How Do I Get My Dog From Running Out The Door

Every time I try to leave through the door to the garage, Wolfie is always at my feet trying to get out ahead of me.  Many times I have to get to work and sometimes I am late because I have to try and catch him and put him in another room so I can leave.  There must be a better way!

Dogs running out an open door is a very common and really annoying problem that many dog owners face every day.  It is a big problem because is gets us mad (and we dont need that in todays world), hampers our relationship with "our best friend", and poses a safety risk for Wolfie.  So, what is going on here?

As a trainer, I always tell my clients to check out the world through Wolfies eyes.  Wolfie watches our body language to constantly try and get clues as to what we are saying and what we are allowing him to do.  A large part of body language is posture and one of the key factors of that is whether we are facing Wolfie or if we have our back to Wolfie.

When we face Wolfie, we are in a dominant stance.  We are telling him that we are in charge of the room.  He needs to watch us and wait for our commands telling him what to do.  When we show our back to Wolfie, we are telling him that we are submissive and even playful.  Wolfie can take this as a "follow the leader" game, chase after us and pass us (out the door).

With this in mind, lets get an idea of what Wolfie is seeing when we go to the door to the garage.  Normally, we say "goodbye" to Wolfie.  We are facing him at this point.  We pick up our keys, coins, etc., and then walk to the door.  Guess what?  We now show Wolfie our back.  We are now in a submissive, play mode.  We are telling Wolfie that we are no longer in charge so he doesnt have to obey and respect us.  We are also asking Wolfie to play.  No wonder he isnt listening to us and running out the door.  So, what do we do?

We need to let Wolfie know that we are in charge as we are leaving.  We do this by facing him and backing up to the door.  As soon as he starts to move towards the door, tell him "no" in a very low voice and hold our hand out like a policeman telling a car to stop.  Slowly back up to the door so that your movement does not generate any adrenaline in Wolfie.

Open the door slowly, continuing to face him.  Correct him again if he begins to move towards you.  Now, step through the door and close it slightly.  In a high voice, tell him "good boy" as you finish closing the door.

What you have done is to use the body language Wolfie is expecting from a good leader to clearly communicate to him what is right and wrong.  Your actions were simple and consistent.  Practice this for about two or three weeks and Wolfie will understand that your leaving through the door to the garage is not a game.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Keeping My Dog Safe From Poisons

With the kids (and me), there are always things left around the house that our dog might get into.  What are the things that I should watch out for to protect him?  I don’t want something that I left out after the game to make my doggie sick…

All dogs, but especially young dogs, are naturally curious creatures.  This is why we advise dog owners not only to know and be vigilant about potential poisons in and around the home, but also to learn to recognize the signs indicating a dog has eaten something poisonous, and then know what actions to take.  Just because something is safe for people to eat doesnt necessarily mean it is safe for our dogs to eat.

By following these tips, you can help protect your dog from accidental poisoning:

• Toxic foods include chocolate, avocado, onions, garlic, raisins, grapes, alcoholic and caffeinated drinks, macadamia nuts, and chewing gum or candy containing xylitol (a sweetener that is safe for humans but toxic for dogs).
• Serious danger to pets continues from antifreeze/coolant, even though animal-friendly products-made with propylene glycol, not ethylene glycol-are now available.  Always wipe up antifreeze leaks or spills of any size. Pets are attracted to the sweet taste and can die from kidney failure if they ingest even a small amount of this highly toxic substance.
• Store poisonous baits used to rid your home of pests (rodents, snails, insects, etc.) in places that your dog cannot access.  Like antifreeze, some baits smell sweet but are very toxic to pets, causing severe internal bleeding.
• Keep pets away from common household cleaners (the fumes can be noxious) and heavy metals (such as lead) found in paint chips and linoleum.
• Consult with your veterinarian before giving your dog any vitamin, herbal supplement or medication made for humans.  Even small doses of medications of any kind-whether for humans or pets-can be lethal to pets.  Keep all medicines well out of your dogs reach.
• Many plants-even dead or dried-are toxic to pets. Whatever part of the plant may be dangerous (leaves, fruit, seeds), learn about the types of toxic plants that may grow in your home and surroundings (both cultivated and wild), and keep your pets away from them or remove them entirely.
• Keep your pets off lawns or gardens that have been treated with fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides.  If your dog has walked on treated lawns, wipe his feet clean as soon as you get home to avoid the possibility of him licking his paws and ingesting the poison.  Store all such chemicals in places your pet cant reach.
• Other toxic substances found outside include mushrooms and garden mulch.
•  Ask your veterinarian for a detailed list of all potentially poisonous items, substances and plants found around your home. 

Possible Symptoms of Poisoning (Toxicity) in Your Pet:

• Vomiting/upset stomach
• Labored OR shallow breathing
• Drooling
• Increased OR decreased heart rate
• Fever
• Hyperactivity OR sluggishness/lethargy
• Increased thirst OR lack of thirst or hunger
• Dilated pupils
• Stumbling or staggering
• Seizures or tremors
• Loss of consciousness

If you think your dog has ingested a dangerous substance contact your veterinarian or local animal hospital immediately.  If you are advised to bring the dog into the clinic, be sure to take along the packaging of the suspected substance or a sample of the plant you think your dog may have eaten. This can help the veterinarian know how best to treat your pet.  For more information or clarification, please contact us at Great South Florida Dog Trainers.

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Dog Training Information from Sunrise Florida about Bike Safety

When You Ride Your Bike

I was up in Sunrise yesterday with a new dog training client and her Boxer who had a jumping problem and loved to run out the front door.  We resolved those problems pretty quickly and I was finishing up the lesson and planning what we would to at the next lesson and when we would return.  She had another dog issue that didn’t refer to her Boxer.  

