Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory Part 3

Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory Part III

By Robert Forto, PhD

Skinner, Keller, and Schoenfeld

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) continued the work that Thorndike started. He was the leading advocate of a more modern version of Thorndike’s Law of Effect, which states, “The frequency of a behavior increases or decreases according to the result it [the behavior] produces.”

When Skinner was pursuing his doctorate at Harvard University he discovered that he could methodically change the behavior of lab rats by rewarding them with food. This study proceeded in the following stages:

“First, the rat was rewarded simply for facing the correct end of the cage. Next, the rat was rewarded only when it stood next to the lever. Later stages delayed the reward until the rat touched the lever with its body. Eventually the rat learned it had to press the lever to receive a pellet of food.”

Skinner’s viewpoints were unique in that he felt the proper study of behavior should be limited to “observable events” of behavior, and instead of how the subject might think. He consistently argued against making interpretations based on events that could not be observed. Skinner did not discuss intervening variables, such as hunger or thirst, when interpreting behavioral learning.

In 1938, B.F. Skinner published The Behavior of Organisms (New York: D. Appleton-Century Co.). Many consider this milestone work the leading authority on the science of operant conditioning. Today many dog trainers are using clickers for training canines; clickers are conditioned reinforcers that have been used by conditioning experts since the 1940’s. Skinner wrote about clickers, which he called “crickets”, in a paper called How to Teach Animals in 1951.

While on the faculty of the University of Minnesota, Skinner’s study of operant conditioning principles was expanded to include pigeons. He was studying a phenomenon known as extinction when it occurred to him to ask himself, are theories of learning necessary? As previously discussed Skinner felt the study of behavior should be limited to events that were observable and measurable. Skinner maintained that the science of behavior should actually deal with behavior in its relation to variables that could be systematically manipulated.

Skinner was a leading advocate of Expectancy Theory; it was his contention that learning theory was in reality nothing more that expectancy. He wrote, “When we assert that an animal acts in a given way because it expects to receive food [or any reinforcers], then what began as the task of accounting for a learned behavior becomes the task of accounting for expectancy.” Skinner is also partially credited for moving the science of operant conditioning beyond the lab, and towards a viable technology for changing behavior.

Fred S. Keller (1899-1966) is well known for his work on a teaching method known as Personalized System of Instruction (PSI). Keller was a classmate, and lifelong friend of B. F. Skinner. While it is true that Skinner ultimately wound up on the faculty at Harvard, where as Keller taught at Columbia, they remained colleagues throughout their lives.

In 1947, Fred Keller teamed up with William Schoenfeld (1915-1996) at Columbia University and began to teach the first college psychology course employing Skinner’s methods. Undergraduate students taught rats to respond to stimuli in order to obtain reinforcement. Keller and Schoenfeld published the first text in the emerging field of operant conditioning in 1950 entitled Principles of Psychology.

This is will be a multi-week series on the influential people in learning theory and the dawn of modern dog training. You can read about Huxley and Darwin and Pavlov, Thorndike and Watson as well.

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you at live@dogdoctorradio.com

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and the host of the Dog Doctor Radio Show. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

References Available Upon Request...?

References Available Upon Request….?
By Robert Forto, PhD

My name is Dr. Robert Forto and I am the training director for Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. I specialize in canine aggression and I have been qualified as an expert in this field. I also fully understand that my training school and I are only as good as our reputation with our clients, past and present, our referral sources such as veterinarians, other canine trainers, groomers and other pet professionals.

Of course, throughout the years Denver Dog Works has had many satisfied clients and several that were not. It is difficult to please everyone, especially when it involves their beloved dogs. If you were to look on any canine trainer’s website almost inevitably you will find a “testimonials” page that list comments from clients past and present about how good a job the trainer did with their dog. What you will often find on this page is a joyful rendition of just how good the trainer was and the results they see. Then you will find at the bottom of the posting a first or last name and an initial (ie. John. D.) Just who exactly is John D.? Could it just so happen to be the infamous John Doe? That is what this article is all about. I am here to warn you that if a training school refuses to give you a reference, walk away.

Be on the lookout of trainers who just REFUSE to give you any references. You can bet your dog's life on it that this is a red flag. Think about it, if they are truly proud of their training method, delivered what they promised, and have the right work ethics with their clients, then they should have no problem giving you a few names. This is even more important if they DO NOT have any classes for you to observe.

At Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project we offer a highly specialized training service for dogs. While most of our classes are by appointment and we do not have a schedule of weekly classes like the big-box corporate pet store chains with trainers in uniforms and a dry-erase board full of class times, I urge anyone that would like to observe any of our training programs to give us a call and we can let you know what is on the schedule that day. Saturdays are by far our busiest day and the best chance for you to catch a class if you just “drop in”; I always encourage you to call first.

Get at least five references, three recent and two from six months to a year ago. At Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project we train about 300 dogs a year. That is 300 clients that we should be comfortable in using as a reference for future clients. Do not fall for "client confidentiality bologna." I urge you to push again and say, "Look. I am not asking for their last names, addresses or social security number for crying out loud. I just want the very best for my dog!" I also urge potential clients to ask if a training school is registered with the State and if they are members of the local Chamber of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau or similar agency. Check to see whether they are, and importantly, ARE NOT allowed to train or board dogs. In Colorado the Department of Agriculture overseas all canine training schools and boarding facilities. This also includes private trainers offering in-home classes only. If a school is operating without a license from the Department of Agriculture they can be fined and possibly be shut down. I urge all potential clients to call the State to see if the training school and/or trainer is registered. Wouldn't you want to do business with someone who is professional and legal and legit? Your wallet, your dog, and your precious time are depending on it. No matter how impressive their web sites seem or how convincing they may sound on the phone, do not skip this. You won't regret it. If someone's happy with you, then they won't mind bragging about you. Don't you already do this when it comes to good movies, good books and good restaurants?

There is a saying in business called the Rule of 250. It goes something like this: Everyone has a circle of friends. The average person has about 250 people he sees regularly during his life and there is a lot more people that he sees in a week during the ordinary course of his business. I know that I cannot afford to have just one person come to see me and have them leave sore or unsatisfied. Not if that person influences 250 others in the course of his life. And that is a lot of references!

As you know, people talk a lot to other people about what they buy and what they plan to buy whether that is a product, a service, or anything in between. Others are always offering advice about where to buy and how much to pay. That is a big part of the everyday life of ordinary people. I know I can not jeopardize that relationship with any of these people. I know how much my reputation and my business comes from people telling other people about me, my trainers and my training school. It is a powerful force in my professional life and it should be in yours too.

We say at Denver Dog Works that we try to build relationships with our clients, not just one time dog training courses. We do this for a reason. We know that your dog is an important part of your life and you are coming to us for basic manners to make the bond between you and your dog more satisfying or in many cases to rehabilitate a problem that has gotten out of control and sometimes is even dangerous. We would love to have all of our clients talk with joy and admiration, and have their dogs “walking billboards” for our training prowess but is that truly what we are after? No. We want to be on your side when your dog has a problem and we would love to have a referral if we did our job well.

If you do get a reference from a training school or a trainer and they say, "Well. I could give you my best friend or my brother’s number as a reference to trick you." Just say, you will take it. Let's see what your own family and friends say about you first. Do you see where I'm going with this? Once you get a few references, this is where you ask what you like and didn't like about them, their trainers, and whether the dog listens off-leash, without treats, from far away. How about around other dogs, cats, kids and your guests?

While it is true in dog training as well as when you are looking for a job, most references that a person will give you will only be “good ones” I mean would you give a reference of an ex-girlfriend to a potential date if you ended on a sour note? I doubt it. But, if they do give you a name, and more importantly a number that is a start. Do a little detective work on your own and ask questions. Remember that the only dumb question is a questioned not asked. Do your homework and ask the questions you want answered. At Denver Dog Works we want to earn your trust and we want to help you in our time of need with your dog.

Check us out anytime and if us a call. We will give you the references that you desire and we will gladly answer any questions that you may have.

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. He can be reached though his website www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-578-9881.

Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory Part 1

Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory Part I
By Robert Forto, PhD

Huxley and Darwin

It is unclear when formalized studies of learning actually began, however, Professor Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895) birthed the theory of association in the early 1870’s. Professor Huxley stated that “It may be laid down as a rule, that, if any two mental states be called up together, or in succession, with due frequency and vividness, the subsequent production of one of them [mental states] will suffice to call up the other, and that whether we desire it or not.” This observation may very well have laid the groundwork for later studies in respondent and operant conditioning. Huxley was an outspoken advocate of the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882). The professor was so passionate in his defense of Darwin’s theories that he was often referred to as “Darwin’s Bulldog”.

In Darwin’s The Expression of the Emotion in Man and Animals, Professor Huxley’s influence was evident in Darwin’s observations of the emotions of man and animals. When studying animal expression Darwin was vividly aware of the challenges associated with those observations. He writes, “The study of expression is difficult, owing to the movements being often extremely slight, and of a fleeting nature.” Nevertheless, Darwin’s careful observations were of immeasurable value to later researchers. Darwin continued where Huxley left off by recognizing that movements, no matter how complex, can be performed with little or no forethought and minimal efforts when they have been performed with enough frequency. This premise was the foundation for Darwin’s Principle of Antithesis, which reasons, that states of mind lead to the performance of “habitual actions”, when a “directly opposite” state of mind occurs, there is a “strong and involuntary” tendency to perform movements and actions of a “directly opposite nature”. This principle is of special interest to observers of canine communication techniques, and can help the astute observer decipher the signal being sent and received by a canine, whether it is intra- or interspecies communication. Darwin states further “that gestures and expressions are to a certain extent mutually intelligible.”

