Change in you = Change in them

To most people the idea of "dog training" means the dog has to learn to do new things and change behaviors. However, to see a change in your dog you have to make a change in you too!

It can be as simple as stopping yourself from constantly repeating or being confusing in the way you give a command. It could be making yourself aware of any excess tension you are putting on the leash. It could be much harder, like realizing that constantly spoiling your dog is actually feeding the behaviors you don't want. That having your dogs in bed with you, cuddling on the couch, roaming the house willy-nilly, doing zero work for tons of reward is giving them an entitled attitude that is causing conflict (or undesirable behaviors) with the other dogs/people/pets/guests/etc in your home. 

To get our dog to change, we must be willing to change too. It takes effort by both the dog and the owner to see changes--relationships should never be one sided :)

Most dogs that bite were not trained to be Aggressive - a lack of training is the problem

One of the hardest things in the world is for someone to change their behavior. It requires a conscious effort to STOP their typical habits and START new ones. If your dog has behavioral issues and you want that to change, you have to be ready to change, too. Something in your relationship is creating those problem behaviors and you have to be willing to change the way you live with your dog, for them to change their behavior living with you. 

After a dog bite or attack in the news, all of the comments tend to say "it's the owners who taught them to be aggressive." Typically, the owner of the dogs say they are the nicest dogs and can not believe they would do "that." I do not believe that most people are training their dogs to be aggressive--actually that is the farthest thing from the truth. (Yes, there are cases of dogs not socialized well that are stuck in yards, on chains, or are running at large that go after people. However, recently in the news (and any of my clients that have loved pets who display aggressive behaviors) these dogs are not mistreated). If you were to take a step back to look at the relationship owners have with these types of dogs, they probably live, what the naked eye would call, the best life of LOVE. I can imagine these dogs are very spoiled by their owners--doing things like sleeping in bed, cuddling on the couch, cruising the house at large, pulling all over and sniffing everything on the walk, getting tons of affection and praise, and given TONS of freedom to do with it what they will. Every time someone knocks at the door or enters the house, these dogs are allowed to boldly rush up and jump, bark, and push their way into people's (or dog's) personal space. These dogs get a ton of freedom, have few rules (or at least few rules that would actually impact the dog's behavior--I imagine the owners do a lot of pleading verbal reprimands as the dog does something obnoxious), and very little accountability held for their behavior. To the naked eye, these look like dogs who are loved and living the best life because it is known how much then owner loves them and dedicates their life/home/property to their dog and letting it be "happy."

That might surprise you, because you were under the impression that dogs who bite must have been abused or mistreated. Nope! I know none of my clients have abused their dogs, and many have had them since puppies (so no rescue story of abuse present) and the dogs still act aggressively or have bitten people. (Even if a rescue dog had a bad experience, there are many things that can be done to move PAST their past and have a well-behaved dog. However, often people get stuck on their story, feel sorry for them, and follow the above mentioned "love protocol" out of pity, which unfortunately can create even more problems).

So! This is where we sit back and say, what must we do to take a very loved dog that bites people and make them stop? First thing we MUST do is realize (and admit) that the environment the dog lives in (and the people in that environment) contribute to the behaviors of the dog. That can be REALLY hard for many people because we are so emotionally invested in our dogs. But, the only way to see change in our dogs is to make change in ourselves and how we live with them.

Dog training and behavior modification is a matter of the dog learning new skills, as well as a family affair that requires everyone to change how they do things with their dog and begin recognizing the problems. It can be hard to change behaviors you didn't even know were a problem, especially if the majority of the interactions you have with your dog may be nurturing that bad behavior/insecurities/anxiety/etc. So, where do we start? First, we need to stop looking at our dogs as babies, children, or people--and look at them as the dogs they are! The furry, sharp-toothed predators they genetically are, that eat out of a bowl and poop in the yard. When we start to think of them as animals, we can start to see that guidance, protocols, and rules are necessary. These dogs don't know how to live in our human world without guidance, and if we let them do whatever they want they will do what they know best--be the animal they are and survive. It is our job to be a leader and advocate for our dog, and that means teaching them what we want them to do, setting rules and boundaries for them, and understanding that the lack of our authority presence creates a dog who doesn't know how to live in our human world. No one intends to raise their dog to be aggressive, but the lack of guidance, leadership, rules, boundaries, consequences, training, and authority (along with the surplus of freedom, constant affection, and some spoiling) creates a dog who is missing an advocate (and true friend) in their life. Because of this, many bad, often scary, behavioral issues develop.

