Dog Bite Prevention

Well the American Veterinary Medical Association has designated the week ending on May 25 as "National Dog Bite Prevention Week".

I think it may be prudent of me to mention some things about dog bites. I have been around dogs for most of my life. I suppose than means  I have been around dogs for about 47 years now. I have been bitten on more than one occasion and, in case you are in suspense here, it hurts.

Each time that I was bitten, I can directly trace it back to something that I did not understand about the dogs behavior. Also in each instance the dog gave warning signs that I was either ignorant of or that I just ignored. With very few exceptions, most dog bites are preventable. 

A stressed dog is likely to bite and there are dog body language indicators of stress. Growling, showing of teeth, etc. are some of the more obvious signs but to a more experienced observer there are more subtle signs like stiffened posture, tail position, etc. It is a little beyond the scope of this post to teach all the signs but, be aware that most of the time, the dog gives ample warning before biting.

I used to warn the people that I worked with at Petco that perhaps the most dangerous and underestimated dogs in terms of biting an employee, are probably the little dogs that people have in shopping carts or carry in their arms. Please be careful trying to pet these guys! If they are a little stressed, it can quickly escalate mostly because the dog feels trapped in the cart or because the person is holding him. 

It is also a good idea to ask the handler before petting or approaching a dog that you do not know. And even with permission, be careful how you approach the dog. Never tower over the dog. Avoid petting the dogs head. I always slowly approach making a large arc (not directly walking up to the dog) from the side of the dog I offer a closed fist. If the dog sniffs and seems relaxed, I pet under the chin or on the back. Never on top of the head.

These are just a few of the basics. There is some very good information on the American Veterinary Medical Association web site at : https://www.avma.org/Events/pethealth/Pages/Dog-Bite-Prevention-Week.aspx.

I will end with a story that indicates how a dog bite can be a very dangerous thing. It also demonstrates that I too am more than capable of doing stupid things:

Many years ago, I guess about 15 years ago now, I lived in Port Charlotte, Florida. I had recently moved there from the Atlanta Area. I took my Beagle named Boomer with me. At that time Boomer was about 7 years old. Boomer and I had a lot of fun together and spent most of our time together. Boomer and I were getting ready to go to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  Well, I was packing and Boomer was sleeping on my pillow on the bed. Boomer was a rescue dog. I adopted him when he was 9 months old. Sadly, he was abused as a puppy. We had to be careful waking him because he scared really easily. He also did not like anything or anyone near his muzzle. Well, I accidentally woke him and got a little too close to his muzzle doing it. He bit me on the lip. He cut it open good. Blood was everywhere. Boomer went back to sleep as I ran to the bathroom to tend to my lip. I had to go to the hospital emergency room in this small Florida retirement community. After spending several hours in the emergency room, I got several very painful stitches in my lip. The point of this story is that Boomer gave me many warning signs that I ignored or forgot about. He was always anxious when people got too close to his muzzle (as most dogs are). I also made the mistake of carelessly waking him. You should always be careful when waking a dog. Absolutely do not get near the face when you do it. I really, to this day, do not think that he realized he had bitten me. I am not sure he even completely woke from his sleep. When I came back all bandaged up, he was my best friend. He was worried about me and would not leave my side. Boomer and I did not make it to Atlanta for Thanksgiving that year. We had turkey in Port Charlotte with the natives. Well, Boomer had turkey, I think I had some sort of liquid for the next week or so :).

So, the lesson that I hope you will get from the my dog bite experience with Boomer is to be aware that  any dog is capable of biting. You must watch for the warning signs. But, if you know what to look for it is pretty easy. You must also be careful in approaching strange dogs. This is particularly true of stray  dogs. 

I will be happy to talk to you about Dog Safety at anytime. I will also be happy to demonstrate to you how to approach a strange dog using Copper to help me demo. Contact me if you are interested.

Till Next Time

William

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

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VOTE FUR ME!

Hey furry friends - Mango Minster has FINALLY started voting... and today is the day that my class... is open for voting.

So head over to Mango Minster and furry please, VOTE FUR ME! Its on the right side and Says "VOTING - Good Old Dogs".

I need to show those other dogs what a Good Old Dog really is... so please vote for me; EVERY vote counts :)
*My furry cool entry

Furry kisses - and furry thanks for voting!

Rudy - The Good Old Dog

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Last Post

Hey everybody!
Furry thanks to all whove left goodbye comments fur me, Ive really enjoyed reading them - and I know my raiser is really thankful to have all you wonderful followers out there, leaving her some nice words.
Just wanted to do a quick post, to let you know Ive made it to FL - and well be heading to the guide dog school tomorrow morning.
My raiser did have a surprise, that we picked up on the way down here - which I knew nothing about... (nope, its not another guide dog puppy). Shell be sure to tell you all about the new little animal, once she gets back from FL.
I do have to say that she is very cute - and Im so glad I got to meet her!
Thanks again for all the comments you guys are leaving - I know this is going to be really hard on my raiser to give me up... and the comments mean a lot to her (and me!).
Hugs & Slobbery kisses to all!

Rudy - The dog with a blog

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Potty training a puppy

Many owners take potty training a puppy as the most important thing to teach a doggie, so that there is no discomfort around the house. What most people don’t know is that when it comes to potty training a puppy, there are various differences between breeds, some being easier to train than others. So, if you haven’t made up your mind yet about which breed to choose, this aspect really needs to be taken into consideration. How difficult could potty training a puppy be? If you have the answer to this question, then you’re on the great way to a wonderful friendship.
When you’re potty training a puppy, you have to be reasonable with the very young ones. They simply have very little control of their bladders and bowels, so as soon as they realize they have to go, it is almost always too late to hold it. Therefore, potty training a puppy may be a patience exercise for you too, don’t get angry at it, since sometimes it is beyond control. Keep it off your carpets until you’re sure it is reliable. Now, let’s have a look at some basic tips for potty training a puppy. First of all, it is best to train the pup so as it works both indoors and outdoors.
The key to successful potty training a puppy is to take it to potty after every meal; make it a routine to take the pup out first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If you want to apply some general type of potty training for puppies, take the doggie on a leash to the spot you want it to use. After it potties, play with it for a while or offer it a reward so that the pup may grow up with a clear idea of what pleases you or not. Try to feed your puppy on dry food and at the same hour every day, this will give regularity to the animal’s bowel movements too.
Young animals need lots of water, so you may consider that when you’re potty training a puppy. Make sure it has a water bowl at day time, but take it away two hours at least before bedtime. This will allow you the chance of potty training the puppy more efficiently and also saves you the risk of nasty accidents over night. Make sure the spot where it potties is clean all the time, as dogs are very clean animals and they truly want to stay that way. For those of you who don’t feel like potty training a puppy the best solution is to buy an older dog that is trained for the matter.