She loved to ride her bike around the neighborhood but the local dogs loved to chase and bark at her.  She could never get in a full bike ride because of all these doggie distractions.  I mentioned that I had worked on this issue years ago and came up with some very interesting observations and suggestions for bike riders and “dog chasers”… 

Dogs love to play "tag, you are it".  In fact, this is one of the natural submissive/dominance that they naturally play as puppies to learn proper canine socialization.  When we ride past dogs on our bikes, they chase us, and we speed up, we are encouraging the idea of "tag, you are it". Here are some suggestions:

• When you are biking towards a dog or a group of dogs, slow down to a "crawl". Peddle as little as possible. Look straight ahead and move past them in a very slow, deliberate manner. The dogs should read your "non adrenalized and uninterested body language" as "I dont want to play" and ignore you completely.
• If the dog or dogs begin to chase after you, slow down and come to a stop. As soon as you have stopped moving, you have taken away the "I want to play" language from your movements. The dogs will normally slow down and approach you in a non interested manner.  They might be wagging their tails and give off a few “hello” barks.  Stand still and don’t stare at them.  They should quickly turn around and go back to where they came from.  (No fun here.)
• If the dog(s) approach you in an aggressive manner (jumping, showing their teeth, assertive barking), stop and get off your bike. Place your bike between you and the dog(s).    Do not make any sudden moves that would encourage or stimulate adrenaline in the dog(s).  Slowly back away, continuing to show an uninteresting distraction.  The dog(s) should loose interest in two to three minutes and leave.
• I have ridden my bike past a large number of dogs and have used these techniques and my bike rides have always been enjoyable.

For more information about bike ride suggestions with dogs or general dog training, please call us at (954) 424-0170 or The Best Dog Trainers in Sunrise and South Florida.

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Should I Let Wolfie Walk Without A Leash

I see other people walking their dogs on the street with no leash.  I am thinking about walking Wolfie without a leash.  How do you do that and is that a good idea?

You might get an idea of my answer by looking at the picture above.  The reason that I am on this subject today is because of a consultation I had with one of our clients this morning.  She told me that she would often let her dog off leash in the front yard.  Things were normally fine, but this morning her dog suddenly took off down the street chasing a truck.  Luckily there wasnt any other traffic at the time and she finally could get her dog back about a block away with the help of a neighbor.  

"This kind of thing has never happened before", she told me.  "He plays next door with the neighbor dog and I can play fetch with him at the park across the street and he always walks right back into the house after me when we are done.  He has seen trucks before and he has never gone after them in the past." 

To cut to the chase, we do not condone having dogs off leash at any time.  The reason is that the real world is full of thousands of distractions that will engage Wolfie.  Since we cant plan and train for each of these unique distractions, we cant unequivocally state that Wolfie wont take off down the street. Since we cant guarantee Wolfies safety, we strongly encourage our clients to always have their dogs on a leash when outside.

We live in South Florida where things are always busy with trucks, crazy drivers, bikes, motorcycles, golf carts, joggers, and a whole bunch of other things.  Now, if you lived in the country or a small town, I would probably answer this blog in a different way.  The reason is that there are far fewer distractions that we have to deal with.  But, this is a topic for a future blog.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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How to Safely Deter Wolfie from Chewing Nipping Mouthing etc

Wolfie just had some surgery and the Vet told me that he isnt allowed to lick or chew at his stitches.  I tried that funny "cone collar thing", but it just drives him nuts.  What else can I do that I can keep on him, protect the stitches, and not drive him nuts? 

We recommend the Italian Basket Muzzle.  "Muzzle!  Muzzle! Are you nuts?!  I would never muzzle my dog!"  I can hear some of you saying that right now.  That is because most people are only familiar with the standard nylon dog muzzle.  This muzzle covers the dogs nose like a straight jacket.  The dog can barely pant, bark, drink water, etc.  If left on too long in a warm environment, it can cause the dog to overheat, dehydrate, and possibly die.

The only thing in common between the nylon dog muzzle and Italian Basket Muzzle is that they both have the word "muzzle" in their names.  The Italian Basket Muzzle does not constrain the dogs nose in any way.  He can still pant, bark, drink water, etc.  The only thing he cant do is to use his mouth to nip or bite.  The only places the muzzle actually touches the dog is at the crown of his nose where a soft leather strip positions the muzzle on the nose and at the back of the neck where a fitted strap holds the muzzle in place.  Most Canine Professionals actively acknowledge the Italian Basket Muzzle as the most humane way to teach and deter a dog from nipping, chewing, and biting.

So, how do you use it?  

• First make sure that it fits properly and that your dog cant easily "paw it off".  It should be snug without your dogs nose touching the end of the muzzle.
• Now, start to socialize your dog with the muzzle.  Put it on for short periods of time while you also have him attached to a leash.  As soon as he starts to go for the muzzle, give a slight tug on the leash and tell him no.
• You can also put a little goodie inside the muzzle to redirect his attention as it is going on.
• Do not make a big deal about the muzzle.  Your dog should become aware that it is just another part of life.
• Extend the time your dog wears the muzzle until he becomes used to it.  This is the same way that us "glasses wearers" got used to wearing our first pair of glasses so long ago.

Bingo!  You now have solved your "stitches problem".  As you can see, this tool is also valuable with any issue where you have a nipping, biting, or chewing issue.  The great thing about the Italian Basket Muzzle is that it allows your dog to do everything he wants, except to nip, bite, or chew.

Please understand that this is a tool only.  Some biting, chewing, or nipping issues will also require the assistance of a qualified training professional to ultimately resolve the issue.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Jade and the Firemen

So, I was very excited about getting to take Jade to the firehouse to do some training with the firemen there, but wasnt sure how the firemen would respond to this request.  The trainer and I werent sure how they would respond to our request to assist Jade with her training, or whether they would at all.

