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The Search is On? Adding to the Crew

I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I only have two dogs. This is not a scenario that has existed in my life for almost twenty years. The grief is still very fresh. It’s also compounded by what I view as the end of a huge part of my life with the three dogs that taught me so much more than I could ever begin to pay them for. The lessons were abundant and endless and life changing. I feel lost in a world that changed far too fast for my tastes. When I lost Merlin and then Kera just nine short months later, this house was in a sad state of depression. Siri, Trent and I had lost our zest for life. There was little laughter and fun. There was no inclination to smile. Adding Kenzo to our life was a survival necessity. We needed laughter and smiles to move forward.

A similar scenario is unfolding in my life just three short years later. Every day brings multiple reminders of my new two dog life: counting out only two vitamins to add to the daily rations, grabbing two leashes off the hook rather than three, only two bowls in the dishwasher now, I could go on and on. The biggest hole is perhaps the ability to finally sleep in my own bed after three months of couch dwelling, now that Kenzo has received the go ahead to climb steps again. But that first sleep in my sorely missed bed was bittersweet without Siri, who had shared my bed for thirteen years, all 95 pounds of her. I am still getting used to the difference.

Kenzo and Trent wonder who will be joining them.

So many tugs at my heart throughout every single day. I know this my cue to think about adding to my family again. Trent and Kenzo are reluctant to play now. They actually have been this way since Siri started declining about six months ago. She wasn’t able to participate so they just stopped trying. Kenzo wants to but Trent has always had Siri on his side, keeping Kenzo in check should he need it. Please don’t misunderstand me. That is certainly my job as well, as the parent here but for play purposes, Siri made sure that Trent felt safe. Kenzo never did anything inappropriate. It is his sheer size that worries Trent so he almost always waited until Siri got him into a comfortable play mode and then Trent joined in. Without her to set the tone, he isn’t accepting Kenzo’s play invitations. Not that Kenzo can actively play right now anyway. He has another five weeks to go before that is on the menu. But Kenzo has always been very good at handicapping his play for other dogs. He lays down and lets them basically play on him but Trent isn’t terribly good at that without a partner to guide him.

So we need a new playmate in this house. When Kenzo gets cleared for more active play, my search for the right female will become official. Right now, it is just casual, with an eye towards what we need. I have mixed feelings about this. I don’t want to put my memories too far behind me. But I don’t want to dwell all the time either. I want to hear laughter and play sounds in my house again. I want my dogs to roll around happily in my yard and share toys and feel comfortable and bonded again. I want my family as whole as I can make them again ASAP. Short enough order, right?

In order to avoid having all sorts of available dog listings sent to me, let me clarify what my goal is. I am looking to add a Doberman to my life again. Female only, probably under five years of age, color, ears, tails don’t matter though I won’t deny a special fondness for those who are black/tan or fawn/tan though. A mix is a possibility. Even other breeds such as Rottweilers or German Shepherd Dogs are a possibility. I will know when the right dog shows up in my consciousness.

Of course, our new girl MUST be wonderful with other dogs. All else I am willing to work on but I refuse to compromise on dog sociability in my own home, especially at this time in our lives. Let’s not forget to mention that local to me is important and for those who don’t already know where that is, it’s the Pittsburgh PA area. I will keep you all posted and I am sure that Siri will help lead the right dog to use just as I am sure that Merlin brought Kenzo into my life. So please resist the urge to send me every dog in need. 

Feel free to share how you chose your addition in the spaces below.

Tags: addition, Adoption, behavior, dogs, grief, household, how, interaction, loss, many, memories, multiple, multiples, owner, play, positive, rescue, search, too

Posted in: Projects

The Chosen Ones: Breeder, Rescued or Both?

I feel like I am about to write about politics or religion or something equally controversial. This subject is so volatile, that I expect to lose a reader or two and probably be called some names that won’t make it to the comments section. Asking my Facebook page members where they got their dogs and why, resulted in more than 5000 people seeing my question and more than 100 responses. Surprisingly, I only had to delete two of those responses. I appreciate the tempered opinions on what is such an emotional subject. So I write this with full awareness.

Until the last not quite three years, all of my dogs have been rescues from various sources. I even ran a Doberman rescue for many, many years. But as regular readers know, after losing my heart dog, Merlin, I got the opportunity to be gifted with a wonderfully bred dog now known as Kenzo. You can read about that here if you so desire: Introducing Kenzo. So I fully get the emotional response that such a subject brings to those passionate about rescue. But despite the fact that rescue has always been a part of who I am, I have never accepted that all breeders should be painted with the same brush. Running a purebred rescue, I never viewed responsible breeders as the enemy because I met some of them. Responsible breeders are who started most original purebred rescues to help save the creations of their not so responsible counterparts. Despite what some of you believe or have read, responsible breeders are not the cause of shelter dogs dying no more than being a cat person is. It’s an absurd idea that needs tossed to the curb.

Adopting a dog from a rescue or shelter or a re-homing situation is an honorable action. As I mentioned, all of my canine kids up until Kenzo have come to me via varying rescue situations. I took in my first dog, Samantha, from a past friend who got a puppy at the same time as having a baby. Layla, my second dog, was found wandering the streets and rescued by my neighbor’s child, while I was still mourning my first dog. When no one claimed her, I gratefully called her mine. Merlin and Kera were both adopted mere months apart from the shelter at which I spent much time volunteering. Siri came to me as a foster puppy who never left, one of seven rescued from the irresponsible owner of a purebred dog who had an “oops litter” with the neighbor’s dog. Trent belonged to someone I knew who sent him into a rescue of my suggestion, when a baby’s allergy made keeping him impossible. The rescue turned out to be a hoarder and he came to me, never to leave. I have personally fostered literally more than a hundred dogs. Some ended up becoming family, even if for a short time. Damon, who my Doberman rescue was named for, was my foster failure for almost a year before I lost him to Wobblers.

From the front, left to right: Luigi, Miley ( GSDX Rescue ) Gianna, Chesney and Denzel. Photo courtesy of Suzy Augello.

I will always have a rescued dog, very likely several rescued dogs. I love making a connection with a dogs who need help and watching them blossom with love and proper care. It’s an amazing feeling. If I had more humans in my home and more money and more time and more space (don’t we all say that?), I would have far more dogs than I should. Facebook shares are hard on the soul, with all the dogs in need. But my first responsibility is to my current dogs and I would never add a family member that would cause them too much stress. Read more on that subject here. The fit should be appropriate so that responsibility limits my desires. When the time comes, I will be on Petfinder looking for my next crew member.

Every dog person I know has a bucket list of dogs that they want to “have” before they die. I have not fulfilled mine yet. So I won’t rule out getting another responsibly bred puppy at some time in my life. Despite what you hear some rescuers state, you cannot find every kind of purebred dog in a shelter or rescue. There are hundreds of breeds that many people have never heard of, who are never going to find themselves in a shelter. Someone wants those breeds and that is okay. Everyone has the right to choose the dog breed that feels right to them. Some people choose breeds for utility such as herding sheep, guarding livestock, helping to hunt, and even guide dogs. Working lines, as they are called, are bred for generations for their jobs. There is nothing wrong with that. Working dogs, cared for properly, are a joy to watch.

Responsibly bred dogs are not causing dogs to die in shelters. Irresponsible breeders and irresponsible owners are. Insufficient laws addressing breeding are responsible for the over-population problem in this country. Lack of education in proper care and training of dogs are among the many reasons that dogs are surrendered to shelters or rescues. A throw away society that wants a quick fix is prevalent in the American culture. None of these reasons are conducive to long term commitments for the lifespan of a dog. Shelters and rescue groups exist because of the irresponsible and uneducated, not the responsible.

Stable temperaments and sound health are the hallmarks of a responsible breeder. Without them, the future of dogs is in jeopardy. Breeds that you know and love, will cease to exist without responsible breeders. Learning how to identify responsible breeders and how involved they are in the lives of the dogs that they create could be a pleasant eye opener.

Buying a puppy from a responsible breeder should involve en extensive questionnaire. You will be thoroughly screened with references checked and multiple phone calls back and forth before you are approved. You will meet in person or see via Skype/Zoom/etc., the puppy’s parents. You will get the appropriate health testing information for the breed. You will get questioned on your lifestyle and whether you are a good match for the dog in question. The breeder will have an ironclad and extensively worded contract with requirements that you must meet for the dog’s lifetime as well as a requirement to return the dog at any time in his or her life, should there be a need to do so. You will be asked to contact them throughout the dog’s life for questions on diet, exercise, health and any other subject that you can think of that pertains to your choice.