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Discover the secrets of puppy and dogs training!

Discover How You Can Train Your Dog to Do Anything You Wish In Less Than Half The Time By Using Proven Techniques That Get Immediate Results!

Kevin Lynch, is the author of the hugely popular dog training book Puppy n Dog Secrets. This book is where he reveals the techniques and secrets used by professional dog training experts including:

- Simple and Powerful techniques that will solve ANY dog problem such as house training difficulties, Eliminating such nuisances as unnecessary barking, digging, destructive chewing, general disobedience, and much, much more...

- How you can train your dog to follow any command, from simple commands like SIT and STAY to the much more complex tricks like you see in dog shows.

- Remove the frustration of training your dog, learn how to communicate in a way that your dog will respond to quickly so you can increase the speed of your dogs training.

.....And there is much, much more!

To magically transform your dogs behavior and learn the secrets that professional dog trainers use, check out: http://www.puppy-and-dog-secrets.tk.

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How To Generate A Canine Good Citizen

Puppy training is a vital part of as being a responsible dog owner. Working together with your dog brings better understanding between the both of you. This short article may help you along with your dog training. Your pet dog is eager to do things to please you and also you have to take time to show him how you can behave.

Small steps, gentle ways and patience are typical a part of obtaining your puppy used to their crate. Once your dog may have acclimated to the crate itself, close the gate and feeding him through it. Begin small, like 10 seconds at one time, and slowly move up the times. Freaking your dog is really a sign that you should decrease.

Schedule an appointment with your vet should your dog does not appear to be addressing your training. It does not necessarily mean these are dumb should your dog is not really learning properly. Sometimes physical and occasionally mental maladies could cause your puppy to never respond properly to training. Your vet could possibly provide you with some indication on the problem.

Food and treats can be your ally in training your pet to look for out his crate. Once in awhile when he returns to his crate give your dog to get strategically placed pieces of food and some treats every. He will make it a habit of checking the crate out more regularly in the event something different has miraculously appeared there.

While training your dog, observe his body language and general behavior closely. Try to find signs of enthusiasm. Is his tail wagging? Does he follow you around? This shows hes prepared to learn. Bored or nervous, stop what you really are doing and reevaluate, if you notice your pet dog is scared.

It is essential to realize that training your pet dog will need plenty of repetition and patience. It often takes a dog between 25 and 50 repetitions before they are able to learn a new command. Getting frustrated will only delay your results and could hurt your relationship with your pet.

When you are training your pet, make sure you are very patient. Different breeds of dogs learn at different rates. One dog can quickly learn while another dog will take a long time. Should you be impatient you will stress your dog and that he will likely be resistant to the best training efforts.

Make sure your dogs weight loss program is appropriate for him. You dont want to provide him the top protein food a dog who herds sheep would receive should your dog is a lazy dog who likes to lounge around all day long. This will create problems and vet bills down the line.

Some training techniques advise that you allow your dog a treat as being a reward forever performance. Be sure youre not giving your pet a reward every time they perform task, although this is a fantastic method. They are available can be expected the treat whenever and once you stop together with the treats, the obedience stops also, should you do. Instead offer the dog a treat randomly so they dont start to expect after they obtain a treat.

Start training your puppy early. Many individuals think that very young puppies are way too young to learn. The reality is that even puppies as young as about 6 weeks old are able to begin the basics of education, and starting early makes sure that a puppy may have a strong foundation for further advanced training later.

You need to associate a command with going outside in order to house train your pet and teach it to inquire about to look outside. Stand with your dog near to the door, say the command and carry it outside. Your puppy will go to the door once you repeat the command if it needs to go, when you continue doing this.

To stop any mess in your home, you may get a doggy toilet. Once your dog understands that it has to go away from house, utilize the same command you used to really make it realize that outside is a superb location to get in association with the doggy toilet.

Never punish your dog, or discipline him, right after the fact. If you find that he urinated on the carpet earlier from the day, punishing him now wont help. Dogs cannot reason and possess very short-term memories, so they will not likely associate the previous accident together with the punishment on hand.

When training your dog it is rather useful for the dogs owner to do some research into training. By learning how to train your dog the proper way one will make their job much simpler. It could be done the simplest way and become the easiest for the dog and owner to alter too.

Keep several of your dogs favorite treats together with you when you find yourself training him to obey a brand new command. Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement. Once you have his treat available, you can reward him the moment he successfully obeys this new command. Before long, he will be able to respond to this command efficiently.

When training a fresh puppy ahead, an extended rope is a good aid. Call the puppy while gently pulling it toward you together with praising it for coming. When it reaches you, praise it more and provide a popular treat. Soon the puppy will associate its name and coming over to you with praise and treats, then you wont need the rope anymore.

In order to alleviate separation anxiety inside your dog, provide him with lots of exercise. A tired dog is actually a happy dog. Slip out and then in of the house without creating a big problem from it. Sometimes saying goodbye in your pet increases his anxiety. If you see your pet has associated something like getting keys with leaving, then start doing the action a few times every day to quell negative feelings.

Training your dog may be vital, as already noted. Responsible pet owners make time to work together with their dogs and train them. Utilizing the information in the following paragraphs, can deal with training your dog and help you to become a better dog owner. Working together with your pet dog can develop a better relationship, which will make sure that he will truly be other people you know.

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However training tips easy to train but breeds

Smart dogs are Maltese, easy to train such as a German Shepherd or one but can most races trained with patience. Learn which train dog breeds in this free video on dog training by a professional dog trainer you are easy.

Expert: Zephyr Clarke Dolberg
Contact: www.miami-dog-training.com
Bio: Zephyr Clarke Dolberg is a certified professional dog trainer in Miami, Florida
Filmmakers: Paul Müller

Duration: 0: 1: 19

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Train Your Puppy Not To Bite

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Behaving during a Meeting FUN Afterwards!

