"When Training's Over"

When you have finished practicing a command, want to end a "trial", or think that your dog has done the good behavior long enough, give them a release word or short phrase.  Such as "okay", "you're done", or "let's go". The words should be said in an exuberant way and in an upbeat tone of voice, and they should be fun. They should truly be used to indicate that your expectations of them (what they are doing, their behavior) have changed. The release provides an opportunity for free time, for play, or for them to be on his own best behavior, until you say his name again, which precedes your next instruction ("Duke, come!").

If you would like your pet to learn more commands and to behave quietly on a leash (who wouldn't), you may begin formal obedience training when they are between 6 and 9 months old. This will strengthen the leader-follow-bond and complement what you're doing at home to mold or shape your pet's behavior.

After your pet has mastered the basic commands, you are not out of the woods yet, unless your pet is quite unusual. That's because all pets occasionally use bad manners or develop annoying habits.  Others go directly to major behavior problems!

Corrections for any undesirable behavior should be aimed at stopping the activity while it is in progress.  Better yet, an instant before they are about to misbehave, draw your pet's attention to you and try to elicit an alternative, desirable behavior.  Praising the dog for doing something else will teach them the house rules in a humane way.

Remember that most successful person-pet relationships result from mutual respect among all parties, be they human, canine, or feline.  Getting to know and understand your dog by paying attention to their needs so that she can "give" back to you will help build a healthy social-emotional bond.  Dogs reared in this way are less likely to be turned in to animal-control facilities or left out to roam throughout the day.

If physical or behavior problems develop, owners should respond to their pet as a family member and not treat them like an object.  Deciding to tie up the dog in the backyard is one way to deal with an unpleasant problem, whatever it may be, but this practice also marks your decision to abandon a friend and to begin to possess "living property". Don't do it!!!!

Hope your training is going well and is helping you and your pet have a happy and healthy relationship.

Susan
KCPS

All purpose command "off"

The earlier you can teach your dog the OFF command the better. You will be glad that your dog understands its meaning. If taught correctly, the word "off" tells your dog to remove herself from the present situation.  She must either get down from the couch or bed, or get away from you or our out of your face if she is giving unwanted licks or get off your lap if you've had enough cuddle time.

In some sensitive and well trained dogs, it is sufficient just to stare at the dog and say her name followed by the command, such as "Sadie, off!" Wait 3 to 5 seconds for the dog to get the hang of it and try to figure out the intention of your stare and grim face. Because this often causes dogs occupying a subordinate role to become even more submissive, the off-stare is sometimes met with facial licking, which is just the opposite of what you want.
 

However, if you become more firm in saying the command, she should try the next strategy, which is to remove herself from the situation. At that point, praise her: " GOOD GIRL!" The more times you try this, the more quickly she will pick up on it. But don't over do  the command because your dog may develop a habit of staying away from you as her M.O. which is certainly not what you want.

So use the command sparingly, and only when you want the dog to move away from you or down from someplace she is not supposed to be. Make sure that when you praise her for obeying, you add a nice social reinforcement, such  as petting, to let her know that you still love her, but that it was the behavior you did not want her to do.

Because it's the behavior you are influencing in your dog when you say, "off!" you may reinforce it in dogs who do not respond to a stare or the grim command by gently but firmly placing them off and praising them as if it was their idea. Dog learn quickly that if they don't comply in the time you want them to, they will be "off" anyway.

This command can be used with a gesture, such as a pointing finger or hand motion, so that eventually you would not even have to say the command. Always praise the dog after they obey a command, and never ever punish a dog for doing its job. They love to learn, work, and make you happy. That is all they want to do in life.


So by using the "off" command you can stop bad habits before they start, jumping on people, humping, or get on the furniture. Teaching this command can be a very valuable lesson and save you a lot of heartache in the future.

I know this post is late and there has been a lack in postings, but when the business is booming it leaves little time for writing. I hope your training is going well and your person to pet relationship is becoming a happy and healthy one.

Susan
KCPS 

"Sit, Sit, Sit"

Now that you are working with your pets name, and the come command, what do you want you pet to do next? Sit? Of course sit; this command is the logical most easy command to train a dog in my opinion. I have taught many a dog in just a few hours the sit command. If all the other commands was as easy as "sit" then training would be a breeze.

Now that he comes to you, you do not want him to jump up on you, nor do you want him to cower in response to your "don't do that" if he gets excited while training. So lets learn to Sit. 

If you are using food for an incentive then give these steps a try.

First position yourself so that you are in front of him, and then show him the treat you are holding between your thumb and forefinger.
Then when you have his attention, lift up your hand and move it just over his head, so that he has to look up and his rear end has to move toward the ground.
When his rear meets the ground, Say "Sit," immediately release the treat so that he can eat it, and praise him as thought it was his idea: "G-O-O-O-OD Sit"
If  he decides not to sit the next time around, or he backs up a bit instead of sitting his butt on the floor, move your hand toward you so that he voluntarily comes forward toward the treat again, then repeat the first 2 instructions.
If he begins to jump or lunge, calmly move the treat much farther above his head, and when he "comes down" from his leap, bring the treat closer, (this reinforceds his movement down), and repeat the first  instructions. Be sure to praise his compliance.

