Aggression in dogs is a serious issue which always needs to be addressed. Some dogs are reactive, but not aggressive, towards other dogs. Some are aggressive towards dogs and some are aggressive towards people. I hope to clarify the difference between these behaviors and explain some of the reasons why dogs act out in an aggressive manner.   Getting to the root of the behavior and why it is occuring is key to a rehabilitation plan for the dog.

Some dogs show aggression when protecting their human, their territory, or things of value. Other dogs show aggression when in a state of uncertainty and fear. Very few dogs that I have encountered are aggressive due to their dominant temperament. Dogs are not born aggressive. The environment, which includes the humans around them, can contribute to developing aggressive behavior.

Reactivity is when a dog barks, lunges, shows their teeth, or the hackles are raised on their back. They are reacting to things in their environment. Sometimes reactivity can be mistaken for aggression because the dog’s reaction can appear to be intense. Aggression is taking it to the next level of intensity and the dog bites either another dog or a human. However, just because your German Shepherd may have bit a stranger while he was protecting you, it doesn’t mean that your dog will bite all humans after that incident. It is important to know the traits of your dog and seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer to help manage these types of breed traits and identify potential triggers that cause the reactivity and/or aggression in your dog.

The training I received at Petco was based on the positive reinforcement philosophy. The company policy prohibited dog trainers to work with any kind of reactivity or aggression. I probably dealt with more reactive cases than what Petco wanted me to. However, I knew my limits and I was not qualified to handle a certain level of intense reactivity that could turn into aggression. I had no formal training on how to deal with it. Therefore, I referred these cases out to Chuck Stella, owner of Elite K911.

I met Chuck almost 15 years ago. It was very rare when I had to refer aggressive cases to him, but it was a necessity nonetheless. The dogs I referred to Chuck would take part in the board and train service that was and still is offered at Elite K911. The dogs stay on premise and trainers work with the dog to discover the root of the aggression and devise a rehab plan to help the dog and the humans live harmoniously together. Whenever I come across a dog that is beyond my expertise, I still refer them to Chuck, as well as Gary Flynn, an excellent dog trainer who has been a guest on my podcast.

Presently, I still base my assessment of a potentially aggressive dog as I did many years ago while working at Petco. I observe the dog’s body language, how it interacts with me first, then with their pet parent, and finally with other people. If a dog has bit their pet parent, I will find out what happened which caused the dog to act that way. If a dog has bit strangers, I will find out what environment and position the dog was in, in relation to their pet parent. For example, if a dog was out in front of their handler, the dog may be in protection mode. In this case, a dog should be walked in the heel position to confirm that they are being led by their handler. Their handler does not need to be constantly protected.

Conversely, if a dog is a cautious dog and is also allowed in front of their handler, they feel more insecure and may lash out because of that. This type of dog prefers to be led than to lead. They don’t want to make the decisions on how to react to stimuli in their environment. They prefer their handler to make those decisions.

I also assess the dog’s temperament and body language. Finally, I feel I have a sixth sense which picks up the dog’s energy. I always tell people I am way better at sensing a dog’s energy than people’s energy. Dogs can’t fake how they act or feel. People can be experts at it!

I will work with the dog that is having aggressive tendencies, as long as the dog lets me handle them. The best way for me to really get to know a dog is by walking them on leash. I may try different tactics, and specific walking tools to come up with how to manage this dog in different scenarios. A lot of times, I am successful. However, when I have exhausted my options and I am not seeing any improvement, I will refer this dog to either Chuck or Gary. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen a lot. The good news is the majority of dogs that come my way can be rehabbed and very few have unfortunate outcomes.

Cesar Millan, a famous dog trainer/behaviorist whom I admire, says the true nature of a dog is to be calm and confident, to exude love, and to be joyful. Everyone wants to be around this type of energy. We all know it when we experience it. My previous dog, Hank the Corgi, did not have it. My current dog, Ebi the Leonberger, does. Part of that is due to the amount of training and knowledge, or lack of knowledge, the pet parent has about dog behavior. The other part is their temperament and true nature that Cesar Millan speaks of. Dogs do not want to be in an aggressive state. They prefer to be in a calm and submissive state of mind. They strive for balance in any pack they are in. It is when they cannot achieve a balanced state that they act out, sometimes in an aggressive manner.

Chuck recounts on our podcast how it pains him to see dogs who want to be dogs, but their pet parents get in the way. Some people have their own version of how dogs should be trained, which goes against what professional dog trainers believe. It is necessary to make the pet parents understand dogs are animals with certain instincts which are different than ours. We have to call out the pet parents when they try to anthropomorphize their dogs. This is when humans project human emotions and logic on to their dog. They explain their dog’s behavior using human logic and reactions, and not basing it on dog psychology. This is one way that pet parents get in the way of fixing their dog’s behavior.

Chuck believes dogs are survivalists. Their brain is always in survival mode. They assess their world by determining if they need to fight or flee any given situation. It is up to us humans to assure them through our confident and consistent leadership that “we got this.” It is through repeated events that are handled in this way, when the dog begins to trust us. The majority of dogs do not want to handle unknown situations. They much prefer to surrender that job to their leader.

It is when this leadership and trust are not present that the dogs become unstable. We cannot love our dogs into changing their behavior. There is a time and place when it is appropriate to show affection towards our dogs. However, what typically happens is the pet parents will pet the dog who is barking or is scared. This reinforces the exact behavior in the dog they are exhibiting in the moment.

From a dog’s point of view, petting is a reward. Ultimately, you are rewarding the dog for barking or you are rewarding the dog for its current fearful state of mind. That coupled with saying “It’s okay, it’s okay” in a soft voice, is not only rewarding the dog, but also demonstrating that their leader is no longer calm and confident. In the dog’s eyes, their leader has weak energy and therefore there must be something to be fearful about. This is another way pet parents get in the way of rehabbing their dog.

Always remember the behavior you are reinforcing in the dog when you pet them or give them a treat.

It is very rare to come across truly aggressive dogs. According to Chuck, people tend to quickly label a dog as aggressive, even if the dog is not biting, but is growling and showing their teeth. These are all warning signs a bite may be imminent, but doesn’t mean the dog is aggressive. There are many reasons why dogs may act out in an aggressive way, but it doesn’t mean that this dog should be labeled aggressive. So many of these aggressive tendencies can be managed by teaching the pet parent how to handle the dog when triggered.

In order to highlight the issue of reactivity, I will cite examples starting with my own dog. When Ebi was about 15 months old, she went into heat. During those months prior to the heat cycle and post heat cycle, she didn’t want any stranger dogs near her. She started barking at any dog passing by, sometimes rather intensely. I was able to manage her 110 lb. body, but it was challenging. I did not know at the time this could happen during a heat cycle. I had to work through this reactivity in order to rehab it. This took a long time. As of today, she may bark and jump a little at certain dogs who stare her down, but she has never gone after a dog aggressively.

It was around this time that she started barking a particular bark when she was outside in the backyard. A key instinct of a Leonberger is to protect their territory from predators. She started barking at pedestrians walking by on a nearby busy street. I had to go outside each time to put her in a sit by my side, which communicated to her I was now in charge, and her job to alert me of the stranger was done. She still does this occasionally today. It’s difficult to fight Mother Nature and that actually is a useful trait to have. I want my dog to alert me, but then I also want her to stop once I get involved to manage the situation. If I never addressed this issue, some other negative behaviors could have formed and she could have become aggressive.

Both of these examples are reactivity examples. The second example is one of two reasons that Chuck says can trigger a dog to be aggressive. If Ebi thought the stranger on the street was encroaching on her territory and a potential threat, she could bite that person. She would be in the territorial mindset and could act upon it and become more intense. I would never say that she won’t ever bite anyone. She is still an animal with animal instincts. Again, it is up to me to manage it so we never get in that situation.

Another trigger can be for predatory reasons. Some dogs may only want to chase a small animal, but others want to chase, catch, and kill. All dogs have a prey drive. Some breeds have it much stronger than others. Recognizing the intensity level of the prey drive in your dog can help you manage them most effectively. Terriers are known to have the tenacity to hunt, catch and kill prey that comes across their path. It is possible to manage this prey drive through extensive training. Gary Flynn and I will be discussing this topic in a future episode when we talk specifically about training hunting dogs.

Other reasons that can cause aggression in dogs, but don’t necessarily mean that your dog is aggressive:

* boredom and frustration - not draining enough physical and mental energy

* being groomed - touching ears, paws, and tail are sensitive spots

* lack of fulfilling breed traits - for example, a hunting dog confined to the home

* lack of leadership by pet parents - not enough structure and too much affection

* resource guarding - when dogs won’t surrender their toys/food

* reacting defensively to being bullied or dominated by another dog in the pack

* spatial pressure - when dogs feel cornered or when two dogs are going thru the same threshold at the same time

* redirected aggression - particularly when on leash, the dog is restricted to pursue something and turns around and bites whatever is nearest to them

* already excited state of mind over one thing can intensify another reaction to something else

* defending themselves from being hit by humans

Communication between dogs can appear harsh, but it is not necessarily aggression. My dog Ebi has never been aggressive towards any dogs, even dogs she has met for the first time, which can be stressful. If she is playing with a dog and the dog is trying to hump her, she will air bite at that dog to let them know that she doesn’t like that behavior. This is not aggression. This is how dogs communicate. However, if the other dog does not get the hint, Ebi would send a more powerful message. Dogs need to learn what the boundaries are of the other dog they are playing with. If the dog still doesn’t get the message, I would step in with no words spoken and make the dog surrender to me as if to say with my body language only “Stop humping her”. When dogs are playing, they should always be supervised for this reason. No one wants to break up a dog fight!

Another similar example is when there are several dogs running around and playing together and one dog decides to be the peacemaker between two dogs who are playing too intensely. That peacemaker dog will go after the dog who is causing the intensity by barking, nipping or even putting a paw on that dog’s back to settle him down. This is not aggression. This is dog communication.

Dogs do not like unsettled energy in a pack. They operate best when there is calm energy in their environment. This is also why a happy but hyper dog can get “corrected” by another dog when they approach each other. It can actually cause a fight. Dogs must be in a calm state and all four paws on the ground when being introduced to another dog. If the dog rears back on its hind legs, that can be seen as an aggressive sign and cause the other dog to react negatively. I have seen dog fights break out because of this. This doesn’t mean that your dog is now going to be aggressive with all other dogs.

Dog communication cannot be confused with aggression.

Some dogs can be aggressive with other dogs, but not people. Pit bulls that I have known have been very sweet, but they can be a different dog out in the community. This is common for the bully breeds. According to Chuck who has had pit bulls as pets and rehabbed many pit bulls, they can be challenging to socialize. Pit bulls were bred for bull baiting until it was banned in the 19th century. However, instead of bull fighting, that type of entertainment moved underground. They were then bred to kill rats in a pit. Some pit bulls are used as bait and others are used to fight and kill each other.

Since the AKC does not recognize pit bulls as a purebred, there are no reputable breeders to disclose temperament and breed traits. So many times their history is not known. Therefore, a lot of pit bulls end up in shelters due to overpopulation and behavior reasons. It is important to be aware of their history as a breed and their specific instincts, in order to manage the dog in the optimal way.

Chuck has always had a dog in his pack that he had to keep an eye on. He talks about a dog he adopted named Radar who bit 3 people, including Chuck. Radar was used as a fighting dog. Sometimes, when you bring a dog home for the first time, the dog needs time to acclimate himself to his new surroundings. The dog’s fight or flight response may be on active alert because of so much fear of the unknown. During this time of uncertainty, or as Chuck calls it “detox phase”, the dog may strike out at anything and anyone in their path.

Some dogs have experienced trauma wherever they were living before and their trust of humans can be almost non-existent. Chuck had to work with Radar and be vigilant for many years. Over time, he learned what Radar’s triggers were. He had to make sure to manage those situations properly in order to avoid mishaps. Radar never bit anyone else after those initial 3 bites and became a well balanced dog.

Another dog Chuck was very fond of was named Venus. She was a young 100 pound Cane Corso that went from street dog to therapy dog in just a couple of years. Rescuers were chasing her around Cleveland State campus trying to catch her for some time, but to no avail. They wanted this large dog off the streets. Chuck offered his help with a big enough crate to handle her. He put food inside the crate, Venus took the bait, and she was caught.

However, they all had to come up with a plan for this huge dog that was nasty and thrashing about in the crate. Chuck volunteered to take her home. He recounts how it was as if a lightbulb went off in her head and she all of a sudden became Chuck’s best buddy. Chuck ultimately was able to take Venus into hospitals and nursing homes. She made a lot of people happy with her unconditional love. She will always be remembered fondly by whomever was lucky enough to know her.

The majority of cases can be rehabbed in a few weeks or months. For a more difficult dog, it can take longer. The problem is not everyone has the patience, skill, and knowledge to manage a dog with aggressive tendencies. If a dog has bitten more than once and the pet parent wants to surrender the dog, the shelter will not take the dog back. It is very difficult to find a home for a dog with a bite history. It is important to note that not everyone reports dog bites. They may not even know they are supposed to. However, if you seek medical attention for the dog bite and admit that you were bit by a dog, that medical establishment must report it to the local health department.

Dogs may be surrendered back to the shelter without disclosing that the dog bit people. What a terrible predicament the new pet parents find themselves in. They have already bonded with the dog, but later find out that it wants to bite people, including themselves. They realize it isn’t fair to the dog to keep them in their current living situation. They know that the dog would be better off in a different family or living quarters, but no one wants to take on the responsibility of a dog with aggression issues. This scenario usually does not have a good outcome. So, please report any bites to future owners for your dog or seek a professional dog trainer to assess if the dog can be rehabbed.

I was referred to a couple who had recently rescued a young dog from a shelter. They lived in a high rise apartment with plenty of green area for dogs to be on and off leash. I could tell that the dog was definitely unsure and probably never socialized before. He made tremendous progress with training. He learned to sleep in a crate, to properly greet people, and to walk by the pet parent’s side in a heel position.

However, when he would see another dog on the apartment grounds, he went crazy barking and lunging. He also had a very stiff body, his hackles were raised, his pupils were dilated to the point that they were black, and his tail was straight up. These are all signs of what Cesar Millan refers to as a “Red Zone” case. If he ever broke away from his handler, it would not have been a pretty sight. This was a dog I referred to earlier as having very intense energy. A dog trainer with aggression experience needed to intervene.

This client contacted the dog trainer she had worked with many years ago when she had a different dog. He kept the dog for a period of time, and the dog did amazing being around other dogs. However, as soon as he returned to this apartment building, he went ballistic again and bit several people. The issue was where he lived. He had to be exposed to other dogs in tight quarters, on leash, while waiting for the elevator upstairs. There were always people walking around. This atmosphere put too much spatial and social pressure on the dog, and he finally lashed out.

The problem was that with a bite history, the shelter did not want him back and the client could not move to a new place. This client did everything she could to keep the dog alive. There was no guarantee that the dog would never bite again in a new environment. Ultimately, she had to make the agonizing decision to put the dog to sleep. The dog had become a liability. The only suitable person to manage this dog would have been a dog trainer with a lot of aggression experience, and there just wasn’t any to be found.

I recently referred to Chuck and his staff a pit bull mix named Daisy. She was rescued by a couple with a young child. They knew they needed to reach out to a trainer for help because Daisy was so fearful and reactive to everything in her environment. When I went to their home, I observed a fearful dog that was warning me not to get close to her. She was backing up and barking very intensely. I had them put a leash on her and walk her around the house until she calmed down. I could tell that she wanted to check me out, so I told the client to drop the leash and let her sniff me. When a dog does this and I know they are sensitive, I don’t make a move and stay calm. No petting, no eye contact. By the end of the visit, I was able to give her treats out of my hand. I knew there was a lot of hope for Daisy.

However, as time went on, Daisy became more reactive when family visited, and their child became afraid of Daisy’s unpredictable behavior. I did not want this to escalate any further, and therefore referred the family to Chuck. He showed the family how to claim the front door and Daisy did not have the privilege of greeting people at the door. She was to be in her safe place in her crate and had to be quiet too.

The great news is that Daisy is doing amazingly well and the family is putting in the hard work required to rehab her. She responded very quickly to her new rules, boundaries and limitations. Her work is not over and will require a vigilant eye for quite some time. She can walk in a heel position, she can go to public events, and even be pet by the kids in the neighborhood. She has transformed remarkably and quickly.

There are many different scenarios that can send an excited dog into an aggressive state of mind where they lash out at the closest thing to them. Some dogs can be triggered by various things even from far away. Very few dogs are truly aggressive. Rehabilitation can be very challenging and time consuming. The most challenging part of the rehab process can be returning the dog back to the pet parent. These types of dogs must be closely monitored. The pet parent must have an advanced level of knowledge about dog behavior and dog psychology. Even if this pet parent exists, not everyone wants to take on this responsibility. The dog becomes a liability and no one wants to have a dog that could harm another dog or person, let alone a young child. Sadly, these types of cases do not always have a good outcome.

However, in the majority of aggression cases, rehabilitation can be achieved in a relatively short period of time. Dog trainers need to stress how the rehab process does not end when the dog trainers leave. It is up to the pet parent to follow through with a new approach to communicating with their dog. They must closely monitor the potential triggers of their dog to reduce and avoid the aggression.

The big question of the day is “Can aggression ever go away?” I personally believe that dogs have a memory. They learn and retain information through association. If a dog was aggressive and bit another dog or person several times, something in those instances could be remembered and become a trigger for future aggression potentially for the rest of their life.

Please consult a professional dog trainer if you are experiencing any type of aggression mentioned above. Most of the time, it can be fixed with the proper instructions. Never try to manage it yourself.

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One of the premier dog training companies in the greater Cleveland area is Elite K911. The owner is Chuck Stella. I became acquainted with Chuck while I was working at Petco beginning in 2012. When I wasn’t conducting classes, I was trying to sell my obedience classes to customers. So many of them would tell me they were all set with their training needs because Chuck at Elite K911 took good care of them and he was an excellent trainer. He helped rehab their dogs and they were forever grateful to him. I had to meet this man!

As I have mentioned before, Petco’s policy was to not manage any aggressive dogs. Before meeting Chuck, I had to tell clients whose dogs had aggression issues that I could not continue to help them. I didn’t want to just leave them hanging with not knowing where to turn. This didn’t happen very often, but I wanted to be able to help more by referring them to someone reputable. Chuck was that guy. After meeting Chuck, I knew if he couldn’t help the client and dog, no one else could.

Over the years, I have referred about a dozen cases to Chuck and his trainers. They all had serious issues outside of my realm of experience. When I went out on my own, I decided that I did not want to handle “red zone” cases. In order to help these dogs, I consulted with Chuck, and either he or his trainers would work with the dog as a board and train situation. This is when the dog stays at Elite K911 for a period of time while the issues are being evaluated and worked out. Some cases did not have a good outcome, but others surely did. I cover this in more detail in my next episode with Chuck about reactivity and aggression.

Before Chuck built Elite K911 into a business of 15 employees, including trainers and groomers, he started rescuing dogs while working on construction sites. He would bring them home with him, but then he didn’t know how to train them. He met a young woman who showed him ways to work with the dogs to help correct their behavior. When Chuck implemented these strategies, they worked. That was the beginning of his interest in training dogs.