So yesterday came the day.  My trainer met Jade and I at the firehouse, station 13, to be precise. Its a very small station, and didnt seem too busy; and its right down the street from my house! So Jade and I decided since it was such a nice day that we would ride my scooter down there to meet the trainer.  It was a very nice day and the sun was blazing, but I think had we realized  how hot it really was, we wouldve taken the car.  Whew! I got sunburned.

We met the trainer there in the parking lot and briefly went over how we could present this request to the firemen, excuse me, fire people, inside.  (Women are fire people too). My trainer would introduce us and talk about what we are doing, and we would take it from there.  I have to say we were both pleasantly surprised at how well the firemen/women responded to our request, and felt VERY welcomed!

Before ringing the doorbell to the firehouse, my trainer said, "We better let Jade stay out here with you while I talk to them because she might get fearful at just going right in too quickly.  We dont want her to get over threshold and then she wont respond to training."  Good point! Jade was on the scooter with me (she loves to ride on that thing with me!) and we waiting while the trainer rang the doorbell.

A couple of firemen came to the door and opened it.  The trainer began telling them why we were there.  They nodded their heads, and one of them said, "wow, ok!"  They invited us in, and were so extremely nice and very responsive! We explained that Jade was very fearful of men in uniform and I was very uncomfortable with this because there may come another time that I need help and need the paramedics/firemen/police to respond to my residence, and they wont be able to get passed Jade to help me, due to her fear.  So we want to help Jade get over her fear of people in uniform, specifically men, so that when I need help, I can receive it. As of now, I told them, if I start to spasm and fall, and cant get up, Jade will run to get the phone for me, and come lay next to me until help arrives.  The problem is, that when help arrives, she wont let them get to me.  NO good! We explained that we were from a training organization here in town and also would like them to come to the organization and give a class on how they respond to calls for help, and how they handle dogs at the residence, precisely service dogs.  They were very responsive to that as well.

I was very pleased how they handled Jade.  As soon as we went into the firehouse, Jade became nervous.  She stared at the firemen/women, with her ears up high and her body tense, and started to growl and bark a little bit.  We quickly stopped her by handing my bag of treats to one of the firemen, who took them and tossed Jade a treat.  They asked us, "Would you like us to put on our complete gear or are these uniforms good enough?" We asked them if they could maybe put their helmets on too. They said, "Sure, absolutely," and went to fetch their helmets and some of their gear.  I was so happy! I had to coax Jade off of the scooter, and the fireman tossed treats and Jade came closer to him and got them off the floor.  In seconds, Jade was eating out of the firemans hand.  The firemen/women were all standing around talking about Jade, and calling her over to smell them, and squatting down so she could smell their helmets. They took Jade around the firehouse and showed her all of their gear and uniforms and boots, and Jade sniffed liked crazy.  She ran happily around the firehouse with them, following the treats, and stopping to sniff different things, then she would circle around and run back to me, making sure I was ok, and then run back to them. She relaxed, her tail started wagging and she had a smile on her face! The firemen/women petted her, and ran with her around the firehouse, they played with her, and she gave them kisses! I was amazed!

This went on for about 25-30 minutes, then one of the firemen said, "Shes really doing great now!" We agreed! Then he said, "The tough part is gonna be when we show up at your house for a call, because thats when they get really territorial." We agreed! So then my trainer asked, "We were wondering if one of you, or a few of you would actually be willing to come by her house and practice a little with this, just to get her used to having you respond to a call?" I cringed, thinking theres no way their gonna do that. Then one of them said, "No ones ever asked us that before, but I dont see why not." Wow! The firemen/women looked at each other and said, "Yeah, sure we can come by," and asked where I lived.  They asked for my address and phone number and I happily gave it to them. They said, "Lets make an appointment, were usually not too busy in the afternoon, at this time...unless we get a call, but its usually slow." They made an appointment with me, to come by my house next week, same time, and I was ecstatic!!! I couldnt believe how helpful these people were!!!! This is GREAT, I was thinking! My trainer was very pleased. She also asked them about coming to the training organization and doing a brief training there with the trainees and their dogs, letting the dogs get used to their smell and their gear. They thought that was a great idea! I think we started something wonderful!

So we decided on a date and time, and they seemed happy to do this! They took down my address and phone number, and the fireman said, "I have your phone number just in case we do get a call, I will call you and let you know."  I was truly amazed that they were so helpful and willing to come by my house even to help with this.  I asked them if they have a lot of trouble with dogs when they go on a call, and they all nodded.  I think they see this training as a way of helping them too; a way to help them learn how to deal with dogs when responding to a call. One of the firemen explained how they deal with dogs, saying, "Well, some of them are scared and do a lot of barking, but they dont approach us, so we just carry on....others are just plain aggressive and we just put our bags in front of us and go for it....we gotta do our jobs....we sometimes have one of the guys catch the dog and put it in a room or outside....whatever we have to do to help someone.  We sometimes have to save dogs from fires and sometimes theyre not easy to save...we have to just throw blankets over them and grab them." While he was talking he was squatted down and giving Jade a scratch on the head and back, and she was loving it! She was sniffing his helmet and giving him kisses!  I was so glad to be having this conversation with the firemen/women!

