How To Help Wolfies Fear of Storms

I thought that Wolfie was fine with our summer storms, but he is whining, panting, pacing, and just driving me crazy!  I try and comfort him, but it just seems to get worse!

Remember that I am always saying that we should not treat our dogs like humans?  Remember that I am always saying that we should treat our dogs like dogs?  Guess what!  You are treating him like a human, again.  

We have to understand that the sights, sounds, and even the drop in barometric pressure could be very strong negative stimuli on Wolfie.  This will cause him to become unsure and scared of what he thought was his safe environment.  Naturally, he comes to us to reassure his safety.  Here is where the problem begins.

When Wolfie comes to us, whining and getting under our feet, we instinctively go down and pet him and talk to him in a high, "baby voice" tone trying to sooth and console him.  If Wolfie would be our young son or daughter, that might work.  But Wolfie is a dog and he needs to reassured of his safety in a manner consistent by a strong, canine Alpha Leader.

Here is what you do in order to reassure Wolfie of his safety in a manner he requires:

When Wolfie comes to you, stand up, face him, and ask him to sit or lie down.   Give him a "good boy" when he does.  Continue with your work.  If he starts to whine again, stand up, face him, and give him a firm, low toned "No".  Ask him to sit again, praise him, and go on with your work.  

If Wolfie starts to whine again (what a persistent little guy!), take your leash, hook it on his collar, and briskly walk him around the room or the house.  Return to where you started, have him sit, and return to your work.  What you are doing is to correct and redirect Wolfie away from his perceived fear and to have him focus on you.

You are the boss and your appropriate presence should be all the reassurance he needs to maintain his safety.  As you are communicating with Wolfie, you are standing and facing him.  In the canine world, this is a sign of assertion and leadership.  

Give this a try and see how it works for you.  I have used this technique with our dogs for years and it works like a charm!  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Wolfie is Protective of His Food and a Little Aggressive

It is kind of strange.  Wolfie is normally a great dog, but sometimes he gets protective and aggressive with his food.  I dont want this to continue because I dont want anyone go get hurt by mistake.  What can I do to help Wolfie over this?

Aggression with any animal is not a great thing.  The good news that we can offer with canine food aggression is that we have a clear set of actions that can be taken to minimize or eliminate this issue.  We first have to think about the reasons Wolfie might be food aggressive and/or possessive.  

If Wolfie was a stray or a rescue, that could naturally cause possessive aggressive actions regarding food.  In this case, his food was a limited resource that was critical to his safety and health.  Naturally, he would act in such a manner to protect such an asset.  If Wolfie was starved intentionally or through neglect, that could also be a cause for his aggressive and/or possessive attitude towards food.  In this instance, the root cause could stem from poor nutrition.  

So what can we do to alleviate Wolfies food aggression?  There are several actions that you can immediately perform.  Lets discuss some of them now:

• Be sure you are the one who decides when mealtime will take place.  If Wolfie can boss you into feeding him when he wants, he will not see you as the sole provider of the food.  He will not recognize that you are not the one responsible for his well being.
• Try scatter-feeding Wolfie.  Take his food and scatter it on the ground or in the yard.  He now is focused on grazing across a large area and not protecting an exact spot.  Hide some food behind a chair or under a plant so that it will take extra time to find it.
• Teach Wolfie basic obedience such as "leave it", "stay", and "wait".  Exercise these commands during feeding time or even when giving him a little treat.  This will direct Wolfies focus to you as the provider of food.  It will also direct him to wait until you allow him to take the treat or have his dinner.
• If you need Wolfie to move away from his food, never directly approach him and his food bowl.  This is a naturally aggressive act and might trigger Wolfie to respond. Call Wolfie to you.  You are redirecting his attention to you and when Wolfie responds, you are enforcing that you are his care giver.  The food is not as important as obeying you.
• If needed, use the leash when feeding.  This will help you redirect him away from the food, if needed, without becoming physical.
• Never feed Wolfie in a corner.  This limits his options if anyone approaches him and also heightens any aggressive or protective tendencies he still may have.
• If you have multiple dogs, feed them separately until you can resolve the food issue.  Introduce them back together one at a time.  Always be present and between them to assure them that you are the provider and you will guarantee that they all have the nutrition they need.

