TRAINING A DOG

Puppy Behaviour Guide - What To Expect

If you've ever owned a puppy you know they go through all different stages as they grow up, not only physically but mentally. Hormones are raging through them like a human teenage girl or boy, the things they do seem absolutely out of the blue, crazy, annoying and sometimes just plain rude. This guide will help you understand what to expect of your young puppy from age 8 weeks - 1.5 years.

Little Angel - 8 wks - 12 wks
A young puppy between this age should be exploring their home, playing with anything that moves and sleeping 90% of the day. This is the easy stage, the puppy that you always dreamed of, sure he/she may have accidents every now and again but it is pretty much well behaved and follows you everywhere.

Important training to be done: Bite inhibition training. Puppy must learn that putting their teeth on us hurts and is not accepted.

Cute Angel - 13 wks - 5 months
This stage is when your puppy starts feeling quite comfortable with their living space, they don't sleep as much so they're drinking and eating more and therefor usually having accidents in the house. Baby teeth are wanting to come out around 4 months and this is where puppy's chew voraciously, it's very natural, they want to break the baby teeth out so the adult teeth can come in and soothe their sore gums.

This period is also known as the fear imprint period, this is where fears are developed or conquered. By bringing your puppy out to expose him or her to every sight, sound, touch and handling you are likely to have this puppy grow up into a well rounded dog. Now the imprint period doesn't start exactly at 13wks, nor end exactly at 5 months old, but it's right around in that time frame so it's best to get your pup out every day for short periods of time and encouraging curiosity not forcing. If you miss this period where the puppy needs to be exposed you definitely have a higher risk of your dog becoming aggressive and fearful -get the puppy out everywhere!

Important training to be done: Handling exercises and confidence building. Puppy's must learn that being handled by humans is a good thing and scary things really aren't that scary.

Little Demon - 6 months - 9 months
If you've had a puppy you know what I'm talking about :)
This stage is where your puppy's hormones really start raging, they are coming into adulthood and important things in life start changing from gently playing and following you everywhere to rough housing, ignoring you and taking out household items because they are unaware that they're not tiny anymore. Even with training you still do see much of the ignoring behaviour, it's natural, the dog's brain is telling him to do what his impulses say, "sniff, sniff.....you can bark......you can reach that counter now ect". It's important to not take what the dog is doing, personally because the dog is being a adolescent, he's not out to get you no matter how much it seems like it.

This age is when your training needs to be highly reinforced and clear cut rules need to be given to all humans in the household so they can all implement this to the dog. Bad behaviours stem from this age, this is the hardest stage of raising a puppy because they push our frustration to the limit.

You will have wonderful days where the puppy listens to your every cue and you will have days where the puppy doesn't know his or her name or who you are. Take a breather and hold on to your sanity that day...... it passes.

Important training to be done: Impulse control training - this is very important at this age, your puppy is reacting to everything by impulse "that looks fun so I want to do it" and they go into tunnel vision (I like it to call it) they see what they want and they ignore everything else. Impulse games teach the dog to listen while in high arousal.

My Sweet Dog - 10 months - 1.5 yrs

This is where all the training starts to pay off, all those months of house training and obedience training all comes together and you're proud of what your dog has become, a well balanced and obedient pooch. Training at this age is enjoyable beyond belief, if you've been consistent with training since a young pup, your dog will love training and bonding with you and constantly learning new things.Yes they will still have their days "Every dog has his day" but don't look too much into it, be consistent with your rules and training and things smooth over quickly.

After 1.5 years old it's smooth sailing, you've set your dog up for the best possible life with you and your family, enjoy him or her and continue training until the last days of his or her life, they will love you for it.

"Training isn't just teaching, training builds a strong bond between dog & handler that is envied by many"

Meeting of the Minds

I had a wonderful meeting this week with Portland's own Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, Dr. Chris Pachel of Animal Behavior Clinic. My expectations were high - before leaving Florida, Dr. Lisa Radosta (also a veterinary behaviorist - believe it or not they are two of only about 60 in the country) told me if we were headed to Portland, Oregon that I had to get in touch with Dr. Pachel. She said he was an incredible behaviorist and an equally positive personality. I had dealt with him already through a client that we shared, and hadn't been disappointed.

It was a great meeting. Dr. Pachel is very down-to-earth, which means that even though he has incredible education and experience, he is easy to relate to. I appreciate his approach to behavior and medicine. It will be hard to know until we interact more, but I feel like his methods are very similar to mine, which will make it easy to refer my clients when they need his help, as well as to work with referrals of his patients to help them with follow through and moving their dog's behavior in a positive direction.

It's fantastic to know that I have a resource in Dr. Pachel. For those of you that don't know, his position is why I never refer to myself as a "behaviorist." Trainers that do are using the word inappropriately, because unlike dog training, there is a medical degree that makes someone officially a "behaviorist." What's the difference?

Dog trainers can work on a variety of things, including socializing puppies, house training, obedience training (like teaching sit,down, stay, come, heel, etc.) and changing problem behaviors like jumping up, bolting through doors or barking at squirrels in the yard. A dog trainer may also choose to handle some behavior cases, if they have the education and experience to do so. Those may include mild cases of separation anxiety, house training problems in grown dogs, or a dog who is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. Some trainers handle aggression and some don't - if you are looking for help with aggression make sure you find someone who is qualified and who uses positive methods.

