Successful methods and ideas on training your dog!

It is very common in households around the world to incorporate dogs and other domestic animals into the family home. Puppies, like most baby animals, have mischievous streaks. Read on for some ideas on training your dog.

To have success in dog training, you need to be able to control it with commands. Put yourself in an authoritative position, so that your dog knows to obey you. For example, when you walk your dog you must be in front and you should insist your dog follows behind you.

 Have your dog learn to just hold one of his toys in his mouth, instead of chewing on it immediately. Every time he does it, give him a snack and use the clicker. After your dog succeeds in mouthing an object a few times, move on to rewarding the dog for picking it up with his mouth. When he does respond, click and provide a reward. Also, rewards should only be given if the toy remains in the dogs mouth.

 If your dog has separation anxiety, its important that it learns to connect with more than one person. The dogs relationships to other people serve to dilute its unhealthy level of dependence and fixation on you that causes it so much grief.

 To ensure your training sticks, everyone in your household needs to treat your dog the same way you do and use the same training methods. Consistent methods is your best bet to get your dog to remember something. If teaching methods between people differs, it is easy for your dog to get confused.

 Give your puppy some toys to chew on so they do not hurt while teething, keep other things they might want to chew on out of their reach! Give it one of his toys instead. A wet frozen washcloth is great for a puppy, who has teething pain, to chew on.

 When training your dog never punish him; doing so will only make him be resistant to any further training. You should make every effort to prevent the behavior in the first place, but if your pet does misbehave, show him what he should have done instead. You should make training a time to interact with your dog, you want to build a positive relationship with him.

 Dogs tend to concentrate on one thing to the exclusion of everything else unless that concentration is interrupted. With enough training, you will have your dog focusing solely on your signals.

 If your dog suddenly starts misbehaving out of the blue, it is best to bring him to the vet so any health problems can be ruled out. Your dog might be acting out because he is suffering. Since they cannot tell us what is wrong, this is their way of letting us know that they need extra attention.

 Consistency is key during your training sessions. Pick a single word or gesture for each command, action or behavior and use it exclusively. Dogs are able to associate repeated words or actions with the requested response. Consistency is essential to training. Establish a short list of vocabulary associated with communicating with your dog.

 Using wee-wee pads is actually counter productive when you are potty training your new puppy. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. Potty pads can also mislead your dog into thinking that similarly shaped items throughout your home, like rugs, are appropriate places to go. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

 Any introductions to new animals should be made very slowly. Give your own pet great consideration before bringing another animal into the house. You can boost bonding efforts by getting a new pet that has a complimentary personality to your own.

 Try not to take your stress out on your dog by yelling at it because of your bad day or bad mood. Unless your dog has done something that warrants scolding, you should always take on a positive tone during your interactions.

 Make sure that your dog has enough sleeping space, especially when the dog is a big one that likes to sprawl. Think about getting your dog an actual dog bed that fits its larger size; crib mattresses work great, too. There are several advantages to doing this since you are able to change the cover with frequency and ease when using fitted sheets. This is also good because mattresses for cribs are waterproof.

 Your dog needs to get plenty of exercise. Dogs can get bored very easily. Dogs that lose interest are hard to train. Dogs are more inclined to obey when they are regularly taken out for exercise and happily accepted as a member of your family. It is a great idea to take your dog out on runs or walks through the neighborhood.

 Be sure to have your dog spayed or neutered at six months. You should do this at the same time you first take the dog to obedience training. A dog that has been spayed or neutered will be a more obedient dog. By spaying or neutering a dog he will have a longer happier life.

 Its important to include your family when training your dog. The house rules and specific expectations will be more apparent to the new dog if everyone, not just the primary trainer, follows the same training procedures.

 You do not want to use wee-wee pads when potty training your dog. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. Potty pads can also mislead your dog into thinking that similarly shaped items throughout your home, like rugs, are appropriate places to go. Teaching your dog the appropriate place to go from the start is always the more practical idea.

 Try not to use wee-wee pads as a tool in potty training your day. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. The pads may also confuse the dog because of their shape. It could cause the dog to think that a bathroom mat or welcome mat is a place to go potty. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 By following these tips, you should have a better understanding of how to train your dog. Putting these tips into action while training your pup can help the two of you forge a wonderful ongoing relationship..

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Tips And Tricks On How To Train Your Dog Correctly

Dogs are dogs, no matter the size or temperament. If a pet owner understands the way that his or her pet thinks, it may be easier to train the animal. If someone doesnt understand this mindset, he or she can gain some knowledge by reading this article.

Give challenges to your dog on a regular basis. Test what he knows by giving commands, even if you are sure that he has the skill mastered.

 Give your puppy his own toys that he can chew to remove pain due to teething, and keep him away from chewing other items. You need to replace that with a designated chew toy. Puppies sometimes chew objects while going through their teething phase. A wet cloth that has been frozen is perfect for them during this time.

 Use your dogs name whenever you are offering it a treat. This will direct his attention to you immediately every time, and especially right before you issue a command. Use your dogs name several times a day. If you need to punish your dog, go to your dog. Dont call him or her to you and then punish.

 It is important to avoid dwelling on one task for too long. Your dog is going to get bored doing the same thing over and over. This is why you need to limit the time of your training sessions to around 10 minutes.

 Keep dog training techniques positive and upbeat. Remain motivated, even when training gets tough. If your dog performs a task you ask him to, reward him. Punishing your dog will not achieve the desired results and does more harm than good.

 Always get your dogs attention by using his name. To train your dog, you need a certain level of control. Getting them used to their name and coming when you call will help you achieve this. Repeat this several times daily. Also, dont punish your dog if he comes over when you call him by name.

 Big dogs need a bed that can accommodate them, especially if they like to stretch and sleep on their back. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. A crib mattress is also an easy to care for alternative to a dog bed because the sheets can be changed regularly with little fuss. Theyre waterproof, too!

 Make sure that the only items your dog can reach are chew toys that are specifically made for dogs. You need to replace that with a designated chew toy. Chew toys are essential for puppies who are experiencing pain from teething. A great alternative is a frozen wash cloth.

 Include plenty of physical activity in your dogs training routine. Dogs can easily get bored. A bored dog will try and find something interesting to do, and training is not usually interesting. Keeping your dog exercised and happy will help them pay attention more due to releasing all excess energy that often distracts them from your commands. Go for long walks and runs with your dog.

 Any behavioral issues that suddenly occur should be checked by a vet to make sure there are no health conditions causing it. Certain health conditions, or even pain, can completely change an animals demeanor. It could even be to the point that the dog may become more aggressive and lash out at people. This behavior is an indicator to humans that there is something wrong.