This chart can help people understand the difference between the type of breeders that exist. Supporting the last two columns should be your goal. Support of the other types of “breeders” is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

At this point, some of my rescuer readers are probably wondering if the above is a commercial for breeders. Not at all. It’s simply an attempt to educate that responsible breeders are not the enemy. Backyard breeders, commercial breeders, puppy mills and pet stores that treat dogs like a commodity rather than living sentient beings are the enemy. Don’t confuse them with each other. The goal of humane educators should be focused on eliminating the need for the aforementioned sources of irresponsibly bred puppies.

Since I procrastinated while writing this blog post, I had the opportunity to be thoroughly appalled and disgusted at what was meant to be a Super Bowl ad for Go Daddy. This sad excuse of an ad portrays a “family” who sells puppies online, with no regard for who they get sold to. This is not a responsible breeder. See above chart once again. Because of the huge outcry from dog lovers everywhere, the ad was pulled. This shows you do have a voice. Use that voice wisely. Don’t generalize. Support responsibility on the part of breeders and rescuers alike.

That brings me to responsible rescue practices. All rescues and rescuers are not created equal. Rescues should have a decent screening process, with a basic questionnaire, a home visit, behavior and medical screening and treatments before placement, as well as putting the utmost effort into making appropriate matches for both sides of the equation. A good rescue will also be present for you for the lifetime of the dog. Responsible shelters offer the same comfort. What rescues and shelters should not do is be too stringent so that good solid homes get turned down for reasons such as no fences, working a regular job, having children, etc. Obviously, some dogs will require a fence, some will require no kids, some will need more attention than others. But blanket statements and requirements that are rigid, regardless of the validity of the home, help no one but irresponsible breeders. Then there is the opposite end of the rescue spectrum; the rescuers who screen no one, adopt out intact and unhealthy animals as well as those with unaddressed behavior problems to people ill equipped to handle them. Read more about that subject here: Saving Them All: At What Cost?
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Responsibility is important on all sides of this equation. The only solution to this is education. Make it your goal to know more and you will make more informed decisions. That is always going to be a good thing. Diversity is also a good thing. Allow people their individuality. Judgments on others for their choices won’t help educate. So leave your ego at the door and please share your story on your canine choices in a respectful manner. Rudeness will not get your comments listed. Thanks in advance!

Tags: backyard breeder, breed, breeder, care, commitment, dog, education, emotion, enemy, household, how, love, many, multiple, owner, passionate, positive, puppy, rescue, responsible, shelter, social, train, training

Posted in: Projects

When Life Hands You Lemons: Training on the Fly in Real Life

My dogs and I walk daily. Frequently, these walks take place in a cemetery close to my house. I have a self imposed rule on walks that my cell phone stays in a pocket unless I am taking a picture, which is only occasional. On a recent walk, I broke this rule. On the same walk, I also broke with tradition by simply depositing my car keys in the pocket of my rain jacket since it possessed deep pockets. Normally, I would attach my car keys to the ring on my handy dandy treat pouch that wraps around my waist, right along side the poop bag dispenser.

Image of Debby McMullen's three dogs, waiting by the car for AAA to retrieve the car keys locked inside.

Waiting for AAA.

Unfortunately for my sanity, said deep pocket had a hole in it. A hole that did not lead to the lining but instead, to the great outdoors. Because of my periodic distraction with my cell phone (I made one phone call and checked my email), I failed to notice that my car keys slipped through the hole that I didn’t know about.

We walked a longer route than usual in celebration of the milder weather that allowed for walking without teeth chattering. It was nice until the final approach to my car when I started fumbling for my keys and discovered nothing. My confusion turned to panic.

I got to my vehicle and accepted that my keys were indeed MIA. To add to my dilemma, I had just two days prior had to call AAA to unlock my vehicle with my keys inside, at the grocery store after a particularly grueling day. So because that had been the second keys in the car episode of the last two months, I threw my spare keys into my purse. Which was now locked hidden inside my car. I had been told at the last service call, that I had reached my limit for service until renewal in one month. Oh joy.

I first attempted to retrace my route to look for my keys but my dogs were not having it. They rebelled and made it clear that the walking was done for the day. I called several friends to see if anyone my dogs were comfortable with were available to hold onto them while I searched for my keys. Everyone was busy working though several tried to enlist help. I broke down and called AAA.

I explained to the dispatcher that I don’t allow interaction with strangers on walks in public. So I instructed her to convey information on how things would progress when the driver arrived. She assured me that she would relay this information. I hung up warily.

We waited. And waited. A car drove up and parked within ten feet away. Mourners visiting dearly departed loved ones. Mourners with crutches and already stressed guardian breed dogs wondering why they can’t get into their beloved car don’t mix. We moved behind my vehicle and practiced downs with hand targeting. All was now much more peaceful.