One of the firemen said, "Lets do some work on you and see how Jade reacts." So they pulled out the blood pressure machine and the pulse machine and started taking my blood pressure and my pulse, with their helmets on.  Jade came over and sniffed their hands while they worked, and she watched me to see if I was okay.  Her ears were up again, but she was fine! She watched, and then the trainer gave her a few treats. The fireman said, "Your pulse is high, take a few deep breaths, and he laughed." I was so happy, thats probably why! We all laughed a little, and the fireman told us about their dog that they have working with them sometimes.  "Hes a sniffing dog," they explained.  "He doesnt get food unless he sniffs something out for us." We talked a little more, then suddenly a lady came over the loud speaker and they all started scrambling about.  "We gotta go, got a call, but well see you next week at your house!" I put Jade back on the scooter as the large garage door started going up and they jumped in the truck.  They pulled away and the sirens came on.  Jades ears were up and she watched intently, but she did great!

My trainer and I stayed outside talking a bit about the experience after they left, and we were both SO pleased about how it went! We were very grateful for their willingness to help, and could hardly believe their willingness to come by my house and practice some more training! This was great!!! We talked more about having them come to the class and do some training there.  My trainer will be here as well when the firemen/women come over next week and well see how that goes! Im so excited about this! This is great stuff!

Stupid me! I didnt think to take any photos! I want some photos of Jade with the firemen! Im so glad Ill have another chance to do that when they come to my house next week.  I hope it works out and they dont get a call they have to go to instead.  Im hoping that even if they do, they will still be able to come by afterward.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

Another thing the firemen told me is that its a good idea to post a little sign, or sticker on your door, or window stating that there is a Service Dog Inside the house.  The firemen, and police really take heed to those stickers, and if you write that its a service dog, even though the dog may act frightened or even aggressive, they are MUCH less likely to shoot it. The police sometimes will shoot your dog if they cant get to you and the dog is aggressive and not letting them do their job. We discussed this. So, whether you have a service dog or not, its a good idea to post something like that where the officers responding to your residence can easily read it. Itll keep you and your animals safer.  Itll also give them a heads up if you have a house fire; they will try to save your animals as well.

Im really glad to be able to share this on my blog and very grateful for the experience! God bless the firemen/women! Never forget 9/11.  Firemen/women are some of the most courageous, and brave people on this planet!  Also, God bless the dogs that worked those days on 9/11 at that site!

I should have some pictures for you all next week after the firemen/women come by the house.  But for now....

Pretty cool video about the dogs at 9/11

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/indiana/rescuer-lauds-dogs-work-after-9-11

A Story of the Service Dog, Roselle, who walked her blind handler down the 78 floors of the South Tower on 9/11 right before the building collapsed (photo)
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/09/06/blind-man-his-guide-dog-and-lessons-learned-on-11/

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Potty Training When You Are Away For A Long Time

I am in the middle of potty training my four month old puppy and things are going relatively well when I am home.  When I go to work, I can’t always get home at lunch to take him out.  What can I do to make sure that I don’t mess up the training when I have to be gone a long time?

We have a good number of clients who get new puppies and then have to leave them while they go to work.  The mistake that most of them make is to either leave them in their crate or give them the run of the house.  The problem is that their little puppy physically can’t hold it for the time they are left alone.

Let’s first talk about what you are doing wrong and then discuss what you should correctly do…

Leaving your puppy in the crate for an extended period of time is wrong.  Dogs naturally don’t want to go to the bathroom in their crate.  They see the crate as their den and they don’t want to leave their scent there because it might “draw in their enemies”.  They also don’t want to go to the bathroom on themselves because of the same reason.  Because of this, they will try to hold it as long as possible.  If you are gone longer that they can hold it, they will reluctantly toilet on themselves and in their crate. 

If you continually force them to toilet in their crate, their drive to try and hold it while they are in there will diminish and eventually disappear.  Since you use the crate as a place where they do not toilet, you have eliminated an important potty training tool.

Letting the puppy out in the entire house or an extended portion of the house while you are gone a long time is also bad.  Since you are away for a period of time that is longer that your dog can hold it, he is naturally going to toilet somewhere.  The key word here is “somewhere”.  Sometimes it is very hard or impossible to find where your puppy has toileted while you were away.  When this happens, your puppy has left the smell of a toilet somewhere in the house.  If it smells like a toilet, it must be a toilet.  This smell will constantly entice your puppy to return to that spot to go to the bathroom. 

Here is what you should do if you are going to be gone from the house and you know your puppy will probably go to the bathroom:

• Pick a small room with a tile or linoleum floor such as a laundry room or bath room. 
• Pick up all the items that your puppy might destroy.
• If there is access to any “inappropriate area” such as behind the washer, block that access.
• Clean the floor with a mild cleanser such as Lavender Fabuloso.
• Cordon off the room with a doggie gate that your puppy can’t knock over, climb over, or jump over.
• Place some toys, his bed, and a small amount of water & food in the room.
• Place a wee-wee pad in the room. (Entice him to go in that area but not require him.)

Put your puppy in that room when you leave.  You have now confined him to a comfortable area that you can manage once you return.  The important thing here is that you are not diminishing the importance of the crate or possibly creating an “invisible toilet” (as noted above).

When you return home you can remove him from this area.  If he has gone on the wee-wee pad, simply pick that up and throw it away.  If he has gone anywhere else in the enclosed area, simply clean that up with an appropriate cleanser.  Close the door to this room and do not allow him in the room except when you are going out for an extended period and you have appropriately set it up for his use (mentioned earlier).

What we have established here is a “time out” in the potty process.  Your goal is to maintain the importance of the crate and not to have the house smell of urine.  You have created a place that he can go, if necessary.  Since he is not allowed in this area except during long absences by you, this will have a minimal impact on your potty training process.  As always, if you have any questions, please be sure to contact us at TheBest Dog Trainers in South Florida

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Help prevent and treat Canine obesity

Obesity is No Laughing Matter

Happy new year!  Tradition which dates back to the Colombia - British 153 dictates every 365 days or if you try to kick bad habits and begin their new life!  What kind of resolution did you this year?  It is likely because its already January 3, most people have already failed in what they wanted to accomplish.

