Holiday Questions Of The Month:
Every year for Thanksgiving, we pack up our whole family (dog included!) and drive to my parents in Maine. Sadly, this year our dog has to stay home. We’ve never left him before - how do we make our nervous, people-shy dog comfortable with the pet sitter we’ve hired?
Hiring someone to come to your home and pet sit can be a great experience for your dog if you do your homework before you leave for vacation. Since your dog is nervous and shy, have your pet sitter drop in for a few minutes as many times as possible between now and the time that you leave. It doesn’t have to be a long visit; the idea is to have the sitter get to know him (and vice-versa) and earn his trust. Once your dog is comfortable with her presence while you’re home, arrange for her to stop by when you’re out. Sometimes dogs react differently when a (relative) stranger comes into their territory while the family isn’t home. As their relationship progresses, teach your sitter the obedience commands that your dog knows (leave a written list when you leave), and have her incorporate practice sessions into the visits. The “come” and “stay” commands are potential lifesavers in the event your dog races through an open door or breaks free of his leash and runs into the street, and the odds of your dog obeying your sitter are much higher if they’ve been training before you leave. Eventually, your dog will become comfortable (or even better - delighted) with the new person in his life, and although your departure will have some emotional impact on him (which will probably be minimal compared to the emotional impact leaving will have on you and your family!), at least he’ll be able to relax and enjoy the company of his new friend.
My dog licks the dirty dishes when we load the dishwasher. My husband thought that if we gave her one plate to clean off before we loaded it, she would stop. But it didn’t work. She insists on licking every plate and utensil she can get her mouth on. What can we do to stop this behavior?
I understand the message that your husband was trying to send your dog - “You can have one plate, but leave the rest alone.” Sadly, the only message she heard was “Plates taste delicious!” Dogs don’t understand the human concept of moderation. The one plate that he allowed her to lick tasted wonderful, so when you’re loading the dishwasher with more of them (and down at her level, no less), it’s easy to see why she thought the first tasting signaled the beginning of the buffet, not the end. To re-train her, put her on leash and place one plate in the dishwasher. When she lunges for it, stop her with the leash while saying “Ah-ah”. The failure to reach the plate coupled with the verbal command will no doubt cause her to stop dead in her tracks and look at you. That’s your cue to say “Good girl” and immediately give her a treat that you’ve hidden in your pocket (deli turkey, anyone?). In a fairly short amount of time, your dog will realize that staying out of the dishwasher pays better than jumping into it. Additionally, if you happen to have a solid “down/wait” command, the time to put it to use would be while you’re loading the dishwasher. Remember that if you allow her to revert to her old habit before she’s totally trained, you’ll never be able to truly stop the behavior. So, in the interest of training, if you can’t monitor her closely, put your husband in charge of the dirty dishes while you take the dog out for a walk.
**************
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
We’re a few weeks away from a tidal wave of holidays, and we’ve put together a list of things to help you and your dog make the transition smoothly:
1. Ask us for our Holiday Survival Packet. It contains important information for you, your family, and your guests pertaining to your dog and training. This is the second year we’re making it available because we heard from so many of our students that it was a lifesaver!
2. ID ID ID! PLEASE make it a priority to get your dog a flat collar with “REWARD” and your cell phone number embroidered on it. Help the person who finds your dog to get in touch with YOU, instead of the police or animal control. My dogs each have one from Orvis: http://www.orvis.com/p/reflective-collar/3Y83?adv=127748&cm_mmc=plas-_-Dogs-_-3Y83-_-127748&kpid=3Y83-06-52&kpid=3Y83-06-52
3. Come to Dog PlayGroups. Our playgroups are a great opportunity for your puppy/dog to play in a safe environment while you learn to read the signs of proper (and improper!) play. In addition, you’ll go home with a TIRED dog!
4. Attend Class. We know the holidays are exhausting and that your “To Do” list becomes much longer, but if ‘dog training’ slides to the bottom of the list, his behavior won’t get any better and that will make your life even more challenging!
5. If #3 Can’t Happen, Consider Enrolling in our Playcare + FastTrack Program. Your dog’s day will include lots of long walks, playtime, a training session and some naptime. We understand that dogs need time to rest, and that non-stop stimulation can create a cranky dog!
6. Let Us Know How We Can Help! Whether you need a lesson sheet, a private lesson, a shoulder to cry on, or a ‘Pep Talk’, all of us are here for you 24/7. Literally.
COME PLAY WITH US!
Every Monday at 6pm: Dog Playgroup
If you’ve never been to one before, this is our healthy alternative to a dog park. Our playgroups are safe, fun, properly structured, narrated and educational. We divide the groups into small dogs/puppies, and large dogs so everyone is playing in their proper “weight class”.
Here’s a sample of some of the important things you’ll learn at our playgroups. We’re hoping that when you put one together at your house, you’ll remember these VERY IMPORTANT RULES:
1. Keep your phone with you, but don’t take any calls. Focus on your dog and give the experience your undivided attention.
2. In case of an emergency – have a small air horn ready. If a fight occurs, this is one way to break it up that doesn’t involve putting your hands on the dogs.
3. After allowing your dog to play for 6 seconds, call him back to you. Did he? Great! Let him play and do it again after 15 seconds. Then 30, then a minute, then 3 minutes. If he’s coming to you every time, then he earns a longer play session. Sprinkle commands to him throughout the entire time so that you know that he’s still listening back to you. A dog who ‘hangs up the phone’ and isn’t focused on his owner is unlikely to respond to an important command like Come or Stay that would potentially keep him out of trouble.
4. Stop the party early. Over tired dogs are like over tired kids. They get cranky and that’s when fuses get short. Better to leave the park when your dog is still responsive to you and wanting more than when he’s over it and getting snarky with the others.
5. Never allow a high-speed game of chase to begin if your group exceeds 2 dogs. Although it looks like fun, games of chase can go really wrong, really quickly. The problem occurs because when multiple dogs join the chase, what started as a game can turn into a predatory attack due to overly high arousal levels.
6. Make sure that what you’re watching is actually play. Sometimes owners mistake defensive, deflective responses for play. Not sure? Call your dog to you and then release him back to his game. If he was truly playing, he’ll reengage the dog. If not, he was probably not having as good a time as you thought he was.
7. Check your dog’s collar. Loose fitting, choke chain and/or training collars are a no-no during play. Keep it simple with a snug fitting flat collar (bonus points if you’ve had it engraved to say REWARD + your cell number).
Sign up is limited and is open to students in our school only. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL KATHY [email protected] to reserve your spot. Cost is $25.00
Upcoming Seminars:
DOG SHOW HANDLING CLASS WITH STACEY
Email her at [email protected] for time and date.
BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP: Monday, November 10th - 8-9pm
Think of it as “Interpreting The Native Language Of Your Dog”.
For humans to effectively communicate, we’ve devised an immense vocabulary, but dogs are limited to ‘words’ formed by their body parts. Because of this, the dog must re use “words” and depend on context and combination to form his “sentence”. Understanding what your dog is saying is extremely important to prevent bites, fights, and miscommunications between dogs and humans and dogs and dogs. People only, please. RSVP to Kathy at [email protected]
MULTIPLE DOG HOUSEHOLD WORKSHOP: Thursday, November 20th 8-9pm
OFF LEASH WORKSHOPS (Indoor & Outdoor): Over the summer, we’ve had 50+ dogs graduate to “off leash status.” Yours could be next! Email Kathy or Stacey to learn more about our off leash training program and to find out whether you’re ready to start.
FIELD TRIPS WITH STACEY
Email her at [email protected] for time and location.
THERAPY DOG WORKSHOP
Please email Stacey at [email protected] for more details.
RALLY OBEDIENCE
We now have many of our students competing in Rally. Hooray! We have the following classes to help you succeed:
THURSDAY 7PM RALLY/AKC NOVICE LEVEL CLASS WITH KATHY
Having trained many of her own (and her student’s!) dogs to AKC’s Obedience Trial Champion (OTCh) titles, this class will teach you how to get any type of obedience title on your dog. If you’re not a currently in this class, please email Kathy at [email protected] for availability.
FRIDAY NIGHT RALLY RUN THRUS WITH JERRIE:
November 14th and December 8th
Jerrie will be holding Rally Run Thru’s on select Friday nights. As someone who’s achieved many rally titles on her dogs, Jerrie knows how to set up a course that will build the handler and dog’s confidence as well as test their abilities.
In recent months, MANY of our students have competed in Rally trials and have come home with lots of ribbons! We’re so proud of them all, and remember the first day that they came to our school, just wanting a dog that would “listen to them.” Now they’re competing in Rally and earning titles with their dogs! Congratulations to all of them.
Cost is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to a local rescue group. Please call or email Jerrie: [email protected] for more information.