Over time, Chuck brought more dogs home and integrated them into his existing pack. Dog catchers weren’t as plentiful and efficient as they are today. So, Chuck felt that every time he would go to a new construction site, he would end up bringing a dog home! Along the way, Chuck was meeting more people who knew about dog behavior. The more he learned, the more he was interested in really helping these dogs. Ultimately, he contacted Mel McGrath from Paramount Dog Training Company, who took Chuck under his wing and even helped him form his own company.

After almost 35 years working construction and then forming his own construction business, Chuck was ready to focus all of his attention into starting a dog training business. He bought a dilapidated house where the owner bred chinchillas. Chuck had to completely strip down the interior due to the damage done by the chinchillas, and start from scratch. As he rebuilt the inside while living there, Chuck started doing in-home visits to help people with their problem dogs. Then, he built a training room where he could conduct group obedience classes. Elite K911 was under way!

One of my first interactions with Chuck was when I called him for advice to give to the son of a friend of mine whose dog spent all day and night in a crate that was too small for him. It was located in a rough section of Cleveland. Chuck went there, rescued the dog, and brought him back home to re-home him.

Fast forward to today, Chuck is still helping dogs in need. Chuck and his staff have been working with a dog belonging to another rescue organization that is mostly blind and very reactive. It is imperative to treat this case not only with caution, but also with respect for the dog. Chuck has found from his experience that when a dog is completely blind, it is easier to rehab the dog. They no longer try to use that sense of eyesight and therefore rely on their other senses. This is a work in progress and everyone on staff is trying all they can to save this dog.

Board and trains

When dogs come from different rescues to be rehabbed, they are considered part of Elite K911’s board and train service. A plan is devised that will best suit each individual dog, whether it is a rescue or a client’s dog who needs help. Chuck prefers to screen the pet parent who brings their dog to him because he wants to make sure that they will commit to continuing the work and progress made during the board and train once the dog is back at home. There is always a transition period after the dog has completed his stay at Elite K911 and ready to go home. Two transitional training home visits are included in the board and train contract, with unlimited follow-up visits if necessary.

Board and trains are not meant to be a shortcut to having someone else train your dog and relieve you of the hard work of training your dog and fostering a healthy relationship. Dogs don’t get fully trained in a 3 to 4 week board and train or in a 6 week group class. It can lay a nice foundation for the pet parent to expand upon. If there are serious issues like aggression or overcoming crippling fear, it can take your laser focused attention to these types of issues for the lifetime of the dog.

Dog training is not just training dogs. It is about making the humans aware of their dog’s behavior and knowing what signs to look for that could trigger those behaviors when interacting with other dogs and people.

A trained and well-balanced dog takes effort from the pet parent. Dog training is for the lifetime of your dog. It is about the relationship you have with your dog. Progress can be accelerated by getting professional help, but the bulk of the work has to come from you.

Boarding

As every smart and successful business owner knows, you have to keep developing a solid business plan to satisfy the demand for your services. Chuck has definitely been following a plan to grow his business by including other services besides dog training. A service that has been recently resurrected since COVID is boarding dogs when pet parents are out of town. The indoor kennels can handle 20 dogs. There is an additional 15 outdoor kennels so dogs can spend some time outside. Standard boarding includes taking the dog out multiple times each day and feeding them according to the pet parent’s instructions. Everything closes down at 8:00 p.m., but if a dog requires attention after hours, Chuck is there on site to tend to that dog. There are package deals that include socialization, swimming in the outdoor pool and supervised running through the agility course. Dogs have the option to get some exercise while being boarded there which can help limit the stress of being away from the familiar surroundings of their home.

Grooming

Within the last year, Elite K911 expanded their services to include grooming. There are 3 groomers and 3 bathers, with room to grow. On Saturdays from 8am-1pm, open grooming is available. No appointment is necessary for a nail trim or an ear cleaning. Otherwise, the salon is open Monday through Saturday for full grooming services by appointment only. Anna, the head groomer, is a behavioral groomer. She will take on difficult cases. Not all dogs love the sounds of a grooming salon. It is very common for dogs to avoid being touched on their paws and near their eyes. Some don’t even like to be on the grooming table. Dogs have to be conditioned to withstand all of the stimuli of the grooming salon. So, early exposure is key for your puppy. However, if you are rescuing an adolescent or adult dog, doing some exposure work at home to scissors. clippers, and being elevated on a table, can expedite this conditioning process.

Obedience classes

Elite K911 offers a variety of obedience classes starting with the 5-week Puppy Start class. This class addresses basic puppy behaviors like jumping, nipping, barking, and potty training issues. There is time for socializing off leash with the other puppies in the class. It also includes a time for the pet parents to get tips from their trainers about dog behavior. The goal is to provide information about optimal ways to deal with puppy issues and provide them with hands-on experience so they will have a well-balanced dog.

After completing the puppy start class, a 6 week basic obedience class teaches the Sit, Down, and Come commands. This is then followed by Advanced Obedience, which takes the basic skills and starts adding further distances, more distractions, and longer durations of holding the commanded behavior. It also sets the foundation for off leash reliability. If pet parents wish to continue their training even further, Canine Good Citizen is offered. The protocol for this class is dictated by the American Kennel Club(AKC) and is concluded with a 10 step test. For more information about this 10 step test, please access the AKC website: www.akc.org.

Scent and Mantrailing classes

The scent class at Elite K911 is taught by head trainer, Elise, who has trained both of her Belgian Malinois’ for live human and cadaver recovery. She is very skilled and knowledgeable in search and rescue work. This class introduces dogs to certain smells to track. The different scents for this type of work is derived from essential oils. Birch, Anise and Clove are the most commonly recognized scents that are found in scent kits and also used by the AKC in their classes.

Scent work is both physically and mentally draining for a dog. Their noses are exponentially more sensitive than a human’s nose to the point where we don’t even really know exactly what they can discern and process from a particular scent. I know when I hide treats for my dog either indoors or outdoors, she gets exhausted much quicker than a 2 mile walk. That’s because of all of the processing that goes on in their brain as they analyze the scent they are tracking.

To demonstrate how finite and precise a dog’s nose is capable of, I once hired a dog handler and his lab to sniff out my house when I suspected I had bed bugs. I was fascinated as I watched the handler and dog comb through every inch of my house, upending pillows, sheets, and clothing. The good news is that there were no bed bugs in the house. However, when we moved the scent operation outdoors, the dog sat by our shed where some items from the known bed bug infested house were being stored. The dog was trained to sit if it smelled live bed bugs and to lay down if it smelled larvae. The dog did both in different places in the shed. Needless to say, we wrapped all of those belongings up in plastic and disposed of everything! What a good dog!

Mantrailing is a relatively new dog sport and training method. It is about adventuring outdoors with your dog and having their powerful nose find certain scents. More specifically, it is when dogs use their sense of smell to follow a specific human scent outdoors. This is a seasonal class so as not to expose the humans who hide, and the dogs who track them, to extreme weather conditions. This is not handler led like other classes. It is led by the dog who makes the decisions to find his human. This is strictly for fun, but is used as a foundation for search and rescue work. Elite K911 has 5 acres of land which provides plenty of hiding places.

Chuck put his own dog, Biggie, through two mantrailing classes. Chuck tested Biggie’s skills by hiding inside one of his cars on his property. It only took Biggie about 3 minutes to sit by the car, which is the sign to alert the handler that Chuck was inside!

Swimming

Summer is in full swing and the outdoor pool is now open at Elite K911. Swimming is great exercise for dogs and can even be used as physical therapy when healing from an injury. My dog, Ebi, loves the water. Leonbergers have webbed paws to help them swim and drag heavy loads. Just like the Newfoundlands who are renowned for their water rescue skills, the Leonbergers are just as proficient. It is so much fun to watch a dog that loves to swim.

Not all dogs know what to do when they get in deeper water that is over their heads. The pool at Elite K911 has a ramp that slopes gently down into the water. It’s that last step from the end of the ramp into the water that can freeze up a lot of dogs. All beginner swimmers must wear a life jacket. There is always a lifeguard in the water with beginners. Sometimes dogs need to be coerced by treats or a toy to take the final plunge. Depending on the size of the dog, they may decide to lift the dog up and gently put the dog in the water. However, this can scratch up the lifeguard pretty good, so treats or a toy are the preferred method.

Dogs will never be thrown in the water at Elite K911 and never should be. I have heard too many stories about this. Dogs do not instinctually know how to swim even if they are labradors or water dogs. They have to learn to manipulate their back legs and level their body to stay afloat. A life jacket helps with that, and then some dogs take to the water quicker than others. Once a dog is deemed a good swimmer, they can swim independently without a lifejacket.

The pool at Elite K911 also has a 20’ run that is 17’ high for dock diving. They have a Corgi who frequents the pool that jumps from that high into the water! Private lessons are available to teach dogs to get accustomed to the height and ultimately run and jump in.

Adult social

Once a month, Elite K911 has an adult social from 8am to noon. Dogs must be evaluated to be qualified to be a part of this socialization event. On their one acre property, dogs are able to go into the pond, use the agility course, run around, and play together. They also have access to swim in the pool. The area is supervised by trainers who will address any possible squirmishes so that they don’t develop into fights. To date, no fights have broken out amongst the dogs. Trainers keep a close watch on the dogs and also teach them how to properly approach and greet other dogs.

The Adult Social is more of a working daycare than a typical daycare where trainers will work with the dogs by doing some basic commands like recalling the dogs while being distracted. Chuck discovered when he had a daycare several years ago that negative behaviors developed in some dogs due to the overstimulation of a full day spent with the other dogs there. It is healthier to drain a dog physically and emotionally from playtime, with time off to recuperate, instead of exposing the dog daily to constant stimulation that occurs at typical doggie daycares.

Therapy Program - June’s Crew

Chuck developed his own self-funded therapy dog program called June’s Crew, which now includes 27 certified dogs. Dogs must qualify to meet the standards imposed by Elite K911 such as completing all of the obedience classes and Canine Good Citizen class. The certified dogs will go to nursing homes and schools to help brighten up people’s day.

There is an increasing demand in many different venues for therapy dogs. The studies that have been released reveal that dogs improve the emotional and mental well-being of the humans they touch. They can reduce stress and anxiety and provide unconditional love that can boost a person’s mood.

Chuck’s pack of dogs

Chuck’s oldest member of the pack is a chihuahua named Chupacabra, or Chupa for short. He is 14 years old and was given to Chuck by a client who needed help training him. When Chuck showed up to start the training, the client appeared at the door offering Chuck to keep the dog with a check for $800 to cover the training! Chuck couldn’t refuse, but he had to change the dog’s name. It just so happened to be Chucky. So, Chuck renamed him to Chupacabra. Chupa has been part of his pack ever since.

Chuck also has a pit bull named Biggie and a Belgian Malinois named Anya. He and his wife were also fostering a 2 year old Pomeranian Chihuahua mix who was in jeopardy of being euthanized for health reasons. This dog was born with kneecaps on the side of his legs. He was ready to be put up for adoption, but Chuck and his wife decided to keep him. They have named him Fozzy.

The surgery will cost thousands of dollars to fix this condition. He still does great and can walk and doesn’t seem to be in pain. It will be a wait and see approach to determine if the surgery is warranted. Fozzy goes to his “place” when he directed to do so and learned this from the other dogs in his pack. He’s potty trained and has been a great dog so far. What more can you ask for?

Elite K911 offers so many services and fun activities for dogs. From grooming and boarding, to obedience classes and dock diving, there is bound to be something you and your dog can benefit from and enjoy together. For more information, access the Elite K911 website at www.elitek911.com or call 440-666-0749.

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So many people who have dogs have told me that their dog can tell when they aren’t feeling well or when they are sad. It is evident when dogs respond to our happy and excited state of mind. They get excited too; sometimes too excited. However, we are sometimes taken back when our dogs come over and just want to be with us when we are sad and not feeling well. Not every dog has that ability. Some get very anxious when their pet parent isn’t feeling well. As Dr. Jennifer Smith pointed out in the previous episode about the 5 pillars of intelligence in dogs, empathy is one of the pillars. The dogs who do sense that they can make people feel better are the ones who make great therapy dogs. Even if your dog isn’t certified to be a therapy dog, they can still provide much needed comfort during times of stress.

I am a believer in our own personal energy and how it affects other people and animals. I believe that we all project a certain type of energy without even being aware of it. How many times have you walked into a room full of people and you pick up on a certain energy? The energy I am speaking of can reflect the type of person that we are. If we are an anxious person who worries a lot, the energy this person projects is unsettling. On the contrary, if we are relaxed and easy going, our energy can be calm and confident. Dogs are the same way. Dogs who aren’t anxious or overly excited will project that calming energy that makes us feel good. These are the dogs who can make great therapy dogs.

Therapy dog training was not a class that was offered when I worked at Petco. I was not trained in training dogs to be therapy or service dogs. I really didn’t know much about it, except that it existed. However, when I met one of my guests in 2012, Coleen Monroe, early on in my Petco career, while conducting obedience classes, I had a feeling that her young dog, Teddy, had the energy it takes to be a great therapy dog. I loved his energy and he wanted to be with me. He would let me pet him until I had to tend to my other responsibilities in the store. He wasn’t demanding of my attention. He was becoming a well trained dog and Coleen was developing such a strong bond with him. I also met Coleen’s family and Teddy was happy and well behaved with all of them.

I knew things could change because Teddy was a young dog when I started working with them. When dogs mature and when the pet parents are not providing the rules, boundaries, and leadership a dog needs, it can change a dog. As Coleen says in our discussion, she was very determined to have a well trained dog. She had two daughters who brought a lot of friends over to the house, and she wanted her dog to behave appropriately.

I put the bug in her ear that I thought Teddy would make a good therapy dog. This motivated Coleen to have more than just a well trained dog. She started doing some research to find a pet therapy program which was right for her and Teddy. What sealed the deal for her was when she was visiting her Mom in the same hospital where she ended up volunteering, someone brought in a therapy dog. When Coleen saw the whole room light up when the dog came in, she decided that’s what she wanted to do.

My other guest, Lisa Bolognia and her Golden Retriever, Josie, also found me at Petco and signed up for classes in 2015. I got the same feeling again with Josie as I did with Teddy. At that point, I had trained hundreds of dogs, and felt that I knew what it took for a dog to become a good therapy dog. Josie had it! She just exuded love and wanted to share it. And who doesn’t love a well trained Golden Retriever?

Lisa was very motivated, just as Coleen was, to have a well trained dog . Lisa’s Mom was wheelchair bound due to a surgery gone wrong. She did not want her puppy to become a dog that was obnoxiously jumping around her Mom. Josie needed to understand the boundaries and space required by a person in a wheelchair, as well as being trained in all her basic obedience skills. When I suggested to Lisa that Josie would make a great therapy dog, Lisa wasn’t even sure what that was. I arranged for Lisa to meet Coleen. By that time, Coleen and Teddy had passed the therapy test with Pet Partners and were already sharing their love at the hospital. She put Lisa in touch with the coordinator at the time to see what was involved. That was the beginning of Lisa and Josie’s 10 year stint as a therapy dog team at Fairview Hospital.

As far as I was involved in this process, I wanted to train more dogs to become therapy dogs. Dogs thrive on having jobs to do. Therapy dogs help people in countless ways, and likewise, the therapy work is wonderful for the dog. I was able to tell clients more about the process and help them prepare for the test. I went to the testing site to observe the test as it was taking place. I felt that I could prepare my clients better by knowing all of the steps required to pass.

In the picture below is another client, Peg Mondozzi and her Belgian Tervuren, Dralion, who passed the therapy test with flying colors. Peg stayed in the program for two years until she got involved in the show arena with Dralion.

If you are thinking about your dog becoming a therapy dog, you need to be aware that it’s a lot of work besides attending obedience classes. The three teams above all completed basic obedience, advanced obedience, AKC Canine Good Citizen, and therapy dog training classes. I recommend these classes to my clients who wish to pursue this path. Sometimes the puppies start so young that they breeze through the 6 week classes. I recommend repeating a class or two, just for the sake of keeping those skills fresh. Practice makes perfect!

It is also imperative to socialize your dog a lot. This involves bringing your dog with you to as many dog friendly places as possible. The best time to start socializing is after the puppy has been immunized and approved by your vet to be exposed to people, places, and dogs. Socializing involves conditioning your dog to get used to all different types of people, sounds, smells, and other dogs.

Imagine the hustle and bustle of a hospital environment with all the noises, people shouting, and gurneys passing by. For the dogs who pass the test, there will always be a first time for the dog to experience these stimuli. There really is no way of knowing how your dog will respond to this because only therapy dogs are allowed to go in to hospitals. However, if you socialize your dog in stores where there is a lot of activity and noises on the intercom, they shouldn’t have a major issue.

If your dog passes the therapy test and does react negatively to the stimuli in the hospital, there are other places connected with Fairview Hospital to frequent as a therapy dog. One of my clients and her dog who recently passed the test found out that her dog did not react well with the stretchers passing by, especially with an entourage of people surrounding it. She was also nervous around the large food and laundry carts. The solution for this team was to frequent the Moll Cancer Center of Fairview Hospital. They provide much needed emotional support to all of the people in the waiting room.

Socializing also involves establishing rules while out in public. No one likes to greet a dog who jumps, nips or licks them. This is covered in my obedience classes. It is very important. All of these manners require training by qualified professional dog trainers in order to ensure that the dog behaves well while they are out and about in public.

It is not imperative to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test in order to qualify for the Pet Partners test, but it is highly recommended. The Canine Good Citizen test is a 10 step test. Nine of these steps are also on the Pet Partners test. The one step that is on the Canine Good Citizen test but not on the therapy test is the dog being separated and out of site from his handler for 3 minutes. If your dog whines, paces, or barks while being tested for this step, the dog and handler will fail. This can be a deal breaker. This indicates that the dog has separation anxiety. Don’t worry if you don’t pass the first time. It is possible to retest at any time with a qualified evaluator.

The other two steps that occasionally cause the dog and handler to fail are greeting other people without jumping, and doing a pass with a neutral dog without reacting. These are also typically the two steps that teams fail on the Pet Partners test. To find out more about the Canine Good Citizen test, please contact either me at the number below or access the American Kennel Club at www.akc.org.

In my opinion, one of the most important things that isn’t on either test is the relationship between the dog and the handler. As a dog trainer, I am always teaching my clients to solicit a look up to them from the dog. You want the dog to “check in” with their handler. You have to know when your dog is getting stressed or has reached their limit while being out in public. Lisa describes in our discussion how Josie looks up to her for guidance as if to ask what’s next. Dogs live in the moment but they also want to know what’s next. It is up to the handler to communicate that effectively. The handler should be able to interrupt the dog at anytime by this signal or command to look at them. As Coleen mentions in our discussion, the testing isn’t just an evaluation of the dog. It’s a team test and a team evaluation.