I attended a Naval Academy Event with my furry cool raiser/family; where they would be packing boxes to send up to all of our "groups" mids. (I just slept...)
Doing what my raiser asked of me; I did a down-stay during the meeting, somehow managing to fall asleep, with all those people talking (see movies below).
But the one thing I didnt know my raiser was planning... was IF I behaved well during the meeting, then before we left - shed let me have a short "playdate" with Biscuit (a yellow lab who lived at the house we were doing the meeting at).
Funny thing was - since Biscuit was outside in their fenced in yard; I didnt even realize a dog was there! (I did smell a furry cool creature... but I didnt know fur sure if it was a doggy).
since I behaved SO WELL during the meeting, my raiser & the owner of Biscuit had both of us doggies on the leash - and let us (slowly) meet.
My raiser was told that Biscuit doesnt always like strange dogs - but fur some GOOD reason, she fell in love with me... and we played for over an hour!
(Biscuit is a 6yr old, SPAYED female)
My raiser took many pictures and videos (see below), I hope you enjoy them :)
Furry Monday kisses!

Rudy
The dog with a blog


Behaving during the meeting...


(Movie of Rudy in a down-stay; you can hear the people in the background talking... quite loudly. Near the end of the movie; the chair beside him, gets pushed into his head... all he does is move his head to a different place! Good distraction training)


(Movie of Rudy in a down stay - in coat/harness, people are talking in the background; and many people are walking by/stepping over Rudy. He isnt fazed at all by the distractions/shoes/people.)


Equals; FUN afterwards...

(Movie of Rudy & Biscuit playing on the deck)

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Complete Guide To Dog Training Easy Dog Obedience Training

James J HarleyJanuary 09, 2010 It is important that you give your dog some form of training, even if you do not have plans to show your pet off in animal shows. Giving your dog the necessary training program can help much in building a stronger bond or relationship between you and your pet. You can look for a complete guide to dog training to help you. Having this kind of guide within your reach will make the whole process of dog training easier and more effective.

Click Here!to get easy access to dog obedience training now

You can find a complete guide to dog training in many pet shops and bookstores. You can even download one from the internet. The key is you are able to completely follow all the steps so you can be sure that your dog understands what it is supposed to do when you give specific instructions.

How can you say that a dog training guide is as complete as it could be? More than just giving you dog training secrets, a complete dog training guide should also include information on dog agility, dog obedience, and training supplies. In this manner, you can be sure that you will have everything you need to teach your dog to have good manners.

Yes, even animals have manners too. And it helps a lot that you have your dog undergo a complete training program to keep your pet from becoming nuisance inside and outside your home. Much like children, dogs also need to be taught how to behave well especially when there are other people around.

Finding a complete guide to dog training is something that you will appreciate if you want your dog to learn how to handle itself in public. In this manner, you will no longer have to hesitate on going to different places with your dog around. As a result you can be sure you will be able to build a stronger relationship with your pet.
Click Here!to get access to dog obedience training now

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How To Deal With A Jumping Problem

Do you accept jumping from your dog when you play with him yet you do not allow such behaviour from him when you are all dressed up for work?

In this scenario, we are actually confusing our dogs and may even cause anxiety in them.


Always remember that jumping is a natural behaviour for a dog. Hence it is impossible to eliminate or correct such behaviour within a short period of time.

In dealing with this problem, we have to be consistent in our message to our dog that such behaviour is unacceptable.

To deal with this problem, always remember:

Avoid rough games.
Have toys for playing fetch with him and treats at hand to re-direct the dog’s attention during games.
If need be, use a leash during game.
When he jumps, simply say ‘No’ and gently tugs the leash
Holds the dog’s face and body away from you until he calms down and stops jumping
Then allows him to approach you again
Praise him when he approaches you WITHOUT jumping
Avoid excitable greetings.
Always greet and interact with the dog calmly and gently.
Teach him to sit as a way of greeting. Remember to Praise and Reward him for greeting you in the correct way.
To correct the dog’s jumping behaviour, combine both positive re-enforcement (praise and reward) and negative re-enforcement by letting him experience negative consequences (punishment) for jumping:

Method 1 – Losing his playmate

When he jumps, turn away and immediately stop all interaction with him
Do not touch him with your hand or look down at him as he may think that his jumping behaviour as acceptable
When he tries other methods such as sitting or fetching his toys to get your attention, praise him immediately and calmly so as not to excite and encourage the dog to jump.
If jumping does NOT stop at this time, walk away from him, which may mean leaving the room and not allowing the dog to follow you.
After two to three minutes, return to the room. Your dog should greet you in a calmer manner.
Method 2 – Using Physical Correction

Say ‘No’ immediately when the dog jumps.
Gently tugs the leash on the dog in a downward motion; or
Squirting the dog with water though some dogs love such action
Sit the dog and praise him for doing so
To train your dog to properly greet your guests at the front door:

Keep a spare leash or collar by the front door
When a guest arrives, immediately put the dog on leash
Put the dog in a sit-and-stay position by the front door
Invite the guest in
If the dog jumps on guest, say ‘No’, gently tug the leash to pull him off the guest, put him in his sit position again and praise him
Remember to have plenty of daily practices at the front door with the dog when there are no visitors. Open and close the door often enough for your dog to get used to the action. Then proceed to knocking at the front door and ringing the bell while keeping your dog in a sit-stay position all the while.

Such practices will help the dog to reduce his jumping, lessen his excitement and excessive barking at the front door.



And remember to praise your dog abundantly when he does the right thing!



You Can Do It!
To your success in dog training

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The snow starts at the Dog Training Foster Shack

Dr. Phil Mc Beagle  bravely fights the
winter weather to explore the many wonders
of the back yard. He chased a pesky squirrel away!

Cody with his favorite blanket getting love from Mommy.

Well, the snow is beginning to accumulate this afternoon at the Dog Training/Foster shack. The whole pack is happy that the Lovely and Awesome Shane made it home safely from work today! The roads are really slick here in north Fayette County, Georgia.  This is quite an event for us here in North and Central Georgia! It is actually pretty dangerous. I grew up in this area. Our winter frozen precipitation is much different than it is up in the northern parts of the USA. It is more dangerous because we do not have the snow removal gear that you folks up north have. It is also typically a different sort of mix than I used to see when I traveled up north on business.

Dog Training/Foster Shack 

There is generally more ice than snow on the roads here. It is really slick. I used to drive on the roads in snow and ice when I traveled to places like Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Chicago, etc. However, I stay off the roads as much as possible here during snow and ice!

Trigger in the snowy backyard.

The dogs here have thus far had mixed reactions to this weather. Phil and Trigger love it! They run around and play. Phil even dug out one his outside balls from under the snow and played with it a while. The rest of the pack is not quite as thrilled with this weather. Some of them have ventured out to take care of certain unavoidable bodily functions but they are not playing like Dr. Phil and Trigger.

Those of you in North and Central Georgia, have fun with your dogs in the snow but please be careful. Remember my cautions about your dogs in this cold weather.

