tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56741073923311057622023-11-15T06:24:13.977-08:00Sundog Pet Service Academy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-82976840454718611992014-06-01T08:04:00.001-07:002014-06-01T08:04:13.746-07:00I'm migrating to <a href="http://sundogwalks.ca/index.php/blog-and-news/">my webpage powered blog</a>. Most, if not all, posts here will be revamped, and republished there; I'll keep old ones here, but some are pretty raw, especially the first few. They will be more polished and flow better once republished. <br />
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Time to use that University education for something!<br />
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Thanks!<br />
by Scott NygrenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-92050511180761830572014-03-15T13:35:00.000-07:002014-03-15T13:35:03.985-07:00A shift in thoughtsRecently some things have been happening in the dog training world. The tide has slowly been turning over the last 50 years away from either misunderstood harsh methods, or from misunderstood science. Quebec is the latest jurisdiction to ban the use of both electronic (stim, e-collar, 'tap' collar etc) collars as well as prong (pinch etc) collars. Use of these devices on a dog, in training or otherwise, can result in a $600 fine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.critters360.com/index.php/reasons-why-shock-collars-are-getting-banned-in-some-countries-1573/" target="_blank">Germany </a>has also banned the use of shock collars as well as some other countries; and yet others are also considering a ban on them. The City of Toronto in Canada bans them in public parks - although most people that use the parks in Toronto do not know this.<br />
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<a href="http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDcQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscottsdaleschutzhundclub.us%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2FUSCA-Rule-book-2013.1.pdf&ei=M-v_UtemFpKCyAHajYFA&usg=AFQjCNHDUoB_iZgcqB_1RUT7xFtGMRf1QA&sig2=8nq6RsB7KXLVMnZxpsHBkA&bvm=bv.61535280,d.aWc&cad=rja" target="_blank">The United Shutzhund Clubs</a> of America ban the use of these devices in or on the grounds where competitions are being held. (although it does seem that they are still allowed to be used otherwise).<br />
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More than one country has banned the use of the methods used in the Dog Whisperer TV program as well. The man himself may want to do good for dogs but the methods used in the program are what outraged numerous groups. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&ved=0CEwQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fci.be%2Fcirculaires%2F55-2011-annex-en.pdf&ei=M-v_UtemFpKCyAHajYFA&usg=AFQjCNHWR-jFBZe_hmsSRP5vr0f5jT7McQ&sig2=YcxbNQJnXFjELKj5SNQQMA&bvm=bv.61535280,d.aWc" target="_blank">FCI </a>(FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE) the overarching body for all National Kennel Clubs in the world, bans the use of prong collars during competition (again, they cannot be on the grounds of competition). They are currently also suggesting that a ban on users of these devices before after or during competitions be enacted.<br />
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So why would are these bodies and governments trying to enact bans on these devices? Perhaps lobbying by those of us that disagree with them has started a trend, but I would like to think that our politicians have actually looked at the science behind the arguments and seen the reality. Aversives such as these are not only unnecessary, they cause a welfare problem for a lot of animals that they are used on.<br />
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I can hear the disagreements and ranting already. "You can't tell me what methods to use to train my dog!" Yet I (the public/province/country) can tell you what to use or not use against your children... or your spouse.<br />
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"They only stop the dog from XXX they don't hurt them." At the very least, they are a strong annoyance, or they wouldn't work. The science backs this up. If something decreases a behaviour, then we are either adding something or taking something away (positive punishment or negative punishment). There HAS to be some mechanism that the dog either finds aversive (need to avoid - not safe) or aggravating (you took something safe away!) for punishment to work in these two cases. So if just the sound or a prong or choke chain is all that the dog reacts to, then they don't need to wear the collar.<br />
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The classic Straw Man "if we don't use these methods the dog will be destroyed!". Science proves that DS/CC (desensitization and counter-conditioning) are what we need. If I'm scared of clowns, and every time one comes near me someone zaps me with a tazer to keep me from punching it's lights out I'm going to start getting even more jittery every time I see clowns because I'm going to expect a possible zap. Electrocuting me is not the answer; therapy to work on helping me deal with the emotions behind the evil clowns is.<br />
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Step by step the world is starting to understand the value of a healthy emotional life of the animals we keep in our midst. Hopefully it will happen with more frequency.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-74858769793284657912014-02-13T05:50:00.000-08:002014-02-13T05:50:22.480-08:00I know the soap is what works, but I still want hot water to kill the germs....<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Snake-oil.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Snake-oil.png" /></a>I was doing dishes today, and something occurred to me that there is a lot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance" target="_blank">Cognitive Dissonance</a> in the world. This came about when I was thinking as the hot water ran out while I was washing the dishes (our building has two large hot water tanks and if one runs dry - takes a while for the other tank to kick over it's water). Hot water is not needed to kill off most of the bacteria that might be on the dishes... soap is. I'm a trained Biologist (mostly working with... yes, bacteria). We didn't toss things directly in the autoclave, we washed them out first THEN steam heated the crap out of them to kill off spores and any residual bacteria or spores that might still be stubbornly hanging on in some little corner under a protective piece of agar we might have missed.<br />
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Cognitive dissonance is holding two contrary beliefs that are, once you examine them, incompatible. In the dog training world, some of these views, when they're examined, are glaring.<br />
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<b>"If I don't use these methods, the dog will be put to sleep.</b>" (when talking about using aversive techniques to keep the dog from performing behaviours - ie. they're using only Operant Conditioning). Technically this is a <i>straw man</i> argument; but for those that <b>do </b>understand Pavlovian conditioning, Cognitive Dissonance is at play as well. Why? If you understand what Pavlovian conditioning is, then you understand that adding unpleasant stimuli when an animal is already stressed, has potential side effects -making the reaction to the initial stimulus worse or changes the reaction to a new stimulus or object (person) instead.<br />
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"<b>Using treats is bribing the dog.</b>" Yet when push comes to shove, a lot of the same people claiming this still use things that the dog wants to train in the R+ (positive reinforcement) quadrant of training. Using one type of motivator the dog wants while ignoring another, is dissonant. The reward used for reinforcement only matters in how much the animal wants that reward; if the animal works harder for certain rewards, why not use them to your advantage? Two of my dogs would happily work for a tug toy or to chase a ball; one of them could not care less about those motivators but works his butt of for a piece of kibble. <br />
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<b>"I only use <i>only </i>Positive Reinforcement</b>" - meaning that they would like to use just treats and things the dog likes. I can't see how this is would actually work, unless the dog did nothing but offer behaviours that were not annoying to the trainer/owner. In theory possible but I think that would take a trainer and a dog both of incredible skill and tolerance for low rates of reinforcement. A lot of the time, people who do claim this, also use some levels of P- (negative punishment) in the form of time outs; Either dissonance or misrepresentation. <br />
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"<b>Dogs are pack animals and require a structure with an alpha." </b>This thought makes me chuckle a lot. If we think about it (and I've written about it before) the statement is dissonant. Alpha here means the boss; the one who is in charge. Until my dog learns to drive, earn money, buy groceries and ration out my time, food, entertainment etc I won't worry about, and I don't think anyone else should worry about, a dog wanting to be "dominant". Dominance displays, resource guarding might be different matters, but this doesn't mean that the dog is in charge. They're trying to give you information at that point - our job is trying to figure out what they're trying to say and either teach them something better, or show them that behaviour is unacceptable. For those that are familiar with current science (and even old science) the "alpha" mythology is just that; a myth - at least as portrayed in popular culture. The Alphas were meant to be a statement of mother and father. The dissonance comes from thinking small pieces of the dogs behaviour repertoire mean that the dog is trying to rule the house. Here is a little <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=K_T6jjUUdJI" target="_blank">video </a>to help with this.<br />
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At times we over analyze dogs. Yes, there are times as trainers and owners we want to know what our dogs are thinking. Let us be honest though. I don't know about you, but I can't even figure out what my wife is thinking a lot of the time. I know that looking at dogs, I can't figure out what they're really thinking - that's a black box that I might never understand. BUT, <i>I know what works for them</i>. I know how to manipulate their behaviour. They might be thinking that I'm the best thing on the planet, or they might be planning on taking over the world. But does that matter? Not really. They might be laying at my feet right now to keep themselves warm all burrowed up in a pile, or they might be waiting to pounce, just in case I foolishly drop a piece of food on the floor so they can gobble it up as an offering from a subservient whelp. Either way... Learning theory still holds for them; they do what works; they respond to safe/dangerous. My job one way or the other, is to use that to whatever advantage I might have.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-43049851155491091272013-10-27T14:43:00.000-07:002013-10-27T14:43:08.007-07:00Deconstruction III (Postive doesn't mean permissive or passive)"Oh, you're a <i>positive </i>trainer, that means you only have one set of tools to deal with multiple situations..."<br />
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There are a lot of myths about Force Free, Positive trainers out there, mostly spread by those that refuse to understand the science. It's not even all from the "other" side of training, some of it comes from other Positive trainers.<br />
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My Definition of Force Free:<br />
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1) Use of scientifically sound and proven techniques that work on ALL animals capable of learning (ie. almost anything with a nervous system).<br />
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2) Of those techniques, only those that do not cause pain, fear or other harm to the animal<br />
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3) Letting the animal know what it's done right and what it's done wrong <i>after</i> it understands what works in the first place. We all make mistakes once in a while; we have to face some consequences for it.<br />
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4) Management is a key stone in the foundation as are Operant conditioning and Classical Conditioning.<br />
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5) People might need to improve skill, but we're all able to use simple, non-harmful techniques.<br />
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6) Consequences do not have to be painful or fearful.<br />
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7) No one can <i>guarantee</i> that any behaviour can be completely and forever removed from the repertoire of an animal; no one can <i>guarantee </i>that an animal will respond 100% of the time.<br />
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8) As a Trainer (or coach) working with people. Yes, People, not just dogs. If we can't get through to the people, we can't get through to the dog. <br />
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So what does it all mean?<br />
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First and foremost I would call it an ethical choice. I'm not saying those that use are using force or intimidation are not ethical themselves, but they're making a choice in the manner of their training. I don't want to show people outdated and potentially dangerous (for the dogs and sometimes people) methods that could result in making matters worse. Yes, there is a broad number of ways to deal with a situation; we should be looking for the most humane way to accomplish that goal. Sometimes the fastest fix is not always the best; fixing a problem takes time. <br />
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If the wheel came off my car, I would hope that the mechanic didn't suggest a bit of duct tape to fix the problem. We live in a time where we expect everything to be fixed right away. Dogs are complex critters and need time and effort. If something feels like it's to good to be true, chances are it is.<br />
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With the increase in dog ownership in the last few years (I've heard it's doubled in the last 10-20 years) it's not hard to imagine that there has been a thirst for knowledge - most of which seems to be coming from <i><b>Reality </b></i>TV. I don't believe that the "Real Housewives of..." represent real housewives... anywhere - or any time period for that matter; and I don't believe other things should be taken as useful tips and hints (even though those programs say "don't try this at home", sadly, many people do). Our dogs deserve people that understand the scientific foundations of the techniques that are being used on them; as custodians of animals that cannot verbally tell us, our responsibility is to know as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-11301841213876187602013-08-22T12:41:00.000-07:002013-08-22T12:41:05.181-07:00Deconstruction II (Tearing down misleading words)Some of the things that get under a lot of Positive/Force Free Trainers skins is the <i>buzz </i>words that Balanced/Energy/Dominance-Alpha based trainers use as euphemisms. At this point, I wouldn't mind if they came right out and said what they were really using to control a dogs behaviour; in fact, I would welcome it. Why? Because people would begin to understand what these methods really do to their dogs, and the possible side effects they could create. Since they aren't about to tell the general public what they really mean, I will be happy to educate the public for them.<br />
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Various methods are used; I'll talk about the science behind them later (where there is a case for science, and not misunderstanding of science or out right fabrication and spreading of myths), first though, there needs to be some explanation of the words. <b>Balance</b>. Most of the time, when I read this, then read the descriptions that follow, there is usually some method of force, intimidation or pain involved (usually for "correction"). It might be wrapped up in words like leash corrections, stern or loud voice, or pinning the dog to the ground (alpha rolling). I haven't come across any site or explanation that describes the techniques as not using some sort of physical or mental force; if there is, <b>AND </b>they don't use prong, choke or eCollars, I'd like to see it and find out what they do and dissect the method happily in an intelligent debate. <b>Energy</b>, is usually used to mean that the person has some mystical connection with the dogs mental/emotional state; usually this is in conjunction with the three collar types mentioned above. You cannot use <i>Energy</i> to train a dog; you can use psychology, but not mystical mumbo jumbo; I can't even make an argument for this because it's so vague and unprovable it defies logic. <b>Dominance/Alpha</b>. This is used based on a complete misinterpretation of the science involving wolves; the original author of the papers now wishes he hadn't used the terms, as what he meant, was Alpha = Parent; Beta = older pups (usually around 2yrs); Omega = youngest cubs. So just as a Parent human is dominant over their child (they hold all the resources) so is an Alpha. It's a family structure, not some anthropological mockup of dog societies. Again, with this false theory, there is a lot of force, intimidation and fear inducement in the training. Not only is it assigning human values to dogs, but forcing dogs into situations that would be considered potentially lethal situations in the real world (the only time a wolf in a fight alpha rolls another wolf is with intent to kill!)<br />
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So if all the above is smoke and mirrors, what are they using? Some of it was mentioned. If we look at leash pops, prong ("pinch") collars, eCollars, choke and slip collars (nylon chokes) they all have a basis in either discomfort (at best) or pain (at worst) (ie. Positive Punishment in Operant Conditioning terms) or after sustained use and then discontinuing use after the dog does the "right" behaviour - relief (Negative Reinforcement). They say that you need excellent timing for these devices to work and that they shouldn't be used by those not proficient in them; yet if you have excellent timing, you don't need them in the first place! (to paraphrase Ian Dunbar). That is the scientific methodology they use, whether they describe it as such or not. Alpha rolls and other dominating maneuvers are merely some form of the above as well. Will the dog learn the correct behaviour that is being targeted? Possibly, yes, I will admit they might (it's the nature of learning theory) <b><i>but</i></b> they may also develop a negative emotional connection with the technique, the person using the technique, or perhaps with people in general. Why? The thing that those that use Balance don't either understand, or ignore, is that Classical Conditioning (Pavlov's research performed over a 100 years ago and well established) is always at work.<br />
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They neglect it because they are only focused solely on the behaviour, not the emotion. If you change the emotion, you will change the behaviour. The behaviour is there for a reason, it works to accomplish the goal the dog wants. Eliminating the behaviour may work, but the emotional state will stay the same; so the chance of recurrence is ever present, not diminished or extinguished. Change the emotion and the need for the behaviour will no longer be valid; the dog may perform the behaviour out of habit and work it's emotions back up, but that is a management issue that doesn't require the use of force, just compassion and empathy. You don't need to <i>correct</i> a behaviour that is fueled by negative emotions; you need to fix the emotions first. Blaming a hungry thief for stealing bread and locking them up doesn't make the hunger go away.<br />
