there's not a sound more sweeter then your dog snoring with they sleep. Dreaming of juicy bones and chasing cars......

August 22, 2008

I have a client with a 7 month old Rottie who was doing some serious resource guarding of food bowls, couches, dog toys etc. The owners, who got him at 8 weeks felt that apparently since birth this dog had been very assertive.

The dog had had no structure in this home for 7 months straight, so, unfortunately both dog and family were on a one way journey down the wrong path of life with the potential for some serous harm.

It all came to a head when the wife tried to remove a bone from his space, the dog bit her. So, how did we fix it?

I explained to them how important structure and routine are to dogs, much the same way those two things are important to children. So we started the behavior modification.

When you are training your dog your choices are: compulsion training (hands on shaping the dog’s body to sit or down) or inducement training.

Either one is acceptable because if done correctly, compulsion training is not done harshly. Which method you choose pretty much depends on the dog and if your dog will not work for food then use positive based compulsion training or clicker training. I say, if the end result is the same, who cares?

Without getting into extended sits, downs, stays or “proofing” your dog around distractions, here’s how I help people start with treat training then, most importantly, progress to not using treats, just using hand signals and voice commands.

Ok, just so we're perfectly clear, this is Prada's blog (mine) NOT Lexi's blog! So here in Austin, TX where I live its been about 100 degrees for the past 3 weeks, We're talking sweltering and this was before June 1st! Its only going to get worse. One day a couple weeks ago, I really wanted to go outside when my mom was leaving for the gym, so instead of going to the gym, she decided I would walk with her. Well, we got around the loop once (probably about a mile) and she started to go again, well that's when I put my paw down! Was she kidding?? It's too hot to move and she wants to go again?! I stopped dead in my tracks and refused to move. Finally, she made the right choice and started toward home. On the way home, we cut through the pool area, and I decided to take a break and lay down on the top step, ahhhh nice cool water, I thought I might go for a swim, but since the apartment office was still open, mom wasn't sure that was such a great idea. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

I'm going blind in my left eye. So far it's temporary. I wake up and can only see white in one eye for about twenty minutes, then it passes. No one knew until I heard a sound, turned to my left and whacked my head. Hard. I'm more careful now.

Sam went mostly blind. Permanently. Well, first she went deaf. At first, no one knew. They just thought she was getting pig headed in her old age. She was twelve, and a lab, like me. When she responded to hand signals, but not words, they figured it out. I don't really know hand signals. I guess I'll be in trouble in five years.

I like a late night walk. I sleep all the time, so if I get up for a walk (I'm always up for a walk!) its early for me, no matter what time the clock says.

We live in Brooklyn, in a row house near the park. If we all get up early enough on the weekends, a lot of the dogs are running off leash. You couldn't really call them a pack, since almost all the alphas have two legs and they can't be bothered to run. So alpha-for-a-moment is fluid. Mostly we run where our noses take us. Mostly, we don't get to the park, we love to sleep in too much.

Like the site. Hope to meet a bunch of friends here.

If you live in the bay area and have a dog that likes to do this and you would like him/her to be in my film "DOG" send me an email at misterbarryman@juno.com and I'll tell you more about it.

I guess I'm used to older dogs at this point in life. Puppies are a pain in the ass. My sister has a 7 month old German Short Hair Pointer. He's sweet. He has a very hard head. Whacking him on the head with your knuckle, or the handle of a butter knife, not only doesn't get obedience, he doesn't even flinch - he doesn't even notice. Like other GSHP's I've met, he has the attention span of a gnat, and the discipline and energy level of a tornado.

He gets that he's the lowest member of the pack and will take orders from anybody (probably including the burglar). And he'll do exactly as you ask. For about three ten thousandths of a second. Then he's off after whatever newly distracted him. At least he pees and poops outside.

A new furry friend can be a bundle of joy, but a canine companion comes with the responsibility of guardianship.

More than a million puppies will be given as gifts this holiday season. To help new pet parents prepare, Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, has compiled a series of essential tips based on the experience of the company’s worldwide network of dog behavioral therapists.

Tips for the New Arrival
Before you bring home your puppy, have these supplies on hand:

•A crate is an invaluable tool when housebreaking a puppy. It also provides your young dog with a sense of security when you are busy or away. However, never leave a puppy in a crate for longer than 4-5 hours.