and even causing this to happen to her and would never want to be responsible for that again.
Prong collars may be an easy, inexpensive way to get your dogs "under control" and may assist in walking dogs more easily, but at what price to the dog? I highly recommend using harnesses in place of prong or choke collars. If you dog is alreay reactive to other dogs/people seek the advice of a positive reinforcement trainer...don't add pain to the dog's existing fears & anxieties.

Trick Not Treat

I’ve never really like Halloween, even as a child. All the people dressed up in weird and sometimes scary costumes hiding their true identity. It just rubs me the wrong way. So how do you think our canine friends perceive all the ghosts and ghouls? Many costumes can be down right scary to a dog, even the most social hound can be put off by a mummy. Just the idea of the door bell ringing over and over or the constant knocks at the door brings images of dogs that are so totally stressed. The best thing to do this Halloween is give your dog a tasty bone or Kong stuffed with something really yummy and close them in a bedroom, study, crate or other safe place away from the busy front door. Put a T.V. or some music on for them to drown out the noise of screaming children and ringing doorbells. Even dogs with the best temperament around children should be carefully supervised when costumes and candy are present. A stressed dog reacts in ways he otherwise would not and we all know that candy and dogs don’t mix. And let's talk about all those doggie Halloween costume contests...I’m not saying you shouldn’t dress your dog up in some silly outfit, but be sure your dog is not miserable. Most dogs do not like to be confined and most do not like wearing hats or “things” around their heads/faces. If your dog is the exception to the rule then have at it, but be sure it is what your dog wants, not just what you want.

Does this dog look happy?