Mourners with crutches depart and AAA pulls up. The instructions given to the dispatcher evidently not passed on to the driver, he exits from his truck and strides purposely towards me. I gently halt him and give him instructions, thankfully before my dogs feel threatened by his direct approach. All is peaceful again. While he works on what they consider their very large crate, they practice Find It and more hand targeting as well as offered downs. This is the best game ever for them today.

Success at last! The car is open once again and we have keys. They cannot get in their big crate fast enough. Relaxation is upon them and all is well again. For those of you who are wondering, I retraced my route on foot alone again and no keys so I left my number with the office. I have high hopes that once the negative energy disperses for the day, they will turn up.

But back to the dogs. This could have been among my worst nightmares. Multiple large dogs, small owner, scary strangers and no known safety to access. But by staying as calm as possible and employing force free training cues that my crew was familiar with, this turned into an adventure that caused some heavy slumber later that day. And I got far more exercise than I had anticipated. Never a bad thing when you are trying to tone and firm for the upcoming season!

Training tip of the day, aside from don’t bother with checking Facebook while walking your crew, is prepare for the worst and make it the best. How have you turned bad into good with your crew? Tell me below.

Tags: behavior, crate, dog, exercise, force, household, keys, many, multiple, owner, phone, positive, relaxation, reward, social, train, unlock

Posted in: Projects

Sweet Dreams are Made of These: Should Your Crew Sleep With You?

If I had a dollar for every time a client apologized before telling me that their dog(s) sleep with them, I could have retired by now. Old school style training dictated that dogs not be allowed on raised surfaces or they would consider themselves of equal or higher status than their ‘masters’. *insert eye roll here*

The only time sleeping in the human bed is advised against is if there are guarding issues of some sort. Guarding, in this case, can pertain to the space on the bed. Guarding from the humans is a biggie that needs addressed in person with a qualified modern methods behavior consultant. Guarding from other canines or even felines is also an issue that needs addressed with a similarly qualified professional. But overall, that provides less of a threat to the humans, aside from breaking up a fight, that is. I am obviously not going to give advice on these issues here. On the spot assistance is what you need if these issues ring a bell.

Aside from the previously mentioned red flags, sharing the bed is fine, if that is what you wish to do. Of course, if you don’t wish to share your bed with your dogs, I am not here to say you must or your dogs will suffer. What I will share with you is this: dogs feel so much safer being permitted to sleep in the vicinity of their human family members. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on your bed or in their own bed in your room or that of another family member. Even being permitted to be on the same floor as the sleeping area is better than not.

Safety: we have discussed that here before. Safety is a crucial feeling to all sentient creatures. Safety is vital to survival. Safety provides emotional and physical security. The amount of stress a lack of safety adds to an emotional state cannot be overstated.

Familial bonding is another often overlooked facet of this scenario. For example, most households have some sort of regular weekday work or school schedule that prevents a lot of bonding and togetherness during the workweek, whether that be weekdays or just several days strung together where the canines in the family get less interaction than they need for emotional stability. Consider then that the dogs in the home may sleep separately from the humans and you have very little togetherness going on.

The easiest way that involves very little effort, once the routine is established, is to permit your crew to sleep in the vicinity of the humans for whom they care for. It involves little effort once, you get past the novelty, if you are new to this. And it is rewarding for all involved.

I often get quizzed on why dogs who don’t sleep near their humans are so needy on workday evenings. The answer is that they spend so little time together on these days. Sleeping in the same area is an easy way to remedy that situation. Less neediness on the dogs side, more peace on both sides.

What if you have allergies? Well, some of you are not going to like my answer on that but here goes. Allergies are over-exaggerated, in my opinion. I am allergic to just about everything, including dogs. So my take on that is if you are able to have and love on your dog, you are able to sleep in the same room as your dog. Just limit them to their own beds, rather than yours.

So what if you don’t have room for all your dogs in your bed or even your room? After all, if you are reading this, you are very likely a multiple dog household of some quantity and not all households have human beds big enough for the humans and all the canines! So the solution to that is providing plenty of comfy sleeping surfaces and options for all dogs who reside there. If there is sufficient room in the bedroom, then place beds all over that room. If there are multiple family members, consider both canine and human preferences for favorites and plan from there. A word on that however: some children or even adult family members may permit too many privileges for a dog that may not be ready for such privileges so keep that in mind when choosing sleeping places.