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This for me is still a messaging and communication issue leading the public with false advertising. No one can guarantee the behaviour of another organism. You can adjust the odds in your favour, but you can't make it a sure thing. The public has the right to know that there are people out there that claim one thing, but do something completely different. Reality TV has done nothing to help in this regard. Dog Training is fighting against outdated and erroneous messages coming off TV, the internet and filtered through friends and family who suddenly know what's best for your dog. The public needs, no, <b>DESERVES </b>Consumer Rights protection. They acquire a pet that will be with them for up to 15 years or more and ask someone to come and train the dog (an animal with a not so distant past of being a predator with sharp teeth) without telling them how they plan on motivating the dog or what methods they are really using. Trainers be honest in the way you train dogs; don't flower it up with language that doesn't mean anything or is false. Owners be as harsh in your questions to your trainers as you need to be until you get an answer you understand; if they continue to make you ill at ease or if it is something you would not do to a child, you have the right to walk away.<br />
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Suggested reading:<br />
http://eileenanddogs.com/2013/08/12/calm-submissive/ <br />
http://muttabouttown.com/2013/08/13/making-force-free-training-the-norm/ Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-88947678814168908722013-08-11T06:32:00.001-07:002013-08-11T06:32:45.231-07:00Deconstruction (part 1) - Critical thinking<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Mendham_Demolition.jpg/800px-Mendham_Demolition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Mendham_Demolition.jpg/800px-Mendham_Demolition.jpg" width="640" /></a>Last time I wrote about making plans. It occurs to me, after, or before, you make plans, or set sail on a ship, you must figure out the method you will use to accomplish your goals. Will you use traditional Post and Beam; modern construction framing, or go all out and make a concrete; sail, steam or catamaran?<br />
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There are numerous ways to train dogs in the world today. A lot of them are basically the same, some are as different as night and day. I've talked about some of it before; others have talked about it. There is a lot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word" target="_blank">weasel wording</a> in dog training. First and formost people need to be aware that there is, as I've said in the past and I will keep saying until enough people stand up and demand their rights as consumers, THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS IN DOG TRAINING. Anyone can hang up a shingle and say "I'm a dog trainer; I've been training dogs for XX years; I'm an expert; I know dog behaviour; I know dog body language; I understand dog psychology...." There are only a few areas in dog training that are currently regulated. That small list includes Veterinary Behaviorists who work on very special cases and are usually referred to by more reputable dog trainers (Trainers who admit that they are out of their league or comfort level when dealing with a case and understand the dog needs more assistance).<br />
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We should talk about the biggest myths out there openly, and plainly. To understand the root cause of them, and to establish them as outright myths. There is a lack of critical thinking in Dog Training, which leads to blind acceptance of methods that are either unneeded, outdated, and/or just dangerous.<br />
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I've heard well educated people say "Science has their theories, but I know xxx works, I've done it myself!" The fact is that Science <i>Theories</i> are well ordered, usually very simple concepts that have been proven over, and over, and over until all the extraneous non-useful, <i>false or unverifiable</i> information is rejected. We cannot accept the Theory of Gravity, Germ Theory, Quantum Theory, Evolutionary Theory and reject Learning Theory because it is discomforting to the way we think. Learning Theory, is a theory, because it has been proven over and over again on numerous animals (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Animalia" target="_blank">kingdom </a><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Animalia" target="_blank">Animalia</a>). </b><br />
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If someone is using a technique to change an animals behaviour and deny they are using Learning Theory, or that they have developed a technique outside the boundaries of these Theories, they are either unaware of the Theory or purposefully promoting falsehoods. The question then becomes of us, as dog owners in general, do we want someone who has either no understanding of the science behind their techniques or is lying to you. Would you trust a doctor with this level of education or duplicity? As a species, probably through society, we have a tendency, if someone calls themselves an expert or professional, to take them at their word and <i>not question anything they say!</i> (how many times have you watched your money walk away because an expert said you needed something, but you were not sure and found out later you didn't need what they were pushing?)<br />
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A good dog trainer will happily take questions; and if they can't answer them right away, they will probably be more than happy to find out the answer! Why? Because just as much as you, they want to know the truth. If they give an answer that doesn't seem well thought out, utterly ridiculous, or makes you uneasy - question them more. If the answer is not immediate and makes logical sense without a lot more thought involved to parse the language, it is likely that they are not in understanding of the Science behind their technology.<br />
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Your relationship with your dog is <i>Critical</i>; your dog deserves you to be <i>critical</i> in your thinking. Critical thinking is the first step to deconstructing and then understanding false claims and undeserved methods.<br />
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More to come.<br />
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Suggested viewing : https://www.youtube.com/user/QualiaSoupAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-61865446487224407492013-07-03T19:10:00.002-07:002013-07-03T19:16:35.486-07:00Build a House, have a plan; Go to war, have a plan; train a dog? wing it....???The welfare of numerous animals is at stake.<br />
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A lot of people set out plans for their life. They set out plans for a home before they build it (or leave it to the architect and the contractor). Governments (usually) set out grand objectives for the military, which sets out realistic, day to day plans and strategies for a war. We plan a LOT. We practice a LOT. I don't know of any one nuclear scientist ever found in a reactor that doesn't know the difference between a proton and a neutron (ok, save your jibes, Homer Simpson doesn't count!). Lawyers make plans and contracts for clients. Carpenters follow plans to build houses. Sports teams have plans; nearly everyone who works as a professional has some sort of plan. We have plans either before we get into a career (education) or after we get into a career (mostly more education). To make a car, a company needs a plan. To make a cake, you need a plan! (a recipe). Yes, you can make a cake or other food after you've had some practice (ah... there we go <i>practice!</i>). So, why do we assume that we can train a dog, without a plan?<br />
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A lot of people do, and they get by. But (in Canada) at least 40 000 animals a year would disagree that those plans work; mostly because they've paid the ultimate price. Not always right away, but perhaps after some time. What do our future companions deserve? Are they disposable, or potentially disposable? I don't think so, and a lot of other people wouldn't think so either. They cost more than an iPhone if they come from a reputable breeder (sometimes even if they don't come from one!). We can replace a mechanical or electronic device if we screw it up or drop it on the floor and cause it to cease functioning in the way we like. What happens when we the same happens to an animal? They get returned or some worse sentence.<br />
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What can we do? We can plan. I would suggest planning everything well in advance. What will the dog/cat/gerbil/hamster/pig/sloth/boyfriend need? Physical requirements; mental requirements; medical requirements etc. Where will the animal get these requirements? Who will provide them, and when? Who will pay for them, and how? What behaviours do the dog/cat/etc come with that we might want to enhance; and what do they come with that we will not find appealing? All these things should be thought out before hand. Once you know what you need, you can work on, you guessed it, the plan!<br />
