5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Training Time

Learn to read body language

If you don’t do anything else from this list this one is most important. If you learn to read your dog, you can make their behavior predictable and predictability allows you to change the outcome. Think of seeing steam before the pot boils, when the steam starts you know what is happening next so if you didn’t want it to boil you would turn down the heat! I see my dogs excitement is building when the stranger approaches, when my dog gets really excited she jumps, I will ask the stranger to stop so that she doesn’t practice jumping.

Consistency

This also the key to all of life. What ever you put the time into is what you will (they will) get good at. Being consistent is hard, especially when our brains are wired to do the same things over and over because it is easy. So when you pick part of your dogs behavior you want to change you have to change yours too. Most of the job of a dog trainer is to make sure you are consistent.

Learn What Criteria Splitting is and Use It

Criteria is what you want your dog to do in any given situation. Learning to split that criteria into smaller pieces is very important. Think about going to the gym with a goal of a 500lb dead lift. If you walk in, never having preformed a dead lift before and try to do 500lbs best case scenario you just fail to move it worst case you end up severely hurt. Now we all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result so you wouldn’t keep doing that, instead you would lower the weight, learn proper form (with no weight), work on your grip strength, etc. That is criteria splitting. If your goal is loose leash walking with your dog at the park but your dog can’t even hold still when you pick up the leash at home you need to work on criteria splitting.

Flexibility

So a lot of dog training is like trying to work out in the gym. If you don’t go having the membership does you no good. If you don’t go regularly you wont see any changes either. HOWEVER with dogs. there is a big difference. If you go to the gym once and learn how to do a pushup you can then take that skill outside of the gym and also do a pushup because you can generalize new skills. Dogs aren’t as good at that. So while you may have taught your dog not to jump on people in the house when you take them for a walk they may still jump on your neighbor. This means you need to be flexible with your criteria based on your dogs learning history in each particular setting.

Remember Its Your Life, Your Dog, and Your Goals

There are a lot of pressures out there for HOW a dog should act. Cures for jumping, barking, pulling, are a dime a dozen on the internet. Hell, I have a few in this blog but at the end of the day if you don’t care (for the most part) I don’t care. There are some safety concerns but on the whole I don’t care what you require for your dog and you shouldn’t care what anyone else thinks. Management is a 1000000000000% ok solution to your problems. Don’t want your dog to jump on house guests but are OK with them jumping on you? Put them away when people come in. Don’t care if your dog is perfectly by your side when walking just want your shoulder to stay in place cool! Just like every other part of your life your goals can change as life moves and you can always teach an old dog new tricks but the longer they have been doing a behavior the harder it is to change. That is the only reason I always ask my clients will you be ok with this behavior when: they are bigger, if you have kids, when guests come over, if you move, etc. I am not judging, I just want to make sure they have thought the behavior through all the different scenarios!

The Top 10 Dog Training Tips Every Dog Owner Should Know

Ok there are a lot more then 10 but these are the 10 basic training things that every dog owner should know… maybe I will do another post including more basic information that dog owners should know.

1.Management

If you don’t want your dog to do something set up their life so they can’t do it. Hate them getting into the trash? Get a locking can. Hate them jumping on guests? Stop letting guests in while your dog is out. Behaviors become habits and breaking habits is harder then just training good habits from the jump.

2. Know Your Value

You are not sexier then a squirrel if you haven’t trained to be. You need to know what your dog values vs what you have control over. If you are taking your untrained dog out in public and think you will be more fun to look at then the dogs, people, cars, deer, squirrels, cats, etc. hate to tell you that you are lying to yourself. Bring different level reinforcers (things your dog likes) with you so you are ready for the different levels needed while you are out!

3. Focus On the Dog In Front of You

Just like we have good and bad day, hours, or minutes so does your dog. They could be tired, hungry, annoyed, scared, stressed and so many other emotions. (Yes dogs have emotions but that is a whole other post) Stop comparing your dog to someone else’s.