I kicked accustomed to once a year commitments, there are many years each new year, but still me pining for the idea.  The idea is simple and magical. It is monitoring in this way takes determination and desire!

At the dawn of this new year I allows you to account for the impact of obesity on your furry friend.  Obesity is an epidemic not only with humans in our country, but in our pets.  We believe that, to the indulgence is a form of love and that is why we provide not only, but sometimes encourages indulgence in our animals.

Additional books a burden on virtually all organs of the body not only in ourselves, but our pets.   Overload of bodies often leads to disease and death.  Specifically obesity may lead to the:

Fat diabetes may be dead your DogDamage joints, bones and a decrease in pressure blood ligaments (especially in large dogs) cardiac diseaseIncreased (Yes dogs may also suffer from hypertension) anesthesia liver functionDifficulty breathingDecreased staminaHeat intoleranceIncreased riskDigestive disordersImmune dysfunctionSkin hair and layer problemsIncreased cancerDecreased quality and lifetime risks

I want that my best friend to be around as long as possible.  I want as his life to be full of fun and excitement.  I dont want to administer beatings of insulin or medications that can be avoided or to be shorten her life with every meal and to deal with.  During the indulgence of food has a price, and I am not prepared to pay with my friend lives.

Prevention

Power supply:

A normal healthy dog is always hungry!  This is how the wild dog adapted and survived, but this does not mean that your dog is hungry.  Dogs have different nutritional needs and the amounts of their lifetime.  Active young and dogs working dogs require more calories and protein than couch potatoes and older dogs.Recommendations on the back of the bag of dog food is prepared for an intact male working dog.  Most of us have no dogs that are intact (I hope) and certainly have no active test field, or police dogs.  If we can reduce the amount we use and recommend the bag.Food meals is an another easy way to reduce intake.  Just as we could deliver more if we take the set of tokens bag to snack in front of the TV, because were bored, your dog probably more indulges if food is excluded throughout the day.

Exercise:

Provide exercise!  Exercise has benefits for the heart and muscles and his mind!

Regulate her weight:

POP in for a veterinarian hello fast and weight verification!  This is a quick and easy way to make less traumatic vet visits and to maintain a healthy weight!

Limit or eliminate the treats:

I think thats treats to my advantage while training, however I adjust meal of my dog at the time of the meal if we had a big day by reducing the amount of food that I give.

Beginning of a weight loss program

If your dog is already more weight, it is time to consider a weight loss program here are the steps, you need to succeed.

Visit your veterinarian:

Certain medical conditions can cause gain weight in dogs, and as with humans doctor should evaluate your dog before starting an exercise regime.  Your veterinarian can help you determine a realistic goal weight and chronology.Normally, we recommend starting by measuring the amount, the dog was currently giving and depression by ¼.  We also recommend giving charges or frozen green beans (not preserved not because there is too much salt) as filler to help your dog to feel full.

Monitor progress:

Make a chart and monitor your success!

Ive found often difficult to maintain my own success when it comes to my relationship with food (although Im proud to announce the I am currently training for a half marathon).  I wish that someone could feed me in small doses and control my access to food!  But I control is what my dog eat and its capacity and access to exercise.  I think of it as a gift, I can give to him and myself, the long life of quality gift spent together!

So heres my challenge you for the new year to come, to choose something simple on living with your dog and change for the better.  Spend more time together, or swear some weight and exercise together!

View the original article here

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Dog Training Tips from Parkland Florida about Jumping

We were at a new client in Parkand last week and were about half way through our initial canine behavioral review discussing rules and consistency.  She looked a little troubled, we we stopped the discussion and asked her if something was bothering her.  She replied “I hear what you are saying, but I really don’t mind if my dog jumps on me.  He did it since he was a puppy and it was no big deal.  We are having a bunch of friends and family over in a few weeks for July 4^th and I just don’t want him jumping on all my friends and their little kids”…

Things must be really simple when it comes to what you want your dog to do and what you don’t want your dog to do.  The instructions you give your dog must be absolute.  Saying that your dog can jump on you, but not your friends and their kids is not an absolute rule.  It injects logic and a level of problem solving that is impossible for your dog to accomplish.  If you don’t want your dog to jump, it must be that he can not jump on anybody, period.  Even if some of your friends like him to jump on them, he can not.  Here are some idea that will help you accomplish this:

• You must enforce the "cold turkey rule".  You must never suggest or encourage your dog to jump on yourself or anybody.  Tell your friends not to do the “jump on me pat” or encourage him to jump.  This undermines your authority and the effectiveness of the rule.
• If your dog approaches you and gives the appearance that he wants to jump, pay no attention and calmly walk away.  This passively removes you from the inappropriate moment.  Dont turn your back on him when you walk away.  Move diagonally from him, keeping him in your peripheral vision.
• If you miss the moment and he starts to jump, don’t turn your back on him or raise your knee.  I know that a lot of trainers say that you should do this.  Don’t!  Stand tall, face him, say “No” in a low, firm tone, and give a big clap of your hands.  As soon as he decides not to jump, praise him in a high toned “Good doggie!”
• When you have guests around, put a leash on him.  If he is starting to build adrenaline and jump, simply step on the leash at a point where he doesn’t have the ability to jump.  This passively takes his ability to jump away while you are staying calm and focused on your guests.  After a few failed attempts, you will find him calmly sitting at your side.

Follow these simple and consistent suggestions and you will have happy friends and a well behaved (not jumping) doggie..  For more information, please contact The Best DogTrainers in Parkland and South Florida.

