That Time of Year!

As I close out this year, I want to say Thank you to all who have stopped in to read my blog. As I have stated in the past, I am a non-writing dog trainer, so I hope you found my blog interesting, funny at times and helpful.

I am starting to learn more about dog nutrition and how important what goes into our dogs affects them behaviorally. With the Holiday quickly approaching, we don't want to load our dogs up with Grains, Sugar and Starch and I am sure you will want to give your dog a Special treat. So here is a Holiday recipe you can whip up for your favorite pup!

Ginger Snap Dog Cookies

• 1 cup Sunflower seed meal (use food processor)
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (not the spiced kind used for pies)
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tbsp chopped carrots optional (use food processor) 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine Sunflower Seed meal, flax meal, ginger and carrots (optional) in a large bowl. Mix egg and pumpkin together in a separate bowl until smooth. Add half of the pumpkin mixture to the Sunflower seed mixture, stir, then add the rest and stir again with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Drop dough onto parchment paper and spread to desired thickness (about 1/8" - 1/4" thick).

Bake for 20 minutes until the top of the cookie has dried out completely. Let cookies cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container.

(Makes 12 dog cookies.)

Signing off until January 2015!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

My Best,

Dru Therrian and Daisy

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Boys will be Boys

It seems lately, that I have had several dogs come to training that have all their "Parts n Pieces" meaning that the dogs have not been spayed or neutered.

All in all, I believe waiting to have your dog altered is a good thing. Keeping their hormones for as long as possible is critical for growth and well being. As you make this important decision to spay or neuter, remember this may best be done when a dog is a dog and not a puppy; hitting at least the 1 year old stage of life or older.

That being said, having an intact dog will present challenges in regards to management of your puppy as he or she grows into being an adolescent.

In regards to boys, one major challenge is peeing. If given the chance, your young male will want to leave his "Mark on the World".....literally! I recommend curbing this behavior. Allowing your young puppy the freedom to pee on every object he comes across can build a terrible habit. Not much will be safe if your pup decides to leave his calling card wherever he may choose. At this time of year, be sure to guard your Christmas tree!  Keep a leash on your puppy.

Other challenges will be because of Testosterone; Roaming, Mounting and possible Dominance/Aggression. But really, I don't think of this as a dominance problem but rather an energy problem. Hormones will be surging through your pup just like a teenage boy. Sometimes your adolescent pup will want to prove or protect himself when facing new situations. Standing up for himself or retreating will be choices he'll face and you will need to be there to guide him through successfully.

Acting aggressively towards other dogs or people may be from hormones or frustration may be the cause but also immaturity will play its role. Keep a good watch on your boy puppy; don't let him stray from home and no matter what, there will be "No Humping Allowed" on dogs, human legs or pillows!

Lastly, young male dogs will play rough and just like "Boys Wrestling", you may need to stop it before someone gets hurt. There is nothing wrong with keeping your dog's "Parts n Pieces" just be sure you are prepared to manage the Terrible Teenage Period and then you can enjoy their Adulthood.


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

Watch Out the Boogie-Man's gonna get You!

It is said that dogs have better eyesight than people at night. So you wouldn't think a dog would be afraid of the dark, right? Well maybe it isn't that it is dark but the objects you find in the dark. What we take for granted, like an ordinary garbage can may just look like a monster to a dog.

Things just look different at night. The lighting changes everything. To help your dog feel safe and comfortable, be sure to walk them at night as well as during the day. Keep in mind, that this isn't just exercise to burn off dinner or get tired before bedtime but to experience the different sights, sounds and smells that occur at night time.

If you have a particularly skittish dog be prepared for your dog to jump away as you pass something that looks strange to them. Have a good grip on the leash but try not to hold your dog too tight or too close to you because that may send the wrong message down the leash.

