I was in Fresno, CA recently instructing a dog training workshop on how to use electronic remote training collars. It was a good workshop, both the dogs and the humans in attendance made great progress with the training. However, we were all quickly reminded that sometimes dog will be dogs despite our best efforts at having control.

During a discussion session I stood up and left my seat to illustrate a point. As I spoke, giggles from the group bubbled up which caused me to turn and find my Belgian Malinois, Tommy making his own point to the audience. While I was distracted he had slyly made himself comfortable in my chair!

We all shared a good laugh over it and Tom, in his agreeable nature posed for some pictures to poke fun at the idea of who is really in charge of this relationship. At least he didn’t drink my latte’.

For more feedback on the workshop and views on remote collar training check out my new blog, The Truth About Shock Collars. But be careful, What you don’t know might shock you!

Happy Training,
robin

Meet Bella. She is a… well, can you guess?

An American Pitbull Terrier?

An American Bulldog?

A Staffordshire Terrier?

Do you know? Does it matter?

Apparently to some it does. To Bella’s owners it mattered cause after they adopted her from the local humane society they took her out and about to socialize and no one wanted to pet this 8 month old wiggly, happy pup.

Apparently because of her genetic phenotype….she is vicious.

Now lets look at her again.

What do you think?

Still don’t know the breed…that is ok. Apparently a wardrobe change deemed her not vicious and everyone was willing to pet her.

Perception is reality and in order to create a new reality for Bella I suggested her owners dress her in flower leis or other cute apparel. Suddenly everyone smiled, giggled and lined up to say hello.

A paradigm shift is needed across the country for people who believe all bull breeds are inherently vicious. It simply is not true. By and large dogs and their behavior are a reflection of the environment they live in and the people they are raised by. The responsibility to have a social, well mannered dog lies with the owner, not with the DNA.

Congratulations to Bella’s owner for taking on the responsibility of good training and for giving her a great environment to grow up in!

And speaking of paradigm shifts, check out my new blog project.

Woof!

The last couple of weeks I have been keeping busy raising my new puppy, Diva. Diva is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and she is almost 11 weeks old. I brought her home at 8 weeks of age and since then I have been actively engaged in giving her lots of opportunities to learn about the world around her. She is going to be my next *demo dog* so that means she has big shoes to fill!

The first 16 weeks of a puppies life are considered their socialization period. It is during this period that a pup is gathering information about how they will react to situations through out their lifetime. They are learning to react to new people, animals, noises and things with curiosity, fear or indifference. Genetics certainly play a part in behavior but your role in raising the pup is of utmost importance. You can do a tremendous amount at this young age to set the stage so that the pup turns into a confident and well mannered dog.

I think about this stage of puppy development similar to the way I think about setting up a new computer. If you get things installed right you have a much smoother lifetime experience with the computer. If you raise your puppy right you have a much smoother lifetime with your dog. If there are lots of mistakes during the early *installation process*….well, you pay for it down the road.

Let me share some food for thought on what you should be doing to raise your puppy into a wonderful dog:

First off, remember that the cute little fur ball will be pretty close to full grown in size and weight in less than a year. So establish rules early about what will and will not be acceptable for your dog when they reach that size. Don’t make the mistake of thinking *well, she is a baby and we will change things when she is bigger. Things like; will you allow the dog on the furniture?, is it okay to jump on and play bite people? and were do you want to dog to poop? are the questions you should answer right from the beginning. Create your rules now and stick to them.

Expose your puppy to as many people as you can. Your pup should meet men, women and children and learn to accept friendly handling and touch. Having strangers offer treats can go a long way in teaching a hesitant pup that people are friendly, not scary.

Your dog is going to need routine grooming and care for a lifetime so begin brushing, bathing and toenail trimming early. Teach your pup to hold still for these activities. You can distract your pup with a treat while you do these things but it also perfectly acceptable to simply be insistent and teach that this type of handling must be tolerated. Just because your pup whines and wiggles does not mean you should put him down and quit. If you do….well, then just be prepared for lots of whining and wiggling each time you groom your dog.

Take your pup on lots of outings. By taking your pup with you to lots of places you will automatically expose the pup to new noises, people and situations. In the two and a half weeks I have had Diva she has been to the car wash, a few parks, the pet store, the auto mechanics, the ice cream place, several friends homes, the Veterinarian, a hike in the woods and she even road in a cart through the outdoor garden department when I was shopping for my annual flowers.

