Fetch Dog Training Blog

8/26/13

Crate Training

Does your dog have a place she can call her own?

One of the most important skills for a new puppy or dog is learning to settle quietly in a crate. There are plenty of practical situations in which your dog might need to be crated, especially in a situation where temporarily you are not the primary caretaker. For example, when your dog is:

Being boarded or with a petsitter
Recovering from a veterinary procedure
Visiting the groomer

It's also important to consider situations in your home when having a quietly kenneled dog is invaluable:

Children or grandparents visiting
Home remodeling or repairs
Hosting large gatherings

Aside from providing a secure place that keeps your dog and potential visitors safe, a kennel trained dog has the added advantage of a space to call his own, where he can relax and request space from others in a polite way.

Both of my dogs love their crates, but especially Oliver. He stores all of his favorite things in his kennel. Here is what I found when I took out his dog bed to wash it. (I now check his kennel weekly for hidden items.)

Treasured possessions stored in a favorite place

Oliver is a socially anxious dog. He enjoys engaging with people, but gets easily overwhelmed. In addition to carefully supervising and managing him, I help him choose to settle in his kennel after a short and positive experience engaging with visitors. It didn't take long after we began this routine for him to start choosing, on his own, to retire to his kennel. All guests are asked to respect his space if he is in his kennel, and this helps Oliver to feel ever more comfortable in social situations.

Dogs that live with other animals, children, and in generally busy houses can all benefit from the stress-relieving effects of having their own space. (Keep in mind that some dogs may still need your help to make choices that relieve their stress, such as cueing them to their kennel when you notice that they need the down time.)

Additionally, kennel training is an essential part of management when it comes to puppy-raising. Puppies are ninjas. They can scoot away, have a potty or chewing accident, and return to the room before you have noticed their absence. I can set my puppy up for house-training success simply by keeping her in a safe space when I can't absolutely keep my eyes glued to her.

Part of my work involves work with rescue dogs as well. It seems that there is a higher prevalence of separation anxiety in dogs that have been re-homed, although any dog can develop this behavior issue. One of the most impactful things that a foster or adopter can do for their new dog is to teach him that he can feel at ease without having to be glued to the side of his person. Planful and positive separation through the use of a kennel can help prevent separation anxiety. It's important to remember that your dog should not only be able to be kenneled safely when you are out, but also for short periods of time when you are home.

The video below explains:

How to set up a kennel
Rules for crate training
Exercises to help your dog love his crate

Crate Training from Fetch Dog Training on Vimeo.

Have you experienced a situation in which you were thankful your dog was crate trained? Share your stories below!

1/24/13

Save the People, Too


Invite people to learn through observation and volunteerism

I read this MinnPost article (Joys and Tribulations of Doggies in the City), thought a couple vague thoughts in my head, and promptly forgot about it. I didn't find the author to have much of a purpose in her writing, and didn't find the article very compelling one way or another.

This article hit some in my rescue family a lot harder. Reading their words, I understand why they are emotional, and angry. They deal with suffering on a daily basis, often caused by carelessness, selfishness, and willful ignorance. It's hard to see the good in people sometimes. I know this, because it happens to me too.

But in reading the responses, I worry that we missed an opportunity to educate people. I can easily write off the author as a silly woman who made her choice. If I attack her, I'm certainly not changing her choice. But I have the opportunity to change future choices of those who read the comments on her article, or engage in a similar discussion in another forum.

Although some of my rescue folks saw "woman unfit to own a dog" when they read the article, there are plenty of less-in-the-know folks who will simply take her word for it that it was needlessly difficult to adopt. We have the chance to encourage people to do their own research, to invite them to check out our rescue of choice, to get familiar with the how-and-why. But if we attack the author... well, who do we really make look bad?

Most of you advocate positive reinforcement for your dogs... and I know sometimes you just want to slug someone, but it might be better to pretend they're a dog. They don't know anything (I bet you can at least agree on that point!), and to teach them they'll learn best if you show them the light and give a little R+ to increase the frequency of the desirable behavior.

After all, the more people we save, the more dogs we can save.

1/10/13

See Through the Rhetoric with Common Sense

Yesterday, The Today Show featured a clip with Cesar Milan. He brought four rescue dogs, presumably with little training, into the studio. He then had the four anchors each take a leash, and after a couple minutes he gave them a 'training lesson'.

The clip was designed to show unruly dogs in the hands of new adopters, and to highlight how Cesar Milan can calm the dogs quickly with his techniques. I am not going to discuss his methods, and whether I agree with them or not.

Dog Fight on the Today Show with Cesar Milan

View The Today Show clip with Cesar Milan

What I do find worth discussion was that he willingly set these dogs up for failure - to say nothing of the people. The anchors were not given any handling instructions prior to receiving the leash. They were only told to 'control the situation', but not given any directions about how to accomplish this. Thus, the handlers were also set up to fail. The setup then highlighted the calm that took over when Cesar started calling the shots. (This also coincided with the disappearance of two dogs from the set, who returned to their experienced handlers - but that is beside the point.)

But what kind of failure happened? Within 60 seconds, two dogfights had occurred - one drawing blood. This is a terrible experience for these dogs, and may have lasting consequences. Although he probably did not intend for a dog to get hurt, Cesar's omission of basic safety-first handling instructions put these dogs at risk. All for a TV segment. Whether or not one agrees with his methods, I do believe that most people would agree that this was at best, poorly executed, and at worst, unethical.

