How To Choose a Doggy Daycare Facility

by Kari Vanick

Choosing a doggy daycare facility for your dog is an important decision. Some things to consider:

• Visit the facility. Check for cleanliness. A good facility should be clean and free from odor.

• Do they require you to fill out an application for your dog so they can find out important information about you and your dog and get to know your dog before he comes to play?

• Do they have any type of interview process to screen the dogs who are coming in? Do they allow all dogs or do they weed out dogs who may be a little too aggressive for an open play environment?

• Do they require your dog to be up to date on vaccinations including Rabies, Distemper, and also Bordetella for canine cough?

• What kind of play areas do they have? Do they have indoor and outdoor space for your dog? Do they divide the dogs by size so the little ones don’t get hurt? Is the fencing secure enough (gaps) and high enough to keep everybody in?

• How are the play areas monitored? Is there a staff ratio for a certain number of dogs to make sure there are enough people watching the dogs?

• How do they discipline dogs who may play a little too rough at times? Do they have emergency procedures in place for those times when things start to get a little out of control?

• Do they offer or require a nap/lunch time? Can you bring your own lunch for your dog? What are the resting quarters offered during nap time?

• Has the staff been trained in dog behavior? Have they been trained in Pet First Aid and CPR?

• Do they have webcams so you can watch your dog at play while you are at work and know that he is getting the playtime that he needs?

Most importantly, find a doggy daycare where the staff is friendly and you can see how much they care about the dogs. You want to make sure your dog is getting the exercise that he needs, but you also want to know that he is playing in a safe environment and that he is getting lots of love when you can’t be there with him. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog!

Kari can be reached via email at mchenry@campbowwow.com or call her at (815)385-PAWS (7297).You can also find Kari and her Camp by visiting her online at www.campbowwow.com/mchenry!

I often hear different people give their idea of what a trained dog is, and even more plentiful are the ways in which to train a dog.  We can talk methodologies all day long, and we will cover that in a future post, but today, let’s talk about what a trained dog is…

Is a trained dog one that will jump up on fire hydrants (like our good friend, Monk), or one that wins obedience championships, plays frisbee really well or that simply comes when called?  Is a trained dog one that rescues the lost, guides the blind, or apprehends bad guys?  Is a trained dog one that will ignore mom’s special Thanksgiving turkey while it is cooling on the table with no one around to guard it?

I believe that this is all relative.  What one person wants for their relationship with their dog will vary considerably with another person.  Some people simply want a companion that is behaved, others put their dogs to work!

One could argue that your dog is ALREADY trained, just maybe not the way that you like it!  If the dog is consistently offering behaviors, then it likely has a conditioned response to a particular stimulus.  It is trained!

The other argument is that the dog is reactive, which can get blurry with trained.  Either way, trained to a stimulus or simply reactive, it can all be changed, so long as the owner first knows what they want, and then properly communicates that to the dog in the clearest way possible.

Dog training to me is knowing and sharing with the dog the expectations of the dog in accordance with the purpose that you got the dog for, taking care of the needs of the dog, and striving to build the relationship as it inevitably will change over time.  The loyalty, comfort, enthusiasm and companionship that a well balanced dog can provide is immeasurable…so should our dedication be to them!  To make a friend, you have to be a friend…

Brice Cavanaugh

Trick Training! Why would I need to train my dog tricks? Well, besides being a very cool thing to show off to your neighbors and family, it can be an essential part of any dog’s life to be stimulated mentally.

Those that follow my methods and philosophies on dog training have probably heard me talk of the “two tanks” in a dog that we need to deplete to bring about a balanced dog…the physical and psychological. Many neurotic behaviors come from lack of mental stimulation, like excessive barking, chewing, nipping and such. Dogs that have an overabundance of energy are lacking in physical exercise. When we tackle both, we get a well rested dog!

As an example…my dog “Monk” is CRAZY for the ball, and will chase it for an HOUR if I sit there and throw it for him. However, if each time he brings the ball back, I make him do some tricks, THEN throw the ball, after TEN minutes, he is exhausted…I have challenged both his body and mind. This is what leads to a well balanced dog with an understanding of structure.