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Dog Training Tips from Cooper City to Help Your Dog Eat His Food

Ideas to get Your Dog to Eat His Food

I was out at a Dog Training revisit this morning in Cooper City for a Coonhound that we haven’t seen for over seven years.  The dog had been doing great for a very long time until recently when a few things had changed in the family dynamics.  We took care of that pretty quickly (and that can be the topic of a future article).  The client then mentioned, “I just dont get it.  I spend more money on Mystie’s "holistic/good for you food" than I spend on myself.  I put the food down and she really isn’t interested in it.  I dont want to feed her the junkie food with all the additives, but I don’t want her to starve.  What can I do to get her to eat the healthy food?”

So many times we can relate our current experiences with things we have lived through in the past.  Lets think about our childhood and our mom serving us green beans.  If you are like me, there was no way I was going to take my fork and eat those green beans sitting on that plate.  But you know what?  If I mixed the beans in with some mashed potatoes and then put some melted butter on the top, I would eat them all day long.  I am not saying that we need to cover Mystie’s food in mashed potatoes and butter, but there is a way to enhance the food to make it more desirable.  There are things that we can add to Mystie’s food as “side dishes” that are healthy and will enhance the desirability of the entire eating experience.  Here is what Robin, my wife, adds to our dogs food and they just love:

• PUMPKIN PASTE.  Pumpkin is very healthy for dogs and is a great additive to the dry food.  It is a little hard to mix with the dry kibble, but a great, tasty treat for our dogs.
• LOW SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH.  Chicken is a healthy and light meat and the low sodium minimizes any additional salt added to their diet.  The moisture gives a pleasing smell to the dry food that our dogs love.
• COTTAGE CHEESE.  The wonderful aspect about cottage cheese is that it is so easy to mix up with the dry food.  The moisture that it adds helps take away the “dryness” of the kibble.  It is healthy and good for the dogs and what dog doesnt love cheese?  It is a true winner that we have been using for years for all six of our dogs.
• FREEZE DRIED RAW DOG FOOD.  Many experts are proponents of feeding dogs natural, raw food.  Although very healthy and rich with minerals and vitamins, it is just a pain to actually do.  You can now buy raw dog food in freeze dried form in many of the better dog food stores.  Put a few teaspoons of the food into a bowl, add a little water, and wait for about twenty minutes.  You now have a great, healthy treat that you can add to your dog’s food and he will love it.

Again, these are just some simple ideas to spice up your dog’s healthy diet.  The one thing that I want to emphasize is to not add wet dog food to your dog’s diet.  Although there are many good and healthy wet dog foods on the market, they all require you to brush your dogs teeth regularly.  Most of us just dont do that.  Our dogs teeth will then rot out early, causing health issues in their later years.

Try one or more of these options and I am sure you will find that your dog can’t wait for meal time.  As always, check with your vet regarding all your dog’s health and nutritional needs.  For more information about this or any dog training issues, please contact us at (954) 424-0170 or our web site at The Best Dog Trainers in Cooper City and South Florida.

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Boarding or Pet Sitting That IS the Question

When you travel or work long hours, should you choose a quality pet boarding facility for your pet, or should you consider pet sitting for your pet? Here are a few questions to ask yourself and you make your decision.

Pet sitting offers advantages to boarding in that your pet remains in his or her familiar environment; therefore your pet experiences less stress. Some boarding facilities will allow you to bring your own food, others charge extra for you to bring your own food, and still others charge extra if you dont bring your own food! Usually, your dog remains less stressed if you provide the food that s/he is accustomed to.

Some advantages to boarding are the opportunity for day care or interactive play at your discretion and close supervision during regular business hours.

First consider the number of pets or animals that you have. If you have more than one or two pets to board, then even with two or more visits to your home daily, pet sitting will be no more expensive than most boarding facilities that you would choose to care for your pet.

Another question we ask our callers is what species of pet(s) do you have? Very often cats, cage animals and livestock with access to pasture will do just fine with a once per day visit. A once per day visit usually costs only slightly more than a pet boarding fee. Some pets or animals are not candidates for boarding ... farm livestock, some reptiles, aquarium fish, and the like must have a visit to the farm or home.

Another question to consider is whether your pets have all of the vaccinations that might be required by a quality boarding facility. All cats and dogs are required by North Carolina law to be vaccinated for rabies after 16 weeks of age, but other vaccinations are generally a decision for you and your veterinarian to make. If you have to fully vaccinate one or two pets in order to take them to a boarding facility, your 2-night trip might end up costing $200 or more in vaccination charges and veterinary visits.

Clearly, the distance of your home or farm from the business center of the pet sitting service that you have contacted may affect the cost of the service. At TLC Dog Training and Critter Care, we absorb mileage charges up to 15 miles from our primary business location, but for mileage to a job site greater than 15 miles, we must charge a mileage fee of $.50 per mile.

Another issue to consider is the age of your pet. Generally speaking, dogs younger than 18 - 24 months are not good candidates for in home pet sitting, as they are more likely to go exploring and get themselves into trouble in the home. If you normally house your dog outside in a safe enclosure, then age becomes less of an issue. Pet sitting is usually a better option for a mature, thoroughly housetrained pet.

Other things to consider are your dogs reactions to loud noises, thunderstorms, and other unpredictable things that may happen near your home. If your dog is fearful of strange noises, then you could return to a damaged home! In a boarding situation, your dog is safely confined, and should s/he become frightened, s/he cant really get into a lot of trouble.

Finally, is your dog or cat fearful of strangers entering your home? Might your pet hurt a stranger that enters your home? If your pet will be stressed every time that someone appears to care for him or her, then perhaps boarding is a better option.

Consider your options carefully. Should you decide to board your pet, make sure that you choose a boarding facility that is licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Should you decide to hire a pet sitting service, ask for references. Your pet sitter should minimally belong to one of the nationwide professional pet sitter organizations, like the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). Make sure that anyone coming into your home to provide a service has their own workers compensation insurance and professional liability insurance.

