Friday, April 15, 2011
Warning: I'm on my soap box! A rant about breedism
I've been volunteering for a local rescue for the last couple of months and there is a few things that I've noticed that the general public probably isn't aware of. First - about the rescue. It's called Coco's Heart Dog Rescue and it is located in Oakdale, MN. I went to highschool with the woman who founded the rescue and my sweet Sister-In-Law is the foster coordinator. CHDR specializes in rescuing dogs that are destined for premature euthenasia. Most are large breed adult dogs who have been in the foster and shelter system for some time and just cannot find a forever home. CHDR works with shelters that have a high kill rate and gets the dogs into our foster network. The first thing I've seen is that large breed and adult dogs are harder to place, even in foster. Black labs, pit bull mixes and shepherd mixes are the most common dogs we rescue. I've picked up several of these babies on the morning they were scheduled to be put down and I am always wondering how they got into that situation. They are sweet, loving, usually well behaved and would make amazing companions. For some reason, people get scared off by their size and the stories and misconceptions about their breed. Not all labs are crazy. Not all pit bulls are mean and aggressive. Not all shepherds are born attack dogs. The second thing I've noticed is that people who work in rescue are automatically more lenient about behavioral issues. And this drives me nuts! I completely understand that it's easy to feel sorry for the dog and just manage the bad behavior or issue, but that WILL NOT help it get a forever home. Also, we see so many behavioral issues that it's easy to over look the ones that aren't so bad, like potty training or jumping up. Usually there's a couple other rescue dogs in the home that might have issues that need immediate attention, like resource guarding. I would like to see foster parents take responsibility for the training of the dogs. I'd like to see every dog learn basic obedience and other usefull commands, such as leave it and wait. I think if we can show people that these rescue dogs are well behaved and can be great companions, then alot more would find homes. So here's my challenge: If you work in rescue or are a foster PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE work with your dogs! If we can show the world that the labs and pit bulls in rescue are AMAZING we might just be able to change how everyone thinks of them. And that could help millions of pups find homes.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Holy cow...it's been almost 5 months since the last post! I apologize for neglecting this blog - it's been a little crazy here in the midwest. We had massive snow this year, and it has been a huge pain. We actually had to shovel off the roof of our house. Along with that, the puppy can't get to the yard to do her business, so we've had to resort to a puppy pad in the kitchen. She doesn't really understand that she has to do number 1 AND number 2 on the pad. Hopefully the snow melts and it warms up enough that we can start going on walks again. For the sake of my carpet and my husband, I hope it is soon!
I'll be updating the blog weekly again (hopefully!) and upcoming topics include: Aggression: misunderstood and misdiagnosed, Dealing with separation anxiety, heathy treats for your dog and ways to tire your pup out. My opinion is that a tired dog is a good dog. If we wear them out with appropriate and fun activities, your dog will be satisfied and content at the end of the day.
I'll be updating the blog weekly again (hopefully!) and upcoming topics include: Aggression: misunderstood and misdiagnosed, Dealing with separation anxiety, heathy treats for your dog and ways to tire your pup out. My opinion is that a tired dog is a good dog. If we wear them out with appropriate and fun activities, your dog will be satisfied and content at the end of the day.
Friday, October 1, 2010
It's been awhile...
I know it's been awhile since I've posted - we've been very busy, both at work and at home. We bought a house, and we had our grand Re-opening at Petland under new ownership. The store looks great! Lots of remodeling, and lots of new products.
Our lesson today will be on Chewing.
My dachshund chews constantly. The good thing, is she doesn't chew on my furniture, shoes, or anything else. This is because I always have things for Greta to chew on! Her favorites are Cow kneecaps, pig ears, bully sticks, sheep trachea, and cow hooves. Notice a theme? Yup - they're all natural. No beefhide or rawhide for my puppy!
I stay away from rawhide because it can be dangerous. It is possible for your puppy to chew off a piece and swallow it. One of the problems with rawhide is that it doesn't soften when your puppy chews on it - that little piece she swallowed stays hard and sharp and can damage her throat, stomach, and intestines, leading to mucho expensive vet bills and pain for your puppy. Not every puppy will experience this, but I prefer to play it safe.
Most dogs will love chewing on the pig ears, and kneecaps because they are smoked and they smell like food. If your puppy doesn't show any interest in the trachea or hooves, you can smear or fill it with some peanut butter or cream cheese to generate interest. Then your puppy will find out that it is very satisfying to chew on.
