Training Tip!

Worked with a dog today that they thought suddenly began food guarding from his housemate. He has put on 10 pounds due to some meds that he was on for an infection. He has been off the med for 2 months but the side effect is increased hunger and takes several months to get out of the system when you stop it. We have changed how food and treats are stored and managing where they eat. Trainers are like detectives trying to connect all the dots. All information is helpful! It is not always just about behavior. Medication can effect a dog physically as well as create a problem mentally! Know your dogs medications and side effects.

Dixie Goes to the Library!

This was a great day to teach the kids at the library all about the basset hound! They had a great story about Charlie the Ranch Dog. Dixie performed tricks that showed off her long ears, (we missed the photo of her ear grab) big paws and just how smart the basset hound really is! Thanks to Lucy, Linus and the East Parker County Library for inviting us to come out!

Smile and "Smile"

Not knowing the difference between a smile or a warning can end up in the emergency room. These are not cute pictures when children are laying on the dog, hugging or crawling on the dog. Don't put your dog and family at risk.

Amazing video!

This is a great video of some of the work people are doing with fearful dogs. We have also used the technique of letting the dog brush against you to begin getting comfortable with our personal space and learning the safety of touching us at their own pace. it is important to not put social pressure on these types of dogs in order for them to succeed. It will come in their own time as they learn to trust again. Beautiful video. 

http://themetapicture.com/this-dogs-aggression-was-thought/

We are giving a big shout out to Midge and Jack and to Michele and Isis! They are in the Recall class and have been practicing hard! This week Midge called Jack to her while he was in the process of running towards the cows in the neighbors pasture. he whipped around and recalled right back to her! Michele called Isis back to her while she was in the process of chasing a rabbit! Love hering these updates! Keep rewarding for those recalls! Great job this week!

Midge called Jack off the crows!

Michele called Isis off of a rabbit!

TRAINING TIP TUESDAY!

TRAINING TIP TUESDAY from 4Paws University: Does your dog respond well to training in the house and backyard, but finds your neighborhood far too distracting? Take your dog to a location where distractions are only slightly higher, but low enough that he or she can concentrate on the lesson. I love one of our local cemeteries. It dates back to the 1800's and has gorgeous landscaping with lots of shade (important here in Sacramento, where it's over 80 degrees 50% of the year). It's a fascinating walk for history buffs.

If walking around a cemetery sounds creepy to you, that's okay. Check out your local business parks. Also, if there's one thing the recession brought us, it's a bunch of abandoned retail parking lots, which are great for practicing training for dogs who have difficulty ignoring all the amazing smells that grass can hold. On weekends, it's pretty easy to find parking garages with plenty of space and little to no traffic. They provide a nice, shaded area to practice in the summer.

Tennis courts can be terrific places to practice off-leash recalls and long-distance stays and are often vacant during the week. Obviously, when training in these areas, be respectful of those around you and obey leash laws and any and all posted restrictions. At the cemetery, we give mourners plenty of space and, for dogs that have a tendency to mark, we stay away from any of the gravesites and stick to the paved roads. My goal is to go unnoticed during and after our visit. And, it probably doesn't need to be said, but make sure you have plenty of poop bags on hand. I find as long as it is clear that I am working on training, and not there to let the dog play or socialize, people don't mind sharing these spaces. When you start thinking outside the neighborhood walk, you'll be surprised how many potential training areas you will start to spot while driving around. As with changing any criteria in training, the time to move back to the neighborhood, your local park, or other areas with greater distractions is when your dog is so attentive and well-behaved in the current location, that you feel the need for a greater challenge to keep you both from getting bored! 

BONUS: Even if your dog isn't easily distracted in your neighborhood, practicing training in a wide variety of environments will help your dog generalize the training you've done, making it much easier to get good behavior in new places where he's never been before! Because it will probably come up: The dog in this photo is nervous about strangers, and the muzzle serves to keep well-meaning dog lovers from trying to approach him while he's enjoying his walks and training sessions. He is a bright, sweet, sensitive boy and a dream to work with! Want to learn more about muzzle training, check out the folks at The Muzzle Up Project!

Its a Fact!!

Meet Peanut!

This little ray of sunshine is in our puppy class! Peanut is deaf but that did not slow her down learning eye contact, a sit, leave it and a little leash walking! Thanks to One Step Closer Animal Rescue of Texas for bringing her to classes! She did great today!

Dinner!

So this week I made a pork loaf for the dogs. It should last about 2 weeks. I used 6 pounds of ground pork, added blueberries, celery, asparagus,carrots, 6 eggs with crushed shell. I precooked all the vegetables to soften just a bit then chopped them in the Ninja. Mixed and put into two pans. Baked at 350 for an hour and a half. Will cut into nugget pieces and use for their dinner. I will also add a bit of fish oil.

Relaxed well behaved dogs on our Wednesday Walk! The weather was perfect! Thanks everyone for coming! Today was Jacks first walk with us! Thank you Mary Beth for the photo!