Darwin speaks of his own dog’s “hot-house” face and reasoned that the opposite expression displayed by his dog was innate and not a deliberate attempt at communicating his desire to not go to the “hot-house.” He further states, “hence for the development of the movements which came under the present head, some other principle, distinct from the will and consciousness, must have intervened.”

While the vast majority of canine communication is accomplished via body language, there is some evidence that canines posses at least a limited verbal vocabulary. While most canines in the wild do not bark, but howl, this is not the case for the domesticated canine. According to Darwin “…some animals after being domesticated have acquired the habit of uttering sounds which were not natural to them. Thus domesticated dogs, and even tamed jackals have learnt [sic] to bark, which is a noise not proper to any species of the genus with the exception of the Canis latrans of North America, which is said to bark.” In regard to the Principle of Antithesis “…the bark of anger, and that of joy are sounds which by no means stand in opposition to one another;…” This lack of observable difference between barks is likely the reason that canines rely on body language so extensively. Canine body language has been studied extensively and is well documented. These postures or lack of them have been discussed in-depth in chapter three.

This is will be a multi-week series on the influential people in learning theory and the dawn of modern dog training.

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you at live@dogdoctorradio.com

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works
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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and the host of the Dog Doctor Radio Show. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

The Science Behind Raw Diets for Dogs

The Science Behind a Raw Diet for Dogs
By Leah Morse

This is a part of a series of blogs that I want to share my experience with learning to feed raw diet to my dogs. It is a controversial way of providing nutrition for your dogs. I am not suggesting that anyone follow these guidelines that I have chosen to do for my own dogs. I am just simply sharing the information that I have found and where I found it. I am simply sharing my experiences. I am not a veterinarian; I am also not a health care professional. This theory of feeding raw species appropriate diet can have serious health risks associated with incorrect handling, preparing and feeding. NEVER EVER FEED COOKED BONES! Cooking bones changes the molecular structure, they become brittle and may splinter which would injure or kill your dog! Do not feed bones that are frozen either, as they can and will ruin your pet’s teeth. All bones must be thoroughly thawed before feeding as frozen bones can severely damage teeth. Mixing raw meat with cooked meat can cause digestive problems. If feeding raw diet is your goal read as many books and literature as possible. Find people who are already feeding and have experience to have as mentors. Use your own good judgment, when in doubt, don’t do it. The ideas and opinions in this blog are my own and come from feeding my dogs this way since 2008, unless otherwise credited. I am by no means an expert, just sharing my own acquisition of information and observations from my own dogs. Take any ideas that I present here at your own risk and discretion. I, for one, have found it worth it.

So why should I feed raw diet? I want to dig a little deeper and look past the fact that my dogs look like they were dipped in clear coat, they aren’t getting sick, my puppy has really never gotten diarrhea, it costs less for the nutrition it provides and my dogs truly enjoy eating it. I want to know about the science of why this is working. I have read several books, watched a DVD and have spent hours upon hours on the internet. Here are some interesting things that I have found.

The enzymes that exist in the raw food are a huge part of why this has been so good for my dogs. In “Living Enzymes, The World’s Best Kept Pet Food Secret” by Robert Mueller, BSc, Pharm. It is explained that the enzymes are the key to everything. Robert Mueller has had plenty of experience with feeding raw food as he worked with racing greyhounds that were fed raw diet to enhance their performance. He also was involved with providing correct raw food for exotic animals. Robert Mueller states “Enzymes are the life forces that activate and then participate in all the body’s digestive and metabolic processes. “
There are enzymes that are produced inside a dog’s body by various organs but when supplemented by naturally occurring enzymes from raw food, it takes away the strain of production on the body. According to Robert Mueller a pets enzyme reserve is exhausted in several years of feeding foods that do not supply enzymes. All enzymes are completely cooked out of kibble by the high temperatures, as well as all the nutrients that are later added back in.

In Whole Health for Happy Dogs, by Jill Elliot D.V.M and Kim Bloomer, they state that meat that has been cooked beyond 180 degrees F, no longer contains the beneficial fats and enzymes which are the most valuable ingredients that your dog needs for optimal health. You can bet that dog food has been cooked beyond this. Another interesting fact that this book points out is that there are storage mites that are in the grains used in dog food. These mites apparently secrete deadly mycotoxins (mycotoxins are chemical secreted by toxic mold) and when the grain is processed these toxins end up in the kibble. The food and Drug Administration allows certain levels of mycotoxins in the food so pet food manufacturers get around this my mixing grains with higher levels of mycotoxins with grains of lesser levels; hopefully to reduce the higher levels. (page 100-107)

In Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD) goes to great lengths to discuss the good of raw diet and the bad and ugly of processed kibble. He breaks the ingredients down to preservatives and color. Dr. Pitcairn meticulously breaks down the additives such as fillers and color and flavors.

I highly recommend this book as a complete guide to anyone just starting to feed raw diet. I am currently following his recommendation for feeding a pregnant dog as we have followed through with a planned breeding. He even provides exact recipes of supplementation and meals that you can make. It has been an awesome resource for me with having both a growing boxer puppy and a pregnant boxer in my house.

For more information on our upcoming litters please visit: My Watch Boxers

In conclusion, all of my sources of information all agree on the fact that the nutrition and enzymes provided by the raw food is invaluable. They all agree that a dog’s digestive system is designed to handle raw food. They all agree that raw food is digested so much quicker than cooked and therefore prevents bacteria to thrive.

It is my hope that sharing my experiences of converting to and feeding raw diet is beneficial. I will never go back to kibble.
We would love to hear your comments and concerns about feeding a raw diet to dogs. You can reach us by email at live@dogdoctoradio.com

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Leah Morse is a certified canine trainer and the owner of Rocky Mountain Classic Canine in Colorado. Leah writes a weekly blog for Denver Dog Works. Leah can be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Freedom of Expression?

Freedom of Expression?
By Michele Forto

On Tuesday April 20, 2010, The United States Supreme Court rules animal cruelty video law unconstitutional. United States v. Stevens, 559 U.S. 08-769 (2010) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled that 18 U.S.C. § 48, a federal statute criminalizing the commercial production, sale, or possession of depictions of cruelty to animals, was an unconstitutional abridgment of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Stevens )

In 2004, Mr. Stevens was indicted for creating and selling three video tapes showing pit bulls engaged in dog fighting. Stevens filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, arguing that the federal statute abridged his right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment. The District Court denied his motion in November 2004. In January 2005, Stevens was convicted by a jury after a deliberation of 45 minutes.

Stevens appealed, and the Third Circuit vacated his conviction, holding that 18 U.S.C. 48 violated the First Amendment. The court stated that dog fighting, or the use of dogs to hunt hogs, may be made illegal to protect animals from cruelty. However the court ruled that the law in question, prohibiting the depiction of animal cruelty, violates the First Amendment, as it would create a new category of speech not protected by the free speech provision of the Amendment.

We, at Denver Dog Works, are utterly against any harmful cruel acts made upon any animal.

I am writing this opinion because animals’ are considered property; livestock. I believe the laws need to change and be applied to the 21st century. As a society we no longer view our pets as livestock or property. We view them as being members of our family.

Until our pets identities are redefined a person wanting to film a “crush video” has every right to do so under the First Amendment of the Constitution.

With all of the laws and governmental restrictions being placed onto us know do we really need to be told how to treat animals? Can’t we figure out on our own that if someone harms a defenseless animal that they should face criminal charges? Obviously, “crush videos” bring out the sickest of our society. Crushing kittens and puppies with stilettos’ is not a form of expression nor is it freedom of speech! It’s outright appalling.

I applaud the Justices for seeing the issues with the law presented to them and I am hopeful it will be challenged again in a way that will be upheld.

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Michele Forto is the business manager for Denver Dog Works. Michele is also the co-host of the weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show. Michele can be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Who Are These Dogs That Pull Sleds? The Alaskan Husky

Who Are These Dogs That Pull Sleds? The Alaskan Husky and Village Dog
By Robert Forto, PhD

Are they purebreds or mongrels? What sets them apart from other dogs and enables them to work with man under brutal weather conditions? What sort of strange dog is it that yammers and yowls to be a part of a team, preferring to work or race than rest in a warm kennel?

Written pedigrees are not required to enter a sled dog race, nor does the dog have to be a northern breed, although a majority of dogs on the racing trail are related to working dogs of the North. These dogs have a strong instinct to pull. These dogs can be everything from an American Kennel Club registered Siberian Husky, a “one-quarter husky” mixed breed, or any variety in between. These dogs can be Irish Setters, Walker Coonhounds or even a Border Collie. In search of an unbeatable dog team, dozens and dozens of cross-breedings, in-breedings and line breedings have been tried. Some breeders work within a recognized breed, seeking to refine that breed’s natural talents; others select the fastest and strongest or whatever dogs come to their attention, caring more about performance than good looks or a fancy pedigree.