When there is an issue with any form of canine aggressive/possessive behavior, the important point is to take it slow.  You are setting the scene to allow Wolfie to come to the conclusion that everything is fine and he is safe.  He needs to learn this at his own pace and in an environment where he has the ability to learn.  This is not set on a specific time table.

If you need additional information on anything we have discussed, please feel free to go to our web site for more information or to gain our direct contact information: South Florida Dog Trainers. 

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When Your Dog Comes Inside and Potties on the Carpet

My dog is normally pretty good about pottying, but sometimes he doesnt potty outside and as soon as we come inside, he will potty.  This is just weird.  What can I do to fix this and keep my carpet from being an over-glorified wee-wee pad?

This is a frequent question posed by many of our clients.  Their dog normally doesnt potty in the house, there are just some timing issues that need to be addressed.  If this is truly the case, we have some simple suggestions to help you out:

• When you take your dog outside to potty, actively engage him in high energy play.  Throw the ball for him.  Hide a few toys around the yard and encourage him to actively find them.  Play fetch.  Whatever you do, make sure it is high energy so that you are speeding up your dog’s metabolism.  This encourages “potty”.
• Stop your active play and simply stand back.  Let your dog calm down and begin to focus on the smells of the yard.  This encourages the potty process.  You will normally see him still romp around for a bit and then begin to intensely sniff an area.  This is a sign that he is ready to potty.
• Once he performs his #1 and #2, do not bring him in right away.  Let him “hang out” for a few more minutes.  Sometimes dogs need to potty more than once.  If we bring him in too soon, we have moved the bathroom inside.
• If your dog didn’t potty after fifteen or twenty minutes, take him inside but keep him on a leash and next to you.  Wait five minutes and take him out again.  If coming inside somehow stimulates his need to potty, as stated in our original issue, we have started the process.  The difference is that we will only be inside for a few minutes and we will constantly be with our dog.  Note:  Dogs normally don’t want to go to the bathroom right next to you.

Having your dog outside for potty and then bringing them in only to mess on your carpet is annoying and smelly.  We hope that these suggestions will help you eliminate that problem.  As always, please contact us if you have any questions at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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BSL and Service Dogs

I have a really bad feeling that any city, county, state or country that has enacted, or will enact BSL  (Breed Specific Legislation) in the future, will start seeing a huge increase in "service dogs," and theyre gonna be pit bulls! Besides being morally corrupt, and completely disgraceful, its also against the law and a HUGE federal violation to impersonate a disabled person for the purpose of having a service dog; nevertheless, I think I can speak for many, many people in saying that there are A LOT of people in this country, and others, that fit this description.  Many more cities, and counties are learning more and more about pit bulls.  Not to mention the fact that they continue to maul, maim and kill more people and other animals than all other dog breeds combined.  Legislators are learning, and the people are getting tired of it.   More and more places are starting to discuss and enact BSL, which is leading those morally corrupt and disgraceful people to look for new ways to get around the law.  Yup, the perfect way to keep your pit bull, is to impersonate a disabled person and try to get your dog certified as a "service dog." Cmon pit bull owners, we know what youre doing. We may be disabled, but were NOT stupid!!!  Be advised, you morally corrupt and disgraceful people, the ADA and the Federal Government are also not stupid and are well aware of it....and there will SOON come a time when you all will be outed.  There will soon be a Federal Law enacted that will prohibit you from doing what youre doing! As it stands, the ADA is there for the purpose of protecting the disabled, and you, who try to FAKE your dogs certification as a "service dog" will soon pay the price.  Make no mistake!

Heres a quote I found online in regards to this topic. Frightening, isnt it?!

"As far as Im concerned, this is a loophole! Im planning on having all the BSL breeds in our rescue CGC and TDI certified. By federal law, no one is allowed to ask you for proof that the dog you have it a therapy dog. If they do you can sue them under ADA law. And all you need is a doctor willing to say you get stressed in public and need your dog to help you relax. That makes your dog a therapy dog. Done.


And now according to federal law, no city or state is allowed to ban your dog, regardless of breed, if its a therapy dog!!   Take that you brainless BSL supporting morons!!"


