Puppy Boot Camp.

Parenting your puppy: Owning a puppy is great fun but there are also great responsibilities. I will look at the ways in which you can best care for your puppy and how you can be a responsible puppy owner. Like all worthwhile things in life, owning a puppy involves responsibilities as well as pleasures. The pleasures are obvious and the responsibilities need to be considered. Your responsibilities are not just to your puppy but also to other people and the environment.


Training: A well-trained and disciplined pup is an asset to his owner, so make sure he receives at least some basic obedience training. A puppy that is taught a few simple rules will become a well-adjusted and well-behaved family pet. Similar to children, you can teach puppies manners and the rules of the household. From the time you bring your new puppy home, teach him not to bite – even in play. Also, teach him that unnecessary barking is not allowed. Always make your puppy obeys the command “Sit” before being petted or fed.


The key to training your pup is to realize that he really does want to please you. Praise and reward your puppy for appropriate behaviour and use a stern “No” when you wish to correct his behavior. As your puppy grows you should seek assistance with more formal training. Contact your local obedience club for details about their training classes. Joining such a club is inexpensive and not only provides instruction on training your puppy to obey basic commands such as stay, down and come, but a training club also allows your puppy to socialize with other dogs. Training will make your puppy a more pleasurable companion and it may also one day save his life.

Grooming: Regular grooming is necessary to keep your puppy looking and feeling his best. Puppies that are naturally longhaired or densely coated require brushing more frequently than shorthaired puppies. Some breeds require regular professional clipping. Puppies should be accustomed to being brushed and combed from an early age. Your veterinarian can assist with cutting your puppy’s nails and cleaning his teeth, or can show you how to do it yourself.


It is your responsibility to make sure that your puppy is vaccinated, wormed, de-fleaed and given regular health checks. If you are not planning to breed your puppy it is advisable to have him/her spayed or neutered by the age of six months, as this can help him/her live longer and cut down on future health problems.

Neighborhood friendly puppy: Puppies that are allowed to bark excessively disturb the neighborhood, and neighbors will be unlikely to investigate a disturbance should anything agitate your pup. Constant barking can often be a sign of boredom. As a rule, puppies need regular physical and mental stimulation.


When walking your puppy, always keep him leashed and observe all local regulations. Comply with the canine registration regulations, and be sure that your pup wears his registration tag and identification at all times. He should never be allowed to wander or roam. The consequences can be severe, ranging from a fine from your local government to your puppy becoming lost or even injured or killed by a motor vehicle. As a responsible puppy owner you must ensure that your pup does not soil parks, gardens, beaches or streets. Give your puppy every opportunity to relieve himself in his own yard before being taken for a walk.


Accidents may happen from time to time and it is your responsibility to be prepared by carrying plastic bags or commercially available “pooper-scoopers” to clean up and dispose of the mess. Prevention: Unfortunately, puppies sometimes do get lost. You can help prevent this by making sure your puppy always wears a collar and an identification tag with your telephone number. Get your puppy microchipped as a further precaution against losing him. Your veterinarian can do this for you.


Confine your puppy during thunderstorms and firework displays. If he does get lost, check with your neighbors, your local veterinary clinics, shelters and other animal welfare organizations. Check with these organizations in the neighboring areas as well, as lost animals may travel some distance. If you are planning a holiday, you will need to consider how best to care for your puppy while you are absent from home. Your veterinarian may be able to recommend a reputable kennel. You should make arrangements well in advance if you intend to board your puppy during common holiday periods. His vaccinations will need to be up-to-date. If you are only absent for a few days you may be able to arrange for a neighbor or a home feeding service to visit and feed your puppy.


Never leave your puppy in the car, as cars can become very hot, even on moderately warm days, and he could die from heat exhaustion. By making sure that your puppy is well looked after, well-behaved and that you respect other people’s wishes, you are acting as a responsible puppy parent. This will not only benefit you and your puppy, but you are doing your bit for the reputation of other dog and puppy owners as well.

What To Ask When Looking For A New Groomer, Trainer Or Boarding Facility.

My mom bathes me and I love it!!

The reason I am writing this post is to let people know what questions to ask when shopping around for a new groomer for your pet, or a boarding facility for vacations where you can't take your pet and finally, a training facility to help your pet become not only a member of your "pack", but also a member of society's "pack." If you find yourself in the position of having to find another groomer, trainer or boarding facility, here are a few questions to ask.

GROOMING: 1. How long has the groomer been grooming? 2. Did they go to a grooming school? 3. Are they certified by National Dog Groomer's Assoc. of America or any other Assoc. and do you drug test? 4. May I stay while my dog gets its groom? 5. May I schedule a time to come and look at the area where my pet will be groomed, bathed and dried? 6. Do you use muzzles on certain breeds, even if not needed? 7. Do you use organic products when bathing?

