New Year’s Resolution: To Become More Like My Dogs

I really don’t like New Year’s Resolutions because, I think, once we make them we don’t usually adhere to them.  A poll taken in 2007 showed that 78% of those who set New Year’s Resolutions fail.

This year I thought long and hard about it, who can resist a small New Year’s Resolution?   I am pretty confident with whom I am and what I do, but I wondered what would make me a better person?  And, I came to the conclusion I would be a better person if I was more like my dog(s).  That’s right!  I want to be more like my four legged family members and less like the two legged variety.

Let us review some of the traits I would like to better embody.

• Innocence:  Dogs are innocent, like small children.  Even when they make mistakes, they are never made with spite in mind.  I miss the innocence of childhood!
• Vulnerability:  Dogs are vulnerable; they need us and are happy to rely on us humans for their needs.  We all need help sometimes, even though it is hard to admit.
• Kindness:  Our dogs are always kind no matter what mood we are in.  How often are we short tempered?
• Gracious:  My dog never asks me for the new, better dog toy, he is happy with whatever I give him!  We should be thankful for what we have!
• Forgiving:  It doesn’t matter if you just trimmed a nail a little too close or met your dog with a harsh word; he will always forgive you and meet you with a soft kiss and a happy tail wag.  I definitely need to be more forgiving.  Read the rest of this entry »

38 Benefits of Owning A Dog

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In Memoriam to Rex; a One in a Million Dog!

My heart is heavy as I write this article today.  A friend of mine’s dog was hit by a car on Christmas day, and so I wanted to share with you what he has taught me and some of their accomplishments.

We haven’t been friends for long, and we don’t even know each other entirely well, but that is one of his strongest points.  Rex’s dad would befriend anyone willing to just say “Hi”.

Dog sports are very competitive.  At many different types of dog sports I have heard competitor and viewers negatively picking apart each opponent and/or participant and their dog on the field.  But Rex’s dad is always the center of the party and always has nice things to say about everyone.

This negativity is why I hate competition!  80% of my body and mind is devoted to wondering just what kind of horrible things people are saying about both me, my physical appearance, my abilities (or lack thereof) and my dog and how I handle him/her. Although I realize my negative self talk is worse than what anyone could say!

Usually this colossal fear and my feelings that I will never measure up keep me from even stepping foot on any training field.

I am sure this is hard for you, my readers, to understand or even comprehend.  I write informative articles, I am a successful, professional trainer (with a very extensive resume), and I even star in training videos…but I have trouble getting up in front of my peers, until I met Rex and his dad.

He (Rex’s dad) was the very first person who was kind enough to ever work and play with my “Fury” for me and my puppy “Jovi”.  Amidst many naysayers he was the one that told me, if my heart was in it, I could do anything I wanted with my dogs.  Read the rest of this entry »

Working for a Living in Dog Training

So I’ve done it, I have gone and crossed over into the dark side; I entered a competition with my dog Fury the other day!

Now, you first need to understand ME to understand my thinking and why this is extraordinary and a problem for me.

I am clearly not normal.  I hate competition.  Hate may not be a strong enough word; I loathe competition!

I vividly remember being in kindergarten and running my first “real” race.  Apparently I was “super fast” for my age because I was going to cross the line first (this is not a trait that lasted for me) but I hesitated, slowed down and looked back for my friends.  There was a part of me that didn’t want to cross first.

That trait stuck.  Whenever I talk about competing I always share how much I loathe it.  Some of you must wonder; if I despise it so much WHY do I do it?  Because competition bonds me to my dog!

Even though I hated it and I still hate it some of the best times I had were spent training for competitions with my former dog “Mr. Snitch”.  Not necessarily competing, although I have some great memories of our competitions together as well, the training was spectacular time spent together.   We enjoyed every moment of it together because, of course, I worked him with positive reinforcement training and in drive. Read the rest of this entry »

Finding Your Dog’s Motivator

This is another one of those back to basics posts, but it is really crucial to understand!

In order to use positive reinforcement, you have to find your dog’s motivator or motivators.

You must motivate your dog to listen to you.

If you can’t motivate you are, sadly, left with force and coercion.

Motivation is a term that refers to a process that elicits, controls and sustains certain behaviors.   For instance, if you have not eaten and you are hungry; food may be a motivator.

Coercion is the practice of forcing someone or something to behave in a certain manner by the use of threats or some other form of pressure or force.

Typically in dog training these are the types of training we utilize.  You can motivate your dog to listen by building a relationship and finding his motivators or you can use your physicality and force your dog to comply.

