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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I Want Wolfie to Stop Jumping on My Friends

I just dont get it.  Wolfie seems to be such a good dog, but I cant keep him from jumping on my guests every time they come in the front door.  It was cute when he was a puppy, but now he is over 100 lbs.  What gives?

This is a classic "annoying problem" that, unfortunately, we bring on ourselves.  It is so great when you get your little puppy.  They are so full of life and just wanting affection all day long.  We have them jump on us and we give them hugs, chase them around the room, play with them when they bring us toys, pet them when they nudge our hands, and a whole lot of other "puppy things".

The problem is that we are now socializing them to particular behaviors.  We are teaching them how to jump, chase, and demand attention.  The problem is that Wolfie learns in a very black and white method.  If we teach him to jump, it is OK to jump on everybody all the time.  If we teach him to demand attention, he can demand attention from everybody all the time.

As we interact with our puppies or dogs, we must understand that whatever we ask them to do, from their perspective, they can do with anyone all the time.  "Wolfie can jump on me, but not my guests" is something that we might be able to understand, but Wolfie will not understand.  All Wolfie can understand is "I can jump".  So if Wolfie is performing any action that you would not allow him to perform anytime with anybody, you must teach him that is not what you want him to do.

The bottom line is to think of your rules, or what you want Wolfie to do through his eyes. Examples of what your rules might be are:

• No jumping.
• Off the furniture.
• Not in babys room.
• No counter surfing...

When things are simple and straightforward, Wolfie gets it.  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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When Wolfie is Sick

Every once in a while, Wolfie gets an upset stomach and throws up his food.  Do I need to always rush to the Vet?

If you are a new dog owner or if Wolfie is a small puppy, I would at least call your Vet, explain the situation, and ask for their advise.  If you believe that they have come in contact with anything poisonous (click here for more details), wash their mouth out and take them to the Vet.  If Wolfie isnt a puppy and you have had dogs before, I would use my common sense and experience to decide what to do. 

The big thing is observation.  After they have thrown up, are they still active?  Do they still have an apatite?  Are they hydrated?  (You can tell this by pinching their fur and see if it bounces back or stays in that "pinch".  If it bounces back, they are hydrated, if it doesnt, they are dehydrated and need to go to the Vet.)

If they are still active, have an apatite, and are hydrated, it might be a good idea to continue watching them.  This "upset stomach" might have been a one-time thing and they will be fine.

The one thing that you should do during this time is to change their diet from their regular, dry food to something more soothing for their stomach.  Just like us, we suggest white rice with a cut up boneless chicken breast.  Make sure they have all the water they want.  After about a day, everything should be fine and they can go back on their regular food.

If, from your observations, they continue to throw up, become listless, or dehydrated; off to the Vet you go!

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Dog Training Schedule With Your Dog

OK, I know all about the exercises and I do them with my dog every once in a while, but my dog just doesnt seem to get it!  What is going on here?

I am now going to show my age here, but remember Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy?  If you are familiar with TV cartoons in the 1960’s, you will remember the cartoons where Doggie Daddy was always trying to teach his son, Augie Doggie a lesson.  I know that many other dog trainers (and a lot of trainers in my own organization) will say it is crazy to try and associate actual canine behavior with children’s cartoons.  The answer is that Doggie Daddy was absolutely correct in his training methods of his son, Augie Doggie.

I am not saying that my methods methods are based on a 1960s cartoon show, it just so happens that the show mimics the proven methods we use to gain our great results.  So what happened between Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy?  It is real simple...

• YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT.  Dogs learn by doing the same thing the exact same way.  In order for us "humans" to accomplish this, we cant spend a whole lot of time every day working with our dog.  If we do, we will get sloppy and we wont be consistent.  That is why I suggest that you do not spend more that fifteen to thirty minutes per day performing exercises with yiour dog.  If you spend more time, you are only trying to build a Guinness Worlds Record of sits.  This doesnt work.  Remember, keep it short.
• YOU MUST BE REPETITIVE.  Remember how we learned our times tables?  Seven times Seven is Forty Nine.  Over and over again.  That is the same way that your dog learns his lessons.  ...Over and over again.  This means that you need to practice your exercises every day.  You cant just do it once or twice a week and think that it is going to stick.  It wont.