Alaskan Husky and Village Dog

Mixed breeds ran the first sled dog races in Nome, Alaska, and today’s best teams are still made up of mixed breeds, although of a vastly different genetic composition. The first racing sled dogs were “working animals first and racers second.” The Eskimos and Indians of Alaska had their natural breeds of sled dogs when the gold “stampeders” arrived in the last years of the 1800’s, but there were not enough dogs to support the thousands of men and women traveling around the territory. As a result, large, strong dogs were brought from the lower 48 states, mixed in with the northern dogs, and the result was mongrel sled dogs like those of Scotty Allan. These were the dogs that won the early All-Alaska Sweepstakes races, but were rapidly replaced by the fast, more intelligent and more eager to please Siberian Huskies on the racing trails. Then as sled dog racing became popular and profitable in Alaska, drivers bred their working stock with the fastest native dogs they could find. These tough hybrids provided a speedy tenacity, and when interbred with the bigger Alaskan Malamute or the Mackenzie River Husky (the biggest of the natural sled dog breeds from Canada) produced a racing sled dog to suit most early competitors.
The most frequent canine winners of sled dog races today are Alaskan Huskies and another indigenous Alaskan marvel called the Village Dog. Neither of these types are purebreds but they are recognized as distinct nevertheless. The Alaskan Husky is essentially a mixture of northern dogs, and would be called simply “husky” in Alaska. The Village or Indian Dog is the chief racing dog in Alaska and has been for many years. Basically a northern dog, but in his background is anything from domestic stock, to wolf, to whatever the interior villages of Alaska had around.

Alaskan Huskies, bred mainly by white men in the north, reveal their dominant arctic genes in their appearance; a nicely marked face, curled tail, pricked ears, and perhaps blue eyes. The larger of this type have been bred from Malamutes or Mackenzie River Huskies or even wolves. The smaller ones reflect their Siberian Husky or Samoyed background. Siberian-Malamute cross-breedings yield the most common Alaskan Huskies, but there can also be Eskimo or Greenland Husky, or any other northern breed mixed in. The average Alaskan Husky stands from 24 to 26 inches high, weighs between 50 and 70 pounds, and can be quite handsome. This breed is taller than the Siberian, lighter and rangier than the Malamute and stronger than almost any other bred on the snowy racing trail.

Ever since the mid-fifties when John Huntington surprised the racing world by winning the Dual Championship with a dog team from Huslia, Alaska, the dogs from that area have been deservedly famous for their racing abilities. Neither Huntington or George Attla can definitely pin down the origin of this village dog, but they are aware of variations from village to village. According to Attla, “the average production of good dogs in Huslia is much higher than any place I have been to. I have gone to a lot of places and gone through a lot of dogs, just buying dogs generally, but I still get my best percentage right in Huslia.” The Huslia strain shared with other Koyukuk River villages of Allakaket and Hughes, contains some hound, collie and Labrador Retriever, since that is what is in the village. They are fast, strong sled dogs and have earned the title of “Huslia Hustler” for several of the local racers.

Efforts to keep track of sled dogs in their own registry are more popular in the lower 48 states than in Alaska. The Alaskan Husky Club provides a registry for the non-pedigreed Alaskan Husky and the International Sled Dog Racing Association has developed guidelines for registering sled dogs. Qualifications for dogs on these registries are based on performance, similar to the Border Collie registries for herding, and not on appearance. A dog’s ancestry becomes significant and valuable only when it can prove itself on the trail or as a producer of other good sled dogs.

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Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and a musher racing under the banner Team Ineka. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.teamineka.com

Why Do Dogs Circle When Laying Down?

Why Do Dogs Circle When Laying Down

As a canine behavior specialist and the training director of Denver Dog Works, clients will often ask questions that they are curious about and one the the most common ones is: why does my dog circle around before laying down?

Answer:

No one know for sure but the best explanation I have heard comes from the days when the dogs were wild. The dogs would encircle where they laid down to sure sure that there were no enemies and also as part of a ritual to make sure it was a good resting place (tamping down the ground before they laid down). Pets will circle anywhere indoors, even in their own beds. It is not reasoned behavior, but is instinctual to al canines, domestic and wild.

It is commonly though that dogs circle before laying down to find what they think is the most comfortable position. Most canines do not like to lay on a flat surface, that is why they sometimes “paw” at the same area before laying down.

A theory is that in the wild, canines would choose to sleep with their nose blowing to the prevailing wind, that being said, they circle to figure out which way that is. One contraindication to this is a sled dog which will often pad out a circle in the snow and sleep with the wind blowing from back to front so the dog will stay warm.

Another theory is that dogs circle to mark their scent so they can find their place again.

The jury is still out on this but it is a common question so, I thought it would be best to give a rational answer. We are in the teaching business and our job is to improve the relationship between human and dog.

If you have ay questions that perplex you about your furry canine friend, send them along and we might use them on our radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show. Please email all questions to live@dogdoctorradio.com

Citation: WikiAnswers

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works
________________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

A Day of Fasting (Raw Diet for Dogs)

A Day of Fasting
By Leah Morse

This is a part of a series of blogs that I want to share my experience with learning to feed raw diet to my dogs. It is a controversial way of providing nutrition for your dogs. I am not suggesting that anyone follow these guidelines that I have chosen to do for my own dogs. I am just simply sharing the information that I have found and where I found it. I am simply sharing my experiences. I am not a veterinarian; I am also not a health care professional. This theory of feeding raw species appropriate diet can have serious health risks associated with incorrect handling, preparing and feeding. NEVER EVER FEED COOKED BONES! Cooking bones changes the molecular structure, they become brittle and may splinter which would injure or kill your dog! Do not feed bones that are frozen either, as they can and will ruin your pet’s teeth. All bones must be thoroughly thawed before feeding as frozen bones can severely damage teeth. Mixing raw meat with cooked meat can cause digestive problems. If feeding raw diet is your goal read as many books and literature as possible. Find people who are already feeding and have experience to have as mentors. Use your own good judgment, when in doubt, don’t do it. The ideas and opinions in this blog are my own and come from feeding my dogs this way since 2008, unless otherwise credited. I am by no means an expert, just sharing my own acquisition of information and observations from my own dogs. Take any ideas that I present here at your own risk and discretion. I, for one, have found it worth it.

It is important to discuss fasting. After much of what I have read, whether on the internet, one of many books or other resources. It is highly recommended that a day of fasting is very beneficial (except growing puppies or pregnant/lactating females.) This, by far, was a the hardest concept that I considered when choosing raw diet. It took me a while to actually practice fasting with my adult dogs. How could I fast my dogs for 24 hours. They were better than alarm clocks when it came to feeding time. The Daylight Savings switch over and back means nothing to my dogs, days off and sleeping in have no meaning to my dogs. How is this going to be possible, without our peace being severely disturbed by our hungry dogs? It was easier than we thought.

The purpose of the fast is to help clear out the digestive system for a fresh start. Fasting occurs naturally in carnivores. The day after a fast is a good time to feed a less desirable food, my dogs are not big spinach fans so this is added to their meat and bones the day after a fast.

Things that we do to help our dogs get through a fast. We always fast our dogs Friday night through Saturday morning (we generally feed twice a day) as this is the very busiest time of the week for us. Friday night we are busy working, coming home and then leaving again. Saturday’s are full of classes and dog training. Choosing the busiest time of our week really helps as our routine is disrupted. I will occasionally give some cooked veggies to help the adults when I have to feed the puppy as puppies should not be fasted.

Saturday afternoon I will give them a nice raw knuckle bone. King Soopers has been a good supplier of these and lately they have been cut in half which helps the dog get to the marrow. It is a good idea to give veggies with it though as they can get constipated with just bone and marrow.

We also play with our dogs between the hustle and bustle of Friday to Saturday. It has worked out really well as our dogs do not seem to be stressed or act like they are deprived. Finding an activity that your dog’s live for is very helpful. The world does not exist when the Frisbee comes out for Story our adult female. So Frisbee is part our Saturday routine.
9 Benefits of fasting (as reported by doggy bytes http://doggybytes.ca/9-health-benefits-fasting-dog/2266/)
Conserves energy
Revitalizes
Relaxes and energizes the body and mind
Rests the digestive organs
Improves the senses
Reduces allergies
Builds resistance to disease
Detoxifies
Optimizes health

Last but not least, our attitudes make a big difference when it comes to fasting or other changes in the routine. The less we let on that we are impacted the more our dogs take what we do or don’t do in stride. If we act as if fasting is the norm and don’t give attention for attempts, on the dog’s part, to solicit food, the solicitation will not last long. Especially of the demands are redirected to training or play. Keeping ourselves upbeat instead of apologetic is the best help of all. Our dogs trust us and accept willingly the change in feeding schedule.

Tags: Leah Morse | Rocky Mountain Classic Canine | Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works | Therapy Dog Denver
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Leah Morse is a certified canine trainer and the owner of Rocky Mountain Classic Canine. Leah Can also be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Therapy Dog Training

Therapy Dog Training at Denver Dog Works

Denver Dog Works has been training therapy dogs for the past decade. Our first therapy dog was Ineka. Some of you may have read the blog posts or heard us talk about Ineka. He was a natural at getting the kids we would visit in local schools to open up and ask us questions. Ineka has since retired but it is our hope that his legacy lives on within each and every therapy dog and service dog.
Recently, we have been asked to assist people in training their dog to become a therapy dog. We quickly let people know that the training involves them just as much as it does their dog. When you have therapy dog; you are a team.

At Denver Dog Works we pride ourselves on all of our training and its many benefits to our clients. But in particular we pride ourselves on the work that we devote to our service teams and our therapy teams.

Michele Forto is our lead trainer and program designer for both our service team program and our therapy team program. She is recognized as an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator; a registered service/therapy team trainer with Service Animal Registry of America, and is a Registered Service team evaluator for the Foundation for Service Dog Support.
There is a significant difference between therapy and service. The most recognizable difference is that a service dog goes everywhere with his handler. A therapy dog only goes to a prescribed, volunteered facility/location. A service dog may work for his handler up to 24 hours a day with little or no breaks. A therapy dog is only allowed to work a certain number of hours per week and only at their prescribed location. In other words, if your therapy dog accompanies you once a week to the local library and you participate in a therapy dog reading program, you as a therapy team cannot stop off at the local diner and grab a bite to eat inside at a window table.