Stay inside, stay warm  and have fun!

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

Some of my Ham Radio Antennas. Top is VHF Yagi. Underneath that is loop for Television.
The wire near the bottom is my HF longwire. No ice forming on the elements yet.... I suppose SWR
should be okay for now. Yagi is sort of leaning toward Aunt Maggies house :)

Side Yard at Dog Training/Foster Shack

Looking toward Grandma and Grandpas house from
Dog Training/Foster Shack

The senior pack members on the back porch observing the snow

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Human Dog Connection Does my dog know when I am sick

I have had some sort of stomach bug for the last couple of days. It has not been pleasant at all. I worked a little over half a day yesterday and have not done much other than rest since then.

I have written before about the Human/Dog Connection. In the earlier post I wrote about how dogs can tell how we feel emotionally. That is why it is important not to get frustrated while training your little guys and girls.

I also mentioned how Copper can tell when I am not feeling good. That post was written before we adopted Little Cody. This time, I have had two little guys taking care of me :) .

As soon as I got home from work yesterday, it was apparent that both Little Cody and Copper Whopper knew that I was sick. I spent the rest of the day in bed. Cody slept right next to me. This is unusual. Cody does sleep in the bed with us sometimes but he is not normally nearly as close to me as he was yesterday. I woke at one point to find Copper on the pillow next to me and Cody right against me. This is also very unusual. Copper prefers to sleep on the floor these days. I think the floor feels cooler and more comfortable for him.

At one point later I woke to find Cody right next to me and Copper lying on the floor in the bedroom doorway. As soon as I woke, Copper jumped up on the bed to check on me. He sniffed me, licked my hand , let me pet his head, then he jumped back down to lie in the doorway.

My point in relaying this story is that these remarkable little guys knew I was sick. I really think they were sort of worried about me. I have no real evidence to back this up but, their behavior changed quite dramatically when I was sick. Normally, at that time of the day, Copper Whopper likes to take his nap in the living room and you can hardly wake him.Cody really likes to have his afternoon nap in his basket bed in the dog training shack office.  Routine is important to dogs and they both broke that routine because they sensed that all was not right with me.

Today, I have been taking it much easier than usual. I have been in the house most of the day. Eating soup and crackers. My little buddies have been checking on me all day. One or the other of them has been right by my side all day.

One of the many advantages to having a dog is that they are a comfort when you dont feel well. I think it is because they sense that you dont feel well and try to make you feel better. I have been around dogs most of my life and have noticed this phenomena many times. I think it is perhaps universal (well maybe not on Venus... although I have never been there :) ) with dogs and people.

Take care of your canine buddies because they love you and will show it when you feel sick.

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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Advice regarding stores that suddenly deny access to your dog

Copper Whopper helping me in the shop.

As many of my readers know, I also own and operate a Lawn Maintenance/Handyman business.By the way, we provide the best and most reliable service available anywhere.

I often take one or two of the pack to work with me when weather conditions are mild.

Recently Copper and I went to work together. We were purchasing material an tools for a custom shelving job. Copper has done this with me many times before. We were in Harbor Freight Tools in Fayetteville, GA. This is one of our frequent stops. Copper was on leash (as he always is when we are out) and we were approached by an associate of the store who asked that I put Copper in a shopping cart or remove him. Well, as you can imagine, a shopping cart, for many reasons, is not an option for Copper. So, I did not cause a scene. We simply went to the check-out, paid for our stuff, and departed for our next stop.

I never suggest that you start an argument with anyone who ask you to remove your pet dog. Please comply with a business owners ( or in this case their representatives) request. It is, after all, their property and this is a free country. They have the absolute right to deny service or access to anyone at anytime and I would not have it any other way.

I was however, confused. Copper had been welcome in that establishment for a long time. So, I contacted Harbor Freight Tools through their website. I sent them an email in which I respectfully requested clarification on their policies and explained my concerns regarding the safety of pet dogs in shopping carts.

I learned that this was simply an encounter with an employee who did not understand the policy.

This is an except from the email I got from Harbor Freight:

Good Afternoon Mr. Moore,

I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience in our store.
I know who you are because I see you in the store with your dog.
It is not a policy nor is there a law that should keep you from bringing your dog into our store.
You and your dog is more than welcome in our store at any time. The only time that we may<sic> band a dog if customer’s felt threaten by a dog and I would confer with my boss and the office before making that decision.
If you will let me know who told you not to bring your dog back into the store, I will correct the situation.
The small business owner is the meat and potatoes of our business. We too are a small one owner company.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you and Copper in the store soon.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill Tesney
Store Manager
HFT352
1415 HWY 85 North
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Store Phone: 770-461-5521
HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS
Quality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices


I responded with a description of the employee whom I encountered along with further clarification of my concerns:

Hello Mr. Tensey-

Thank you for your response.

I was never told to not bring Copper back into the store. I was told to put him into a shopping cart.

My experience and observations of canine behavior, in my work as a professional dog trainer, has influenced my belief that a shopping cart can be a very dangerous place for a dog. The issue is two-fold. If a dog is stressed, for any reason, being confined is not a good thing. This makes the effects of the anxiety much stronger for the dog. It has been my experience that a confined dog is exponentially more likely to bite. The other issue with confinement to something like a shopping cart is that shopping carts were not really designed with our canine buddies in mind. The large openings between the mesh on the bottom can lead to injury. It is also difficult to get a dog larger than medium size in and out of a shopping cart.

The above is my concern. I simply want to know if dogs are allowed to walk on the floor, on a leash  in your store. The representative who asked me to put Copper in a shopping cart was a white lady I believe she had brunette or dark color hair. Probably about 56" - 59" in height (if I remember correctly). I was a little rushed on the day of the incident so, I did not really discuss it with her. I simply told her that we were on our way out and went to the register.

I work with many customers who are interested in pet friendly places to bring their dogs. I maintain an Internet Blog at http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com. I would like to accurately indicate your policy to my customers. Are dogs required to be in shopping carts?

By the way, I completely understand and agree that you absolutely have the right to ban any dog that you consider to be a threat to safety. In fact, other that the case of service dogs, you, as a business, can ban dogs altogether. That is your companys decision and I respect that right. I am not upset, I simply want to understand Harbor Freight Tools position and policy on pet dogs in your stores.

Thank you again, and Copper and I look forward to seeing you soon. We are in there quite frequently to pick up tools that we need for the Handyman business.

Have a good day!


