What My Service Dog Means To Me

Grab your kleenex for this Video...youre gonna need it!!!
From Service Dog to Surfer Dog!  ( I had to watch it twice!)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGODurRfVv4

I found this story on another website, which I have posted in my blog on "Helpful Links." I think this story helps people understand what peoples service dogs mean to them, and the some of the issues they face on a daily basis.  

 

           

Tamandra and Borias - A Match Made in Heaven - submitted by Tamandra

                                                                                                           

Borias is the best thing thats ever happened to me. Its hard to believe its been seven years since fate brought us together; seven years since I first held this chubby fuzzball in my arms. I had just suffered the unexpected tragedy of losing my doberman to a heart problem, and so decided turn back to the breed I had as a child. A German Shepherd Dog is the ultimate working dog, with beauty and brains in abundance.

I call all of this fateful because of how we were brought together. My order was a tall one. Its no easy task finding a good, quality German Shepherd thats been bred to work, but that also has his drive in check so that hes not too difficult to handle. I was about to give up but then I found that folded piece paper on the floor of my car--the one that had all the breeders names crossed out. All but one. With this one last chance, I left a message saying I was looking for a Service Dog prospect, and hoped for a male. Later on, when the breeder returned my call, she informed me that a couple who worked for the FBI were there doing extensive tests on the litter in hopes of finding a cadaver SAR prospect. There were only two males in the litter, and they had said that this largest male would make a great Service Dog because he was mellow, and took things in stride. This made the breeder glow with pride, since she had long hoped to have a dog of hers do that kind of work). All that meant that Borias and I were meant to be.

And he knew it too. Weve been inseparable since the day I was allowed to bring him home. He displayed none of the typical puppy- separation-anxieties like crying for his mom and litter-mates. It was as though he knew hed just found home. The very next day he went on an outing with me on leash, trotting right beside my wheelchair with no problem. He was such a quick study. I used clicker- training to begin teaching him some of the things he would do for me, but I had no idea, at nine weeks old (and after only a few training sessions), that he would be picking up my dropped keys and wallet! In fact, he got so into excelling at his job, he learned how to unzip my backpack when I wasnt paying attention--- to take out my wallet just so he could give it back to me! (Perfect practice makes perfect, after all!).

On one occasion early in our relationship, I was in a grocery store, and had unknowingly dropped my wallet in the aisle. When I noticed, I said out loud "Oh no! Wheres my wallet?" Instantly Borias was headed behind me, pulling on his leash, then suddenly was again in front of me, wallet in his jaws, tail wagging proudly. What a good boy! 

This bond of ours has deepened through the years, which go by so fast. Weve shared some incredible times, both recreationally and competitively. Hes gotten to hobnob with celebs, been to a U2 concert, watched the Broadway play The Lion King with great interest, and is a regular at the zoo, where he often gets more attention than the other critters! Hes the first dog Ive ever earned an obedience title with, getting a blue ribbon twice. He passed a therapy dog test with a flawless performance, and can now visit the infirm and have children read to him.

    

Yet despite his eerily human capacity for understanding and our blatant and essential life-connection, we still run into incredibly small minds. Do they have an idea in their head that a dog to assist a person with a disability must look a certain way? I realize that Borias has the stature and presence of a police officer, but we are rarely treated with the respect that an officer gets. Quite often, were denied access to functions and establishments. Its hurtful, and infuriating all wrapped up inside of a helpless feeling.

Being in a wheelchair comes with some (but not too many!) obstacles. Do I really need to add social ignorance to my list?

Id love to find a way to open the heart of the world...

Thats the way Borias lives his life, with an open heart. He is my
inspiration. My soul-mate. My heart dog.

-Tamandra (http://www.petjoyonline.com/Service-Dog-Stories-s/214.htm)

This story below is a bit long but WELL worth the read.....Enjoy!

Brendan & Spook Show - Service Dog or Super Dog? Both! -submitted by Cheryl

My son Brendan will be 7 Dec, 17 2008, he has had severe Epilepsy since he was 2 mon old. Brendan has 6 different types of seizures, & has Mild Autism. Brendan was having over 100+ seizures a day before he was placed on Meds, & Received  a VNS (Vagal Nerve Stimulator) Brendan had surgery to place this device when he was 2 1/2 . My son still had 35 + seizures a day even with the VNS. 
 