If your dog is displaying aggressive or dangerous behaviors, please find a training professional to help you diagnose hat is going on and WHY :)

To stop your dog's bad behaviors you need to influence all of their choices

Too often people are running behind their dogs "putting out fires" for their behavior. Apologizing for their dog jumping on people, barking, or even biting them. Possibly they are cleaning up messes after the dog has gotten in the garbage, chewed up things, slobbered all of the window barking at neighbors. Maybe they are applying compresses to their own shoulders after being drug down the street by their dog or their throat is horse from trying to get their dog to come back.

Improving all of those behaviors start with the little things you do with your dog. Do you represent authority and someone of value to listen to, or just a buddy? Can your dog look at you and say "she seems to have things under control" or are they always taking the lead and impulsively choosing what to do. 

Setting clear expectations, boundaries, and rules are vital to a healthy relationship with a dog. Much like a balanced meal includes some substance (and not just dessert!), your relationship with your dog (especially if they have bad behaviors) can not be just lovey, buddy stuff. You must be a provider, share important information about what is or isn't ok, and take some proactive action in their choices.

Would you leave a toddler unsupervised in a yard, or let them do whatever they want all day without being involved? No way! To have our dog's behavior change, we must change too. It's important that we love them by leading them, and correct nonsense, look for small moments of pushy behavior and set daily boundaries with obedience work, polite threshold behavior, structured walks (and subsequent consequence for not following through) in our lives with our dogs. Loving them is not the hard part--leading them in a way that they make better chocies and we become proactive and relevant in those things is. Without a guide on how to navigate and behave, our dogs will be lost and anxious emotionally and mentally, while giving bad behavior that can get people hurt, and dogs killed. (Seriously! Jumping up could cause a kid to fall back and hit their head, biting a person could get your dog euthanized and you sued, counter surfing could cost your dog a serious surgical operation or toxicity, not coming when called could get them hit by a car, charging and barking at dog could get them attacked, etc etc). We've got to love them enough to show them how to live in our human world. It's time to say "no" to bad behavior and add structure, boundaries, and consequences to your relationship with your dog so we can say "yes" to an awesome life with a well behaved pet.

When I was kid we got rid of our puppy

When I was little our family got rid of our puppy because of her bad behavior.

Her name was Peanut, and she was a black and white lab mix that was probably 7 months old. We had her since 8 weeks old--some family friends had a neighbor that had pups, and my little sister and I made a real fuss about taking one! With joy in our hearts, two little girls (younger than 10 years old), had an adorable puppy to play with and love.

We set up the laundry room for her, laid out newspaper for her to sleep and potty on, and we played with Peanut from sun-up to sun-down-- kissing her good night and rushing to her room every morning to take her outside and start to play! We had a stroller and wagon she got to ride in, a swing set to play chase around, and a beautifully large back yard to enjoy (we even had a fence put in around the whole property for her!) Things were great and Peanut was so much fun! We three played and played until Peanut napped in our laps--we were in heaven with our adorable puppy smile emoticon

As puppies do, Peanut started to grow up very quickly! As she did, she got bigger and stronger. It was harder for us to pick her up, but that was no problem because she would do us the favor by jumping into our arms. She found her voice, and boy did she like to use it--barking at us to come back outside with her, and at people walking by. She didn't nap as much as she used too, and actually started to nip and chew on us with her sharp little teeth so we were a less excited to play hands on with her. Even if we tried to pet her, she'd put our arms in her mouth. We'd try and throw the ball for her, but all those days of chasing us meant we had a 45lb puppy jumping on and nipping us to run around instead of chasing the toy. If she did play fetch, she clobbered us as we held the ball and often played tug-of-war with the clothes we were wearing. We would cry a lot because it hurt how pushy she was (knocking us over, biting, and scratching us with her jumping), so my sister and I would spend more time watching her in the yard from inside of the house. Instead of playing in her big yard, however, she would just dig holes under the porch and bark (a lot) because her girls were gone.

Anytime we tried to put her on a leash to take her on a walk she would jump all over us, and then proceed to yank us (and our parents) down the road. Doing anything that is supposed to be "fun" with our dog was so HARD with Peanut. 

My parents took her to the vet to be spayed, with hopes that the surgery would also help calm her down. Unfortunately though, after a week of healing, Peanut was back to her crazy self.

She couldn't come in the house anymore because she would chew things up, jump on the counters, the furniture, and clobber us children. It was hard to do anything with her, really, because she was so out of control. Even trying to teach her to sit for a treat resulted in Peanut pouncing all over and knocking us over trying to take the treat from us.

So, one day my parents decided that the best thing for us, and Peanut, would be to find her a new home. At 6 months old, we gave away our puppy to one of my dad's co-workers. My sister and I never saw her again, but we heard stories that she loved to swim in their pool, but destroyed the patio furniture--typical Peanut!

