A training session had just gotten out, and one of the dogs from the class began to lunge and bark at another dog that was cruising the store with its owner. The dog trainer took a bottle of water and began to spray it at the barking dog. The dog barked even more and the trainer just sprayed more water. The barking eventually stopped, and I was absolutely appalled that the owners just stood there while this trainer squirted the dog.

So now you’re probably thinking “It was just water, so what’s the big deal?”

The ‘big deal’ is that the dog trainer was punishing the dog for barking, and giving warning signals to show he was nervous and stressed out. The dog trainer taught the dog to suppress his emotions – which is a very dangerous thing to do. The next time the dog is frustrated, he may not bark or growl again, but he’ll still feel stressed out. Since the dog has been taught that he can no longer voice his emotions, that anger and frustration will continue to build up until one day, he will bite down hard without any warning.

What the dog trainer should have done was:
1. Advised the dog owner of the stressed out dog to remove the dog from the situation or
2. Give the dog some type of treat so that it can begin to build a positive association with other dogs.

Instead, she made a terrible mistake which could have fatal consequences for the dog later down the line. In my opinion, this is something that every professional dog trainer should know, whether or not he or she is certified, accredited or experienced. In this case, the dog trainer was ‘accredited’.

Accredited

Accredited is a made up term used by dog training facilities everywhere to sound like they are legit and educated. Usually, an accredited course is nothing more than a 3-5 day training session with a binder and a teacher who may or may not have trained dogs. Trust me, you can’t learn all there is to know about training dogs in just 3-5 days. If you could, there would be a lot more dog trainers out there.

Yep folks, when you sign your dog up for training sessions with an ‘accredited’ dog trainer or an ‘accredited’ facility, you’re really signing them up for training that may have no foundation in the real dog training world.

In short, accreditation doesn’t really mean anything.

Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t great accredited dog trainers out there, because there are. However, the great ones are set apart from the not-so-great-ones, because they will continue to build on their experience and knowledge of dogs by reading good books, attending real seminars, and hanging out with other dog trainers. Accreditation can be a good way for a person who has an interest in dogs to get their foot in the door, and find out if dog training is right for them. It doesn’t cost as much as certification does, and can at least give you an idea of the basic mechanics of dog training.

Certified

This is a patchy one, because as of this time, many trainers claimed to be certified. But certified by whom?

I went to a dog walk a few months ago, and took a look at the variety of dog training booths that were at the event. I spoke to a ton of dog trainers and posed as a potential client. Three of the five dog trainers I spoke to claimed to be certified. When I asked “Who are you certified by?” all three of them gave bogus answers. They gave the names of their predecessors and mentors.

This type of certification doesn’t mean anything in the dog training world. By those standards, anyone who’s never even looked at a job can be certified. There’s no requirement for training, education or experience when it comes to Cracker Jack certifications.

Now, if someone gives the name of an organization, such as ABC (Animal Behavior College) of CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer), then you are dealing with the real deal. However, do your homework. Look up the organization to see if it’s a real organization, find out what their standards are and look up the name of the dog trainer. There are many sneaky people out there who pose as certified trainers just to get your business.

Experienced

There are many ‘experienced’ dog trainers who have never stepped foot in any type of seminar or training facility. These are the ones who began training their own dogs and eventually decided to make a career out of it.
Experienced doesn’t mean that the dog trainer is good or bad. It simply means that he or she has been doing it for a while. I know a gal who was an ‘experienced’ store manager, but she had been fired from 2 different jobs and rarely ever kept her store up to company standards. Be that as it may, she was still an experienced store manager. Her ability to be a good store manager was an entirely different matter.

On the flip side, I also have a friend who’s an experienced web designer. He’s never stepped foot in a school, wasn’t mentored by anyone, yet he has a successful business as a web designer. His work is fantastic, and he’s mostly taught himself how to build websites through the use of books, CD ROMS, online tutorials and things of that nature.
So, when dealing with an ‘experienced’ dog trainer, ask for referrals, take a look at their website and ask them about their background as a trainer.