If you have a stubborn dog, you can give a gentle push to his rump and as soon as his rear hits the ground, say sit and give him a treat and praise.

Remember do not constantly say the command. As soon as he has it figured out, he will try to get the treat with out sitting the first time. Just hold your stance and wait, he will get it usually fairly quickly.

I like to use some sort of hand motion with each command for many different reasons, some dogs just respond better, but when they are in a location with a lots of noise they can see what they are supposed to do not just hear it. Also when they get older and lose their hearing, hand signals become a necessity.

I hope you are doing well with your training and your pet. 

Good Luck
Susan
KCPS

Learning the command "come"

Now that your pet know its name, the next step is to teach them to come on command.  You can teach a puppy to come using the word "come" or any other word or short phase you like (such as "get over here", "lets go", or "come here").  Dogs learn words best that are novel and distinctive. If you know a different language choose words or phases that you could use that your puppy will not hear all day long. Now you do not have to learn a 2nd language to train your dog, any words will do. This command can save your puppy's life because a dog who is under your control will not run off, or into traffic, or lunge at people. And they will not make a nuisance of themselves when you visit friends.  So pick any word you want, but use the same word or phase each time.

Caution Note: Never punish a dog for obeying you! Do not call your pet to you to reprimand them for something else. If you call them to come to you then punish them they will not come the next time, which defeats the purpose of this command.

Okay so lets start with call your pets name. Use the name in a happy, upbeat, tone of voice, complete with smiling, to elicit the orientation response we talked about in the previous post.
Then as they begin to approach you on their own say "come" adding a salutations as she walks toward you, followed by strokes and gentle handling. "G-o-o-o-d Come! G-o-o-o-d Come!" The word "come" and the intonation of your happy voice are now becoming connected to the pets happy feelings, and they will experience that happy feeling in the future opportunities to come when they hear the word.
The key to success here is to act as thought it was the dogs idea.  It is a technique that allows the dog to connect the action of walking toward you with your giving praise, and that she is responsible for "making" you give her the praise and attention when she hears "come here"
Try whispering the instruction and praise as she approaches. Both of you will be happy!

For getting the whole family involved with the "come command" try the following technique.
Have the family sit in a circle around the puppy, within leash length (a 6' leash works well here). After the first person has finished stroking the puppy, toss her leash to someone else in the circle who repeats the come command.
You may extend the distance as training  the Come proceeds.  You should also do come in different areas of the house, backyard, front yard, in "strange" territory like a park or playground, and so on, as you introduce your pet to those different locations in the next several weeks.

Now I have a hard time with this command personally, I like to use the word "here" or "come here" but I have not had a lot of success with training young pups that are easily distracted this command. So I have found for younger pups that the leash technique is best.

I hope this gives you the tools to help train and teach your pets. I will be back soon with a new command, but in the mean time keeping working with your pets with these two commands.

Good Luck                                                       

Susan
KCPS

"Let's learn tricks"

I have mostly just been sharing information of my pets, clients, hints, tips, and tricks on the blog, but for the next few weeks I am going to start some sharing training ideas. I will be sharing things that I have learned over the years and some of the information will be coming from a book.  Dr. John C. Wright's "Ain't Misbehavin" is a wonderful book with great information on having happy, well-behaved pets. 

So lets get started, when is a good time to train your dog? Should you begin when she's finished playing or eating her main meal? This is not the ideal time to start teaching your pet because neither toys, nor a playful person, or treats, will likely motivate her to behave and learn a new skill. A better time to teach a new skill is before her meals or as a part of social play (that's play with someone, as opposed to solitary play with a toy) or prior to social play. Take advantage of your pets bio-psycho-social needs in deciding when to schedule a training session, to maximize your and your pets training success. 

Using motivation is always a great way to teach your pet. Either with small tidbits of treats, or play with a special toy, or just an enthusiastic verbal praise all of which are excellent motivators. I would attempt to use the verbal praise for it is always readily available and there is no need to wean your pet from the motivation. Toys are great for play time tricks and such, but you may not always have it with you, there for you still need to wean them from it to maintain skills all the time. Using treats is always a great item, for most pets are food motivated, but you have to wean them so that they are not expecting treats every time they sit, stay, or come. But you have to use which every motivation you pets respond to the best and you can mix them up to accomplish the task at hand. 

When you begin training your pet you should start with the basics, these commands are essential to a well mannered pet, and will make you life much easier and may even save your pet's life. These basic commands include come, sit, off, and of course your pet's name. 

The first thing your pet should learn is their name.  An 8 to 10 week old puppy is probably not wedded to any name yet but if he's come with a name that you can live with, why not use it. 

