Tricks properly training your dog

Properly training your dog will allow you to coexist with ease and become best pals. When your dog is well-trained, then both you and your dog will know exactly what is expected from each other. You will not have to worry about leaving him home along or taking him to public places. Though it might seem like a difficult task, you and your dog will have many rewarding times together, sharing the tricks and companionship that youve come to know through the dog training sessions.

Big dogs will need a large bed or sleeping area. Plenty of pet brands make dog beds sized for larger breeds. A crib mattress is also a viable alternative. 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!



 Do your best to keep your dog active through the day. Dogs can easily become bored. Dogs with no enthusiasm will be harder to train than active dogs. It is easier for your dog to focus if he is happy and well exercised. Bring your dog along when you walk or jog.

 Dogs need to be taught the right habits as soon as they are brought to your home. Your dog should learn the right ways of doing things instead of developing bad habits that will need to be corrected later on. If you never give your dog any scraps from table food, they will never start begging for it.

 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.

 Here are a few ways to make crate training more positive for your dog. If the dog doesnt want to go inside the crate, put a rawhide bone in there and shut the door. A tempting bone will prove too hard to resist, and the dog will be panting to get into the crate in no time. Upon entering the crate, praise your puppy to make sure it knows it did a good job.

 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.

 Be consistent with the words you use when trying to teach your dog a new behavior. This causes a strong association between a word and an action in your dogs mind. It is essential not to confuse your dog with commands that are not the same every single time. Your success rate in training your pet will be higher if you follow these guidelines.

 Keeping your dog active is an important part of successful dog training and is also good for their health. Dogs, like people, shouldnt be sedentary. Running, playing and constructive exercise are all essential components of their health and happiness. Make sure your dog gets plenty of walks; play with it at the park, or even look into enrolling it in an agility class. It is best to make sure your dog is moving just as much as possible and does not get bored.

 Understand when you cant handle your dog on your own, and use that knowledge to know when you need to call in a professional to help you. It may be necessary to seek professional assistance if your dog training is not proceeding as you expected it to. Your trainer will pinpoint the problem areas and point you in the right direction.

 Your dog should know the difference between right and wrong at all times. This means everyone living in the house needs to enforce the boundaries you set. This will undo all your training!

 Give them chew toys for pain relief while teething, and keep everything else out of reach. Immediately replace the object with one of the intended chew toys. If your puppy needs to chew because he is teething, try a frozen washcloth.

 You should be constantly challenging your dog and re-teaching it the tricks youve previously taught it. Throw "pop quizzes" occasionally to be sure he is not getting out of practice.

 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!

 Although there are many benefits to using a harness, you will have less control over your dog than if he is wearing a cinch collar. Use a collar and a harness at the same time to make your dog understands that the harness means he must obey you as well.

 Be sure to feed your dog healthy foods and treats. If the dogs diet is poor, it is not good for their health. If your dog isnt getting what it needs to stay healthy, it could really struggle to find the energy for training or may act out in other ways. Training may very well go easier when dogs are given the proper nutrients in a healthful diet.

 Dont let your dog take the lead in a training session, or in life. . Dont ever give your dog a command if you are unable to follow through with the enforcement of it.

 When you begin training your puppy, create a bond with him by first teaching him his name. Simply start by calling his name as often as possible. Once he learns his name, you can encourage him to come to you when called. Your dog should learn these items before any others as theyre the most important. Spend plenty of quality time with them, so that they know that they can trust you. In this way, he will be more receptive to advanced training later.

 Although a harness is more comfortable for dogs, it does not offer as much control as a cinch-type collar. Keep your dog on his harness, but also use your cinching collar. Tug on his collar when its absolutely necessary, and your dog will soon learn how to obey wearing the harness alone.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 Dog training is mostly about being consistent with your pooch and setting the rules of your relationship. Once those are set, youll find you both enjoy your time together even more! Keep in mind that you must continually reinforce your dogs training lessons. Provide refresher courses when needed and continue to correct bad behavior. Once your dog gets the training basics under his collar, you will not be limited in what you can achieve together..

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its BIGGER! Its BADDER! Its BETTER!

Its official! My new fabulous website for The Inquisitive Canine has been launched! Can you believe it??? It took awhile, but boy was it worth the wait. Thanks to my fabulous "dream team", I can now be proud and share with everyone all its glory! You can read all about my classes, workshops & events, privates training, philosophy, and about little ol me :-) You can also check out all the new stuff, including an FAQs page, press releases, and this blog... Oh, and you can also link up to Ponchos own blog... theres much more...so go ahead and check it out! Let me know what you think!

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Dog Trainer in Ventura Hits Blogosphere!

I never thought my mom would be a blogger, but all my dog friends and dog owners kept saying that my mom needed to take her love of dog training and put her tips and advice out to the world wide web to help more dog owners and pups!

My name is Poncho (I have my own dog blog and actually started blogging way before my mom!)

My moms name is Joan, she is a dog lover and works in a profession that we both love (as a trainer and dog behavior instructor in Ventura, Ca) I go to work with her every day.

She created this blog to share her passion about dog training to extend my dog training work in Ventura to the blogosphere!

My mom is a graduate of the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers where she studied pet dog training, behavior problems, client coaching and teaching. Her experience also includes training shelter dogs at the San Francisco SPCA where she specialized in dogs with behavior problems.

In addition to my mom being a great dog treat giver-outter, she is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers (CCPDT), a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and an affiliate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).

She attends conferences all over the place (when I do not get to go I sort of get upset, but then I get to hang out with dad and have lots of male-bonding fun) just to stay current on the latest in animal learning theory and behavior, to incorporate cutting-edge science into her work with owners and their canine companions.

As Joans dog, I can vouch that her approach comes from personal passion and love of animals (me!!)– it is all about positive reinforcement and owner-education in reward-based training sessions.

So far, all the work my mom does with me makes me super, so keep reading my moms dog training blog! :)

-Poncho http://ponchosprose.blogspot.com/

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Great Tips And Tricks On How To Train Your Dog Correctly

Remember that your dog has the intellect of an animal. You will be greatly disappointed if you think that they can. Read this article to understand a dogs psyche better, and know how to treat your pet.

When training your dog, always be sure that it feels safe. If your pet feels unsafe, it is more likely they will act out in a negative way. In order to eliminate this, you should ensure that you put your dog in a safe surrounding.



 To be the most successful in dog training, make sure your dogs need for exercise is being met before starting a new training project. Canines were meant to exercise regularly. They need to run and work in order to be healthy and happy. Register for agility classes, run with your dog, and teach him or her to play Frisbee to increase activity levels. Make the activity consistent and stimulating for your dog.

