There are three D’s to Dog Training, Distance, Distraction, and Duration. Except, we don’t teach them in that order!
DURATION
We always begin with Duration, which counts for two areas. Duration can mean how long you work with your dog. In the beginning, when they’re just starting out, we begin by teaching them little things here and there while giving them lots of breaks in between. As your puppy grows and matures, it can practice and perform for longer periods of time.
Duration also applies to how long your dog performs a task. When first starting out, we teach the dog what the skill is and that they will get rewarded for performing it. Once that skill becomes reliable, and they’re doing it when asked the first time, we then begin asking for them to either hold it or perform it for a longer period of time. Instead of just doing the skill, they discover that holding that position for a longer period of time then gets them the reward.
DISTANCE
Once you have established a solid skill and they are doing it for a set period of time, you can begin working on Distancing yourself from the dog. In the example of Stays, we begin by taking one step back, then two, three, etc. Adding Distance creates a more solidly trained dog. Always begin small, and work out from there.
In the interest of aggressive or reactive dogs we begin further away and slowly work our way closer to the thing that is causing the reactivity. Distance works both ways.
DISTRACTIONS
Distractions get added as the dog becomes more reliable. They need to learn amongst Distractions, so we add them in slowly. There are four levels to Distractions and they apply in all cases; whether it be obedience training skills, or rehabilitating an aggressive dog.
Level 1: This is essentially your low level distractions. The way that I explain this to my clients is; it’s a distraction that grabs your pup’s attention but is easy to get it back from. Such as a temporary noise that happens in another room. Their ear would turn, maybe their head but you’re holding a yummy treat so they immediately connect back to you after it’s over.
Level 2: This is a distraction that is a little bit more exciting to the dog. Something that might cause them to walk away from your treat, and also requires a little more effort on your part to get them back, but they still come back. Example: One of their other humans comes home and walks through the room – puppy runs over to say hello to them.
Level 3: This distraction is higher up on the enticement scale. This is your pizza man knocking at the door, or hearing someone walk down the sidewalk, on the other side of their fence. This distraction absolutely takes their attention away from you and you need to work at getting it back. Just a treat or a recall won’t do it for them. Usually needs intervention training. If left too long in this stage these distractions can & usually will jump up a level.
Level 4: This is the highest level of distraction. This is your neighbor and his dog walking towards you down the sidewalk with your dog-reactive dog on a leash. Or a cat that’s running across your yard and your dog has a high level of prey drive. These are distractions that your dog ignores everything, for. They cause your dog to take off running, to pull or lunge at the end of the leash, to completely forget about anything you might be holding or offering him/her.
A lot of the dogs I meet are at Level 4 and I need to train them down to level 1. So it’s a step-ladder of working at the lower levels and slowly adding more in. Jump too high too fast and it causes confusion and frustration. Also where Distance is important as the closer you get, the higher the Distraction goes. This is why beginning with Duration and Distance is important. Distractions always come last.
Published by Amy Noble on 12/18/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication.
You waited for school to be out this past June so you could pick up your newest family member from the breeder or rescue. It was planned perfectly! The family would spend the whole summer playing with the new puppy. Feeding, watering, potty training, teaching tricks, and getting to know your puppy was what filled this summer’s long days. Memories were made and thousands of pictures taken.
Now it’s September, and school is back in session. The kids are up earlier each day, cranky, rushing out the door, and gone for hours. Afternoon hits and everyone returns home. Snacks handed out, clothes changed and homework begins. We all know that can take a while. Then dinner, some down-time, and bed. All to do it over again, 4 more days of the week. Throw in sports plus after-school activities, there isn’t a whole lot of time left in the day.
Your life changes drastically overnight, in the eyes of your puppy. There is no explaining to them, the immediate change in the amount of attention they will get during the day; however, there are ways that you can prepare them, and make it more comfortable for them when the time does come.
-Take Breaks: The most important thing to remember is to not spend 24/7 with your puppy. DO leave the house at times. Take everyone with you, so that the puppy can learn to be alone and have it be okay. Start small, build onto that time.