You can talk to your dog as you pass the "Scary" object telling them what they are seeing; like "Daisy, that's a garbage can or that's a fire hydrant". Telling your dog What they are seeing is better than just telling them "It's OK. it's Ok". Be a cheerleader not a coddler. Your confidence will help your dog be braver and then your dog won't think the Boogie-Man's gonna jump out and get them.

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

Turkey Dogs~ Not the Kind You Eat!

Because Thanksgiving is tomorrow and the Holiday is steeped in Tradition and History, I thought I would share this interesting, little known, fact. (well at least interesting and little known to me!)

Did you know there is such a breed as Turkey Dogs? Although not recognized by the AKC, the Appalachian Turkey Dog was developed by a gentleman named John Byrne of Lowry, VA. Mr. Byrne chose 3 purebred foundations to contribute attributes to the turkey dog, among them: Setters~ stylish looks, drive for feathers, biddability; Pointers~ stamina, speed, prey drive, range; Plott Hounds~ desire to chase, track, bark.

"Hunting fall turkeys with dogs is a specialized—and incredibly exciting—type of fall bird hunting. In its simplest form, dogs cast about the fall woods in search of flocks of birds. Once located, the dogs rush into the flock and bark as they scatter the turkeys. Barking is key since it allows hunters to then find the break site and set up on returning birds (the turkeys almost always return to the break site). The dog's job is done once the birds scatter." Written by Gerry Bethge of OutDoor Life magazine.

I wouldn't know much about hunting; I just like to eat turkey! But I find this part fascinating; after the dog does his job of Flush and Scatter, he will come back to the hunter and lay in a canvas bag to wait patiently as the hunter takes over to finish the hunt. I am sure carrying a bag is a lot easier than a crate! (haha) Staying covered will help the dog stay calm and stop chasing the turkeys; kind of like keeping a waterfowl dog in the blind.

So what do you think about my dog, Daisy? She was a stray and I got her from a shelter....Daisy could be a Appalachian Turkey Dog, right!?

Click photo to view larger

Anyways, no matter how your turkey gets on your table.....may you and your family have a Bountiful Thanksgiving. Please know that I am thankful too, for my family and you, my friends; four legged and two!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Dru and Daisy

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

A Puppy Pre-Schooler

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You have all heard that early education is important for puppies! It's true; Puppies can learn at a very young age and very quickly. 

Your puppy's formal education really begins on the first day he, she or they arrive to your home. Although your puppy may only be a few weeks old, that little puppy brain is a sponge just waiting to absorb all the Good Stuff as well as the Not so good stuff. So be sure you help your puppy learn what is right and wrong from the very start. It truly is so much easier to teach than reteach.

There are two types of training education to have your puppy learn; Behavioral and Obedience.

Behavioral Training prevents or corrects bad habits your puppy may learn or do; such as play biting, jumping and inappropriate chewing.

Obedience Training is teaching your puppy to understand  Commands; such as Come, Sit, Down and Place.

Here is a video of a puppy; at 15 weeks and later at 5 1/2 months. His education includes learning commands along with addressing some behavioral issues such as jumping.



He still has more education ahead but by starting him off right away, he is way ahead of the class.

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

Puppy Mill Dog

Meet Snoopy, this week's success story! He's a terrific, little, 2 year old, Havanese dog who had been living in a Puppy Mill (wait a minute, don't feel sorry) until a month ago when he got adopted by a wonderful family. Yay! 

So sure we do feel sorry for dogs in that kind of situation. But Snoopy is one Lucky Dog because he has been given the chance to live a Good Dog's life. The only problem was he didn't know how to be a dog.

Sights and sounds terrified him and even though his new family loved him, Snoopy was afraid of some of the family members. Another problem was that he was so shut down; not interested in anything and nothing seemed to help him be happy. Fortunately, the first steps toward learning how to be a dog came from being with the other Havanese dog living in their home. Playing together began to open Snoopy up to a world of fun. But it would take more than that to teach Snoopy how to come out of his shell, not be afraid but also listen and behave. After living at the Puppy Mill for 2 years he didn't understand what he was suppose to be doing. 