Both Lisa and Coleen notice that their dogs are excited about being at the hospital. They know they have a job to do. Dogs love to have a job and making people happy. However, jobs can be exhausting. Lisa says that after making the rounds, which is typically after a half hour, Josie may lay down, start panting, or Lisa just sees that Josie’s eyes look tired. Coleen noticed the same signs in Teddy and was always aware to not push him to the point of exhaustion. You want to keep the dog motivated to want to come again for future visits.

Be your dog’s best advocate. Be proactive, not reactive.

Pet Partners sets up testing dates at least twice a year. It is common not to pass the first time. Coleen found that out when the evaluator went to hug Teddy and he backed up. That disqualified him from passing the test. After practicing the hug with friends and family members and having Teddy sit while being hugged, Teddy and Coleen passed on their second attempt. They stayed in the program for 7 years until Teddy passed away from cancer. They loved making people happy at the hospital by either visiting patients in their rooms, hanging out in the lobby, or mingling with doctors and nurses. Coleen also took Teddy to a high school during exam week as a stress reliever for the students. There are so many places to do therapy work. Simply contact the administration of the business or school you would like to visit.

Lisa and Josie passed the test their first time. Josie was one of the youngest dogs to pass. They have enjoyed their time as a therapy team for the past 10 years visiting patients in the pediatric wing, the pediatric ER, and the high risk pregnancy wing. They typically go in the evenings when there aren’t as many people around and Lisa is done for the day from the demands of her full time job. Lisa finds that Josie’s presence makes the the patients talk about the dogs that they have or had, and it takes the focus off of what they are experiencing while being in the hospital. Sometimes, they just hang out in the lobby and people come up and want to pet Josie. So many people are surprised that dogs are even allowed in a hospital, and love to greet Josie. There are times when patients aren’t feeling well and don’t care for a visit, but the staff is always ready and willing to get a few pets in with Josie.

There are several therapy dog organizations available. I am most familiar with the Pet Partners program. Here in Cleveland, Pet Partners is associated with Fairview Park Hospital. They ask their teams to frequent the hospital twice a month. However, once you pass their program, you are able to qualify for therapy work in hospice care, schools, libraries and nursing homes to name a few. There are also dog trainers who have their own therapy program and testing. Chuck Stella, owner of Elite K911, and Gary Flynn who has been a guest on my show, have their own therapy programs.

Coleen is now the Caring Canines Program Coordinator for Fairview Hospital. She took over this responsibility two years ago. Coleen will help those interested in the program by advising them on training, required paperwork and online registration, and then mentoring the team after they pass the therapy test. Coleen then accompanies the team as they walk through the hospital and visit with patients to make sure they know the proper protocol. When the last stage is complete, then the team is on their own and can visit whenever it is permitted. Caring Canines recognizes other therapy dog organizations so that if you pass another organization’s therapy test, you may be eligible to do therapy work at Fairview Hospital under the care of Coleen and Caring Canines. Coleen’s contact info is below.

Coleen is developing some new opportunities for her 24 volunteers. One of the programs is Caring Canines on Call. Patients can now request a visit by a therapy dog. Coleen will send out an email to all of the volunteers and whoever can grant the patient’s request will pay a visit with their dog. There are also events at the hospital like Nurses Week and Pharmacy Week where the therapy dogs mingle with the staff and patients.

Therapy work can be so fulfilling and gratifying to know that all of your hard work in training your dog has paid off. Not every dog is a therapy dog candidate. However, when you do have that special dog who inherently knows that their presence creates so much happiness, there’s nothing like it when you witness it. Love isn’t just a one way street. Dogs feel it too, and when you experience this, it touches you emotionally and deeply in such a unique way that words fail to describe it.

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My guest, Dr. Jennifer Smith, has been in the education field for 46 years and is a business owner specializing in trauma-informed behavior. Her love of animals (dogs in particular) has been constant in her life. So much so, that she was on her way to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine at The Ohio State, until she changed her mind. When Jennifer discovered how dogs can change human behavior and humans can change dog behavior, the desire to study human behavior prevailed over the desire to study dog behavior. She noticed that interactions between dogs and humans could be silent but very powerful. She wanted to get to the root of this soulful connection between the two.

Jennifer has a masters in psychology and special education teaching. She pursued her doctorate in psychology, specializing in self-injurious behaviors and functional assessments. Delving into this field at the Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis in California opened Jennifer’s world to figuring out the reasons why certain individuals with a limited skillset in certain environments exhibit particular behaviors. This newly acquired knowledge helped Jennifer bridge the two passions in her life - human and dog behavior.

Jennifer managed a way to use her degrees in education while following her passion for dogs. Working with dogs with challenging behaviors and working with people with disabilities is very much aligned, according to Jennifer. The procedures and interventions are the same. The functional assessment process is the same. This helps with understanding the reasons behind the behaviors manifesting in both humans and dogs so that the interventions can be therapeutic.

I find in working with my clients that trying to identify the root of the behavior helps assist in developing a rehabilitation plan. If you only try to treat the symptoms, you will only end up putting a bandaid on the problem. It will only rear its ugly head again and again down the road.

Whenever I help a client and their dog in the Cleveland area, and the client’s profession is in the special education field, they invariably know Dr. Jennifer Smith. She was the head of the behavior and curriculum department at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities until she retired almost 12 years ago. These clients were either trained by her or participated in a seminar where Jennifer lectured. All of these clients understand my approach and how I assess their dogs. They get it. There is a certain way to communicate across the species which is similar to communicating with individuals with limited language skills.

I will often compare dog behavior to human behavior for the sole purpose of trying to make my assessment of a client’s dog more relatable. I do not have a degree in Animal Behavior. However, there are patterns and common reactions to stimuli in dogs that are very similar to those in humans. I was a little unsure about making these comparisons so as not to imply that humans are like dogs or vice versa, because I didn’t want to offend people. Also, I had no scientific research to back up my comparisons. I find myself often telling my clients “Think about what the dog is feeling and interpreting right now”. Hence, my choice for the title of this podcast, “From A Dog’s Eye View.” After talking to Jennifer, I feel validated in the explanation of my approach to assessing any given dog.

Jennifer combined her expertise in functional assessments of individuals for Cuyahoga County with training and rehabilitating dogs through her connection with It’s A Dog’s Life. Since I have known Jennifer, she was always rehabbing dogs and blending them into her own pack of dogs. As she was performing in-home assessments with families of children with disabilities, she was also doing in-home family visits with dogs that had various issues. Wherever the behavior presented itself was where Jennifer would be. If it meant going to a grocery store, that’s where she would set up her meeting.

Not only is it necessary to observe the person or dog closely, but you also have to know what you are looking at. Observing something as simple as prolonged eye contact that causes a reaction, or as complex as the frantic or intentional movement of an individual or dog, can help identify the root of a particular behavior.

‘“We don't know what it's like to hear, see or especially smell at the levels that dogs can.” - Dr. Jennifer Smith

To elaborate on this subject of observing and working with dogs who are triggered by something in a particular environment, I will work with a dog wherever the behavior is happening. Dogs do not generalize. What that means is that if your dog barks at strangers at their own front door, it doesn’t mean that they will bark at strangers at your friend’s front door. I need to see the dog in their own environment and how he reacts to certain triggers. It is equally important to observe how the pet parent reacts and what their body language is like while the dog is in the middle of the reactivity. It takes teamwork to rehab a dog, and guiding the pet parent to handle the dog appropriately is crucial to the entire rehab process.

The difficulty with the rehabilitation process is always when you return a dog to his pet parents. It is up to the pet parents to understand and change their own behavior because we, as the adults, are the agent of change. It's the same in schools. If you want your kindergartner's behavior of throwing books at other kids to change, they aren’t going to magically wake up one morning and make today the day that they won’t throw books anymore. Adults have to guide the child to an alternate behavior that is more appropriate in order for the child to change. I always love to hear from my clients, “You’re training us humans, not the dogs.” That’s exactly right!

You must change things up because whatever you were doing wasn’t working. This is a lot easier said than done. According to Jennifer, on any given day, our frustration level is higher than on other days. Our reactivity to issues can be more intense. We’re rarely on the same emotional level. This inconsistency can be very confusing and create an unstable environment for the dog. The dog can’t figure out all of these changes. We become unpredictable, and in their eyes, unsafe. I advise clients that life happens, and you just have to try your best to push your life issues aside while you are in communication with your dog.

“A lot of individuals who have reactive dogs that are fear-based, have trouble because they themselves aren't being perceived as safe.” - Dr. Jennifer Smith

Jennifer has had a wide variety of breeds as family dogs. From German Shepherds and French Briards to Shih Tzus and Chihuahuas. However, Jennifer’s dream as a little girl was to have a poodle. She came to know that poodles were a complex breed that would require more time and effort to do the breed justice. She knew the common traits of the various breeds she rehabbed in her home, but she needed to learn more about the poodle. She felt that she needed a higher skillset and needed to mature in her approaches to working with this sensitive and very intelligent breed.

The wait was worth it and it happened at the right time in her life. That time came several years ago when she had the opportunity to meet her longtime idol, and now mentor, Joseph Vergnetti of Dassin Farms, who is a highly respected breeder in the poodle world. Joseph had heard that Jennifer did temperament training and testing. He said he had a poodle for her. This particular poodle was not ready yet for the show ring because she had some quirks to be ironed out. When Joseph showed Jennifer this beautiful, quirky black poodle, Jennifer was weak in the knees. She named this poodle Scarlet. At last, her dreams came true!

Jennifer exposed Scarlet to many different places and people to build Scarlet’s self confidence. Jennifer believes that upon conception, the temperament of the dog is set. Then, you add personality on top of that. This is where the pet parent plays a big part. It’s how we, humans react to what dogs are reacting to that can shape a dog into becoming a fearful, cautious dog or a confident, polite dog. Scarlet has a very reactive bark and Jennifer just has to be very aware of the environment they are in at the moment and be Scarlet’s best advocate. When Scarlet’s frustration is high, her skillset is low. Always being aware of this helps maintain a balanced approach to any given situation so as not to overwhelm her.

Instead of continuing to show Scarlet, Jennifer decided to breed her with a sire from Joseph’s line of poodles. In fact, Scarlet was pregnant when Jennifer showed her for the last time. Joseph picked the perfect sire for a dog with Scarlet’s temperament. She had a litter of nine puppies, but two of them died. Scarlet was amazing and knew what to do, but Jennifer and her husband were a nervous wreck. They had experts on stand-by to help out if anything went wrong. In the long run, Jennifer and Tom just watched this beautiful miracle take place as Scarlet did what came naturally. There is a definite sense of pride when whelping a litter and contributing positively to their impressionable first couple of months. On top of that, what an honor and privilege knowing that you had a part in this process, especially when one of the puppies becomes a winner in dog shows. There is such a sense of pride after studying the poodle line, taking care of them, and socializing them properly.

It is a lot of work raising puppies and socializing them and then ultimately finding good homes for them. Jennifer and Tom couldn’t just let them all go, They had to keep one and named her Chapel. She is now two years old and is currently living and working with a professional handler. The hard work is so worth it when they hear back from the families who adopted Scarlet’s puppies, that everyone loves them so much. That’s why they do it!

Everyone thinks that poodles have a French connection. They do in that they are France’s national dog. However, history states that they originated in Germany and were used as waterfowl retrievers. They were used as hunting dogs who had to endure retrieving birds in very cold water. Therefore, poodles can have a very high prey drive. This hunting skill is actually making a comeback. Poodles are being used more often today as gun dogs by hunters.

Poodles are excellent retrievers and swimmers, and are very athletic. Their body awareness is phenomenal. They are very quick and agile. They can leap up and twist their body in the air and still stick the landing. The prey drive in Scarlet for live animals is more prominent than in Jennifer’s other poodles. However, unlike her dachshunds who are so hard wired to hunt, Jennifer is able to recall her poodles with a higher success rate while they are in the process of retrieving. If her long haired dachshunds pick up a scent, there is no chance of recalling them. They are that focused.

The breeders of poodles that Jennifer is familiar with have bred out any health issues, so there really aren’t many health concerns. There is some risk of bloat, which is when the stomach flips and cuts off circulation to the rest of the organs. There really is no rhyme or reason for this condition, but there is an operation to prevent the stomach from flipping. Please refer to my previous interview with Dr. Randy Hutchison from Animal Clinic Northview about this very important subject.

The poodle is unique and has certain traits that are hardwired in them. When conducting intelligence tests on poodles, they always score high in the following pillars of intelligence:

* memory

* cunning

* reasoning

* communication

* empathetic

Their memory is off the charts and it has been Jennifer’s experience that their memory is phenomenal, not because they're worried and need to know, but because they want to know. They want to use that to either work with you or work for their benefit. They are a softer breed and because they do have a memory, they will carry a grudge. Most dogs can remember things but pretty much every moment is a blank slate for them. With a poodle, depending on where that memory is going to sit with them, they can hold a grudge.

Jennifer is constantly amazed at how they can reason things out, sit back, and make a choice about certain things. When dealing with Scarlet, she is going to do what is best for her. However, Jennifer’s male poodle, Blue, will reason out what is going to keep the relationship with Jennifer going in a positive fashion. Her third poodle, Chapel, is very energetic, and exhibits her cunning skills by going into another room, turning the lights on and off and waiting for Jennifer and her husband to move in there with her. All while doing this with a smile!

Another pillar of intelligence that the poodle scores high on is their ability to communicate by facial recognition and the patterns of a human’s face. This trait is unique to the species. They are one of the only species that can watch the changes in people's faces, pay attention to that, and then interpret it. Jennifer has observed what makes the poodle stand out from the other breeds is that they want to listen to you as they study changes in your facial features, but they also want to be listened to. They care that you are listening to them not because they are demanding your attention, but they do so in a manner that they have important things to say. They want to engage you in playing a reasoning or cunning game and make a definite contribution to it. Jennifer finds this to be very unique with this breed. Even if the communication between Jennifer and her poodles is silent, they are still communicating with each other as they observe any change in your body language or positioning.

The last pillar of intelligence in assessing a dog is empathy. In order to be empathetic, it is necessary to understand yourself and your own journeys. You can then understand someone else’s and how they came to be a certain way. Poodles always score perfectly in empathy tests. They are not off the charts high as if they are overly concerned and they can't function unless they know you're in a good place. They score high because they care about you. They also have a great sense of themselves.

“Poodles want to listen and be listened to. They want to be cared for but they also care about you. They are interesting, but they also want to be interested.” - Jennifer Smith

You can do a test with blinking to see how empathetic your dog is. Have someone mark down how many times you blink. Sit in a silent room for five minutes with your dog. Just sit, don't make eye contact with the dog and blink when you blink naturally. Poodles will mimic your blinking.

One of the most popular breeds today is the doodle. The most common are Labradoodles and Golden Doodles. The wonderfully social family dog that Labradors and Golden Retrievers are was the reason why breeders wanted to combine that happy go lucky temperament with an intelligent poodle. Hardly anyone really knows about the poodle breed. What everyone says is that their coat doesn’t shed and that they are very intelligent. As you now know, there is so much more to this incredible breed called the poodle!

I sometimes think that I am learning about a new doodle every week. There are so many breeds that are mixed with the poodle. Doodles are very attractive to prospective pet parents because they have the intelligence of the poodle and they supposedly don’t shed. These are the two traits that the majority of my clients find appealing. Inevitably, there will be multiple doodles in an obedience class of 6 dogs. I love the trainability of these dogs because they are usually very intelligent, but then I have to learn what else the poodle was bred with when I see traits that aren’t so common.

Some pet parents may meet the mother and father that were mated to produce a litter of doodles, and some may not. However, as Jennifer comments about the doodles, the sourcing of the two different breeds can be suspect. There may be a reactive gene that goes back several generations in either the poodle line or whatever the dog is mixed with, and it appears in one of the offspring. This can happen to any breed, but when you are mixing two different breeds, the chances that certain traits are not bred out are greater than if it is a singular breed.

People expect that they may see traits of various dogs in the rescue dog they adopt from a shelter. Doodles are almost viewed nowadays like a purebred instead of the mixed breed that they are. Breeders of doodles are demanding the same dollar amount as a purebred. Jennifer advises to be aware of reputable breeders and those who are out to make a quick buck. She knows what is involved in maintaining a prestigious line of dogs. Negative traits should be disclosed and then bred out.

I will never forget a woman who thought she was getting a purebred Bernese Mountain dog. The breeder told her as much. There happened to be another Bernese Mountain Dog puppy in the same class. They had the same tri-coloring but the one clearly was not a purebred. Also, the temperament of that puppy was not calm and happy go lucky. In my opinion, that puppy was mixed with something and sold as a purebred. The problem is with this scenario, which I have sadly seen played out many times, is that the pet parent has already bonded with the puppy and they don’t want to re-home him, but the puppy is a terror and has obvious issues. This makes it very difficult to live with this puppy as he matures. Now the family is faced with a real dilemma: to keep or re-home the puppy.

There was also a very nice family who knew that they were getting a bernedoodle. They had intentions of training him to be an emotional support dog for their son. The puppy was absolutely adorable looking, However, he chewed through and destroyed their family couch and chairs. It was very difficult to get and keep the dog’s attention. They did everything that I asked them to do as far as establishing structure in his daily life by setting boundaries, giving him plenty of exercise from a leadership role, and disciplining appropriately. As the puppy grew, he started to bite everyone in the family. I had to refer this case out to another trainer who was experienced in aggression. That trainer tried everything and the puppy was getting better. Then, after he matured, he attacked the son who was hoping to have him as an emotional support dog. It was so bad that they had to get rid of the dog. I think he went to live on a farm…….

After having written about two cases where the doodle mix did not go well, I have to counter those stories by stating that I have met an extraordinary amount of wonderful doodles who have made great family pets. Some have done amazing jobs at therapy work and others have been the dog that everyone always wanted.

My goal in doing this particular episode about poodles is twofold. One is to make pet parents aware of the poodle breed and how their impeccable breeding preserves unique traits that make it so special. Secondly, to help people understand better why their doodle might be doing certain behaviors. Is the behavior due to the poodle breed or the other breed it was mixed with? After talking to Jennifer, I think about some of my client’s doodles whose traits are definitely more poodle than whatever they are mixed with. Purebred poodles are not for first-time owners. They demand a lot of care, not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Jennifer has described the poodle with enthusiasm for the breed. They truly are a magnificent dog!

As Jennifer contemplates retirement this year, she has plenty to keep busy with her own pack of dogs. Just taking care of her 3 standard poodles and one miniature poodle is enough for one person. Jennifer trains and grooms them to show standards, but overall, they are her family pets that are loved dearly. On top of that, she and her husband Tom have 3 long haired dachshunds and Tom is involved in the show and breeding arena. At any given time, they will also have no more than 2 dogs that Jennifer will train or rehab, who will be integrated in to their daily home lives. I don’t think she will lack for things to do!

Thanks for reading “From A Dog’s Eye View”! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

  E-collars (electronic collars) or shock collars are used in dog training for different reasons. Some dog trainers use them almost exclusively, and others use them for specific purposes. My knowledge and experience is limited with e-collars due to my background. As I have mentioned before, I was trained at Petco. E-collar training was not part of their program. However, I met a lot of clients during my time as a trainer there and even more clients when I started my own business who would tell me that they tried an e-collar and it didn’t work. I could not offer any assistance or feedback, even though e-collars were sold in the store. My lack of knowledge and inability to help, motivated me to learn about them.

