The Smart Dog U Blog

They'll Grow Out of It, Right?

Here's August's Your Smart Dog featured article. Enjoy!

They’ll Grow Out of It Right?
Don’t IGNORE These Issues…

I love teaching Puppy Charm School classes. Who wouldn’t enjoy 5 or 6 roly-poly puppies running, playing, learning? A common question is “Will my puppy grow out of __________ [fill in the blank]. The short answer is “no.” Puppies don’t usually grow out of anything except their collars. They more often grow into adults with the same bad habits that started in puppyhood. So what’s a good dog owner to do? This month’s newsletter will examine what problems you can let slide and which ones need your attention. We’ll also give you a roadmap to solving those behaviors that time won’t solve.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Perfect Age to Start Puppy Training?

Puppies don’t come with instructions. There isn’t an Owner’s Manual. From the minute you bring your puppy home, he’s learning. Your pup will develop habits whether you teach him or not. It’s much easier to instill good habits from the beginning, than to try to undo bad habits later. 

Confused about when to start your pup's education? Trainers and veterinarians agree: sooner is better! 

If your pup is healthy, you can start puppy class as soon as your pup has begun (and as long as he's kept on) his puppy vaccination schedule. Dr. Brenda Griffin states in DVM360: 

 For puppies, the single most important part of a behavioral wellness program is proper socialization during their critical developmental period, which ends by 16 weeks. Owners must begin socialization the day they bring their new puppies home, and the clock is ticking.

Proper socialization combined with positive reinforcement-based training in the context of a group puppy class helps puppies grow into well-adjusted pets. Classes provide critical socialization time with a variety of people and other puppies. 

Smart Dog University makes it easy for you to get your puppy socialization and dog-friendly positive reinforcement training with Puppy Charm School (PCS). Designed specifically for puppies (8-18 weeks old), PCS will help you build the dog of your dreams. 

Focusing on five critical areas, PCS makes it easy for you to teach your pup what he needs to know, when he needs to know it. There are five areas of concentration in PCS: Confident Puppy, Social Puppy, Happy & Healthy Puppy, Good Puppy, and Parenting Your Puppy. 

Confident Puppy teaches your pup to feel comfortable in any environment and to accept new experiences easily. Your pup will be an “easy keeper” because he’ll be just as comfortable at soccer practice as he is at the bus stop, and even at the veterinarian!

The more experiences your pup has before 16 weeks of age (4 months), the more laid back and easy going he’ll be as he grows up. A laid back pup grows into a well-adjusted dog.

Why It’s Important: Living in our world doesn’t come naturally to dogs. Their developing minds are wide open until 16 weeks of age. After that, they become less willing to accept new things, people, and experiences. 

Social Puppy teaches your pup to play nicely with other dogs, to recognize and use appropriate dog signals around other dogs. PCS will have controlled off-leash puppy play during each class. We’ll narrate the activities of the pups, pointing out the important things for you to watch for when you’re at home. We’ll show you warning signals as well as good signs that mean your pup is having a blast!

Why It’s Important: A dog needs repeated exposure to friendly and appropriate dogs his entire life. Dogs who can’t get along with other dogs have a “shorter leash” on life and don’t get to experience as much, or have as much fun as a dog who is easy-going and nice to other dogs.

Happy + Healthy Puppy teaches your puppy to be comfortable with routine grooming tasks such as nail trims and vet exams.

Why It’s Important: The earlier your pup learns the veterinarian isn’t scary, the easier it will be for you (and your dog, and your vet) to keep your dog happy and healthy. Your dog will need routine grooming and vet care to keep him happy and healthy – it’s easier if he’s cooperative (instead of combative).

Good Puppy teaches your pup basic “good manners” behaviors like sit, give it up, come when called, loose leash walking, name recognition.

Why It’s Important: Teaching appropriate behaviors from the start is the easiest and fastest way to a well-behaved dog. Teaching the pup what to do is a sure way to avoid problem behaviors (like jumping, barking, stealing socks, etc.).

Parenting Your Puppy teaches you how to deal with the most common (and the most frustrating) puppy problems. You’ll learn how to conquer puppy nipping, house training, crate training, barking, and stealing.

Why It’s Important: Giving you tools for dealing with the most vexing of puppy problems will allow you to spend more time enjoying your pup (and less time cursing the day you brought him home). Having the knowledge to deal with these common puppy issues ensures that the pup will have a consistent and predictable environment – one of the most important pieces of a well-adjusted pup’s life. 

Scheduling
Puppy Charm School opens August 1 and we expect it to be popular. Register early to ensure you and your pup get in -- before your pup reaches 18 weeks of age! Classes have ongoing registration -- Register today and you can usually start classes the very next week, no waiting!