 There are a lot of tricks you can teach your dog to do; a common one is training him to hold a toy in his mouth without chewing it. Whenever he puts the toy in his mouth, give a treat and his clicker reward. After your dog succeeds in mouthing an object a few times, move on to rewarding the dog for picking it up with his mouth. Once he does, click and reward. As he gets even better, only give him a reward for holding the plushie in his mouth for a few seconds.

 Training should be an enjoyable activity for your dog. Try not to make training sessions any longer than 15 minutes. That will keep his attention. Keep your rewards coming and vary what you give them. Make sure you shower praise on your dog when they do well. When the dog enjoys their training, they will listen better.

 Accidents are bound to happen while housebreaking your puppy. Clean accidents right away to speed up training. Animals are inclined to eliminate repeatedly in spots where they can smell urine or feces, and carpets require special care. There are many products on the market that can help with this, so check with your local pet shop.

 When training a puppy or dog that is new to your family, it is a wonderful idea to keep the entire family involved during the training. You may have one member of the family that does much of the training with him, but by having the entire family take part in the training, he will learn that he must obey each person that lives in the home.

 Playing tug-of-war with your puppy makes training less effective. Games, such as wrestling, chasing or tugging, teaches the puppy to nip or bite at your hands. This behavior is very difficult to break, so you should avoid these games while they are still a puppy.

 One of the most basic dog training tips around is to use your dogs name to command its attention. This will direct his attention to you immediately every time, and especially right before you issue a command. Get your dogs attention this way ten times every day. Also, it is very inappropriate for you to call the dog over to you and then punish him, as this will teach him to fear you and discourage him from coming when called.

 Make sure everyone involved in a dogs training uses the same set of commands. Make sure everyone is on the same page with command words; if the command for being quiet is "quiet," dont let anyone use "stop barking." If everyone uses identical commands, the dog will learn much faster and you will have greater success.

 You can try a little bit of ingenuity if you are going with crate training for your indoor dog or puppy. If your puppy seems reluctant about entering the crate, place a chew toy inside and close the door to the kennel. The puppy will want to enter the kennel to retrieve the treat. Once in the crate, let them know they did a good job by praising them.

 Dogs have natural destructive behavior, so provide outlets for them to exercise their natural behaviors. Feed your dog a balanced diet, give them space to run, and provide them with activities that will burn energy.

 Limit the duration of training sessions. Your dog is going to get bored doing the same thing over and over. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.

 Decide on a single phrase to use when housebreaking your new puppy. If you use the special phrase you have come up with each time you take him outside, you will get him to focus on what he is supposed to do.

 Teething is painful, and providing chew toys helps alleviate the pain. Keep items that are potentially more painful out of reach. Take it away, and give him a chew toy. A frozen washcloth can provide teething relief for your pup.

 Over-training your puppy will expose it to too much at once, rendering the training less effective. Brief, simple, positive training sessions are well-suited to the limited supply of energy and attention a pup has to work with. If you try to do too much, the puppy will probably not remember much except that it was an unpleasant experience, and that will make it more difficult when the time comes for the next training session.

 Do not tie more than one dog in the same area. It is possible for the chains to become intertwined, and the animals can be hurt as they try to get free. If a large dog becomes tangled with a smaller one they could wrap up to the point the airway of the latter is closed off and the dog would die.

 If your puppy is caught chewing on something unacceptable, stop him immediately. This will help your puppy understand what is acceptable and what is off limits.

 When training a dog it should always be done in a positive, motivated environment. Remember to reward desired behavior achieved by your dog while training, especially in response to specific requests. Using training techniques that are negative and based upon punishments will likely make your dog afraid, disobedient, and unhappy.

 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.

 After learning some helpful hints on how to get through to your dog and train it to behave to your expectations you simply need to follow what you have learned. After changing your dogs behavior to fit with the tips suggested you can properly train your dog..

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Bringing clarity to clickers and positive reinforcement

You hear the words "Clicker training", "Clickers", "Positive Reinforcement" etc... but whats it all mean? Let me try to help clarify some points:

1. Using a "Clicker" doesnt mean a person doesnt use "punishment" (hopefully not at the same time)... 
2. Positive Reinforcement doesnt mean a person doesnt use punishment.
3. Positive reinforcement doesnt mean a person doesnt use physical force to get what they want! 
4. Using "punishment" doesnt mean a person uses physical force or inhumane methods to teach. 
5. There are two types of "punishment":

• "Negative Punishment": Taking the good thing away
• "Positive Punishment": adding something the animal wants to avoid - a smack, shock, choke, prong in the neck, citronella spray, loud noise, being pinned, etc...

Why do I bring this up? A couple of reasons. There are some trainers out there that say theyre somewhere between "A clicker trainer" and a famous trainer who uses physical force, flooding, fear tactics, and downright "old fashioned" training methods. (Sorry, name withheld to protect privacy and CMA)...

I wanted to say to this person: "What does being a clicker trainer mean to you?" It certainly isnt exclusive to causing no harm to an animal - its just another tool in your trainers toolbox, as it is mine. It "marks" the behavior you wanted your dog (or any animal) to perform...not much more. 

I use a clicker as one of my training tools. I also use "punishment". As a matter of fact I spoke about it today in my Manners Class at the Inquisitive Canine studio. However, the type of punishment I use and teach has to do with "reward removal" -  not hitting, beating, shocking, spraying, coercing, forcing, or bullying! 

No animal learns that way without resulting in some nasty (usually "emotional") side-effects. Do animals learn through beating and force techniques? Sure they do - or should I say, "we" do... But what else are they "learning" besides what the owner/parent wants? - which is usually not the first or main thing they learn... 

My final example: I was coming home from a run, heading in the opposite direction of a man and his dog. Im sure I looked "weird" to the dog...hat, sunglasses, water bottle belt, running right towards it. This can be perceived by dogs as "threatening", right? Something weird running at it... So the dog did the most logical thing it could do in its little canine brain - it started barking at me - I didnt blame it at all. Unfortunately the owner did - and proceeded to smack it repeatedly on the head! The dog looked at me, barked, got smacked and yelled at. I cringed! I think I yelped myself! Then screamed at him to please not hit the dog!!! Why is he hitting him! it doesnt teach him what you want! 

I know, that can be pretty punishing to someone - being yelled at it public. As for "positive punishment" towards humans - of course Im against it (unless its self defense) - However, I did have a secret desire to smack the owner and take the dog... Hopefully they will end up in one of my classes - either at the studio or Ventura College, so I can supply an education in positive reinforcement, learning by both association and consequence, proper ways to get rid of unwanted behaviors, and clickers (or not). 

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Back to school!