Luckily, I know Gary Flynn, from The Dog Advocate, from our days at Petco. The more I got to know Gary, the more I knew that he was the one I wanted to learn from. I knew that he had used e-collars before in his professional career before working at Petco. I had a lot to learn when I started my own dog training business, so learning about e-collars was not a priority. There were so many other issues to focus on first. It wasn’t until about 3 years ago that I felt it was time to learn about e-collars so that I could help my clients more.

I had a sneaky suspicion that the whole reason people weren’t having success with them was because they weren’t being used correctly. My suspicion was right. As I was in the process of being trained by Gary, I realized right away that an e-collar was a serious training tool. I could understand how it could be used incorrectly. As with so many things that I learn about, I need to know everything I can about a certain subject until I feel comfortable advising people about it.

In order to learn about e-collars, I knew that I needed hands-on experience. So, I brought my dog, Ebi, to Gary for many sessions until I felt I had a good foundation to start practicing using the collar on my own. I also was at a point with Ebi where learning something new would be a challenge for her. After I realized that using an e-collar was not harmful to the dog if used correctly, I enjoyed learning about it and working with my dog in a new way. I was getting a little bored with challenging her with the basic obedience skills at long distances in different locations.

The timing of this new tool was perfect for me. Ebi was 4 years old. I remember telling Gary that I felt that Ebi was getting bored with the same old skills that I tried challenging her with. Ebi would do what I asked her and was very reliable in her skills, but she just looked bored. Gary actually told me that I was the boring one! I didn’t give her enough incentive to keep her engaged with me. At that point, I had pretty much abandoned rewarding her with treats. Gary reminded me that everyone, including dogs, needs a “paycheck” every now and then when they are working. So, I brought the treats back in to my routine, giving them to her every now and then, while working with her.

I brought an e-collar that was recommended by a different dog trainer to my first session with Gary. We quickly discovered that the lowest stimulus and even the vibration setting on that collar was too much for Ebi. She looked around anxiously wondering where it came from. That is not the type of reaction you want to start off with from your dog. Instead, you should be looking for a flick of the ear or a turn of the head. When I returned for my next lesson, I brought the e-collar with me that Gary recommended - The mini Educator. (www.educatorcollars.com)

As Gary describes in our interview, the reaction that he is looking for when testing out a dog’s sensitivity to stimulus, the dog should be a little annoyed that maybe a little bug flew by. Then, they should quickly recover back to being calm. When Gary tried out the new e-collar on Ebi, he adjusted it to a very low setting. She was just laying down in his backyard. She responded in a more acceptable way this time. She actually flicked her ear. I saw this but didn’t realize that this is a classic sign that the dog felt the stimulus. When Gary experiences a dog’s sensitive reaction to the stimulus, he carefully notes what the dog was doing when he interrupted him with it. Maybe the dog was in the process of passively eating a treat or chewing on a branch. The stimulus could make the dog a little hyper sensitive at that moment if interrupting an active behavior. It is very important when you are testing out the sensitivity (or lack of it) to be mindful of what you are interrupting the dog from doing.

I really had no intentions of using the e-collar as a permanent training tool on Ebi. However, in order for me to advise clients on my opinion about this type of training,

I had to master:

* manipulating the various functions of the remote control

* the timing of the stimulus

* choosing the right degree of stimulus depending on the situation

* recognizing the subtle body language from Ebi with the varying degrees of stimulus

It took me almost a year of working with Ebi every day until I felt comfortable using the e-collar. I worked on getting her excited about putting the e-collar on. Fun things were going to happen when she got the collar on. The collar had to fit tight enough, and the prongs had to be long enough to get through all of her fur. If the collar is too loose, then the stimulus won’t be as effective. I found myself turning up the power higher and higher so that she would feel something. I solved that issue by making a mark by the correct hole in the collar to guarantee the right fit. Proper fitting is imperative to the e-collar functioning correctly.

I worked with Ebi in my backyard to learn her body language when I had the setting too low or too high for a particular application. I started out with turning the power on low, but just high enough to where I would get that flick of the ear while commanding her to do a basic “Sit”. I had to get used to the timing of turning it on and off. Pressing the power on means the dog is in the process of executing the command. Releasing the power means the command has just been executed. Then, we progressed to doing “Sit” out on our walk. I had to turn up the power a little bit more now because there were more distractions on the walk. Figuring out how much to increase the stimulus given the situation was the most difficult part for me, but I figured it out.

I have found that the most common reason people purchase e-collars is to try to stop an issue they are having with their dog. For example, dogs may jump on people when guests come to the house. The pet parent purchases an e-collar, puts it on the dog, and zaps the dog when he jumps on a guest at the front door. One reaction the dog may have to this shock is he may stop jumping and the pet parent thinks the e-collar worked. The pet parent never showed the dog an alternate behavior in that scenario - only that he feels a shock when he jumps on people at that particular door. If this is done enough times, the dog may begin to be afraid of people entering their house through that door again.

If the pet parent does the same thing while out and about in the community, the dog will begin associating that people approaching them is a negative thing. All the pet parent was trying to accomplish was to stop the dog from jumping. What ended up happening is now the dog is afraid of people at the front door and out in public. A new problem was created by trying to solve the original problem.

Another reaction a dog can have to being shocked while jumping on guests is the dog may run away. The dog hasn’t been conditioned to know what to do when he feels the shock. The dog stopped jumping, but again, now the dog won’t go near that door. He didn’t like the feeling of being shocked, he had no idea what he was supposed to do when he felt it, he didn’t know where it came from and consequently ran away to get away from that feeling. Once again, in the pet parent’s mind, the e-collar worked. From the dog’s mind, this feeling left him very unsure and confused. The feeling was negative, his reaction was negative, but his pet parent was happy.

If the pet parent is also using the e-collar like this for a different issue, even more uncertainty will develop and fear will set in. The dog won’t know at any given time if he is going to feel that shock again. This can make the dog neurotic where he becomes afraid of everything. I have met dogs like this who don’t trust anything or anyone. I can’t say conclusively that it is because of the misuse of the e-collar, but I feel that it can be a contributing factor.

In all of these reactions from the dog, the stimulus setting could have been too high and no alternate behavior was offered. Also, there was no interaction between the pet parent and the dog. They were expecting the shock to solve the problem and they didn’t have to do anything else. This is the exact scenario that Gary and I refer to as using the e-collar as a “Magic NO button”. You never want to leave the dog hanging in blind punishment. You always want to correct and then redirect with a more appropriate and already known behavior for that situation. To top that all off, most people start yelling at the dog to stop jumping. Any kind of verbal reaction from the pet parent can only add to the excited state the dog is already in, which exacerbates the problem.

Sometimes, pet parents will threaten the dog by showing them the remote and that they are going to receive a shock if they don’t behave. Now the dog is really uncertain about their pet parent’s energy with that threat and whether or not they may feel a shock. This can develop into neurosis. Deconditioning this behavior out of the dog takes so much longer than creating the neurotic behavior. So, be very mindful of how the dog sees this scenario being played out - hence, the name of my podcast “From A Dog’s Eye View”

Threatening a dog with a negative consequence impedes a relationship of trust and respect.

Instead of using the e-collar as a “Magic NO button”, it should be used as a conditioning tool. The dog should already know their basic commands and even at an advanced level where they can reliably perform basic skills at longer distances, longer duration, and with many different types of distractions. Adding an e-collar at this point becomes more of a conditioning tool that will correct or remind the dog to stay at even greater distances, for longer periods of time with any type of distraction.

Distractions are key. This means you are exposing your dog to many different places, people, animals, sounds and inanimate objects. Just because your dog did not have a reaction to a horse, doesn’t mean that he won’t have a reaction to a Macaw. For example, I was handling Ebi during Pirates Week at Put-In-Bay. I saw a man approaching me with two Macaws on a perch. I had no idea if this man was experienced or not. Turns out by talking to him that he was very experienced. He was associated with some kind of wildlife reserve. He knew his birds and he told me they weren’t showing him any signs of distress. He kneeled down so that he and the birds were at Ebi’s eye level. I was nervous because I didn’t want Ebi having her prey drive activated towards them and view them as a delicious meal!

The picture below was taken at the very beginning of the encounter. I was holding Ebi back but then she retreated a little and showed that she was no threat to the birds. I immediately let up on the tension. Her eyes and body posture were more submissive and not stiff and laser focused on them. It never was, but I wanted to make sure. I was relieved and happy that Ebi was such a good girl and that my judgment call was the right one! However, you never know how your dog is going to react to something in their environment for the first time. It is best to proceed with caution and just be smart about the situation at hand and to know your dog’s body language before getting that close to someone else’s prized possessions.

It is imperative that the dog learn in the beginning of his training that when he is commanded to perform the behavior from his handler, the power turns on (very low stimulus level). As soon as he completes the behavior, the power turns off. The handler must be extremely consistent in this process and can’t let up on the stimulus too soon. The dog quickly learns how to turn off the power. This type of conditioning is true biomechanical feedback.

The handler needs to be trained to recognize signs of stress or compliance from the dog to know what level of stimulus to set the remote control to. This sliding scale is very complex.

The handler must always keep 3 factors in mind:

* distractions

* duration

* distance

For example, if the distractions are high, as is the case when the handler puts the dog in a down stay 25’ away in the middle of a crowd of people, the stimulus may have to be set higher than normal and implemented if the dog breaks his stay. The handler may also not keep the dog in a very long stay or go as far away from the dog, given the situation, unless he has done this many times before. If the dog breaks his stay and the stimulus is set too high for the correction, he may start running away. Now, you have to rely on the recall at such a distance while the dog is in fear mode. Dogs lose their peripheral vision and capability to hear things clearly when under high stress. Plus, most likely, this dog is not leashed, so now you have a loose, fearful dog amongst a lot of people. This is just one example of how e-collars are not for amateur handlers. They must be coached by a professional dog trainer.

The example above also emphasizes how essential it is for you to be important to your dog for the right reason. If you are the leader that your dog needs you to be, your dog will respect the boundaries you set and will want to please you. If you are effectively communicating to your dog in a consistent, positive, and clear way, you will get reliable behaviors in return. An e-collar is a communication tool. If your relationship with your dog is not based on structure, with effective communication as its foundation, the e-collar will only confuse and frustrate your dog.

I do not train pet parents how to use e-collars. After my training with Gary, I discovered how serious of a tool it is. I would require a contract with the client that would state that after the initial e-collar training of the dog and the handler, I would have to be in touch with this client for the lifetime of the dog. There is so much possibility for things to develop in a negative way that I would hate for the dog to be affected by handler errors. Gary only trains clients with e-collars who are professional clients. I have seen Gary’s dogs and met his clients. They all are well balanced dogs and great handlers.

Gary uses and has used e-collars to train protection dogs, hunting dogs, and search and rescue dogs. These are application-specific cases. Again, all of these dogs are trained with an advanced obedience skill set first, and the e-collar fine tunes the specific requirements for that application.

To witness a well trained protection dog knowing what to do when the power is on and when it is off, is an amazing thing. I was very fortunate to experience one of Gary’s professional dogs, a Belgian Malinois named Abby, first hand, doing bite work. I put the sleeve on my arm, commanded the dog to charge me and bite the sleeve. I thrashed her around a bit, and then commanded her to release - all in German. Right after that, Gary told me to caress her with both hands around her face. Now that’s what I call a well trained dog!!! I was not fearful because I had seen Gary work with this dog before and saw what she was capable of.

Just look at Abby’s teeth in the picture above! That’s what I had charging at me when I was wearing the sleeve. It should be enough to keep anyone away from attacking her handler. While she is in this protection mode, anyone who approaches Ken will get attacked. The only one who will enjoy it is Abby! Notice that Ken has total control over Abby. It may not look that way because the leash is loose. Pictures that are circulated around the internet usually show the handler holding the dog back on a taut line. Gary does not train dogs that way. That’s not a real life situation. If Ken was in his home, chances are he is not holding on to Abby with a leash. If someone were to attack him, Abby would put her life on the line for Ken because she was trained that way and with no tension on the leash. That’s a real life application. Abby is not a vicious dog. She is a professional dog that is always under demonstrable control of her handler.

Gary is an avid outdoorsman. He loves to hunt. He had two German short hair pointers. One passed away a couple of years ago, but both dogs were trained on their basic obedience skills and then on an e-collar to be hunting dogs. It is important to know the breed and their instincts - what motivates them. There are also behaviors that the dogs will demonstrate naturally and you gear your training around that.

Gary can train the dog to retrieve the kill, refrain from chasing the potential kill, and even go ahead and kill the animal. The recall is extremely important when working in this environment. If you have commanded the dog to go find and retrieve the kill and you know that there is a road up ahead, the instincts of a German Shorthair is to continue to pursue until they find it. Even in this intense pursuit, the dog must return back to their handler for their safety. The dog is far enough away that they can’t hear their handler or they are in such a state of mind where they don’t hear commands (auditory exclusion). Gary uses a special combination of vibrations to make them return back to him.

Using an e-collar as a conditioning tool as opposed to a “Magic NO button”, can open up opportunities for you and your dog. If you enjoy adventuring outdoors, e-collar training can help fulfill your dog’s instincts by teaching them things like hunting or searching for things. If you want to challenge your dog for a new type of training so that they can stay at distances of say a football field, e-collar training can be fun. I can’t stress enough that it is so important to qualify the trainer you choose. Find out how they use the collar and what their experience is. If I wanted to add e-collar training to my repertoire, I would have to train many different breeds, in many different scenarios, before I could say that I am proficient in e-collar training. However, I do believe that I can advise my clients much better now that I have some hands-on experience.

The majority of dog owners do not give their dog the job that they were bred to do. However, if you have a hunting dog and you would like to train your dog to fulfill those instincts, contact a professional dog trainer who has a lot of experience in this field. You may not be a fan of hunting, but your Foxhound or Vizsla surely is! It is so rewarding to watch your dog be the dog he was born to be…. one more way that shows us how dogs are so amazing!

When you bring your puppy home for the first time, it is one of the most exciting events in your lifetime. You have made a decision to add to your existing pack, and I congratulate you for doing so. One of the first items you will need to purchase is a leash and a collar or harness. How to decide on which one can be overwhelming. Just as overwhelming as what cereal to choose in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. There are so many choices! Sometimes, you just go by what friends and family have recommended. Other times, you may be influenced by an ad on social media. This episode is to clarify how certain walking tools work, and to help you choose the right one for you and your dog.

When we pick up our puppy from a breeder, most likely, the breeder has put some kind of colored ribbon around the puppy’s neck to differentiate which puppy is which. The puppy is somewhat used to wearing something around its neck, but that doesn’t mean that the puppy will be totally willing to have you put a snap or buckle collar on them. How you introduce this collar is very important to the puppy positively associating this “thing” with something good.

There will be some of you reading this post saying to yourselves that your puppy was absolutely fine with you putting the collar on. As a dog trainer, anything you introduce to your puppy should be well thought out in advance how you will be presenting it before you just go barreling in and forcing a new item on them.

You ALWAYS want to create positive association with introducing anything new to your dog.

Introducing a collar or harness

The process of introducing a collar or harness to a rescue dog is the same as introducing them to a puppy. Rescue dogs may already be used to wearing a collar, but most likely you will be choosing an additional collar or harness for walking purposes. Whichever tool you decide, the introduction will be the same as if it was a puppy.

First, take your time with the whole process of showing the dog their new collar. If you are relaxed and mildly excited, your dog will be too. You want to create some excitement over the collar or harness, but not too much. Get them interested in what is about to happen by feeding them small treats. Then, let them sniff it to their heart’s content. Pet the dog with the collar or harness while giving them treats, being mindful of not letting straps from a harness dangle in front of them. This can trigger a fear response. If the dog is still engaged and not shying away, use some treats while showing them how it snaps together. Sometimes the sound of the snap can trigger some fear in them.

If all is progressing positively, ideally you want them to come to you to put the collar or harness on. Again, lure them with treats. You may need to ask a family member to feed the treats while you put the collar or harness on and snap it. When it is on, you will have to adjust it so that it is “two fingers snug”. If introducing a harness, every strap should be two fingers snug. What this means is that you can fit two fingers between their neck or body and the collar or strap of the harness. This is to ensure that the dog cannot back up and escape out of it. Also, fit the collar high up on the neck, right behind the ears. This prevents the collar from damaging the trachea when they do pull (how to prevent dogs from pulling on a walk will be a separate episode).

I want the dog to be excited about their new collar or harness, but not so excited that I am chasing the dog around the house just to get it on. Remember, you are setting an example of how this walking tool is going to be associated with something. That something is going to be your way of eventually controlling the dog on a leash.

Now that the collar or harness is on, take the dog outside to play or play with the dog inside the house. Pretend that this is a huge accomplishment and make sure the dog knows that you are happy that they are wearing their first walking tool. Depending on the reaction of the dog, just leave the collar or harness on them for a very short period of time.

Dogs usually don’t react adversely to collars, but they can with harnesses. There are only two harnesses that I recommend, which I explain below. Harnesses are made to have dogs haul things. The majority of harnesses clip on the back of the dog. It is impossible to walk a medium to large sized dog in the heel position with this type of harness. It is set up to have the handler behind the dog and to be pulled. If there is tension on the leash, the dog will resist that tension by pulling forward. Now, who is taking whom for a walk??

Harnesses can be big and bulky and it’s a very foreign feeling for the dog to have something on their back. Some dogs will freeze and not want to move forward. I have seen way too many harnesses that are improperly fit - usually too loose. This is a perfect setup for the dog to wiggle out of it and run away. I have heard of too many stories like this. One dog actually got hit by a car when he ran away. The handler was pulling back on the leash, creating the resistance for the dog to move forward. He wiggled out of it, panicked, and ran in the street and got hit by a car. He was okay, but it involved an expensive vet bill and some recovery time for the dog. Luckily, nothing was broken.

Collars are great for hanging identification tags. They are also a way to quickly grab the dog if needed. I don’t recommend leaving a collar with tags on in the crate, especially if you are leaving the house for a period of time. Always check the integrity of the collar. A cloth buckle collar can begin to fray at the eyelets or the buckle can start to break down. If you have any doubts, buy a new one. There are other collars with the 3 prong plastic snap that are very sturdy too. This is just a preference issue. The most important thing to remember about the collar is that it is fit correctly - two fingers snug!

It is worth noting that collars are great to leave on the dog during the day while you are potty training. You can attach the leash to a collar a lot quicker than trying to put a harness on a very wiggly puppy.

Leashes

I always tell my clients to purchase a cheap leash while training a puppy. As much as you want to discourage your puppy from biting the leash, they inevitably will. I will explain more in detail how to stop your puppy from biting the leash in a future episode where I will talk about “The Walk”. When the puppy has been trained how to walk, that’s when you can invest in a leash that will last a long time. Leather leashes are my favorite. They are comfortable and don’t slip in my hand, and they last many years. Gary Flynn, who has been on my podcast before, likes the BioThane leash. It is generally more durable than leather, and is waterproof. However, it is vulnerable to bite marks. Make sure you have worked with your dog to stop biting the leash before investing in a BioThane leash. In my next episode, we will show you this type of leash. It is very durable and comfortable in your hands. These leashes are not sold in most pet stores, but are sold online.