I wont go into why this person is a complete idiot, and totally ignorant of the law....well keep that between us.  If you know the law, you know why this will NOT work for this person.  She eventually decides to actually read the ADA regs and figures out why this wont work, but rest assured, there are many morally corrupt, disgraceful scumbags out there impersonating the disabled for this very reason. Watch out for them, and when you see them, REPORT THEM!!!

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Is It OK For Wolfie To Be In Bed With Me

I hear all these different things about having Wolfie on the bed with me or it is bad having him on the bed with me.  I would really like him to sleep with me, but would that be sending some sort of bad message?

As dog trainers, we hear this kind of question all the time with all sorts of home grown explanations regarding pros and cons to your dog being on the bed.  The bottom line is it is up to you.  If you dont want him on the bed, you will have a standing rule that Wolfie is not allowed on the bed.  Every time he attempts to get on the bed, you will correct him and guide him off.  

If you would like to have Wolfie on the bed with you, you should take the following items into consideration:

• If Wolfie is currently showing signs of aggression or heightened dominance, you should not allow him on the bed until he has been properly trained to minimize or eliminate these traits.
• If Wolfie is still undergoing potty training, he should not be allowed on the bed.  Even if he has been "holding it all night" while he has been in his crate, you shouldnt  allow him on the bed.  When Wolfie is in his crate, he becomes and remains calmer with a reduced metabolism.  This will allow him to hold it longer.  When he is on the bed with you, his excitement will naturally be greater along with his metabolism.  This will decrease his length between potty times and could possibly cause an accident on your sheets.  (Not good!)
• If Wolfie nips or growls when you ask him to move or get off the bed, his bed privileges are revoked.  You can train this "out of him" by:
• Put a leash on him when he is in bed.
• When you want him off the bed, you must stand up and get out of bed.
• Grab the end of the leash and give him the command "Off".
• If he doesnt jump off, tug the leash slightly until he gets off.
• Tell him "Good Puppy" for obeying you.
• Never play rough with Wolfie while you and he are in bed.   This will simply cause him to believe he can play rough with you on the bed at any time. 
• Never eat in the bed with Wolfie.  Since you and he are at the same level, this could send the wrong message to him that the food is for both of you.
• Check Wolfie for fleas and ticks every few days.  You dont need these in your bed.
• Bathe Wolfie more often than usual.  You dont want your bed to get a "doggie smell".

Again, it is up to you if you want to invite Wolfie on your bed with you.  We have four dogs and three of them sleep on the bed with us.  Our fourth dog is too old to get on the bed, so he sleeps on the floor by my side.

For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Dog Training Tips from Davie Florida about Potty

Great Dog Training Tips about Pottying and the Rain

I was revisiting a dog training client in Davie yesterday when, all of a sudden, we had a massive rain storm.  Although that was not the dog training issue that my client had called me out for, it did initiate another question.  It appeared that his dog was doing quite well with his puppy potty routine until about ten days ago when we started to get into our “summer rain” routine.  All of a sudden, this great dog who would want to run outside to potty is now making accidents on the carpet. 

Like many things, simply describing the problem starts to explain the answer.  We had helped the client work with his dog to understand about going potty outside.  We had conditioned the dog to go on the dry grass during nice days and nights when it was not showering down on him.  Now the outside is wet and muddy and he is trying to go potty while he is constantly getting wet.  All in all, it is just not a potty experience to which he had been conditioned.  Some dogs are OK with the wet and rain and some dogs just don’t want to potty in the wet and rain…

What my client’s dog was telling him was "No thank you, I wont go here, I will just wait until I get back inside.  By the way, when is it going to be dry again?"

Rainy season lasts until November and there is no way that you want your dog pottying on your carpet until then.  So, what do we do?  The answer, as with most of my blogs, is pretty simple.  What I always teach my clients is to first understand the situation when everything was working.  After that, we need to find the moment when things began to all fall apart.  From there, we simply need to analyze the divergent operating conditions between the situations and make the appropriate adjustments.  Here we go:

• The first and obvious observation is that when the ground is dry, the puppy goes to the bathroom with no problem.
• When the ground is wet and mushy and it is raining, the puppy doesnt want to have anything to do with the "outside potty".
• The obvious conclusion rests on the wet grass and being rained upon.
• What we need to do is to find a place that is not mushy and is protected when it is raining.