TRAINING: 1. Is the trainer a certified master trainer? 2. Where did they get there training and certification? 3. Do you use pinch collars to train? 4. May I schedule a time to come and view the training area, and see some of your training dogs? 5. Do you have group classes and one-on-one training? 6. What about keeping the dog for a certain amt. of time for training?

BOARDING: 1. What are your rates and do you require up-to-date vaccinations including Bordatella? 2. Do you kennel dogs together that come in together? 3. Do you have indoor/outdoor runs? 4. How many times are the dogs let out to potty? 5. Do I need to bring my own food, bowls, and bedding? 6. May I schedule a time to come and view the boarding area and play/outside area? 7. Do you bathe the dog before pick up, or do I have to request that? 8. At anytime are strange dogs put together? 9. Do you give medications if brought. 10. Do your kennel personnel know animal CPR?

Remember, no question is stupid!

A Head's Up.

In the classifieds of the Herald Dispatch, there is an ad for basic obedience classes that will be held in Milton, WV. I called the number to get some information on the person that is doing the training. She said she teaches in Jackson Cty. WV and is certified to train people for the Canine Good Citizen test, or CGC as it is known.

I asked the one question that I feel is pertinent. Do you allow the use of pinch collars? Her answer was "Yes." Of course, she went on to say that she doesn't allow them unsupervised. I am sorry, but using a pinch collar is not necessary. They are cruel and unnecessary. Any trainer that uses a pinch collar, uses them because they use pain to get the dog to do the command quicker, thus the faster the dog is trained, the more money they can make with more dogs.

I call it "assembly line" training. I have post on basic obedience commands that talks about this. She had the nerve to ask me if I was alright, because I sounded strange because of the questions I was asking. She also said I was not the first call she had asking her questions about her credentials. This put a red flag up in my head.

If you are thinking of putting your dog in a class, call the facility and ask if you can come and view a class that is currently going on. If you like what you see, then make arrangements to have your dog put in a class with that trainer. Pain is not the way to train!

*****On the subject of pinch or prong collars, the statements made by me are from experience in working and training dogs for many years. I AM NOT a certified trainer and take no money for training any one's dog, but know that this type of collar, from my experience , is unnecessary. With the right approach, any dog, no matter how thick skinned or coated, will work for you without using this type of training device.*****

Desensitization Techniques For More Severe Cases Of Separation Anxiety.

The primary treatment for more severe cases of separation anxiety is a systematic process of getting your dog used to being alone. You must teach your dog to remain calm during "practice" departures and short absences. Experts recommend the following procedure:

Begin by engaging in your normal departure activities (getting your keys, putting on your coat), then sit back down. Repeat this step until your dog shows no distress in response to your activities. Next, engage in your normal departure activities and go to the door and open it, then sit back down. Next, step outside the door, leaving the door open, then return. Finally, step outside, close the door, then immediately return. Slowly get your dog accustomed to being alone with the door closed between you for several seconds.


Proceed very gradually from step to step, repeating each step until your dog shows no signs of distress. The number of repetitions will vary depending on the severity of the problem. If at any time in this process your actions produce an anxiety response in your dog, you've proceeded too fast. Return to an earlier step in the process and practice this step until the dog shows no distress response, then proceed to the next step.


Once your dog is tolerating your being on the other side of the door for several seconds, begin short-duration absences. This step involves giving the dog a verbal cue (for example, "I'll be back"), leaving, and then returning within a minute. Your return must be low-key: Either ignore your dog or greet him quietly and calmly. If he shows no signs of distress, repeat the exercise. If he appears anxious, wait until he relaxes to repeat the exercise. Gradually increase the length of time you're gone.


Practice as many absences as possible that last less than ten minutes. You can do many departures within one session if your dog relaxes sufficiently between departures. You should also scatter practice departures and short-duration absences throughout the day. Once your dog can handle short absences (30 to 90 minutes), he'll usually be able to handle longer intervals alone and you won't have to repeat this process every time you are planning a longer absence. The hard part is at the beginning, but the job gets easier as you go along. Nevertheless, you must go slowly at first. How long it takes to condition your dog to being alone depends on the severity of his problem.

Separation Anxiety In Dogs And How To Treat It.

Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they're left alone. Typically, they'll have a dramatic anxiety response within a short time (20–45 minutes) after their owners leave them. The most common of these behaviors are: Digging, chewing, and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to escape and reunite with their owners. Howling, barking, and crying in an attempt to get their owner to return. Urination and defecation (even with house trained dogs) as a result of distress.