So remember, repetition and consistency with your exercises.  That is what is going to make it work!  For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Dog Training Advice You Can Change Your Dog’s Behavior and Stop Being Embarrassed

Are you the proud owner of a new dog? Looking for some helpful dog training advice to get you started?

Getting a dog is an experience that can change your life. It’s much like welcoming a new (and rather rowdy) member into the family, really; a period of adjustment and change. For people who live alone, it can be a lesson in responsibility, in learning to take care of the needs of another creature. For those with families, the experience can be a lesson in patience, getting along (“Ma, the dog ate my sandwich again!”) and friendship. They’re not called “man’s best friend” for nothing, after all.

Having a dog is a much greater experience for both of you when the dog is disciplined. Dog training advice is essential in order to have a well behaved dog who is pleasant to be around. Starting with house training as well as behavioral training, make your dog one that you will be happy to take anywhere.

Nobody wants a dog who jumps on people all the time, or a dog who barks or growls continually. It can get very frustrating and annoying for you and others. These are all signs of aggression which are not healthy for your dog, and can be very embarrassing for you. Some small dogs get away with a lot more aggressive behavior because of their size.

I adore my two wiener dogs, and wouldn’t change them for anything. However, I realized that they had dominant behavior which was causing trouble at the dog park, as well as when I had people over and they would jump all over them.

One day I decided to take charge and address these problems. A trainer would have been very expensive, so that was out of the question. I was able to find the excellent dog training advice that I much needed and today I can enjoy my pups a lot more and don’t have to worry that they will cause trouble and embarrassment.

It is very important to address your dog’s habits. Here is the dog training advice that I found that will easily teach you how to effectively change your dog’s behavior. For more information, feel free to use this great resource on dog training advice.

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Dog Training Two Approaches

Are you interested in a Career in Dog Training, or would like to become a Dog Trainer?

Do you desire to train your canine friend? Then, as you become a dog trainer, you have to choose between 2 equally effective methods to dog teaching: classical and operant conditioning.

Classical conditioning is a subject of association. Basically, you will be required to introduce motivators to your dog, to train him to response in a certain way when he comes across specific motivators. For instance, ringing a bell right before feeding him a meal will make him anticipate a meal every time he perceives the sound of a bell ring. Treating him a dog treat each time he turns over on the floor will in due course make him turn over on the floor when shown a dog treat.

Classical conditioning is said to be the more effective of the 2 methods in dog teaching.

Though, operant conditioning is a very close substitute.

Operant conditioning involves the introduction of negative or positive fortifications throughout the program of dog teaching. Positive fortifications are rewards you will give for your pet whenever he does anything approving. The thought is to educate your pet to keep on doing these achievements so that he can get his rewards. Negative fortifications are castigations inflicted upon the pet whenever he does anything unfavorable.

Some dog trainers would say that positive fortifications should be preferred over negative fortifications. Who would wish to see his pet be in pain, after all?

Though, some dog types take action better to negative fortifications rather than positive fortifications. English bulldogs, pugs and spitzes, for instance, are more sensitive to education when punished for their errors.

Negative fortifications, on the other hand, can be devastating for specific dog breeds. A German Shepherd, once punished, may resent his master forever. A Shih Tzu can cut his liking for a master who commences negative fortifications all through his training. The same goes for a Pomeranian.

Inexperienced at dog teaching or the Career in Dog Training?

It is sensible to take the classical conditioning course first because it is undemanding to pull off.

A career in Dog Training, or just the desire to become a dog trainer entails serious consideration.

If you would like to learn more about a career in dog training or how to become a dog trainer, click on Dog Training Career .OR Become a Dog Trainer

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Dog Behaviour Training

At some point in time all of us dog owners need to administer some dog behavior training. This is sometimes called "behavior modificaton" and it basically means solving your dogs behavior problems.

There are loads of dog behavior problems, they can affect all dog breeds, at any time throughout your dogs life. Ive listed some of the more common dog behavior problems below, and importantly some proven dog behavior training methods to correct them. I will continue to add to this resource over the next few months. Hopefully this information proves to be a valuable resource for you - and your dog. 

