At the end of a session I spend some time with her in her kennel. I hear the barking and whining of the other dogs that make her alert her head and ears.  I can see how no matter how well things are arranged for her, she is still surprised and alerted by the passing of another dog. She is dog reactive. We make good strides but there are still challenges for her.  Each day  after I work with her and bring her to the gate of the kennel, she hesitates, then quietly follows me in through the gate. She has come far with her training. She loves to learn. She has done a brilliant job today. She lets me brush her. We play a game of search for the tennis ball under the blanket on her bed. Then it is time to go. I close the gate and secure the lock. She sits and watches me as I go. I am haunted.

Tonight I say a prayer for her, and for all of the dogs sleeping (or not sleeping) in shelters near and far.

May a person with realism,  vision and acceptance walk past your gate.

May they see that the jumping dog in front of them is desperate to say hello.

May they realize that with a bit of training, you can learn polite greeting manners.

May they understand that you are not perfect, but that you can be trained to be a good dog.

May they understand if you are shy and overwhelmed, and see that with love, encouragement and confidence you will come out of your shell. May they understand this may take quite a few months.

May they see that the thunder and bluff is just that; and with training that teaches you in a peaceful way to get the distance you want from whatever “monster” that scares you , you will learn to resolve your conflicts with the world constructively and gain confidence.

May they understand you are curious and inquisitive and need to explore the world, but also you will need clear boundaries and kind but constant guidance.

And may they decide to make a life commitment to you. For who you are. The brilliant, the challenging, the aloof, the goofy, the exhuberant, the serious, the silly, the reserved, the obnoxious, the funny, the athletic, the laid back, the complex and beautiful;  the real dog that makes you the completely unique you.

Divorce is not an option in adopting. This is not fast food or Disneyland. This is real dog, real relationship and real commitment.

May you feel the touch of a kind hand and hear a gentle word.

May you take a car ride to your forever home.

When you mess up, may you be forgiven.

May your new family understand that it can take months and sometimes years of training, guidance and learning to help you be the best you can become. May they make that commitment to you.

May they accept you for the dog that you are in spite of all of the training. And may they smile at your imperfections as much as your achievements.

May they protect you, nurture you, give you exercise and adventures together.

And may you someday fall asleep  on the bed, sighing in deep contentment, peace and security,  spooned against your forever friend.

This I pray for you my friend, and for all dogs. This I pray.

Sleep in peace and we will both dream and pray for your forever home.

I am sure Max’s owner loves him. However, part of love is making good decisions for our pets that do not understand the rules and nuances of our human world. This includes getting them vaccinated for rabies and licensed, if required by local ordinances. This also includes being honest with our selves about whether or not our dogs have 100% recall with high distractions.  If we do not know for sure that we have 100% recall, we should not let our dogs off leash in areas where wild life or other equally desirable distractions may be present. Max began  his journey with a visit to the local open space park. He was off leash and chased a coyote onto a lake.  They both fell through the ice. The coyote drown. Max swam for his life and was rescued; scared, exhausted and traumatized.

Max’s owner loves his dog and is very excited that his wonderful dog Max will be featured on the Channel 9 news the next morning.  Max, however, is still very tired, still probably quite distressed and his cortisol (stress hormone) levels are still quite high. Max’s owner does not know about cortisol, stress and their relation to aggression and does not understand how stressed Max still is from this experience. So Max makes the journey to the studio.

Imagine Max, picking up on the nervous, excited energy of the humans around him, now in the studio with bright lights against darkness, cameras moving in and out of the light and darkness, people he does not know close to him, touching him, and in his space. His owner is jerking and popping on his leash. At the very least, Max is very confused. At worse, his stress level is rising to the point where he is over his threshold. Max tries to calm himself down with yawning. He tries to communicate that he is very uncomfortable with the situation. He pants, his respiration rate is high, he licks his lips repeatedly, roles his eyes, his body is tense and vigilant.

Someone he does not know approaches from behind. This woman also loves dogs and all animals passionately and has been a wonderful advocate for their cause. She is moved by his story and in the moment, leans over to kiss him. Max growls. He is saying he wants space. The woman does not hear him and comes closer. Max’s owner does not understand anything his dog is trying to communicate.  Max resorts to his last alternative and bites.

