The Smart Dog U Blog

Which Dog Bed Is Right For Your Dog?

I never know what kind of dog bed to buy for my dogs. There are so many choices, all the beds look a little different, but they're too expensive to just wing it. The folks over at FetchDog have a guide that will help you. I'm not affiliated with FetchDog, I just love that someone has finally explained which dog would like which bed!

Here's an excerpt from their webpage on dog beds:

CHOOSING A DOG BED
Like humans, every dog has their own sleep preference. Whether your dog is a curler, a leaner, a burrower or a sprawler, FetchDog has the right dog bed for your dog in styles that fit your home's decor.

Before you order, make sure to measure your dog from tip to tail. If in doubt, always round up in size to ensure maximum comfort.

Which dog bed is right for your dog?
FetchDog makes it easy to choose the best bed for your dog.

Most dogs fall into one of the following categories:

Curlers like to be securely enclosed by their bed and prefer donut dog beds.

Leaners prefer the support of a back bolster dog bed, or a dog couch.

Sprawlers stretch out in all directions. Dog pillows and large dog pads offer up plenty of room.

Burrowers dig in and like a cover over their head, making nesting dog beds a great choice.

Back from my travels...

Whew, it was a long 11 days, but I learned so much! First, I started at the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) 15th Annual Educational Conference. Over 1,000 trainers gathered in Louisville, KY, to exchange ideas and learn about the latest research in the field.

Then I was off to Chicago, IL, to attend a retreat for faculty of the Karen Pryor Academy. I am so impressed with the other faculty, as well as with the program and the high standards they are setting. If you're interested in learning more about clicker training and how to become a dog trainer, you should think about enrolling in the Academy. You can come to my Academy sessions in Columbia, MD, starting in January 2009!

As you can see from some earlier posts, I had the most fun at the Shedd Aquarium with Ken Ramirez. We got to meet a California Sea Lion named Ty (who was just as cute as Ty Pennington!), saw some fantastic aquarium life, got up close and personal with Tahoma, a majestic Red-Tailed Hawk, and of course got to see the Shedd Aquarium Pet Show!

Then, it was off to Boston where I earned certification in TAGteach.

What is TAGteach? TAGteach is a revolutionary science-based technology that enables educators and coaches to teach efficiently and helps students learn effectively. TAG is an acronym for Teaching with Acoustical Guidance. The focused, positive nature of this method yields immediate and stunning results that are clearly evident to teachers, students and parents.

It was another fantastic experience, and yet another tool I can use to help teach dog owners how to teach their own dogs how to behave.

Get Lucky - Adopt a Shelter Dog!

This is Nico, one of the shelter dogs that Shedd Aquarium adopted for it's Pet Show. I was at a meeting for faculty at the Karen Pryor Academy and we were able to have a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at the Aquarium.

Everyone fell in love with Nico. He oozes personality and love.

All the dogs in the show were adopted from shelters -- these are dogs that were either abandoned or dropped off at shelters in the Chicago-area. Most likely they were given up because of behavior problems.

Clearly, though, these dogs have star-power!! Just some general manners training, and then a little more specialized "show" training, and Shedd's got quite an amazing show on their hands. It's inspiring to see dogs in the limelight, but even more inspiring because these were dogs that were unwanted. Amazing!

Don't leave your dog's manners to chance. Spend some time teaching your dog what you want him to do, how you want him to behave. Your dog can be a star, too!

Wounded War Vets (Dogs)

Walter Reed takes care of the human soldiers injured in war. Read about how and where the canine veterans get critical care. Cool article!

Dogs at the Aquarium?!

No, that's not a typo - at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, there really are dogs at the aquarium. I'm in the middle of my travels (midway now - next stop Boston!) and today was really the highlight of my trips so far.

When you think of aquariums, you think of fish, dolphins and whales. The Shedd Aquarium is usually full of those animals, but their marine mammal exhibit is under renovation so all the marine mammals are at other aquariums for a year or so. Because the big draw is gone, the remaining keepers wanted to be able to educate the public even without the animals.

So they came up with the fantastic idea to use their dolphin-training skills on dogs. We do this every day, in every one of our training courses at Smart Dog University. It's called clicker training. It's the fastest and easiest way to train - and as a bonus, the dogs love it!

So the Shedd Aquarium adopted several dogs from the shelter, each dog coming with his or her "baggage" of the past life. In a matter of two months, these "rough around the edges" dogs are performing beautifully on stage in front of an audience. They're doing amazing behaviors, are beautifully behaved and have impeccable manners.

And all without any punishment training at all. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

All positive reinforcement, clicker training. It's beautiful. I wish all dogs had the opportunity to learn manners this way, without fear of punishment.

Watching the dogs was like watching poetry in motion: tails wagging, happy dogs, enthusiastic trainer. Ah, it really was something to see.

