Treatment of Fear in Dogs
by Robert Forto, PhD
In an article a few weeks back I discussed the causes of fear in dogs and why it manifests. This week I will discuss the treatments of fear and how to prevent your dog from becoming fear/anxiety-induced aggressive.
Fear is more common than most people think in dogs. Almost weekly someone will come into Denver Dog Works and state that their dog is fearful of this or that and that he is aggressive. I start off by evaluating their dog and begin to explain that fear is an emotional state of dread triggered by perceived danger. Anxiety, a fear based state of uneasiness and irritability, is the state of annoyed stimulation.
All three are unpleasant emotions that cause defensiveness in living things, often resulting in defense aggression, Therese states of emotion are usually fed by a number of contributing factors instead of just one, and just like us, dogs have a limit to what they can endure before feeling the need to defend themselves. Although some dogs have a lower threshold than others, if the stimulus persists and the emotion grows in intensity, sooner or later most of us will defend ourselves. Everything that creates a feeling of unease is a potential bite and every dog has the potential for defensive aggression.
Treatment for fear/irritability/anxiety induced aggression
DO NOT punish the dog; the only way to eliminate fear is to raise confidence.
All necessary reprimands must be verbal, and only severe enough to stop the unwanted behavior. The moment the dog acknowledges the verbal reprimand, the reprimand must stop.
Interrupt and re-direct unwanted behaviors to teach the dog “don’t do this, do that.”
Teach relaxation exercises.
Carefully play games such as wrestling and tug-o-war to raise the dog’s confidence, being careful to follow the rules for games and to never overwhelm or frighten the dog.
Have the dog sleep in the same room as the owner to strengthen the trust and bond.
List all the fear triggers.
Systematically desensitize the dog to each fear trigger.
Pair up food and games with what previously caused a fear reaction.
Work at a pace that avoids putting the dog in a fearful situation, instead create a low level of arousal.
Defuse a fearful reaction by using the jolly routine, reciting poetry or signing, to change the mood.
Ignore fearful behaviors and reward non-fearful behavior.
Start an obedience training program including positive reinforcement techniques to help raise the dog’s confidence.
Always reward correct responses, confidence and good behavior.
Eliminate stress from your dog’s life.
Provide chew toys to eliminate stress and boredom.
Never leave the dog unsupervised in the presence of anyone who is not a trained part of the rehabilitation program, especially children.
Avoid close contact with strangers and especially children when not actively training the dog.
Please understand that this article is used as a guide in the treatment of fear in dogs and should in no means replace a behavior modification program under the direction of a canine behaviorist. Remember that most dog trainers do not understand the underlying causes of fear and the behavior behind it. While these trainers will be very good at teaching loose leash walking, sit, and other basic manners, I advise you to consult with a canine behaviorist if you suspect fear in your dog.
Denver Dog Works offers behavioral consultations to deal with a wide variety of behaviors including fear and aggression. All behavioral consultation are under the direction and supervision of Dr. Robert Forto, a certified canine behaviorist. If you would like to schedule an evaluation, Dr. Robert Forto can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727.
_________________________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado and is a certified canine behaviorist. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Stress and Compulsion in Dogs
Stress and Compulsion in Dogs
By Robert Forto, PhD
Is your otherwise good dog driving you to distraction repeatedly snapping at shadows or chasing his tail for hours? Robert Forto, PhD, certified canine behaviorist and training director of Denver Dog Works recalls a case from a few years ago:
A client’s bull terrier would spend much of the day staring at reflections and pouncing on shadows, he said. “He’d stare at his water bowl and refuse to drink, apparently because of the reflection. Eventually we resorted to using a rabbit sized water dispenser wrapped in a towel to get him to drink.”
Dogs exhibiting such compulsive behaviors may end up in a animal shelter or worse. “Seriously affected dogs may be euthanized if owners or veterinarians are not aware of treatments available,” Said Dr. Forto.
Chasing and other predatory pursuits and grooming are all normal dog behaviors that were once essential in the wild. Today, some dog owners unknowingly reward behaviors like tail chasing or retrieving objects, believing they are “cute.”
“But normal behaviors become problematic when performed to the excess,” Dr. Forto said. “A dog with a compulsive disorder is often unable to terminate the repetitious behavior. His normal patterns may be disrupted to the point where he would rather perform the behavior than go for a walk, come to you when you call him or even eat or drink. Understandably, this is frustrating for both the dog and owner.”
Obsessive-compulsive disorders, whether in humans or animals are repetitive, relatively unvaried behavior patterns that re exaggerated in intensity, frequency and duration. In dogs, they include pacing, spinning, tail chasing, shadow chasing, flank or fabric sucking and over-grooming. People suffering from OCD may wash their hands excessively or return home repeatedly to make sure they turned off the stove.
In young dogs, compulsive behaviors often appear before they reach sexual maturity and are exacerbated by a stressful situation. In some cases, the behaviors have a high threshold of expression—they need exposure to strong stimuli before being activates.
Frequently, the trigger or cause of the behavior is likely to be the interaction of genes and environment. For example, behavioral observations suggest compulsive tail chasing is derived from a predatory instinct gone awry. “Today, I suspect there is a genetic basis for most compulsive behaviors,” Dr. Forto said.
One reason: Some breeds are prone to certain types of compulsive behaviors. For example, Doberman Pinschers tend to exhibit flank sucking and fabric or blanket sucking disorders, while tail chasing or spinning tends to occur in Bull Terriers and German Shepherd Dogs. Large breeds, such as Golden’s and Labradors more frequently than other breeds persistently groom the lower extremities of the limbs, resulting in lesions.
Simply diverting a dog from the behavior isn’t ineffective. Once a behavior has reached compulsive proportions, the dog has no ability to terminate the behavior.
Arousal Levels
Because compulsive behaviors tend to progress if untreated the sooner the owner recognizes it, the sooner they can deal with it. Dr. Forto first suggests a veterinary visit to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Next, he advises owners to examine the dog’s environment an his management, looking at any aspect that would trigger or increase arousal levels for compulsive behaviors.
For example, dogs are social animals, and leaving then tied outside can make them feel ostracized—in addition to being vulnerable to predators and theft. Dogs who live indoors tend to feel more included and secure. However compulsive behaviors goes well beyond being lonely or bored, Dr. Forto said. “it’s a medical disorder of as yet unknown neurological origins. Although many neglected dogs do not develop compulsive disorders, the stress of insufficient social interaction can certainly be a trigger for a dog predisposed to developing compulsive behavior.”
Dogs also need more mental stimulation than the living room sofa provides. Whenever possible, owners should take their dog to work with them, on errands and especially outside to hike or retrieve balls. Obedience classes serve a double purpose. They allow owners to spend time with their dog, while giving the dog a job to do. These approaches can help avoid separation anxiety, boredom, loneliness and frustration—and compulsive behaviors they trigger.
For compulsive behaviors that cannot be interrupted, that interfere with normal functioning or resulting in physical injury medications like Prozac and other serotonin re-uptake blockers can help. They stabilize the dog’s mood so he can respond more readily to behavior modification techniques. Medications are especially effective with dogs when they have a regular schedule, lots of mental stimulation, exercise and social contact.
“Most compulsive dogs person well to a combination f behavior modification and anti-anxiety medications.” Dr. Forto said. “So far we have had good success rates, but we are not yet at 100 percent. If we can identify the genes for compulsive behaviors, we might be able to develop more effective treatments.
_____________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado and specializes in canine aggression and violent dogs. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727.
By Robert Forto, PhD
Is your otherwise good dog driving you to distraction repeatedly snapping at shadows or chasing his tail for hours? Robert Forto, PhD, certified canine behaviorist and training director of Denver Dog Works recalls a case from a few years ago:
A client’s bull terrier would spend much of the day staring at reflections and pouncing on shadows, he said. “He’d stare at his water bowl and refuse to drink, apparently because of the reflection. Eventually we resorted to using a rabbit sized water dispenser wrapped in a towel to get him to drink.”
Dogs exhibiting such compulsive behaviors may end up in a animal shelter or worse. “Seriously affected dogs may be euthanized if owners or veterinarians are not aware of treatments available,” Said Dr. Forto.
Chasing and other predatory pursuits and grooming are all normal dog behaviors that were once essential in the wild. Today, some dog owners unknowingly reward behaviors like tail chasing or retrieving objects, believing they are “cute.”
“But normal behaviors become problematic when performed to the excess,” Dr. Forto said. “A dog with a compulsive disorder is often unable to terminate the repetitious behavior. His normal patterns may be disrupted to the point where he would rather perform the behavior than go for a walk, come to you when you call him or even eat or drink. Understandably, this is frustrating for both the dog and owner.”