How exciting! I was just hired to take over the dog training classes here in Ventura through the Ventura College Community Education program! I start this Thursday! The class is similar to my course I teach at my own studio - all positive reinforcement - focusing on the behaviors we want from our dogs (not what we dont want...) I cant wait to get started!

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Success training is a long process

Part of the responsibility of pet ownership includes making sure your dog is well-trained. Training a dog is a long process that will require you to learn a lot about canine behavior. Ahead you will find some tips for getting the most from your dog training efforts.

Always give your dog the tools for success. If you are training it to stop chewing things it shouldnt be chewing on, give it things that it can chew on. It is also important that a dog who chews is protected from danger. Common household items like nylons and hairbrushes pose a grave threat to your dog and can cause him to choke.



 When you are working on crate training with your dog or puppy small steps is what works best for them to get used to it. When they seem comfortable in it with the door open, try shutting the gate and feed them treats through the wires. At first, leave the dog enclosed in the crate for only short periods of time, such as 10 seconds, and then gradually increase the duration. If the puppy gets too upset then you increased the time too much, too fast.

 Consider using a clicker to help your dog learn great behavior. If you give your dog an award when you used the clicker, it will be easier to train. Making the sound and giving a treat is a good way to build this association. Eventually, your dog will learn that the noise means "good," and this will help shape their behavior by using this tool.

 Do not neglect to make a visit to the vet for a spay or neuter around the six month mark. This should be done at the same time you start obedience training. A spayed or neutered dog is a better pet and a more attentive obedience student. You and your pet will enjoy a longer and happier life together.

 If your dog suddenly starts exhibiting behavioral problems, take him to a veterinarian in order to rule out any serious health conditions. Animals that are in pain or that have certain health conditions may lash out or behave inappropriately. This behavior is an indicator to humans that there is something wrong.

 When training your dog, you should always make sure you use the same word or action for each individual behavior. You dog will learn to respond to the specific word or words that you choose to represent a desired behavior. Consistency is key. It ensures that the dog will respond properly to commands.

 Train your dog on a regular basis to make sure he understands the rules of the house. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, thats the end of it. But pets and humans actually share the same types of habit learning systems; if they dont practice they will forget! Therefore, it is vital that your dog follows an established rule system at all times.

 Destructive chewing is often a result of anxiety. Putting your dog in his crate with a chew toy will reduce the chance of destructive events and give him something to do while he waits for you.

 Communication is one of the essential aspects of training your dog. During your dogs training sessions, keep your signals and commands clear and consistent. The signals you send to your dog include not only rewards and corrections but also your tone of voice and your body language. Remember to always pay attention to the communication signals from your dog. Your dog can let you know how hes feeling, like if hes having a bad day or is worn out.

 Teach your dog the difference between right and wrong. You will need help from everyone in the family to teach this. It can quickly undermine your efforts.

 If you have a knock-down, drag-out fight with your kids or reprimand another pet, your voice could impact your dogs training. Remember: if your dog has not done something wrong immediately beforehand, your interactions should always be positive.

 Do not give your dog any punishments when you are in the process of training. If your dog does not follow the correct behavior, instead of punishing him, gently teach him what to do instead. Training your dog is a great way to develop a positive relationship with him.

 Determine in advance what types of food your dog likes so that you can use it in the training process. Your dog will be more likely to respond to your training efforts when the food reward is something he likes. Pay close attention to his response after you offer a reward.

 To house train your dog, you should make sure that your dog follows a regular feeding and elimination schedule. This can train your dog to whine or come get you when he feels the urge, so you can let him out and prevent him from doing his business inside. Having a set schedule will teach your dog how to wait until he can go outside for the next potty break.

 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.

 If you will be away from home for any length of time, such as going to work, then you need to make certain you take your dog on a long walk before you leave. Not only do you want your dog to relieve himself, but you also want to make him tired so he relaxes and doesnt suffer from anxiety while youre gone.

 Crate training is an effective way to house train a dog. Always take your dog out consistently if you want to be effective at crate training. If youre patient you will find a dog who has been crate trained will make less messes inside.

 Communication is one of the essential aspects of training your dog. Make sure you are clear and consistent when you are working with your dog. This means to be consistent not only with words, but with corrections and rewards. Be well aware that your dog is telling you something too. They will inform you of whether or not they are overworked, anxious, or having a great day.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 Hopefully the tips we have given will ensure that you, as well as others, enjoy your dog and his company. Training your dog makes ownership a rewarding experience. No matter if you choose to attempt your own dog training or you enlist the aid of a professional, making sure your pet is fully trained is a great way to ensure the happiness of you and your companion..

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Puppy Socialization Risky Business

Behavior issue risk vs health risk - always a touchy subject amongst veterinarians, dog trainers, and dog owners...IMO, education - where classes are specifically designed and geared towards puppy socialization and prevention of behavior issues in a safe, controlled, and managed environment should be a priority with our domesticated dogs...Unfortunately, keeping new pups tucked away at home until they are well past the “prime period” is still more of the norm in our society than not.
Why you ask, is it so important? After all, it’s only a manner of of couple of weeks, right? Behaviors - desired and undesired are formed immediately out of the womb. Pups soon learn what works and what doesn’t work with their mother and littermate’s, as well as the human(s) handling them. After they are taken into their new homes many of these important learning opportunities are left up to the family members to continue teaching - including proper use of mouth (bite inhibition), communication (in specific doggy language), what is appropriate play and what isn’t (again, in doggy world). Yes, we humans do as much as we can to help - but because we are a different species, with our own species specific language, play styles, greeting behaviors, and innate behaviors, it is probably best to leave it up to dogs themselves to teach one another - similar to children on a playground - but with responsible humans monitoring their actions in order to help them build confidence, and form those social graces we all want our dogs to have.

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Lots of yummies for this little trick or treater!

Poor Poncho. He is the best ever! How many dogs would allow their nails to be trimmed, then follow it up by being dressed up for Halloween - as a food item no less! Too cute... check it out>>>>

I did make it "fun" for him though. For nail trimming he got leftover rice cake crumbles (he loves em), with mixed in lamb jerky. For the "lobster" outfit he got the same treats, plus some "ball time", which he finds very rewarding. 

See? Just goes to show you 1) you can train a dog to like anything (almost) 2) you can use many things besides food to reward your dogs great behavior! 

Happy and safe Halloween, from me and my sidekick Poncho! AKA: my "rock lobster" 

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Taking Your Dogs Meal on the Road is a Win Win For All

Ive been taking Poncho out to Kimball Park and the Ventura State Beach a lot lately, training him to run for longer periods of time while on leash... Yes, running for a sustained period of time is new for Poncho the dog... no "marking or sniffing", just exercise... 

