"How could you BUY a dog?!"

As a professional in the dog world who decided to buy a puppy from a breeder instead of rescue one from a shelter/rescue group, I did have this fleeting thought during the process -- "Yikes, I bet I'm going to piss off someone by doing this!"  And sure enough I have.  I've received a few emails, nothing nasty or rude (I do want to point that out!) asking why I chose to buy and not adopt.  I actually haven't responded to the emails as of yet and so thought I'd send this as a message hopefully to help others understand and also ease anyone that has the possible guilt of buying instead of adopting.

First of all I want to say this: Everyone has a reason for everything they do. Everyone has their own lives and things going on that others have no clue about. Making judgments on any issue is wrong at best, harmful at worst.  So before jumping to conclusions you should get facts and know all the details of the situation at hand. Sure, easier said than done.  But I digress ...

...Now onto the actual subject matter -- Why did I buy a puppy from a breeder when so many are in shelters? We recently bought a puppy from a responsible breeder.  Let me reiterate the adjective I used before the word "breeder" -- responsible.  There is a lot that goes on in finding a responsible and very reputable breeder. I researched and asked all the right questions. I did all my homework and lucky for me I know exactly what questions to ask a breeder before buying.

Over the past 12 years I've owned 6 dogs, including the new puppy we have now. Of those six dogs two of them were rescues and four were "bought" from breeders -- two were not reputable breeders and two were highly reputable and excellent breeders.   I slowly learned how to ask the right questions and do my homework.  And that can often involve a lot of work, and it should.  If you are going to go the buy-a-puppy-route you need to know exactly what you're doing and where your puppy is coming from.  A bad breeder can be a disgrace to the reputable breeder community. Bad breeders are indeed contributors to the too-many-pets-in-the-shelter problem we face today.

Now, don't get me wrong -- buying a dog from a reputable breeder doesn't guarantee a quality dog for health or temperament. However, the chances are greater that you will have these things on your side if you did get the dog from a good, well-rounded and reputable breeder.

On the flip-side, rescuing a dog doesn't mean you'll be guaranteed problems either.  There are many excellent dogs in rescues/shelters that are absolutely amazing dogs that live a fully, happy, healthy and behaviorally-balanced life.  However, in my experiences (and this is just my experience but it's been 15 years of working with rescue dogs and "breeder's" dogs from all angles) rescue/shelter dogs are more likely to have some behavioral and/or medical issues.  I've also worked with loads of rescues and I know that they are often a crap-shoot both medically and behaviorally.

So does this mean I'm against rescue dogs? Absolutely not!  I work with rescues day in and day out. I also work with full-bred dogs too from reputable and responsible breeders as wells as from backyard breeders and puppy mills. One of my current dogs is a rescue as well. The facts are that reputable and responsible breeders do most often produce sound dogs.  There is a reason they are reputable and responsible.  If it weren't for these types of breeders we wouldn't have dogs at all.  They aren't the problem, contrary to what you may believe.  (Read this great piece here on this topic.) ... More on breeders  later in this post ... Keep reading.

So, why did I choose to buy instead of adopt? Well, my first response to anyone who really wants my answer -- it shouldn't concern you.  Ok. But it does. Because I'm in the dog profession. I'm not just an average person with a dog. I work with dogs in rescue all the time. I work with rescue groups and shelters all the time.  I know loads and loads of wonderful people who volunteer countless hours, blood sweat and tears in rescue. I cannot tell you how much I commend these people. It's unimaginable how much hard work, dedication and tireless hours rescue people put into what they do.  I can't even begin to describe some of the things they have seen, been part of or done; and I commend them all for their work and efforts.

I have the highest respect for anyone and everyone involved in rescue in any way. It's a grueling part of life that I find will sadly probably never go away.  I am pretty certain that we can make a difference but sadly there will always be people abusing animals, neglecting them and all the in betweens of that.  

But here is the thing.  That has nothing to do with me.  I am not the person neglecting dogs. I am not the person abusing dogs. I am not the person dumping dogs at the shelter, or worse.  I am a responsible dog owner, to say the very least.  I am not contributing to the dog over-population problem/dog dumped in shelter problem/dog being abused/neglected problem.  My breeder would have sold my puppy to another person if she hadn't sold her to me.  My breeder also takes any puppy of hers back at anytime during the dog's life, anytime, no matter what. Her contract states that should I need to re-home her I have to give her back to her, and her only.