When Snoopy came to Out of the DogHouse, I knew training would be challenging because Snoopy didn't like food and was afraid to try new things. So I had to find something else to motivate him and get his mind and body working. I think one of the biggest obstacles for Snoopy was "Learned Helplessness" I don't think Snoopy was ask or made to do anything. (Well, except for what and why Puppy Mills exist! Yikes!!)

I found that Snoopy liked to run so I began running with him in the front yard on a 15 foot long line. Doing this activity really brought out his joyful spirit. The next challenge was to get him braver and feeling confident to try new things so I used my Fun-gility equipment to teach him that this was fun too! Going on the Fun-gility equipment was also a great way to start teaching him how to do the commands.

Check out Snoopy now!

Snoopy has made tremendous progress and will continue to do so because of his new families' guidance, care and love. Snoopy, now, is really enjoying a Good Dog's Life.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Grrr! That's Mine!

Resource Guarding in dogs is a huge topic. What is Resource Guarding? ( I will abbreviate to RG) RG is a behavior that discourages another to take, or get too close to an object or valued area in a dog's possession. It most often refers to food, toys or sleeping area but some dogs will guard their owners. RG can vary from something minor like a head turn to something major like a growl or bite. RG can occur "dog to people" or "dog to dog". Either way it can be unpleasant, scary and perhaps dangerous.

Since RG is such a huge topic and we don't want it to happen anyways, today I want to address Prevention.

If you can teach your puppy or dog they have nothing to fear when you approach them then they will be less likely to protect their prized possession. But sometimes Life gets busy and you can't cover all the instances that could make RG happen. So what we really need to do is teach our dogs Self Control. This means to be Tolerant, Patient or Wait your Turn.

Using the Leave It Command is a great way to have your dog learn self control. I am sure you have figured out what the Leave It Command means but here is an extra definition: To ignore or disregard an item, smell, animal, person or area; be it on the ground; near by; in a hand; on a table top, counter or trash bin. Leave It covers Anything that is going to get your dog into Trouble!!

Here is a video clip demonstration.




Check out Leave It for a Good Reason!


Teaching a Leave It command is very useful and provides Huge benefits in regards to safety, the well being of your dog and knowing your dog will decide for herself that "Somethings are just None of her business"!

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

Plumber's Helper: Training Heel

You don't need much to train your dog, right? You probably have a dog, a leash, food and a toy but most folks don't have special equipment at home. So I wanted to show you something Simple, Cheap and Effective to help you train your dog to Heel: Plungers!

Yup, the Plumber's Helper sure comes in handy! Nope! This is not about toilet problems but it is about how a simple, low cost, tool can add a lot of fun to your training.

By lining up a few plungers you can stay on course to teach your dog how to Heel. This also won't take up too much space. You can do it indoors; Hallways seem like a great idea. And inclement weather will not be your excuse to keep you from practicing!!

Start with your dog on a leash and practice walking through the plungers. It's fun and will help your dog stay close to you. You can motivate your dog also with a bit of food trapped under your thumb. As your dog improves, you can then move through the plungers without a leash attached.

Not everybody wants or needs their dog to know Heel; Just No Pulling is a good goal! Walking in Heel is about precision. So if you are interested in learning here is a good way to get started.




Here is a Bonus Video.....

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

Let's Play! Life Lessons for Kids and Dogs

I love Kids and Dogs! When I get the chance to put two cooperative beings together, training can be a blast! And if we make training a game, both the child and the dog will excell!

We want our children and dogs to live peacefully together; to do that it is really beneficial for everyone to learn how to get along. Better relationships can be made if we involve our children in training the dog.