-William Moore

This is the response I got back:

Good Morning Mr Moore,
Thank you for your response.
On a leash in the store is fine.
We have numerous dogs that come in our store all the time.
The managers that I spoke all know who you are and have no problem.
Let me know if you need anything else.
I will speak to <name censored> about the incident from the other day.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill Tesney
Store Manager
HFT352
1415 HWY 85 North
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Store Phone: 770-461-5521
Cell Phone: 770-359-8112
HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS
Quality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices

This, my friends, is the way that professionals handle this sort of situation. I asked for clarification and Bill Tensey provided the clarification I requested. I was never mad, simply concerned and a bit confused.

Now I can report that Harbor Freight Tools is a pet friendly business. Please be respectful of Harbor Freight Tools, or any other business, and do not bring your dog in unless they are properly housebroken and behave well on leash.

If you need assistance in training your dog to be a polite little guy or girl in public, or anywhere else, please contact me.

Till Next Time

-William-

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What should I do if a dog fight starts

I always enjoy watching Snoopy fight the Red Baron. However, real dog fights are not a matter to be taken lightly.

The issue came back into my mind when I read a story on the news about a dog fight that happened in a Petco Store in Austin, TX. The local ABC TV affiliate in Austin has the story on their website at http://www.kvue.com/news/Petco-responds-to--214415401.html .

Appearently, this particular Petco is located in a higher crime area than the one at which I worked in Peachtree City, GA. The Petco in Austin felt it necessary to hire an off-duty law enforcement officer as a security guard. A fight broke out when a dog got away from its handler and attacked another dog. For some reason that is obscure and nebulous the off-duty law enforcement officer decided that the best way to handle the situation was to fire two shots from her handgun into the dog who was the aggressor. This all happened inside the store.

I realize that I may not have all the facts regarding this situation however, it appears to me at least ,from my reading of the story, that there are multiple things wrong here. Readers and friends, I have been around dogs for the vast majority of my life. I have seen many fights break out among dogs over the years. I have never used deadly force to break up a fight. There are too many less dangerous options.

It is particularly remarkable that the shots, in this case, were fired inside a store that was open and presumably had other customers inside. The officer did move folks out of the line of fire before killing the dog however that does not give me much comfort regarding the situation.

I am no physicist nor am I a firearms expert. However, my common sense and rudimentary knowledge of physics and firearms leads me to the conclusion that discharging a firearm under any circumstances in this type of environment was a very dangerous undertaking. Even with people outside the line of fire, the projectile fired from the weapon could have ricocheted off any number of surfaces and hurt someone or some other animal.

I am also perplexed about why the security guard was handling this situation in the first place. This store presumably has a dog trainer. I was the Dog Trainer at the store at which I worked. As part of my training to become a Petco Certified Dog Trainer I was taught the proper procedures to use in the unlikely event that a dog fight broke out in my store or in one of my classes. The store management and other staff knew that I was qualified to respond to urgent situations involving dogs in the store (a dog fight, a dog running loose in the store, etc.) . I was never armed and would not have shot the dog twice in any attempt to break up a fight.

Okay..... Now that you have a wonderful example of the absolute wrong way to handle a dog fight perhaps I should explain the proper way. It is not rocket science. Dogs are not all that complex.

The best way to address this is prevention.  When you are out in public with your little buddies, I strongly suggest that you adhere to a three foot rule regarding other unfamiliar dogs. I always maintain a three foot separation between my dogs and other unfamiliar dogs. Remember, if the other dog is unfamiliar to you, there is a great deal of important information regarding the other animal that you do not have.  If the other dog has not been properly socialized or is not up to date on vaccines an up close encounter with your animal could be dangerous and ill-advised. Some dogs have severe dog aggression issues sometimes these dogs are great with people but dangerous with other dogs. This can happen for a variety of reasons but, for our purposes here just realize that some dogs are great with people but very aggressive and perhaps ever territorial with other dogs.

No matter how careful we are however, sometimes things, beyond our immediate control, occur and we are confronted with a dog fight. Sometimes they are just little disagreements that can be broken up pretty easily and are more noise than actual fight. Other times however, they are very dangerous for the dogs and any people who attempt to break them up. So, you must understand how to do this properly.

First, as I have written before, dogs take their cues from you. Remain as calm as possible! If you yell at the dogs and are overly agitated the dogs sense this and it makes things worse.

Next do whatever you can to divert their attention from a distance. Make a noise. There are little air horn like devices sold for this purpose. In a pet store you could kick a shelving unit or something like that
to get their attention. If the fighting does not immediately stop try throwing a blanket or towel or something over or between the dogs. We would utilize the big dog beds for this purpose at the store.

If this still does not stop the fight, you can use water. We always had a bowl or two of water for the dogs in the training area. These can be dumped on the dogs. We also sold citronella spray. The dogs hate the smell of this stuff and it can be useful in redirecting their attention.

In the extremely unlikely event that the above measures fail, you will have to take more up close physical action. Please read this carefully. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU GRAB THE COLLAR OR THE FRONT OF THE DOGS THAT ARE FIGHTING. You dont want to be this close to the mouths and more importantly the teeth. If possible have a helper handle one dog while you handle the other. Grad the HIND legs. In order to prevent further injury to the dog grab the leg as close as possible to the dogs body. This will prevent it from twisting. Lift up kinda like you would lift a wheel barrow. Then spin the dogs away from each other. Get them as far away from each other as possible. And get them medical attention if needed.

Remember also, any breed can be aggressive and dangerous under certain circumstances. So, please be careful with your little buddy when meeting new dogs. I used to always cringe when I saw strangers in the store letting their dogs sniff each other on leash in the store. This is not a good idea. A great deal of problems can be averted by simply following the three foot rule.

Also learning about dog body language is helpful. I will be happy to teach you what I have learned over the years about reading a dogs body language. Many times situations can be averted if you just know the warning signs and entirely avoid dogs that are showing aggressive or stressful body language. I give these stressed or aggressive guys much more than three feet. It is beyond the scope of this blog to teach the body language. But if you are interested, please contact me and I will happy to teach you what I have learned.

Be safe out there with your little buddies!

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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Meet the Breed Labrador Retriever

 The Labrador Retriever, or simply abbreviated as "Lab", is one of my favorite breeds.

The cute little girl on the front seat of the truck belongs to my brother Stan Moore. (By the way, if you need a sign of any type, he is about the best in the business). This little girl is Bailey. She helps my brother with his sign business. She is very often on the front seat of the truck next to him or in the shop supervising his work.

The black Lab in the other picture with her belongs to my niece, Olivia and her fiancee, Dale. His name is Buck.