 If you have to keep your dogs outside, never tie them up too close to one another. The dogs chains could get tangled up and cause harm to the dogs as they struggle to get free. In the worst case, a large dog might be able to strangle or crush a smaller one, entirely by accident, while trying to free itself.

 To have success in dog training, you need to be able to control it with commands. You have to show your dog that you are in control or he will not obey or respect you. When walking with your dog, always walk first, never let your dog lead, as this is the leadership position.

 If hiring an animal behavior professional is something you are considering, make sure to learn as much about them as you can. Animal behavior professionals have differing opinions on what correctly training a dog entails, so you should make sure that your trainer is in line with your own ideology before using their techniques with your dog!

 Your dog needs to get plenty of exercise. Dogs can get bored very easily. Dogs that lose interest are hard to train. Dogs are more inclined to obey when they are regularly taken out for exercise and happily accepted as a member of your family. It is a great idea to take your dog out on runs or walks through the neighborhood.

 If you teach your dog the right way to act at the beginning you will have a good dog. It is much more difficult to break a dogs bad habits, than to teach it correct behavior in the beginning. For example, if you are adamant about your dog not being a beggar, then never make any exceptions to handing him food from your table.

 In the majority of instances, dog bites are caused by a biting phobia. The occurrence is frequently due to a dogs anxiety, claustrophobia, or sense that danger is imminent. Train your dog with praise and discipline, not physical force. This could have the unfortunate effect of causing your dog to bite you. If your dog trusts you, he will want to make you happy and look towards you as a leader.

 Use dog treats that are tasty for your dog, and are of high value in order to obtain great results. Since these treats will be handed out sparingly, it should not matter too much if they are usually off limit items.

 Do not tie a couple of dogs closely together. The dogs could get wrapped up and they may be injured. If one dog happens to be much larger than the other, the small dog could get tangled to the point that it could choke to death.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 As you have read, pet owners choose to train their dogs for many different reasons. The natural willingness of dogs in general makes most easy to train. It is hoped that you have found some helpful tips in this article that will aid your efforts to train your pooch..

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Progress report on our foster dog Penny the tiny Beagle

 I am not sure if you can tell in these pictures but, little Penny is making great progress! She is filling out. I really do think she is putting on weight though I have not weighed her. Believe it or not there is no scale in the Dog Trainer Shack, not even a bathroom scale. I suppose, at some point we should get one but it is not exactly a high priority in our lives right now.

She is eating like a little horse! As is typical with Beagles, she loves food. She is led by her little nose!

 As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been using Nutri-Cal in an attempt to put some weight on this little girl and I think it is working.

She is the first dog that I have ever seen that does not like Nutri-Cal right out of the tube. I take two small treats and make her a Nutri-Cal sandwich with them. She loves that! I have been doing this two or three times a day.

As you can see in the picture, she loves her new foster brothers, Copper and Cody, here they are relaxing in the back yard at the Dog Training Shack.

The Lovely Shane recently took her on a little trip to her parents house. She did this to see how well little Penny would get along with her parents toy poodle (Benny). We were also curious how well Penny would do around our grandson.

The Lovely Shane reports that Penny did great with the grandyoungun (for those of you who do not live in the south, that means grandchild). However, Penny was very vocal around Benny. She did not really like him getting in her face and barking. I suppose I would have been vocal too in her position.  However, this indicates that Penny may not be great around toy breeds. I think they probably make her anxious and nervous. This is something that may get better with time and more (slow and controlled) socialization with toy dogs.

Penny seems to be very willing to learn. Here is a video that I made of me and the Beagles. We were working on waiting at the door. Penny saw Copper and Cody working on that behavior and she joined in the fun. She did very well for a first attempt. Then we came in the house and the Beagle boys and I were working on "leave it" and Penny joined in with us again. For the first attempt, she did great!

Penny does still need some work on behavioral stuff though. It is all fairly minor things such as, she likes to jump on you for attention, we are working on this.  She also likes to nudge you with her nose when she wants to be petted. I discourage this behavior because, I should be the one who pets her, not the other way around. But, as I wrote, all this is minor. She is overall, a very sweet and fairly polite and well behaved little girl!

Penny is scheduled to be at Petco in Peachtree City  this Saturday. She will be there from around 11 till around 4. If you are interested, please stop by the Bully Wag table and see her. 

She will also probably make an appearance at a fund raiser for Bully Wag in Newnan on Friday. I will post updates here as we get closer to Friday.

If you would like more information on Penny or on adding an adopted dog to your pack, please contact me at anytime!

Also, if you have recently added a new member to your pack, I will be happy to help you with your in an effort to make your new little guy or girl a polite and well behaved dog.

Please also contact me with any questions/concerns. As always, my goal is to help you train a polite and well behaved dog!

Till next time

-William-

William Moore

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

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What sort of harness or collar is good for a dog who pulls on the leash

Dogs that pull on the leash is the second most common thing that people ask me about. Second only to housebreaking. If you have a dog that pulls on the leash there are loose leash walking techniques that you can learn. I will be happy to teach you how to train your dog to walk properly on a leash using these techniques.

For a dog that is really bad about pulling, in addition to the loose leash walking techniques, I also suggest a no-pull harness.

There is a difference between a no-pull designed harness and a traditional flat harness.

The green and black and the orange and black harnesses pictured above are both flat harnesses. The orange and black one is a mesh comfort harness. Both of these are good for their intended purpose which is to distribute the pull from the leash across the body rather than at one point on the neck ( as with a flat collar). They do prevent choking. However they offer no resistance to pulling. They actually tend to encourage pulling because the dog gets no resistance.

There are a couple of options that I recommend for no-pull harnesses:

The Petsafe Easy Walk is a very good solution. The handsome Labrador in the picture is sporting an Easy Walk harness. It has a D-ring in the front of the collar. The d-ring in the  front is attached to a buckle that pulls the two nylon pieces in the front tighter when the dog pulls, thus giving the dog resistance. When adjusted properly, the harness does not really squeeze the dog it simply gives him resistance. The Easy Walk is the harness that I used to teach Copper proper loose leash walking technique. It is a really good product however, my experience has been that it does not fit all dogs properly. The other caution I will give you for this harness and pretty much any no-pull type harness is that they are only for walking. After the walk they need to come off because the dog can easily chew them up. Copper chewed up two of the Easy Walks because I neglected to remove them after walking.

The Beagle in the picture is wearing a typical no-pull harness that is available in many different brands at your local pet stores. It has a little bit of mesh in the front but it is different than the mesh flat harness. Notice the padded strings that attach to the mesh and go behind the little beagle guys front legs. These strings are attached to the d-ring to which the leash is attached. When the dog pulls, he feels resistance on the strings. When adjusted properly, this does not hurt him, he simply feels resistance. This is the type of harness that I am using now to train Cody, our newest addition to the pack. This harness is generally about half the price of the Easy Walk and seems to fit a wider range of dogs. The Easy Walk is a little easier to get on and off the dog, however.  I will give you the caution again that this harness needs to come off  the dog after a walk. They will chew this one too!