Obsessive-compulsive disorders, whether in humans or animals are repetitive, relatively unvaried behavior patterns that re exaggerated in intensity, frequency and duration. In dogs, they include pacing, spinning, tail chasing, shadow chasing, flank or fabric sucking and over-grooming. People suffering from OCD may wash their hands excessively or return home repeatedly to make sure they turned off the stove.
In young dogs, compulsive behaviors often appear before they reach sexual maturity and are exacerbated by a stressful situation. In some cases, the behaviors have a high threshold of expression—they need exposure to strong stimuli before being activates.
Frequently, the trigger or cause of the behavior is likely to be the interaction of genes and environment. For example, behavioral observations suggest compulsive tail chasing is derived from a predatory instinct gone awry. “Today, I suspect there is a genetic basis for most compulsive behaviors,” Dr. Forto said.
One reason: Some breeds are prone to certain types of compulsive behaviors. For example, Doberman Pinschers tend to exhibit flank sucking and fabric or blanket sucking disorders, while tail chasing or spinning tends to occur in Bull Terriers and German Shepherd Dogs. Large breeds, such as Golden’s and Labradors more frequently than other breeds persistently groom the lower extremities of the limbs, resulting in lesions.
Simply diverting a dog from the behavior isn’t ineffective. Once a behavior has reached compulsive proportions, the dog has no ability to terminate the behavior.
Arousal Levels
Because compulsive behaviors tend to progress if untreated the sooner the owner recognizes it, the sooner they can deal with it. Dr. Forto first suggests a veterinary visit to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Next, he advises owners to examine the dog’s environment an his management, looking at any aspect that would trigger or increase arousal levels for compulsive behaviors.
For example, dogs are social animals, and leaving then tied outside can make them feel ostracized—in addition to being vulnerable to predators and theft. Dogs who live indoors tend to feel more included and secure. However compulsive behaviors goes well beyond being lonely or bored, Dr. Forto said. “it’s a medical disorder of as yet unknown neurological origins. Although many neglected dogs do not develop compulsive disorders, the stress of insufficient social interaction can certainly be a trigger for a dog predisposed to developing compulsive behavior.”
Dogs also need more mental stimulation than the living room sofa provides. Whenever possible, owners should take their dog to work with them, on errands and especially outside to hike or retrieve balls. Obedience classes serve a double purpose. They allow owners to spend time with their dog, while giving the dog a job to do. These approaches can help avoid separation anxiety, boredom, loneliness and frustration—and compulsive behaviors they trigger.
For compulsive behaviors that cannot be interrupted, that interfere with normal functioning or resulting in physical injury medications like Prozac and other serotonin re-uptake blockers can help. They stabilize the dog’s mood so he can respond more readily to behavior modification techniques. Medications are especially effective with dogs when they have a regular schedule, lots of mental stimulation, exercise and social contact.
“Most compulsive dogs person well to a combination f behavior modification and anti-anxiety medications.” Dr. Forto said. “So far we have had good success rates, but we are not yet at 100 percent. If we can identify the genes for compulsive behaviors, we might be able to develop more effective treatments.
_____________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado and specializes in canine aggression and violent dogs. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
What a Dump!
By Robert Forto, PhD
On Sunday the team from Denver Dog Works went white water rafting in Buena Vista, Colorado with an outfitter called Highside Adventure Tours. It was a blast and I am glad that we got to live to tell about it. This was one the best things that we have ever done as a team and it was a memory that will last a lifetime.
Early Risers
We awoke at 4:30 am for the two-hour drive to Buena Vista early Sunday morning. It was a clear day and very cold in Denver. The temperature read 37 degrees. We met Derrick at a King Soopers parking lot and hoped he wouldn’t get his car towed while we were on our trip. We drove down U.S. 285 through the Turkey Creek turns over the mountains and through the woods through Bailey and over Kenosha Pass and into the wide expanse of South Park. It is an awesome site to see in the middle of a mountain Valley just how flat and desolate it really is. I have been told millions of years ago this area was a huge lake. We stopped at a gas station in Fairplay, now famous because of the South Park cartoon, and marveled at the $4.13 a gallon gas prices, thirty-five cents higher than in Denver. We grabbed a coffee and headed back on the road. The temperature now read 43 degrees. Boy that water is going to be cold!
Our guide--Jay
We arrived at Highside Adventure Tour’s Buena Vista office at about 8:30 and signed all of the necessary forms and waivers, pretty much saying that we are doing this at our own risk and that it was a dangerous activity. No problem. The guy at the counter told us that our trip that we had signed up for, known as the Narrows, was washed out and we would be going through Browns Canyon instead. He informed us that the water levels were at their peak and the highest it had been in almost a decade. No problem.
We waited for about thirty minutes while the guides were busy loading up the rafts and gear and we psyched ourselves up for the day. We had planned this trip over a month ago and we were all ready to get on the river. At 9:00 am the guides called us over and fitted us with life vests and splash jackets. I said no to the splash jacket. I didn’t think I would need one. That is for sissies. The guides told us not to unbuckle the lifejacket and it was meant to be tight so that it can do its job—save our life!
We met our guide for the day. His name was Jay, a college student from Illinois and an experienced rafter. He seemed like a nice enough guy and we were looking forward to “working” with him on the river. Little did we know that we would get to know Jay really well and if it had not been for him we would probably not live to tell this tale.
Drop in
That day three boats were going out through Highside Adventure Tours—two full day trips and a half-day. We all loaded up onto an old school bus and signed more waivers while Beardsley, another guide, gave us the “speech” about self rescue, the importance of our life jackets, listening to commands from our guide, highsiding the boat, wrapping the boat and more. Of course most of it went in one ear and out the other because we were excited to get on the river. Hey, we would worry about the particulars later right?
When we arrived at the drop-in there were literally hundreds of people and many rafting companies preparing to launch into the Arkansas River. I made a quick calculation of just how much money this activity was bringing in and was totally in awe! From the top of the hill all the “rafters” looked like little ants in their blue splash jackets and life vests. Many had on helmets. We didn’t need no stinking helmets! We were told later that helmets were totally optional on this river through Highside Adventure Tours.
We unloaded the boats and got a quick two-minute paddling course from Jay and we picked up the boats and headed to the river. It was an absolute gorgeous day and it had warmed up now and it felt like 70 degrees. The water was freezing however and we were going to get wet real quick. Hey that’s what we signed up for right?
We picked our positions in the boat. Derrick was front left. Jay had said that is the most important position in paddling because we would follow his lead. I picked right front. Kyle was directly behind me, Tyler and Michele were behind Derrick. Jay was in the back and his job was to steer us out of danger, give us directions on when to paddle—or otherwise keep us alive!
We hit our first rapid relatively soon—a small bump with a little bit of waves. Jay had warned us not to cheer until we were out of the rapid so that he could give us proper directions. But hey, we couldn’t help ourselves-we were shooting the rapids.
Pinball
Pinball was just that. Our raft was bouncing from one side of the river to the other and back again. We felt just like the ball in the arcade game. We were in this section of rapids for what seemed like hours, but really it was probably just a minute or two. We nearly got dumped on the last section and we all fell into the boat. Jay had told us to use our oars to stabilize us and keep us in the boat when the river got rough. I guess we didn’t listen. At the end of the rapid I saw several people with cameras taking pictures. I told Derrick to smile because you will see these pictures when we get back to the outfitters.
Widow-maker
They don’t call this section the widow-maker for nothing. It was a heaving swirling mass of water, rocks, overhung trees and waves. Legend has it that many a man didn’t make it through this pass and we lived to talk about it. It was quick but not without some hard paddling on Jay’s command and it brought our attention to the forefront on what is to come during the rest of the trip.
The 7 stairs
The rapids known as the seven stairs were totally cool. The first ones were a bit washed out. Washed out means that the water is too high to make for a nice rapid and a nice ride. You see rapids are really just huge boulders in the river that re-direct the water and cause froth and waves and of course fast moving water. The rest of the seven stairs lived up to their name and we shot out the other side with huge smiles on our faces and a feeling of real accomplishment as a team.
Lunch
At about 11:30 we stopped at a campground and warmed up and rested while our guide made us a hot lunch of top sirloin, beans, potato salad, cookies and lemonade. As Highside’s website says they believe that you should get a hot lunch on the river not just a soggy sandwich. We were all pleased with the food and the exceptional cooking skills of Jay and Beardsley.
The Hike
Not ten minutes down river from our lunch site we pulled the boat over to shore and went on a hike up river to look at the next rapid that we planned to maneuver. With me being an experienced kayaker I knew what to look for but the rest of the team had no idea. Jay explained the route we should take and told us what to watch out for. It was intimidating to say the least a swirling cacophony of spitting rapids and froth. On our hike back Michele jokingly said, “Should I Velcro my Teva to the side of the boat in case we flip?” Jay said he wouldn’t recommend it and we got back into the boat to tackle the monster that laid ahead.