4. Stop Skipping Ahead

So many people come to me wanting me to train their dog to work “off leash”, a service dog, therapy dog, to take their dog everywhere but they seem to forget they have to start at the basics and work up to that, and its not an overnight (or even over months) thing. Proper training takes time because we have to work at the dog’s level (see above) and also prep them in every type of environment. That mean in rain, heat, forest, parks, stores, around screaming kids, other animals and so many other things for each and every cue. Stop trying to jump to the end because your dog will practice bad behaviors and those behaviors become habits (see point 1).

5. Drill The Basics

Super advanced training is just the basics done very well. Lets look at heeling, this behavior is teaching the dog to focus on you (no matter what distraction is going on) while maintaining a certain proximity to you (loose leash walking). If you want your dog to do some “advanced” skill try to break it down like I just did for heeling and work on each piece separately then combine them together.

6. It’s Ok to Say NO

No to people asking to pet your dog, no to the dog birthday party you were invited to, no to your family wanting to bring their dog with them to stay at your house, no to the cashier offering your dog a cookie. You know your dog and your goals. If you want your dog to be a service dog, who by definition has to be more focused on you then anyone else why are you letting them get so many reinforcers from strangers? If your dog is stressed out by other dogs why do you feel like you have to let people bring their dogs to your house?

7. Dogs Don’t All Love Each Other

I want you to think about when you are walking down the street of a busy city or walking around Walmart, do you stop say hi and play with every other person you see? When you do talk to strangers or watch someone talk about something on TV or social media, do you agree with everything? Do you love every single person in the world? No ? Then why do you make your dog say hi to EVERY SINGLE DOG YOU SEE?

8. You’re Dog Doesn’t Have To Love Everyone

In line with the above point STOP getting mad when your dog doesn’t love everyone (human or dog)? While polite society has social rules like you can’t just go around punching people you don’t agree there are no rules that we all have to enjoy every interaction with every person that we engage with. This is something we train and work with our dogs on, with the understanding that they have the emotional regulation of a small child so we will still be the adults (see point 6.)

9. Always Be Ready to Leave

Whenever I go somewhere with one of my dogs, no matter what I have paid for, plans I have made, distance I have driven. I am ALWAYS ready to leave if my dog needs me to. Nothing to me is more important then the work I have put into my dogs, I can’t tell you the number of events I have left because my dogs weren’t feeling it (see point 3), the people weren’t listening to the word NO, or it was just to stressful for my dogs because someone else there wasn’t controlling their dog.

10. Training Isn’t Linear

As much as we would like to say there is a start and finish to dog training and its always moving forward, it would be a lie. (see point 3) As your dog ages different things are going to happen in their brain and with their hormones (if you leave them intact). Also, if we are honest, we don’t always practice each skill equally. I can not tell you the last time I practiced play dead with my dog so he probably wouldn’t preform it as well as say down. Think about the last time you used the knowledge of a frog’s digestive system or the last time calculated the circumference of a circle from its radius? Do you think you could do teach anyone else about those things right now without a refresher course (or google)? This is what we tell you their is no end to training.

Getting Rid of 'Bad' Behavior: Why Management is Key

As a dog trainer and owner, I know that dealing with problem behaviors can be frustrating. No one wants to deal with a dog that's destructive, disobedient or aggressive, but correcting these behaviors can be challenging. One thing that many dog owners forget is that management is key. Rather than trying to stop an unwanted behavior outright, it's often easier and more effective to manage the environment and teach your dog what you'd like them to do instead.

Management

The first rule to changing the behavior of any thing is manage the environment. The more that any living creature gets to practice a behavior the strong it gets. It becomes a habit, and if you have ever tried to break a habit while ALSO still doing the habit you would know how futile that is! If more people used good management with their dogs we would have a lot fewer clients!

