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?  

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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

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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.