Max’s next journey is to a ten-day quarantine in a kennel, away from his home and the people and routine he knows. He is still there.

Love is important, but understanding is crucial. Learn to understand your dog’s body language. When they are saying they are nervous, remove them from that situation to a quiet, safe place. Make decisions for them that keep them safe. Be not only their best friend, but also their interpreter, protector, and advocate. And when a dog asks for space and peace, let us all grant them their simple requests.

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20120110/NEWS/120109807/1078&ParentProfile=1055

What are YOUR training goals for January and the new year?  What tips would you like to know about?

on snow

I have to admit that since we had winter until June this year, I more than welcomed nice weather staying into fall.  But now the snow is here. The dogs seem to know first…sensing the weather from far away in the wind. They become excited and restless. When the first bit snow came and the yard was covered, they could hardly wait to bound out the door into the wonderful cold refreshing white room!

Waiting until there is adequate snow on the ground to skijor is important…even if one’s dogs can hardly wait. Catching a rock or dirt while flying behind your dogs can result in an immediate face plant…and risk injury at the beginning of the season…and no one wants that! But after a few snows, I decided to check out the Bakerville Road near Loveland ski area. The road was recently paved this summer as a recreation path and so the surface underneath the snow is smooth and rock free…providing if there is good coverage.  And for the most part the road stays in the shade and holds the snow well.

We were not disappointed! Wonderful, deep cold light snow!  We were off with a “Lets Go!”  ReRun was lead dog today with Linus and Charlie partnered behind.

Placing dogs in a team is always an interesting decision. I have been watching the dogs as we have been biking with them through the summer and fall. Naturally ReRun sets a focused steady pace in front, Linus likes to “flank” and make big circles to the side, Charlie and Lucy like to follow. In the past, Linus has always been my lead dog, and he is a great one! But I have also noticed that when hooked up, ReRun prefers to be on his own and he seemed ready for a new role. He is steady and focused and knows his gees and haws pretty well…plus with Linus behind to guide, once Linus makes a move in the right direction, ReRun “gets it” in case he “forgot”. Plus I need a good dog to help Charlie, “learn the ropes” .  I wondered if Linus would mind having ReRun in the lead, but he did not seem to mind one bit.  His joy seems to be  working together on the trail in the snow…no matter where he is.

Charlie is adapting to his new family and new team. He gains more confidence daily and is learning that the world is not such a scary place after all. Normally he likes to run behind us on the bikes, which makes for an awesome trail dog! I wondered how he would do  pulling up front. And he and Linus do not necessarily like each other. They are tolerant, but I wouldn’t really say “like” to describe the relationship. Charlie is a dog with a definite “space bubble” around him. So I wondered how this arrangement was going to work and I was ready to change things around quickly if needed. At first he didn’t quite understand, but then began to run beside Linus. Linus was a steady teacher and the team fell into synch. Charlie learned today the pulling in front was good, and running right next to Linus was not so bad after all.

Lucy can still hardly wait to get her harness on.  Once the harnesses come out, she is first in front ready to go! It is hard watching this much love and enthusiasm in an 11 year old dog that is going to be semi retired.  How do you deny such heart? Yet balance the physical reality?  She has started on Adequan for her hips with almost miraculous results, but I still do not want to injure or hurt her.  So she now has the important role of “team manager”.  Wearing her harness but not hooked into the line, she leads the team ahead down the trail, and on the downhills brings up the rear.  Sometimes she falls behind these days, and it breaks my heart to see it happen.  I slow the team down and wait for her to catch up. But unlike a human, Lucy has no self pity.  She is happy to be out, happy to be running with us, happy in the snow.

Back in the truck, ReRun seemed to have a new calmness and assurance to him.  Not quite the crazy, energetic,  easily distracted goof ball I know. He was quietly proud and dignified. A new role for this boy? Charlie and Linus lay down together…not stiff bodied but relaxed. Lucy took the front seat with me and looked quite pleased. “We did a good job today didn’t we girl?” I said to her.  She agreed.

And dogs do amaze me so. In human social interactions, moving someone from lead to wheel and trainer could result in resentment, pouting and anger. Linus accepted his new role without a blink. Linus reminds me that it isn’t about your status or place, its about the joy of the moment and the joy of just running in the snow. Lucy teaches me that it doesn’t matter if you fall behind sometimes, you are still there, still running…the fresh cold air, the sun, the sky, the freedom and the friendship.