Some readers are likely wondering about dogs that don’t want to sleep near their humans. Some dogs may prefer a bed in a close by empty bedroom or a dog bed in a hallway nearby. But in that case, what is important is that the choice of where to sleep is there. Meaning, the dog(s) has/have the run of the house at night and chooses this alternate spot. What I strongly advise against is crating day and night, away from the humans. Not only is it cruel physically, it’s emotionally isolating. Obviously puppies need crated or otherwise have their movement restricted at night for safety concerns. But said crate should be in the vicinity of a human family member.

The difference in the emotional neediness is obvious when sleeping safety is considered. Easy bonding while sleeping can only be beneficial. Please share how you arrange your crew’s sleeping routines in the spaces below. And sweet dreams!

Tags: bed, behavior, bonding, bully, dog, dogs on raised surfaces, dogs sleeping on the bed, dogs sleeping with owners, dominance, emotional, family, force, interaction, many, master, multiple, nearby, owner, peace, permit, positive, puppy, rescue, respect, safe, shelter, sleep, sleeping

Posted in: Projects

Dominance Redux: Words and Consequences Again

Dominance is such a dirty word in the dog behavior world, primarily because it has been misused so badly. Misunderstandings about its true meaning abound. Long held beliefs about dominance are clung to in some circles, despite scientific evidence to the contrary. The old school world of force-based dog training relied heavily on misunderstandings of perfectly innocent behavior that is typically just a lack of training.

The concept of dominance in dogs has swung from commonly accepted in the old school world of professional dog trainers to discounted or dismissed outright by modern scientifically based dog friendly dog trainers. As of late, however, the newer progressive school of thought seems to be to freely admit that dominance in dogs does indeed exist. However, each of these three groups views the meaning differently. Herein lies the problem.

Fully defining the word dominance as it relates to dogs is far more complicated than I want this article to be. Suffice it to say that the real problem occurs when the general dog owning public hears that the word has come into favor again. Upon seeing what they perceive as dominant behavior in their own dog, many feel that they are justified in taking some force-based action to correct that so called dominant behavior.

The old school definition is still going strong in some sectors; most modern rewards based positive reinforcement trainers understand the ( IMO, outdated) scientific definition but don’t see a need for the word as a label and the third group are purists for true definitions. I am in the middle group.

Let’s consider the sad fact that some TV trainers would have their viewers believe that their dogs are on an all-out mission to take over the world by exerting their dominance in multitudes of situations, when in fact they have simply climbed on the couch because it’s comfortable, for one example. The typical dog parent doesn’t have the time or the interest in understanding the nuances in the differing schools of thought on so called dominant behavior. Among the behaviors that have been called dominant that aren’t: rushing out the door first, walking in front of an owner on a walk, jumping up on people as a greeting, the afore mentioned climbing on the couch, and even chasing a laser pointer. Some are a simple lack of training, some are comfort seeking and some are just plain stupid. None are truly dominance in dogs as defined by science.

So I’d like to suggest here that we just stop using the word dominance. It may improve the physical well-being of dogs of the typical dog parent. Let’s rename the behavior. Science progresses, dictionaries evolve. So should word meanings. I propose we start using the word rude instead. It fits much better. It has far less sinister connotations. In any given multiple dog situation, dominance can rear its ugly head five times in five minutes or no times in twenty four hours, within the same crew of dogs. Let’s give an example of the true definition of dominance that can literally take just seconds of viewing time and has little to do with the often promoted examples.

Spot is chewing on his bone on the floor. Rover wanders in and walks up to Spot and gives him the hairy eyeball without getting physical. Spot really wants that bone but he wants even more to not tussle with Rover so he gets up and walks away, leaving Rover to the bone. All that took maybe ten seconds and no blood was shed. But an hour later, Rover has a tuggy and Spot rolls in and wants that tuggy, because tuggies are his thing. So the reverse happens with Spot giving Rover the hairy eyeball. Rover cares less about tuggies so he moseys along, leaving the tuggy to Spot. Are they both dominant? Yep, in their own particular situation. Would it be accurate to call either a dominant dog? Nope. Dominance is fluid and varies according to any given situation.

So back to my suggestion, why not rename social dominance in dogs? It has such a bad rap and all it really describes, after all, is a dog who is being a rude bully towards another dog in any given situation. We don’t call human bullies dominant. It gives them credence that no one wants a bully to have.