Here is what you do:

• You must find a place that is out of the rain in your back yard.  This can be a covered area off your cabana bath door, patio, etc.
• Go to Lowes or Home Depot and get two pieces of sod from the garden department.  Place the sod in the protected area you have chosen.  It would be a good idea to place a plastic tarp or plastic garbage bag under the sod so that it will be easy to remove it, when needed.
• Direct your dog to the sod whenever it is rainy outside or the ground is mushy.
• Change out the sod every few weeks so it doesn’t start to smell too bad.

You have now given your puppy the bathroom he wants and your carpets are now safe!  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in Davie and South Florida.

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Wolfie Is Nuts

I read all the books, watch all the dog training shows, ask for advice from all my friends, and Wolfie is still nuts.  What gives?

I bet you are wondering what the picture of Marge, Homer, Bart, and Lisa has to do with doggie issues.  Surprisingly, it depicts one of the most important issues you need to take into consideration when Wolfie isnt listening to you; or Wolfie is crazy; or Wolfie is nipping you; etc.

We all must remember that Wolfie is a member of our family, or in his eyes, a member of the pack.  If the pack is weak, inconsistent, or always fighting, it is not the pack that Wolfie can trust and respect.  Because of this, he will not listen or pay attention to anything you ask of him.  Some examples of families who show this inappropriate tenancies are:

• Kids always bullying parents.
• Parents going through a divorce.
• Strong difference of opinion of how to deal with Wolfie.
• General "insanity" within the household...

Unfortunately, some of our clients are experiencing these activities and, because of it, they are having issues with their doggies.  General canine obedience or behavioral exercises are not enough to get Wolfie back in line and for him to become a happy member of the family.

What we tell our clients is that they must first build a strong, consistent, and calm environment within their human family.  It is only at this point that they will provide Wolfie with the perspective that he is part of a pack that will keep him safe.  It is only at this point that he will provide the respect and focus that is necessary to be a good dog.

So, now lets get back to the picture of Marge, Homer, Bark, and Lisa.  If your family looks like that, your ability to instruct Wolfie in being a good dog is just about nonexistent.

You must be happy, calm, respectful, and consistent among each other in order to have Wolfie understand that it is time to learn.   For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Dog Training Tips for Bad Behavior At The Door and Guests

Quick things you can do every time someone comes to the door and your dog displays bad behavior.

I was at a dog training session in Cooper City last week and we were just finishing up the session.  We had covered everything the client had on his wish list for that day and everything was just great.  As I got up to leave, a friend came to the front door and rang the door bell.  His dog went completely nuts.  He ran to the front door before we could even stand up, barking and jumping at the door like a crazy person.  I told the client that we had something else to work on…

What we first must understand is that just about all dogs are excited when new people are coming into the house.  This is not always a bad thing because our dog’s action can also act as a defensive/protective mechanism to an unwanted situation. What is important is that we are not embarrassed when anyone enters our house because they are jumped on, licked, and generally harassed the unruly dog. The best way to accomplish this is to nip it at the bud. Here are some tips that I have given my clients over the years:

• Put your dog on a leash. As your guests’ arrival time approaches, make sure that your dog fully engaged with toys or other distractions.
• Play with your dog outside for 30 to 45 minutes before your guests arrive.  This will help get the “excitement out of him”.
• As soon as you hear the doorbell or you get a call from the front gate, grab your dog’s leash by first putting you foot on the handle.  Then, calmly reach down and pick up the handle.  Have your dog sit next to you.
• Once you hear your guests at the front door, make sure your dog is still in a sit position.  Calmly command him to walk with you and go to the front door.  Have him sit again.
• Open the door and greet your guests. If your dog starts to become unruly or leaves the sit position, correct him and place him in the sit position.
• If your dog is still unruly, ask your guests to stay at the door for a moment.  Walk your dog around the room and have him focus on you.  Once he is calm, walk back to your guest and place your dog in a sit position.
• Have a short conversation with your guests while maintaining a close watch on your dog.
• Walk with your guests and dog into the house and to the area where you will be spending your time.  If the dog does not show signs of excitement or misplaced focus, calmly drop the leash.
• If your dog begins to go crazy again, pick up the leash (method described about), walk around for a moment or two until he is calm, and drop the leash.

You are teaching your dog is to be calm when you are meeting guests. The leash serves as a simple, non-physical training aid for you to direct your dog to make the right decision. It also allows you to be consistent in your management of him.  This is how your dog learns and how he associates leadership.

For more information on this subject or any dog training issue, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in Cooper City and South Florida.

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Why It Is Important That I Train My Dog

I have so many friends that send their dogs off to a canine boot camp to have the trainers there train their dog. I have been thinking about this, but is it really a good idea?  I am not sure that I want someone else to be the leader of Wolfie!

I know that there are the dog owners that dont have the time to train their dog or just dont want to train their dog.  As we can all attest, there is so little time in this world and finding the time to train our dog just might not be there.

Let me answer this question by coming at it from another angle.  First, the reason that I got Wolfie was to have the relationship of unending love and complete trust.  I want Wolfie to know what is right and wrong and I want him to respect me as his ultimate provider.

To accomplish this, Wolfie and I need a great deal of face time.  As he does something wrong, I need to clearly let him know that his action was inappropriate.  I also need to bond with him by engaging in safe and stimulating play activities.  I must never "trick him" into doing something that might scare or hurt himself.

I must provide stimulating activities that will teach him actions I need him to perform.  I need him to "come" when he needs to be by my side.  I need him to "sit" when I need him calm and respectful.  I need him to "stay" so that he will be safe when I need to answer the door or to allow an activity to occur without his involvement.

I need Wolfie to understand that whatever I ask him to do or wherever I take him, he will be safe.  If a situation arises where he might feel his safety in question, he will look towards me to resolve the situation.

If I can accomplish these things, I will have a great dog.  I will have built the bond, trust, and respect that is needed for our relationship.  The only way that this will occur is if I am Wolfies teacher.  I must be the one in charge.  I must be the one that is always guiding and showing Wolfie the proper direction.

Sending Wolfie off to a Canine Boot Camp with someone else doing the training just doesnt accomplish what needs to be done.  The relationship between Wolfie and me is my responsibility.  Wolfie and I will have a great relationship because of the time that Wolfie and I have invested. For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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House Training Your Dog Quick Before You Can’t Take It Anymore

Just about had it with trying to house train your dog? Are you tired of coming home to find pee all over the carpet, pillows helter-skelter and garbage littered (and chewed) all over the floor?

Well, I know I was. The first few weeks after I got my new puppy, I was just about ready to call the pound. (Well, not really, I loved my dog; but you get the picture). I hardly got any sleep at night because my yelping charge was terrified of spending the night alone and I had to keep him company until he fell asleep. He would then proceed to make a mess at 2 in the morning and I would have to get up to clean it. I would come home late in the afternoon to find the garbage can turned over, pee all over the floor and furniture ridden with teeth marks. I knew I had to successfully train him soon – or I would go crazy.

Does my story sound familiar to you? How do you house train your dog to behave when he spends his time acting like a – dog?

You know you have to take action sooner rather than later. There are alternatives out there. If you get a trainer, it will be very expensive. There are dog schools, which can also be pricey, and with your busy schedule, this proposition might be a little more than you can handle right now.

The good news is that there is a great method that you can use to house train your dog. Dogs are naturally clean. They do not like to soil the place where they sleep, so they will cooperate with you. And all dogs can be trained, even older dogs.

This simple but straightforward method has made it very easy for thousands of people to house train their dogs. For more information, visit Cris Santeiro’s Dog Training With Love blog.

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When Training Always Keep it Slow

We South Floridians always like things fast. We always want to drive in the fast lane on the highway.  We love our fast food quick pickup lines. We read the Cliff Notes and not the Book.... This might be great for these things, but “doing it fast” is not how it works when building a relationship with our dog.

One of the biggest reasons that we have problems training our dog is that we are impatient and want the training to be fast. Our dog learns through the simple processes of consistency and repetition.  The last time I looked, neither of these had anything to do with “fast”. 

The best way to train our dog is to take "baby steps".  If our dog is having a hard time sitting, lets first make sure that he can stand next to us and look at us.  If he cant do that, there is now way that he wont be able to sit.  If our dog is misbehaving while in a room full of people, lets first make sure that he can behave in a quiet room just with us.