A veterinary behaviorist isn't likely to be much help for acclimating your new puppy to playing well with other puppies, or for teaching your dog to sit for meeting visitors. But a veterinary behaviorist may be the right resource for a dog that has extreme fears or compulsions, or for a dog that is so intense in guarding his toys that he has bitten family members in the process. A veterinary behaviorist can rule out medical causes, can create a behavior modification plan that is appropriate for a dog with complex training needs, and can prescribe medication if that is something that will be helpful in the animal's recovery.

We are fortunate to have a veterinary behaviorist in the Northwest, and even luckier that it is someone as caring and personable as Dr. Chris Pachel!

Sick as a Dog

What a way to turn over a new leaf. From my death bed. Okay, I'm probably being a bit dramatic there, but I do feel terrible today. Yesterday, at a post-surgical doctor's appointment, they did the routine blood pressure, pulse and temperature, and, surprise to me, I had a fever. I felt fine, but by the evening it was starting to become apparent. I woke this morning with terrible fever-sweats and have fought a sour stomach all day. I just hate feeling sick - there's always too much to do. Moms and entrepreneurs never get to take a day off.

Hopefully this will go as quick as it came on. I have two lessons tomorrow, with an existing client and her aggressive Aussie/Chow/Brown-Dog-That-Hopped-the-Fence Mix, and with a new client and their very boisterous "I'm too cute to listen" Labrador. The day is set to end with Ethan's school's big fundraising event. It's an auction and I have donated a "dog training" basket (including a 10-day board & train or 7 private lessons) which I hope will bring the school enough money to make it worth my while. And to not hurt my pride.

Is Your Dog Misbehaving? Check Out These Helpful Tips!

A well-behaved dog will make the ideal pet for you. Keep reading in order to learn how you can have a great relationship with your pet.This will allow your dog to have a positive with the crate.Try to keep accidents at a minimum when toilet training your dog without there being any accidents. Watch your dog and learn the signs that he is ready for a trip outdoors. Don't put it off when your dog needs to go out. Grab his leash and take him to the spot where he can safely eliminate. Reward your dog for using the bathroom outdoors.

Patience is key when working with your dog during training a dog. Every dog has its own unique and will respond differently. Patience will help your training with you.Be certain you are reacting to your dogs behavior. If you seem to be amused by unacceptable behavior, he will be more likely to continue it. This will set back your training process and cause great frustration. Even if you are amused by your misbehaving dog, be consistently stern in your corrections of misbehavior.Keep in mind that your puppy will eventually grow big.

Is Your Dog Misbehaving?

Choose a crate that is sure to fit them suitably when he matures into an adult. The dog must have enough room to lie down and turn around or laying down.Don't reward destructive or ignore bad behavior. This will only teach the dog learning to do those bad things again. An example of this would be a scenario in which you give your dog treats every time it barks.Always call your dog's attention the same thing. Start commands with the dog's name.

Get is attention and make it follow what you want them to do. Dogs usually respond to names immediately and they know that you want their attention.A good tip is to always be aware if other dogs are present when you're taking your dog. You need to be well aware of any dogs may be aggressive.

If you notice an aggressive or antisocial dog, steer your dog away.Be sure to provide consistency when training your dog. If more than one member of your family is training your dog, everyone should be on the same page as far as commands, rewards and discipline. Your puppy will have a few different words and always expect from his behavior.Dog training takes time and energy to be successful.Dogs learn orders after you repeat them for a while. Spending even a small bit of time consistently with your dog can show it that you are reliable.

These are qualities can help you the leader.One of the first things in training is teaching your dog is to come to you when called. Your dog should return when called. Build up this behavior step-by-step or distractions will obey you despite many distractions. Recall could save your pet's life, but it can also be life-saving.If you use the tips found here you will see that you will not be so overwhelmed. As a result, you, your dog, your property and others will all be safer. Using methods like those given in the above article, it will be easier to be safer and more patient when training your dog.

How Much is That Doggy in the Window: What to Know When Getting a Dog

Honestly, the biggest problem I see when training dogs (and their owners!) isn't jumping up, running away or housetraining. By far, the biggest issue is people getting a dog that wasn't a good match for their family. The article Getting a Dog addresses the important qualities to consider before selecting your next dog.

Learn when the perfect time is to bring a new dog into your home, based on your living situation, the time of year and more. Look at the pros and cons of getting a puppy, young adult or senior dog, as well as which is a better match for you - purebred or mixed breed.

Once you've determined that the time is right and you've closely considered what type of dog fits your life, it's time to examine your options of where to get your new dog. Learn more about well-run animal shelters and rescue groups and how to identify and avoid rescue groups that don't act with the dog's best interest at heart. If you decide to purchase a dog from a breeder you'll have lots of research to do, but our Selecting a Good Breeder article will help you ask all the right questions.

Lastly, learn why it is so important NEVER to buy a puppy (or anything else) from a pet store or a backyard breeder.

Once you've read about how to select a dog that's a good match for you and your family, you might find you still need some help. If that's the case, please don't hesitate to ask! Email me or call me at 503.686.5890. The most important decision you make about your new dog happens before you even bring him/her home!