Can We All Get Along Dog Training

29/08/2024

If I am slow to respond this week, I'm a little busy volunteering and will get back to you the end of the day. Thanks

26/08/2024

Bleau is learning how to settle on his mat. When beginning to teach Place, make sure it is a comfy bed, or mat that your pup enjoys hanging out on.

24/08/2024

Not all dogs like car rides, and Aux is one of those. Does your dog pace, pant or drool, shake, and tremble? Make it fun, do something that they like. Maybe go get some chicken nuggets or ice cream, or go to the park! Keep it short.... and fun.

We started in my car, on Place in my backseat. Then we went for a ride in his car. Aux settled right down. I did make recommendations to give him a secure area. Then we went back home and played puzzle games. Success :)

22/08/2024

Not all puppies welcome new people into their homes, some are nervous or fearful. How did I calm this little girl CoCo..... with toys and play. When we went outside for a potty break she sat at my feet and I knew everything was now ok.

21/08/2024

Look at the smiles on these two girls 😀. The smaller pup is Sophie, and you will be seeing a lot of this youngster. What a little firecracker.

21/08/2024

Sulcata ended our first leash-work session nicely today. What's the secret......communication! This girl is going to be amazing 😊

17/08/2024

Recall needs to be fun, and when you add in games.....success! Good girl Lucy!

16/08/2024

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15/08/2024

To all of my English Cream clients, can you take another in and share some love?

URGENT! Current approved adopters and fosters we need a safe place for this neutered cream retriever to land. FOSTER NEEDED ASAP. He lived with a female retriever. Urgent trying to rescue before owner gives away! Tampa, FL

14/08/2024

14/08/2024

Meet Oliver, he is approx 8 months old and he is deaf. We had a lot of thumbs up today, and tons of praise working on bring it and drop with this boy. Then impulse control on Place and Release all with hand signs all the way. Deaf dogs get bored quick, so we have to keep his mind interested in learning.

12/08/2024

Does your dog love hanging out in thier crate?
Crate games work!

11/08/2024

https://iheartdogs.com/dogs-see-color/?iid=BottomRelatedPosts

Discover how dogs see the world! Learn about their color perception, night vision, and tips for choosing the best toys and accessories.

10/08/2024

Leash-work skills can be fun, especially when the brother's get to work together. My rule is no tugging, no pulling, show some love and praise for all the good stuff. Aux and Wyndel had a good session this morning before it was too hot. Nice job everyone.

09/08/2024

Interesting read from Adopt A Pet!

How to Get Your Dog to Stop Barking

"If your dog won’t stop barking, don’t despair. There are several steps you can take to train your dog to quiet down.
by Vivian Zottola, MSc, CBCC, | March 15, 2024

If you have a dog or recently adopted one, you may have noticed that they bark. A lot. And you’ve probably already Googled this, but if you haven’t, we encourage you to resist that urge. There is too much dubious information about quick-fixes on how to stop a barking dog, but that uninformed information can be unhealthy, ineffective, or even dangerous.
In this article:

Why do dogs bark?

Dogs can use barking as a way to communicate with their people and other dogs. One of the main reasons they bark at you is because they don’t have opposable thumbs. But imagine if they did. Dogs would be able to open the fridge to eat, fill up their bowls with water to drink, or let themselves outside when they need to relieve themselves.

Of course, I’m exaggerating to make a point: Your dog sometimes barks, because they rely on you to help them get things done. They need you to interpret their “voices” and understand their needs. If your dog is barking, it’s their way of telling you they need help with something. Dogs also bark to convey their feelings. It’s one of the many ways they express themselves in different situations. So, if dogs use barking to communicate with you (and other animals), should you seek to stop the behavior? Understanding why dogs bark — from their perspective — is a more productive long-term solution.

So instead of asking “how” to stop attention-seeking barking, barking when alone, or how to stop boredom-barking, your relationship with them is better served if you figure out the reasons “why” they are barking.

