Calm Energy Dog Training

To Tyson

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:40:00 +0000

Last week I cried as a sweet, peaceful, loving dog stopped breathing in my arms. Then I cried tears of joy, as I watched him come back to life.

I'd traveled that day to Sheepshead Bay to work with a Presa Canario named Tyson. I approached this meeting cautiously: this "Canary" strain of Mastiff is notoriously one of the biggest and strongest; Tyson himself had had no prior training, and was unneutered. Add his cropped "fighting" ears to the picture and you've got one pretty reliable mugging-deterrant: I don't think the owner, Casey, has much to worry about walking with her pal through the city! As I often do for such sessions, I had the owner meet me outside with the dog on a leash in neutral territory. As soon as we started walking side-by-side, however, I saw instantly what a giant sweetie Tyson was. I took the leash, and as we walked he sniffed me and I rubbed his scruff. After a few attempts to dominantly mount my leg (I stepped forward, then rewarded him when he backed off and sat calmly and submissively), we gained a nice balance of trust and respect, and went off to work.

Tyson and Casey

Tyson was a super-quick learner! We practiced loose-leash walking; then passing, pack-walking near, and calmly meeting other dogs; then basic obedience and patience exercises like "place", down/stay, and release around city distractions. After a good 20 minute walk to a much more isolated section of the bay, we entered a tennis court to practice offleash heeling and recall ("come"). We practiced a joyous "fetch" routine: throw the ball, he runs and grabs it, "Come Tyson!", he comes running, "Drop it!", treat/praise/pet...repeat. Exhausting, fulfilling, fun, bonding and educational leadership: what could be better? All three of us were panting and smiling. I told Casey to continue while I sat on the sidelines and wrote a list of homework exercises for her to practice after I left.

After a minute I heard Casey shout, "What do I do?" I looked up and saw Tyson with his jaw wide open, looking like he was trying to cough. I jumped up and ran over, looked inside his mouth and saw the ball, halfway down Tyson's throat. I reached in, but between Tyson's bite reflex and the distance the ball had descended, I couldn't grab hold. He was retching more violently now, starting to foam at the mouth, walking backward as if trying to walk away from the ball. We were at least a half a mile from cars or other people, so there was no time to get him help. We had to help him right then and there. I grabbed all 114 pounds of him and did the doggy-Heimlich from two different positions. Both were, as I feared, ineffective, as Tyson was just too heavy and the ball was too firmly wedged.

When I set him down, he collapsed onto his side. His eyes were bulging. I tried to dislodge the ball - but have you ever tried to grab something out of the sink or from under the couch, and when you make a fist to pull it out, your hand won't fit back out? I knew we had minutes to spare, at most. Time stood still. I was sweating, praying, and, though I hadn't realized it, I was bleeding fairly seriously as a result of one of Tyson's bites. Casey was weeping: "I think he's dead!" He had evacuated his bowels, and hadn't breathed for minutes. He'd stopped biting me. His eyes stared straight ahead, straight into mine, mere inches away.

I started doing "mouth-to-snout" resuscitation, filling my lungs and then Tyson's, again and again. It gave me hope to see his chest swell as I tried to breathe my life into him. I would do three deep breaths, then chest compressions; then dig again at the ball, from inside as well as pressing on his throat from the outside, trying to squeeze the ball out like toothpaste from a tube. Deep breath; mouth-to-nose; chest compressions; dig and squeeze. After what was probably another minute, but seemed like an hour, the ball rolled...and popped loose. But Tyson still lay motionless. I pulled his tongue from his throat, making sure the airway was clear, and kept doing the CPR. Deep breath. Blow. Compressions. Please, please give me a sign. Breathe. Move. Anything.

I thought I saw an eyelid blink. Can blinking be a reflex, I wondered? Can you blink if you're dead? I kept working - and then saw both eyes blink. I paused, felt Tyson's nose. I felt a shallow breath of warm air on my frozen fingers. It was the most beautiful breath I've ever felt. I held my own breath, waiting to feel it again. He coughed, and let out an even bigger, fuller breath. And another. I sat back on my heels, let out my own breath; the world rushed into my senses again; I remembered where I was. Tyson was still too tired to lift his head. But his eyes peered around, searching for his mommy; finding her, and relaxing back in comfort. My eyes found Casey's as well: too much emotion to speak. We sat there in the gently falling snow for a few minutes, on opposite sides of Tyson's head, hunching over it as if kindling a fire. All three of us panting; two of us wiping our eyes, smiling from the pure release of stress, petting and talking nonsense in low tones to the dog.

"How's it going boy?" I asked, and scrubbed Tyson's chin. He sat up. Those eyes still staring into mine, as they'd been the whole time, he gave me a big, wet, sloppy kiss, right on the lips. Testing him, I got to my feet, and he followed. After a few wobbly steps he seemed right back to his goofy self. We knew he was okay when he bristled up at a passing dog, and pulled on the leash to chase a few birds. I walked Casey and Tyson home; and though it was difficult for me to say goodbye after all that had happened, Casey promised to take Tyson to the vet asap and I headed to the ER myself.

I got the typical antibiotics and a few stitches in my hand; one of Tyson's involuntary bites had severed some nerves in one of my fingers, but after some investigation the doctors determined there was no damage to the tendons. I'm not a stranger to the ER for dog bites, but this is the first time it had been for a good, positive, heartwarming reason. The doctors spread the story around the ER. "It's not often we hear a happy ending like that in here," said one. Casey thoughtfully texted me later to check up on me; then again the next day to say that the vet had given Tyson a clean bill of health.

Balls are similar size...

...but only one is squishy.

There are two big lessons I'm taking away from the day, that I want to spread here in case they help anyone avoid such a situation in the future. First of all, avoid playing with balls that can fit down the throat. We hear lots about the dangers of rawhides and chews, but balls and toys can be just as dangerous. And it may make things worse if the ball or toy is incompressible. The combination of not-quite-swallowable and too-rigid can create a perfect storm of Fetch. Even when using the common tennis ball, take care when playing with dogs with large heads, throats, or appetites.

The second lesson I want to impart is how important it is to read, learn, and practice CPR. Just reading the basics, even once, will leave something in the back of your mind that someday - hopefully never, but you never know - might help you save a life. For the basics, look for "CPR" or "emergency care" on any reliable website like ASPCA.org or petmd.com. In my hometown you can attend seminars and workshops on pet CPR offered by Brooklyn Bark dog walkers.

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After my stitches come out, the scar fades, and the numbness in my finger becomes second nature, I'll still think of you Tyson. I'm going to remember that day, and those eyes, for a long, long time.

Silly Or Anxious? Dog Emotions And Viral Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:19:00 +0000

Quite frequently, when someone shows me a "cute" animal video or photo on YouTube or Facebook, I don't react appropriately. Sometimes the clips or shots are funny, but often I interpret a sadder, more anxious, or more aggressive emotion beneath the surface.

This was certainly the case with the viral "guilty dog video". Same for many "smiling dog" clips and pics. I know nobody really thinks this is a "kiss" between the dog and dolphin, but what IS going on? I don't have the answer; but I don't know that it's any cuter than it is nervewracking. Moving entirely to other species, I was not at all convinced that this lion was trying to "hug" the human (what if the cage hadn't been there?)

Speaking of giant cats, if you saw Life Of Pi you probably remember Pi's father warning that "When you look into [an animal's] eyes, you see only your own emotions reflected back at you." Yet our visual reads of emotions, thoughts, and states of mind have to be mostly right most of the time, since that's the main way that we understand not only our dogs but also other members of our own species. Which begs the question: How can we know when our reads of another's underlying emotions based on physical, observable cues are correct, versus when they're mere wishful (or fearful) thinking - the product of us projecting our own emotions onto the subject?

I'll end by linking the photo gallery that inspired me to write this post. At the risk of asking an overly serious question about a gallery intended to be silly and lighthearted: In which photos are the dogs actually thinking or feeling something along the lines of what it looks like? Some are actually appropriately described, I think. Others, obviously, not so much; but for a curious variety of reasons. To my mind, it's good stuff to ponder, in an effort to better understand our dogs.

The Difference Between Aggressive and Assertive

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:34:00 +0000

In New York Magazine's blurb about Calm Energy Dog Training - under "Best Dog Trainer" in their "Best Of New York 2013" issue - they write

"Newman's approach [is to] reconcile being calm and aggressive at once."

If you know something about dog training, you can probably guess that I never said this. No doubt they were picking up on the phrase "calm and assertive" (not "aggressive") that I must have repeated several times during my interview.

No hard feelings - I know reporters are under deadlines, overloaded with projects, and often writing about fields in which they aren't themselves experts. But I wanted to clarify here that I do NOT encourage being, or ever try to be, aggressive with dogs. Assertive, yes; aggressive, no.

So what's the difference? What is "calm and assertive energy" anyway?

The famous phrase was coined by Cesar Millan, in his attempt to describe the proper energy and attitude of a good pack leader. I very much like the phrase "calm assertive energy", particularly the "calm" part: that's where I drew the name of my company from, Calm Energy Dog Training. Calmness is incompatible with many unbalanced and antisocial mental and emotional states: it is very difficult to be the way NYMag says I encourage being, namely both calm and aggressive at the same time. The same goes for being simultaneously calm and hyperactive, calm and anxious, calm and fearful, calm and mistrusting, calm and demanding, calm and impatient... and so on.