Start teaching your pup to walk on a leash and begin luring them to sit and lay down. This early shaping of behavior can make your obedience classes easier when you enroll in a few months.

You should also expose your pup to well socialized dogs and other puppies. This can be accomplished through enrollment in a puppy socialization class. A good class will expose your pup to supervised play with other puppies and will teach you the basics of how to raise a well mannered companion.

Have fun and take lots of pictures. It will only be a few short months and the little bundle of fur will quickly grow in size and behavior.

Congratulations to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society for another successful Grand Pet Excursion. This benefit walk with your dog is an annual event that we love to participate in. Our group is always happy to lend a hand to help raise money for lost, stray or abandoned animals.

We had a great day and our dogs enjoyed getting out and about for some exercise, games and socialization. We have more fun photos on our FaceBook page so take a look, even baby Diva made the 2 mile trek.

There is a sad part to the story though. Unfortunately, Dubuque, Iowa is not the dog-friendliest town. The Grand Pet Excursion is allowed a special one day permit, but as you can see from the sign, dogs normally are not allowed in any of our beautiful city parks.

We recently have formed a group called FIDO (Friendly, Intelligent Dog Owners) to help educate others on the idea of responsible dog ownership. It all starts with the simple act of picking up the poop! We hope to lead by example through education, hosting events and word of mouth. Perhaps someday we can win back the simple right of walking our dogs through the many gorgeous parks that Dubuque has to offer.

You can find out more about what is happening with FIDO by connecting with us here.

In the meantime, where ever you live and where ever your adventures with your dog take you, please remember to be responsible about your dogs behavior. Pick up after them and respect that not everyone is a dog lover. Maintaining control of your dog while in public sets a good example.

Let’s all do our part to show that dogs can be well behaved and welcome members of our communities.

Woof!

Happy Birthday to Hero. Our oldest Belgian Malinois turns 9 today. And he has given us nine years of smiles. He is pictured above with my daughter. They have been pretty inseparable since he came to us when she was only 5. He even has the privilege of sleeping in her bed!

Hero is a great grandpa figure around here. He is tolerant of all the young pups that visit us and puts up with their exuberance. But like any great dog, he knows when to correct them for crossing the line.

He was my first Malinois’ and has taught me so much. Hero has a very big heart and will try most anything I ask him to do, even if he finds the task *scary* he will always try his best. And given his very soft personality there are lots of things he finds a bit scary.

I guess that is what it means to be a Hero. It is not about not being afraid, but about finding the courage to persevere anyway.

Happy Birthday Hero. You are a good dog.

What do you get when you combine seven dogs, three kids and eight adults hiking the Mines of Spain in Dubuque Iowa? You get exercise for humans and canines disguised as FUN!

We had a great time today as we celebrated the kick off of Fit Dog Fit Nation Day.

No need to wait a year for the celebration to come around again though…go ahead, put on your walking shoes, grab a leash and your dog and get moving. It will put a smile on both your faces!

Fit Dog Fit Nation Day is Sunday May 2nd, 2010. We are going to celebrate and kick off the start of National Pet Week by inviting you to join us for a hike at the Mines Of Spain Recreation Area We will meet at 10:00 am and walk the Calcite Trail. Please meet us at the parking lot near the canoe launch on Catfish Creek.

We will hike through the beautiful bluffs surrounding Dubuque, Iowa while spending time with our dogs. A great opportunity to get some exercise for ourselves as well as creating happier, healthier pets.

Exercise is so important for our four-legged friends that “Pets and People — Healthy Together” is the theme of this year’s National Pet week, May 2-8, 2010, jointly founded by the American Veterinary Medical Association (Schaumburg, Ill.) and the Auxiliary to the AVMA, to promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond, and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine.

For dogs, more time with you means less time home alone. Animal behavior experts agree that active dogs are less likely to become behavior problems.

Excess weight is a health hazard for all of us. Pudgy pets are at increased risk for osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and dental problems. They don’t live as long as their lean friends, either.

Fit Dog Fit Nation Day is one day to focus attention on the importance of fitness for our furry friends, but we invite you to put your dog’s health on your calendar every day.