The Dump
We all climbed back into the raft, a bit worried but gung-ho to get it over with. As we began paddling toward “the Hole”, Derrick began singing “The Final Countdown”. As we approached, Jay began to take on a more serious tone in his voice. He set us up to hit the rapid after two other companies went through ahead of our other team guided by Beardsley. Sort of a safety net. Little did we know that we would actually need them. As we began to traverse “the Hole” we tried with all our might to stay to the right as Jay had told us to do.
“Forward-Hard” was an understatement! As we went over the ten foot drop paddling our arms off, Michele looked back at Jay as she realized the top of the raft was so high that Derrick and I weren’t able to grab any water in our strokes. Jay was in the water up to his chest and he yelled one more Forward before our demise. When she turned back around I began falling off of the boat, so I jumped to safety. I went under the water and I heard Bob Dylan fainting singing: “Knocking on Heaven Door”. As I did that the boat tipped end-over-end sinking Jay and Michele first. All of us were in the water while the people scouting out the rapid are on the cliff navigating their own way through the Hole. What a sight we must’ve been!
We dumped the raft! The cardinal rule in all of rafting: STAY IN THE BOAT! Everything that the guides told us during all those important rules, regulations and procedure talks will actually come to play at this very moment. Man, we should have paid attention!
Derrick, I mean, Iceman, made it to shore first. Followed by Tyler, I mean Maverick. I was right on their heels. Once out of the water I began counting heads. Kyle and Michele were still in the water. Michele’s foot got stuck under the grill that was in our boat, but she had been turned over before kayaking so she knew how to pop out. She hit several boulders before coming up for air. When she did she was about 50 yards from where we got dumped. She was gasping for breath and having trouble swimming. Kyle popped up close to her and later said that he had come up under the boat first. As Michele and Kyle floated quickly down river Michele was trying to follow the directions and keep to the right (hey, she did listen to the guides after all)– this had her bouncing all over the river. Kyle wasn’t swimming. Then came the rescue.
The Rescue
The other three teams that were ahead of us about 200 yards were giving Michele and Kyle directions, or should I say screaming directions, as Derrick, Tyler and I, walked down the tracks to try to meet them. As we were walking I picked up two of our oars and almost managed to rescue my sunglasses! My two hundred dollar sunglasses floated by right before my eyes. Hey, the told us to leave everything behind that we did not want to lose. I have never been one to follow all the rules I guess. In the meantime, Michele somersaulted over the largest boulder in this part of the river. The guides told her it was the best somersault they’ve seen! Kyle and Michele swam over to the closest boat and were pulled in by their secure life jackets! A few bumps, a scrape, and a mild concussion for Michele. A few bumps and disorientation for Kyle but everyone was fine! Our guide Jay, managed to turn the boat over which he is required to do – stay with the boat. Michele and Kyle met up with him on the other side of the river while Iceman, Maverick and I caught a ride with Beardsley’s team and traversed across the raging river to them. After catching our breath and realizing that we were all okay. We got back into our boat and realized what had actually happened. We survived “the hole” and lived to tell tall tales about.
The rest of the day
The rest of the day was really just us reeling in from what we just had survived. Yeah, people flip rafts all the time but this was OUR raft. The rest of the rapids were fun but nothing like what we had just went through. We even named that section of river Stijder. Stijder was a dog that we had at Denver Dog Works a few months ago. He was a male Dutch Shepherd that was a bit psycho to say the least. We had all survived Stijder and he was known to bite and otherwise just go crazy when you tried to get him out of his kennel. Stijder means “warrior” in Dutch and Stijder, the dog, required respect. Just like this river. Because just like the dog, if you put your guard down it will come up and bite you when you least expect it.
Pick-up
We reached the end of our trip and pulled over to the side of the river. Jay had told us that this would be a technical exit because the river was so fast and to be sure to follow his directions so that it can be a smooth retreat. We exited the raft and headed up river a way to “catch” Jay and Beardsley as they came in “hot” towards the bank. We had to hold onto Derrick’s life jacket so that he wouldn’t fall in as he caught the raft and pulled it towards shore. Who would have thought this was a “working” trip? We worked, paddled, swam, and held on for the better part of six hours. Boy, are we going to be sore in the morning!
The Pictures!
As you can see by the pictures we had a great time. They definitely do not do the river justice and of course the camera always adds ten pounds (at least). Check out my grimace on the fourth picture and you will see how intense the day was. All of these pictures were taken in the ‘Pinball’
The drive home
On the way home we decided to see the sights and drive up through Leadville. The whole trip was story after story of events of the day and how we all felt they unfolded. We went over the dump 100’s of times with each version getting wackier and wackier. Kinda like those fishing stories where you catch a minnow and by the end of the day turns out to be a fish the size of Mobey Dick! Leadville is steeped in history. About 8 years ago Robert ran one of his first Colorado dog sledding races at Camp Hale. Kyle ran his first race and lost his team and Michele ran her first race and lost her team as well
Back to the trip… the drive down I-70 was uneventful except for the fact it was made abundantly clear that Michele’s 1995 explorer is ready for the auction block. That old truck has given her all she has. It was difficult to maintain speeds of 40 miles per hour and we were passed by one of those new smart cars!
Tommy Knockers
We stopped and ate at Tommy Knockers brewpub in picturesque Idaho Springs and scouted out or next white water trip along Clear Creek Canyon. Our guide, Jay had told us that this is a trip worth pursuing as it is all Class-III rapids similar to Pinball on Brown’s Canyon. We’ll do that next year!
We all filled up on burgers, garlic fries and beer (for the adults of course) and headed down the mountain. Great food for a great day.
Home!
We made it home by six. Sunburned and sore from our trip and lucky to be alive. It was an adventure that I would do again in a second and was well worth it just for the experience alone. I thought it brought us together as a team and as a company. I have been told that corporate trips, retreats and activities build up company morale and the motivation can be exemplary in relation to employee retention. That being said, we can now say that we did this together and it will be an activity that we will share for the rest of our lives.
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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. He can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com/ or by phone at 303-522-1727.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Dog Training in a Bad Economy
Dog Training in a Bad Economy
By Robert Forto, PhD
I am not an economist but I do not think it takes one to notice the skinnier pocketbook after bills are paid and purchases are made. It does not take an economist to notice the news about increasing foreclosures or the pets that are dropped off at shelters by owners claiming they "cannot afford him anymore" or the news of possible recession. I have even heard of a few people who have had an ingenious change of plans for the summer vacation this year. Maybe they will decide against driving to Walley World in the Family Truckster and visit Aunt Edna instead. The following article is meant to be satirical but has a severe element of truth attached. I encourage you to read my ramblings and comment on what you think.
I still feel the bite in grocery, gasoline, and utility prices. It is hard to say what one would do in another's situation but I do know that I regard my dogs as family and that not many things in this world would separate me from them. In that vein, I have a few, hopefully helpful, tips for homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure and are faced with landlords who are not friendly to the idea of pets on their property. There are also ways to ease the cost of keeping a dog by learning how to do some things yourself and by discussing alternatives with your veterinarian or local shelter or low cost community clinic. Most of them are sympathetic and want to help you find ways to keep your pet. But that is not the topic of this article. I would be happy to speak with you about these tips and alternatives, just give me a call.
To introduce myself: My name is Robert Forto and I am a certified canine behaviorist and the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. I have been in business for eighteen years and the status of our economy is said to be the worst in my lifetime. I remember the gas shortages in the seventies and having to ration food until my parents got paid again but I also remember that our little mixed breed, Sugar, always had what she needed.
Dog training is not a luxury item for most people, like an evening on the town or a weekend vacation to Vail. Dog training is a necessity. With 77.1 million dogs in this country that equals a lot of bad mannered pooches. Dogs need basic manners. If they don’t have these it leads to bigger problems and often lands them in a shelter.
The way I look at the economy is that the glass is either half full or half empty. I tend to err on the side of realist, but that is just my point of view. It appears to me that people are in a near panic because gas prices have gone up a couple dollars in the past few months, the stock market is in a deep slide and people are losing their homes because they were greedy and materialistic, and bought a house with nothing down and then decided to blow their equity on boats, plasma TV’s and ATV’s. Now they are forced to move out of their homes because of foreclosure and they are leaving their beloved pet behind to starve to death. How is that for going from bad to worse?
But really what has changed? True, when President Bush came into office gas was $1.60 a gallon, we were not at war based on false pretenses, and the stock market was in the middle of an Internet explosion. We still had dogs, just not as many dog parks with dog owners on cell-phones and yelling “leave it”. We didn’t have much in the way of big-box, corporate America—pet store-six dollar an hour earning cashiers/shelf stocker/can-I-help-you-find-something please…/dog trainers. It was a different world then. Now we have a presidential candidate pushing “change that we can believe in” rhetoric, and we still have dogs and they still need training right? They are still pulling on the leash, tearing up our couches that we got on a loan that we could not afford from a big furniture warehouse. They still need grooming and vet care and they still require our attention. Rightly so, we should be devoting this attention to our family and kids (and dogs) instead of working two, or maybe three, jobs because we are so worried about the price of gas. I vaguely remember when I was a kid some obscure quote about the price of tea in China. What was it?
Now China is the second largest economy in the World and we are hardly a threat to them anymore. Hey, they do have the Olympics starting on 08/08/08. Do you remember what was supposed to happen on 01/01/00? What a dud that turned out to be. I am a huge fan of the Olympics and will probably stay up all night watching ambiguous sporting events that don’t exist except in the Olympics. True, I could just log on to the Internet and find out who won--but why? I won’t be able to sleep because I will be too worried about the status of the Dow Jones Industrial Average that really doesn’t mean anything to anybody anyway. Maybe I will work on the long-down exercise with my dog.
When I was writing my dissertation for my doctorate I had grand plans of researching getting the sport of dog sledding into the Winter Olympics. Maybe I need to rethink that idea and concentrate my research to using a dog team as a mode of transportation. When I lived in Duluth, Minnesota I did just that. I would hook up my 12-dog team in the middle of a blizzard and mush to the local convenience store for “staples”, or at least what I thought were staples, for a recent 20-something college grad. But even a dog team is not cheap and I would venture to guess, more expensive than gas if all is tallied right—it averages about three dollars a day to keep a dog for a dog team. That is a lot more than four dollars for a gallon of gas. I digress.
Yes, dog training is a necessity. Maybe not for the dog. They do not read the Journal, even though they think in black and white. I admit I read the Journal, not for those cool stipulated (and pixilated) pictures but for the articles of course. Dog training is for us. Dog training is a necessity to save our sanity, to save us from our self-destructive selves. The thought dog training brings me to paraphrase a line from a movie, A Christmas Story: to make “all is right in the world”. Dog training brings us back in line with a simpler time. Even if that was just the 1990’s when ‘Generation X’ was making millions on the Internet and Homeward Bound, Air Bud, Iron Will, Fluke, and the cute little dog, “Eddie”, from Fraiser won our hearts and we aspired to have our dogs trained just like them. When a Doberman named “Raisin” won the Westminster dog show and we found out that he flew on a private jet. We all had grandiose dreams and inspirations for our four-legged mans-best-friend. This is when I chose to became a dog trainer and why I still love what I do. True it is trying at times. Dog training is difficult work. It is the ultimate customer service job. I have been criticized countless times for standing up for my training philosophies, my staff, why I would want to offer an agility class outside in the middle of winter, and of course people having unrealistic expectations. I learn from every client and I am passionate about what I do. I realized a long time ago I don’t just train dogs, I change lives.
Training your dog can change your life too. It will bring you closer to humanity and to your dog. It will allow you to think outside the box and stop the incessant worrying about the economy. Orthodoxy is not the norm in dog training. It is not mundane and relentless. Like the agility class in the middle of winter that people were so critical of at Denver Dog Works. Sure it was cold and there was snow on the ground but no other dog training school would even think of such a thing. People thought Sir Edmund Hillary was crazy for climbing Mt. Everest and why people still try to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. People thought they were avant-garde, but didn’t they change people’s perception? Dog training will bring you a new perspective on life and the simplest of experiences that we love so much about our dogs. Such as: why we can sit and wonder why they turn their head a certain way when we talk to them, or why even old dogs, like my 11-year old Siberian Husky, Ineka, can still run and frolic and wake me up every morning with those intense ice-blue eyes. Dog training can bring you happiness, joy, and understanding to an otherwise out-of-control world. Now that is change we can believe in.
_______________________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado. He welcomes your comments, both positive and negative. Dr. Forto encourages you to give Denver Dog works a call so we can see this through together. Dr. Forto can be contacted through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727 anytime.
By Robert Forto, PhD
I am not an economist but I do not think it takes one to notice the skinnier pocketbook after bills are paid and purchases are made. It does not take an economist to notice the news about increasing foreclosures or the pets that are dropped off at shelters by owners claiming they "cannot afford him anymore" or the news of possible recession. I have even heard of a few people who have had an ingenious change of plans for the summer vacation this year. Maybe they will decide against driving to Walley World in the Family Truckster and visit Aunt Edna instead. The following article is meant to be satirical but has a severe element of truth attached. I encourage you to read my ramblings and comment on what you think.
I still feel the bite in grocery, gasoline, and utility prices. It is hard to say what one would do in another's situation but I do know that I regard my dogs as family and that not many things in this world would separate me from them. In that vein, I have a few, hopefully helpful, tips for homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure and are faced with landlords who are not friendly to the idea of pets on their property. There are also ways to ease the cost of keeping a dog by learning how to do some things yourself and by discussing alternatives with your veterinarian or local shelter or low cost community clinic. Most of them are sympathetic and want to help you find ways to keep your pet. But that is not the topic of this article. I would be happy to speak with you about these tips and alternatives, just give me a call.
To introduce myself: My name is Robert Forto and I am a certified canine behaviorist and the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. I have been in business for eighteen years and the status of our economy is said to be the worst in my lifetime. I remember the gas shortages in the seventies and having to ration food until my parents got paid again but I also remember that our little mixed breed, Sugar, always had what she needed.
Dog training is not a luxury item for most people, like an evening on the town or a weekend vacation to Vail. Dog training is a necessity. With 77.1 million dogs in this country that equals a lot of bad mannered pooches. Dogs need basic manners. If they don’t have these it leads to bigger problems and often lands them in a shelter.
The way I look at the economy is that the glass is either half full or half empty. I tend to err on the side of realist, but that is just my point of view. It appears to me that people are in a near panic because gas prices have gone up a couple dollars in the past few months, the stock market is in a deep slide and people are losing their homes because they were greedy and materialistic, and bought a house with nothing down and then decided to blow their equity on boats, plasma TV’s and ATV’s. Now they are forced to move out of their homes because of foreclosure and they are leaving their beloved pet behind to starve to death. How is that for going from bad to worse?
But really what has changed? True, when President Bush came into office gas was $1.60 a gallon, we were not at war based on false pretenses, and the stock market was in the middle of an Internet explosion. We still had dogs, just not as many dog parks with dog owners on cell-phones and yelling “leave it”. We didn’t have much in the way of big-box, corporate America—pet store-six dollar an hour earning cashiers/shelf stocker/can-I-help-you-find-something please…/dog trainers. It was a different world then. Now we have a presidential candidate pushing “change that we can believe in” rhetoric, and we still have dogs and they still need training right? They are still pulling on the leash, tearing up our couches that we got on a loan that we could not afford from a big furniture warehouse. They still need grooming and vet care and they still require our attention. Rightly so, we should be devoting this attention to our family and kids (and dogs) instead of working two, or maybe three, jobs because we are so worried about the price of gas. I vaguely remember when I was a kid some obscure quote about the price of tea in China. What was it?
Now China is the second largest economy in the World and we are hardly a threat to them anymore. Hey, they do have the Olympics starting on 08/08/08. Do you remember what was supposed to happen on 01/01/00? What a dud that turned out to be. I am a huge fan of the Olympics and will probably stay up all night watching ambiguous sporting events that don’t exist except in the Olympics. True, I could just log on to the Internet and find out who won--but why? I won’t be able to sleep because I will be too worried about the status of the Dow Jones Industrial Average that really doesn’t mean anything to anybody anyway. Maybe I will work on the long-down exercise with my dog.
When I was writing my dissertation for my doctorate I had grand plans of researching getting the sport of dog sledding into the Winter Olympics. Maybe I need to rethink that idea and concentrate my research to using a dog team as a mode of transportation. When I lived in Duluth, Minnesota I did just that. I would hook up my 12-dog team in the middle of a blizzard and mush to the local convenience store for “staples”, or at least what I thought were staples, for a recent 20-something college grad. But even a dog team is not cheap and I would venture to guess, more expensive than gas if all is tallied right—it averages about three dollars a day to keep a dog for a dog team. That is a lot more than four dollars for a gallon of gas. I digress.