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What Does the Word STAY Mean to You

For my students, who know that pointing your finger at your dog to make him stay as you back away repeating the command only proves that your dog doesnt know how to stay ...

Stay

I pulled into the crowded parking lot at the local shopping center and rolled down the car windows to make sure my Labrador Retriever Pup had fresh air. She was stretched full-out on the back seat, and I wanted to impress upon her that she must remain there.

I walked to the curb backward, pointing my finger at the car and saying emphatically,

Now you stay. Do you hear me?

Stay! Stay!

The driver of a nearby car, a pretty blonde young lady, gave me a strange look and said,

Why dont you just put it in PARK?

Disclaimer: Dont leave your dog in alone in a car on a hot day! Dont leave the windows open with a large enough opening that your dog could escape from the car if he broke his stay.

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Dog Training Tips from Coral Springs When the Family is Crazy

We were at a Dog Training revisit session with a family in Coral Springs last week and their dog that was fine when we had left the first time had gone back to showing the same bad behavior we observed at the beginning of our first session.  The entire family was there for our current visit and we observed that the family dynamics was “nuts”.  Everyone was all over the place.  At one point the mother looked at us and asked “Can our family be making our dog go nuts?”

To paraphrase Charlie Sheen... "Duh, Yes!"

We always try to reinforce the idea that in order to have your dog learn, you must first establish a calm and consistent environment. This will allow your dog have the opportunity to provide focus and allows you to have the opportunity to command that focus.  Your ability to show a passive, assertive nature towards your dog will naturally have him drawn towards you as the one telling him what to do next. 

Guess what, if the environment is full of yelling and screaming, you can’t be focused on your dog and he will naturally draw away from “crazy you”.  What is imperative is that your entire family take a deep breath and “think good thoughts”.  This will provide the essence of what is required to begin the respectful relationship between you and your dog.  This can be really hard to accomplish, but let me provide you with some ideas:

• As a family, you (and I mean all of you) must have a family meeting to discuss how you want your dog to act.  Make a list of rules that you will all agree is correct and you all will agree to enforce.  If you feel that a rule might be too hard for everyone to enforce, change it before you begin.
• Review each rule and discuss how each family member will enforce that rule.  It might be that a sibling just might not engage in a particular act that encourages the inappropriate action.
• Every family member must agree to their tasks and the results they wish to accomplish.  This is not only for them, but for the greater good of the entire family.
• Have every member of the family work with your dog on a daily basis on one or more of the issues your family has identified.  Have them work in teams so that they can make sure that they stay consistent.

As you are doing all this, be sure not to:

·                     Scream your dog

·                     Hit, kick, push, or do anything hurtful or frightening to him

·                     Play rough with him

·                     Give him treats to do what you want him to do.

As we always tell our clients, remain calm and stay consistent.  This might sound really easy to do, but when you have a crazy family; it is hard to put into action.  For more information on this subject or tips on other dog training issues, please call us at (954) 424-0170 or contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in Coral Springs and South Florida.

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Ten Training Truisms

1. Dogs are genetically wired to engage in certain behaviors that extend individual longevity and assure continuation of the species. These behaviors include socializing, playing, predation and feeding, guarding resources, defending territory and personal space, vocalizing, digging, chewing, eliminating and reproducing. The goal of training is not to eliminate these behaviors, but to modify their expression so that the dog can fit into our society.
2. There is a narrow window of opportunity when the dog is between 7 weeks and 18 weeks of age that desensitizing a dog to novel situations and teaching them to accept even unusual situations in their daily lives with humans is relatively easy. This process is called socialization. Older dogs can be reprogrammed, but the process is time intensive and takes a great deal of patience on the part of the owner. A problem behavior or behaviors that have been reinforced for 2 or 3 years or more will not be unlearned in 8 weeks.
3. Dogs dont know right vs. wrong. They know pleasant vs. unpleasant. Dogs have no moral compass, as much as we would like to believe in the Hollywood version of dogs like Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.
4. Dogs are very context sensitive in their learning. This means that although they may appear to know a behavior in one location and with one person, they will not generalize the training to a new location or group of people without additional training. A large part of training is teaching the dog, from the ground up, in many different locations.
5. Dogs do not have an agenda (See #3 and #4 above), although they do express emotions like fear and joy. They live in the moment. Dogs do not seek revenge upon their owners by peeing on the carpet, digging in the garden, or chewing up a prize piece of furniture (see #1 above).
6. All dogs bite (see #1 above). They just have different triggers and thresholds for biting.
7. Dogs are social animals. To isolate them from meaningful human and/or animal contact is to create or exacerbate problem behaviors.
8. A minor punishment, such as verbal discouragement, usually serves as an attention reinforcement to all but the most sensitive dogs.
9. Non-lethal punishment is usually a temporary "fix" for problem behaviors. If the underlying reinforcement for the undesired behavior is not changed, and the dog is not trained into a new, desirable behavior, then the dog will return to engage in the previously learned undesirable behavior.
10. There is no such thing as "permanent" behavior change or "cure", even in the best trained dogs. Desired behaviors must be variably reinforced and undesired behaviors must be ignored to maintain a given level of training. Training and maintaining good manners must be a lifelong commitment on the part of the owner.

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Service Assistant Guide Dogs Attacked

Several service/assistant/guide dogs are being attacked by loose dogs, mostly pit bull type, gripping, fighting breed dogs, and this NEEDS TO STOP!!!  Its bad enough that people own these types of dogs at all, but the fact they seem to be the most irresponsible dog owners out there, always letting their grippers run loose, is reeking havoc on most cities nowadays.

