Management...How to set yourself (and your dog!) up for Success

Management is a key component in your goal of achieving a well-mannered dog.  Management, not training, can be the difference between a chewed couch, stolen food off the counters, numerous holes in the backyard and complaints from neighbors for barking.  Good management essentially means setting you and your dog up for success.  That is to say, understand that your dog is not a furry person but an animal that possesses a set of instincts which guide her behaviors.  In order to successfully communicate with your dog, it’s important to understand what these instincts are and how you can use them to your advantage.  For example, dogs are den animals that enjoy and relax in tight, enclosed places.  Being den animals, their instincts usually tell them to keep their den clean.  Crate training uses the dog’s natural instincts to help you with destructive behavior as well as housetraining.

There are four management tools which are essential to a healthy, happy and appropriate relationship between dog and owner.  These tools include crate training, tie downs, dragging leash and exercise. 

1.     Crate Training

The crate is a safe place for your dog to be when you are gone.  The length of time a dog should spend in a crate varies depending on the dog’s age and temperament.  Most dogs that are crate trained properly love their crates.  A dog’s crate is like her own bedroom where she can go to get away from everything.  Remember that for young dogs, or dogs new to a family, more space and freedom can be a catalyst to destructive behavior.  The more space a dog has, the more anxiety they feel and anxiety is a major contributor to chewing, digging and barking.  Set the crate up in a room in the house where the dog is used to spending time and put the dog in it when you leave.  Although most dogs will sleep in their crates, it’s always a good idea to give them an appropriate chewy or activity toy to keep them busy while you are gone.  If you need help getting your dog used to the crate, refer to the crate training handout. 

2.     Tie Down

A tie-down is a leash or cable that is 2 to 3 feet long and is attached to an immovable object (like a piece of furniture, or an eyebolt that is placed in the wall) and to your dog’s buckle collar.  A tie down is to be used only when someone is home and supervising the dog.  A tie-down helps teach your dog to relax.  It keeps her out of mischief and can also be a wonderful housetraining tool.  The tie down teaches your dog that she can’t be a part of every interaction that she wants to be a part of.  It teaches her self control and reminds her that freedom of territory is a privilege in your house.

Housetraining-- If you are working on housetraining, the tie down can be a “safe zone” for you.  For instance, if you think your puppy has to potty and you take her out and she doesn’t go, bring her in and put her on her tie down.  This is not a punishment, like the crate, it just restricts her space and teaches her to hold it.  After 5-10 minutes, take her out to go.  If she goes potty outside, then she’s earned free time in the house, if she doesn’t go again, take her back to the tie down and repeat. 

Settling Exercise-Although most dogs don’t like their tie down at first, they do get used to it and realize they are just stuck there and they might as well sleep or chew quietly on their toy.  The time to use the tie down is whenever you are busy at home and need to know the puppy is safe and not getting into mischief.  For instance, put your dog on a tie down while the family sits down for dinner, or when you read to the kids at night or sit down to watch a movie.  If it’s her first time on a tie down, sit with her and help her to learn that although she is stuck there, she is safe and barking, whining and mouthing won’t help. 

Use of tie down as a consequence-  Although the tie down is not usually used as a consequence, it certainly can be.  For example, if your puppy is being extremely mouthy and you’ve asked her to stop with a specific command of your choice, like “no bite,” and she continues, then take her to her tie down, clip her up and walk away.  She just lost the privilege of being with you by using you as her chew toy.  This is a better option than just putting her outside because you want her to see that you will go about your business while she is stuck there.  You also don’t want to inadvertently reinforce the behavior if she would rather be outside or if she charges outside and starts chasing birds or barking at neighbors, etc.

3.     Dragging leash- The dragging leash as a management tool is essential for those dogs who have mastered the “catch me if you can game.”  You know the game, where your dog takes off with your new leather shoe and plays keep away around the dining room table.  Well, consider this; that is the best game going as far as your dog is concerned.  So, every time she does it, she is getting reinforced for the behavior because it is so much fun!  And, any behavior that is intrinsically reinforced will continue to build.  By attaching a 6ft light nylon puppy leash to her buckle collar and having her drag it around the house, you are ready and able to catch her when she makes a bad decision.  Punishment is not necessary because the behavior will naturally extinguish if it’s not reinforced.  So, if your dog tries to goat you into chasing him, simply say “uh-uh” and step on the drag leash.  Remove the object from his mouth and go about your business.  On the flip side, it’s very important to notice and reinforce your dog when he has an appropriate toy in his mouth.  We usually forget this part!