If you're heading to Chicago, don't miss the opportunity to see this show - it's well worth it! (When I return from my travels, early next week, check back: I'll post a picture of me with my favorite dog from the show, Nico!)

Canine Cognition

Here are a few of the lectures today at the Assoc. of Pet Dog Trainers annual conference:

• What Zookeeping Teaches Us About Training with Positive Reinforcement
• Canine Cognition: What the Average Pooch is Telling Us
• Behavior Modification in the Real World
• Relationship Centered Training

Tomorrow's lectures look even better - check back tomorrow!

Play in Our Dogs' Lives

I'm in Louisville, KY attending the 15th Annual Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference and all day today the topic is PLAY in dogs. Presenters include Ph.D.s, dog behavior authors, and Certified Pet Dog Trainers. Here's a quick look at what I'll be hearing today:

• Play and the Development of Social Relationships in Litters of Domestic Dogs
• Appropriate Versus Inappropriate Play Between Dogs
• Appropriate and Inappropriate Play Between Humans and Dogs
• Using Play to Treat Aggression-Related Behavior Problems

It should be a terrific day, learning about dogs and play-behavior! And there are three more days after this! I'll update the Blog and let you know what's up for each day.

Thinking about Therapy?

Tango and I spent an hour meeting some cool kids who are going to read to Tango once a week for the school year. We had a great time - Tango really enjoyed himself, rolling onto his back for belly rubs from all the kids.

We're involved in the R.E.A.D. program -- the kids read one-on-one to Tango. He listens and they improve their skills (he won't laugh if they mispronounce a word, he doesn't snicker if they roll right through punctuation).

If you think you might want to donate some time with  your dog to help people, I've got a few websites that might interest you. 

First, if you have a puppy, enroll him (or her) NOW in a good puppy class. Make sure the class is taught by a dog-friendly, positive reinforcement trainer, preferably a Certified Pet Dog Trainer. (Check CCPDT or Karen Pryor Academy for a good trainer.) 

It's essential to work on good manners sooner rather than later, as jumping dogs aren't welcome in any therapy situations, no matter how friendly they are. Nor are dogs welcome that pull on leash or bark. So it's really much easier if you get your dog started on the right path earlier, rather than later.

The AKC's Canine Good Citizen test is a good barometer of whether your dog is a canine ambassador. It's open to dogs of all heritage -- be they purebred or mixed. 

Once you and your dog have mastered the CGC, check out the Delta Society for the next steps. 

Once you and your dog become a Delta Pet Partner team, you can begin working to help others! It's well worth the effort you'll put in. Anytime you can spend a little one-on-one time with your dog, it's GOT to be good!

What's On Your Dog's "To-Do" List?

Most dogs don't have enough things to do to keep them busy (and to keep them out of trouble). So they find other things to pass the time. Things that we aren't so keen on like chewing up the sofa cushions, nibbling on a lamp shade, chomping on a power cord, or maybe unraveling the berber carpet...

If left on their own for amusement and things to do, dogs will invariably find things to do that will get them in trouble. Instead of reacting after trouble's already been found, how about being proactive and giving your dog something to do that's fun -- and best of all -- acceptable!

I was interviewed for an article on this very topic. Read on to see how you can create a to-do list for your dog.

The Fix for a Butt Nipping Dog

No, Tango's not a butt nipper, but I just worked with a woman with a butt-nipping dog and here's what we did.

The butt-nipping was clearly an attention-seeking behavior - the dog wanted more attention and found out that butt nipping was one way to (successfully) get attention.

The exasperated owner said to me "I tell her 'no', grab her muzzle, and hold it shut for a few seconds, but then she's worse than before!" How frustrating that must be for the owner, who couldn't sit and read the paper, watch tv, or write bills. Basically, she felt as if the dog were holding her hostage for attention.

I worked with the woman to do two things:

1. teach the dog how to appropriately solicit attention and
2. interrupt the behavior to prevent the habit from developing any further.

This consisted of teaching the dog to sit for anything and everything she wanted. To go outside, to come inside, to get the tennis ball, to get her food, to get a tummy rub, to get a tug toy...you get the idea. The dog was doing a lot of sitting!

In addition, we needed to have something up our sleeve for when the dog engaged in the inappropriate butt nipping. Clearly, the dog wanted attention. So we set out to teach the dog that butt nipping resulted in less attention, not more. So we set up a temporary tethering station and the instant the dog nipped, she was silently (but quickly) tethered out of reach of the woman.

The woman was a bit skeptical, with good reason -- nothing she'd tried so far had worked (and she'd tried a lot of things!). I was therefore doubly surprised and pleased to get a phone call from her the day after our appointment. She said she had a "blissful" evening with her Lab -- she was able to pay her bills, catch up on correspondence, and sit and watch television. And the dog was only tethered three times!