The secret to this process is to break down our training exercise into many "little steps".  Each step is obtainable and is required before we move on to the next "little step".  We will now be able to be successful because we have forced ourselves to take "baby steps" that we can easily manage and evaluate.

This will allow us to be consistent, repetitive; and succeed. Our dog will feel better because he will have the ability to obey us and we will gain much needed confidence. The relationship between us and your dog will be a happy, loving, and learning experience.

If you have any questions on dog training or any other canine behavior issue, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida. 

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A Dogs Six Words

When I first started training dogs in the Manners in Minutes system seven years ago, someone asked me “If a dog could talk what would he say first?” I did not have an answer then. I think I do now.

     If we could give a dog just six words, I think it would come up with two phrases.

     The first would be “It’s not fair.” A dog wants a good pack leader. And a good pack leader is firm, fair and consistent.   I believe a dog has a strong sense of what is fair and what is not.

      But I have also come to the conclusion that dogs are born con artists. Even the best behaved dog is always looking for an opportunity to turn any situation to their advantage. Personally I think the only reason my two Lakelands, and for that matter your dog, haven’t taken a car to go joyriding is that they don’t have thumbs to steer with.

     So if a dog could say “it’s not fair, it would use the phrase the way a four year old human does. Sometimes it would mean you aren’t being fair. But other times it would just mean “give me my way.”

     The next phrase would be “But you said.” Dogs, like children, are born lawyers. While their vocabulary may be limited they know what each word and each command means. And they take them very literally.

     I don’t teach the command “stay” but rather the command “wait.” Stay is usually used to keep the dog sitting in one place while you walk away. I want my dog to stop whenever and wherever I command at the moment I give the command. Wait is an X on the ground where the dog is not to move from until I release it. But unless I add something else it is up to the dog whether they stand, sit, or lay down while holding their wait.

     Sometimes someone else will tell their dog “sit” in here. The dog will sit then get back up. They will then tell the dog “I said sit.” And then I will tell the owner you said sit and the dog sat. You didn’t tell him to wait.

     And as I do the dog looks at them and thinks “But you said.”

Doug

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Why it is Important to be Calm and Still

When Fluffy is barking, running, and jumping all around me, how can I stay calm and still?

Our first training visit with our clients and their families will normally last three hours or more.  We cover a lot of information and demonstrate a great deal of techniques to get the dog to be a great dog.  I have often thought that if I only had a moment to give a dog owner some useful and productive training advice, what would it be.

I keep coming back to the very simple idea of “Calm & Still".

Eighty percent of the communication between you and your dog is body language.  In my opinion, the most important part of body language is the ability to show a sense of confidence.  Everything is OK, I am in control, I will take care of you...  This is done by remaining calm and still while engaging the situation at hand.

Humans are emotional animals and we get so mad at our dog when he is going nuts.  We raise the level of adrenalin through our screaming and running when we are trying to calm our dog down.  It just doesnt work, and why should it?  Craziness creates more craziness.

By staying calm and still when you are addressing your dog, he will naturally feel your confidence and will have a far better sense that you are the safe keeper, provider, and leader.  Staying calm also allows you to more effectively evaluate the situation and determine the best course of action to get your dog back to being a "good dog".

If you have any additional questions or would like more information on this dog training subject, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Aggressive Dog Behavior Don’t Even Think of Letting Your Dog Get Away With It

Aggressive dog behavior is not always recognized. Many people only recognize the major aggression problems, but some smaller aggression in dogs goes by unnoticed or at least accepted. But dominant and alpha behavior in dogs should be corrected.

Dogs depend on humans for their food and to open doors for them, etc. But if the dog becomes demanding, then he feels he is the dominant one, and this is where dog aggression starts. If he is not stopped he will continue developing aggressive behavior over time, which can become a very serious problem.

Not all aggressive dogs bite or growl. They can have more subtle aggressive behavior, such as being stubborn and demanding. They might refuse to obey you and insist on getting their way. They might jump on your lap without being called, or nudge you to play with them. They might whine or bark at you when they want something. All these are signs of aggressive behavior.