Hope to see you on the trail on May 2nd!

Happy Birthday Tom!

April 15th, 2004 must have been a day all the stars were lined up just right, cause my boy Tommy is one special dog!

I got Tom when he was seven months old and on the drive back from O’Hare airport I gave him his name, Tom in tribute to my favorite rock star, Tom Petty. (I briefly contemplated the name Cash, since he was born on tax day!) but Tom just fit him and I could tell he had that superstar quality all his own.

Every day since the first has been a blessing with this guy. He, like all great dogs, teaches me something about life, about myself and continually reminds me how to just to be and relish the moment. Tom is pure joy and how fitting that before he came to live with me he had been named Happy by his breeder.

Last summer Tom was diagnosed with spondylosis which means that several of his vertebrae in his back are fusing together causing degenerative nerve disease in the hind legs. Over time he is losing mobility and function and it can tug on my heartstrings pretty hard on those days when he struggles. But true to his nature he never feels sorry for himself for a moment. He is ready to go every time I head to the door and his ever present grin, assures me all is fine.

So here’s to Tommy, Six amazing years old, which in human years would be 53. You’re looking good big man!

* for anyone curious the calculation in converting *dog years* to *human years*….the first year = 15, the second year = 10 and every year after that is roughly equivalent to 7.

An unfortunate accident at That’s My Dog! Inc. rendered professional trainer Robin MacFarlane unconscious for several minutes on Wednesday March 31st.

Ms. MacFarlane, owner of the training facility, was conducting a routine training class on Wednesday afternoon when suddenly two regular attendees known as Oliver and Whiskey (aka: Partyboy and Dr. Drool) turned tail and released a deadly combination. Ms. MacFarlane was unaware of the silent storm moving her way until it was too late. Other class attendees on the scene say she *just dropped* and *toppled like something hit her from behind*. Oliver and Whiskey were unavailable for comment. Hermoine, the Goldendoodle, an acquaintance of the pair said she was as surprised as anyone to think they would do something like this. “They seemed like good dogs and would wag their tails whenever I saw them.” However, Panda, another training regular was overheard to say “Serves her right for all the Pup-a-roni garbage she doles out.”

No serious injuries were reported. Upon regaining consciousness Ms. MacFarlane only desired to wish everyone a Happy April Fools Day.

Jan and Rambo drove to the Dubuque area from the Quad Cities Iowa a short while ago to do some dog training with us here at That’s My Dog! Inc. Apparently Rambo had passed beginning AND intermediate obedience classes elsewhere but when he was left off leash “he will be off and running for two to three hours and won’t let us catch him.”

How often have many of you experienced that?!!

The recall is actually one of the first things we teach in our dog training dvd and our obedience training programs. I feel that my dog or any dog should be able to safely enjoy an off leash romp as part of a very basic training class.

Jan had actually won a Dogtra electronic training collar at a benefit event but needed some guidance in learning how to use it. She and her husband were both surprised at how quick, easy and humane the techniques were. And Rambo? well, after an hour or so of working with Jan and teaching her the basics he was doing extremely well and enjoying some new freedoms.

The following is a note from Jan and I am proud she is practicing as instructed and she is following the safety protocol of keeping a long line on him until he is really rock solid in his reliability.
I imagine I’ll hear the complete *off leash reliable* report in a another week or so. Congratulations Jan and Rambo and keep up the consistent practice. Off leash freedom is wonderful to enjoy for both of you.

I just wanted to give you an update on Rambo’s progress. I have been able to work on Rambo’s recall using a 50ft loose leash daily (almost). The first few minutes of each session begins with a short reminder on “What to do when called” followed by work where I let him enjoy himself but if he gets near that 50’ mark I recall him before he gets to the end. Rambo and I are really having fun, he does not realize it is training. Rambo’s favorite time is the public hunting areas, although I do not think he even knows what he is pointing at… he can at least pretend that he is a real hunter. We are also using a riverfront levee about 6 blocks long that is not yet busy. I was startled by his jumping in the river, e- collar and all, after a duck last week, but the fun part is neither of us stressed out about it and I was able to allow him to enjoy being a dog.

Anyway, thank you so much for your assistance; it has made all the difference in outside fun.

Regards,

Jan Burroughs
LeClaire, IA