Jump to today, and dog-trainer-me sees so many red flags and preventable things we could have done to help Peanut be the best dog she could be and us really enjoy her. She was an adolescent dog with zero guidance or boundaries set, and without proper leadership developed typical bratty, pushy behavior. She never learned jumping was bad, never learned how to be calm in the house or around kids, or how to walk nicely on a leash. Instead, her lack of training made her impossible for our family. (By the way, I am not giving grief to my parents--they had 2 elementary school girls with claw marks and bruises all over their backs from the dog. To them, it did not appear to be a good fit for our family anymore).

Hindsight is always 20/20, and Peanut could have been an amazing dog. She just needed training and to be taught the basics of "yes" and "no." The reason I share this story is to bring awareness that 95% of dogs in the world sent to shelters just need training. Families give up their young dog, because it is so out of control, when really the right training would make the difference between a canine delinquent or awesome canine citizen. Some families have gone through training with their pup, but with only treats allowed, the results are poor and they are still struggling.

The majority of dogs in shelters are between the ages of 8 months and 3 years. These are the most fun and active years for a dog, and with proper training could give you (and your family) a friend for life! If you're looking to adopt a dog and it seems friendly (but hyper!) know that with balanced training and setting boundaries they have the potential to be the best dog! If you're like my family with our puppy Peanut, before giving away your dog, find a balanced trainer--somone who shows their work and you can see that they've had results! There is hope and you could have the most amazing dog for your family!

The best place for your dog is in your home, because the behaviors that you may give him away for are the behaviors that will keep him from getting adopted. Unfortunately, nobody goes to the shelter and says "Can I please adopt the super hyper dog who jumps all over people, chews things up, nips, pulls on the leash, doesn't listen or come when called, counter surfs, and barks a lot? Thanks!" Sound familiar? wink emoticon The good news is that ALL of those behaviors can be fixed with training, boundaries, and guidance smile emoticon 

If you (or someone you know) needs help with your dog, I am here to help! smile emoticon If you need help outside of Central Florida -- I have amazing colleagues all over the country training dogs just, like yours, to be awesome furry family members smile emoticon

Dogs and Kids

Any  dog can bite, and unfortunately children seem to be a high percentage of these. Here are some really great articles regarding how children should interact with dogs and puppies. Do not teach your kids it is ok to do the wrong thing, or they may be bitten or hurt one day!

http://www.robinkbennett.com/2013/08/19/why-supervising-dogs-and-kids-doesnt-work/

 http://info.drsophiayin.com/Portals/13722/docs/SY%20How%20not%20to%20interact%20poster%20Proof3.pdf

http://info.drsophiayin.com/Portals/13722/docs/SY%20HowToInteract%20poster%20Proof3.pdf

Understanding the value of (effective) training and an open mind will save lives

Dog Training Cat Tip of the Day: Understanding the value of (effective) training and an open mind.

I'm sure we see it everyday--somone shares a photo or tells a story about a dog in a shelter, that looks sad, sickly, and alone. Many people will rush in with their hearts and donate, share, or even adopt this dog--and that's fantastic! Some folks may just share the photo, or express their sympathies for the dog, but all of their actions come from their heart.

When a rescue has a dog who is sick or injured, more often than not the community will rally together and come up with the funds and support the treatment for this pup--which again, is amazing.

Now, would it surprise you that the majority of dogs in shelters are not in there because they are sick, unhealthy, or neglected/abused? Yes, there are dogs with those ailments in shelters (and it is horribly sad), but most shelter dogs are actually fairly healthy and hardy dogs who would be great candidates for adoption...

Except for one thing--they have a behavioral issue. Whether it's pulling on the leash, jumping too much, too hyper, too strong, too barky, or more serious like aggression, most dogs in shelters are brought in OR never adopted out for behavioral issues. With the exception of aggression, the majority of these behaviors could easily be addressed and improved with balanced training and a dedicated owner. Shoot, balanced training and a dedicated shelter staff could create calmer more polite behaviors in so many dogs. An open mind about training in general could save many many more.

However, so many people overlook behavioral issues as worthy of addressing or seeking help for. Instead of donating to a rescue who needs money for training, most people prefer to put their donations into the more ill and sick dogs. Training, however, is the golden ticket that could make or break a dog getting out of a shelter--a dog who sits nicely and doesn't jump like a looney toon at the gate is more likely to be walked and possibly adopted. Their polite behavior puts them at an advantage to the dog body slamming the gate while barking their head off.

A dog that is on the way in to a shelter for being out of control hyper and crazy could stay in their home if they learned some impulse control with the place command. If they just had some structure, guidance, boundaries, and someone who will tell them "yes" AND "no"--someone who would praise the good, but also correct the bad.