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The plan should be easy for you to follow. Break it down into steps. When we learn algebra in school, we are not provided an equation the first day of kindergarten and told to solve it! We need to learn the basics, and we need to learn them well. If we can't add simple numbers together, we won't be able to add variables together either. Throw in Trigonometry and you have a whole new kettle of fish. Other than acronyms, can you remember what Sin, Cosine and Tangent mean? We can't go from 1+1 to solve the rate of speed of an object falling from a building of height X given a rate of acceleration of 9.8m/s/s over night. Break it into small steps, make it easy.<br />
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Small steps mean that you and the dog (I'll use dog from now on) can accomplish goals and landmarks. If the goal is to hard, you break it into smaller chunks so that it's manageable and you progress to the point you want to get to. Ah, the goal! The end behaviour. With small steps, you achieve small goals toward the end - the goal. Broken up into tiny pieces, things become easier for everyone to understand; learning happens faster (and probably bonding). Both you and the dog get a flood of happy feelings. As you get more skilled, you try more difficult things; perhaps your goal changes, what then?<br />
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If an athlete says they want to compete in a marathon, they run every day, maybe twice a day. They run long distances, they partake in a half marathon when they're ready, maybe two or three. Once they're ready, they tackle the end goal. Mission accomplished... now however, they want to beat their own best time. So they train harder, get help, perhaps a coach. They manage their goal. Now they want to be in the top 10! Even more training, a diet regime, more coaches etc. But each time they don't just wing it; they set out a goal. Some maybe set the goal in their head, but the fastest most productive people will put the goal down on paper and try to figure out what steps they need to accomplish it.<br />
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Encourage everyone who wants an animal to understand what it entails to have an animal. What needs an animal has, and what things that the animal will require (food, training etc). The welfare (and possible survival) of the animal is at stake.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-4819952270966818422013-06-22T11:29:00.000-07:002013-06-22T11:29:08.397-07:00Something Blue... (hold your breath?)<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Fotothek_df_n-10_0000828.jpg/600px-Fotothek_df_n-10_0000828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Fotothek_df_n-10_0000828.jpg/600px-Fotothek_df_n-10_0000828.jpg" width="200" /></a>Some people get grumpy when you point out that dog trainers aren't on the same skill level as surgeons when you're comparing regulations and training when you're doing comparisons. Fine; I can understand that. How about Plumbers, or Carpenters. You do need some training and some practice to use those skills. Grandpas used to build their own houses/barns/sheds/garages etc. Where they always safe? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Plumbing you know isn't safe when it leaks all over the place, so it's a bit easier to deal with (unless the pipes are already buried behind the walls or under the concrete floor!).<br />
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Both Plumbers and Carpenters are regulated nearly everywhere. Either self regulated in their own industries, or regulated by law. Why? Because they can cause a lot of damage (or death!) if they do something wrong. So what does this have to do with Dog Training?<br />
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Anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a Dog Trainer and do nearly ANYTHING to a dog. Even people video taped and put on the internet, having a following from TV, showing things that would be considered assault or worse if it were done to an adult human or worse, a child. This might be partly the laws fault, but I don't think it is entirely. We, as a society, have a different view of dogs than we do of humans; sometimes even other animals.<br />
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Those that use abusive, coercive, intimidating or violent means of training dogs are starting to realize the backlash to their techniques. Slowly we realize as a society that these techniques are not only antiquated, but they aren't needed. Having a undergraduate science background I realize these techniques CAN get things accomplished, but they also have very serious side effects that are hardly ever mentioned that can put a dog in severe jeopardy. I can get my car moving if I put pure alcohol in the gas tank, but it's not wise.<br />
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Why do we allow techniques can make dogs more fearful, shut them completely down (Stockholm syndrome) and/or make them dependent on the devices in order to comply or cause aggression that wasn't there before, or worse yet, hide the "aggressive" signals what warn people the dog is uncomfortable and about to bite! What type of life would you have if you had to wear something around your neck that caused you (at the very least discomfort - at worse, pain) every day of your life if you did something someone else considered wrong. And what happens if you don't respond to those techniques? You're labelled as "un-trainable" and your owners are given to believe that you are a dog that is incapable of learning and beyond hope. Where does that leave you? If you're owners are lucky or dedicated, they find someone that is willing to help and overcome the damage that has already been done; if you're not, you take a trip to the vet.... (80% of dogs euthanized dogs in CFHS shelters are euthanized for "physical and behaviour unhealth" - aka. to sick or bad/unwanted [probably normal for dog] behaviour).<br />
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Is it all a matter of Consumer Rights? It's certainly a good start. What "whisperers", "dominance", "alpha-dog/pack leader" and the new "energy" trainers generally use is, to be blunt, <i>violence </i>to try to stop behaviours. If a dog sits when it's supposed to down -Zap, Yank, Yell, Hit, Poke etc. When the dog finally sits, those things stop (some of these trainers <i>may) </i>give the dog a treat at this point and claim they are positive trainers.<br />
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For the time being, if trainers are honest as to what they're using and what side effects are possible, then I think the public will choose to follow more and more progressive training methods. You can't slap together a house without using code; you shouldn't be train unless you understand what the effects of the training your using are. For over 100 years science has given us the answers for training, it's time we started listening to science and ethics. The last of the force trainers will fight and struggle all the way into this century, but sooner or later, they will have to come. When they do, we'll welcome them happily to a better way of training.<br />
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http://cfhs.ca/athome/shelter_animal_statistics Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-53086984924035089042013-05-26T16:29:00.000-07:002013-05-26T16:30:29.742-07:00Something borrowed ... (not really; the history and science of dog training)<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Ivan_Pavlov_NLM3.jpg/425px-Ivan_Pavlov_NLM3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Ivan_Pavlov_NLM3.jpg/425px-Ivan_Pavlov_NLM3.jpg" width="141" /></a>Most people know about Pavlov... ring a bell?<br />
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Some people know about Skinner... need a box?<br />
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Keller Breland, Mirriam Breland Bailey, Bob Bailey?<br />
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How about Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell, Karyn Pryor, Pat Miller?<br />
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All of the above have contributed enormously to the work of properly educated and <b>scientifically</b> fluent based dog trainers around the world. Notice I didn't mention any names of two North American <i>training personalities</i> (one in the US and one in Canada).<br />
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There is science behind training; whether people know it or not. For many many years, the Training community relied on <b>lore</b> passed down from trainer to trainer. Most of this lore still used came from training of war dogs. During the wars dogs had to be resilient; the methods used weeded out dogs that were not resilient were washed out. The harshness of the training was passed on after the wars; if your dog didn't live up to those standards, it usually meant an uncomfortable end ("He's defying me", "He's not trainable" etc). There was little scientific knowledge with this training; even though they were using what Pavlov and Skinner had already figured out in the Laboratory. <br />
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The people that brought science out of the lab into the world were the Brelands and Bob Bailey; students of Skinner. Using their techniques, they realized quickly that science worked quite well in the real world to train animals of all sizes and stripes.<br />
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Karyn Pryor and Ian Dunbar took these ideas and ran farther with them; turning them into usable and practical methods for every day people. Questioning the need for force at all. If, as some said, dogs were willing to please, why did you need force? Why could you use methods not involving force on some animals and need them on dogs? There was no logic in that and they proved there was little need to bully or coerce a dog. Making the dog do something was incompatible with them wanting to do it or wanting to be with you; reward the correct behaviour and you don't have to worry about all the other nasty.<br />
