Archives for dog training zone category
Putting aside the bad economy for a second…
My husband is considering a career change, and he has a real talent with and passion for dogs. He’s very good with dogs’ behavior problems. He isn’t a professional, but we’ve rescued some dogs that most people would consider hopeless, and he turned them around.
We also possess a house out in the country, surrounded by farms, on about 9 acres of land. It’s about 30 minutes from very affluent suburbs, and 45 minutes from a fairly big city (about half a million people, metro). I don’t think that the city or suburbs have any good dog spas (the kind where you can kennel), bootcamps for training, or especially parks – the kind where you can train dogs for competitions or just let dogs play.
I don’t know if it’s at all feasible and what the zoning issues would be, but it fits very nicely into my 20-year plan to start a no-kill dog sanctuary.
Anyone know anything about this business? Is starting something like this 30 minutes outside the major population zone a feasible idea? I figured it might be best suited for a doggie training bootcamp, because (1) people tend to be really desperate to consider them and (2) it’s not like they’d have to drive there every single day.
But there’s also the dog spa, because people may consider driving to a high-quality kennel when they’re going out of town just so their dog gets better care.
And the dog park idea might not be so feasible for people who just want to take their dogs to a park (there are very few parks in this area that allow dogs FYI), but I figure people who want to train their dogs for competitions will probably be willing to drive. And if my spouse put the effort in to become a professional trainer, he could do behavioral training as well as dog competition training.
Any thoughts?
Cheryl, thank you so much. This is the kind of info I need. Never apologize for long, detailed answers full of valuable information! I wish more people spent time like this on their answers.
I will be e-mailing you soon (thanks so much for offering!) after I talk to my spouse so that I can ask more detailed, specific questions. His interests also sway towards rehabilitation, as do mine because of the dog sanctuary/shelter I want to start one day. (Though I suck at being a pack leader, I’ve got a business/nonprofit background.) He thinks that dog show training in addition would simply be a lot of fun.
I hope you get your land one day.
Thanks!
Well, I made this career change a few years back to become a professional dog psychologist and behavior therapist. I had been studying wild wolf and dog pack and two inner city stray dog packs for a number of years. People started asking me to work with them and their dogs and after a few months, realized I could make a good living out of it without charging the earth and could help dogs and owners at the same time a doing what I love most.
First off, I researched courses and degrees in dog psychology, behavior and training. I shy away from training as it is not my area of expertise or interest. My interest has always been in understanding dogs, communicating with them and rehabilitating them. I am now a qualified dog psychologist and behavior therapist and love my life.
For you and your husband, you have the land to be able to run a behavior rehab centre and a day care centre/training centre.
The only thing I would say with the behavior side of the business is this. It is always best to deal with negative behaviors in the dogs home environment first so that you can study carefully the triggers, routine and behaviors of the dog with its owners and get an understanding of the causes of the unwanted behavior. In most cases, this rehabilitation can be completed working with the owners in their home and local area.
For more severe issues where other dogs can help in the rehabilitation, you need to make sure you have a very balanced pack to bring the dogs into. For this reason, keep the rehabilitation pack away from the kennels/fields for the day care. You need to make sure when bringing a dog in for rehab, that you don’t surround it with dogs that are unbalanced, excited, anxious etc.
I am not lucky enough to have the land you do, my pack lives in my home and so do the residential rehab cases, but rather than walk the fields with them, I have the use of a secluded field in the daytime where I know that no dogs can come in and upset the balance.
Sorry for the long answer, but there’s a lot to consider on the behavior side. Saying that, if your husband has a natural talent for it, he should go for it. It’s highly rewarding and I am so glad I did it. I used to earn a very generous six figure income working in head hunting, now I earn just under, but am so much happier I cannot tell you and I don’t charge even half of what the other trainers/behaviorists in my area charge because I think every dog deserves the help, regardless of the owners financial situation.
Good luck and email me if you want to talk more about the experiences I had.