"Assertive" is less clear than "calm", and unfortunately assertiveness is often conflated with aggressiveness and other similar notions. Aggression connotes meanness, violence; an attempt to harm or intimidate. In sports, being the aggressor means trying to actively win, as opposed to simply keeping your opponent from winning. In a court of law, being the aggressor means being the one who started the fight, threw the first blow, drew first blood. Assertiveness implies none of these things - being violent, scary, hurtful, trying to win, starting a fight. In contrast, I think of "assertiveness" in the sense Millan means it as being a leader instead of a follower. Providing directions, showing the way, instead of being a sheep; being positively active instead of negatively reactive. In fact, because "assertive" often carries connotations of aggression, I prefer to say "calm leadership" instead of "calm and assertive".

At my cousin's recent Bat Mitzvah, the Rabbi said he wished for my cousin

".... what we wish for all children: to grow up to be strong, but not violent; gentle, but not weak."

I thought this captured a perfect description of calm assertive energy/calm leadership. Strength does not require violence: you can be both peaceful and strong at the same time, a pacifist who does not get beaten down or give up easily. And gentleness does not imply weakness: you can be gentle, caring, without being a wimp.

And THAT describes the kind of leader that your dog wants you to be.

"Best Dog Trainer" - New York Magazine, March 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:47:00 +0000

Extra! Extra!

For all you literate pups out there whom I've had the honor of working with, you can now thank your owners and brag to your friends that your trainer was voted "Best Dog Trainer" by NY Magazine, in their recent "Best Of New York 2013" issue!

(A shout-out to my Cavalier client Leo, who already posted on his Facebook page how proud he is. Heck, I'm proud that a dog I trained can use Facebook!)

I am honored and humbled by the title "Best Dog Trainer", as there are many excellent trainers in New York. My particular skill and experience lies in helping city dog owners teach their pets be calmer, happier, and more social. I see NY Mag's vote as a sign that I've helped hundreds of dogs and owners live happier lives together over the past several years.

I look forward to spreading even more calm energy in 2014.

Why Is My Dog Racist?

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:16:00 +0000

It's a phenomenon that people try to sweep under the rug, laugh off, or simply pretend isn't happening; then it gets whispered about in embarrassed tones afterward. Namely: your dog gets along just fine with other dogs, mailmen, skateboarders...then barks and lunges quite obviously at black or darker-skinned people. "My dog is racist!" is the embarrassing admission.

Is it possible for dogs to be racist? If so, why does it happen? And how can we stop it?

Gawker and Huffington Post recently contacted me to comment on this phenomenon. The above video clip from AOL/Huffpost Live is my opinion of the most important lesson to take away; if you've been keeping up with my blog posts you'll notice a similar theme to a lecture I gave recently at a FIDO/Brooklyn Bark seminar. Below are my full written thoughts that I submitted to the Gawker reporter for his article, covering a broader view of possible causes and other questions.

Of course this is a loaded and controversial topic. I welcome all thoughts and opinions, and I'd love to hear yours!

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"Why Is My Dog Racist?"

Anthony Newman, Calm Energy Dog Training

January 2013

THE QUESTION

First let's refine your question: 99% of people who say their dog is "racist" really mean their dog doesn't seem to like some dark-skinned people, e.g. african-american/black. Very few cases of dogs tending to dislike light-skinned people are reported - historically and in the literature, to the limited extent the issue has been researched; as well as in my experience working with over 800 different dog owners. There's even a historical case of an attempt to train army dogs to attack Japanese people, but after repeated efforts the dogs weren't able to reliably distinguish the race.

WHAT THE DOG IS THINKING

It is helpful to have a clear understanding of what a dog is trying to do when he barks/lunges at people in the way these owners' dogs do: they are trying to protect their pack, primarily their owners but also themselves, from a perceived threat, an outsider. Though no one really knows how exactly dogs began their domestication from wolves, the most plausible and best-evidenced story to my mind is that between 20-40 thousand years ago, wolves developed a symbiotic relationship with nomadic tribes of people: the wolves would guard the perimeter of the campfire, by howling and alerting the people to approaching predators and also scaring them off; and when the tribe picked up and left, the wolves reaped the spoils of leftover food and bones. Nowadays this behavior routinely manifests as barking at doorbells/knocks on the door (the doorbell is associated by experience with a stranger appearing; the dog barks both to alert and to protect), barking/lunging at dogs and other perceived threats that pass too closely on the sidewalk (the sidewalk forces approaching predators (i.e. other dogs) to walk in a straight line toward one another, which is an aggressive act in the canine world. Dogs making friends tend to approach in curved arcs, coming up from behind to sniff the rear end). Relevant to your question, this guarding/protection applies not only to interlopers but also to characters who don't fit in or appear importantly different from the rest of the dog's pack. This is a major reason dogs tend to hate mailmen (they carry big bulky bags), plumbers and workmen (they wear giant boots, clanky tool belts, and scary-looking hardhats). Notice that these differences aren't just noticeable, they're also important from a self-protection/safety perspective: the differences are loud, big, scary, threatening.

SOME ANSWERS

Which really leads us to the question: Why does it seem, anecdotally at least, that a noticeable number of dogs tend to perceive dark-skinned or black people as importantly different from the rest of their pack? The psychological concept of "mirroring" has been proposed before, and it certainly is a real phenomenon in dogs: mirroring means taking emotional and psychological cues from someone else, and dogs have evolved an amazingly empathetic capacity for this with their human owners. If you are tense, scared, or on edge, your dog will know it in a second - not only from your body language but also by the scent of your adrenaline and sweat - and will take this as a cue that there is something to be scared of. Perhaps the people who report "racist" dogs have similar (unconscious) thoughts of their own; the dog is simply physicalizing an emotion their owners are too civilized or intellectualized to show. Obviously there has been zero research or data to support this theory, but I do know that IF the owners of these dogs tend to notice skin color, their dogs will as well. A second reason, one that I've never seen explored, is that early dogs/domesticated wolves originated in lighter-skinned societies. Conflicting genetic and archaeological evidence suggests that dogs began to be domesticated in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. If during the formative times the indigenous peoples of those areas tended to be lighter skinned than african-americans, this might explain some tendency of modern dogs to perceive blacks as outsiders. This second theory, however, is controversial not only because of the speculative geography, but also because if you push the connection between dogs and wolves too far nowadays trainers get all in an uproar. Basically, although dogs were once wolves, the behavioral connections between the two species is hotly disputed and no doubt overemphasized (in particular with respect to "dominance"-related behaviors). Finally, a third undoubtedly relevant reason is that dogs are so visually oriented. Their primary means of communication among one another is by body language; a dog will tell another dog from far away what its mood is, whether it is calm or excited, wary or trusting, and so on by subtle positionings of the ears, tail, head, paws, and mouth. The "black/white" (dark/light) skin color distinction is certainly a visual one; so the fact that dogs can pick up on that while they might leave other racial distinctions aside is fairly predictable.

CAN IT BE FIXED?

This is the truly important question, and I give it a resounding "Yes!", based on years of experience training dogs out of protective/aggressive behaviors to every kind of perceived threat. The simple (though not necessarily easy) solution is "counterconditioning". I do this every day, with dogs of all shapes sizes breeds and sexes, who are fearful of and protective/aggressive toward men, other dogs, skateboards, plastic bags, buses, subway grates, leashes, veterinarians - you name it. The recipe is as follows:

1) Don't avoid behavior triggers! Avoidance at the very least postpones the problem (you cross to the other side of the street whenever a fluffy dog appears, or distract your dog by stuffing his mouth with treats until the dog passes); and at worst it reinforces/exacerbates it. Basically, your dog gets tense when it sees/senses the threat; you then make like a prisoner and bust; so the anxiety/protective reaction worked! As far as your dog can tell, his mental/emotional reaction caused the threat to disappear. Be certain he'll rely on it next time as well!

2) Disallow/correct the disrespectful and mistrusting behavior. A snap; a clap; "Hey!"; "Tsshh!"; blocking with your body; getting in the dog's visual field; backing him up; turning and walking the other way...these can all communicate to your dog that this behavior isn't admissible. A solid foundation in obedience training is essential for a dog to take these cues from his owner, as is consistent leadership - when you walk your dog, you should be the one leading the walk, not him. When he's in front, pulling on the leash, it's his prerogative as well as his responsibility (so the geometry tells him) to decide who is a threat and who isn't. When you're out in front, your dog obediently following, you'll be much more effective at stopping misbehavior before it erupts. Something not often noticed here is that fear behavior - like running away - is equally unacceptable and just as much part of the cause of protective aggression as barking/lunging toward the threat. Fight and flight are two heads of the same coin; neither is balanced, peaceful acceptance; and both should be discouraged.

3) Make the situation positive. This is the "counter" in "counterconditioning": we're taking a situation the dog is wary or scared of, and turning it into a calm, peaceful, happy, joyous, delicious, and fun experience! Treats are the obvious go-to here; but don't forget verbal praise, bellyrubs, running, playing, and sniffing.

UPSHOT

The big reason any dogs REMAIN "racist", no matter what initial cause of the behavior, is that not enough time is spent on counterconditioning. This is understandable for a number of reasons, probably top on the list being that most owners don't particularly want to go out and embarrass themselves and anger or annoy complete strangers by going out regularly every day and tracking down dark-skinned people their dog will react to and bark/lunge at. This is much easier when the dog is reactive to buses or skateboards; you're really not going to hurt the bus driver's feelings, or even the skating kids (I've always found them wonderfully helpful!); and our society as a whole doesn't tend to devalue and ostracize buses or skateboards the way we've been know to with melanin-rich citizens.