-Keep Puppy Occupied: Giving the puppy something to do like chew on a Filled Kong Toy or a bone will keep their minds occupied on something yummy and good, instead of your absence.
-Leave Radio On: Get the puppy used to having something like the radio playing, or a tv on low. If you do, be sure to leave it on something upbeat and positive. Dogs do respond to the energy of the tone of what they’re listening to. I tend to leave the TV on animal shows.
-Puzzle Toys: Give your puppy something stimulating to do and think about. Buy or make DIY Puzzle toys for your dog to sniff at, play with, and receive rewards from. Keeping their brains busy on something constructive and good, instead of your absence.
When school starts, and you’re the only one home with the puppy – play with them! They’re going to love the one-on-one time. Plus, they will benefit from learning to play with different family members and their styles of play; teaching them social flexibility. Playing stimulates their brain and causes them to be tired. Depending on the age of your puppy, sometimes just a 30 minute session can result in a 2-3 hour nap.
Training! I’m always going to suggest this one. Spend some time teaching tricks or basic obedience before school, when the kids are at school, and while they’re busy doing homework. It’s a perfect time to teach Leave-It, Attention getters, and Stays!
Puppy play dates are always fun too! If you have friends that also have young dogs, and everybody is up to date on vaccinations – meet in your backyard or your friend’s backyard and have a play session. Guaranteed to cause a massive nap attack for the rest of the day.
Something to remember? School-age children should not be held completely responsible for the new dog. You got it to help teach responsibility – which is a great idea! It definitely does. Responsibility is not something that just manifests out of thin air, it falls on you as the parent (or guardian) to guide and show them what to do and how to manage their time. When the children are busy with their primary responsibility, school, the adults in the house need to take over the roll of playmate and leader with the puppy.
The whole family should be involved with Puppy’s raising and training. Everybody has a part in the family – including our dogs. If everybody does their piece the puppy will learn exactly where they fit in. Resulting in a much more harmonious household.
Published by Amy Noble on 9/4/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication
You would think that a leash is just a leash. They aren’t – there are different types and different times and reasons for them. I will cover the ones I’ve had experience with and why I would recommend them or not. I do have my favorites, yet also continue to try new products all the time, to find the perfect tool(s) for each situation.
RETRACTABLE LEASHES:
Let’s just start with these guys and get them out of the way, and these are probably the one leash I write the most about. This is one of the most popular leashes on the market. They seem like a really good idea – give your dog 2 feet, or 25! To run and sniff and play on their daily walkies, right? No. These are a bad idea.
They are not safe for you or your dog.
First, if your dog is at full extension, or anything over 3 feet really, you have lost control of your dog and any situation that may arise. Consider this: You’ve just gotten off work, it’s been a long week. You take Mitzi out for her walkies to the park down the street, something you’ve done every day since you adopted her two years ago. Tonight you’re checking your phone while Mitzi is 15 feet away from you sniffing a bush. Suddenly, without any warning, a stray dog who is highly dog aggressive comes out from the other side of that bush, and he triggers onto your Mitzi. 15 Feet is going to take you MUCH longer to get to your dog, by either retracting or running, than that aggressive dog just two feet away.
Dogs also startle at times; retractable leashes give your dog the too-easy opportunity to bolt out into the street, not paying attention to where they’re going. Or run into a yard, or across a driveway too far away from you. There are many situations that can, and do, happen.
On the human side of things…
Most of these leashes are a blend of a long wire and a short bit of actual nylon leash. There are the types that are fully nylon, but that does not improve them much. If you have a dog that is fully extended who gets excited, scared, playful, chased, whatever it might be? Locked or not, it becomes a weapon against you. I have seen people get wrapped up in these and cut bad. I’ve seen people get tied up in them and fall over because the dog took off around them in a circle. I’ve seen the leash snap off at the dog and the recoil whips people in the face, arms or body. I’ve seen people drop the handle and the heavy plastic casing hits their dog. I have seen a lot happen with handlers and these leashes that I just say, do yourself and your dog a favor and just don’t use them.
