Challenging Distractions can be a daily event! What to do about it, right?! Do you find yourself repeatedly saying LEAVE IT! with no results? That could be from your dog, truly, not understanding the command.
Keep this thought in mind when with your dog.
"What your dog is looking at is What they are thinking about"
I made this video to demonstrate how you can start to teach your dog the Command "Leave It". Once your dog can ignore this challenge then then you can Up the Ante. You will be most successful if you start simple and work up to that kitty, rabbit, squirrel etc. Challenges should become more difficult as your dog learns Leave It = Ignore on command.
1. Set up the Challenge.
2. Keep your dog on leash.
3. As you approach the Challenging Distraction, Say Dog's Name; Leave It; Reward and walk by.
~Saying your dog's name will tell them to give you their attention.
~Saying Leave It tells them what to do = Ignore.
Remember, make it a Win/Win. Help your dog succeed by teaching them their name = attention and that looking at you is the Greatest Reward!
Thanks for being here!
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? call me, Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
Oh we are having fun here at Out of the DogHouse! We just had our first "Cookie Jar" Puppy Party; This is something brand new that is now being offered after puppies finish ODH Puppy Preschool and become "One Smart Cookie". Puppies get added to the Cookie Jar. This means they can attend an age appropriate puppy social group until they are ready to start Boot Camp.
First, you ask, what is "One Smart Cookie ODH Puppy Preschool"? This program is specifically designed for puppies that are 8 to 16 weeks old. And the closer to 8 weeks the better. Families and their puppy come to learn how to learn! House Training, Crate Training, Nutrition, Grooming and a beginning Foundation of Obedience will be taught over the course of four weeks.
Why earlier is Best?! Because that little puppy brain is a sponge and we want it to soak up as many positive experiences as possible because this time period (8 to 16 weeks) is call the Window of Socialization. That window actually begins to close down around 12 weeks of age and is shut by 16 weeks = 4 months old!! Teaching older puppies with less socialization opportunities becomes much more difficult.
How is that important, my puppy is just a baby, right? Well, yes and no. Mom Nature has created your little canine pal as a predator, a domesticated one, but a little carnivore that likes to hunt and eat meat! Yikes! No worries, that is why folks bring their puppies to ODH for puppy preschool and during the early phase of life we have the best chance to mold, shape and nurture our shy or feisty, little, shark tooth pups into well adjusted dogs.
Remember train your puppy right away, help your puppy become One Smart Cookie, then come to the Cookie Jar Puppy Party!
Thanks for being here!
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? Call me, Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
It seems that once you get a dog nothing is sacred! All your possessions becomes HIS or HERS! They certainly don't want to give them back or even share....it's MINE they say and if it is food, it is GONE.
Now, I know this isn't true for all dogs and I shouldn't make such generalizations but how come Counter Surfing is such a common problem? And don't think only big dogs do it because I have heard some very funny stories of very clever tiny dogs who scaled the kitchen cupboards to get what was forbidden!
Truly, it's the dog's nose that starts all the trouble. They just follow the scent and Voila; an instant reward is waiting...albeit.... out of their reach but triumphantly and with a bit if dexterity, they have wolfed down your dinner, a loaf of bread or whatever else might be set aside! I am not sure if I have heard about any dogs snatching fruit? Have you? Well anyways, how can we stop all this thievery when we can't catch 'em in the act?!
With this!
A Good Old Fashioned Victor Mouse Trap!
This unassuming, little contraption will be your best defense for stopping the Counter Surfer in your home.
No we will NOT be snapping dog noses or paws! But we will carefully hide the mousetrap under something (such as in the photo) a ziplock bag or you could use a piece of copy paper and maybe the dish cloth could work?
The idea is for the dog to touch whatever is covering the trap while reaching for the "Bait" and that will spring the trap. Hopefully your dog will be startled enough to think stealing food off the counter is a BAD idea!!
So for a $2.49 you can get a 4 pack of these handy helpers and load up any spot that is under canine vigilance!
Oh and you know what else you can do? You can teach your dog to STAY on their dog bed so that he or she isn't even tempted to surf your counters in the first place.
Thanks for being here!
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? Call me! Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
Hi! I am back home from our Annual Family Vacation. Every summer we go to the same place that both my husband, Matt, and my mother in law have been going to since their childhoods!! I have been fortunate in going since I was seventeen when I was first dating Matt. Yup! It's that Great and has been the one, most, consistent thing in our life, especially for our children, while growing up and we all love going there. Going to Alpena (our slice of heaven) is a place we count on and look forward to doing every year.
Our days were filled with Family, Fun and Fishing! Not all the days are sunny but we don't care, we are just happy to be outdoors and on the lake.
Although, I was having down time away from dog training, I was still thinking about you and your dogs Here was my reading list. I now know a bit more than I did before and hope to make more awesome videos and help you have healthy dogs!
I also got to do my other favorite activities which are to sketch and paint.