While there are many therapy training programs and associations to choose from out there; choosing Denver Dog Works Therapy Training Program is a unique opportunity. We certify teams for psychiatrists; psychologists; therapists, and other medically related professions. In fact, Denver Dog Works is on the cutting edge of a new approach in the use of dogs in therapy sessions, assisting the doctors in the treatment of their patients which is being scientifically tested in several areas of study. But don’t let that stop you if you’re just a regular citizen looking to go into volunteering with your dog, Michele can help prepare you for registering through Denver Dog Works or any other company for that matter. Michele has also prepared teams for re-certification with other companies. Our philosophy here is simple; we believe dogs truly bring joy into people’s lives and we’d rather help that team succeed than sit by and watch it fail.

The therapy team training program at Denver Dog Works is a relatively simple process. We begin by giving your dog a temperament test to ensure that he is capable of what will be required of him. Depending on the type of therapy team you are training to become depends on the depth of obedience training as well as public access training. Denver Dog Works utilizes the AKC Canine Good Citizen test as our preliminary test. Once your dog is certified as an AKC Canine Good Citizen we begin working on public access training as well as work environment training. The entire time the team is training they are developing their work ethic. This means that they are learning how to work together and the dog especially is learning to exhibit the best possible manners in all public settings.

Becoming a Dog Works Therapy Team is hard fulfilling work. It should be noted that this type of volunteering is not for everyone. Our evaluation process is intensive so that we are able to determine that the potential team can build their work ethic and be able to maintain their work ethic at a level that will be required of them at the facility they volunteer.
If you’d like to learn more about Dog Works Therapy or Dog Works Service, please contact Michele directly at mforto@denverdogworks.com

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works | Therapy Dog Denver
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Michele Forto is a certified canine trainer and the business manager for Denver Dog Works. Michele is also the co-host of the Dog Doctor Radio Show. Michele can be reached through our website at http://www.micheleforto.com

Denver Dog Works Internship Opportunity

Denver Dog Works Internship Opportunity –Posted April 10, 2010

Denver Dog Works is an industry leader in the professional canine training industry worldwide. Clients range from private individuals, rescue groups, private companies to local and state governments. An internship at DDW is an intensive mix of practical business experience (work), menial tasks, and opportunities not generally afforded to anyone with the intern’s level of experience in the industry. A successful intern will be motivated, positive, seek to volunteer for tasks to assist the senior staff, and shall be included in every facet of the business. A successful intern understands that sacrifices of time are inherent in the internship and that as the intern progresses in the program more freedom and preferred assignments shall be earned by hard work and a positive proactive attitude. Short term sacrifice leads to long term preparation at a level beyond what is generally afforded students in the dog training industry. Interns shall receive the benefits of:

1.    First consideration among qualified applicants should a trainer position become open at DDW.
2.    Recommendations from industry leading trainers, commensurate with performance during the internship, to other professional training facilities for employment.
3.    Opportunity to receive a certified canine obedience instructor certificate upon completion of the internship and examination requirements at a reduced rate of our regular tuition.  
4.    Opportunities to network and interact with students, instructors, trainers, and clients of DDW.
5.    Opportunities to work on projects relevant to the marketing of training services.
6.    Opportunities to learn sales techniques germane to the canine industry.
7. Opportunities to attend cost free, seminars and other events ongoing at DDW.
8. Compensation is afforded as a contract trainer once qualifications are met.

Hours of internship will vary with needs and the opportunities afforded the intern. There will be one scheduled day off per week. Adjustments to the schedule will be made through direct superior. You must commit to one year of internship, where other outside interests and distractions shall all be of secondary concern relative to the opportunity to build the beginning foundation of your career in the canine industry. If you are not willing to make this commitment, at this level, for one year, you need not apply. Should you commit, you will learn, specifically:


Pet dog training and all relevant facets of the pet dog industry.  As time and business requirements permit, you shall cover as much  dog training programs as possible including service dog training and placement, canine sports, pet dog training and behavioral modification.

Learn curriculum from our canine career course to include hands on and lecture, Interaction with pet dog clients, training pet dogs from start to finish.  Included in business and marketing aspects of the business.
You will be used in the kennels as needed.  This need shall be determined solely by your superiors. The intent is to have kennel staff work the majority of kennel hours weekly, but for each intern to spend around 20-hours a week in the kennels.  This will go up and down with staff and business requirement changes.

If interested please forward a complete resume, cover letter, and three professional references to:
Dr. Robert Forto, Training Director: train@denverdogworks.com
Tel: 303-578-9881

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works

Raw Diet and "Legend"

Raw Diet and “Legend”
By Leah Morse

This is a part of a series of blogs that I want to share my experience with learning to feed raw diet to my dogs. It is a controversial way of providing nutrition for your dogs. I am not suggesting that anyone follow these guidelines that I have chosen to do for my own dogs. I am just simply sharing the information that I have found and where I found it. I am simply sharing my experiences. I am not a veterinarian; I am also not a health care professional. This theory of feeding raw species appropriate diet can have serious health risks associated with incorrect handling, preparing and feeding. NEVER EVER FEED COOKED BONES! Cooking bones changes the molecular structure, they become brittle and may splinter which would injure or kill your dog! Do not feed bones that are frozen either, as they can and will ruin your pet’s teeth. All bones must be thoroughly thawed before feeding as frozen bones can severely damage teeth. Mixing raw meat with cooked meat can cause digestive problems. If feeding raw diet is your goal read as many books and literature as possible. Find people who are already feeding and have experience to have as mentors. Use your own good judgment, when in doubt, don’t do it. The ideas and opinions in this blog are my own and come from feeding my dogs this way since 2008, unless otherwise credited. I am by no means an expert, just sharing my own acquisition of information and observations from my own dogs. Take any ideas that I present here at your own risk and discretion. I, for one, have found it worth it.

November 13th, 2010 we received our most recent boxer, Legend. He was eight weeks old and delivered from Georgia after much research. This would be my first little puppy on raw diet; Story was almost a year old when I made the switch to raw. I could not imagine the puppy teeth and still developing jaws of an eight week old getting through bones. I am very lucky to have access to a good friend that could get large quantities of chicken necks ground up. We asked for about 20-pounds that we divided into half pound baggies and froze. The small portions were easy to handle on a daily basis. Though the breeder did her due diligence and sent the Eukanuba puppy food he had been eating we switched him onto raw immediately. There would not be any gradual change as I had read that it was not good to combine cooked with raw (except vegetables). Processed dog food is most definitely cooked.

The first day we offered the ground chicken necks to Legend. He was not sure what to do with it. We doctored it with a little bit of plain Horizon yogurt and just a sprinkle of the mixed supplement powder. I literally had to spoon feed him in the beginning, which I liked to do to help him want hands near his food bowl. Lots of encouragement from us with the spoon feeding (he had never had mushy food like this before) and he ate a decent small amount for his first feeding. Out to the potty area and Legend eliminated normal stool, even after the trauma of being taken from home and brought to a strange new house, strange new people and even weirder food.

We continued to feed the ground chicken necks to him through the next few days. He started to anticipate and get excited about it. Again, normal stool with white specks of digested bone with no sign of diarrhea was all that was found. We would give him raw hamburger meat periodically but thankfully (as beef is so much more expensive) Legend really preferred his ground chicken.

We started to see him grow and put on a little weight (a little weight is key as you do not want to grow puppies too fast!) At 11-weeks, it was time for another vaccination and a de-wormer. Ok now we had some diarrhea after the de-wormer but only for a day or so then back to normal stool.

I had never had a young puppy that had such consistent normal stool. Usually they would have episodes here and there but not Legend. His puppy hair started to become extremely shiny, His eyes were bright and he had the typical puppy energy.
At about 16-weeks I started to cut up chicken wings (separate into 3 sections) for Legend. I was amazed at how easily I could cut through them with kitchen scissors. Legend had no problem eating the wing pieces. I stayed with him and watched for several days to be sure he did not choke on them. Again, normal stool no problems.

Legend is now seven months old and getting ready for his first conformation show. He has developed nicely on raw diet. He has the silky high gloss coat that my adults have. He sheds very little and his red fawn coat has taken to a deep shiny red. As with my adults, he is a pleasure to touch as his fur is so silky.

I am very pleased with the results and have absolutely no regrets of starting a very young puppy on a Raw Diet.

Tags: Leah Morse | Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works | Rocky Mountain Classic Canine
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Leah Morse is the owner of Rocky Mountain Classic Canine and a certified canine trainer. Leah writes a weekly blog for Denver Dog Works.

Game On!

Game On!
By Michele Forto

In our private basic obedience classes at Denver Dog Works we address commands such as; sit, come, stay, down, wait, and loose leash walking. These commands are outlined for you on homework sheets and you are shown how to teach your dog these commands. It’s a simple concept. After about eight weeks you are invited to try out your new skills in a group setting. Group is set up to test your new skills, your dogs’ new skills and your ability as a “team” to remain focused. Some of our students are invited to group class after just two private classes because they are already showing focus as a team.

Every once in a while we notice that our teams aren’t having fun, they have reached a plateau in their training and they are no longer having fun. This goes for the dog and their handler. That’s when we remind our handlers why they got a dog in the first place. Dogs are fun! Teaching them to be obedient is supposed to be fun too. Obedience classes can be stressful not only to your dog who is now being asked to sit when you say, but to you as well. There will be times when you ask your dog to sit and they will just flat refuse. Remember our article “Win All Games”; and choose how to win the game.