This means my breeder isn't contributing to the pet over-population/dumped/abused/neglected problem either.  This also means that all responsible and reputable breeders aren't contributing to the pet problem.  No, they aren't.  Where do you think dogs started from?  Where do we get all these wonderful breeds to choose from?  Responsible and reputable breeders preserve a breed. They make them what they are and what they should be.  They breed for betterment of that specific breed.  If you had a Border Collie that didn't herd you'd have a very bad specimen of a Border Collie, no?  If all breeders ceased to exist there would eventually be no dogs. Of course this would take decades to do however,  realistically if no one ever bred dogs ever again dogs would become extinct.

The truth is that breeders aren't the problem. Irresponsible dog owners are the problem.  Plain and simple.

The people contributing to our too-many-pets-in-the-shelter-problem are the result of lack of education, understanding, training and/or compassion for animals.  For those extreme cases of abuse and neglect, that's an entirely different problem. People who are actually harming and neglecting dogs have a problem that goes far beyond irresponsible dog ownership. Those people have an underlying mental health problem of some kind. That's a whole other topic that I will not discuss.

If you want to help keep dogs in homes and out of shelters adhere to these tips:

1. Don't get a dog if you are not able to afford it (or make your own sacrifices to afford it!) -- I get it. I am not rich by any stretch. But I do what I can to make it work because when I get a dog I get the dog for life regardless of what comes along the way.
2. Don't get a dog if you cannot commit to it for the dog's entire life, no matter what. -- Really? Do I need to elaborate this one?
3. Learn to understand canine behavior and body language and get your dog trained as soon as you get it! -- One of the main reasons dogs are over-crowding shelters is because of a behavior issue. You'd be surprised at what some people define as a behavior issue.  It ranges from jumping on guests (insanely easy to train polite greetings!) to biting people and/or other dogs.  So no matter what, as soon as you get a new dog (any age!) hire a highly qualified training professional and get started on the right path.  And don't stop training your dog. And if you see something come up later re-hire your trainer and get the issue addressed immediately. Nearly all problems are able to be helped with appropriate training. 
4. Don't give up a dog because he's become an inconvenience. -- If you find that having a baby means "we just don't have time for the dog" then think this thru before having a baby and actually getting a dog.  You cannot believe how many people give up dogs when a new baby comes into the home. It's ludicrous. This goes back to #3 --> find a highly qualified trainer that understands families, babies and dogs.  They even have specialized programs for this exact thing (Family Paws Parent Education). There are really no excuses on this one.  Maybe the baby thing wouldn't even apply to you.  Maybe you're just tired of having a dog. I really don't care what the reason your dog is an inconvenience to you is.  Go back to bullet #2.
5. Dont' breed your dog if you are not a responsible and reputable breeder. -- Oh so your dog is gorgeous and has a great temperament.  It doesn't matter unless you plan to health test the dogs for all genetic diseases.  You also have to take back any puppy your dog produces at any time if the owner cannot keep it, whether the dog is 4 months or 12 years old.  You should show your dog and get points in confirmation at the very least. These are only a few of the things responsible breeders do, just a few.  I don't want to list them all, this is a good read if you think you want to breed your dog.  And don't say I want to have "just one litter".  How do you think litters get in shelters? Half of those dogs were part of a "just one litter" thought by someone who never should have bred their dog. Do not breed your dog if you aren't an established, responsible and reputable breeder. Period.

Now you may still be wondering -- so, why did you buy a puppy? You never answered that. You're right I didn't. I am not going to answer that. I don't owe anyone an explanation. I chose to buy a puppy. That's my right. I am a responsible dog owner. I'm highly educated in dog training and behavior. My puppy will never be bred. My puppy will be a respected and well-trained dog in the community. My puppy will not ever be in a shelter or on the streets.  The reason I chose this path is mine and mine alone.  

If we all actually followed the above 5 steps we'd have no problem with too many pets in shelters.  That's a fact. Seriously. If every single one of my above steps was followed by every single dog owner there would be no problem. Simple as that.  Wanna help? Wanna learn more? Wanna get to training your dog or learn how to educate others about it?  Let me know, because contrary to what you may be thinking I'm very much an advocate for getting dogs out of shelters. I'm all for responsible dog ownership, as this alone would solve our problem.

Here is my follow up blog post, "So your thinking about buying from a breeder..."

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My website: www.stacysdogtraining.com 

My Facebook page: facebook.com/stacysdogtrainingpage 

Get Along Little Doggie ...

So you all know now that we've had our new Beagle puppy here for a week (9 days to be exact). She's fabulously fun and I'm going to be doing a one week post on her next. First, I wanted to address a question I've gotten many times since she arrived -- How are your other dogs liking her?