Brendans Autism & Seizures have caused him to have Developmental, & Speech Delays, as well as he is an exceptional escape artist, he also has Melt Downs that are out of his control, he escalates so high , to the point that he doesnt even know or realize what he is doing, or what is happening. Brendan is the most loving, kind-hearted child you could ever know, he meets no strangers. Brendan functions on more of a 2 1/2 - 3 yr old level, he doesnt comprehend, that if he runs out in front of a car & gets hit, he could die; if he did live he would turn right around & do it again. He honestly doesnt understand what can happen. He can be outside because of the heat; it makes him seizure more, when he gets too hot. I also have Epilepsy, & Narcolepsy, but have been told that Brendans Epilepsy isnt caused from mine, The Drs dont know why either one of us have Epilepsy. 
 
We were Lucky enough to be blessed with a friend that my husband works with & who knew about Brendans special needs. He also Breeds Labs, & wanted to donate one to Brendan, I worked with another Trainer to train him to be a Seizure Alert & Autism Service Dog, he showed me when he was only 4 weeks old that he could tell me before Brendan was having a seizure that it was going to happen, he was such an awesome dog & was so smart. We worked with him & trained him for 8 mon. he was so great for my son as a Service Dog, & a Friend, Sadly he passed away on New Years EVE. He went into a seizure himself & wasnt able to recover from it. I rushed him to the Pet Emergency Hospital when I found him like that & they did everything they could but he just wasnt able to fight the fight. We do miss him greatly. 
 
Shortly after the loss of Hogan, the SD that passed away, my sons Seizures started getting worse, & his Autism melt downs were worse as well. We knew that we had to find another SD for him, but I didnt feel I had the time, nor the Ability to Train another SD, so this time we decided to find a SD that was already trained for my sons needs. We were sooooo luck to find a lady in South Bend Indiana, that trains Siberian Huskies for all types of SD work, & she happened to have a SD that was ready to go & was a perfect match for Brendans Needs. 
 
Her name is Spook Show Baby ScoobyOvanna, Spook , or Spook Show for short.  She is trained to alert to seizures before they happen, she is trained to do Search & Rescue scent tracking, she also is trained to help with the Autism, she blocks Doors, she pushes the HC buttons that stores have to help open the door when needed, as well as many other special things. It took us approx 6 mon to raise the money needed to get Spook Show for our Son. We are so happy & Blessed with having Spook as our new Family Member. 
 
Spook Show just had her 2nd Birth Day on June 9, 2008 we got her on April 24, 2008. Spook was only home with us for 5 min when she started Alerting to a seizure coming on for Brendan; she nudged him over to the trainers lap, to let her know she needed to help him. The trainer was willing to fly here to us with Spook Show so that we wouldnt have to spend so much money flying 4 people & hotel for 2 weeks + Meals. I had gone to the store to get some meds for her when Spook Alerted to her first seizure in Brendan, Spook also will go to Brendans room & pull his covers back & nudge him to his bed when she senses a seizure coming on, if he is asleep & has a seizure she will lay across his legs to keep him from trying to get up & falling after the seizure, she also licks his cheek to help bring him out of the seizure, & to let him know hes ok & she is there for him, if Brendan vomits during a seizure, Spook will burrow under him & roll him on his side so that the vomit will go out of his mouth & he wont choke on it, & she then will clean it up so he wont get it back in his mouth. 
 
We went to the Grocery Store one day & Brendan got away from me & Bolted through the store, I had to let spook loose to help me find him & get him back, she ran as fast as she could & fallowed his sent through the store until she found him, she then blocked him & barked to let me know she found him. She does her best to keep him from bolting away from me when we get out of the car, she thinks ahead, you can literally see her wheels turning she is already up & ready to get out & as soon as I open the door she jumps out & runs to the end of the drive way & watches to see where Brendan is going to run, & when he does bolt she takes off & tries her hardest to keep him from getting away. 
 
Spook also Alerts to my seizures, so she has double duty, & she is really awesome. She isnt happy unless shes working. Spook was placed here for my son & she is awesome at what she does. Spook also Pulls my sons Special needs chair, he uses when we have to do a lot of walking, she also has a Mobility Harness that she wears & Brendan holds on to her for balance, he also has a vest he wears, with a tether strap that connects to his vest, & also to Spooks Harness, so now Spook also helps Brendan balance when walking, & helps keep him from running off by being hooked together, I can give her a sit stay, or lay stay command & she will do it & it keeps Brendan from getting away , she uses all her weight & strength to keep him from dragging her across the world.
 