The brown collar here is a martingale collar. These are very popular with people who own sight hounds (or greyhounds). The reason they are popular is that they do not easily pull over the head. This is important with the sight hounds because typically the neck is wider than the head. After your dog stops pulling as much, you may want to transition him to a collar for walking. The martingale is a good choice. When adjusted properly, the martingale fits snug when the leash is pulled but does not choke the dog. I have a martingale on Copper. I have the leash connected directly to the martingale most of the time when we walk. It took a while to make the transition.

These are the products that I have used in training many times and I know that they work. There is a new product that I have heard nothing but good things about from people I respect. That product is the Walk-in-Sync harness. It is a little more expensive but seems to have the advantages of the Easy Walk while fitting a wider variety of dogs. If you are interested you can find more information at http://dogwalkinsync.com/ . At some point later on, I will test this product and post the results on this blog. The black lab in the picture is wearing a Walk-in-sync.

If you have a dog that pulls on the leash and/or is not well behaved on walks, please contact me at any time. I will be happy to help you!

Till next time

-William-

William Moore

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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Canine Training Suggestion on The best ways to Train Your Dog

It takes rather a long time to train a dog regardless of whether it is an older canine or puppy. If you need to know the best ways to train your dog, then the first commands that you must instruct are remain, sit, come, lie down, and No. You should begin with sit-stay-come-lie down in that order. The majority of pet dogs learn the "No" command with house-breaking, but it needs a great deal of reinforcement. You have to be really consistent, dedicated, and practice your canine a minimum of daily for thirty minutes and guarantee that you offer it some little time to play after the training sessions.

To train a dog ways to sit, requires some pet deals with, a six foot lead, and patting the canine gently on the rear as you say the sit command. Pamper him/her with some deals with if the canine sits. Then continue to stroll a couple more feet with your dog, redo the command, press the back, and offer another benefit. You have to keep doing this daily until it masters the command.

When the pet dog understands exactly how to sit, the next command is remain. Once the pet dog is sitting, you can offer the pet a benefit and say excellent woman or child. After one week, drop the lead and command the pet dog to stay as you stroll at least thirty feet away from the canine and out of sight.

After the dog discovers how to remain, then teach him the come command; to do this, simply utilize the lead and ask the pet dog to sit and stay. Attempt walking a couple feet away and ask the canine to come as you carefully pull the lead. Give a benefit and repeat this command as you increase the strolling range to around forty feet if the dog comes to you.

The easiest command to instruct a canine is the "No" command. Each time the dog does glitch, point at the pet dog and state No. Many pets recognize with this command though some could not really understand it. To comprehend this command better, most canines learn by house-breaking.

To make the pet rest, simply inform it to sit, and then lie down as you position your hand on the ground or floor in front of the canine. Provide a benefit if he or she finds out. This is also a simple command and can be learned alongside the stay command.

When offering commands, you need to never yell at the pet while you are training and constantly be consistent with the word you use. Keep repeating the commands as the pet dog gets older in age, as they might forget and begin disobeying.

Bear in mind that there are some types that take longer than others to learn; so be patient.

So ... do you want to get more Free ideas and discover more on the best ways to really train your pet dog? Click on Here  Doggy Dan online dog trainer.

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Reliable Guidance On Getting The Canine Under Control

Every dog needs to have some type of instruction to help right inadequate behaviors as well as to adjust to their new residing surroundings. This short article will give you easy methods to go about puppy training.

Pet dogs swiftly understand whether you actually expect them to respond to your orders each and every time or if they might be able to get away with not obeying occasionally. Dont give untrue communications! Dont give your pet a control if you do not are prepared to follow-through and make sure your dog obeys that demand.

When training your puppy simply to walk with a leash, keep in mind that your puppy should follow in which you lead, not the opposite. Puppies are load up pets, along with the innovator of your pack generally travels in-front. You would like your pet dog to find out you as the head, so they have to discover how to stroll powering you.

When you are first getting started in education your pet dog, try to routine the training trainings to happen at about the same time daily. In case you are producing the training classes a positive experience and performing them over a routine, your puppy will start to look forward to the periods and revel in them far more.

Training your dog could be frustrating. For those who have located you to ultimately be irritated simply because you are not creating development, go ahead and take a break before trying it yet again. Your pet is always seeing you together with understanding, so if it can view you are irritated it is going to respond in the similar way.

Canines will need no less than 1 hour of physical exercise time every day, on the top of education and washroom breaks. With out satisfactory workout, your pet dog will find it hard to emphasis during your exercise sessions. As they say, a wholesome puppy will reply effectively to training.

Correct awful habits quickly. The typical error lots of people make inside the care for their dog is enabling bad habits to travel unchecked until finally it might be a challenge. Proper training of a dog requires recognizing poor behavior straight away and solving it. It is actually harder to take care of a problem as soon as it provides produced away from proportion.

An excellent puppy training hint is to do comprehensive investigation in the type of pet that you just very own. Its not all puppies are the same. Each breed has their very own distinctive characteristics and its essential that you understand your dogs needs. Some dogs, for example, cant accept warm surroundings.

Make education fun for your dog. Select snacks your dog really loves, and offer a lot of excited admiration forever final results as well as good attempts. Maintain periods short and energetic. Give your pet plenty of odds to ensure success by rehearsing instructions that she or he is aware well, but also put variants and new instruction to maintain instruction fascinating.

An effective proper dog training idea is usually to always keep chocolates out of your dogs attain. Chocolate is very poisonous to pet dogs, but that wont quit them from ingesting it. Onions will also be not best for puppies so its greatest to ensure they are aside as well. Never ever depart dark chocolate being untruthful about.

Should you not talk that biting is unacceptable, a puppy doesnt know he or she is doing something wrong. Whenever you find your dog biting, redirect him into a chew gadget or bone fragments. Right after the pup starts to chew, securely say "No!" and provide him the chew gadget. While you are training a dog to stop biting, usually do not perform any wrestling or tug of war video games along with them to strengthen what you will be educating.

Is your pet barking continuously? Extreme woofing is often associated with insufficient exercise - attempt upping your walks or operates by 35 to sixty minutes or so every day, and youll likely notice an enormous decline in barking very quickly. Providing your pet a lot of correct what you should chew on could also make a significant difference.

A great way to potty-train your puppy would be to crate-workout it. A dog wont potty where it rests, so maintain the dog in their crate and allow him to out for any potty crack at standard time periods and that he should go. Ultimately, your dog will become familiar with that toilet time is outdoor time. This particular training also inhibits a lot of accidents.

Select a regular command or audio to utilize when coaching your dog never to bark. Make sure everybody in the household is aware the command or noise to work with and applies it consistently. Canines discover better with consistency and once everybody in the dogs household gives a regular message, unwelcome barking could be eliminated quicker.

Make sure you have your puppy spayed or neutered at six months. You should do this concurrently you first consider the canine to obedience coaching. When you pet had been spayed or neutered, they will act greater at obedience institution. It will be easy to improve enjoy the time you may have along with your pet and they will be at liberty and healthier.

Managers should go initial, and you need to teach that to the pet. In the event you move through doors along with your dog rushes past you thru the opening up, it implies you do not have manage along with your canine feels he or she is innovator. Obstructing the entrance so he cant make it through initially, or teaching him to sit down or stay when you move ahead of time, assists him understand he has to quit and comply with your steer.

Like folks, diverse canines respond preferable to distinct instruction designs. A quiet and calm pet will reply nicely to good encouragement, but puppies with competitive character may require some negative strengthening before they will likely regard that you are currently in control. If a person strategy isnt proceeding well, switch it.

At times, getting to your dogs level will assist you to recognize his thought approach. Puppies which are skittish can be a lot more understanding of uncommon forms on common paths. These items occasionally escape man view, since our vision-stage is much taller than a dogs. Look at things from his levels to have a sense of whats going on.

Untrained pet dogs are certainly not a satisfaction to become close to, plus they can damage your home. By taking to coronary heart the recommendations contained right here, you will be well on your way to coaching your dog from the capabilities he has to be a well-mannered puppy.

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Dont give up on defaults!

In order to build a strong stable nervous system you need to expose your dog to all sorts of experiences at a very young age, before four to six months old. Neither one of my dogs were socialized properly as puppies and as a result, are afraid of most things new or foreign. Exposing them to new situations is difficult and often unpredictable because of their lack of experience with common stimulus. Introducing a puppy to new things is fun, but introducing an anxious one and a half year old, or adult dog, to something new and exciting is not only difficult, but scary for both parties. I have done a lot of reading on desensitization and in the beginning of training Holly and Miko, I figured I would slowly and systematically expose my dogs to the things they were unfamiliar with, thus desensitizing them to their triggers. Little did I know that between the two of them, they are reactive to pretty much everything that moves and makes noise. On a daily basis they react to dogs, men, cats, birds, bikes, skateboards, motorcycles, trucks, lawn mowers, hair driers, vacuum cleaners and anything on wheels, including wheelchairs. Taking the two of them for a walk is hard work and I found it wasnt enjoyable for me. To turn things around I needed to work on a few basic foundation behaviors and bring some stability into our lives.

The behaviors that I now work on daily are COME, LOOK, TOUCH (or targeting) , DOWN, SIT, QUIET (or settle), as well as HEEL. I practice some of these commands in the house, looking out the window, in the back yard as people and dogs go by, as well as on our low stress walks. I can now walk both dogs, side by side, in a heel position, sitting on each corner in a controlled fashion. They dont pull me (very often) and walk on a loose leash (unless a dog or the mailman goes by). That might sound like an easy feat to some, but to owners of fear aggressive dogs, it can be a long road to enjoying a walk with "mans best friend". In fact, most people with fear aggressive dogs walk them at odd hours, when no distractions are present and a when they can avoid situations that leave them and their dogs rattled. I dont ever expect my dogs to be perfectly behaved or "off leash", but I do plan to enjoy the time I spend walking them. The foundation to successful rehabilitation of a fear aggressive dog is developing strong default behaviors, like the ones I have listed below, which can be taught through LOTS of repetition and LOTS of patience. Keep at them and DON"T GIVE UP on your dog!

COME: This is the most important command to work on. It can be used to pull a dog out of a dangerous situation. For fear aggressive dogs, a strong come default will save you much grief and could save you from unfortunate incidents, especially when you see something potentially scary and can avoid it by calling your dog to safety. I practice treating for COME every day so that when I need it, my dogs have an automatic and solid response to it and know it means good things to will follow.

LOOK: Most problems in training begin because the dog doesnt understand what the handler wants from it, or it is simply too distracted. The first step in communicating what you want from your dog is to get the dogs attention. Many times other distractions overshadow the handlers commands because the dog isnt paying attention to him or her. LOOK is an easy way to teach your dog to give you its focus. A strong look default will assure that you can get and keep your dogs attention when you most need it. Another form of "look" is name recognition. When you call your dogs name, you need it to look at you!

TOUCH: Teaching your dog to touch your hand or a target stick reliably, on command, is a good way to redirect it from a potentially reactive situation. Practice this command when there are no distractions and you can eventually use it to bridge many behaviors that will come in handy in the future. I use it to redirect my dogs after an outburst. I want to treat them for returning to calm behavior, but need something to separate the incident. By asking them to target my hand, it prevents me from accidentally reinforcing barking or lunging, because I need to treat them for ceasing the aggression and move on.

DOWN: As hard as it is to teach, an emergency down command can save your dogs life. It begins with practicing basic down commands in playtime, progressing to using a stern voice "DOWN" followed by praise and play. The point is to develop a strong and fast reaction to your voice...especially your panic voice. I do "downs" throughout the day in different tones of voice...even yelling it from a distance. It isnt abusive to bark a command at your dog in emergencies. They bark all the time! By practicing the word DOWN in a loud voice, you can be sure it will work when it really counts. (Dont give up on this one!)

SIT: If you can get your dog to sit, it cant jump or lung. (It is particularly useful for dogs who jump up). I use this for Holly when I position her facing away from her triggers. Sometimes I will go as far as holding her between my legs in a sit, so she cant look at the scary thing as it passes. It is always better to lure the dog away from the trigger, but in some cases, this is not possible and a strong sit will give me time to get my knees ready to block Holly from aggressing. I often put myself between the scary thing and the dog to physically block the reaction as well as visually block the stimulus.

QUIET: This is something I practice in the window of my living room for an hour or more a day. It can also be given as a "settle" or any word you prefer to use as a command. My dogs love to look out at the coming and goings of the neighbourhood. I keep a clicker handy and an ear cocked to ward off any window antics and to award any good behavior. I use the clicker as a marker for good quiet responses and as an interruptor of bad behavior (click and treat before they can start barking), as well as, as bridge to reward (to buy me a couple seconds of time to get the treat out). The trick is to award the calm quiet actions and redirect the barking into calm quiet behaviors, like sit or touch.

HEEL: Not to be confused with "walking on a loose leash"! My dogs must heel a block to earn a block of loose leash sniffing. It teaches them that they can have access to a good sniff, while working on a strong heel. The HEEL command is necessary in getting them through any social situation, be it walking down the sidewalk with men approaching, or allowing a cyclist to pass. This also allows me to walk calmly on the other side of the road, while a dog passes. Admittedly, I cross the street if I see a dog approaching (unless I am walking just one dog or the other). Together, two 65lb dogs can easily pull me off my feet. Miko wants to play and Holly wants to fight. I need a reliable heel to keep things under control.

ON and OFF game: Although this isnt a default exercise, it is a method of strengthening behaviors by adding distractions in a controlled way. I play with my dogs in the yard and get them really excited, (game ON) then ask them to quickly turn it OFF. I ask for a default behavior like sit, or down and make them settle down for treats. This is for practice in controlling their emotions and energy levels. By teaching them to turn their energy ON and OFF, I prepare them for settling down when they are over excited. It also allows me to figure out how quickly and under what circumstances I can expect them to settle down.

PRE-MACK Theory: This is a method of teaching more than a behavior. It works on the premise that you get your dog to perform a default in order to gain access to something or the freedom to do something. It is sometimes called the Grandmother Rule: "eat your veggies first!" I use it to strengthen desired behaviors by rewarding them with something the dogs really want, like sniffing when we are on a walk. In allowing the dogs a controlled amount of what they desire, it makes the desire to sniff less novel. They know that they will be allowed to sniff to their hearts content, as long as they heel for a block or even just as we cross a busy street. This can be applied to so many thing and is a great way to teach a default.

After months of training, unfortunately, Miko is still afraid of strange men and Holly is still afraid of other dogs. However, they are improving and learning to calm down on command. Instead of flooding them with their triggers while out and about (as I had done in the past with poor results). I now work on them at home and around my house without distractions, to build foundation behaviors which are incompatible with fear and aggression. I map out areas that are less stressful for the dogs. I keep the routes to low level exposures to their triggers. This way I can work on building up their threshold or tolerance to stimulus, rather than bulldozing through their fears in hopes of overcoming them. I concentrate on teaching them good behaviors and building the attention span, that they need to possess in order to feel more confident and calm in the face of perceived danger. I realized, not only had my dogs not been exposed to many types of things, people and stimulus, they had not been taught basic good manners and proper coping mechanisms. Before I could teach them to not react, I had to teach them what to do in place of reacting. I cant convince them not to be afraid of scary men and approaching dogs, but I can teach them to do something other than aggress.

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Congratulations on your new puppy!! Now what ! !

Congratulations on your new puppy!! Now what?!?!

A new puppy in the household is an exciting time for everyone. You and your family have a vision of how your puppy will grow and mature into the dog you’ve always wanted. You know your pup needs training. There are so many books out there and suddenly every friend and stranger you meet is an expert on how to train your puppy.

Raising a puppy is a lot of work, but it can be such a wonderful experience as well. Let Unleashed help you take the frustration and mystery out of it. There are four main components of getting through puppyhood successfully. They include…

1. Having realistic expectations

2. Knowing and using the appropriate management tools

3. Setting the foundation for relationship early

4. Proper socialization

Everyone agrees that it’s important to socialize your puppy. However, that is easier said than done. The experiences your pup has, specifically with other dogs, at a young age can shape their perception of other dogs for the rest of their life.

The Puppy Basics Class at Unleashed Dog Training and Behavior Center is not about just throwing your pup in with a bunch of other pups and hoping they get “socialized.” Unleashed Puppy Basics Class is specifically designed to teach your pup how much fun other dogs can be as well as teach them appropriate manners around puppies and well mannered adult dogs. And, your puppy won’t be the only one learning important skills. As your dog’s pack leader, it’s important that you understand how to set your dog up for success and create an environment that your dog feels safe in. The Puppy Basics Class will focus on the 4 main components referred to above as well as some foundation training, like coming when called and leash manners.

Classes are held in the El Dorado Hills/folsom area. Come enjoy our clean, new facility

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The Foster File Update on our foster pups

Tiny Beagle Penny
Our first foster girl

 I thought this may be a good opportunity to update you on the Dogs that the Lovely Shane and I have been fostering in our home lately.

Penny: As you may remember, Penny found a wonderful forever home with people who treat her very well (we do not use the word "spoil" :) ).

Foster Girl Lovey

While the Lovely Shane and I were on our cruise, we understand that Penny brought her new people to Petco on that Saturday to visit the groomers and the BullyWag volunteers. I understand that she is doing very well and is very happy!


After Penny found her forever people, we were blessed to foster an energetic little girl named Lovey. Lovey is a pit-bull mix. We think she is mixed with Border Collie. During the time she was with us she progressed very well. She learned to walk on a leash better (she still pulls a little). She learned all the behavioral stuff the rest of our pack knows like sit, stay, wait, leave it, etc. She is a very smart and active puppy. She is much younger and more energetic than the rest of our pack. Last Saturday, she went to a different foster home with more energetic pack mates. I am sure she is loving it! If you would like to add Lovey to your pack, she is still available and would make a great addition!

Foster Boy Whiskey

We also got to spend about a week with a wonderful little puppy named Whiskey. Whiskey is some sort of small hound mix. We think there may be some Dachshund in there. We are not certain what other breeds are in his genetics but it is something fairly small.

He loved playing with Lovey while he was with us! He also got along great with the rest of the pack! He is also a smart little guy. He was picking up very quickly on our packs routines and already knew most of the behavioral stuff.

The really great news is that he found his forever home on Saturday! We can not wait to hear how he is doing

Foster boy Biscuit

On Saturday, we were thrilled to welcome Biscuit as the newest foster member of the pack!

Biscuit is an adorable hound mix. He is about 8 months old (I think that is close).  Not sure of his ancestry either. Some have speculated Dachshund/Basset mix. That could be accurate, but I also think there is some larger dog like a Labrador in there as well. When I watch him walk and play I am reminded of the Bloodhound. I am the only one who has noted that, however.

Biscuit is ,sadly, a former victim of neglect. He was kept outside on a short chain in the weather.  I dont think he had much human contact.

He is not anxious so far as we can tell. He is very clingy, however. He follows us around closely. We have to be careful not to accidentally step on him. He loves affection! He is truly a scent hound. He loves treats. He loves any sort of food. He fits in very well with the Beagle boys in our pack! I know I have written this about all of our fosters but, he is very smart!

Foster Boy Biscuit at rest

He knew the sit command when he first arrived. He has already learned down and we are working on leave it.

The first time I put a leash on him he almost pulled my shoulder out of the socket. He pulls hard. I think it is because he spent so much time on the chain. I have been working with him on a no-pull harness. He is learning but we still need more time to work.

If you would like to add a good little hound boy to your pack, Biscuit is certainly worth considering!

Please remember, if you are think of getting a dog to add to your pack, there are a lot of sweet little guys and girls like the ones in this post. They need homes. They need love. Contact me before you contact a breeder or pet store. I will be happy to help you find a rescued dog who would love to live with you forever!

Also, if you have a new dog and are ready to begin training to get a polite and well behaved little guy or girl, please contact me at any time!

Till Next Time

-William -

William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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Be Wise And Follow These Tips On Proper Dog Training

You may be thinking that it is difficult to instruct a well used puppy new tips, but were you aware that you will find strategies utilized to train any dog new tricks, old and young. However, you arent gonna be profitable in proper dog training up until you discover what it takes to find the good results you wish. With ideas like these, one can learn some very nice expertise in puppy training.

In case you have obtained a whole new canine or dog, you should work towards coaching them without delay. When they will be inside canines, you could start crate training them . This prevents washroom incidents or maybe your products getting chewed on. Start off with the right scaled crate, so they have plenty of room from the crate to move around a lttle bit.

Consistency is vital in powerful proper dog training. Be sure that all of your current members of the family use the exact same orders and continue to be on the very same web page with regards to coaching. Your puppy will much better fully grasp then commands, you may stay away from confusion, and it will take a shorter period to accomplish your education goals.

Effectively educated dogs could be educated to reverence their crate being a host to basic safety. When possible always maintain the crate within a central location to ensure the puppy learns to know that it must be there and available at all times. He will quickly seek out it out when he is tired as well as when he is scared and seeking comfort and ease.

When you find yourself instruction your puppy, ensure you are extremely patient. Various dog breeds understand at diverse prices. One puppy can learn quickly while another dog will take a long time. In case you are impatient you can expect to pressure your pet and that he is going to be resistant against your best training attempts.

In case you are trying to coach a pet dog that would seem unresponsive and even hostile, find out the dogs basic needs have been achieved. A pet dog that doesnt get adequate consideration, for instance, is going to be grumpy rather than respond effectively to coaching. Not to mention a eager canine will probably be not likely to respond as well.

Never cave straight into bad habits. Your pet dog will invariably adore you, but it must have to know that youre the supervisor. Dont motivate bad habits and let your pet recognize that any such actions will likely be met with penalties. Simultaneously, ensure you prize good actions at the same time.

If you are education your dog, concentrate on what your pet does right in the training sessions, not their work incorrect. This may cause instruction more enjoyable for both you and your canine. Satisfying exercise sessions will make sure that your canine remembers the things you explained and is able to come back to get more with the following program.

To aid teach your pup to not chew on home goods and furniture, factors to consider that your puppy is definitely entertained with an suitable exercise. Exactly like small children, young puppies are always wanting to encounter new journeys. In the event you dont provide an activity, they will likely select one, and you also most likely wont just like the 1 they choose.

If you wish your dog to bond with a favored stuffed toy, say for example a lovey or chewing subject, create the toy a reward. Satisfying the plaything using a great aroma or handle, such as peanut butter, makes it extremely tempting for your personal dog. When the toy is actually a kong design, fill it up with his kibble for foods.

When a canine life inside a house that lacks any young children or older men and women living in it, the homeowner ought to go out of their approach to present their puppy to individuals forms of folks. By releasing them in the operated situation, one can train their dog the way to respond around those forms of men and women when they are ever around on the house.

Talk with the city managements dog policy. Animal fan households might be struggling when moving from the residence by using a large dog insurance policy to some spot exactly where no domestic pets are made it possible for. Relocate to a spot where family pet policy allows you to make your household close friends. Dont give them up just because the initial place you locate includes a no family pet plan.

If Fido has really messed up and say, consumed the trash for that 3rd time this week, take a moment and settle down prior to responding. When the occurrence didnt happen instantly, your puppy is not going to link the behaviour to the consequence, so save your valuable speech and take into account methods to make certain the behaviour doesnt happen once again.

If at all possible, commence training your pet if they are younger. A skill that is certainly trained early on is usually discovered speedier and easier when compared to a expertise that is certainly unveiled in a later on era. Moreover, older dogs have usually picked up a good number of negative actions over the course of their lifestyle these behaviors should be undone before the coaching procedure can begin.

If youre enthusiastic about your dogs speed, its recommended to pick out a dog thats suitable for it. Its correct that most breeds are designed for competing in this field, however some breeds are definitely more skilled as opposed to others. Included in this are edge collies, labs, Australian shepherds and sheepdogs.

Be aware of your dogs physique words through the coaching procedure. Pet dogs use their view, the ears and also other parts of themselves to show you how they really feel and what they desire. As an example, if they lift up or reduced their tail can tell you a great deal concerning their feeling. If you can read your pets indicators, you may be a far more powerful trainer.

While you are functioning at education your puppy, positive reinforcement is every little thing. You should give your puppy a great deal of chances to get points correct and after that right away strengthen that appealing habits. You should use pleasures, admiration or a mixture of each to permit the canine understand how delighted you happen to be in what he just did.

This post gives quite a lot of suggestions which you can use to arrive at know dog training a little greater and recognize just what must be done to instruct your dog new tricks no matter how old it is. You could start providing instructions and getting a reaction, while understanding the ideal solutions to support your pet dog comprehend new directions less difficult.

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Ways on How to Avoid Pregnancy and Tips on How to Prevent Pregnancy Completely!

Ways on How to Avoid Pregnancy and Tips on How to Prevent Pregnancy Completely!

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Advices On How To Get A Well Trained Dog

When you decide its time to train your dog, its very common to be a bit lost. Good dog-training skills come naturally to very few people. In order to train your pet properly, preparing yourself with some good advice is an excellent idea. This article contains good guidelines for several different aspects of dog training.

It takes small steps to crate train your puppy; they must become accustomed to it. Once he is comfortable walking in and out of the crate, try quietly closing the door and offering him a biscuit through the wires. Start small, like at 10 seconds per approach, and then gradually increase the times. If they become upset, you are moving too fast.

 Always get your dogs attention by using his name. Your dog must respond when its name is called before you move onto more advanced training. You should aim to call your dogs name out around ten times a day. Dont punish your dog if it comes when you call.

 Dont give up on training your dog, no matter what. Through constant and positive reinforcement, you will be able to train your dog to retain the behaviors you teach them. Taking care of your dog must include instituting a training plan, as well as meeting his food and shelter needs.

 You cant stop your dog from being a dog, so make sure to give him proper ways to act like a dog. There should always be good outlets available for your dog to exercise and keep busy, and do not forget the right diet to provide this energy.

