tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18769187259504832222024-03-05T12:19:50.821-05:00Smarty Paws Dog TrainingThoughts from Helen Del Bove, ABCDT, CPDT-KA ... a Science-Based, Positive Dog TrainerSmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-22483797353194146742013-07-01T13:59:00.002-04:002013-07-01T13:59:38.347-04:00My Journey with Humans
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Last month I attended the </span><a href="http://www.dogsofcourse.com/index.php?id=8"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Instructor Training Course</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">
at the </span><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY58.html"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Roundout Valley
Animals for Adoption</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"> shelter in Accord, NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The instructors were </span><a href="http://abrionline.org/expert.php?id=13"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Pia
Silvani</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">, a charter member of </span><a href="http://www.apdt.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">APDT</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">, and </span><a href="http://www.suesternbergtruth.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Sue Sternberg</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">, known for her “</span><a href="http://www.animalsforadoption.org/rvaa/assess_pet"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Assess a Pet</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">”
temperament testing for shelter dogs. This is my story about the experience. In typical "Helen" fashion, it's a bit lengthy but I hope it holds your interest to the end because that's my "happy ending."</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong>The Course...</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">This is a 5-Day course that includes lectures, viewing of
videos, working with shelter dogs, demonstrations of some training techniques
by the instructors, teaching of group classes by each of the students and
attendance in group classes with the shelter dog assigned to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The days were long, the breaks were short,
the food was not gourmet but generally good, the coffee left something to be
desired, the facility was awesome, the shelter dogs were even more awesome and
the course was well-packed with info and practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a well-organized (by </span><a href="http://www.dogsofcourse.com/index.php?id=20"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Dana Crevling</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"> of </span><a href="http://www.dogsofcourse.com/index.php?id=1"><span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">Dogs of Course</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">) and
well-run course focusing on positive reinforcement with much valuable
information and hands-on practice for new trainers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is something for everyone but more
seasoned trainers may find the value derived to be somewhat less than the price
of admission… or will they?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em>My Motivation and Fears...</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">I had looked at this course every year for many, many years and
always wanted to attend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Timing,
logistics and finances stood in my way until this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years my needs and reasons for
attending had changed and despite being one of the “more seasoned” trainers, I
thought perhaps there was something to be gained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was right but what I gained was not so obvious to me at first and, lol, well, if you choose to continue
reading, you’ll see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">I wanted to learn how to be a better people-teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to learn what I was doing wrong and
what I needed to change when working with people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping to pick up some fun new things I
could do in group class to make it a more positive and interesting experience
for the humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not looking for
“how to teach [insert behavior here]” and I certainly wasn’t looking to review
learning theory and the 4 quadrants of operant conditioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oof!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Been there, done that – ad nauseum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that understanding the 4 quadrants
and knowing which quadrant you are in when training is essential for any
trainer but this was not something I felt the need to review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I arrived at the facility with a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this going to be fun and enlightening or was this going to be a snooze fest?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were the other course students and I going to be on a par or were we going to be light years apart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would I get along with the human with whom I was to be partnered?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uncertainty makes me very nervous. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the reasons why I love living and working with dogs is that I find them so much more predictable and reliable than humans and that gives me a sense of quiet certainty.<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">The Instructors...<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">These women have achieved success in their field without
compromise – something worthy of admiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is much to be learned in simply socializing with them, not to
mention watching them work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Pia Silvani has a huge presence that belies her diminutive
stature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a calm, quiet,
confident manner and an approachable openness that made this student feel comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Sue Sternberg has a self-deprecating humor that made her so
endearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is honest, down-to-earth
and strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t apologize for her
beliefs or methods nor does she force them upon you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can agree to disagree with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Dana Crevling had things running like the best Swiss
timepiece with her efficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
always happy to answer questions and give a helping hand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">There was a vastness of knowledge and experience in all
three women that was, at times, almost intimidating but never quite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These ladies share an obvious and enviable camaraderie,
fondness and respect for one another. They all enjoyed a good laugh and often
showed their humor and quick wit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together
they were a powerful team and they made the experience not only educational but
enjoyable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Accentuate the Positive!<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">That’s what we were told to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We each had index cards with the name of
every other person participating in the course on a card – about 30 cards in
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the course of the week we
each had to write something positive about every other person and leave the
card in an envelope marked with his/her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the end we would all receive our envelopes with all the index cards
with positive comments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition,
everyone provided positive comments for each of the two lessons we each had to
teach as a group class instructor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um, and what
does that do for me or everyone else for that matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could I learn what I was doing wrong if
no one would tell me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can I improve
if my flaws and mistakes are not pointed out to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><sigh> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not happy about this exercise and I
grudgingly participated in this throughout the week.<o:p></o:p></sigh></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em>My Fellow Students...</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Almost everyone in the course with only a couple of
exceptions was nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, really, really, REALLY nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sickeningly sweet nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yikes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My caustic, sardonic, critical self was not comfortable in this
environment!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was the proverbial fish
out of water and I was drowning in niceness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I raced back to my motel room the first night, called my hubby and
bitched at him for about 30 minutes straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ahhhh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having got all that
bitchiness out of my system (my poor, poor hubby), I felt much better and was
off to sleep early so I could be well-rested for my next long day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">The next day I felt I was beginning to adjust to all the
pleasantness around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These ladies
were even pleasant early in the morning before coffee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whatever. I was starting to get into a groove of smiling and finding
something nice to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That evening I
fully intended to race back to my motel room and watch TV all night but I was handed
a casual invitation to dinner by someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had met this woman at the IAABC conference back in April and had chatted with her a bit
over dinner back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found her
interesting and extremely intelligent and well, of course, nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t know anyone else at the course and she was the closest thing to a
familiar face so I decided to join her and whoever else for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em>The Amazing Women - You Know Who You Are...</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">THAT was the beginning of the game-changer for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met some amazing women and had an awesome
evening sharing stories and ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
in the company of some very well-educated women and I felt a little humbled and
even intimidated by them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These women
were an assortment of PhDs and Masters Degrees with a background in everything
from advertising to zoology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
fun, they were interesting, they had struggled and persevered, they were
brutally honest and totally sincere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
dined together each evening after that and one evening we hung out like
teenagers drinking wine and laughing until the wee hours of the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">I also chatted and shared with other fellow students during
the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many great people… the
self-proclaimed “inexperienced” trainer who is taking her dog through
competition obedience, the young girl attending veterinary school, a motorcycle
“mama”, the horse-lovers, shelter workers, nurses, tennis enthusiasts, a
history buff, social workers, a groomer, the one male student amongst a sea of
estrogen, my partner who was sweet and kind and underestimated her own
abilities, even a pole dancer and, of course, dog trainers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were diverse but we shared some common
bonds – our love of dogs and our desire to improve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">The last day we all shared our thoughts about the facility,
the course, our shelter dogs and each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We laughed, we cried, we hugged, received our envelopes and certificate
and said our goodbyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a sense of
loss upon leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt I had made
some new wonderful friends but I knew that the inevitable effects of time, distance
and life in general would quickly unravel those new and fragile bonds of
friendship and I was greatly saddened by that thought. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;">All in all it was a great experience and I would highly
recommend this course to “wanna be”, new and inexperienced trainers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seasoned trainers who are stuck in a rut or
looking to change things up will probably find it worthwhile as well. In other words, something for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em>What Was In It For ME?</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">When I got back home and got back to my routine, I realized
that I still had some feedback that I hadn’t checked - my “accentuate the
positive” envelope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opened the
envelope and began to read my index cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Funny was the most common comment (I liked that) followed by outspoken
(I just KNOW some of those people wanted to say “loudmouth”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s ok; I know I’m a big mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent my formative years being chastised
and criticized for it and nothing has changed (further evidence that punishment
does NOT work).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s taken me literally
decades to accept that part of me, own it and stop apologizing for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here, I’m loud, deal with it or move on!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some other comments were honest, willing to
share and good teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to
thinking, if I am funny, then maybe I should go for more fun and humor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I am honest, then maybe I should be more
honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then it hit me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">I had completely missed the point of the Accentuate the
Positive exercise that I had SOOO resented the whole week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was being given the gift of training my
brain to look for the good, the right, the accurate, instead of focusing on and
correcting the mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DIRECTIONS
instead of CORRECTIONS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><sigh> Why it took so long to seep into my brain, I
can’t say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I just couldn’t see
the forest for the trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe that
was just the way my journey had to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But there it was in my cards and the cards I had written for
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Motivate by focusing on the good
and build on that success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gosh, I do
this every day, day in and day out with the dogs I teach – it’s simple, it’s
easy and IT WORKS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, somehow, I left
my human students behind on that trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was caught up in “don’t”, “stop”, “no”, “not like that”… in other words, “error
marking”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an awful habit that I
had trouble changing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I was focusing on my own errors
instead of what I did well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I
started looking at what I did well and looked to increase it, then there was
less room for what I did wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, of
course, practice makes perfect, so I began to get better at finding the
positive in my human students.<o:p></o:p></sigh></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">It’s still a work in progress but I am finally moving in the
right direction and as I make these changes in my teaching style, I find it,
thankfully, becomes easier to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND,
my human students noticed and appreciated the changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite having always received exceptionally
good feedback on my group classes (via anonymous feedback surveys), most people
never continued past the Basic Manners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This last group that graduated all gave me stellar feedback – so much so
that I was almost in tears from how moved I felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better yet, many of them are now continuing