The season has started well.

We will be offering both our very popular “Squirrel??!!”  and “Obedience for Life and Sports” classes and a chance to practice Rally and Agility.

“Squirrel??!!”" as you might guess is all about getting your dog’s attention when they are distracted. One of the most common things people experience with their dogs is that dogs feel that exploring the greater outdoors is simply much more interesting than hanging out with their humans (and to be honest, from a dog’s point of view, in most cases they are right!) So we need to learn how to make ourselves irresistibly interesting and attractive to our dogs as well as train them to give us their attention as an automatic reflex.

“Obedience for Life and Sports” not only covers the basics of sit, stay, down, and come but applies these to real life situations. We are not training a dog for obedience competitions, but teaching dogs to develop the essential manners that will make them enjoyable to live with and socially acceptable.   Training is a life long endeavor with a dog that does not end when class ends. In this class we will give you the skills to apply what we are learning to your life with your dog. We will also go into managing a dog’s environment to increase the chances of success and we will explore topics such as self control. If you are planning on doing sports with your dog, basic skills such as self control, giving you their attention in the face of distractions, tolerance of being in a crate and tolerance of other dogs and people is essential.

We will also offer one more chance to practice Rally at a novice or intermediate level.  Some basic knowledge of Rally is helpful, but if you want to also just come and try it out, we can accomodate that as well.

As will Rally, we will be offering a chance to practice agility in the high country hopefully before the snow flies for real. Being able to use the obstacles SAFELY is a requirement for this session.

Hope you can join us!!

Hope you can join us!

Agility:

Moving on from basics we will start to put courses together for you and your dog to run. This is a class you can come and simply enjoy running your dog through a simple course, or learn more specifics about the subtleties of body language used to direct your dog through courses more efficiently.
I will go over equipment safety again as well for those of you unfamiliar with the equipment.
Times:5:30 to 6:30 pm
Days: Fridays August 5 and August 12
Register at
http://www.activityreg.com/selectactivity.wcs under “agility sequencing”

Intermediate Rally:
The basics in Rally are loose lead heeling and figuring out those darn signs! Rally is a fun way to practice obedience and work on your dog’s focus! If there is interest I will try to arrange a fun match on August 12 as a season wrap-up!
Times: 7 to 8 pm
Days: Fridays August 5 and August 12
Register at:
http://www.activityreg.com/selectactivity.wcs

CaniX (canine cross)
It’s intuitive and self rewarding for your dog, great exercise for the two of you, FREE and I have equipment you can use…how easier can it get??
Come and join us Saturday mornings from 8 to 9 am August 6th and August 13th.

Intro to Flyball:
Flyball is fun, funny and a great team builder for people and dogs. Do you have a fetch-a-holic?
We will do a 2 session teaser class to let you try out this great sport!
Times:  10 – 11:30 am
Days: Saturdays August 6 and August 13th
Register at
http://www.activityreg.com/selectactivity.wcs

During the 10,000 or more years of our dogs as our working partners, companions and friends, dominance struggles  between dogs and humans have not played a role.  Working partnerships and mutual respect have forged this unique relationship over the centuries. These partnerships have been built between individuals and their dogs.

So what are the qualities of a “whisperer”? First would be someone who is quiet, calm relaxed and happy around dogs.  It is someone who accepts a dog for who he/she is with an open mind. This doesn’t mean a dog gets to do anything it wants to, but you do always need to start with understanding a dog’s basic personality traits. Are they naturally reserved or outgoing? Sensitive or carefree? Protective? Loyal?  A one person dog or a dog who loves everyone? Speed demon or couch potato (or both?). Needs space or loves a crowd? What are things that this dog loves? What motivates them?

Other  “whisperer” qualities would be someone who takes the time to observe dogs and how they are relating to their surroundings.  Is the dog relaxed and confident?  Or wary, anxious, or defensive?  Is the dog showing normal instincts such as chasing, digging, barking, smelling, exploring? Are these behaviors appropriate to the environment the dog is in? Do any of these behaviors put the dog in an unsafe situation (ie, chasing cars), or cause annoyances (barking dogs with neighbors?) What are things in the dog’s surrounding physical and social environment that could be causing their behavior? What are past experiences a dog has had that may be causing the current behavior?  What are biological causes (instincts or health related issues)?