The important thing to keep in mind when deciding on a leash is how comfortable it is when your hand is wrapped around it. Remember, I do not promote walking dogs in front of you where you are just holding on to the handle. Walks in the woods and “sniffaris”are different than walking in a heel position. I will discuss this further in my episode about “The Walk”.

In the video below, you will see how I recommend holding on to a leash. Note that my left hand is grabbing the leash over the leash as if I am holding on to handlebars on a bike. My hand is right by the clip so that the dog does not have much leeway to go where they want to go. It is up to the handler to take the dog over to an area to sniff or eliminate, not the dog leading you over there.

YOU are taking the dog for a walk, not the dog taking you for a walk.

In the picture below, from top to bottom, the first leash is a small 6’ leather leash with a small clip. This is suitable for small dogs. The clip is small and can attach to the ring on a very small collar. You want to make sure that you don’t weigh down your small dog with a heavy, bulky clip. The leash underneath is the leash I use for my 100+ pound Leonberger. The clip is bigger and sturdy enough if she were to lunge. I have rather small hands so the width of this leash is perfect for me. Below this leash is a two handled leash that is very comfortable to grab with your bare hands.

Some people really like double handled leashes. You have the option of walking the dog on a shorter lead with the second handle. Both handles are very comfortable to hold on to.

The very bottom multi-colored leash is a slip lead. I like this leash for some dogs because I can position it high on the neck, right behind the ears, and keep it in place with the grey tab. It is important that it is adjusted on the dog like a slip collar or chain collar. There is a right and wrong way to put this on depending on which side you walk your dog. I explain this more below under the slip and chain collar categories.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention retractable leashes. The only application I can even possibly approve of this type of leash is if you have to take your dog out to eliminate on a leash and you don’t want to go outside, and you have a small dog. Otherwise, there are several reasons why I don’t like them. First of all, I have seen and heard of too many accidents where the dog ran around their handler so quickly and tightly that they caused lacerations around their handler’s legs. Other times, the dog gets hurt by chasing after something and goes to the very end of the leash and abruptly gets choked. Our friend was biking with his dog running beside him. He was holding onto the casing of the retractable leash. The dog saw something, sprinted to the end of the leash and jolted him off the bike making him fall head over heels.

The other reason why I don’t like retractable leashes is that there is constant tension on the line. I always advocate to walk your dog with no tension and no stress, but this is impossible with a retractable leash. In the locked position, there is always tension upwards and wherever the handler is positioned. The last reason is that I believe that your energy flows through the leash to the dog. The plastic housing of the retractable leash prevents that energy flow.

Harnesses

Harnesses can be useful for very small puppies and dogs. I encourage clients to get a Pet Pals or step in harness. Most people don’t know how to teach a dog to heel on a leash. Therefore, there is a lot of prolonged and constant tugging on a collar which can be damaging to the puppy’s or small dog’s trachea. I prefer teaching a client to correct their puppy or dog pulling on a harness, rather than on a collar, in order to prevent any damage to the dog’s trachea. It is easier to transition to another walking tool if needed after the client has some experience walking their dog in a heel position.

There are only two harnesses that I recommend. One is a step in harness pictured below for small dogs, and the other one is the Easy Walk harness made by Pet Safe for small and medium/large dogs. Most other harnesses promote pulling on the walk because the clip is on the dog’s back. Since I am an advocate of walking dogs in the heel position (right by your side), it is impossible to achieve this with a medium to large sized dog. Because of where the clip is located, the dog’s chest and front legs are already in front of you. Attempting to keep a dog this size in a heel position involves straining your arm backwards. Maintaining that position for any length of time is almost impossible. Small dogs are much easier to manage on a harness even though the clip is on their back. There’s just less weight and size to manipulate. I have had a lot of success in teaching small dogs on harnesses in the heel position.

When you bring home a small dog puppy, that is only a couple of pounds, it can be very challenging to find even a collar that will fit. Pet Pals is a brand that caters to very small dogs this size. They sell collars and harnesses that will properly fit this size. However, my friend adopted a 1- 1/2 pound chihuahua and could only find a ferret harness to fit him. That’s what she still uses today for him at a whopping weight of 2 pounds!

Once the dog grows out of the Pet Pals sizes, usually around 10 pounds, I recommend either a step in harness or even the Easy Walk harness. The step in harness is very easy to put on the dog, but still needs to be introduced in the same way I mentioned above when you introduce a new collar. Sometimes dogs will freeze when you put a harness on them. Just try luring them forward with treats. You may need an extra yummy treat for this. If you need some assistance from another family member, have them feed the treats while you put on the harness. If your dog is really uncomfortable, take the harness off and try again a little later. Just be mindful of not leaving it on for very long at all. Work your way up to leaving the harness on for increments of seconds for every few successful attempts. Never rush this process.

The other harness that is my “go to walking tool” is the Easy Walk harness. Even if I know that the puppy is going to be a large dog, I like to begin training the human how the martingale style clip in the front serves as a “correction” to get the dog’s attention. A “correction” is a quick tug on the leash which tightens the straps around the chest and causes the dog to pause while you get their attention through your voice or a treat. Then, you can repeat the skill you are correcting, using treats. This way the dog understands that one way, they feel a tug and no treats are involved. The other way, they are rewarded with your verbal praise and a treat. This quick tug takes some practice to master. Most people prolong the tension by lifting back on the leash. I coach the handler on how to do this quick tug correctly. Therefore, I would rather a client learn this technique on the Easy Walk harness than on a slip or prong collar.

Dogs will get used to constant tension rendering the “correction” useless. Dogs need to learn pressure on and pressure off. No tugs (no corrections/no pressure) means they are doing things right. Quick tugs (correction/pressure) means they are doing things wrong and need to be corrected and shown the right way. This principle of pressure on vs pressure off is how future collars like slip, prong collars, and even electronic collars will work. I will elaborate on this issue in the next episode.

The only breeds that aren’t suitable for the Easy Walk harness are the dogs with long bodies and short legs. The strap that goes across the chest needs to be held up by the dog’s shoulders. For example, Corgis and dachshunds won’t be able to keep the straps up on a consistent basis. Step in harnesses or even a buckle collar work well for them.

Please remember that any walking tool that you decide to use for your dog, even if it is a regular buckle collar, must be fit correctly. Any dog, and any breed can learn to walk in a heel position on a buckle collar with the proper training. I prefer to walk dogs with some type of collar that is fit high up on their neck. Right behind their ears. I feel that I can manage them better and their weight distribution with them by my side. This makes it easier to manage when they do lunge. The strength from a lunge comes from the chest. If the dog’s chest is in front of you, it is way more difficult to hold on and have any kind of control with you behind the dog versus by their side.

Gentle Leader/Halti

Some tools take more conditioning for the dog to get used to, but can be very good walking tools, like the Gentle Leader and the Halti. This is not a tool that I have on hand for clients only because it requires some conditioning. I have found that most clients do not want to take the time necessary for conditioning their dog to get used to having a strap around their nose and mouth. Some people have told me that they don’t want people to mistake it for a muzzle and not want to approach their dog. Most clients prefer to have a harness that they can put on the dog and take them for a walk right away.

The difference between the Gentle Leader and the Halti is the Halti straps that surround the nose have more cushioning, making it more comfortable. It also has the ability to close a dog’s mouth when you pull the leash taut. I have used the Halti for this purpose. A client’s dog had the propensity to bite. He had already had a very negative experience with a pinch collar, which made his reactions even more intense. He was reactive to other dogs on walks, and the pet parent didn’t want to risk the dog redirecting his aggression on her or on anyone else. Again, knowing the dog’s temperament and issues is imperative to choosing the appropriate walking tool.

Looking at the picture below, this Halti is set up for walking the dog on the right hand side. There is a back up strap with the clip attached to the ring on the buckle collar. You can visualize if I were to pull up on the leash, the straps would fit tightly around the mouth to close it. If you want to walk the dog on the left hand side, just slide the buckle collar around so that its’ ring is on the other side. Attach the backup strap’s clip to the ring on the collar.

The one downside to Gentle Leaders and Haltis is if you have a reactive dog, meaning the dog lunges and barks at other dogs or people, the dog’s neck can get damaged because of the way the handler is just trying to hang on to the dog while their head is thrashing back and forth. However, I know many clients who are so comfortable with them and take the time to condition their dog to them, and it works great. Confidence comes from feeling comfortable. This is key with building a mutual feeling of trust between the handler and the dog. Remember, I believe the handler’s energy flows through the leash and into the dog. Dogs can feel confidence or hesitation in their handler.

Before deciding on a Gentle Leader or Halti, if you have any plans of training your dog to be a therapy or service dog, make sure that organization approves of them. Some do and some don’t, whether you agree with that or not.

Slip Collars/Slip Leads/Chain Collars

In the video below, I demonstrate how to put on a particular type of slip collar called the Snap-Around Training Collar, sold only online by Handcraft Collars. This is my slip collar of choice. There are imitation collars similar to them sold in stores and online, but the snap-around training collars are all handmade and excellent quality. I have many different sizes on hand for the client/dog that I feel would do well with it. It is imperative to have the collar measured correctly in order to yield the optimal results when handling your dog. The ‘correction’ I mentioned earlier applies to any type of slip collar, which is demonstrated in the video below. Remember, there is a right and wrong way to put these collars/leads on. You want to make sure you have the collar or lead set up so that the line from the collar or lead goes straight through the loop. if the leash is on the wrong side, it will choke the dog.

I prefer the snap-around collar over the chain collar for two reasons. The first reason is because some dogs are sensitive to certain noises. When you pull the leash taut on the chain collar, it makes a metal clanging sound which can cause the dog to negatively associate that noise with that collar. The snap-around collar is made out of cloth and is silent when pulling the leash taut.

The other reason I prefer the snap-around collar over the chain collar is that some dogs back up and don’t like to be approached when something is put over their head. This can cause negative association with the chain collar. The snap-around collar is put on around the neck and then clipped.

Slip leads can be great for a lot of dogs. This is the bottom leash in the picture of leashes above. The collar and leash are all one piece. They are usually made out of a type of cloth, but can also be made out of polyurethane (Biothane). The one thing that most people don’t know about is the tab that slides on the leash. This is to keep the slip part of the lead in place. Remember, it should be high on the neck, right behind the ears.

Martingale

I rarely run into people who use martingale collars. I don’t think I have ever recommended one. Instead, I will suggest any of the other walking tools previously mentioned. I believe that the appeal of these collars is the design such that it prevents choking the dog. When you pull the leash taut, it stops when the two sides hit together. However, most of the time, when I do see these collars, they are not fit correctly. They are usually too loose. The Greyhound rescue organizations love the martingales because of the size of their head and neck and also their very short fur. If fit correctly, they cannot escape out of them.

The biggest takeaway from this episode is that I am willing to work with any of the walking tools I listed above. I take into consideration my assessment of the dog and the physical ability of the pet parent. This determines which tool I feel will be the most suitable for both parties involved. I believe that the reason we see way less dogs being walked in any given neighborhood than there are households with dogs, is because the pet parent gave up walking their dog because it was too difficult and unpleasant. My goal is that the walk becomes a pleasant event for everyone involved. Dogs thrive when they are well exercised and well socialized.

My next episode will be with Gary Flynn, whom I have recorded with before. We will talk about prong collars and electronic collars. Some dogs require a tool that gives the handler even more control than any of the tools mentioned above. The prong collar can aide in that and can be used as a temporary training tool to work on issues you may be having. Gary will inform us about how electronic collars are supposed to be used. Not how they are commonly used by most people. Stay tuned!

Training Tip of the Day

When calling your dog’s name, ALWAYS say it in a positive tone that will result in something positive for the dog.

What is your walking tool of choice?

  At some point in your dog’s lifetime, most likely you have had to take them to your vet for an emergency type situation. Whether it be due to swallowing a foreign object or requiring surgery for an acute injury, Dr. Randy Hutchison and his professional staff at Animal Clinic Northview in North Ridgeville, Ohio, will be able to get your dog back on the road to recovery.

In this episode, Dr. Randy and I discuss common injuries and treatments that are available for various conditions. As much as we try to prevent injuries from happening, they are almost inevitable. I don’t think I have ever met anyone who hasn’t had to take their dog to the vet only for well check ups. One of the great things about Animal Clinic Northview is that they have round the clock service. So, no matter what time of day or night your dog suffers an injury or illness, there will be a vet on duty to help you.

Dog Bites

As a dog trainer, unfortunately, I have seen plenty of people get bit by dogs or their dogs have gotten into dog fights. The wounds can be serious, sometimes fatal. Especially if they have gone untreated for a period of time. Bite wounds for people should never, ever be taken lightly because of the bacterial content of dogs’ mouths. When we witness or experience dog bites, we think of the dog lunging toward their target and biting quickly and powerfully. Some dogs will bite and hold on. Others will bite once and let go. Either way, the damage can be extensive.

To a trained eye, dogs ALWAYS give you a warning before biting. Please consult a professional dog trainer if you feel that your dog has aggressive tendencies. They will not go away on their own. My contact info is below. If I feel that I cannot help you because the aggression is too serious, I can refer you to other dog trainers.

Dr. Randy sees an influx of bite wounds in the winter time. Dogs don’t always get the exercise they are used to during the warmer months. This can create a lot of frustration for dogs due to pent up energy. Sometimes, fights happen between dogs living in the same household. Common causes of fights are over claiming possession of valuable resources such as toys and food. In the dog training arena, we call this resource guarding. One dog will pose in a way that their body is over the food or toy and their body is stiff. You may even see “whale eyes” or the whites of their eyes, accompanied by growling and baring their teeth.

Assessing the damage done by a dog bite to another dog has to be done very carefully. If the decision is made to stitch up the wound, the possibility of locking in the bacteria can lead to locking in an infection. Antibiotics may be prescribed to address the infection. Sometimes, depending on where the wound is located, there is not enough skin to stitch together. However, there is a new treatment on the market called Phovia. Phovia delivers fluorescent light to the affected wound, which stimulates the body’s natural healing process. It is non-invasive and painless. Any kind of wound care treatment involves multiple visits until everything has healed up nicely. Your vet will guide you through the healing process and may even recommend physical therapy depending on the injury.

The bacteria in dogs’ mouths can cause serious infections in humans too. It may require antibiotics to get rid of the infection. The bacteria doesn’t necessarily have to be transmitted through a bite. My neighbor almost died after she came home from an operation and her dog licked the wound, like dogs do. There can be certain bacteria in the dog’s mouth that can cause sepsis through an open wound. Please consult your veterinarian or medical doctor if you or your dog experience a bite or licking an open wound from another dog.

Another totally innocent way a dog can get a serious infection from a bite wound is through play. My dog, Ebi, was playing with her best friend across the street. I was watching the dogs play. It is very common for dogs to use their mouths while playing and bite gently. I heard one of the dogs shriek. Ebi was laying down, but then got back up to play again. I figured one of the dogs came down too hard on the other and they let the other dog know about it. Well, 2 to 3 days later, my husband discovered a big growth on her side that we had never noticed before. My friend, who is a former vet tech, came over, and shaved the area where the growth was. It revealed a puncture wound from a tooth. That’s when I realized what that shriek was all about. Our neighbor dog came down too hard on Ebi. The bacteria from that bite caused an abscess to form. I took Ebi to the vet for further treatment and she healed up beautifully.

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Tears

Another common yet painful injury to dogs is tearing the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), which is the equivalent of tearing the anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) in humans. The CCL is located inside the knee joint, connecting the thigh bone to the shin bone. I have never personally experienced this with my dogs, but plenty of my client’s dogs have, unfortunately. The surgery and rehab is quite pricey and stressful because the dogs have to be contained for an extended period of time.

A lot of times, dogs will tear their CCL because they sprinted towards something or jumped off a high place. You will know right away if your dog injured themselves because they will start limping immediately. Every time your dog steps on that leg with a torn CCL, it buckles because the ligament is not there to provide stabilization. When the injury occurs, there is acute pain. However, that pain subsides as time goes on, but the limp persists. If this does happen to your dog, contact your vet immediately so that they can assess the injury.

One of the biggest misconceptions about CCL injuries is that the vet is surgically repairing the ligament. If that was actually attempted by a vet, it would almost certainly end in failure. The ligament is so minute and damaged that it is impossible to stitch it back together.

Almost all CCL repair techniques are done to provide stabilization to the joint. There are a couple of ways to repair these injuries. One option is called a lateral suture. This procedure uses sutures to reinforce the outside of the knee joint which creates a type of artificial ligament. A more up-to-date method is referred to as TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy). This procedure is done more commonly now. The joint forms scar tissue around itself to let the body heal it in a way that creates stability.

Rehab Facility On Premise

Animal Clinic Northview offers many different types of therapies for patients coming off of surgeries and injuries. They now have a swimming pool to help rehab a joint that needs to move but not involve hard impact. Also on the premises are underwater and dry treadmills, acupuncture, and laser therapy to help with the healing process. This is such an improvement to what used to be offered when the dog would undergo surgery and be sent home to heal. All of the therapies mentioned above can expedite and improve the quality of the dog’s life a lot quicker so that they can get back to running around again.

The rehab facility at Animal Clinic Northview is in the same building as the main veterinary clinic and is staffed by therapists dedicated to rehabbing dogs. There is a separate extra wide entrance to accommodate patients coming in on gurneys and for those who may be more stressed entering through the main lobby. There is even a special rubber coated floor for those patients recovering from leg surgeries to prevent any slipping.

Obstructions

Two of the commands I teach during my basic obedience class are the “Leave It/Drop It'“ commands. Dogs love to explore their world through their nose and their mouth. I don’t think I have ever met a puppy that hasn’t wanted to put everything in their mouth. It’s their way of exploring their world. It’s up to us humans to keep them safe and teach them to stop pursuing an object with the “Leave It” command. If it’s too late to prevent them from putting it in their mouth, we use the “Drop It” command to make them release the object and surrender it.

It is also common for puppies and dogs to play “keep away” from their humans and make a game out of running around the yard or house with a prized possession in their mouth. We don’t realize that we are playing the exact game the dog wanted to play when we chase the dog around and yell at them to drop it. The more the humans yell, the more excited and energized the dog gets to continue this fun game!

It’s when the dog decides to swallow the object and a blockage occurs that Dr. Randy comes in. He has dealt with plenty of clients whose dogs ingested something they shouldn’t have. Whole ears of corn, fish hooks, socks and underwear to name a few. He says that a lot of the time, family members just want to know who is to blame - who left the underwear on the floor in the first place???

There are instances where we actually witness our dog swallowing an object that was too big or knowingly indigestible. It is extremely advisable to immediately go to the vet to get it expelled. Socks and underwear are two very common foreign bodies that are ingested. If addressed soon enough, there are medications to induce vomiting, and the object comes back up the esophagus, out the mouth, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief and goes home.

Another way to prevent having to surgically remove a foreign body is through an instrument called an endoscope. There are different kinds and sizes of grabbers and loops that are attached to the endoscope which are fed down the esophagus and into the stomach. The grabber will pick up the foreign body and be pulled back out of the mouth.