Choose What You Would Like the Dog to Do Instead

One of the most important things to do when trying to eliminate a problem behavior is to decide what you'd like your dog to do instead. Instead of telling your dog to stop doing something, like barking at visitors, give them a new cue, like lying down. This teaches your dog what you expect them to do and gives them something to focus on. Make sure the new behavior is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Make the New Behavior Reinforcing to Do

Dogs do things because they are rewarding. If you want your dog to stop doing something, you need to give them an alternative behavior that's just as rewarding. For example, if your dog chews on shoes, give them a toy that's fun to chew on instead. By making the new behavior more rewarding than the old one, you're more likely to see a change in your dog's behavior.

Shaming Your Dog Does Nothing

Some dog owners use shame or punishment as a way to stop bad behavior, but it's important to know that this approach doesn't work. Dogs don't understand shame, and they don't respond well to punishment either. In fact, using punishment can make the problem behavior worse and damage your relationship with your dog. Instead of shaming or punishing, focus on rewarding good behavior and managing the environment.

Yelling at Your Dog Doesn't Fix It

Similarly, yelling or other harsh tones often have a negative effect on your dog. Yelling may make your dog scared or anxious (which is why you think they “look guilty”), which can lead to more problem behavior. It's better to stay calm and positive when working with your dog. Rewarding the behaviors you want to see and managing the environment can go a long way in changing problem behaviors and increasing your dog's confidence. If they are doing something that you don’t like then redirect them to what you would like and plan new management so they don’t get to practice doing that behavior again!

Stopping problem behaviors definitely takes some effort, but it doesn't have to be impossible. Instead of trying to stop the behavior when its happening , focus on managing the environment so they can’t practice it while also teaching your dog new behaviors instead. By making these behaviors reinforcing and managing your environment, you can help your dog feel more confident and well-behaved. Avoid shaming or punishing your dog, and stay calm and positive when working with them. With patience and persistence, you can help your dog become the happy, well-behaved pup they were meant to be.

Private Lessons for Custom Stuff: Why One-on-One Training is the Way to Go

So, you've taken the plunge and decided to add a furry friend to your life. Congratulations, you're officially a dog owner! Now comes the fun part - training! But with all the options out there, it can be overwhelming to decide which approach is right for you and your pooch. Do you join a group class, where your pup can socialize with other furry friends? Or do you go the private lesson route, where it's just you, your pup, and a trainer? While both options have their pros and cons, I'm here to explain why private lessons might be the paw-fect choice for you.

First and foremost, private lessons offer one-on-one attention. That means your trainer can tailor their approach to your pup's specific needs and personality quirks. Are they particularly anxious around new people? Your trainer can take things slow and build trust over time. Do they get easily distracted by squirrels and birds? Your trainer can work on redirecting their attention and building focus exercises. With group classes, trainers have to divide their attention between multiple pups, which can make it harder to address individual needs.

Another great thing about private lessons is that you and your trainer can collaborate on a customized training plan. Maybe you don’t care about teaching your dog to heel but really want to be able to count on your dog coming back when you call. With private lessons, you have more flexibility to focus on the skills that matter to you. Plus, you can work at your own pace - if your pup is a quick learner, you can progress more quickly through each skill. If they need more time to master certain behaviors, you can take things slower.

Even in our small group classes, attention is still divided between multiple families. But with private lessons, your trainer's undivided focus means you can work on all sorts of skills, from basic obedience to more advanced tricks. You can also ask questions and get feedback in real time, which can be particularly helpful if you're a first-time dog owner. And if you have any concerns or issues that come up during training, you can address them immediately with your trainer.

Private lessons can be particularly beneficial for dogs who may have had a tough start in life. If your dog has been rescued from an abusive or neglectful situation, they may have additional emotional and behavioral challenges that need to be addressed. A private trainer can work with you to create a specialized training plan that takes those challenges into account. They can also work on building trust and socialization skills in a controlled environment, where your dog feels safe and comfortable.

