Inside Looking Out

As a trainer I often get calls from people with dogs that seem to have behavior problems.  At some time discussing these behaviors I ask the owners what they do with the dog as far as exercise.  Much to my dismay I find responses something in the way of, “Well I’m really busy, I don’t have much time to do things with him.”  One day I start looking at the dogs’ prospective from the inside out.  Have you ever really looked at your dogs’ world from his angle?  I’ve often wondered about it until I read a book by Merrill Markoe called, WHAT THE DOGS HAVE TAUGHT ME.  The Dog Diaries chapter had me rolling as she followed her dogs around one afternoon.  It also inspired me to look at my dogs’ world from the inside out.  Yes, through the writings of Merrill I have found myself rolling on a bug with my Chihuahua mix Pitiful Pearle. Interesting as she loved the fact I was taking pleasure in her kill, weird as I was hoping none of the neighbors could see me.  Today all four of my dogs have a new respect for me since I’ve had the freshly killed bug scent on my back.

Some dogs live life alone, in a yard with minimal interaction from their owners. The owners have the dogs for various reasons, but don't understand that dogs need more than a yard and some food. They need affection, company, and exercise to be happy both physically and mentally.

Dogs with a monotonous day often find things to entertain themselves.  Eating things in the house, chewing the tree, getting in the trash are all things that dogs do when they don’t have guidance and plenty of stimulating exercise.  These dogs are bored and are looking to something, anything to add stimuli to his day.  He is not a bad dog, he is a seeking an outlook to boredom.

Speaking as a trainer I hate to say it but, training can be boring!!  Sit, down, stay, bla, bla, bla…COME!   I see boring training take place all the time.  Dogs need to be socialized, experience different things, new sights, smells and even textures.  Have fun in training.  I know TABOO!  But training can be both stimulating and fun.  Sit stay on rocks; heal on benches, bleachers or logs.  Stay on a bridge over stinky, noisy water, or in front of a grocery store with carts and people with great smelling things in bags.  Now we are talking!  This type of training is not only stimulating but it is fun and exhausting for both dog and owner. Get out, half an hour or more each day!  Have fun exploring, sights, smells and sounds with your dog.  You will enjoy finding challenging places for your dog to sit, down or stand on just as much as he will enjoy working in different places.  Many neighborhoods have this in walking distance.  Make it fun for both of you, and you will enjoy your outing.  Change it up and most of all have fun. 

•  Sit or a down on a rock can be a challenge.  This was taken about a block from this dog's home. 

 Sit and watch a childrens football practice is very stimulating.  Found this place within a 1/2 mile from the pet owner's home.

 

Walking on the bleachers was a little stressful for this young dog. She had a hard time balancing on the first bleacher row. It took her a few times to walk it without needing help.

So....we lightened things up with some play ground equipment.  Be creative, have fun, and challenge your dog with your surroundings and you will have a well rounded, well socialize and most important 

Believe it or not this is after weight pull training. Pantera is just a year old and is pulling about 1,000 pounds in training sessions. As in all training we keep things happy and fun, as you can see here we definitely have a very happy dog. If dogs think training and working is fun they are more willing to give you their all. Looking forward to a good pull career out of this guy

Setting The Dog Up For Success, Obey the Leash Law.

It seems as though lately I can’t turn on the T.V., open my Face Book page, Google Plus 1, or even emails without seeing something about owners and people upset over something going on with dogs. Not so much stray dogs for a change but pet dogs that belong to someone, who are part of the family and loved by all. The problem is that these beloved dogs are now either being held by animal control for rabies observation, for a dangerous dog trial or worse dead from intentional causes or accidents. Accusations of who is at fault for these poor dogs are flying around like daggers. It is a neighbors fault, it is another dogs fault, and it is the fault of animal control.

All of the dogs I have seen in the past few months have come from different parts of the city. They are owned by people of different ethnicity, and different income ranges. The dogs themselves are different breeds, colors and sizes. Yet they all share one thing in common. Not a single one of them were contained in the homes or yards of their owners. Every single one of them was off lead when they got in trouble. In some reports it was well known by the owners, and openly admitted that the dogs were often not contained.

We have a leash law in our city. The leash law states your dog must be contained on your property, or on a proper leash when in public. On a proper lead does not mean your dog is controlled by voice command, does not mean an electric collar. It means a physical leash that you attach to your dog and hold in your hand. Yet all of these beloved dogs were off lead, most off of their property when they got in trouble.

I may seem unsympathetic to the owners of these dogs. My heart aches for them and what they are going through. I love my dogs and heaven forbid they should get into trouble. I would be devastated, but if my dogs were not contained in my yard, or home and something happened it would be my fault, or someone went to a lot of trouble to turn them loose. When I teach training classes I don’t care if my students don’t learn anything else they must learn, “DO NOT SET YOUR DOG UP TO FAIL”. By having an off lead dog you are doing just that, setting that dog up to fail. Even a very well trained dog may be tempted to bolt after several feral cats darting out across a street. Dogs are dogs, plain and simple, they will do dog things when certain drives kick in no matter how well trained they are, or how well trained us their owner’s think they are.

My Fence Jumper Contained and Happy

Keeping a dog contained can be problematic in itself. Fencing can be expensive; there is no anti-tethering law in our community for that very reason. A properly set up tether system can be set up at a reasonable cost and in a humane way. Tethered dogs with proper socialization, shelter, care and human interaction can live happily. Some dogs are fence jumpers, believe me I know, I own one myself. Even as a trainer I have had challenges with her, but she is contained. She has been out briefly maybe five times in the past 8 years (my other dogs tell on her). There are several ways to keep a jumper contained and plenty of trainers in our town that will be able to help you. There are also many dog clubs and groups that can give help with that as well. It is a little bit of work but having your dog safe and sound is worth not going through the heart aches I’ve seen lately. 

This blog is not about anti-tether laws for or against. My words may rub some the wrong way, the intent is to bring about an issue that is being ignored. There is a leash law in our city, put there to keep the public and the dogs safe. We as citizens must do our part to keep our pets safe, please lets start 2012 off containing our pets.