However, so many people give up on their dogs before they seek training. And more than that, so many healthy and could-be-adoptable dogs are lost every day becuase they never learned manners and never had someone teach them right and wrong. The majority of dogs in (and surrendered to) shelters are not adopted because of their behavior. What is disheartening, is that for many dogs, setting some boundaries and teaching them to behave could be so easy. We do it here, everyday.

But, society views medical needs as more of an issue than mental needs, and that HAS to change. They both have an important place in the world.

So, when you see a rescue asking for donations for training, remember that ultimately that dog is no more adoptable than the one covered in ringworm, heartworm positive, or with a broken leg without financial support.

When you're looking for your next dog, keep in mind that many of these guys in cages are just looking for guidance and structure to know how to live in our human world...and can be great dogs (with training)!!!

If you're thinking about turning in your dog for behavioral issues, look to a professional before you (unintentionally) set your dog into a crowd of dogs that people will overlook for the SAME issue you brought him in for.

If you're raising a puppy from scratch, invest in training just as much as you invest in their medical care as they grow up.

If you are fostering for a rescue, understand that you're doing a great thing, but also have responsibilty to teach this dog how to be a family pet. You must teach them lessons that will make them more adoptable and acclimated to home life for their future family.

If your dog is aggressive or displaying behaviors you are struggling with, get help. If you've met with someone and didn't get results, talk to another professional with a different training style (Ideally a balanced approach that is open to different tools and techniques). Look for videos and testimonials from trainers that show they can (and have) helped people and dogs like yours.

If you can't walk your dog because they are out of control, try some new training tools.

We have to TRY for our dogs. They have no idea how to live in a human world without help, and we can't expect them too without teaching them. Physical well-being and mental well-being are equally important! -Cenicero,‪#‎dogtrainingcat‬

Are you a "dog lover" or "dog person"?

Are you a "dog lover" or a "dog person"? Dog lovers walk up to a dog and immediately talk to it while looking it in the eyes, bend forward, and reach out their hands to pet them. A dog person would walk up calmly, ignore the dog completely, and give the pup a chance to sniff and explore first. Why does this matter? For timid, nervous, or unsure dogs the forward energy of the dog lover will create more distance and avoidance. The calm and seemingly ignoring behavior of the dog person gives the dog a chance to read the situation and decide if they feel comfortable with someone who is more "polite" in dog terms. Not every dog wants to be pet or coddled, no matter how much you love them. A dog person can do what's best for the dog, while a dog lover struggles to do what's appropriate because of their emotions. Which are you? Let's get more dog people than dog lovers our there and we can have more confident and comfortable dogs in social settings :) (P.S. Dog people love dogs just as much as any Dog Lover does! They just love them appropriately!) :)

Doing what is right, instead of what feels good

Dog Training Cat Tip of the Day: Doing what is right instead of what feels good.

When it comes to dog behavior, their body language is an open book to explain if things we are doing are helping or hurting the situation.

For example, an over excited, wiggly puppy is likely to excitedely pee if we pay attention to him during that time. Instead, wait and ignore the puppy (including ZERO eye contact) until he has a moment to settle and put himself into a calmer state of mind. This is SOOOO hard for people, because the puppy is so cute and appears to want attention right then and right now (and of course humans want the satisfaction of getting to pet and snuggle the cute pup!). Waiting is hard, but pee is gross! Waiting and ignoring the puppy is the right thing to do, but not the first choice in what feels good to the human.

When a new person is around a nervous/ fearful dog, the WRONG thing to do is say "all dogs love me, I'm a dog person" and push your way into that dogs space. It feels good to think that nervous dog wants to be touched, and it often hurts people's feelings at the idea that a dog doesn't like them--so they will probably stick out their hand, bend down, lock eye contact, and say to the dog "It's OK!" while moving in to the dog's space. That is NOT OK. When a human does that, it's not to help the dog overcome their fears and make a friend--it's because petting dogs feel good to people and not being liked feels "bad." It's basically a super selfish move, that hurts the dog's trust in people and can even lead to bite or injury. Instead (just like with the excited puppy!) ignore the dog! Don't look at, touch, or acknowledge the dog--instead completely ignore it and see if it will come up to sniff and engage with you. It may or may not, but if it does come up to you--do not pet it! Petting is very personal and raw for a nervous dog and is NOT the right thing to do, but what makes a person feel good. You need to build lots of relationship with a nervous dog before they would find your affection rewarding.

Humans are creatures of satisfaction, and it's important that we respect the needs of others and find THAT more satisfying than petting all of the time. If we love dogs, we'll do what's right (for them) and not what feels good (for us)! -Cenicero, ‪#‎dogtrainingcat‬