The answer is: I don't know. They haven't really met her yet.  See, it's my professional and expert opinion that any new dog (puppy or adult) that comes into a home with an existing dog (or dogs) should never just be tossed in with the mix right up front.  Actually they shouldn't physically mingle for several weeks, ideally several months. I understand that for the average pet home that's just not going to happen.  Either people don't agree with that or they think it's too much of a pain or ... I don't know they have some reason of their own.  But let me tell you why I choose to do this.

Contrary to what we like to think as humans about our dogs we need to understand a few things that are often hard for us to understand.  We don't think like dogs regardless of how hard we try. However, we need to run a household that runs smoothly and peacefully and to do this we should really stop putting human emotions on our dogs.  

Dogs don't necessarily need a canine buddy.

I see this a lot especially when a 2-dog home loses one of the dogs.  The common thought is that Fido misses Fluffy as they were such good pals. So they bring home a new dog for Fido.  Now he's got a new pal and this should ease his sadness of not having Fluffy anymore.

The truth is that Fido may have loved Fluffy. He may have actually been best buds with her.  However, that doesn't mean he's wanting a replacement.  It's like replacing your best friend. Sure you may get another friend and they may be a great person but they aren't going to be able to replace your BFF.

Also, dogs base just about everything with other dogs around resources.  For dogs the most common resources are: food, toys, sleeping areas (beds), crates (or safe areas), and their beloved humans.  When another dog comes in they can become quite reluctant, if not aggressive, about sharing any or all of these resources.  Dogs are not hard wired to share.  They are not like humans at all in this regard.  Teaching a dog to share is even more challenging than teaching a toddler to do so!  (However when they do understand sharing it's fabulous! And not all dogs don't share, some are ok with that.  All dogs are different.)

So, bringing Fido a brand new pal to replace Fluffy actually can do more harm than good if it's not done properly.  Fido will start to realize he has to now share all of his resources with Gidget, and Gidget is not Fluffy.  He and Fluffy already had long established who got what and when and how.  They did that years ago.  But Gidget, she's new. She doesn't know. What if she's going to steal all the food? What if she's here to get all the attention from human-mama?  Fido is now stressed out and isn't all too happy about you bringing home Gidget.

So, you're saying having more than one dog is not good? Adding a new dog is bad?!  

No. If you can do it properly and with good training and low-stress then it can work out beautifully.  Sometimes it doesn't work out and we may need to see if the dog was a poor fit to the home and/or other dog(s) in the home.  Also some dogs just don't want another companion, plain and simple. Some dogs are totally fine being the only dog in the home.  We have to respect that. Not all dogs need friends, and some do not want them!  You need to know your dog(s) very well and understand what will be best for your dog(s) and your home.

Signs your dog isn't happy about the new addition.

Your dog can show signs of stress in many,  many forms.  We often think if they didn't break out into a dog fight then all is well, right?  OR If they just have a few non-eventful squabbles every now and again that's ok. Well, not necessarily.

Here are a few common signs of stress with any new addition:

• Regression in potty habits and/or marking starts to take place.
• Becomes possessive of things that s/he didn't before.
• Seems to be "stubborn" and won't listen to cues s/he knows reliably.
• Becomes distant, doesn't sleep where s/he used to, goes and lies alone in other places.
• Barks or vocalizes uncharacteristically and/or randomly.
• Starts new poor habits (jumping up, barking, potty accidents, etc.)
• May have some new medical issues pop up "out of the blue".
• Shows signs of what humans would call "jealousy".

If your dog is doing any of the above after adding in a new dog it's likely that some steps backwards need to take place. If things are going rather poorly you need to hire a professional to come and assess the situation. Your dog may be with the wrong dog or may not be able or wanting to live with another dog.

Older dogs don't often like puppies.

Another thing is that adult dogs often completely dislike puppies and their annoying antics.  Some adult dogs do marvelous with puppies while others think they are too old and wise to deal with the spryness of a youngster.

Puppies bond quickly.

Puppies bond quickly to whomever spends the most time and engages with them the most.  If you have multiple dogs and your puppy gets to hang with them, it's likely she'll hang with them more than you.  Afterall, her canine housemates speak dog and you don't!  So it is very easy for a puppy to bond to a dog.  However, this can hinder your relationship with the puppy and will show through lack of what will look like "listening skills" and "disobedience".

It is vital that the human bond with the puppy and let the other household dog(s) come in later!

So, what do you do then?!

I keep all the dogs separated for several weeks.  Ideally for several months.  Yes, months.  They don't have to be completely isolated. At my house the puppy's crate is in our bedroom just like our other dogs'.  They all see each other come and go.  My two boys are out and moving about as normal and the puppy is in her crate and visa versa.  We also rotate who goes in the yard. My boys will go outside without me and hang for a bit but the puppy is taken out and supervised as we are still working on potty training (must go out to praise the potty in appropriate places!)