I expand further on these rules within the specific dog behavior problems listed below.

• A great number of puppy and dog behavioral problems are the result of separation anxiety.
• Many behavior problems (such as barking, biting and digging) stem from a lack of communication, or miscommunication between you the owner and your dog. Simply put, your dog is not aware of what is expected of him/her (Ill just say him from now on to make it easier).
• Applying some proper obedience training at an early stage (the earlier the better!) is a most effective technique to correct any behavior problems, and also to prevent any future problems. The fact that you are reading this page possibly means it is too late for this tip!
• Set boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior for your dogs, and stick to them. Be consistent, make it simple for your dog:
  • Be clear that you are always the alpha dog or leader in your owner-dog relationship.
  • Make it clear to him what is unacceptable behavior - every time.
  • Make it clear to him what is acceptable behavior - every time.
• Even though it may seem as though your dog is behaving poorly to spite you or annoy you this is not the case. In the vast majority of dog behavior problems there will be a cause or trigger which sparks the behavior. Identifying these triggers is the crucial first step towards solving the problem.
• Be careful you are not inadvertently rewarding the very behavior you are trying to eliminate. An example of this would be if your dog is barking excessively outside, you then go to the door and call him inside. Youre encouraging and rewarding the behavior, and therefore he is sure to do it again!.

Dog Behavior Training Can Make An
Enormous Difference To Your Dogs Life

Its a sad fact of life that the vast majority of dogs that end up in animal shelters (or worse) are there because of a bad behavioral problem. It doesnt have to be this way, most problems (like aggression and destructive behavior) are at the very least manageable, through proper dog behavior training.

If you consistently apply the proper training techniques and add some commitment and patience, you are sure to achieve pleasing results with your dog. 

reference;

http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/dog-behavior-training.html

see also;

http://web2mall.blogspot.com

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How Do I Get Wolfie to Stop Nipping My Pants

It is always so annoying to be walking down a hallway and all of s sudden have Wolfie pulling on your pants or nipping your shoes.  Just shaking him off only seems to make him want to do it more!  I dont want to kick him.  What can I do?

We need to understand why Wolfie is doing this and what we must do to let him know that it is wrong.  

Wolfie is always trying to understand what we want from him and what the rules for the group are.  The main way that he accomplishes this is through body language.  Wolfie does not have words and sentences, so his main form of communication are the nuances of stance and movement from body language.  With this in mind, lets see what we are telling Wolfie when we pass him and walk down the hall.

As we approach Wolfie, we are facing him.  Facing another animal is a natural act of dominance.  We are telling Wolfie "I am the boss.  I am in charge.  Obey me."  This is all fine and dandy until we pass him.  

Now we are walking away and Wolfie sees our back.  The back is always the submissive or weak side.  (When wolves attack other animals, they always try and come at them from behind.)  We have now changed our language from "I am the boss" to "I dont care, everything is fine with me, do what ever you want".  This now puts Wolfie in charge and he just might want to play "tag" with us.  We all know what happens next.

So, what can we do about this?  The answer is that we must use our body language in the appropriate way to send a clear signal to Wolfie that he can not take charge and play tag with us.  Here is what you do:

• As you approach Wolfie, give him a low, stern "No" just before you pass him.  
• As you pass, turn so that you continue to face him and repeat your low, stern "No" several more times.
• Continue to walk backwards so that you continue to face him.
• If Wolfie ever starts to get up and move towards you, repeat the low, stern "No".
• As you move away, you become less of a "playful" distraction and Wolfie should quickly loose focus.
• You can now turn around and keep walking, always looking back slightly to make sure that Wolfie has not reengaged.

You will need to repeat this every time you pass Wolfie for the next few days.  Through your consistent and repeated acts of clearly explaining to Wolfie (through body language) that you wont accept his nipping, he will learn that it is not right and will stop.  For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Adult Dog Training 3 Ways to stop Jumping Up

Adult Dog Training - 3 Ways to stop Jumping Up

So youve been given or have aquired somehow, an adult dog.
Often a big problem can be jumping up.