Feb 15, 2010 | | dog training zone
Today we went out to potty and there was a larger un neutered male red nose pit bull off leash, this dog was trained very well and was very respectful. I decided that because the other dog was soo nice that it would be fine to go in to the Field to potty. The male followed us for a little bit smelling princes behind but Prince kept trying to turn around and meet him face to face and if you know this dog that turns him red zone is 2 seconds. I decided to keep walking and not let him turn around at all. We got into the Field and there was a tiny puppy with them he was fine with that dog but when the large male came up to the other side of the fence and they got a foot away nose to nose Prince went nuts and tried to attack him thank god there was a fence in the way because he would have seriously injured that other dog. The weird thing is, that dog wasn’t even bothered by princes reaction at all. I am worried that my dog is way tooo aggressive and will kill any male that gets near him. People in my neighborhood always have their pits off leash because they are trained so well, I cant do that because I never know what he will do. I stayed calm and corrected him but it really doesn’t work with this dog. I really need some help. He only tries to attach larger red nose males. Help I want my dog to be as good as their dogs so he could have a friend that he wont kill. Any tips would be great thanks.
He is a pitbull and I do use a prong collar thats the only way he wont pull, I am not very big and he is strong but you are right the jerking of the prong collar does srt him off more so I try to only use it when he is already as mad as he is going to get which takes 2 seconds
None of the dogs are neutered or fixed in any way here. I socialized him with other dogs of all sizes and ages since I have had him at 12 weeks. He is wonderful in every other way and listens all the time accept when there is another dog around. He has been is about 10 fights with bigger rednose males only and it never seemed that he started the fights but this one was defanitly him! I know all of his warnings and when the other dog was sniffing his but he seemed scared of it and he really dosnt know how to greet other dogs properly he always wants to meet nose to nose first how do I fix that?
I have tried a halti but he just took it off because he is a dog with a really large head and a really short nose, I think I might get on craigslist and trade his 30 dollar halti for large dogs for a muzzle so that I can socialize him with other dogs and they wont get hurt. Do you think that will work? how much are muzzles? I dont want a cage muzzle I want the kind that fit to their face.
Sounds like your dog wasn’t comfortable with the other dog from the get-go. You need to be aware of your own dog’s signals before a problem occurs. Knowing how your own dog ticks is the best way to avoid situations like this. Prevention is key.
Fence aggression is very common. Putting a fence between two dogs is a great way to create tension even when there wasn’t any in the first place.
Many bully breeds, like Pit Bulls, have very hard expressions. Insecure dogs sometimes interpret that hard expression as a threat, even if the other dog’s body language isn’t otherwise challenging. That’s why some dogs are on the offense more with some breeds than others.
It’s a good thing that you initially continued walking. By acting like there’s no problem, your dog can become more secure. However, once the dog initiates an aggressive exchange, he needs a serious correction that he’s not going to forget.
You need to consult with a trainer who can work hands on with your dog, as that’s the only way anyone can know what your particular dog’s tipping point is, how to reinforce good behavior and how to correct inappropriate behavior.
ETA:
Just saw your addition that your dog is a Pit Bull himself. That’s definitely a possible contributing factor to his dog aggression.
Prong collars have been found to compound dog aggression, but on the other hand, Pit Bulls can be almost oblivious to the correction it offers because they have such a high threshold for pain.
You shouldn’t need the prong collar if you’re able to control the circumstances though. Don’t put him in situations where he’ll be approached by loose dogs. If a loose dog approaches, send it off. Contact animal control about the loose dogs in the neighborhood; it’s not something you should have to deal with. You’re being the responsible one by keeping your dog on leash.
ETA:
-NEVER put a Halti or other head halter on an aggressive dog. They aren’t manufactured to restrain a strong, aggressive animal and are a lawsuit waiting to happen.
-If you use a muzzle, you MUST use a basket muzzle.
http://leerburg.com/700-7.htm
These are the only muzzles that are reliable enough to keep an aggressive dog from biting. Cloth and nylon soft muzzles don’t prohibit biting.
Feb 11, 2010 | | dog training zone
When you’re erecting a dog fence at home, spare a thought for the people who built the Dingo Fence in Australia. It was put up in the 1880’s to protect enormous flocks of sheep in Southern Queensland, where Dingoes had almost been exterminated.
To prevent Dingoes from other areas getting to the sheep, the fence was built. It is 6 feet high and there is one foot of it underground, with uprights every 9 metres. It’s the longest fence in the World, stretching 5,320 kilometres which is over 3,305 miles! Ironically, it has not been a complete success – dingoes still lurk in the area!