At the end of the day, both group classes and private lessons have their merits. But I'm here to advocate for the VIP treatment that private lessons provide. With one-on-one attention, customized training plans, and undivided focus, you and your dog can build a strong bond while mastering all sorts of new skills. So why settle for a group class when you could have the ultimate experience with private lessons? Trust me - your pup (and you) will thank you!

Jump Jump the Dog is Jumpin

OK, first if you don’t get the reference sorry we are talking about those jumping pups!

Does your pup jump on you and your guests every time someone comes over? If so, you aren’t alone. Dogs jump up to say hello, quite simply. They don’t know how humans prefer to be greeted, and it never occurs to them that they might knock us over or ruin our clothes. Thankfully, consistent anti-jump training can quickly solve the problem for good. Let's dive into some tips for anti-jump training when you arrive home or inside your house.

Anti-Jump Training When You Arrive Home

When arriving home, if your dog is loose, open the door a teeny bit. If your dog jumps up, close the door right away and back away from the entrance. Repeat this process until you can step through the door without your dog jumping up - even if that means closing and reopening the door 10 times in a row! Whenever your dog keeps four paws on the floor, praise him and pet him as soon as you enter. If your dog is in a crate you are going to wait till they are calmer before you walk over to the crate, then again slowly open the door closing back if they start getting to crazy. If your dog knows sit this is a great time to try that!

Anti-Jump Training Inside Your House

Inside your house is where this technique really shines! The same process applies here; when your pup jumps on you, turn your back to him. As soon as he stops jumping on you (or anyone else), turn around to face him again with lots of love and praise, but be ready to turn again if your dog gets a little too jazzed. If he jumps again (which he will at first!), turn away once more and repeat this process until he learns not to jump on people anymore. You can make this easier on your house guests by keeping your dog on a leash when they first arrive. This allows you to keep your dog at a distance from your guests so that your dog doesn’t practice jumping on them (and prevents your guest from the patented “its ok I love dogs!”).

Another helpful tip with guests is to have them toss a handful of cookies on the floor when they come to say hi to your dog so that your dog is eating treats and getting pets for keeping their feet down!

Consistent anti-jump training is key to ensure success in teaching your pup proper greeting manners indoors or outdoors. It may take some time but with patience and dedication, soon enough everyone will be able to come over without being knocked over by an overly friendly pup! That said, make sure that all family members are using these techniques consistently because inconsistency can lead to confusion for our furry friends. Best of luck in training those cute little paws to stay grounded!

Demand Barking!!

Does your pup bark at you when he wants something?

Maybe it’s a treat, or a toy, or maybe he just wants to go out and play. Your dog has opinions and boy does he let you know it!! If this is the case, then your pup has entered the world of demand barking. Demand barking is that lovely thing you here when your you aren’t doing life exactly the way your dog thinks you should. Obviously, it’s not always the most desirable behavior, but it’s easier to understand why dogs engage in this type of behavior (BIG HINT! IT WORKS) and it is easy to handle, as long as your consistent. Let’s break down why demand barking happens and how to deal with it.

Why Dogs Demand Bark

Ok, if you missed the hint above let give you the jist for those who are skimming this. It works! They bark and you give them something that are looking for. Now, the long answer, dogs are social creatures, and they need attention from their owners in order to feel secure and loved. When they don’t get enough attention, they can start engaging in behaviors like demand barking in order to get some attention from their owners. They can do this because every time they bark you open the back door to let them chase squirrels, or throw the ball that has been sitting at your feet for 5 seconds. They could be barking because they are bored and barking makes them less bored, to rule this out it’s important that you make sure he is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day. The final reason that they do it, genes. (check out our blog (Does Breed Matter?)