So…what is an approach that we can take to help out with this? I have found an awesome DVD that tackles this issue…Unleashed Unlimited’s Trcik Training DVD, Volume 1!

Paul Sulinski and Tracey Gratz of Unleashed Unlimited personally guide you through the steps it takes to teach your dog some really cool tricks! These exercises are not only designed to turn heads and make your neighbors envious of your well -mannered pet, but are also key in helping your dog exercise mentally as well as physically.

Unleashed Unlimited, an Austin based dog training company, is home to some of the most spectacular dogs on the web, with Paul’s Yellow Labrador “Boomer” and German Shorthaired Pointer “Louie” being viewed tens of thousands of times!

How do they do that? Those dogs are amazing! I wish my dog could…THEY CAN! Let Paul and Tracey show you how to break down some of the more popular dog tricks in to easy to learn steps that culminate in to a well rounded, fun and bond-building experience for you and your dog!

Team Dog! is proud to share it’s philosophy of “If you want to be the best, learn from the best”, which is clear with this new DVD proudly produced by the Unleashed Unlimited team.

This DVD is available in our store, along with the placeboards, collars, leashes, etc!  Click here to get the DVD!

Camp Bow Wow McHenry sets the standard!

My Guest Blogger this week is Kari Vanick of Camp Bow Wow McHenry.  Kari has raised the bar in doggie day care and overnight boarding!  A visit to her facility will reveal her personal approach to each of her clients and their furry friends, as well as show off her attention to detail and cleanliness.  Her facility is easily the most impressive that I have seen, and I encourage those that are looking for a place to kennel, board or day care their dog to visit Camp Bow Wow McHenry!  With that, here is Kari’s blog on Doggie Daycares and Boarding!

Camp Bow Wow McHenry!

There is a new concept in canine care that the dogs are just WILD about—doggy daycare. Yes, it might sound silly, daycare for your dog. Doggy daycare is a supervised environment where dogs can play off leash with other dogs. It’s a place where he can make new friends and romp and play and receive lots of love and attention. It’s a place that offers all day play so your dog can snooze the night away.

Why Would I Take My Dog to Daycare?

Dogs need exercise. Period. Dogs have so much energy that needs to be released and the way to get it out is with exercise. How many dogs really get the exercise they need? Doggy daycare is a great way to provide your dog with an exciting day of play while allowing him to socialize with other dogs. This can help him develop good play manners and have fun romping with other furry friends. This will also help you fulfill his exercise requirements, which can reduce behavior problems that are the result of lack of exercise. That means less chance of that energy being exerted in other ways, such as chewing your brand new sandals or that family room sofa.

What is the biggest reason to take your dog to daycare?

The dogs LOVE IT!! They know that this is the place where they get to play with their buddies, make new friends, run around like crazy and play in the pup pools. They know where they’re going as soon as you head down the street to your daycare facility. They will DRAG you to the door!

Some other reasons you could use doggy daycare:

• You work long hours and don’t like to leave your dog in a crate all day long while you are at work.

• You are going out after work and do not have time to walk your dog that evening.

• You are having a party and can’t have the dog running around the house while all your guests are there.

• You are having house guests who are allergic to dogs.

• You want to have a snuggle night with him on the couch when you get home from work, but the only thing he wants to do when you get home is play, play, play! After a day of play at doggy daycare, he’ll be more than content to snuggle with you all night long.

• It can assist in reducing separation anxiety in your dog. When they learn that they can go to a fun, safe place where they get to play all day, and still be picked up by Mom at the end of the day, it can really help reduce anxiety.

How To Choose a Doggy Daycare Facility…

Watch our blog, as next week Kari will give us advice on how to select a doggy daycare facility!  Or, you can subscribe to our RSS Feed for instant notification of new articles!

Kari can be reached via email at mchenry@campbowwow.com or call her at (815)385-PAWS (7297).

This article comes to us from the outstanding team at Unleashed Unlimited, a dog training company serving the greater Austin area. Unleashed Unlimited offers comprehensive training programs for clients looking to get the most out of their relationship with their dog, as well as offering problem solving and behavior modification in an easy to understand and fun approach! This particular article is of great importance to all of us with dogs…this article can save your dog’s life!