So,  here is a typical morning at my house over the past week.  

6 am - puppy goes out to potty, other dogs stay in our bedroom (I carry her outside)

She gets put back into crate after potty break and sleeps until I get up with my kiddos about 7:30-8 am

8 am - take her out again, leave my dogs in bedroom

Then I bring her in and put my dogs outside.

8:30 am - feed all dogs - my dogs eat in their crates, Charlotte currently eats in the kitchen with me via a puzzle toy and/or using the food as training rewards

I play with her for 15 minutes and train her some as well.

9 am - back out to potty then straight to crate for down time

I then let my dogs out of their crates and they hang with me while I then feed all my kids!  

Then rinse and repeat for the most part.

We added another dog and it went fabulous!
Remember, this doesn't apply to all dogs, nothing does. However, I don't throw caution to the wind when it comes to dogs. It's not fair and when/if things go south it's not going to be fun trying to back pedal!  So, it's best to take this approach with a new dog just to ensure less stress, more happiness and no surprises!

What if we want to add another dog, how should we do it?

If you are considering another dog or a new puppy to add to your house with a current dog (or dogs) then contact me or another trainer in your area to help you with the transition.  It will be some work and commitment in the beginning but it will be so worth it in the long run!

Chronicles of a Puppy Owner.

Hello dog world.  Guess what? This mother of 3 youngsters (of the human variety) and mother to two dogs now has become a mother to a puppy. Yup. A 10-week old Beagle named "Charlotte" (lovingly named by my 5 year old, Sophie.)  I decided after much thought, research and consideration that my 5 year old would do well understanding how to raise and train a puppy.  Our other two dogs are almost 12 years and 9 years and really don't have too much to offer for a playful, spry 5 year old.  I decided Sophie would be great to help me work with and raise this puppy.  And so it was decided that a Beagle was a good choice from a responsible breeder.  They are a nice size, grooming maintenance is minimal and temperament is good with kids.  So, the Beagle was found and we got her Thursday, February 20th.

I've decided I'll be making various videos to show little hints of properly raising and training a puppy, especially with kids.  However, this will benefit anyone with a puppy even if kids aren't in the home.

I will do  individual videos on the following  common puppy issues that I get the most questions about as a trainer:

• nipping/biting (hands/feet)
• chewing in appropriate objects
• grabbing clothes and/or biting at shoes 
• first things to teach a new puppy/dog
• body language 
• how kids should interact with puppies 

... and several others are hopefully going to happen as well!  Stay tuned and follow my YouTube channel to see all the videos as they are added.  In the meantime here is the first video I have. It's completely raw (totally unedited) and I decided to leave it this way.  Sophie chimes in throughout the video and I loved how she did this (none of this was rehearsed or coached!) on her own after I have gone over a few things with her.

Enjoy! (If you cannot see the embedded video either visit my blog directly here: http://adventuresincaninetraining.blogspot.com or click the following link directly to the YouTube video here: http://youtu.be/v5crpG5A0kI

You're Hired!

I write this post because a few things have come up in some online groups I'm on regarding dog training and online advice/help.  As many of you follow this blog you notice I give out tips and advice.  If you follow my Facebook business page you'll see I post many articles, tips, advice and even a "Free Advice Friday" piece where I offer up free advice on certain Fridays at a certain hour for those with questions.  However, I want to clear up a few things. ...

First and foremost, if you are having challenges with your dog regarding training and/or behavior you should never try to solve it all on your own via advice online or even a book.  Nothing is more helpful and invaluable than hiring a qualified, educated and trained professional to come help you*.  This especially holds true if you have any behavior challenges with your dog -- regardless of age, puppies and dogs can be trained at any age!

In today's world everything is online. Everything. I'm sure that the medical community is one of the worst for things like this.  People don't want to go see a doctor unless they have to.  So, hey why not just Google your symptoms and see what that brings up?!  Well, that can be dangerous, if not sometimes deadly.  Sadly, the same can hold true for dog training.  Sure, you may just have a dog that barks out the window at passers-by, so you think -- but we just have a barking problem, we can find info on how to solve that online or from a book or ...  However, what you don't realize is that often small things that seem like "just a (fill in the blank) problem" are symptoms of a much larger problem that needs to be addressed by a professional.  

Also, don't assume that because your friendly neighbor has successfully trained his dog, or maybe multiple dogs, that he's a qualified trainer or behavior expert.  The truth is that anyone can train a dog but it doesn't immediately make them knowledgeable about behavior, training and problem solving.  If your neighbor is a qualified and educated dog trainer and/or behavior consultant then great! But if not, be sure you have asked the right questions before taking his advice.  

