The Dog Blog

Have you ever stopped to think of the many variables and aspects involved in training your dog? Better still if we stop, stand back and take a look at some more simple things like what your dog sees, what your dog smells and the effect that the environment has on your dogs ability to process information and learn we could really improve learning for the dog.

I have considered the notion of having some dog owners who come to class sit on the ground and look up at a handler and then have the handler only pay them when they perform a certain exercise. I have definitely considered this notion when arguing against electric shock collars. I feel the best way to do this and prove my point about +P and e-collars would be to put an e-collar onto a person, don't tell them what you want them to do and shock them everytime they get it wrong. Once they get it right stop shocking them. I figure they wouldn't last even 30 seconds!

My last post was entitled Being Honest About Our Dogs and told of the pact I have with my friends to call each other when we start making excuses about our dogs' behavior or issues. However, I guess I took it for granted that being honest about our dogs should go hand in hand with being honest about ourselves and examining how we may have reinforced, encouraged and/or enabled our dogs' behaviors. If we take credit for the good, then we have to at least take partial credit for the not so good, right? Granted, there certainly are behavior issues that can't be directly attributed to training, environment, or our relationship and human interaction with our dogs, such as some fears and phobias that really do seem to come out of nowhere. For example, my beloved Dalmatian Tucker developed a fear of thunder and loud noises around the age of 5. Up until that time he never exhibited any sound sensitivity and then all of a sudden, he became fearful of those two specific sounds.

"If my clients could only see me now!", I thought to myself as I laid in bed this morning. Myrtle my 27 pound cattle dog was standing on me, and my border terrier Edgar had just clawed me in the lip as he jumped over my head trying to evade Myrtle's athletic play maneuvers. I must say, though, that dogs jumping on me and blood oozing from my lip do get me out of bed much better than an alarm clock ever has! The thing is, I don't necessarily want to train my dogs first thing in the morning.... or when I get home from work. I love what I do, but when I'm at home I just want to hang out with my dogs and relax. Of course, rude awakenings aren't relaxing, so I guess we're back to that whole training thing again. Anyone know a trainer that will spend the night with me and teach my dogs some better early morning manners? Oh, well, at least I don't blame the dogs... I understand it is my responsibility to either train different behaviors or accept what I have.

July 4th is around the corner, along with the fireworks that inevitably come with this holiday. Almost all humans with canines in the United States declare this day the worst day of the year for their dogs. Veterinarians say that July 3rd is usually the most trafficked day in their offices, with clients coming in to get drugs for their dogs. Last year, I found a lost dog on the 4th of July. He was obviously a well fed, well groomed, and well behaved dog that escaped his yard when he heard the fireworks. When I called our local Humane Society, I was informed that it is the busiest time of the year for them, as more dogs are found wandering loose on July 4th than any other day of the year in the U.S.

Eight Tips for providing a safe July 4th for your Canine Household:

1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise earlier in the day.

2. Keep your dogs inside during fireworks, preferably with human companionship. If it's hot, air conditioning will help.