Make sure at least one of these items are always available to your puppy - I always leave a cow hoof laying around. They don't get sticky or gross when the puppy chews, unlike the others. Then, every so often I give one of the other chews.
If your puppy insists on chewing on items that are forbidden, you can spray them with bitter spray available at most pet stores or, for furniture or woodwork, you can wrap it in tin foil...have you ever accidentally bitten down on your fork? Same idea...it's icky to chew on metal. Incidentally, this also works if you have a cat that likes to scratch your furniture.
Our lesson today will be on Chewing.
My dachshund chews constantly. The good thing, is she doesn't chew on my furniture, shoes, or anything else. This is because I always have things for Greta to chew on! Her favorites are Cow kneecaps, pig ears, bully sticks, sheep trachea, and cow hooves. Notice a theme? Yup - they're all natural. No beefhide or rawhide for my puppy!
I stay away from rawhide because it can be dangerous. It is possible for your puppy to chew off a piece and swallow it. One of the problems with rawhide is that it doesn't soften when your puppy chews on it - that little piece she swallowed stays hard and sharp and can damage her throat, stomach, and intestines, leading to mucho expensive vet bills and pain for your puppy. Not every puppy will experience this, but I prefer to play it safe.
Most dogs will love chewing on the pig ears, and kneecaps because they are smoked and they smell like food. If your puppy doesn't show any interest in the trachea or hooves, you can smear or fill it with some peanut butter or cream cheese to generate interest. Then your puppy will find out that it is very satisfying to chew on.
Make sure at least one of these items are always available to your puppy - I always leave a cow hoof laying around. They don't get sticky or gross when the puppy chews, unlike the others. Then, every so often I give one of the other chews.
If your puppy insists on chewing on items that are forbidden, you can spray them with bitter spray available at most pet stores or, for furniture or woodwork, you can wrap it in tin foil...have you ever accidentally bitten down on your fork? Same idea...it's icky to chew on metal. Incidentally, this also works if you have a cat that likes to scratch your furniture.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Biting and Chewing on hands...
This is a super common complaint - especially with a puppy. Your hands are always moving and they smell like you so they are very stimulating to a puppy. I have found that the best way to handle this is to just ignore it. You don't want to reward the puppy for chewing - examples of unknowingly rewarding your puppy for this behavior include: pushing the puppy away, pulling or tugging your hand away, swatting at the puppy, telling the puppy to stop or yelling at the puppy. All of these make it seem like a game!
Just let your hands go limp. The puppy will try to keep chewing on your hands for a few seconds, but if you just let your hands be limp and boring your puppy will stop. Once he stops, you can continue the activity your were doing. If he starts chewing or biting again, your hands go limp again. After a few repetitions of this your puppy will realize that everytime he tries to mouth or bite your hands, you stop playing. Your puppy will phase out this behavior.
The theory behind this method is that you are rewarding your puppy by playing and interacting with him when he isn't biting or chewing. When he bites, all of that positive interaction goes away when you make your hands be limp and boring. This is positive reinforcement at a very basic level.
Just let your hands go limp. The puppy will try to keep chewing on your hands for a few seconds, but if you just let your hands be limp and boring your puppy will stop. Once he stops, you can continue the activity your were doing. If he starts chewing or biting again, your hands go limp again. After a few repetitions of this your puppy will realize that everytime he tries to mouth or bite your hands, you stop playing. Your puppy will phase out this behavior.
The theory behind this method is that you are rewarding your puppy by playing and interacting with him when he isn't biting or chewing. When he bites, all of that positive interaction goes away when you make your hands be limp and boring. This is positive reinforcement at a very basic level.
Monday, June 28, 2010
New Puppy?
Bringing home a new puppy can be exciting, but it is also alot of work. Where do you start?
You should let your puppy get used to it's new surroundings for the first 24 hours. In that time, you should observe your puppy, play if your puppy seems to want to, and make sure he's eating, drinking and eliminating. After your puppy is settled, you can start training!
Sit, down and roll over are basics and most people jump right in to training these. I suggest starting with some training that will help later on. These are the first things I train my new puppy:
1: Crate Training
2: Potty Training (I'm writing a post exclusively for all the different ways to potty train)
3: Their name
Crate training is important - it sets the stage for potty training. You want to make the crate an AWESOME place to be. If your puppy is happy in his crate, it will be easier to leave him alone.
*Sit in front of the open crate with your puppy and some awesome treats.
*Toss a treat into the kennel. When the puppy goes into the kennel to get the treat, click.
*Another way, is to lure them with a piece of treat. Remember to only use the actual food for 3-5 repititions, then use only your hand. You can turn this into a hand signal very easily (I can point at my puppy's kennel and she hops right in).