Fight Or Flight? Neither, Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 04:22:00 +0000

This past few weeks I've had several experiences involving the combination of dogs and fear.

Most of those experiences have involved fearful dogs ...

... and some have involved fear OF dogs.

Somewhat unsettlingly, a portion of that recent fear OF some dogs has been my own, not only my clients'.

I'll post about those latter experiences in a bit (once I re-settlle myself). For now it seems like a good time to post the notes from a talk I gave several months ago, at an event hosted by Brooklyn Bark and FIDO, on how to most therapeutically deal with fearful/anxious dogs.

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"Counterconditioning and the Flight Response"

Anthony Newman, Calm Energy Dog Training

FIDO Lecture, Brooklyn
6/14/12

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How many people here own fearful, or anxious dogs?

This is an are extremely common issue for dogs in a city environment.
Also one of my favorite issues to treat, because so many dogs can let go of their fear so quickly, if shown the way.

However, it is often untreated, or treated in my opinion improperly or inadequately. Because in deep anxiety or fear cases:

Luring w treats won't work - dog thinks "not time for food, daddy!"
Speaking verbal commands won't work either - can actually stress the dog out more, making them have to weigh a decision between being obedient to their owner's request and the very real presence of the frightening situation or thing in front of them.

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Ultimate goal shared by most trainers: countercondition.

Counterconditioning = conditioning the dog "counter" to their expectations.
They expect something bad to happen, thus the fear and anxiety; but something good happens instead. Treats, bellyrubs, play, run...

But before any of the rewards/positive reinforcement necessary for counterconditioning becomes possible, there's a step that I see as far too widely overlooked:

You have to stop the so-called "flight response".
Prevent / preempt / "correct" it.

You've heard of "fight or flight"?

A natural and historically advantageous reaction in periods of stress.
We all know to prevent a dog's fighting, i.e. aggression, because it harms other dogs or us in obvious, bloody ways.
Yet flight hurts the fearful dog herself just as much! She remains psychologically, emotionally, trapped in a jail of fear.
Even simply jumping, or pulling against the leash, counts in the relevant sense as flight behavior. As long as your dog is trying to get away.

Reason: flight/fear behavior is what I call "self-reinforcing".

Dogs that are allowed to consistently react fearfully will begin to rely on the fear behavior
They think it helped them, kept them safe.

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Examples.

Visitors: How many houses do I ring the doorbell of, and the dog is hiding when I arrive - under the kitchen table, or behind the couch.

This dog IS going to get treats, pets ... they ARE going to end up liking me, and I am eventually going to leave. These are all rewards. So if don’t go back and eliminate that flight behavior, the dog will think Thank God I did that! It was needed; rewarded, thus reinforced.
So first thing I do: go back outside, have owner leash the dog; then I re-enter, crouch and turn away non-confrontationally, so the dog can sniff me.
I get to try a little bellyrub, offer chicken ... we're off the the races.
Leash as an indoor tool, to stop flight and condition leadership. Can be latched to belt loop

Spiral staircase: Many recent instances! (Is this a Brooklyn thing? :)

Owners have tried luring with treats, calling “come!”; dog retreats. Again the fear will be reinforced.
Martingale collar is a great tool his, vs other collar-types. Won't slip off the neck of frightened dogs who startle, plant their feet, or try to wriggle out.
Get momentum, lead down the first step - then home free! Dog inevitably after that first step runs down after me, giant praise and biscuit at the bottom, then running back up and down, play with owner.

Rain walking: How many times have I heard "My dog hates the rain!"

Venture out, dog turns and pulls back inside.
What did they learn? "Thank God I was able to pull Mommy/Daddy and save them!"
Tool here is leadership - the walk. Bundle up in rain gear. Head to the park. Make it fun! Ball, frisbee, chicken.

Buses; skateboarders; garbage cans; vicious barking fenced dogs:

Be aware which side your pup pulls toward during the
If their direction is fear-induced (i.e. away from a trigger, not toward), pull back toward / in front of.
The importance of subtleties, inches. If it's relevant/important in your dog's mind, it's relevant and important even if it seems ridiculous to us!
E.g.: Fenced yard near my 18th St. dog run; my dogs know when we approach the vicious barking pack lunging against the fence that we're going to slow down, lie down, and get bellyrubs. They look at me like "Oh well here we go again! Daddy you better know what you're doing!" Then big happy release, all run to dog park.

In this last example the dogs learn two important things:

To relax and be calm, less fearful
To TRUST their leader. Condition this, then even when they ARE scared (e.g. fireworks, lightning, the vet) they’ll be calmer, more trusting, more relaxed.

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There is nothing more beautiful than watching a fearful or previously traumatized dog open up, start sniffing/playing/running acting like a dog should act.

To get there, a crucial but widely overlooked first step is to disallow the flight behavior.

Now it's time for me to flee the stage!

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Hey - I told you these were just notes. But I think the point is important.

The vast majority of so-called "aggression" in dogs is founded in fear. And rejection of the flight behavior is in my experience a vastly underappreciated and misunderstood therapeutic tool in fear cases.

Are Fearful Fido's Faculties Fatigued?

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:45:00 +0000

The New York Times recently published a fascinating article on a phenomenon called "decision fatigue". Scientific studies repeatedly back up the fairly commonsensical idea that being forced to make decisions - in particular when the chosen options demand exerting a certain amount of self-control - is an exhausting and stressful process. Making decisions makes us tired - and irritable.

The experiments, results, and implications in our everyday lives are both fascinating and troubling to read about. What struck me, however, was the relevance of decision fatigue to the world of dog training. Certainly, if humans suffer from decision fatigue, no doubt dogs do too; and and three consequences come to my mind.

The first is fairly common knowledge:

Don't overdo training sessions.

It is often said you should work on obedience commands and the like for no more than five or ten minutes at a time, no more than a few times each day. Dogs, much like kids, get tired in class quickly, and can lose focus and become irritable and distracted. If you can't get the dog to succeed, you can't reward him - which means he can't progress.

The second consequence is understood among trainers, yet needs to be paid more attention by many dog owners:

Obedience training is a fulfilling form of exercise.

I always say that physical exercise is just one of three types of exercise dogs need - the other two being social exercise (ever been too exhausted to go to that dinner party?) and mental. Dogs need to work out mentally just much as physically, in order to be relaxed, fulfilled, and emotionally balanced.

The third consequence of decision fatigue has to do in particular with fearful, anxious dogs. This is controversial, but I believe it soundly and I've seen it work miracles in numerous cases. Yet in my experience it is unrecognized by both trainers and dog owners in general:

Anxious/fearful dogs need leadership and assignments.

The idea is simple: if your dog is anxious, stressed, or afraid, putting them in a social position in which they are required to make more, rather than fewer, decisions, will generally do more harm than good. Tiptoeing around fearful dogs can trap them in their own anxiety; while strong, happy leadership can pull them right through, and out the other side.

I'll give three examples of this principle, applied to three common issues I've worked on with dozens of clients.

Leash-aggression
Many dogs that are entirely peaceful and social with other dogs off-leash can act aggressively when ON leash. The combination of causes vary from case to case; but one extremely common underlying feature is fear/anxiety.

When a fearful dog leads your walk, by pulling on the leash in front of you - instead of following on a loose leash behind you - he is in the natural position of the "pack leader" - literally, physically and geometrically the leader of your little social pack. Along with that position comes the role and responsibility of deciding who and what encountered along the way are threats, and who/what are friendly. Add decision-fatigue to a naturally anxious dog and it is unsurprising that more passers-by are deemed threats in this situation than in less stressful ones.

The solution is to keep your leash-aggressive dog behind you, in a follower position instead of leader. Deciding who is a threat, and who isn't, is then your role and responsibility, not your dog's. Not only can you decide differently; your dog will simultaneously become more relaxed as a result of not having to make those decisions in the first place - so when he is put back in that position, he'll tend to be a lot more peaceful.

Separation anxiety
Dogs that are over-attached to their owners - so-called "velcro" dogs - can whine, bark, howl, dig, chew, and even physically harm themselves when their owners leave them alone. (An unavoidable daily reality for most city dog owners.)

Again, no doubt a combination of psychological causes is in effect here. Including, most obviously, the dogs' desire to be with their owners. But also, plausibly: wondering if their owner needs them; believing that their owner forgot about them; unsure whether they were supposed to try and follow; and confusion over what to do now.

All of these can be eased by giving the anxious dog an assignment before leaving. I call it a "separation ritual": tell your dog what you want them to do - preferably something calming, peaceful, and enjoyable - e.g. "Go to your bed!", while leaving a chewy treat. Though much of this is part of the commonly recommended ritual among trainers, it differs drastically from the also-common (unfortunately in my opinion) prescription to distract the dog with a treat and "sneak out" before they figure out what's going on. Part of the reason I believe I've found the "assignment" approach to be so successful is that the dog learns he is not in control, not the one responsible for the important decisions that result in - or can reverse - the separation. Making fewer decisions means less decision-fatigue - and less anxiety.

Thunderstorms
Most dogs are afraid of thunder, many so severely that they tremble, shake, whine, and can cause themselves physical harm - or even suffer a heart-attack - during a storm.

