Our Dog Trainer LLC

11/25/2023

Our Dog Trainer LLC has retired and suspended operations. Thank you all—owners-now-friends, and colleagues. I’m happily referring everyone to my colleague Susan Miley of S. Miley Dog Training and Rehabilitation. She does a great job and is a great trainer. Here is a link to her website:

Do you have a difficult dog that needs training? Do you want a dog that is obedient? Contact S. Miley Dog Training, a dog trainer who wants to help!

12/04/2022

Waiting patiently 5 minutes at the edge of the kitchen for me to say ”break” so they can enter and eat the breakfast I prepared. Body language only (no words) to claim space and enforce the boundary. The high value reward is (1) the release and (2) the food. Training mode 24/7.

10/12/2022

My dogs are always in training mode, 24/7. In this video I’m sharing my apple. I expect them to wait, not push to get the food, and respect each other (not resource guard). This simple act increases your relevance to, and reinforces your relationship with, your dog(s).

08/26/2022

Happy International Dog Day!

08/21/2022

Why practice?

Training is not learning a method. Training is repeating the learned method until actions become automatic.

Automatic actions—yours and your dog’s—let you:

(1) Hear enthusiastic compliments because your dog is so calm and well-mannered.

(2) Confidently walk by out-of-control dogs because your dog pays attention to you and doesn't pull.

(3) Peacefully eat a meal at any dog-friendly restaurant in the country because your dog lies quietly and stays in place.

Practice

08/15/2022

05/11/2022

Heeling (or is it healing? 😁) with no visible means of support.

02/25/2022

Here’s a comprehensive guide to feeding RAW bones to your dog. NOTE: Scroll down and pay attention to “marrow bones,” the type commonly available in a grocer’s meat case. Do. Not. Feed. Marrow Bones!

01/29/2022

Gang, take a look at Naomi Hawkins’ breathtaking ability…

11/20/2021

INCLEMENT WEATHER ACTIVITIES

When the weather outside has you and your pup stuck indoors, sometimes it can be difficult to keep him/her satisfied. If your dog is used to going for long walks, running and playing in the yard, going to the park or other fun outdoor activities, being cooped-up inside can be tough.

Now that the weather is preventing those activities, many of you have a wound-up buddy, bouncing off the walls, sometimes driving you (and him/her!) a little nuts.

Fear NOT! There is hope to tame your cabin fever fido!

Since I know many of you are struggling/will struggle with bad weather, I accumulated a list of indoor activities to help you satisfy your pup in the house.

Although your dog may be used to other outdoor activities, doing some of these things throughout the day can help take the edge off or even tire him/her MORE than a run outside.

Challenge your dog's physical and mental abilities, to tire him/her and give yourself some sanity, with these inside games and activities!

***

OBEDIENCE PRACTICE

Practice a few sessions of random obedience commands with your pup around the house.

While you are folding laundry, call your dog and put him/her into a down/stay for a bit.

Walk into the next room for another chore, call him/her again and ask for a place command.

During a commercial break, have your dog practice a few commands—sit, come, down, place, heel, etc.—around the room, then go back to a little duration work or snuggling on the couch when your show returns.

HIDE & SEEK

This is such a fun game for the dogs AND humans involved and can have many twists. Your dog can find you, another family member, a favorite toy, some of their kibble or a treat.

Start with easy distances and difficulties (possibly even showing him/her that you are hiding something at first until he/she gets the idea).

Have your dog on leash so you can easily guide and control them at first.

Then pick a cue like "go find it" or "where is (name of person or toy)" and help lead him/her back to locate it a few times before challenging him/her to do it on his/her own. When he/she finds it, celebrate and throw him/her a party—praise and pet him/her, give him/her a treat or play with the toy for a minute or two before setting it up again.

Once your dog gets the hang of it, add some difficulty by placing it in tougher locations, farther away and offering them less "help".

You can add variety and impulse control to the game by also adding in obedience commands such as sit, down and place. Put your dog into a command and then go hide yourself. Then tell the other person to hide or hide the item your dog is trying to find before releasing him/her to "find it/them" or calling your dog to "come find me".

TRICKS

If your dog knows some fun tricks, have him/her go through and practice them all with a few short sessions throughout the day.

Bad weather is a perfect time to teach your dog NEW tricks they don't already know as well.

You can mix tricks with obedience as well to have your dog do more things in a session.

Check out some of the doggie trick apps available, trick training programs or even free YouTube video's to get ideas on new things to try or variations of tricks your dog already knows.

BODY AWARENESS

If your dog is a bit of a klutz, this can be a fun and practical one!

Pick a few simple items from around your home such as a step stool, tool box, bucket, chair...even your stairs can work for some fun.

Using your leash, treats and/or praise, practice having your dog try to put his/her paws onto the object (or multiple objects).