*Click and treat for your puppy choosing to stay in the kennel
*Release your puppy, more often at first then after longer and longer periods in the kennel. Remember to ALWAYS release your puppy. I use the release word 'OK!' while relaxing my body language as a visual signal.
*After your puppy chooses to stay in the kennel reliably, you can start closing the door a little bit and clicking and treating.
*When you can close the door and latch it completely, you start making small movements away from the kennel and also clicking and treating. Continue this until you are walking out of sight of your puppy, then clicking and coming back to treat.
*Your puppy should not be whining or jumping or barking - if they are, you've moved too fast and need to go back to a step that your puppy is ok with.
*Work on this occasionally to reinforce it. Also, work on this in different situations - like at other people's homes, at the vet, in the car, etc.
Teaching your puppy their name, or an interrupter noise (like the kissy-kissy sound) is very convenient. You can use their name, but only if you promise not to devalue it by over using it. An interrupter noise is very usefull for calling your dog away from things it shouldn't be in.
*Have your puppy in front of you. He should be interested in the treats you have.
*Say your puppy's name, or make the kissy sound, and then click and treat as he looks at you. He can look at any part of you, your leg, your shoe, your hand. You don't have to ask for eye contact at this point.
*Once he is looking at your body consistently, you can ask for direct eye contact, then click and treat.
*Practice this without any distractions at first, then slowly add in distractions. Once your puppy is consistent with each distraction you add you can move on to another.
*Make sure to practice this outside as well. This is a good foundation for off leash recall. If you can get your puppy to look up at you with all the sounds, sights and smells that surround him outside, you've done a great job.
You can teach these all at the same time. Use several short training sessions throughout the day, working on only one of these during a session.
You should let your puppy get used to it's new surroundings for the first 24 hours. In that time, you should observe your puppy, play if your puppy seems to want to, and make sure he's eating, drinking and eliminating. After your puppy is settled, you can start training!
Sit, down and roll over are basics and most people jump right in to training these. I suggest starting with some training that will help later on. These are the first things I train my new puppy:
1: Crate Training
2: Potty Training (I'm writing a post exclusively for all the different ways to potty train)
3: Their name
Crate training is important - it sets the stage for potty training. You want to make the crate an AWESOME place to be. If your puppy is happy in his crate, it will be easier to leave him alone.
*Sit in front of the open crate with your puppy and some awesome treats.
*Toss a treat into the kennel. When the puppy goes into the kennel to get the treat, click.
*Another way, is to lure them with a piece of treat. Remember to only use the actual food for 3-5 repititions, then use only your hand. You can turn this into a hand signal very easily (I can point at my puppy's kennel and she hops right in).
*Click and treat for your puppy choosing to stay in the kennel
*Release your puppy, more often at first then after longer and longer periods in the kennel. Remember to ALWAYS release your puppy. I use the release word 'OK!' while relaxing my body language as a visual signal.
*After your puppy chooses to stay in the kennel reliably, you can start closing the door a little bit and clicking and treating.
*When you can close the door and latch it completely, you start making small movements away from the kennel and also clicking and treating. Continue this until you are walking out of sight of your puppy, then clicking and coming back to treat.
*Your puppy should not be whining or jumping or barking - if they are, you've moved too fast and need to go back to a step that your puppy is ok with.
*Work on this occasionally to reinforce it. Also, work on this in different situations - like at other people's homes, at the vet, in the car, etc.
Teaching your puppy their name, or an interrupter noise (like the kissy-kissy sound) is very convenient. You can use their name, but only if you promise not to devalue it by over using it. An interrupter noise is very usefull for calling your dog away from things it shouldn't be in.
*Have your puppy in front of you. He should be interested in the treats you have.
*Say your puppy's name, or make the kissy sound, and then click and treat as he looks at you. He can look at any part of you, your leg, your shoe, your hand. You don't have to ask for eye contact at this point.
*Once he is looking at your body consistently, you can ask for direct eye contact, then click and treat.
*Practice this without any distractions at first, then slowly add in distractions. Once your puppy is consistent with each distraction you add you can move on to another.
*Make sure to practice this outside as well. This is a good foundation for off leash recall. If you can get your puppy to look up at you with all the sounds, sights and smells that surround him outside, you've done a great job.