Does Your Dog Need An Invisible Fence?
Some dogs delight in damaging flower beds and destroying vegetable gardens. Worse still, they might escape and cause an accident – for which you would be liable. If you don’t want very high, solid fencing around your property – or the price of it, it might be time to consider an ‘invisible’ fence.
What Is An Invisible Fence?
There are many of these on the market now and they all work in a similar way. An invisible fence allows you to have one or more dogs running freely on your property, within boundaries chosen by you.
How Do These Fences Work?
A wire (of anything up to 400m long) is put onto the ground, buried just under the surface or attached to a fence that is already there. The wire carries a signal transmitted from a small unit. The dog wears a special collar that receives a signal if he goes near the wire.
The signals are usually zoned. When the dog gets anywhere near the wire he goes into a ‘warning zone’ and he will hear a warning ‘beep’ from his collar. If he gets even closer, he goes into a ‘correction zone’ and will receive a buzz from a small electrical impulse via the collar.
Once the dog begins to realise the boundaries, the owner can reduce the electrical impulses and rely on the audible warnings. Eventually, once the dog is reliable and not going anywhere near the fence, the collar may be taken off – or substituted for a dummy collar while he’s on – ‘probation’!
Making Adjustments To The System
These fences can be set up to suit any dog and any layout defined by the owner. The distances of both the warning and the correction zones can be adjusted. The strength of the electrical impulse can be altered to suit the size and temperament of the dog.
Will My Dog Be Hurt By The Electrical Impulses?
No – it doesn’t hurt. It’s not a new idea – this has been used in different forms of dog training for more than 40 years.
I Have More Than One Dog – Will This System Still Work?
Yes – with these systems, as long as each dog has a collar with a receiver, the system will work for them all.
Don’t Forget The ‘Dummy’ Collar
Most systems recommend that your dog wears a dummy collar for a few days prior to the invisible fence being set up. This is for two reasons. It lets the dog get used to the collar so that it’s not distracted by the unusual feel of it when the zone impulses start to be used. It’s also important because it can be counter-productive for the dog to associate the impulses with the collar, rather than the fence.
What Happens If My Dog Gets Through The Fence?
This is very rare and usually means that the collar isn’t fitting properly, leading to the dog receiving weak or no impulses.
Rebecca Prescott
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-advantages-of-an-invisible-dog-fence-81528.html
Feb 11, 2010 | | dog training zone
my question is i was told by a personal protection trainer that schtzhund trained dogs only have certain bite zones and don’t know what to do in real life sitiutions.
Schutzhund is actually a used as a testing technique to help determine the workability of a GDS, it has also been developed into a type of competitive sport. There are three levels of testing, the final level being protection, but to quote a sentence of the article I will reference,
"The Schutzhund dog is capable of the feats of never being aggressive except under those specific situations it is trained to face, and even then it must always be under the absolute control of the handler."
If you want a dog that will protect you under any circumstances, I don’t think Schutzhund is the training you need to get for the dog. I view home and personal protection as the potential the experiance situations you can never possibly train your dog for. You should look for trainers who will assist in training for protection/guarding and not try to train this yourself. You don’t want to train a dog that cannot tell the difference between friend or foe or who views all situations as threatening, you will end up with a very violent dog that way.
Feb 07, 2010 | | dog training zone
I have a 75 pound pit mix. He is fully trained, except for when we got for walks. He gets excited (happy/wants to play) when he sees other dogs and doesn’t respond to my corrections. He usually pulls me very hard, and could pull me into oncoming traffic if he wanted to. If the person walking their dog sees me and my huge dog pulling they usually get very scared due to his appearance. This sometimes results in screaming and hysterical behavior on the other persons part. He also wants to eat little animals so walking him at night can result in an encounter with a skunk or raccoon. I try to hold strong and keep him in heel position, but he gets into the red zone so fast that I lose complete control. I want to use a shock collar to get him to listen to me during walks. Will he become aggressive in the future due to me using the shock collar to keep him under control? Is it cruel and unusal to use this type of collar under any circumstance?
If used correctly, a shock collar does not make a dog aggressive.
Nor when used correctly are they cruel.