Yes, dog training is a necessity. Maybe not for the dog. They do not read the Journal, even though they think in black and white. I admit I read the Journal, not for those cool stipulated (and pixilated) pictures but for the articles of course. Dog training is for us. Dog training is a necessity to save our sanity, to save us from our self-destructive selves. The thought dog training brings me to paraphrase a line from a movie, A Christmas Story: to make “all is right in the world”. Dog training brings us back in line with a simpler time. Even if that was just the 1990’s when ‘Generation X’ was making millions on the Internet and Homeward Bound, Air Bud, Iron Will, Fluke, and the cute little dog, “Eddie”, from Fraiser won our hearts and we aspired to have our dogs trained just like them. When a Doberman named “Raisin” won the Westminster dog show and we found out that he flew on a private jet. We all had grandiose dreams and inspirations for our four-legged mans-best-friend. This is when I chose to became a dog trainer and why I still love what I do. True it is trying at times. Dog training is difficult work. It is the ultimate customer service job. I have been criticized countless times for standing up for my training philosophies, my staff, why I would want to offer an agility class outside in the middle of winter, and of course people having unrealistic expectations. I learn from every client and I am passionate about what I do. I realized a long time ago I don’t just train dogs, I change lives.
Training your dog can change your life too. It will bring you closer to humanity and to your dog. It will allow you to think outside the box and stop the incessant worrying about the economy. Orthodoxy is not the norm in dog training. It is not mundane and relentless. Like the agility class in the middle of winter that people were so critical of at Denver Dog Works. Sure it was cold and there was snow on the ground but no other dog training school would even think of such a thing. People thought Sir Edmund Hillary was crazy for climbing Mt. Everest and why people still try to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. People thought they were avant-garde, but didn’t they change people’s perception? Dog training will bring you a new perspective on life and the simplest of experiences that we love so much about our dogs. Such as: why we can sit and wonder why they turn their head a certain way when we talk to them, or why even old dogs, like my 11-year old Siberian Husky, Ineka, can still run and frolic and wake me up every morning with those intense ice-blue eyes. Dog training can bring you happiness, joy, and understanding to an otherwise out-of-control world. Now that is change we can believe in.
_______________________
Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado. He welcomes your comments, both positive and negative. Dr. Forto encourages you to give Denver Dog works a call so we can see this through together. Dr. Forto can be contacted through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727 anytime.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Fear in Dogs
By Robert Forto, PhD
As a canine behaviorist and the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado, I am often treating cases of fear in the family pet. In some cases it is relatively mild, say thunder or a car backfire, but far more common is fear related aggression and generalized anxiety with a fear component. The anxiety coupled with fear is usually a result of lack of improper socialization in the dog’s early environment. I will see this very common in rescued dogs. At least once a week a pet owner will come in for an evaluation and say that they just rescued Max, from the local shelter and their primary complaint is that he is scared to death of everything. I counsel the new owners about fear and how it develops in dogs and my opinion of why so many dogs end up in shelters in the first place. Fear is a central catalyst for this occurrence and dogs in shelters.
Every dog or animal with a reasonably developed central nervous system has fear. Fear is one of the basic drives, along with hunger, thirst, sleep, sex and sociality. Out-of-control fear is as much of a problem as any other drive that is out of control. But fear in normal amounts is essential, as is hunger and thirst in normal amounts. Fear is what keeps us from having a pick-up game of football on the freeway in the middle of rush-hour, and keeps us from walking on thin ice literally and figuratively. Fear helps us avoid certain disaster and keeps us alive longer. It does the same in dogs. However, we and dogs are not born with fear. Humans and dogs have an apparent fear of, snakes, it takes time to develop, about two years in humans, and several months in dogs.
Uncontrollable fear is a delicate training protocol. It is not teaching a simple sit or walking on a loose leash. You cannot treat fear by attending a group class or a puppy kindergarten, while these programs are good for the basic commands, they should not be used after a dog exhibits extreme examples of fear. Treating fear involves a program of desensitization and counter-conditioning. While these are the building blocks for canine training and behavior modification, they are principles that are unfortunately not learned by most dog trainers these days. If you suspect fear, or any other severe behavioral issue, my advice is to speak to a canine behaviorist. The difference between a behaviorist, and a trainer per say, is that the behaviorist is educated in the sciences and nuances of canine behavior and its origins. They do not practice lure based training or intimidation in behavior modification like so many of the dog trainers do today.
In the dog, fear begins between six and eight weeks of age. As an average figure, fear becomes noticeable in a pup and rapidly escalates in the seventh week, plus or minus one week. By three weeks after the onset of fear responses, fear plateaus out at a level for pups and for the specific genetic complement that have. In humans, fear begins at about two years and is not fully developed until about 20 years later. Ever see a teenage boy who did not think he was indestructible?
So, fear develops sometimes early in the life of a dog, but does not develop at the same rate in all dogs, and obviously occurs at different levels in each individual. There are three factors which alone or in combination act to determine the level of fear any given dog shows.
The first is genetic. The dog inherits a predisposition of fear. If the genetic potential is for a high level of fear, or put another away, if the dog has a low threshold for fear-inducing stimuli, it will overreact to a fearful stimulus, or what is more often the case, to a whole gamut of stimuli. What would cause a mild startle effect response in a dog with a normal fear level will drive the over-reactor ballistic.
A second factor that causes uncontrollable fear is early environment, usually from improper or even total lack of primary and secondary socialization during the critical sensitive period from 3 to 12 weeks of age. Under the influence of this fear-inducing factor, the dog might be genetically solid as the famous rock, but it missed exposure to people, various sounds, short periods of separation from Mom and the siblings when the socialization window is wide open. Therefore, the dog has never formed the association between people, sounds and objects, and low anxiety prior to the development of the fear, the only time the association can be formed. The dog will forever fear these things that will normally occur every day of its life.
The third factor is learned fear. It comes about by the chance association formed between some arbitrary neutral stimulus—say the ringing of the phone—and a negative reinforcement, something painful—like stepping on a thumbtack. If the ring happens coincidentally with or milliseconds before the pain of the tack in the foot, the dog associates the ring with the pain and will show a fear reaction to the phone ringing. Learned fear is always specific to the stimulus in the same class. So any ring similar to the phone will cause the fear response in the dog. If the fear is only to the ring of the phone and very similar ring sounds, we can live with it, but if it is something that seriously interferes with the dog’s hunting performance like fear of a loud noise (translation, a gunshot), it must be fixed and can be.
In an upcoming article I will discuss the treatment options available for the different factors of fear. Please note that these articles are for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for treatment of fear, or any other severe behavior problems, in your dog. This treatment should only be done under the guidance of a canine behaviorist or on a recommendation of your local veterinarian.
_______________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado and routinely treats fear in dogs. If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Forto, he can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727 anytime.
As a canine behaviorist and the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado, I am often treating cases of fear in the family pet. In some cases it is relatively mild, say thunder or a car backfire, but far more common is fear related aggression and generalized anxiety with a fear component. The anxiety coupled with fear is usually a result of lack of improper socialization in the dog’s early environment. I will see this very common in rescued dogs. At least once a week a pet owner will come in for an evaluation and say that they just rescued Max, from the local shelter and their primary complaint is that he is scared to death of everything. I counsel the new owners about fear and how it develops in dogs and my opinion of why so many dogs end up in shelters in the first place. Fear is a central catalyst for this occurrence and dogs in shelters.
Every dog or animal with a reasonably developed central nervous system has fear. Fear is one of the basic drives, along with hunger, thirst, sleep, sex and sociality. Out-of-control fear is as much of a problem as any other drive that is out of control. But fear in normal amounts is essential, as is hunger and thirst in normal amounts. Fear is what keeps us from having a pick-up game of football on the freeway in the middle of rush-hour, and keeps us from walking on thin ice literally and figuratively. Fear helps us avoid certain disaster and keeps us alive longer. It does the same in dogs. However, we and dogs are not born with fear. Humans and dogs have an apparent fear of, snakes, it takes time to develop, about two years in humans, and several months in dogs.
Uncontrollable fear is a delicate training protocol. It is not teaching a simple sit or walking on a loose leash. You cannot treat fear by attending a group class or a puppy kindergarten, while these programs are good for the basic commands, they should not be used after a dog exhibits extreme examples of fear. Treating fear involves a program of desensitization and counter-conditioning. While these are the building blocks for canine training and behavior modification, they are principles that are unfortunately not learned by most dog trainers these days. If you suspect fear, or any other severe behavioral issue, my advice is to speak to a canine behaviorist. The difference between a behaviorist, and a trainer per say, is that the behaviorist is educated in the sciences and nuances of canine behavior and its origins. They do not practice lure based training or intimidation in behavior modification like so many of the dog trainers do today.
In the dog, fear begins between six and eight weeks of age. As an average figure, fear becomes noticeable in a pup and rapidly escalates in the seventh week, plus or minus one week. By three weeks after the onset of fear responses, fear plateaus out at a level for pups and for the specific genetic complement that have. In humans, fear begins at about two years and is not fully developed until about 20 years later. Ever see a teenage boy who did not think he was indestructible?