We need to teach our young students how to give it (kids) and earn it (dogs).  Making training a game will not only be fun but a valuable learning experience. Knowing how "Give and Earn" works, acts as the needed structure just like rules to a game; having both the child and the dog understand guidelines to follow will increase success and definitely be more Fun!



Your children may not grow up to be a dog trainers but they will learn incredible Life Lessons when given the opportunity to interact in a safe, appropriate and fun-loving way with dogs.

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

Stop the World I need to get off!

Like everyone else in the world, I, too feel overwhelmed at times; Too much going on, happening at the same time, spiraling out of control. So I am making myself slow down and breathe; even just for a minute.

I can manage my crazy life so much better with the Place Command. You can do this too! We all need a break including our dogs. So it is important to teach them how to settle down so we can all get this much needed rest.

Here are a couple of video clips teaching a group of dogs what the Place command means then using it as a practical way to find Peace of Mind and Harmony.

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

Play More ~ Pet Less Part II

I am following up last week's post Play More ~ Pet Less to show you what play looks like when you move from food to a toy.

But to recap.....We can make an impact to our relationship by playing with our dog. Finding what our dog likes best is important. We choose food first because dogs need to eat. Being hungry helps. Taking advantage of our dog's hunger will increase the opportunity to play. How you feed them makes the difference. So go back and review last week's blog video to see how to Play with their food!

Dogs, particularly, have Prey Drive. We can turn their desire to "Chase, Catch, Kill" into appropriate Play. Now, some dogs will have a greater drive than others due to personality and breeding. But I feel you can teach your dog how to play by finding what motivates them; Finding what they want to chase.

Here is a clip of  Underdog, a Goldendoodle. He has a ton of energy! Playing with him has huge benefits for relationship building, obedience training and draining his excessive amounts of energy.



Who doesn't want to see a puppy?!! Here is a clip of a cute 9 week old Vizsla puppy named Neo.



You love your dog and really, your dog loves you! Take time to play and you both will be happy.

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

Play More ~ Pet Less

Do you find this to be true?  We want to show our dogs how much we love them so we grab them and pull them to us only to have our dog squirm and wiggle away and then sometimes they won't even come close to us; they stay just out of our reach.

We feel so disappointed and sad that our dog doesn't like us; let alone love us.

Dogs do like affection but what is happening here is that some dogs just don't need all that Lovin' and they would rather have something else from you ~ PLAY!!

I see a lot of folks "Begging" their dog for affection! People may think More Love/Petting, More Good Boys/ Good Girls will make their dog love them back. Usually this backfires. Forcing yourself on your dog is not fair to either you or your dog and it won't get you what you want. It is important to really look at who is enjoying this type of interaction. Probably neither of you.

If you were to Play More and Pet Less, your dog may become more interested in you and then become more accepting of your affection.

You say your dog doesn't want to play with you?

1.Try ignoring your dog for a few days.
2. Use their dogfood like a toy. Lure them with your hand.
3. Play with the toy your dog enjoys the most.



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

Always Learning

Just a little explanation to why I didn't have a new post on my blog last week; I attended my first IACP Dog Conference held in Alexandria, Virginia. The IACP or the International Association of Canine Professionals which I am a member holds an annual conference. You can go to the website http://www.canineprofessionals.com/ to find out more details but in a nutshell....

The IACP is dedicated to the education, development and support of dog training professionals worldwide. The IACP provides a community where experienced dog trainers mentor, guide, and cultivate members to their full potential.

And Boy, did I learn! The 5 day conference kicked off with a dinner and keynote speaker: Brother Christopher of the Monks of New Skete. Then each day was filled with presentations from top professionals in their fields. We heard about Marketing your business, tips on grooming for trainers, Chiropractic and Acupuncture for dogs, self development, Motivating dogs, Freestyle dancing with your dog and Canine Nutrition. I am sure these topics will come up in future blogs.

Not only did I get to hear excellent speakers, I got to meet "face to face" with dog trainers I had only known through social media. These trainers came from all over the US, Canada and as far as Iceland, Ireland, and Singapore!