Which One Should I Choose?

Keep in mind that all dog trainers need to start somewhere. There are green trainers out there who are outstanding, and experienced certified trainers who are burnt out and less than appealing.

What really matters is that the trainer – whether certified, accredited or experienced – is able to connect with both you and your dog, and is able to offer you the training you need to fit your needs. In any case, interview the dog trainer and do your research. A little bit of detective work can go a long way in finding the right trainer for you and your furry friend.

For more articles relating to dogs, or for more information about our training programs, visit our website at www.amazingmutts.org.

Then there are other trainers who will tell you that it’s best to start training a dog as early as possible. This is the camp I’m in. You see, dogs are always in training, whether we realize it or not. They are always looking for cues and feedback, or in other words, cause and effect. Dogs are magnificent observers and learn very quickly. Anyone who’s owned a food-motivated dog can testify that within a matter of days, the dog learned where her favorite treats were located, and had no problem making herself available whenever the owner gave any type of indication that a treat was about to be presented.

If a dog can learn at 6 weeks of age that her favorite treats are on the third shelf of the kitchen cupboard, and that if she sits and whines at the cupboard she may get a treat, then she can also learn that sitting quietly or lying down might also produce a treat.

Unfortunately, many dog owners reinforce the wrong behaviors by giving their dog’s inappropriate feedback at a young age. A good example of this is a puppy that jumps up to greet his owners. The owners pet the puppy and tell him what a good dog he is, and so, the puppy has learned that if he jumps up, he’ll get attention. Once the puppy grows up to become a 60 lb powerhouse that has the ability to knock down visitors when they come through the door, it becomes very apparent that reinforcing this behavior while the dog was in its youth wasn’t such a good idea after all.
So, even in the earliest stages of life, a puppy is already learning.

The real questions are:
What is he learning?
What type of feedback is he receiving?

Whenever you introduce a new dog or puppy into your home, it’s important to lay out his training right away. That doesn’t mean you need to put him through a grueling 3 hour course of AKC obedience commands when he first arrives. It simply means you need to lay down the ground rules (ie: letting the puppy know he can sleep in his bed, but not yours), and reinforce them by offering appropriate feedback at the right time (praising the dog and giving him a treat when he goes to his own bed).

Here are some simple ways to offer simple training and positive reinforcement to your new canine addition.

• Spend 30 seconds at least 5 times a day giving the dog a treat while saying his name. He’ll learn to give you his full attention whenever you call him and that good things come to him when he hears his name.
• Give the dog lots of praise and treats when she goes potty outside. Really go overboard on the enthusiasm as if it’s the best thing she’s ever done. Don’t hit or punish the dog if she’s gone inside the house. Simply acknowledge and reinforce the times she goes outside.
• Lure the dog to his bed or spot with a tasty treat. Whenever he tries to jump onto the bed, couch, or any other place he doesn’t belong, simply remove him and put him where he does belong. Give your dog a treat and lots of praise whenever he goes to his spot on his own.
• When you catch your dog chewing on something she’s not supposed to have, offer a trade. Give him a toy in place of what she’s chewing. For example, if you catch your dog chewing on a shoe, have her drop it (resist the urge to pull it out of her mouth as she may thing you’re initiating a fun came of tug-of-war) and give her a kong or rubber bone instead.

Here’s a video of an amazing dog who started training the day she was born.

What did you think of this video? Your comments will help us to produce better quality and more helpful blogs

and videos in the future.

• Chasing them
• Trying to break up a fight
• Crossing the street with them
• Stepping over them
• Walking them

Some of these injuries were serious, in which hospitalization was needed. Can  you imagine how embarrassing it must be to explain to your doctor that you broke your arm while walking your dog? Yet that scenario is more common than you most people realize.

Just think, 80,000 injuries may have been prevented if the owners were paying better attention and had taken the time to train their pets. And contrary to popular belief, yes you can train cats too. I once had a cat that I had trained to sit, stay, come and even walk on a leash.

