Happy Tails Dog Behavior & Training Dog obedience class handout week 1
Happy Tails Dog Behavior & Training
Any Dog Any Problem Positive Solutions Based In Science
Veterinarian Recommended - Dog Approved
DOG TRAINING CLASS HAND-OUTS
These are the dog training hand-outs for group dog training classes held in Hornell NY. If you are interested in a small group dog training class using positive dog training methods and you are able to bring your dog to Hornell NY in Steuben County NY Sign up for class. Classes are held year round.
Week 1 homework - Make a list and define your commands.
Practice in the mirror
Wait for your dogs timing
Practice positive association with the gentle leader. Give your dog treats, put on the gentle leader and do fun things with it on. Stand in place and let your dog pull on and loosen the leash. You do not pull on the leash. Do not walk your dog on the Gentle leader this week.
Find a special treat for come, find a new phrase for come.
The dog food that I recommend is Acana (the best dog food on the market), Blue Buffalo, Grandma Maes, Fromm, Lotus. (if you need help choosing the correct diet stop in or give me a call, Not every formual is right for any dog. Be sure to pick a formula that is best for your dog.
How to choose dog food. This is a long article but explains how I choose dog foods and why I only carry the dog foods that I do, and how you should choose a dog food for your dog.
Daina Beckman
Dog Behavior
Specialist
Happy Tails Dog Behavior & Training
607-698-9122
www.dogpsychologyhelp.com
daina@dogpsychologyhelp.com
It’s what the dog thinks that matters.
I could go into a lot of discussion and facts about the human mind
and thinking but that is not the purpose of this article. Suffice
it to say that as humans we make a lot of assumptions that are not
based on realistic facts. It is our nature. We believe what we are
told by unreliable sources all the time. How many times have you
believed something you heard or read in an advertisement only to be
disappointed?
Unfortunately we make the same mistakes with dog training. We
listen to all kinds of unreliable unscientific information about
dog training.
Dogs do not think like we do. In order to be successful AND have a
really happy dog you need to understand things from the
dogs point of view. We are very good at making excuses and
justifications for the way and whys of how we do things. Your dog
will not understand your justifications. Inconsistency in training
will lead to your dog being confused. He will think you are crazy
or an immature puppy, or unreliable and untrustworthy.
1. Use positive reinforcement. Punishment does not work. You have
heard about praise and reward. But how do you use it to be
effective. Consistency. Every single time your dog is being good
praise him. People are way to stingy with praise. Half hearted
occasional praise will not get the results you want. If you are
telling your dog “no” more than you are praising him, you are
confusing him.
Lets use driving as an example. Every day when you are going to
work, the same police officer pulls you over and gives you a
ticket. He does not tell you what the ticket is for, he just
punishes you. In every situation you are trying to figure out the
common factor. What is making him give you a ticked, what is it
that he wants you TO DO? It would take a really long time for you
to figure that out because you can not find the consistency.
If every day that same officer stopped you and said Thanks for
driving the speed limit here is $10.00 or thanks for coming to a
full stop at the stop sign here is $10.00, or thanks for using your
turn signal here is $10.00; you would know for sure what you are
supposed do. You would repeat those behaviors because you may get
$10.00 and a pat on the back.
2. The praise & Treat must be on time. The praise you give for
a behavior must be given while the dog is doing the behavior. Three
seconds later is too late. Lets use the traffic example again. You
have approached a red light and turned your signal on at the
appropriate distance before the red light. You came to a full stop.
Check traffic then turned right. Now you are driving very slow, 10
miles an hour surfing a string of garage sales. The police officer
stops you and gives you $10.00 and says great job, really good
driving. You would think he is rewarding you for going slow through
a neighborhood with a bunch of garage sales. In fact he was
rewarding you for turning you signal on ahead of time.
3. CONSITANCY, CONSISTANCY, CONSITANCY. We hear that all the time
but the truth is we are really not very good at it because it is
boring. Dogs love it. Rules are black and white with dogs. They
either can with 100% freedom or they can’t. For example they can
either get on the couch when ever they feel like or they are not
allowed on the couch at all. When training puppies, they can either
use their teeth on you as they see fit or they can’t use their
teeth at all, not even a slight bump. This requires a lot of
patients and determination on our part. Remember you can not change
the way a canine mind is structured. If you allow a dog to use his
teeth during play, even gently mouthing he will assume he can use
his teeth on humans how ever he wants to. So in 2 years when he is
pushed over the limit he will not view it as a crime or as a bad
thing to bite. You taught him it was ok.
4. Control yourself and don’t react. Pack Leaders Lead and
Subordinates React. When canines are born they are programmed to
react to their mother. The mother does not react to them. When
humans are born it is the mother who must react to the baby or the
baby will not survive. Canines view pack members who are reacting
to them as puppies or subordinates. You must control your
excitement both positive and negative. If your dog pees on the
floor happily call him to go out side and praise him for doing what
you ask. If your dog jumps up on you and you get excited and touch
him or yell at him, you have reacted. If your dog paws at you and
you look at him or touch him you have reacted. You will never
become a reliable, trustworthy pack leader if you continually react
to your dog. He should be reacting to you. This will happen as you
consistently ignore him, and then praise him for wanted
behavior.