I have returned with rejuvenation and knowledge to share with my dog owners and their dogs. And not even a bum hand (which happened on Monday) will hold me back from doing what I love and helping others.

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

The 3 P's

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Not only is Daisy a good Scout she is a quite a trooper. And Yes! Daisy is really is holding the whistle in her mouth. Having her able to do all these Blog photo shoots is the result of Years of the 3 P's= Plan, Prepare and Practice. And believe me, we do a lot of all Three!

So you may be thinking you don't need a dog that can hold a whistle in her mouth but you do need a dog that will come when you call. Rolling over, Playing Dead Dog and Sit Pretty are all fun tricks; They aren't necessary to be a Good Dog but it sure doesn't hurt because the bottom line is Cooperation = Your dog willing to do things with you and for you. Honestly, all that is really necessary to be a Good Dog is a dog that will Walk nicely, Come back to you and Stay put.

Another thing I want to point out is not biting off more than you can chew. Think of what the goal will be then back track it to a starting point. If you want to be able to walk your dog through a crowd you need to begin with Baby Steps and have your dog walk nicely past a neighbor. If you are expecting your dog to have calm behavior when visiting your Mother-n-Law's house you better have calm behavior before you get there. And if you are not "there" yet don't put yourself or your dog in a situation that will fail.

Your dog doesn't have to be perfect at the beginning but you should achieve success as you go and reach each set goal. At first, don't set the bar too high. Dogs that go Ballistic over some "Challenging Distraction" means you are over your head and need to step back.  Training a dog takes lots of time! No Magic Wand here. And all dogs learn differently. So remember the 3 P's: Plan, Prepare and Practice. Then Small Victories will add up to a Huge Win.

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

Can You Read Me Now?

Do you want to teach your dog HOW to Read? Then teach your dog Hand Signals. Every Hand Signal I teach means a "Word". It is always talked about how good dogs are at reading body language. And that is definitely true. Dogs pay attention to what we say silently with our facial expressions and body gestures. You can teach a dog a Hand Signal after each command because dogs will associate the hand movement with the verbal command; Especially if you do it every time.

One little hitch about dogs is, they will need lots of practice to really be fluent in understanding what we are saying to be able to Read us. Just because your dog can sit two feet away from you, does not mean he will know how to sit when you are 10 feet away.

Here is how I move Daisy through the positions of Sit, Stand and Down.


This is a great way to spend time with your dog and it is tons of fun! You will have to PRACTICE! with your dog; change the distance and location. Then you can be amazed and impress others with your dog's intelligence and fluency of whatever language you Speak!

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

When Socialization isn't Working.

You know it's coming because it happens every time you walk past the trash can, fire hydrant or near the storm drain. Your dog Freaks Out!! Or does this "Wig Out" your dog; that strange thing flapping around that turns out to be just a grocery bag caught in the bushes?!! 

To us, these situations are no big deal but to a timid or cautious dog, it's terrifying!  That's why it is critical to get your puppies out early in life to see the World. Great! So people take their pups out and about but still end up with Spooked dogs. 

This is because the problem just doesn't fix itself without completely getting your dog comfortable around the "Scary" event. Now you have an emotional problem that goes unresolved because people go through the motions, literally, by moving past quickly, thinking it's over....until the next time. Not overcoming fear can be problematic, meaning an unsafe dog. 

What does Socialization really mean? Everyone has different opinions, here's mine: Socialization is not just meeting and being petted by 300 people and kids. Socialization is exposing your dog to something or an event that may be scary at first but then the pup overcomes their fear by making a conscious effort to cope, accept and tolerate the experience. 

Help your dog learn to have coping skills. You can do this with food or play in those Scary moments. I call it the "Mind Shift". You are not rewarding being afraid, you are helping your dog think about something else. And remember every dog is different so it may take a while to help them.