NYLON LEASHES
I like these, they are pretty durable, generally pretty cheap depending on the type that you get (leather handle / double handle) and they come in many varieties of color and patterns. The most important thing about these leashes is that you don’t leave them accessible for your dogs to chew up. I recommend a 4-6ft length medium or heavy grade for comfort and control.
LEATHER LEASHES
I love using leather leashes. These are my favorite type of leash to use. I have one that I’ve been using since 2000. My favorite part about these is they give you a very comfortable grip on your dog. The best thing about them? The more you use them, the softer they become. Still giving you a good grip after 15+ years. I highly recommend using these 6 ft is a good length for training and walking.
TAB LEASHES
These leashes are fabulous for close-contact training as well as preparation for off-leash training. They are about 1-2 ft long with the handle taking up ½-¾ of the length. This keeps your dog in very close control to you. It doesn’t give them a lot of room to run around or get ahead or behind you. I have used these my entire dog career. I highly recommend getting one of these. The material isn’t AS important as your regular training lead; however, I do like leather or at least a leather-cushioned handle. Be sure the clip is very strong and durable.
DOUBLE LEAD
These come as an extension that you put on your regular leash, where it has a central ring and two clips on the ends of two short (1 ft) leashes. These are used for people with multiple dogs who want to walk them at the same time together. I am okay with these being used as long as your two dogs do not have the potential to “take out” any sort of reaction on each other, in case anything were to occur on your walk. Sometimes dogs can get over stimulated if they are leash-reactive, and if they have a dog near them they will react at the nearest warm body because they can’t get to the offender. If you have dogs that do not react to dogs, or will not reciprocate if a dog reacts at them, then yes – these are a wonderful tool to have for multiple dog families!
Another type is a single 7 ft lead that has three rings and two clips on it. This is the lead that I use most often and prefer it in leather. Currently I have a heavy cotton type and though it’s comfortable – I prefer my leather. This leash can be used for two dogs to keep them at 7 ft length apart, or you can clip several small extensions on it, you can wrap it around your waist and clip it to you as a hands-free leash, you can give it a handle and use it as a regular leash. There are so many things you can do with this one leash which is why I am a big fan of this one! I definitely recommend having one in your dog supply closet.
LONG LINE
Long lines are used as training tools. They are 20-50 ft and made of nylon or a thick cotton-type material. All of them come with handle for you and a clip at the other end for the dog – just like a very giant, well, leash. Long lines would not be good for going on your average walks; however, if you’re training your dog in the field they are great. I use these for working on recall as well as working on distance stays. Yes I use them out in the world at parks or in the front yard. Again it is used for training purposes only and that means that I and my dog are both 100% focused on one another and I am staying in control of the situation. Very different from your 25 ft retractable leash.
CHAIN LEASH
Chain leashes come in second to retractable leashes for me. Only in extremely rare cases would I ever recommend one of these. They are uncomfortable on your hands, they restrict you to only holding onto the handle which is usually about 8” long, giving your dog 4 ft+ of freedom to do whatever. In the rare cases that I have recommended this type of leash, I have also required the handler buy a comfortable set of leather gloves in order to handle the leash. I don’t recommend this one for any reasons beyond habitual leash-biters / destroyers in which the handlers cannot get them to stop chewing on the leash when they use it – Only after we have exhausted every other option out there including training. (VERY rare! Did I emphasize this enough?)
LEAD ROPE
I like lead ropes because I use them with horses. That being said, they do not have a handle attached to them, so they are not as recommended with dogs who might have a habit of bolting or spooking. When I use a lead rope on a dog, it’s because I probably don’t have any other option, usually only used on a dog who is VERY well-behaved with leash manners. They are soft, round, and come in many patterns. OK to get if you want something different or more durable for your dog and comfortable on your hands.
CABLE
Cables are industrial strength wires encased in a hard plastic, with clips on either end. These are for temporary or training purposes. The only times I use cables are the times that I need to tie a dog out for a short period of time where I might need both hands, and/or I don’t want any potential leash-chewing or destroying happening. If I know I have a dog who would chew his way off of the lead in an uncontained area, that’s when I’ll grab a cable to tie them out with. These can be potentially dangerous so I do not recommend ever leaving your dog tied up for any amount of time alone, regardless of what they are on. I would bring a cable out camping if I had a dog who was a wanderer. In most other cases, I would probably rather use a crate for containment.