 Positively encourage your dog without using treats. Offering treats as rewards for learning new tricks or behavior can be effective. However, its unlikely that you will carry treats around every single day for the rest of your dogs life. Petting and hugging dogs as positive reinforcement while training is better than giving them treats.

 Get your dog used to the things they will encounter when going for a vet visit. Touch your dog gently down the sides of his body and tell him he is being good when he does not react. You will want to get him ready to tolerate the doctor touching his mouth and paws. Your friends may be able to help you out, too.

 Try a phrase that you will stick with to train your puppy when you are house breaking him or her. Use the same word or phrase each time you bring him out to go to the bathroom so that he understands what you want him to do and makes a memory link between the phrase and the act.

 Your dog should be happy with everyone in your home so he does not suffer from separation anxiety. The dogs relationships to other people serve to dilute its unhealthy level of dependence and fixation on you that causes it so much grief.

 A trick you could teach your dog is to hold something in his mouth, such as a toy. Get your dogs attention with a clicker and reward him with a snack when he tastes or mouths the toy. When this has happened several times, hold off until the dog grabs the toy with his or her mouth. As this happens, press the clicker and then offer the reward. Also, rewards should only be given if the toy remains in the dogs mouth.

 It is important to take your dog on a rather long walk if you plan on being gone for several hours. If your dog is exhausted, he wont experience as much anxiety when you leave.

 Effective dog training requires instilling good behaviors from day one. It is far simpler to teach a dog to do something the right way than to break bad habits. For example, if you are adamant about your dog not being a beggar, then never make any exceptions to handing him food from your table.

 Dogs generally focus on one thing while ignoring everything around them, unless something interrupts that intense focus. If you keep up with his training, your dog will look to you more often for direction rather than looking to the environment.

 Consistency is very important when training your dog. Make a list of all your commands, and ensure that anyone who might have to control your dog has this list. Reward your dog for following commands. Do not reward your dog if he doesnt obey. When the people around the dog use different commands and responses, he may become confused and training could suffer.

 Keep your dog well exercised and active. Dogs can get bored easily. A bored dog will try and find something interesting to do, and training is not usually interesting. When your dog is exercised and is happy, training will be easier. Walk or run your dog frequently.

 If you know that your dog will react negatively in response to certain triggers, distract him until the moment is over. If your dog is antisocial around other dogs, distract him with something interesting if you get near other neighborhood dogs. This will allow him to make the relation between the positive stimuli and positive things happening.

 Its important to include your family when training your dog. The house rules and specific expectations will be more apparent to the new dog if everyone, not just the primary trainer, follows the same training procedures.

 If its possible, start training your dog when it is a puppy. Its not absolutely necessary, but young dogs do better with training. If you train your dog when he is a puppy, then he will continue to be a good dog for the remainder of his life.

 If you catch your puppy chewing on something that he shouldnt be, stop him as soon as you catch him. Redirecting your puppy towards a chew toy teaches him what is appropriate to chew on. This can prevent further damage to your possessions.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 As you have read, pet owners choose to train their dogs for many different reasons. The natural willingness of dogs in general makes most easy to train. It is hoped that you have found some helpful tips in this article that will aid your efforts to train your pooch..

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More dog supplies on a budget

The Lovely Shane and I recently attended a local Yard Sale. One of the items that I picked up is the red travel bowl that is setting on my work table in the office of the Dog Trainer Shack. This bowl is brand new, never used. It came with the tag attached that is setting to the right of the bowl. I paid the modest sum of $1.00 for this bowl. I could have probably negotiated a lower price but it seemed fair to me.

I am telling you about our yard sale trip because if you visit a few yard sales, you can find some really good bargains on dog supplies. Of course you will visit a lot of sales in which you find no bargains and perhaps not dog supplies at all, believe it or not, some people do not have dog packs at their homes ( I know this is a shock to some of you, as this particular concept was to me, but it does happen :) )

Just for fun, I looked up this travel bowl on the manufacturers web site. Apparently the red one is no longer available but they have one in slightly different color that you can order for $12.99. So, The Lovely Shane and I saved $11.99.

I wrote this to encourage you to always look for bargains like the one I describe here. I am going to use this bowl to more easily provide traveling water for my little buddies. However, if you come across a bargain like this and you can not use the item, I strongly suggest and encourage you to purchase it an donate it to one of our local heroes of dog rescue. I am sure they would love to any supplies you can provide for their foster dogs!


At this point, I normally tell you to contact me for your dog training needs then I close the post.  Please do, as always contact me regarding your dog training needs or any questions/concerns you may have. However, I want to mention something personal here.

The Lovely Shane and I attended a funeral today. My Fathers sister, Alice Ruth Brown recently died. She had been battling various illnesses for sometime and died as a result of a recent bought of pneumonia from which she was ultimately too weak to recover.

I mention my Aunt Ruth here because she was a real dog person. She loved toy breeds and miniatures. As a child I remember many times visiting with her in her living room  while a chihuahua or a miniature dachshund sat in her lap getting petted.

I got my first exposure to toy breeds and miniatures from this wonderful lady. She once gave us (my brother, me and my parents) a miniature dachshund girl named Baby. I have very fond memories of Baby and of my Aunt Ruth. The world needs more people like her! I already miss her. But, her suffering is over and she is in a far,far better place with our Lord!

Have a great weekend!

Till next time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

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What to do when you can not take your dogs on vacation with you

The Lovely Shane and I at the Cruise Ship Port in Nassau

Copper really missed us!

The Lovely Shane and I just returned from a Cruise to the Bahamas. Those of you who are familiar with me know that I advocate taking your well behaved little guys with you if possible. In some cases, it is simply not possible. The cruise lines do not allow pet dogs (at least Carnival does not). Therefore, we could not take our little darlings with us.

The towel animal that the crew left in our room one
day really reminded us of Cody.... Could have been Copper but would
 have required a large beach towel :)

There were many options available to us for their care. Some of the options we considered were:

• Leaving the pack at the Dog Training Shack (our home) and asking relatives to feed and walk them in addition to checking our mail, taking out the trash, etc.
• Leaving the pack at the Dog Training Shack and hiring a pet sitter to feed and walk them.
• Leaving the pack at a relatives house to be cared for over the week.
• Leaving the pack at the home of a Pet Sitter for the week.

None of these options is particularly bad. We did not really want to impose upon our family for the length of time which we were going to be away. None of our family really had the space for our pack at their houses.Our house was too far away to be practical for them to care for our guys for a week in our home.

Notice that a kennel is not on the list. We just really did not want them to be caged in a strange place for the entire week. I will not hate you if you choose a kennel. There are some good ones out there. It was just not what we wanted to do. It was really important to us that they stay with someone that we know and that will take good care of them (some folks may call it spoiling them. We prefer to call it taking good care of them :)).