Be prepared on your next outing or even in your home. Tell your dog or puppy what is scaring them. Let them look at it or check it out. Redirect your dog to focus on you; Use food  or a Toy. Turn being scared into a rewarding, positive, feeling. Doing this will make the World a little less Scary.

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Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

 dog want to "Hightail it Out of Dodge"? 

Big Dogs:Mighty Challenge

Yup! You did all the research and you understood how big your puppy was going to get but she got bigger before you knew it! Then you realized you had a problem. You tell me....."I can't get my dog into the car." 

And you want to know what that problem was? Not that your puppy grew up to be as enormous as a continent but that You never taught your puppy how to climb! You now have this extremely large dog that weighs a ton, takes up a huge amount of space but doesn't know how to lift her back legs because from puppyhood you did the lifting for her. Every time you wanted to go into the car, you picked your puppy up to put her in. So now you have......

It's important to go back to the drawing board and teach your 100 to 200lb dog how to climb. Maybe your dog can climb the stairs but that is different than climbing on the seat or getting into an SUV. It just isn't high enough for your dog to learn how to lift her legs. You may have to get creative and find large sturdy items for your dog to practice climbing. The whole process will be built on trust so help your dog not be afraid and use encouragement to motivate her. Food and praise will help but also not letting your dog quit; Backing out will be the biggest obstacle. 

If you have just gotten a large breed puppy get climbing now. If you missed that opportunity, it's not too late. Start helping your dog learn to step up and that they can do it themselves.

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

Does the Crate = Jail?

Now a days, it goes without saying that most dog owners are using crates to train their dogs. The crate is highly instrumental for all house training purposes and keeps both the puppy and your possessions safe from harm and destruction.

But one problem a lot of folks have is the thought that the crate means punishment. I hear this often " I don't want to put my puppy in the crate after being bad because I don't want my puppy to think they are being punished".  Well, help your puppy not be Bad, by You, being vigilant in watching your puppy and helping your puppy be Good.

Want a dog that loves their crate in the future? Then follow instructions: Crate your puppy at least 3 times a day while you are home. This way you can witness and address their behavior and help them be good in their crate.

Sure the puppy will moan and groan and I know you feel guilty; You just took away their playtime and freedom. But it is most critical for your puppy to learn to calm themselves so You can have peace of mind knowing all is safe and well; especially while you are away from home. Busy toys such as hard bones, and treat stuffed kongs may help but after the novelty wears off your puppy may still be discontent until they learn to accept their time in the crate.

So it comes down to how You really feel about the crate. Perspective is key here. If You think the crate means putting your puppy behind bars then Yes your puppy may not like going in. If you see the crate as part of managing your puppy's behavior then the crate is not mean or bad nor is it jail.

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

Car Sick or Something Else?

I always feel bad for both my dog owners and their pups when their dog arrives with a drool dripping or the people have to ask for a plastic bag and paper towel to clean up dog vomit. This is not fun for anyone! Some of you know the feeling of dread even when thinking about taking your dog in the car. You also find you are sad that you don't take your dog with you because the experience is so awful!

Maybe accompanied with drool or vomit is shaking and panting? Or let's back this up...Does your dog run and hide from you when you say "Wanna go for a Car ride?" Could this be something else? What if your dog doesn't have motion sickness but a fear of the car?  The symptoms can be identical. And if you have tried motion sickness medicine with no success perhaps the car ride problem is emotional.

How did this fear happen? Think about this....an 8 week old puppy's first car ride can occur during the fear imprinting period. This is not to say something bad happened, just that your puppy left what it knew for something different. Also the next car ride is usually to the Vet's for shots. Not happy occasions for the puppy.

Ruling out motion sickness leaves treatment for fear. This is no easy fix. But I have had a few dog owners' pups overcome this problem because they continued to get into the car. The people who had success did so knowing their dog may throw up, drool and pant but worked through it; never giving up.