Identify the cause of your dog’s barking

Learning the underlying causes behind your dogs’ barking helps you stay ahead of the behavior, and will ultimately reduce their need to make noise. In this way, you can prevent the behavior from becoming a persistent problem. Before exploring some ways to manage and improve the behavior, let’s first look at the more specific reasons dogs bark:

They are hungry or thirsty.
They want to go outside to p**p or p*e.
They are happy and excited.
They are bored.
They suffer from separation anxiety.
They seek to alert you to danger.
They are experiencing barrier frustration.
They crave your attention or affection.
How to stop a dog from barking
There are different types of barking, ranging from playful to reactive to aggressive. Let’s go deeper into the various underlying reasons for barking, as well as suggestions for helping your dog.

Boredom barking

Boredom barking occurs when a dog is left alone, with not enough physical exercise and/or mental stimulation. If they don’t have access to the outdoors to get their steps in and keep their brains busy, they will try to entertain themselves — often in ways we don’t appreciate, such as chewing and destroying furniture and clothing. Keeping dogs in a crate to mitigate this only ends up making the barking worse and even causing frustration and depression.

Here’s how to stop boredom barking
Consistent daily walks are essential to prevent excessive barking. Taking several walks throughout the day is recommended rather than one long walk. But if you can’t take your dog out due to other responsibilities or physical limitations, ask a family member, friend, or neighbor for help. Alternatively, consider hiring a dog walker if it’s financially feasible. If you have a backyard, letting your dog out may be tempting, but walking them on a leash around the neighborhood adds better enrichment and helps break up their day.

If you work from home, try enrichment toys or a treasure hunt. They can help your dog focus attention and bust boredom-barking. For instance, set up seek-and-find games and puzzle games. These require problem-solving skills (a natural need in dogs), with the added bonus of tiring them out. It really doesn’t take much, and there are lots of engagement toys on the market, including the manners-minder treat dispenser. You can even make your own toys, by freezing bone broth in a Tupperware bowl, hiding treats in shoe boxes around the house, or throwing a cup of treats onto a small shaggy rug to encourage seek and find.

Barrier frustration

When dogs are left alone with nothing to do for too long in the home, alone in the backyard, in cars, or even on leash — they may become frustrated and start barking. This is called barrier frustration, or a response to being at an arm’s length (or more) away from exciting stimuli. Dogs are generally social creatures. And depending on their personal learning history and stage of life, most like to be around other dogs and people for stimulation. Still, life happens, and even though you love your canine bestie, it’s understandable that sometimes you simply have to leave your dog home alone for a few hours.

Here’s how to stop barrier-frustration barking
Instead of perching them up on the window to watch the world go by — which can reinforce barking — provide them enrichment away from the window. For instance, give them a hollow toy stuffed with food, or frozen bone broth in Tupperware. You can also play calming music engineered to reduce barking, or have them watch a dog-centric television program to reduce their stress by keeping them engaged as they wait for you or their dog walker.

Food-related barking

Most dogs are restricted from access to food. This can be stressful or upsetting for them, especially if they’re not being fed enough to account for their metabolic needs. Food restriction-related frustration can result in sp*ed-eating, which can negatively impact their digestion. Or they can even take on aggressive, barky behavior towards other pets or humans who come too close to their food, as well as barking while you’re eating your food.

Here’s how to stop food-related barking
Each dog is different. Their stage of life, nutritional needs, and exercise expenditure will vary. Instead of free-feeding them with a conventional bowl, provide portion-controlled meals using engagement activities at various periods during the day (breakfast, snack/lunch, or dinner). These may include puzzle bowls or snuffle mats. But also, don’t forget to reward good behaviors throughout the day by hand-feeding them treats.
If they’re still barking a lot, speak with your veterinarian about your dog’s food intake. They may be at a stage when they need a little extra food because they are active and growing. I’ve seen many clients limit their dog’s intake, only to cause frustration due to hunger — and ultimately the reason for excessive barking.

Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety barking happens when a dog is alone, and it’s usually coupled with other behaviors such as p*eing or p**ping inside, and destruction around doors and windows. In this case, barking is a symptom of the underlying fear of separation from their favorite people, which must be addressed. Some dogs with this condition also suffer from sound sensitivity and claustrophobia, and should not be kept in a restricting crate.

