The Adventures of Alaric Part 2

The Adventures of Alaric Part 2
By Michele Forto

Another week has passed and Alaric is progressing through his training nicely. We have designed his training program and he is in full enrollment in advanced obedience, canine good citizen and trust building.

Alaric had a good visit with his handler and is getting more used to her home and the surroundings. Due to Alaric having some fear anxiety with new situations we will continue to have short home visits until his full placement in 4 months.
It has also been noted that Alaric has fear around black dogs; this is being addressed in his daily training and by Alaric partaking in group classes on Saturdays.

Alaric’s handler was given her first set of obedience homework this week as well and she was able to complete all of the tasks with Alaric who is beginning to focus more on her and less on me. This is great news since I have been involved in his life entirely for 2 years.

Alaric participated in canine good citizen this week and was handled by Junior Trainer: Nicole Forto reportedly: Canine Good Citizen encompasses ten items that each dog must pass and be able to demonstrate in a public setting establishing that dog as a good citizen in public. Alaric did well on most of the tasks he does need work on supervised separation and we need to build distance for him to perform his commands. He loves staying very close to us which is preferred for his psychiatric service work but is not preferred when working on obedience commands.

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Michele Forto is Denvers Dog Training Examiner and the business manager for Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Canine Behavior Consultations

Canine Behavior Consultation
By Michele Forto

At Denver Dog Works we are sought after throughout the country as the preeminent expert for canine aggression cases. With that said we also do things a bit differently than most dog trainers for basic obedience. Canine Behavior Modification Sessions are NOT Obedience Sessions. We also charge differently than a dog trainer. Typically dog trainers charge per session or in a block of sessions (ie. eight weeks for $500.00, etc.) A behavioral consultation is much different. We charge by the hour and we require a retainer. The reason we do this is simple: there is a tremendous amount of work involved behind the scenes and with the client in person. We charge just like an attorney would charge you, increments of six minutes. Remember you are hiring an expert not just a dog trainer that trains dogs for fun. Canine Aggression is serious business and you need an expert to help you in this difficult time.

Canine Behavior Consultation

A Canine Behavior Consultation is an in-depth scientific observation of a dog displaying unwanted or unexplained behavior. Dr. Robert Forto, Ph.D. of Denver Dog Works is not only the training director with nearly twenty years of experience in training dogs, but also Denver’s foremost expert on aggression.

A Canine Behavior Consultation often begins unfortunately with an incident where your dog has bitten someone. Very few times, has Dr. Forto been contacted prior to the bite occurring. Usually he is contacted during an owner’s dog being quarantined by the local animal control.

When you contact Dr. Forto regarding canine aggression or behavior modification for your dog he or his staff will ask you a series of questions determining whether or not you are in need of a behaviorist or just a qualified trainer with specific behavior background such as separation anxiety.
When hiring an expert be prepared to pay a retainer and to be billed in hourly increments monthly for their services. This is how Dr. Forto has established his business and reputation. He values your concerns and expects you to value his time and his expertise.
I asked Dr. Forto, what happens during a Behavior Evaluation/Canine Behavior Consultation and this is what he said.
What happens during an Behavioral Evaluation?
 
You will be interviewed and asked questions regarding your dog and the problems you are concerned with:
Your dog’s daily routine and history with you
What your relationship with your dog is like
How your dog behaves in different situations
A description of the problem
When, where and how often the problem happens
What you have done to work with your dog’s behavior
 
We will observe your dog and see how he/she behaves
We do want to see how your dog reacts to us and get a sense of his temperament
We do want to see how your dog reacts to you and get a sense of his temperament
Observing the problem behavior may not be possible, desirable or needed

We will use this information to analyze your dog's problem
Why the problem developed
What’s now motivating the behavior
What needs to be done to change the behavior
 
We will develop and write down a custom behavior modification plan for you
The plan may include changes to your dog’s environment and/or diet
The plan may require structured “training sessions” to bring out the desired behavior
The plan may require changes in how you react to your dog’s behavior
The plan will include tips and remedies
 
We will follow-up with you during the scheduled "training sessions" either in-home or office visits for the number listed on your behavior modification plan:
Answer your questions and observe the dog and his reactions
Make sure you are on the right track
“Fine tune” your custom plan
If your dog is participating in our board and train program you will receive weekly progress reports for the duration of his stay.
 