4.     Exercise-  Exercise is your dog’s best friend. A TIRED DOG IS A WELL-BEHAVED DOG!  The importance of exercise cannot be understated!  Most young dogs need a tremendous amount of exercise.  Although a walk around the block is better than nothing, most young athletic dogs need a minimum of 45min of hard, cardio exercise per day.  You absolutely cannot expect your young lab, for instance, to be home in the yard all day and be well-mannered when you get home if he hasn’t had any exercise.

Most owners find success by implementing all four management tools, but you need to pick and choose what combination works best for your dog and your family. 

Happy Training!

Back to School for Fido

"Dewey the Big Hairy Dog" may not be ready for summer to end but Back to School is in full swing at Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center.  It’s not only the kids of El Dorado Hills and Folsom that are wearing their new digs and heading back to the classroom.  The dogs are also sporting their new collars and ready to dive into a new group obedience class @ Unleashed.  Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center has added a number of new class dates and times to accommodate the increased demand and to give clients an opportunity to get one more class in before the Holiday Season sneaks up.

Back to School Supply List

1.              lots of small, soft treats

2.              a sporty new treat pouch for Mom or Dad

3.              a positive attitude

4.              a friend to take class with

Go to unleashdogtraining.com to see our most updated class schedule and register online

Unleashed and Togs for Dogs Join Forces!!

Unleashed is now offering group dog training classes at Togs For Dogs Pet Supply Store in El Dorado Hills.  Eddie and Dina are so generous to open their wonderful new store to owners seeking better-behaved companions.  Unleashed and Togs share a vision whereby owners can bring their dogs along with them and be proud of the way they behave.   

Unleashed teaches beginning and advanced classes at Togs for Dogs on Tuesday mornings.  Feel free to stop by to check it out or you can register online.

I love teaching at Togs because it provides real-life distractions and experiences.  Where else can you train your dog in a fenced-in dog park, or practice your down-stays on the patio while you have a cup of coffee??  Such a neat twist to our existing array of classes already being offered at Unleashed. 

For those of you who have taken classes at Togs, what did you think of the experience??  Feel free to comment…

Pitbulls: Are they just misunderstood?

I have a special place in my heart for Pit Bulls.  After years of working in a shelter environment, I understand the dilemma surrounding a very unique breed of dog.   Pits are certainly not for everyone and unfortunately a small percentage of bad owners have helped to create a breed bias that is not totally unfounded. 

As with most breeds, there are good representations of the breed and bad ones.  Not all Pits are good dogs who have just had a “rough go of it.”  Some of them are temperamentally unsafe, just like some Golden Retrievers are temperamentally unsafe.  For the purposes of this discussion, we will assume we are talking about a typically nice Pit Bull.  Here are a few things that owners need to be aware of:

Need Leadership:  Pit Bulls are smart and strong willed.  They need structure, guidance and obedience training.  The more leadership they have, the happier and calmer they will be. 

High Prey Drive:  Pit Bulls are Terriers and as with all terriers, they are bred to be very predatory.    High prey drive is not something you can “train out of dog.”  You can cover it up with training, but it will always be there.  Many Pits are very safe around their own small animals, cats, etc.  But are not safe around other small animals.

Social:  Pit Bulls are very social dogs.  Contrary to what many people think, Pits usually love people!  These dogs were bred for fighting other animals AND bred to be very friendly with people.  Most Pits are very dog social and friendly when they are young but then some of them can become more aggressive as they get older.  It’s really an arousal issue for Pits.  Owners need to know how to recognize this spike in arousal during play and have enough control of it to redirect the dog.  This comes back to leadership and training.

The bottom line with understanding and owning a Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix is recognizing the breed specific characteristics and it’s possible limitations.  Be realistic about setting the dog (and you) up for success.  If you are a Pit Bull owner, it’s your responsibility to create an ambassador for the breed in order to educate and change the public’s perception. 