Foreign bodies get tricky when no one in the family notices that the dog ingested anything. All they notice is that the dog does not have the typical appetite they usually have or even the dog refuses to eat. Maybe the dog starts vomiting several times for a couple of days in a row, is showing signs of constipation and/or seems to have abdominal discomfort. These symptoms can be a sign of other conditions, but they all warrant a phone call and possible visit to the vet. If there is an obstruction, not only is it blocking the flow of things through the intestine, but also the pressure it creates is damaging the blood supply to that intestine. This can lead to perforations in the intestinal area. Now, you are talking about extensive surgery to remove the object and repair the perforations.

One thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to be tempted to pull on an object that you see is peeking out of the dog’s anus. For example, if you know your dog swallowed a plastic grocery bag and a few days later a little bit is showing out of their anus, that plastic bag may be wrapped around and stuck on something as it was working its way out. You could potentially be doing more harm than good by pulling it out. Dr. Randy has the same advice for cats. He has seen where the cat has swallowed a string. One end of the string was sticking out of the cat’s anus, but the other end was wrapped around the cat’s tongue!

Dental Issues

All dogs love to chew on things. There are so many options at the pet store that it can be overwhelming. Some of these options can lead to broken teeth, some are made of unhealthy ingredients, and some are just down right dangerous. So many times, when Dr. Randy is performing a well check up and pulls away the gums to get a good look at the dog’s teeth, he discovers chipped teeth or slab fractures. Slab fractures are when the enamel has sheared off the tooth, exposing the nerves. This is usually caused by the dog chewing on objects that are too hard for their teeth. Not only is this very painful to the dog, but it also requires dental attention.

When you have an aggressive chewer, meaning, the dog chews vigorously on bones, be very mindful of antler bones, elk horns, cow hooves, and nylabones. All of these chews can do some serious damage to a dog’s teeth. One of the vets who regularly performs dental work has a rule of thumb:

If you can't indent the chew toy with your thumbnail, don’t give it to your dog.

Some dogs are absolutely fine and will never have a dental issue with an antler bone. Then, there are other dogs who chew the antler and actually cause splinters to break off. If the dog swallows those splinters, now you’re talking about perforations along the way through the intestinal tract.

Dr. Randy’s advice on deciding on which chew toy to give your dog, “Go Fred Flinstone” and buy the biggest toy the dog can manage to get their teeth on. We are all looking for something to preoccupy our dogs with and satisfy their instinct to chew, but we have to be wise about it. Chew toys should always be under supervision, not used as a babysitter, and never left in the crate with the dog while they are alone for hours. When the toy is whittled down by about 80-90%, then it’s time to put it in the trash. My rule of thumb has always been if the length of the chew toy is 1” wider on both sides of the dog’s mouth, then it is time to dispose of it. Otherwise, you risk the dog swallowing the remainder and ending up with a blockage! The safest toy that I have found is a Kong. Again, you need to know your dog’s chewing style before you think you can give him a Kong full of almond butter (I’m not a peanut butter fan).

According to Dr. Randy, one of the most common misconceptions of dental injuries is that if the dog is in pain, they won’t eat. This is false. Dogs are very stoic. They will mask their pain. There's almost never a dental condition that will keep a dog from eating. If you watch a dog that is experiencing dental pain, they will toss their food to the other side of their mouth. They learn how to compensate for it. Another sign that your dog is experiencing dental issues is when the dog goes to pick up a toy, their pet parents will see them kind of jolt and drop the toy.

Root canals can be performed on dogs’ teeth, but typically just pulling the tooth, alleviates the source of pain and possibility for infection to develop. Pet parents notice how much more energy the dog has after the pain has been removed, This is particularly noticeable in cats. If you think dogs are stoic, cats have them beat in that department!

Seizures

Another condition in dogs that I hear too frequently from pet parents is seizures. Dr. Randy says that many times there is no identifiable cause for seizures. Just like in humans, seizures aren’t necessarily caused by a structural issue. Even after doing CTs or MRIs on the dog’s brain, there will be no glaring abnormalities on the scans.

The most common type of seizures which typically occur in dogs between the ages of 1-5 years are epileptic seizures. Whenever a dog has a seizure, Dr. Randy has to make sure that there's not something obvious causing it. Blood work is drawn to determine if low blood sugar, or calcium or liver abnormalities may be causing the seizures. Younger dogs who are experiencing seizures are more concerning. Metabolic defects or even distemper can cause seizures, so they will be screened for that. As the dog gets older, then you start worrying about a possible brain tumor. So, when diagnosing a dog for seizures, there is a process of elimination of all of these possible causes.

Seizures are still an enigma, even in human medicine. Dr. Randy will have a 10 year old dog come in for a checkup after they had their first seizure in their life and he can’t find a reason for it. On the other end of the spectrum, one of Dr. Randy’s client’s dog has a seizure once it starts walking in the clinic. Stress can also be a contributing factor to the onset of a seizure. The staff at the clinic will have this dog come through a different entrance to avoid the hustle and bustle of the main entrance. It is important to point out that this is more of a rarity than a commonplace scenario.

There are a number of medications for seizure patients. If a dog has one single seizure and has never had another one, medications will not be prescribed right away. This type of situation will be more for building a database on that dog if any future events occur. The medications for seizures have become much safer than they used to be. If your dog has been prescribed seizure medications, this won’t prevent episodes from happening. Instead, it can limit the severity and frequency of these events when they do occur.

Pancreatitis

Even though I am a dog trainer dealing with behavioral and obedience issues, inevitably, I end up talking to my clients about their dog’s health. If the dog doesn’t feel well, it can be way more challenging to assess behavioral issues accurately. The reason why the dog may be having behavioral issues is because they are in pain and not feeling well.

One health issue that can affect a dog’s behavior is pancreatitis. According to Dr. Randy, pancreatitis is somewhat of a generic term for an acute tummy ache that has a wide range of presentations in dogs. From a one time vomiting event to a life threatening rush to the ER, pancreatitis is another condition where different tests need to be run to correctly assess what it really is that is manifesting symptoms in the dog. It is worth mentioning that pancreatitis in cats is an entirely different disease and cannot be compared to that in dogs.

A common cause of pancreatitis that is thrown around by the public which is misleading is that the dog ate something fatty, like a Big Mac or the Easter ham. This can definitely contribute to the onset of pancreatitis, but it is not the sole factor. There have been plenty of dogs examined by Dr. Randy who have not eaten something they shouldn’t have, but they still get pancreatitis. All living beings require fat in their diet. However, just like in the human diet, the fat should be a healthy fat. The more fat we consume, the more weight we gain. It is advisable to be aware of the type of fat we all consume for our well being.

Symptoms of pancreatitis can be vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and lack of appetite. If pancreatitis is suspected, there is a test called a PLI, or pancreatic lipase test. This measures the level of lipase, a digestive enzyme produced by the pancreas. If this test yields a positive result, this raises the suspicion that pancreatitis may be present. To get an accurate diagnosis of pancreatitis, the adjoining organs surrounding the pancreas should be examined. The stomach, small intestine, and bile ducts could actually be the primary cause of the symptoms and the pancreas is secondary. Bloodwork most likely will be ordered to monitor any changes in certain levels. Sonograms can confirm if there are any abscesses or edema in the area. The dog’s medical history will be reviewed so that the appropriate treatment is recommended.

Treatment is very much dependent on how sick the dog is and what kind of changes appear in the blood work. A new drug which helps treat pancreatitis, Paniquel, can lower and even halt the inflammatory response in the pancreas. This can bring relief to the dog suffering from acute pancreatitis. Dr. Randy’s two big takeaways from pancreatitis are first of all, make sure the vet checks for inflammation or abnormalities in the surrounding organs of the pancreas to confirm the diagnosis. Secondly, if your dog is increasingly showing signs of discomfort from the symptoms listed above, this warrants an immediate visit to the vet because it can be life threatening.

Bloat and Volvulus

Bloat is a condition when the stomach dilates or distends up, sometimes but not always, due to an accumulation of food, liquid or air. This can cause the stomach to flip over on itself, called volvulus. When this happens, this is a life threatening event because it will cut off the outflows to the stomach and trap everything in the stomach. As the stomach stretches, blood vessels get compressed so much that it cuts off its own blood supply. The stomach continues to distend beyond the rib cage and sounds and feels like a drum. If this is noticeable, then the condition has progressed to the point where immediate attention is required to save the dog.

A common symptom of bloat is the dog will be retching, not vomiting. It looks like the dog is trying to vomit, but nothing but a little phlegm comes out. This should be a red flag to get the dog to the vet. Your dog also may be walking around nervously and can’t really settle down. I remember one client telling me that her dog kept on whining and walking around one night before going to bed. She thought her dog was just anxious about the thunderstorm. Horrifically, she woke up the next morning only to find her dog dead at the bottom of the stairs.

When a dog comes in as an emergency bloat case, the first thing that has to be done is to release the gas that has built up in the stomach. Once the gas is released, and the stomach is deflated, then the dog undergoes a gastropexy to return the stomach back to its original position. The stomach will be tacked to the right side of the body wall because when the stomach flips, it is always a right to left event. After the gastroplexy, the dog can still experience bloat, but the stomach won’t flip.

There are now studies that have been done that have debunked a lot of the previous theories on the common causes of bloat. For example, eating too much food in one sitting, exercising too quickly after eating, or elevating the bowls when eating. These all could be contributing factors but studies now show that none of these things really matter. The vast majority of dogs that have bloat that come to the clinic did the same thing that day and ate the same food that they have eaten every day of their life.

Another misconception about bloat is that it only affects giant breed dogs and those with deep chests. However, one of the most common breeds the clinic sees affected by bloat is the 40-60 lb. sized Standard Poodle. On a personal note, when we got my Leonberger, a giant breed, we had already decided that we were going to have her undergo a gastropexy as a preventative measure so that her stomach would not flip. At the clinic, the gastropexy is done laparoscopically. We had this done at the same time she was spayed so as to avoid two surgeries. This surgery lasts the lifetime of the dog. Her spay was done laparoscopically as well, so she only had a couple of small incisions for both surgeries instead of being cut open. I am thankful to this day that Dr. Randy did the gastropexy so that I wouldn’t have to worry about her stomach flipping.

Spay and Neuter Procedures

An ongoing debate in the history of veterinary medicine has been when to spay or neuter your dog. When Dr. Randy was working at the clinic when he was younger, it was recommended to spay or neuter your dog at six months of age. By the time he went to vet school, there was a big push to spay or neuter between 12 and 16 weeks. Now, the pendulum has swung all the way to the other end of the spectrum to waiting until the dog is a much later age. Dr. Randy always tells clients that it’s like bell bottoms. Whatever your opinion is on the best time to spay or neuter, eventually it will come back in style at some point.

There are now studies that state that unspayed females and unneutered intact males of giant breeds may live longer. The difficult thing about that is there are also complications that arise by not spaying or neutering. In unspayed female dogs, they are more at risk for pyometra and mammary chain cancer. In unneutered males, prostate disease, testicular cancer, and hernias can develop.

What Dr. Randy is recommending now is waiting at least 6 months to a year for small breeds, and a year for medium to large male breed dogs. For giant male breeds, waiting anywhere between a year and a half to two years is advisable. If you choose to wait, you have to be careful not to let your dog loose around any unspayed females. They will walk miles to find that female in heat when they get on the scent!

The recommended time to spay a female is different than for males. It is recommended that the female go through at least one heat cycle before getting spayed. One misconception is that you should wait a year to spay your female dog. The amount of time does not play into the equation. It is all dependent on the timing of the heat cycle. My dog, Ebi, didn’t have her first cycle until she was 15 months. So, she wasn’t spayed until she was about 18 months old. An interesting and unique fact about female canines is that their hormones are the same during their heat cycle whether they are pregnant or not. Progesterone, a hormone necessary to maintain a pregnancy, increases during the heat cycle even if the dog does not become pregnant. The reason why vets wait for two months after the heat cycle has finished is because that’s how long a pregnancy typically lasts. So, the progesterone level that is present during the heat cycle to prepare and maintain a pregnancy has waned and the spay can be performed safely.

The great thing about the spaying procedure today is that it can be done laparoscopically. It makes a huge difference in the recovery time. With the traditional way of cutting open the dog to perform the spay, a ligament has to be cut in order to get to the ovaries to remove them. This contributes to a recovery lasting up to two weeks. A follow up visit is required to remove stitches. Whereas with the laparoscopic spay, normal activity can resume between 24-48 hours and there aren’t any stitches to be removed. There are only two tiny incisions and no tearing or cutting of ligaments.

Dr. Randy has been performing laparoscopic spays and neuters for over 20 years. Animal Clinic Northview was one of the first veterinary clinics in the eastern United States to be able to offer them. Not every vet clinic is able to invest in the equipment and training necessary for the laparoscopic surgeries. The last time Dr. Randy checked on these statistics, clients came from 15 states and 3 countries just to get this type of surgery for their dogs.

According to Dr. Randy, he has the greatest job in the world. He loves going to work every day and loves what he does. Whenever I take my pets there, it is so evident that there is a feeling of dedication to serve and help client’s beloved pets in sickness and in health. This type of culture amongst the 34 doctors and 180 people who report to him is very important. They love their jobs too and they are extremely passionate about what they do. There is a lot of joy working in a vet clinic, but there is also the heartbreak that goes along with that joy. But at the end of the day, they can feel proud that they helped so many pets and their pet parents with whatever comes through those doors on a daily basis.

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 If you have a dog, chances are you have visited the veterinarian’s office a few times. Scheduling regular vet appointments can ensure the healthiest life possible for your dog by staying up to date on vaccines and preventative care. From parasite prevention and treatments to birthing and breeding dogs, the professional staff at Animal Clinic Northview in North Ridgeville, Ohio, can help your pet get the best treatment possible for whatever issue you may be experiencing with your pet.

Dr. Randy Hutchison (Dr. Randy) has been a practicing vet for over 25 years at Animal Clinic Northview. When he was just 5 years old, he decided he wanted to be a vet, attend The Ohio State University, and work with his father. It helped that his Dad, Dr. Robert Hutchison, was and currently still is, a vet too. However, when Dr. Randy was 16 years old, his father sat him down at the kitchen table and told him that he didn’t have to follow in his footsteps if he didn’t want to. Dr. Randy told his Dad right then and there that his goal in life was to become a vet. Imagine how proud his Dad was that his son was going to follow in his footsteps and become the esteemed veterinarian that he is today, all because of his wisdom and knowledge that he passed on to his son.

How Animal Clinic Northview was established

As with anything great, the back story on how Animal Clinic Northview got started is a very captivating one to tell. Dr. Robert met his original partner, Dr. Gary Krone, graduated from vet school and worked for a vet in Elyria. They had a vision back then to build a full service animal clinic where they could offer services other than just vaccines and well check ups. You could say the dream was to create a one stop shopping venue where whatever your pet needed, they could provide the service.

When Dr. Randy was 3 years old, his father and soon to be business partner, started looking for a plot of land to build the office of their dreams on. This was top secret, or at least it was supposed to be top secret until one of Dr. Robert’s elderly clients told him that the ladies at the beauty parlor were talking about him building a new vet office. The word got out and Dr. Robert and Dr. Krone felt they had to do the right thing and tell their boss about it before he found out by word of mouth. Unfortunately, but actually fortunately, they both were fired the next day. This propelled them to pack up their supplies and operate their business out of their trunks while their new office was being built. They rented surgical rooms from other vet clinics and made it work. By the time the building was ready to be operational, they had approximately 3,000 clients!

Fast forward to today, Animal Clinic Northview offers so many services, including 24 hour emergency service, laparoscopic surgeries, an intensive care unit, CT scans, three types of ultrasounds, and even more. The vision of the clinic today is to provide the most comprehensive care possible with compassion.

On a personal note, I discovered Animal Clinic Northview from a mutual client and their German Shepherd, Heidi. I used to help them handle Heidi on appointments due to her reactivity to other dogs that she might encounter in the waiting room. Now, she is so well behaved that they can manage on their own, but helping my clients’ dog exposed me to the clinic. So, when I got my Leonberger, Ebi, she had her first puppy appointment with Dr. Randy and has been a client ever since.

Since then, when one of my cats was in his last stage of life, I went to the vet down the street from me that I had been going to for over 20 years. I took the cat in to find out what was going on. The vet told me that I needed to confirm her diagnosis of possible lymphoma by getting an ultrasound. They did not have the equipment there. They told me to go to Animal Clinic Northview. It was confirmed that he was in his last stage of life and his organs were shutting down. He died two weeks later at home. So, it was a no brainer for me. I switched my other cat over to Animal Clinic Northview and I have been very happy ever since.

Animal Clinic Northview offers many different services

Reproductive Services

One of the first unique services the clinic started providing other than basic veterinary medicine was a reproductive department. Animal Clinic Northview has one of the largest canine frozen semen banks in the world. Breeders choose to store their stud’s (male dogs) sperm there. A stud’s sperm can be preserved for as long as the client wants and can be used for breeding dogs. The sperm is owned by the stud dog’s owner. There is a separate agreement outside of the clinic. When the breeder finds a female to breed with their stud’s sperm, they contact Animal Clinic Northview to release the sperm. It has happened where the stud has been dead for 25 years and still producing litters!

Another reproductive service the clinic offers is a birthing unit. There are certain breeds, like the bully breeds, in particular French Bulldogs, who require C-sections when giving birth. They just aren’t big enough to handle the birthing process. However, just like there are different reasons that humans require C-sections, dogs share the same reasons. For example, the labor has failed, the mother’s life is at stake, or the puppies lives are in jeopardy. There is an observation room for the owners to watch the birthing process if they desire. It can be very exciting to watch, especially when they are all healthy and the mom is doing well. Some owners are involved and some stay in the corner, but it's very exciting to witness a live birth.

Intensive Care Unit

Animal Clinic Northview also has an ICU for very similar reasons that require a human patient to be admitted to the ICU. It is staffed by 3 to 6 nurses around the clock. It can house potentially 40 to 50 patients. Attached to the ICU is an isolation ward with a see through window. It is separate from the normal wards where patients go so as to not cross contaminate with healthy pets. For example, if a pet has a respiratory illness such as Parvo, these patients will be in the isolation ward separated from the other ICU patients.

Animal Clinic Northview promotes their techs to specialize in certain departments. If a vet tech shows interest in wanting to be trained in working with specific cases, they are encouraged to do so. So, the vet techs who tend to patients in the ICU are dedicated to this department. You won’t see an ICU nurse in your well check up visit. These techs are experts at handling serious cases like infectious diseases, pneumonia, diabetes, and heart and kidney diseases which require constant supervision. An ICU technician may have the exact same licensing as a surgical technician or a floor technician, but they have chosen to follow a certain path that they are very passionate about. Very few clinics have this type of set up in the United States.

Exotic Pets

Not only can the vet technicians and assistants choose a certain department to specialize in, but so can the veterinarians themselves. At Animal Clinic Northview, it’s not just about cats and dogs. There are 3 doctors who cater to clients with exotic pets such as birds, small mammals, snakes, tortoises, and rabbits, just to name a few. There are also vet techs who assist these vets with surgeries on these animals and even turkey, chickens, and reptiles. They are just as loved as a pet as a dog or cat can be. The staff at the clinic recognize this and want to be able to provide services to as many different pets as possible.