Here’s how to stop separation-anxiety barking
Start by trying enrichment strategies (toys or treasure-hunting), combined with calming aromatherapy and pheromone products, such as Adaptil, which may reduce mild distress in the short term. If that doesn’t work, contact your veterinarian to determine if the condition is a physical issue or psychosocial. They can refer you to a qualified behavior consultant, certified separation-anxiety trainer, or board-certified animal behaviorist, if necessary. A professional will help evaluate your dog to determine if they suffer panic attacks stemming from phobias or a temporary condition that will tease out over time. They may even prescribe medications if necessary.

Demand barking

Demand barking is when a dog’s vocalization grows in intensity and frequency, to get your attention. It’s important to take a step back on this one, because some people overlook the fact that perhaps their dog’s basic needs are unfulfilled. They may be hungry, thirsty, want to be taken out for some air and smells, or desire emotional support after having a hard day. We unknowingly set up our dogs for failure by not staying on top of these needs. At the same time, although it’s natural for us to attend to our barking dogs, we end up reinforcing the behavior over time.

Here’s how to stop demand barking
In general, try to maintain a consistent routine and reward your dog for being calm instead of being noisy. If your dog barks at you, and you can’t figure out why — walk away from your dog. Turning your head and walking away communicates that a behavior is not acceptable. Go pour yourself a glass of water, and take a minute to drink it. This space of time also allows your dog an opportunity to display calm behavior which you can reward instead. It likewise gives you time to decompress and figure out if their needs have been met.

Alert barking

Alert barking is triggered by unknown sights and sounds. A dog’s hearing is one of their superpowers — they’re able to hear sounds at a far longer distance and lower decibel levels. (They can detect sounds at 66,000 Hz, whereas humans can only hear at 20,000 Hz). But this can be a mixed bag, especially for adopted dogs. Living in a new space can be a jarring experience for them, which requires more time to acclimate. The sounds they hear could make them anxious, especially for sounds they’ve never heard before. "

Here’s how to stop alert barking

I did not agree with this part, so I deleted it.
Ask me how to work on alert barking. It's not hard, it is all about communication between the human and the dog.

"Dog barking training: What if none of this works?
Consider a trainer or behaviorist. Ask your vet for recommendations, or check out some certified consultants at the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. If you’ve done all you can, it’s important to remember that pets are individuals, and your home might not be the right fit. If you’re considering finding a new home for them, check out Rehome. It’s Adopt a Pet’s safe, simple program that lets adopters safely adopt a pet directly from their current pet parent or caretaker. So pets can find new loving homes without entering a shelter.
References
Barking in Domestic Dogs: Context Specificity and Individual Identification
Ethology of Barking — Why Do Dogs Bark?
A safe, reliable way to rehome your pet
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Vivian Zottola, MSc, CBCC
Vivian Zottola, MSc, CBCC
Vivian Zottola, MSc, an applied anthrozoologist, dog psychologist, subject matter expert, and research associate with the Center for Canine Behavior Studies, Inc. She runs her own practice in Boston, MA, specializing in the prevention and resolution of behavior challenges between humans and pet companion dogs and produces the podcast Click Therapy for Dogs and the People Who Love Them."

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08/08/2024

Update: Adopted!!!

UPDATE 8/8: Zeus was adopted this morning! Thank you to whoever brought him home. Every adoption from the county shelter, is two lives saved- both the dog you adopted, and another one that was gonna be euthanized for kennel space!

When we volunteered at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, we saw Zeus the Bull Terrier in his kennel and fell in love. So of course I asked if we could give him a bath. But I was told that he wasn’t eligible to get a bath, because he was already “pre-adopted”. We were only bathing dogs that were not spoken for. Well… his adopter must have changed their mind, because now he is listed as “available”. Poor buddy didn’t get a bath and now he doesn’t have a home either! Please consider adopting Zeus!

08/08/2024

Please Read This!

Bodhi's Life Mattered – We're Going to Make Sure

On or around July 13, 2024, a male Husky puppy died for lack of much-needed medical care. During that time, we shared a disturbing video that a concerned citizen took of the suffering puppy.