on with Better Basics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em>The Forest and the Trees:</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Was the ITC worth the price of admission?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You bet! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me it wasn’t so much in the actual
materials and specific lessons, good as they were. That was just the trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me the value was in the experience as a
whole – the forest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My deepest and most
sincere thanx to all the wonderful women and that one brave man in the
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were all my instructors and
I am better for having met you all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
to those very special women with whom I felt a particular bond… I hope we can
share a meal (vegan because, yes, Mary, I’ve made the change), some stories and
laugh thru the night once again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Happy Tails!</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-14358490697723397792013-03-15T18:13:00.000-04:002013-03-15T18:13:24.129-04:00All Choked Up for Attention
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">A few weeks ago I was getting my next set of group classes
organized – fielding calls, answering questions, emailing info… you get the
idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One potential class participant
still sticks in my head causing me to wonder where it went off track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know exactly when it went off the rails and
I think I know why… I just hope I’m wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">The call came in from a woman who adopted an approximately 1
year old Shih Tzu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She and her hubby
already had another Shih Tzu that they purchased and trained as a puppy and now
they wanted their newest family member to have his education as well – great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I described my group class and curriculum and
informed them that I did still have room in the weekend class they wanted to
join.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that some folks have
concerns, however unfounded, about Pitbulls, I “cautioned” them that the class
already had a couple of larger dogs in it, specifically a couple of bully
mixes. Fortunately, they were not at all bothered by this, in fact, they felt it
was good to have a mix of breeds/sizes in a class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It came out that they had attended a group
class with their puppy that included large and small dogs and they had a
wonderful experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, of course,
asked them why they didn’t return to where they had such a great experience and
was informed that the training center had moved farther East, making the trip
to and from much too long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, that
worked out nicely for me - yay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
woman thanked me for my time and said she needed to speak with her hubby and
would get back to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">A few days later the woman called back to tell me they were
very interested in the class (awesome) and she asked how large my group classes
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I informed her that I keep my
classes small – no more than 6 and 8, only if I have an assistant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained that in a larger class it would
be impossible to give everyone some personalized attention and larger classes
can easily become out-of-hand with barking and other issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(lol, another blog for another day – some of
my group classes “gone wild”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
promptly disagreed with me, saying in the classes she attended, there were 10
and 12 dogs and it was fabulous experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I asked how many trainers ran the class or if the trainer had any
assistants and she told me no, just him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather than argue with her that a 10 to 1 ratio is not the best idea and
that she may have gotten “lucky” with the class she was in, I simply said, “He
must have been a wonderful trainer” and let it go at that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point I informed her that the class
was filling quickly and that if she wanted to take the class, she needed to
send in the registration and deposit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She said she would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Another few days passed and the woman calls me yet
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She apologized for not sending in
the registration right away but was putting it in the mail today with a deposit
check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Yes, I still have old-fashioned
mail-in registration forms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, I
know, I need to update my website for online registrations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, don’t bug me, I’ve been busy!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just wanted to double-check the address and
she wanted to know what she would need for class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I informed her that as soon as I received the
registration, I would email her a confirmation along with the class info email -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Group Class, What to Expect & What to
Bring.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To which she replied, “Great,
I’ll be looking forward to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I
guess I’ll need a training collar, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Uh-oh<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">At this point, I go thru a series of ritualized aggression
moves. (yes, I definitely empathize with dogs a bit too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the very opposite of anthropomorphizing)
I freeze up, I begin to speak very softly and slowly and (thank dog she couldn’t
see me!) my lip began to curl into a snarl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I very quietly asked, “What do you mean by a training collar?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As many of us trainers know, “training
collar” is a euphemism for “choke chain” but I couldn’t be sure what she meant,
hence the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hesitated and
said, “You know, a training collar.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
now I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m an idiot of a trainer to not know what a
training collar is so I said, “Well there are various types of ‘training
collars’, do you mean a choke chain, a prong collar or an electronic
collar?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said, “Oh no, not a prong
or shock collar, I would never do that to my dog. But I was told that calling
it a choke chain is inaccurate because that is not the purpose of the collar,
it just gets the dog’s attention.” (Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, I guess it is at least in part true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put a choke chain on me… you’ll have my
undivided attention, that’s for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ahhh, but take it off and I will not only ignore you, I’ll run like the
wind away from you.) I said, “I don’t use those collars at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My method is to get the dog’s attention
through motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer class
participants to use a regular flat-buckle collar or, even better, a
harness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To which she replied,
“Alrighty then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you,
goodbye.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a definite tone to
that ‘alrighty then’, a mix of condescending sarcasm blended with ‘I’m humoring
you.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Another few days elapsed and no registration showed up so I
called her to check in to see if she had sent it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She informed me that they had changed their
minds. Since they had such a good experience the first time, they decided to
make the trip to the other training center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wished her luck and success and hung up feeling so depressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">I couldn’t figure what went wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly seemed to coincide with the
“training collar” discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very
careful to not say anything negative about her having used one before. I just told
her that I don’t use them and that I have a different method. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had talked about positive reinforcement and
rewards-based training in a previous conversation and she seemed to be on board
with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what the $@%&
happened?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My brain can’t wrap itself
around the possibility that someone would object to NOT using a choke
chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly can’t get my head or
heart around putting any dog on a choke chain but I do ‘get’ how folks with
large or strong dogs THINK they need one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But, seriously, a choke chain on a Shih Tzu?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Is that why she didn’t join my class?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I wouldn’t let her put a choke chain
on her 12-pound Shih Tzu?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly
seemed that way to me but I’ll never know for sure. It still bugs the you-know-what
out of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sincerely hope that Shih
Tzu is none the worse for wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for
my class – it was a great group and they all graduated with flying colors last
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the strong Pitbull with the
petite human, he wears a harness, he doesn’t pull and he can’t take his eyes
off his human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say she earned his attention,
not to mention his willingness to comply, because he thinks the sun rises and
sets on her and that’s a beautiful thing to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Chuck the Choke<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Pass up the Prong<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Skip the Shock<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">and<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">MOTIVATE instead of Dictate!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Happy Tails </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-27885493180422501992013-03-04T13:25:00.000-05:002013-03-04T15:51:25.384-05:00All Aboard for (a good) PK!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">I only just finished up my PK classes a few weeks ago and the
new ones are supposed to start in a week or so but no registrations!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still hear from folks that they are told by
their vets that they should keep their puppy away from other dogs until after
they’ve had all their shots. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people
are even told to keep the puppy indoors until that rabies shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This saddens me because I know that those
puppies are not getting off to the best start in their lives with their humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are very possibly a bundle of fears and
behavior problems in the making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
add insult to injury… I know one vet that told my client she still had to wait
a week after the last shot before taking her pup outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pup, and a large-breed at that, spent 9
full weeks inside a small 3-room apartment before her first venture outside at the
age of 17 weeks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><sigh> and to
this day, 4 years later, she jumps at every sound and cringes when cars pass.<o:p></o:p></sigh></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So what happens after that “magical” last set of shots?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People run their pups outdoors, to various
houses, down busy streets, to the dog park and (finally) into group classes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is the puppy often overwhelmed and
unable to cope, the human has no idea what s/he is doing and usually makes
matters worse by forcing the puppy into situations s/he is simply not ready to
handle and with absolutely no coping skills!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Of course, waiting until after the pup is 16 weeks (about
the time the last shots are administered) does not guarantee a poorly adjusted
dog but in my long experience that is very often the result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, a Puppy Kindergarten does
not guarantee a balanced, well-adjusted dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some PKs are, in my opinion, very poorly run and can actually do more
harm than good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen some PKs and puppy
playtimes in some of the big box stores and I know I am seeing future behavior
modification clients.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">There is a common misconception that socialization means
throwing everything and anything at the puppy to get him “used to it” – yikes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I’m not a fan of snakes (sorry, I know,
they are just another animal but they give me the creeps) and throwing me into
a room full of them is NOT going to get me used to snakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Au contraire!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More likely, my fear and aversion will be increased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet I see this done to puppies all the time
and, sadly, by the very folks that doggie parents trust to guide and teach them
how to raise their puppies – their “trainer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s right – “trainer”, not trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyone can call herself a trainer, there is no regulation in the
industry – ah but once again, I digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s stick a pin in that bugaboo for another day </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">On to the PK/PP (no, not pee pee, Puppy Playtime).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what have I seen/heard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so very glad you asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Yes, I sometimes hear you in my head)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puppies are left to fend for themselves in a
play situation they are not prepared to handle in the name of socialization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fearful or shy puppy will not learn socialization
when thrown in with a school-yard bully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, yes, there are pups that behave much like that school-yard bully
you remember from the old days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
pups may not steal the shy pup’s milk money but they can, however unintentionally
and unwittingly, steal a shy/fearful pup’s ability to gain confidence and to
learn to interact with other pups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t
believe the “trainer” that tells you to leave your pup to fend for himself or that
providing comfort and reassurance and SAFETY will feed or reinforce the
fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OMD how that expression annoys me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, these folks don't understand learning
and behavior and have no business training you or your pup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">A good PK will gently and gradually introduce your pup to
sights, sounds, people and other pups in a manner that is not threatening or
intimidating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good PK will let your
pup move at his/her own pace and provide safety and security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shy or fearful pup is NEVER forced into
any interaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pup is permitted
to find a safe corner or behind a gate from which to watch the other, more
outgoing puppies play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps that
puppy’s human will be feeding treats or gently petting as the puppy watches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other puppies will be prevented from
overwhelming that pup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my experience,
in time that puppy’s natural curiosity and desire for social contact will
emerge and s/he will make attempts to interact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a crucial time for the pup and a good PK trainer will seek to
make the interaction safe and gentle, perhaps with one other pup of similar
disposition or with an older pup or dog that is gentle with shy puppies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Another aspect of a good PK is introduction of many different
people, again, never forcing a puppy to interact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people may wear hats, wigs, glasses,
