Tag Archives: Training

Why you should love. . .your LEASH!

Most people know an individual that has owned a dog that was hit by a car. Maybe your own dog has been hit by a car in the past. Some of you may know that I sit on the vicious dog hearing board, in the city. It only takes one incident (often an accident) for a dog to wind up on the wrong side of the table at these hearings, and ALL of these dogs are somebody’s pet. In all of the above examples, a leash can prevent tragedy.

Even when your dog is nice, friendly, and under control, if you are in a public area, a leash is appropriate. Some people don’t care for dogs, unfortunately. Additionally, some dogs do not care to meet new dogs. With a dog that’s loose in an undesignated area, others rights may be inadvertently impeded upon.

So, you need to get your dog out to RUN, and you want your dog to run free. . .because he needs it! Where do you go? If your dog is social with other dogs, you can visit any variety of our local dog parks. There’s a list of them, below. If your dog is more socially selective, it may be best to find a friend with a private field that is willing to let you use it. Have fun, and play safe!

Local dog parks:

Baltimore City-

Canton Dog Park
Clinton and Toone Streets

Locust Point Dog Park
Andre St.

Baltimore County-
B.A.R.C. Park
Located at Hannah Moore

Harford County-
Ma & Pa Dog Park
N. Tollgate Rd.

Rebel’s Dog Park
2208 Connolly Rd.

Separation Anxiety: Causes and Solutions

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I am often asked about problems with separation anxiety, and it seems to be a problem that more owners are noticing in thier dog lately. I think, now that this problem has a name, we are quick to jump on the idea that our dog may suffer from it. So- what exactly IS separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is when a dog has a negative reaction to being left alone. These reactions may range from light stress (drooling, urinating) to full-blown destructive behaviors (chewing through walls and doors). This typically will manifest shortly after being left; dogs that exhibit negative behaviors when left for longer periods are often demonstrating boredom, or attention-seeking behavior.

Finding a solution to this problem lies in knowing the cause. It has been my experience that dogs with separation anxiety are anxious overall, at any given time, not only when left alone. What can you do when you are available to reduce your dog’s anxiety levels? Exercise is always #1 with most behavioral problems. Social and enrichment activities can also produce positive benefits for anxious dogs. These may include activities such as walks in new locations, visiting the dog park, interactive games, and even the use of food toys. Anything that is mentally and physically stimulating can reduce stress and anxiety! Further, supplements added to the diet such as flower essences and turkey can also produce a calming effect. Flower essences can also be purchased as plug-in scented oils, as well as infused collars for additional benefit- lavender and chamomile are recommended.

Now, what to do when you leave. . .IGNORE YOUR DOG!!! Do not give any goodbyes when you leave, or hellos when you arrive, for that matter. Follow the “don’t look, don’t touch, don’t talk” rule. For severe cases, changing your routine when you leave can help- if you grab your keys and then your coat, and then your wallet, change the order. If not already doing so, crating your dog can help protect your home as well as the safety of your pet. Crates are often a place of sanctuary for dogs, although in some dogs, crates also induce stress. A decision may have to be made in regard to the severity of the problem and the safety of your dog when you are not home. For dogs that are known escape artists, there are additional solutions as well.

Overall, your goal is to reduce the amount of anxiety your dog experiences on a regular basis. It is my personal opinion to stay away from behavior modifying drugs in these cases, as they can have severe adverse effects. For specific questions regarding your dog, please contact Aja, at: aja@muttmagic.com

Esco’s last hoorah?

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I received a call on Thursday afternoon, the day before the WPBTCA National Championship was supposed to start. It’s a Friday-Sunday event, and I had been looking forward to it for a while- catching up with old friends, people involved in dog sports, meeting new people. The phone call was from the club’s president, stating that the Championship may be cancelled. Why? Because the flight with our main “open” competitor would not allow her dog. It was scheduled in advance, they knew the size of the dog and crate, but now, before boarding the plane, she was notified that her dog was “too big”. The only other flight out of her area was going to cost well over $1000 at this point, too.

Wow.

So, what now? I don’t think we can cancell- we have other people coming from out of town. Sure, we can inform the people that we know are coming, but we can’t possibly tell everybody. Setting up a weekend seminar is a possability. . .or. . .well, I was asked to promise to never make our club president watch my dog track again. Turns out he was willing to overlook it so that we could have some dogs show at the event. SO. . .without much in the form of preparation (we track and do obedience weekly), my 10-year-old retired dog is dusted off and entered. We have a couple other locals that are able to do the same. The show will go on!

Aja and Esco: High Tracking, High Obedience, High Protection. . . High in Trial!