WATERPROOF LEASH
These are best used for when you head to the beach, lake, or river. They don’t absorb the mud and dirt from where you’re visiting, and they can easily be rinsed off, keeping their often bright colors. Best used with waterproof collars too! These are great for bath time if you have a doggo who is not much of a fan – easy to hang onto them, and the water won’t ruin the collar / leash. Very convenient.
LEASH LAW
California does have a leash law stating that your dog must be on a leash at all times in any public place. Off-leash is a concept and goal that many people would like to get their dogs to. Which I understand and highly recommend! But I do not recommend it so that you can go everywhere with your dog off-leash. I recommend Off-Leash training for purposes of having your dog listen if it were to ever get off of the leash accidentally.
There are places that are designated off-leash dog parks and beaches. Dogs are, of course, allowed to be off of the leash, as long as they are social, well-behaved, can listen to direction well, and come when you call them. This is where off-leash training comes in very handy. There are no exemptions from the leash law.
In cases of Service Dogs, Police Dogs, Search and Rescue dogs the law says that they need to be under complete handler control and usually these dogs are still wearing a lead that is short enough to not interfere with the dog’s job or task.
Published by Amy Noble on 8/21/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication.
A tool that I often use and highly recommend is the classic Kong toy. They have different durabilities for different types of bites that’ll be chomping on them. (Side Note: If Biteforce is interesting to you? Check THIS out!) They have puppy Kongs, regular, medium, tough, and mega tough! If you have a big chewer – get the tougher ones! They are color-coded as well, to make them easily findable in a lineup.
I always kept several black “Mega Chewer” Kongs around for my previous, 100lb dogs. It took a bit for them as puppies to really get into using them, but once they learned what they were, it was something they got multiple times a week!
Kongs can be a life-saver on the ears (barkers), on your furniture (destructive chewers), can ease anxiety, and keep a bored puppy busy for a while! They are a great tool and toy that I think every doggy household should have several, of. I like to keep 2-3 per dog, especially puppies, so that way one is being used, one is soaking, and the other is ready to go!
Filling them with something tasty is just as important as the toy itself. That’s what gets them to find interest in the first place, it also provides added enrichment to their lives. Sure, peanut butter is a good idea and easy to do, but don’t you think variety is more fun? Keep them guessing! Not only are these recipes full of different tastes and textures, your dogs will also be getting added nutrients too!
Just like children, dogs will have likes and dislikes. Some dogs love broccoli where others can’t stand it. I have even known dogs who would refuse steak! My advice is to start small. Don’t make a huge batch of anything until you know your dog will enjoy it, and not have any tummy issues with it. Ease into anything new you give your dog, and if your dog has any medical issues please ask your vet before you attempt to give them anything new to ensure it won’t conflict with their health.
If you use Peanut Butter, please only use *Natural* Peanut Butter. Ingredients should read: Peanuts and Salt. That’s it. There are several brands out there that are in your normal grocery stores that carry Natural Peanut Butter. The other brands that have additives put ingredients such as sugars or flavorings, and xylitol which are not good for your dog to consume.
All of these recipes can be given either blended up to a thick milkshake or oatmeal consistency, or sliced and stirred up together like a “fruit salad”. If it’s too moist or liquidy, it can make a real big mess once thawed. Thicker is better. Mix and Match them however you like – get creative! It’s about enrichment and fun. Most recipes are allergy-friendly.
Begin by giving ¼ cup – ½ cup, depending on the size of the dog. Keep in mind how much you are giving them – the calories will add up! I also recommend throwing it in the freezer for at least 6 hours to solidify, that way it can last longer for your dog.
You can add: treats, kibble, meat pieces to any of these. Either top with them or hide in the mixture as little “easter eggs” for your pupper to find.
Yes, I named them all after dogs I’ve known and worked with.