A “whisperer” will also ask how does the dog’s human currently train their dog? Do they see themselves as a friend, parent and teacher or do they think they need to be an “alpha”? Do they just not know anything about dogs or dog training? Do they use confrontational, harsh or aversive methods or do they use positive reinforcement? How is their timing in responding to a behavior? How much about modern training techniques does this person understand? Where are they learning about dogs and dog training?  Which canine television shows do they watch?

Another area for observation would be are there other dogs around? How does the dog relate to them? Are there things that the dogs could perceive as resources that could create conflict? Does a dog understand and use proper body language with other dogs and have good dog manners?

A “whisperer”, then,  starts with quiet observation. It’s as though they were silently asking the dog to tell them about his/her life and listening without judgement. The “prescription for change” is based upon each dog’s individual situation. Often it is changing something in the dog’s surroundings and lifestyle…including asking the human part of the equation to change as well. It may be helping a dog to gain more confidence or changing how a dog feels about something he/she may find frightening.  It also requires education about how dog’s learn and perceive, and a willingness to accept that how dogs perceive the world is very different from how humans perceive it. Everything I have mentioned so far is something every person is capable of doing if they are motivated, patient and willing to learn.

Training a dog is not a mystery.  It’s pretty straight forward.  It has nothing to do with some mystical “alpha in the sky”. Personally I am concerned that many people like the “alpha” idea because it gives them justification for what is really a harsh and physical expression of frustration on their part with their dog.  However, it is important to note that research is showing that confrontational training based on the incorrect and outdated “alpha” model creates more aggression in dogs and increases the chance of owners getting bitten by their own dogs.  The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has recently issued a statement about it’s concern on the resurgence of dominance theory. More importantly, the “alpha” style of confrontational training wreaks havoc on the deep and rewarding relationship people actually want to have with their dogs. If your dog is your best friend, why do you need to pick a fight with them by rolling them over?  If you are frustrated with your dog’s behavior or with a training situation, give yourself a time out and count to 10. Then think of a simpler and different approach to the situation.  Ask yourself, “what am I doing that my dog is not getting? How can I change the way I am teaching them?

So what is training? It is getting your dog’s attention; establishing reasonable boundaries and being consistent about them; finding both established and creative ways to teach your dog what it is you want him/her to do. It almost always involves breaking things down into smaller tasks with are easy to achieve and rewarding success. If you progress too quickly and leave your dog behind (evidenced by your dog is just “not getting it” or relapses into an undesirable behavior), its time to back up a few steps and fill in the blanks.  This takes time.  It takes patience. It is effective! Behavioral science demonstrates that training using positive reinforcement techniques is both effective and long lasting…plus these techniques strengthen the relationship you have with your dog.

So, yes, you are your own dog’s whisperer. You NEED to be your own dog’s whisperer.

Keep an open mind, learn as much as you can, be calm, be patient, and enjoy a deep and rewarding relationship with your dog as you work through life together.

When kids and dogs are together, supervision is absolutely essential! And I am not just talking about the dog! Kids are active. They are often running chaotically and not always aware of their surroundings and space.  They are loud. They have unpredictable movements and actions.  None of this works well for dogs. Dogs like calm, predictable movements and events. Just like people, dogs appreciate being invited into another person or dog’s space with politeness rather than having a stranger run up to them and grab their ears or head. Honestly, how many of us would put up with a total stranger doing that to us or to our children?  Dogs also need the opportunity to say “no thank  you” and have that respected.

A great pattern to teach kids with any dog, is to ask the DOG.  Yup, I said, ask the DOG.  Here is how it works.  A child first stops a least 6 feet (a leash length) away from a dog and owner. The child asks the owner, “May I ask your DOG if I can pet it?”  If the owner says yes, the child backs ups, puts their hands down on their knees and invites the dog to come to them.  If a dog refuses, everyone MUST respect that. Owners should not push their dogs to accept this invitation and children need to accept the dog’s answer. This is different from just asking the owner “May I pet your dog?’, the owner says yes and the child rushes into the dog’s face.  In the later scenario, no one asked the dog.