Part of our job as trainers is to teach you how to identify when your dog is no longer learning. We do this by constantly observing his behavior during play, training, and just by how they are interacting with you. Your dog will tell you when they don’t like something, tell you when they are stressed, and they will tell you when they just want to goof off. No they won’t speak it to you but they will communicate by using their body language.

Say for instance, you notice that your dog is refusing to do commands that you know full and well he is capable of performing the first time you ask. Do not become compulsive in your training style here, instead take a moment and think about the energy you are putting off, change your attitude, uplift your spirits and see if your dog reacts. If he still is refusing to perform the commands you are asking him to do then turn your training session into a game.

A simple game of come, yes come can be a game. We have spoken about fetch being a great way to teach your dog while having fun, but there are times when fetch turns into keep-away because your dog isn’t in the mood to get a ball for you.
Here’s how we do it: while on leash at first to maintain control, sit/stay your dog and then go six feet in front of him, call him to you in the happiest voice you can muster, as he approaches you give him the sit hand signal and then praise. Repeat four or five times and then begin dropping the leash and adding distance. You are in constant motion moving backwards and your dog is in constant motion moving forward. We utilize treats, toys, or just ourselves during this game. If this is not something you do with your dog often it will surprise him and he will become more receptive to doing those commands that he was refusing to do. Sit is easy, what if he is refusing to do down, no problem, when he comes to you ask him to sit and then down and then return him to sit before leaving him again.

After about ten minutes of this you and your dog will have completed a great training session that has worked on sit, down, stay, and come. Viola! It’s that easy! So we challenge you to get up off that coach and challenge your dog to a game. Game On!

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works
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Michele Forto is a certified canine trainer and the business manager for Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Dog Doctor Radio: Unleashed Dog Parks

On this edition of the Dog Doctor Radio Show we celebrate our 1 year anny. on the air! We will also be interviewing a representative from Unleashed, the nations first indoor dog park in Dallas, Texas.

The Dog Doctor Radio Show
Saturdays at 9:30 am MDT
303-578-9881
live@dogdoctorradio.com

You can listen to The Dog Doctor Radio Show anytime at http://tinyurl.com/dogdoc

NATION’S FIRST INDOOR DOG PARK OPENS IN DALLAS
Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks™ becomes top dog destination in Dallas with 25,000 square-feet of indoor parks, outdoor water features, grooming salon, supply center, café, daycare, playcare and cage-free boarding


Dallas, August 11, 2009: Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks™ has rocketed to the top of Dallas dog lovers’ lists as the nation’s first and only indoor, off-leash play park for dogs. The $10 million, 50,000 square-foot facility debuted this spring with 25,000 square-feet of indoor parks, grooming salon, full supply center, daycare, playcare, cage-free boarding, and a café for owners.

Launched through the efforts of dog lovers Kelly and Cody Acree of Dallas, Unleashed takes pet retailing to a new level, catering to dogs and owners alike with its year-round appeal.

“Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks answers every need we could think of for dogs and their owners – a clean, safe, monitored, comfortable environment where dogs can play off-leash while owners can lounge. The 25,000 square-feet of indoor air-conditioned parks present a comfortable, sanitary and green environment for large and small dogs to exercise off-leash and socialize while owners can do the same, or just relax, work remotely with wifi and read the paper with a snack, meal or dessert from our café,” said Kelly Acree, co-founder of Unleashed.

Over-engineered to ensure a fresh environment, Unleashed features the largest indoor installation of K9Grass in the world on the indoor parks. The turf is the only artificial grass designed specifically for dogs with antimicrobial properties and a unique knitted construction to allow draining, keeping the grass clean and free of bacteria or odors.

“One of the first questions we get from first-timers at Unleashed is what the dogs do if they need to ‘go’,” added Kelly. “The answer is, they ‘go’. We’ve designed Unleashed to allow dogs to act as naturally as they would if you had a 25,000 square-foot backyard with play and agility equipment and other dogs available anytime for a play date. Because of the K9Grass, our sprinkler, cleaning and patent-pending drainage and flushing systems, as well as a state-of-the art exhaust system, it always smells fresh and looks green inside no matter what the dogs do.”

Additionally, the Acrees have put in place a variety of safety measures to ensure a secure environment for dogs and owners. Before gaining entrance into the park, owners must provide proof of rabies, DHLP, Parvo and Bordetella vaccinations for their dogs. Additionally, dogs without previous exposure to other dogs will be temperament-tested by one of the park’s trained dog handlers, who are present in the park at all times. At least one pet CPR and First Aid certified staffer is in the park at all times. Inside, owners with small or timid dogs can enjoy the Powderpuff Park, while rough-housing medium and large dogs can take advantage of the Bodyslammers Park. Finally, for insurance reasons, pit bulls and pit bull mixes are not allowed in the off-leash portions of the park.

“Our entire staff consists of people who are dog lovers and have the ability to read and respond to dog behavior. This means they can manage the dogs at play as more dogs come into the park, and avert or handle any scuffles,” Kelly continued. “We run Unleashed like an exclusive gym, so that when your dog comes through the gate with her personalized RFID membership tag, she’s going to have access to the best equipment, staff and experience available.”

Entry for a dog into the off-leash parks with full in and out privileges is $7.50, with discount packages available for multiple dog families or frequent visits. For more information, visit www.unleasheddogparks.com, or follow Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks on Twitter at twitter.com/kellyunleashed and twitter.com/unleasheddfw.

About Unleashed

Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks™ is the nation’s first indoor and outdoor off-leash play park offering year-round play for dogs and their owners. The $10 million 50,000 square-foot facility is situated on 6.5 wooded acres just four miles from downtown Dallas. Featuring the largest indoor installation of Forever Lawn’s K9Grass, Unleashed also offers outdoor water features, grooming salon, supply center, café, daycare, playcare and cage-free boarding. Visit www.unleasheddogparks.com for more information, pricing, photos and registration details.

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Dr. Robert Forto is the host of the Dog Doctor Radio Show and the training director for Denver Dog Works. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

H1N1, Captain Trips and the Swine Flu

H1N1, Captain Trips and the Swine Flu
Hello All,

As a frequent reader of my posts you will know that I have been highly suspect of the media fueled swine flu epidemic and have written about it on my blog a few times. My most recent is: http://fortoblog.com/2009/04/30/the-...swine-flu.aspx

On Monday, I thought how could I go wrong: go to Walgreens and pay 18 bucks for the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine. 18 bucks is a lot better than missing countless days at work if and when I come down with the dreaded flu right?

How wrong could I have been? I have been laying in bed since Monday night with the worst case of the flu that I have ever seen. It hit me like a brick wall at 8:15 pm and I haven't been the same since. Let me put it this way, have you ever seen the Dumb and Dumber movie when Harry has to use the restroom in the fancy bathroom in Aspen.... I know that analogy was not politically correct but neither is the government saying that "systemic side-effects" rarely occur.

For this 18 dollar vaccine that I thought would keep me from getting the flu has now cost me at least three days of productive work and countless contacts with my clients. I guess you could look at it this way, just how bad would have the flu really been if I hadn't gotten the vaccine in the first place? I guess thats why 16,000 people have died from it already.

Your thoughts on what you think of the swine flu and its vaccine? Lets keep the discussion alive!

Regards,

Robert Forto, PhD
Denver Dog Works
http://www.robertforto.com

Culture of Denver Dog Works: Integrity

Culture of Denver Dog Works: Integrity
By Robert Forto, PhD

Last week I introduced a series of articles that I am going to post each week about the culture of Denver Dog Works. I am only only doing this to give our readers an idea of what we are about at Denver Dog Works but also as an exercise for us here at the training center to make sure we are all on the same page and delivering exceptional customer service and training a client's dog to be one of the best trained dogs in the world.

The 10 Elements of Culture as defined by Denver Dog Works are:

Integrity
Professionalism
Development
Service Availability and Belief
Character
Self Development
A Event Culture
Structured Activity
Leadership
Fun

Integrity of Denver Dog Works and our Culture


If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. -- Alan K. Simpson

The Wild West was full of them and they are the actors of legend along the carnival midway and the performers of modern day late night infomercials. His line was superficial and his promises great. he had the cure for diseases and could wow you with his magic cloth that soaked up a can of soda with little effort.

Modern medical licensing has done much to amend quackery in medicine but in the spirit of the snake oil salesmen or the the late night pitch-man they will always find a new outlet, and professional dog training is a prime example.

As I tell my students studying to be professional dog trainers all the time, all it takes to be a dog trainer is a business card, a leash and a smile. Anyone can rent out a storefront, put a sign on their car, take an out an ad in the local newspaper, start a website and call themselves a professional dog trainer. If you work out of your home, a couple hundred bucks can be enough to say you are in business! These same people say they can offer obedience training, solve problems and turn your dog into service dog just because you want a constant companion with you while you ride the bus to work in the morning.

Often there is a certificate saying Master Trainer, possibly indicating the completion of a correspondence course without ever having to demonstrated how to properly work a dog in a training routine. It is against the law in all states, I assume to set up shop and offer medical advice, or legal counsel or even plumbing services without a license. Not so in the dog training world. There are no legal requirements or even standards in the way that a dog should be trained.

What truly separates the men from the boys, so to speak, in the dog training world is just one word: Integrity.

If I were to ask what the most important and influential aspect of a business is I would have to say integrity. Without integrity at the forefront of a business’ culture a business is usually doomed to fail. In fact, when integrity is part of the business culture is becomes the heart and soul of the company and can mean the difference between a company that succeeds and one that fails.