Dr. Wright has two techniques helpful in teaching a pet his name. The first works by call his name abruptly and with great anticipation and expression. Do this when he's  a foot or three  from you and you are sitting on the floor with him. When he look in your direction, point your finger at your face, so he will get used to looking at you when he hears his name.  He will pay attention to your hands because, for him they are source of pleasure, and important "stimuli" that move.  He will also see your "smile face", which he will learn precedes things that feel good to him. Now, at the same time that he looks at your eyes, give him some whooping big social praise: "Go-o-od (pets name) 

The second technique is call his new name softly, in a whisper. At first, do this when he is lying calmly, then work up to more normal household ambient noise and situations, keeping your volume the same.  Repeat it in the same manner- sitting close to him on the floor- and with the same hand gesture you used with the first technique.  You may be surprised at how well he pays attention when you make it fun- there's something in it for him-but it also depends on your acting ability. He has to be convinced your are just thrilled that he looked at you when you whispered his name. 

Now if your pet already knows his name this post probably is not going to help you out much, but the next ones will.  

Another thing to think about choose your words wisely. Think about what word you are going to use for each command.  Try and make each one different or doesn't sound too similar.  One I used to always have trouble with was off or get down.  Does off mean "get off me" or "get off the couch"? Same for get down. So set down and think about what words you want to use for each command.  Get the family involved and make it a fun thing to do, and make sure everyone that is involved with the pet uses the same words, always for each command, that way there is no confusion. 

Our next post will be a very important and tough one to learn. Come!

Hope this helps some of my readers out and I look forward to hearing about any successful training.  

Susan

KCPS

HOT! HOT! HOT!

With the temperature is already soaring into the 90's I feel it is necessary to spread the word about animals in the heat.

When at home and outside make sure your pet has lots of shade and water, adding ice cubes to the water will help it stay cooler longer.  If you do not have trees to provide shade you can make shade with a tarp and some 2x4's or even some plywood. Don't leave them out for extended periods of time and keep a check on your pets when they are outside alone. It does not take long for a dog to over exert itself in hot temps. Remember dogs do not sweat, if your dog is lethargic and panting heavily bring them in and cool them off.

As for dogs in cars, my recommendation is never never leave a dog in a car in the hot temperature. Even with the windows cracked it can still reach high temps inside a vehicle. If it is 78 degrees outside the temps inside can reach between 100 degrees and 120 degrees in minutes. If it is 90 degrees outside the temps inside can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Exposure to extreme heat can lead to brain damage, heatstroke and death. If it is too hot leave them at home.

If you do come across a dog in a parked car, take down the car information and call the proper authorities, stay there until someone arrives and try to locate the owner. If the authorities are too slow and the dog looks to be in distress, with a witness take the appropriate measures to get the dog out.  Get the dog to a cool location and start cooling them off. NEVER USE ICE WATER to cool off a dog. Use cool water either by spraying them or take cool rags and put on the paws, chest, and groin areas.

Also keep in mind when walking your dog to stay off asphalt. Damage can happen in minuets to a dogs paws when on hot asphalt.

Please be aware of your pets in hot weather, they can not tell you if they are hot and uncomfortable.


I hope you share this with your friends.


Susan
KCPS

Our Pack "Duke"

I would like to share another one of our family pack. Duke is an Old English Mastiff. He is a great dog with expressions galore. He is our 2nd Mastiff, our first Tequila, passed away at 14 months from an aneurysm and we were completely devastated from her passing.

 We got Duke from a friend that had to move and could not take him with them. So we took him in and he has become a "large" part of our family. He was a bit under weight when he came to live with us. So I started him on chicken and rice and high protein dog food. It did not take long for him to get to 185 pounds. He is actually a sweet big ole baby. Loves to cuddle and be loved on.

He is truly a gentle giant. As typical of giant breeds, he does not realise how big he is. He has a huge bark that intimidates delivery drivers and anyone else that stops by. It has at times rattled the house. And to talk about rattling his snoring is a large as he is. He has long loud snores that you can hear all over the house. He makes himself at home anywhere he pleases from his own personal sofa to the his favorite spot in front of the stove. He loves to play with the water house, the more pressure the better for him. He will also chase rain drops and playing in the sprinkler. He is not much for playing fetch but will chase anything that has wheels in is line of site. He tires out pretty quickly though and enjoys just lounging the most.

He is nearly 7 years old now, and we can tell he is aging. He is slower to get around and you can tell it is hard for him to climb up on the sofa. He came with a lot of issues though. He hates lightening, thunder, gun shots, loud bangs, spray bottles, and horns. He also does like his ears, paws, mouth, or tail messed with at all. He will only eat crunchy foods, no canned food for him, and he will only eat our of shallow pans.  But we love him with all his flaws.  Thanks for allowing me to share my family with you and yours.

Susan
KCPS