So, fear develops sometimes early in the life of a dog, but does not develop at the same rate in all dogs, and obviously occurs at different levels in each individual. There are three factors which alone or in combination act to determine the level of fear any given dog shows.
The first is genetic. The dog inherits a predisposition of fear. If the genetic potential is for a high level of fear, or put another away, if the dog has a low threshold for fear-inducing stimuli, it will overreact to a fearful stimulus, or what is more often the case, to a whole gamut of stimuli. What would cause a mild startle effect response in a dog with a normal fear level will drive the over-reactor ballistic.
A second factor that causes uncontrollable fear is early environment, usually from improper or even total lack of primary and secondary socialization during the critical sensitive period from 3 to 12 weeks of age. Under the influence of this fear-inducing factor, the dog might be genetically solid as the famous rock, but it missed exposure to people, various sounds, short periods of separation from Mom and the siblings when the socialization window is wide open. Therefore, the dog has never formed the association between people, sounds and objects, and low anxiety prior to the development of the fear, the only time the association can be formed. The dog will forever fear these things that will normally occur every day of its life.
The third factor is learned fear. It comes about by the chance association formed between some arbitrary neutral stimulus—say the ringing of the phone—and a negative reinforcement, something painful—like stepping on a thumbtack. If the ring happens coincidentally with or milliseconds before the pain of the tack in the foot, the dog associates the ring with the pain and will show a fear reaction to the phone ringing. Learned fear is always specific to the stimulus in the same class. So any ring similar to the phone will cause the fear response in the dog. If the fear is only to the ring of the phone and very similar ring sounds, we can live with it, but if it is something that seriously interferes with the dog’s hunting performance like fear of a loud noise (translation, a gunshot), it must be fixed and can be.
In an upcoming article I will discuss the treatment options available for the different factors of fear. Please note that these articles are for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for treatment of fear, or any other severe behavior problems, in your dog. This treatment should only be done under the guidance of a canine behaviorist or on a recommendation of your local veterinarian.
_______________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado and routinely treats fear in dogs. If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Forto, he can be reached through his website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-522-1727 anytime.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
I Don't Have Time to Train My Dog!
I Don’t Have Time to Train My Dog!
By Robert Forto, PhD
How many times have you said to yourself: "Gee, I need to practice with my dog, but I just don't have time to train today." A client recently said this very thing to me. Of course, having dogs most of my life, being a certified canine behaviorist and believing in practical training, I readily had an answer: "Do you have time to eat? Do you have time to watch television...even the news? Do you have time to get your mail? Do you have time to surf the Internet?"
Well, then you have time to train. Isn't the purpose of training your dog to improve communications with your pet and increase the harmony between all the 2-legged and 4-legged members of your family?
Training does not always have to mean going to a dog-friendly park. Training does not have to take place on a large field. Training does not always include special equipment and time spent setting it up. Training does not have to involve a 30-minute block of time. And, training should never be tedious or boring.
Training opportunities are all around you. There is no better place to begin than in the home and there is no better time than RIGHT NOW!
Note: Adjust each training suggestion to the appropriate level for you and your pup, increasing the difficulty as training progresses. If you have questions, please check with your trainer. Dr. Robert Forto of Denver Dog Works in Colorado offers many specialized training program for you and your dog. At Denver Dog Works most of our clients sign up for basic manners classes. These classes are designed to make your canine companion a welcomed member of your home.
TIPS - Training In Practical Situations
Watching Television:
Place the dog on a down/stay during each commercial break. If the pup is housetrained, allow it freedom during the program.
When your dog is easily holding a 5-minute down/stay, reverse the procedure. Have the dog do a down/stay during the program and practice a more active command, such as heel, during the commercial break.
As training progresses, place your dog on a down/stay and leave the immediate area during each commercial break. Remember to enforce the command before leaving the room and upon re-entering.
If crate training is an issue, place the dog into the crate during each commercial and allow the dog to come out during the program. Then flip the times in the crate and the times outside. The randomness of your actions will lessen anxiety associated with crate training, i.e. owner leaving home.
If your dog becomes nervous and anxious during thunderstorms rent a movie that features them, i.e. The Perfect Storm. With your dog on a down/stay by your side, start the movie and play it very softly. Play and replay the weather scenes - - very softly. As your dog becomes accustomed to the noise, g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y increase the volume. Do this several times over a period of days, or even weeks, until you have solved the problem. This method also works for gunfire. Remember: go slowly. There are also CDs available with specific sounds. Denver Dog Works can also tailor a training program that deals with noise phobias.
Getting the Mail:
Our mail is not delivered to our door; I must walk to the end of the drive. While it is not far I take the dog along and use this time for a lesson in heel, walking sits or walking downs. Have your pet sit/stay while you reach into the box. Leave your dog on a stay and walk away; then, recall the dog to heel while you are in motion.
Is your pup learning to carry or to retrieve? Getting the mail is the perfect opportunity to let your pup practice by retrieving a piece of purposefully dropped junk mail and carry it back inside.
If you often meet up with neighbors at the cluster mailbox, this is a perfect time to practice socialization skills with your pup. Be sure you have treats to pass out to neighborhood children so that your dog can be petted by a variety of people. You may wish to introduce a command such "make friends," to insure that socialization is done only with your permission in appropriate circumstances.
Working in the Yard:
Place your dog on a down/stay as you move about the yard. Randomly, turn and face your dog, reinforcing the stay command. Periodically, break that pattern by either returning to your dog and releasing it or calling the dog to come to you.
Yard time is great for walking sits, walking downs, recall in motion, figure-8 heeling patterns - around two trees, two lawn chairs, etc.
Prior to taking the dog into the yard, place "forbidden" food items. Take your dog into the yard, on leash, and practice the "leave it" command. Be certain to have appropriate dog treats (food/ball/toy) for a reward.
"Leave it" can also involve chasing a rake or a broom. (Note: be certain never to practice this command when using power tools or equipment such as an edger or weed-whacker. Keep your pet, and yourself, safe.)
Teach your pet to be a good citizen by retrieving pop cans and placing them in the garbage. This "trick" is very impressive in the park and sets a great example for children.
Introduce your dog to water play after yard work. Whether running in the sprinklers or chasing ice cubes, remember to have fun.
Mealtime:
If allowed by your house rules, station your dog in a quiet, out of the way corner of your kitchen or dining room. If your rules say "no dogs in the kitchen," station the pup where he can still see you moving about. This is a great place to practice down/stay. There are lots of distractions: noise, odors, people coming and going, etc.
Use kitchen time to practice the "leave it" command, if your pup shows interest in food dropped on the floor.
If your dog is in front of a cabinet or pantry door, make it an opportunity to teach the command "move", by pointing to another place and encouraging the dog to relocate.
During dinner, place the dog on a down/stay under the table. No eye contact; no whining; no begging. Soon your pup will be ready to join you at a dog-friendly outdoor cafe and will be welcome on family camping trips. (Note: no people food should ever be given to the dog while you are eating. If you wish to offer table scraps, do so after you have finished and make certain they are placed in the dog's dish.)
Be Creative:
Chairs make wonderful obstacles for practicing heeling, right turns, left turns, about turns and figure-8 patterns. On a rainy day, train in the family room or dining room.
Teach your dog the command "under" using a coffee table, a child's desk or a hall bench. Make certain the item is appropriate for your pet's size. This command is great when hiking or visiting that outdoor cafe.
A ladder placed flat on the ground can help growing puppies learn to manipulate their hindquarters and become more sure-footed. Use lots of patience, praise and rewards to encourage your pup, on leash, to walk the length of the ladder, stepping over the rungs.
To encourage your pup to chew their toys/bones and not your furniture or clothing, establish a toy basket just for the pet. Place a variety of toys of variable textures and sizes in the basket--including plush toys, rawhide chews and a ball. To keep your pet interested, hide a few special treats in the basket before encouraging your pet to get a toy. You can eventually move the basket with you, to entertain a pup while working in your home office.
Times NOT To Train:
When you are not feeling well.
When you are angry, negative or upset.
When you are low on patience or out of energy.
When there are too many distractions for you in the training area.
When there are too many distractions for your dog's level of ability to concentrate on learning a new command. (Instead, try proofing your dog on commands that are already well understood).
When you are unclear how to perform or teach an exercise to your dog. Clarify what you should be doing, with your trainer, before working your dog.
In Summary:
Training is really all the little things you do each and every day, showing your dog what you expect from their behavior. Training should be a special time for you and your pet to enjoy being together. End each session with something your dog is good at doing--and praise, praise, praise.