Spook has always put Brendans safety first, she will run across the street right after Brendan not even looking or worried about herself getting hurt or hit, she worries about Brendan, & his safety. She is truly a GOD SEND, & I dont know what we would do without her. She is not only a Service Dog, but she is a member of our Family, & Brendans best friend. He loves her sooooo sooooo much. Spook never lets Brendan out of her sight. We love her more than she will ever know, or understand. Thank You Spook Show for all you do for our family, & for saving Brendans life many times.

We Love you, youre our Angel. Love Mommy, Daddy, Nathan & Brendan (www.petjoyonline.com/Service-Dog-Stories-s/214.htm)

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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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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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Bufo Frog Threat to Your Dog

As we start to get more rain down here in South Florida, I am seeing more and more baby frogs under bushes, by the back gate, and even sitting in the middle of the street. Some of my friends say they are really bad, but arent they just frogs?  They just hop away when you walk by and eat flys.  Right?

You couldnt be more wrong!  Bufo frogs in South Florida are incredibly dangerous to our dogs and other pets! 

This is the first time that I have ever used red, bold lettering in one of my blogs, but I am really serious on this one.  If your dog gets into a tussle with a Bufo frog, he could be dead in a matter of hours!

Like many of the other "out of control" animals and plants in South Florida, Bufo frogs were introduced with poor foresight and zero planning.  They were originally introduced in Palm Beach County in 1936 to try and control sugar cane pests and were reintroduced near the Miami Airport through 1955.  They generally range up to nine inches in width, but can grow larger and can live up to ten years.  They have very few natural enemies and are quickly replacing the native (calm, timid, perfectly safe) toads in South Florida.

Here comes the problem.  Bufo frogs secrete a toxic fluid that can kill your dog in a matter of hours.  The fluid is located in glands that are behind its head and that also coats its skin.  It can also shoot this toxin from its glands in the form of a white, thick venom.  They can attract dogs to them by making short, fast hops when they move and do not jump away when the dog comes to investigate.

If your dog has come in contact with a Bufo frog, you will first notice listlessness, foaming a brown substance from the mouth, heavy drooling, falling down, and even seizures.

So, what do you do about these horrible, little green monsters?  Walk your yard on a regular basis, looking for them.  If you find a Bufo, remove them from the area.  Always perform a "Bufo Patrol" at night before you let Wolfie out to do his business.  Watch him when he is outside.  Immediately investigate if he gets excited over something.

If you see that Wolfie has encountered a Bufo or you think that he might have encountered a Bufo:

• Wash his mouth out immediately with a hose.  Dont by shy, really give it a good wash.  
• Keep him as calm and quiet as possible.  
• Watch him like a hawk for the next several hours and make sure you have the address and phone number of your 24 hour vet.  
• Call the vet for any advice.
• If you see any signs of vomiting, stiffness of the body, or listlessness, get him to the vet NOW!
• If, for any reason, you arent sure about his condition, get him to the 24 hour vet!

As you can see, I am really serious about this.  The next time you visit your regular vet, please talk to them about Bufo frogs.  I am sure that they can provide you with more detailed information about these nasty Bufos.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Puppy Training 2 Housetraining

So ... you dont want your puppy to soil in the house. In order to be successful, you should be able to describe the EXACT behaviors that you want your puppy to display with regard to elimination, and then TEACH your puppy how to perform those behaviors. What are the desired behaviors?

1. My puppy should eliminate only in the outside area that I have designated for him/her.


2. My puppy should ask to go out when s/he needs to eliminate.

How do we teach these behaviors? There are five basic guidelines for successful housetraining:

1. Restrict the puppy to a crate or cage when you cannot watch him or her closely. "CLOSELY" is defined as "with your eyes on him".


2. Feed the puppy at discrete times that fit your schedule. Do not leave food out all of the time. If you control what goes in and when it goes in, you have a better chance of controlling when it comes out!


3. While the puppy is very young, remove water after about 8:00 p.m. at night, but otherwise allow the puppy free access to water. Unnecessary restriction of water can contribute to obsessive water drinking in some dogs.