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The discussion continues though. Those claiming that dogs <i>need</i> to be <i>put in their place</i> will still use the old excuses. It should be an issue of <u><b><i>Consumer Rights</i></b></u>. Many of us will be happy if those that use force, coercion, pain, discomfort and/or bullying/intimidation come out and tell people outright what they plan on doing to motivate without the euphemisms of "alpha", "dominance", "pack leader" or "energy" speak. The public will decide, just like the public decided on the abuse of children and spouses -- the change in law followed. There is an ethical responsibility of ALL trainers to be straight forward with effects their methods will have; not to hide them. Science tells us what effects different types of training uses; if someone doesn't understand the science, they cannot understand what their methods will do. If they don't know, how is the public suppose to know?<br />
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(thanks to Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, Kayrn Pryor and the others mentioned here for all the work they have done to get us to this point)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-75815327286345948472013-05-03T16:36:00.000-07:002013-05-05T06:55:38.160-07:00Something New.... (Loose Leash Walking)Something New...<br />
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Leash walking is one of the most intense behaviours to get out of a dog. Why? If you think about it, there is so many other more interesting things to do. So, what do we do? We either train the heck out of them, or if you're a bit lazy like most of us are (including me), there are things we can use to reduce the pulling.<br />
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Harnesses and head halters are a wonderful addition in the last few years. Although many are touted as "No-Pull" with the right other motivation SQUIRREL! your dog can easily CAT! pull you along if it really DEAD FISH! wants to. I would term them pull reducing harnesses. The harnesses I am talking about are ones that attach at the front of the chest to use their own forward momentum against them. As a scientist, I liken it like a fulcrum; depending on where it is, the more effect it will have. It works against a natural reflex as well.<br />
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Get someone to pull you by the arm, quickly, and without any warning (no 1...2....3!). Your natural instinct will be to pull BACK against this (the same with a shove). Sensible/Sensation, Easy Walk and Freedom harnesses are the common these days for anti-pull harnesses. They work the same way because you can attach them at the front (the Freedom harness has an additional attachment at the back) and this acts as the fulcrum. Ideally these are used in conjunction with training, but for some, all they use is these for a long long time without training... once back on the collars though, they will likely start pulling again. Nose halters and Gentle leaders will be the same.<br />
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Halters and Gentle Leaders are designed more to control the head (gently, not with a rough hand - snapping heads around can cause damage to the dog, which might lead to other problems). I don't recommend these as much as harnesses because if the dog loves to walk nicely and then SUDDENLY charge, the same head snap can happen. But for a dog that is all over the map (street) and is a bit less focused to specific things, these work well; it also allows you to get reactive dogs off of whatever stimulus triggers their reactivity. Training is helpful here too, but many don't bother.<br />
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Training is intensive and takes time, but is well worth it. The main concept in teaching a dog not to pull is to play "Red Light, Green Light" (Ian Dunbar). Every time the dog starts to go forward to pull, you stop, and wait for them to focus back on you or (better still) to come back to your side. For chronic pullers, this means a lot of stopping and waiting, but once the dog starts to understand what you want, it becomes a lot easier. Patience is a supreme virtue when it comes to Loose Leash Walking, but it is well worth it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-13280964985985428412013-04-25T05:38:00.000-07:002013-05-05T06:55:07.540-07:00"Something Old..." (Leadership -- Ghandi vs Stalin"Something Old....<br />
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I've started writing this a few times now. I'm just going to address one big misconception about what a leader is. Why? Because it's made a comeback in the last 10 years because of certain TV celebrities in dog training.<br />
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Wikipedia: <b>Leadership</b> has been described as “a process of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_influence" title="Social influence">social influence</a> in which one person can enlist the aid and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_support" title="Peer support">support</a> of others in the accomplishment of a common <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Task_%28project_management%29" title="Task (project management)">task</a>".<br />
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So, are you a leader to your dog? What does a dog think leadership is? Does it have anything to do with dominance? <br />
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Let's talk about dominance. What is it? <span class="ssens">the fact or state of being <a class="formulaic" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominant">dominant</a>: as </span><span class="ssens"><i class="sn">a</i> <b>:</b> dominant position especially in a social hierarchy </span>(Miriam-Webster online dictionary); so in order for your dog to be dominant over you, he has to make the rules; he has to be in charge of the resources. I don't know about you, but my dogs are allowed on the furniture, if they bark out the window while they're out there, they have to get off. According to some, they're being dominant by being on the furniture; they're being dominant by barking out the window. My two girls both jump up in my arms, so they're dominating me... but they only do it when I signal them to. I have dogs that give me "hugs" (putting their paws up on my leg or thigh) when I ask, but they're dominating me??? <br />
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Dogs like rules when then can get what they want within them. A leader sets rules. A dog might say, "Hey, can I try this?" and if they get no feedback to the contrary, the might say, "Ok, then let me see if this works!" and continue on with it<b><i> IF IT'S REINFORCING!</i></b> (reinforcing meaning that it either maintains, or increases the behaviour). <b> Case 1</b>: "Hey, can I roll in this smelly fish?... Hello?... OHHHH AMBROSIA!" Now we have a dog that will likely roll in more dead fish, but <b>Case 2</b>: "Hey, can I roll in this smelly fish?... Hello? ... OUCH! Something bit me!" could very well reduce the chance of it happening again (assuming case 1 didn't happen a few times before). Not given any rules, a dog will do what works for them, just like any child without any parental feedback.<br />
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So a good leader is in charge, but allows their subordinates, if you like that term, to think for themselves, but gives them a framework to work within. Do I want to be in charge of EVERY single thing my dog does? No, I want to give them the opportunity to make the decision and reward them for making the right one and guide them toward that if it's a complex behaviour. Am I lazy? Maybe, but the fewer decisions I have to make for the dog, the more energy they expend making those decisions for me. A General doesn't tell each and every soldier which enemy on the battle field to shoot at, the gives an overlay and tells those under him to get the job done under certain conditions. Be a General, not a Tyrant.<br />
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ps. I don't know what a dog is really thinking; but I do know that behavior is understandable if you look at it... if someone says they can understand the inside of a dogs head, they're at best, pulling your leg, at worst, trying to give a sense that they are an expert in which no one has yet been scientifically able to accomplish.<br />
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Next few times...<br />
Something new.... Something borrowed.... Something blue... Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-16687792643754691372012-10-20T10:24:00.003-07:002012-10-20T10:24:51.099-07:00Off Leash etiquettes (or why not as many people are as wrong as we think)I've been thinking about this for a while now; I've read a few other blogs as well and comments on our local Off Leash Dog Park facebook pages. Beyond the opinions that I formerly held, something I've noticed is that most of the time it's about what the dogs are doing to each other, and why whatever the other owner did was wrong.<br />
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As a Professional Dog Walker and Dog Training Instructor I know something about both people and dogs. As an instructor I know that if I can't reach the people, then I won't be reaching the dog, and they might not get what they need. As a walker, if I can't get through to the dogs that I walk and tell them what I <i>want</i> them to do then my life will be a lot harder.<br />
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So the problem is this as far as I can see. Everyone is probably right, and everyone is probably wrong. How does that work? Everyone has their own ideas about what is acceptable for their dog, and other dogs and the interactions that dogs have. Wherever they got these opinions doesn't really matter, they have the ideas in their head. One thing that happens a lot in Off Leash areas is that dogs get into things that might be a little to much for them, and their people react.<br />