Turns out Esco wasn’t too shabby. It was probably his best tracking and obedience performance I’ve seen in a while, and although we had a few control problems during protection (we hadn’t trained in over a year) he still gave us enough to earn another title, AWD3. Good boy! I can thank K-9 Kraving for his good health and agility at this age. Who else knows a 10-year-old dog that can jump a 1-meter jump without touching and scale a 6-foot wall with ease??! We were certainly thankful for a good showing and accomplishments for the weekend, even though we hadn’t planned an entry.

So, what happened to our competitor? She routed us on from California, and has decided to boycott Southwest! I would too, after that. As a matter of fact, I will.

Now, we didn’t enter in the events to qualify for the National Champion title this year. (As some of you may know, Esco was the WPBTCA National Champion for 2009.) He definitely didn’t have the juice for ALL that would have been required for that. Okye and Torque take the title for 2010. New competitors Noelle and Diesel take the Novice Champion title, and Will and Action take the Novice Vice Champion title. What a great showing! It was a pleasure to see everybody’s dogs in action. To view pictures of the event, please visit the club’s Facebook album, here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281211&l=714ed62c8c&id=285509266881

Next year’s Championship should be in California. If you couldn’t make it this year, hopefully we’ll see you there!

The benefits of mature dogs. . .

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Esco teaches the pups to relax

As most of you know, I took in three foster pups for Mid Atlantic Bully Buddies a few weeks ago. The little boy, Dojo, wasn’t eating well, and after a short stay at the vet, is now being fostered at the vet tech’s home. Irresistable little boy! We were also notified that one of the other puppies from the litter was having some socialization troubles. Basically, she was terrorizing the other dogs/puppies! We traded the more docile of the pups for the little terror. . .Buda. That brings me to the point- older dogs with proper social behavior can really be puppy saviors!

Grandpa Esco teaches Buda how to behave!

When Buda came in, we first let all of the puppies play with Red, another puppy that is 10 months old. Buda immediately attached to his side, sunk her teeth in, shook with all her puppy might, and refused to let go! Red was patient with her- having a high pain tolerance and being a playful puppy, he didn’t take it personally. Unfortunately, he treated her like a little play toy, and this didn’t do much for her anti-social behaviors. It was time for Grandpa Esco. At 10-years-old, Esco is not tolerant of improper puppy behaviors. He would prefer to be left alone! Thankfully, he has a firm but gentle dog way of telling the pups to back off. . .as only a mature dog can do. Buda is still learning, and is doing much better in the social department.

Caddy and Buda playing

It is very important for puppies to learn proper dog social behaviors at a young age. Being with littermates and appropriate older dogs can provide benefits that will last a lifetime. It is a good idea to provide puppies with play dates, and puppy classes, to learn these behaviors while they’re young. Save places like the dog park and pet stores for when your dog is older. While appropriate for some adult dogs, these are uncontrolled environments and can introduce both bad behavior and disease before your puppy is mentally or physically ready. If you’re considering a puppy, find a friend with an older dog that can show your pup the ropes!

: Buda at 8-weeks

These pups are being fostered through Mid Atlantic Bully Buddies. You may visit them online at: http://www.midatlanticbullybuddies.org

: Caddy at 8-weeks

We have VIDEO!

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Big thanks to Amber, for being videographer for the day!

We will now be creating training videos to share from time to time. Our first attempt is of our group class orientation. In the past, some of you may have missed orientation day, and therefore missed a very important obedience demo! In the future, this is now available online.

CGC Obedience Demo

Enjoy, and please feel free to comment!

It is NOT a Pit Bull problem. . .

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. . .and I am not a “pit bull” person. I am a “dog” person.

. . .it's a human problem.

Pit Bull News

It was noted on WJZ news on Tuesday morning/evening that there is a “pit bull problem” and that there is currently a pit bull overpopulation. A local “Pit Fix” program was also noted as a solution to overpopulation and abuse. The fact that the breed is, unfortunately, notoriously popular at the moment is true. That does not make our current situation a “pit bull” problem any more than there was a “cocker spaniel” problem in the 70’s or a “dalmatian” problem in the 80’s. The problem is people! The pit bull is just as abused and overbred as any other breed in history right now. It is probably more publicized than any other breed in history in part because of the internet- something that wasn’t in existence (or popular) when other breeds were under attack.

While spaying and neutering of pets is important and can certainly help overpopulation and homeless animals, breed specific clinics have the potential to give the wrong message. Much like this news report indicated, the message given is that pit bulls need to be spayed/neutered more than any other breed. This is simply not true. Keep in mind- spay and neuter programs are used by RESPONSIBLE dog owners. Individuals abusing dogs do not spay/neuter regardless of cost- it’s a completely different mindset. Promoting the spay/neuter of an individual breed will not prevent animal abuse any more than banning a breed will provide public safety. This is an effort that needs to be directed to individuals and it goes much deeper than spay/neuter.