uniforms and carry strange objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sound and object habituation is another important part of a PK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, where’s the training?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shouldn’t a puppy be trained in a PK
class?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes… and no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of that depends on the age of the
puppies in a PK class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the PK class
is a socialization class designed for puppies as young as 8 weeks, then
socialization and play should be the focus with only what I call “foundation”
training as part of the curriculum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Foundation behaviors that can pave the way for better, easier and faster
basic training when the time is right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Name response, choose me, hand-targeting, sit, call out of play, red
light/green light (lol – no, not quite the game you remember but my own version
of a foundation game with your pup.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
the PK class is for older pups – over 14 weeks, then that is really more of a
basic class since the window for the critical socialization period has already ended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have so little time to do what we can in
that critical window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good PK can give
your pup a huge advantage in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t
hesitate to find one and enroll your pup as early as possible<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
per the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - “Behavioral issues,
not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three
years of age.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So, all aboard for a good PK and, please, let’s get our vets
on board too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Education is key and, <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">for more information, check out the</span> </span><a href="http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/puppy_socialization1-25-13.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">AVSAB
Position Statement on Puppy Socialization</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are interested in seeing a good PK curriculum
(WARNING, shameless self-promotion coming,) check out the Smarty Paws course
outline for </span><a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/groupClasses.html#Kindergarten"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">PK
class</span></a><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> for a program that starts your pup off on the right paw!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Now you KNOW!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Happy Tails </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-57698099158547482892012-12-11T10:01:00.000-05:002012-12-11T10:20:15.094-05:00Fallout – Real Risk or Rhetoric? <br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">I can’t believe how long it has taken me to get back into a
routine after hurricane Sandy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get
me wrong, I was one of the very fortunate ones on Long Island with no damage
and losing power for only a couple of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wish I could say the same for most of my family and many of my
friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am amazed at the resiliency
and positivity of the people I know that were affected – truly in awe of some
of them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
With that, moving on to the business of dogs and all things
dogs…Warning, it’s a long one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess I’m
making up for lost time <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I hear it over and over again from the “positive” training
camp that punishment = fallout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
hear over and over from the traditional camp that fallout = “possie”
rhetoric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For every example of fallout
from punishment there is an equal and opposite claim of “BS”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what’s the truth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth being subjective, this is strictly my
truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I firmly believe that positive punishment (adding an
aversive) carries a very real risk of fallout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s it, the smart thing to do is end the post here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, let’s be real, it’s me and oh how I love
to ramble…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">First,
let me say that punishment does NOT guarantee fallout. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behavior is not math so 1+2 does not always
mean 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen punishment work without
fallout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, I’ve also seen
fallout first-hand and still see it regularly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my experience, it is a fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
I am very careful about employing punishments and, when I do, I attempt to use
only negative punishment (removing a positive reinforcer).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I never say never. There may be an
appropriate time, place, situation and method of positive punishment that I may
feel is necessary at some point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
a “humaniac” that is so closed-minded that I throw science out the window in
the name of the fantasy that is known as “purely positive”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s face it, there is no such thing as
“purely positive” – even the simple act of refusing to reinforce a behavior is a
form of punishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then of course,
there is the latest buzz phrase “error less training” <sigh> more on that
another time but suffice it to say, that while ideals are great, they are all
too often unattainable.</sigh></span></span></div>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">That said, I do believe that training can and should be
accomplished<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and behavior can and should
be modified in a force-free way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
would I use a shock/prong/spray collar, a squirt in the face or a scary noise to
suppress a behavior when I can first try to remove the trigger that causes the
behavior or teach the dog an alternate and/or incompatible behavior AND remove
the reinforcement for the problem behavior, thus allowing the dog to figure out
that the behavior he likes but that I don’t is just not worth it AND a
different behavior (one I DO like) is more rewarding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why wouldn’t I do it the more positive
way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I would and do but I know why
others don’t… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Because it takes more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because it takes more effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because it takes more thought than simply yelling, squirting, jerking or
shocking the dog. Because humans (I’m convinced) are inherently punitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if the punishers would just look beyond
the momentary cessation of unwanted behavior, they would see that those punishments
often don’t work, especially in the long-term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If they did, one would not need to punish the same behavior over and
over and over again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dogs are very
bright and, when taught properly, learn very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are repeating the same “lesson”
endlessly, the fault lies in your method, not your dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Traditional trainers claim that timing is what makes the
punishment effective and that repetition is how the dog understands that it’s
his own behavior causing the punishment and not something else – thus no risk
of fallout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True, timing is essential and a good trainer
has timing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An APO often does not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I work with a dog I also work with its
human and leave them with the ability to practice and follow-thru on what I
taught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is one reason for not
teaching punishment techniques to my 2-legged students – I simply don’t trust
punishments in the hands of a novice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now about that repetition… hmmm, so just how many reps of punishment
does it take to cross the line from “teaching” to abusing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therein is my second problem with punishment
and my number one reason for NOT choosing it myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the punishment does not work in 1-2
attempts, it is abusive, period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
like my friend who insists on poking me when she speaks to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Presumably she pokes me to emphasize a point
but I’m not really sure why and I don’t care, I only know that I distance
myself from her whenever possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
or two pokes I can deal with, but one or two pokes every time I see her or more
than that is just plain annoying and, yes, painful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite each individual poke being mild, the
accumulation has left me sensitive and sore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blatant and forceful abuse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Absolutely not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, yet, I still
feel abused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, her intent is NOT for
me to distance myself from her but that is the fallout from her punishing
behavior toward me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, ha ha, to this
day, I have no idea why I’m being poked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I, the human with the larger cerebral cortex, can’t figure out why
I’m being punished, how can one expect his/her dog to understand the concept
any better?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Here’s some very real fallout for you – a while ago I accidentally
rolled my desk chair over my little one when I pushed back to go into the
credenza behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t even know
how much of her foot I hit but, based on the little bit of blood by the split
nail, I think I, fortunately, only got her toenail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She screamed quite a bit and the sound went
right thru me straight to my heart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
honestly am not sure which of us was more upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one stays near me all the time when I’m
working in my office – she’ll lie under the desk or in the open crate on the
side of my desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took her 3 days to
even consider entering the room again and she still wouldn’t go much farther
than just in the doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10 days after
the incident, she still would only enter as far as the doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even took the chair out of the room to see
if she would come in when the offensive object was removed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was avoiding the whole room – not just the object that punished
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began working on CC and it took
me about a week or so to get her into the room and another week before she was
comfortable enough to once again “hang” with me in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, despite the fact that the chair
committed the offense, she had superstitiously decided the entire room was a
bad, bad place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had connected the
pain with the location, not the object that caused the pain or, fortunately,
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I were a punishment-based trainer
attempting to teach my dog to be avoid chairs in that manner, it would have
been an epic fail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t laugh, many “trainers”
feel the best way to teach pups to avoid things is to make those things scary
and/or painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(ah, so many thoughts,
so little time)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In a scenario where a counter-surfer is punished for jumping
up on the counter, the dog may learn that it’s her jumping that brings the
punishment – but how many times must you repeat the punishment for the dog to
figure it out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe she NEVER figures
it out… maybe she thinks it’s the counter that’s causing the punishment, or the
sink, or the cabinet door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, you may
think you’ve effectively suppressed the behavior but then you remodel your
kitchen or take her to another house and suddenly she’s back at it…
fallout!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I might add, for those
people who can’t keep their counter unrewarding, what is the likelihood that
they can deliver the punishment 100% of the time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they can’t, then the behavior is being
intermittently reinforced and made stronger than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that’s a blog for another day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yes, we “risk” the same
superstitious connections with clicker training as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dog may think that the click/treat she
earned while training is brought on by the proximity of a person, object or
sound or by the shirt I wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, now here
is where I agree with the traditional trainer about timing and repetition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I have good timing, the reward will be
connected with the behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I have
poor timing, then repetition will teach the dog that the reward is tied to her
behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, even with poor timing,
repetition allows for the dog to eventually figure out it’s not my shirt, it’s
her behavior that brings the rewards. But, what is the risk of fallout
there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where is the abuse in the
repetition?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I can tell, there
is none!</span></div>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Yes, we all live in the real world and, sometimes, sadly,
need real world fixes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a matter of
knowing your client – 2 and 4 legged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long
before I introduce the sledgehammer, if ever, I will try other things and
desperately seek to educate my clients in alternate, gentler methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">I firmly believe that superstitious connections and fallout
are very definite and real risks in punishment-based training, not
rhetoric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fallout is not always huge or
obvious, it can be subtle and it happens more often than folks realize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dogs have trouble generalizing and, yet, have
an uncanny knack for escalating their own fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to fears, dogs corner the
market on generalizations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JMHO<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So, let’s not add to those fears with punishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s keep those Happy Tails and give<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">DIRECTIONS, NOT Corrections!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-12044565449651101302012-10-17T13:12:00.000-04:002012-10-17T13:16:44.701-04:00To Blog or Not To Blog?<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>
</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">Ok, so I was
feeling uninspired and disappointed by the underwhelming response to my last blog
post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s face it, despite my love of
humor and good times, my writing skills demonstrate a decided lack of such
leading me to ruminate on whether I should bother to blog again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dare I bore the public with my pontifications
on training and behavior in my lackluster, humorless writing style? Maybe I’m
just rusty and need to push myself, get in a “groove”, exercise my cerebral
cortex and then maybe I will improve. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, maybe not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">I enviously
read many blogs and articles and dream of being able to coin a phrase, turn a
word and cleverly make my point as do so many others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live in a great time when anyone with a
two-bit opinion and a computer can have her voice heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ah, but SHOULD that voice be heard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And would anyone read far enough into this