The puppy was for sale at the Largo, Florida location of Sunshine Puppies – one of three Sunshine Puppies storefronts selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies (Clearwater, Largo and Palmetto locations). To our knowledge, the store's owner, Dan Cohn, has refused to turn over the medical records stating the cause of death. He was fined a mere $149 by Pinellas County Animal Services, and is allowed to continue operating. No county inspection of the premises. No protocol to temporarily close to clean and disinfect, then inspected by county officials to re-open. Nothing.

In post-death, we've given this puppy a name, Bodhi. We will work hard to make sure people know his life mattered. "Bodhi" means awakening, enlightenment – which is perfect for our mission: to enlighten the Pinellas County Commissioners and awaken those considering purchasing a puppy from Sunshine Puppies.

1) You may recall that Sunshine Puppies is one of two puppy-mill industry-related businesses that continues to partner with the SPCA Tampa Bay. One of their goals, when they announced the partnership, is to import "imperfect puppies" and "retired" breeder dogs to the shelter – because "the block-headed dogs are not what the public really wants," said Martha Boden, the SPCA Tampa Bay CEO, to THE NEW BARKER almost a year ago.

Another one of the original goals of the partnership, stated by the players (SPCA Tampa Bay, Sunshine Puppies and Pinnacle Pet), is to improve the standards of the inhumane commercial breeding industry (aka puppy mills). So far, SPCA Tampa Bay, Epic fail. EPIC. FAIL.

2) We have recent videos taken of all three Sunshine Puppies locations with an eyewitness overview for each. To compare what we're working with, we also have videos of the other four businesses in Pinellas County that sell puppy-mill sourced puppies. Sunshine Puppies is, by far, the worst in terms of kennel conditions (dirty, rusty) and sanitation protocols. There were visual indications of unhealthy puppies (runny noses and goopy eyes, diarrhea, and neurological-type behavior).

3) Since Bodhi's death, we have sent letters to the Pinellas County Commissioners, the County Manager, and to Pinellas County Animal Services. What did Bodhi die of, and what were the other puppies in the Sunshine Puppies store exposed to? What has the public been exposed to? Isn't anyone concerned that this could be a health risk? To date, only one Commissioner called us to discuss. For the record, we have also heard from Pinellas County Animal Services.

4) We also voiced our concerns at a recent campaign rally in Pinellas for Commissioner Charlie Justice's re-election and Cookie Kennedy's campaign run to fill Janet Long's seat.

5) To the current BOCC: You have a business with two Pinellas County locations selling inferior/damaged merchandise for thousands of dollars to an unsuspecting consumer base. If this was a car dealership, a home builder, or a roofer defrauding your constituents, dear Commissioners, you would be motivated to act.

6) Two years ago the Pinellas County Commissioners voted against allowing any new businesses within the county to open and sell puppies and kittens. While doing so, they opted to grandfather in the existing 6 stores and allow them to continue selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies. Reminder: two of those stores are Sunshine Puppies.

Question: Isn't it a conflict of interest, or a violation of the aforementioned County Ordinance, that the SPCA Tampa Bay is importing puppy-mill-sourced puppies to sell them – under the guise of adopting them? The SPCA Tampa Bay was once vehemently against puppy mills. Now, they are in bed with them.

Would you like to help us, in the name of Bodhi, change the Pinellas County ordinance that grandfathers in the 6 retail stores selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies? Please sign the petition at this link: https://form.jotform.com/240956780144057

And, please tell your family and friends not to purchase a puppy from a retail store or online. There are ethical breeders if you're looking for a puppy or specific breed. There are breed specific rescue groups.

Special gratitude to Emerson's Humor for Bodhi's illustration.

National Mill Dog Rescue Bailing Out Benji
The Humane Society of the United States - Puppy Mills Campaign
Pinellas County Government
ABC Action News - WFTS - Tampa Bay
WFLA News Channel 8
Spectrum Bay News 9
FOX 13 News - Tampa Bay
Make it Illegal to sell Dogs/Puppies in Pet Stores
Rescue Pink
Florida Leaders in Lifesaving
Best Friends Animal Society

07/08/2024

What a fun session today working with the kids and thier dogs! Sally and Mikey were worn out after practicing inside, and repeating again in the backyard. Nice job everyone 👏

06/08/2024

Please welcome Sulcata and Oliver to CWAGA. Today was session #1, Sulcata is smart and very eager to learn! Oliver is deaf, so we are really working on hand signs and calm behaviors. I'm excited to work with these two youngster! Lots more to come.