Common Reasons Why Dogs Require a Vet

For the purpose of this interview with Dr. Randy, I will be discussing common dog issues that require a vet visit. It just so happens that Dr. Randy’s field of expertise is dogs. When most people think about vet visits, they think about vaccinations - preventative medicine.

Vaccinations

Whether you are bringing home a puppy or a rescue dog, it is strongly advised to keep up to date on vaccinations in order to prevent diseases. The most common series of shots is the DHPP : Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo and Parainfluenza. When puppies come in for their first visit, frequently they have had at least one round of this all in one shot. This vaccine protects dogs from getting these potentially serious infections and helps keep them healthy for their lifetime with follow up boosters.

One common misconception about the puppy series is that they need to be vaccinated often to get the proper dosage in them in order to prevent illness. Dr. Randy clarifies this by stating that it doesn’t matter how many shots a puppy has had. What matters is that by week 16 of a puppy’s life, this is when the mother’s immunization passed on through the colostrum and milk has waned and the puppy’s own immune system kicks in. However, if the health of the mother’s immune system is not optimal, this can affect the strength of the antibodies passed on to the puppies in the colostrum within the first 48 hours. Hence, the reason why the first series is commonly given within the first 8 weeks of life. The second round typically follows around a month later, and the very last series is administered around week 16. Even if breeders insist that they have already given the puppy 3 rounds of shots prior to 16 weeks, the truth is that the maternal antibodies negate the vaccines. So, all of those vaccines that breeder gave the puppy are useless. One hopes that this doesn’t happen because a puppy’s immune system can be bombarded with vaccines to the point where even that can cause issues.

It is sometimes impossible to determine whether a dog from a shelter has had prior vaccinations. There are such things as titers, but they are not reliable. For example, a titer may show the presence of Parainfluenza, but it does not differentiate between exposure to the disease or immunization of the disease. Therefore, if there are no shot records on a rescue dog, a mini puppy series will be highly advised for adequate protection.

In addition to the core vaccine DHPP, are the rabies, bordetella, Leptospirosis, and Lyme vaccines. The rabies vaccine is typically administered between 4 and 6 months of age so as not to bombard the puppy’s immune system that has already had the DHPP vaccine. Rabies can be a very serious illness in humans and animals which can cause eventual paralysis and changes in behavior. Dr. Randy points out that each state has different guidelines for rabies and other shots. If you plan to move out of state, contact a vet immediately to make sure your pet adheres to their vaccination schedule. In Ohio, the first rabies shot is valid for one year. After the first year, boosters are required every 3 years.

Bordetella is commonly referred to as kennel cough. However, kennel cough is a generic term for what vets call infectious tracheobronchitis, which means inflammation of the upper airway. Parainfluenza is one of the main components of upper respiratory illnesses like Bordetella. So, a dog may be vaccinated for parainfluenza in the DHPP series, but it does not prevent Bordetella. There is a separate shot for that which is commonly required at doggie daycares or boarding facilities. Bordetella is highly contagious and takes sometimes up to 10 days for them to fully recover to the point where they are no longer infectious.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection in dogs and is spread through the urine of infected animals. It can cause symptoms ranging from fever and lethargy to kidney and liver damage. Dogs love to lap up puddles of water or even lick dewey grass. However, if your lawn is frequented by raccoons, possums or other rodents, the potential for them to ingest the bacteria that causes leptospirosis increases. The vaccine for leptospirosis is a must for all dogs, especially if you hike with your dog.

Lyme disease is spread by ticks which hang out most commonly in tall grassy areas. Ticks are so much more prevalent in Ohio now than they were even 10 years ago. Pennsylvania used to be notorious for Lyme disease but with deer and other animal migration, Ohio and parts of Michigan have seen an increase in Lyme disease as well. The heartworm tests that the clinic now does include the three most common tick diseases, which are Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. If these tests come up positive, it can just mean that your dog was exposed, but may not yet have the symptoms of the disease. However, they should be treated so that they don’t get sick from it.

In reference to all of the vaccines that are available to pets, it is important that your vet inquires about what activities you plan to do with your dog. If you plan to send your dog to a daycare or a boarding facility, they will suggest certain vaccines. If you are planning to take your dog hiking, you will want to consider the Lyme vaccine and Leptospirosis. Your vet will decide which protocol best suits your dog based on your level of activity and exposure to certain locations.

Common Parasites in Dogs

There are many flea and tick preventatives on the market today. Fleas can be a nuisance to get rid of, especially if they inhabit your house. We humans can bring in fleas and ticks on our shoelaces and socks. The best way to prevent an infestation is to give your dog either a topical or oral dosage of a flea and tick preventative. Some names of these products are Advantix, Simparica, Nex Guard Plus, Revolution and Bravecto. Talk to your vet to help you decide what is best for your dog.

One thing to remember when dealing with fleas and ticks is that fleas typically die off with the first frost of the winter season, unless they are warm and cozy in your house. Outside, they will start their whole life cycle all over again in the springtime. Ticks go dormant in the winter, but do not die. They come “back to life” on the first 70 degree days looking for a host to latch on to. Flea and tick preventatives do not prevent these parasites from hopping on to your dog. They kill them within 48 hours of when they land on the animal. It can take several weeks for the flea preventative to kill all stages of life of the flea. Therefore, monthly applications are highly advised in order to totally eradicate the infestation. It takes approximately 36 to 48 hours for a tick to transmit disease to your dog. Even if you give your dog a flea and tick preventative, it is best to remove the tick with a tick remover tool once you notice it to ensure you removed the entire body of the tick.

Giardia

Giardia is an intestinal parasite that has become more prevalent in the past 5 to 10 years. There are big influxes of cases in the spring and fall. Dogs can get it from contaminated water or soil. It can be very difficult to treat and to rid the dog of this parasite. It causes very runny diarrhea and lethargy. Whenever a human or animal has diarrhea, it is essential to stay hydrated. Giardia is a zoonotic parasite which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans through fecal contact. Whenever I find out that a client’s dog has Giardia, I take off my shoes before entering the house and disinfect them. I don’t want to possibly spread this to my pets.

Antibiotics will be prescribed to rid Giardia from their host. Sometimes the antibiotic will have to be changed because the initial one was not effective. The good news is that Dr. Randy does not hear about his clients getting Giardia from their dog, but he does recommend that they tell their doctor. Out of all the parasites, Giardia presents the most severe gastrointestinal symptoms of them all. Dogs will have bloody diarrhea, they will have bouts of vomiting and will lose their appetite.

Roundworms and hookworms are zoonotic as well. A lot of the heart worm preventatives also kill roundworms and hookworms so they aren’t as prevalent. This is why it is important to bring in a fecal sample for your annual checkup. Bottom line is if you have a dog, you should be very aware of maintaining exemplary hygiene so that you don’t contract any of these nasty parasites too.

Coccidia

Another parasite that is common is Coccidia. Your dog can get coccidia from eating bunny poop. Dogs love bunny poop! Actually, dogs love any kind of poop. Even their own! Coccidia is easier to treat and doesn’t tend to get dogs that sick, but they still need to be treated by your vet to get rid of the parasite. It tends to affect puppies worse than adult dogs. Sometimes adult dogs can get rid of it themselves if they have a robust immune system,

Coprophagia

Coprophagia is the technical term for dogs eating their own poop or the poop of their pack mates. Dr. Randy believes that this is just a nasty habit and not an indication that the dog is lacking some kind of nutrition. There can be health issues such as anemia or iron deficiency that can lead the dog to search for “food” to satisfy this condition. However, it is typically just a gross habit. As a dog trainer, I advise clients who are having this particular issue with their dog to take the dog out on a leash to eliminate. That way you can jerk them away from their poop if they go for it. It is also necessary to pick up the poop right away to take away that temptation.

All of this talk about parasites and poop has led to Dr. Randy earning the nickname of Dr, Butts and Guts. Out of all of the 34 doctors he manages on staff, Dr. Randy is always summoned when they need his expertise on an issue having to deal with a dog’s butt or guts. In my next episode with Dr. Randy, we will discuss some of the surgeries he performs and you will discover how he lives up to that nickname!

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A popular topic in the dog training field for trainers and pet parents is Positive Reinforcement. To be honest, before I became a dog trainer in 2012, I didn’t even know that there were different methodologies that were taught in training dogs. I am only knowledgeable and comfortable teaching positive reinforcement techniques. However, I have experienced the other method of training dogs, which is “correction” based, when I signed up for training my Corgi, Hank, in 2005.

You have to remember that even as recently as 20 years ago, the big box pet stores like Petco and PetSmart were not as well known and widespread as they are now. In-store dog training classes were not offered until sometime in the 1990s. People didn’t even think about getting their dog trained from a private dog trainer, let alone a pet store. Now, it is common to attend training classes with your dog, and the benefits of it are more well known. It has become more common to seek out a trainer for problem issues at home and/or just basic obedience skills. In fact, a lot of breeders either highly suggest or require that the puppy they have raised, attend basic obedience classes. Dogs went from being thought of as an animal that lived in a dog house outside, to a family member that sleeps in our beds, in a relatively short period of time!

When I was growing up, there was no leash law. Very few families on our street had dogs that roamed the neighborhood. The only bad thing I remember about that was the dog poop. No one liked it then when a dog pooped on your lawn, and no one likes it now! I’m sure kids got bit by these dogs, but they were far and few between. Not that many households had dogs like they have today. There are still cities and communities with no leash laws. However, with the threat of rabies from dogs attacking other dogs and humans, leash laws have become the standard.

In my early teenage years, my parents took care of my brother’s dog, Rama, for several years while my brother was in college. Rama was not allowed in the house. Rama was not my sole responsibility, but if my Mom told me to walk or feed him, I was happy to do that. I even used to walk him into town, off leash, bring him into the small grocery store and he would stay at the entrance until I was finished with my shopping. That is unheard of in my neighborhood today. If you do walk your dog off leash, you risk paying a fine if the police happen to see you in action.

Today, most of the neighbors on my street have dogs. The way we think about dogs has changed. They clearly are family members and because of that, people want the best care for them. Not to say that people didn’t want what was best for their dog back 20-30 years ago, but in general, people are more aware of caring for their dogs. What seems to resonate with pet parents today is positive reinforcement techniques versus correction based methods.

People have become more aware of how we care for our pets. How we train them, discipline them, feed them, and provide veterinary care for them, has changed. This all has an impact on the dog’s behavior and well being. There still are people who espouse the correction based methods of training and disciplining a dog, but they are becoming the minority. I remember asking my manager at Petco when I started to become aware of this difference in training, if there was an “old school” and “new school'“ way of training dogs, and he immediately said “Yes!”

So back in 2012, when I got the job at Petco, the curriculum there was all based on positive reinforcement. It was written by a well known animal behaviorist named Patricia McConnell. Positive reinforcement is a behavior modification technique. In order to get the dog to do the desired behavior you're looking for, you use something very positive. Most often it is treats, pea sized treats. You can also use a toy as long as the dog doesn't get too excited about the toy. When you're doing repetition after repetition to instill that behavior in the dog, a toy can take up too much time and cause too much excitement. You have to wait until the dog can refocus again on training. However, toys are great after a training session and the dog has some “free time'“ to decompress.

The other tool you always have on your person is your voice. You can praise your dog with your voice. The only thing you have to be aware of when using your voice is the excitement level in your voice. If you are too excited with your voice, the dog can get too excited and distracted by that. I happen to use both my voice and treats when shaping a particular behavior. Sometimes if I have been working on a particularly challenging behavior and the dog finally “gets it”, I want to shout for joy. However, I refrain because I want to do even more repetitions without having to spend time calming the dog back down from my excitement. Instead, I recommend giving a jackpot of very small treats and my energy is very happy.

The 3 D’s in dog training: distance, duration and distraction

Keep the distance from the dog very close, have them hold that behavior for a short duration ( 2-3 seconds), and keep the distractions at a minimum. Always work with your dog keeping these 3 factors in mind. You want to set your dog up for success. This is a great formula to achieve that. As you get in hundreds of repetitions, you can increase the distance by another foot, increase the duration by seconds, and then provide a little more distraction by either the movement of your arm or head, for example.

When teaching a dog a new behavior, I always lure the dog right up to his nose to best utilize his sense of smell. I keep it there until I get the behavior I am looking for. I don’t say a word. The command comes later after the dog has done the behavior at least 5-10 times in a row. It is only vocalized while the dog is in the process of doing the behavior you are asking for, and you are 99% sure the dog is in the act of doing the behavior. Within two seconds, I give them a “Yes!” marker word and the treat. After you give them the treat, that is their release, which means they can get up. Then, it’s lots of repetitions, until you are ready to go to the next stage of that behavior.

Dogs stay motivated because they love the treat that you're giving them. If they start to get uninterested in the treat, switch to another one that has a different scent.

The next stage of shaping a behavior after luring, marking and adding the command is adding a hand signal and making the dog hold that behavior until you release them. I recommend having a treat hand and a signal hand. This eases the weaning off the treats process. They still get the treat within 2 seconds, but it comes from the hand with the treat which is behind your back. When I release a dog from any behavior, a sit, down, or stay, I personally slap my leg and say, “Okay!”, and take a step backwards. That step backwards makes the dog want to follow you. Most likely, they will get up to get the treat (again within two seconds).

Back in 2012, when I was doing the online courses at Petco, the curriculum said to reward the dog within 2 to 3 seconds. By the time I left in 2016, they changed that to reward the dog within 2 seconds. One second can be the difference between keeping the dog's attention and them moving on and deciding what's next. The human should be in control of what’s next for the dog, not the dog.

When dogs are left to make decisions, they make dog decisions.

These dog decisions usually don’t mesh with the human’s decisions. Even if you give your dog a command that they have some free time and no longer have to be in communication with you, you are the one telling them that. This is what effective and clear communication is all about.

We can't talk about positive reinforcement without also talking about what if the dog doesn't sit? What do we do then? Sometimes the dog won't naturally sit. So, we might have to apply a little pressure right at the base of their back where the tail is, and just gently push their butt down. Sometimes that will work, depending on the dog. Other times, maybe your treat isn't motivating enough. I always advise having two to three different types of treats. Dogs will get used to and kind of bored with that one taste and smell. You bring in a brand new smell, they're motivated to work again.

If your dog is just unruly and does not want to pay attention, then I say change the venue. Instead of training in your kitchen, go into the living room and try there. You may have to go outside and throw the ball a few times to release any pent up energy. Better yet, go for a nice long walk. If the weather is not conducive to walking that day, put the dog on a treadmill!

A tired dog is a good dog. A dog that has had their energy drained is more submissive and receptive to learning.

Remember, you have to keep the distractions very few so that you can hold their attention. So many of my clients say with puppies that their puppies have attention deficit disorder. Well, they don't. They just can't stay focused on you for very long. That is very common. Keep the training sessions short, maybe 10-15 minutes or until you notice that your dog is starting to get too distracted too easily. Also, check your energy. Maybe you are losing your patience and starting to get frustrated. Take a break or pick the training session up later. Always end the session with an easy “Sit”, and release them. You are the one ending that conversation, not the dog.

We can’t talk about positive reinforcement without talking about discipline. When you are searching for a dog trainer, it is advisable to find out how the trainer disciplines dogs. Dogs are going to misbehave just like children will. How does the trainer handle this? In my opinion, there is no tolerance for hitting a dog. Not even two fingers on the nose. This is a topic I will discuss further in another episode.

We were taught a method of discipline at Petco called a snug hug. This only works for puppies and very small dogs. It involves holding the puppy facing away from you with your hands underneath their front legs and around their chest. Their back legs should be firmly on the floor and their front legs are suspended. You wait until your puppy calms down to release them. Their body will actually go limp or they will let out a big sigh. This is key. Once you start this, you have to finish it. It can be challenging when the puppy is trying to reach around to bite you to get away from you. It does work. I had to do it countless times on puppies and small dogs I encountered while working at Petco. The clients who implemented this technique always said it worked.

Even Petco did not address how to discipline a dog when he gets too big for the snug hug. So, I came up with my own method. I put the dog in a submissive position, like a down stay, within two seconds of doing the act that merits discipline. Even their head should be on the ground as shown in the picture below. I stand right in front of them. I don’t say anything to the dog. My energy says enough. The dog has misbehaved enough that it needs to be disciplined. For example, chasing the cat aggressively, running out the front door or snapping at you in an aggressive manner, all warrant this type of discipline. This down position is a hands off approach to avoid getting bit. Typically the dog is all wound up and unruly and possibly wanting to be aggressive because your energy is frustrated and angry. From a dog’s eye view, this is translated as excitement.

After putting them in this down position, wait several minutes, or however long it takes for both of you to calm down. Then, release the dog and walk away. There are no treats in this process. The only time you may have to give them treats is when you are teaching this down stay as a form of discipline. Then, you must wean them off the treats for this purpose. So, working on the down stay as an obedience skill is essential for this to be effective.

Discipline is also all about setting limits, boundaries and providing structure. The dog needs to know where they can and cannot go in your house, what they can or cannot chew, and the rules of the house you have established. Dogs also thrive off of structure and schedules. If the dog is unsure of who is establishing the rules, they will make up their own rules. When a dog can’t depend on a time of day when they can go for a walk with you, they can get unruly. If the dog has to lead you on the walk, they can get uncertain about stimuli they come across and make poor decisions. Dogs actually prefer that we make the decisions for them. It gives them security knowing that you “got this”.

Before positive reinforcement really took off, there was another type of method of training dogs. The other method is a more correction based method. I have never trained on that method because I don’t know enough about it. In fact, I really am not in a position to even describe it from a teaching point of view, because I was trained only on positive reinforcement methods. However, from what I do know, the correction based method is about handling the dog when he or she doesn't do what they are supposed to do or what you're trying to shape. This usually involves a special collar and a small leash attached to it. You tug on the leash to get their attention and stop the behavior. My issue with this method is we all can get frustrated and angry at our dogs. When we are in that moment, we could tug too hard on the collar unnecessarily. As a trainer, I have to remember how the information I give the client is then implemented. Anything that involves force or strength can get interpreted and implemented incorrectly in a harsh manner.

The exposure I had with the correction based method was when I was going through training with my Corgi, Hank, back in 2005. What I interpreted what the trainer told the class to do was anytime Hank didn't do what I was asking him to do, I was supposed to give him a tug, or “pop” on the short leash attached to a slip collar. That technique totally backfired on me because I'm sure I had the wrong timing. I'm sure I did not discipline him within two seconds. So, my timing was off, and I am certain my energy was negative and frustrated.

I had an experience in one of my classes with Hank when he went over to the water dish. Another dog came over to get a sip of water. Hank growled at the dog. The dog took off. The trainer asked me if I was going to do anything about that. I responded with a question, “Well, isn’t that what dogs do?” She agreed with me that dogs do that, but that it is not acceptable. From what I know now, that behavior is unacceptable and needs to be corrected. It’s just the way she believed in correcting that behavior is, in my opinion, an unacceptable and unnecessary way to teach the dog not to do that.