Dogs are extremely sociable creatures and want to see your face or be where you are.
Jumping can simply be a way to get closer to the face.

There are 3 good ways to stop jumping up that I am going to address;

1. The Preventing Knee


As your dog is just about to jump up, put your knee up to stop them. This makes it uncomfortable for them and teaches them that this is not a good idea.
This is NOT my favourite. I have a large Bullmastiff puppy and when I tried this...well, I have some scars on my legs you wouldnt believe.
Not a practical method for big dogs !

2. The Spray

This method entails having a spray cannister filled with either water or a water / vinegar mix.
It is best to use this with a word such as "
OFF !".
A 5 minute session with this each day may be all your dog needs to associate the unpleasant spray with the word OFF and the fact that these come when he jumps up.
Thos method does work well except on those dogs who literally go balistic when you spray them. My Bullmastiff runs around the house like a crazy dog when she gets sprayed...not good for an almost 100lb dog !

3. The Lead technique

By far my favourite so far.
This one just needs you to put the dogs lead on. Where the lead runs from the neck and touches the ground, step on it (the lead not the dog..). This makes it impossible for the dog to jump.
Remember to praise extensively when your dog doesnt try to jump.

One last word;
Dogs are gamblers. Often if you can carry treats around with you and treat when they have done very well, the dog will remember that this happens and gamble on you having treats !

Good Luck !

Lincoln

Adult Dog Training

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How to Stop My Dog Stealing From the Table

The one thing that really makes meal time stressful is trying to keep my dog from begging and stealing food from the table.  I know that other people with dogs don’t have this problem, but I do.  What can I do?

There is one important thing that we must understand about dogs stealing food from the table.  They don’t place an implicit ownership on food.  If they see food left unattended, it is just like their finding a dead animal in the wild.  If they are hungry, they will naturally eat the food.  So, as humans, we need to understand that if we leave food unattended with our dog nearby, it might be gone when we return.

With this said, we must also understand when it is not acceptable for our dog to steal from the table.  If we are providing our dog leadership while building a bond, establishing trust, and delivering companionship; our dog will see us as their caregiver and leader.  From our dog’s perspective, it is not acceptable to take food from the leader until allowed.

When our dog attempts to take food from the table while we are at the table, he is breaking that natural rule and we must, as the leader, let him know that he is doing something wrong.  In order to do this, we must set the scene to allow him to either try and steal the food or respect us and not encroach.  Here is a little exercise for you:

• Establish a perimeter around your table where you don’t want your dog to cross when you are eating.
• Make sure you have toys, goodies, or even your dog’s dinner placed outside the perimeter.
• Place a leash on your dog.
• Create one or two plates of “smelly food” like cheese, cold cuts, hamburger meat, etc. and place them on the table.
• Everyone with a plate needs to sit down at the table and keep their chairs placed far enough away from the table so that they can easily stand up.  Everyone must sit “side saddled” (like our Mom always scolded us for doing).
• Make “yummy sounds” and nibble on the food while you watch your dog out of the corner of your eye.
• If your dog begins to approach your boundary, quickly stand up, face your dog, and loudly say “No” in an authoritative, guttural tone.  If you need to, gently pick up the leash and guide him away to his toys, goodies, or dinner.
• Praise your dog with a high pitched “Good boy” for doing the right thing.  (You might have had to show him what was right, but that is OK.  He is learning.)
• Return to your chair, always facing your dog.
• Slowly sit down and repeat the process until your dog looses interest and does not approach you.
• Repeat this every day until you no longer have to actively keep him away from the table.

Having to deal with a “nosy dog” while at the table can be a big pain for your family and friends.  Practice this exercise regularly and we are sure you will soon have an enjoyable time at the dinner table.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Separation Anxiety How Can I Help

Wolfie just goes nuts when I leave the house.  He barks and attempts to destroy everything.  The neighbors tell me that they think there is a "possessed being" in my house.  Is this "separation anxiety" and what can I do about it?