So if fear is the problem you can start by being prepared for the worst.

• Lay down a thick towel or couple of layers of towels. 
• Let your pup ride in the front passenger seat; keep your dog tethered.
• Plan a car ride EVERYDAY for two weeks.

Go to places that result in fun such as the park or a round trip back to home. With Hope and Practice, during this period of time, your dog will overcome their fear. 

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Play Biting

Is your dog or puppy constantly grabbing clothing, going after hands, feet and toes with their mouth?  Do you see your children scrambling on top of the couch when your puppy or dog enters the family room? The kids grab their legs and tuck their feet under their bodies making themselves as small and as tight as they can.

This may drive you crazy but that's just what dogs do, right? Isn't that how they play with other dogs and toys by using their mouth? Yes they do!  To a dog or puppy this behavior seems natural. So it is very important to teach your dog or puppy that people are not like them nor are they chew toys.

Play biting is a natural process for a puppy. Puppies will be using their mouth for all sorts of exploring and purpose. Chewing hard helps with the teething phase. Puppies need the pressure of chewing to relieve their growing teeth. Puppies also will learn that too hard of a bite will bring a "Yelp!" from their puppy playmate. This teaches them how to use their mouth gently. Besides, if a puppy is young and just left his littermates, this is the only way he knows how to communicate; with his mouth.

By offering hard items such as nylabones, natural bones, or antlers, a puppy can take care of the need for chewing. The next thing you need to do to help your puppy learn is to play with him but not exactly like "dog to dog" play.  Our skin is tender and can't take their teeth so both you and your puppy need to be careful while playing. This goes for older dogs too.

I am not a fan of roughhousing or chasing because that is too similar to "dog to dog" play. But I do think Tug, Fetch and Agility are great activities that you both can do together.

Of course there are rules to follow such as:

• Wait till I offer you the toy; No grabbing.
• Let go of the toy when I ask. No keep away.
• Quit when I so: No pestering.

I thought this short video was interesting to see how dogs do interact and play. Just don't let them do that to you!

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Respect the Cat

Do you have a cat that you never see anymore? Maybe you had the cat first and now with a dog or puppy in your house your cat stays hidden in the basement or the upstairs closet!

Well, I am sure you would like everyone to get along. Being afraid of your dog always chasing the cat or having your cat fight back is no fun. We all want to live in a Peaceful Kingdom.

Yes, dogs like to chase small, furry, creatures because it's fun. If you help your dog release their energy by playing with them first such as a game of fetch, maybe, your dog will be too tired to chase the kitty!? But that may not be the case, as your dog will always be excited when the cat comes into view. So it is necessary to teach your dog not to chase by having self control.

Here is a an example of how to teach your puppy to stay calm or at first "Stay" while the cat gets to move around. 

This is just the first stage of learning. You will have to help your puppy or dog with continued success by giving them more chances to think about chasing the cat and helping them decide to Not chase the cat. Once they see the cat in a calm state, they may no longer be Arch Enemies but may become Best Friends.

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

Dog Security

No this isn't about Protection dogs but Protecting dogs. I just wanted to write about being sure your dog remains safe while on a leash.

Has this ever happened to you? You are walking along then all of a sudden your dog has broken free from the leash.

When you look to see what happened, you find that the leash was attached to your dog's ID ring not the collar ring.

Sometimes, especially, if we have a hairy, wiggly dog, it may be difficult to snap the leash on the collar ring. This can pose a very dangerous problem. Your dog could become injured and on a lesser note you could lose your dog's ID tags.

Another thing I wanted to share was how to tie a Quick Release Knot using your leash. Many times it is necessary to attach our dog to "something" whether it is in the car, to a pole or post; maybe even a tree.

Here is  a short video clip demonstrating How to Tie a Quick Release Knot. As you watch, think of it like learning how to tie your shoe.



Remember these leash safety tips and you will always have a good time with your dog.

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