I've found thunderstorm-phobia to be a more intractable problem than either of the two problems I just mentioned, I imagine at least in part due to the deep and innate nature of the fear. However, every ounce of the admittedly limited success I've found treating thunder-phobia has come from being a strong leader to the anxious dog and providing calming, consistent assignments. Again, "Go to your bed" is my standby here: the bed is calming, safe, and cozy.

A fearful dog won't initially want to go there during the trigger episode - whether assigned or not - but left to its own devices, the fear doesn't subside, it just builds as the dog paces, pants, and works himself into a lather. Consistent followthrough of the obedience assignment, on the other hand - followed by any and every reward the dog will accept - removes the dog's added stress of deciding what to do, how best to help him and you. The thunder will still be frightening, but a calmer base emotional state will be less affected by that fear.

____________________________

Any thoughts, opinions, or insights about decision-fatigue in dogs, or any of the other issues above? Let me know, I'd love to hear! - Anthony@calmenergydogtraining.com

Giving Thanks For Your Inner Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Over thanksgiving with lots of young'ns and furry'ns running about - the former creating messes in the kitchen, the latter lapping them up - I found myself pondering the two most thankful creatures I know: kids and dogs.

Sure, neither tends to say "Thank you!" without prompting; but both kids and dogs have a unique ability to truly appreciate and enjoy the littlest of gifts in the fullest of ways.

It occurred to me that just as people are said to have an "inner child", each of us has an "inner dog" as well. It's that part of you that sees the world around you as infinitely enjoyable. The part of you that sees every item around you as a new sort of toy or game. The part of you that is equally entertained by exploring under the couch, as exploring a mountain. The part of you that wants everyone in the room just to stay put and cuddle, because you know that's really all that matters. The part of you that wants to leap up and smother your loved ones with kisses whenever they come through the door, even if they were only gone for sixty seconds taking out the garbage - because you know there's nobody else in the world more perfect than them; never has been, never will be.

Our inner dogs can't come out and play all the time; that probably wouldn't do anyone much good. I doubt if many Wall Street traders or prosecuting attorneys could get much work done thinking and feeling in the ways I just painted above. But at least sometimes, probably every day, we need to let our inner dogs out, take them for a walk and follow their noses. See where they go, what they do; follow their lead for a change.

Sometimes it helps to have an outer dog, to remind us what our inner dog is seeing, thinking, and feeling. No doubt that is one reason we have and love dogs: to wake up our own inner dog, so he can have someone to play with.

So let's give thanks to all of our dogs - outer and inner!

Leash Laws: A Better Version!

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:17:00 +0000

"All Dogs Must Be Kept On Leash"

Most towns in the U.S. have "leash laws", restricting the places and times that dogs and other pets can be off-leash in public areas such as parks and sidewalks.

The other day I heard Cesar Millan say something about leash laws that rang so true to me it made me smile, and I wanted to share the thought here:

Leash laws require people to keep their dogs on leash when walking them outside. If only there were laws requiring people to leash up and walk their dogs in the first place!

What a beautiful reinterpretation of the leash law that would be! "All dogs must be on leash" would then mean ALL OWNERS MUST WALK THEIR DOGS, EVERY DAY! It constantly amazes me how many homes I visit where the dog is being treated more like a houseplant than an animal with physical, psychological, and social needs. Dogs didin't invent apartment buildings, we did; and if you want your dog to enjoy your home with you, you have to take the time and energy to give him what he physiologically needs every day to sleep a peaceful night.

So how much walking SHOULD you do with your dog? Almost all new dog owners ask me, "What is the minimum?" First of all, every breed is different, and in fact every individual of every breed. But in general, I recommend my

"3 by 30" rule:

A typical dog should get at least three walks a day, at least thirty minutes each, at least one of which includes offleash playtime with other dogs.

Of course, this is just a minimum: the more walking - and exercise and socialization in general - the better. It's pretty hard to overtire a dog, and even harder to oversocialize them; as I say, your dog would love it if you were to just set up camp in the dog park and sleep under the bench there.

Sound stressful? Try incorporating your daily chores into planned walks: take your dog with you when you need to drop off the drycleaning, or stop by the corner store, or drop off packages to mail. Take them with you when you go to the local dog-friendly cafe, and take care of unfinished emails and return phone calls while your dog romps around at the dog park.

Sure, some snub-nosed pups and older dogs can tire out more quickly, especially in the heat of the summer, so care should be taken in those situations. But most dogs, especially in the city, are under-exercised and undersocialized, and walks can help with both of these.

When done properly, a good walk also teaches your dog that "following the lead" of their mommy and daddy is a wonderful thing - it leads to all the delicious-smelling, fun places out in the world!

So respect leash laws. Not just the one saying your dog has to be on leash in public; also the unwritten one saying to get off your butt and start walking!

Revenge Peeing: Fact Or Fiction?

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:20:00 +0000

I've heard this a lot recently:

My dog pees/poos in the house just to get back at me! He knows he's supposed to do it outside. He knows I hate it. He does it purposely, out of revenge! What a jerk!

It is the easiest thing in the world to get frustrated at our dogs sometimes: they are domesticated wolves, after all, who we try to fit in to our well-manicured apartments and lives. And to make the learning curve even more difficult, we don't speak the same language that dogs do!

But anger and frustration will rarely help your dog learn to trust, respect, understand, obey, and love you. So it should help to know that dogs don't EVER mess the house out of "revenge", to "get back at" you, or to make you mad! This includes not only peeing and pooing, but even digging, chewing, and shredding things.

First of all, remember that DOGS LIKE pee and poo! They love the smell. It tells them everything about where dogs have been, what they've eaten, their physical conditions, even their moods. Smelling messes is like us reading a book or watching a movie! As I like to put it: when your dog messes in your house, if he's doing anything at all intentional with you in mind, he's leaving you a gift! This might be hard to conceive, but try. We'll never be able to live harmoniously with our dogs if we can't learn to see the world through their eyes (and noses :).

What about the reasons people give that prove their dogs are devious and vengeful?

- "He knows he's supposed to do it outside!"
Yes, he knows outdoors is where lots of other dogs do it, and hopefully he's never been punished for doing it out there (and instead been rewarded). But this doesn't mean he knows he SHOULDN'T to do it INSIDE!

- "He knows it makes me angry!"
There has been excellent recent research on "the guilty look" in dogs. Basically, dogs know when you're angry or upset. They can even learn that you tend to get upset when certain things are around - like pee or poo in the house. What they DON'T learn is that you're upset that THEY MADE those things! They don't associate themselves, their previous actions, with the product.

- "He purposely does it in the worse places!"
Dogs innately abstain from messing where they eat and sleep. When we exclude our dogs from certain areas - like our bedrooms, or living rooms with expensive oriental rugs - they're much more likely to go mess in there when left on their own, if they have the chance. Also, if your dog is "marking" - putting his (or even her) scent on things to "claim" them, he'll tend to do it on things that smell like you (your clothes, bed, etc.) A neat housebreaking tip is to feed your dog wherever they tend to mess - e.g. actually put the food right down on the rug itself, no bowl.

So what are the real reasons your dog still messes inside even after so much training? The three most likely causes are:

anxiety
boredom
excess physical energy

- or all of the above.

So instead of getting frustrated next time your dog messes, take him for a long walk to the dog park, and get him running and playing offleash with other dogs.

I guarantee your pup isn't trying to "get back at you" for anything. If anything, he thinks he's giving you a gift. Though sometimes he doesn't understand why you get so angry, in his mind you guys are besties till the end!

Training Calmness

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:50:00 +0000

"Why are other dogs splashing in my bath?"

And now for a report long overdue ...

The Calm Energy clan had an awesome funny & sunny time at Brooklyn Bark's 2012 "People & Dog Barbecue & Swim"!

We ate, we threw Kongs, we got licked, we ate more, we shooed dogs out of the humous, we talked, we ate more, we threw frisbees...

...and even learned a little! First James Morrissey pet photographer gave tips and tricks on taking good pics of your pups. I followed him with a talk on how to train your dog to be calm.

Watch a fun montage of photos from the day! (Thanks Sean Sullivan :)

Below are the notes on which I based my talk, titled "Training Calmness". Enjoy!

__________________________________________

Training Calmness

PB&DS 2012

Calmness is key to peaceful, social, balanced, problem-free behavior.
Calmness is largely incompatible with problem mindsets or behaviors such as:

Anxiety (e.g. separation anxiety)
Fear (e.g. of skateboards, or in the car)
Aggression (dog-dog, dog-people)

The "How":

How to treat: Dog must never snatch from your hand, jump, or even approach, but instead must take treat calmly, allowing your hand to reach all the way to his mouth while he remains sitting/lying down, doing whatever he was previously doing.
Long low tones for praise, acknowledgement of good behavior, "marking" the good behavior. Remember that exciting praise, stimulating pets, play or treats can reward the resulting excited mindset.
Calm or what I call "long" rewards: rawhides, stuffed Kongs, slow bellyrubs, walks. Remember edible treats aren't the only form of positive reinforcement!

The "When":

Never give treats when dog is jumping, whining, barking, lunging, pulling, or otherwise exhibiting overexcited "demand behavior", or you will reinforce that. Instead reward calm, peaceful, non-anxious, non-demanding behaviors (catch them off-guard). A side effect is that they learn to trust, the world becomes a delicious giving source of free happiness instead of them having to crave, demand, and fight for what they want.
Standing > sitting > lying > "flat". Progression of increasingly calming body positions. ("Flat" = over, on the side, belly up, etc.)