A few weeks ago I looking for a picture to include in a post called Gastric Torsion & Your Dog and I came across some interesting x-ray photos of objects dogs have swallowed. Being around a lot of dogs and their owners, we are constantly hearing about strange things that dogs have managed to find and eat; take a look at a few of these.

This picture shows a video game controller that has been swallowed by a dog. These things are relatively large, and I hope it was a bigger dog. After the owner had noticed that his dog was acting lethargic and wasn’t moving his bowels, the dog finally made a visit to the vet and the x-ray was taken. This particular dog went on to have the remote surgically removed and fully recovered, but only after a very hefty emergency vet bill.

Here are some more x-ray pictures. Some are more obvious then others, but feel free to post your guesses as to what object appears in each of the numbered pictures. I will post the answers at a later date.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

These pictures may make you re-think leaving your dog outside in the yard while you are at work all day and consider crating the dog when you are out of the home or unable to keep your eye on them. We always recommend crating dogs when you are not home; not only does it help prevent the dog from practicing unwanted behaviors, but it also prevents them from getting into, well…. you name it! However you approach monitoring your dog, please do yourself and your dog a favor and keep your eye on your pet.

For the answers to this quiz, check out Paul’s blog at www.UnleashedUnlimited.com!

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Team Dog! Pet Safety Tips…Halloween Edition

by Brice Cavanaugh

Halloween can be an especially trying time for our furry friends, so Team Dog! has put together a list of 13 tips to help you and yours avoid the common problems associated with the most dangerous holiday for dogs!

1.       Make sure that your dog’s ID tag is up to date and secure on their collar…just in case!

2.      Keep candy away from your dog!  Many candies can be toxic to dogs as well as being a choking hazard!  Wrappers of eaten candies can be of concern as well!

3.      Supervise!  Children and dogs should always be supervised together, and this is especially true during this high energy holiday!

4.      Protect dogs from Jack-O-Lanterns, candles and the like.  Besides the obvious problems of getting into a flame, wagging tails can knock over items that can cause big trouble!

5.      Costumes.  Many can be chewing/choking hazards, and some dogs just don’t like the constricting nature that most costumes create.  It may be fun for us, but consider your dog!  Make sure that your dog has good peripheral vision to enable them to fully use their senses…

6.      The eyes have it!  Costumes worn by humans can take away a dog’s ability to see strangers as they are accustomed to meeting them (in addition to scent).  Hidden eyes can create insecurity in your dog, which can elicit defensive postures and actions.  Let your dog smell your costumes prior to your putting them on, and ease them into this new phenomena!

7.      Don’t take your dog out Trick or Treating with you!  Many dogs are balanced and comfortable with this, but many are not.  It is human nature on this holiday to play pranks and scare fellow holiday goers, but your dog may not understand, and therefore protect his family!  Be aware of this!  It is only one day, he will probably be just as content to sleep through it, which leads us to…

8.     Provide a safe and quiet place for your dog.  Many dogs look at their crates as a sanctuary (good training!), or a quiet room will serve the same purpose.  Allowing your dog to avoid the craziness of doorbells, strange costumes and the volume of visitors is an excellent way to help your dog through the evening.

9.      Practice your recall!  Dogs should come when called, and practicing this skill can be life-saving!  Door bolting is a huge concern when the door is answered and opened dozens of times within an evening.

10.  Holiday decorations, like Silly String™ are fun to play with, for both you and your pet…but they should only be playing with toys designed for them and under your supervision.

11.   Exercise your dog prior to the festivities kicking off!  Having them mentally and physically spent helps them to relax better!

12.  Help your dog through trying times.  Reassurance can be helpful, but make sure that you are not encouraging undesired behavior.  Optimally, refer to #8, but if you want your dog out and about, be aware of their state of mind and reward/discourage accordingly!

13.  Have fun!  Our pets can be a wonderful part of our celebration, but if they are overwhelmed, the opposite can be true!  There is no need to create a problem that could take weeks to fix just to have a good time for a couple of hours, but if your dog can handle it, then have a blast!

Team Dog! is a full service dog training company serving the Chicago and St Louis metropolitan areas.  Check out www.TeamDog.com or call us at 1(888)SIT-STAY for more information on how we can help your dog reach their full potential!