mind-numbing droning of words to get to my point? Alas, I suspect not, so why
bother?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">Suddenly,
INSPIRATION! Amazing that is was in the form of a pint-sized entity whose name
sounds like a wound acquired while raiding a beehive for its golden
nectar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I suspect you know of what I
speak and imagine my surprise to learn of the existence of this heretofore
unknown entity of which I was blissfully unaware.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having heard the name this morning and, being
as curious as a <s>cat</s> dog, I immediately Googled it and now that which has
been seen and heard can, sadly, never be UNseen or UNheard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(oh the horror, the horror!) The images and
sounds are forever burned into my poor, overexposed brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT, one must give credit where credit is
due.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For, I thought if this child can be
asked to share her self-proclaimed redneck opinion on the presidential
candidates and be given a nationally televised forum to do so, then, certainly,
I am entitled to post my thoughts and ramblings on that which I am
knowledgeable and educated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not for
the silliness of this beauty-queen wannabe, I would have remained silent. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">While I vehemently
resist the idea that I need to "redneck-cognize", I do realize this diminutive
blonde and all that goes with her is probably found to be far more entertaining
than <s>little</s> big, old me, but I vow to make a better effort in the
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that, on to the post (no,
the former is NOT the post and, no, I will not be discussing reality tv and its
assorted “stars”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you thought that’s where
I was going, you may want to leave now)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">In my last
post, </span><a href="http://smartypawsdogtraining.blogspot.com/2012/10/are-you-really-positive-trainer.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">“Are You Really a “Positive”Trainer?”</span></span></a><span style="color: blue;">, I was discussing the Humane Hierarchy and several times
mentioned “more on that later”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is
one of those “laters”...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">Steps 5 and
6 on the Humane Hierarchy<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Negative Punishment, Extinction and Negative
Reinforcement<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">Yes, despite the fact that these three things are
different, they are “lumped” together on the Humane Hierarchy…<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>a. Negative
Punishment</strong> – Sounds really bad, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, not as bad as one might think and
certainly better than Negative Reinforcement, IMO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When using NP, the trainer contingently
withdraws a positive reinforcer to reduce the probability that the problem
behavior will occur. NP creates stress thru disappointment but is more humane
than introducing an aversive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many “positive”
trainers use NP in conjunction with PR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m sure you’ve heard it before with the jumping puppy – turn your
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s an example of NP because,
in theory, you are removing the reinforcer (your attention) for jumping by
turning your back to the puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lol –
how well does that really work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not well
at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>b. Extinction</strong> <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Cambria Math","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;">‐</span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"> <span style="color: blue;">No, we’re
not talking about dinosaurs but I’m very happy when some behaviors go the way
of the dinosaur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When using extinction,
the trainer permanently removes the maintaining reinforcer to suppress the
behavior or reduce it to baseline levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is very stressful for the dog as triggers are still present and the
dog is repeatedly subjected to its trigger in the absence of alternative
behaviors or distractions or even the information that can be learned from
negative punishment, leaving the dog little or no way to “cope” with the
trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good example of this is
doorbell desensitization for dogs that “go crazy” when the doorbell rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? Because the doorbell signals visitors
and that’s the reinforcer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ring the
doorbell all day long and never answer the door and eventually the dog gives up
on the behavior because the reinforce is no longer there at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, it doesn’t take much for the dog
to reacquire the behavior once you again begin to answer the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>c. Negative
Reinforcement</strong> <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Cambria Math","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;">‐</span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"> <span style="color: blue;">When
using negative reinforcement, the trainer contingently withdraws an aversive
antecedent stimulus to increase the probability that the right behavior will
occur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NR is very stressful/invasive for
the dog as it first requires the introduction of an aversive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A choke chain supposedly operates using NR
and, yes, it does but only AFTER the positive punishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pulling dog is punished by the choke chain
tightening around his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the dog stops
pulling, his “nice walking” is reinforced by the relief of pressure from the
choke chain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><strong><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Positive Punishment – the LAST Resort when ALL
other Options have Failed<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">Positive? - sounds better than it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Positive within this context does not mean good – it means to add
something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">With PP, the trainer contingently delivers an aversive consequence
to reduce the probability that the problem behavior will occur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Positive punishment is determined by the
dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What one dog may find punishing,
another may find fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Introducing an
aversive to decrease/suppress a behavior is extremely invasive and stressful to
the dog and, very often, downright INhumane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t believe there is ever any need to use physical pain of any kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe in nor have I ever found the
need for choke, prong or shock collars, physical force or intimidation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, there may be a time and a
place for the proper use of PP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I
am committed to positive training but I refuse to become one of the many “humaniacs”
that rewards-based training seems to have created. Don’t get me started on the whole NRM
debate!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm… now THAT’s a post for
another day, for sure!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;">I believe in respecting and humanely educating my beloved
pets. I hope to increase awareness among pet-owners and help them achieve a
bond with their pets based on mutual respect, trust and affection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In so doing, I…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Train withOUT Pain!<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Happy Tails!</strong></span></span></div>
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SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-60512110470221424302012-10-09T09:13:00.000-04:002012-10-09T09:13:56.000-04:00Are You Really a "Positive" Trainer?
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">First off, when I say “trainer”, I mean ANY person teaching
and working with a dog, not just professional trainers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most influential “trainer” in a dog’s
life is usually the owner(s).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So, what makes a trainer a “positive’ one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, obviously, simply proclaiming you are one
thing or the other does NOT make you either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If that were the case, I would be smart, sassy, funny and, oh yeah,
skinny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Claims are not necessarily based
in any kind of reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In dog training
and in life, actions speak louder than words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can “talk the talk” all you want but you need to “walk the walk”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">A client of mine recently took his puppy to a PK group class
at the local big box store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had mixed
feelings about this but since I was not currently running a PK class, I had
nothing else to offer him in the way of a group – my bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I advised him to make sure that it was a
positive, rewards-based program that focused on proper socialization and basic
manners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My client told me that the
big-box trainer assured him the program was rewards-based and all
positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following week I was so very happy to
hear that my client’s pup was the “star of the show” (his words), doing
everything so wonderfully in class and garnering many accolades from the
trainer and fellow students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t need to hear that to be validated,
but it was really nice for my client to get validation from a third party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was happy, so that made me happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention that it didn’t hurt me in the
area of client buy-in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops, guess I
mentioned it :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Then my client told me how his puppy was terrified when the
puppies were let off-leash to play and all the other puppies seemed to target
her… uh oh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understandably concerned for
his puppy’s mental state, my client scooped up his puppy to spare her the
trauma and was informed by the trainer “that was the worst thing you could have
done”… clunk, the first shoe falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
trainer carried a squirt bottle with water (at least I hope it was only water)
and asked the puppy owners if he could squirt their pups for barking… BOOM,
that was the second shoe falling and a cement one at that! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Is this trainer the positive, rewards-based trainer as he
CLAIMED to be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not by my definition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He may use rewards in teaching but his first
response to a NORMAL and PREDICTABLE puppy behavior (barking) was to punish
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His method for dog-to-dog
socialization was to allow multiple exuberant, playful puppies to descend upon
a frightened one. Telling my client that picking up his puppy was the wrong
thing to do implies that the trainer believes that a frightened puppy must
learn how to deal by toughing it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since when does anyone
learn under stress, fear and duress?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
a child felt bullied at school, would this trainer tell the parents to let the
child tough it out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><sigh><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I’m making a short story rather long so,
more on what I would have done another time and moving on…<o:p></o:p></sigh></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So, again, what is a positive trainer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many phrases bandied about – dog
friendly, force-free, rewards-based, science-based – the list is
extensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all sound good and,
indeed, in theory they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s the
practice that counts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">IMO, a dog-friendly, force-free, rewards-based trainer follows
the “Humane Hierarchy” with heavy emphasis on the first four steps in that
order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trainer should look at every
situation or problem and attempt to solve by going through the steps of the
Humane Hierarchy. That’s it, pure and simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What is the “Humane Hierarchy”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, I am SOO glad you asked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s take a look at the first four steps and leave the rest to another
day…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">1 - Physical well-being of the dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Physical needs and well-being must be
considered and addressed first and foremost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You do not train a dog in physical discomfort or pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Seems obvious, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or is it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s look at that
terrified puppy in group class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
that was an emotional state but what happens to a body under stress?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elevated blood pressure and heart rate and increased
adrenaline, to name a few things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was
that puppy’s physical needs being considered when the trainer said my client
should have left his puppy on the floor to fend for herself? That is a
resounding NO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am glad my client
followed his heart and his gut and sought to lessen his puppy’s anxiety by
removing her from the situation in which she felt threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would I have handled that event in a
group class?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lol – that’s a post for
another day </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">2 – Controlling Antecedents aka managing the dog’s
environment to eliminate stimuli/triggers that can lead to undesirable
behaviors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">If one can AVOID a problem behavior by removing the “cause”,
why not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the least stressful and
least invasive way to shape desirable behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite example is the shoe-chewing
puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remove the shoes – problem
solved!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why bother trying to teach
something else or, heaven forbid, punish a normal puppy behavior?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take away the antecedent and the problem is
gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND, guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That which your puppy does not get to do when
s/he is a pup, is that which s/he is NOT likely to do as an adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My pups never saw a shoe other than the ones
on my feet when they were young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
shoes strewn about the floor have no meaning or interest for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem solved BEFORE it started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">3 - Positive Reinforcement<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Use PR to teach your dog as many desirable behaviors as
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teach your dog that the
behaviors you prefer are fabulous because they are very rewarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you fill your dog’s brain and life with
the behaviors you like, there is little or no room in his/her brain and life for
the behaviors you don’t like!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">4 - Differential Reinforcement of Alternate Behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a mouthful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically what this means is to make a
different behavior more rewarding than another behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So, you have a “problem” behavior that is not solved by
addressing a physical need and the antecedent (trigger) cannot be removed. Many