I personally like motivating my dog.  Someday, I may be unable due to illness or injury to force my dog to comply and what would happen then if our relationship was based on force?  Even if I am physically able, I just don’t like force or compulsion.  I think that we “thinking” animals should use our minds to control our animals not our physical force.

You need to find your dog’s motivators if you expect to use your mind (and not your body) to control him! Read the rest of this entry »

The Top 7 Reasons I recommend Adopting an Adult Dog

This is a culmination of several articles and information and advice that has been given out by me and many others on several subjects.  Adopting a Shelter Dog   The Working Man’s (or Woman’s) Conundrum in Today’s Dog Ownership   and Why Rescues Make one of the Best Resources When Looking for a New Furry Companion.

All these comments got me to thinking “What is the Best Dog”?  Of course there are too many individualities to know what is best for everyone, but personally when talking to most people, my clients, and even my family; adult dogs usually make the best fit.

I am a puppy lover too Lab puppies, German Shepherd puppies, Boxer puppies and Golden puppies just to name a few, and some day I might write an article about why puppies rock!  But there are so many valid reasons for adding an adult dog to most homes. Read the rest of this entry »

Spreading the Holiday Spirit

I love the holiday season!  I love the smell of Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, fudge and other goodies.  I love eggnog and especially eggnog milkshakes and pancakes!  And, I love that holiday spirit!

But, I hate Christmas shopping!  For some of my family members Christmas shopping is easy, I know their needs and their desires and it is easy to get them the things that they and their families need for the year.

But for some, it is especially difficult!  Even in tough economic times some people really don’t need presents or gifts to set on the shelf and dust or a new hideous seasonal sweater or tie that they will only wear once.

Even when it comes to myself, I sometimes struggle with what to tell others I want or need for the holidays.  So I decided to tell my family to pick from some of my favorite charities and donate in my name or in my honor.

I would much rather have someone donate to help save the Cheetahs, find homes for animals in need, or help needy children rather than send me a hideous sweater or something that needs constant dusting (or in my house “de-furring).

So I figured I would make a plea to you.  For those of you who have those hard to buy for family members please find a charity to make a donation to in their name in honor of the holiday season. Read the rest of this entry »

Free Feeding vs. Meal Feeding the Age Old Debate

This is a seriously heated debate in the dog world!  People get emotional about WHY they think their way is better than the other and I must confess there are good reasons for both.

As devil’s advocate and to make sure I cover both sides before I give my opinion I will cover both ways J

Free Feeding

Pros

• Dogs don’t feel pressure to eat, they know there food will always be there.
• Some dogs (not most) will eat only as much as they need more if they are hungry less when they are not.
• Some say this lessens food aggression (although I am not convinced). Read the rest of this entry »

The Magical Dog Leash Part 2: Finding Heel

If you didn’t catch my last article “The Premise of the Magical Dog Leash” please read it.  In that article I explain WHY flawed thinking and many people’s approach to leash training hasn’t worked.

If you don’t understand WHY things haven’t worked in the past or the common pit falls you won’t be as successful in teaching your dog the appropriate way!

Now it is time to TEACH your dog appropriate leash skills!

What are Appropriate Leash Skills?

Finding Heel Position: Teaching your dog to find heel position on your left side at the drop of a hat on quiet and clear command.

Drive and Focus:  Teaching your dog to play, find you fun, and give you eye contact on command and while you walk and heel past distractions.

Leash Manners: Teaching your dog how long his leash is and NEVER to pull you! Read the rest of this entry »

The Premise of the Magical Dog Leash

There is no such thing as a magical leash, unfortunately.  You cannot simply hook your dog or your puppy up to a leash and expect miracles to happen.  My life would be a lot easier and more profitable if there were such an attachment.

I think when people get a dog they want to slap a leash on and go for a walk, but instead there begins a tug of war usually with the dog winning; and the person and the dog end up totally frustrated and truly unsatisfied with the whole experience.

The problem is that we, as dog owners, don’t take the time or don’t understand that we need to TEACH our dogs what we want and what our expectations are for them when they are on a leash.

As I read through comments to a recent article “Weaning Yourself and Your Dog from Compulsion Dog Training Collars”  and I kept finding myself responding by saying “TEACH your dog what you want” I realized maybe people just don’t understand what I mean or how to do it.

So these are going to be very much back to basics articles.

It is my opinion, from what I see, that we expect to have to teach our dogs to sit, lay down, stay and other various commands but what effort do we put into teaching them about their leashes and what our expectations of them are while they are on it?  Read the rest of this entry »