We have created and bred dogs for companionship and service. It is our responsibility to care for them. Please do spay and neuter your pets, and encourage all to treat companion animals with love and respect. . .regardless of breed!

What to do?

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So, we’ve tried some different experiments for the Blog, and are trying to come up with some functional and interactive uses for it. Having pages for each group course to post questions wasn’t as sucessful as we originally had hoped. It was a good idea, though. We’ll probably add a FAQ in place of this soon.

Right now we’re coming up with some ideas for video demos that can be posted here. If you have any ideas, please share! We’ll be starting with a video of our orientation demo. This way, students who happen to miss group class orientation can still see the obedience demo before attending a first class with dogs.

Fear-aggression, anxiety, and other doggie problems. . .

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Leadership is the answer!

Most dogs do not want to be aggressive or defensive. They are much more happy and content with having structure, and a clear submissive role in the family. What happens when this role is not clear in your dog’s mind? Any number of things could go wrong, and this is the leading cause for fear-aggression and anxiety. There are several things that you can start, which will help to re-establish you as the leader in your home. This will allow your dog to let his guard down, and RELAX!

Begin with a “Nothing in Life is Free” routine (NILF). This means all food, treats, toys, and affection, MUST be earned. Free-feeding is out of the question, and the dog must sit and wait for food, being released to eat. Treats should be given sparingly. Treats must be well-timed, and for something special- like a long down-stay under distraction, etc. Toys are allowed, and interactive toys are preferable- something that you can play with your dog (ball, tug, etc.). These should also be earned, and should be picked up at all other times. Even your affection should be earned- do not pet your dog when he demands attention. Rather, ignore this behavior, and give affection for appropriate, calm, submissive behavior. Last. . .if your dog is allowed on the furniture, STOP! Normally, dogs on the furniture is not the end of the world, when they’re invited, but when there is leadership confusion present, this is absolutely a no-go.

So, let’s say you’re consistently doing all of the above. Your dog is calm, more confident, and submissive. Hopefully this has resolved any problem behaviors that may have occured in the past. If not, it is VERY important to consult with a professional, as the behavior may have progressed into something habitual, and will need some training. All hope is not lost, and your dog can be rehabilitated, it may simply need some more intense work. Aja Harris, with Mutt Magic, has extensive experience with this, and can help you and your dog regain the relationship you’re meant to have.

How do I socialize my new puppy?

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Pictured above are Ace, Fin, and Red; recent graduates of Mutt Magic’s S.T.A.R. Puppy course! This course is recommended for dogs between 4-10 months of age, and is a great way to socialize your new puppy. Focusing on items such as proper dog-dog social behavior, as well as behavior management, housebreaking, and more, this is a great course to enroll your puppy in to learn the basics, and if he/she is not quite ready for the riggors of a CGC course.

How else do you socialize your new puppy? Be careful! Outside of the controlled environment of a training class, many things can either help or hinder the socialization process. As a young dog, you MUST expose him to as many things as you can, but you must do this safely, and be sure that he is not overloaded and does not become fearful. If you are new to the socialization process, always consult with a professional. Aja, Amber, and Kristen, of Mutt Magic, are all capable of helping you make the right socialization decisions.

Stick to small play groups or controlled training classes until your dog has been fully vaccinated. Be sure that your puppy is up to date on vaccinations before bringing her to high traffic dog areas, such as dog parks and pet stores. While learning appropriate dog behavior typically outweighs any health risks, unnecessarily exposing your dog to disease can be dangerous.

Get your puppy out, and have fun!

Productivity

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As some may know, in addition to running Mutt Magic full time, I also attend school full time. I try to not allow idle time for my brain, and I like to remain challenged. As my summer semester is finishing up, my professor had us analyze the class, which led me to an important realization! People will meet you where you have set your expectations, and will be enriched and grow when they are challenged. Wow. I suppose this is something that we all know, but may not take the time to think about. The next thing the professor asked us was how we would apply this in life.

When I thought of this, I also thought of formerly being that unchallenged employee that used to sit around and email my friends or play computer games. I definitely do NOT have time for that now- nor do I have a desire to be unproductive or to fill time with meaningless things. The next thing I thought of was how to prevent unproductive behavior from current and future employees. I’m lucky to be in a business that naturally provides an enriching environment, but that’s not to say that people don’t need to be challenged! In the past, I’ve found myself thinking about how easy teaching a basic group obedience class is, and there will come a point where my employees will feel the same way. So, what’s next?? Well, that will be different for each person, depending on their strengths. But, it will be my goal to provide a challenge.

I’ll finish by stating that I overall believe school to be a necessary evil. I don’t typically have respect for many college professors, because most of them never actually have made it in the “real world” that they’re trying to prepare students for. For example, I don’t like to be told about business by someone who has never run one, etc. With all of that said, while the above referenced class was not about productivity, this was something very valuable that I was able to take away!