people go straight to punishment with a problem behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In general, we humans tend to be very
punitive – something with which I struggle daily both in myself and those
around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truly positive trainer
seeks to redirect the dog to a different behavior in the presence of the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes more time and effort but, in the
end, produces better results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IMO,
punishment often fails and, when it succeeds, it is very stressful on the
dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why, you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm… yet another post for another day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">There’s more to the hierarchy, steps 5 and 6, to be explored
another day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first four are what,
IMO, should fill a trainer’s toolbox leaving little or no room for 5 and 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">In short (although I suspect the dog has long since dashed
that door),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a positive trainer is one
that chooses to be PROactive, rather than REactive, choosing first and foremost
to avoid problems, teach desired behaviors and redirect unwanted behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">Directions, not corrections!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">HAPPY TAILS!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-2564572459545411652011-07-01T19:20:00.000-04:002011-07-01T19:45:21.320-04:00Fourth of July Safety Tips<div><font color="#ff0000" size="4"><strong><em>Fourth of July Safety Tips</em></strong></font></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#3333ff">• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where your dog can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#ff0000">• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#3333ff">• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin and, if ingested, can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#ff0000">• Keep your dog on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pooch indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older dogs who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. Foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#3333ff">• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions. Intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#ff0000">• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#3333ff">• Never use fireworks around pets! Exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets. Even unused fireworks can pose a danger; many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.</font></strong></div><div><br /><strong><font color="#ff0000">• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for your pets. Please resist the urge to take the furkids to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.<br /></font></strong><br /><strong><em><font size="4"><font color="#3333ff">NOW YOU KNOW – BE SMART, BE SAFE!<br /></font><br /><font color="#ff0000">HAPPY TAILS!</font></font></em></strong></div>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-36044745479372864592011-06-10T19:02:00.000-04:002011-06-10T19:36:19.539-04:00Summer Safety for Your Dog<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAz5LnOmQEPIVcM_aKooHbkaVf0QCUDPALkN7BHBYXoE4rPpp0knT5bmyaG-IojVY9sbSBwtUr6PlM7V2VyECxlhUADF-u0WFR6pqgKtcuvEtDeOV-_JXDjzK-xon1M-Avg5ZTZzdWbo-B/s1600/Banner+Dogs+With+Shades.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 421px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 67px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616731282465502290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAz5LnOmQEPIVcM_aKooHbkaVf0QCUDPALkN7BHBYXoE4rPpp0knT5bmyaG-IojVY9sbSBwtUr6PlM7V2VyECxlhUADF-u0WFR6pqgKtcuvEtDeOV-_JXDjzK-xon1M-Avg5ZTZzdWbo-B/s200/Banner+Dogs+With+Shades.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><strong></strong></em></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><strong></strong></em></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><strong>Summer is coming and “THE HEAT IS ON!” </strong></em><strong>Helpful tips to keep your favorite Fido safe and comfortable when the mercury rises.</strong></span><br /><br />In summertime dogs (and cats) can suffer from the same problems that humans do - overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can enjoy the season and keep your pooch happy and healthy.<br /><br />- A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must; add to that a test for heartworm, if your dog isn't on year-round preventive medication.<br />- Do parasites pester your pooch? Ask your veterinarian to recommend a safe, effective flea and tick control program. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBw6vnz4dmls2XKAaomwRuJLatIKMtJNjFClRuLEJ9OwzyueW3xOrmJmvlKnTLlofea3rXzE88NHJK6192_JVWIc2msGj4Z4EA2ud9D7uEsxk16L-t7GeCjxceyJdZ7v3z5wDmCiZjqVki/s1600/Car+Dog+-+Hot.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 139px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 105px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616731689408935666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBw6vnz4dmls2XKAaomwRuJLatIKMtJNjFClRuLEJ9OwzyueW3xOrmJmvlKnTLlofea3rXzE88NHJK6192_JVWIc2msGj4Z4EA2ud9D7uEsxk16L-t7GeCjxceyJdZ7v3z5wDmCiZjqVki/s200/Car+Dog+-+Hot.jpg" /></a><br />- <span style="color:#ff0000;">NEVER</span> leave your dog alone in a vehicle! Hyperthermia (overheating) can be fatal. A parked automobile becomes a furnace in hot weather. Even with the windows open, temperatures within the vehicle can soar to over 120 in no time. Parking in the shade is not the answer. While the shade of a nice tree may offer some protection, don’t forget, the sun shifts during the day and a car originally parked in the shade may end up in full sun.<br />- <span style="color:#ff0000;">NEVER</span> walk or play with Fido in the height of the sun. The right time for playtime is in the cooler early morning or evening but NOT after a meal or when the weather is humid.<br />- Street smarts: When the temperature is high or the sun is strong, don’t let your dog stand on hot asphalt. His or her body can heat up quickly and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum. An easy way to check the asphalt is with the back of your hand. If it’s uncomfortable for you, it’s too hot for Fido.<br />- Street smarts: When walking your dog, avoid areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals.<br />- Street smarts: Be alert for coolant or other automotive fluid leaking from vehicles and keep Rover away. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste but ingesting just a small amount can be fatal. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect that your animal has been poisoned.<br />- Alw<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Bbv2HbT1Ug3SJXgcXserLpQZIGFAkYdJ1x5hZoqnAvBA5JiO0X6jiQtnyK4s5q68n5AFTDqmZJJncnNIXcKjeT4B-epFZoqjU0pJouUyv9tfksTSG2qTkMurW1EhNo29WmRmGAKfarG/s1600/Wading+Pool.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 129px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 85px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616733203849948786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Bbv2HbT1Ug3SJXgcXserLpQZIGFAkYdJ1x5hZoqnAvBA5JiO0X6jiQtnyK4s5q68n5AFTDqmZJJncnNIXcKjeT4B-epFZoqjU0pJouUyv9tfksTSG2qTkMurW1EhNo29WmRmGAKfarG/s200/Wading+Pool.jpg" /></a>ays carry a thermos filled with cold, fresh water when traveling with your pet.<br />- Provide fresh water and plenty of shade for animals kept outdoors; a properly constructed & vented doghouse will serve well. Canopies and canopy tents are another way to offer shade for your pet. Add a small wading pool with 2-3 inches of water to give your dog another cooling option.<br />- Bring your dog (or cat) inside during the hotter part of the day to rest in a cool part of the house. Cellars and basements are excellent for a cool reprieve without air-conditioning.<br />- Be especially sensitive to older and overweight animals in hot weather.<br />- Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs such as Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus, as well as those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.<br />- Good grooming can stave off summer skin problems, especially for dogs with heavy coats. Trimming the hair to a one-inch length helps prevent overheating. NEVER shave yo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYacdI1YhwZC90QEp4QkfStuDzhG7Dz39fD8gouCNjHrtEtD1B2WB65_jWI4-BF4pDTj_InE2uHqbnQQwFqlgOjPZOR6SFxGlC6JGbXwWnz40GaBDqUFGhd7RRFUhqhStSfAUBvSkgxFAD/s1600/Pool+Dog+-+Big+Dog+-+Small+Pool.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 108px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616736548094401570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYacdI1YhwZC90QEp4QkfStuDzhG7Dz39fD8gouCNjHrtEtD1B2WB65_jWI4-BF4pDTj_InE2uHqbnQQwFqlgOjPZOR6SFxGlC6JGbXwWnz40GaBDqUFGhd7RRFUhqhStSfAUBvSkgxFAD/s200/Pool+Dog+-+Big+Dog+-+Small+Pool.jpg" /></a>ur pooch down to the skin - it robs Rover of his natural sun protection.<br />- Do NOT apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.<br />- Having a backyard barbecue? Always keep matches, lighter fluid, citronella candles and insect coils out of Rover’s reach.<br />- Please make sure that there are no open, unscreened windows or doors in your home through which animals can fall or jump.<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Stay alert for signs of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting and/or drooling, lethargy, weakness, red tongue and elevated body temperature.</span></strong></em><br /><br /><em><strong>WATER SAFETY</strong></em><br />For many families, summertime means swimming time. If your pooch will be joining you on your waterhole adventures, please follow these tips:<br /><br /><br />- A day at the beach is a no-no, unless you can guarantee a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water for your companion.<br />- Salty dogs should be rinsed off after a dip in the ocean.<br />- DON’T ASSUME all dogs can swim! Some dogs are NOT good swimmers and longhaired dogs may struggle against the weight of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_7OJXD1Aagj68ekiMKmrUZpm2yDihe65FuEaal-_gXdTKcOf1E52p63cPKOP3fGTW97E89MKqVnNxDQSY0yjTTvz3UFkCwnj7-yk4KKAaNnlcU_uWY9jvknhf5sowoSrbny-vPk9Oi4H/s1600/Pool+Dog.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 146px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 97px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616736891394824002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_7OJXD1Aagj68ekiMKmrUZpm2yDihe65FuEaal-_gXdTKcOf1E52p63cPKOP3fGTW97E89MKqVnNxDQSY0yjTTvz3UFkCwnj7-yk4KKAaNnlcU_uWY9jvknhf5sowoSrbny-vPk9Oi4H/s200/Pool+Dog.jpg" /></a>their soaked hair to keep afloat. If water sports are a big part of your family, please introduce your dog to water gradually and consider using canine flotation devices.<br />- Do NOT leave pets unsupervised around a pool. Too many unsupervised dogs have met with tragedy around the pool. Even the best swimmers are at risk if unsupervised.<br />- Rinse your pool-swimming pooch with fresh water after a dip – chlorine and other chemicals can irritate the skin if not thoroughly rinsed off.<br />- Try not to let your dog drink pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlRAa-exDHTREk8xBBaw7fuiSUdpa1uK_A1jZF-j87dPwIf6YuRY1M-XK17gArubgV14BbBSewUHwEw_dLlyfDT7Xvekj0vfTkJP0ubSy3Ma47JFQmPuZhnR84aPE2NLCgbRxgTrSW08R/s1600/Life+Jacket+Dog+Small.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 124px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 75px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616733353179097522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlRAa-exDHTREk8xBBaw7fuiSUdpa1uK_A1jZF-j87dPwIf6YuRY1M-XK17gArubgV14BbBSewUHwEw_dLlyfDT7Xvekj0vfTkJP0ubSy3Ma47JFQmPuZhnR84aPE2NLCgbRxgTrSW08R/s200/Life+Jacket+Dog+Small.jpg" /></a>als that can cause GI upset.<br />- Make sure all pets wear flotation devices on boats.<br /><br /><br />Be smart and consider your pet when making your summertime plans. Think ahead and be prepared by stocking a “doggy bag” with food, cool fresh water, bowls, flotation device, first-aid kit, towels, umbrella, leash and toys and you will be prepared for almost anything!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9sWego7M5jiOsiTd6gD5S9HP-wZrYEXvDgDzsxM61bkjaZ1zgjfehTMNfvoWIoxRhiYXw4YIIoeNpkFCLgWjuBZZ0FVriqhSkbWk7BCHjwpW8j8PdE_z5_Jh_94Gh_hFJNwl9FZ13KsW/s1600/Three+Monsters.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 111px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 93px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616733713618131282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9sWego7M5jiOsiTd6gD5S9HP-wZrYEXvDgDzsxM61bkjaZ1zgjfehTMNfvoWIoxRhiYXw4YIIoeNpkFCLgWjuBZZ0FVriqhSkbWk7BCHjwpW8j8PdE_z5_Jh_94Gh_hFJNwl9FZ13KsW/s200/Three+Monsters.JPG" /></a><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#000099;">NOW YOU KNOW!<br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!</span></strong></em>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-76740961280237359332011-05-04T11:58:00.000-04:002011-05-04T12:17:01.947-04:00Flea & Tick Season is Approaching!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyXortbP-rEt2Qf0awcUSL6rI3PpBM_M7sHwxTEBDqrT1kkYRfeUQht5Z1C6AaKTGXL2vRdboUDzeVEWK8l0ySmbbhl0XVl7lAans1QNaxU5wXl0t5yZtFnohGlEgr3eHOjf-KXalhsyq/s1600/Tick.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyXortbP-rEt2Qf0awcUSL6rI3PpBM_M7sHwxTEBDqrT1kkYRfeUQht5Z1C6AaKTGXL2vRdboUDzeVEWK8l0ySmbbhl0XVl7lAans1QNaxU5wXl0t5yZtFnohGlEgr3eHOjf-KXalhsyq/s200/Tick.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602895325995046242" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWMx4jFLmw2aceTOdLYK7RcTd3cAeknmS7bqJKLCm8Q2WiEoXhtqxs42cJTVuu1CNJwN-ZdRIadL2udYlvCtEIfC2ZHEKoKnhbweuHEvpv3YN7kE4BD_ZJIbEk85vWVmfPchPY68_gRgL/s1600/Flea.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWMx4jFLmw2aceTOdLYK7RcTd3cAeknmS7bqJKLCm8Q2WiEoXhtqxs42cJTVuu1CNJwN-ZdRIadL2udYlvCtEIfC2ZHEKoKnhbweuHEvpv3YN7kE4BD_ZJIbEk85vWVmfPchPY68_gRgL/s200/Flea.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602895042680485122" /></a><br /><strong>Spring is in the Air! The Time to Protect is NOW!<br /><br />Spring is here and with the warm weather you and your dog are likely to be outdoors more and more. Fresh air, sunshine, you and your dog – life just doesn’t get much better than that! You know what else is out there enjoying the warm weather with you? Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Oh, and let’s not forget about your lawn and garden.<br /><br />Fleas & Ticks<br />Fleas and ticks will emerge from their dormant life cycles and begin their full life and breeding cycles. Fleas generally begin their optimal life cycle when the temperature is above 70°F and as the humidity increases. The full breeding cycle peaks with temperatures (70°F to 85°F) and high humidity (70%). An adult flea can lay 15 to 20 eggs per day and over 500 in her lifetime. One flea can become as many as 100,000 in just 30 days in ideal conditions! The best cure is prevention.<br /><br />There are many preventive medications available on the market today. Speak to your vet about an appropriate preventive flea and tick medication for your dog. Although there are many brands of over-the-counter flea and tick products available at supermarkets and pet supply stores, it is critical to read their labels and consult with your veterinarian before using them on your dog. These products may contain ingredients that could harm pets and children. You can visit the HSUS website to learn more about flea & tick products.<br /><br />Lawns & Gardens<br />Spring is often a time when people fertilize their lawns and work in their gardens. BEWARE! Plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if your pet ingests them. In addition, more than 700 plants can produce physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. You can visit the HSUS or ASPCA websites for a list of common poisonous plants. <br /><br />Mosquitoes<br />Mosquitoes transmit heartworm – a fatal disease. Heartworm is transmitted to animals through a bite from a mosquito containing the infected larval form of the heartworm. When an animal is infected, the heartworm larva can grow and develop into worms. These worms live inside blood vessels within and surrounding the heart and lungs. The adult worms mate inside the blood vessels, and their offspring—which are called microfilaria—circulate in the bloodstream. These microfilaria can be picked up by another biting mosquito, and then passed to another animal.<br />Once infected, animals with heartworm can be treated if the disease is caught in time, but there are several drawbacks. The treatment, although effective, is painful, expensive, and can have side effects. If the disease goes untreated, the results can be fatal. The best cure is prevention.<br /><br />If your dog has not been on year-round heartworm preventive medication, NOW is the time to bring your dog to your veterinarian for a blood test and then start him on preventive medication. Dogs must be tested to ensure they don't have heartworm before putting them on preventive medication. If your dog has been on year-round medication but it has been 2 or more years since his last heartworm blood test, you should bring your dog to your veterinarian to be tested again before continuing medication. By federal law, heartworm preventive medicine is only available through a prescription. <br /><br /><em>NOW YOU KNOW!</em></strong>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-38620404026519337362011-04-14T09:32:00.000-04:002011-04-14T09:40:49.683-04:00Smarty Paws Dog Training - New Group Classes on Long Island Starting Soon!