So lets look at that reinforcing aspect that you have control over. Demand barking that has been rewarded for doing it in the past—even if unintentionally! If they barked at you one time, got what they wanted out of it (whether that was a treat, the back door open, the ball thrown, or just petting!), then chances are they will do it again next time because it worked for them before. That’s why when managing demand barking, it’s important that you don’t give into their demands even once—otherwise you risk reinforcing the undesirable behavior!

How to Deal with Demand Barking

The best way to deal with demand barking (and all behavior) is through training and consistency. Start by teaching your pup a basic obedience command like “sit”. This will help him learn a new way to ask for something that he wants. Additionally, make sure that you reward him for good behavior (like sitting patiently instead of barking) with treats or extra affection—this will help encourage positive behaviors over negative ones! Start asking for this sit for EVERYTHING. Before you open a door, before you throw a ball, before you put food down, whatever it is your dog demands for so they start seeing that sitting gets them that thing! Finally, if your pup does start bark-demanding something from you, ignore him until he stops or find another way to interrupt the behavior, like leaving the room for a second —this will help him learn that his demands won't be met unless he behaves properly first.

Demand barking can be an annoying habit for any dog owner to deal with but thankfully there are ways that we can manage our pups' bad behaviors! By teaching basic obedience commands like “sit", rewarding good behaviors with treats or extra affection, and ignoring our pups when they bark-demand something from us we can help them learn acceptable behaviors without having to resort to punishments or scolding them! (Which for most dog just encourgages it more because you are now barking along with them!!) All dog owners should take these steps if their pup starts engaging in demand barking—it may take patience and consistency but eventually your pup should understand that his demands won't be met unless he behaves properly first!

As always if you need help with this skill please reach out and schedule a free phone consultation!!

Chewing- Stopping Your Doggie Renovator

Chewing Is Natural

So originally chewing developed as a way for dogs to keep those jaw in tip top shape to eat away at bones. Even though now a days most dogs are eating kibble, not bones, for their nutritional needs its still in their DNA. While some have it more then others chewing is still a big reason for dogs being surrendered to shelters.

No They Won’t Grow Out Of It

While when dogs are younger, they chew more yes its not like they hit a magical age and just stop. Some will start chewing less it is still important that dogs of all ages have access to things you are ok with them chewing, if you don’t your stuff becomes fair game. Remember the best behaved dogs have had the right choices set up to be the easiest to make. Follow these three steps to stop your dog demolishing days.

Pick up anything you can that your dog has chew in the past

Anything that your dog has had a history of chewing make sure they are out of reach of them in the beginning. Chewing is a self rewarding behavior, it can sooth them and its fun, this means we need to put them on a diet from those things. If you have a new puppy start by puppy proofing the go to things, shoes, clothing, electronics, and never leave your puppy unattended where they can get to ANYTHING. If you can’t move your dog’s favorite thing to chew don’t leave your dog around them. Instead use crates and playpens to create dog safe areas.

Have a variety of dog safe chews available and be excited when they destroy them

Since dog’s can’t verbally tell us what they like to chew when it is important that we have a lot of options for them. You should have 4 different types: soft, hard, edible, and puzzles. I also recommend having a rotation so they never get bored with them. As with kids and new toys make sure you are supervising your chewer with the new toys to make sure they are not ingesting things that they shouldn’t. Whenever you see them interacting with those items, praise them, love them, give them attention so they think those items magically make you put your phone down and notice them. Reinforcement drives behavior so if you make chewing toys super amazing why would they want to chew your stupid old shoe?

If they are chewing the wrong thing interrupt them properly

So safety is the first priority. If your dog has something they shouldn’t by all means get it away but if you have some time make sure you don’t accidently make it more rewarding to keep targeting that thing by giving them all your attention. Instead, grab something that you would like them to chew on and start throwing your own party with it: run away from them, squeak it, get excited about it. All this hubbub will make your dog drop what they have and come try to play with you. When they come play with them with that item, pet them, love them, for chewing on this thing.; they have already forgotten about chewing that other thing so no need to get angry now. After a 15 second go pick up that other item and put it out of reach.
If they are making more mistakes then good choices re evaluate how often you are leaving them around things they like to chew and if you have picked out toys they actually like to chew.