4. Take the puppy to the elimination area on a leash. Do not just dump the puppy out the back door to hopefully take care of business. You need to KNOW for certain whether your puppy has eliminated.


5. Reward the puppy with a small food treat as he completes each "job" and while the two of you are still in the elimination area. You must associate the positive reward with the behavior and the location.

Fortunately dogs have an instinctive desire to keep their nesting area clean. As any good breeder can tell you, young puppies that have an opportunity to freely move outside of the whelping box to eliminate will begin to do so as early as four weeks of age. To take advantage of your puppys natural desire to stay clean, purchase a cage or crate for your puppy that is just large enough for him or her to walk into, turn around, stand up and lie down. The crate should not be so large that the puppy can soil in one end of the crate and sleep in the other end of the crate. Many modern crates have adjustable dividers that you can use to adjust the size of the crate as the puppy grows. If you have an older crate without the divider, just find a cardboard box to place in the back of the crate to take up the excess room until your puppy grows a little bigger.

The crate should always be a "happy" place, so each time you place the puppy into the crate, give him a food toy to work on. Some good suggestions are beef shank bones filled with kibble moistened to a formable consistency or peanut butter, a rawhide chew, a nylabone, a kong stuffed treats and peanut butter or can squirt cheese, and other treat dispensing toys. For safety reasons, dont leave fabric or fabric stuffed toys in the crate when your puppy is unsupervised. While a crate may be used to temporarily remove an overstimulated puppy from a bad situation when you do not have time or energy to otherwise train the puppy, it should not be used for "time out", as that is an ineffective method for dealing with unwanted behaviors.

Put your puppy on his feeding schedule. Feed your puppy in the crate. About 15 - 30 minutes after his meal, put your puppy on a leash and take him directly to the elimination area you have chosen. Stay in the elimination area. Do not allow the puppy to pull you all over the yard. Each time the puppy eliminates, reward the puppy with a "Good Puppy!" and a bit of treat. Give your puppy about 5 -10 minutes to produce something. If he doesnt produce, take him BACK TO THE CRATE. Do NOT allow the puppy to wander loose in the house. Even if the puppy produced, it is not unusual for a puppy to have two bowel movements in quick succession following a meal. Dont hurry the process.

When your puppy has urinated at least once and has defecated at least once, you may bring the puppy into the house, but keep a leash or houseline on him and keep him in your sight. If you see signs that he is sniffing for a place to go, immediately gather him and take him outside to the elimination area. After 30 minutes - 1 hour, depending upon the age of the dog, return him to his crate for an hour or two, then repeat the process.

If you are housetraining your dog, then presumbably at some point in time you would like to allow your dog to move freely within the house. While that is a long-term goal, while your puppy is young, it is critical that you restrict the size of the area in the house in which he is allowed to wander. One of the most common mistakes in housetraining a puppy or dog is to allow the dog more freedom than s/he can handle during the early stages of his/her training.

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Wolfie Likes to Rip Out My Plants

It is so strange.  I love to plant my new flowers and plants at this time of year and Wolfie likes to go after them.  Normally, he could care less....

This is an interesting topic that I came across in the last few years, and the stories I have been told about this are somewhat funny.  Let me recant two stories that I have been told and then step back and try and explain what happened and the simple fix.

One of my clients had just been to Home Depot the prior weekend.  He purchased a flat of turf to extend the grassy area of his back yard.  He had all the turf delivered to his back patio right outside his sliding glass door and family room.  His dog loved to sit by the glass door and stare out into the back yard and golf course beyond.  Also, many nights he would let his dog stay outside because the dog loved to sleep on the patio furniture.

So Saturday comes and my client begins to lay out all the new turf in the new lawn area.  It took him most of the day.  During that time, his dog was inside, laying by the glass window staring out at him and whatever else was going on.  That night, he lets his dog out to sleep on the patio and he goes to bed.

The next morning he wakes up to find almost half of all the pieces of turf back on the patio...

Another client of mine had purchased about thirty plants from Home Depot (always great sales around this time of year) and spent the afternoon digging holes and planting them in his back and side yards.  His doggie was out with him while he was doing this. 

The next day when he came home from work, almost all the plants were pulled out of the holes and sitting neatly next to each hole...