Trust me, being a dog trainer I know I need to fulfill Ponchos dogginess, Im not a tyrant. I make sure I take him on separate outings for sniffing, marking, chasing things, and rolling in dead stinky stuff etc... But for the running/exercise part, its all about training those slow-twitch fibers...keeping his heart-rate up, and getting his yah-yahs out so hell want to relax at home, and have better concentration for when he sits at his computer and blogs. 

What I have found to be quite unsettling is that it seems Im the only doggy guardian out there using any kind of food rewards for rewarding those behaviors I want! For a dog, I would think going outside into the big beautiful world is like going to Disneyland! And if I want to keep Poncho motivated to run with this old slowpoke, vs romping and playing like a dog...then Im more than happy to pull out the leftover lunch meat. Not tons of it mind you, I dont want him to get sick,  just little nibbles every once in a while, and only for the action of "running". 

I witness all other dogs either be yelled at, choked, or completely ignored by their guardians - usually because theyre into their own world - however, their dog is straining to get to us...just to say *hi*. How horrible this must be for the other dogs. And I must say, I think this behavior on the humans part is hypocritical. We brings snacks for ourselves and/or for the kids. We stop at coffee places, fast food places etc...for our own "rewards", but yet being stingy with our dogs is a good thing. Well, I think not. 

So, I ask you, if youre spending time taking your dog out for walkies, try this experiment: bring some of their meal with you on the road, instead of giving it away for free out of a bowl. They might enjoy walkies more, and you might get those behaviors you want! Oh, and if youre already doing that, then you deserve a treat too! 

If you want to learn more about walking or running your dog with simple successful techniques, you might want to join in on one of my classes at the inquisitive canine studio or Ventura College...its rewarding for everyone. 

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Apples and Slugs

This weekend we learned a very valuable lesson about caring for your dogs in the Pacific Northwest.  Slug bait, used in gardens to prevent the freakishly-large area slugs from consuming veggies and other plants, is highly toxic.  The main ingredient, metaldehyde (say that three times fast - or once even!) is a poison that attacks the neurological system, causing tremors, seizures, high fever, trouble breathing and eventually death.

Unaware of the deadly risks, Apple poisoned herself only inches away from me.  Saturday afternoon, after I had finished with the days lessons, I was in the yard picking blueberries.  Lots and lots of blueberries in fact.  Apple, always on the lookout for something to eat, was following me, happily munching on the blueberries that had fallen to the ground, either over-ripe or plucked free by birds.

The blueberries had mainly landed directly below, where there is a large patch of strawberries.  Turns out slugs love strawberries as much as we do, so there was slug bait all around them.  Old slug bait, that had been sitting out in the sun and rain for months (okay, this is Oregon, mostly rain!).  Seems the stuff remains highly toxic, because a few hours later (since Apple isnt graceful or selective enough to have only eaten the blueberries themselves), my husband noticed something was amiss.

He tried calling Apple out from under the bed because she was panting very heavily.  She wouldnt come.  He tried calling her again, and just got a glassy stare and more heavy panting.  He sent for me, and while I was able to get her out from under the bed, I knew immediately that something was very wrong.  Apple was panting like she had just run up and down Mt. Hood.  As can happen when she gets worked up, her breathing wasnt just fast, but coarse and raspy, making horrible grating noises every time she drew a breath.  Which was about every second.

As she tried to walk she had a bit of a drunken look to her, not placing her feet in quite the right places, and swinging her legs wide as if even her frying brain knew she was likely to tip.  Her hind end was trembling, not the excited muscle twitches she gets when shes waiting for someone to throw the ball again, but a heading-for-seizure kind of shaking.

I made a beeline for Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital,  even running a red arrow (shh, no telling!).  I promise no one was coming.  The wonderful staff there took a quick look at her and rushed her straight to the back where their ER clinic and ICU areas are.  Thank goodness for a 24 hour hospital.  Even more thanks for one of the best in the country.

The veterinarians and staff took wonderful care of Apple, bringing down her temperature (105 by the time we walked in) with cool IV fluids and wet blankets, stopping the tremors with medication, sedating her to slow the swelling that was causing her so much trouble breathing, and giving her oxygen to help her until the worst past.  It was a terrifying night.  I went home with the passenger seat empty, praying that Apple would pull through.  I had been told before I left that if her breathing didnt improve soon they would need to put her under anesthesia, put a tube in her throat and breathe for her for a period of time.  What a way to try getting some sleep - wondering if thats the path your dog is taking.

Sunday morning brought great news.  Apple had not only survived the night without anesthesia, but was eating and wagging her tail, convincing the veterinarian who had taken over her care that she would be ready to go home by the afternoon.

Today, you wouldnt even know that Apple had a brush with death, aside from the telltale shaved patch on her forearm that allowed the Dove Lewis staff to place the IV line.  Apple was running around, chasing the ball and trying to instigate games of tug.  The slug bait has been carefully removed, and once shes done pooping out all the charcoal she was given (to bind with the remaining toxins), she really will be 100% healthy.  We are a little poorer, but with Apple home to sleep on the bed and greet Ethan when he comes home from school, it doesnt really matter!

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PAWliday shopping made easy!!!

A special PAWliday shopping event!

Sunday December 21st

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

~Natural Balance goodie bag give-away~

~hassle free parking~

To celebrate this holiday season, THE INQUISITIVE CANINE is making shopping easy and budget friendly. This SUNDAY December 21st from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM all merchandise is on sale! 

Thats right! All merchandise including Easy-Walk Harnesses, Kong toys, treat bags, bones and dog treats will be marked down 10% - 40%!!! What a great opportunity for you to shop for your own dog, as well as the other canine friends in your life! 

We appreciate your business, and hope you to see you this Sunday!

Happy Pawlidays!
Joan and The Inquisitive Canine

JOAN MAYER
THE INQUISITIVE CANINE, LLC
2159 Palma Drive, Suite D
Ventura, CA 93003
O: 805.650.8500
F: 805.650.8501
joan@theinquisitivecanine.com
www.inquisitivecanine.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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Amber from Hot Diggity

We have met our pet sitter - Amber from Hot Diggity! Dog Walking and Pet Sitting will be staying with Pistol, Apple and Timber over Christmas.  She came by for the initial visit, a chance to meet the dogs, see the house and go over the routine. 

Of course Apple adored her, but Apple would go home with a jewel thief.  Pistol and Timber took a shining to her too though, so its a done deal.  Amber will be here to feed the dogs, let them outside, wipe off any muddy paws, rub any needy bellies and perform some other essential tasks, like feeding the fish, turning on and off lights, getting the mail and watering the plants (including the orchids from Florida which are blooming prolifically here in Oregon - someone forgot to tell them its not sunny, hot and humid!).