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It's in the reactions that we express our emotions and our ideas about what is appropriate. I've seen to many professional walkers screaming at people in the park instead of just walking away. I've seen regular people screaming at other people too, instead of walking away. Everything you feel goes straight down the end of the leash and the dogs feel it too (even if they aren't on a leash). <br />
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Let me give a (rather outrageous) example. Little Fluffy the Chihuahua has Brutus the Bull Mastiff on the ground and by the neck. Fluffy is in full shake mode, and Brutus is still, and looking more than terrified. Everyone laughs, then Brutus turns on Fluffy... then everyone thinks that Brutus is an evil dog and shouldn't be in the park. As I said, rather outrageous, but similar things happen with all sizes of dogs. Now, Fluffy's parent is outraged, Brutus' parent is shocked and terrified; words are exchanged and near fist fights nearly break out. "Fluffy was attacking him! Brutus was just defending himself!" "Brutus is a brute and should be expelled from the park!" etc. This isn't the first time that Fluffy has attacked someone like this, but it's the first time Brutus has reacted like this. I'm assuming in this scenario Brutus had a really good bite inhibition with Fluffy and Fluffy was fine except for a bruised ego, and hopefully a better respect at not being a bully.<br />
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Who's right? Both people; they both think that their dog was doing the right thing. Who's wrong? Both of them; they don't see the things that their dogs could have been different; or perhaps more importantly, what they could have done to keep their dog from getting into that situation in the first place. Fluffy has had problems in the past like this but it's never really been noticed? That isn't Fluffy's problem, it's a perception and handler problem. Brutus protects himself when someone is being a jerk? Then maybe his parent should have asked Fluffy's parent to get off. Maybe they did, and they were met with a laugh.<br />
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How do we deal with this? If someone isn't willing to act for their dog to keep their dog safe, do we have a right to touch their dog? If it was a person, we'd say no; technically that could be considered assault. But if you're dog is in trouble, or about to be, then gently pulling them, or another dog out of the situation might be warranted. There comes risk in this and I would be very cautious. In the middle of a tense situation, you risk your hand (or fingers) by pulling dogs apart at the head or collar. A loud sudden noise might stop the activity long enough to get one or more dogs out of the situation with some other method. Pulling them apart always risks the redirection of aggression ("I can't bite the dog in front of me, but I'm still mad, so... sorry, you're here, he isn't! [CHOMP]"). Not the dogs fault, but it's something we have to be wary of.<br />
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So is there any way to correct this difference in etiquette perception? I would say no, not really. Everyone has different ideas on how their dog should act. With my group dogs, I don't mind if they hump one another (they've "worked it out" - literally and with careful supervision) but I don't generally let them hump other dogs; even if the other dogs owners say they don't mind. I watch for the reactions of people and how they're looking at their dogs (if they're looking!); it's easier to tell frowns and scowls from smiles (which could be happy or nervous or polite indignation). I watch the dogs and their reactions. A tucked tail on a chased dog generally means someone isn't having as much fun as they might look like they're having. <br />
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Everything about dogs is complex. Everything about people is complex. Mix them together and things get even more complex. You know your dog (I hope); you know their reactions. Hopefully the other people know their dog as well. You have ideas, they have ideas. Maybe they're the same as yours, maybe not. Ask; Question; Query; find out what they think; what is acceptable and what isn't. In order to make sure our dogs are behaving well, we have to learn how to be calm, understanding and listen to other people. If that doesn't work and you feel that you are not being heard, walk away. Sooner or later, people have a tendency of realizing that maybe their dog isn't acting appropriately for the other dogs; but leaving them thinking that people are just jerks in your dog park won't do anyone any good.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-11687697366755137032012-09-23T14:04:00.001-07:002012-09-23T14:04:48.425-07:00How to prevent Shelter dogs...To sum it up; puppy needs training!<br />
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Now, to be a bit more specific. A lot of this is taken from information and sensible ideas I've heard in Seminars from Ian Dunbar, Sue Alsbi, Grisha Stewart, Sohpia Yin and others.<br />
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Why are puppies or dogs taken to rescues, shelters or left abandoned? The simplest answer might be that the dog was to smart for the people who had them. Probably an oversimplification, but to put it another way; they weren't taught what to do <i>right.</i><br />
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Let's go through a scenario. Puppy comes home. It's cute, everyone has (one hopes) good intentions! Duties are assigned and things get done the first week or two, then things get a bit hectic and puppy duties maybe get a bit lax. Puppy starts getting bored, and chews things that he shouldn't be chewing.... Puppy gets put outside, or in the basement or in a crate even when people are around. Puppy gets bored more, wants company, starts barking. Outside, and the neighbours complain, so puppy goes into the basement. In the basement, puppy has no socialization; someone goes down one day and puppy bites them either in play, or defense (you've just invaded his safe zone and are trying to do something he doesn't like). Guess where the puppy ends up now; if it's lucky and the bite wasn't bad or on a child, to the pound, or worse.<br />
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How do we counter this then?<br />
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Give the puppy it's places (short and long term confinement areas) and things it can chew on (lots of stuffed kongs, bones toys, etc) right from day one. Don't start after puppy starts chewing on something else, like furniture, shoes... you, etc. Keep the puppy on a schedule that it will follow (as much as possible) for most of it's future life. One of the dangers in my opinion of "Christmas" puppies is that people will tend to play with the puppy over the holiday and then all of a sudden, when everyone goes to school or work after a week, the puppy is left all alone! Good recipe for separation anxiety problems or just general havoc.<br />
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The whole idea is to do this right from the start to prevent shelter dogs in the first place. Education of people who are getting dogs should be the primary skill vets, trainers, breeders (of any sort be they for CKC/AKC etc, "backyard" or accidental) should insist people at least read a good puppy book. Any of the professionals mentioned above have good books that would help.<br />
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What else can be done?<br />
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Socialization, socialization, socialization. Most puppies are supper social when they are very young, but they don't stay that way. I don't know how many times I've heard the phrase "My dog is socialized, it knows the family, and plays with the neighbour dog every day!" Imagine yourself in a world were all you saw was your family, and the family pig. Someone dressed in strange clothing comes along riding an elephant. Tell me honestly what you'd think about this...<br />
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Puppies have to be socialized to as many people as possible (Ian Dunbar suggests <i>at least </i>200 by the time they're 12 to 16 weeks old!). Depending on when you go to puppy class (1st, 2nd or 3rd set or shots) you might be able to catch the window, or miss it entirely with the puppy for other puppies. Let's be honest though; the dog is more likely to see other people than it is other dogs. Socialization is hard to accomplish <i>after</i> 18 weeks of age. At this time, puppies aren't receptive to new things and it takes longer for them to trust; <b><i>but</i></b> if they've had lots of socialization before that, they look at new people and go "OH! That looks a bit like the other long haired, hat wearing, cane wielding person I saw before... They might be friendly, lets go find out!". So, imagine what kind of attitude a puppy that has only seen the 3 neighbours, some family members all of the same age suddenly sees some stranger carrying a huge box, dressed in funny cloths with a hat and some strange contraption in his hand as well comes and knocks on the door!!! <br />
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Babies play <i>strange</i> but why don't we think of puppies doing the same thing? They just do it way earlier than human babies (remember the 5-9 year multiplier for dog age - by the time a puppy is 16 weeks (about 2 years in people time) it's in about the same age range <b>[ed. I know it's closer to a year in babies, but the principle idea is the same]</b>. <br />
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2 primary things need to be done. 1) Provide the puppy with a home and environment where it can learn to do what is right so eventually it can be left out, or in a larger environment to feel safe in when you're not there. 2) Socialize the heck out of the puppy. Concerning more with humans, then with other dogs. There isn't a lot of reason why most puppies by the time they reach 6 months of age, baring a medical condition, shouldn't be capable of approaching any human nicely and quietly accepting (or even relishing) a nice pet on the head, or respecting people that don't want to do that for the puppy. <br />