There is something for the pet dog owner to take away from this. You may not know all the theories, or understand the lingo, and searching for a trainer can be daunting. But a bit of observation and plain ol' 'gut feeling' can guide you.

A trainer worth his or her salt will let you observe a training class before paying - take advantage of that! Will you and your dog be safe? Does the trainer have control of the class? Are unruly dogs given extra help - or even excused from class until they are developmentally ready? Does the trainer speak and act kindly toward the people and dogs? Is the trainer able to clearly communicate? Are both the people and canine participants learning and enjoying themselves?

Chat with the trainer after class. Is the trainer willing and happy to answer your questions? Do you think his or her philosophy and methods make sense? Dogs and their humans should always be set up to succeed. In fact, appropriate challenges cause growth and learning to be quick! And dog training absolutely does not have to come at the cost of an unhappy dog - or worse, at the cost of irreparably damaging the dog's confidence in you or the world around him. You and your dog are going to have a long-term relationship with the trainer, so you should feel comfortable with both the trainer and the methods.

The rhetoric of the dog-training community can be overwhelming, but you have the power to make a great decision for your dog. Charge through charm and marketing with the simple tools of observation and common sense. Your dog will thank you.

10/17/12

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

I’m in the process of moving right now, and guess which feature of the potential homes I am most closely inspecting - the fencing! New appliances, strong water pressure, and central air are all really nice – but they are things I could go without, in favor of a sturdy fence.

Some of the homes have chain link fences. I’m checking the bottom for wear, bending, and holes. I don’t want to lose my dog because the previous canine tenant was an avid digger. I’m also asking if the neighbors have a dog as well. If they do, I might consider the cost of putting up privacy screening or plywood. Dogs that fence fight often can be trained to be polite, but it is a long process, and requires both neighbors to partner on a training plan. If I can prevent a problem by creating a visual barrier, I’ll save myself a lot of time. And If I’m already in a situation where I need to re-train a fence fighter, the visual barrier will help me enormously with management.

My favorite fencing is privacy fencing. I’ve been checking the gates to make sure that the latches are secure, and checking the lengths of the fences for any rotting wood. Privacy fencing gives me the visual barrier I need to prevent most dogs from fence fighting, and it helps reduce backyard barking at foot traffic. Since I have one dog that is very athletic, I also appreciate the extra height that a privacy fence usually provides.

Brick fences tend to be very reliable.

Fencing must be on everyone’s mind lately, because I’ve been getting a lot of questions about it from clients, and there have been recent internet discussions on it as well. One type of fencing I always discourage is “invisible” fencing, which delivers an electric shock if the dog crosses the perimeter. I know family, friends and clients that have used this fencing successfully. I also know family, friends and clients that have had unwanted side effects because of the fencing. These side effects are usually very difficult to reverse, and of serious enough quality that I do not feel the benefits outweigh the risks.

While electric fencing may effectively contain a dog, it can also result in unintended fear and aggression. Dogs learn by association, and they don’t always draw the conclusion that we humans ‘think they should’. If a dog receives a shock while his attention is on an object, animal, or person nearby, he may associate this pain with that object, animal, or person, instead of with the action of leaving the boundary. We now have created a dog that is fearful of the object, animal, or person he associated the shock with. This fear can lead to aggressive behavior as the dog attempts to defend himself. There is no 'cure’ to this behavior. Instead, you’ll be facing an expensive and time-consuming behavior modification plan.

There are other risks. An electric fence is not a "real" barrier. It will only contain a dog who fears the consequence of leaving the yard more than he desires what is outside of the yard. In some cases, the temptation of a teasing squirrel may be enough that the dog forgets about the shock - or just doesn't care. Once he escapes the perimeter, he can’t return, as he will receive another shock. If the equipment malfunctions he could be repeatedly shocked without cause. Additionally, you’re not keeping him safe from people or dogs that would enter your yard, and you might be giving a scare to those out walking who think your dog is loose.

If you are absolutely unable to have a solid chain or wood fence, and do not want to risk the damage that an electric fence can do to your dog's temperament, there are other solutions that can still provide opportunity for freedom and exercise for your dog. Temporary fencing, long lines, and boundary training are just a few - a professional trainer can help you create a plan that works for your dog and your family.

9/17/12

Gratitude

I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for my friends, colleagues, peers, and community members who work to provide better lives for animals in the shelter/rescue/surrender-prevention community. There is a lot of heartbreak in this field. Sometimes it can be difficult to see the good in people, when one is repeatedly looking at the results of selfishness and carelessness.

I’m proud to see the effects of great people who come together to do phenomenal work in Minneapolis, St Paul, and beyond. None of us are an island, and none of us can create a city’s worth of change all alone. Despite a myriad of opinions and strategies that abound in shelter/rescue/surrender-prevention work, it is clear that we are still able to find common ground and to support each other so that we can succeed. I see these successes in the shelter dog that gets careful attention from volunteers, in the joyful rescue dog in my class, and in the beloved animal that never had to be surrendered because his family received help during a time of need.

So thank you, to all those who volunteer in any capacity, for continuing to be dedicated to alleviating suffering, and to creating better shelters, better rescues, better homes. Thank you to those who value the welfare of both the animal and the community. Thank you to those who put the success of our shared goal before personal gain. Thank you to those who speak with their actions. You make me this happy: