Picking up Little Wolfie

Sometimes when I pick up Wolfie, he gives a little whimp or tries to give me a little nip.  What can I do to make sure that Wolfie is fine when I pick him up?

The most important aspect of picking up Wolfie is to make sure that you are not hurting or startling him.  He must feel comfortable during the entire process and be assured that you are always keeping him safe and secure.  Here are some qeneral tips:

• Never let small children pick up Wolfie.  Wolfie might squirm and they might drop him.  They might also squeeze him and he might nip to tell them that he is being hurt.
• Dont pick up big dogs.  They can easily squirm and you will drop them.  If you need to get your big dog into a car or on a bed, build a ramp or get some "doggie stairs".  This will assure that Wolfie will kept safe and you wont hurt your back.

Now, lets discuss how to pick him up, assuming that Wolfie is a medium to small dog and you have the ability to pick him up:

• Lightly stroke Wolfie to make sure that he has no sores or aches.  Trying to pick up a doggie with painful spots is not a good thing.
• Slowly approach Wolfie and calmly grab him around his belly.  Picking up a dog by grabbing them under their front legs can, at times, be painful.
• Wait for a moment and then slowly lift him up to your chest.  Once he is there, praise him with a high pitched "Good Puppy".
• Turn him and hold him against your chest while holding him with both arms.  He should be "right side up" so that his belly is resting in your forearms while you have one arm holding him in place.
• Slowly pet him by taking your hand and stroking him down his body.
• Keep the environment calm and quiet.  Loud noises or fast movement might startle him and you might drop him.  This is not good.
• If Wolfie displays any anxiety or begins to squirm, put him down immediately.
• When you are ready to put him down, return to holding him with both hands under his belly.
• Slowly lower him, letting him see where his feet will touch the ground.
• Once both feet are on the ground, praise him with a high pitched "Good Puppy" and let him loose.

Picking up Wolfie is a process of bonding and trust that is critical in the relationship you are trying to create with your dog.  Doing it correctly helps create a great experience.  As dog trainers, we have seen that improper grabbing and picking up of dogs can create lasting behavior issues.

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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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Managing Your Puppy’s Play with Other Puppies

We have had our very first puppy for about a month now and I am starting to let him play with neighbor puppies and other dogs.  Sometimes it looks like they are really trying to hurt each other.  How do I know they are just playing or if something bad is happening?

Socialization is a very important part of your puppy’s life experience.  Your puppy’s play with other dogs and puppies allows him to reinforce and establish his communication skills, canine interaction, and physical well being. 

The one thing that you have to understand is that your puppy lives in a “canine world” of absolutes and clear social roles.  There is the leader and there are the followers.  There are things you can do and things you can’t do.  Everything is absolute and unambiguous.  These are the types of games that puppies play in order to build experience and understand their social experience.

Puppies play games such as:

•  “Follow the Leader” where the leader is chased by the rest of the puppies (the pack).  Eventually the leader stops and a new leader takes over.  That puppy now takes off with a flash while the rest of the group chases him. 
• Many times two puppies will play “Tag, You’re It!” where one chases the other until the follower jumps on the leader and sometimes gives a little nip.  The act of “tagging” exchanges roles where the leader becomes the follower and the follower becomes the leader.
• “King of the Hill” is another game that puppies play where one puppy gets to the top of something (like a chair) and defends it by posturing, nipping, and barking.  The other puppies might challenge by getting close, but they will always back off.  Eventually the puppy on top will jump off and a new puppy will become the leader or “king”.

Even though these are all activities that demonstrate dominance or submission, they are still only games.  Just like we used to play games like Cowboys and Indians, we understood that they were just games.  Our puppies also understand that these are just games.  After about thirty or forty minutes, they will all be drinking out of the same water bowl and then fall asleep, exhausted, by each other.   

So we should encourage and let our puppies play these games.  With this said, there are a few precautions that we should take to make sure that everything stays safe:

• Have puppies of the same size play with each other.  When a big puppy rushes up to a small puppy, it might scare and intimidate the smaller.  This could create a fearful little dog that might later become dog aggressive.
• We suggest playing outside in an enclosed, grassy area.  This allows them the most freedom to run and not “get into trouble”.
• If one puppy is becoming fearful (tail between legs), remove him from the main play area.  Let him watch from a safe distance and allow him to decide if and when he might want to join the group.
• Watch the puppies very closely.  If any puppy is constantly jumping on another and the other is whining, growling, or nipping with no release, the play has escalated too far.  It is now time to separate the two for five minutes.  If they are calm after that, resume play.
• Always have water available.  This allows for proper hydration and provides for a “quick break” in the games.

We all want to be good “doggie parents” and to allow our puppies to become well socialized.  Allowing our puppies to play together is a large part of the equation.  Unfortunately the line between exuberant, healthy play and aggressive bullying is quite fine.  If you are ever unsure about a situation, remove your puppy and let things start again.  If you have any questions, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Field Training At The Mall

