Friday, March 20, 2015

Fun Agility Class in Milton Ontario



Do you want to have some fun with your dog, and gain focus and confidence from them? Check out our Fun Agility Intro Class starting April 18th, 11:30-12:30. Class runs for 6, one hour sessions. Cost is $195 plus HST.

We do require that the dogs who join are non-aggressive and have a basic understanding of sit, down, stay and come under distration. This class offers a wonderful way to work both the dogs mind and body, and a tired dog is a happy dog with a happy owner.

We see a lot of fantastic changes in this class from both dogs and owners. This is a postive reinforcement based class, with emphasis on engagement and fun.

Feel free to contact me for more information dogtraining101@hotmail.com or visit the website for details www.smartdogsk9.com

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Holding a Sit ... Dog & Puppy Training in Milton Ontario


I am often asked by my clients, is it ok to let their dog lay down during a sit/stay or long sit. And the answer I give is this:

If you plan on competing in obedience, rally-o or protection sports, then there are specific requirements that would make it beneficial for the dog to hold the sit position. If they don't or can't, an NQ (non-qualifying score) will follow in competition, resulting in failure during that particular run.

Now that being said, 98% of the owners coming in for training will never show an interest in competing in dog sports. What I maintain to be the most important aspect of staying is holding the place, rather than the specific position. If I ask a dog to sit, and they do so, but after 20 seconds or longer, they decide to lay down because the dog figures we're going to be a while, there is no point in nagging them for perfection, when in essence, they are doing what we asked, by holding their place beside us. The same thing goes for the sit/stay at a distance. As long as the dog comprehends the initial difference between the two commands, down and sit, and does both independently when asked, it doesn't matter if they slide out to get more comfortable.

There are two items that we have to watch however, one being the "dive and go", the squigglers who were asked to sit/stay, and do the dive in order to crawl forward. The other being the confusion of commands at the get go. We don't want sit to mean down, as there are times that a sit can be more useful then a down, and we want to make sure that the two are clearly defined. These are the only times that I will fix a dogs position back to a sit, and typically it just means the dog needs more work/help in that particular area.

Of course standing up is a big no no, and I'm sticky on the getting up into a sit while the dog is suppose to be maintaining a down, I just won't allow that, but I will save that for another day.

So bottom line, if your plans do not include compeition level obedience, don't sweat the small stuff. If your dog is compliant, engaging and working for you, response should be the goal, not absolute perfection.





Friday, March 13, 2015

Why isn't my dog perfect? Dog Training Milton Ontario


Perfection, as defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:

1:  the quality or state of being perfect: as
     a :  freedom from fault or defect :  flawlessness
     b :  maturity
     c :  the quality or state of being saintly 
 
2   a :  an exemplification of supreme excellence
     b :  an unsurpassable degree of accuracy or excellence 
 
So, let's ask the question again; why isn't my dog perfect?
 
Well, to answer honestly we, as humans are not perfect, so I often wonder why so many desire supreme perfection from their canine companions. To say we want perfect dogs is a flawed statement. A better ideal to strive for is "I want the perfect dog for me". The difference in the wording is this; the perfect dog for me will still have flaws, but I can live with and tolerate those flaws because the dog fits my lifestyle, family and goals so well. 
 
Because each dog is different, has a unique temperament, a different learning curve and different physical abilities, we need to understand that perfection is impossible, but finding or achieving the perfect dog for me is not impossible.

In pushing our dogs to meet the definition of perfection (supreme excellence, without fault or defect), we loose sight of relationship, which is so much higher on the ladder of importance when dealing with our family dogs. Pushing for perfection in your dogs ultimately sets you up for failure, because there is no such thing as a perfect dog. Stress ensues and relationships breakdown. When the relationship breaks down you loose communication and trust which, in turn, will put a damper on any forward momentum in your training.
 
So instead of focusing on trying to make your dog perfect, as in free from fault or defect, focus on the relationship, the good points, and of course, make sure to train your dog which increases communication ability, and developes a better bond. Not only will this help build a better, healthier relationship, but it will help shape the perfect dog for you.

Note: This is not the same as perfect scores in dog sports, but building a better relationship, and minimizing the intense desire to acheive absolute perfection in your dog can actually help performance scores - think stress relief.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Dog Training Obedience Classes in Milton

Our Smart Dogs Basic Group Class starting in April is now open for registration!




Basic (Beginner) Obedience:

April 18th Saturday - 10:00-11:00am (7 spots available)
April 23 Thursday - 7:00-8:00pm (7 spots available)

Smart Dogs Basics

Smart Dog Basics group class will help teach you how to gain control of your canine companion under distraction with all of the basics of obedience - come, stay, sit, down, stand, heel, leave it, off. We work on engagement with your dog, focus and attention, and we offer the only video homework options in our area! We also save time for question and answer including topics like house training, crate training and other "typical doggy issues". We want our students to succeed.

This is A MUST for all dogs, the most important class that you need to take! If you want a dog who listens to you, responds under distraction, and is a joy to be around, this is the class you want. This is a one size fits all class, all ages, all breeds and all sizes welcome!

  • 18 weeks and up - puppies must have their vaccinations completed.
  • Homework is required to be completed.
  • Equipment required: 6 foot leash, training collar and treats.
  • Prerequisite: None
  • $220.00 + HST -  1 session once a week for 7 weeks - 1 hour for each session. The test is optional but MUST be passed in order to receive a certificate and move on to Bootcamp Class.
Please contact us for more information or to sign up. $50.00 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot. dogtraining101@hotmail.com

Sunday, March 8, 2015

R+C+R+C = R : the formula for a good dog



The secret to creating a good dog is a simple formula; R+C+R+C=R. And what, might you ask, does this formula stand for? Is it scientific? Is it math? Does it make the magic powder that, when applied, creates a well behaved dog?