Separation anxiety is one of the most difficult issues to resolve in a dogs behavior.  It is brought about because of prior experiences as shelter or abused dog or lack of leadership in the current environment.  Over the coming months I will be discussing this in more detail, but, for now, lets get going on one thing we can do.

Wolfie and other dogs are very attuned to the sounds around them.  If their territory (home) sounds like everything is fine, they will feel that it is fine.  The way that they come to this conclusion is based on the "white noise" they are processing.  If they hear you doing the laundry or opening the refrigerator, everything is fine, Mommy or Daddy are home, no big deal.  If they dont hear this, they begin to increase their adrenaline and wonder where the rest of the pack actually are. 

Many people leave the TV on for their dogs as "white noise" for their being home.  This could actually be a negative thing if the TV is not always on.  Wolfie learns "A=B".  If the TV is on, you are not here.  Oh my gosh, I have to react to you not being here!  I will bark and destroy! (Just for your information, this is bad.)

We have an interesting solution.  Record about 30 minutes of daily household activities you would normally perform.  About 10 minutes before you leave, turn on the recording.  From this point until you leave, be very quiet.  Now, leave the house while your continuous loop recording continues to play.  

Wolfie now is focused on your natural noises and has been be redirected from your departure and his need to initiate separation anxiety.

This is only one of several things you must implement to successfully resolve Wolfies separation anxiety, but it is a start.  In the coming weeks, I will publish more articles that will assist you to resolve this problem.  For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Getting Wolfie to Stop Chewing and Teething

Wolfie likes to chew and teeth a lot.  I have tried all the normal ideas like Bitter Apple, Bitter Yuch, Tabasco Sauce, and the like.  It seems that these things make Wolfie want to chew the item even more!  Ideas!  Help!

This training blog is going to be rather short, because I believe I have found the Holy Grail of dogs chewing and teething.

I was at a client about two months ago and our discussion turned to their dogs obsession with chewing on wicker and hands.  Besides the normal corrections that we always teach, I wanted to provide them with a "Plan B".  I knew that the mainstream suggestions of the "Dont Chew on Me" items from the pet stores never worked, so I turned to my favorite suggestion of Hot Sauce.

They said they had some Hot Sauce and went to get it from the kitchen.  Being from Southern California, I assumed it would be a Mexican Hot Sauce.  I was wrong.  My clients were originally from China so they brought out some great Mandarin Chinese Hot Sauce!  (I hadnt had any of this stuff since I frequented a little place called The Mandarin Wak in California!)  This stuff was HOT!

I put three drops of this stuff on my hands and rubbed it in.  I then let their dog come back to my hand, (earlier he chewed on it), he took one sniff/lick, and he was done with that.  I put a few drops on the furniture he was chewing.  After one snip, he was done with that activity.

If your dog has a chewing problem, I think that Chinese Mandarin Hot Sauce is the way to go.  (Since I am also a hot sauce lover, I want to way that is is also really tasty!)   For more information, please contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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Stop Your Dog Nipping at Your Heals

Every time I walk past my dog, he lets me pass and then nips my heals or pant legs after I have walked by.  This is annoying and putting holes in my pants legs.  I don’t think it is right to kick him.  What should I do?

When a dog is overly playful or demanding of attention, he will try to do whatever he can to have you pay attention.  Nipping at your heals gets your attention.  You now stop doing what you were doing (walking down the hall) and turn to address his “request”.  You have now responded to your dog’s demand for attention and have submitted to his authority.

You cannot yell, hit, or scream in response to your dog’s nip.  These actions will often escalate the situation to where your dog will start to jump, bark, or even bite.  You must deescalate the situation and address the issue before it actually occurs.  You must show leadership to your dog in a consistent and repetitive manner.  Here is what you must do to correct the situation:

• As you approach your dog in preparation of passing him, stop, face him, and (in a very low tone) say “No”.
• Begin to slowly pass him.  As you are doing this, constantly face him.  When you are facing another person (or animal), that portrays dominance or assertiveness.  If your dog starts to move towards you, stop, continue to face him, and say (in a very low tone) “No”.
• Continue to move away from him and continue to face him.  This means that you will probably be walking backwards.  Do not practice this near a stoop or stairs.
• Once you are about ten feet away from him and he has not approached you, give him one more (in a low tone) “No”.  Turn around and continue walking.  Now you will be walking with your back to your dog.
• Just to be on the safe side, glance back to make sure that he isn’t making his move to nip.  If he is, correct him again while facing him.  Back away from him while you are facing him until you are another ten feet away.  Repeat this process, if necessary.

