Leadership Principles and Habits

By
29
Jan 2012

Have you ever heard people say “I took my dog to obedience class but it didn’t work”?

Did you know that proper attention to the ‘principles’ of training your dog are just as critical to building a relationship of trust and respect as daily exercise?

There are many different ways to teach your dog to understand and obey the basic commands of “come”, “sit” and walk nicely on/off leash. Techniques and training practices are timely, and may evolve over time. Principles to support them are timeless
… In other words, while techniques may change, principles persist.

The three most important principles to building a trusting relationship with your dog are:

  1. Training time is ALL the time
    – Do you know that in your dog’s mind – you are training your dog, or your dog is training YOU?! Your dog is always aware of your actions, emotions and behaviour – and you should be too! Start by being consistent and persistent – don’t make compliance an ‘option’.
  2. Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) – Dogs respect a world where they ‘earn their keep’ – for example, “sit” before receiving a treat and walking nicely on leash are ‘jobs’ your dog understands!  When dogs ‘work’ for their living, they ‘respect’ the boss!
  3. Leaders control resources – What is a resource? You may be surprised to know that to a dog, resources are      more than food, water, and toys. They include space (like doorways and furniture), play, work (basic obedience can sometimes be a ‘job’) and affection, as well as your touch, talk, and eye contact.

Embrace these three basic principles in your daily lifestyle with your dog, and you are on your way to creating the dog of your dreams!

Check back often as I discuss the elements within each of these principles and provide more tips to prepare you to Take
the Leadtm to your Dream Dog!

 

Category: Behavior Improvement, Communication, Dog Psychology, dog Training, Lifestyle  Leave a Comment

Adopting a Dog – Are You REALLY Ready!?

By
25
Nov 2011

The Holiday Season is fast approaching and a major campaign is underway across the country to encourage pet adoptions at a time of year when people have the least amount of time and perhaps the least amount of money to spend on a new pet. If a furry new addition to your family is something that is in your future – either for the Holidays or beyond, this article is intended to help with decision making for you, for your family, and for the pet that will be affected by your actions.

Please give very serious thought to all that is involved in being responsible for the life of a dog – because a dog is a lifetime commitment … Here are some ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ to help with your decision about pet ownership  …

DO  – THINK BEFORE ADOPTING: A dog is A COMMITMENT for LIFE

 1. Begin The process BEFORE you go to the local shelter to find a dog:

  • Be sure that everyone in the family is in agreement with getting and caring for a dog (i.e. kids want a dog, parents want a dog)
  • DO A REALITY CHECK: if your CURRENT lifestyle will not provide for a daily structure where you can include time dedicated to exercising, feeding and working with the dog – perhaps NOW is not the best time to get a dog. . . or perhaps a dog is not the best choice for a family pet.
  •  Have a Family Meeting and ask/answer the following questions
    1. Why do we want a dog?
      • Is it for companionship, work, sport, protection, gift for someone else? – Your reasons MUST be about providing the best life for the dog – if you do this, you will have the best life WITH your dog!  Surprise ‘gifts’ are not usually a good idea, and the dog may not be welcome by the recipient.
    2. How much time/ money can/will you commit to providing for all of the dog’s needs?
      • Purchase price/adoption fees are only the beginning – consider COSTS of high quality food, health care (the two are related), training, exercise, day care and/or boarding while you are on vacation.
    3. Roles and Responsibilities – i.e WHO will do WHAT and WHEN will they do it! It’s is all about the dog!

 2.     TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL 

  • Veterinarian, re: health care needs and costs
  • Professional trainer, re: mental and physical training and behaviour needs/potential issues. Learn about the importance of providing BALANCED LEADERSHIP = Exercise, discipline, affection NOT sympathy and constant, unearned attention
  • Day care/boarding kennel providers – re: socialization options and boarding costs.
  • Groomer/Spa provider – some dog breeds require more grooming than others – find out which ones and why grooming is important.

3. DO YOUR HOMEWORK – DO RESEARCH TO MATCH DOG BREED/AGE CHOICE TO YOUR ENERGY/LIFESTYLE:

  • Find out what the breed was originally bred for and then assess whether or not that breed will fit in with your family and lifestyle.
  • E.g. herding dogs = Border collies, Australian cattle dogs, GSD’s – high intelligence; high energy – naturally want to ‘work’ by herding anything into a pattern or space – often will ‘nip’ at heels to get things moving.
  • Sporting dogs – e.g. retrievers, pointers, hunting breeds, – high intelligence, high ‘drive’ to work in the field for retrieving, tracking or chasing game
  • Working dogs – e.g. sled dogs, livestock guard dogs – bred to do a specific job such as pulling heavy loads, may have moderate energy, and be highly independent and instinctive.