Unfortunately, it is a formula that requires work as, to my knowledge, there are no magic powders that have been developed (yet). The formula requires dedication, and diligence, but when applied, can help to achieve the dog that you’ve always wanted.

So what do the letters stand for? Well, they stand for four of the most important components to canine ownership.

I will go over them in order, and expand upon their meaning, so that you can start to implement the formula in your daily life with your dogs.

R – Relationship

You need to build a relationship with your dog, but this doesn’t mean constantly showering them with affection and attention. This means doing things with your dog, spending time with them in meaningful, constructive ways. Take your dog for a walk, or a hike, play fetch or tug with your dog, incorporate training in all aspects of their life, regardless of how you train or what methods that you use.  Work on engagement and focus skills, make yourself interesting and important for your dog. Teach your dog tricks, teach your dog to fetch you a beer or a bottle of wine. Spend time just being with your dog, even if it’s a lazy Sunday, and you’re watching a movie, or you just want to hang out on the park bench for a while and watch the seagulls fight amongst each other. Teach your dog that the relationship matters. If you don’t have a relationship, you will never move forward with training. With certain dogs, and certain temperaments, it may take a longer period to build that relationship. With other dogs, it takes all of 10 minutes to put the first blocks of the relationship together. What ever type of dog you have, keep at it, and keep at it for the rest of your dog’s life. Trust me, your dog will thank you.

C – Consistency

Consistency is something I tend to force feed my clients. If you are not consistent, your dog will not understand what is expected of him/her. This goes for both obedience training (or what ever type of training that you do with your dog) and every day life rules.

This first example is in regards to simple, every day life rules. If you allow your dog to jump on you when you’re wearing a shirt that you used to change the oil in your car, but then get mad at him/her for jumping on you while you’re wearing your fancy duds on the way out for dinner, and then go back to allowing jumping when you’re lounging around in your sweat suit after a hard day at work, you are being unclear and inconsistent. The dog doesn’t know the difference between your outfits, nor do they care if you are on your way out to impress your new lady or man friend. You are setting them up for failure and confusion by your inconsistency. If you do not want your dog to jump, do not allow it period, regardless of what you decide with be your outfit for the day.

This second example is in regards to obedience training. If you are working on the stay, for instance, and you are strict with your rules on Tuesday and require that your dog must wait for your release in order to get up, but for some reason, you are lax in your requirements on Wednesday, and allow the dog to decide when they will move from the stay, you are sending the wrong, unclear, inconsistent message. If you want your dog to have a solid stay, you must be consistent in the rules for your training, not wishy washy just because you don’t have the patience on a certain day, or the kids are demanding dinner while you practice, or your dog fetched you too many beers the night before. Be consistent and clear, that is the only way to be fair and ensure your dog will understand what is being asked of him/her.

R – Rules

Ah yes, the word that some shy away from and even revolt against. The word that “requires”. The word that creates order and clarity of behaviour. Rules for your dog are VERY important for them to become acceptable members of society. Sure, we can let dogs be dogs, but we can’t let them be dogs without some clear lines that they shouldn’t cross. If you make a rule, stick to it if you want your dog to follow it (remember, consistency). If you decide that you’d prefer your dog not be on the sofa, then make it a clear rule. If you’d prefer that your dog did not jump on guests (which is preferred), then be ready to enforce it. If you’ve decided that you’d rather your dog not fly out the front door every time it opens, make sure you make it very clear to your dog. If you want to teach the dog that it’s actually your house, and not theirs (no matter how much they try and convince you that they make the mortgage payments), require that your dog work for you. There is lot’s of other fair and clear rules that you can set in place to help your dog become the best they can be. Dogs like to know where they stand, and what they can and can not get away with, so help them understand by implementing rules that suit your lifestyle. Without rules, chaos ensues, and chaos breeds stress, fear, frustration and anxiety.

C – Consequences

Now, some will look at the above word and automatically think something negative. This is definitely not the case here. A consequence can be either negative or positive, depending on what you are trying to achieve. A positive consequence can be an addition of a reward, or removal of pressure. A negative consequence can be an addition of a correction or a removal of a reward. When teaching and working with your dog, there should be a balance of consequences, though not all dogs are alike or require the same type of consequences. Some dogs work better with addition of reward, others work better with removal of pressure, and others still will do great with both. There should be a consequence to your dogs behaviour, positive to increase the good things, and negative to decrease the not so good things. Some sort of consequence should be in place in order to clearly let the dog know that they are doing a great job, or that they are breaking one of your rules. If you have clear, consistent consequences your dogs will learn faster and achieve more understanding during their training and every day life.

R+C+R+C does equal something very important. It equals …

Respect

Now, respect must run both ways, dog to human, and human to dog, but if you apply the above, you will most certainly earn your dogs respect, and respect is what keeps a relationship healthy and thriving. Respect is also what keeps your dog following the rules and helps to maintain any training that you put in.

Simple stuff. And keep it simple. Don’t over complicate, be clear, be fair, be consistent and be present. I hope this helps you to enjoy your dog in a more meaningful, healthy way.

*Please note: this article should in no way replace proper training of your dog, and if you are experiencing any behavioural issues, please consult a professional in your area.

© Smart Dogs Canine Training 2015 – no part of this article can be reproduced without written permission