Every year for Thanksgiving, we pack up our whole family (dog included!) and drive to my parents in Maine. Sadly, this year our dog has to stay home. We’ve never left him before - how do we make our nervous, people-shy dog comfortable with the pet sitter we’ve hired?
Hiring someone to come to your home and pet sit can be a great experience for your dog if you do your homework before you leave for vacation. Since your dog is nervous and shy, have your pet sitter drop in for a few minutes as many times as possible between now and the time that you leave. It doesn’t have to be a long visit; the idea is to have the sitter get to know him (and vice-versa) and earn his trust. Once your dog is comfortable with her presence while you’re home, arrange for her to stop by when you’re out. Sometimes dogs react differently when a (relative) stranger comes into their territory while the family isn’t home. As their relationship progresses, teach your sitter the obedience commands that your dog knows (leave a written list when you leave), and have her incorporate practice sessions into the visits. The “come” and “stay” commands are potential lifesavers in the event your dog races through an open door or breaks free of his leash and runs into the street, and the odds of your dog obeying your sitter are much higher if they’ve been training before you leave. Eventually, your dog will become comfortable (or even better - delighted) with the new person in his life, and although your departure will have some emotional impact on him (which will probably be minimal compared to the emotional impact leaving will have on you and your family!), at least he’ll be able to relax and enjoy the company of his new friend.
My dog licks the dirty dishes when we load the dishwasher. My husband thought that if we gave her one plate to clean off before we loaded it, she would stop. But it didn’t work. She insists on licking every plate and utensil she can get her mouth on. What can we do to stop this behavior?
I understand the message that your husband was trying to send your dog - “You can have one plate, but leave the rest alone.” Sadly, the only message she heard was “Plates taste delicious!” Dogs don’t understand the human concept of moderation. The one plate that he allowed her to lick tasted wonderful, so when you’re loading the dishwasher with more of them (and down at her level, no less), it’s easy to see why she thought the first tasting signaled the beginning of the buffet, not the end. To re-train her, put her on leash and place one plate in the dishwasher. When she lunges for it, stop her with the leash while saying “Ah-ah”. The failure to reach the plate coupled with the verbal command will no doubt cause her to stop dead in her tracks and look at you. That’s your cue to say “Good girl” and immediately give her a treat that you’ve hidden in your pocket (deli turkey, anyone?). In a fairly short amount of time, your dog will realize that staying out of the dishwasher pays better than jumping into it. Additionally, if you happen to have a solid “down/wait” command, the time to put it to use would be while you’re loading the dishwasher. Remember that if you allow her to revert to her old habit before she’s totally trained, you’ll never be able to truly stop the behavior. So, in the interest of training, if you can’t monitor her closely, put your husband in charge of the dirty dishes while you take the dog out for a walk.
**************
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
We’re a few weeks away from a tidal wave of holidays, and we’ve put together a list of things to help you and your dog make the transition smoothly:
1. Ask us for our Holiday Survival Packet. It contains important information for you, your family, and your guests pertaining to your dog and training. This is the second year we’re making it available because we heard from so many of our students that it was a lifesaver!
2. ID ID ID! PLEASE make it a priority to get your dog a flat collar with “REWARD” and your cell phone number embroidered on it. Help the person who finds your dog to get in touch with YOU, instead of the police or animal control. My dogs each have one from Orvis: http://www.orvis.com/p/reflective-collar/3Y83?adv=127748&cm_mmc=plas-_-Dogs-_-3Y83-_-127748&kpid=3Y83-06-52&kpid=3Y83-06-52
3. Come to Dog PlayGroups. Our playgroups are a great opportunity for your puppy/dog to play in a safe environment while you learn to read the signs of proper (and improper!) play. In addition, you’ll go home with a TIRED dog!
4. Attend Class. We know the holidays are exhausting and that your “To Do” list becomes much longer, but if ‘dog training’ slides to the bottom of the list, his behavior won’t get any better and that will make your life even more challenging!
5. If #3 Can’t Happen, Consider Enrolling in our Playcare + FastTrack Program. Your dog’s day will include lots of long walks, playtime, a training session and some naptime. We understand that dogs need time to rest, and that non-stop stimulation can create a cranky dog!
6. Let Us Know How We Can Help! Whether you need a lesson sheet, a private lesson, a shoulder to cry on, or a ‘Pep Talk’, all of us are here for you 24/7. Literally.
COME PLAY WITH US!