AGE CHOICE –

  • Puppy – cute, cuddly, highly demanding – grow up to be adult dogs
  • Teenager/adult – may have high energy, and low ability to focus. Ask how much of its life has been spent in a shelter environment vs in the ‘real world’. Learn as much as possible about life history
  • Senior – Can make wonderful companions because all of the issues have been addressed. Often have very low energy needs and just want to ‘hang out’ with you. The down side is you get a lot of love for what can often be a short time. 

DON’T:

  • DON’T PICK A DOG BECAUSE YOU LIKE HOW IT LOOKS! – Cuteness is not indicative of the relationship and lifestyle that you will have with your dog.
  •  DON’T EXPECT TO BRING A DOG HOME THE FIRST DAY YOU SEE IT – make a few visits to get to ‘know’ the dog. Ideally, shelters will evaluate your application to be sure that you are a good ‘fit’ and to help you pick the right dog for your lifestyle
  •  DON’t expect that your new dog will immediately ‘fit’ into your home – Allow time for YOU and your new dog to adjust– plan on spending the first couple of weeks getting to know your dog with few to no distractions to allow your dog time to ‘settle’ into the change in lifestyle.
  • DON’T have a ‘welcome home’ party on the first day or even during the first week. Some dogs can take several months or longer, to adjust and become their ‘normal’ selves. – Much depends on the dog’s history.
  •  DON’T “feel sorry for the poor dog that has been in a shelter for most of its life”.  – BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT – REMEMBER TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR NEW DOG’S LIFE – BE HIS LEADER GOING FORWARD! Dogs live in the moment – they seek a stable, consistent routine – provided by a calm, assertive leader – That’s YOU!.
  •  DON’T expect your new dog to be perfectly trained – he isn’t AND THERE IS NO ‘MAGIC PILL’ – TRAINING TIME IS ALL THE TIME – IT REQUIRES YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR FOCUS …

 REMEMBER:

TRAINING TIME IS ALL THE TIME – either you are training your dog … or your dog is training YOU!! Someone is always training someone!

Be a leader; provide rules, boundaries, and most importantly a predictable, consistent daily routine that your dog will learn to follow. . .  AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH A LOYAL FRIEND FOR LIFE!

Category: dog Training, Lifestyle, socialization, Successful Dog Adoption  Leave a Comment

Make Your Plan and Stick to It!

By
22
Sep 2011

Here we are again – more than one year later! BLOGGING has obviously not been my focus!
I have struggled with what to BLOG about that may be relevant to the world of ‘dog coaching, training, wellbeing and your general love of dogs’. Everyday I have profound thoughts and ideas. I make copious notes on what I see, think, say and practice but never seem to get ‘to the keyboard’ for ‘translation’ to you.
In the spring, 2011 I attended an outstanding conference hosted by the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). I met wonderful people, heard outstanding speakers, including the charismatic, and very humble Cesar Millan. But … did I share it with my BLOG followers? Nope! Please don’t take it personally – as I said earlier in this post, I took copious notes, highlighted many passages with the good intentions of sharing on this BLOG. But you know what they say about the road that is “paved with good intentions”. My ‘road’ has been on a glorious and uplifting pathway – this has been a stellar year for the Ontario Dog Trainer and our E-lite approach. More people than ever are seeing the beneficial results of our signature ‘E-lite approach’ to the lifestyle they desire with their dogs!
This weekend I am on yet another journey of discovery into the world of canine education. I will be attending E-palooza7 in Dubuque Iowa. The agenda shows that the weekend promises to be informative and inspiring.
So … what is my ‘plan’. I teach my clients that to get the most out of their time their canine pals, they need to ‘always have a plan’ when they are out and about together. I practice what I preach …
My plan is to learn 3 new things that will improve the relationship that my clients have with their dogs. My other goal is to share the events of this weekend with YOU. The leg of the trip to the workshop is about to get started.
So … stay tuned. There will be MUCH more to come … That’s my plan, and I am sticking to it!
Take the Lead!!
Karen,
The Ontario Dog Trainer

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5 Star Doggy Day Care

By
27
Feb 2011

Socializing with other dogs in a safe, supervised way is part of your dog’s training. Safe doggy play can help to improve your dog’s behaviour at home. Doggy Day Care is the fastest growing segment of the pet industry. Doggy Day Care facilities are regulated only by local zoning bylaws. Entrusting your dog for a day of play and relaxation is truly a case of buyer beware! If you were visiting a resort, you would want a 4 or 5 star rating. Why not choose the same high quality for your dog? Karen invites you to comment on what you believe are the comforts and amenities that you want for your special friend at Doggy Day Care. She will use your input to create Karen’s Laws for Doggy Day Care – a ‘star’ rating to help you to recognize a 5-star rated Doggy Day Care! Because a good day at doggy day care improves your dog’s behaviour for your lifestyle together. Let’s face it … your dog deserves the BEST!!