In recent times, with the media fueled recession, and business people having a hard time making ends meet often a business’ core values are overlooked in order to salvage a struggling business or to meet the basic needs of a company such as payroll and paying vendors. But, if a business does not take the time to examine it core values and continually live by them, even in the rough times, the business is not operating with an ethical commitment to those that truly have a say in whether they will succeed or fail, and that is it’s customers and clients.


At Denver Dog Works Integrity is so ingrained in our culture that it we strive to continually live by it in our day to day business operation in that we see that we are above and beyond the quacks that give our industry such a bad name. We strive to do this but applying seven basic principles of integrity within our company:


Principle #1 At Denver Dog Works we recognize that our clients want to do business with a company they can trust; when trust is at the core of a company, it is easy to recognize. Trust defined is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of a business. Dog training is a capricious business. You are dealing with a member of a client’s family and you must remember to treat this relationship as such.

Principle #2 At Denver Dog Works we strive for continuous improvement of our company, and as the leader in an industry we must be willing to open up to ideas for betterment. We ask for opinions and feedback from both clients and team members and by doing so our company will continue to grow.

Principle #3 At Denver Dog Works, regardless of the circumstances, we do everything in our power to gain the trust of our past customer's and clients, particularly if something has gone awry. We strive to do what you can to reclaim any lost business by honoring all commitments and obligations. Yes it is true you can never please everyone. In the dog training world we often dealing with relationship problems, financial constraints and a theory of absolutes (fix my dog or else...). We often deal with unhappy clients because of unrealistic expectations and we must meet them in the middle in order to accomplish a common goal and that is to better the relationship between their dog and the family.

Principle #4 At Denver Dog Works we continually re-evaluate all print/media materials including our small business advertising, brochures and other business documents making sure they are clear, precise and professional; most important we make sure they do not misrepresent or misinterpret our business. This is what I was talking about above. Anyone can say they have the best and train the rest but can they live up to their own motto?

Principle #5 At Denver Dog Works we remain involved in community-related issues and activities thereby demonstrating that our business is a responsible community contributor. In other words, we stay involved. We are actively involved in two local chamber of commerces and attend and host many events where we give back to the local community. In business it should never be just about making money. At Denver Dog Works we don’t just train dogs, we change lives.

Principle #6 At Denver Dog Works we take a hands-on approach in regard to accounting and record keeping, not only as a means of gaining a better feel for the progress of our company, but as a resource for any "questionable " activities; gaining control of accounting and record keeping allows you to end any dubious activities promptly. Even in a difficult economy where every small business owner is pinching every penny and saving every dime they can, a business must have integrity in regards to the day to day operation of their business. I will admit, this past year was a struggle for us and we seemed to have pulled through and weathered the storm but that did not mean neglecting our vendors or our businesses associates.

Principle #7 At Denver Dog Works we strive to treat others with the utmost of respect. Regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages, or other types of distinctions, we always strive treat others with professional respect and courtesy. This principle is not just in place in the back-room of our training center but to our clients as well. A client should never be seen as a meal ticket or a a way to pay the light bill, but as a relationship that is forged with mutual respect and understanding.

I encourage any feedback you may have and of course share the culture of your business as well. I can be reached anytime by email at train@denverdogworks.com

Posted: http://www.robertforto.com

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Dog Works Training Centers and the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show which can be heard every Saturday at 9:30 am in the Rocky Mountain West or download it anytime. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

New Successes, Creative Ideas and Our Culture

New Successes, Creative Ideas, and our Culture
By Robert Forto, PhD



This is a new day of a new week of a new month of a new decade in a new century. It is special isn't it? Last year was a tough year for all of us in this recessed economy where everybody was worried about the future of the world as we knew it. At Denver Dog Works, it was tough on us too. We are thankful for all of our clients, new and old, that helped make our business special. We also took advantage of the down time to receive training for our business, our leaders, our trainers and our staff. This training was expensive, but worth every penny. We learned so many new things about our business, our goals, our values, and our desires. We learned what we need to do to set us apart from the crowd. We learned that we are not just a small fish in a big pond, but a fish that has a considerable influence over the pond that we swim.

In January 2009, we started our Internet radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, that has gotten great reviews and has had on some tremendous guests. We spoke about everything dogs and everything that we love about our furry friends and what makes that relationship special to so many people. We spoke about the Michael Vick controversy, many authors including the most heart-warming story I have every heart about Baxter, the therapy dog that touched so many lives until he last days, and so much more.

We trained several students to become exceptional canine obedience trainers in 2009 and have done so against the wishes of our most vocal competition in our industry. I can not count how many times I have heard from my peers that own dog training schools here in Denver say, “Why are you teaching people how to become dog trainers? Don't you think the business is saturated?” My response is, “It do it because I can, and no, I don't think it is saturated.” We change people’s lives at Denver Dog Works. Whether it be by training people for a new career or providing a service dog for a young child in need. That’s what we do.

In March 2009, I announced my intentions on running the Iditarod in 2013. This is a promise I must keep. My family and I thought about this for a long while and realized that the time is now to begin training for the last great race, as they call it. I am taking this year to get into shape and next year I will run my first qualifying races in Minnesota and Oregon. The monumental feat of running the race is not the race itself but the raising of ten’s of thousands of dollars to train and run the race. We are starting our quest to find corporate sponsors during the second quarter of 2010.

We met many new friends in 2009 that taught us so much. The members of the Aurora and Greenwood Village Chamber of Commerce (Colorado) have been great and I want to personally thank Mark Crowley for all that he does. When I attended a seminar put on by Mark and the Greenwood Village Chamber in late 2008 it changed how we do business forever. It introduced me to social media and what an impact it has had! As many of you know I routinely update twitter and Facebook with news, notes, nuggets of information, and stories that have absolutely nothing to do about dogs, but do you know what? Social media works! I have received so many business leads, new contacts and friends, often while I update driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour going from class to class.

In May 2009, I attended a training program in Neuro-Linguistics from my good friend and “personal trainer for the mind”, Traci Brown. This revolutionary training taught me to think outside the box and harness the potential of my unconscious mind. While many may think this is some New-Age quackery I will be the first to tell you that you are furthest from the truth. This innate communication will change your life!

In July, we moved to our new location and we regret that we haven't had the time to have a grand opening celebration yet. Our new place is only about 70% remodeled due to the fact that through blood, sweat and tears we are doing the re-model ourselves and it is typically only on our days off. In the coming months we will have a grand opening and a ribbon cutting and we will have that bar-b-que that we have been talking about.

In 2010 we are stepping outside the box completely and offering Dog Works Training Centers in select cities throughout the country. While there are many dog training franchises out there, ours is different. We teach new business owners how not only to be great dog trainers but effective and successful business owners as well. Our Dog Works Training Centers business opportunity will change the dog training industry forever.

The 10 Elements of Culture as defined by Denver Dog Works

Much can be said about what makes us the best dog training school in the country. A lot of that lies on our core values and principles of doing business. A lot lies in the education and training we received over the years, moreover, this past year with our branding program that we took with the branding guru of all guru’s David Sandusky and his company, Your Brand Plan. Our work with David changed how we thought about our business and saved our marriage ( as you know, I work with my wife, Michele), but more importantly our work with David allowed us to develop a culture at Denver Dog Works. Over the coming weeks, every Monday, I will post an article about our culture and what sets us apart in a very competitive industry.

The 10 Elements of Culture as defined by Denver Dog Works are:

Integrity
Professionalism
Development
Service Availability and Belief
Character
Self Development
A Event Culture
Structured Activity
Leadership
Fun

I ask that you follow us along in the coming year. As one fast food restaurant chain’s tagline says: We’re going to be big. At Denver Dog Works, we don't just train dogs, we changes lives and I can bet you that we do have the best and train the rest!

I encourage any comments or questions you have about anything at all.

Next Week: Element of Our Culture: Integrity

Posted http://www.robertforto.com

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Dog Works Training Centers and the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show, that can be heard every Saturday at 9:30 am in the Rocky Mountain West or anytime by download. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Influential People in Learning Theory Part II

Canine Trainers Forum: Influential People in Learning Theory Part II
By Robert Forto, PhD

