Pawsitive Solutions Dog Training

22/06/2024

Freeze some goodies in a small tub of water. Add a little chicken broth if you like. What a great way to keep your dog cool and busy. It's a win-win!

20/06/2024

When you hear the words BOOT CAMP, what comes to mind? Exactly. So, when someone offers BOOT CAMP training for your dog, know that screaming and abuse will be part of the training.

16/06/2024

MYTH....Dogs who think they are boss will ignore you when you call them because they know they don't have to obey.

REALITY....Dogs who have not been properly reinforced for coming back to you when called will not understand that "come" means "come here immediately!"

Dogs become stimulated by their environment and can be easily distracted by other dogs or animals, people, children, grass, trees, cars, etc.

Teach your dog the come command on-leash until your dog is coming every time when called.

Reinforce the dog heavily when he does come - it should be 100% clear to him that he did a great thing by complying.

Never punish the dog if he doesn't come to you - this only teaches the dog that coming to you when he is called is not a "safe" thing to do.

14/06/2024

"OFF" DOES NOT MEAN THE SAME AS "DOWN"!

*"Off'...Use for getting your dog off of you after jumping up.

*"Down"...Use when you want your dog to lie down on the floor.

*"Off"...Use for getting your dog off of the furniture.

*"Down"...Use when you want your dog to go lie down in his bed.

And….be consistent!

10/06/2024

THE TRAINING TETHER...

A training tether is a temporary management tool that can be used to prevent behavior problems or assist in resolving an existing problem. The idea is to tether your dog in places where your family spends time, such as the kitchen, the TV room, or the bedroom, so he can be with you but doesn’t have to be the center of attention and he can’t wander off and get into trouble. It can teach your dog to “settle down”.

The training tether should be used only when you are close by and never leave a dog tethered when you are not home.

Getting Started:

A tether should be 2 to 4 feet long, depending on the size of the dog, and preferably made of plastic coated wire able with a snap at both ends. The plastic coating protects furniture and the wire prevents the dog from chewing through it.

Attach the tether to a heavy piece of furniture or to an eye-bolt screwed securely into the wall. Attach the other end to your dog’s buckle collar or Martingale collar. NEVER use a choke chain or other aversive collar.

Make the tether short enough that the dog won’t get tangled in it and make the tethering spot a happy place. Put a rug down or a bed and give him a special treat like a stuffed Kong or a bully stick.

Children must NOT be allowed to interfere or taunt the dog while tethered ‼️

04/06/2024

NO FREE MEALS.....

Dogs love food so it’s a great time to do a little obedience training to have them earn their dinner. It’s also a great time for handling exercises.

02/06/2024

DOGS WHO GET BORED, GET DESTRUCTIVE...

If you don’t give your dog something to do, she will find something to do. Usually, it’ll be something you don’t want, like digging, tearing up the sofa or barking. This is especially true if you get one of those dogs who come with a strong work ethic: herding breeds like border collies, German shepherds, Australian shepherds, cattle dogs; working breeds like dobermans, rotties, or Boxers, just to name a few.

Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! Also, keep their minds active by training, working for their food, puzzles, etc. DOGS WHO GET BORED, GET DESTRUCTIVE...

If you don’t give your dog something to do, she will find something to do. Usually, it’ll be something you don’t want, like digging, tearing up the sofa or barking. This is especially true if you get one of those dogs who come with a strong work ethic: herding breeds like border collies, German shepherds, Australian shepherds, cattle dogs; working breeds like dobermans, rotties, or Boxers, just to name a few.

Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! Also, keep their minds active by training, working for their food, puzzles, etc.

29/05/2024

26/05/2024

KEEP YOUR PET SAFE WHILE ENTERTAINING....

Memorial Day weekend and a lot of people will be entertaining. Here are some things to look for at your next barbeque.

*NO alcohol. What you say?? I would never give my dog alcohol. There is always someone who will get drunk and serve your dog booze because they think it's funny. I have seen it happen often. Watch your dog.