Back to online advice ...  this may seem like a bit of a hypocritical post from me since I do give out online advice. However, I can tell from the info given when a person needs a professional to step in.  I often and frequently tell people -- You really need to get someone to come into your home and help you out*.  I know when this needs to happen.  Yes, I'll give advice on potty training, some barking issues but when more info is given and I realize that there is probably a bigger issue I will always, always tell them they need a professional to help them.  And if the person is near me I'll offer to come in, if not I'll try to help them find a qualified professional to help them.  Click here for an excellent post on the who-what-when of hiring a dog trainer or behavior consultant.

Sadly I've had many times where someone, at least to me, obviously needs me to come in and yet I never get that call back.  I know that hiring a trainer may be hard. It may be a financial issue or a scheduling issue or just a "I can do this myself" type issue.  However, hiring someone to help you and sticking to the advice and homework given will be less stress in all those areas in the long run.  It's worth the expense, scheduling and stress when you do it and hire the right person to help you with your dog.

Take home message: Don't try to train  your dog without the help of a professional.  Often this can lead to more problems, and it is so worth it to hire someone that is qualified and well-educated in dog behavior.  There are a wealth of dog trainers to choose from; if you need help finding one let me know where you live and I can help you.  If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area let me know and I'll gladly help!

*Click here for an excellent post on the who-what-when of hiring a dog trainer or behavior consultant.
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My website: www.aictdfw.com
My Facebook page: facebook.com/adventuresincaninetraining

Ouch! That's my finger!

"Why do some dogs grab treats so hard, and how can I teach him to be gentle?" This is a very common question that many people ask and it's a great question.

First, all dogs should be taught how to gently take food/treats from hands/fingers.  Some dogs are naturally soft and take food gently.  Dogs like this need no prior training for this.  But others take it very much in a manner that can be downright painful!  

After a dog is taught how to take food gently if there is a situation where he takes it not-so-gently you need to consider why this would be happening.  With dogs, I always say, everything happens for a reason we just have to find the reason!

Here are a few reasons why a dog would take food in a less than gentle manner:

1) Competition.  If you are serving food (or treats) with other dogs around, especially in close proximity, some dogs will snatch the food quickly acting in a normal competitive doggie fashion.  Dogs aren't wired to be natural sharing creatures.  With resources around dogs will often start to grab things quickly when other dogs are  around so that they can get what is "theirs" quickly before the other dog does -- this would be the thought process of the dog snatching the food.

2) Stress.  Many dogs will grab food out of your hand very harshly and/or quickly when in a stressful situation.  Remember what is stressful for your dog will be different for the next dog.  A common place that I see "grabby" dogs is in group classes.  Classes can be stressful. Other dogs all around, all dogs are asked to perform one thing or another.  It can be stressful and therefore some dogs will become pretty grabby with the food.

3) It's been trained. Usually this doesn't happen on purpose but it happens. The dog has learned to do this and gets the treat anyway, therefore he continues to do this. If you pull your hand away quickly when the dog goes to grab you'll likely teach the dog to grab faster and hold on once he gets it too!

If your dog fits any of the three reasons above, and now you're asking --  now what?  Here is what.  

Train your dog to take food gently from your hand from day one. This means if you have gotten a new puppy start the puppy with this training. If you have a newly acquired adult dog do the same.  It's never too early or too late to train any dog!

This skill should first be taught starting in a low-key, non-distracting environment without other dogs around. You may increase criteria, distractions, etc. as the dog progresses successfully. Here is an excellent video on teaching a dog some impulse control and how to take food gently without just snatching it out of the hand. And another video here.

If your dog does this out of competition due to a multiple dog household, teach each dog individually this skill and then you may teach each dog to wait its turn before getting something. Basically teaching a dog impulse control around other dogs.  This will prove useful for many other things too.  Here is a great read on how to work with multiple dogs and train them to do things one at a time.  Here is yet another on multiple dogs and their training.

If your dog does this when stressed you need to decrease the stress. Find out what is stressing the dog, work through that -- whether that's a whole other training protocol or whatever it is -- then move forward.  If your dog does become stressed and grabby, I'd end that training session. Most dogs at this stage are not learning or are only taking bits and pieces.  Go back, reduce/get rid of the stress, then start over.

What you should not do when a dog gets grabby:

- Move your hand away, especially quickly.  Stay still. Don't move.  And go to step one. Train this behavior.

- Don't correct the dog. If the dog is stressed getting angry will only increase stress and make things worse.

- Repeat something like, "easy, easy, easy", or some other verbal cue. You want the dog to know not to grab the food, not have to do it when you tell it to.

Now go get goin' ... I know you have something you learned here that can apply to your household! ...

