Home Remedies for Cabin Fever

I think we experiencing a Polar Vortex Sequel!? Can you believe we have, yet, another day of zero temps! 20 degrees (a virtual heatwave) would be nice because we could spend more time outside; at least longer than just a quick pee and dash back inside.

Yup going a bit stir crazy! What is happening at your house? Are your dogs bouncing off the walls? Are you wondering what can be done to use up all that energy?

Here are some indoor remedies to cure Cabin Fever!

1. Which Hand Holds the Treat: Indication game.
Your dog will smell where the treat is then either use their nose or paw to point at the correct hand.



2. Come and Go: Return and Send game.
You send your dog to eat a treat in the food bowl then have them return to you when called.



3. Broom Jumping: Directional Control game.
Your dog will follow your directions as you make him wait to jump over the broom.



Take your pick! Each game will have their own challenge as you figure out how to teach your dog to play.
You won't need any fancy equipment either; just time and patience. An these days while stuck indoors, we have plenty of time!

Oh and only 50 days till Spring!!

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

Double Trouble: Siblings + House mates

Many times I get calls from folks who own more than one dog. Sometimes their dogs are litter mates, sometimes they are just house mates. A lot of these types of calls are because these folks are having dog problems such as fighting and not listening. 

From the first day the puppies arrived, unless certain rules and ways to manage living with more than one dog were planned, these other worrisome problems do arise:

1. Over bonding between the puppies. There is no room for the puppy to learn when all they do is spend time with their sibling to the exclusion of people. The puppies rely on each other rather build a relationship with their new human family.

2. Slow to learn basic Life skills. Many times, litter mates have difficulty getting house trained because when they do go outdoors they forget to go potty; they are too busy playing, chasing and biting each other.

3. Lack Bite Inhibition. As puppies, they are constantly biting each other, they learn to tolerate the behavior. They think it is alright to bite everyone else. They don't learn self control.

4. Distressed when Separated. Often the puppies are always together; going outside; riding in the car; and many times crated together. This reliance on each other mask their weakness because as a pair they are confident; separated they feel unsure and afraid. 

5. Coming of Age Fighting. Since they were little they have been rehearsing how to fight. Now that they are older it has become more serious as they grow from adolescents to adults.  This may be a ranking issue that created a boldness rather than tolerance.

Some unhappy out comes from living with a house full of dogs without Rules and Control are:

• Lack of Trust
• Nervous about People and other dogs 
• Afraid of Sounds and Novel Stimuli
• Difficult to gain Attention and Focus
• Life Threatening Fighting

So what to do? Divide and conquer! Keep a schedule for your dogs that includes; spending time alone from each other, time separately with you and time with each other. 

Do keep in mind that two puppies or dogs mean Double Everything!! Double food; Double poop and pee; Double walks; Double crates; Double boarding; and Double Vet bills and Double Training!! 

While it isn't impossible to have more than one dog, it isn't for the Faint of Heart either! Already in this boat?! Well roll up your sleeves, make your "To Do" list and then you can have double the fun!

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

Who stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

What a temptation! There, the cookie jar sits; just waiting for someone to help themselves to a cookie while no one is looking.

Now in my house, our cookie jar has dog bones in it! And honestly, Daisy doesn't get on the counter to sneak out bones.

But how often does this happen? Your dog knows where you keep the treats and will go to that "Special" spot where she always gets her treat every day and barks at you to give her one? And sure enough you look at her and say " Do you want a Cookie?" Guilty! Right?!

How often are you throwing the ball or shaking a paw because that is what your dog wants?

I can think of a number of situations where dogs will do something that we don't mind doing for them but really they should be asking permission.

Here are situations we like in which we can have our dog earn what they want when they ask:
1. Some kind of signal to go outside to potty.
2. Coming to us for affection or play.
3. Another signal to say they are thirsty or it is time to eat.

Really this isn't a dog problem it is a people problem. You certainly should answer your dog's questions. We just need to keep in mind that our dog should not be demanding and we need to make sure they ask so that we can answer in a way that builds respect and a bond of trust.

This way everyone gets what they want.

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

Five Minute Dog Training

I know a person really can't multi-task but you aren't alone in this process...you have your dog as a partner. So what can you really accomplish as you live your day to day life?