Helpful exercise: Practice "ramping up" your dog's energy, then turning it off and calming; repeat. E.g. tug-o-war (don't worry it's ok!), then "Leave it!" or "Drop it!", lie down, calm...then reward again with the game. Balls, frisbee, all the same. Get calmness, then reward with excitement, and repeat.

__________________________________________

Ready, Set ... Train!

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:24:00 +0000

Well it's the end of another summer, which for me means the beginning of obedience class - and time to get sharing and connecting again!

Which seems like a good time to answer a question I've gotten a lot the past few weeks:

At what age should I start training my dog?

The answer is easy: The day you get him!

Dogs are always learning. "How do I get what I want?" they're constantly asking. When you first meet them, if they jump up on you and you pet them, they've just learned that jumping up gets a reward. If instead you wait for them to sit or lie down and relax, and then pet them, they've just learned that jumping doesn't get the reward, but relaxing and respecting your space does.

Sure, very young puppies don't have good ability to understand or focus on complex verbal cues. However, dogs' first language isn't English, or even any spoken language. Their first language is physical: touch, use of body space, and body language. Even before a dog can understand commands like "Sit" and "Stay", they are fully aware of their body position, proximity to others, and overall energy. In fact, before they can learn to sit and stay, not only can they learn other lessons - like relaxing, being calm, having social manners, being respectful of space, being patient, and being trusting and vulnerable - but they are learning these things! So if you aren't purposely reinforcing calmness, manners, respect, patience, and trust from the very day you first meet your pup, then you very likely are unintentionally teaching hyperactivity, disobedience, disrespect, impatience, and fear/anxiety.

So start training NOW! (In fact if you can find a time machine, go back in time and start then!) Because whether you know it or not, you are already training, constantly and with every interaction. Might as well do it consciously, purposefully, with a consistent plan and explicit goals.

As a final thought, this touches on a related question:

How frequently should we practice training?

By now my answer should be fairly obvious: since you're teaching your pup with every interaction, there really is no time you aren't training. To help you do things more consciously, my rule of thumb is: anytime your pup wants something (a walk, food, bellyrub, up on the bed, play with friends, go outside), have them do something for it (sit, lie down, come).

Speaking of which, I just sat down. Time for my ice-cream.

The Dog's Diary - Insight Into A Dog's Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:06:00 +0000

You've probably already seen this hilarious guess at what dogs and cats are thinking. (It went viral recently on Facebook, and if you don't have a Facebook account then you probably don't have electricity.)

It is funny - but as they say, "funny because it's true". Because beneath the humor lies what I consider to be a deep and important insight (at least on the dog's side): a dog's life is basically, naturally, endlessly, and inevitably filled with positive reinforcement. Though of course there are tragic cases of abused pets, fighters, breeders, and others who might not live quite such joyous lives, most of the pets we know certainly do. Even the most mundane activities, your dog enjoys. He never gets sick of the same old food, the same old walk, the same old bush to pee on, or the same old dog bed. Waiting for these things and anticipating them is even fun. And napping afterward is fun again. Then wake up...and do it all over again.

The reason this is important to realize is that it makes clear what I consider one of the fundamental principles of dog behavior training:

In order to stop a dog's bad behavior from being reinforced and continuing, you must stop it from occurring in the first place.

Why? Because whatever your dog does, normally does succeed in leading to lots of awesome rewards! And so it will be reinforced.

Example 1: Your dog whines, howls, barks, scratches at the door, and chews the rug up when you leave. What's the result? Most important to him, eventually you return! He has a great walk, delicious dinner...so next time you leave, he's all the more likely to repeat that behavior.

Example 2: Your dog barks ferociously and lunges at the end of the leash when you pass other dogs on the sidewalk. What's the result? Far more often than not, owners pull their dogs away and quickly continue on or rush away down the side street. From your dog's perspective at least, the aggression worked! He aggresses, and his "enemy" disappears! Better be sure to bark louder and lunge all the harder at whatever poor pup passes next.

Example 3: Your puppy jumps up excitedly (and undeniably cutely) all over you while you prepare his dinner. The result? He gets fed! Be certain he will continue to jump, bark, and nip for food, and he'll soon extend that behavior to anything else he wants. Because his behavior succeeds at getting him what he wants, you are teaching your dog to be demanding, dominant, hyperactive, and impatient.

Alternatively, in Example 1 you begin practicing small exercises of making your dog calm and comfortable when you leave and returning before his anxiety can escalate. In Example 2 you turn the other dog's presence into a positive experience by taking calm control of your dog on leash and have him either walk calmly, sit and relax, or nibble treats when the stranger dog passes. In Example 3 you back your puppy up and make him wait calmly and quietly on his bed, out of the kitchen while you prepare his dinner. In each case, the heaping rewards that soon follow reinforce the calm, peaceful, respectful, obedient, patient behavior instead of the anxious, demanding, dominant, aggressive kind. So that's what you're going to get more of.

This may sound like a sort of "Catch 22", in that I'm making the remarkably vacuous assertion that in order to stop a certain behavior, you must stop it. DUH! The question, one might rightly insist, is "How?" That's why we hire trainers in the first place - not to tell us TO stop our dogs' barking, whining, lunging, misbehaving, but to tell us HOW to stop it. Point taken; I am not telling you how in particular to stop these behaviors. And in fact the "how" differs from behavior to behavior, as well as from dog to dog and owner to owner. Sometimes a clap; a snap; a stomp; a hand gesture; distracting and redirecting with treats or other rewards; a movement or block of the body; a tap on the leash; a click of the tongue; a verbal command. The important point that I want to stress here is that in order to stop bad behavior in the long term, the most important principle is to prevent it from occurring right now, right here - though the "how" will vary case to case. Preventing bad behavior will always be more effective than allowing it to occur and then administering time-outs or any other punishment after the fact. And bad behavior certainly won't just "fade away" on its own - as so many dog owners realize later was mere wishful thinking.

The good news is that because of the "Your dog's life is positive reinforcement" principle, illustrated by the above imaginary diaries, your dog's good behaviors can be reinforced just as easily as his bad ones. Yes, if you allow your dog to do bad stuff, he'll learn to keep doing it more and more. But on the flip side, if you keep him from doing bad, the good alternatives will be reinforced - so you'll eventually start to get more and more of the calm, happy, peaceful, obedient behavior you want. Without even having to ask for it!

Fun At Career Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Last week I had the privilege of visiting PS273 in Brooklyn (grades K-5) on Career Day. Bunches of volunteers from various professions rotated from class to class talking to and taking questions from students. I talked about what it's like to be a dog trainer and how we can help make dogs happier - and vice-versa.

Studying the breeds

First let me say, what an amazing school! Neat, clean, jam-packed with books and labs and learning materials, the walls of every hallway papered with colorful, fun, and educational projects made by the students. I learned so much just walking down every hallway! The faculty, from staff to teachers in every grade, seemed committed, kind, knowledgeable, caring, and incredibly talented. I've seen many schools - public, private and in many states - and this one stands out. I felt honored to be able to contribute to this institution and hopefully give something memorable to the lucky children who go there.

Dog's-eye view!

When I showed up, however, I must admit I was instantly intimidated by the firefighter in full uniform - complete with oxygen tanks - and military official in army boots and fatigues. Who the heck is gonna want to listen to a lil' dog trainer in a "Calm Energy" shirt next to all of that! :)

But my fears quickly subsided as I was warmly welcomed by the faculty, and the kids were upbeat, interested, and loved learning and talking about dogs.

I kicked off by passing around photocopied lists with pictures of of the AKC's recognized breeds, by category: Sporting Breeds, Herding Breeds, Working Breeds...etc. No other species exhibits such physical and psychological diversity.

Next came trying to get into the mind of a dog - what is the world like from their perspective? My method here was to get the kids to act like dogs. Perhaps because of this, I will never receive a NYC teacher certification. But they had fun! They crawled, barked, and panted - and even raised their paws then they wanted something.

Hold out your hand out toward a dog
palm up or palm down?

Following in the footsteps of one of my own teachers Renee Payne (author of a children's educational book about dogs, Be A Dog's Best Friend), I spent a good amount of time helping the kids learn to read dogs' body language and also how to communicate and approach them in a non-threatening way. The theme was that most dogs are far more afraid of you then you are of them - so it helps to be calm and gentle.

Among the questions we discussed:
Should you....

run excitedly toward a dog, or walk slowly and calmly?
approach facing forward, or sideways?

Should you approach a dog head-on?

pet on top of the head, or under the chin?

... or sideways?

Should you pet on top of the head?

The kids asked wonderfully insightful and interesting questions during the Q&A period. Why do dogs bark? Why are some dogs so small? Can they really smell fear? How fast can they run? What is training? How do you train a dog?

Obviously some of these latter questions couldn't be answered so easily. Which is one of the reasons I love teaching in general, and in particular talking to children: needing to boil ideas down to their simplest core and explain them in as few key points as possible is an invaluable tool in gaining an understanding of the concepts ourselves.

... or under the chin?

I made sure to put in some plugs for the need to adopt instead of buy - the consequences of buying from puppy mills, and how many loving dogs are always in need of good homes.

