January 2010 is Train Your Dog Month!

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers has declared January 2010 as Train Your Dog month. Many dogs found new homes over the holidays. Let's get started training them, so they can stay in those homes! I will be posting training tips throughout the month, but feel free to email me or comment if you have any questions: romanizmydog at yahoo dot com.

By the way, I will be right there with you. While most consider my dogs trained, there is always something that can be worked on or perfected. So, this month I am working on Roman and Tikka's territorial behavior in front of my house and perfecting their Rally Obedience (maybe we'll even enter a real trial for a change!).

Paws for Peace

Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, it is always a good time to pause and reflect on the simple joys in life. What better way to spend a gorgeous Christmas day than at Ft. Funston with good friends and good dogs? Wishing you all a New Year filled with peace and a better understanding of our canine companions. We focus so much on what we need or have to teach them, or bad behaviors we must break, that we forget what they have to teach us: the simple joy of being alive in the moment! (click on photo for larger image)

Reliable Off Leash Control Starts with a Solid Foundation Part I

Many clients come to dog trainers with one goal in mind, "I just want my dog to come when I call him off leash!"

While this is an important goal, what many people do not realize is that a solid foundation needs to be built first in the basics: sit, down, heel (walk on a loose leash at one's side), stay. As new dog owners scour the internet on methods of training, it can be quite overwhelming and contradictory on actually how to train these behaviors. This is why it is important to find a qualified trainer that you and your dog click with; one who sees each dog and owner as a unique team and customizes the training as the lessons progress.

There are many ways to teach a dog the foundation behaviors. I prefer a method that uses motivational techniques coupled with fair consequences. In my experience, the dog learns exactly what I want from him (and how to get his reward) this way.

Breed considerations need to be taken into account. My German shepherd learned a lot quicker what I wanted than my shih tzu mix. Does that mean he's smarter? Not  necessarily (and the topic of a future blog). I trained both dogs in the basics using food (and a clicker for my GSD). Once it was clear they knew the behavior, food/clicker was phased out and I introduced fair consequences (in my case, the word 'no, with a pop on the collar). This is how I achieved reliable obedience the first time I asked for a sit or down, etc.

Once these behaviors were solid (and this is where patience, time and commitment come in...I trained several times a day for very short sessions...first starting in non distracting environments and building up to more distracting environments over the course of several months), it was time to introduce the recall command (come).

(Check out the Association of Pet Dog Professionals  and International Association for Canine Professionals for a qualified dog trainer in your area)

Gentle Leaders: Not so Gentle

Head halters (Gentle Leader, Halti) have gained in popularity over the years as the perfect, non-abusive way to train your dog not to pull on leash. The dog training world is so fragmented these days, it's hard to figure out which "tool" to use or "method" to follow. Head halters, along with no pull harnesses, are popular with positive only trainers (I will define a positive only trainer as one who concentrates on bringing about good behavior through the use of positive reinforcement-rewarding with food, toys, etc. while ignoring bad behavior and avoiding the use of aversives such as a collar correction).  If you put a bunch of dog trainers in a room and start talking about training collars, without a doubt the controversy over head halters vs. other types of collars will spark quite the debate.

People often ask me why I do not use or recommend head halters in training. After all, they work on even the most powerful dogs with the owner barely pulling on the leash. I do not doubt they work on most dogs but I am convinced they are not a training tool and provide marginal management at best. 

I don't like or use the gentle leader for several reasons:

1. Dogs hate it. 

Why do they hate it? It gives constant pressure around their muzzle if they even slightly move forward, and, since a dog's muzzle is extremely sensitive (unlike his neck), this is uncomfortable in the least. Why would I put something on my dog he obviously finds immediately aversive? If I won't put it on my dogs (and I have used it on both of them), I'm certainly not going to recommend it to a client.

2. The potential for injury and misuse are considerably high-imo, higher than with a prong collar. Injuries associated with the head harness include cervical injuries due to the torquing of the neck if the dog lunges, for example. I've also seen people correcting dogs with the GL (giving leash tugs/pops). In the GL insert material, it even tells owners how to tug upwards to get the dog to sit. One positive only training class I took many years ago, said we could 'gently' pull the dog's head towards us to make him look at us.

3. It's advertised as 'scientific and positive' based on how a 'pack leader' or mother wolf firmly grasps a subordinate wolf around the muzzle. First of all, when dogs or wolves do this, it is a quick correction...not a constant source of pressure & aggravation at best or pain at worst. The GL material also states they got the idea from how equestrians handle horses with halters and that equestrians don't use prong collars on a horse's neck. This is true but look at the physiology of a horse's (a prey animal, btw) head. Also, equestrians may not use prongs, but they most certainly use various metal bits in a horses's mouth to gain control when riding. Very few equestrians ride untrained horses in halters! Bottom line...Dogs are not horses. 