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_DRbkpRbHCS4QOckcnfznydASldxGJIAqFZVFFPg_o18Jg7_13ksr024EQ8CHEZO06MtpZQSzQcw1MMBLgvNPm0y37dovS8hQbn5cG9ERDmQumCUKxYhmOK14XxghubTvRZ5ntonUcms/s1600/BOJune2010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_DRbkpRbHCS4QOckcnfznydASldxGJIAqFZVFFPg_o18Jg7_13ksr024EQ8CHEZO06MtpZQSzQcw1MMBLgvNPm0y37dovS8hQbn5cG9ERDmQumCUKxYhmOK14XxghubTvRZ5ntonUcms/s200/BOJune2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595433379927480226" /></a><br /><em><strong>Smarty Paws Dog Training Group Classes, New Hyde Park, Nassau County<br /><br />Spring is a great time to take an outdoor group class with your pup/dog. Whether it be a basic or advanced or just a brush-up, group classes are a great way to socialize and work with your pup/dog around distractions. Remember, training is a lifetime commitment and a well-trained dog is a pleasant companion.<br /><br />Smarty Paws has new group classes starting Saturday, 4/30/11 and Sunday 5/1/11:<br /><br />Saturday, 9am, Basic Obedience<br />Saturday, 11am, Beyond Basics<br />Sunday, 3pm, Better Basics<br />Sunday, 5pm Basic Obedience<br /><br />Classes are filling fast so send in your registration forms soon!<br /><br />For a complete class schedule and registration forms check us out at http://www.smartypawsny.com<br /><br />Looking forward to seeing you and your pup/dog - Happy Tails!!</strong></em>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-86299674602458122432010-06-29T14:51:00.000-04:002010-06-29T14:59:16.125-04:00A Frustrated Dog Trainer Speaks OutI’m at a party, enjoying the hors d’oervres, the wine and polite conversation when, suddenly I hear, “Oh, you’re a dog trainer?!” Uh-oh, here we go again – that dreaded interrogative. There are only two others that I think are worse. From behind me I hear, “How do I get my dog to stop (insert behavior of choice here)?” Clunk – the other shoe. Suddenly the cheese puff sticks in my throat and the wine becomes bitter. All other conversation around me stops as they turn to listen to what will, surely, be some sage advice.<br /><br />Of course I can answer the question, and I do, every time, to every person, ad nauseum. It’s not that I mind people picking my brains for free advice, I really don’t. In fact, I love talking about dogs – my dogs, your dogs, shelter dogs, ANY dogs – and I love talking about training dogs. What really presses my buttons are the people who don’t want to hear the answer. You must work with your dog regularly and consistently. That includes exercise, socialization, exercise, positive training, exercise, positive reinforcement of spontaneous desirable behaviors and, oh yes, exercise. What is regularly? EVERY day, including weekends and holidays, better yet, 2 or 3 times a day. What is consistently? Don’t change the rules on your dog! What’s good today can’t be bad tomorrow or vice versa.<br /><br />So, I answer the question and, as I begin to qualify it with my usual spiel about daily exercise, positive training and consistency, I watch the person’s eyes glaze over. I get the perfunctory “of course”, “yes, yes” and “I’ll do that”. I want to scream, “No, you won’t do it! I know you won’t! You can’t even pay attention long enough to hear what I’m telling you!” But, of course, I don’t say that. I just go back to sipping my wine and am thankful the party wasn’t at my house. Then I would have heard the worst request ever. “Oh, your dogs are SO good and SO smart! Can you come fix my dog(s)? PUH-LEEZE!?” Yeah, sure, how about I “fix” your kids while I’m at it? Better, yet, let me “fix” you. No, I don’t say that – but I think it.<br /><br />Occasionally I get the question from a responsible dog owner who just needs some guidance in a problem area. Oh, do I LOVE that! I talk to them so much, they try to hide from me! Recently I gave a friend some tips and techniques for building a strong recall. She had trained her dog to do so many things but had some trouble with a reliable recall. I spent 2 hours on the phone with her and would gladly have spent 2 more. She didn’t just try them on her dog; she worked with her dog every day. Two weeks later she emailed me to tell me she was having great success with the tips and techniques I gave her. I threw my shoulder out patting my contented little self on the back. Unfortunately, she is the exception.<br /><br />So many people adopt or purchase dogs when they have no business doing so. I know that sounds harsh but the fact is more dogs die every year because of “behavioral problems” than from any other cause. Most of these behavioral problems are avoidable and/or correctable, if owners would just put in the time. But, sadly, they don’t. So the dogs are abandoned, surrendered, put down or accidentally killed. People don’t seem to realize that this is a life with feelings and, yes, a brain. That little dog brain is being trained by the owner, whether he realizes it or not, the very moment he brings that dog home. Too often the dog has actually learned the “bad” behavior straight from the owner. Imagine if we taught our kids to do something, only to punish or abandon them when they actually did what we taught them? How crazy would we all be? Its no wonder so many dogs have “behavior problems”.<br /><br />I see these abandoned and surrendered dogs every week at the local shelter where I volunteer. It breaks my heart. So many of them are really cool dogs that just need some work. I wish I could take them home but I can’t. I already have 3 dogs, a cat and a husband to worry about. So, I go weekly and mostly walk the dogs and give them affection. I usually don’t bother with training because it is pointless to try to train a dog once a week (there’s that regularly and consistently thing again). Yet, every week I go, armed with my clicker and bag of treats because “hope springs eternal”. I try to at least reinforce the dogs’ known behaviors. Many of the dogs in the shelter know “sit” and “down”. I also reward any spontaneous good behavior I see. No harm in that.<br /><br />I often assist potential adopters in finding the right dog. I get all warm and fuzzy when I can match someone up with one of the dogs that has been there a while. It’s a great feeling. Alas, not a week goes by that I don’t hear from at least one potential adopter, “I’m looking for a dog that is good with people and kids and other dogs and cats. He MUST be housebroken and he can’t have any issues like jumping or barking. Oh, and my back is bad so he can’t be pulling me around when I walk him, he must know how to walk on a leash. Oh, and, of course, he just can’t shed. We have allergies, you know.” Wow! Is that all? Are you sure you didn’t leave anything out? Of course I can help you, right this way. Go across the street into the building on the left. They have a wide assortment of stuffed toy dogs for you to choose from. Guess you missed the sign outside that reads “Shelter” not “Perfect Puppies R Us”. Nah, I don’t say that. I think it – oh how I think it. I just nod my head and politely tell them they are not likely to find exactly all that in one dog, but why not look around and see if you find a dog that appeals to you.<br /><br />Ah, well, what can I expect? They are just dogs, after all. In a society where so many parents won’t even raise their own children, what hope is there for a dog? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against working moms – my mom was one and I like to think I turned out just fine. Even though she and my dad both worked, they somehow managed to find the time to raise me, nurture me, teach me, discipline me and encourage me. We even had a dog and he was very well behaved because the whole family was consistent and worked with him. But in today’s society, everyone seems to want more for less and something for nothing. We seek instant gratification. One-hour face-lifts, glasses in an hour, microwave dinners, the Internet – they all feed this mindset. Then of course there are the televised dog trainers that miraculously fix dogs in one episode – imagine that! What makes them so much better than me? EDITTING!<br /><br />Let’s face it folks, good dogs don’t fall from trees. Some things just can’t be fixed in an hour. If you want a well-behaved dog, you have to make a well-behaved dog with time, effort, consistency, positive reinforcement and patience. Ah, but if you make that journey with your pup, you will reap the rewards for many years.<br /><br />Helen DelBove, ABCDT<br />Dog Lover, Owner and TrainerSmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-7800495517065159542008-11-11T09:34:00.000-05:002008-11-11T09:37:55.044-05:00My Recent Experience as a Student in an Obedience Training Group ClassI recently signed up for an “advanced” obedience group class because it has been a while since any of my guys were in a group class as a “student” and I wanted to work on and improve skills in a group environment. I don’t know if this class was actually “advanced”, per se, but basic obedience was a “prerequisite”. I won’t mention where I took this class or who the trainer is.<br /><br />Well, I was horrified – absolutely horrified. The people in this class were known to the trainer so it was pretty clear that they had taken her basic obedience course – whatever that might be. These people were yelling “NO” at their dogs left and right and using leash corrections like crazy! A 15-pound ShihPoo was on a choke chain and the owner was not afraid to use it viciously. One man with a very large black lab was bent over his dog yelling “NO” very loudly right in the dog’s ear. Perhaps he thought his dog was deaf? I think maybe the dog might be deaf after all that yelling in his ear – he certainly didn’t respond at all. I can’t believe people still train this way! The dogs were not happy AND, more importantly, they were NOT obeying. After your dog fails 3-4 times, you would think one would reevaluate the methods and ask himself if this is really working for him. I had to bite my tongue over and over again. I wanted to scream at the people who were yelling at their dogs and ask them how they liked it.<br /><br />We mostly worked on stay and everyone’s dog broke their stays repeatedly. When the dog broke the people were told to yell “NO” at the dog from a distance then go back to the dog and put the dog back in position. This was generally accomplished with leash corrections because the dogs often did not “sit” or “down” when told. Not once did I see any praise or encouragement or (God Forbid!) a reward. To be fair, the trainer did briefly mention once that it was ok to praise the dogs when they were doing well (only AFTER she saw me petting and praising Shmoopy), but no one did it – that I noticed – and the trainer did not emphasize using praise or ever even mention using rewards. The only dog that didn’t break her “stay” was, of course, my Shmoopy – despite how uncomfortable she was around all these strange dogs. Here was a classic case of dogs who never learned to Stay because they were not taught properly (in my opinion) and they were pushed beyond their abilities so, of course, they failed. It was interesting to note that the trainer actually told everyone to call their dogs to them (“Come”) from across the room, AFTER having put the dog in a “STAY”! Another probable reason why these dogs couldn’t “stay” in the first place! NEVER weaken your dog’s stay by calling them out of it! That’s when we use “wait”. I walked back to Shmoopy, praised and petted her for a good stay, then told her to wait while I again walked across the room. Only then did I call her to me and, by the way, I just used the hand signal – no shouting for me!<br /><br />We also did “heeling”. That was a joke because most of the heeling took place on a tight leash and the dogs were jerked around. Again, to be fair, there was one Cavalier that walked nicely on leash with its owner. I walked Shmoopy without picking up the leash. She was not “heeling” in the truest sense (I never taught it) but her Loose Leash Walking is closer to a Heel than any of those other dogs will ever be. She drifted out away from me just a bit when I got too close to a big dog but I know that was because she was frightened. She didn’t say anything but I think the trainer expected me to correct her for drifting but why would I correct her when she was frightened? What would that teach her? I simply continued to walk and she resumed her position next to me after we passed the dog. Not bad AND not on leash! She walked with me because she chose to – not because I forced her. I much prefer my dog to be a willing participant.<br /><br />I will probably continue to go to the class because I already paid for it and I do want to refresh skills in the group environment but I won’t enjoy it. It actually hurt me to see these dogs being jerked around. But it was, for me, a validation of positive reinforcement methods – as if I needed validation of my methods. Shmoopy did so well in the class (better than even I expected) and I never raised my voice or corrected her beyond the occasional “uh uh” said very softly (she was reluctant to go into the down position a couple of times and popped up twice – again, nervousness). That’s all the correction she ever needed and all I ever want to have to do.<br /><br />I share this because I want people to have a good relationship with their dogs and train with positive methods. I want your dog to WANT to obey you because you have a good relationship and your dog TRUSTS you and has learned that obedience can earn rewards. A dog that is repeatedly yelled at and jerked with leash corrections will not trust you and will not be a willing participant in obedience. In my opinion, my recent experience clearly illustrates that compulsion methods are not better and, in fact, often don’t work. When the owners were far enough away from their dogs that the threat of immediate punishment was no longer there, the dogs did as they pleased. Shmoopy was not happy to be left in a stay in the middle of a bunch of strange dogs (again, she’s very nervous around strange dogs) while I walked more than 50 feet away (it was a school gym) but she did it! She did it because she has learned that 1) I always come back (eventually) 2) She is rewarded for staying (as opposed to punished for failure) 3) She TRUSTS me. She walked with me because she chose to, NOT because I had the leash. In all my training with her I never once used force or yelled at her and she was the best behaved in the entire group. That is the real point I wanted to share with you. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!<br /><br />Let's keep our dogs with...<br /><br />Happy Tails!<br /><a href="http://media.merchantcircle.com/25796411/SP%20Logo_full.jpeg" target="imgview"></a><br />Helen Del Bove<br />Smarty Paws Dog Training<br /><a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-4639354561973704482008-08-27T14:16:00.000-04:002008-08-27T14:22:07.845-04:00Dog & Puppy Obedience Training Group Classes – Last 2 Classes for 2008!Smarty Paws Dog Training Nassau County, NY…<br /><br />Welcome back to the SmartyBlog! Smarty Paws announces the last 2 classes for the 2008 season will begin VERY soon. There’s still time to register! We have a Puppy Kindergarten class beginning 9/2 and a Basic Obedience class beginning 9/14. The class schedules are as follows:<br /><br />Puppy Kindergarten, 6 classes for puppies up to 6 months:<br />1) Tuesday, 9/02/08 @ 7pm<br />2) Tuesday, 9/09/08 @ 7pm<br />3) Tuesday, 9/16/08 @ 7pm<br />4) Tuesday, 9/30/08 @ 7pm<br />5) Thursday, 10/02/08 @ 7pm<br />6) Thursday, 10/23/08 @ 7pm<br /><br />Basic Obedience, 8 classes for all ages, Sundays at 3pm:<br />1) 9/14/08<br />2) 9/28/08<br />3) 10/5/08<br />4) 10/12/08<br />5) 10/19/08<br />6) 10/26/08<br />7) 11/9/08<br />8) 11/16/08<br /><br />As for existing classes – the Basic Obedience class is on hiatus until the 6th of September. I hope they are practicing with their dogs! The students in the Puppy Kindergarten Group Class graduated this week! Not all the students chose to show off and “strut their stuff” for the group but some did AND did so very well. Afterward the class had a good long romp. It was such wonderful weather on Tuesday evening that everyone was happy to be outside relaxing or playing. They all chased each other happily around the yard, wrestling and nipping at each other’s heels. Oh, and the puppies had fun too ;)<br /><br />Based on the responses to my Satisfaction Survey, all the students were very happy with the class from all aspects – information, presentation, length, cost, etc… Whew! I’m always thrilled to hear that my students are happy with my training programs.<br /><br />Well, that’s all the news in SmartyLand! Don’t forget to check us out at <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com</a> for class schedules, photos, tips and more.<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#33ccff;">"I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home."<br />Happy Tails!</span></strong></em><br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#33ccff;">Helen Del Bove, ABCDT<br />Dog Lover & Trainer<br />Diving Enthusiast<br /></span></strong></em><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#330099;">Mona <span style="color:#000099;">Vie</span>… drink it. feel it. share it.</span></strong></em><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#330099;"><br /></span><span style="color:#996633;">GanoCafe… the healthier coffee - try it, you'll like it!<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Mona Vie Distributor #1214975<br /></span></strong></em><a href="http://www.the-team.biz/mv1214975"><em><strong><span style="color:#000099;">http://www.the-team.biz/mv1214975</span></strong></em></a><br /><em><strong><br /><span style="color:#996633;">GanoCafe Distributor #8091451</span></strong></em><br /><a href="https://www.coffeeteamonline.com/products/hdelbove.html"><em><strong><span style="color:#996633;">https://www.coffeeteamonline.com/products/hdelbove.html</span></strong></em></a>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-35332292667151745892008-08-19T18:04:00.000-04:002008-08-19T18:14:14.537-04:00Dog & Puppy Obedience Training in Nassau County<div><div>Smarty Paws Dog Training New Hyde Park, NY… </div><div><br />Welcome back to the SmartyBlog. The Smarty Paws’ students have been busy graduating! </div><br /><div>Congratulations to our two recent graduates!... </div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12mWv3YmHCZj6PW3xF2zwVf7atPzVYA7zzw_lcRtfmEZp_yI7dFKcNGBkge-6lcFT3guzvEMduauAlB16Ys_pUNwK7sCb7n-XyPcztqQQqwPOhxuHncrLRfQTbIzw20cLEcc6JvKHoiUH/s1600-h/Chloe+Bernese+Mountain+Dog2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236353527917565394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 86px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 129px" height="124" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12mWv3YmHCZj6PW3xF2zwVf7atPzVYA7zzw_lcRtfmEZp_yI7dFKcNGBkge-6lcFT3guzvEMduauAlB16Ys_pUNwK7sCb7n-XyPcztqQQqwPOhxuHncrLRfQTbIzw20cLEcc6JvKHoiUH/s400/Chloe+Bernese+Mountain+Dog2.