Let’s dig in to this and make sense of all that should be considered! As always, if you have any questions, or want to add something that can enhance this article or site, please email me at brice@teamdog.com! Here are my considerations, in no particular order:

Do you get along with the trainer? Regardless of how skilled the trainer may be, their people skills can keep you from getting the most out of the lessons. Training should be fun on all levels, for all participants! If your trainer is unapproachable in any way, look elsewhere. There are many complex considerations in dog training and behavior modification, and if you can’t talk to the person in “the know”, then how are you going to learn it?

How does the trainer’s dog look? Is their dog obedient? There are many trainers that do not have a dog, which has always made me wonder, but I am sure that there are certain circumstances that would trump this. It is easier to see the relationship between the trainer and their dog, but it is not imperative. Sort of like the mechanic that has a car that always breaks down…I would not use them, even though there may be a good reason for it.

Avoid trainers caught up in “Only”. Those that limit themselves will always find an audience or following, but your dog needs neither of those. A person that “Only” teaches Clicker, “Only” teaches remote training collar, “Only” teaches with positive reinforcement, etc., usually do not fully understand how dogs learn. A balanced approach is necessary, as balance is seen throughout all of nature, from ecosystems to behavior. Quick fact: there is no such thing as positive reinforcement only, and the trainer that claims that is unaware of how Operant Conditioning works…there is an opposite for everything. When the treat is used to lure Fido is withheld because he jumps, this is actually Negative Punishment (taking the existing food away to decrease the likelihood of Fido jumping), though many trainers will never admit to using “Negative Punishment” due to the pictures that the term conjures up.

Are you having fun? Classes or individual lessons should be fun, overall. Sure, there are times of confusion for both you and your dog, but the trainer should be skilled in helping you to navigate your way through the confusion and on to the “good stuff”! There are always cases where we should be serious in life, but in general, we should be enjoying it…the same is true of your canine companion and their training.

Obedience vs. Behavior Modification. Why choose? They go hand in hand many times, BUT, obedience is not always the solution to modifying behavior. Just because a dog has a wonderful recall, sit, down, stay, etc. does not guarantee that your Prada boots won’t replace their Kong ball, or that Thanksgiving dinner is safe up on the counter while it cools. Training should involve not only an action, but a behavior. Behavior is more of a state of mind, rather than a specific action. Unfortunately, even within the science community, the word behavior is used interchangeably, causing confusion. As an example, “the dog offered a sitting behavior” tells me more that the dog sat, rather than why or what his state of mind was. Yes, he offered it, but was it offered out of guesswork, fear, conditioning, etc. I want a calm state of mind, one that is clear. A frantic dog is less likely to learn. A frantic dog is typically more reactive. A frantic dog needs behavior modification more than learning how to sit. A good trainer can incorporate both into their training, and they should!

Does your trainer impress upon you the responsibility that you now have? Dogs are always learning, so we need to be sure to consider our ongoing influence upon them. Are you prepared for that? I make sure that my clients are fully aware that this animal is not disposable, lives, breathes and can be one heckuva companion, providing that they take the time to shape the dog’s experiences and behaviors. They are not furry little children, however, like children, they are in need of direction on a continual basis.

Does your trainer belong to any associations, and if so, what does it mean? Staying current on training techniques, ideas issues, etc. is the sign of an open mind (usually) and a continuing effort to bring the best information and help to the table. Most of us talk about having as many “tools in our toolbox” as possible, as no two dogs are the same, and we need to have as many different ways to get from point A to point B as possible, as you never know when you will run across “That Dog”! A good trainer also needs to know how long to pursue a particular approach before changing gears and trying something else, as changing too soon can cause confusion, and never gives the dog a chance to figure out the desired result. Do they continue their education?

What experience does your trainer have? While it is not necessary, if they have competed in any organized titling or competitions, you know that they are more likely to have a strong work/preparation ethic, know how to handle stress (things are different in training then when you have everything on the line!), and are usually pretty good at problem solving. The experienced trainer also understands the importance of mindset for the handler/trainer, which is definitely an important in all aspects of the dogworld. What training certifications do they have. How did they learn about dog training? An apprenticeship is ideal, but there are some quality schools out there as well. Nothing takes the place of experience. Experience takes years to get, though years does not mean experience. A person could have been training for 20 years, but never stepped outside of their own little world to see what was out there!