The Labrador Retriever is a member of the group that we refer to as sight hounds. They were bread to retrieve birds.  Generally they love nothing more than chasing things. They love to play with tennis balls and flying discs. They are generally very energetic little guys/girls.

The adult male Lab height is about 23 inches. The females are generally a little smaller. The adult male weight is generally about 70 pounds with the females being slightly lighter.

There are four colors of Lab. They are Black, Yellow, Chocolate, and Silver. Buck is a Black Lab, Bailey is a Yellow Lab, and the patriotic pup in the picture is a Chocolate Lab. The little guy standing in front of the privacy fence is a Silver Lab.

In my experience, these dogs are generally great fun to train. For the most part, the ones I have had the pleasure of working with, have been very intelligent. They are generally very eager to please the people. They seem to really want to learn.

They also seem to really need the dog/human interaction. They love people and are loyal. They are also generally very affectionate and good with human children.

Because they are so energetic and affectionate, it is really important to begin socialization and training early. They are good with people but sometimes, as puppies, they can be a little nervous around people so, the socialization needs to begin early.

As puppies, these guys have, in my experience, been very easy to housebreak.

In my experience, the adult lab (male or female) is pretty strong. For this reason, it is important to train them to walk properly on-leash early. It is also important to address the typical puppy behavior (nipping, jumping on people, etc.) early while they are still relatively  small physically.

These little guys need a lot of exercise. They also need the person to be in control. They really look for the leadership of people and they need this leadership.

Please understand, by leadership I do not mean be abusive, violent or physical with them. I simply mean that it is important that you remain assertive. For instance, the Lab loves to play. You have to be consistent about not letting them jump on you or do any other impolite behaviors. I can teach you methods to control them and make them polite dogs without hurting them.

Since the Lab is a relatively large dog and needs a great deal of exercise and mental stimulation, it may not be the best choice for apartment dwellers.

I tell people that the Lab remains a puppy for several years. I do not mean that they are physically a puppy this long. What I mean is they act like a puppy for several years. They remain very energetic and playful well into adulthood. This is one reason I like the breed so much!

Because these dogs learn so quickly and are so eager to please, they are often trained as service and therapy dogs.

If you are searching for a dog that is easy to train, fun to play with, and very loyal, the Lab is certainly worth consideration for an addition to your pack.

I have found that mixed breed dogs that are part Lab generally keep most of the Lab traits (of course this varies from dog to dog).

I could not end this post without a picture and mention of one of the sweetest dogs I ever had the blessing to have in my pack. The dog on the bed in the picture is my old buddy Critten. Critten was a Lab mix. We think she was mixed with one of the so called "Pit-Bull" breeds. Although we were never certain of what her ancestry consisted.

Critten was full of energy well into her adult years. She was also about the most obedient and easy to train dogs I have ever seen.  I had to exercise her a lot! She loved to play fetch with anything and could literally play for hours.

Well, as I always tell you, if you are considering adding another member to your pack, please, please, please, consider adoption. There are many really good Labs and Lab mixes that need forever homes and would love to go home with you and join your pack!

There are plenty of good Labrador Rescue Groups, if you want a purebred Lab. There are also plenty of good general Canine rescue groups. See my earlier posts on the heroes of dog rescue for more information.http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-local-heroes-of-dog-rescue.html and http://fayettedogtrainer.blogspot.com/2013/06/another-local-dog-rescue-hero.html

Please understand, I am not bashing breeders here. There are some very good ones. And like with any other business there are also some very bad ones. If you decide to buy from a breeder please research them well. Talk to other people who have bought dogs from them. Visit their facility if possible. Ask to see the parent dogs.

When you get your new pack member, please contact me for any training needs or other questions that you may have. I specialize in adopted/rescued dogs and would love to help you and your new pack member! I also have a great deal of experience with new puppies so, if you buy from a breeder, feel free to contact me at any time as well!

Till Next Time

-William -

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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Nutrition

For a happy, healthy dog like the guy you see in the picture above, proper nutrition is important.

As many of you know, in the not so distant past, I worked for Petco. As part of my job there, I often helped customers decide on the proper food for their dogs. Anyone who has visited one of the big pet retail stores, (i.e. Petco or Petsmart) knows that the choices of dog food can be quite overwhelming.

I will begin by stating that I am not a nutritional expert, but, I have worked with dogs and their owners for quite some time now and I have a great deal of experience with many of the brands of dog food that you will encounter on the shelves of your local Petco, Petsmart, or similar establishment. I am familiar with some of the claims that the manufactures make. I think I can give you a little non-biased information here.

Perhaps a little information on the physiology of dogs is in order here. Again, I am not an expert, but I do have some knowledge on the subject.

Dogs do not have nearly as highly developed sense of taste as we humans do. They have taste buds and can taste but their sense of smell is much more developed. Therefore it is not really the taste of the food as much as the smell and texture that the dogs seem to enjoy.

Chewing does not work the same in a dog as it does in us people. Take a moment and watch a dog eat sometime. The jaws only move up and down not left to right as ours do. Dogs only use their teeth to break the food into small enough pieces to pass down the throat. Saliva is only used to lubricate (in people, saliva actually begins to break down the food.)

This is the reason dogs can eat so fast. My understanding is that their stomachs are more flexible than ours and the stomach acid more potent.

Aside from being interesting, I hope that this information helps you to understand that eating is different for dogs. I come to a few conclusions from this information:

1. Dogs do not really spend a lot of time tasting food. Therefore they will not really get "bored" eating the same foods because they dont really taste them.
2. Dogs do like some foods some foods better than others but, I have found that this is due more to smell and moisture content than it is to taste.
3. While dry foods will be more abrasive on the teeth and therefore could help remove tartar, my personal feeling is that any statement by manufacturers about one kibble cleaning teeth better than another is a little suspect because the simple fact is that the dogs do not chew their food nearly enough to get a large benefit from the abrasive action of the kibble against the teeth. I personally think that dental chews would be much better for teeth cleaning via abrasion. 

Please also remember that if your dog has allergies or you suspect your dog has allergies, your veterinarian can provide much better information regarding diet than myself or anyone at a pet store can regardless of their "training". I went through continuing "training" at Petco. While much of it was very informative, it was also done by computer and was very much influenced by the food vendors.

Remember, only a veterinarian can properly diagnose allergy or any other malady in a dog. Many dog foods claim to make a difference in skin condition. While it is true that skin  and coat condition can be improved  through proper diet, it is also true that not all skin conditions are food related. If your dog has a skin problem, before you address it with supplements or change the food, I strongly encourage you to consult with your veterinarian. 