This is a weekly series of articles on Canine Training. We will post these articles every Saturday. We are going to start by posting articles about the history of human-canine communication and learning theory and why this approach is the de-facto method of training our companion animals. The training methods used by many trainers and training schools simply do not work. They are not based on the principles of how a dog learns. I classify these types of trainers into two groups: Yank and Crank and Wait and See trainers (We will discuss both of these methods in a future article so stay tuned and subscribe to our blog on our website Denver Dog Works). Both of these methods will have a degree of success but not a long term effect on changing your dog's overall behavior. Both of these methods are an "easy way out" for training your dog.
I will be the first to admit that dog training is work. Hard work and it takes a great deal of knowledge, understanding, patience and adaption in order for it to be a success. Do you want to go to a trainer or training school that has a trainer that is still wet-behind-the-ears or is earning minimum wage at a big box store? Or do you want to go to a professional that has literally lived with a pack of sled dogs for the better part of fifteen years and earned his doctorate on the basis of human-canine communication? If you would like to talk about this in more detail, I encourage you to give us a call anytime at 303-578-9881 303-578-9881 or send us an email at train@denverdogworks.com We look forward to hearing from you!
Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory
Pavlov, Thorndike, and Watson
Many attribute the beginning point of modern theories of behavior to Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936).A Russian physiologist, and Nobel Prize winner, Pavlov studied digestion in dogs.While conducting this research he observed his canine subjects salivating before the food was presented.Pavlov reasoned that his dogs were displaying this behavior in response to either the presence of his lab assistants, or the sound of the door opening.
Pavlov then conducted a series of experiments where he rang a bell just prior to feeding his canines.After a number of trials, the ringing of the bell by itself elicited the reflexive salivation of the canines.This phenomenon became known as Pavlovian or classical conditioning.Pavlov had succeeded in taking a reflexive action and putting it on cue, thereby creating a "conditioned reflex".This new science became known as respondent conditioning, and was an important predecessor to modern operant conditioning.Respondent conditioning and conditioned reflexive responses explain why a dog begins to salivate when its owner begins the feeding ritual.The understanding of this type of conditioning can enhance a trainer's procedure.Most training procedures are indeed built upon the principles of operant conditioning, which will be discussed in greater depth in a later part of this chapter.Respondent conditioning on the other hand is most useful when trying to change a dog's behavior.Some examples might be habituation, counter-conditioning, systematic desensitization, and flooding.These principles will also be discussed later in this chapter.
Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) studied the effect different consequences have on behaviors.Thorndike is known for the Law of Effect, which simply states that responses or behaviors that produce pleasant rewards are likely to increase in frequency.This law is the foundation on which operant conditioning is built, and is the predecessor of all the "treat training" now being advocated in modern dog training.Thorndike's experiments were being conducted in the United States near the time that Pavlov's dogs were salivating in Russia.
J.B. Watson (1878-1958) has been credited as the father of modern behaviorism.A psychologist who worked at John Hopkins University, as well as, The University of Chicago, Watson emphasized the need to move the study of behavior away from the concentration on thoughts and feelings towards a more scientific, experimental study of behavior.Watson is best known for his "Little Albert" study in which he and his colleague, R. Rayner, conditioned a fear reaction in an eleven-month-old boy named Albert.The study went like this:
"Initially, Albert was allowed to play freely with a white rat.Then, a loud noise was presented whenever Albert reached out and touched the rat.The noise was loud enough to startle Albert.In one week, whenever the rat was presented Albert would cry, even without the noise.He also generalized his fear to other things, including a dog, a rabbit, and a Santa Claus mask.Watson used respondent conditioning (in this case, the startle reflex) to modify Albert's behavior." [i]
Skinner, Keller, and Schoenfeld
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) continued the work that Thorndike started.He was the leading advocate of a more modern version of Thorndike's Law of Effect, which states, "The frequency of a behavior increases or decreases according to the result it [the behavior] produces." [ii]
When Skinner was pursuing his doctorate at Harvard University he discovered that he could methodically change the behavior of lab rats by rewarding them with food.This study proceeded in the following stages:
"First, the rat was rewarded simply for facing the correct end of the cage.Next, the rat was rewarded only when it stood next to the lever.Later stages delayed the reward until the rat touched the lever with its body.Eventually the rat learned it had to press the lever to receive a pellet of food." [iii]
Skinner's viewpoints were unique in that he felt the proper study of behavior should be limited to "observable events" of behavior, and instead of how the subject might think.He consistently argued against making interpretations based on events that could not be observed.Skinner did not discuss intervening variables, such as hunger or thirst, when interpreting behavioral learning.
In 1938, B.F. Skinner published The Behavior of Organisms (New York: D. Appleton-Century Co.).Many consider this milestone work the leading authority on the science of operant conditioning.Today many dog trainers are using clickers for training canines; clickers are conditioned reinforcers that have been used by conditioning experts since the 1940's.Skinner wrote about clickers, which he called "crickets", in a paper called How to Teach Animals in 1951.
While on the faculty of the University of Minnesota, Skinner's study of operant conditioning principles was expanded to include pigeons.He was studying a phenomenon known as extinction when it occurred to him to ask himself, are theories of learning necessary?As previously discussed Skinner felt the study of behavior should be limited to events that were observable and measurable.Skinner maintained that the science of behavior should actually deal with behavior in its relation to variables that could be systematically manipulated.
Skinner was a leading advocate of Expectancy Theory; it was his contention that learning theory was in reality nothing more that expectancy.He wrote, "When we assert that an animal acts in a given way because it expects to receive food [or any reinforcers], then what began as the task of accounting for a learned behavior becomes the task of accounting for expectancy." [iv] Skinner is also partially credited for moving the science of operant conditioning beyond the lab, and towards a viable technology for changing behavior.
Fred S. Keller (1899-1966) is well known for his work on a teaching method known as Personalized System of Instruction (PSI).Keller was a classmate, and lifelong friend of B. F. Skinner. While it is true that Skinner ultimately wound up on the faculty at Harvard, where as Keller taught at Columbia, they remained colleagues throughout their lives.
In 1947, Fred Keller teamed up with William Schoenfeld (1915-1996) at Columbia University and began to teach the first college psychology course employing Skinner's methods.Undergraduate students taught rats to respond to stimuli in order to obtain reinforcement.Keller and Schoenfeld published the first text in the emerging field of operant conditioning in 1950 entitled Principles of Psychology.
Breland and Bailey
In 1938, Marian Kruse, a research assistant, was bitten by one of B. F. Skinner's lab rats.On her way to receive medical attention Kruse met Keller Breland, a brilliant and ambitious graduate student in psychology. A professional and personal relationship developed and they were married in 1941; the same year the United States was going to war.
B. F. Skinner was convinced that the science of operant conditioning could be used to effectively help the war effort.Skinner's prior experience with the behavior of pigeons was invaluable to Project Pelican.Keller and Marian Breland trained pigeons to guide bombs for the Navy; fittingly these bombs were called "pelicans".Project Pelican was disbanded in 1943, but Marian Breland carried on by training animals for commercials and animal shows.
The Brelands published Applied Animal Psychology in 1951.This paper described how operant conditioning could be used to teach animals.They are credited by many for ushering in the commercial application of the science of operant conditioning.
With stories in The Wall Street Journal, Time, and even Life; the Brelands were obviously quite popular.With this popularity, Marine Studios in Florida noticed the Brelands and worked with them to develop a dolphin act.The development of this same act led to the publication of the first procedural training manual for dolphin trainers.Operant conditioning and conditioned reinforcers played an enormous role in the training procedures of dolphins due to the distance that the trainer is removed from the subject.
The Brelands' involvement with dolphins brought them, and their teaching methods, to the attention of the Navy yet again.A zoologist from the University of California by the name of Bob Bailey headed up the Navy's Dolphins at Sea program.In 1965 Bailey drew on the extensive experience of the Brelands in respect to the behavior of pigeons. In this with respect, in developing an ambush detection system for the Army.In the same year Keller Breland passed away.Bob Bailey and Marian Breland continued the work that the three of them had started. They were eventually married in 1976.
Bob Bailey also developed the concept of a bridging stimulus, which is a method of using a "bridge of time" between the subject animals' correct response and the delivery of a primary reinforcer.
The value of the contribution that these individuals made to the advancement of learning theory is without measure and cannot be understated.Because of their redundant work the understanding of learning has made important advancements throughout the years. If you would like to read my doctorate dissertation: Chasing the Dream: A History of Human-Canine Communication in the Sport of Dog Sledding in its entirety it can be purchased as a .pdf from for $19.10 please send me an email at train@denverdogworks.com and I will arrange it.


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[i] Burch, M., Ph.D., and Bailey, J. S., Ph.D ., How Dogs Learn. Howell Book House,1999, Pg. 5.
[ii] Plonsky, M., Ph.D., " How Dogs Learn," Thomson Education Direct, Scranton, PA, 2001, Pg. 36.
[iii] Plonsky, M., Ph.D., " How Dogs Learn," Thomson Education Direct, Scranton, PA, 2001, Pg. 36. Pg. 37
[iv] Skinner, B.F., Are Theories of Learning Necessary?, (1950), Web Document: "Classics in the History of Psychology" by Christopher D. Green, http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Skinner/Theories.
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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and the Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Evicted: Pets and the Foreclosure Crisis

Evicted: Pets and the Foreclosure Crisis
By Robert Forto, PhD

Dog Law is a weekly series in which I explore a different topic regarding canine law, legislation and procedures related to the legal side of owning our canine companions. I have been involved as an expert witness in many cases over the years, testifying on everything from breed bans, landlord-tenant disputes, aggressive dogs, dog bites and more. I am also a canine behaviorist and paralegal. If you have any questions regarding dogs and the law I would be happy to help. While I am not an attorney and I encourage you to seek out competent legal assistance should it come to that, I can be retained in most cases by both plaintiff and defense counsel to assist in your case as an expert witness.

Pets and Foreclosure

This is a re-print of an article that I posted some time ago. I thought it would be timely to re-post as there is recent news that the foreclosure crisis is not behind us. Many of us still face mounting debt and many Americans are forced to move out of their homes and leave their pets behind.

Just last week a county shelter in Washington State, enacted a policy stating that they would not allow any more “unwanted pets” in their facilities. These pets are often turned in as result of their owner’s dire financial straits. Please read the following article and post you comments and opinions. I look forward to hearing from you.

The house was ravaged — its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull-- this was the image of a home in suburban California.The dog was too far gone to save — another example of how pets are becoming the newest victims of the nation’s mortgage crisis as homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their property.Pets “are getting dumped all over,” said Traci Jennings, president of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. “Farmers are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are showing up in wild cat colonies.”

The abandoned pets are overwhelming animal shelters and drawing fury from bloggers, trainers, activists and rescue groups, especially as photos of emaciated animals circulate on the Internet.

Denver Dog Works in Colorado has seen an influx of shelter-saved dogs at the training center in recent months. All of the new owners say the same thing: “I don’t know the dog’s history we just wanted to save his life,” as quoted verbatim from more than one client. While this is admirable at best, and a challenge none-the-least when it comes to training the dog to accept a new home and new owners are facing an up-hill battle.

