Knick Knack Paddy Whack

  

As the song goes.......Knick Knack Paddy Whack, Give the dog a JOB...... Yup! Not a bone but a job. You will get a lot more relationship if you give your dog a daily purpose.

For some dogs, this truly does mean going out in the workforce. Just last Friday evening, I attended a 4H fundraising dinner. The "Totally Dogs" 4H group chose 3 local dog services to support: The Geauga County Dog Shelter, The Geauga County Sheriff's K-9 Unit and Wags 4 Warriors. The latter two services put dogs in jobs.

Each of the Sheriff’s K-9 units are certified in various specialties, which include general patrol, evidence recovery, building searches, handler protections, narcotics detention, bomb detections, general area searches, search and rescue operations and cadaver recovery.  Narcotics certification includes the ability to detect the odors of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. These dogs are a valued resource for our community.

The Wags 4 Warriors is a non-profit based in Brecksville, OH. The organization was started to help service men and women that have been affected by their combat experience. They work with local rescue organizations to match the veteran with an appropriate dog and provide all of the training and support for the dog to become the veterans service dog at no cost to the veteran. The service dogs can be trained for all kinds of tasks to help the Veteran get through the day.

The Geauga County Dog Shelter takes in all the stray dogs from Geauga County, Ohio. They return lost dogs to their owners, provide medical care and put dogs up for adoption.

All dogs should have a job, right? More than likely it won't be a high profile job as those described but certainly our dogs should earn their keep!

You say "What can my dog do?" Would you know that learning to be obedient is a job? Simply asking your dog to listen to your commands builds a work ethic. Once your dog knows how to do small jobs then you can give them more challenging jobs. This is a great bonus for a good dog and a life saver for a dog challenged with behavioral issues.

It's as true for dogs as for us, when we love our work we do a better job and we do it happily. Make training fun. Teach your dog to fetch then you could join Fly Ball or Disc Dog Clubs. Does your dog love to run and jump? Look in to Agility or Dock Diving.

Don't have time for clubs? It can be as easy as Hide and Seek. Begin by placing the object in sight to make it an easy "Find". Tell your dog to "Go Find It". As your dog becomes successful begin making the finds more difficult. Lucy, a standard poodle can sit and wait until released to find the hidden object in a totally different room.

Working with your dog every day not only tires their body but provides a good mental drain to their energy. At the end of the day, having a good dog is quite a pay check.

 

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian440.286.9070

 

Spring Cleaning

 

Aaahh! Spring Time! The sights, sounds, smells and OH the Distractions!! After a long winter of  cabin fever and snow, your dog may be nuts come Spring. Now is the time to do some Spring Cleaning and get better behavior around distractions.

What is it that drives your dog crazy? Is it people, moving objects such as cars, motorcycles, joggers or children? Children: running, screaming, riding bikes or playing with toys?

And how about other dogs? Does your dog go bonkers at the very sight of a dog. When, you ask, will your dog be able to walk by another dog without going ballistic?!!

Here are 4 training techniques to practice. One way to tackle this is not to practice on the "Walk". Practice separately away from the distraction so you are prepared in any situation. You will need to test which technique best suits your dog or which works for each distraction.

1. Use an Alternate Behavior Command: Using the commands of Sit or Down helps your dog work at holding the position.

2. Create space: Moving your dog away from the distraction will lessen their need to react.

3. Yield your dog: Making your dog back away by walking into them puts you between your dog and the distraction. Like a buffer, you prevent the dog from advancing forward.

4. Focus on you: Your dog can not look at the distraction while looking at you.

You may now be thinking "How" do we practice without distractions? Last Saturday we put these techniques to the test. I held my first workshop called "Distracted Dog". I helped the teams go through each technique so they understood what to do with their dogs. Remember "Practice makes Permanent"!

1. Find which anchoring command your dog does best.

2. Act out moving your dog away on the leash so they are willing to follow you.

3. Teach your dog how to yield by randomly asking them to move out of your way.

4. Reward your dog for watching you. Put that behavior on cue so you can use it when needed.

Once you clean up bad behavior with these techniques, you won't be distracted from enjoying the beauties of Spring.

 

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Time to Get Rid of the Revolving Door

 

 

 

I am going crazy here. Didn't I just let you out 10 minutes ago? How many times do you have to pee? I swear, my dog can't possibly have to "go" every time she wants to go outside? Going out to potty may be what I think my dog is doing but it may not be the case.

The thing is, my dog always seems to pee every time I do let her out so I believe she needs to pee every time I open the door. Sometime she whines, scratches or barks to go out. She's telling me right? Am I not obligated? I am, if I am house training a puppy but gee, she is an adult dog now. Why does she need to go out every 10 minutes?!! Because I keep opening the door! 

I realize I have a revolving door that lets the dog out and in whenever she requests or demands. Who is training who?....obviously I am a good learner. So the time has come to remodel and get rid of the revolving door.

 

The problem with the revolving door is that it conditions not only the dog but me too. I am not helping my dog learn how to settle or hold "It" for a long time. I have put the dog in charge of the door and I have become the servant. This is why I am not a fan of "Ringing the Bell" to go out. I do not want to run for Your Majesty's every beck and call! Especially, when all she wants to do is sniff the air, ground and check out the neighbors.

 

What does this really involve? It's really simple and you won't need a contractor.

 

First of all, you should go out with your dog to make sure they really are "Doing their Business". If they have satisfied that expectation the next time they "Ask" say "No". Give them a command that requires them to Stay, such as Down or Place. If they can't stay put by themselves your choice is to crate or tether.

Reconstruct your mindset and you can build a better relationship with your dog. Teach your dog to wait and put them on your schedule. Because really is it Potty or Something else?

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru therrian 440.286.9070
 

If You Build It...He will Stay

I love baseball themed movies. "The Natural" is one of my all time favorites along with "A League of their Own".  "Field of Dreams" is great and I can relate it to dog training.

Simplified Plot: The towns people and even some family members of Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, think he is crazy for hearing a voice that tells him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. But with Faith, Determination and Perseverance, Ray builds the field and their dreams come true.

So how is this movie like dog training? Here I am with Henry in front of me. I want my dreams to come true too. We are looking at each other: he with his big, puppy dog, eyes and head tilted, Me, thinking, what are we are to do next? Somehow I need to convey to my canine buddy what I want him to do. Right now all I want him to do is Stay.

I have a voice in my head that says " If You Build It...He will Stay".

 

What?! Who said that? My dog trainer...Conscience. That's who.

I need to listen to this voice and use my own Faith, Determination and Perseverance to help my canine friend understand what I want him to do.

Build what? The duration of  Henry not moving. How?

By using the things I have to my advantage:

1.  Put Henry on an a "Pedestal": A box, a foot stool, even a upside down bucket will work for a small dog, a Recycling Bin for a larger dog. Here is why....A "Pedestal" object makes the dog aware of his body and he won't want to fall off.

2. Use my body language as social pressure to keep him on the object. For a Hand Signal, I hold my arm straight out in front of me, looking like a traffic cop. I remain in front of him to keep him on the pedestal.

3. I grab his attention with something he wants such as food or a toy.

4. Use my Event Marker word of "Good" to help Henry know he has it right but keep doing it.

5. I release Henry with my Event Marker word "Yes" and reward so that he knows he is finished Staying.

These Five steps can help Build the Duration of Henry's "Stay-Ability". At first, Henry will want to get off the pedestal right away, but by increasing the duration a little bit at a time I can have Henry Stay longer, waiting till he hears the Magic Word "YES". And with practice, Henry and I can hit Staying right out of the park!

 

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070