Happy Dog Gone Easter

The Easter bunny was good to us this year. And, after all the fun inside, we took the dogs out to the front yard to find what the Easter bunny had left for them. All across the lawn were brightly colored plastic eggs filled with dog treats. Ethan couldnt resist the fun and helped the dogs find and open the eggs. Happy Easter!

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Back From Christmas Holiday!

I hope everyone had as wonderful and magical a Christmas as we did.  As previously mentioned, we packed all our gifts and trudged off to Maine (via airplane, but still a long trip!).  The dogs stayed home and were kept company by Amber of Hot Diggity Dog Walking and Pet Sitting.  They seem to have enjoyed their pampering, and it was great knowing that they were being so well cared for. 

Timber and Pistol got into one little scuffle (as our bickering boys sometimes do), but it was reported to me quickly and we avoided any repeat conflicts.  Amber even managed to keep my basil plant happy, which is pretty impressive - that plant drinks enough water each day to fill a swimming pool!  We returned home late last night (so late that it was technically this morning!) to a great note filling us in on how everyone was doing.  Thanks for taking such good care of our family, Amber!

While in Maine we enjoyed a wonderful visit with my sister and brother-in-law, my grandmother and my parents.  We awoke Christmas morning to bulging stockings, an obscene pile of gifts under the tree, and one very excited 4-year-old son.  We were also blessed with a beautiful snowstorm, starting Christmas morning and dumping over 4 ideal-for-sledding inches of snow.  Ethan got good use out of new winter boots and snow pants, and we all enjoyed our first snow in nearly two years.

This week will consist of playing with many new toys (mostly Ethan, but Ill admit Im excited about my gifts too!), a trip to the vet for Timber (who is drinking and peeing enough to indicate a significant problem) and my pre-op appointment with my orthopedic surgeon.  Next week is my hip surgery - January 4th to be exact.  My mother arrives on Sunday to help take care of me and the family.  Someone has to vacuum up all the dog hair around here if I cant get up to do it!

No great dog pictures, but I thought Id share some of our trip to Maine:

Christmas Snowstorm

Ethan sledding with me

Ethan sledding with Daddy

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Ethan sledding with his grandmother, Jane Babbitt

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Ethan sledding with his grandfather, Tom Babbitt

Sledding at Harbor Park in Camden, Maine - what goes down must come back up again!

Getting a fast start!

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Christmas is Coming

From a very talented group of European dog owners.  Its a great video, every time I see it:

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Merry Christmas and a few things to remember about your canine friends at Christmas

The Lovely Shane, Cuddles the Corgi Mix, Copper the Whopper Beagle, Cody the Little Beagle, Trigger the Dapple Dachshund, Foster Girl Gracy, Foster Boy Dr. Phil McBeagle, and I wish to extend Christmas Greetings to you and your families! Thank You for your support over the year. We really appreciate your business and the opportunity to communicate with you through this blog!

Non - Dog Training related Christmas message to my Christian friends and readers:

While there are differing theological views regarding the origin of this holiday, some with which I agree and some with which I do not, I think it wise to set that aside and remember why we, as Christians, claim to observe this holiday. While we may disagree on the Scriptural support for the observance of this day, it is clear the reason for this holiday, Christ, is the center of our faith. It is not clear, at least from my reading of the Bible, if the early church observed Christs birth, or any other birth for that matter. It is however, clear that without Christ, we are lost.

So, my fellow Christians, I encourage you to ponder this:

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ( And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;(because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was , while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for him in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel of the Lord said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David is a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:1-11 (KJV)

I am not a theologian...... but.... it does seem that if we chose to observe Christmas, the above passage is worthy of consideration. Our Savior, Jesus Christs life, death and resurrection is the reason for our faith. So perhaps we should spend a little time thinking of this particular passage of scripture and its impact on our lives. The parties, time with family, gifts, etc. are not bad but, the real reason we claim to celebrate on this holiday is the birth of our Savior!

I realize that has little to do with dog training. Christmas is however, widely viewed as a Christian Holiday so, I felt compelled to put it in perspective.

Dog Training Related Christmas Message:

I have mentioned many times before that dogs are very much routine oriented. They do much better and seem to be happier when they have an established routine. For this reason, Christmas, or any other holiday (vacation, etc.) can be difficult for our canine friends.

The break in routine, can in many cases overwhelm and stress even a normally polite little guy or girl. Please remember this if you plan to have new people as guests in your home for a party or other event. The new people and perhaps loud music, etc. can be very stressful for our little buddies. 

If we consider strategies ahead of time, we can make this much easier on our canine friends. You may want to consider making them a comfortable and safe place in a room as far as possible from the festivities.

 Make it fun for them! Maybe give them something special to occupy time. A frozen peanut butter filled Kong style toy many times is a good thing to use! Check on the little guys from time to time. Maybe keep the Television on for them in the room. Also, make sure they have had plenty of exercise the day of the party or event. If they are tired, they will be more likely to relax.

If you plan it right, Christmas can be a fun time for your little buddies too!