There is one exception to reacting to your dog and that is when he is telling you he has to go out to potty. What ever signal the 2 of you have worked out make sure to DO react to that signal every time. It can be painful to hold it. If you ignore his signals then eventually let him out and he is experiencing pain while he is going potty outside he may make the association that it is painful to potty outside but comfortable to potty inside.
Feeding Your Dog to Lower His Stress ©
Daina Beckman
Dog Behavior
Specialist
Happy Tails Dog Behavior &
Training
607-698-9122
www.dogpsychologyhelp.com
daina@dogpsychologyhelp.com
There has been a lot of studies
on the canine diet as it relates to all areas of growth, dog breed
and dog behavior. It is important that you check with your
veterinarian before you change your dogs diet.
Once you have the okay from your
veterinarian here is what I recommend based on my education,
research studies and experience I have had with canine diet and
changing behavior.
Things to avoid
Red Food Dye, BHA, BHT,
Propylene Glycol, corn, avoid wheat and soy in your dog food.
Protein treats such as cheese, peanut butter, meat. Avoid anything
on the poison food list. ALL Table
scraps.
Things to
include:
Low protein, for adult dogs
16%-23%
For puppies the kibble should
include DHA as this will help with brain development and
learning.
Fruits and Vegetables for
training treats. Things such as carrots, peas, green beans, apple,
strawberry.
I recommend Blue Seal By Nature
either Adult or puppy. These are very good diets, and are not as
expensive as some of the designer foods you find at pet
stores.
Where to feed your
dog:
Your dog should be able to eat
his meal in peace. He should be fed in a low traffic area where he
can relax and take his time. If your dog is very quickly gobbling
his food, or carrying it away from his dish to another place he is
not comfortable where you are feeding him. If you have more than
one dog, separate them for feeding so that they don’t feel like the
other dog may take their food if they don’t eat fast
enough.
When to feed your
dog:
You should feed your dog right
after your eat, or 1 or more hours before you eat. Pack leaders
always eat first. It will add to stress and confusion for your dog
if you feed him at the same time you eat or shortly before you
eat.
Puppy’s up to 6 months old need
to be fed three times a day.
Adult dogs should be fed twice a
day.
How much to feed your dog. As a
rule of thumb, you should feed your dog as much as he can eat in
about 5 minutes. If your dog is overweight, talk to your
veterinarian about a diet and exercise plan to reduce weight. (I
have a hand our on how to properly exercise your dog) If your
dog is under weight, talk to your veterinarian about a weight gain
diet plan. Stress can cause both under weight and over weight in
dogs just as in can in humans. I can provide you with in home
behavior modification to lower your dogs stress and
anxiety.
Pet food companies what to
sell more food, and also are liable for the amount of food they
recommend you feed your dog. Many dog food manufacturers
take into consideration that you may be feeding a sled dog. This is
how couch potato dogs get over weight being fed the recommended
amount on dog food bags.
How to change your dogs diet;
You need to go slowly, it should take about 10 days to change the
diet. You are going to start on day one with 90% of the old food
and 10% of the new food. Day two you will feed 80% of the old food
and 20% of the new food. Continue decreasing the old food by 10%
and increasing the new food by 10% daily until you are feeding 100%
of the new food. This will prevent gastric problems that can be
caused by a sudden change in diet.
Your dog is experiencing a
lot of stress if he has symptoms such as circling, excessive
barking, aggression, self licking or mutilation, forced bowel
movements that look like wet sand, what many people think is
marking in the house, separation anxiety, fly snapping,
thunderstorm phobia, fear of people or objects, hiding, reactivity,
barks at things with his hair standing up and his tail straight up
with a very narrow wag, urinates when greeting people, seems
depressed, or under active, can’t seem to quiet down and relax,
can’t seem to get going. These are just a few of the signs of
stress in your dog.
If you are not sure, get in
touch with me and I will help you figure out if your dog is
stressed.
Most dog owners miss stress or
anxiety or just pass it off to “that is how he is or that is how
this breed is”. Living with stress, anxiety and fear is a horrible
way to live and will cause belly and bowel problems and other
medical problems. It will shorten the life of your dog. It is not
normal. Please don’t let your dog continue to live suffering with
anxiety when there is something that can be done to correct
it.
If your dog is having any
anxiety related problems, we can try a diet to increase serotonin
and dopamine in his brain. It takes about 6 weeks to begin to see a
change with this diet. I need to work with you privately with this
diet. There are minor variations depending on the dogs weight,
medical history, allergies, and behavior symptoms. I did want all
of you to know that this is available. Changing diet alone however
will not eliminate stress and anxiety. You will also have to use
behavior modification at home. I can create a behavior modification
plan to get your dog feeling better.