Resources linked in this post:

http://youtu.be/ztRNfyErf8s

http://www.alldogadventures.com/node/67

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3118

http://bit.ly/16PD0u0

Silly Pants.

"Silly Pants" was what I so goofily and lovingly called my foster Pitbull, "Pinky".  She was a real silly girl, opening her crate she was like a bull in a china closet.  She was stout, short, sturdy and strong.  She was also sweet, tolerant, and whip-smart.  She let me use an electric dremel tool for her toenails without fuss at all. She asked for sweet belly rubs every morning before her first potty break.  And she would give you loads of ear kisses when you wanted her to, or when you didn't. ...I loved that damn dog.  She was a pain in my ass but I loved her.  

It's taken me quite a while to write this because she drifts in and out of my head a lot. I won't lie, I wanted to keep that dog. I wanted to make her the Pitbull that everyone could look at and say, "Pitbulls are GREAT dogs, I don't get the hype!"   

I fostered Pinky for 9 months -- from January 2012 until late September. I didn't stop fostering her because she was lucky to find a home. I stopped because I couldn't do it any longer after discovering I was pregnant with my twins and not being able to do a whole lot physically for anyone let alone her little busy self!  And I felt like I really failed her.  Like me fostering her was all for nothing.  

I always remember this quote from Dr. Suess when I think of her, because tears will stream down my face when I think of losing her; how I feel like I failed her.  I know that she was probably another statistic and I'm certain she didn't make it into anyone's life. However, I think of what she did in fact do for me and what I in turn did for her, even if for only a moment.  That little tank of a Pitbull taught me a lot about life, love, dog training and stereotypes.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it  happened." -- Dr. Suess

So the story goes ... I had lost my sweet Lab, Jake, on January 1st and I was filled with sadness and grief.  I didn't want another dog but at the same time I did, then I thought -- Good gosh I've been in the dog world  for over a decade and I've never once fostered a dog!  So I decided I'd do something good.  And very coincidentally I found a picture of this darling Pitbull named "Pinky" on Facebook that was in desperate need of a foster as she had been living in  boarding in a vet clinic but they could no longer keep her there. She was also mentally going a little wild without proper exercise and training simply due to lack of resources. The vet staff there were very wonderful to her and they loved her like their own but she just had no where to go to be more enriched both physically and mentally.  So I stepped in when they put up a post on Facebook about a desperate need for a foster for her.

It was noted that she was not known to be good with some other dogs and so she lived with me, completely isolated from my own dogs and any dogs that came into my house at the time.  I had no problem with that.  She had her own time out in my house with us, and my dogs would either be outside or crated while she got "Pinky time".  I would train her, play with her and let her just be crazy. She was full of energy, tons of it. She was great with toys and played well with them.  After I taught her how to "drop" on cue she would play very well with me too.  Before that she'd just play alone.  She had zero guarding issues, i.e., if you came near  her when she had something or was eating she could care less.  She was great with my daughter, who was 3 years old at the time.

I did learn that she was afraid of people when they approached her first and didn't allow her to greet on her own time.  And if you used a high-pitched voice she became very agitated and scared and would become defensive.  She would nip when someone tried to walk away after a greeting that she didn't feel comfortable with.  I learned this the hard way the first time as she did this in my house when my dad came to visit.  He wanted to meet her. I was stupid and let him just let her out [of her crate] in my bedroom and he started kind of sweet talking her. She started barking at him, afraid, as she was backing up while barking. He was sitting down on my bed.  However then he got up to leave and she nipped him on the back of his leg.  Yeah, way to go dog-trainer-expert-now-foster-mom!

She had met my sister, my 4 year old nephew, my mother and my step-dad without issue at all.  In fact after several minutes she was initiating attention and licking all over them.  The only thing I finally put together was that they never interacted with her first, they allowed her to come to them. When they first met her they did nothing, they ignored her.  So I knew that I could easily work on that with her. ... Then time passed, and things got where I wasn't able to work on that specifically with her.

But take note. She was not aggressive. She was scared and acted as any scared animal would -- defensively when she felt like she was most vulnerable.  Aggressive did not describe this dog.  She was not that at all. She was misunderstood and needed to learn a different response to have when people approached.  That's all. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to do that training with her and strangers.

I did work on several things with her in regards to training. She was amazing at going to the mat. She would default to it I worked on it so much. She found her mat to be quite rewarding and comforting.  She learned to wait there on her mat until I released her.  She had her very own bright pink bath mat that I got just for her.

