Happy Tails Dog Training

08/15/2024

03/23/2024

09/22/2023

Great advice from SpiritDog Training! Address behavior issues with your current dog before adding another dog to your family, or you could end up with two dogs with behavior issues.

09/09/2023

Thanks to Gatekeeper K9 Rescue for this important info—a Martingale collar could save your dog’s life!

06/02/2023

This June, we are observing National Pet Preparedness Month to underline the importance of getting your pets out safely during an emergency.

06/01/2023

Canton Animal Clinic has graciously offered to pay the adoption fee for 30 cats or kittens in the month of June! You need an approved application to adopt. Applications are on our website, friends4poundpaws.org or you can request one by email, [email protected] or stop in at the shelter Tuesday through Friday 10-4. Help us get some felines adopted!!

05/19/2023

RAISING DOG FRIENDLY CHILDREN
Teach children to be dog friendly before teaching dogs to be child friendly

I’m often asked - “How can I make my dog more child friendly?”

The question really should be - “How can I make my child more dog friendly?”

Children don’t come with an inborn ability to know how to treat dogs. It’s up to us to teach them.

I’m amazed that there aren’t more dog bites considering how often I see children treating dogs like stuffed toys.

If you think about it, dogs are actually amazingly tolerant and patient with people even when their attempts to communicate through their body language, that they’re really uncomfortable, are completely ignored or not understood.

As parents, it’s an important responsibility to teach our children about how to respect and behave around dogs.

Always supervise children and dogs, even if a dog seems relaxed and friendly.

Here are some links to free, on-line resources if you’re looking for more information on how to keep children and dogs safe together -

https://kidsarounddogs.co.uk/pages/free-resources
https://www.familypaws.com/resources/
https://www.cooperandkids.com
https://www.gooddoginabox.com/top-20-ways-keep-kids-and-dogs-safe/
https://poochparenting.net/blog/

05/12/2023

05/04/2023

A WORD ABOUT WAGS
Contrary to popular belief, a wagging tail doesn’t always mean a dog is happy. You may have heard - “I don’t understand why that dog reacted badly to me; his tail was wagging!”

Dogs communicate through so many different types of body language, but the wag and the tail position are probably one of the easier to notice.

As with most things dog behaviour related it depends on the individual dog. Some breeds naturally carry their tails in a different position and some breeds wag their tails differently to others.

Wags and tail positions should always be looked at in context and in conjunction with the rest of a dogs’ body language.

By taking note of how your dog’s tail usually looks or how that tail behaves when they’re really excited or happy to see you, provides a good base line to interpret other types of tail language.

I’m probably odd, but I often watch my dogs’ tails with fascination as they stalk or hunt for something, bark at something outside the gate or see another dog approaching while out walking.

The type of wag and position of their tails gives me so much information about their emotional state.

Although some people won’t agree, I definitely see wags to the right when my dogs are happy and wags to the left when there is arousal, uncertainty, predatory behaviour or other emotions going on.

Not only is the tail an important method of communication but it also plays a role in balance, stability, movement and counterbalancing when a dog quickly changes direction.

I believe that tail docking destroys an essential part of a dog's ability to communicate with other dogs by creating a distinct social disadvantage or misunderstanding as tail signals can’t be read.

People with working dogs believe that tail docking is necessary to prevent tail injuries or improve permormance, but many countries have banned this practice either completely or only under specific medical circumstances.

Start taking notice of what your dog is doing with their tail - you may find it interesting and it may open up a new way of understanding how your dog is feeling.

04/28/2023

Taking your puppy for their first walk is an exciting milestone for both owner and pup. Here's how to get your puppy ready for it.

04/26/2023

There are many ways to train a dog, but some are more effective than others. Learn how to use desensitization and counterconditiong to train your dog.

04/20/2023

Remember to avoid "balanced" trainers or any trainer that uses aversive methods. There are better ways to train your dog.

There are differences in words used by aversive and non-aversive trainers.

04/16/2023

There are loads of books available to prepare expecting or adopting families.

But very few include details for how to prepare your fur baby for the new addition.

As a dog and child specialist, I've got you. I've seen it all and can tell you with complete confidence that most dogs need time and support to adapt to their new circumstances.

Baby books don't tell parents with dogs...
- tired dogs are cranky - and with baby waking at all hours, your dog may too
- dogs struggle when their schedules change - and babies are NOT predictable
- not all dog licking is "kissing" - it can represent stress
- even the best dogs can bite - including yours
- your dog may need a new spot to sleep - a loose dog can not be in the same room as your baby if you are resting, exhausted or asleep
- you will have lots of visitors which can add lots of stress to many dogs
- some dogs are predatory around babies - and this can be managed safely if you have support
- there is more to preparing your dog than simply having a reliable sit

You don't have to figure this out by yourself.

If you learned something here, please tag a friend who is expecting or adopting. They will thank you.

04/16/2023

Sure, "pet the dog" is a cute internet meme but when it comes to dog bite prevention, it's important to know how to avoid escalating risky situations and to understand when you should and should not interact with dogs. Here are a few scenarios when you should avoid petting a dog. You can find more helpful tips at avma.org/DogBite.

04/15/2023

🎉 Thank your dog for growling! That’s right, you heard me!

👉🏻 Growling doesn’t make for a bad dog.

🐕 The misconception is that bad dogs growl.

💟 We should thank our dogs for growling.

‼️ Growls are an important communication behavior for dogs.

✔️ Dogs who growl aren’t bad. Dogs who growl are desperately trying to tell us that they are stressed in that moment.

✅ Dogs who growl are doing their best to not escalate to a bite. The growl is a warning signal that they need more space from what’s stressing them.

✅ If growls are ignored a snap or even a bite is the next step for a dog to try to get out of a stressful situation.

‼️ Never punish your dog for trying to communicate what’s causing them to be anxious.

⚠️ Punishing a dog for growling may stop the growl, but all you’ve done is take away their warning signal. Now you won’t know when they are stressed. Instead of warning you they are stressed, they will go right to biting.

⛔️ A dog who no longer growls is like having a fire alarm in your house without batteries.

04/08/2023

Spring is among us so take your doggies for a walk or a shelter dog for a walk! And of course let them sniff all the smells. 😊 They need it.

04/07/2023

04/07/2023

Here are some important things your dog needs you to know!

03/30/2023

Your friendly Wednesday reminder: while your dog’s behavior may be frustrating at times, don’t attribute spiteful notions to him—he’s trying his best!

03/20/2023

Are you using management to its fullest advantage? Management differs from training since it doesn’t actually teach a productive alternative but prevents a dog from practicing an undesirable behavior and earning its related reinforcement which serves to strengthen it.

https://positively.com/victorias-blog/the-power-of-management/

03/09/2023

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month. This graphic shows where your pet is most likely to access potentially harmful items. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

03/06/2023

A simple solition to a common annoyance with front clip harnesses.

03/03/2023

If you & your dog don’t enjoy going for long walks in snowy, slushy weather, you can still provide sniffing enrichment in the comfort & warmth of your home!

02/26/2023

Kids and dogs can be best friends, but it makes a lot more sense to teach children how to behave around dogs before teaching dogs how to behave around kids. Many dog bites could be avoided if children were shown how to treat dogs, and if children were never left unsupervised with dogs.