And this is just the beginning! According to Dr. Forto, once he receives the initial evaluation from his staff, he then corresponds immediately with the client who has now received a 13-page questionnaire asking specific questions pertaining to their dog’s history. He begins developing a treatment plan and schedules the first visit. Dr. Forto is working with you from the moment he receives your case file and he continues to be available via email, phone, and in person. Behavior modification does not get fixed at the snap of a finger, modifying a dogs behavior can take months just as modifying your behavior can take months. A typical behavior case can last three to nine months. Although, you can see results after just one hour, modifying unwanted behavior and replacing it with wanted behavior takes time. An aggressive dog must have his behavior managed and the treatment plan that Dr. Forto devises for you must be followed correctly in order for the modification to be successful. Once the treatment plan has been developed Dr. Forto then visits you a few times to check on your progress and then develops a maintenance plan. Aggression is never cured it is managed.

Dr. Forto is available for behavior modification, seminars, and workshops addressing aggression (and other canine behavior problems). If you are interested in learning more about aggression or if your dog is in need of behavior modification you can reach Dr. Forto at through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Tags: Expert in Canine Aggression | Nationwide Caine Aggression Training | Denver Dog Training Examiner | 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 Denvers Dog Training Examiner and the business manager of Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Impulsive Dog Training

Impulsive Dog Training
By Michele Forto

Not only am I a writer for the Denver Dog Training Examiner, I am also a local trainer. Recently, I have been noticing an increase in what I like to call Impulsive Dog Training. Impulsive Dog Training means; a person with good intentions to do the right thing for their dog who makes a quick decision only to change their mind and never show up for training.
In other words, I evaluate and interview several people a week who are interested in dog training. Some are shopping around (which I recommend) but others are just coming by to fill that guilty void of not training their dog and by signing up they are letting themselves off the hook.

Training is a commitment to the well-being, mental and physical health of your dog. Signing up with a trainer and then not following through with your commitment wastes the time of the trainer who just built a training plan for you and your goals but it also wastes the time of your pet.

When you pick up your dog or puppy for the first time you have all kinds of ideas as to how you’d like your dog/puppy to turn out. Hopefully you didn’t pick out your puppy or rescued dog on an impulse either, this will only exemplify your guilt. If you aren’t ready for a 10 to 15 year commitment to a pet then do not get one. Proper veterinarian care and training are both required to give your dog the best overall health and valuable life.

When shopping for a trainer I recommend visiting pet shows and expo’s like the Denver Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry or the MaxFund Lucky Mutt Strut. Both of these organizations put on fundraiser run/walks with your pet. They invite several pet vendors including trainers. What better way to visit a handful of trainers all in one morning. Each and every one of them will give you a different perspective and with Denver having over 200 dog trainers to choose from you’re sure to find one that fits your goals, your style and your budget.

What do you think about impulsive dog training? Let us know by commenting below or sending live@dogdoctorradio.com

Tags: Denver Dog Training Examiner | 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 Denvers Dog Training Examiner and the business manager of Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

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

Tags: Learning Theory | 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 Adventures of Alaric Part 1

The Adventures of Alaric Part 1
By Michele Forto

At Denver Dog Works it is my job to choose, temperament test, evaluate, train, and place the dogs whose job it may be to become a cherished service dog for someone in need.

I haven’t bred or purchased any puppies in the last two years, and I had one dog still hanging out with my puppy raiser family. His name is Alaric Dracul Van Helsing and he was whelped on July 19, 2008. Alaric was placed with a puppy raiser family who had never experienced raising and training a pup they would not keep. A twelve year old girl was in charge of him and her responsibility.

