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Consequences and Repercussions

Laurie C Willia... | Wed, 01/28/2009 - 19:04

Even though we spend a lot of time studying, discussing, and dissecting learning theory and various training methods, the fact of the matter is, training dogs really isn't rocket science. It would be ludicrous to suggest that any one, specific training method is the only way or even the right way to train in terms of getting a dog to perform a certain behavior. However it would be equally ludicrous to suggest that the methods we use and manner in which we get a dog to perform a behavior is not going to have consequences and repercussions, not only to the dog, but to the relationship we have with him. I've always considered it my good fortune to have experienced the progression of dog training and to have utilized many different methods and tools.

Interpretive Dance

Kelly Gorman Dunbar | Wed, 01/28/2009 - 08:47

Lots of debate out there about how best to train dogs. Of course there is no one way to train all dogs, or even one way to train one dog. There is no magic formula that will work every time, like clockwork. Dogs are living, breathing, thinking creatures and we form relationships with them, which adds to the dynamic as well. Even the long and well-practiced methods of a seasoned trainer will need adjustments for each individual trainee in each individual context. This is the art of dog training in my opinion and while some people may instinctively be better at it than others, years of practice will help those less naturally inclined, because dog training is also a skill.

Living With Noodles

Cindy Bruckart | Wed, 01/28/2009 - 08:25

I’ve had the cutest little Cocker puppy living with me for the past two weeks. Looking at her fills most people with marshmallow thoughts and pillow soft emotions. She’s the kind of puppy you just want to hug and cuddle and pet and hold and kiss and hug and love, love, love.

Two weeks ago, you wouldn’t have been able to do that. Today, you have a much better chance.

Noodles is just reaching the age of 5 months and was afraid of just about everything when she came to stay with me. Her reaction to other dogs was a high-pitched scream, teeth and snapping. Her reaction to people was barking and backing up. The first time I tried to remove a piece of paper from her mouth, I ended up with two tiny, but painful, puppy teeth punctures in my thumb.

Choosing Abundance

Cindy Bruckart | Tue, 01/27/2009 - 13:21

Time and again it’s been suggested that positive training leans toward a one size fits all approach. I’m not sure where this idea comes from, but suspect that some feel being unwilling to use certain methods or tools means that a trainer is limited to only one way of doing things.

The truth is, throwing out choke chains, severe punishments, prong collars, shock collars and a whole host of other methods will still leave a trainer with plenty of options. It is not the equivalent of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It’s simply a matter of not bathing the baby in the same old dirty water out of reluctance to refill the tub.

Good Behavior is Free, Yet Hugely Unappreciated

Dr. Ian Dunbar | Tue, 01/27/2009 - 07:25

Perhaps our biggest human foible is that we take the good for granted and moan and groan at the bad. This is most certainly true in dog training. We ignore dogs when they are quiet, only to shout back whenever they bark. We ignore friendly, or non-eventful, greetings, only to reprimand our dogs for growling. We customarily ignore dogs when they walk calmly on leash, only to become frustrated when they pull.

However, when we representatively time-sample behavior, we find that most dogs behave wonderfully most of the time and only very infrequently behave inappropriately or unacceptably. We let the good go by and instead, focus on, and highlight, the bad.

One of the easiest ways to change a dog’s personality (and hence behavior) is to reward the dog for good behavior on a regular basis – to make a point of catching the dog in the act of doing something right, and conveying our heartfelt approval.

Am I On The Right Website?

Kelly Gorman Dunbar | Mon, 01/26/2009 - 11:58

Usually the saying goes that something “has gone to the dogs”. However, at Dog Star Daily we’ve clearly already done that, and some of you may be concerned that we’ve instead “gone away from the dogs” lately, with our recent posts about various farm animals and a few past posts about cats.

Rest assured, we won’t be changing our site name to Donkey Star Daily or The Monthly Moo. However, occasionally it is helpful to both reach beyond our comfort zone and look to other species from time to time to get a fresh perspective on dog training.

We people think we really know dogs, right? Yet sometimes things can still get lost in translation. Familiarity and comfort can lead to complacency, and from there our habits may drift even further down the river of effort, away from the land of learning and growth towards the state of stagnancy.

That May Not Be So Cute When He Grows Up

Suzanne Clothier | Mon, 01/26/2009 - 08:45

“That may not be so cute when he’s a big boy!” Wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve said that phrase. And whether it was a bundle of fluff Bichon pup or an all-legs-all-the-time baby Great Dane, the caution was always worth heeding. Because baby animals grow up to be adult animals.

Between my own dogs and helping others with theirs, a lot of puppies have grown up around or with me. Storm, the newest baby in the house, is putting a new twist on raising a youngster and being careful about what he learns now when he’s little.

When he was born, Storm was about 60 pounds. You read that right – about 60 pounds. At birth. Storm is a Scottish Highland calf, a sturdy baby bull with fantastic eyelashes and red shaggy fur. At the moment, he’s laying a few feet away. He is the official House Calf.

Lessons from a donkey

Shannon McKay | Sun, 01/25/2009 - 14:23

I have trained many dogs over the years and have helped so many people train their own dogs. While I am very patient and understanding there are times that I just think “This is not rocket science. Why don’t they get it!? Is there something wrong with them?”.

When one has been doing this for a long time it is so easy to forget what it is like to be a “newbie”. So I advise my crew to take up new hobbies to feel what it is like – this gives them great empathy for the owners in their classes. However, I have not followed my own advice of late. All that changed with Friday.

It Could Happen

Cindy Bruckart | Sat, 01/24/2009 - 07:33

Some dogs have issues that their owners have learned to live with. I know people (trainers) who have dogs with such severe separation anxiety that the owner hasn’t taken a vacation in years because the dog would fall apart if they left. I know a family who didn’t go to dinner for two years for fear of leaving their tiny dog home alone.

There are others who have dogs who require lots of management. Some dogs have a complicated ritual that must be performed every time they meet a new person. There are dogs who can only meet other dogs under strict circumstances that must be set up by the owner in advance.

All of this is fine and dandy, especially if the dog is lucky enough to have an owner who is willing to make these efforts.

But what happens if something happens to one of these special owners? Where do these dogs go? How do they begin to adjust if no one around them knows about all the special protocol they require in order to function?