The Dog Blog: December 2005

Thursday, December 22, 2005

The Pro's Never Yell or Scream Commands At Their Dog

By Adam G. Katz

I never yell at my dog. Never.

Well, okay. There's one exception. And that exception is if: I'm already working with the dog at such a far distance that he can't audibly hear me. And usually this is the case only if I'm teaching the dog to respond to hand signals.

Why don't I ever raise my voice if I'm working with my dog, otherwise?

Because the only thing that raising your voice achieves is to communicate to your dog that you really DO NOT have control.

And since I train with a modified working dog approach, I want my dog to know that I'm ALWAYS in control. Because I'm the "Alpha dog."

Now, if I issue a command, and the dog I'm training does not respond to that command... then I will stop to figure out why he didn't respond. If it's because he didn't understand the command, then I need to go back to basics and do more repetitions. If the dog is simply not responding because he's being stubborn or head-strong, then I'll make my correction more motivational.

But one thing that many observers will realize about the way I work with animals is that my commands are practically whispered. Never yelled or screamed.

In fact, your commands should only be loud enough for your dog to hear. No louder.

So... do you want to know how to spot an amateur dog trainer? He's the one yelling at his dog.

A word or two on consistency and teaching your dog to "come."

If I'm teaching a dog to come on command, it's my job to convince the dog that he MUST come EVERY time I call him. But if he thinks that I'm only going to make him come every other time... or only under certain conditions... then I'll never get the dog to be 100% reliable.

So, where am I going with this line of reasoning? Well, just remember that you should NEVER give a command that you cannot enforce, until your dog is 100%. And you'll know when he is 100% when his responses to commands are immediate! Even when you're asking him to respond around the most tempting of distractions!

Do you want to be able to take your dog anywhere, and KNOW that he'll listen to you... even if tempted by another dog, a cat, or even a piece of food??? Then check out: "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History!" By Adam G. Katz, Owner of South Bay K-9 Academy and Dog Problems.com.

To read more of my dog training ramblings, read about my book:
Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!

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Tuesday, December 13, 2005

5 Tips For Choosing the Best Vet For Your Dog

Charlie Lafave, author, "Dog Training Secrets!"

If you haven’t already found one, or worked with one in the past, you need to find a vet. Pick one you feel comfortable with, and who answers your questions in full, completely and gives you answers you can understand. You don’t need a vet who talks down to you, or acts like you’re too dumb to understand what they’re saying!

Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals (as opposed to one who treats large and small – like horses, cows, cats and dogs.) Your community may only have vets that do a little bit of everything – and there’s nothing wrong with that, if that’s all that’s available, but I’ll remind you – you usually go to a specialist for your health issues, don’t you?

If you’re new in the community, or haven’t needed a vet before – word of mouth is a great way to start looking for a new vet. Ask everybody you can get your hands on – co-workers, friends with pets, local humane societies or shelters. Ask questions: are they happy with their vet? Do they like the way they’re treated when they take their dogs in?

If your dog is a particular breed, check with the local or state breed associations to find out who they use, or local breeders. This can be especially useful if you buy a puppy from a local breeder, because the vet will have seen your puppy and know at least some of his history.

You may want a holistic vet. Go to their website at www.ahvma.org and check out their referral directory. Or contact them via phone at (410) 569-0795

You may also be interested in a veterinarian who has been trained in acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Log onto their website at http://www.ivas.org or call 970-266-0666.

Once you have a referral from someone you trust, here are some questions to ask:

1. What services does the vet offer?

Is it a one-doctor office, or a multi-doctor practice? As vets try to streamline services many are consolidating practices and forming partnerships and group practices. There’s nothing wrong with this – just be aware that you may not always see the same vet. And find out if they offer 24 hour emergency services, or if he or she is affiliated with someone in the area who does. Like everything else in life, illness or accidents don’t always happen between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

2. Does the vet offer a full surgery suite with on-site lab work? X-rays? Ultrasound?

If the vet has to send all lab tests to an outside agency to be processed, you may be getting popped with additional charges because those tests aren’t being performed or processed in-house.

3. Get a fee schedule.

Cost is usually one of the biggest considerations for dog owners, and it should be lowest on the list of importance, at least in my mind. Not because cost isn’t important – of course it is, but - if you have a vet that you’re happy with – who gives your dog the best care you can possibly find in your area – does paying a little extra for that care really matter in the long run?

4. Check out the physical characteristics of the facility

Is it clean, or does it smell? Are the ads or magazines in the waiting room current? (That may not sound important, but if the staff and doctors aren’t keeping up-to-date on the latest and greatest information, this may not be the place you want to bring your dog.)

5. Communication – by that I mean how well does your vet communicate with you?

Will he or she explain the condition or illness in terms that you can easily understand, or do they try to confuse you with high-tech or medical jargon? A good vet will go over treatment options with you, explain necessary tests, review x-rays or test results, give complete and clear instructions for home care or further testing requirements, etc.

Take your time to do a complete and thorough evaluation before choosing a new vet. Your dog’s life literally depends on what choice you make. Make it a careful one.

To transform your stubborn, misbehaving dog into a loyal, well-behaving "best friend" who obeys your every command and is the envy of the neighborhood, visit:

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Thursday, December 01, 2005

How To Fix Problems With The “Fetch” or “Bring” Command.
By Adam G. Katz

Hello Adam:

I have a chocolate Labrador Retriever (very active) that is being trained (in OPEN class now) and he seems to be regressing since we are working on retrieving. He retrieves very well with the dumbbell, etc., but other dogs in the class do not. And they bring toys for their retrieval work.

My problem is that my dog is just "overcome" with these toys and isn't paying close attention to me. He goes after THEIR toy many times instead of HIS dumbbell. He knows the command "look" or WATCH ME" but serious corrections don't even deter his disobedience on this toy-retrieval.

HELP! How should I handle this?

Thank you!Mary

Dear Mary:

These are the type of questions that I like. They’re interesting.

First, make absolute 100% sure that your dog DOES understand the “Bring” or “Fetch” command. Assuming that he does, here’s the next step:

Recognize that the problem you’re having is one of disrespect. The reason that your dog goes for his neighbor’s toy AFTER you’ve clearly commanded him to BRING his dumbbell is that he CARES LESS about what you want. As the dog goes into ‘play/prey’ drive, his sensitivity to your corrections goes WAY DOWN. In other words, you’re giving him a $2 ticket and he needs a $200 ticket.

Here’s the easiest way to communicate to your dog (with this exercise) that you are serious:
Buy a remote electronic training collar. I recommend Innotek or Dogtra.

Here’s how to use it to fix your dog problem:

Follow the directions on matching the e-collar (remote electronic training collar) to your dog’s temperament.

Next, place a dumbbell on the opposite side of the room—straight in front of the dog-- and also place a distraction toy… off to the right.

Send the dog to retrieve the dumbbell. Let him wear a long line, also.

As he starts to veer to the right to go after the toy, say, “No!” in a loud, forceful tone and then immediately stimulate him with the e-collar. Re-issue the “Bring” or “Fetch” command and use the long line to redirect him back on course, as he may be confused. When the dog starts to go toward the dumbbell again, immediately begin loud verbal praise, “Good dog, Good dog.”

There you go. Now just repeat this same exercise by altering the training location and the type of distractions. After a few times you’ll be able to eliminate the long line. And after a few set-ups, the problem will be fixed.