Again Wolfie isnt Listening What Now

It is so strange, sometimes Wolfie seems to be listening and sometimes it is like we just arent there!  I wish that it wasnt quite so difficult to get him to be a good dog that listens and obeys.  What could we be doing wrong? 

As dog trainers, we hear this a lot.  Many times it isnt the problem that Wolfie isnt listening, he could be intently listening, but not understanding.  From a canine behavioral standpoint, there could be many reasons for this and I would like to discuss of those in this blog article.

Dogs learn and respond through simple consistency.  This is established by setting up an environment of simple, repetitive rules and actions.  If we expect Wolfie to be off the furniture, we must never allow him on the furniture for any reason.  To take it one step further, nobody can allow him to be on the furniture.

This process extends far beyond being on my favorite sofa, it is a process that we must universally apply when telling Wolfie what he can and can not do.  If I have a rule that Wolfie cant jump, every other member of the family must also apply that rule equally.  Wolfie cant jump, period.  I dont care which family member he is with, he cant jump.

One family member cant have a different set of rules for Wolfie.  Again, everyone must be on the same page.  The best way to accomplish this is to sit down, agree what everyone wants Wolfie to do and then write it down so everyone is clear.

So why wasnt Wolfie listening?  It was because you were all telling him different things.  He couldnt process that because you appeared inconsistent.  Have everyone keep the same rules and you will see that Wolfie will begin to listen and obey because he finally understands exactly what you want.  For more information, please contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

       

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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KENNEL COUGH UPDATE

Having spoken to a vet this morning I can confirm that the information given in our handout is still applicable although I would clarify that after the coughing has stopped, in the some cases dogs can still be infectious for up to two weeks. In extreme cases this can extend to up to three months.

If your dog has not been vaccinated against kennel cough and contracts the disease it is worth having the vaccination immediately as it will help to shorten the length of the infection. In the vast number of cases there is nothing to be worried about and only the very young and old dogs can sometimes have  complications.

I am currently awaiting further advice from a vet regarding a safe vaccinating programme. I have attempted to contact all the members from the Church Langton club however one member has not completed the contact details on the form and as such this makes it difficult for us to make contact. If anyone has not heard from us would you please get in touch.

The proposed plan is that the Beginners will have a talk this week with no dogs being present, which was scheduled for next week and the Intermedates will close. Members will be advised as and when new information becomes available. If in the meantime your dog does contract kc then please inform us and seek veterinary help. It would also be a good idea to use the following:

1 Denes Garlic tablets

2 Apple Cider Vinegar in the drinking water

3 Colloidal Silver either sprayed directly into the mouth or in the drinking water. See our links page and if ordering mention me and the club.

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When Training Always Keep it Slow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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All Things Service Dog

Well, here it is....my blog.  Ive seen some blogs about service dogs, but wanted my own to discuss any and everything related to service dogs.  I am a disabled Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, Navy that is, and have my own service dog.  You can see her photo here.  Shes still in training, but has almost completed all classes, and I have to brag; she flew threw the program.  Shes been trained to assist me with many tasks, which include retrieving, opening and closing doors, and bracing as far as the mobility assistance goes. Shes also been trained to alert me when people get too close, and when Im getting too anxious, nervous, or worked up.  (Were still working on that part). Shell be moving on to pre-certification in a few weeks, and has skipped a few classes along the way; shes smart as a whip, and tends to learn a little quicker than other dogs.  Weve been in training for about 25 weeks now, and normally, it takes a couple of years for dogs to get through the program, to certification level.  Im very proud of her, as you can probably see, but I believe I have good reason to be. Although some people choose to train their own dog/s for service on their own, we chose to go through an accredited program, and its not cheap. I have my reasons for choosing an accredited program, and Ill get to those later. I acquired JJ from a breeder, and registered with the AKC.  I raised her from a pup of 11 weeks, and didnt imagine then that shed be doing what shes doing now. What a great dog! Im sure there are people out there whod like to brag about their service dogs as well, and I welcome you here to do it.  Id love to hear your stories, and Im sure others would too.  I will be using this blog to discuss all things service dog, and theres a lot to discuss! So if you have something to bring to the table, bring it! Welcome to Dogs In Service!

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Aggressive Dog Behavior How You Can Stop It and Get Your Best Friend Back

An in depth look at aggressive dog behavior will demonstrate that it makes for a stressful situation at home as well as outside. An aggressive dog is not easy to control, and many times runs the household.

Many people become intimidated by their dogs, because they have lost their place as master of the relationship. The dog has become the leader and the dominant one. When this happens a lot of the joy of having the companionship of your dog is lost, because you are stressed out most of the time by his behavior.

Aggressive dog behavior is seen in large dogs as well as small ones. Many times they become possessive of their owner and don’t let anyone near them. Or they like to fight with other dogs, or they bark continuously, or many other behaviors. Of course, some aggressive dogs can cause a lot of harm and injuries.

Aggressive dog behavior should be stopped because it develops over time and becomes worse. You should be aware of your dog’s behavior. Sometimes small dogs get away with more aggressive behavior because of their size. It is not seen as offensive if they jump on top of you or pull you on the leash. But they too can hurt you or others and should also be disciplined.

Besides being dangerous if left untreated, an aggressive dog is not a well adjusted dog. He will be a lot happier once he has his rightful place in his relationship with you.

To stop aggressive dog behavior, what are your options? You could hire a trainer, but as you know, that is very costly. Also, you will need to know how to establish yourself as the leader in the relationship.

Don’t stress anymore about your dog’s aggressive behavior or be embarrassed to take him anywhere. Get the help you need to correct it and have a great time with your “best friend”.

Here is the #1 method that has helped thousands of people to correct their dog’s aggressive behavior.

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

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Domestication

The standard theory for many years is that sometime ten to fourteen years ago (and possibly even much earlier) man domesticated the wolf. For many years it was widely believed that for some reason, humans captured wolf puppies and the domestication process began.

However there is a second emerging theory that says the wolf domesticated itself. After training for a number of years, I am beginning to believe that this theory is correct.

In a wolf pack, there are always wolves that would rather scavenge than hunt. Those wolves quickly figured out that there was plenty of left over around a human encampment. Rather than go out and make a kill they started hanging around to gather up our leftovers.

When a wolf, or its descendants the dog, first meet a strange animal they have to figure out if the animal is a predator or prey. If it is a large animal they not only have to decide if it is a predator, but also if it will come after them.

Since the primary way dogs and wolves communicate is by body language the way to deal with this unknown animal is some very distinct body language.

I have a book on body language that I often consult. In the pictures is one of a dog meeting a horse for the first time. The body language is very distinct. Sometimes I show it to people and ask them to say what the first thing that comes into their mind is.

The universal answer “OH isn’t he cute!”

So here is the scenario. Two wolves are outside a cave eating away at what the humans have left behind. Two humans come out. The wolves react and the first human says to the second “OH aren’t they cute!”

Wolf one looks at Wolf two and says “we can con these things out of meals for the next fourteen thousand years."

And so the wolf became domesticated.

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