*DON'T let people feed your dog off their plates. YOU make the rules.

*BE sure that children are carefully monitored around your dog. If your dog is abused and cornered....a bite could happen. Not all kids are taught to be respectful of animals.

*NO....barbequed bones are NOT good for your dog. They usually are too seasoned, but even worse is often size and the fact that ANY COOKED BONE WILL SPLINTER.

If your guests can't follow your house rules, keep your dog inside when you can't watch him.

23/05/2024

My crew. I insist on manners. They don’t question it because there are no options.

21/05/2024

GOOD LEADERS ARE NOT BULLIES...

Reprimand verbally when necessary, then forgive and move on. Never use scruff-shakes, jerking, hitting or other harsh physical corrections. In other words, don’t do what you see on television.

Use praise and rewards to let your dog know when he is doing the right thing. Above all, be a kind, patient and have a sense of humor. Realize that your dog is NOT out to get you so don't take it personally. Your dog is just being a dog.

16/05/2024

GETTING A DOG FOR YOUR KIDS?

It's unrealistic to expect a child, regardless of age, to have sole responsibility for caring for a dog. Not only do dogs need basic things like food, water and shelter, they also need to be played with, exercised and trained on a consistent basis.

Teaching a dog the rules of the house and helping him become a good companion is too overwhelming a task for a young child. While responsible teenagers may be up to the task, they may not be willing to spend an adequate amount of time with the dog, as their desire to be with their friends usually takes over at this age.

If you're adopting a dog "for the kids," you must be prepared and willing to be the dog's primary caretaker.

13/05/2024

LIVING WITH MULTIPLE DOGS...

Teach a “Group Wait” and a “Group Stay.” Dogs who live in packs need to learn impulse control even more than individual dogs, because they are so easily over stimulated by the behavior of others. Start by teaching each dog as an individual, then gradually include more and more dogs. Release an individual dog from the group by saying their name twice, or in a lilting, sing-song tone. (Avoid saying a dog’s name and then “okay.” You’ll just confuse the other dogs!)

Make sure that your dogs learn that patience gets them what they want, not being pushy or rude. For example, use treats to teach each dog to sit and stay briefly while you pet another dog. Voila! A dog who waits patiently instead of barging in while you pet someone else.

Be on alert for signs of tension between dogs, like hard stares or stiff body postures from one dog to another, increasing signs of jealousy in which one dog objects to the other getting pets or treats, an escalation of growls or tooth displays between the dogs. If this is happening, it’s time to teach the dogs that bullying will get them nowhere, but patience and polite behavior will always lead to something that they want.
~Patricia McConnell~

09/05/2024

TRAINING TIPS....1,2 and 3:

1. PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN A CURE:
If you prevent your pet from engaging in behaviors that you find undesirable then they will not practice getting better at preforming these. Like wise, if you set your pet up to practice desirable behaviors then they will become well practiced at these!

2. INTERRUPT UNWANTED BEHAVIOR:
If you allow your pet to practice the unwanted behavior, how can you expect this behavior to ever stop? Interrupt unwanted behavior by instructing your pet to do something more desirable instead.

3. NO, NO, NO, NO, Yes!
“No” doesn’t really provide your pet with very much information! Instead, if you instruct them by telling them what you want them to do instead, it is far more informative and useful.

06/05/2024

ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR DOG "ON LEASH" AGGRESSION?

Did you know that the first step in attack training is to give the dog something or someone he wants to get to, while using a tight lead and tense body posture to excite the dog into a more aggressive state?

Owners actually make the situation worse without meaning to, and the dog simply responds to signals received from the owner.

Take note of how YOU react. Are you tense? Holding your dogs leash tightly? Are you exacerbating the problem?

Take high value treats on the walk and teach your dog the "watch me" command.

03/05/2024

DESTRUCTIVE CHEWING......

Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. The main ones are
teething, boredom, and separation anxiety. Puppies
between four to six months of age chew because
they are teething and chewing helps to ease their
gum discomfort. You must provide your puppy with
appropriate items to chew, and confine him to areas
where there are no tempting objects such as sneakers,
socks, children’s toys, or any other household objects.

Using a crate or baby gates are good ways to keep your
puppy confined and keep the puppy safe from harmful
items to chew, as well as protect your home from an
eager puppy’s teeth! It is unfair to expect your puppy to
know what he cannot chew if you allow him free run of
your house and access to all of your personal items. If
you use a crate make sure that you give your puppy some safe, durable chew toys to chew on while he is in his crate.

**Excellent examples of chew toys for your puppy are Nylabones, sterilized bones, durable, hollow rubber toys like Kongs stuffed with a little bit of peanut butter, biscuits, yogurt, or other food items that are good for your puppy. If you have a puppy that is an aggressive chewer, avoid items such as rawhide or cow hooves. Dogs with powerful jaws can break up large bits of these items and swallow them, causing stomach obstructions and possible surgery to remove them.
~APDT~

30/04/2024

I hear this a lot when I suggest using cut up hot dogs, cheese or steamed chicken as a reinforcer in training…

MYTH:
Using people food in training will make my dog beg at the table.

REALITY:
Feeding your dog from the dining table will cause your dog to beg at the table.

If you don’t want your dog to beg while you’re eating, teach him a “go to your place” command to show him that he needs to go hang out somewhere else in the house while you’re enjoying a meal.

27/04/2024

Foxtails are starting to pop up again. Keep your pets safe.

The x-ray on the left is of a foxtail tract that was injected with contrast medium to show just how far a foxtail can travel. The lesion between the toes of the foot on the bottom right is how these tracts will look to the naked eye. This is a great example of just how far foxtails can migrate in tissues. Thank you to Dr. Andrew Grange from Veterinary Surgical Centers in Berkeley for this amazing x-ray.

25/04/2024

SUBMISSIVENESS IS AN OFFERED BEHAVIOR AND CAN NOT BE FORCED.

While I was at the park with my dog, I observed a scuffle between two dogs at a nearby dog park. I don't know how it started, but I am assuming it was a German Shepherd because the owner of this dog immediately grabbed his dog shoved it down and held it. The dog got up and started a fight again, the owner again grabbed the dog, put it down and held it. This happened two more times. The dog finally turned and bit his owner.

Sadly, this scenario is all too common. It comes from watching TV trainers who don't know what they're doing despite their claims of understanding dog psychology. A human putting a dog down is an act of aggression and aggression begets aggression. Did this work for the owner? No, obviously not. It only stopped the behavior for the moment. There was no training and no redirection.

You cannot force a dog to be submissive by forcefully putting them in a submissive posture. IT DOES NOT WORK!

22/04/2024

MYTH:
A puppy has to be at least six months old to be trained.

REALITY:
This myth originated from “old school” training where heavy collar corrections were used and therefore it was
preferred that a dog be at least old enough to withstand wearing the collar and dealing with the pressure of collar corrections and punishment during training sessions. With today’s modern methods of training based on positive reinforcement and cooperation with your dog, there is no reason you can’t start working with your puppy as soon as you can! A puppy starts learning the moment they are able to observe and relate to their environment. Unlike an adult dog, a puppy may have a shorter attention span and this will require more patience when teaching behaviors, but there is no reason your puppy can’t start learning right away, and the sooner you start, the quicker your puppy will learn. It’s important to socialize your puppy as soon as possible as well to expose him to new people and things so he’ll grow up to be a behaviorally healthy and confident adult dog.

19/04/2024

TRAIN YOUR DOG...

Every dog should have basic manners, but dogs are not born knowing how to behave. Take the time to train your dog on a consistent basis using positive methods. Training is just as important as loving and feeding your dog. You OWE it to your dog.

If faced with a behavior problem you can't solve, get professional help. The sooner you begin working on a problem the sooner you will have it solved.