Thanks to everyone at PS273 for an amazing experience that I feel lucky to have been a part of.

I'll definitely be back next year!

Q&A

Some raised their paws before asking a question!

Warm fuzzies. More important to me than my Ph.D.

Why Do Dogs Do This?

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:12:00 +0000

It's been a joy writing my "Dog Collar Round-Up", finally putting in print my answers to one of the most common questions I get from dog owners: "What kind of collar should I use?" But I'm glad to be done with the list because so many other things have built up that I can't wait to blog about!

I'll start off with a new question for you:

Why do dogs drop tennis balls, Kongs, Cuz's,

and other toys into water bowls and puddles?

Don't know what I'm talking about? Here's a pic from my recent visit to the dog park:

Mmm ... tennis-ball soup!

Yeah yeah, gross ... I know. C'mon, they're dogs! My question is "Why?"

Is it to give the balls a wash? That's certainly the most common description of the behavior that I hear tossed around at dog parks.

Monkey dips it, but never lets it go

Maybe - but they certainly don't seem to mind using water that's less than sparkling clean! Also, they don't swish the balls around, but most often just drop them in and then either hover over them, plucking them out when any other dog comes near, or just trot away and leave them there to soak.

Could it be a remnant of food-preparation behavior, behavior designed to soak and soften food before eating it?

I know my dogs prefer their kibble soaked in a splash of water, adding a sort of gravy to their meal. However I doubt this, because dogs descended from carnivores - wolves - and I've never heard of soaking meat as a means of preparing it to eat.

Turtle seems proud of his achievement.

A theory that makes a more sense to me is that they are doing what is called "caching". Non-domesticated animals such as cheetahs, squirrels, and wolves cache the remains of their meal after they've eater their fill, normally by burying it or stashing it in a tree. Caching a slab of meat underwater could serve two simultaneous purposes: if the water is cold, it could preserve the meat for a short period of time by acting as a makeshift refrigerator; and at the same time it could hide the scent of the meat, keeping it from being tracked and eaten by nearby prey. This explanation makes more sense of the way dogs at dog parks hover over the water bowl after dropping the ingredients into their soup.

I'm hoping that using the scientific technical terminology will make my theory sound more legit. :)

Anyone have any other ideas or thoughts?

Or at least a dry towel I can borrow?

Dog Collar Round-Up, Part V: The Glorious Martingale

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:22:00 +0000

Ok, really it's just called a "Martingale" collar - the "glorious" part was added by me. Because I love and use this type of collar so much!

A Martingale is worn around the neck like a traditional flat-buckle collar, but unlike the traditional kind you have to put it on by slipping it over the dog's head - since it doesn't normally have a clasp that you can unlink to turn it into a flat strip. The leash attaches to the ring that's linked to the little of the two loops.

The two clips shouldn't touch when pulled

Because you have to slip it over the dog's head, a Martingale collar normally needs to be tightened up after it is put on. The correct fit is loose enough so you can still fit several fingers between the collar and the dog's neck - which is much looser than a traditional collar - but tight enough so that when you pull the leash, the two rings attached to the larger loop shouldn't pull all the way together and touch. Pictured here is a proper fit: the rings pull closer together but only about halfway.

The Martingale collar was originally designed for dogs with little heads and thick necks - like Greyhounds - so that it won't slip off the dog's neck. But its uses and benefits are more than just for dogs with small heads.

Partial chain Martingale

First of all, because it tightens up when pulled like a slip/choke collar, it can be worn very loosely without slipping off. This makes it more comfortable for many dogs to wear.

Yet unlike a slip/choke, if sized correctly a Martingalge won't actually choke the dog. Slip/chokes tighten like a noose and can be dangerous if the dog is running or left unattended; the Martingale doesn't run this risk.

Additionally, unlike a traditional collar that pulls on the dog's neck in only one direction - usually up against the trachea - the Martingale closes tight like it is gripping the dog's neck all around. This makes for a safer, kinder, and gentler communication via leash-tug that the dog can feel more quickly. It is also safer for little dogs with delicate or weak necks, as the pressure is distributed around the entire neck. And I also believe that by gripping the neck all around the Martingale more closely mimics the sensation of being picked up by the mouth of the mommy dog (they'll often pick their young puppies up by the scruff of the neck). So the communication is felt on a more innate level and most dogs are more responsive to it.

An upside of the Martingale that's minor but deserves mentioning is that unlike the E-Z Walk Harness, the Gentle Leader, and other patented brands, "Martingale" refers merely to that unpatented shape and construction of collar, and so comes in a zillion colors, patterns, materials, and varieties. Whereas the patented systems only come in black, red, and maybe a few other colors, you can find a Martingale that suits you and your stylish pup to a T. I should note here that the addition of chain link to the top ring of the collar isn't just an aesthetic choice and is something I generally recommend avoiding, as it makes the tightening of the collar slower and more cumbersome. Most of the Martingales available in retail stores seem to have that chain link (see above pic), but if you search online you can find pure fabric or leather Martingales in just about any design you can imagine.

The most important use of the Martingale in my experience has been when dealing with fearful, anxious, or mistrusting dogs that pull and wriggle away from people, other dogs, or things like buses and skateboards. If your dog slips out of his collar it is not only disastrously unsafe, it means you can't provide positive counterconditioning therapy for the dog to help him ease through his fears. Also I've noticed that with fearful dogs who plant their feet on a walk or when confronted with one of their fear triggers, pulling on a harness only makes them resist and plant their feet more strongly - while if you gently pull the neck, it pulls the head forward and the body and mind relax and follow.

The only real downside to the Martingale is that it is not the ideal collar for all dogs. For some reason most of the Dobermans I've worked with - maybe because of their gangly long necks? - have continued to pull on leash with the Martingale and we saw a drastic improvement with the front-clip (E-Z Walk) harness. But in general this is the collar I slip on a dog and recommend as the starting point, to begin training and assess his responsiveness and special needs. If more control is needed we move to the Gentle Leader; if pulling is the dog's only issue we move to the E-Z Walk Harness; and so on.

So here's the recap of my favorite collar, the Martingale:

Pros

Can be worn all day, loosely and comfortably
Won't slip off the dog's neck when pulled
Scared dogs can't wriggle out of it
Can pull a dog forward "through" its fear
Makes for kinder, gentler communication through the leash
Safer for the neck and trachea
Dogs respond more innately to the gripping sensation

Cons

Not as supremely safe for running or offleash play as a harness
Not as much control over the head as a head halter
Some dogs (especially those with long necks) pull against it.

Overview: The Martingale is my go-to collar, what I love introducing new dog owners to. It is a nice balance of giving the dog comfort and freedom while giving the handler control and power. It can sit idly as just a pretty collar that holds the dog's tags if your dog is a well-behaved couch potato, or it can become a powerful training tool for fearful dogs, hyperactive dogs, and even aggressive dogs. It isn't perfect for dogs with extreme aggression quickly triggered by other dogs or people, nor for dogs that pull incessantly on the leash. But otherwise, or if you don't know yet where your dog falls in these categories, the Martingale is a great place to start.

__________________________

I hope you've enjoyed my "round-up" of the many collar and leash systems out there on the market today. Hit me back with any and all comments, questions, or anything I've forgotten or missed. And no matter what, keep on walkin'!

Dog Collar Round-Up, Part IV: The Gentle Leader Head Halter

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Dogs can still pant, drink, and play ball

The "Gentle Leader" is one of the most popular forms of head-halter. (Other versions include the Halti and the Canny Collar; most of the points I make here about the Gentle Leader apply to them as well.) A head-halter slips over the dog's nose, allowing the leash to lead and control the dog's head itself instead of just the neck (as in a neck-collar) or the shoulders (as in a harness).

When I first began training dogs, I was not a big fan of the Gentle Leader. I thought (as I still do) that it is overly-hyped as being the "humane" way to control your dog. Many dogs just don't like wearing it and struggle to get it off; what is "humane" about that? I also disliked the lack of freedom it gives dogs, as giving them freedom to make mistakes is an essential part of rehabilitating their behavior by correcting it, redirecting to acceptable, peaceful behaviors, and rewarding the change.

However, after working over the past several years with closing in on five hundred dogs of all sizes, breeds, temperaments, and behavior issues, I've come to rely on the Gentle Leader as an essential tool that I always carry with me in my bag of tricks. It is not the standard "go-to" collar that I recommend for most dogs with typical issues (like pent-up energy, over-playfulness, not listening, barking, jumping up, or fear/anxiety); but there are a handful of dogs I've found for whom the Gentle Leader is a godsend: nothing else will work, whereas the Gentle Leader allows amazing control, progress, and therapy.

The cases in which I rely on a Gentle Leader involve dogs who pose real and sudden danger to other dogs, people, or the handler/walker him/herself. First of all the Gentle Leader gives the handler control over the dog's head, and even mouth, by essentially leading it around by the nose. Many dogs will simply stop lunging and snapping at all, when the Gentle Leader is on; and if they ever begin to lunge or snap, there is almost no risk of them making contact and causing damage. All it takes is a quick gentle pull away, and the dog's mouth closes and head is steered clear of the target.