Recently, a person in need contacted me, and after a few meetings and going through a few ups and downs, I decided to pull Alaric out of the puppy raisers home and try his placement with this young woman in need. It shouldn’t have been a difficult decision, but it was, you see I saw for nearly two years a special bond grow between my young puppy raiser and my young pup. I didn’t have the heart to break up the team unless I was absolutely sure that Alaric’s placement was sincere and true.
When I took Alaric to meet this young woman – they bonded almost immediately. After the lengthy interview and several visits it has been determined that Alaric has found his calling. He has been transferred from puppy raising status to full service dog training. The training is intensive. He will spend the next 12 weeks with me brushing up and learning 35 commands which are specific to the young woman’s needs. Alaric visits her weekly for a few hours so they can do trust building exercises, leadership will be established, and a friendship will be solidified.

Today was their first “bonding” session and as the weeks play out I’d like to continue the Adventures of Alaric and take my readers (you) throughout his journey in training to become a psychiatric service dog. Upon arriving Alaric stood up in the back of the van and began showing excitement, we approached her home and he waited patiently for her to open the door, once inside he cautiously checked on her beautiful birds and then returned to my side. I asked her to offer Alaric some water and led him to the kitchen where it apprehensively took a drink but then surprised me by going to her and licking her hand. Today’s bonding assignment is to work on bonding with him, leadership exercises include keeping him on leash and taking him everywhere she goes in the house today and a short walk outside for potty breaks and fresh air. The bonding session went well. It should continue to build and be successful. Alaric just like any dog will test his boundaries and see what he can get away with but I’ve left the young woman with some tips and tricks.

Tags: psychiatric service dog | Denver Dog Training Examiner | 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 Denver’s Dog Training Examiner and the business manager for Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Growing in Popularity: Therapy Dog Training

Growing In Popularity: Therapy Dogs
By Michele Forto

The inquiries into therapy dog training are on the rise. I receive countless emails, calls, and even walk-ins inquiring to the requirements for their dog to become a therapy dog. Working as a therapy team can be very rewarding – it can be very exhausting at the same time. A therapy dog provides momentary companionship, unconditional love, respect, and understanding to the individual they are spending time with in that exact moment. All while making sure their beloved owner is holding up to the stressful situation and handling it alright as well. Therapy dogs are truly guardian angels bringing light and joy into the room whenever they appear. But their job carries a heavy burden; they remove all of your worries, stress, pain, contemplation, and anger while they are with you and they tuck it away to be disposed of later. This is how a dear friend/client therapy dog mom explained her biggest concerns for her wonderful dog Mia. Mia came to me to get ready to be re-certified as a therapy dog and her mom was very concerned that Mia carried the woes of her visitors. I suggested a good walk and an ice-cream cone after her visits. Mia enjoyed her walks and her ice-cream cones immensely. No worries on weight gain she exercised for that ice-cream cone.

When I meet with people interested in training their dog to become a therapy dog – they always seem amazed when I explain that the training is a team effort. Therapy isn’t just about the dog – it’s a therapy team that is trained and taught to handle horrifically sad situations and both the human and the canine must arrive with smiles and bring joy to that person for this short moment in time. You see, your dog isn’t in the room alone, you’re right there beside him – unless you’re made of stone, you will find your emotions running away with you. It not only takes a special dog it takes a special human.

The popularity of therapy dogs is growing at a fast pace and I applaud each and every individual out there who is thinking of training their dog to do therapy. But change your way of thinking just a bit; instead of saying I’m training my dog to be a therapy dog, say we’re in training to become a therapy team. This will put you in a healthier mindset to take on this wonderful volunteering job that you are considering to undertake.

If you are interested in becoming a Therapy Team, I encourage you to visit and research as many training organizations as you can. There are many organizations to choose from who can help you reach your goals. Do not be discouraged IF the facility you’ve dreamed of volunteering with has a waiting list. Go into your training with an open mind and know that you are being trained to work with an angel (your dog) therefore it shouldn’t matter if you receive that coveted placement at Children’s Hospital, people of all ages and conditions need to be touched by an angel.

Tags: Denver Dog Training Examiner | 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 Training
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Michele Forto the Denver Dog Training Examiner and 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

Influential People in the Development of Learning Theory Part 2

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

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.”

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