I feel confident that the dogs will be well cared for over Christmas.  And from experience, the most important thing in leaving your dogs, whether it is at a boarding kennel, for training or with a pet sitter, is that you are comfortable enough to not worry while you are gone. 

Thanks Amber, we look forward to having you stay with our dogs!

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Puppy days

Before you get your new pet you should know what to expect. Know what kind of breed you want. How much do they shed? How much do they need to run? How much time and money are you willing to devote to your dog? Most people are only interested in getting a puppy. Although some older dogs can be a nice addition to the family as well and they may already come trained. Personally I enjoy older dogs because they have less energy and you dont have to worry to much about any training issues. They are there as more of a companion instead of a baby. The is a lot less stress in owning a older dog. And you dont have to worry about those expensive puppy vaccinations. Either way you go you should be willing to devote time to your dog as well as money. This pet will become a great addition to your family just keep in mind a trained and tired pet is a happy pet.

If you have and questions just comment and I will be sure to get back to you A.S.A.P.

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Dog Behavior and Exercise a look at before and after

My friend Emilia just emailed me a great photo of her dog Nellie. They were in my Manners Class this last Autumn, along with Nellies dad Nick. Nellie is an absolute sweetheart! Friendly as can be, totally outgoing, motivated to learn, pays attention in class! Her mom and dad have always said she has lots of energy, and that sometimes its hard to deal with, as you can see from this picture... You can also check out her energy level on my "chewing illegal items" post. 

Well they went on a little getaway where Nellie was able to run like the wind forever and a day... and when she got home she could barely chew her dinner let alone get into mischief. This is living proof why our domestic dogs need more exercise than they often receive. As I often say in my classes and privates: A tired dog is a happy dog, and a happier owner! A pictures worth a thousand words... and proof of how good a run-around session really is!  

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Review Kathy Sdao Plenty in life is free

Kathy Sdao has just launched a book and dvd called "Plenty in life is free" which is an alternative training model to rank/dominance based training models. In the book and dvd she talks about SMART training and how this can be a simple, effective training method.

What is SMART training?

Smart means SEE, MARK and REWARD training. Which means for all the behaviours you wish to reward and increase when you see them, mark them with a word or a click and reward them. This process will increase the behaviours happening more frequently. 

How to use this simple method?

1. Write a list of behaviours that you would like to see my frequently. e.g. dog lying in their bed, dog sitting, dog retrieving balls, 

2. Have some rewards ready, either on your person or at key places around the house.

3. When you see a behaviour you like say "yes" or "good" or click

4. Reward

5. carry on as normal until you see more behaviours you would like to reward and repeat steps 3 and 4.

Who can use this method?

Anyone with any dog. The more observant you are the more frequently the behaviours can be rewarded.

Can I use this method in class?

Yes, SEE, MARK and REWARD training, can be used anywhere, any time. If you are training your dog in class and they do the behaviour or a behaviour near what you would like than you can MARK the behaviour and REWARD. 

Review by Gemma Palmer 

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Successful Methods Train Your Dog

Part of the responsibility of pet ownership includes making sure your dog is well-trained. Training a dog is a long process that will require you to learn a lot about canine behavior. Ahead you will find some tips for getting the most from your dog training efforts.

Always give your dog the tools for success. If you are training it to stop chewing things it shouldnt be chewing on, give it things that it can chew on. It is also important that a dog who chews is protected from danger. Common household items like nylons and hairbrushes pose a grave threat to your dog and can cause him to choke.



 When you are working on crate training with your dog or puppy small steps is what works best for them to get used to it. When they seem comfortable in it with the door open, try shutting the gate and feed them treats through the wires. At first, leave the dog enclosed in the crate for only short periods of time, such as 10 seconds, and then gradually increase the duration. If the puppy gets too upset then you increased the time too much, too fast.

 Consider using a clicker to help your dog learn great behavior. If you give your dog an award when you used the clicker, it will be easier to train. Making the sound and giving a treat is a good way to build this association. Eventually, your dog will learn that the noise means "good," and this will help shape their behavior by using this tool.

 Do not neglect to make a visit to the vet for a spay or neuter around the six month mark. This should be done at the same time you start obedience training. A spayed or neutered dog is a better pet and a more attentive obedience student. You and your pet will enjoy a longer and happier life together.

 If your dog suddenly starts exhibiting behavioral problems, take him to a veterinarian in order to rule out any serious health conditions. Animals that are in pain or that have certain health conditions may lash out or behave inappropriately. This behavior is an indicator to humans that there is something wrong.

 When training your dog, you should always make sure you use the same word or action for each individual behavior. You dog will learn to respond to the specific word or words that you choose to represent a desired behavior. Consistency is key. It ensures that the dog will respond properly to commands.

 Train your dog on a regular basis to make sure he understands the rules of the house. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, thats the end of it. But pets and humans actually share the same types of habit learning systems; if they dont practice they will forget! Therefore, it is vital that your dog follows an established rule system at all times.

 Destructive chewing is often a result of anxiety. Putting your dog in his crate with a chew toy will reduce the chance of destructive events and give him something to do while he waits for you.

 Communication is one of the essential aspects of training your dog. During your dogs training sessions, keep your signals and commands clear and consistent. The signals you send to your dog include not only rewards and corrections but also your tone of voice and your body language. Remember to always pay attention to the communication signals from your dog. Your dog can let you know how hes feeling, like if hes having a bad day or is worn out.

 Teach your dog the difference between right and wrong. You will need help from everyone in the family to teach this. It can quickly undermine your efforts.

 If you have a knock-down, drag-out fight with your kids or reprimand another pet, your voice could impact your dogs training. Remember: if your dog has not done something wrong immediately beforehand, your interactions should always be positive.

 Do not give your dog any punishments when you are in the process of training. If your dog does not follow the correct behavior, instead of punishing him, gently teach him what to do instead. Training your dog is a great way to develop a positive relationship with him.

 Determine in advance what types of food your dog likes so that you can use it in the training process. Your dog will be more likely to respond to your training efforts when the food reward is something he likes. Pay close attention to his response after you offer a reward.

 To house train your dog, you should make sure that your dog follows a regular feeding and elimination schedule. This can train your dog to whine or come get you when he feels the urge, so you can let him out and prevent him from doing his business inside. Having a set schedule will teach your dog how to wait until he can go outside for the next potty break.

 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.

 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.

 Continuously maintain all training that you have done with your dog, and consider adding new behaviors as you go. Do not believe that just because you dog has graduated from obedience school that training is complete. However, pets are ruled by habits, structure and routine in much that same way that humans are. Its important to be consistent with the rules for your dog.