Amazingly, a lot! Think in minutes. I would even go for seconds because all this time is going to add up to a huge amount of time and training.

Begin simple and small.

1. Have your dog "Sit" for the food bowl; It could only be for one second but count it and add another second tomorrow.

2. Make your dog "Come" to you to the door you let them out into the yard. I am sure if your dog loves that open door your dog will come running.

3. Morning beckons a cup a coffee or tea. Have your dog lay down for the entire process. WOW! That could be your five minutes of bliss as you wait for the coffee to brew or the kettle to boil. Then you can reap the rewards of  hot comfort and a good dog.

Mind boggling as to how simple it can be, right?!

A challenge:
Make a list of your every day habits and then match them up to what your dog can do.

In a matter of minutes your dog can get trained.

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

Warmest Wishes to you all!

The year is coming to an end and I will be taking time off for the Holidays to spend with my family. Training other family dogs will end on Friday, December 20th. This will be my last post for 2013 and I will start again in January 2014.

Wow! This year went by quickly! My blog will be officially "One Year Old" in January. There have been 47 posts written with 9094 visits. Pretty happy with this small feat for being a non-writing dog trainer! I do want to thank those of you that have stopped by to read my blog. I hope you found it interesting, funny at times and helpful.

Of course I need to add something useful, so, to make the most of your Holiday:

1. Be prepared! Keep a leash on your dog if you believe he will be jumping all over your family or guests as they enter your home.
2. Avoid an emergency visit to the Vet by not feeding your dog scraps from the table.
3. Be sure to include your pup in the family snowball fight, snowman building contest or hike in the woods. Fresh Air and activity will benefit you all! The old saying goes "a tired dog is a good dog"!

Our dogs add so much to our lives. Give your pups a loving pat but also ask them to do something in return, such as a command or trick. This will make them a good member of your happy family.

Best regards,

Dru Therrian

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

The Babysitter Rule

All of a sudden you get that feeling that something isn't right. You look around and realize the dog isn't there anymore. YIKES! Where's the dog?!! Off you go to see what terrible calamity happened somewhere else in the house.

Knocked over waste baskets, chewed up items and going potty in the house are all things that most often occur unseen.

So to protect your house, avoid frustration and keep your sanity you can use "The Babysitter Rule". This is especially helpful for puppies, young dogs or untrustworthy older dogs that need to be kept under constant vigilance because you can't watch a dog 24/7?!! Right! So you need to rely on "The Babysitter Rule".

So what is this Babysitter Rule? This pertains to three ways to keep your dog and home safe.

1. The Crate: 100% Babysitter. This means that the crate is totally responsible for keeping your dog confined safely when you can not watch at all.
2. Tethering: 50% Babysitter. This means your dog is in the same room as you but is confined on a leash to some solid object. It is a shared responsibility between you and the leash. Your dog has limited freedom but can't get out of sight.
3. Human Supervision: 100% Babysitter. You are totally responsible for watching your dog and keeping her out of trouble.

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Next time you look around you will smiling because you will know exactly where your dog is and all will be safe and well.

Out of the DogHouse LLC www,ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070 

Friend or Foe?

Your dog is friendly and my dog is friendly. Does that mean they they will be friends? Maybe.

If your dog is social, happy and has an easy going temperament, more than likely your dog will get along with most dogs but maybe not every dog because the other dog may not have the same disposition. And although we would like our dog to be friends with every dog in the world that is not realistic.

Think of it this way...Do you like every person you meet?
No. The same is for our dogs.

If you would like to have your dog meet another dog consider this safety protocol which I call the "Three Second Sniff".

1. First and foremost, you must not let your leashes get tangled. 

You and the other person will stand behind your dogs and hold the leashes with gentle but steady pressure.

2. People will move the opposite direction from each other.

3. Dogs sniff noses.
Allow three seconds for the dogs to check each other out. If this goes well proceed with more sniffing. If is doesn't go well, you are ready to pull your dog back and out of the situation.

Notice there are two steps for the person to remember. Only one for the dog. Your job is the most important. Why? Because you need to keep your dog safe and avoid a fight.

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Use the Three Second Sniff Rule when you want your dog meet other dogs. Your dog can have a "World of Friends" one dog at a time!

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070