Aggressive dog behavior, if left untreated, will develop over time. Your dog will become more and more dominant, and he might start acting out more aggressively. We all know that this is not only stressful, but dangerous as well. Dog attacks are not uncommon, and are known to happen with family dogs that have been in the family for years.

Dogs are supposed to obey your command and follow you, not the other way around. When a dog is making you do what he wants, there is something wrong with that picture. You have to become the leader again and put a stop to his aggressive dog behavior in order to avoid a major catastrophe. We love our dogs, and I cannot think of a worse scenario than if one of my dogs injured someone and I would have to give him up.

A dog trainer is very expensive. Also, the dog trainer will train your dog, but you need as much training as the dog, so you can learn how to become the dominant one. You need to learn how to regain the command of your dog, so he will recognize you as the leader.

Here is the #1 method I recommend that will really help you put an end to your dog’s aggressive behavior.

This method is guaranteed to help you and your dog with his aggressive dog behavior.

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Wolfie Just Doesnt Get It

Sometimes I think that Wolfie just doesnt get it.  I see all these other dogs sitting and coming and waiting and walking and doing a whole lot of other stuff.  I just cant get him to do it.  I dont think he is a dummy....

No, Wolfie isnt a dummy.  Robin and I have worked with over 1,700 dogs and have never found a dog that did not have the ability to learn.  The secret is that ALL dogs have the ability to learn, we just have to find out where they have the ability to start learning.

Some dogs are fast learners, some dogs are easily distracted, some dogs think they know it all, and others simply want to play.  We need to find out what level to begin training based on the Wolfies current abilities and temperament.  Let me give you an example of trying to teach "come" to Wolfie.

I take Wolfie outside in the back yard and walk around for a bit until he is a good distance away.  He is sniffing the bushes and watching the ducks swim across the lake.  I call Wolfie, "Come Wolfie, come!".  He doesnt pay attention so I yell louder "Come Wolfie, come!".  (That always works, right?)  Guess what.  Wolfie still isnt paying me the least bit of attention.  In fact, he has now jumped in the lake and is swimming after the ducks.  I now get mad because Wolfie isnt coming.  

The problem with the above scenario is that Wolfie had way too many distractions to listen to our "lesson" and we had no way to show Wolfie what we wanted him to do.  So if Wolfie isnt coming when there are distractions and he is a long way from us, lets set the scene to eliminate the distractions and shorten the distance.

I have now gone back into the house and have returned with a six foot leash.  I clip the leash on Wolfies collar and am now ready to start over.  Holding the leash in my hand, I kneel and tell Wolfie to "come".  He didnt, so I gave the leash a slight tug to show Wolfie what I wanted.  Now he came to me.  Good Wolfie!!!

All I did was to create an initial learning experience where Wolfie would have the clear ability to succeed.  He will eventually come to me from the other side of the yard (even with the ducks), but I needed to create a starting place from which to build.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Do it yourself dog training

Like a lot of the articles on this blog, this one was inspired by a phone call I received a couple of hours ago.

A couple of days ago I had a first session with a dog. It is a breed you rarely see. The dog is about 4 and is extremely fearful. In this case I believe that this dog was very fearful as a puppy. It happens.

On a one to ten difficulty scale this dog is about a 7. It will not be the hardest problem I have dealt with but it is up there. It will takes us a while but eventually we will fix the problem.

The first session went even better than I had hoped. I do not expect a dog to be perfect but I know you will go home with a better dog.

The Manners in Minutes system has you work with the dog at home. One of the things I need you to do is to get the dog out at least twice a week, for at least twenty minutes, somewhere where you can work on a twenty foot line.

My client took her dog out to work last night. And she ran into a neighbor with a new puppy.

Because getting a dog over being fearful is a process that takes a while, the client’s dog did react with fear to the person and the new dog.

The neighbor told my client that she had bought a book from one of the “famous” TV show trainers and was training her dog in the “right” system. And she promptly started to tell and show my client what she would be doing.

Then when the neighbor triggered a fear reaction in the client’s dog, the neighbor struck the dog with a stick.

This is just a minor setback. It will not undo what we did or stop the dogs progress. But it did traumatize the dog unnecessarily.



Not everyone has access to a good trainer. And not everyone, especially in this economic climate, can afford a trainer. So if you want to train a dog yourself, go ahead.