 Communication is one of the essential aspects of training your dog. Make sure you are clear and consistent when you are working with your dog. This means to be consistent not only with words, but with corrections and rewards. Be well aware that your dog is telling you something too. They will inform you of whether or not they are overworked, anxious, or having a great day.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 Hopefully the tips we have given will ensure that you, as well as others, enjoy your dog and his company. Training your dog makes ownership a rewarding experience. No matter if you choose to attempt your own dog training or you enlist the aid of a professional, making sure your pet is fully trained is a great way to ensure the happiness of you and your companion..

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Puppy Potty Training Made Easy

For many families, even if they do not train anything else with their puppy, they will take the time to conduct puppy potty training. After all, who wants to go around cleaning up puppy "messes" from the carpet every day? Puppy potty training can be frustrating for all involved. Remember, though, that puppies are just babies and they do not know what you want until you let them know. There are several strategies to try when you are conducting puppy potty training.

Use A Crate: Using a crate will make puppy potty training that much easier. If you are unable to watch your puppy, put it in the crate. A crate is like a den, and dogs do not like to soil where they sleep. Use the same command when sending puppy into the crate, and always offer a reward while doing puppy potty training. Puppies may cry in the crate at first, but remember, giving them free reign will allow them to potty anywhere in your house. Do not leave puppy in the crate for long periods of time - allow puppy frequent trips outside for puppy potty training.

Designate A Potty Place: It will make puppy potty training easier if you take puppy out to the same place each time. While doing puppy potty training, the yard is only for going potty - take puppy to the same area each time. Only stay out about 10 minutes at a time before going back in. Playtime should only be allowed after the puppy has gone potty.

Reward Success: Remember, puppy potty training is about getting a desired behavior. When puppy receives a reward of praise or a small treat, they start associating puppy potty training as being a good thing. Happy puppies learn faster.

Use A Leash: An essential part of puppy potty training is being able to keep an eye on your puppy during the process. This can be difficult to do when you are trying to get other things done around the house. Using a leash tied to your waist can allow you to keep puppy near so he or she cannot sneak off to use the bathroom.

Practice: Like anything else, puppy potty training takes lots of practice. Take puppy outside for puppy potty training every time he or she eats or drinks, comes out of the crate, or wakes up from a nap. Take puppy out for puppy potty training as often as possible, and keep an eye out for the times that your puppy needs to potty on a regular basis.

Avoid Paper: While some puppy owners swear by using paper for puppy potty training, ultimately they are only teaching puppy to potty in the house. Instead, work on teaching puppy that outdoors is the only acceptable place to potty.

Prepare For Accidents: Puppy potty training is bound to have accidents, so instead of stressing out about them, prepare for them. Before puppy potty training begins, make sure that you have plenty of cleanup materials on hand, including paper towels or rags, odor neutralizers, and enzymatic cleaners. Keep these within easy reach for you, but out of reach for the puppy, to make puppy potty training accidents easy to clean up.


Nick Luvera - About the Author:

Cheap Puppy Pads offers super absorbent puppy pads that take the hassle out of house training puppies. Great for puppies and for older dogs that are incontinent. Once the dog is accustomed to using the pads, they can be placed outdoors to encourage dogs to potty outside. Also, be sure to visit our site to sign up for free weekly dog training tips.

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/puppy-potty-training-made-easy-496790.html

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A Simple Dog Adoption Question

As a positive reinforcement, reward-based certified professional Ventura dog trainer, I am always looking for a "Good Dog!" moment - not just for my own dog Poncho the dog, but for all dogs... It just pains me when I witness dog guardians looking at their dogs any other way. Maybe its all in how you look at it. Im not sure of the kind of relationship they have with their dog. 

Just twice this week its happened again. First in my own neighborhood, I heard someone address their dog with "Hey you good for nothing dog." I say to myself "HUH?" Then I was just thankful the pooch didnt speak english. He just felt the scratch under his chin... 

The second incident was a woman and her dog at a very large and popular park where dogs are allowed off leash during certain hours. Well, it seems this woman was leaving the park...her dog was walking nicely with her. But then the pooch started to walk in a different direction. Not back to the area with the other dogs... just not with his (or her) guardian. 

The woman started berating this poor pooch over and over. Yelling at it to "Come here right now!" In a very deep threatening voice... Yikes! No wonder the dog wanted to go the other way! I would have high-tailed it out of there too! Geez - I wanted to go over my "recall rules" like I do in my dog training classes, but thought better of it - not the challenge I wanted. Plus, I was out for a run, and she hadnt hired me as a private dog trainer in Ventura. If she had, I would have given her the five rules:

1. Only call your dog for something pleasant, otherwise, just go get your dog. 
2. Use your happy voice and body language to get them to want to come running. 
3. Only call them when you know youre going to get them to come. Otherwise youre just wasting your breath, and probably getting more frustrated. 
4. If you thought you were going to "get it" and didnt. Go get your dog, take them to where you called them from, and reward them.
5. Throw a party - if you called them and they came running! 

So my BIG BOLD question, based upon the relationship you have with your dog is: 

If the situation were reversed, 

would your dog have adopted YOU? 

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Trip to Venice Beach proved shocking

Went on a road trip over the weekend to visit my brother who was in town for business... We met up in Venice Beach...a place he and I used to frequent while growing up. Hasnt changed too much - great place for people watching. What caught my attention wasnt the humans themselves, but the dogs... Why? One reason was they were all so darn cute.. this of course made me miss my little boy Poncho (hubby and I decided to "manage" and left Poncho with lots of interactive toys before we left...made sure we exercised him too so he was sleepy and wanted to nap)... 

Anyway, the other "things" that caught my eye were all the intact male dogs... yep, it seems that neutering is not a common activity in the Venice Beach area...at least all the male dogs I saw. Big dogs, small dogs, purebreds, mixed breeds....you name it, they had their "knick-knacks" intact. Now, being a critical thinker we cant assume all of the dogs and their humans were residents of Venice Beach...maybe they were all tourists? Maybe lived in neighboring communities? Maybe they were planning on taking their dogs to get neutered? Could be many different reasons, so I wont jump to conclusions... As for the female dogs, I couldnt tell if they had been spayed or not...and I wasnt about to start asking. 

I do know this. Spaying and neutering is important. For a variety of reasons. Dogs dont have the "common sense" gene that says "I shouldnt breed because there are so many unwanted pets anyway, and I know its better not to contribute to the problem." Nope, they dont think that way... So its a shame when we as humans continue to think "my dog would never do that" "they know better." Just takes a split second, and before you know it youre a new puppy parent! 