Just waiting for a problem to go away won't work. Bad behavior will only get worse, never better.

16/04/2024

Instead of always saying “no“, give direction. Use vocabulary like “sit“, “down”, “off” etc. Tell your dog what you WOULD like him to do.

13/04/2024

PREVENTING CO-DEPENDENCE...
We want our dogs to get along and enjoy being with each other, but it’s possible to create too much of a good thing.

Dogs that spend all day-everyday together often become so bonded to each other that they experience extreme stress in the absence of their counterpart. Something as simple as a vet or groomer visit – even choosing to take one dog for a walk and not the other – can become an unnecessarily stressful experience for the dog at home. Magnify this stress ten-fold when one dog passes away.

I see this all the time. Untrained dogs because they depend on each other and not their owners.

They don't need to be walked together all the time. Split them up often. Spend one on one time with each dog.

Training should be done with one dog at a time. Easier on you and they will focus on you and not the other dog.

08/04/2024

"MY DOG DOESN'T LISTEN WHEN I USE HIS NAME"

Overuse is the cause. If you say "Fido" hundreds of times a day, why should he pay attention when you REALLY want him to respond?

Too much chatter. Use your dog's name for a purpose, not just to chat.

Clickers work great for dogs that have learned to tune you out!

03/04/2024

LIFE IS A TRAINING OPPORTUNITY....

You don’t have to wait for a “formal” training session to train your dog. Your dog is learning every minute whether you are teaching him or not. He learns by seeing what is going on in his environment and deciding what will work for him and what won’t. He also tests new behaviors, and how you react is important as to whether he will continue or stop. You may be unintentionally rewarding the behavior you want him to stop!!!

Teach your dog what you want. Don't assume he should just know it.

01/04/2024

USE YOUR WORDS!
Instead of always saying “no“, give direction. Use vocabulary like “sit“, “down”, “off” etc. Tell your dog what you WOULD like him to do.

25/03/2024

PUPPIES...BE WILLING TO BE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL!

What many new puppy owners fail to understand is that "teaching the puppy" doesn't simply mean teaching them once, or twice, or for a couple of weeks.

Teaching a new puppy involves skills and concepts, many of which go against his very doggie nature.

The puppy stage (chewing, digging, jumping, etc.) lasts a minimum of two years. Yes, I said TWO years! Longer in some breeds like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. That means all of those basic concepts, or at least most of them, are going to have to be practiced over and over again for the first two years of your puppy's life before he is ready to go pro.

22/03/2024

BACKYARD DOGS....

*Backyard dogs have more behavioral problems. Your dog can become very stressed or anxious left alone in the yard. He will exhibit stress by digging, barking escaping, etc.

*Backyard dogs are harder to train. A dog left in the yard can not develop a strong bond with the family. This makes him less responsive to commands. The bushes can not train him.

*Backyard dogs make lousy guard dogs. A dog will protect his territory and the place he lives in. If not in the house, he will not protect it. If someone breaks into your house, your dog is of no use to protect you while locked outside. Think about it.

*They are most often given up because they were never looked upon as family by their humans. Sadly, this makes them easier to dispose of.

*Backyard dogs, due to lack of socialization, also become fearful and aggressive.

19/03/2024

EXPECTING? PREPARE YOUR DOG NOW...

The worst thing you can do, as a pet parent, is start your dogs introduction to the baby when you bring the baby home for the first time. Remember, you have had 9 months to prepare for this change in your life; your dog needs the same.

Imagine how your dog, excited to see you home again, will react when you walk in carrying the newborn. Can you depend on him to reliably sit and stay or down and stay and not rush toward the baby?

Your dog needs to reliably respond to the Basic 5:
*sit
*stay
*lie down
*"come" when called
*leave it

Make sure that NO corrective or forcible methods of training are used. When hiring a trainer or going to a group class, do your homework!

The goal is to make a strong bond of trust, where your dog responds in a kind and calm manner, not because he is frightened or afraid of being punished.