4. Head Halters are not a training device at all. They are a management tool (and I am not against management tools while owners learn the skills they need to change their dog's behavior, but this is one I avoid as it rarely leads to success-a dog who does not pull while not wearing it!) only and it's very difficult to transfer from a GL to a regular flat collar. I have never had that problem with a prong.

I've used GLs and haltis on my own dogs and seen the result of their use on countless others. They either completely shut down (no matter how many treats or time I gave them to get used to the halter) or fought it. I have not had that reaction with any other type of training collar. Why would I use something on my dog that he immediately finds aversive? I choose not to use it or recommend it to clients. Of course, some dogs will not find it aversive, but usually those are not the dogs that I see for training!

the Power of Praise

Praise. You hear that a lot in dog training circles. Seems simple enough, but, what exactly is praise and what is the best way to give it?

Human nature tends to focus more when things are going wrong. Whether it be the car not starting, your child not cleaning his room, someone cutting in front of you in line or the dog chewing the leg off Grandma's antique dining table. These events usually call us to action. Believe it or not, dogs are similar. Everything is copascetic until it is not, then they will let the offender know under no uncertain terms! By conserving energy, and reacting only when something is wrong in the environment, both canine and human species have survived and thrived.

My little mixed breed, Tikka, does not go around giving Roman, my German shepherd, treats every time she catches him being good (for Tikka, 'being good' means, basically, stay out of my face and away from my stuff!). She never 'praises' Roman for not eating her food, chewing her toy or staying off her bed. How did Roman figure out what he could and could not do around her? By trying to do what he wanted to do, then getting nailed with an air snap and growl. She only had to do it once, her timing was so good, and now the two dogs live in perfect harmony. If Roman 'gets out of line', Tikka only need to give him 'the look' and he backs off.

Understanding this aspect of a dog's nature can go a long way when training your dog. Human society has evolved and most people live pretty cushy lives. Many dogs live cushier lives than many people! If you are reading this blog, you and your dog are probably not worrying about your next meal or being a next meal. In order to live in harmony in our modern human world, I believe dogs need to know what not to do, and this can be taught in a fair and kind way. BUT, dogs also need to know what TO do and this is where many people have trouble. Owners can learn how to motivate and reward their dog for doing the right thing. This is where praise comes in. Verbal praise is one form of reward to let your dog know when she has done the right thing and to motivate her to work with you. While I do use other types of rewards (food, toys and games) during the learning stage of training, I always make sure my clients understand the power of verbal praise when working with their dog. It is impossible to be consistent with treats and toys, but you always have your voice. Once a dog learns a behavior, we gradually reduce the use of treats but we always maintain the verbal praise. Praising your dog when he does something right increases the liklihood that he will do that behavior. This may seem so obvious and simple, but not so easy to remember when working our dog out in the real world (see second paragraph!). (a note about physical praise or petting. This type of praise can be overstimulating for some dogs, like my dog, Roman. On the other hand, if you have a dog that needs more encouragement, a nice pat in addition to verbal encouragement can help motivate him...a good dog trainer can help you figure out what type of praise works best for your dog and how to use your voice & timing to praise appropriately).

So, next time you have your dog out for a walk, try praising him to the high heavens every time he looks to you. Don't just say a flat, "goodboy", say, "WHAT a GOOD boy you are! That's IT! LOOK at YOU!" If off leash, don't give him any commands but tell him he is AWESOME every time he comes running up to you. If your dog is lying down and calm at home, tell her she is sooo very good. Be your dog's cheerleader and don't worry if strangers think you are nuts. By the way, this works with human children, too! In my elementary school classroom, I hand out 'caught being good' cards when I catch students making the right choices. I believe dogs are also emotional beings and when an owner tells her dog "Good job!", that's usually all it takes to get the energy flowing in a positive direction with a tail wag.

http://www.angelacasey.com/

Dog Days of Summer

Everest, the Tibetan spaniel who has been staying with me for 2 weeks now, did great at yesterday's Giants game vs. the Phillies. It was AT&T park's annual Dog Days of Summer and dogs are allowed (after buying a 'special' ticket) in the bleachers. There were 650 dogs there to watch Lincecum pitch a winning game. Tim Lincecum's own French bulldog, Cy, got to play and watch the game from the clubhouse.

I was grateful to Everest for warming my lap (he got bored by the 6th inning, and fell asleep) since the San Francisco "summer" yielded cold fog and wind. The dogs didn't seem to mind.

Funny Cats vs. Funny Dogs

A Love Affair With Beauty

This dog of mine, with Angel Island, Marin and the bay in the background...true love!

click on this pic to enlarge...what a face on Roman...can I bottle that joy, please?

I can never get enough of the Golden Gate bridge at sunset...

Counting Crows

Please click on photo to get full effect...

Marin(a) Dogs

After a week of rainy weather, we were blessed with a glorious spring day. Time to escape the marina and go hiking in the Marin headlands.