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I try my best to stay positive with people that bring their puppies to class after they are 18 weeks of age, but I wish I had a time machine to tell them to come when their puppy is much younger. I wish vets would tell people that they could get a discount on services if they took their puppy to positive training classes (if I was a vet, I'd rather have puppies that could be handled with little fuss than one I had to get 3 or 4 assistants to hold down just so I could take blood). I wish <b><i>everyone</i> </b>who ever thought, or has had or is going to have a litter thinks to themselves, how can I make this puppies life happier? <br />
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How do we prevent shelter and rescue dogs? Do what's right for the puppy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-87885843056778697682012-09-09T11:18:00.001-07:002012-09-09T11:29:20.266-07:00Mental ExerciseThroughout my time as a trainer and walker I've told people about mental exercise for their pups and dogs. Why is mental exercise important? Why is it important for us? So we don't loose some of our abilities. Granted, whenever we ask a dog to do something we're also asking for some degree of mental activity on their part because they don't speak human (although they understand it far better than we give them credit for - they even understand it better than we understand each other!).<br />
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Mental exercise in a dog can be anything from running random tricks or obedience drills to running full blown agility courses or even tracking, herding or other activities like that. I always tell people that the reason border collie owners in the city take their dogs to the park 3 times a day for an hour at a time is to tire them out; the same amount of time giving the same dog mental exercise would tire them out too.<br />
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Treat games are a good way to tire a dog out -- numerous fancy treat dispensing toys can be used for this. They can range from a pop bottle with a hole big enough for kibble to fall out in the neck filled with kibble, to fancy 40-60 dollar wooden puzzles (don't ask me how I know that some cost that much!). The idea is that the dog has to work for it's food - which most of them love to do, once they realize what they're supposed to do.<br />
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Digging games, such as putting a toy in a pile of cloths/towels/rags and telling (esp. good for terrier) the dog to go get there toy after they've seen you bury it; once the dog gets good at it, you can keep them out of the room and then tell them to find the toy in one of numerous piles. <br />
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Fetch/find games work the same way. You could hide in a closet and tell the dog to come find you by just saying their name once while they're occupied somewhere else or with someone else. <br />
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Lots of different games can be had, if you think about it. If the dog is digging in the backyard, you could give them one place ONLY where they can dig, or find something for them to burn off that energy elsewhere. Be creative, think like a dog; wag, and be happy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-21321748884679854932012-08-25T15:13:00.003-07:002012-08-25T15:14:10.971-07:00My Puppy is a Freak! (and other myths about puppy hood)<i>Why does my puppy nips and bite?</i><br />
<i>Why does my puppy jump up all over me?</i><br />
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Do you have a Puppy? This answers the questions above rather succinctly. Something people don't realize about puppies is that they're little attention hounds. If they get attention for something, they do it more. Any interaction with a puppy is a chance for a training exercise. Puppy runs up with a toy, most people don't bat an eye; same puppy goes and grabs a sock or shoe and all heck breaks loose. So what does that puppy learn? Playing with <i>your</i> toys, gets me attention, so, I'll do that! After all, now your chasing me around the house and talking to me, so that's good and fun!<br />
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We need to stop trying to think about what we <i>don't </i>want the puppy to do (of course there will be management needs you will have to deal with, but this isn't teaching the puppy <i>not</i> to do things, it's not giving them access while they learn the <i>right</i> things to do). Teach the puppy what is good (chewing on Kongs and other toys; food enrichment games - Buster cubes and other things that dispense treats; interactive training that turns behaviours into a habit, not just a <i>trick - Oh, you have food!? I'll work then!). </i>So what about our puppy myths?<br />
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<b><u><i>Nipping </i></u></b>- All puppies need to nip; I ask a lot of questions when someone tells me their puppy doesn't nip. Puppies need to learn self control and that teeth on human skin is a bad thing (humans are wimpy fleshy creatures, they can't handle the teeth!). In order to do that, they have to actually be allowed to make some contact with human flesh. A good breeder will have taught puppies that human skin is frail and all their fun ends if they make contact with skin (if you've never been nipped by a puppy, it's like little needles). If the breeder didn't do it, then I want to know what they people have done to keep the puppy from nipping - the last thing I want to hear is something like "we give them a smack on the nose." If you want to create a dog that is a dangerous biter, never let it make contact with human skin; if you want a dog that may put it's mouth on humans, but never bare down any weight, teach it to nip properly.<br />
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<b><u><i>Jumping Up</i></u></b> - Puppies jump not because they want to dominate you and take over the world; they want attention. Just ignore the puppy (Mom did this with the puppy as well a LOT more than she had to reprimand them). Mom easily jumped out of the area if she found the puppies to annoying. Problem solved: Puppies wanted to play, Mom didn't. So, puppy jumps, ignore puppy until they do something nicer (sitting, play bow, down etc) and reward THAT. Better yet, just teach the puppy something that gets lots of attention instead of Jumping (automatic sit when they come to a person, for example).<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-76048272856906678802012-08-18T16:01:00.000-07:002012-08-18T16:02:50.976-07:00Positive What and Negative Who???One way to think about training is to figure out for yourself what kind of person you want to be to others; human, canine, porpoise or lion. The principles of learning theory generally hold across species, it's the reaction that might be different.<br />
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Lets say we want to bully a human around (likely Positive Punishment). The reaction might be to leave, cry in a bundle on the ground, or to call the Principle/boss or get a divorce. A dog, depending on it's temperament might fight back, or it might cower in submission trying to end the unpleasantness. A porpoise will simply swim away. A lion might just eat you.<br />
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Nagging can work with a person (Negative Reinforcement), but it rarely works with any other species. You can't nag a dog into sitting "Sit... Sit... Sit... SIT... SIT!! SIT!!!!" If you've gotten to that point, go back to basics and teach the dog to sit (see the second post :) )<br />
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Removing something a person wants can be useful, if they understand what it's being removed for (Negative Punishment). Stopping and telling someone that did something wrong 3 years ago and now you don't want to be with them anymore is somewhat pointless... even more so is not telling them why at all. One example that might work on a child is they do something wrong (screaming and yelling at you) then immediately taking the XBox/PS3 etc and putting it out of reach; <i>assuming the child cared about it at that moment</i>. A jumping up puppy can often be taught not to jump by simply turning and ignoring it; a dog that has been reinforced for jumping up though, may continue to do this for a long time with this technique before it figures out what's going on.<br />
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If I gave you a cookie (or piece of chocolate) every time you read over one of these posts (and you liked cookies or chocolate, or wine) then you would likely come back and read more... or maybe even the same post over and over (Positive reinforcement). Reward a dog for sitting ever time it comes running up, and it is more likely to happen. Give a porpoise a piece of fish ever time it jumps through a hoop, more likely to happen. This is again, contingent on if it's something the <i>animal actually likes at the moment!</i>. A porpoise coming up to you might just want a stroke, and so might that dog.<br />
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So, completely confusing? Negative == removing something; Positive == adding something. Reinforcement == makes the behaviour increase in likelihood; Punishment == decreases the likelihood of the behaviour. Still likely clear as mud. <br />