____________________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado. Denver Dog Works is an all-breed training school that specializes in canine sports and working dogs. If you would like to find out more about our programs visit our website at www.DenverDogWorks.com or give us a call at 303-752-2818 anytime.
By Robert Forto, PhD
How many times have you said to yourself: "Gee, I need to practice with my dog, but I just don't have time to train today." A client recently said this very thing to me. Of course, having dogs most of my life, being a certified canine behaviorist and believing in practical training, I readily had an answer: "Do you have time to eat? Do you have time to watch television...even the news? Do you have time to get your mail? Do you have time to surf the Internet?"
Well, then you have time to train. Isn't the purpose of training your dog to improve communications with your pet and increase the harmony between all the 2-legged and 4-legged members of your family?
Training does not always have to mean going to a dog-friendly park. Training does not have to take place on a large field. Training does not always include special equipment and time spent setting it up. Training does not have to involve a 30-minute block of time. And, training should never be tedious or boring.
Training opportunities are all around you. There is no better place to begin than in the home and there is no better time than RIGHT NOW!
Note: Adjust each training suggestion to the appropriate level for you and your pup, increasing the difficulty as training progresses. If you have questions, please check with your trainer. Dr. Robert Forto of Denver Dog Works in Colorado offers many specialized training program for you and your dog. At Denver Dog Works most of our clients sign up for basic manners classes. These classes are designed to make your canine companion a welcomed member of your home.
TIPS - Training In Practical Situations
Watching Television:
Place the dog on a down/stay during each commercial break. If the pup is housetrained, allow it freedom during the program.
When your dog is easily holding a 5-minute down/stay, reverse the procedure. Have the dog do a down/stay during the program and practice a more active command, such as heel, during the commercial break.
As training progresses, place your dog on a down/stay and leave the immediate area during each commercial break. Remember to enforce the command before leaving the room and upon re-entering.
If crate training is an issue, place the dog into the crate during each commercial and allow the dog to come out during the program. Then flip the times in the crate and the times outside. The randomness of your actions will lessen anxiety associated with crate training, i.e. owner leaving home.
If your dog becomes nervous and anxious during thunderstorms rent a movie that features them, i.e. The Perfect Storm. With your dog on a down/stay by your side, start the movie and play it very softly. Play and replay the weather scenes - - very softly. As your dog becomes accustomed to the noise, g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y increase the volume. Do this several times over a period of days, or even weeks, until you have solved the problem. This method also works for gunfire. Remember: go slowly. There are also CDs available with specific sounds. Denver Dog Works can also tailor a training program that deals with noise phobias.
Getting the Mail:
Our mail is not delivered to our door; I must walk to the end of the drive. While it is not far I take the dog along and use this time for a lesson in heel, walking sits or walking downs. Have your pet sit/stay while you reach into the box. Leave your dog on a stay and walk away; then, recall the dog to heel while you are in motion.
Is your pup learning to carry or to retrieve? Getting the mail is the perfect opportunity to let your pup practice by retrieving a piece of purposefully dropped junk mail and carry it back inside.
If you often meet up with neighbors at the cluster mailbox, this is a perfect time to practice socialization skills with your pup. Be sure you have treats to pass out to neighborhood children so that your dog can be petted by a variety of people. You may wish to introduce a command such "make friends," to insure that socialization is done only with your permission in appropriate circumstances.
Working in the Yard:
Place your dog on a down/stay as you move about the yard. Randomly, turn and face your dog, reinforcing the stay command. Periodically, break that pattern by either returning to your dog and releasing it or calling the dog to come to you.
Yard time is great for walking sits, walking downs, recall in motion, figure-8 heeling patterns - around two trees, two lawn chairs, etc.
Prior to taking the dog into the yard, place "forbidden" food items. Take your dog into the yard, on leash, and practice the "leave it" command. Be certain to have appropriate dog treats (food/ball/toy) for a reward.
"Leave it" can also involve chasing a rake or a broom. (Note: be certain never to practice this command when using power tools or equipment such as an edger or weed-whacker. Keep your pet, and yourself, safe.)
Teach your pet to be a good citizen by retrieving pop cans and placing them in the garbage. This "trick" is very impressive in the park and sets a great example for children.
Introduce your dog to water play after yard work. Whether running in the sprinklers or chasing ice cubes, remember to have fun.
Mealtime:
If allowed by your house rules, station your dog in a quiet, out of the way corner of your kitchen or dining room. If your rules say "no dogs in the kitchen," station the pup where he can still see you moving about. This is a great place to practice down/stay. There are lots of distractions: noise, odors, people coming and going, etc.
Use kitchen time to practice the "leave it" command, if your pup shows interest in food dropped on the floor.
If your dog is in front of a cabinet or pantry door, make it an opportunity to teach the command "move", by pointing to another place and encouraging the dog to relocate.
During dinner, place the dog on a down/stay under the table. No eye contact; no whining; no begging. Soon your pup will be ready to join you at a dog-friendly outdoor cafe and will be welcome on family camping trips. (Note: no people food should ever be given to the dog while you are eating. If you wish to offer table scraps, do so after you have finished and make certain they are placed in the dog's dish.)
Be Creative:
Chairs make wonderful obstacles for practicing heeling, right turns, left turns, about turns and figure-8 patterns. On a rainy day, train in the family room or dining room.
Teach your dog the command "under" using a coffee table, a child's desk or a hall bench. Make certain the item is appropriate for your pet's size. This command is great when hiking or visiting that outdoor cafe.
A ladder placed flat on the ground can help growing puppies learn to manipulate their hindquarters and become more sure-footed. Use lots of patience, praise and rewards to encourage your pup, on leash, to walk the length of the ladder, stepping over the rungs.
To encourage your pup to chew their toys/bones and not your furniture or clothing, establish a toy basket just for the pet. Place a variety of toys of variable textures and sizes in the basket--including plush toys, rawhide chews and a ball. To keep your pet interested, hide a few special treats in the basket before encouraging your pet to get a toy. You can eventually move the basket with you, to entertain a pup while working in your home office.
Times NOT To Train:
When you are not feeling well.
When you are angry, negative or upset.
When you are low on patience or out of energy.
When there are too many distractions for you in the training area.
When there are too many distractions for your dog's level of ability to concentrate on learning a new command. (Instead, try proofing your dog on commands that are already well understood).
When you are unclear how to perform or teach an exercise to your dog. Clarify what you should be doing, with your trainer, before working your dog.
In Summary:
Training is really all the little things you do each and every day, showing your dog what you expect from their behavior. Training should be a special time for you and your pet to enjoy being together. End each session with something your dog is good at doing--and praise, praise, praise.
____________________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director of Denver Dog Works in Colorado. Denver Dog Works is an all-breed training school that specializes in canine sports and working dogs. If you would like to find out more about our programs visit our website at www.DenverDogWorks.com or give us a call at 303-752-2818 anytime.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
30 Days for Bonding
30 Days of Bonding
By Robert Forto, PhD
As a breeder of World Class German Shepherds I cannot stress enough how important it is for a new puppy owner to bond with their dog. I see time and time again where these new dog owners do not understand how important it is to integrate the new puppy into the family. Remember your new dog does not know you or your family. He/she will bond with you and your family in approximately thirty days. During this bonding there are going to be some things you do and do not do...
Do not leave your dog unattended with your children until the bond is complete. Tell your children not to rush up to the dog but to let the dog come to them. Entice the dog to come to them with food treats. If the dog does not want to approach them, don't worry, he/she will in a few days. Do not force people on the dog; he will become comfortable with your family in a few days.
The dog will be fed twice a day. Have your family take turns feeding the dog. Have them take the food bowl to the dog, put it down and then leave the dog alone while he/she eats. Do not bother the dog while he/she eats. Always feed the dog in the same place, preferably his kennel, the garage, etc.
If you are going to leave the dog alone, leave him/her in a crate until the bond is complete and the dog becomes comfortable in his/her surroundings. The dog will sleep in the crate at night. The crate can be put wherever you want.
Do not reach into the crate and try to grab your dog. Remember you have no bond yet. Bring the dog out to you with food or a toy. You must show the dog that you are his/her friend. Everything must be positive.
When playing fetch, use the two toy method until you have a good bond with the dog. Playing with the dog is a good way to make the dog comfortable with you. Have the children play fetch with the dog also. Do not attempt to grab the toy from the dog's mouth. First ask the dog to drop the toy for you. If he/she does not drop the toy, give him/her the command to drop it, at the same time showing the dog the other toy. When the dog drops the first toy, throw the other toy for the dog. This method will also strengthen your recall, because when the dog goes after the toy you threw, you will show him the second toy when you call him to bring you the first toy. (The best toys are rubber "KONGS" available in any pet store.)
If your children bring their friends to the house, be sure to secure the dog. Remember, your children's friends have not been taught like your children on how to act around the dog. Tell your friends not to force themselves on the dog, If the dog wants to be petted he will approach them. If you are going to have a party or have several friends over, put the dog away.
Playing, feeding and spending positive time with your dog is the best way to seal the bond. Do not try and force your dog to do anything like obedience, etc. Have the dog do what you want by using food rewards and praise. This positive reinforcement method will work the best for you if you are consistent. You will see the dog react to this method in a very short time. Remember you will be attending training classes at our facility after the thirty day bonding period.
Remember if you have other animals such as cats, birds, horses or any other type of livestock, your new dog will have to be socialized with them and taught how to behave around them. This is something you have to be consistent with until your new dog is comfortable around the other animals.
If you purchase a dog from Denver Dog Works remember your dog is already trained. Now you and your family must learn how to handle the dog properly by attending the prescribed training. It will be your job to explain this information to any other adult in the immediate family. If you are purchasing a puppy it is a good idea to enroll in a puppy class. Denver Dog Works has a new puppy class starting the first Saturday of each month. Give us a call for details.
Be sure you have read all the forms and handouts you have received from the breeder and/or in obedience class thoroughly. Do you research on your breed, his/her temperament, and personality. Familiarize yourself with puppy traits and behavioral problems. If you have any questions ASK!!! Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question.
Do’s and Don’ts
REMEMBER TO BE PATIENT! YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO BOND WITH YOUR DOG.
DO NOT! Let your dog sleep out of his crate for the first two weeks. After the first two weeks he can sleep out of his crate every other night for the next week.
DO NOT! Leave your dog loose or unattended in the house for the first two weeks. If you are going to leave the dog at home, confine him in his crate. If you plan on leaving the dog in the house unattended after he is finished with his training, after the first two weeks you can start leaving him unattended for short periods of time and slowly keep extending the time.
Be sure to take him out frequently to relieve himself, he is house broken, but he will be in a new area and may be excited and forget, so you will have to reinforce the training.
After the first two weeks, you will start some obedience work, so you will need to contact Denver Dog Works anytime after the first two weeks are up so we can help you get started. You will more than likely be enrolled in one of our Saturday obedience classes.
If you are having a problem or even think you are having a problem, you are to contact us right away. A Denver Dog Works instructor will call you back within the day. Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question!
DO NOT! Let your dog do anything you do not want him to do later on in his life. Remember you are the BOSS (pack leader). Your dog does not sleep on the bed or get on the furniture EVER! This can cause training and behavior problems in the future. If you want to sit or lay next to your dog, you go to him on the floor.
During the bonding period you should give your dog food rewards when you call him to you or when he/she does something good.
Training should start the day you bring your dog home. This is not only a great opportunity to form that life-long bond but also does not allow bad habits to develop. Often we will see dog owners come into Denver Dog Works when their puppy is six months old and the owners are at wits end and ready to give up. The first question I always ask is why did you wait so long? The most common answer is they wanted the dog to be a puppy. What a mistake! Would you not allow your children not to attend elementary school because you just wanted them to be a kid? No way! The same goes with dogs.
Just remember five simple things: exercise your dog often, be consistent, be patient, give Denver Dog Works a call if you have a question or a problem, and…
GOOD LUCK!
____________________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. He specializes in canine sports and aggression. If you would like to contact Dr. Robert Forto he can be reached through is website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-752-2818 anytime.
By Robert Forto, PhD
As a breeder of World Class German Shepherds I cannot stress enough how important it is for a new puppy owner to bond with their dog. I see time and time again where these new dog owners do not understand how important it is to integrate the new puppy into the family. Remember your new dog does not know you or your family. He/she will bond with you and your family in approximately thirty days. During this bonding there are going to be some things you do and do not do...
Do not leave your dog unattended with your children until the bond is complete. Tell your children not to rush up to the dog but to let the dog come to them. Entice the dog to come to them with food treats. If the dog does not want to approach them, don't worry, he/she will in a few days. Do not force people on the dog; he will become comfortable with your family in a few days.
The dog will be fed twice a day. Have your family take turns feeding the dog. Have them take the food bowl to the dog, put it down and then leave the dog alone while he/she eats. Do not bother the dog while he/she eats. Always feed the dog in the same place, preferably his kennel, the garage, etc.
If you are going to leave the dog alone, leave him/her in a crate until the bond is complete and the dog becomes comfortable in his/her surroundings. The dog will sleep in the crate at night. The crate can be put wherever you want.
Do not reach into the crate and try to grab your dog. Remember you have no bond yet. Bring the dog out to you with food or a toy. You must show the dog that you are his/her friend. Everything must be positive.
When playing fetch, use the two toy method until you have a good bond with the dog. Playing with the dog is a good way to make the dog comfortable with you. Have the children play fetch with the dog also. Do not attempt to grab the toy from the dog's mouth. First ask the dog to drop the toy for you. If he/she does not drop the toy, give him/her the command to drop it, at the same time showing the dog the other toy. When the dog drops the first toy, throw the other toy for the dog. This method will also strengthen your recall, because when the dog goes after the toy you threw, you will show him the second toy when you call him to bring you the first toy. (The best toys are rubber "KONGS" available in any pet store.)
If your children bring their friends to the house, be sure to secure the dog. Remember, your children's friends have not been taught like your children on how to act around the dog. Tell your friends not to force themselves on the dog, If the dog wants to be petted he will approach them. If you are going to have a party or have several friends over, put the dog away.
Playing, feeding and spending positive time with your dog is the best way to seal the bond. Do not try and force your dog to do anything like obedience, etc. Have the dog do what you want by using food rewards and praise. This positive reinforcement method will work the best for you if you are consistent. You will see the dog react to this method in a very short time. Remember you will be attending training classes at our facility after the thirty day bonding period.
Remember if you have other animals such as cats, birds, horses or any other type of livestock, your new dog will have to be socialized with them and taught how to behave around them. This is something you have to be consistent with until your new dog is comfortable around the other animals.
If you purchase a dog from Denver Dog Works remember your dog is already trained. Now you and your family must learn how to handle the dog properly by attending the prescribed training. It will be your job to explain this information to any other adult in the immediate family. If you are purchasing a puppy it is a good idea to enroll in a puppy class. Denver Dog Works has a new puppy class starting the first Saturday of each month. Give us a call for details.
Be sure you have read all the forms and handouts you have received from the breeder and/or in obedience class thoroughly. Do you research on your breed, his/her temperament, and personality. Familiarize yourself with puppy traits and behavioral problems. If you have any questions ASK!!! Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question.
Do’s and Don’ts
REMEMBER TO BE PATIENT! YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO BOND WITH YOUR DOG.
DO NOT! Let your dog sleep out of his crate for the first two weeks. After the first two weeks he can sleep out of his crate every other night for the next week.
DO NOT! Leave your dog loose or unattended in the house for the first two weeks. If you are going to leave the dog at home, confine him in his crate. If you plan on leaving the dog in the house unattended after he is finished with his training, after the first two weeks you can start leaving him unattended for short periods of time and slowly keep extending the time.
Be sure to take him out frequently to relieve himself, he is house broken, but he will be in a new area and may be excited and forget, so you will have to reinforce the training.
After the first two weeks, you will start some obedience work, so you will need to contact Denver Dog Works anytime after the first two weeks are up so we can help you get started. You will more than likely be enrolled in one of our Saturday obedience classes.
If you are having a problem or even think you are having a problem, you are to contact us right away. A Denver Dog Works instructor will call you back within the day. Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question!
DO NOT! Let your dog do anything you do not want him to do later on in his life. Remember you are the BOSS (pack leader). Your dog does not sleep on the bed or get on the furniture EVER! This can cause training and behavior problems in the future. If you want to sit or lay next to your dog, you go to him on the floor.
During the bonding period you should give your dog food rewards when you call him to you or when he/she does something good.
Training should start the day you bring your dog home. This is not only a great opportunity to form that life-long bond but also does not allow bad habits to develop. Often we will see dog owners come into Denver Dog Works when their puppy is six months old and the owners are at wits end and ready to give up. The first question I always ask is why did you wait so long? The most common answer is they wanted the dog to be a puppy. What a mistake! Would you not allow your children not to attend elementary school because you just wanted them to be a kid? No way! The same goes with dogs.
Just remember five simple things: exercise your dog often, be consistent, be patient, give Denver Dog Works a call if you have a question or a problem, and…
GOOD LUCK!
____________________
Dr. Robert Forto, PhD is the training director for Denver Dog Works in Colorado. He specializes in canine sports and aggression. If you would like to contact Dr. Robert Forto he can be reached through is website at www.denverdogworks.com or by phone at 303-752-2818 anytime.
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