You can mix it up to challenge your dog to pay attention to his/her body control and different positions. Try front paws only, back paws, all four feet, one paw at a time (front, back, left, right).

A lot of dogs I know will charge up and down the stairs! Try putting their leash on and challenging them to slowly walk up the stairs one step at a time! It's easier said than done for many excitable pups. Add extra difficulty by trying to get your dog to walk backward up one or two steps.

Many dogs struggle separating and controlling individual feet or front vs. back and these can be a fun and challenging activities.

TUG & FETCH

Lots of energetic and playful dogs that are cooped-up right now from all the bad weather would love a game of tug-o-war or short distance fetch in the house.

You can add extra brain challenges and difficulty by incorporating obedience commands into your dog's games too!

Play for a few minutes, then interrupt the game for a few commands (sit, down, place) and then you can release your dog to go back to playing again and repeat a few times.

Adding in some command practice is great for impulse control and draining your dogs mentally, too.

TREADMILL

Use the treadmill when the weather outside is frightful for confidence building and challenging your dog to try a new thing.

It offers a nice way for him/her to get some extra exercise without taking on the unforgiving outdoors. Some dogs take easily to learning to walk on the treadmill and others take a bit more time. It offers not only a physical outlet for your dog, but can also be mentally tiring as he/she focuses on staying centered and going the right pace.

If your dog knows the treadmill and can use it, give him/her a little workout once or twice throughout the day mixed with other activities.

If your dog is not familiar or comfortable with the treadmill, introducing it can be a new challenging activity and help drain your dog's energy. A few sessions learning to maneuver the treadmill can often times be just as tiring for a novice dog as walking for ten minutes or so with a dog that knows the treadmill.

***

There are so many things you can do with your dog when you get cooped-up indoors. Take advantage of some of the activities listed here and help your dog feel tired and satisfied, while giving yourself some peace and sanity from all that extra energy!

10/01/2021

Happy National Black Dog Day. My late wife visited the New Albany Floyd County Shelter in 2008 and chose Sam (2007-2020). She was in the shelter a year because people don’t adopt black dogs. She was the sweetest dog.

09/13/2021

Xylitol will kill your dog. Before you give him/her anything you eat—like peanut butter and ice cream—check the ingredients.

09/09/2021

We all need a little encouragement

08/15/2021

07/23/2021

What is the difference between training a small dog and a big dog? The difference is the lens through which YOU view your dog. This week I trained 2yo Horacio (white dog) and 11mo Amelia to walk beside me on a loose leash EXACTLY like I would train a 100 pound German Shepherd—and that’s the way you should do it, too.

07/02/2021

“…your dog's prey drive is triggered by the laser's movement, but there's never any true sense of relief from the chase. This lack of relief can lead to behavior problems or obsessive tendencies with visual stimulants like light, shadows, and reflections.”

Lasers. You can buy them on the shelves of your average pet store, and they're advertised as a "fun" way to exercise your pet. They're small, seemingly non-malicious, and extremely affordable. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, the recent correlations released by behaviorists, trainers, and veterin...

06/25/2021

Here’s a short video on a warm day of Jamie and Arlis, a 15mo Golden Retriever, near the end of the first training session. Jamie is using a long line and movement to train Arlis to pay attention and walk beside her; as long as he walks in heel position on her right side, Jamie doesn’t suddenly change direction.

06/25/2021

Ollie, a 16mo mini golden doodle, was quite anxious/panicked due to traffic when I first started training him on Plumb Woods Drive. Walking him along that road helped, but so did Place command in a public setting, a method I’ve used to calm fearful/reactive/aggressive dogs. In this video I’m using Ollie’s trained-choice to self-relax on his Place cot, and counter conditioning with a clicker and food, to change his perception about this challenging part of his world.

06/21/2021

Thank you Sue Ruggieri

We knew that xylitol is dangerous. But we didn't know this!

Don't give anything with birch sugar to your pets!!

06/05/2021

10 dogs and 13 humans kicked off the first pack walk since 2019. A pack walk is a fun, but carefully structured, group social activity to help dogs and their owners feel safe around other dogs and to practice training program skills in stimulating environments. Dog-owner confidence is boosted by activating and fulfilling the dog's pack drive and by building mutual trust. It was a beautiful morning for a walk in New Albany IN from the 4H Fairgrounds to and through Community Park and back. We hope to see you next time!

05/30/2021

Thanks Sue Ruggieri!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Edit: Moving this to the top because there are two pieces of misinformation that are making the rounds regarding this post that need to be cleared up. 1. Nothing below describes protective behaviour. 2. There are many stable, confident dogs who simply do not like to be touched. Nothing below suggests we should be accepting of nervy or fearful behaviour.

—

With the number of dogs that have been sold over the past year, I’ve begun to see a trend of posts popping up on German Shepherd Dog forums that go something like this:

“I brought my baby home 6 months ago and he’s been the sweetest thing until now. Then yesterday I took him out and just as a stranger was reaching in to pet him he snapped and tried to bite the stranger’s hand. What’s wrong with my baby?! How can I fix this?!”