Where?
Classes will be held in two locations each week. In Frederick, PCS will be held Mondays (6:30p - 7:15p) Yellow Springs Veterinary Clinic (25 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick), and Thursdays (7:30p - 8:15p) at Mount Airy Animal Hospital (1308 S. Main Street, Mt. Airy). 

Cost
When you register, you'll receive five PCS sessions. You have seven weeks to fit in those five sessions, meaning if you can't make it one week (going on vacation, business travel, etc.), you won't lose out on that session. PCS is $159 and is available only to puppies 8 - 18 weeks of age. If your pup turns 19 weeks before you finish your PCS sessions, you can use your remaining sessions in Canine Building Blocks.  

Questions?
We're here to help!  Please email Smart Dog U ([email protected]) or give us a call (240) 394-1112 if you have any questions about Puppy Charm School. We'll see you in class!

K9 Nose Work: Lots of Information Here!

I found the sport of K9 Nose Work last year and I can't get enough of it! In addition to working with my own dogs, I've assisted at K9 Nose Work Camp in Georgia, I'm attending K9 Nose Work Camp in Pennsylvania in the fall, and I'm on-track to become a Certified Nose Work Instructor at the end of 2011. I hope my dog, Nemo, (the subject of yesterday's post about bad habits), passes his Odor Recognition Test (ORT) at K9NW camp this fall so we can begin competing next year.

My obsession with K9 Nose Work has led to my talking, tweeting, and writing about it, too! I just had a K9 Nose Work article published on Karen Pryor's site Clickertraining.com. And June's issue of Your Smart Dog, is all about K9 Nose Work (as was last month's article). If you're not a subscriber, you're missin' out! Click here to sign up (it's free)!

Last, but not least, here's the video I put together to show people what K9 Nose Work is all about:

 

K9 Nose Work: Catch the Craze!

K9 Nose Work ^TM is crazy fun. For you. For your dog. Wondering what K9 Nose Work is? I thought so. Take a look at this video to see some K9 Nose Work dogs in action! Smart Dog University has a new K9 Nose Work class scheduled to start August 3 (6:30p in Frederick, MD), if you think your dog would be interested. (Hint: You'll love it!)

   

Not Tango's Fault, Handler Error

Tango and I have been practicing Nose Work. It's a relatively new sport, and for the first time on the East Coast, the Odor Recognition Trial (ORT) was offered.

This was a little bit of a big deal. First time it's been offered waaaay over here on the East coast. It's been a West coast sport for a couple years and is finally drifting over to us.

The trial is relatively easy: there are 12 boxes and Tango just needs to indicate the box that contains the scent (birch). He'd been rippin' it up at home -- finding the correct box every single time. He was good! We were ready!

Yeah, except I wasn't ready. We approached the start line and I gave Tango the "Find it" cue. Except he wasn't looking at me. Being the happy Labrador that he is, he was quite enamored with the judges. Oh, and the spectators, he liked them quite a bit as well. The boxes that might or might not contain the odor - yeah, not so interested in those. Which was NOT a good thing.

The leash got tight. Not a good thing. Tango sniffed the boxes, he sniffed the floor. He went completely off course. He wagged at the spectators. He sniffed the boxes again.

I panicked.

He paused at a box. I alerted. Once you alert, you're done. If your alert is correct, you "win." You get your ORT. If your alert is wrong, you're done. Finished. No second chance.

Well, Tango was wrong. Or, should I say, I was wrong. I thought I was right, but one day later (tonight), Tango proved how good his nose was. And with that proof, it was really easy for me to shift the blame from him TO me.

Here's how it went down: it was dark and I was throwing Tango's tennis ball in the back yard. He typically chases it, somehow locating it in the dark, and always brings it back to me. I throw like a girl (go figure) and I must have tossed it into the lilac bush. The lilac bush, for the record, was pretty far away. I should get points just for getting it TO the bush. Never mind the fact that I threw it into the bushes; we'll just ignore that for now, ok?

Except that I thought it went into the grass. I prompted Tango to "find it." That's the same cue we use in Nose Work. It was pitch black outside. I thought the ball rolled through the Hostas and came to rest in the Lilac Bed. Tango kept looking up into the lilac bushes.

I knew quite well that the ball was not in the lilac bush. I distinctly heard it roll through the hostas! I cued "find it" again. Still, this crazy dog is looking upward! What is his problem?!

Finally, in frustration, I turned the back flood lights on. Guess what I saw? About eye level (to me) in the stupid lilac bush?

That stupid tennis ball.

So clearly, the fact that Tango blew the ORT on Friday was on me. Not on him. He knew where his tennis ball was in the dark in the tree! Ok, so I was more than humbled.

I was a bit embarrassed. Not to mention I was crushed that *I* was the reason Tango didn't pass his ORT. It wasn't Tango. It was ME! Talk about humbled...

So. I'm not sure when our next chance at the ORT will be, but you better believe I'll train hard. I'll work my you-know-what off so I can be the handler Tango needs so he can pass the ORT. I have my marching orders: TRUST YOUR DOG!

Noseworks - The Cool New Canine Sport

Nemo and I went to an all-day  Noseworks seminar on Saturday. Noseworks is a new canine sport that incorporate's your dog's natural ability to use it's nose. 

I took Nemo because he's got an really good sniffer. Not only is his sniffer good, but Nemo really likes to use his nose! Here's the basic premise behind Noseworks:

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt.  The sport of K9 Nose Work is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise.  It’s a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy (from the Noseworks website). 

Noseworks is good for every type of dog: big ones, little ones; tall ones, short ones; fast ones, slow ones; mellow ones, hyped ones. It's really a sport for any dog that can walk and sniff. 

There is (of course) a competition set up for dogs who excel at Noseworks. The National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) sets the standards governing the sport of canine nose work. NACSW is the only official sanctioning and organizing body for nose work titles and certification in nose work.

I'll be posting some video in the next few days of Nemo and the others trying their hand - um, nose - at this cool new sport. If there's enough interest, I'd be happy to offer some Noseworks classes for my clients. Interested? Leave me a comment!

Your Smart Dog's February Newsletter

The February issue of Your Smart Dog is out! In this newsletter, the article focuses on punishment and why we, as a species, are so quick to use it. The idea for this article was hatched at ClickerExpo - Portland when I listened to Karen Pryor's lecture "Punishment and The Public." Fascinating stuff. I couldn't stop thinking about her words and decided to write about punishment for this month's newsletter. Find out why I think we're so addicted to punishment.

Also in the newsletter you'll find updates on Talos and his service dog training, as well as links to the Canine Building Blocks course.

We're proud to bring back the always popular Out + About course this spring! Registration is now open for the course that teaches you and your dog how to behave in public (around bikes, kids, joggers, etc.). We meet in downtown Frederick for six weeks. New this year: we're offering the Canine Good Citizen test during Week 7!

Out + About starts March 10 at 6:30p. We meet rain or shine and we'll expose your dog to all kinds of distractions and challenges!

Don't wait to register! This course is always sold out. We limit the number of dogs to ensure that everyone gets the attention and coaching they need. 

The course is $149 and includes six weeks of instruction plus the Canine Good Citizen test in Week 7. Register now!

You could have gotten this information this morning if you were a subscriber to Your Smart Dog newsletter.

Gun Dog Training (MD/VA)

If you're interested in learning more about gun dog/field dog work, have I got the seminar for you! A LOCAL trainer is offering an entire weekend seminar where you can work with your dog to learn the in's and out's of what gun dog and field work is all about.

I'll be there with Tango, my yellow Labrador. We're not hunters, but that's the cool thing about field work: you don't have to actually go out and hunt stuff! I'm always looking for new, fun stuff to do with my dogs (especially Tango) and I'm so excited to be able to do this with him.

This seminar is geared specifically for beginners! We don't know the first thing about field work. But we're willing to learn and have fun.

Here are some details and Reston Dog Training's website with more information. Come join us!

The beginner gun dog weekends are designed to get you and your dog off to a great start.  Here's what you will get:

Day One:
An overview of positive gundog training
Clicker training basics
Foundation training: sit, stay, heel, recall
Scent games
The clicker retrieve

Day Two:
Into the field: adding distance and distractions
Introduction to field training equipment
The Beginner Retriever, Spaniel or Versatile Gundog Test

And in Addition:|
Free continental breakfast and box lunch on day one
Canine social hour
Free autographed copy of Positive Gun Dogs: Clicker Training for Sporting Breeds, the first book on positive gun dog training published in the United States.

Free Seminar In Maryland - November 15

 What If My Dog Bites Santa?

The holidays are right around the corner - worried about your dog's behavior during these particularly hectic times? What if he rips up the presents? Jumps on the guests? Ruins Thanksgiving dinner (or dessert!)?

With decorations, presents, goodies, and guests part of your holiday, you may have a recipe for stress this holiday season. I'll show you how to get through the holidays in a way that will make being a dog owner at least one less thing to worry about.

The seminar is free, but requires registration. Please register with your name, number attending, phone number, and name of workshop.

Although we love dogs, please leave yours at home. The seminar will be held at:
Potomac Community Center (PCC)
11315 Falls Road in Potomac, MD 20854.

Five Reasons to Go to Dog Training Classes

* You and your dog will learn good habits.

*You'll meet other folks with dogs (and hopefully find a doggie-playmate to help exercise your dog). 

*You'll learn how to understand what your dog's behavior means.

*It's one hour out of the week that you get to hang out with your dog.

*Make the neighbors jealous - You'll have the best behaved dog in your neighborhood.