Every Monday at 6pm: Dog Playgroup
If you’ve never been to one before, this is our healthy alternative to a dog park. Our playgroups are safe, fun, properly structured, narrated and educational. We divide the groups into small dogs/puppies, and large dogs so everyone is playing in their proper “weight class”.
Here’s a sample of some of the important things you’ll learn at our playgroups. We’re hoping that when you put one together at your house, you’ll remember these VERY IMPORTANT RULES:
1. Keep your phone with you, but don’t take any calls. Focus on your dog and give the experience your undivided attention.
2. In case of an emergency – have a small air horn ready. If a fight occurs, this is one way to break it up that doesn’t involve putting your hands on the dogs.
3. After allowing your dog to play for 6 seconds, call him back to you. Did he? Great! Let him play and do it again after 15 seconds. Then 30, then a minute, then 3 minutes. If he’s coming to you every time, then he earns a longer play session. Sprinkle commands to him throughout the entire time so that you know that he’s still listening back to you. A dog who ‘hangs up the phone’ and isn’t focused on his owner is unlikely to respond to an important command like Come or Stay that would potentially keep him out of trouble.
4. Stop the party early. Over tired dogs are like over tired kids. They get cranky and that’s when fuses get short. Better to leave the park when your dog is still responsive to you and wanting more than when he’s over it and getting snarky with the others.
5. Never allow a high-speed game of chase to begin if your group exceeds 2 dogs. Although it looks like fun, games of chase can go really wrong, really quickly. The problem occurs because when multiple dogs join the chase, what started as a game can turn into a predatory attack due to overly high arousal levels.
6. Make sure that what you’re watching is actually play. Sometimes owners mistake defensive, deflective responses for play. Not sure? Call your dog to you and then release him back to his game. If he was truly playing, he’ll reengage the dog. If not, he was probably not having as good a time as you thought he was.
7. Check your dog’s collar. Loose fitting, choke chain and/or training collars are a no-no during play. Keep it simple with a snug fitting flat collar (bonus points if you’ve had it engraved to say REWARD + your cell number).
Sign up is limited and is open to students in our school only. PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL KATHY [email protected] to reserve your spot. Cost is $25.00
Upcoming Seminars:
DOG SHOW HANDLING CLASS WITH STACEY
Email her at [email protected] for time and date.
BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP: Monday, November 10th - 8-9pm
Think of it as “Interpreting The Native Language Of Your Dog”.
For humans to effectively communicate, we’ve devised an immense vocabulary, but dogs are limited to ‘words’ formed by their body parts. Because of this, the dog must re use “words” and depend on context and combination to form his “sentence”. Understanding what your dog is saying is extremely important to prevent bites, fights, and miscommunications between dogs and humans and dogs and dogs. People only, please. RSVP to Kathy at [email protected]
MULTIPLE DOG HOUSEHOLD WORKSHOP: Thursday, November 20th 8-9pm
OFF LEASH WORKSHOPS (Indoor & Outdoor): Over the summer, we’ve had 50+ dogs graduate to “off leash status.” Yours could be next! Email Kathy or Stacey to learn more about our off leash training program and to find out whether you’re ready to start.
FIELD TRIPS WITH STACEY
Email her at [email protected] for time and location.
THERAPY DOG WORKSHOP
Please email Stacey at [email protected] for more details.
RALLY OBEDIENCE
We now have many of our students competing in Rally. Hooray! We have the following classes to help you succeed:
THURSDAY 7PM RALLY/AKC NOVICE LEVEL CLASS WITH KATHY
Having trained many of her own (and her student’s!) dogs to AKC’s Obedience Trial Champion (OTCh) titles, this class will teach you how to get any type of obedience title on your dog. If you’re not a currently in this class, please email Kathy at [email protected] for availability.
FRIDAY NIGHT RALLY RUN THRUS WITH JERRIE:
November 14th and December 8th
Jerrie will be holding Rally Run Thru’s on select Friday nights. As someone who’s achieved many rally titles on her dogs, Jerrie knows how to set up a course that will build the handler and dog’s confidence as well as test their abilities.
In recent months, MANY of our students have competed in Rally trials and have come home with lots of ribbons! We’re so proud of them all, and remember the first day that they came to our school, just wanting a dog that would “listen to them.” Now they’re competing in Rally and earning titles with their dogs! Congratulations to all of them.
Cost is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to a local rescue group. Please call or email Jerrie: [email protected] for more information.