The second benefit of the Gentle Leader is in the positive, rehabilitative therapy it can provide if used int the context of an intelligent training plan. Aggressive dogs will almost all benefit from the twin medicines of desensitization and counterconditioning (the first means being around enough dogs/kids until your dog gets used to them; the second means turning what your dog expects to be an anxiety- or aggression-producing situation into a relaxing, enjoyable, fun, delicious one). But if your dog is a safety risk, you can't get close enough to his "triggers" to desensitize and counter condition. Welcome the Gentle Leader. Now even fairly inexperienced and anxious handlers can have enough control over their dogs to safely get close to triggers, which gives them the opportunity (if used properly in tandem with other tools like treats, balls, toys, bellyrubs, clicker, etc.) to show their dogs a new, happier way of interacting.

If your dog doesn't have these major sorts of issues, you can still use the Gentle Leader but I don't encourage it. First of all, as I said before, many dogs just don't like the feel of something strapped to and pulling on their nose. Why subject a dog to this who isn't a safety risk and can be perfectly well controlled with less invasive apparatus? Second, a truly well-behaved dog is one who follows the owner's lead and stays out of trouble not because he's being pulled by the nose, but because he's LEARNED to behave that way, and likes it. If you always lead your dog around by the nose, your dog won't get into any trouble - but also won't learn NOT to. Then you aren't likely to have much control over him once you pop off the leash, say in a dog park.

So my overview of the Gentle Leader Head Halter (and other similar head halters/collars):

Pros

Gives handler great control over dog's head and mouth
Allows handler to avoid dangerous situations
Allows for safe rehabilitative desensitization and counterconditioning

Cons

Can be uncomfortable to wear
Doesn't give a dog much freedom to learn off-leash obedience

In short, try the Gentle Leader if your dog has ever drawn blood on another dog or person, or if you are scared of him lunging or snapping at dogs, people, or anything else. Make sure your dog doesn't hate wearing it (you can use positive reinforcement to help this), and call a professional to help guide you in using the Gentle Leader in therapeutic situations to help your dog become more peaceful and social.

Next installment (part V): The Glorious Martingale!

Dog Collar Round-Up, Part III: Slip/Choke and Prong Collars

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Fabric slip collar

Slip collars, or "chokers", are a standard of "old-school" dog training. They are so-called because the collar passes through its own loop and "slips" into a tighter position when either the dog pulls or the handler pulls on the leash - thus "choking" the dog.

I prefer the term "slip" because "choke" has bad connotations (intentionally so, by detractors); and although it can be a dangerous collar and must be used with care, there are situations and dogs that benefit from it.

First of all, unlike non-slip neck-collars, these can be worn relatively loosely around the neck without fear of the dog slipping out. If your dog is a lunger, or spooks at noises, he can slip free from traditional collars and harnesses, whereas the slip will close tight around the neck making that much less likely.

Slip chain

The other benefit is the effectiveness of the slip in communicating a "correction" to your dog. I don't particularly like the term "correction", as that connotes a kind of punishment that isn't necessary; I call a quick light tug on the leash that taps the dog's neck - just like tapping a friend on the shoulder - a "communication". Slips are particularly effective in helping you communicate to your dog via the leash because they grip the neck, simulating a quick bite that another dog might give to "correct" unbalanced, anxious, or aggressive behavior.

Communicating with leash-tugs to your dog can snap him out of a dangerous mindset that isn't focused on you - e.g. when he sees a squirrel, another dog, or a wayward chicken bone. With proper redirection and reward, this type of communication can be a crucial part in training a peaceful, happy, and obedient dog.

The big bad prong collar

A variant of the fabric slip collar is the slip chain, pictured on the right. The chain offers a firmer tug and is generally sturdier, so suitable for bigger, tougher dogs like pits and shepherds. Some owners also find that their dog responds to the sound the sliding chain makes, and that helps provide control. However, I find that the chain doesn't respond as quickly to a tug since the links have to "chunk-chunk" over one another before tightening; and correct timing is essential when communicating with your dog for training purposes.

An even more extreme version of the slip chain is the prong collar, pictured here. The idea of the prongs is that they act like teeth, even more realistically simulating a dog's bite and so providing more intense correction (here you can genuinely call it that). Some owners of big tough dogs find great success with these. However even more care must be taken when using them, as they are even more dangerous than the non-pronged version. Not only can the dog choke, now the neck can actually be punctured if he lunges or pulls quickly or strongly enough.

So here's the scoop for slip/choke and prong collars:

Pros

Can be worn loosely without slipping off over the head
Ideal for communicating to the dog with a leash-tug

Cons

Dangerous and potentially harmful to the neck or trachea of small dogs
Dangerous to all dogs if they pull, lunge, jump, or run
Chains, and especially prongs, are even more risky

Overview: If you find no alternative other than a slip/choke or prong collar works to control your beast, be extremely careful and use it as gently as possible. Also never leave your dog wearing one unattended, whether leashed or not. In most cases, however, you should be able to find a less dangerous alternative that works just as well with proper care and training.

Next installment (part IV): The Gentle Leader Head-Halter

Dog Collar Round-Up, Part II: The Front-Clip Harness

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:08:00 +0000

Front-Clip Harness

The next dog walking system I want to review is a current favorite among dog trainers: the front-clip harness.

Like the traditional harness, the front-clip harness fits around the shoulders, front legs, and over the back of the dog. Unlike the traditional version however, the leash doesn't attach above the dog's shoulders, but instead under the neck, in front of and between the shoulders. Therefore also like the traditional harness, this version is comfortable for the dog to wear and is a matter of health and safety for dogs with a delicate or injured neck, back, or trachea - because again pressure is applied only to the strongest parts of the dog's body.

The front-clip harness was invented, however, to solve the major problem with the traditional harness - namely pulling on the leash. Back-clip harnesses don't discourage, and even encourage pulling,a s they were designed primarily with sled dogs and tracking dogs in mind. But when a dog pulls on the front-clip harness, his front is pulled sideways, so he ends up pointing to the right or left instead of where he's trying to go - straight ahead. This usually defeats the dog's purpose for pulling, and he fairly quickly learns to stop trying.

The E-Z Walk

One of the most popular brands of front-clip harness, the E-Z Walk Harness from Premiere (pictured on the left), adds what's called a "Martingale" loop to the front (on the right side in the pic). When a dog wearing the E-Z Walk pulls, this loop squeezes the dog's shoulders together, adding a gentle deterrent to his pulling. In combination with the dog's being turned sideways, this is often very effective.

So the front-clip harness is a huge advance over the traditional one. If you're going to use a harness, I advise a front-clip. Some owners swear by it, and some dogs are terrors on anything else. However, I still do not recommend it in general as a default means of walking.

For apart from discouraging leash-pulling, the front-clip harness shares the other disadvantages of the traditional harness. First of all, it does not giving the owner an effective means of communicating to the dog by tugging or tapping on the leash. When a leash is connected to a dog's neck, tugging or tapping instantly gets the dog's attention and can snap his mind out of whatever else he is obsessed with or focused on - like an alluring chicken bone, or another dog. Since harnesses don't touch any tender area like the neck, this tugging/tapping isn't as effective. The front-clip version also shares the disadvantage of not controlling the dog's head or mouth; so it shouldn't be used for dogs that readily bite.

Finally, E-Z Walks for some reason seem to slip loose, or the dog wriggles free, fairly frequently. I'm not sure why this is so, except that the traditional harness pulls back against the dog's shoulders when he pulls, in a direction that can't come loose; while the E-Z Walk pulls sideways, creating some gaps that can slip loose. For this reason some owners of the E-Z Walk use it in combination with a neck-collar, clipping the leash BOTH to the harness front-clip AND the neck collar at the same time for security. This, however, is fairly restrictive and cumbersome.

So here's my recap of the front-clip (e.g. E-Z Walk) harness.

Pros:

Comfortable to wear
Good for dogs with delicate or injured neck or trachea
Discourages dogs from pulling on leash

Cons:

Difficult to communicate to the dog with a leash-tug
No control over dog's head or mouth
Can sometimes wriggle loose

Overview: A huge advancement over the traditional back-clip harness. Can help stop your dog from pulling on leash. However if your dog has any other behavioral issues - like jumping, barking, lunging, or biting - it won't give you a means of controlling or correcting that behavior. Great for joyous, energetic pits or labs who pull and have NO other behavior problems - but many owners need more control over their dog in other areas.

Next installment (part III): Slip, Choke, and Prong Collars

Dog Collar Round-Up, Part I: The Traditional Harness

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:22:00 +0000

For the first of my reviews/opinions about dog collars, I want to start with what I consider one of the least helpful with respect to obedience and training - the traditional (back clip) harness.

A traditional harness wraps around the dog's chest and under its neck, and the leash clips onto a ring above and between the dog's shoulder blades. (On the dog's back; thus the name "back clip".)

In the olden days, harnesses were intended primarily for sled dogs and hunting/tracking dogs. Because the harness puts pressure on the strongest part of the dog's body - the shoulders when it's moving forward - sled dogs and tracking dogs can pull without getting hurt or minding.

Now translate that into modern-day dog-owner language: "your dog won't mind!" Harnesses make it difficult and cumbersome to give any "correction" - or as I like to call a tug on the leash, "communication" - to your dog through the leash. Just as they pull without feeling anything, you can pull the leash without them feeling you. A dog pulling on leash can have lots of bad consequences: the dog doesn't learn to "follow your lead" in a very literal as well as metaphorical sense; he doesn't learn patience and trust in his leaders/owners; and it will be his decision whether to befriend or fight dogs and people that you pass - just to name a few. Also if your dog exhibits any fear/anxiety at sounds or sights in the city, excessive barking or leash-aggression, you can't effectively use the leash to stop the bad behavior. For dogs that lunge or snap and are a genuine danger to passing dogs, people, or even the handlers themselves, the traditional harness is a good way to ensure that someone is going to get bitten.