So the campfires are over and we said Good Bye to the lake for this year. I am happy to be home and ready to train dogs but I can't wait to go again next year!
Thanks for being here!
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? Call me, Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
I think this is true at times...
How we behave reflects in our dog; Particularly Emotions.
I am referring to a physical response not a feeling. Emotions are a hardwired part of your personality that you may not be able to control as opposed to feelings which are mental associations that are personal to your experiences.Whew too much psychology but important none the less because it can affect our dog's outlook on life.
Apparently, after a quick search, there are 8 identifiable Emotions: Anger, Fear, Sadness, Disgust, Surprise, Anticipation, Trust and Joy. I am unsure if dogs have all these emotions but in simpler terms dogs do exhibit these:
Behavioral approach system (joy)
Flight or Fight system (fear/anger)
Behavioral inhibition system (anxiety)
I am just pondering what affect we have because of our own quirks that can either bring out the best or the worst in our dogs?
So when you see your dog behaving in a certain manner be sure to look at yourself in the mirror to see what you are reflecting.
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? call Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
My days are so jammed packed if I don't have an agenda, I won't get everything done. If I want to do some fun activity I need to plan ahead so I won't miss out. I describe my job as not a "9 to 5" but a "When I Open my Eyes till I Close my Eyes" kind of job.
Is your life like this too? Busy, busy, busy?!! This is why it is so important to create a daily schedule for your dog too! If you don't create a daily schedule, things won't get done with or for your dog. We run into Doggie Drama when the day zooms by and we have barely taken a breath or a moment to even pet the dog. I am not saying you need to devote every waking hour to be at your dog's beck and call; Rather you should have some routine that includes work, play and rest. Notice you will get a benefit out of this too!
Dogs thrive on routine. They are creatures of habit which is a good thing because then you don't have to be creative in creating a plan for their day. Besides it really doesn't take that much time to make your dog happy.
Just divide your day into quarters: morning, afternoon, evening and night. Plan what you are going to do and when: mealtime training (2-3x depending on age), potty breaks, naps (whether in a crate or Place), play/training and just hanging out together. If dogs are well behaved they can remain loose in your home or safely in a crate when you do have to leave them home alone.
Knowing where, when and what your dog is doing will keep you sane, give you time to breathe and truly, more than a moment to enjoy your dog.
My best,
Dru
Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Any Questions? call Dru Therrian 440.286.9070
Does your dog have "Peace of Mind" Contentment? You know the kind when you are busy with some chore or relaxing yourself with a cup of tea and you look over at your dog and she is laying quietly? Or the serenity of her presence while sitting together out on the front porch (you are enjoying that rocking chair of course!).
I can think of numerous images like that but mostly I hear about the dog that goes crazy, running zoomies all through the house, running over the furniture like it is a roller coaster, using the kitchen chair to climb on top of the table to eat the food left by the kids.
I also hear about the dog that fights tooth and nail all the way; and just won't give in to let you do what you need to do! Be it a bath, nail trim or just a good old non-pulling walk.
I don't believe that dogs try to be difficult on purpose. I think dogs that can't rest or settle haven't been shown the way or someone just hasn't gotten them through the "Battle of Discontentment".
Contentment isn't achieved by just exercising the dog to death because at the end of the day, I may have a tired dog but I still have a tired "Bad Dog". Besides I am tired too and I need to rest without feeling stressed. Two training methods that are very helpful in achieving dog contentment are Tethering and Sit on the Dog.
In the early phase of training during the day when dogs spend time with me in my kitchen, they are always tethered. I do not give them the opportunity to misbehave because their freedom has been removed. They stay tethered to eat their meals and wait while I eat mine. It does sound a bit like "Jail Time" but it is necessary to help set the expectation and show the dogs a new way to behave.
Every night when I have Overnight Boot Camp dogs, I do an exercise called "Sit on the Dog". No, I don't literally sit on the dog but I do keep the dog on a leash while I am sitting in my chair. I do not allow them to walk away but remain by me, on the floor to learn how to settle and relax. They are not allowed to climb into my lap or bother me in anyway. I do give them a comfy dog bed; so there's that!
Oh you wouldn't believe the tantrums I see! How some dogs struggle, wrestle and resist to "Give In"; It is a Battle of Wills! Perhaps the dogs do just wear themselves out but each time I tether them or do Sit on the Dog, they get to contentment much faster. It is an up hill battle but we must stay the course. It is so important to not "Give Up" but go through until they "Give In".
These methods work because the dog chooses to relax; I can not make their minds at ease, they must do that for themselves. I know they get to that Place of Contentment when I hear the BIG Sigh of Relief! The Battle of Wills has been won without damage and both of us are at Peace.
I own Out of the DogHouse LLC. I work with people and their dogs to help them get Happy again. We understand what you may be going through and know we can improve your relationship with your dog. Our programs work for every dog; our guarantee ensures success.