Unless youre a responsible, professional breeder, then having your pet spayed or neutered is the sensible thing to do. Does it make your dog any less "tough"? Heck no! Just ask my own dog Poncho... Hes one rockin tough little guy - still marks, raises his leg, growls and hunts, will attack any stranger that comes to the door that I dont want there... Being intact doesnt = macho... having the common sense and being a responsible pet owner is! 

This years theme for our annual Pooch Parade here in Ventura put on by our local rescue group The Canine Adoption and Rescue League is "Spay & Neuter"! For additional info on spaying and neutering your pets, check out these informative websites: Humane Society, ASPCA, The American Kennel Club, The American Veterinary Medical Association. 

Joan

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Dangerous Outcome Could Come to Tomato Loving Labrador

My trusty sidekick Poncho and I received a dog behavior question for Dear Inquisitive Canine column about a fun-loving lab mix that enjoys eating all of the homegrown tomatoes in his yard. The dog guardian who wrote in was a little annoyed with this hunting activity, I believe more so because she didnt have any to eat herself! Hmm, that would be annoying - especially when youre craving fresh tomatoes for your evening meal, and there arent any left!

I addressed this inquisitive dog guardian by outlining key management steps such as: Sturdier fencing, barricades, and yard location that would deter (and protect) her dog, while protecting the plants and her morsels of deliciousness. I also included some simple dog training tips including:

• Rewarding her dog whenever he ignored the plants
• Encouraging her to provide other enrichment activities that would redirect him away from the plants, while allowing him to "hunt". Something along the lines of a scavenger hunt for his kibble, or a tomato/kibble stuffed food toy would be fantastic.

Along with the above management and training, there is something even more important about this tomato hunting dilemma: the tomato plant is toxic to dogs! (cats and horses too). The fruit seems to be fine for this dog to eat, and many other dogs, but the leaves and plant itself have been know to cause many health problems.

According to the ASPCA, signs and symptoms of tomato plant toxicity include: Hypersalivation, inappetence, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, CNS depression, confusion, behavioral change, weakness, dilated pupils, and slow heart rate. For more information on tomato plant toxicity, as well as other common poisonous plants, click here to access the ASPCA website.

To read the full post, please check out our Dear Inquisitive Canine dog behavior advice column - the tomato loving lab will be featured on November 13th 2009 on the Noozhawk website.

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Not the high fiber diet I wanted my dog to have!

Last Saturday morning found me and my little family off to Santa Barbara for an early morning race. It was kinda rainy, and a little windy. For those of you who know my beloved little pooch Poncho, he is not a fan of the wind! (HA! no pun intended) Im not a big fan of the wind either, but for a different reason. Anyway, we didnt want to leave him here, so off we went on a family adventure. 

For as long as I can recall, my darling husband gives extra "rewards" to Poncho by allowing him to lick the leftover crumbs from his napkins and wrappers. And, for as long as I can remember Ive asked him not to. Hmm, I guess this trainer doesnt know her animal,  since weve been having the same conversation over and over. Trust me, Ive used every approach of Skinners Operant Conditioning Quadrant, mostly sticking with positive reinforcement, ("Good job honey, thanks for listening to me, thanks for giving Poncho the crumbs out of your hand instead of the napkin!) And negative punishment, (I take Poncho away from him if I see a napkin about to be presented)... Well, I guess my "animal" still hadnt learned! 

So, Im

 out on my 1/2 marathon course...in the meantime, my hubby has run and finished his 5K, gone to the car to get Poncho, walked him around, then proceeded to get snacks (human treats) at the post-race finish area. They greet me excitedly when I finish. Im thrilled beyond belief to be done with it... Then, my darling hubby decides to drop the bomb...nice way to end a perfectly good race... 

• Hubby: "Uh, honey? I gotta tell you about Poncho."   
  
• Wifey: "Oh really? What did he do? Was he a good boy with all the people and dogs?"
• H: "Has nothing to do with his behavior. Poncho is doing great with everyone."

Okay, so this is where the look on my face completely changed, you know, into the: this look I have on my face predicts nothing good for you! 

• W: "Oh dear gawd what happened!?"
• H: "Poncho ate a muffin wrapper." 
• W: "HE WHAT??!!!" "How the......!!!!!" "WHAT THE....!" (insert multiple expletives here)

Needless to say, I finally made my point about dogs and paper products with crumbs on them! 

Yes, Poncho was being rewarded with the opportunity to lick the muffin wrapper that was so generously given by my husband - When my hubby tried to take it away, Poncho decided it was quite delicious and didnt want to give it up - "guarding it" if you will, which hubby and I know is not only "normal" in dogs, but very strong in our dog - at least with food. 

Was I concerned? Yes, you bet. Did hubby at least call the vets office? Yes, you bet. They confirmed that Poncho should be okay, and to watch his behavior: breathing normal? Check! still eating? Check-check-check! Still energetic? Check! Peeing? Check! He even pooped too! Normal all around...so we decided not to rush him off to the vet emergency. We would observe for any changes, and take him in if things got bad or we got worried. 

So, after I calmed down (now my heart rate was up because of the wrapper incident), I actually said "thank you" to my hubby for being truthful (want to reinforce those behaviors we like and never want to punish him telling the truth, right?), and for taking action by calling the vets office. Then we went about our day, while keeping a close eye on Poncho...the happy ending? Five hours later it passed :-) Phew... 

Which brings me to the topic of dogs and consuming anything that isnt nailed down! Check out the photo op of Sir Poncho the Graduate chewing up his latest Manner Class certificate... Fortunately, it was for the pleasure of chewing and not consuming. 

Lets revisit what dogs are: scavengers, predators, and omnivores! >>> theyll eat anything at any time, and its more fun

 if its moving! They are also chewers! And they chew for a variety of reasons.... Put it all together, theyll eat anything! Sometimes they just chew it, sometimes they eat it, and sometimes theyll even "guard" it so you wont take it from them! Hello? This is normal 

behavior, and its hard-wired into their doggy DNA - its one characteristic that makes dogs dogs!

I recall during my training up at the San Francisco SPCA there was one particular dog (Freddy, see pic of the handsome shepherd mix) that was very clever at grabbing the trainers treat bags

 off their waistband, removing the ziploc baggy of treats from inside of it, and ingesting the entire thing! I wasnt there either time, but the first time he was rushed to the vets, the second time the trainers rolled their eyeand remembered not to use a treat bag when working with him. Live and learn, right? You would think dogs would learn too, but alas, it seems the ingesting of something, even some innate object, is usually more motivating than the punishment of aftermath. 

One other comforting thought was when my dear friend Emilia emailed me on Monday saying she was swamped the entire weekend because her dog Nellie had eaten a highlighter! Emilia 

and her hubby realized this after seeing all the ink on Nellies rear end. They spent their weekend observing Nellie for "odd" behavior...(odder than usual I guess?) :-) Check out Nellies pic on the left... I guess she was considering interior decorating as a new career. Fortunately mom and dad have provided many new legal outlets for her, and the pillows are no longer an appealing choice. 