Children need to also be taught to be calm around dogs.  The analogy of red light/yellow light/green light is a good one to use here. When a child is running, it will often trigger a dog’s chase instinct.  We teach children that green light is running, and a dog will chase them. We don’t want this.  Yellow light is walking calmly. Yellow light is what should be used around dogs. Red light works to stop a child before they run into a dog or stop a child at a safe distance before asking the DOG if they may pet him/her.

“Be a Tree” is also a great exercise to teach children when they are approached by a dog they do not know…or a dog that seems a little too rambunctious, or even threatening. Running will only likely make the dog chase and get the dog aroused.  Instead, experts recommend to teach children to “be a tree”, standing very still with arms folded  (“bring your branches in”) and looking at their feet (“watch your roots grow”) when an unknown dog or overly excited dog comes up to them.

Infants and toddlers MUST be supervised at all times with dogs period! Even the family dog. Often a dog will have been part of a family long before children were born. They were used to a different pace of life and probably received more attention and exercise before the kids arrived.  So in this scenario we are dealing with a huge change in lifestyle for a dog, which is probably confusing, and again, no one asked the dog.

This is a good time for adults to learn and understand dog body language. It is crucial to recognize the signs and cues dogs are giving to say if they are afraid, feeling trapped and crowded, anxious, nervous, frustrated, etc. Teaching children to recognize when a dog is saying “I am scared”, “I am anxious”, “I feel trapped” is also incredibly valuable. We need to teach children to recognize and respect the signals dogs are giving.  Bites rarely come “out of the blue”.  In most cases, the dogs have been trying to communicate their fear and anxiety for quite a while and the bite is only the last resort.

When a dog leaves a situation, let them. Give dogs an escape route. Give them a quiet secluded place to go to get away from toddlers. Be ready to intervene when a dog shows the slightest indication of anxiety or fear.

Also be aware that pain from injury or arthritis can change a way a dog behaves.  The old gentle family dog may react to the pain of a child unintentionally jumping on his/her arthritic hips. The dog may react from pain and snap or bite at a child. Again, supervision is the key.

When a dog growls, do not punish him/her. Growling is a clear sign that the dog wants some space. Growls need to be respected.  Punishing a growl or suppressing it will not change the emotions that caused a dog to growl. The dog will still feel afraid, trapped, threatened. But if they are taught to suppress one of their main forms of communication, then they will just go straight to bite. Remember, the emotions are still there. Suppressing growls does not suppress the emotions behind them. When a dog growls, children should leave the dog alone and parents should intervene and get toddlers and children out of the way. If necessary, consulting a qualified dog trainer or behavior consultant to figure out why the dog is growling might be a good idea.

I strongly suggest using a training program based on non-force and positive reinforcement. Studies are showing that training methods based on confrontation (such as dominance theory/alpha role) and inflicting pain (such as shock or choke collars) actually increase the likelihood of a dog bite. Dominance models have been shown to be based upon flawed interpretations of flawed observations, rather than good behavioral science. Unfortunately these dominance based ideas have become popular myth promoted by TV shows that say “don’t try this with your dog at home”.  Hmmmm, why not? Because you could get bit that’s why!

The dominance myth also has serious implications when it comes to kids and dogs. Teaching a child to confront a dog is dangerous.  Some training methods actually teach children to go up to a strange dog, growl and bite them to show them who is “alpha”. As a certified professional dog trainer I cannot express sufficiently how deeply disturbing and dangerous I find this!

Kids and dogs CAN go together with good supervision and education. Dogs enrich the lives of children and are often truly a child’s best friend. We are seeing also the benefit of dogs as therapy dogs both for children with illness and children struggling to read. Together, with supervision and education, we can make the world a better and safer place for kids and dogs.

Even if it is SNOWING (like this morning) we have indoor class space! We will be alternating between the Frisco Community Center (indoor!) and the Peninsula Recreation Area (indoor and outdoor).

These classes will lay a solid foundation for all of the sports classes to follow in June through August and they are highly recommended to increase your success in subsequent classes.

To register, go to :

http://www.activityreg.com/ then go to Colorado/Friscorecreation

At the top of this page there is a menu, click on Register, on the next page click on Adult Activities, this will bring up Dog Sports, click on this and you will find all of the sports available for registration. Click on register for the classes you want and continue to follow the menu.

Hope to see you soon!