Experts don't fully understand why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and, under similar circumstances, others don't. It's important to realize, however, that the destruction and house soiling that often occur with separation anxiety are not the dog's attempt to punish or seek revenge on his owner for leaving him alone. In reality, they are actually part of a panic response. Abused dogs are not the only dogs that suffer this ailment. Although, they are more prone.

Separation anxiety sometimes occurs:

When a dog accustomed to constant human companionship is left alone for the first time. Following a long interval, such as a vacation, during which the owner and dog are constantly together. After a traumatic event (from the dog's point of view), such as a period of time spent at a shelter or boarding kennel. After a change in the family's routine or structure (such as a child leaving for college, a change in work schedule, a move to a new home, or a new pet or person in the home).

It's essential to correctly diagnose the reason for the behavior before proceeding with treatment. If most, or all, of the following statements are true about your dog, he may have a separation anxiety problem:

The behavior occurs exclusively or primarily when he's left alone.
He follows you from room to room whenever you're home.
He displays effusive, frantic greeting behaviors.
The behavior always occurs when he's left alone, whether for a short or long period of time. He reacts with excitement, depression, or anxiety to your preparations to leave the house. He dislikes spending time outdoors by himself.

What to do if your dog exhibits anxiety behavior: For a minor separation anxiety problem, the following techniques may be helpful by themselves.

Keep arrivals and departures low-key. For example, when you arrive home, ignore your dog for the first few minutes, then calmly pet him. This may be hard for you to do, but it's important!
Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you—such as an old t-shirt that you've slept in recently. Establish a "safety cue"—a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you'll be back. Dogs usually learn to associate certain cues with short absences by their owners. For example, when you take out the garbage, your dog knows you come right back and doesn't become anxious.

Therefore, it's helpful to associate a safety cue with your short-duration absences. Some examples of safety cues are a playing radio, a playing television, or a toy (one that doesn't have dangerous fillings and can't be torn into pieces). Use your safety cue during practice sessions with your dog. Be sure to avoid presenting your dog with the safety cue when you leave for a period of time longer than he can tolerate; if you do, the value of the safety cue will be lost.

Leaving a radio on to provide company for your dog isn't particularly useful by itself, but a playing radio may work if you've used it consistently as a safety cue in your practice sessions. If your dog engages in destructive chewing as part of his separation distress, offering him a chewing item as a safety cue is a good idea. Very hard rubber toys that can be stuffed with treats and Nylabone-like products are good choices.

House Training Or Crate Training As I Call It.

I have found this method to work the best. Crate training is only successful if you are consistent. If your dog whines and cries, and you give in and didn't make her/him stay in her/his crate, you gave in. All you did was re-enforce in her/him the thought, "Oh, if I cry and act like a baby, I will get whatever I want. All dogs are den animals. The crate becomes their sanctuary, or den. Make sure that you purchase a crate(cage) that is big enough for them to stand up in and turn around comfortably, but not enough room that they can go to the back of the crate and potty. A dog will not potty where they eat and sleep, unless they are given no other alternative, such as chained up dogs, or dogs in pens outside that are too small, or they never get out of.

You start out by placing the crate in the bedroom, next to the bed, and right before bed, you take the puppy out. Praise greatly when the puppy potty's. Take the dog back in, put in crate, along with a favorite toy, and go to bed. Ignore the crying, they will stop. First thing in the a.m., you take the puppy out, praise after the potty, come in and feed. After they finish, wait 5 -10 minutes, not longer than 15, and take them back out. Same routine. Put crate in a place where the puppy can see the door you come in. Put puppy in just as you get ready to leave the house. Don't put puppy in and then hang around for 20 min.

When you come home, take puppy out, immediately go outside, praise and then go about your after work routine. Same routine as before for nighttime and feeding. Soon, you will be able to leave the door to the crate open and the dog loose in the house. They will go into the crate to sleep while you are gone. Put a super soft towel or bed in the crate and a few bits of kibble and a small amt. of water. Too much food and water in the crate when you start the training, will only make the dog have to potty sooner. And, never, never use the crate as punishment. This is their own little cave. Their alone place. Their hidey-hole, as I call it.

Basic Obedience Commands - Part 2

Serious training should start when a dog is about 8 months old. Puppies younger than that have a very short attention span. So, serious training is really useless. Getting your puppy used to a flat collar (a collar with a buckle) and being on a leash is the first order of business. Then, when the puppy is of the correct training age, you can switch to a training collar. I believe in using treats or bait, as it is called to train. I know some don't agree with that, but I have had super success using it. Your training sessions should only be 15 min. at a time.