The beach at Little Stirrup Cay (Bahamas)

Another note of caution. This is not really dog related but more travel related. You may notice that I did not mention my trip at all on this blog before departure. I did not mention it on Facebook or any other public electronic venue either. This was intentional. Please be cautious about posting this sort of personal information on places that may be accessed by the general public. The Lovely Shane and I were both gone so, the house was a little vulnerable. Had I posted this information about our travel plans publicly, anyone with nefarious intentions could have broken into our house. Also anyone with something against me ( I hope there are not many of you :) ) would have know my general location and could have found me. Perhaps my past career in the Computer Security business makes slightly more paranoid that most of you. But please consider this advice the next time you are planning a trip.

We decided to use a Pet Sitter. It was a little outside our budget to have them stay at our home so, we took them to the Pet Sitters home. This was a better option anyway. At the Pet Sitters home they got more attention than they would have if left alone at our place and they got to play with other people and dogs. This sort of situation is generally much less stressful on the dogs than a kennel would be.

The Lovely Shane and I with a new DJ friend.

We use and I  highly recommend Michelle Crampo at All Things Paws. You may remember my mentioning Michelle in another post about the Local Heroes of Dog Rescue. I adopted Copper from her. She does a lot of good work saving the lives of dogs through rescue.

Copper enjoyed being back at his old foster home for a week! The rest of our pack did incredibly well too.

When you leave your pack to go on vacation, it is not uncommon for them to behave a little differently when you return. Our little guys and girl have been much more clingy. This usually lasts for a day or two.

I still strongly encourage you to take the little guys and girls with you when you go if it is possible. However, I do realize that sometimes we do not have that option. When you need to leave them behind, I strongly suggest that you leave them with someone you can trust. If you are outside the Atlanta area, check with other people in the community and get recommendations from people that you trust. If you are leaving the dogs at the sitters home, ask for a tour of the place and perhaps bring your dogs over first to let them sniff around the place before your trip.

If you are in the South Metro Atlanta Area, I certainly recommend Michelle. If you live elsewhere in North Georgia, please contact me and I will be glad to talk with you about other sitters in the area.

Till next time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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On a Personal Non Doggy Note

Those of you that have known me for a while are probably aware that I have a "bad hip."  A real bummer for anyone, let alone a dog trainer.  I have been plauged with hip pain on my right side ever since Ethan was born four and a half years ago.  Since arriving in Oregon (and making use of the health benefits that come with my husband Kyles job at Oregon Health and Science University), I have been seeing an entire team of doctors, all working to get me in better shape.  The bad news is that I seem to be worse than ever right now, but the good news is that orthopedist Dr. Andrea Herzka, along with the others treating me, think that a (second) surgery has a decent (60-75%) chance of "fixing" me. 

Gulp - under the knife again!  I go in for the procedure on January 4th, followed by 3 to 6+ weeks of recovery, determined by what the surgeon discovers and fixes while Im under.  We are blessed to have my mother, Jane Babbitt, flying out from Maine for the entire month of January to help with cooking, cleaning and taking care of Ethan.  Hopefully this will be a successful surgery, an easy recovery and a full resolution.  I am already looking forward to the chance to once again go for hikes with my family, run agility courses with Pistol and Apple, and in general lead an active, pain-free life.  Your prayers and good thoughts are welcome!

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Welcoming an adopted dog into your pack

The Lovely Shane and I are pleased to welcome Cody to our pack!  As I mentioned in a previous post, we adopted Cody from the Coweta County Animal Control Shelter. He arrived yesterday afternoon. He is adjusting to his new forever home very well!

I thought it may be a good occasion to write a blog entry about welcoming an adopted guy or girl to your pack.

If this is your first dog it is important that you dog-proof your home. Take a look at my blog entry about dog-proofing for more information.

Remember to be patient. This can be a stressful time for the dog. If he is a housebroken adult, it is possible that due to the stress he may have accidents. Make sure to take him out very quickly after you get him home so that he knows where he should go. If you need to reinforce or teach housebreaking take a look at my blog entry on housebreaking.

If you have other dogs in your pack, slowly introduce the new guy or girl. Make sure he is not trapped in a corner. If you pick a dog with similar temperament to your existing pack members this transition will be much easier.

If possible, find out what sort of food the dog was eating at the shelter. To eliminate the possibility of an upset stomach, get a bag of the food that he is on. If you want to transition him to a new food, mix his current food with the new food. For  more information on Dog Food, take a look at my blog posts on Nutrition and Corn.

It is not uncommon for adopted dogs to experience separation anxiety. I encourage you to be prepared for this possibility. If you see that the new guy or girl is being destructive when you leave him at home, consider leaving something to occupy his time. A great idea is to buy a Kong toy and fill it with peanut butter and crushed treats. If you freeze this it will work even better. He will spend a lot of time trying to get the peanut butter and treats out of the toy and this will occupy his mind. You may also consider leaving a TV or Radio on so that he hears the voices this may soothe him. See also my blog posting on Dogs and TV.

It is very important that the dog get plenty of exercise. I recommend walking him on the leash at least once a day. If the weather is rainy, take a look at my blog posting about places to walk your dog when it is raining for ideas about dry places to walk when it is raining.

I strongly recommend that you make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Even if the dog is healthy, you need to make sure his shots are current and that you start heart worm preventive and flea and tick preventive as soon as possible. I would also have the vet do a wellness check examination just to verify there are no health issues.

If your dog is not micro-chipped I strongly recommend that you have this done. This is particularly important for sent hounds (beagles, bassets, bloodhounds, etc.) because they are ruled by their noses and will get lost on the trail of something interesting. It is important for any breed ! It is important because the microchip will identify the dog even if he loses his collar. The microchips can be read at veterinarian offices and shelters. I will write a post soon that will go into detail about microchips

I also recommend that you get an engraved name tag for his collar. This way he is very easily identifiable if lost.

The Lovely Shane and I wanted to make sure Cody was clean before we brought him into the dog trainer shack with the rest of the pack. We stopped by Petco in Peachtree City and used the self-service bath. This is really nice because it is set-up for dogs and you dont have a mess to clean up when you are finished. We think it is well worth the $10.00. I also had Whitney ,in the grooming salon, clip Codys nails while we were there. The nails had grown to a very long length. Nail trimming is a very important part of grooming. I will write a blog entry later that explains this in more detail. But, I strongly suggest that you maintain the nails.

Just so that you know I practice what I preach (so to speak) I am taking Cody to the veterinarian in the morning.

You should start training as soon as possible. This will ensure that your new little guy or girl is polite and well behaved. Contact me at any time and I will be glad to discuss training options with you!

Till Next Time

-William_

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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