Jan 30, 2010 | | dog training zone
I have a 75 pound pit mix. He is fully trained, except for when we got for walks. He gets excited (happy/wants to play) when he sees other dogs and doesn’t respond to my corrections. He usually pulls me very hard, and could pull me into oncoming traffic if he wanted to. If the person walking their dog sees me and my huge dog pulling they usually get very scared due to his appearance. This sometimes results in screaming and hysterical behavior on the other persons part. He also wants to eat little animals so walking him at night can result in an encounter with a skunk or raccoon. I try to hold strong and keep him in heel position, but he gets into the red zone so fast that I lose complete control. I want to use a shock collar to get him to listen to me during walks. Will he become aggressive in the future due to me using the shock collar to keep him under control? Is it cruel and unusal to use this type of collar under any circumstance?
i’m working with a certified trainer.
this is last resort. I already use a prong….
The shock collar won’t make him aggressive. But you need to learn to use it properly. Read the book, or watch the video that comes w/ the collar.. Don’t just put the collar on and start snapping him.. Learn to use it correctly.. Don’t use a shock collar on a dog under 6 mos.. I personally wouldn’t use one on a dog under a year of age.
Oh come on.. He is talking about a 75 lb dog aggressive pitbull mix that is going after small animals.. He is not talking about using a shock collar on a fluffy foo foo dog.. I believe he is being more responsible trying to take care of this properly swiftly and properly rather than snapping choke chains trying to keep this dog under control. YOU want to be standing there when the chain snaps and the dog is chasing down your dog? Or would you rather see him train the dog and have him under control, correct the problem so YOU don’t need to worry about his dog coming after yours.. The Halti and all those type things are not going to stop this dog from chasing down small animals.. If the shock collar was truly abusive, would it be so widely used BY PROFESSIONALS ( Greekman ) and would it be legal??? NO..
Jan 23, 2010 | | dog training zone
We want to be merciful, and we got this dog at the shelter at roughly 3-4 months. He’s now almost a year and is getting very aggressive – especially toward kids in the 6-10 age zone.
We have kids in this zone, as do our neighbors and the situation is totally unworkable.
We’ve tried the training suggestions, but his learning time is too slow to merit the risk of a bad accident/attack.
Is there a website, or somewhere in the San Diego area to take such a dog (like a farm type environment?).
Here’s the irony…he’s great with other dogs.
Help!!
I commend your ability to see this match is not right for either you or the dog- too mnay people are blind to it and end up with a bitten child and a dog that must be put down. have you contacted the shelter you originally got him from? Did you sign a contract stating you would return if to them if ever you couldn’t keep him? I would start there. If that doesn’t work, try www.petfinder.com to find a local breed rescue or general rescue that could take him in, work on his issues, and match him up with a proper home. Whatever you do, BE HONEST with the people taking him- masking his issues won’t help him, could end up with a child being hurt, and possibly his death as an aggressive dog. I;m sorry for your family’s heartache over this- what a terrible decision to be faced with.
Jan 21, 2010 | | dog training zone
I have a corgi that goes crazy when he hears a car, four wheeler, or even lawn mowers. I’ve tried treats and verbally correcting him. I’ve also tried a training collar. When he gets in the red zone, nothing gets his attention.
Any dog, and especially one that chases cars, should always be on a leash in situations where vehicles are around for safety’s sake. They should never be loose in this situation.
Jan 19, 2010 | | dog training zone
Dear Daniel Stevens:
One of our family’s greatest hobbies is planting, weeding, and growing fruits and vegetables so we can enjoy them on the dinner table. Both my husband and I grew up eating organic, homegrown foods so we wanted to pass this gift down to our own children. Together, we have a blast working in the garden but lately, we’ve had an unexpected helper – our dog Tasha.
While we work, Tasha prefers digging and tearing up the plants. As you can imagine, this isn’t helping the situation. Obviously, we aren’t going to give up our garden nor are we going to get rid of the dog so we need to find some kind of solution that will allow us to enjoy both. We’ve tried telling her “NO” but I think the temptation is simply too great. Do you have any ideas on how we can keep growing our favorite foods without having some of our hard work undone by Tasha?