The first people to enter an abandoned house, such as property inspectors and real estate brokers, have discovered dogs tied to trees in backyards, cats in garages, and turtles, rabbits and lizards in children’s bedrooms.

No one keeps track of the numbers of abandoned pets, but anecdotal evidence suggests that forsaken animals are becoming a problem wherever foreclosures are climbing. Denver is reported to have the highest number of foreclosures per capita. Colorado also has some of the highest number of dogs per household. The two combined equal a disaster on an epidemic scale for wayward pets.

Despite months of warning before a foreclosure, many desperate homeowners run out the clock hoping to forestall an eviction. Then they panic, particularly if they are moving to a home where pets are not permitted.

Many of these people have no money, their credit mess and they cannot afford to move into an apartment and pay the extra fee for a security deposit for the pet, which is often hundreds of dollars.The situation has become so widespread that the Humane Society urges home owners faced with foreclosure to take their animals to a shelter. Many shelters even have a no-questions-asked policy.

In most cases, a pet owner is not required to give details about the reasons for them turning over the animal. Some organizations even have drop off boxes where an owner can take a pet anonymously.

Shelters are trying to keep up, but the spike in abandoned pets comes at a time when fewer people are adopting animals. Home sales are plunging to their lowest level in decades, and new homeowners are often the most likely to seek a pet.

Even people who are buying homes are not adopting pets.“People are not bringing home puppies because times are tough, and animals cost money,” says Dr. Robert Forto, training director for Denver Dog Works. “It is a sad fact that dogs in this country are disposable. That is uncalled for,” Dr. Forto says.

The mortgage crisis shows few signs of easing. Many real estate tracking companies announce that countless homeowners started to fall behind on mortgage payments in the past six months, setting the stage for record-number foreclosures this year. While the government and even our President have adopted programs for people in trouble, many do not meet the stringent qualification procedures.

For others, it is already too late.Shelters all over the Denver area are fielding more desperate calls from animal owners about to be evicted. Many call as a last resort after being turned down by various rescue groups with no room for more animals.“They’re usually breaking down on the phone,” said a shelter dispatcher recently quoted on a blog on the Internet. “I’m quite direct with them that there’s a 50-50 chance the animals might be put down.”

Still, shelter operators say, half a chance is better than none.“They may be euthanized at a shelter,” said Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society of the United States. “But they’ll be fed and have water and have a humane euthanasia, as opposed to spending the last days of their lives eating carpet or wallboard.”

Canine Behaviorists and trainers like Dr. Forto are furious with the “foreclosure pet” phenomenon, especially after seeing photos of emaciated animals on the Internet and those arriving at his training center in near feral condition.

Some critics say the pet owners have already proved they are irresponsible by buying houses they could not afford or mortgages they did not bother to understand.

The problem is exacerbated because most people grappling with foreclosure are returning to rental housing or moving in with relatives — two situations where it can be difficult or impossible to bring pets.

What we’ve always known is that when times are hard for people, they’re hard for their pets as well.

Abandoning animals is illegal in most states under anti-cruelty laws, but the laws are not rigidly enforced. In most cases it is just a fine of a few hundred dollars or the prospect of a misdemeanor on your record.

A relatively small price to pay when you are facing homelessness.Occasionally, albeit rarely, a family with will be reunited with the pet that they had left behind in their foreclosed house. In one case, a family was staying in a homeless shelter, and their dogs were being cared for by neighbors at the family’s behest. The family was able to find housing suitable for themselves and their dogs.

But happy endings elude a majority of foreclosure animals.“Their best shot is for the owners to plan ahead some,” Dr. Forto said. “But they did not plan when they bought their house. I do not see that happening anytime soon.”

Dr. Robert Forto, training director of Denver Dog Works, often trains many pets that are adopted from local shelters and offers discounts to those who call us and say they read this article. If you would like to schedule an evaluation with your dog please give us a call anytime at 303-578-9881 or via email at train@denverdogworks.com

Citation: American Humane Society website
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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

More Than a Trainer...A Career

More than a Dog Trainer…A Career
By Robert Forto, PhD

A lot is said about culture in business. I have been working these past few months with a very dear friend of mine, a business genius and branding guru, David Sandusky. David owns a company called Your Brand and he hosts a forum that every business owner should subscribe to http://www.yourbrandplan.com. David and I have been working on the culture of Denver Dog Works and our affiliate businesses and we have come up with some great processes that are changing not only how we run our business but how our customers and clients perceive it as well.

According to a post on the Your Brand Plan forum culture is described as: “Individual brands make up the internal and external experience - or culture brand. Understanding your culture brand is critical to your success. What do you see happening that deserves discussion and what do you need? What are you doing to shape and communicate your real and changing culture.” This is critical to our success and yours if you own and operate your own business.

More than a Dog Trainer…A Career

Canine Communication Studies provides its students with more than an education in canine training; our students are offered the knowledge, skills and culture provided for professional dog trainers to become successful business owners. The broad scope of Canine Communication Studies’ courses immediately prepares the student to begin a full time or part time career training dogs upon completion of the course.

Those interested individuals come to our school from throughout the United States and come from all walks of life; including recent high school graduates, health care workers, police officers, graduate students, sales people, artists, teachers and more. No matter what their background and where they are from, they all have one common goal—to become the best dog trainers in the world and have a fulfilling career and/or business they enjoy.

Professional canine training is a profitable and very rewarding occupation as a main career or as a supplemental income. Our courses specialize in teaching the students obedience training, canine psychology and behavior, kennel design, nutrition, canine first aid and CPR, drive theory, canine sports, breeding, canine health, medications and vaccinations, client relations, business development, dog law, marketing your dog training business, ethics in dog training, and much more. We also offer apprenticeship programs in service dogs, protection training, canine sports, working dogs and kennel management as well as valuable insight into establishing a successful small business practice.

Over 80 percent take our 12-week canine obedience instructor/trainer course; however if you are unable to attend our school or cannot dedicate the time to become a full-time student, you can begin you career by taking our correspondence course and complete the remainder of the canine obedience instructor/trainer course at a later date. We do recommend taking the 12-week course if you intend to make dog training a full-time career and especially if you plan to open a dog training school of your own.

Upon completion of our courses, our graduates may pursue a multitude of options in the field of canine training and behavior. While most graduates establish their own full time or part time businesses, others work with established training centers, veterinary offices or boarding/day care facilities. Canine Communication Studies also offers graduates upon successful completion of the coursework a contract trainer position.

As a contract trainer you can become immersed in the culture of our business, Denver Dog Works. Denver Dog Works is involved in everything canine. We are a sled dog racing kennel with sights on the Iditarod in 2013, a service dog training school to provide canines for children with autism, executive protection training for high-end personal protection dogs, and of course obedience and behavior problems taught by some of the foremost canine experts in the field.

Our History

Canine Communication Studies and Canine Behavior Services of Colorado is the result of several endeavors. Dr. Forto developed and taught the first canine sciences course as a vocational certificate program to a service dog training program while he completed his doctorate dissertation in human-canine communication. This course formed the basis for Dr. Forto’s curriculum training dog trainers and obedience instructors around North America.

Dr. Forto continued to offer the Canine Sciences courses to meet the needs of his expanding dog training school which soon relocated from Minnesota to Colorado and became known as Denver Dog Works.

In 2006 with the opening of Denver Dog Works at 1842 S. Parker Rd. #16 in Denver, Colorado, Dr. Forto consolidated his training programs and dog trainer courses to one full-time location with several other “Dog Works” locations planned for the future. As his reputation grew from being a professional dog musher and as a certified canine behaviorist, Dr. Forto repeatedly receives requests from trainers wanting to learn more about canine aggression and other aspects of training that is quite a bit different than what they were taught as canine trainers—many of them professionals who want to incorporate science into their dog training classes, private training businesses and club programs.

Our Philosophy

Canine Communications Studies was founded to educate those who have a genuine interest and concern for dogs and to help establish a life-long bond with their owners in a balanced, natural approach. In addition, Canine Communication Studies prepares individuals for successful careers in canine instruction and behavior modification. Our experienced instructors instill their high standards of dog training skills and knowledge, as well as business cumin in developing an atmosphere to enhance these relationships with the students that is like family, not a college classroom with 30 students and an instructor at a lectern. All subject matter offered, both in the classroom and in practical application, is conducive to success of our graduates.

Canine Communication Studies is dedicated in advance the field of canine training, sports and working dogs, and the profession of dog training. We encourage all of our potential students to approach dog training as you would any educational endeavor. Our courses are college-level material and based on nineteen years experience literally living with, and working around dogs every day. If you start by having pre-conceived notions about canine training from what you see on television or read in books, there is a possibility that you will not be able to broaden your knowledge base.

At Canine Communication Studies we believe that effective communication is the key to improving and enhancing the relationship between dogs and people. We also believe that the education of each dog owner must be approached on an individual basis and not in a cookie-cutter-one-size-fits-all fashion. Each dog’s training should be based on the drive and temperament of the dog and this can only be achieved after a complete understanding of canine behavior and an initial evaluation. In our courses we address the varied approaches and methods to training dogs, which allows our graduates to have the ability to modify their approach based on the dog and the problem not the cost of the class or the availability.

At Canine Communication Studies we have the best and train the rest. This applies to both people and dogs. We have spent our lives working with dogs and educating owners. Training people who are interested in becoming the best dog trainers in the world is our primary goal.

If you are interested in a career in canine training or have ever dreamed of working with dogs every day. This is your calling! Give us a call anytime at 303-578-9881 or contact us through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com
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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. Dr. Forto hosts a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com