1. Autumn’s Harvest Snack
-Pumpkin Puree
-Mashed Sweet Potato
-Plain Greek Yogurt
-Diced Carrots
-Kibble bits
2. Baby’s Healthy Start
-Applesauce
-Cooked Rice
-Shredded Chicken
-Blueberries
3. Little Monster’s Nibbles
-Cooked Rice
-Chicken Broth
-Mashed Sweet Potato
-Peas & Carrots Mix
4. Kaylee’s Delight
-Plain Greek Yogurt
-Diced Apple
-Rolled Oats
-Shredded Chicken
5. Harley’s Go-To
-Cheese
-Pumpkin Puree
-Carrots
-Diced Apple
-Shredded Chicken
6. Zhadie’s Fave
-Sliced Strawberries
-Chicken Broth
-Cooked Rice
-Plain Greek Yogurt
-Rolled Oats
7. Cocoa’s Shake
-Blueberries
-Applesauce
-Diced Carrots
-Plain Greek Yogurt
8. Love, Rosie & Charlie
-Cooked Rice
-Green Beans
-Cranberries
-Apple Chunks
-Capelin Whole Fish (treats)
9. Preferred By Tobi
-Pumpkin Puree
-Apple Slices
-Shredded Chicken
-Cooked Rice
10. Penyo’s Plate
-Cooked Rice
-Steak Strips
-Green Beans
-Mashed Sweet Potato
11. Only For Prince
-Crunchy Peanut Butter
-Blueberries
-Kibble
-Shredded Chicken
-Applesauce
12. Shadow’s Delight
-Mashed Banana
-Peanut Butter
-Shredded Chicken
-Peas & Carrots
13. Remy’s BurgerHead Special
-Ground Beef Patty (plain)
-Cubed Cheese
-Strawberry Slices
-Pumpkin Purée
Happy Snacking!🐶
Published by Amy Noble on 8/14/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication.
Puppies are some of the cutest little beings on the planet! They’re soft, and lovable, playful, bouncy, and so easy to pick up and snuggle.
Quick! What’s the first puppy con that comes to mind?! (Except for biting/chewing 😉) Yup, Potty Training!
The number one asked question of every new dog owner – And number one concern of every parent of every child whose ever mentioned the word “puppy”.
It can be a frustrating time, sometimes longer than anticipated, or it can be smooth and easy. I’ve experienced it all different ways and as I say to everyone? Every dog is different.
My King Shepherd and Malamute were the easiest two – Done in just a weekend. Next easiest would be Kiba our current Husky/WGSD; though in his favor – he was already about 7 months old when we got him and had already been getting potty trained in his foster home (Thanks Sara!). Our Border Collie kid, Raizo and my past Husky Prince tie for the most difficult. Thankfully for me, my parents did most of Prince’s training. And coincidentally – these two were trained using the same technique, paper (pad) training.
Let’s get into it – Which way is best? Easiest? Most effective? The answer, as always is “That depends…”
It depends on how much time you have, how quickly your puppy learns, how routinely you live, and even the type of environment you live in. You could train to go on puppy pads and eventually move them closer to the door and outside. You could use the good old frequent trips outside to show them where to go. There are grass patches now that act as doggy litter boxes that can be effective. An actual doggy litter box with absorbent puppy-safe litter.
What matters most is being consistent and having a set routine. Everybody benefits from having a regular routine of the time you wake, when you exercise and have meals, work, and the time you close it all down for the night to sleep. Just to do it all over again several days a week.
Having a puppy on a set meal routine for instance, will encourage regular, fairly predictable trips out to potty. Having a walk each day will also help keep their systems running regular.
Your rules of thumb are; Every time they wake up from sleep or a nap, potty. Every time after a meal from immediately to up to 30 minutes later, potty. After a big play session of running, zooming and bouncing, potty. Essentially, they go about every 30 mins to an hour. You can do the leg work and take them out to their spot to encourage them to go – but be sure to throw a puppy potty party after! You want them to feel good about where they go!
If they go inside on the carpet, just remember that they’re learning. We wouldn’t get angry at our infants for soiling their diapers. Don’t get angry at the puppy.