Does your trainer encourage the whole family to be involved? They should…keep the training as close to the real world as possible. I have seen many dogs that were awesome in the show ring, but at home, they were incorrigible. Once again, training should be about a state of mind, not the mechanics of sit!

Is your trainer helping you to build a relationship based on trust? Fear based training is usually a short term fix, and has long term psychological effects on your dog, some of which may not rear their ugly head until years down the road. Trust – without it, you do not have a companion.

Does your trainer look to help you work through a problem…or are they quick to move on or separate you from the rest of the class? In my group classes, we fix things in front of everyone, as we can all learn from what we see! In one-on-one lessons, I do not leave until we have reached some sort of progress on an issue, and the client has a clear plan on what to work on until the next lesson, and they have my contact information in case they run in to a problem that cannot wait.

Does you trainer have respect for people, and for dogs? That tells you a lot. What does your gut tell you when you interact with your trainer, or when you watch your trainer interact with others? Most of the time, we should follow our gut. If you differ in opinion with a technique, do you feel comfortable asking the trainer?

This is the minimum for what I would expect a person to look for in selecting a trainer. While I do not prescribe to dogs being furry little children, they are parts of our families, and as such, need to be given every opportunity to be successful in their learning and living with us. Finding a trainer should be fun as well, not a chore…have fun…have fun!

For dogs, a growing body of research indicates they bark less and suffer fewer anxiety attacks when listening to Bach, Schubert and Chopin.

In the Inland area, piped-in chamber music, concertos and sonatas waft through county animal shelters 24 hours a day in Riverside and Thousand Palms.

Senior animal behaviorist Teryn Hartnett sees happier, better-adjusted, easier-to-adopt dogs as she strolls among the kennels for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

“A shelter dog’s world is pretty stressful,” she says. “Their owners are gone, the only environment they’ve probably ever known — their home — is gone. “They don’t understand why they were left here or why an animal control officer picked them up off the street and put them in the back of a truck.”

Familiar with the research on dogs’ reactions to music, Hartnett won approval for canine classical. The piped-in music began last summer, and the cost at each facility is about $100 a month.

Anecdotal evidence from shelter employees and visitors shows that the animals are calmer and spend more time at the front of the cage — boosting their adoption chances, she said.

Read more!

Most domesticated dogs are far enough removed from their wild ancestors that they are not psychologically fit enough to lead their own species, yet we often find these same dogs clearly in charge of their human counterparts. Our goal at Team Dog!is to help those that we work with understand just how dangerous it can be to allow the dog to take control of the “pack”. While that danger may not necessarily become physically harmful, balance and happiness can be lost to an unruly pack leader.

There are three distinct areas that we recommend the pack leader shows true leadership, and they are first being a fit leader, second, managing eating schedules and finally having the dog earn their keep. We outline those in our training programs.

We have also pioneered the Canine Leadership System, in which we really dive into what makes a dog think and react as they do, the principles of behavior conditioning and how to maintain a balance in the relationship with your dog…invariably, those that complete the program not only see a difference in the relationship with their dog, but also in the other relationships that they have, maintain and strive for!

Below is a link to the Fox 12 Special Report detailing their investigation and their findings. This link is used with permission from Fox News in Chicago.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=5056125

For those that cannot view the link, here are the highlights of the story:

-Significant levels of lead have been found in several toys designed for dogs.
-Despite the stories, unsafe lead paint levels are not restricted to one country of origin.
-Dogs chew their toys (as designed) more so then children, heightening their risk.
-A particular tennis ball had the highest levels of lead, over 30,000 parts per million (3%)!
-If the toy is painted, refrain from use until safety guidelines are put in place identifying culprits.
-Solid rubber toys are generally safer from lead paint.

Team Dog! wants to help all dogs and their owners to play safe! No toys should be left with an unattended dog, as they can become choking hazards. The lead paint issue only exasperates this thinking. If you have any questions on this, please contact a Team Dog! team member!

Happy training! Brice

Brice Cavanaugh
Training Director
Team Dog! ][ Chicago
www.TeamDog.com
(888)SIT-STAY