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<b>Positive Reinforcement</b>. Probably the easiest one to figure out. Get a reward for doing something, you want to do something more often (getting paid at the end of the week is deferred, so it doesn't work the same way though, sometimes even makes the thing happen less!). Get a hug for taking out the trash (assuming you like hugs!), you might feel better about taking the garbage out. Ask a dog to sit and he gets something he likes in return - increases his likelihood of sitting.<br />
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<b>Negative Punishment</b>. Somewhat easy to think about; when you were a child, and you acted up and something you were playing with got taken away, you realize it's a bad thing to act up; your fun stops. Similar to a puppy jumping up, or nipping to get attention. If the attention immediately evaporates, then the game is over, fun ends. If I bark my head off while meals are being prepared, my person leaves, and I don't get food... hmmm Slightly tricker to figure out, but the pup gets the pattern quickly if you're timing is spot on.<br />
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<b>Negative Reinforcement</b>. Trickier to explain. Say the pup doesn't like pressure on its rear end. You put pressure on it's rear, and it moves it's butt to the ground to get away from the pressure, and the pressure stops! Voila, the puppy sits, but who did all the work? <i>You</i>. If you did all the work, how fast is the puppy really going to learn? <i>Slowly</i>. Negative reinforcement isn't always just applying something annoying unfortunately; a lot of people use things that hurt or are at best uncomfortable to manipulate animals. If it's something you wouldn't use on you, your child or other loved one, don't use it on a dog or other animal. <br />
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<b>Positive Punishment</b>. Adding something to prevent the things you <i>don't </i>want. The classic example of this in old dog training was yanking a chain until the dog sat. Everything it did wrong it got a yank, until it eventually sat. Not a lot of fun, and the dog has to figure out what <i>not</i> to do! Not the ideal learning condition; think about learning the alphabet this way.<br />
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Why did praise (sometimes Positive Reinforcement) work so well in the old days? Because it was one small piece of a larger puzzle. <i>Mostly </i>methods that espouse "praise based" training rely on Positive Punishment/Negative Reinforcement, followed by praise. So dogs likely assumed that if they did what they got praise for, then the bad stuff wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, this can still be seen on TV, even though the techniques are 50 years out of date and probably only came into favour after the World Wars.<br />
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Refer to Ian Dunbar for his history on rediscovering lost books from the 1800's that described the basic concepts of Positive Reinforcement and Negative Punishment together in animals before the scientists coined the terms with Pavlov et al.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-19791345059023989942012-08-11T09:28:00.003-07:002012-08-11T09:32:36.367-07:00Training Basics and why your dog is NOT stubborn!One of the most common things I hear whether I teach a class or over hear people in the park is (with exasperation) "They do it so well at home!" Well, that's partially because that's where they've been taught.</p>
Dogs don't generalize well. What does that mean? If you teach them something in one place, doesn't mean they're going to understand it in a new place (with some dogs, this can mean from the Living room to the kitchen!). It also means that just because they know how to do it in one spot, if new distractions are added, they might get confused and be slow to respond. So what do you do?</p>
Train them in lots of different places, with lots of differing distractions. The more you "proof" them like this, the more likely they are to start understand when you flap your arms around in a certain way or make a funny noise (like "Sit!") it means do that thing.</p>
Numerous repetitions are required for a dog to understand what you want, and in different locations with different distractions. So if you teach your dog to come only in the house, expect when it runs out of the house and you yell "Come!!!!" in a frantic and possibly angry voice that you pooch will look back and go <i>Wow... I'm not going back there until you calm down!</i>. You want to practice a lot with the things you want your dog to be strong in. Think of it the same way a professional athlete does things. Dancing through tires and using blocking dummies is not the same as playing in a scrimmage of football. Always thing to yourself when the pooch is learning something "How can I make you successful?"
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Why do you want to make them successful? So they'll learn. Learning theory is scientific. If anyone tells you that a dog needs to be bullied, dominated or otherwise manipulated with force to do something or to react in a certain way, walk away, and find a better way to teach them. Dogs learn quickly when they are shown what the RIGHT thing to do is, instead of constantly being punished for doing the wrong THINGS. Yes, one or two right things, and a potentially infinite number of wrong things.
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If you want to reward your dog for doing the right thing, instead of rewarding him for NOT doing an endless list of bad things, then follow "positive principles". The same principles will work on people too -- <i>The Big Bang Theory</i> had an episode that featured this type of training.
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So, basics: Repeat repeat repeat! Add distractions so the dog is continually successful, reward for success; increase the level of difficulty. If they aren't successful, ask yourself: What Can I Do, to Help you Be Successful?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293275264807614613noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5674107392331105762.post-59650075414040515912012-08-06T12:48:00.001-07:002012-08-06T13:07:01.224-07:00About me, and Why I do what I do.This is the first of what I hope are many (and I also hope at least weekly!) thoughts, ideas and training tips related to the world of Dog Training (and Instructing) and Dog Walking, both as a professional and as an avid dog lover.<br />
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I have 4 dogs at home at the moment. Fezzik, who is the oldest of the bunch and started my wife, Laura, and I on the path to Positive Scientific based training. He is now roughly 13 years old, and a curmudgeon at heart. He's an American Eskimo x Corgi (best guess) and we got him when he was about 2 years old.<br />
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Sóley is our little "lady". She, along with the other 3, are Icelandic Sheepdogs (and no, "they must [not] be huge!" At 26ish pounds, Sóley is a little bundle of love and affection, unless one of the other 2 get in her hair the wrong way, then she'll the queen of the house and isn't afraid to back it up. Sóley is a CKC Champion and has trained in a lot of sports like Agility, Frisbee and loves doing tricks... when she isn't asking for tummy rubs.<br />
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Tindra, also a CKC Champion in Conformation, is Sóley's first daughter. She is a bundle of energy herself, around 23 pounds. She practices agility, Rally-O and enjoys a good game of fetch (or chase her friends as they run after the ball too).<br />
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Tinni is a good boy, with lots of potential and came to us when he could not longer stay at his home in Iceland. He is a work in progress and continues to work on his focus and excitability.<br />
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I've been a Dog walker since 2004, in the fall (if you remember that Fall) and I currently run <a href="http://sundogwalks.ca/main.html" target="_blank">Sundog Pet Services</a>. Since that time I've helped people raise their puppies from 8 weeks all the way to now. I've taken on dogs as walking clients that had issues with noise and vehicles and using positive reinforcement turned them into dogs that didn't care if a big scary bus or dog-eating-garbage truck passed by.<br />
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In the Spring of 2006, I started working at Puppy People as an assistant training [instructor]. In 2008, I started instructing classes. In my time as an instructor, I have had taught everything from Puppy socialization classes, to Advanced obedience classes and Tricks classes. I currently instruct at both Puppy People, and All About Dogs, as well as doing my own private training with Puppies and Adult dogs (really though, to be honest, it's more about teaching people!).<br />
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I'm a strong advocate of Positive based training for two reasons: 1) It works, faster, and quicker and the dogs understand better in the long run and are more willing to work; 2) It's scientifically based. I have a B.Sc in Biology, and although at the time I didn't take many animal behaviour courses, I understand the usefulness of the Scientific Method. The current fade (on TV) is for Dominance - Bullying - and use of force on dogs. This has been proven time and again to be at best a way to get a dog or animal to do something for you, but more often than not, to either shut down, or even turn an animal against you!. Muzzle hits, check (choke) chains, prong collars and hanging dogs until they nearly loose consciousness is not a way to build a trusting relationship and it is not way to teach a dog to learn. Don't believe me, try it on your significant other [person]...<br />
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My goal with this blog, is to inform, educate where I can, and to try to bring a little levity into the dog obedience world along with a strong foundation of Positive based training. Feel free to comment and share.<br />
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