Remember, what your dog really wants is to spend time with you! He wants your love. So, even though dogs love treats and toys, my opinion is that they love your attention even more! So, if you really want to give your dog a gift he will love for Christmas, do something special to spend more quality time with him. Maybe a special ride to the park or a day going shopping with Mommy and Daddy (as I have told you before, there are many stores that welcome dogs).

Well I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas! 

As always, please contact me if you need help with training your dog to be a polite little guy or girl. I always tell you, "Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you get happy today!

Thank you for your support.

Till Next Time

-William

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

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Product Pick PureBites

I have a new favorite training treat.  PureBites are made by a Canadian company, and the beauty is in their simplicity.  Each treat is a single, freeze-dried ingredient.  The chicken treats are freeze-dried chicken, the cheese treats are freeze-dried cheddar cheese.  PureBites also come in Ocean Whitefish, Beef Liver, Duck and Trail Mix (which is actually a whopping 3 ingredients - sweet potato, beef liver and green beans).

The best thing about training with PureBites?  Its hard to say without sounding like a spokesperson for the company (though I assure you Im not), but dogs LOVE PureBites.  I have seen some of the most finicky dogs go bonkers for PureBites, and if a dog really wants what youve got, you can teach them to do just about anything.

Since they dont need to be refrigerated, PureBites are easy to take on a walk, to training class or just to keep a few in your pocket.  They arent stinky (with the exception of the Beef Liver, though its pretty mild smelling for liver).  Usually, while unappreciated by owners, stinky is a good quality in a training treat.  But dogs can tell when you get out PureBites.

The last feature I want to highlight: the single ingredient.  Its tough to find treats that can be tolerated by dogs with allergies, but one of the PureBites should work for just about any dog.  If your dog tends to have a sensitive stomach or gets car sick, you may want to try the chicken.  And if your dog needs to loose weight (or just not gain any extra!) chicken is pretty low in fat.

If you are going to use PureBites for training you may want to break the treats into smaller pieces ahead of time.  PureBites can be found in a variety of stores across the U.S., including Petco and Petsmart (try their website to search for independent stores near you) and online at Amazon.com.

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Why you may want to reconsider a dog as a Christmas gift

This little guy is cute but, he will
grow and he is a responsibility

Well, as Snoopy and Woodstock point out in the picture, Christmas is coming soon. It is already December. Seems like it comes sooner every year. Perhaps that is
because your Dog Training buddy is just getting older :).

There seems to be a lot of temptation for people to give dogs as Christmas gifts this time of year. Please consider that carefully. In almost all cases, it is really not a wonderful idea.

You all know that I love dogs. It is really a great joy to have a dog in your family. They are great companions and return your love many times over unconditionally.

As I have wrote in a recent post, dogs are also a responsibility.  While legally they may be considered property, they are living creatures. A dog will depend upon his/her people exclusively for care the rest of his/her life. With a puppy, this could be a two decade commitment.

Here are a few things to consider regarding dogs as gifts:

1. The financial commitment can be substantial. In my opinion, you have an obligation, as a dog owner, to provide for all of your dogs needs. This includes financial responsibility. This can be costly. See my previous post for additional information.
2. It is possible that you will have some difficulty with housebreaking (particularly with a puppy).
3. It is probable that a puppy will chew things in your house. It is absolutely your responsibility to puppy proof your home. You should make it safe for your puppy and puppy proofing can also minimize property damage. But, please be prepared, it is extremely likely that your new dog will damage or destroy something in your home (this is true even for adult, senior, and geriatric dogs).
4. Generally speaking a puppy is not a quite animal! He will bark. He will whimper. If he is a hound, he will howl and possibly bay. The hound bay is musical to my ears. That is the truth. But you and your neighbors may not appreciate the melodic bay or howl of your new  puppy.
5. Part of the commitment is training. As you know, I am a trainer and a substantial part of my livelihood is derived from the training of pet dogs.  But, even if you do not hire me or one of my esteemed colleagues. It is essential that you make a commitment to training. Even if you hire one of us, we simply work with you to teach you the techniques that you will use to train your dog. With enough work, I can get your dog to be a very well behaved and polite little guy or girl. But if I do the training without you being present or  you working personally with the dog, it is extremely likely that the results in your home will not come anywhere close to meeting your expectations or needs. No matter what, you must commit time to training! I realize that some of my colleagues provide dog training services that allow you to just drop the dog off for training then pick him up when the training is finished. While I respect these guys as dog trainers I do not agree with this approach. In order for training to be most effective you have to put work into it!
6. I strongly suggest that you maintain a fenced in area in your yard. I mean a real fence not one of these electronic shock collar devices. I realize this is not possible for everyone. If you do not have a fenced in area be prepared to walk your dog more often than you would with a fenced in area in the yard. If you need information on fencing in your yard or maintaining your fence, please contact me. If you are in the Atlanta area, remember that I also own a handyman business and I will be happy to work with you to repair your fence or put up a new one (depending upon the size of the job I may refer you to someone else).
7. Dogs absolutely require a significant investment of your time every day for the rest of his/her life. Please do not bring a dog into your home if the home is vacant of human occupants most of the day. Dogs are very social animals. They have been extremely domesticated and absolutely require human interaction to be happy and healthy.
8. You must make a commitment to walk and exercise your dog regularly even if you have a fenced in area of your yard. See my previous post regarding the importance of exercise.
9. Do your research. Various breeds of dogs have differing characteristics, needs, and temperaments. Some may not be right for your pack. Please keep this in mind.
10. Some folks are allergic to dogs. If you or someone in your family is allergic, please do proper research and stick with a breed that is less likely to aggravate your allergies. Remember a dog is a long term commitment and an allergy could make your life very uncomfortable. Remember this is not the dogs fault. It is your exclusive responsibility to exercise the proper precautions relating to your health.
11. Even if you get a breed whose general characteristics are compatible with your home environment, it is very possible that specific dog may not be as compatible. Like people, dogs temperaments vary widely from one dog to the next. Some dogs are shy and anxious. Some dogs are more aggressive and dominating. Some love to play, Some do not like to play as much. Some dogs are very high energy guys. Some are not nearly as hyperactive as others. When you buy a dog from a breeder as a Christmas gift, it is very difficult to determine the dogs temperament. Remember this is a very long term commitment. A dog who is wrong for your home could make life difficult for you. Training will also be more difficult in this situation. Most rescue groups allow a trial period. Each adoption BullyWag does has a two week trial. If the dog does not work out in your home within the two week period, BullyWag will take the dog back and refund your adoption fee. This is yet another reason that you should consider adoption!
12. If you are renting your home, please verify that the landlord is okay with a dog on the property. In most cases a fee is required and there are size, weight and possibly breed limitations. Please remember that this is a very long term commitment that will add difficulty and quite possibly expense to your next move.
13. Consider carefully bringing a puppy into a home with a very young child. A puppy requires a substantial time commitment. Also small children can unintentionally hurt a puppy. A puppy that is hurt or scared is much more likely to bite. This is not the dogs fault he is simply protecting himself. Dogs play with each other using their mouths. They also jump on each other. This is the way God made them. It is their inclination to try to play this way with people. There are training techniques to address this behavior with people. But, the new puppy will very likely jump on the child and may nip at him. Again, this is not the dogs fault he is simply doing what is instinctual to him. You must address this with training.
14. Because temperament varies from one dog to the next, if you have other dogs in the home, it is essential that you pick a new dog whose temperament is compatible with the rest of your pack. Again, this is very difficult to determine when you buy a dog from a breeder as Christmas gift.
15. During his lifetime, your dog is likely to become ill or get injured from time to time. It is essential that you be prepared to deal with this eventuality. It can require a substantial monetary outlay. But perhaps more importantly, your little buddy will be dependent upon you for care.  You may have to give him medication, tend to his wounds, etc. I have spent a few sleepless nights over the years caring for a sick or injured dog. I have also taken an occasional day off from work to care for one of my guys. You must be prepared to do the same.
16. Current vaccinations and flea/tick control is essential. Also regular heart worm tests and prevention is essential to your dogs health.



This is what happened when we did not adequately
secure the trash can. And these are my normally well
behaved beagles.

17. Long hair dogs require regular grooming. Please be prepared for this essential expense.

I realize the above points may seem negative and it may appear that I am trying to convince you not to get a dog. Please realize that is the polar opposite of my intent. I want you to have a dog as a life long companion. They are a joy. I get much more out of my relationship with my dogs than I ever put into them! But, in order to be successful, you must be aware of the responsibilities.

As you know, The Lovely Shane and I are active in dog rescue. We provide a foster home for one or two dogs at all times. We have both seen first hand the consequences of people bringing dogs into their homes without proper consideration of the responsibility. Many dogs die because they are turned over to shelters as a direct result of people not being prepared to care for them. So, for the dogs, this is literally a life or death matter. I will not sugar coat it, if you take your dog to a county shelter there is a high probability that he/she will be killed. The shelters do not have the resources to care for all the dogs they get and there are not enough rescue groups. This is reality.

Our fenced area at the dog training shack

I love my canine buddies and that is why I am writing this post.

If you are considering adding a new dog to your pack, please contact me at any time. I will be happy to help you find a local rescue group and answer any questions you may have. Phone calls and emails are free! I will also be more than happy to work with you to develop a training plan to make your new little girl or guy a polite dog. Because, as I tell you frequently, "Polite Dogs = Happy People". Let me help you to get happy toady!!

Till next time

These polite labs (Buck and Bailey) belong to my brother and my niece

-William-

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

William Moore Lawn and Handyman Services

678-702-4791

fayettelawnmoore@gmail.com

http://fayettelawnmoore.blogspot.com

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Christmas Sale

Critten Santa

(In-Home Training)

$305.00

A $100.00 savings over the regular price!

Sale price available for lessons booked and paid December 1, 2013-January 31, 2014

Lesson package can be purchased as a gift. Makes a great Christmas present for someone with a new pack member!

Great for puppies and dogs of any age!

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

Grace Reindeer

http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com

Now accepting major credit cards and paypal 

Go to http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com/p/christmas-sale-1212013-01312014.html to pay on-line

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