That said, there are certainly cases where the traditional harness won't hurt and even where it is necessary. It won't hurt if you have a giant sleepy Labrador sweetie who doesn't pull on leash, follows you like glue, and doesn't do anything but lick other dogs and people - in other words a perfectly balanced and low-energy dog. Even if your dog DOES have some behavioral issues you still might need a harness if your dog has a weak or injured back, neck, or trachea, as most other collars have more physical impact.

So in short, for the traditional back-clip harness...

Pros:

Comfortable to wear
Dog can pull and run comfortably and without discomfort or injury
Good for dogs with delicate or injured neck or trachea
Suitable for sled-dogs and tracker/hunter working dogs

Cons:

Difficult to communicate to the dog with a leash-tug
Will not stop, and will often encourage, leash-pulling
No control over dog's head or mouth

Overview: Use if your dog needs it for medical reasons, if you are jogging/biking with your dog, if for any other reason he needs to run while on leash - or if your dog has ZERO behavioral problems and is perfectly obedient!

Next installment (part II): The Front-Clip (E-Z Walk) Harness

The Calm Energy Dog Collar Round-Up (Part 0: Introduction)

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:47:00 +0000

As a child I had the idealistic belief that no dog should ever be leashed; that dogs deserve respect and freedom, while leashes are a barbaric form of enslavement. Ok I was a bit dramatic as a child. But I am both proud and ashamed to admit that I actually put this philosophy to the test with the first dog I ever rescued and raised entirely on my own, as a young adult. Racer, an English Lurcher, followed me across two continents and over half the United States never once wearing a leash. Reckless, irresponsible, dangerous, and illegal - I know. But boy did we develop a mutual bond of trust, respect, and understanding. We could read each other's body language like a children's book. Racer could understand complete English sentences, and would obey my slightest nuances of direction. He died from cancer - not from a car - at age 14 (old for a sighthound), having run free in the park (and in the streets) just the day before.

Most dog owners are, thankfully, too reasonable, prudent, or cautious to do any such silly thing. The fact is that our pet dogs live in a human world, one filled with cars, bikes, crosswalks, electric cables, rat poison, and lots of other dangerous things that dogs' innate processing system isn't programmed to fully understand and can't protect them against. It is also just a matter of courtesy to keep our dogs leashed so they stay out of other people's business and also don't frighten that admittedly bizarre breed of human, the Non-Doggers. (Though I don't understand them, I suppose non-doggers are people too. :)

So you have to leash your dog: it's the law, it's a matter of safety, and if done correctly can greatly help bond and train your dog to be obedient, respectful, and trusting. But there are more ways to leash a dog than to skin a cat: in the past ten or so years a number of non-traditional collar/leash inventions have come on the market, each one sworn on by some contingent of owners and trainers. Flat-buckle collars; slips and chokers; pronged; martingale; front-clip harnesses; back-clip harnesses; head halters; the list goes on. Not surprisingly, one of the most common questions I get from new dog owners is "What kind of collar should I use?"

I used to naively and somewhat pretentiously believe there was a "best" collar to use for all dogs; one that was kindest, most respectful, and conducive of doggy freedom while promoting maximal obedience. However, after training hundreds of different dogs of all sizes, breeds, temperaments, and with every variety of behavioral issue, I've humbly learned that pretty much every tool has its place and its use. For the most part, each collar or leash system is uniquely helpful in certain situations.

My next set of postings will be installments in a multipart series comprising my own opinions (you could call them "reviews" I guess) on the various available collar systems. There will probably be eight installments but this number is subject to change without further notice. Each posting will cover one collar and explain what I see as its pros, its cons, and overall when and for what types of dogs I recommend it or warn against it. Although, as I mentioned, I believe every tool has its place, I will be leading up to what I recommend as the best all-around collar for most dogs in most situations. I should also add that these are all my own opinions as an experienced dog owner and professional trainer, intended solely to help dogs snd their owners, and although brands will be mentioned I'm not endorsed by or in any way linked to any of them.

Any comments, anything I miss or forget, or just to weigh in your own opinion, please add a comment or drop me a personal note.

Next installment (part I): The Traditional Harness (back clip)

Smart Toys, Or Not-So-Smart?

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

"SMART" TOYS

Have you seen or heard of these things?

They're called "puzzle" dog toys, or "interactive" dog toys, or "smart" dog toys. The idea is you put treats in little hidden areas that the dog can only access by pawing, nosing, or nudging a flap or handle in just the right way. The idea is to keep them entertained, busy, and mentally stimulated while at home, even when you're gone.

Lots of "bad" doggie behavior is the result of lack of mental stimulation, so I like the idea behind these things. They are undeniably both mentally and physically challenging, tiring and eventually fulfilling. But something has always worried me about them, and I finally decided to get clear about exactly what it is.

A WORRY

One well-known benefit of obedience training is that it builds a dog's confidence and sense of self-reliance. Instead of seeing the world filled with frustrating obstacles blocking them from getting all the things they crave and need, they learn to relax, be calm and peaceful, and know that if they do such-and-such then such-and-such will be the result, their reward. If Daddy asks them to "Sit" and they touch their butt to the ground, they get a bellyrub and a treat. If Mommy asks them to "Heel" and they walk by her side, they get to go explore the great big world, meet other dogs, and get to the park to play. Sometimes this psycho-emotional benefit of obedience training is referred to as making a dog's behavior "predictive".

These puzzle toys seem to me to foster the exact opposite of predictive behavior! The dog is encouraged to bat and nose the thing about in as many ways as he can, until the treat suddenly pops out. To me this has always seemed just a tiny bit cruel: the dog knows the treat is in there, and digs and paws at it in frustration, until finally for some unknown reason at a random time, he's rewarded - for what? For becoming and acting frustrated! It is law #1 of dog behavior modification, if not behavior modification in general, that behaviors and mental states that are rewarded will be reinforced.

Now maybe there are the super-smart Blue Heelers or Border Collies who have learned exactly which flaps to push or levers to slide on these toys, that do find these toys predictable and have gained not only a new skill but lots of mental stimulation plus the satisfaction of progress and success. But I've never seen it.

ALTERNATIVES

So what positive alternatives can I recommend, that avoid what I see as the problem with these "smart" toys?

I prefer soft filling.

If you put treats or anything bigger than kibble in a standard Kong (like in this picture), the dog experiences a little frustration getting them out. Instead, I like to fill or coat the inside of the Kong with peanut-butter or light cream cheese, and pop it in the freezer. The treat/toy lasts a long time, and there is reward with every lick. It is physically and mentally engaging, tiring, and fulfilling, but because of the constant reward not at all frustrating.

I'm also a big fan of natural rawhides, compressed rawhide, and other chew-treats like Bully Sticks, Texas Toothpicks, and the new rage natural deer antlers (they're softer than bone but tougher than rawhide). As I've explained in detail before [see my post "The Great Rawhide Debate"], you have to use care when giving your dog anything that can cause esophageal or intestinal blockage. But if you supervise, experiment, and get to know your dog's chewing tendencies and needs, rawhides and the like provide extended physical and mental stimulation while alleviating out your dog's natural urge to chew things up (thus saving your fancy leather shoes).

Deer Antlers

If you're around, playing a game with your dog is something you can do indoors that is both mentally and physically stimulating. "Go Find It" (as I call it) is a classic that I and my dogs love. You have them sit and stay while you go into another room and hide a treat or favorite toy (for us it's a squeaky rubber "Cuz" toy that they seem to think is made of pure gold). Start by putting it in plain view, and later on you can stash it on a shelf, behind books, or under the couch cushions. Then you say "Go find it!" and they race off to sniff it out or spot it (sighthounds and scent-hounds can each use their own best skills). I don't see their searching/sniffing/tracking as frustration because they know you've purposely hidden it - the game is interactive with you, not with a piece of plastic.

In the great scheme of things, there are lots of worse things in the world than people giving their dogs any kind of toy or treat, much less one that's designed to be mentally stimulating. So I certainly don't have a major beef here. But I've never seen this point discussed or even mentioned, that there could be non-ideal side-effects of these toys.

If you disagree or think I'm missing the point, let me know - tell me why I'm wrong! In the meantime I'm off to shake the fridge till something falls out.

School Can Be Fun! (At Least If You're A Dog)

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:47:00 +0000

Watch our Calm Energy video of just how fun training can be!

And while you're at it, teach your dog to sit, stay, and be calm, patient, obedient, and happy!

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Adopt Don't Shop. (Duh.)

noreply@blogger.com (Calm Energy Dog Training) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Well over two thousand perfectly sweet, well-behaved, loving dogs in need of homes are put to death EVERY DAY in shelters across America. If you buy a puppy from a pet store, you are contributing to the murders - and also to the continued slavery and suffering of breeder dogs in puppy mills.

Most of the reasons people typically give for not wanting to adopt, and instead wanting to buy a "healthy", "undamaged" puppy from a store, are baseless, misinformed, and off the mark.

Read my guest blog on the great site fosterdogs.nyc, triggered by a depressing experience I had in Manhattan the other day.