THE FAMILY DOG HELPLINE
Dogs Are Dogs, Not Humans
They are not little fur babies, little humans, babysitters, nanny dogs, etc. They are in no way, shape, or form genetically related to homo sapiens.
“Most of the problem behaviors we see in today’s society will disappear if we treat our dogs like dogs.”
A recent vital video depicting a polar bear patting a dog on the head is being grossly misinterpreted.
"When we insist on seeing animals [like humans], we do them a disservice. We assign them the responsibility that comes with being human, including a code of morality that other animals [our dogs included] simply cannot follow." (Read more at, http://qz.com/841693/that-video-of-a-polar-bear-petting-a-dog-turns-out-to-show-us-a-predator-playing-with-its-prey/?utm_source=parBBC)
This is a problem that many of our domesticated pets, dogs especially, are continuously burdened with. We treat them like humans, expect them to behave like humans, hold them to the same accountability as humans. And then when they fail under such a heavy load, we're shocked. The dog ends up at the shelter, on death row, for our own stupidity and unwillingness to see them for who they truly are.
They are not little fur babies, little humans, babysitters, nanny dogs, etc. They are in no way, shape, or form genetically related to homo sapiens. In fact, they are a completely different species!!! Imagine that. They are Canis Familiaris, genetically 98% of they're wild forefathers, Canis Lupus, i.e. wolves...not humans...wolves.
Most of the behavior problems we see in today's society (separation anxiety, containment phobia, general anxiety, over excitement, aggression, reactivity, hyper arousal, household destruction, etc), behaviors we think can be fixed with medication or more love, will disappear if we treat our dogs like dogs.
Show your love, share your affection, when it is appropriate and earned. Then give discipline at the right time with just the right amount of information to teach your dog how to cope with domestic life.
Treat them like a DOG! And they will blossom.
What Is Balanced Training?
Balanced training - clearly communicate with a dog what is wanted and what is not wanted.
“Your dog is only as balanced as your household.”
Balanced Training
Balanced training uses a combination of positive reinforcement such as food, clickers, praise, and touch, and negative reinforcement such as spatial, verbal, and physical pressure to clearly communicate with a dog what is wanted and what is undesirable.
To be successful, all teams must work together to achieve the same goal. If owner, trainer and dog are on separate pages, then nothing is accomplished. Our goal is to teach you how to train your own dog to eliminate existing problems and prevent future bad behaviors from starting. We accomplish this through regular, structured exercise, rules and boundaries, and addressing nutritional and emotional needs, plus a wide variety of tools, praise and consequences. Each dog and owner are different and need a specific program tailored just for them.
We believe in correctly, safely, and humanely using any tool in the toolbox that the dog responds best to. Some of the tools we use are: tone of voice, body language, flat buckle collar, prong collar, verbal markers, food, dressage whip, "bonker", e-collar/remote training collar, slip lead, pet convincer, muzzle, dominant dog collar, and martingale collar.
If you have any issue with these tools, please feel free to ask why. We'd love to show you and educate you on how to properly and humanely use each of them and see the benefits. But if you feel these tools and methods aren't what you're looking for, then we can refer you to other trainers in the area that might be more suited to your style.
Teaching kids to resect dogs and dogs to respect kids
…All the supervising in the world won't stop the inevitable if you are just watching it happen.
When kids and dogs are in the same space, SUPERVISE, SUPERVISE, SUPERVISE. But all the supervising in the world won't stop the inevitable if you are just watching it happen. Step in BEFORE anything happens, even if you believe your dog and your child would never do anything to each other. Don't be dumb! Stop what COULD happen from becoming what WILL happen. Don't put all the responsibility to be good on your dog. Teach your kids to be respectful of the dog and teach your dog to give space to your kids. If you're too far away to remove the baby, call your dog away. If your dog is cornered, don't allow the baby or child to go anywhere near the dog.
Above all, be wise!!!
If it's too hot for your feet, it's too hot for theirs.
Tips on how to keep your dog cool during the summer.
Not only is the asphalt/concrete hot to the touch, dogs have sweat glands on their paws, armpits, and groin. They are highly susceptible to heat stroke. If you notice your pooch starting to breath heavily, tongue hanging out and swollen, quickly submerge their feet in cool water, and splash water up between their legs and underbelly.
How to approach a dog
Asking if a dog is friendly is NOT the same as asking if it's okay to pet the dog.
If you see a well behaved dog and want to pet it, please ask permission! If the owner said no, don't get offended! I've worked hard getting my dogs to this point and an excited human, at the wrong time, can destroy that hard work. Be calm, be willing to cooperate, and say "thank you" when the greeting is over!
If you're a dog owner, regardless of how well it's trained, don't feel obligated to the general public to let them pet your dog. He's your dog! Not public property! If you or your dog aren't comfortable, or ready for the encounter, then politely decline. My favorite reply is, "Sorry, now's not a good time/Not right now, he's in training."
Read more from Dream Come True K9
You might have an off-leash reliable dog if...
If you do not have 100% total off leash control of your dogs, please leave them on a leash or long line.
...you can call your dog with one command and they instantly respond by obediently high-tailing it back to you regardless of the numerous distractions. Congratulations, you have an off leash reliable dog! If not, then please keep your dog on leash in any public setting, especially the city park.
Off leash training is within reach!
Shop for the Temperament and Energy Level, not the looks.
You have to learn to drive, really well, before you buy the sports car. And these wonderful breeds, are the Ferrari's of the dog world!
As quoted on a Facebook User's page: "You have to learn to drive, really well, before you buy the sports car. And these wonderful breeds, are the Ferrari's of the dog world! Many breeds are becoming more popular on looks alone, but end up most often in the shelter when their novice owners can’t control them."
Please do your homework and really think about your lifestyle before purchasing or adopting one of these gorgeous animals. Far too many of them populate our shelters and end up on the euthanasia list because their owners didn't do their research and let their dog suffer.