I worked on her leash skills, her drop, sit, down, stay and recall (come when called).  She was a quick study and loved to learn.  She also loved to toss her toys around and play by herself. She was goofy and funny.  She was all or nothing. She would bolt out of the room, toy in mouth, run circles then come back and you had to brace yourself!  She was all Pitbull, 100%.  Loyal to me, and my family.  And cautious around other dogs, sometimes  aggressive in nature.  She was a typical bully breed.  She wasn't going to be the dog for just anyone!

What did Pinky teach me? Well ...

• She taught me that stereotypes are dangerous at best and deadly at worst.  
• She taught me that looks are everything, especially for dogs.  
• She taught me that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.  
• She taught me that you can't save them all. 
• She taught me that yes, sometimes life does get in the way.  
• She taught me about forgiveness.
• She taught me that Pitbulls may be tough but they are sensitive, loyal and highly trainable. 
• She taught me that Pitbulls are just dogs and not monsters in a dog suit.
• But most of all she taught me that loving something can be so rewarding that you can hold on to that love forever, regardless of the outcome. 

And so I come back to the Dr. Suess saying -- "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it  happened."

Here is a video I never did publish. I just uploaded it for the first time to YouTube.  It's me and Pinksters at the Shade Whitesel working dog seminar in Missouri last summer (2012).  This video is cool because it shows you how to do a few things -- put  a behavior on cue and with spacial recognition (the dog performs the cue reliably no matter where you are when asking for the cue).  It also shows you how happy and smart this little toot was!  (If you are receiving this via your email inbox go to this link: http://bit.ly/13D6BQr, otherwise it's embedded on the blog post via the blog page below.)

 
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means...

I've been professionally training dogs for almost 14 years.  Over those years I've done a number of things  in order to train dogs and help dog owners. This includes various tools, methods and advice to be dispensed.  However, just in the past 3 years I've changed a lot of my training dramatically and I feel that now I'm really grasping the reality of dogs and their behavior.  -- What do you mean? -- You ask ... Let me go a little further ...

First of all, no one will ever completely understand dog behavior as it is so complex.  Just like all animal behavior we are always learning.  The same goes for humans as well, I suppose. However, with our canine friends we cannot ask them how they feel or what they are thinking so it's a little more difficult than working with humans.

What I've learned in the past few years with my evolving training and education regarding dog behavior is that to truly modify behavior and train a dog -- be it to work with a chewing puppy or an aggressive or fearful rescue dog -- we must really understand why the dog is doing what he is doing.  I'm not saying that I didn't try to do this during my entire training career, I'm saying I've learned that before I only thought that was what I was doing.  What I was actually doing before was just trying to get the dog I wanted and to get rid of certain behaviors. In the past I wasn't really "listening" to the dog.  

I really sit back and take a lot in now.  It all makes so much sense if you really look at it with a new perspective.  We don't respect dogs enough, we just put expectations on them.  I find that more humans just want a dog and want the dog to do (fill in the blank), however they don't take into consideration the reality of some of their expectations.  Humans think animals are so trainable that sometimes we treat them like electronics that can be programmed to do specific things and not to do specific things ... but often at an unrealistic level.

Of course we can train dogs to do many things for us, specific tasks and things.  However, the calls I get are often really interesting as they have a heavy "I need my dog to do this or not do this, or else" connotation.  Here are some examples of actual things  dog owners have said to me over the years ...

"I have a 10 week old Pomeranian puppy and she has to go potty like twice a night. I need my sleep, can you help me train her to stop waking up in the night?"
You may be thinking -- Ok, what's wrong with that request?  Well nothing. At some point yes, a dog can and should sleep through the night.  However, a 10 week old puppy is like asking a newborn infant to not require feedings every 3 hours and wake up during the night.  It's unrealistic at best and abusive at worst if you ignore that behavior from a young puppy.  Anyone that is a parent knows this all too well.  Did you not get up in the night the first several months with your babies to feed them (multiple times!) and often lose tons of sleep?!  Why should a baby dog be different, because it's a dog?!  

"My dog barks when he's in his crate. Can we train him to stop barking so my neighbors won't complain? My friend told me to squirt him in the face with a water bottle when he barks but it doesn't really help much."
Absolutely we can.  But we first need to find out why he's barking.  Trying to tell the dog he's "bad" for doing this isn't very respectful. What if he's afraid? Anxious? Needs to pee? We need to address the reason for the vocalization first then we can help the dog learn to be comfortable and have his needs met.