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><br />Chloe, the Berner, graduated about a week ago. She completed her 6-week basic obedience training with flying colors and so young, too – just over 4 months old. No dog over 6-7 weeks is too young to start with positive dog training. Chloe did so well with her training that we actually went above and beyond the basics. Chloe and her family must now take some time to work on generalizing and improving her behaviors before moving on to “beyond basics”.<br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly6_xHJts895pYmNAqbcp5DF3GmZZP4XEJJQjqOIFZhq3CqWhef5qXXL9RcXeLO8bMIKNPo_2GoAd0CF50KMJUEvt9hcmppy2LVXvU7afjSkrPKG7A9qLD0mBBhXZ5oxu10klavu5HcNE/s1600-h/Samson+-+Golden+Retriever2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236354101346026082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 88px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" height="172" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly6_xHJts895pYmNAqbcp5DF3GmZZP4XEJJQjqOIFZhq3CqWhef5qXXL9RcXeLO8bMIKNPo_2GoAd0CF50KMJUEvt9hcmppy2LVXvU7afjSkrPKG7A9qLD0mBBhXZ5oxu10klavu5HcNE/s200/Samson+-+Golden+Retriever2.jpg" width="68" border="0" /></a>Just two days after Chloe, Samson, the Golden Retriever, also graduated his basic obedience course with flying colors! Samson is just about 8 months and growing fast. In addition to basics, his mom wanted him to learn to give his paw. No problem! Samson was an eager student, learning “Paw” in a matter of minutes. Samson and his mom and dad must also work on generalizing and improving his behaviors. </div><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDuXSmKdI0y4zmTZXEAAyzTy0ksIUttg6-CFt44A1hXX41W1Z_v6_kAOGAdIx9KH1TEDP1Aerpk529pMg26pONSU7aIFXt2aKa6KRaX0A5jlGqSDQ5sbaOiipAknEtoIryR8uooRaPSSU/s1600-h/Tues+Puppy+Kindergarten+9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236354682864403890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 182px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 136px" height="104" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDuXSmKdI0y4zmTZXEAAyzTy0ksIUttg6-CFt44A1hXX41W1Z_v6_kAOGAdIx9KH1TEDP1Aerpk529pMg26pONSU7aIFXt2aKa6KRaX0A5jlGqSDQ5sbaOiipAknEtoIryR8uooRaPSSU/s200/Tues+Puppy+Kindergarten+9.jpg" width="167" border="0" /></a><br />The Tuesday evening Puppy Kindergarten class performed very well last week with “Down” and Intro to “Stay”. Some of the owner’s were very skeptical about my ability to get their pups down. Ha ha! Non-believers no more! Of course the pups all went down. I’m hoping everyone practiced during the week. Tonight’s class will be busy with “Stay”, “Leave-It” and Intro to “Recall”. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The Saturday morning class went very well with practicing “Loose Leash Walking” (LLW). Some of the students are little challenged with LLW but if their owners follow my advice and consistently use the techniques I gave them, they should show improvement by our next class on 9/6. </div><div><br />Well, that’s all the news in SmartyLand! Don’t forget to check us out at <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for class schedules, photos, tips and more. </div><div></div><div><br /><em>"I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home."<br /><strong>Happy Tails!<br /></strong>Helen Del Bove, ABCDT<br />Dog Lover & Trainer<br />Diving Enthusiast<br /><br />Mona Vie… drink it. feel it. share it.<br /></em>Mona Vie Distributor #1214975<em><br /></em><a href="http://www.the-team.biz/mv1214975">http://www.the-team.biz/mv1214975</a> </div></div>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-20019028195265084272008-08-05T09:24:00.000-04:002008-08-05T12:41:31.636-04:00Nassau County, NY Dog Basic Obedience Group Classes<span style="font-family:lucida grande;">New Hyde Park, NY... </span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Smarty Paws Dog Training's Puppy Kindergarten and Basic Obedience group classes are going well!</span><br /><br />I've been SO busy lately and haven't had time for much of anything besides work. On a personal note, I earned my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NAUI</span> certification as a SCUBA diver this weekend - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">YAY</span>! I took a 3-day crash course 2 weekends ago then went out for my 5 open water dives this past weekend. That is partly why I haven't had any spare time recently. But, now, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Caribbean</span>, Here I come!! Well, not now, but soon, I hope.<br /><br />I'm always blogging in haste and usually don't have time to think about making my blogs more interesting. Today is no exception, so please forgive me if I bore. I must try to work on that next time.<br /><br />Anyway, back to classes. Both my Basic Obedience (BO) and Puppy Kindergarten (PK) classes are really great groups. Everyone is very into the classes and learning - I just love that! In my BO class, our little rescue Cairn Terrier, Daisy, is gaining confidence, she allowed me to approach her and give her treats at the last class so that was quite an improvement. She's still highly resistant to "SIT" so I spent a little time with her and her owners after class to show them yet another method. My fingers are crossed that she will arrive next week and be sitting on command. She's very sweet but spent most of her life in a puppy mill so she has almost no "social skills", is very nervous and shuts down easily. I am handling her very carefully. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Chuleta</span>, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Pugle</span>, is doing so well with SIT, DOWN and now she's picking up on STAY too! Sasha, the Australian Shepherd, is becoming more comfortable in class and with me. She wouldn't let me near her at the first class and we are slowly making progress. I actually was able to work with her for a few minutes on Saturday before she spooked again. Unfortunately, Mia, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Liger</span> and Willy were absent for various reasons. I truly hope we see them this weekend.<br /><br />The PK group is equally enthusiastic and learning very well. Jack, the Cairn-Poo is so quick and eager for his treats. I used him several times to demonstrate and he was a model student. His mom recently emailed me that he is a little over-eager for his rewards and jumping up from his "SIT" to get them so we may need to do some work on that at the next class. Poor Madison, the Yorkie, had a leg injury and could not participate in practicing walking or free time, but mom still had her at class to learn what she could - good for them! Buffy, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Shiba</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Inu</span>, and Daisy, the American Eskimo Dog, had a ball playing during free time. Of course, Jack was right in the thick of it too. We have a new student in the class, Charlie, an adorable Chocolate Lab. He's quite young and I'm glad his mom is starting his training early. Chloe, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Berner</span>, also came to PK class again. She's getting more social with the other dogs and more interested in playing with them. Chloe is one of my private clients who also comes to group classes for socialization. She's also very young - her family started her training very early. A wise choice for a dog that will eventually be over 100 pounds. Actually, starting early is always a wise choice and, with Positive Training, there is no such thing as too early after 7 weeks of age.<br /><br />Well, that's all the group class news for now! Don't forget to check the website - <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for photos, tips and other information.<br /><br /><em>"I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home"</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>HAPPY TAILS!</em>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-14423560399601403342008-07-17T16:47:00.000-04:002008-07-17T17:19:47.404-04:00Dog & Puppy Training, Behavior & Group Classes in Nassau CountySmarty Paws Dog Training, New Hyde Park, NY...<br /><br />Life has been hectic in SmartyLand the last couple of weeks. We lost our cat of 18 years last week as well as a moderately close family member. My poor cat was definitely showing her age but her rapid decline in the course of just a couple of weeks took us by surprise. We are very saddened to have lost her but we know she is in a better place - hopefully lounging in the sun. To add insult to injury, the SmartyComputer crashed last week and I was unable to get to my calendar and email for a while.<br /><br />The Puppy Kindergarten Group Class kicked off on Tuesday with just the humans. It looks to be a good group (of course, I think they are all good groups!). Coincidentally, all the pups are of small to medium sized breeds. I can't wait to start with the pups this Tuesday. The class is totally filled - yay!<br /><br />The Saturday morning Basic Obedience Group class (also filled - yay!) had the first class with the dogs. It was hot and uncomfortable in the sun so everyone was gathered in the shade. We covered "Focus", "Sit" and "Sit in Heel Position". The dogs were, of course, distracted by each other but the class went very well for a first class. We tried to let the 2 larger dogs, a Lab mix, Willy, and a Pitbull mix, Liger, have some free playtime but Liger, although very friendly, was a little too rambunctious and rough for Willy. Interestingly enough, when the Pugle, Chuleta, approached Liger, he was a total mush. He went down and showed his belly right to her. It was so cute and funny. Our Cairn, Daisy, was not pleased with the clickers and so we had to put some distance between her and the rest of the class. Our Italian Greyhound, Mia, and the Australian Shepherd, Sasha, were both very nervous in class but I am confident that they will adjust.<br /><br />The Wednesday evening Basic Obedience Group class had their last lesson yesterday. The lesson was "Leave It" and the group was, at first, skeptical that their dogs would learn the behavior. Of course they did and fabulously so everyone was happy and duly impressed. I absolutely love teaching "Leave It". Next week is the last meeting of the class where everyone gets to "strut their stuff". I sure hope they've been working their dogs on the behaviors!<br /><br />We have a Sunday afternoon (4:30pm) Basic Obedience Group Class that is scheduled to begin on August 3rd. I have not had time to properly advertise the class or otherwise get the word out. I may delay the class start date by a week or two.<br /><br />Well, that's all the news in SmartyLand. Be sure to check the website at <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for tips, photos, class schedules and other information.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>"I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home."</strong> </span></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>HAPPY TAILS! </strong></em></span>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-50480097426370146212008-07-03T09:26:00.000-04:002008-07-03T09:36:06.614-04:00Dog Training in Nassau County, NY - Basic Obedience Group ClassesSmarty Paws Dog Training, New Hyde Park, NY...<br /><br />Wednesday evening's group class went well, despite missing one student. Yesterday's lessons were "DOWN" and an introduction to "STAY". <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Axl</span>, the Chesapeake Retriever was somewhat reluctant to go into the "DOWN" position but, of course, I got him there with the aid of a food lure. It still took some time but I was patient and persistent and soon he got the idea. It was a beautiful thing to see. Sasha, our tiny Yorkie, was a little nervous in class yesterday so we really couldn't get her to do much of anything. I thoroughly explained the exercise to her parents and told them to work on it at home. Amber, the Wheaten Terrier, was a perfect "fitness" model doing her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">doggie</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pushups</span>. Amber and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Axl</span> had a good romp after class. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Axl</span> is still quite the jumper so I spent some time explaining to his dad how to curtail the behavior and I even gave him my written tips, usually reserved for my private clients. I'm truly hoping that he and his family work with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Axl</span> to discourage the jumping behavior. He's still a puppy, only about 5 months, and he's more than 60 lbs! As an adult, his jumping will not only be annoying, it could be hazardous to one's well being! Speaking of which, I took quite the graceless fall in class yesterday. Oh the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">embarrassment</span> of being taken down by a mere 30lb Wheaten. Amber was headed full charge around the yard and careened right into the back of my leg, just below the knee. Well, I went down in a flash, after doing some twisting & contorting to avoid landing on Amber. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not exactly a lightweight and landing on a 30lb pup would not bode well for the dog. Well, I successfully avoided landing on Amber and hit the ground like a ton of bricks. Fortunately, it was on the grass and not the concrete. Despite the soft surface, I'm sporting 2 new black & blue bruises today.<br /><br />On another note, I received a call this week from the director of the Locust Valley Adult Education Program - how very exciting! They were looking for a trainer to conduct a 4-lesson dog obedience course at the high school. Well, of course, I said, "Look no more!" I am very happy to be doing that in October. Much thanks to Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Brickman</span> who knows my work and referred them to me.<br /><br />Anyone who is a patient at New Hyde Park Animal Hospital may know Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Brickman</span> by her maiden name, Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hurowitz</span>. She moved on from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">NHPAH</span> practice to the Locust Valley Veterinary Clinic and I wish her much success and happiness.<br /><br />Well, that's all the news in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">SmartyLand</span>! Of course, don't forget to check our website at <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for information on courses, tips and fun photos. Stay well and have a Happy Fourth!<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><em>I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home.<br /></em>HAPPY TAILS!</span></strong>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-69117412057825489452008-06-26T11:31:00.005-04:002008-06-26T11:52:19.351-04:00Dog Basic Obedience Group Classes in Nassau County, NYSmarty Paws Dog Training in New Hyde Park, NY...<br />Well, I haven't blogged for a while becasue there's really not much to tell. I took a few days off last week and we are between group classes. This Saturday (6/28) @ 9:30am begins the next Basic Obedience course. We have at least 4 confirmed participants and a possible 2 more. I will be closing the class at 6 students. The Wednesday evening group class had a week off last week but met again last night. We had two absences so it was a very small class. Loose Leash Walking & Recall were on the agenda. Axl, the Chesapeake Retriever puppy, is quite the puller and leaper so I did some one-on-one work with him. By the end of the session he was doing much better but, of course, he was also tired. Sasha, the Yorkie, was walking off-leash and doing quite well. Both Sasha and Axl did very well practicing their Recalls in a game of Doggie Ping Pong.<br /><br />In the land of private clients, Honey, the mini Dachshund, completed her basic obedience course and graduated yesterday. Yay! Daisy, the Berner, has yet to have her final lesson - we just can't seem to coordinate on a date. Maxie, the Standard Poodle, missed his lesson on Tuesday because I wasn't feeling well but, that's ok, his mom & dad will have more time to work on the behaviors we already covered.<br /><br />That's all the news in Smarty Land! Check our website at <a href="http://smartypawsny.com/">http://smartypawsny.com</a> for class schedules, helpful tips and fun photos.<br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home.