03/08/2024

Early morning here working Zeus at the park. We're working on distractions, leash-work skills, but mostly around other dogs, at a distance, and without barking. Zeus was attacked by a large dog in his neighborhood when he was a small puppy, he still gets nervous at 1.5 yrs old.

01/08/2024

Sally is practicing door manners and offering great responses. This is our 2nd leash-work session, she is also working on come left heel. What an awesome 1yr old rescue save!

30/07/2024

Please meet Socks, a 3 month old Shiba Inu. This little girl is the most terrified puppy I have attemped to work with. She surpasses strays, shelter dogs, abused, or those found after storms. It takes positive creativity to even put a collar, or leash, or harness on her. This is our 1st session and we have a lot of work to do!

29/07/2024

Guess What? Everyone Sheds!

"Breeds and individuals within every breed shed and regrow hair at varying rates. Dogs who live indoors, with little exposure to natural light or cold temperatures, tend to shed in a more or less continuous fashion.

In contrast, dogs who live outside, exposed to natural light and cold temperatures, are more likely to shed for several weeks in the spring and fall. In the fall, their short, light coats shed as they grow a thick, warm undercoat and long, weather-resistant guard hairs to prepare them for winter. In the spring, the winter coat is shed to make way for new, shorter, and lighter coats. The hair coat changes in appearance and texture but the absolute numbers of hair follicles and hair do not. Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a dog who does not shed; there are only dogs who shed a lot less. Each hair shaft produced by a hair follicle will eventually die and become dislodged from the skin (shed) and be replaced by a new hair shaft produced by that hair follicle. However, there are some breeds whose hair grows for a much longer period before it dies and is shed. There are several phases in the activiaty of a hair follicle. In the first, called the "anagen" or growing phase, the hair is produced by the follicle.

Healthy Skin & Coat eBook from Whole Dog Journal
The "catagen" phase is a short interlude between the growth and the resting ("telogen") phase. In the telogen phase, the hair follicle is basically dormant. The growth of the new hair pushes the old hair out of the skin. Even though spring and fall bring on prolific hair growth, the dog’s hair follicles are not all in the same phase at the same time, so thankfully he never becomes totally bald!

In humans, the hair follicles on our heads spend most of the time growing (anagen phase). This phase can last years, depending on the ultimate length of your hair (as determined by your genes). In contrast, the resting phase for each follicle is generally only weeks. Poodles have a predominantly anagen cycle like ours; their hair grows for so long, that it needs cutting (perhaps several times) before it falls out.

Most dogs, though, have a telogen (resting) predominant cycle. In these dogs the anagen phase is short, only long enough to achieve the genetically desired length of coat ̈C anywhere from one month to a year or more. The hair then cycles into the telogen phase and remains there for a prolonged period of time. This hair is tightly bound within the follicle and will not readily fall out or be pulled out. In the Nordic breeds, it is thought that the telogen phase may last for years.

Finally, any stress such as anesthesia, disease, pregnancy, or administration of certain drugs is likely to put most of the follicles into a resting phase. About two to three months after the stressful event, when the follicles start to be active again, abnormal shedding will often be observed."

To learn more about dog shedding, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook Healthy Skin & Coat."

By: TThe Whole Dog Journal

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27/07/2024

So what do you do during a training session and it's storming out, and the dog shuts down. We play games. Wyndel is fearful and does not like thunder, so we play. Redirct that mind into something positive and rewarding is a good start. Big brother came to comfort Wyndel when we were finished 🥰

26/07/2024

Please welcome Bleau to CWAGA. This gorgeous 7 month old hit the jackpot with his new family. Awesome session #1, and yes, he loved playing in the tunnel. Silly pup 😀

25/07/2024

Stacey here working on leash-work skills at Rowlett Park this morning. What a perfect, quiet, shaded park to work. We passed by a few dogs and worked outside of the dog park on distractions. Yep, she has three different types of equipment on to test for the best results with her mom. No choke chains. No E collars. Beautiful session!