And just like training can save you from injuring your bones, it can also save your dog or cat from injuring themselves as well. Some of the most common pet induced injuries are from

• Fighting
• Over exertion while playing
• Falling
• Car accidents
• Ingesting foreign objects

Granted, accidents can and will happen. That’s just a part of life. However, adequate and consistent training can help both our pets and ourselves avoid injuries and even deaths. Many times, a simple “Stay” “Come” “Leave it” or “Drop it” command can save a pets life, and even your own!

Just 2 days ago, I read of an account of a dog being hit by a car on a long driveway. Had the dog been taught proper boundaries, he might still be alive today.

You love your pet. I know you do. And part of being a good owner is being responsible enough to get your dog the training he or she needs. This isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Your dog needs to know simple commands which are simple to teach. Take the time to train your dog and if you can’t do it yourself, hire a pet trainer to help you. Trainers – just like pets themselves, come in a wide variety to choose from.

Training has so many benefits that its a wonder more people  don’t do it. Aside from the possibility of saving your dog’s life, it will also strengthen your bond.

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Sources: http://www.livescience.com/animals/tripping-over-cats-dogs-100416.html

http://blog.krogerpersonalfinance.com/common-pet-injuries/

This cone course is a simple way to teach mild agility to any dog. It’s cheap, convenient and portable. You can set this course up just about anywhere and its extremely easy to set up.

All the exercises are set up so that you and your dogs will have pawloads of fun. Enjoy!

There’s a large community of animal lovers on youtube, facebook and myspace. They love to post videos of their own pets but also enjoy watching the behaviors and adventures of other animals too.

Here are some simple guidelines to creating your own videos.

1. You’ll need to start with good footage. Set up your dog to do whatever trick or behavior you want him to do. Get creative with the camera angles and don’t be afraid to have the dog repeat a certain action (so long as s/he isn’t getting annoyed) until you get the footage you want.

2. Trim or edit any footage that’s too blurry or shaky. You don’t want your viewers to get seasick while watching your videos.

3. Keep it short. Most people prefer to watch videos of 3-5 minutes in length.

4. Take your pet somewhere new and keep that camera rolling. Be sure that where ever you take him or her is pet friendly. You may want to consider taking him or her to a river, beach, new park, outside shopping community, or maybe even an amusement park.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t expose your pet to any threats or dangers. The point of making the vids is simply to have fun and show off all the cute things your doggy can do. If you’re dog is aggressive, you can still take him to new areas, but you may want to consider taking him during off hours. For example, if you notice the dog park is especially busy after 3 PM, try taking him around 11 AM when no one else is there.

Here’s an example of a short video we made with our dog.

Most of all – have fun, get creative, and make it a positive experience for both you and your pet!

Chicken Bone Freeze
Chicken broth (room temperature or cooler)
6 small-medium milk bones broken in half.

Pour chicken broth in ice tray. Put bone half in each square with the broken part submerged in the broth.  Freeze 8-10 hours.

*If milk bones are too big for ice tray, try using Duck Jerky Bites by Waggin’ Train.

Chicken Creamsicle
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (free of extra sugar or corn syrup)
1/2 cup of chicken broth (room temperature)

Mix chicken broth and yogurt together. Pour in ice cube tray. Freeze 8-10 hours.

The serving size of these treats vary on the size of your dog. A good, general method would be:

Small – 1
Medium – 2
Large – 3

Be sure to ration your dogs food whenever you allow him or her to have special treats.

These are great, tasty treats that will help to hydrate your dog and keep him cool on a warm day. As you can see, they’re super easy to make and there are so many ways you can mix it up. One dog lover kept it simple and created these using an ice tray she got from IKEA.

Her secret ingredients are kibble and water! Her dog LOVES them!

So take a chance and be creative. Until next time – bon appetit!

Or should I say….bone-a-pup-treat!

ENJOY!

To get us off on the right paw, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us any comments or questions you may have regarding anything related to dogs. We’ll take the time to research any questions you have, and publish our findings as soon as possible.