When I see San Francisco through a tourist's eyes, it truly is the most beautiful city. Sorry, not-as-beautiful cities out there!
We hiked up above Rodeo beach at Ft. Cronkite...such a departure from our regular Ft. Funston hikes.
His magnificence overlooking his kingdom.
California poppies and a flower I don't know peeking out at the Pacific...
Roman and Tikka overlooking Rodeo beach and all the surfers.
Can you see the Golden Gate Bridge peeking out among the headlands? (click the pic for a bigger view).

Originally, I was going to go to Cataract Falls in Fairfax yesterday, but a friend said it was crawling with ticks. Yuck. So I thought this would be a better, tick-free venue. As I was sitting here typing this, with Tikka sleeping at my side, I found a tick crawling on my arm! Yuck. Treat your pets with Frontline (what I use on Roman and Tikka) or Advantix (not Advantage, which only kills fleas) to prevent tick infestation. The down side is, even though I have treated them, it doesn't prevent the ticks from hitchhiking on their fur and trying to make a meal out of me...

Training Cats

Training cats: an oxymoron if I ever heard one...

Is He Good With Kids?

Roman made yet another friend at Erik's baseball practice. Whether you have children or not, it's important to expose your dog at an early age. Get your dog used to the sudden and erratic movements of kids, so he won't become reactive to them (the same can be said for anything out of your dog's ordinary life: people with hats, in wheelchairs, men are some other common 'fears' of an unsocialized/desensitized dog).

This desensitization does not end when your puppy passes his socialization period. It's a lifelong process of reinforcement. We meet all sorts of people on our daily walks and I still will praise the dogs for being calm in different situations.

Save Money by Not Washing Dishes

YES, I am a crazy dog person with probably too much time on my hands (not)...

Doga

After too long a hiatus, I am back doing yoga. My sanity required it, despite the protests of my body. The dogs are quite interested and can actually get quite annoyingly in the way. Of course, dogs are natural yogis...they are already in balance (unless messed up by a human). There are now classes in "Doga". I sort of roll my eyes at this, as the yoga craze has taken fad to a new level (when I started doing yoga, there were maybe 3 studios in San Francisco...now there are who knows how many). Of course, who am I to scoff if someone wants to do yoga with their dog?

Eclectic Business Ventures

Roman's trainer found this at a local dog park. I honestly thought it was a joke, but it's not!

AND, he makes business cards...

My son asked, upon seeing this (and in all seriousness tinged with a bit of excitement), "Does he bring the gun?!"

Maybe I should hire him to protect our place from the drunk weekend yuppies...

RainDay

"Remember, when life's path is steep to keep your mind even." ~Horace

"I learn by going where I have to go..." ~Roethke

""A good dog observes his master so closely that he almost knows him better than he does himself, and he must often indeed wonder that the reverse occurs so rarely." Max von Stephanitz

" To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace." ~Milan Kundera

" "If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience."

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.-- Walter Winchell

"

Some people [and dogs] come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.-- Anonymous

"A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner." ~English Proverb

Shouldn'ts

Many trainers tell owners they should never let their dogs on the furniture, especially the bed. One trainer gave me such an ominous warning. Pressed further, she shared that she had clients who were bitten in bed when their dog was startled awake! Hmmm. I doubt this is common among socialized/trained dogs. I have more problems with cats fighting on the bed.

Personally, I like having my animals on the furniture with me, and I can't sleep if Tikka isn't in a ball by my pillow. My philosophy is this: if a dog will get off when you ask him to, and does not resource guard the furniture or bed, then why not let him enjoy? I made sure our new furniture was made of microfiber and a neutral, tan color...sometimes I forget what it actually looks like since the couch and chairs are usually covered! Only a dog person can understand this, me thinks.


I'm so glad my animals like our new furniture. They certainly get more use out of it than I do, these days. Tikka claims the couch because it has the best view out the window. (bottom pic is from a year ago-old couch and before the hardwood floors were redone...it's so funny how Tikka just flops over when I point the camera at her).

Roman loves this chair...good afternoon sun and an ottoman for his tail.

The cats pretty much sleep anywhere but this recliner is a favorite.

Here's 6 month old Rammy enjoying Caroline's Chinese carpet...good thing this carpet cannot talk about it's liaisons with dogs and cats. He also likes to hang out in the bathtub; not sure what that is all about...

Healing Tikka

Tikka had surgery-again-a few days ago. This is her fourth surgery in the two years I've had her. Poor girl has three suture sites (back, foot and chest) since she had various lumps and bumps removed. It's the one on her chest that has me concerned. This was a malignant tumor last year and it regrew. I'm thinking positive that the dr. got it all this time and it should not have spread. Tikka was pretty painful but was back to her happy self the first night, despite it all. If she's able to maintain such a cheerful demeanor through all this, so can I. My students were so sweet...writing cards and letters. One student even made her a scarf.