Luckily, neither of my clients got mad at their dogs and thought the whole matter rather funny.  They did come to me to ask what had happened.

Heres the deal.  Dogs learn through repetition.  Dogs learn through observation.  In both instances, the doggies watched as the client performed a repetitive and somewhat easy task.  The client simply taught the dog to dig.  In the example of the turf, the client cleared the area and placed the turf.  The dog reversed the process and put the turf back where it came from.  The client with all the plants taught the dog to dig and place the plant.  The dog simply removed the plant.

So here comes the bottom line.   When you are working in the garden and are digging or planting, keep Wolfie out of site.  Enough said.  I hope your garden looks great this Spring!  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Your New Puppy Pool Safety

I just got a new puppy and I want to make sure he is safe in the back yard.  What sort of things should I do to make sure he is OK around the pool?

The first thing that I always tell my clients is that their dog doesnt have to love the pool, he just needs to know how to get out of the pool if he ever falls in.  

We have to remember that dogs still have that innate canine mentality and perspective.  To them, the pool is the same thing as a lake or stream.  The bank is sloped and they have the ability to walk out anywhere along it.  Unfortunately, a "pools bank" is a straight wall.  You can not easily get out where ever you want.  There is usually only one or two places where you can easily exit a pool.  Since Wolfie doesnt understand this, he will be splashing and clawing at the pools side, never being able to get out.  He will eventually tire and possibly drown.

What we must do is to train Wolfie how to locate the exits to the pool and what he must do to get out.  Here is what you do:

• Put Wolfie on a leash and gently place him on the first step in the shallow end.  Sit with him and even have some of his toys there.  Give him some treats.  What we are doing here is to introduce the pool to Wolfie so that if he does fall in, he doesnt become so scared that he cant focus on the exits.
• Now have Wolfie jump out of the pool from the first step.  Praise him when he does it.  If you need to guide him with a little tug of the leash, that is fine too.  We are teaching Wolfie the first step of getting out of the pool.
• Now hold Wolfie and slowly move him away from the first step and around the pool.  Always do this slowly and NEVER let go of him.  We want to make sure that Wolfie is building a larger perspective of the pool while still feeling safe.  Always end "your little trip" back at the shallow end step and then guide him out.  Praise always follows.
• Move Wolfie about five feet away from the shallow end step and let him loose in the water.  Use the leash to guide him back to the step and then out of the pool.
• Repeat the above process until you can be at the other end of the pool and Wolfie will return to the shallow step and then out of the pool. 

I want to emphasize that you should move slowly through these steps.  The longer we give Wolfie that ability to feel safe at each step of the process, the better he will learn.  Also, I would suggest that you keep distractions to a minimum while you are working on this.  Having crazy kids or other dogs around could easily detract from the learning process.  For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Home From Vacation