You can teach these all at the same time. Use several short training sessions throughout the day, working on only one of these during a session.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Random Update
I've been trying to put together a 'case study' post - details about dogs that I've trained from start to finish, but it's so hard to remember exactly what I've done with certain dogs and what their problems were. I think I'm going to wait until I have a new client so I can follow their training from start to finish. This will give you guys a good idea of my training technique, as well as giving some real life scenarios and possible solutions.
I have a few people who are interested in having a professional trainer help them out - one is a cocker spaniel with an aversion to being crated. Another is a Lab mix with what sounds like a little bit of dog aggression and issues with being leashed around other dogs, along with your normal jumping up and barking problems.
I have a few people who are interested in having a professional trainer help them out - one is a cocker spaniel with an aversion to being crated. Another is a Lab mix with what sounds like a little bit of dog aggression and issues with being leashed around other dogs, along with your normal jumping up and barking problems.
Monday, June 21, 2010
An Introduction to My Animals!
Sven, Logan and Ptashka:
These are my birdies. They are a trio of cockatiels that my sister-in-law and I rescued from a woman who just had too many birds. She had 5 'tiels in one cage, so we took them and split them up. My birds don't really love people, rather I am tolerated in their cage as the bringer of noms and toys, but I love my birds and I have them in a HUGE cage with a rotating stock of toys and treats.
Scotch (aka Scotches, baby Scotch, Cat, Cat-face):
Baby Scotches is a kitty. I got him at the pet store I work at. He was dropped off with his two brothers at the backdoor during a bad snowstorm. The vet thought he was about 3 weeks old and he wasn't weaned. We fed them with syringes and spoons and got them weaned eventually. They came in with worms and fleas, so they were very tiny. His two brothers got adopted right away and he stuck around for a couple of weeks, so I would carry him around on my shoulder when I was at work because I felt bad for him. I ended up taking home my little 2 pound kitten and he grew into a 12 pound cat with a ridiculously long striped tail!
Greta (aka Gretzky):
Greta is my Mini Dachshund. We are in the process of moving so she lives with her Auntie Dar (my sister-in-law) and her pack of hounds (there are 5!). We probably weren't ready for a dog, but I fell in love with her. It wasn't that I particularly wanted a dachshund, or even a dog, at the time. I just wanted her. She has the sweetest personality and she is so naughty! She has developed a habit of peeing on Auntie Dar's stuff...just her stuff tho. I don't really know what to make of that but hopefully it will go away when we get her home. I have big plans for our little puppy: I'll start with basic obedience and do the Canine Good Citizen Test. I'm trying to decide where to go after that, though. I'd like to do either Rally Obedience or Canine Freestyle. We'll be doing both eventually though. I'd also like to have her take a therapy dog test as well. And of course she'll learn all kinds of useless tricks, like blowing bubbles and 'cop cop' just so we can show off.
Sven, Logan and Ptashka:
These are my birdies. They are a trio of cockatiels that my sister-in-law and I rescued from a woman who just had too many birds. She had 5 'tiels in one cage, so we took them and split them up. My birds don't really love people, rather I am tolerated in their cage as the bringer of noms and toys, but I love my birds and I have them in a HUGE cage with a rotating stock of toys and treats.
Scotch (aka Scotches, baby Scotch, Cat, Cat-face):
Baby Scotches is a kitty. I got him at the pet store I work at. He was dropped off with his two brothers at the backdoor during a bad snowstorm. The vet thought he was about 3 weeks old and he wasn't weaned. We fed them with syringes and spoons and got them weaned eventually. They came in with worms and fleas, so they were very tiny. His two brothers got adopted right away and he stuck around for a couple of weeks, so I would carry him around on my shoulder when I was at work because I felt bad for him. I ended up taking home my little 2 pound kitten and he grew into a 12 pound cat with a ridiculously long striped tail!
Greta (aka Gretzky):
Greta is my Mini Dachshund. We are in the process of moving so she lives with her Auntie Dar (my sister-in-law) and her pack of hounds (there are 5!). We probably weren't ready for a dog, but I fell in love with her. It wasn't that I particularly wanted a dachshund, or even a dog, at the time. I just wanted her. She has the sweetest personality and she is so naughty! She has developed a habit of peeing on Auntie Dar's stuff...just her stuff tho. I don't really know what to make of that but hopefully it will go away when we get her home. I have big plans for our little puppy: I'll start with basic obedience and do the Canine Good Citizen Test. I'm trying to decide where to go after that, though. I'd like to do either Rally Obedience or Canine Freestyle. We'll be doing both eventually though. I'd also like to have her take a therapy dog test as well. And of course she'll learn all kinds of useless tricks, like blowing bubbles and 'cop cop' just so we can show off.
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