Heel: Starting with your dog on your left side and your lead in your right hand, step forward and give the command "heel." I use my dog's name and then follow with "heel." If your dog gets ahead of you, pop the lead lightly and say, "no, heel." (you want your dog even with your left heel) Repeat this until your dog is doing it correctly. (in the obedience ring, you start out leading on the left foot)


Sit: With your dog standing on your left, take your left hand, lightly push down on your dog's rump, while lifting up on the lead in your right hand and giving the command "sit." Remember, praise, praise, praise!! I usually do this command when I am walking my dog or I want to give a treat. When I stop, I want my dog to sit at my heel. (This is great for walks and you meet someone and want to talk. Your dog is being mannered and polite by sitting quietly while you visit)


Stay: From the sit position, step in front of your dog, facing them, give the command "stay!" and start to walk backwards. If your dog starts to move, step forward, putting your hand under their chin, and lightly push backwards, while saying the command " no, stay." This command is started when your dog has the sit command down pat. Repeat until you are satisfied with the results.


I am going to go to the come command, as the down command is often difficult, because it is a submissive posture for a dog.


Come: This is the most important of all the commands. If your dog knows this command, it can save his/her life. Put your dog in a sit/stay position. Step in front of your dog, (like you did when teaching the stay command), and walk backwards until you reach the end of your lead, still facing your dog. Wait a few seconds and using your dog's name, followed by the command "come!", at the same time, reel the lead in toward you, pulling your dog gently toward you. When your dog gets to you, use the sit command. Remember, praise, praise, praise!!! This can be taught, really at anytime. Say you are just walking around the yard (if you don't have a fenced in yard, make sure your dog is on the leash. Not only for their safety, but because of the leash law.) Have some treats in your pocket. Tell your dog to "come!", use your dog's name and then the command "come." When they come to you, give the treat and praise, praise, praise! Never, never, never, reprimand your dog when they come to you. This will make them afraid to come to you.


The down command is the most difficult for a dog. When a dog is laying down, they feel vulnerable. Start with your dog, on your left, in the "sit" position. With the leash in your right hand, slide your hand down the lead to where the leash meets the snap. Push the leash down toward the ground and at the same time, push gently against your dog's shoulder with your left hand, while giving the command "down." This will put your dog off balance and make it easier for them to go to the down position. Remember, dog's feel vulnerable when laying down, so praise, praise, praise when they get to a down position. Keep your hand in the same position on the leash, holding them down, gently, for 5 to 10 seconds and then let them up.


Repeat this several times and then stop and praise.

Training Your Adopted Dog - Part 1

I had an anonymous poster, even though they were rude with their comments, did have one good idea. When a person adopts a dog, what kind of training should they do. Most dogs that are adopted are strays, and have no training. You need to take into count that they have been abused and are frightened. Heavy handed training is a no-no. These dogs need light handed training. By this, I mean no jerking or yelling. You should never jerk or yell on any dog, abused or not. Remember that.


A dog that is trained in basic obedience commands: heel, sit, stay, down and, most importantly, the come command, will make life on both the dog and its adopted owner much simpler. I will attempt to take you through these basic commands and the equipment you will need. This training method is for abused and the non-abused dog.


Always remember, correction should be mild and non-violent. Correct when wrong, praise when right. It is best to be able to praise your dog as soon after a correction as possible, just make sure the praise is for correct behavior. Do this no matter how many times you've had to make the identical correction; it takes a few times for any correction to sink in. Praise after the correction does not lessen the impact of the correction, but it will reassure him/her that you are still friends, and training can progress without hard feelings on either side.


Your voice is your basic corrective tool, and the basic corrective command is "No!" There must be authority in your voice when correcting. Loud, yes, authoritative equally important. Panic, anger and annoyance can and will confuse your dog. Since we are dealing with abused dogs, watch the reaction of your dog. If your dog shrinks away from you when you use a loud voice, tone it down and use a slight "pop" (the term used when you lift up on the leash to let the training collar make contact with the dog) of the lead.


The equipment you need will be a chain or nylon choker. This can be found at any pet store. Never, never use a pinch collar. I know I will probably have someone refute this, but I am a firm believer they are not needed. The lead should be leather or nylon and about 6 ft. long. Correct collar size is determined by measuring around the largest part of your dog's head and adding an inch. The proper way to put the choke(training) collar is with the loose ring at the right of the dog's neck, the chain attached to it having come over the neck and through the holding ring rather than under the neck. (It should form a "P" when you hold it out if front of you before putting it over the head.)


Allow your dog to wear their new "clothes", as I call them, around the house to get used to it. Remember, never leave a choker on your dog unattended. A dog could get caught and choke to death. Now, on to the first command. It is continued on a new post.