     Jade and I had a field outing with the trainer yesterday and today we are attending the training class again. Since we went out of town, we missed a class and a field outing, so now we are making up for lost time.  No buggy though, I love spending this quality time with Jade, and she has a great time too.  Weve actually missed two weeks, since Jade was sick the week before and last week we were out of town. Jade had come down with an upper respiratory thing, which I believe she contracted from me, since Id been sick as well.  Who knows? The Vet said although there have been studies done on whether dogs contract our illnesses, they are not conclusive, so its still questionable.  Anyway, we are making up for lost time, and Jade is doing great.  Yesterday the field trainer met us at the mall, and we did some different things to see how Jade would do.  We got on and off a couple of elevators, and Jade was great.  Its just funny the way she looks at the floor when the elevator starts or stops moving.  :)  She just looks down at the floor, like shes thinking "why is the floor moving?" Its pretty funny.  She wore her harness yesterday and is doing great with it.  She knows the purpose of the harness now, and she understands it is for supporting me, bracing and  helping me with balance.  I can tell she understands this because of the way she uses the harness.  Shes such a champ! The trainer was impressed at how well she did at the mall, which is actually a pretty strange environment for her, as shes only been inside one other time.  
     People are usually pretty friendly when they see us together, and a lot of people ask questions about how she is being trained, how she helps me, etc.  Most people are good about it accepting us into their stores and restaurants, but there are some places that are not as service dog friendly, although they dont have a choice, really. I did talk to the trainer about the episode we had while on vacation, with the other dog that approached Jade nose to nose while she was working. We talked about Jades defensiveness with other dogs that get too close; although Jade is not always like that.  It really depends on the circumstances under which she is approached by other dogs.  The trainer and I agree that it has a lot to do with how I am reacting in that situation.  When that incident happened in Santa Fe, I remember the dog coming up to Jade and sniffing her nose, and me thinking "Oh my God, NO! Here we go again!" and tightening up on her leash.  That is most of the problem.  I know because weve had other instances just like this one, where I relaxed the leash, took a deep breath, and thought "Itll be ok," and it was! It really is amazing how much our dogs react to how we feel! The trainer really didnt issue any homework for Jade on this subject, but for me.  She told me to think of something that really helps me to relax, a happy thought, to use when this sort of thing happens, and to relax the leash.  Im sure shes right, and Ill have to work on that. 
     Otherwise, Jade did wonderfully at the mall, on the elevators, and with the trainer rolling suitcases in front of her, and dropping food on the floor in front of her (which she didnt touch).  It took a while for Jade to get that one.  :)  Jade is definitely motivated by food, as most Labs are. She learned not to touch any food that falls on the floor, and not eat anything unless its given to her by hand, and I okay it.  The training on this isnt over yet, though, were still working on it, but shes doing well.  I really want Jade to be a bomb proof service dog, but I do know that no dog is perfect, and they all have bad days.  She will have her certification test out in the public somewhere and I want her prepared to pass it with flying colors.
     The trainer and I also discussed those websites that are selling vests and such, in order for people to put on their dogs, and call them "service dogs," for the purpose of getting around the law.  My trainer expressed her disgust with these websites and the people who impersonate the disabled and have their dogs impersonate a service dog, for this purpose.  It really is a disgraceful act! A lot of studies have been done in the past about lawbreakers and criminals, and it turns out that most people do in fact, try their very best to obey the laws.  The people who do these sorts of things fit the definition of criminals, and definitely fit the definition of disgraceful! The laws on this are full of holes, and are very vague, and basically dont stop people who do this disgraceful practice, but the ADA regs are written that way for a reason...to protect the disabled.  Its hard to say what needs to be done in this case. 
     Jade did great at the mall, and the trainer was happy with her, as am I.  We will attend class today and catch her up on anything she missed.  Im betting that they want to work on Jades responses to loud noises again today.  Although Jade is definitely getting better with that, she still has some anxiety with a lot of prolonged loud noise.  She will get it though, I have faith.  She will get to the point that none of that bothers her anymore.  Lets hope it happens quickly. Thanks for listening.  


Here are some links below, that are great reads for anyone who just loves dogs in general.  Check them out!






If you love dogs, all kinds of dogs, and want to see what theyre doing for their people....check out this link below.

https://www.facebook.com/exploredogs?sk=wall

The story of Danny, A Service Dog Who Saved A Life

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/service-dog-saves-life-arizona-bethe-benne_n_1248293.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D132236

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Walking a Very Strong Big Dog

I have a very big, head strong German Sheppard who pulls and lunges like crazy when I walk him.  I have tried all the tricks of walking on a short leash, using a Holt and Gentle Leader, walking at different times; he still pulls and lunges.  What can I try next?

I had this exact situation with a client and his Sheppard on a training visit earlier this week.  He said that walking was next to impossible with the dog.  With that said, I asked him to take the dog out on a short leash and walk down the street.  (By the way, the street was nice and quiet… no cars, people, kids, squirrels, etc.)  The walking was a disaster.  It was a constant tug of war between the client and the dog.  It was a stalemate where nobody was winning and nothing was being taught.

This is where I introduced a slightly different method that is not for everybody.  I asked for the leash and simply held the leash by the handle.  There was six feet of loose leash between me and this 90 lb., 2 year old, rambunctious Sheppard. 

He looked at me and then began to run out to the end of the leash.  As soon as he got there and began to pull, I gave a good tug on the leash and directed him back to me.  During this entire time, I continued to walk and did not make a big deal of the redirection back to me.  The Sheppard gave me a quick look and slowly began to walk out to the end again.  I corrected him again, but this time I didn’t have to give such a tug to get him to look back and slow down.

After several repetitions of this process, that Sheppard was walking right around me and never encroached on the 6 foot limit of the leash.  Kids and animals would pass by and he still would stay right around me.  Dogs will be dogs, so I still needed to give him slight corrections as we continued and completed the walk.  Also, I want to make it quite clear that I never chocked the dog or hurt him in any way.  I was simply giving him very clear signals that “you can’t go that way”.  

Sometimes dogs need a little more room to “move around” when walking.  I noticed this immediately when I asked the owner to walk the dog.  All I did was to give the dog a little more “walking room” with the clear rule that he still needed to stay around me and to be mindful of my presence.  I simply put the Sheppard in a situation where he could clearly understand my rule and that I had the ability to let him understand what was right and wrong.

Please remember that this technique isn’t for everybody.  The client was able to handle the dog if he lunged, had a clear grasp of the technique I was displaying, and was able to successfully apply it, if needed.  If you have further questions, please contact us at Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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