     Well, we made it back home from our vacation out of state and I have to say, Jade was an absolute CHAMP! We had almost no problems whatsoever, except for one small one that was resolved easily and quickly.  We drove for 8 long hours to get to Santa Fe, and Jade laid in the back seat, without a peep the whole way! She didnt complain one time! I was very proud of her.  We stopped every hour and a half to two hours, and let her out to potty, get some gas, eat lunch, etc.  She was always happy to get out of the car, and we could tell she wasnt too happy to get back in when the break was over, but she did it, without complaint.  What a great dog! We came home the same way; an 8 hour car ride, and Jade didnt make a whimper.  So Ill tell you about a few of our experiences along the way....
     We stopped in Lordsburg to have lunch, a couple of hours into our trip. We all went into the restaurant, and Jade went straight under the table and did an immediate down/stay, as always.  A few people talked to us about her, as per usual, saying that "shes such a good looking dog....where did you get her trained," etc.  One couple were just going on and on about her, asking about her training and saying what a well-behaved dog she is, etc.  I always welcome questions about her training, and Im always happy about educating others on the use and training of service dogs.  I tell what I know.  When the waitress came over to our table, she said that she was amazed at how well-behaved Jade was.  I said, "Well, shes a service dog, and is supposed to be well-behaved." She responded, "Oh you should see some of the other dogs that come in here; theyre terrible, they wont sit, they bark and act terrible." I couldnt believe that, so I asked her if they were service dogs, and she said they were! Wow!  A service dog is always supposed to be well-behaved and follow commands immediately, so I couldnt believe what I was hearing.  I was proud of Jade though.  I thought to myself that I must be a perfectionist then, because there are times that I dont think Jade is doing the best that she can do; but, she has bad days too. So having heard what the waitress said, I was amazed that someone would bring a "service dog" into a restaurant that wont even sit, or barks! Hard to believe. It also made me wonder if those were some of the dogs that people are passing as "service dogs" in order to take them everywhere with them, even though they havent been properly trained per ADA regs.
     We checked into the hotel without a hitch, and the girl behind the check-in counter just smiled at Jade, and didnt say a word. I wondered if she would, but Jade was wearing her service dog vest, and I was prepared if she said anything or asked any questions, but she didnt.  Jade never barked once inside the hotel.  She did, I confess, sleep on the bed with us the whole time, but we put a sleeping bag on the bed, so as not to get it too hairy. The only time anyone at the hotel said anything was the first morning we were there, and had come out to the lobby to have breakfast.  The manager came out and said, "Im sorry, maam, I cant allow your dog in the food area." So I simply responded, "Its ok, shes a service dog and is with me always for medical reasons."  The manager just looked for a minute, put her hand to her chin, and said, "Hmmm, service dog....ok." Then walked away.  No more problems after that.  I dont think she saw Jades vest, because Jade was lying quietly under the table.
     There was one time that Jade became protective and barked and snarled at some people outside of the hotel.  We were just outside the side door, and I was waiting for her to do her "potty," when a couple and their grown son came rushing out of the door, and startled the both of us pretty good.  Jade whipped around and barked and growled a bit, but got hold of herself pretty quick. I apologized to the couple.  I chalked it up as Jade being a bit nervous in a strange environment and getting startled as they came rushing out of the door pretty quickly, and loudly.  Other than that, as far as the hotel goes, no incidents, no barking, just a well-behaved service dog, doing her job.
     The one thing that frustrates me most is that Jade has a very difficult time with other dogs.  Shes not dog aggressive, but she is defensive.  Ive talked to my trainer about this, and weve worked on it many times in class, and sometimes it seems shes getting better, and other times, not so much.  I know its from the pit bull attack that she suffered, because she was never that way prior to the attack, and hasnt been the same since.  A lot of times, an attack by another dog can easily put your service dog out of work for these reasons, and others.  My trainer says that shes going to be fine because as a service dog, she doesnt need to play with, or really get along with other dogs, she just needs to be able to walk past them, and sit in the same room with them, without freaking out, which she does fine.  She just cannot handle another dog coming  up and sniffing her, especially in her face.  When that happens, Jade loses it, and I swear she becomes another dog.  She becomes so defensive, and it scares me.  She doesnt ever bite, but she makes a lot of noise, snarling, growling and barking, and goes after the other dog.  I hate this! I hate that that damned pit bull ruined my dog!!!! When it happens, I become very sad, depressed, discouraged, and needless to say, embarrassed for my dogs behavior.  My trainer says that no one is supposed to let their dog come into your dogs face anyway, its very rude behavior, but it does happen. It happens a lot actually, and then I always end up having to be the one to apologize and feel embarrassed, but they were the rude ones for letting their dog in Jades face.  Anyway, I digress....We went to visit a friend, at his recording studio, and he always has his dog with him.  Its a very innocent, and friendly dog.  We walked in, and the dog ran right up and got right in Jades face for a sniff...you can guess how it went from that point.  Yup, Jade lost it....and I ended up apologizing and feeling very embarrassed.  Jade was fine afterwards, just a bit excited.  The other dog, poor thing, ran with his tail between his legs and was put in another room.  I felt so bad, and kept apologizing, but the owner blew it off as no big deal.  I wish there was some way to fix Jade, but I cant take away what happened to her.
     That was the worst of the whole entire trip.  The rest was a breeze.  Jade was great, and was very helpful, bracing when I needed, picking up my cane several times, and anything I dropped, including my credit card off the tile floor.  (Not an easy feat).  She even did a great "visit" when I was feeling stressed.  She "visits" by putting her head in my lap when Im feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. It really helps to ground me, and she makes me pet her, which helps bring me back to reality.  So, overall, it was a great trip, Jade did a great job for being in a totally different and strange environment, and were all happy to be home.  Thanks for listening.

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