Well, I guess if Nellie can tolerate a highlighter, then Poncho and his extra fiber would be okay...although, I would never ever ever add something like that into his diet intentionally, nor would I risk leaving something like that around - As we have come to learn, dogs sometimes dont have the best judgement when it comes to meal planning. 

Another few things Id like to add about dogs and chewing/ingesting anything is:

1. If your dog does, or you think your dog did ingest something that could harm them TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VET! (or at least call your vets office) Its not our job to evaluate our dogs health if were not a professional veterinarian. 
2. Determine WHY your dog is chewing, destroying, or eating things they should be chewing, destroying or eating! Is it boredom? Is it because of isolation distress or separation anxiety? Is it because theyre teething? There are many reasons why dogs do any of those things. First determine "the why", then you can make plans on what to do about it, if in fact you need to change your dogs behavior. 
3. Supply your dog with "legal" items, then reward them when theyre making the better choice. Check out the picture of Poncho and his "legal" items. 

For more intriguing anecdotes on items that dogs eat, check out this great Web site that Matt Goodman and his dog Watson have developed called: Things My Dog Ate! After looking at his site, I can honestly say Poncho aint that bad when it comes to ingesting the non-food items... well just keep the wrappers away, and count our blessings.

If you have questions about chewing, ingesting, or guarding, or want to teach your dog some training exercises that would help with any of these issues, please contact me. My classes and workshops at the inquisitive canine studio and Ventura College Community Education, and of course privates can help you and your dog. 

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Product Pick The Manners Minder

There are many products out there to enhance our dogs lives.  Oh, does my pocketbook know, so many products!  Of course some are better than others, and the Manners Minder falls into the "better than" category.  This machine was invented by a wonderful veterinary behaviorist from Colorado, Dr. Sophia Yin. 

The Manners Minder is, in simple terms, a remote-control treat dispensing device.  Press a button on the remote and the machine will spit out a treat, with or without an accompanying tone.  The tone can be used like a "click" for dogs that are clicker trained - they quickly learn to associate the new sound with food.  The machine can also be set to dispense treats randomly without manual activation, making it a great tool for teaching a long down-stay, working on separation anxiety or other skills.

The Pros:

• Product works well and takes small, uniform treats (like Zukes) or kibble.
• Excellent for advanced skills, distance work, long stays, preventing jumping up and many other behaviors.
• Comes with an informative DVD, written training guide and a great target stick.
• A unique, innovative tool for any positive motivation trainer or dog owner.

The Cons:

• The machine noise is a little loud when dispensing a treat.  Spend plenty of time acclimating your dog to the sound before you begin training with the machine.
• Expensive - retails for a little over $100, but if you shop around it can be found for closer to $80.

Manners Minder treat dispensor

 

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Important Dog Training Techniques For Dog Owner

Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, therefore they should not be treated as such. The owner will be greatly disappointed with how training goes. Dogs are smart animals, though, and with a little patience and understanding they can be well trained.

If there are certain things that set your dog off causing bad behavior, then keep his mind focused on other things as you pass by what provokes this bad behavior. For instance, do something distracting to entertain and stimulate your dog when you are walking him and you approach another dog that your pet does not deal with well. By doing this, he will start to see that good things can happen even when he sees that stimuli.



 It is important to leash-train your dog. This will help keep your dog and you safe when going for walks.

 Stay with the training, so that he doesnt forget the lessons that he learned. Keep him in practice. A lot of times owners thing training is a one time event. You can encourage your dog to adopt good habits. That is why it is vital to ensure your dog maintains a strict rule system.

 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.

 Keep your dog outside while you are away from home to prevent it from chewing on your items. When this is not possible due to weather or living in an urban area, close your doors to all of your rooms. This keeps your dog out of your things. Be sure to leave chew toys out for them.

 When your dog reaches six months, make sure that your dog is spayed or neutered. Obedience training should be put off until this is done. Any dog not "fixed" will be very excitable and easily distracted in obedience sessions. This will make your dog easier to train.

 Training a new puppy can be much easier if everyone in the the family participates in the training. While they may have a single person working with them regularly, getting everyone involved can enforce that they must always follow the rules and it will make it more consistent.

 Dont let your dog make the decisions as to when to pay attention. If you dont feel like making time or having enough energy to give the dog a command, dont do it.

 When training a dog, watch that you do not overdo giving the dog treats. Too many treats can really plump a dog up. It is easy to forget about treats when you consider how much you are feeding your dog. This can happen especially when you are training him.

 Train your dog in little steps if what you want him to do is a bit more complicated. Take fetching the morning paper, for example. The first step is to teach your dog to hold the newspaper. Next, he must learn to follow a command to approach the object by name. You need to teach him then how to pick the object up. Finally, show him that you want the object brought to you. As you break the behavior down into simple steps, your dog will soon grow to master the entire task you want him to complete.

 Not everyone has what it takes to train their dog, sometimes a professional is needed. You may hit a snag in your training and a professional can help get you back on track. Professional trainers can instruct you on how to improve your training methods, and get both you and your pet back on track.

 Every dog is unique and is motivated to learn by different things. What your dog likes, doesnt like, and what types of training work for him are all things that you are learning during this process. Regardless of the reason that you have decided to train your dog, provide him with various training exercises and copious amounts of positive reinforcement. You will find it much easier to train your dog if he is happy.

 Obedience classes can help you with any training issues you face. These classes can help deal with various issues such as stopping disruptive barking, not sitting when told, and not listening to you.

 Pay strict attention to your body language and tone of voice anytime you are training a pet. Dogs can be very perceptive and can pick up cues from their owners about how the owner is feeling. A firm but stern tone should be enough to reinforce discipline.

 There are a few tricks you can try when attempting to crate train a puppy or dog. If the dog doesnt want to get in the crate try putting a chew toy in it and close the gate when theyre not there. This will make the puppy want to be let inside the crate to get the bone. Open the door, and praise them when they go inside.

 Providing your dog with food that it likes while training him or her will help give them incentive to do good. Offering your dog a truly special reward is an easy way to encourage them. Really pay attention to his reaction when he is given the treat and adjust your reward foods accordingly.

 Crate training is an effective way to house train a dog. Always take your dog out consistently if you want to be effective at crate training. If youre patient you will find a dog who has been crate trained will make less messes inside.

 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.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 After learning some helpful hints on how to get through to your dog and train it to behave to your expectations you simply need to follow what you have learned. After changing your dogs behavior to fit with the tips suggested you can properly train your dog..

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