So why not give this whole dominance thing a kick to the curb and choose a word that brings a more realistic slant to the multiple dog situation. The world progresses with the times. Words take on new meanings because information evolves. I find it curious and unsettling that we hold on to a word that has such bad connotations and is truly unnecessary in helping dog parents modify the behavior of their beloved dogs.

Clarity is really what we all want anyway, isn’t it? The scientific explanation and the just plain English explanation both mean the same thing but are perceived in different ways by different groups, depending on their personal belief system. Let’s not cause confusion. All modern quality dog professionals who fully understand the scientific explanation want the same thing, regardless of their desire for word purity. We want dogs being accepted and understood properly as dogs, not as sly creatures waiting to take over the world locking their owners in the basement. How about you?

Tags: behavior, bully, clarity, complicate, definition, dog, dominance, force, how, many, meaning, owner, purists, too, train

Posted in: Projects

The Nature of the Beast: Respecting Your Dogs for Who They Are

This is one of those subjects that should automatic knowledge in humans but it never fails to surprise me how often I need to remind people of this. Dogs are not small furry humans. That statement may annoy some people, but it’s really important for any dog parent to grasp this fact fully.

Dogs don’t usually come trained for what any given dog parent wants, nor do they understand human words without having been taught said human words. If you acquired a dog fully trained for your needs, then thank the universe as soon as you can! You are a lucky human and your dog is equally lucky.

Though not typically already acquainted with the words we want them to know, they sure do understand human tones of voices and body language/intent. This is also important to understand as some dog owners talk about “he knew he did something wrong”. Well no, not really, he just knew you were really unhappy because of your body language and/or your tone of voice. He also knew that very likely the last time you sounded like that, it did not bode well for a snuggle session for him.

I have had far too many experiences lately with dog owners having unrealistic expectations of their dog(s). Dogs are just that: dogs. If it helps people to understand this better, owners should equate the age expectations of puppies with humans of a similar age. IE: puppies vs. infants. Would you expect an infant to understand taking care of his digestion elimination needs in the bathroom from an age of say 3 months? Then don’t expect a puppy to immediately get housetraining, especially with human timing being the key player to learning!

Growing up emotionally and physically is incremental. Children go to school for twelve years for a very good reason. Each year builds on the previous year’s knowledge and learning. Dogs need incremental learning as well. The same theory applies to dogs that may be adults in age, but never having the benefit of appropriate training, they are the equivalent of a human getting a GED after having reached the age of graduation. They key to surviving training either is patience.

No sane person would place a baby on the ground outside and expect him to come when called. Then why expect a similar response from a puppy or a dog with no previous training? Puppies, like babies, learn by exploring and showing interest in their surroundings. It is normal for a puppy to explore. It is up to the human caretaker to set limits and guidelines. The same applies to the adult dog learning guidelines for the first time.

Without recovering a previous topic, limits and guidelines should be pleasantly enforced, not scary and painful. Think good parenting 101, if you will. Be the human that your dog turns to for knowledge, info and benevolent guidance. Set your guidelines realistically. Be the best connection your puppy/dog has and you won’t fail.

If your dog/puppy is getting into mischief when you are out of sight, then be in sight. They don’t know they are doing something inappropriate when they are out of your sight. They have more freedom than is called for if they have the chance to get into something inappropriate. Supervise, supervise, SUPERVISE! As my favorite magnet gifted to me by a dear friend says, “Don’t Complain, TRAIN”. Agreed wholeheartedly!

I cannot count how many times I have heard someone say that that their dog doesn’t respond to basic word “commands”. I prefer the word cue vs. command, but the point of this is that first you have to make sure that your puppy/dog has been fully taught the meaning of the word that is being (typically) overused. Puppies/dogs are English as a second language creatures. This means that they need taught the action first, then to have the action associated with a word cue. Repeating words that have no meaning to a dog will only frustrate you and your dog. They will understand enough to know that you are unhappy but not why you are unhappy.

The best gift that you can give yourself and your puppy or your newly acquired adult dog is to get registered in a quality training class or treat yourself to a qualified in-home trainer. Learning how to effectively communicate properly with your dog(s) will last a lifetime and there is no price on that kind of happiness.

Consider it a celebratory light bulb moment in your lives when you have a mutual meeting of the minds. Those who remember when you first had these moments, please take a moment to tell below to share it with us all. Hand to paw for more.

Tags: adult, babies, come, dogs, furry, household, humans, learning, many, owner, puppy, respect, train, unrealistic

Posted in: Projects