If your dog has a "sensitive" stomach I would also recommend consulting with a veterinarian before you change the food. There are many things that cause digestive issues in dogs and not all are diet related. Just because the bag says for "sensitive" stomachs, it does not mean that it will cure all digestive issues and changing the dogs food could introduce new problems if he is having digestive issues.

If you have recently visited a Petco or Petsmart, you will notice that the food is arranged in categories and varies very widely in price. 

At Petco the categories were :

• Essential
• These are foods like Iams, Beneful, Purina Dog/Puppy Chow, Purina One, etc.
• These are considered ,by the Pet food stores, the very low end of the line. The unspoken feeling seems to be that these foods may not kill your dog but they are not good for them at all.
• I have a real problem with that kind of thinking. These foods are not, in themselves, harmful to dogs. They contain no fillers. They are however, brands that you can find at most grocery and big box department stores.
• While they do not contain fillers (fillers have no nutritional value), they do contain by-products and artificial preservatives and in some cases, dyes.
• They also contain, as a major ingredient the dreaded corn.
• Contrary to what you may have been told, corn does provide nutritional value. I will explain this in more depth in a future post.
• The problem with the corn based foods is that the stool is often larger.
• My advice to customers (not the Petco line) was that if your dog has no allergy or digestive issues and is otherwise healthy and not overweight, I see no reason to take the dog off this type of food.
• Premium
• The premium foods are generally much more expensive. 
• Brands such as Purina Pro Plan, Eukenuba, Royal Canin, Hills Science Diet
• Most of them have a recognizable protein source in the first few ingredients (i.e. chicken, beef, etc,)
• They do not contain by-products
• Many of them address certain breed specific or life stage specific issues through supplemental additives.
• (i.e. Large Breed, Senior, Small Breed, Toy Breed, Sensitive Skin, Sensitive Stomach, Weight Control)
• There are some good foods in this class however, if your dog does not have a specific issue addressed by these foods, again, I am not certain that the benefit is worth the added cost. This is a decision that you will have to make. The cost is not such a big issue with a small dog because they do not eat so much but a large dog could be very expensive to feed on these foods. 

• Natural
• These foods contain all natural ingredients. When preservatives are used they are natural.
• All the ingredients are generally recognizable. 
• There are many very expensive brands in this class ( Halo, Merrick, Avoderm, Inova, Natures Valley, Natural Balance, Nutro Natural Choice)
• There are also some moderately priced brands (Natures Recipe, Whole Earth Farms)
• There are also what I call gimmicks within this category. 
• Grain-Free
• There is probably a small percentage of dogs that are allergic to grain however, my thinking is that this type of food is so popular and marketable at a very high price because people are aware of gluten sensitivity in people and project that on their dogs.  A real positive is that Grain-Free Foods do seem to produce less flatulence in dogs. I am not sure if it is worth the extra price to you to have a dog that is less flatulent. But if it is, there ya go!
• Raw
• This is basically adding freeze dried raw pieces of meat to the food to increase the protein content.
• This is quite the fad now and many people love this. But again, I really perceive it to be more about the people than the dogs here.
• But if you want to pay much, much, much (I mean exponentially) more it is very good meat. To give you an idea of price, we carried a bag of this stuff that was a little over 20 pounds in weight and cost about $80.00 retail. And believe it or not we sold about two of these a week!
• Holistic
• This is really a sub-category of natural foods
• All Holistic foods are natural but not all natural foods are Holistic
• Holistic foods are part of a Holistic approach to Dog Health.
• I do not disagree nor do I find fault with this approach however, I will admit to knowing very little about it.
• The foods in this category are generally a higher priced version of the Natural Foods. They often (though not always) have a mixture of protein sources (i.e. Chicken, Duck, and Salmon)
• Brands include (Blue Buffalo, Holistic Select, Solid Gold, etc.)

Okay, perhaps you are really confused now because of the large amount of information I just provided. Here is my advice:

If you adopt an adult dog ( or a puppy for that matter), if the dog seems healthy and is not overweight, keep him or her on the food they were on before they moved in with you. In other words , dont fix what aint broke. If you can not obtain the food they were on for some reason, use one of a similar quality (use the ingredients on the bag for comparison.)

I will be writing a post later on overweight dogs. Food is not always the problem here. Many times it is more exercise than food. However if your dog is obese, consider using one of the Premium brand  weight control foods until you can get the weight off.

As for me and my dogs, this is what I do:

When I worked for Petco, I got a pretty good employee discount and was always getting coupons. So, I bought whichever adult natural food I could get the cheapest. I keep a large plastic container and mix this food together to feed my dogs. It works well because none of my pack has digestive problems.

Now I use any food that does not contain fillers and use the same method. My dogs are healthy and they are not overweight due to overeating.

So, my advice is that if the dog is healthy and you are satisfied with the price, why change?

If you are having problems selecting a food for your dog, please contact me, I will be happy to help you decide.

Till next time

-William-

William Moore 

William Moore Canine Training

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

678-702-4791

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Housebreaking 101

Housebreaking a puppy is one of the most common things that people ask me about.

Please do not get discouraged. Like much in Dog Training, this can be accomplished if we develop a routine and are consistent.

As many of you know, I encourage crate training with puppies. When you are not at home or when you are sleeping the puppy should be in a crate.

I recommend a crate like the one pictured on the right. This is a wire crate. You should buy it for the adult size of your dog. Pretty much all of these crates come with a wire divider that can make the interior area of the crate smaller. This way you can make the space smaller for the puppy and move it as he grows. The area should be just a little bigger than the dog needs to lie down. The idea here, from a housebreaking perspective is that dogs generally do not eliminate where they sleep. Therefore, if the area is only big enough for him to sleep, he will be discouraged from eliminating in the crate.

These crates vary greatly in price depending upon where you buy them. The lovely Shane and I made a trip to a local store called "Tuesday Morning" I was surprised to find that not only did they have a good selection of crates but they also had pretty good prices as well. I will give you another tip, Petco sells their crates much cheaper on the website than they do in the store. They do not advertise this but, if you are nice to them they will usually match the web site price in the store if the item is identical. Also, Wal-Mart, Big Lots and Lowes all carry crates. So shop around for the best deal.

I also discourage people from spending a lot on crate pads or bedding  for a puppy. Until they get out of the chewing stage, I recommend old towels, blankets, etc.

When you are at home, it is important that you keep the dog where you can see him. That means in the same room with you. Generally a puppy will eliminate in another room not right in front of you. So keeping him confined helps. Also this makes it easier for you to spot the indications that he may have to go (restlessness, circling a spot, etc.)