</strong></em></span>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-12070967027084622522008-06-16T09:46:00.000-04:002008-06-16T10:15:34.112-04:00Dog Basic Obedience Training Group Classes at Smarty Paws in Long Island<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZzW5gKG2mKEl7JyzvYL4VNWJpVMlhV0tvoTY3W_z7tp1d_-Nvo7LXTWCOp0F7oSipYft4RN-r-aTMkL9p_WrJ-Ks0bQ1KSYc5WoYQCO7oHyVMnNz9g2e8nPys4aD-muGwFM_Nqshxx_8/s1600-h/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212481862507056162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 423px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 98px" height="65" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZzW5gKG2mKEl7JyzvYL4VNWJpVMlhV0tvoTY3W_z7tp1d_-Nvo7LXTWCOp0F7oSipYft4RN-r-aTMkL9p_WrJ-Ks0bQ1KSYc5WoYQCO7oHyVMnNz9g2e8nPys4aD-muGwFM_Nqshxx_8/s320/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg" width="642" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>New Hyde Park, NY... Saturday morning's group class at Smarty Paws graduated with flying colors. I was very proud of everyone and everydog in the group. It really was a great group class. Everyone enjoyed seeing each other every week, the dogs were all small so they all played very nicely together and the owners really practiced with their dogs. I'm taking one weekend off and then the next 8-week group class starts on June 28th at 9:30am. I'm still taking registrations for the Saturday moring Basic Obedience Group class. You can visit <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for more information.</div><br /><div></div><div>Sunday's class went very well with our last lesson being "Leave It". Next week is graduation for the Sunday class and everyone will have to perform for the group. Oh, the pressure! I hope they've been practicing with their dogs! I scheduled another Sunday afternoon Basic Obedience group class to begin on June 29th but I will probably reschedule it to begin mid-late July.</div><div></div><br /><div>Wednesday evening's class has a week off this week so I can have a much-needed little getaway - yay! Unfortunately, I must leave my monsters home with the house/dog/cat sitters. You gotta love the friends that come to your rescue when you need help with the furkids. </div><div></div><br /><div>The Tuesday evening Puppy Kindergarten is scheduled to begin July 15th. I have had several people express interest in the class but only one has sent in a deposit so far. If I don't get at least 4 participants, I will have to cancel the class.</div><br /><div></div><div>Looking forward to a rest this week with only one private client scheduled! I won't be blogging again until next week.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>HAPPY TAILS!</strong></div><div><em><strong>I dream of a world where every home has a happy dog and every dog has a happy home!</strong></em></div><br /><br /><div></div>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-58519157179196481072008-06-10T09:38:00.001-04:002008-06-10T09:48:14.691-04:00New Dog Obedience Group Classes Start Soon!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDfP-7zrkxcyIAEhsvjmEkOfUaEUMuBjzZeKx20SS19FrihACyF6U1L_DrAjV136dTLx3B2AsA7dInl-Z_lF82nzCGJ8dlvT0wrsZ32SCUnD_q7TzxffeNjgUB5FaPyoRSE5qGLsFgu4H/s1600-h/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210248819139628354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 405px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 89px" height="110" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDfP-7zrkxcyIAEhsvjmEkOfUaEUMuBjzZeKx20SS19FrihACyF6U1L_DrAjV136dTLx3B2AsA7dInl-Z_lF82nzCGJ8dlvT0wrsZ32SCUnD_q7TzxffeNjgUB5FaPyoRSE5qGLsFgu4H/s320/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg" width="434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgop8i4Ev8kQwLz94jarhr2_Wks0P9YtZCq8Iah8H2k9IEqdXYQ3RE8pNDkNZst6iSIwdCYHkZLasViPsn9T1KEoilqdvWD2PwbY_NsxJIWx2ar786vE42ikhzbdKg7XiPJg2dZoo6QlzvR/s1600-h/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg"></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Smarty Paws starts a new round of Group Classes at the end of June and middle of July!<br /><br />Basic Obedience Group Classes:<br />Saturdays @ 9:30am Starting June 28th<br />Sundays @ 5:30pm Starting June 29th<br /><br />Puppy Kindergarten Group Classes:<br />Thursdays @ 7pm Starting June 26th<br />Tuesdays @ 7pm Starting July 15th<br /><br />Check the website for details or to print registration forms!<br /><a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a><br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-28837556318547410922008-06-10T08:57:00.000-04:002008-06-10T09:37:24.534-04:00Dog Obedience Group Classes & Private Lessons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sWFDlLoZRzVMideGn5A53cIE7qftDqpRrQz6AAFjJSStlngREb28p_V_V20DWEBrkRi6kNJoNQLJ2jRXCdMb0Fb_XSMzA0IPedX8tNzOnJy8USNVhZQKUrMf_T9gRuY7gzLCOq38i-Mu/s1600-h/Sat+Grad+Group+Class+-+People+Looking.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210240978941867714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 296px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px" height="189" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sWFDlLoZRzVMideGn5A53cIE7qftDqpRrQz6AAFjJSStlngREb28p_V_V20DWEBrkRi6kNJoNQLJ2jRXCdMb0Fb_XSMzA0IPedX8tNzOnJy8USNVhZQKUrMf_T9gRuY7gzLCOq38i-Mu/s400/Sat+Grad+Group+Class+-+People+Looking.JPG" width="330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div> </div><div>Summer came in this weekend like an angry dragon. We have been experiencing record-high temperatures and the heat wave continues thru today. Looking forward to some relief tomorrow.<br /><br />Saturday morning's Basic Obedience Group Class took place before the heat became too oppressive. The group learned "Leave It" and really enjoyed the lesson. I just love the "oohs" and "aahs" and general looks of awe when I take a dog that has never even been introduced to the concept of "Leave It" and have him "Leaving It" within minutes. In case they thought it was a fluke, I did it again with another dog. I love that lesson. I think it best demonstrates "Operant Conditioning" to the average person. Every instinct in the dog is screaming to take the treat (that's the hind brain in action) but the dog reasons it out (that's the fore brain in action) and the dog "leaves it" in favor of an earned reward. I probably should start with that lesson instead of closing with it.<br /><br />I cancelled Sunday's Group Class due to the excessive heat. It's too much for the pooches and the humans don't like it either. Unfortunately, now my Sunday group classes will run an extra weekend - right into the one week I had planned on taking off! Oh well!<br /><br />My last lesson with Daisy, the Berner, was due to take place last night but that was also cancelled due to heat. It was just too hot for Daisy to be out practicing her Loose Leash Walking.<br /><br />Today I'll be seeing Honey, the Mini Dach, and Maxie, the Standard Poodle for private lessons. We'll be conducting those lessons indoors for sure!<br /><br />Mr Berner contacted me and we set up a date to meet next week. He picked up his Berner pup this past weekend. Right now he's faced with the challenge of acclimating his two Maltese to the puppy. I emailed him some tips on how to deal with it and hope he's having success. I'll check in with him in a couple of days.<br /><br />Well, that's all the news in SmartyLand. Check the website <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for new photos of the Saturday <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-woFFb_B3pC1ZpFxFhlG0us_J0OPTkV39aHp9c9JMXwt8fi5HIFILTILKTSRpS82qLEQuZjax7zQbXNH1fskCn_HSkXmo1B-56ej5ZtRKGi0i_KP8vlIQuqqYn7CuaLcHOer1crjgPok8/s1600-h/Computer+Dog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210241240013158482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 181px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px" height="165" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-woFFb_B3pC1ZpFxFhlG0us_J0OPTkV39aHp9c9JMXwt8fi5HIFILTILKTSRpS82qLEQuZjax7zQbXNH1fskCn_HSkXmo1B-56ej5ZtRKGi0i_KP8vlIQuqqYn7CuaLcHOer1crjgPok8/s400/Computer+Dog.jpg" width="211" border="0" /></a>Group Class and other information and tips.<br /><br />HAPPY TAILS! </div>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-37210055918791973432008-06-03T11:17:00.000-04:002008-06-03T11:49:52.175-04:00Smarty Paws Dog Training Private Clients in Group ClassesOh how I love the summer! I am getting lots of calls and emails from new or soon-to-be puppy owners. I just love when people start the pups when they are young. Getting your pup started off on the right "paw" with Positive Training is the best way to build your bond and avoid future problems, not to mention making your life easier.<br /><br />I received an email from an interested soon-to-be Berner owner. If you read my blog, you know I love the Berners and am seriously considering bringing one into my little pack. Mr. Berner, as I like to call him, wanted references and is really doing his homework checking up on me. Good for him! Don't be afraid to ask for and contact references. Thats the way to do it if you don't know the trainer personally or have a referral from someone you trust. I haven't heard back from Mr. Berner yet but hope to soon.<br /><br />Daisy, my current Berner, is doing so well with her training. She came to group class on Sunday afternoon and was such an angel. She had fun chasing Mogli, our energetic hound pup, and Brady, my shepherd/lab mix who was also at group class for the first time. I hope to see Daisy in more group classes.<br /><br />Brady's mom has been understandably nervous about introducing Brady to other dogs. Brady is a bit reactive/aggressive with people due to lack of proper early socialization. Brady's mom adopted him at about 9 months of age from a shelter. I applaud Brady's mom for adopting a shelter dog and her commitment to Brady, despite his issues. We've been working together and he's really improved dramatically. In group class he was happily excited and unfocused but he was completely non-reactive and he had a ball playing with Mogli.<br /><br />Mogli, the hound puppy, was all excited and just wanted to play. He really loves playing with the larger dogs and completely wore himself out running around with them.<br /><br />Sasha, our favorite "muttigree" and Mogli's "sister" was somewhat stressed in group class. There were 3 more dogs in the class than is usual and she wanted to meet & greet. Unfortunately, Sasha's mom needs to keep Sasha on a tight leash because she's not always thrilled with male dogs. In this particular class, she was fixated on Brady - I think she wanted to eat him (joking, of course). Shasha's mom had the opportunity to practice working with Sasha under extremely distracting conditions and did a very good job of it.<br /><br />Brutus, our Rotty Mix, was all excited with the newcomers to class but actually did very well in keeping relatively calm. We let him loose for play during free time, but he just went right over to the 2 children who were visiting with their mom and plopped himself on their feet. He's such a love-bug.<br /><br />Molly, our little CockerPoo, is usually in the Saturday morning small dogs class but couldn't make it so she came to Sunday's class for a makeup. Well, she was very nervous around the big dogs and just hung around mom. But she enjoyed the attention from the children.<br /><br />I had a few single-session clients recently...<br /><br />Two new puppy owners concerned with puppy nipping and potty training. I talked to them about it and gave them my tips. I wish them success and hope they consider formal training.<br /><br />One mom-to-be contacted me because her Tibetan Terrier barked incessantly at her infant nephew when he was visiting. She did not expect that reaction from her dog and was understandably concerned. So, I went for a behavior modification session on Sunday. Of course, the dog was wonderful with me. I left them with my tips for introducing a new baby into a dog home and instructions to practice what we had done that afternoon. I hope to hear positive feedback from them soon.<br /><br />Well, that's all the news in Smarty Land! Check our website for information, tips, photos and class schedules - <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com</a><br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-7364426273632823142008-06-03T11:01:00.000-04:002008-06-03T11:17:29.287-04:00Smarty Paws Dog Training Group ClassesI've been so busy with private clients and group classes that I've neglected my blogging. Shame on me! So, here's the latest and greatest in Smarty Land...<br /><br />About New Group Classes:<br />The Tuesday 7pm Puppy Nursery class has been cancelled. I've completely removed it from the schedule because there is, sadly, no interest in a class for pups under 4 months. This is such a disappointment to me because proper early socialization is so very important for your dog to live up to his full potential as a good pet. Vets are all recommending that no one take their puppy out until after they've had all their shots and, of course, no one dares to do otherwise. I used to be one of those people too but now I know better.<br /><br />The Thursday 7pm Puppy Kindergarten starting May 29th was rescheduled to start June 26th. We have 2 students registered and still need at least 2 more to keep the class.<br /><br />Wednesday's 7pm Basic Obedience started on May 28th and tomorrow, June 4th will be our first class with the dogs. We have 5 students and can still take 2-3 more, if you are interested. I'm looking forward to meeting the new bunch tomorrow.<br /><br />You can check the website for the complete schedule of upcoming classes and course outlines - <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a><br /><br />About Current Group Classes:<br />The Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon Basic Obedience Group Classes currently under way will be wrapping up in 2 weeks. We'll take one weekend off and then start up again the 28th and 29th of June. If you are interested in taking one of those classes, you can print the registration form from the website <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> and mail it in with a deposit check.<br /><br />I've posted some Group Class photos on the website for all to see. Just go to <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> and enjoy!<br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-83873562000477108322008-05-23T09:17:00.000-04:002008-05-23T09:41:11.401-04:00Dog Training Group Classes in New Hyde Park, NY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3ZqtAJOGFQTEiQpa4mLwUOmV06kcjniog9t2hBIGg5h9YbWNb-Ex0wlQMiPyYBHI_ZEprBKi7PNQ2Nd13WHytmxcI0GLr4m8_vb5rya5eYye5Zax082f5xKhiPg2ItMMpByfmODr5XOy/s1600-h/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203566078419108242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3ZqtAJOGFQTEiQpa4mLwUOmV06kcjniog9t2hBIGg5h9YbWNb-Ex0wlQMiPyYBHI_ZEprBKi7PNQ2Nd13WHytmxcI0GLr4m8_vb5rya5eYye5Zax082f5xKhiPg2ItMMpByfmODr5XOy/s400/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxekx3lhO0oJUfGQsf-09iGK49OS4HRLrL-4ajl1ZFEjvMICl_aytEEoJIhV53yjbiBMQne1eCoX0w6vhUrcoAtPvjHxus99_3uaEE6mfIixWXjBHFhm4RFIoEQ82o6Rqy1czLWO7Qp8K/s1600-h/Banner+Training+Situations.jpg"></a></p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Current group classes conducted on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons have been a great success. Encouraged by that success, Smarty Paws added additional classes on weekday evenings!<br /></p><p></p><p>Smarty Paws offers the following dog training group classes: </p><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div>Basic Obedience for puppies & dogs 6 months and older - Weds evenings @ 7pm, starts May 28<br /><br />Puppy Kindergarten for puppies 4-6 months - Thurs evenings @ 7pm, starts May 29<br /><br />Puppy Nursery for puppies 10-16 weeks - Tues evenings @ 7pm, starts June 3<br /><br /><div align="left">For more information visit us at: <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a><br /><br /></div><div align="left">Well, it seems that folks are either too busy or just not ready for group classes starting next week. We've had very few registrations and, while we hate to disappoint interested clients, it looks as though we may cancel the classes. But, fear not! We will reschedule and try again for next month! However, we are holding our breath and crossing our fingers that history repeats itself and we have a late rush to register. </div><br /><br /><p>HAPPY TAILS! </p><br /><br /><br /><p></p>SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1876918725950483222.post-47887514774928960372008-05-21T08:49:00.001-04:002008-05-21T09:08:57.953-04:00Dog Obedience Group Classes at Smarty Paws in Long IslandNew Hyde Park, NY... This weekend's group classes at Smarty Paws Dog Training went off without a hitch. All the students (both 2 and 4 legged) are doing really well and improving nicely. In Saturday's class Gizmo continues to be a bit of a tough customer in that he's difficult to motivate. We are still trying to find that one thing that will really get him going. He's such a little cutie we are convinced that he plans to just get by on his looks. Juliette is still commanding her personal space and becomes a little grouchy when the other dogs get too close for her taste. Most of the other dogs don't seem to care all that much - they seem to know her bark is worse than her bite. Molly led the chase during free time and loved every minute of it. Phoebe and Sophie preferred to sit it out with mom on the bench but I said, "No Way!" and sat there instead. Of course, the 3 monsters were right in the thick of things, as usual.<br /><br />In Sunday's class, Brutus entered sporting a new head collar and seemed pretty comfortable with it. The head collar will help Brutus' mom control her leaping love-bug until proper taining can take hold. Sasha's behavior around male dogs is improving but still needs work. We tried to let her and Brutus off leash for some playtime but had to end it before things turned nasty. Still, she managed a couple of minutes this time. Mogli is adorable and, unfortunately, very much into leaping. Her owners will really need to do their homework on that if they want to see any improvement. Mogli's playmate, Amber, was absent for the 3rd time so, again, she had no one to play with. She tried to play with Brutus but, being a rambunctious puppy, it was more than Brutus could handle. On a positive note, Mogli's training is coming along very nicely.<br /><br />Visit us at <a href="http://www.smartypawsny.com/">http://www.smartypawsny.com/</a> for photos, tips and information on training.<br /><br />HAPPY TAILS!SmartyPawsDogTraininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08086840052239241981noreply@blogger.com0