Teacher's Pet Podcast - Training Pets & Pet Obedience - Pet Life Radio Original

Too much emphasis has been placed on comparing the similarities of domestic dogs and wolves and not enough on recognizing the significant differences between these 2 species. This unilateral and misguided focus has perpetuated myths about dominance and the "need" for owners to be "alpha", which has had a significant negative impact on dog training and handling philosophies. The result has been a communication breakdown between owners and their dogs resulting in conflict for both parties. We will discuss behavioral, lifestyle and genetic differences between domestic dogs and wolves and how this impacts dog-owner interactions. We will consider challenges in working with owner-directed aggression, behavior modification strategies that work, those that don’t work, and management options.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Much Ado About Dominance - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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Too much emphasis has been placed on comparing the similarities of domestic dogs and wolves and not enough on recognizing the significant differences between these 2 species. This unilateral and misguided focus has perpetuated myths about dominance and the "need" for owners to be "alpha", which has had a significant negative impact on dog training and handling philosophies. The result has been a communication breakdown between owners and their dogs resulting in conflict for both parties.

We will discuss behavioral, lifestyle and genetic differences between domestic dogs and wolves and how this impacts dog-owner interactions. We will consider challenges in working with owner-directed aggression, behavior modification strategies that work, those that don’t work, and management options.

I like to use the word ‘HERE’ as my emergency recall word as opposed to the word ‘COME.’ Most people use the word ‘come’ in everyday life and tend to overuse it. For example, we might say ‘come on’ to our dogs when we want them to move along with us. Some say ‘come on, you know this’ when they are becoming frustrated with the dog. Others may have used the word ‘come’ to mean move to me but the dog only has a 50/50 success rate. If you want a really reliable recall, you need to ensure that the dog moves to you 100% of the time. You are conditioning a behavior. If you are sloppy, the dog will be sloppy. In Part 1, we will start off with the basics of getting that really reliable recall.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - TRAINING SESSION #7 -- "HERE" - Getting a Really Reliable Recall! -- Part 1 - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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One of the most common complaints that dog owners have is that their dogs cause problems when they are left alone. They bark, destroy things, house soil or escape from the property and cause headaches for the owners and their neighbors. These problems can be caused by a variety of different causes, from boredom to separation anxiety. The causes are often very different from what owners think they are, because they are NOT due to spite, revenge or just "acting out." In addition, Many dogs are labeled as having "separation anxiety" when in fact they do not. Discover how to tell what’s motivating your dog’s home alone problems, and what actions you can take to solve them. Even if your dog doesn’t have any home alone "issues", you’ll find out ways to enrich his home alone time so he can be happier by himself.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Helping Fido Be Happy Home Alone - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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Now that your dog is becoming proficient at waiting for permission to go through doorways by making eye contact, it is time for you to add distance between the two of you as well as distractions. If you have not taught your dog to "Wait", please refer back to Training Session #5 for the teaching steps. In this session, we will work on getting your dog to look away from distractions that he might want to run to and look for permission before he moves forward. It is nice to have a polite dog that waits at the backdoor but will he wait if there are animals running around?

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - TRAINING SESSION #6 -- Stay -- "Wait!" -Adding Distractions - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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Now that your dog is becoming proficient at waiting for permission to go through doorways by making eye contact, it is time for you to add distance between the two of you as well as distractions. If you have not taught your dog to "Wait", please refer back to Training Session #5 for the teaching steps.

In this session, we will work on getting your dog to look away from distractions that he might want to run to and look for permission before he moves forward. It is nice to have a polite dog that waits at the backdoor but will he wait if there are animals running around?

There is a type of dog called a bully. They consist of several breeds having a predisposition to be bullies (Pitbulls, Bull Terriers, Boxers), but the behaviors are not confined to one type of dog. They require "different" raising skills than many other dogs, including more work on impulse control and on appropriate body language. Having owned many different breeds, as well as a bully breed, Trish will give us some insight into what we need to do if we own a "bully" breed.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Bullies? -- The Bully Breeds - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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It is extremely important to teach your dog to "WAIT" - both for your convenience and for his safety. "WAIT" puts your dog on hold - it tells him to proceed no further. Whereas your release words grant permission to do something, "WAIT" denies permission. The most important use of "WAIT" is at doors - the doors of your home or other buildings and the doors of cars. When you use your release word ("OK!") and open a door, the dog is permitted to go through. When you say "WAIT," he is not permitted to go through. In order for your dog to be released, he must make eye contact with you. When your dog makes eye contact with you, he is asking for permission. If you are consistent, your dog will always look to you for permission before he heads out the door. Teaching "WAIT" makes going in and out of doors convenient and safe.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - TRAINING SESSION #5 - Wait! Stop Moving Forward! - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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What’s the same, and what’s different? Recent advances in biology have underscored how much of our emotional lives are shared by our four-legged best friends, although it’s also important to be aware of the differences. However, we all experience emotions, but don’t always understand them. What are emotions? Do people and dogs share facial expressions when communicating their emotions and if so, how? Fear, anger, happiness, love, grief, jealousy and sympathy are all human emotions. Do dogs have these as well? We’ll talk about how an understanding of emotions in people and dogs can enrich the lives of both of you.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Emotions In You and Your Dog - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

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The purpose of adding distractions when you say "Stay" is to teach your dog that it is worth responding to your cues, despite the fact that the environment around your dog might be more interesting. Your dog should obey you anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstance. This is called reliability. You want to be able to rely on your dog to obey, no matter what. To get a high level of reliability, you must practice with your dog in new and different environments where distractions occur naturally. Pia will help you learn to get your dog to be reliable when told to Stay, regardless of what is going on around your dog as well as beginning to add distance between the two of you.

More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Training Session #4 - Stay - Adding Distractions and Distance - with Pia Silvani on PetLifeRadio.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teacher-s-pet-podcast-training-pets-pet-obedience-pet-life-radio-original--6670294/support.