I know it is frustrating but, please resist the urge to yell at the little guy when he has an accident. If you catch him in the act, clip on the leash and take him outside. If you dont catch him in the act, simply clean the mess.

Speaking of cleaning: It is very important that any mess he makes is cleaned up very well. He should not smell the urine/feces. This is difficult when it occurs on carpet. I strongly recommend cleaning any accidents that occur on carpet with a enzymatic cleaner.

 The Natures Miracle product on the left is a very good product. However, any cleaner that is enzymatic will work. These also vary widely in price so shop around. They are available from pet stores and pretty much anywhere cleaners are sold. I found that Petsmart has a better deal on this stuff than Petco but a thrifty shopper can probably find a better deal than either one at a non-pet sort of store.

Okay, a few things to remember here, in regards to housebreaking:

1. A puppy can generally only hold it for a maximum of one hour for every month of age. This is just a rule of thumb and this is only for waking hours. When the puppy is sleeping his metabolism slows and he can wait longer to go. Also, small breed dogs have smaller bladder and colon muscles. When they are puppies they are not yet fully developed. So, I have found that small breed puppies may need to go out more often. That being said, take your puppy out often when you are home.Give him the best chance to succeed! 

2. I know I said this before, but it is very important to keep the dog confined to the same room you are in while you are at home.

3. If the feeding schedule is routine the elimination will be routine. Feed the puppy at the same times each day and take up the food after he eats.

4. I strongly suggest that you dont just let the puppy out in a fenced backyard off-leash to potty. Take him on the leash and wait for him to do his business. He is less likely to get distracted this way and it is safer as well.

5. Again, dont scold the dog for having an accident in the house. He does not connect it. He will think that you are mad about the mess and he may make sure that you dont find it next time. Just take him outside when you find it and clean it up well.

6.  If the puppy is continually having accidents in front of you, it is possible that the problem is medical. A puppy will usually try to get away to eliminate.  Consider having him checked by a veterinarian.

This covers the basics of housebreaking. If you need additional information or if you are having problems please contact me!

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore

William Moore Canine Training

678-702-4791

fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

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More dog supplies on a budget

The Lovely Shane and I recently attended a local Yard Sale. One of the items that I picked up is the red travel bowl that is setting on my work table in the office of the Dog Trainer Shack. This bowl is brand new, never used. It came with the tag attached that is setting to the right of the bowl. I paid the modest sum of $1.00 for this bowl. I could have probably negotiated a lower price but it seemed fair to me.

I am telling you about our yard sale trip because if you visit a few yard sales, you can find some really good bargains on dog supplies. Of course you will visit a lot of sales in which you find no bargains and perhaps not dog supplies at all, believe it or not, some people do not have dog packs at their homes ( I know this is a shock to some of you, as this particular concept was to me, but it does happen :) )

Just for fun, I looked up this travel bowl on the manufacturers web site. Apparently the red one is no longer available but they have one in slightly different color that you can order for $12.99. So, The Lovely Shane and I saved $11.99.

I wrote this to encourage you to always look for bargains like the one I describe here. I am going to use this bowl to more easily provide traveling water for my little buddies. However, if you come across a bargain like this and you can not use the item, I strongly suggest and encourage you to purchase it an donate it to one of our local heroes of dog rescue. I am sure they would love to any supplies you can provide for their foster dogs!


At this point, I normally tell you to contact me for your dog training needs then I close the post.  Please do, as always contact me regarding your dog training needs or any questions/concerns you may have. However, I want to mention something personal here.

The Lovely Shane and I attended a funeral today. My Fathers sister, Alice Ruth Brown recently died. She had been battling various illnesses for sometime and died as a result of a recent bought of pneumonia from which she was ultimately too weak to recover.

I mention my Aunt Ruth here because she was a real dog person. She loved toy breeds and miniatures. As a child I remember many times visiting with her in her living room  while a chihuahua or a miniature dachshund sat in her lap getting petted.

I got my first exposure to toy breeds and miniatures from this wonderful lady. She once gave us (my brother, me and my parents) a miniature dachshund girl named Baby. I have very fond memories of Baby and of my Aunt Ruth. The world needs more people like her! I already miss her. But, her suffering is over and she is in a far,far better place with our Lord!

Have a great weekend!

Till next time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

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The importance of regular walks with your dog buddies

I always explain to new students in my classes the importance of taking your dogs on regular walks. Even if you have a fenced back yard for the dog to romp in, it is still important to take them out on the leash for a walk frequently.

There are many different methods and theories regarding dog training today. Many of them disagree and conflict on many aspects however the importance of the walk is one aspect on which most seem to agree.

Those of you who have discussed this with me in the past know that I advocate at least a few minutes of what a I call a "controlled" walk each time you take your buddy out for a walk.

By controlled, I mean that I wait to get the dog calm and preferably in a sit before the walk begins. I keep the dog by my side and he does not get in front of me during the controlled part of the walk. When I stop, I give the wait command and my buddy waits beside me until I am ready to continue. My attitude during this part of the walk is that I am walking and my buddy is lucky enough to come along. 

When you do this loose leash walking properly, your dog will quickly learn to stop when you stop. The wait command is also useful to teach the dog to behave at doorways.

This is also an excellent way to strengthen the bond between you and the dog!

In addition to the training benefits, it is also healthy for you and for your dog. A well exercised dog is less likely to engage in problematic behavior out of boredom. And well, a well exercised person is likely to be in better shape :).

However, before this can work, the dog must know how to walk properly on a leash. You must also know the proper loose leash walking technique. Those of you who have been in my classes know that this is not rocket science but it does not really come natural to either you or your dog buddy.

For dogs that pull on the leash, a no-pull harness or a special martingale collar may be needed at least initially to inhibit the pulling so that the dog can learn the appropriate technique. But again, this is not rocket science either. However, not all no pull devices are appropriate for all dogs. I will be happy to aid you in selecting the proper device.

The picture above is of me and my buddy Cuddles. Cuddles is a 12 year old Corgi Mix. I met Cuddles when I met my wife, Shane. At the point that is pictured in the walk, I am giving Cuddles a little extra leash so that she can explore the terrain of the mountain roadside stop that we made on a trip together.

We spent several days in the Smoky mountains on that trip and Cuddles became a regular mountain dog :).

If your dog does not behave properly on the leash, I will be happy to assist you at anytime simply call me or email me. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity that we all have to bond with our dogs! Take your dog for a walk now.... it will be fun and healthy for you both!


Till next time

-William

678-702-4791

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