So, we set Hank up again to see if he would exhibit the same behavior that we call in the dog training world, resource guarding. We put the water dish in the same place, called Hank over to drink, invited another dog to the dish, and Hank did the same thing. He actually growled a little louder and chased the dog away. The trainer went over to Hank, grabbed his leash and lifted up on the leash so that his back legs were barely on the ground, swung him back and forth and then laid him down on his side. I was supposed to do this at home if Hank showed any of us this type of resource guarding. I showed my husband. My daughters were too young to do this. I tried it, maybe twice, and it backfired on me. Hank showed aggression towards me. I stopped it immediately, but never told the trainer. I’m not sure why I didn’t tell her, but that’s my fault. I am sure not everyone’s dog will have the same outcome with this type of discipline, but you are increasing the odds of the same thing happening to you and your dog as happened with Hank.

After experiencing this adverse reaction to this type of discipline, I came up with my own method that was a hands off approach and just as effective. I put Hank in a down stay. This worked beautifully with Hank. I still had other issues with Hank, but at least I could diffuse a very tense situation.

I remember my vet at the time told me to discipline Hank by laying him on his side, grabbing his front paws with one hand and the back paws with my other hand, and lean my forearm on his belly to hold him down. This didn’t work either. I tried this method more times than the other method, but Hank wiggled out of it and that restraint made him aggressive. Most dogs are not receptive to being restrained.

Another dog trainer I tried out was connected to my vet’s office. Her method of discipline was to spray bitter apple spray directly into the dog’s mouth. She demonstrated this on a puppy in the class and the puppy foamed at the mouth and was in distress until the bitterness of the spray subsided. I tried this too, but I couldn’t get Hank’s mouth open. A friend of mine who worked with dogs told me to stop that type of discipline. It just didn’t sound right to her. I actually believe that the way I was told to discipline Hank had a very negative effect on his whole behavior. He must have always been wondering if I was going to yank on his leash at anytime, or restrain him in the manner I was shown, which only made him want to escape and defend himself by biting me. This, combined with my lack of leadership and his temperament, created one of the most difficult dogs I have experienced to this day. The good news is that when I started implementing positive reinforcement techniques and changing my energy, Hank started to change.

I would like to add that once you get the dog in a down stay, if you can roll him on his side, that is the ultimate submissive position. My only problem with that is if I told clients to do this, they may get bit in the heat of the moment. I will add that if I do this with my current dog, Ebi, she would not disrespect me and bite me. I have the right energy to pull this off. I also have earned her respect for me. It took me awhile to achieve this calm and assertive energy and most clients don’t have it. It doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people.

I still advise a down stay as a form of discipline to my clients. It’s the equivalent of putting your young child in a time out versus spanking them. The old school method of disciplining children was spankings. The new school method is a time out. Once your dog has cooled down (there is no time limit to this), and you have to also, release them from that down position and walk away. I don’t want my dogs or children to fear me, I want them to respect me for being their leader and establishing rules with a hands off approach.

The one negative thing that can happen with positive reinforcement and all the treats is that people tend to give too many treats for too long. For example, when starting out shaping a new behavior, I recommend that the dog get a treat every time they are successful in doing the behavior. After hundreds of repetitions of the same behavior have consistently occurred and you are shaping exactly how you want it to look, then you can start the weaning off process.

We don’t want our dogs looking at us like a treat machine!

The weaning process looks like rewarding with a treat every other time they do a particular behavior for you. Then, they get a treat for every two times they do the behavior, etc., until they can do the behavior without expecting a treat. However, as Gary Flynn says, “Never abandon your reward system!”The dog still needs to be rewarded every now and then just to become or stay motivated. Instead of rewarding the dog as you are shaping the behavior, you are rewarding the dog more as a motivator to keep doing the behavior in the future.

Whether you are training your dog using positive reinforcement techniques or correction based methods, the end result we all should be looking for is a cooperative relationship built on trust, not fear and forced submission.

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Dogs learn skills from different sources. They learn from their humans and they learn from each other, if they are part of a pack of dogs. For this episode’s purpose, I am going to focus on how dogs learn from their humans and how integral our part in their learning process is. Our energy, our confidence, and our body language, all play a part in their success or failure to learn. What Gary and I are really teaching is the humans, and how to communicate across a species, in a manner that is positive and effective. The dogs are usually the easy part!

One of the first things to keep in the forefront of your mind while working with dogs is that you have to be the most important thing to your dogs for the right reason. If you aren’t fun and positive, why would they want to work for you? If you are always using a stern voice and giving very little praise with low enthusiasm, the dog isn’t as apt to follow your commands. As Gary always says, “You can’t phone it in”, meaning, you can’t fake it. If you pretend to be be fun or happy for your dog, your dog will pick up on this and not be as willing to work for you. From a dog’s eye view, you are not authentic. This leaves some doubt in the dog’s mind that you are not the leader they need. They really want to work for someone who knows what they are doing and has a confident air about them. Otherwise, they will hesitate and possibly lose interest in you.

From what I have learned, the only way to get the confidence needed to communicate with a dog is through practice. With the coaching of a professional dog trainer, you will be taught to carry yourself in a way that displays confident and calm body language. For example, if you are hunched over when communicating to your dog, this is a more submissive position than if you are standing straight up. What comes natural to you as you are working with your dog may be sending a more submissive signal to your dog because of your posture. On top of that, if you are hesitant or not comfortable with communicating, your dog will pick up on this and may not respond. If you are too assertive, you are crossing over the threshold of assertiveness to frustration. Now, your dog really won’t listen to you!

You have to do your homework and work on this calm and assertive energy. It was something that definitely did not come natural to me. However, when a professional pointed out to me to act like I am talking to my children when it is imperative that they do something, I adapted that energy more easily. When you really think about it, communicating with a dog is a skill. The only way to get better at a skill is to practice. It’s like learning how to play the piano. You have to be disciplined enough to practice on a consistent basis, you have to learn to read the notes, and you have to be open to being taught by a professional. You don’t just wake up one day and know how to play Beethoven’s 5th Symphony!

I see transformations in most clients after several sessions working with them. There has to be a willingness to learn and change the way they may have been communicating with their dog, in order for this transformation to happen. I love to see this because I also see how the dog responds to them. The dog starts looking to them for direction and helping them to solve what’s next for them. It’s so rewarding as a trainer to see that and I never get tired of witnessing it.

Along side of being important to your dog is you must have a way to mark their behavior as the one you are looking for. There has to be a reward base. Gary actually prefers the word “stimulate” over “reward”. Rewards can lock people into one thing - treats. It’s the first thing that comes to most people’s minds. If you are using treats, I always recommend having a few different types while always making sure they are healthy treats. The treats that are 100% of that ingredient, like freeze dried chicken or salmon, are great. The treat only has to be the size of a pea for the dog to work for it. Dogs can get tired of the same taste, so change it up if needed.

Rewards or stimuli can take on different forms. There can be a verbal stimulus. We all say “Good boy!” or “ Good girl!” When we say this, our energy is very positive. When I am doing repetitions of a particular skill, such as the “Down” command, I will say “Yes!” as soon as the dog is in the down position. Then, I will repeat “Good down” to reiterate the command, especially if they are in the process of learning the down behavior. The “Yes!” is also confirmation to the dog that this is what you are asking them to do.

Another reward can be a toy or playing tug with a toy. It is equally important to remember that not every dog is motivated by the same stimulus. My dog, Ebi, is more motivated by treats than by toys. Treats work very well with her in shaping behaviors. She may be motivated by a toy for a little bit, but not for as long as I need her to be when doing repetitions of a new behavior.

Gary’s dog is more motivated by playing tug and working until she gets to play that tug with him. She still enjoys treats, but they have a different effect on her than a game of tug does and she is motivated to work towards that reward. When Gary finishes a dog, that means the dog no longer needs a leash or collar. Gary and the dog are a team because they have practiced and completed so many repetitions of the same behavior under so many different distractions, that the dog knows exactly what he wants. He discovered how that dog understands and learns that skill and what keeps the dog motivated to learn. It is important to add that Gary makes sure he gears his training according to each dog’s drives and motivations.

Knowing what motivates your dog is key to the learning process.

Recognizing breed traits is very important in finding the right reward to match the energy of the dog. If you are working with a terrier with a high prey drive, you will not be able to sustain successful repetitions if your reward is to play tug with your dog. Better yet, a squeaky toy will not be the best reward for this type of dog either. It can ignite that prey drive and you will not have any luck in your training session. Now, all your dog will care about is that squeaky toy. They have passed the threshold of being able to give you a calm sit to vibrating with instinctual energy that will make them possibly lunge for that reward.

If you create so much excitement in the dog while completing your repetitions, it will take quite some time to calm him down. Remember, even if the dog is siting or in a down position, his brain is on the verge of exploding and working so hard to hold that sit or down position, that he forgets what you even wanted to teach him. There is a time and place to apply this type of highly excited energy to good use when training a dog to be a protection dog, for example. This cannot be achieved without also teaching the dog an “Off” switch. Gary will explain this more in detail in a different episode when we discuss training security, protection, police, and search and rescue dogs.

I will admit that after Ebi learned all her behaviors, I got pretty lax at being excited when she did what I asked her to do. I took it for granted that she would do these commands. At the same time, I had pretty much abandoned the treats, I didn’t feel they were necessary anymore. It took me working with Gary to point that out to me. Gary always says, “You like getting a paycheck from your employer, right? Well, so does your dog!” You may not need a paycheck immediately after completing a task. Once a week or bi weekly is suitable to keep you motivated to do your job. Getting a bonus every now and then or a pat on the back, definitely keeps us humans motivated. It’s the same for dogs. After learning a particular skill, they don’t need a treat every time they do it, but every now and then, will keep them motivated.

When working with your dog, you are also building an association that learning equates to fun. Dogs learn best when they know there is something in it for them and it’s fun. If you aren’t having a good day and you’re pretending to be in a good mood, your dog will pick up on this and not want to work for you. This is when we tend to get frustrated and think it’s the dog’s inadequacies, not our own. My advice when this occurs is to pick up the training session again when you can give your dog 100% of yourself. Your dog deserves it!

Dogs learn in pictures, not movies. As you stimulate the behaviors over and over again, it’s the association and repetition that takes the picture in the dog's head. Dogs learn through association repetition.

“The behaviors we stimulate are the behaviors we accelerate”.

If you stimulate a behavior, right, wrong, or different, you get more of it. Everything in a dog’s eyes is seen as the singular. So, there's one and more ones and some ones and no ones. They'll never understand that five and two are seven. They'll just know that more ones plus more ones is more ones. It’s as if they take a picture of what your body language was at the time that the stimulus was given. You can even see the wheels turning in your dog’s head when they are learning a new behavior. They are trying to figure out what you and the environment looked like when they got that reward. Then, it’s like magic. Suddenly, they make the connection of what they had to do in order to get that reward. Again, I get so excited when I see this magic happen that I want to shout for joy. I have to refrain from doing so, because I can interrupt the learning process!

“Find the picture you want, stimulate that behavior, and do it in a manner that doesn't interrupt.”

When talking about shaping the “Sit” behavior, Gary will get a sit, and he wants to reward the sit. He’s not going to start off by stimulating the sit in a manner that disturbs the sit. He is going to try to shape it and be very precise at how he wants it to look. If the dog decides to sit but lifts his paw up, and is wagging his tail really hard, the dog does not get rewarded. You repeat this action after withholding the treat, wait for the dog to be calm and all 4 paws are on the floor. Then, reward the dog within 2 seconds. Rinse and repeat. Dogs need hundreds of repetitions until it becomes part of their vocabulary.

Gary will use a lure first in the form of a treat. Then, he will change to a tug as a reward as he is escalating the dog through his drives. Now, he is adding more distractions, maybe even more excitement to teach the dog to stay calm through this excitement. He is matching the reward to the level of escalation that he is handling the dog in.

The “Three D’s” in dog training to always keep in mind when working with your dog are Distance, Duration, and Distraction. When a dog is first learning a new behavior, the distance between you and the dog should be very close, the duration of holding that behavior should be very short (2 seconds) and the distractions should be very few. A mistake but very common thing that people do, is they will work their dog when things around them are always calm. As soon as there's any escalation or distraction, the dog loses his mind. They haven't shaped those behaviors yet in that type of environment. They haven't given the dog a place to operate in that escalated state of mind.

There have to be different stages of teaching a dog how to complete behaviors amongst distractions in the environment. You won’t have much success if you try to teach a dog a new behavior when they are in the middle of a dog park full of dogs. You must start out in a place that is quiet, like a room in your house, and complete hundreds of repetitions there before you move to a different room. After the dog is able to do that behavior consistently in every room of the house, now it’s time to try it outside. Always keeping in mind what is in the environment that could be too distracting for your pup to learn. After so many repetitions, now you are actually looking for different distractions and teaching your pup to do this behavior and hold that behavior no matter what is going on in their environment. Group work like obedience classes is an excellent way to practice this level of training. You have the opportunity to build on each dog’s drives and escalate those drives under the supervision of a professional trainer.

Another way dogs will have success in learning is by being well rested and ready to work. A common mistake people make is they don't spend enough time allowing their dog to self settle and soothe. This is where a kennel, or crate, is very important. If you are how your dog calms down, if you being around is how your dog relaxes, then that's what you have shaped. Your dog can’t soothe himself on his own. Of course your dog will have separation anxiety. You're not there. It’s all they know. So many people fall into the trap of trying to do the right thing by the dog and putting him in his kennel, but then they get the dog out because he is crying. The puppy learns that if they make a big enough fuss, they will get let out.

What I have found with countless clients, is that some puppies or dogs will cry at night for 3 nights in a row, and then, will finally surrender to the process. It’s those 3 nights that can be very rough, but essential, if you want to keep your sanity and not create a dog that is dependent on you for falling asleep. This can develop into anxiety when you leave the house. Now you really don’t have a life! I know so many people who have felt like they are prisoners in their own home because their dog never was properly introduced to the kennel in the right way.

There can be some dogs that are predisposed to a higher level of anxiety, but typically it is because of how the kennel was introduced. I must add that you don’t want the puppy working themselves into a tizzy that they try to claw and bite their way out. You can create a very negative association with the crate. Most puppies and dogs will bark or whine for a few minutes and then settle. That’s ok. They are learning to self soothe. I equate this with weaning a baby off the bottle, or not running right away to the baby every time he cries in the middle of the night.

One huge tip when introducing the kennel to your dog is to get him tired after a nice play session. Lure him in to the kennel with a yummy treat (try to refrain from picking up and placing him in there), and leave something yummy he can lick, until he eventually falls asleep. Frozen Kong’s filled with almond butter and pumpkin are great for this. You are also shaping that this is the place where you want your dog to take a nap and not play with a bunch of toys you put in there for him. It will also avoid him waking up and wanting to follow you around the house. Again, this is healthy separation.

Two other benefits of using a crate as a teaching tool is for potty training and reducing and preventing separation anxiety. The crate cannot be underrated for aiding in the process of housebreaking your dog. If you use a kennel to housebreak your dog, it happens faster. It happens more reliably. You should use your kennel like an extra person in the house to watch the dog. Designate a small enough area where there is enough space to interact and play with your dog, while you are also watching for signs that they may have to go out to go potty. If instead you give the dog free rein of the house, it is only sending a message that they can go potty anywhere in the house and that you are less important in their daily schedule. Now they are making dog decisions and getting off into things that don’t include you, mainly because you won’t typically engage with your dog.

Another benefit of using the crate is to prevent separation anxiety. This is very important to Gary and I. We don’t want to see your dog re-homed because he is destroying the walls, the floor, the carpeting, the furniture, and the doors, just because you left the house. Gary and I have seen dogs eat through walls just to get out of the house so they can look for you. They will also damage their teeth and paws to claw out of their crate. They are in “flight” mode of the “fight or flight” response. In one incident, Gary had a client whose dog put holes in 3 different walls to get to the garage. He couldn’t get back in the house through one of those holes. So, he clawed through a new hole, and proceeded to remodel the rest of the house. This is a worst case scenario of not properly taking the time to habituate the dog to the crate. Ultimately, you are keeping your dog safe by crating him.

Used correctly, the crate can also be a powerful motivator in training professional dogs. When Gary has crated a dog for a period of time, the dog is so motivated to work for him, because he hasn’t done anything else for awhile. This way, he will have 100 percent of that dog’s attention and effort. When the training session is finished, he puts a tired dog back in the crate. The dog can’t fathom 5 seconds from that point, but he can definitely remember the last hour of working!

Gary may get some pushback about using the crate as a motivator used in the example above. People will say that you have to keep training purely positive. However, we aren’t training Orcas or dolphins where the only chance of training them is to build a routine, like in the shows at Sea World. We can work with dogs in a manner unlike a lot of other species and make sure that we “pay” them for the time they spent in the crate by playing a good game of tug or fetch.

One of the first things Gary asks every client is what breed their dog is. When Gary discovers the client has a mixed breed, like many of the varied doodles out there, it will explain why the dog acts the way they do. Standard poodles are impressive hunting dogs. So, when a doodle is showing predatory behavior, this is the standard poodle coming out. Poodles also over think their situations, are very quick on their feet, and have the athletics of a ninja! This is contrary to the impression most people have of them - beautifully coiffed prancers that are seen in the show arena. In Gary’s opinion, breed traits are real. He wants to know what behaviors he can reliably expect from that dog. Then, when he meets that dog, where do those behaviors fall. What is he really observing?

Meeting genetic fulfillment for the dog is also very important to keep your dog motivated to learn. You need to have things for your dog to positively engage in that meet that genetic fulfillment. For example, Huskies are known to have boundless energy and can run for miles upon miles. If they are confined to the house and their yard, sooner or later they will climb over any wall to get out and just run. If there are more than one Husky, they will all escape. Gary has known Huskies to be gone for weeks, but they all have come back, thank goodness. If you are able to rig them up to pull a sled, what a wonderful thing you are doing for your Husky. You are fulfilling their instinct to pull and run.

Dogs pick up on the subtlest of clues. If you make a conscious effort to work with them and not be too overwhelming, you will get a dog that you can live harmoniously with. You are communicating across the species. Take your time, be patient. Try not to hyper explain things, repeat, or stutter what you want. We aren’t dealing with an animal that has a learning disability. Be very clear.

“Don’t forget that clarity doesn’t depend on how you see it. Clarity depends on how the dog sees it.”

Most dogs want to bond with their human and want to please them too. This makes them stand out from other species. There is a built in drive that makes them want to cooperate with us. It is up to us humans to discover that and make them thrive. If all you are doing is using adversives and correctives, then you are not teaching your dog to do anything. You are just putting him in a position to keep picking a different dog behavior until he stops getting in trouble.

Dogs are smart and cooperative. There are plenty of dog owners out there that do just fine without needing to contact a professional. That being said, there are also plenty who really should contact us! It’s amazing what people will tolerate! For the most part, dogs will figure out how to operate their human and their family. If there are any issues, they don’t get in the way of daily living, and everything is fine. Gary and I may not handle things in the same manner, but that’s ok. Dogs are very smart. If we gain a better understanding of how they learn, we are more apt to be more patient and more available to them through this whole process.

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