Category: Behavior Improvement, Dog day care, dog play, dog Training, doggy day care, Lifestyle, Relax, socialization  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

It’s Important to ‘Sweat the Small Stuff’!

By
04
May 2010

I was recently working with a client and their very bouncy ten month old puppy for what was scheduled to be their ‘graduation’ session. Up to this point, the challenge was, that at the end of each session, the puppy would be working perfectly and would be well-behaved, focused and eager to please. The owners would look forward to practicing their week’s homework. When they arrived  for their lesson the following week, the pup would once again, be bouncing off the walls, totally ‘dismissing’ his owners and doing whatever he wanted.

After some quick review work with me, the pup would settle down and was very sharp on what he had been taught. The owners assured me that they  worked with their pup every day.  By chance, I walked him on a loose leash, to my vehicle so that I could get a piece of training equipment. As I approached the vehicle, I gave the pup a silent signal to sit and stay before I opened the door. He was very attentive by this time and sat perfectly. As I reached for the sliding door of my van, he immediately popped up. Without hesitation, I instantly used leash guidance to ‘pop’ him silently back to a sit position and then returned to what I was doing. Simultaneously, the owner commented “I never worry about that stuff”. When I asked what she meant by “that stuff”, she revealed that her pup would constantly break his sit to “sniff the car door, because he wants to get in”.

Further probing revealed several other ‘minor’ infractions that “didn’t bother her”. Each infraction, on its own appeared to be a small, insignificant action to the owner, but with this very bright puppy, letting these sorts of ‘little’ things slide was a recipe for BIG behaviour problems later on. He was accumulating a ‘habit’  of never having to do what he was told! 

Insisting that your puppy comply with commands that you have worked hard to teach is fair to your pup and, it helps your pup to trust and respect you as his leader. It creates a ‘habit’ of compliance that will make the ‘bigger’ things later in his life much easier for him to learn and accept.  Consistently insisting on compliance is as important for your puppy, as it is for your children.

 ’Sweat the small stuff’ with your puppy now, so you can enjoy your lifestyle together later!

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Pup’s Job – ‘Earning’ Your Walk Together

By
14
Apr 2010

Is your dog uncontrollable or over-excited at the beginning of every walk?  The ultimate ‘high’ of your dog’s day is going for a walk with you! Whether you walk together for a few blocks or a few feet to access a safe off-leash area, or your entire walk is on leash, the leader-follower relationship is evident. Whoever is ‘in front’ is in control of the walk. As  your Pup’s leader, he or she should be following or walking beside you, calmly and in your control.

Would your prefer to calmly and consistently focus Pup’s energy on discipline rather than on excitement? Do you find that you are fighting to get control of Pup and unintentionally ramping up his energy (and draining yours!) as you prepare for your ‘walk time’ .  Preparations leading up to your walk together can be chaotic. You have the choice to allow Pup’s excitement to control your environment, or you can use this time to develop desirable ‘habits’ by creating a series of ‘jobs’ that will build his confidence as he discovers how to get what he wants – and earn your praise!

One way to focus Pup’s energy in a desirable way is to begin at the beginning – i.e. before you go out the door. Teach Pup to sit and wait quietly at a comfortable and safe place away from the door, (Job #1).  Pup learns to wait while you quietly and calmly put on walking shoes, coat etc. When ready, calmly and quietly place the collar and leash on Pup and insist that she remain sitting (Job #2).  Take the leash, keep it slack, step out the door and then invite Pup to join you – notice I said “join you”, not leap off the front steps, dragging you behind. A good habit for Pup to learn is to sit at the top of the step as soon as she goes out the door (Job #3). The final ‘job’ to commence your walk together is for Pup to ‘wait’ for your invitation to move forward together, (Job #4).

Achieving Job #1 + Job#2 + Job#3 + Job#4 = Success for Pup = Increased Confidence, as she has learned how to ‘Earn her Reward’ - A walk with her hero – that’s YOU!

Teaching Pup these four ’jobs’ to begin your walk together is the foundation for establishing your role as your Pup’s trusted leader and earning her trust and respect.  If you consistently practice a calm, assertive approach to building these desirable habits, your Pup will soon be ‘waiting’ in his designated place in anticipation of your enjoyable walk together – Pup’s favourite time with you!

Take the Lead – Training Time is ALL the Time!

Category: Behavior Improvement, Communication, Dog Psychology, Puppy Kindergarten, Training  Tags: , , , , ,  Leave a Comment

Karen Laws, Ontario Dog Trainer

By
14
Apr 2010

Improving dog behaviour through crystal clear owner-to-dog communications, one family at a time.

Category: Behavior Improvement  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment