Spring has Sprung! Its the perfect time of year to get outside and enjoy the outdoors with your dog. Here are a few tips for being a responsible pet owner as we enjoy the great weather with our dogs.

1. Clean up bags. Yep its at the top of my list! Responsible dog owners ALWAYS clean up after their dogs. If you tend to forget your bags, clip some to your leash.

2. Avoid using a Flexi-leash or retractable leash. There are so many reasons why. That's a blog post for another day. Just trust me on this one. :)

3. Pay attention to your dog. Don't get distracted on a cellphone call or talking to your friend while your dog is with you. You need to be aware if your dog has found something to eat that he shouldn't be eating or if he is encountering a dog that doesn't want to say hi.

4. Think of your dog. Just because he likes it when you give him a hug doesn't mean he would enjoy a stranger doing the same thing. How often has a strange person given you a hug??

5. Be aware of personal space. Not everyone loves dogs. I know, its a hard fact for me to understand too! However, as responsible dog owners we need to make sure we don't allow our dog into some one's personal space unless they have been invited.

6. Seek out dog friendly establishments. www.dogfriendly.com is one of my favorite websites to find attractions and events that are dog friendly in your area.

7. Keep your dog on leash unless he's in a safe fenced area

8. Have Fun! Enjoy your Dog!

HAPPY SPRINGTIME!

All Those Treats

“Will I have to carry dog treats around with me forever?” Thats one of the first things I hear when a new training class begins. My answer is always “no”. First, let me explain why as positive reinforcement trainers, we want you to have treats. Food tends to be the biggest motivator we have to get our dogs to do what we want. Is it the only motivator? No. Other things that motivate dogs can be: toys, games, other dogs, people, etc. A motivator is simply something that your dog will work for. In essense, a motivator is currency. To people, currency is money. Money is what motivates us to get up in the morning and do the I-95 communte. Dogs, like people, will often do something that they don’t enjoy in order to get something they do enjoy. Food tends to be the easiest motivator for us to use in a class environment but its not the only currency that can be used.

So, how to you get your dog off those treats? Lets say your dog wants to go outside to play in the yard. At the door ask your dog to sit. If he sits, open the door to let him go outside to play. Now, you are using something he enjoys (going outside to play) to get him to do something you want him to do (sit). What happens if you ask him to sit at the door and he doesn’t sit? Instead of asking him to sit again, just continue doing whatever you were doing before he wanted to go outside. Wait a few moments and ask for sit again. He sits, he goes out. If he doesn’t sit, he doesn’t go out. Be consistant. If you ask him to sit and he doesn’t but you let him out anyway, then he has learned he doesn’t really have to sit. Also, if your dog has been in a crate all day while you are at work and you are letting him outside to potty, that isn’t a good time to ask for a sit. Simply let him out to go potty because that is a body function he needs to do.

Basically, using everyday things your dog enjoys to motivate him to do what you want him to do. Be consistant and patient. In no time, you will be using real life rewards all the time……but give your dog a doggy cookie sometimes too. They love it 

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. My goal is to use this blog to pass information and tips on to you. Look forward to fun posts too. If you have any questions, just ask.