What do you think?  Have you personally had experience with this breed?  If you are not a Pit Bull owner, what do you think of the breed?  

www.unleasheddogtraining.blogspot.com

Group Dog Training Classes –Are they good for me and my dog?

Group classes seem to be a little difficult to find in the El Dorado Hills/Folsom area. Many trainers and or veterinarians do not recommend group classes as an effective solution for training. Why is that? Well, it’s most likely because it’s hard to find good group classes and it’s hard to teach good group classes! 


Effective dog obedience classes are a wonderful, affordable way to train your dog. Group classes range from 4-6 weeks long and are designed to teach you how to train your dog. Unleashed offers beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. If done well, group classes provide a positive, well-managed environment for your family and your dog. If done poorly, group classes can be over-crowded and can contribute to anxiety and over-arousal in dogs. Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center creates a positive learning environment that focuses on a small, well-managed group of dogs and owners. Dogs and owners feel safe and comfortable throughout the class.

The cost of group dog training classes can range from $100-175 for the whole session. This cost is in great contrast to private lessons which can range anywhere from $150-$300 per hour. In addition to being more affordable, group classes can provide an opportunity for much needed socialization and a “support group” for owners with new dogs. Mandy Kennedy, owner of Unleashed Dog Training, has taught successful group classes for over 15 years and teaches now in El Dorado Hills/ Folsom area.

So, don't wait until after the Holidays to improve those manners! Check out our upcoming classes....only a couple left in 2011!

Unleashed Dog Owners Hit the Trails last night

Thank you to all our Trail Manners Students! What a perfect night to hit the trails of Serrano and work on our distance commands, off-leash recall and manners on the trails. The Trail Manners Workshop is offered just few times of year but it is essential for those outdoor dog owners of El Dorado Hills and Folsom. We love the opportunity to have places our dogs can be off leash, but we know that good manners and control is not only important for our dog's safety, it's important because we don't want to lose the privilege of having places we can go and have our dogs off leash.

Next week we hit the single track!

For more information about our Trail Manners Workshop, visit our website at Unleashed Dog Training

Unleashed Dog Owners Hit the Trails last night

Thank you to all our Trail Manners Students! What a perfect night to hit the trails of Serrano and work on our distance commands, off-leash recall and manners on the trails. The Trail Manners Workshop is offered just few times of year but it is essential for those outdoor dog owners of El Dorado Hills and Folsom. We love the opportunity to have places our dogs can be off leash, but we know that good manners and control is not only important for our dog's safety, it's important because we don't want to lose the privilege of having places we can go and have our dogs off leash.

Next week we hit the single track!

For more information about our Trail Manners Workshop, visit our website at Unleashed Dog Training

http://ping.fm/XKJLS

Tie Down for Dogs: The Magnificent Management Tool

A tie-down is a great management tool for owners and dogs. It helps with :

begging at the table jumping on people

barking at the door meeting a cat

housetraining separation anxiety

What It Is

A tie-down is a leash or cable that is 2 to 3 feet long and is attached to an immovable object (like a piece of furniture, or an eyebolt that is placed in the wall) and to your dog’s buckle collar. A tie-down helps teach your dog to relax, and it also keeps him out of mischief.

How To Use It

A tie-down should be placed in a fairly busy room in your house. It is used ONLY when someone is home, not when you’ve left the house. Although a tie down can be used as a consequence, it’s more often used as a management tool. Your dog should be comfortable and have something good to lie on, chew on, and play with while on the tie-down. For safety reasons, please do not attach the tie-down to a Gentle Leader, Halti, choke, pinch, or any other restricting collar. Be careful that the dog can’t drag the piece of furniture around with him. Keep in mind a tie-down is NOT a tie out. A tie out is a cable or chain used to keep dogs in a yard. They often make dogs aggressive, since the dog feels that he can’t run away from any perceived threat. We never recommend them.

Where Can I Get One?

Once you realize how much easier life can be with a tie down, the next question is where do I get one. You can order a tie down right on the Unleashed website for $10. Unleashed is located in El Dorado Hills and will ship tie downs anywhere in the country. Don't go on a wild goose chase looking for one, almost all pet stores sell "tie outs," but not tie downs. They are a completely different tool used for different things.

Management...a cornerstone to having a well-mannered dog!

Proper management is one of the key components contributing to a well-mannered dog. Good management essentially entails understanding what are realistic expectations for your dog and how to set your dog up for success. For example, many young dogs aren’t capable of being left alone in the house all day without showing some signs of stress or boredom. Stress and boredom can often lead to destructive behavior. Therefore, many dogs are destructive in the house as a result of poor management. If your dog is alone in the house all day and chews up the couch, what is he learning when you come home and punish him? He will decide that chewing on the couch is fun and you coming home is bad! When you cannot supervise your dog, confine him to a crate or dog-proof area to prevent bad habits from developing. When you are home, supervise your dog so that you can stop misbehavior and redirect him into an appropriate activity.

New Summer Schedule--Check it out!!

Unleashed is gearing up for your busy summer schedules. We know that summertime is chalk full of kids activities, camps and vacations. You know how important obedience training is, but this time of year, it’s hard to commit to a full 6-week training program for your dog. Let us help you by offering a special Summer Schedule.

It’s our same great quality and same small class size, but we’ve broken down our curriculum into easy-to-commit 3-week class sessions instead of the traditional 6-week sessions. We’ve also added Monday and Saturday times as well as Trail Manners Workshops!

Smart Starts 1 focuses on:

1. · getting and keeping your dog’s attention around distractions
2. · Understanding Relationship and how to communicate with your dog effectively
3. · Teaching new behaviors like leave it, wait and the beginning stages of coming when called

Smart Starts 2 focuses on

1. · Building attention span and raising expectations
2. · Teaching loose leash walking, sit, down and stays
3. · Jumping up and more emphasis coming when called

Dog Training Group Classes---Get Started Next Week!

Unleashed has available classes starting as early as next week. Check out our website and register now so you can have a better behaved dog for the Spring!!

Are getting littermates a good idea??

What do you all think?? Feel free to chime in on this question on our Facebook Page, but read ahead to see what Unleashed says…

I wish more people asked us this question before they get the dogs. Unfortunately, we usually get this comment after they’ve hired us to help them…”I wish someone told me this wasn’t a good idea!”

Getting littermates isn’t all-bad. The dogs are usually very nice dogs! And, you only need to go through the potty training and puppy-chewing phase once. Those are some pretty big pros.

The problem is that there are two of them! Many owners are under the false impression that two dogs are easier than one…”they have each other to play with.” The fact is that we never recommend that someone gets another dog unless they want another dog and have twice as much time to commit to another dog. Don’t get another dog to keep your first one company! The novelty can wear off quickly and then you have two dogs that are chewing things up in your yard or barking excessively.

The three biggest things to consider when you look at getting littermates is your relationship with your dog, training and socialization. Relationship is probably the most important part of having a well-behaved dog. Dogs are pack animals and need to feel part of a pack. Ideally you want your dog to be totally and completely bonded to you. With littermates, it’s much harder to achieve this relationship because they already have their pack, with their littermate. Littermates don’t “need or want” their owners company as much as each others’. To remedy this, make an effort to separate the puppies for a short time on a daily basis in order for them to learn how to be alone. This is an important life skill. It also gives you a chance to bond to the other puppy.

Training is tricky with littermates. Take it from us, training two dogs together can be almost impossible.
Effective obedience training requires consistent reward and impeccable timing. The ideal thing to do is to separate the dogs when they are learning new behaviors. Once the behaviors are solidified individually, then try to work with them together.

Many owners who have littermates don’t realize how important it is to socialize their dogs separately with other dogs and with people. During puppyhood, it’s extremely important to take your puppy safe places and expose them to the real world. Expose them to safe, older dogs, children, shopping carts, skateboards, etc. Let them see the world. This is much harder to do with two dogs than one.

What do we recommend? We always tell people to wait at least 6mos before adding another dog to your pack. That gives you time to bond to the first dog and get them off to a good start from a training standpoint. Then if you feel you are ready for the commitment of another dog, go for it!

Unleash Your Dog's Potential

What was your dog bred for and why does it matter?

Why is it important to know what your dog is bred for? Breed specific behavior can help us reach our training goals faster and understand our dog better.