Denise
Colorado
Dear Denise:
The challenge with having a dog and a garden is that the space is shared space. For this reason, you may need to find some compromises in addition to training. One option that actually works well is using treats as rewards and an inexpensive clicker during the training period. Before you get started, Tasha should be confident with common commands such as “sit,”stay,”and “lie down.” Once she’s mastered these, the rest of the training pertaining to the garden will be easier.
For the clicker, you want to teach Tasha about barriers associated with your garden. For this, we recommend you use some type of garden fencing or rocks. This way, you and your pet will have a visual on where she can and can’t go. As Tasha nears the garden, tell her “NO”. Once you have her attention, use the clicker, which is a great distracter. Next, call the dog to you, giving her the “sit” command. As she obeys, offer her a small treat. If you are consistent with this type of training, Tasha should have a good handle on the new rules in about three to four weeks.
Another way to keep your dog out of the garden is to create a zone just for her. For this, you could have a four by four-foot space that has fresh grass, toys, water bowl, and perhaps a favorite bone or two, buried down about six inches. With Tasha on the leash, guide her to her space, telling her “YES, good girl.” Have her sit and stay as you make your way to the garden.
If she tries to follow, guide her back to her “garden,” repeating the process several times. If she does not understand after five or six tries, go ahead and put her back indoors while you garden. However, the next time you work in the garden, work with her again on the leash. Eventually, she will connect her getting to stay outside with you gardening, as long as she remains in her own space.
All the best,
Daniel Stevens
Dan Stevens
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/training-your-dog-around-your-garden-92494.html
Jan 18, 2010 | | dog training zone
The dog is a one year old border collie mix and has been living with us for two months. He is very sweet and well behaved when we are around him. Anytime we leave our house he starts whining and yelping immediately, he will scratch at the doors to try and get out of the house. We have tried to crate train, use products such as Comfort Zone with DAP, homeopet anxiety drops, bark collars, etc and nothing has worked. We exercise him regularly, practice our comings and goings for short periods of time and he has plenty of chew toys such as kongs, stuffed animals, and bones to keep him busy during the day. Our vet recommended we see an animal behaviorist and put our dog on essentially doggy-prozac. The behaviorists we have spoken with will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $450 to $600. The dog is great but I’d probably have to return him before I could drop that much money on him. He attends doggie day care 2 days a week and obedience class 1day. Any advice would be appreciated.
I went through the very same thing with my chihuahua, and it was ruining my life. He was the most, is, the most amazing dog, but he too suffered from this. We did everyhting you wrote about and paid for costly behaviouists. Her advice was basically to make LOVE his crate. We fed him in there, praised him when he would step in, give him treats in there. He would go in it after weeks of doing this for seconds at a time, and then the second we would make a move, he would run out of there in fear we would close the door and leave. I didn’t feel right about medicating him for the rest of his life so I continued to stand my ground. I would put him in his crate, but instead of leaving I would do house work etc. to show him that his crate wasn’t a bad place where we would put him before we did his worst nightmare- leave. To try to make a long story short, put soothing music on…Start off slowely by leaving for short periods of time before hours long, and if all else fails…get a second dog! We have two, so what we ended up doing was putting them together. Now he is happy because he is with his big sister. We didn’t do this in the beginning because our girl liked to be in her crate alone, but we were desperate. Now all is well, and they love being together. Problem solved. Seperation anxiety, has been explained to me by various highly respected vets as a HORRIBLE many times forever long problem. You are doing everything right it seems…making sure he is mentally stimulated (walks), DAP, etc. So if he is truesly a great dog everyother time except when you leave, consider a second dog, or having a dog walker come by once or twice a day, depending on your work schedual. They usually charge, well in my area $10 every visit. That would definitely help..PLUS…remember…you are this guys, or girls…second or third home past puppy hood. Eventhough he loves you and they know you love him…technically he has been abandoned by his previous loved ones in his eyes. Remain consistant for the next months, and you could have a completely changed dog. One that feels at ease that you wont abandon him. Because that’s what seperation anxiety is ultimately….a fear or being abandoned. Hope this helped you soom. I am a true animal lover, and my dogs are my life..if you need anymore help, or have any other questions feel free to email me directly. alllanas@yahoo.com Good luck, and stay strong. 
Jan 18, 2010 | | dog training zone