Practice this little exercise five to ten times a day for a few weeks.  Very shortly, you will notice that this “let’s nip daddy’s heals” has vanished.  Every family member that is experiencing this issue should perform this exercise.  If you have any questions, please contact us at The BestDog Trainers in South Florida.

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Last Minute Tips Keeping My Dog Safe for Christmas

By now I have been given multiple tips to keep everything great for my doggie and guests during the Holidays.  I have had a few people over up to now.  The main event is about to occur.  Is there anything else I should think about now that we are finishing the tree and taking all the presents out of our closets and putting them around the tree?  EVERYONE is coming over on Christmas day, so it will be very busy and crazy.  What are my last tips?

The Holiday Season has been going on for the last few weeks, but for many of us, it is now “show time”.  Without trying to overwhelm you with an entire list of every possible thing you might experience, we would like to focus on just a few items.  These are the items that you and your dog are about to experience within the next two days.  So let’s get going:

• Your Christmas Tree: 
• Decorations…
• Now is the time that you are finishing decorating your tree with balls and tinsel.  If your dog is “ball crazy”, you could be encouraging him to “go after” your Christmas ornaments and try to pull or “catch” them.  This could cause your wonderfully decorated tree to fall over.
• Remove all Christmas ball ornaments from your tree to eliminate any “grab the ball” issues. Replace them with ornaments that aren’t round.
• If you see your dog focusing on the tinsel, remove it.  Your tinsel can also gain your dog’s attention when you have the tree’s Christmas lights turned on.  Check this too and remove the tinsel, if necessary.  You could use ribbons and bows to decorate your tree in place of the tinsel.
• Eating tinsel can possibly be harmful to your dog.
• Presents…
• Christmas presents introduce new objects and smells into the house.  Right about now, you are probably putting out the remainder of those presents around your tree.
• The sights and smells of the presents can stimulate your dog to investigate and possibly steal.
• If you are giving your dog presents, do not put them under the tree.  This will probably insure that he will explore and dig through everything under the tree.
• Give your dog his current toys on the other side of the room from your Christmas tree to redirect his interest.
• Place your presents tightly around the base of your tree.  This will minimize the visual distraction and will make it very difficult to “investigate through the presents”.
• If you see your dog approach the tree and presents, correct him with a low toned “No” and have him come to you.  Give him his toy and engage him for several minutes.
• Christmas Dinner:
• You do not want your dog bugging you and your guests for all the great things that will be on your plate.
• Do not feed your dog from the table or give him any of your “fixins” in the kitchen.  As soon as you have done it once, you have told him it is OK to demand food from you.  If he approaches, ignore him.  If he continues to bug you, stand up and tell him “No” in a firm, low tone.
• Do not leave food unattended.  Your dog will think that you are relinquishing ownership of the food and he can how have it.
• Feed your dog at the same time that you are having dinner.  This will redirect him away from you and your guests.  It will also fill his stomach so he won’t approach you because he is hungry.
• Remove foods that raisins and fruit cake from your menu.  These items, if eaten by your dog, could cause issues.
• Last Few Thoughts:
• Keep your dog on a six foot leash when everyone is over.  If he starts to go crazy or going somewhere you don’t want him, simply step on the end of the leash and guide him back to you.  You will maintain maximum control and focus with the minimum effort.
• Don’t let your nieces and nephews play crazy with your dog inside the house.  As the kids and your dog ramp up their playing, the adults will start to get them to stop.  This will simply increase the situation’s adrenaline and will increase your dog’s craziness. Chances are, things will be broken or spilled before you can get control of the situation.

Just use come common sense with your dog and you will have a great Christmas Eve and Day.  If you have any questions, please contact us at The Best DogTrainers in South Florida.

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