"Why is our Labrador so mouthy?"

"Why is our Border Collie chasing cars?"

"Why is our German Shepherd so territorial?"

"Why won't our Beagle come?"

These are all breed specific behaviors that are "hard wired" in these breeds. Can you stop these behaviors? In some cases, yes, in other cases, you manage the behavior but can't extinguish it. We shouldn't choose a dog only because they are the right size, or they have short hair, etc. Many Terriers, for example, are small and have short hair, but they are tenacious, smart, high energy dogs bred with a "big dog attitude." Many owners get in over their head with a specific breed. A little research can go a long way...

For more info on breed specific behaviors, check out http://www.anticruelty.org/site/epage/74487_576.htm

Socialize your dog!

Take your dog along! This is a great time of year to bring your dog with you on outings. There are many health and behavior reasons to bring your dog with you when you are running around town.

Dogs need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Bringing your dog with you on a quick trip to the cleaners or to the grocery store allows you to fit some training into your day. Work on some car manners, practice a quick wait command as you load up your dog. Even if he doesn't get out of the car, it allows for a change of scenery and new smells. If you have a quick second, get him out of the car and practice some loose leash walking and maybe a sit stay while people walk by. These short, distracting training opportunities are priceless for achieving appropriate manners in public.

My favorite places to train are Starbucks (because its a regular stop for me) and Safeway in El Dorado Hills because I love all the traffic and the shopping cart noises.

Where do you bring your dog?

How Much Training Should I do Each Day With My Dog??

This is one of the first questions we get when owners embark on a new training program, whether it be a group class or private lessons. The answer is simple...do as many short (3-5minutes) training sessions as you can. But, the most important thing to remember is to incorporate your training into your every day activities. For example, practice your wait command as you head out the door for your walk on the El Dorado Hills trails. Or, practice a quick down stay while you make a sandwich or are getting some dishes done.

If you set up one big "training session" per day, your dog will do great during that "training time" and then it all goes out the window when you need it in real life situations...

Remember, every time you interact with your dog, your dog is learning something!!! Make it count!

Congratulations on your new puppy!! Now what?!?!?

Congratulations on your new puppy!! Now what?!?!

A new puppy in the household is an exciting time for everyone. You and your family have a vision of how your puppy will grow and mature into the dog you’ve always wanted. You know your pup needs training. There are so many books out there and suddenly every friend and stranger you meet is an expert on how to train your puppy.

Raising a puppy is a lot of work, but it can be such a wonderful experience as well. Let Unleashed help you take the frustration and mystery out of it. There are four main components of getting through puppyhood successfully. They include…

1. Having realistic expectations

2. Knowing and using the appropriate management tools

3. Setting the foundation for relationship early

4. Proper socialization

Everyone agrees that it’s important to socialize your puppy. However, that is easier said than done. The experiences your pup has, specifically with other dogs, at a young age can shape their perception of other dogs for the rest of their life.

The Puppy Basics Class at Unleashed Dog Training and Behavior Center is not about just throwing your pup in with a bunch of other pups and hoping they get “socialized.” Unleashed Puppy Basics Class is specifically designed to teach your pup how much fun other dogs can be as well as teach them appropriate manners around puppies and well mannered adult dogs. And, your puppy won’t be the only one learning important skills. As your dog’s pack leader, it’s important that you understand how to set your dog up for success and create an environment that your dog feels safe in. The Puppy Basics Class will focus on the 4 main components referred to above as well as some foundation training, like coming when called and leash manners.

Classes are held in the El Dorado Hills/folsom area. Come enjoy our clean, new facility

New Class Schedule for January

Happy New Year!!! Check out our new class schedule for January/February 2011! Unleashed has a new location in El Dorado Hills and is ready to help you meet those 2011 Dog Training Goals. Register Early because class sizes are kept comfortably small to ensure a well-managed, productive environment for you and your dog. Go to www.unleashdogtraining.com to register online

Online Shopping Now Available!!!

Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center has a new shopping page on the website. Unleashed offers all the essentials of positive reinforcement training. Harnesses, bait bags and tie downs can now be purchased online and delivered right to your door!!!

Check it out!!!
www.unleashdogtraining.com