As always if you are struggling with this or any other behavior problems reach out! We would love to help you!

Your Dog is Not Alpha

I do not think that means what you think it means…

If you own a dog (or heck seen a dog) I am sure you have at one time or another heard something along the lines of “make sure you are the alpha. Well lets break that thought down.

The idea of needing a “top dog” in the animal happened because a guy name Rudolph Schenkel watched some captive wolves and said “these two are the ones in charge” and dubbed them alphas. A few years later, he recanted his statement and even went so far as pulling his books off the shelves because he watched wolves in the wild and found the wolf packs are just family units and the ones in charge are just mom and dad.

If this isn’t enough proof for you that your dog isn’t alpha I have some other sad news for you.

Your Dog is NOT a Wolf

I know you are sitting there saying “BUT THEY ARE RELATED/DECENDANTS OF WOLVES!”

Here I will concede this point. With the a little more information that you may not have. 1. The wolves we have today are not the ancestor to dogs. In fact, dogs, wolves, foxes, African Wild Dog, and Coyotes are all the descendants from the same ancient canine. 2. Wolves and dogs are as similar to each other as we are to our great apes. While we share DNA with them we and they are very different animals. 3. Dogs are domesticated animals and domestication significantly changes their DNA.

Even if you don’t believe me, its a label and isn’t helpful.

The terms alpha or dominate are labels and don’t help you describe or fix a problem your having. In fact it can set up more problems because you feel like you are fighting with your dog, and there will be a winner and a looser.

Instead of try to describe what is happening. He growls when x happens. He won’t hand me his bone. These descriptions are much more useful to help set up a behavior plan to change behavior.

A good trainer can set you up so both you and your dog win

When working with a good trainer they will help build a great relationship between you and your dog, not cause fights by throwing these labels on them. This is done by helping everyone win.

1. Make the right choice the easy choice

2. Make the right choice rewarding

3. Understand mistakes will happen because everyone and everything is fallible

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has recently updated recommendation that veterinarians not refer clients to trainers or behavior consultants who subscribe to dominance theories and confrontational training. To check this position statement and their others click here.

If you are struggling with your dog’s behavior please reach out to us we would love to help you!

Does Breed Matter?

As you have probably figured out I, and my team, work with dogs. We are called in sometimes when they are cute puppies and sometimes when they are older and less friendly. Over the years I have noticed that more and more people tell me they picked their dog because they were cute or they thought that breed was beautiful.

While these reasons are of course, true, but I believe if we all dove a little deeper when picking a breed we could put me out of business. So here is a quick post to try and help you guys do that just that.

“It’s all in how you raise them”

So before I get into putting myself out of a job, I know that a lot of you are thinking that quote I hear all the time. However, I have been doing this for 15+ years now dealing with some serious human and animal related aggression cases and I hate to tell you this is not the case.

These dogs were in loving homes, they were socialized, they were never hit, taught to bite or kill, or any of the other things I have been told in the past. There DNA mattered. While we can work with their DNA we can not cancel out their DNA. So now that I have gotten this out of the way lets get to some fun facts you should know about your dog.

Know what they were bred for

Whether you are thinking of getting a new puppy or if you already have your dog, you should know what they were bred to do.

Let’s break down some highlights of jobs and how that can impact your daily life with your dog.

Sighthounds

These dogs were bred to use their keen eyesight to catch sight of fast moving game. They can be great sprinters, covering huge distances in a short time. They can be pretty sensitive in nature both in temperament and weather tolerance.

What’s that mean for you?

These are the dogs I get called in for chasing down smaller animals, cats, livestock, smaller dogs, squirrels etc. They are also the ones that I get called in for phobias with strangers and loud noises.