I have previously blogged about this on another page, here in this blog, but it seems this topic needs more and constant attention.  There are service dogs out there that are having to be retired early, and even killed by loose, and aggressive dogs, leaving their handlers devastated, and taking away their handlers independence and freedom. This is just NOT okay.

Yes, as far as the law states now, in many cities, people are able to own their dog of choice (not everywhere though) and if people want to own a vicious breed of dog, that was originally bred for the purpose of fighting and killing, then so be it; but these types of dogs must NOT be allowed to roam the streets injuring people and their dogs.  Mind you, NO dog should be able to roam the streets, loose, becoming a nuisance and even a danger to society, but these fighting breed dogs are causing serious problems, and are impinging on the rights of good citizens to feel and be safe.

The owners of these vicious types of dogs are always screaming out their rights to own these dogs. Fine, then BE RESPONSIBLE! Admit that your dog is capable of killing another dog or person in just a few minutes (sometimes seconds) and do the right thing. Keep them on the sturdiest leash you can find, muzzle it if need be, or just dont take it out in public where it can be a danger to someone.  The owners are always talking about their rights to own these dogs, and that they will fight to the death to keep them from being banned (as they are in several cities, counties and even countries) but if you ask me, theyre are precisely the ones that are causing these bans to get enacted, but they just dont realize it. They are causing it because they are over-breeding these dogs to make a buck, and treating them "just like any other dog," which is certainly NOT the case! They are being completely irresponsible and letting these dogs roam the streets, they have inadequate enclosures for them, and they always "somehow" get out and hurt someone. There are millions, yes millions, of these types of dogs filling up shelters all across the country, yet the owners are always talking about how much they LOVE their vicious dogs.  Im sorry, but if you love your dog, you make it a safe and appropriate enclosure so that it cant get loose and lost, you keep it on a sturdy leash, and you make sure its not consistently hurting people and dogs, as to give it a "bad reputation" therefore ensuring that your type of dog is not consistently in the news causing law makers to have to take action. Get it?

Disabled people and their service dogs have rights too! Everyone does. The right to own a dog, feel safe, be safe, be independent and free, freedom of speech and the like are not rights that are only reserved for those who wish to own the most vicious and dangerous type of dogs out there! Although it seems that these type of dog owners seem to think so.  Can they stop for one minute to think about the rights of others? Just once???

I wonder if they realize the blood, sweat, tears and money that goes into a disabled person acquiring and training an assistance dog? I wonder if they even care? I think its a major problem that the owners of these types of fighting breed dogs wont even admit that their dogs are serious potential danger.  They wont admit the facts about their own dog, which I dont understand. I will freely admit that the breed of dog I have is subject to chasing birds, retrieving things, and is subject to certain types of health concerns, such as hip dysplasia, but the owners of gripping type dogs refuse to accept or admit that their dogs are dangerous.  I just dont get it.  They seem to blame everyone else, especially the victims of their dogs, for their dogs behavior.  I dont understand this way of thinking; it just doesnt make sense.

My trainer often fosters these types of dogs; fighting breed dogs, such as pit bulls (and their cousins) but is willing to accept and admit the truth about them.  She accepts and will tell you that these dogs are a potential danger to people, a lot of people are afraid of them, dont like them, they are prone to violence and prone to attacking other dogs and people too.  She will tell you that these types of dogs have a different body language that is extremely difficult to read, even by other dogs, therefore leading to surprise attacks by these dogs.  She will tell you that these dogs need a special type of training, a special type of enclosure, as they are escape artists, and will tell you that these dogs are NOT for the average dog lover.  They need a special type of care.  I dont see why the owners of these dogs dont admit and accept these facts.  If they would, Im certain there would be a lot less problems with these dogs.  There wouldnt be so much news coverage on them, and there wouldnt be so many attacks and killings perpetrated by these types of dogs.  "Theyre just like any other dog," just isnt getting it done!

Thats my rant, and after all is said and done, who really cares what I say, or how I feel, but the point is that service/assistant/guide dogs, and others, continue to be attacked, mauled, and/or killed by these types of dogs.  So because the owners refuse to accept the facts, refuse to admit the truth about their gripping dogs, dont cry when the law makers have to take over, or step in to keep the public safe from your fighting breed dogs.

I cant imagine what it would be like to be blind, period; and then to be walking down the street, led by your noble guide dog (which cost you $40,000 to acquire and maintain), feeling a great sense of pride and accomplishment, independence and freedom (which took you almost 10 years to accomplish), when suddenly, some irresponsible gripping dogs owner has let their vicious dog out to come and savage your noble guide dog, ripping apart that independence and freedom you have worked so hard to acquire.  Yes, picture it!  What is a blind person to do in this situation?  Ive read that some just let go of their guide dog and offer it the opportunity to defend itself, or scream in terror for help to anyone that might be willing to jump in and save your noble friend.  Service dogs are NOT like any other dog.  They are specially trained, and difficult to acquire and maintain, not to mention expensive.  But why should the owner of a fighting breed dog care about this?

PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEASH AND THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLES RIGHTS TO BE SAFE AND FREE, AND INDEPENDENT.  PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE DISABLED AND TO TRY TO DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST THIS KIND OF ATTACK.

Great Video about Guide Dogs:

http://explore.org/#!/videos/player/guide-dogs-america

Another guide dog attacked in England....

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/guide_dog_attacked_by_another_dog_in_magdalen_street_norwich_1_1333084

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Service-dog-attacked-Owner-needs-help-with-needed/xDKYZ4kBo06aa7qHw9_WuA.cspx

http://servicedogsawayoflife.blogspot.com/2011/06/news-service-dog-attacked-on-walk-with.html

PLEASE SEE MY PAGE (IN THIS BLOG) ON "SERVICE DOG DANGERS"

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