For the record, if you cannot come to me or to Pat Muller (the wonderful trainer who developed Manners in Minutes) then you can get Pat’s book or video from Quansa Kennels and train a dog in Manners in Minutes yourself. I have met some awesome dogs that people trained themselves.

And there are other books that are very good. But there are also methods that stink. This trainer the neighbor picked uses a “dominance” system. Sorry folks but in my opinion the trainer should call it bullying.

But no matter what book you pick do not think that one dog and one book gives you the right to interfere with anyone else’s training. You are entitled to express an opinion. But you are not entitled to use your method on my dog without my permission.

And by the way if you ever do that to someone else’s dog in my presence you can expect a couple of things.

You are going to lose your stick. I may be retired from law enforcement but I still have my speed from working with dogs.

And when the police show up, expect to be cited for animal cruelty.

Doug

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Wolfie and Pottying When It Is Raining

Wolfie had no problem with pottying until a few weeks ago and we got into rainy season here in South Florida.  Now he doesnt want to go outside and is messing up my carpets!  What gives?

The bottom line here is very simple.  It has been pretty dry here all winter long and Wolfie has been taught to go outside on this stuff that is rather dry when he is not getting wet.  Now he is getting wet and the ground is mushy with puddles and mud.  Some dogs just dont like that.  

"No thank you, I wont go here, I will just wait until I get back inside.  By the way, when is it going to be dry again?"

The answer is that it will be too long to keep my carpets from being ruined.  So, what do we do?  The answer, as with most of my blogs, is pretty simple.  First, we have to understand the situation when everything was going great.  Next, we have to identify when it all fell apart.  We then have to review what is different about the two situations.  And, finally, we have to create a plan to address the differences.   Here we go:

• Lets see...  When the ground is dry and it is not raining, Wolfie goes outside like a champ.
• When the ground is wet and mushy and it is raining, Wolfie just doesnt want to have anything to do with the "outside potty".
• So the difference is wet grass and being rained on.
• We need to find a place that is covered where the ground isnt mushy and is protected from the rain.

Here is what you do:

• Locate a place in your back yard that is protected from the rain.  This can be a patio, covered area off your cabana bath door, etc.
• Get one or two pieces of sod from Home Depot and place them in that protected area.  You might also think of putting something like a big, plastic garbage bag under the sod to keep your deck clean.
• When it is raining, direct Wolfie to the "dry yard" to do his business.
• Switch out the sod every few weeks to keep the grass relatively fresh and the smell under control.

You have now given Wolfie the bathroom he wants and your carpets are now safe!  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Is it Your dog Behaving badly

There are a number of different ways people think is the best training for your dog. What everyone agrees is a dog training and dog obedience is not easy. They take a lot of patience and dedication that is. In addition to these features, you have to have some skills, as well as being able to read your dog and he can do, and remember that your body language, what are you to your dog.

Here are some tips for any dog who is the captain of training:

First, you should use one arm and hand, let your dog signals. Although training might be somewhat more exaggerated in these campaigns, so that your dog attention must strive not only to enable the smooth flow of signal and your dog, which is consistent and not confusing to him. This is a real dog of all sizes. Whether large or small, the dog will be able to see your signal, if his attention.

Some people say this is not the case, but usually they do not know how to get the attention of the dog. Part of the problem might be you. If you are of your dog body language has no signal, it can be confusing your e-mail. Many teachers tend to nod his head and began to thin or as a command, not even to realize it. However, the dog can understand and groped to confuse you cross the lessons. If you do not know if it is possible to watch other people see the train.

Second, consistency is key. You must provide a clear message to your dog. This means that you can not blame him once, then you must provide that. Therefore, the rules must be established, it must adhere to them. Otherwise, you only confuse your dog and your attention from training. The dog is learning through repetition. Therefore, you must ensure that your training and regular training and command the same lesson does not change. Your puppy will now teach the things that will follow through their lives.

Third, know your dog. Well you know your pet, you know best what is going well and told me that he also may be a work in the new situation. You should also be treated in accordance with his personality of the dog. If you have a calm and sweet dog, you should not try to rough with him. You get the best results in training for her calm manner. Some dogs may be more active, but a more difficult style of training.

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