Puppies aren’t completely in tuned with their bodies. It takes a bit for them to recognize patterns of the physical feelings and sensations, what they mean, and how to take care of it. When you do your due diligence and pay close attention you will start to notice their signs and it is up to you to guide your little one to the correct spot.
Things to look for: Sudden sniffing in circles, tail held high, sometimes stiffened at the base, then you’ll see concentration show up on their face – bring them to their spot!
Sometimes the act of stopping them to bring them out can startle them and then their bodies shut down and they don’t need to go anymore. That’s ok, try again in another 10 minutes or so.
Reward, reward, reward! That is what will train them faster than anything else. Have some special “potty party” treats that you give when they’ve successfully gone in the right spot.
Just remember it takes time, patience and proactive consistency!
Published by Amy Noble on 7/17/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication.
Is this a familiar sight? That blur coming right for your face, at full speed? It can happen anytime. Going out for a walk, coming in the front door, even walking back into the room after being in another for 5 minutes. Maybe you don’t get this view often, but all of your guests do?
Jumping is one of the most common problems of all dog families. Especially with younger dog members. They love to jump! But why?
Firstly, let’s look at the structure of the dog’s face. (And what a cute face that is!) Eyes together facing forward, their nose is under/between their eyes, and their mouth is under their nose. Ears are on the sides/top of the head.
Now, what’s the structure of our face? Eyes together facing forward, our nose is under/between our eyes, and our mouth is under our nose. Ears are on the sides/top of the head. Kind of the same huh?
Dogs communicate through body language and a little bit through scent. They observe us a LOT as young puppies to learn how to read us, our facial expressions, and what we smell like throughout the day.
One of the first things that packs do with one another, is run up to members who may have gone off for a bit and sniff their mouths. This is a survival instinct that’s formed at birth. “If you smell like you’ve eaten something, that means I get to eat too!” The young puppy thinks – and it never goes away. Food = Survival.
Other than our faces, we look like upright-walking, naked dogs. Except our furry canine companions treat us as family and see us as their pack – so naturally they want to do the same thing instinct tells them to. Explore that face! They are able to read if you’re ok, came back safe, if you’ve run into any other naked upright walking dogs, and what you’ve consumed all day. They want the interaction and closeness, and the only way to achieve that, is to jump up at you.
When they’re tiny, we tend to accidentally encourage the jumping. Because five pound Fido looks so cute with his ears flopping all over the place, tail going a million miles a second! So we squeal and coo and pick them up and cuddle them and tell them how much we missed them too! So then our domestic dogs learn that jumping up means love and safety and fun!
Some breeds are more likely to jump than others of course! And if your pup shows a lot of interest in jumping, there are so many things to do with them to hone that skill!
But, how do we STOP it? Yes, some dogs love to jump up more for fun than communication, and others have just built a very naughty habit of doing so.
One – walk towards them. In fact, march towards them! While saying “off!” When puppies are little they don’t want to get stepped on (we’ve all done it, don’t feel bad! How else can they learn to steer clear?), so when you march at them you’re making a big point that your body is moving THIS way, and they better watch out! As they bounce out of the way, do tell them how wonderful they are.
Two – If you’ve got your treat bag handy, grab a handful as you’re walking in the front door. Jumpin Jasper darts towards you, just before he can make it – it rains treats on the ground all around him, in between the both of you. Tell him to find them all! And suddenly you’ve distracted your pooch from pouncing!
Three – Teaching a very strong Wait or Sit Stay of course can always help. Giving them something else to think of before they get the satisfaction of making contact with your legs or stomach or privates even!
When they’re little and bouncing around and trying to get your attention, don’t give it until they’ve stopped jumping! Then they’ll see that patience gives them that needed contact & interaction.
Having guests stop by? Putting Lady on a leash will help control the situation, tell your guests to ignore her until she stops hopping around. As soon as she sits and waits, she suddenly appears and gets recognized by the newcomers! (The treat rain can help with guests too!)
So what if you’ve got a very agile jumper? You want to do something with it and get involved in doggy sports?