Inevitably, a bunch of commenters chime in with helpful advice like “give the strangers treats and let them feed your dog before they pet him”, or “oh, you should have redirected to a toy”, or my personal favourite “you should get him neutered”.

Let me make it easier. If you wanted the personality of a golden retriever you should have bought a golden retriever. But that’s not what you brought home. You brought home a large guardian breed that is genetically predisposed to be wary of strangers. That a GSD owner is surprised by their dog’s aggressive reaction to having its personal space invaded by a stranger does not indicate a problem with the dog, it indicates a misunderstanding of the breed. Now there will be some GSD owners who will push back, saying “my boy just loves everyone. All he wants is to meet people and get pats and treats. He wouldn’t hurt a fly”. Those dogs unquestionably exist, but know this: as working line GSD breeders seeking to preserve and advance the breed, this is not a trait we select for.

To be clear, a properly socialized GSD (note that proper socialization does not mean allowing your dog to meet and interact with every strange person and animal it comes across) should not be lunging at the end of its leash at every stranger passing by. Non-reactivity should be a training goal from early in the dog’s life. However this is NOT the same thing as expecting your dog to enjoy - or even tolerate - being touched by strangers. As owners it is our job to train our dogs to be non-reactive to stimuli outside our control. A dog that does not like being passed by strangers on a sidewalk must be taught to tolerate this stimulus as we do not control who we pass on a sidewalk, or when. However it is also our job to work within the bounds of our dog’s individual personality as it pertains to stimuli that are within our control, and to have enough respect for our dog to not put it in avoidable, uncomfortable situations.

The solution is not to give strangers treats to feed your dog before petting it, or to redirect to a toy, or to spay or neuter your dog. It’s not to try to train your dog to tolerate something it is genetically predisposed not to like. The solution is to stand up for your dog and stop allowing strangers to approach it. Some pet owners may not like having to manage their dog in this way. They should have bought a different breed.

In closing, allow me to leave you with the 5 words every GSD owner should get comfortable saying loudly and firmly: “Please don’t touch my dog.”

EDIT: To avoid any spread of confusion by the few who have misunderstood the post, most GSDs can be trained to tolerate being touched by strangers. Nothing above says otherwise. But if you feel the need to train your GSD to tolerate being touched by strangers when it hates it, perhaps you didn’t buy the right breed.

EDIT 2: Once again, none of the behaviour described in the post relates to being protective. The behaviours people most often interpret as their dog being “protective” are almost never actually protective behaviours.

EDIT 3: Although it’s irrelevant to the message of the post, I changed labradoodle to golden retriever. A few people were getting hung up on what kind of dog was chosen for comparison rather than figuring out it was just intended to be any kind that contrasts “a guardian breed that is genetically predisposed to be wary of strangers”. To avoid distraction I changed it to a Golden Retriever, which is probably what I should have gone with in the first place.

05/23/2021

Yet another desensitizing and counterconditioning success story. Almost 2yo, Rainey Skye is a Welsh Terrier that used to explode whenever Stacy and Steve energized the vacuum cleaner. Used to.

We trained in the garage for shade and to follow CDC covid-19 guidelines.

05/23/2021

Hey gang, with EVERYTHING about your dog(s) be exceptionally mindful!

05/07/2021

"I am so scared about this Asian long-horned tick," Molaei said. "This tick is so prolific, and I can't imagine, if this tick continues in the way, then what is going to happen to our landscape? Let alone the public health and veterinary implications."

A Connecticut entomologist is painting a grim picture of a seemingly unstoppable invasion of ticks into the state.

03/17/2021

Excellent, an opportunity to educate so many humans.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/politics/joe-biden-major-dog-training-delaware/index.html

President Joe Biden said that his dog, Major, is working with a trainer at Biden's home in Delaware following a biting incident at the White House.

03/16/2021

Coyotes will steal your dog’s balls.

Coyotes visit my yard each night. Sometimes Rocket and Cima run them off before I join them. Last night I ran one into the neighbor’s yard, and then noticed it was tossing something in the air and chasing it. It did not occur to me that it was my dog’s ChuckIt! balls until this AM, when I found in the neighbor’s yard the two that I had left out in my yard.

03/10/2021

Excellent article! Banning Major is not the answer, getting a trainer in the WH to desensitize and counter condition him is. This is an opportunity to educate humans everywhere.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/09/opinions/biden-major-champ-dogs-bryant/index.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm

Come on, man! The first shelter dog to live in the White House, Major the German shepherd, has entered and exited as if through a revolving door, writes Carol Bryant. There are many things that can be done if dogs show signs of aggression or unruly behavior; banishing them from their "mom" and "dad"...