Guardians

These giant breed dogs were breed to protect, not just humans but livestock. While their energy level is normally on the lower side they are not all the couch potatoes that people think they are.

What’s that mean for you?

Guardian breeds get large quickly and early training is a must if you want to be able to control them on a walk. They often don’t take kindly to strangers entering their territory and are the dogs I get called in for biting house guests or other animals that get into their yard.

Toy Sized Dogs

These little balls of love bond very strongly with their owner. They were bred for years to be the companion animals and to alert the owner of any intruders into their area.

What does that mean for you?

These little dogs have big feelings and big personality. I get called in for their “annoying” barking, separation anxiety, or fear of things taller then them (hint let them walk more then you carry them).

Hounds

These dogs have amazing noses that we bred into them to hunt various game over long distances. They don’t need to see to find there prey and they use their voice to tell us they found it.

What does that mean for you?

These dogs LOVE to sniff and that nose often gets them in trouble off leash and their voice gets them in trouble in tight living situations because excitement makes they bay.

Terriers

These guys were bred to be tenacious to the point of insanity. They are brave and have no problem taking on animals larger then them. They are bred to go go go.

What does that mean for you?

These little dogs have a ton of energy and brain power. If we are not engaging it properly they will find an out lit for it. I get called in for these guys fighting with other animals, obsessive behaviors like spinning or barking at nothing.

Herders

These super intelligent control freaks were bred to control their environment. They have a large amount of mental and physical stamina. They also bond strongly with their handlers as we bred them to work hand in hand with us.

What does that mean for you?

These dogs were not bred for apartment life. They require lots of daily mental and physical exercise. Their control freak nature comes out in the form of biting of other animals, people, bikes, and cars.

This is by no means an extensive list as the blog post would end up being a book so instead I direct you to check out this awesome book written by Kim Brophey Meet Your Dog. This easy to understand book breaks your dog down into not just DNA but other parts of them using Kim’s L.E.G.S. (Learning, Environment, Genetics, Self) and is a great step to better set you and your dog up for success.

As always we are here to help you and your dog better co-exist in your home and your life.

Mental VS Physical Exercise

What is better mental or physical?

As a dog trainer I am constantly being asked for ways to “wear them out.” This statement is a lot easier to say then it is to answer because just like humans they build endurance to things they do frequently; so it is very important that we mix it up.

We have all heard that saying “a tired dog is a good dog” while I don’t always agree with that statement, there is a little bit of truth in it. When a dog is given the correct amount of physical and mental exercise they are happier and healthier .

Mental Exercise

I am putting this one first because as a trainer you can imagine it is my most favorite of two and is also easy to incorporate with physical exercise (more on that below).

So lets first talk about ditching that dog food bowl.

That’s right I said I want you to ditch it, throw it away, donate it, whatever just get it out of your rotation of how you feed your dog.

Instead lets feed your dog in a way that gets their brain working so they are mentally wearing themselves down! Try hiding your dogs food in puzzle toys (Kong, Nina Ottoson, Starmark to name a few) and watch their brain fire up!

Don’t have a toy handy? Use the grass in your yard like a giant snuffle mat! Or better yet buy one! Snuffle mats are a great way to hid food so that your dog will spend after mealtime napping.

You can also make your own puzzle toys for your dog with things around your house. That package you just got from Amazon? Use the box and the packing paper to hide the food under. Do you have leftover containers? Clean them out and cut a hole in the top and have your dog chase that around trying to get the food out, you can make it

Physical Exercise

Physical exercise is important too but be careful not to over do it. Dog's, like humans, build endurance with exercise. The more you work them out the more you will have to work them out. This is why I recommend more mental exercise then physical. With physical exercise for your dog always check with you vet to see if your dog if physically healthy enough for the activity you have in mind. Believe it or not running your puppy is BAD!

As far as exercise goes I would recommend sniffing walks. This way you are getting that mental enrichment as well as the physical exercise.