Several breeds are famous for their jumping skills. Malinois are probably some of the best jumpers I’ve seen, scaling walls and climbing ladders. We have one in the family (pictured above) and I’ve watched him hop 4 foot fences like they’re ankle high. Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Shelties, Dalmatians, the list goes on. If they’ve got the build and stamina for it, why not channel it?
Some great sports to do with your jumpers: Agility, fly ball, frisbee or disc dog, and dock jumping for the water lovers. Whatever you decide to do – be sure you introduce slowly and always make it fun!
I think my dog is having a “Doggy Hangover” today. Yesterday we had a birthday party for my mom and everybody came over. Everybody includes my brother, his wife, my sister, her husband and two kids, my boyfriend, my best friend, along with both my parents and I.
Everyone was here for about four hours. We all had a lot of fun, the mood was great, and the energy was flowing and very upbeat. At the end of the night, the kids had a meltdown because it was time to go home to bed. They were having too much fun for it to end!
Adie, my Malamute, had her own meltdown after everyone left, which consists of her “woo’ing” and barking at us over and over for about 10 minutes because everyone is gone. She is always SO psyched to have her family and friends come over. The kids are her favorite. They hug her, play with her, run around with her, and lay all over her, not to mention all the goodies they sneak to her. They have a great relationship and I can completely trust her with them. Adie watches over the kids and makes sure they’re okay. She will even run to them if they get hurt or upset.
Ya know that feeling, after a party, the next day, where you’re just worn out and tired or hungover? After all the excitement has died down and gone away and you have an empty house. You just kinda mope around in the quiet? Well, that’s how Adie is today.
As I went out to hang with her for a bit this afternoon, she was snoozing in her igloo. She slowly emerged, eyes half open, stretched, and sauntered over to me. As she came up to me, she slowly walked to my side and rested her head in my lap. She glanced, lazily, up at me, sighed, then closed her eyes, her head still resting on my lap. Her energy totally drained.
Why does she get so excited? Not just because they’re friends and family and she knows them, but dogs are pack animals. They thrive on togetherness just like humans do. They get excited and stay happy when their people are over; they get to socialize the same way we do when we have a party. When our energy level is up, so is theirs!
This doesn’t naturally happen so easily. Oh no! It took a lot of patience, training, and work with her when she was young so that I could get her to the point of totally trusting her. Adie is now 6 years old, almost 7. I began our first training session the second she stepped foot out of the car when we got home from the airport. We still, to this day, will “practice” all of her commands and tricks. She LOVES every second of it!
Dogs are natural pack animals, but that is not the same as naturally social. Their wild cousins, the wolf, must learn how to function in the family unit. The same is true for our family pets. They aren’t born knowing how to deal with other dogs, or with all kinds of people for that matter.
When my dogs are young, anywhere from 8 weeks old and up, I have them meet at least one new person a day, as well as around 10 new dogs a week. I will continue this for the first two to three months I have them. The reason for this is that they will get to encounter several different ages, personalities, and quirks along the way. That will help me be able to guide them in how to handle each individual they meet. It prepares them for anything and everything when they are older.
The reason for doing this so young, and why it is so important to socialize them when they’re that young, is because puppies are impressionable, but don’t hold a grudge at that age. They don’t take things “personally” yet; they are still learning the world. They are still sponges ready to learn anything you are teaching them. Also, younger puppies don’t piss off older dogs as much as puppies/dogs that are 6 months and older do. So you have the benefit of the older dog’s natural patience with your puppy as well.
Socializing with children is just as important as socializing your dog with other dogs. Children are very short, fast-moving, unpredictable 2-legged dogs. They can be weapon-wielding, loud, quiet, fast, slow, unstable, and dangerous all at the same time! So, the more kids, the better! All ages are important, too.
Adie was already a year old when my nephew was born, and two years later my niece came, but she got to have the experience of being around very young babies. She learned how to move around them, as they were learning how to move around themselves, and now they are at the age where they can go out and let her loose with them, after they ask of course. She enjoys every minute of it.
Helping People Intuitively Understand Their Dogs Better Every Day!