"My dog pulls on the leash. I keep my leash short and tight so he's right next to me but he still tries to pull."  ....  "My dog chokes when he's  pulling on the leash but it doesn't stop him from pulling."  .... "I use this collar and give a slight tug on it when we are walking and he'll walk nicely next to me, unless there is a cat, then he'll try to pull again and I have to give him another reminder." 
Leash pulling questions are very, very common for dog trainers  in all circles to hear.  The problem, again, is that we need to address the dog's main problem -- he doesn't know that he's supposed to walk on a loose leash.  Let me say that again, because the common thought now is this -- yes he does, I tell him "no" or I jerk on the leash or give him some sort of correction when he does pull ... That's the problem. You are only telling the dog what he is not supposed to do. So what do you want him to do? Walk on a loose leash, right? Ok. Then we have to teach the dog that you want that behavior.  Telling the dog what you don't want only addresses that -- what you don't want. It doesn't help the dog understand what in fact he is supposed to do and how to accomplish that!  

And the biggest and most common one of all  --- "My dog growled at me. I will not tolerate that. If he starts to snap he's gone!" (...or some version of that, there are many!)

A dog growls as a way to communicate a feeling of being uneasy.  Stop there. I know you are thinking -- but I didn't do anything, he just growled. Or, I'm his owner, he knows he can trust me ...  or something to that effect, right?!  Well, the truth is that if a dog is growling he doesn't feel comfortable. This is very often around children, not always but very often.  If your dog is growling you need to figure out why.  Do not correct this behavior.  You must address the reason for the dog growling.  Is he guarding something? Is he uncomfortable? Are you allowing a child to be near the dog when  possibly they should not be?  Is the dog in pain?  The list goes on for this.

But understand this.  This is a fact, contrary to what you want to believe ... if you correct your dog in any fashion for growling you may take away the dog's ability to give this very subtle warning.  A growl is nice.  The next move is a snap or a full bite.  If you continually tell a dog he is a "bad dog" for growling this will be your dog's thoughts -- "ok, so growling isn't working to get this human to back away, guess I'll just use my teeth to get my point across."  And next time you will gasp and think -- how could he?!  He did that because you were disrespectful. You didn't take the time to ask why he did it and then use training to teach him he doesn't need to feel the need to growl.  Yes, you find out why and train the dog to feel comfortable in the situation(s) that normally cause him to growl.  And yes, if he growls you do nothing.  Nothing. Back away and go to brainstorm as this means training is in order!

All of the above examples are a few of many things I run into, I could list a zillion more.  What they all have in common is that we all too often disrespect our canines.  We only hold high expectations for them.  We don't take into account that maybe we should take a step back and learn to understand our dogs and teach them what we do in fact expect of them.  Please understand what this post is saying in its entirety. I am not saying you need to allow dogs to display aggression or "naughty" behaviors. I am not saying that at all. I'm not saying you cannot have expectations of your dogs. I'm saying that we have to respect the reasons why dogs are doing what they are doing.

A 10 week old puppy is waking in the night because he's a baby and cannot physically hold it all night long.  A dog pulls on leash because he has not been trained how to maintain a loose leash and what it means to walk nicely with the person holding the leash.  A dog growls when chewing a bone because often dogs guard resources and must be taught that there is no reason to feel threatened by approaching humans (or dogs).  A dog barks in a crate for many reasons and squirting it in the face with water isn't going to take the dog's crate anxiety away but will probably increase it (or worse).

You have to understand why your dog does what he does. Usually it is as simple as "he doesn't know anything else", and dogs do what works for them. If your dog jumps on guests grabbing his paws or kneeing him in the chest (some old school techniques to "get  rid of" these behaviors) is not teaching your dog that a nice polite sit for greetings is more acceptable and he can also be petted  at the same time -- win/win!  

So instead of saying, "Stop it! No!" or grabbing for a squirt bottle or kneeing a jumping dog or yelling at your dog, ask yourself this -- if this were a human child would I approach them the same way?  If your infant is waking in the middle of the night you are definitely not getting angry with the baby (but I do understand first hand how very tiresome this is!). If your child is crying in the other room across the house you don't yell "Shut up!!!" first, do you? Most likely you go into the room and ask, "What's the matter?!"  Once you get the answer you try to address the issue.  

We cannot ask our dogs questions as to why they do what they do; they cannot give us an answer.  So we must show them what is expected and how they can properly carry out these behaviors. We must understand and respect their emotional state in the moment, especially in regards to fear, aggression and anxiety.  Then and only then can we change behavior appropriately, correctly and with lasting results ... and without the use of aversives.  It is this kind of true and genuine understanding of the canine species that will lead us to lasting and wonderful results with our training because we are addressing the dog as a whole and not just suppressing those "unwanted" behaviors. We are actually addressing the "why" of those unwanted behaviors and helping the dog understand how to overcome those as well as change those unwanted behaviors into acceptable behaviors.  This is where a dog's relationship with his owner becomes so strong that training is simple and true to form ...

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