Fetch can also be a fun way to work on out your dog but we need to make sure that we are not causing any harm. Some dogs can actually get obsessive with fetch and there have been new study on the damage to the front limbs of dogs who do repetitive quick stops to catch a ball while fetching. So make sure you are play fetch on a soft surface and mix in some obedience with every throw.

Treadmills for dogs. This is something else I get asked about and again if you are going to go this route make sure you buy a dog specific treadmill. Human treadmills are too short for most dog’s natural gate and this can cause issues in all of their limbs.

Workouts for dogs. There are trainers out there that specialize in canine fitness! These trainer’s have taken courses and continuing education to help put together custom exercises for your dog’s current fitness level and age. Use this website to find one near you! Also some of these trainers work remotes so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home! Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer

Picking A Dog Trainer

With so many options out there and more popping out everyday how to do you know you are spending your money with a good trainer? We all believe the hunt for a good trainer would be a straight shot, however with no standard that you have to meet to call yourself a dog trainer there are some dangers ahead! Here are some key things when you are on the hunt for a good trainer for your dog!

What you need to understand before hunting for a dog trainer!

1. Dog training is an unregulated industry. This means that ANYONE can open a dog training business and call themselves a dog trainer.

2. There is no requirement for your dog trainer to be insured in most states

3. Not all certifications are created equal

4. Not all methods used are created equal (more on this in another blog)

What you should look for when hiring a dog trainer

1. Are they a real business? Are they registered as a business and are they insured for DOG related issues. Believe it or not dog trainers could just carry insurance for damage to their facility and not anything that might happen to you or your dog.

2. Are they certified through a real organization or did they just take a 10 hour course?

3. Are they required by their certifications to doing continuing education to make sure you are getting the best training available for your dog as well as to maintain their certifications.

4. Do they offer a guarantee? Believe it or not this is a BIG red flag. Do gyms offer a guarantee that you will lose weight by buying a membership? No just like buying a gym membership does not mean that you are going to change your behavior (eating healthy and actually working out) a dog trainer can not guarantee any “perfect” behavior outcome for your dog. Think about it, they are not only working on your dog’s behavior they are also working on yours. That is a minimum of 2 different living beings to try to work with not to mention adding in any other family members or animals that can effect behavior.

5. What methods do they use when training your dog? LIMA (Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive) is a cross the board the recommended method of training by the major dog training organizations. This means that when they are working with your dog they will focus on teaching the dog what TO DO vs what NOT to do. So if your dog is jumping they will teach the dog to sit vs kneeing them in the chest for jumping.

6. Finally you should look at price.

Questions you should ask and they SHOULD answer!

1. What happens if my dog makes a mistake in training?

   Good answers would be more focused on the trainer adjusting their set up vs correcting or punishing your dog. A trainer should have the skill to set your dog up to get it right more then they get it wrong and should know how to correct their set up if the dog is getting the wrong answer.

2. What kind of certifications do you have to call yourself a dog trainer?

   Hearing your trainer has trained dogs their whole life isn’t a good enough answer. There is so much new science out there about how dogs brains work, how they learn best, the best ways to work with them it is important your dog trainer keeps up with the latest information. Great great organizations to hear are the CCPDT and IAABC both of these require a lot of continuing education to maintain each year.

3. What tools do you use to train dogs?

   While I am not one to hate on anyone who uses any type of tools for dogs because I honestly believe owners who are searching for dog trainers love their dogs and never want to hurt them, a dog trainer should not be reaching for prong collars, e- collars, or choke chains immediately. These tools in a lot of professional dog training organizations (and more countries every year) are banned based on science proving they are not the best way to train. Some of organizations they are NOT banned from actually require the dog trainer to submit a case study on the dog, with a complete outline of everything they have done and tried first and get approval from a board of highly trained and experienced trainers and Veterinarian Behaviorists before being allowed to use them.