10 BIG sections!

Introduction, Help with Problems, Working with Rescue, Owners & Adopters, Nutrition, Behavior & Learning, Problems & Solutions, Management, Manners, Companion Obedience

There are over 150 articles in this collection (many are over 8 pages long, printed out!), not including the introduction articles, tables, graphs, etc. Of those, many are new articles, written especially for this publication, covering topics that I felt were needed to "round out" the coverage. Many of the others have been modified to include newer, more complete information.

It's taken me 3 years to compile, organize, write, re-write, and edit this HUGE book... everything's here, except medical information! (I am not a vet!) 

Topics Addressed:

Intro Section:

About this publication:

• Instructions for Use
• Your Responsibilities (My Disclaimer)
• About the Book (Is it worth the price??)

Life's Journey:

• Dedication & Introduction
• Forward (2 pp)
• About Me
• My Commitment to Non-Force Training (3 pp)
• Changes in Training Philosophy (3 pp)

Page Count: 8 pages

Help with Problems Section:

• Looking for Help
• Owners Beware -- What to Look for, and What to AVOID! (8 pp)
• Getting Help with Non-Profound Problems
• Getting My Help with Profound Problems (4 pp)
• My Rates
• My Contract

Page Count: 12 pages

Working with Rescue

Thinking About Helping With Rescue?

• What Can You Do?  My reasons for working with rescue boil down to some rather selfish motives. (3 pp)
• You Can Help, Without Fostering!  If you can't foster or adopt a dog, here's the on-going 102 Ways to Help Rescue list!
• Transporting Dogs for Rescue  The welfare of the dog as the number one priority. (6 pp)
• Foster Home Criteria
To give prospective foster homes an idea of how I worked with my foster homes when OSR was still in operation, I've included this article. (1 pp)
• Fostering  Fostering a dog can be fun, and rewarding, and inspiring, and fulfilling.  It can also be heartbreaking, if you're unprepared for some of the trickier aspects. (7 pp)
• Pure-Breed, All-Breed, or Mixed-Breed?
What it comes down to, again, are your personal limitations. (3 pp)
• By Yourself, or With the Help of an Organization? This too, requires thought, and planning, and some measure of honesty about your personal and financial limitations.

Boy, Do I Get Questions!

• Educating Owners  I get lots of questions from rescue people about what books are best to give owners who wish to get rid of their dogs over behavior issues... issues that we all know are relatively easy to correct, with a little knowledge and patience. (2 pp)
• Did You Find a Saint? I get calls all the time... about stray dogs, left-in-the-yard dogs, "they gave him to me" dogs... now, WHAT do I DO with him?? (6 pp)
  • Breed-Specifics
  Many trainers don't allow for breed-specifics, taking a "a-dog-is-a-dog" approach.  To my way of thinking, these trainers are saying that a Malamute has the same propensities as a Dalmatian.
• Assessment Test  this is a "quick assessment", intended to give you an idea of a dog's triggers.  It helps in determining potential adoptability, when you consider average owners. (8 pp)
• As Hard as it is, Euthanasia is Necessary
Sooner or later, everyone gets a dog that suffers, either physically or emotionally, to an extent that is too much a burden to bear… either for the animal, or for the rescue’s checkbook. (5 pp)
• Mistakes Happen
We can’t possibly assess in every situation possible before accepting a dog; we can’t possibly know every single minute aspect of dog behavior; and we can’t be expected to be able to read the minds of surrendering owners (let alone their dogs). (1 pp)
• Working with an Aggressive Dog?
Most of us have been there, and have had to make a tough choice: do you adopt the dog out? do you keep the dog? do you euthanize him? (5 pp)
• The Application Process
The application itself is just the starting point of the adoption process… once you’ve got it on record, the work begins.

• Doing Home-Visits Our ultimate purpose in doing rescue is to increase the dog’s quality of life over and above what it is in our homes. (11 pp)

• The Integration Process Once you've made the decision to adopt, it's important that you know how to introduce your dog, cat, etc. to the new family member! (7 pp)

• The Myth of the Poor Abused or Neglected Rescued Dog

People have a very real tendency toward not setting limits, based on the dog’s "rough life" up to this point. (2 pp)

• Why do Rescue Groups Charge Adoption Fees

  All reputable rescue groups and shelters require adoption fees... and there are many reasons for this. (3 pp)
• Letter from a Prospective Adopter (3 pp)

Owners & Adopters

Article Specific to St. Bernards

Before Getting a Dog:

• But, I Want a Puppy! Most of the people who call me about getting a rescued dog start out by specifying that they'd prefer a puppy... (3 pp)
• Sample Schedule for Owners of Young Puppies This table represents a good sample schedule for an average day in owning a puppy.
• Everything You'll Need to Know Before Getting a Dog! (Strategies designed to help you keep your dogs AND your insurance) (8 pp)
• Can I Afford to Adopt?
This comparison is presented in an effort to inform prospective owners of the costs involved in owning a St. Bernard as a pet. (7 pp)
• Discussion of the Necessity for Altering In addition to health concerns, reproductive status affects animals on a behavioral level. (3 pp)
• No Outside Dogs! Does your dog REALLY prefer to be out there? (4 pp)
• To Clarence's Former Owners Clarence (Geezer) was a typical dog, rescued from an entire lifetime of neglect on the end of a chain.  His time in my home touched me as no other has. (3 pp)
• Bringing the Outside Dog Inside Many people are overwhelmed at the thought of making their outside-only dogs into house dogs... but this is something that rescue people face continually.  Learn how to make this an easier process, for everyone concerned! (3 pp)
• About the St. Bernard (Breed-Specifics) (7 pp)
• FAQ About Rescue (This was written for Ohio Saint Rescue, can be applied to any reputable organization!) (2 pp)

• Where to Find Your New Best Friend There are lots of sources from which to purchase or adopt a dog.  This table will help you to decide which one will provide the most rewarding experience for both you and the dog. (2 pp)
• So... Where DO Puppies Come From?  There are 3 types of breeders: backyard breeder (BYB), puppymill, and the responsible breeder.
(5 pp)
• Did You Find a Saint? I get calls all the time... about stray dogs, left-in-the-yard dogs, "they gave him to me" dogs... now, WHAT do I DO with him??
• Adopting a Rescued Dog You can't just walk into a shelter, and walk out with a dog (not if you're looking for a dog that will fit into your lifestyle and family).  This article will help you to determine if the dog you're considering is a responsible, practical choice. (3 pp)
• Adoption Guidelines Understand a reputable group's policies in making placements. (3 pp)
• Why do Rescue Groups Charge Adoption Fees?  All reputable rescue groups and shelters require adoption fees... and there are many reasons for this.

• The Myth of the Poor Abused or Neglected Rescued Dog People have a very real tendency toward not setting limits, based on the dog’s "rough life" up to this point.
• Confining Your Dog for the safety of your dog, and the neighborhood, fencing is an important part of the Good Neighbor Policy! (5 pp)
• Making the Transition So, what do you do with the dog, now that you've got him at home? (4 pp)
• The Integration Process Once you've made the decision to adopt, it's important that you know how to introduce your dog, cat, etc. to the new family member!

Behavior & Learning

Owner Understanding

• The Importance of Owner Cooperation (2pp)  I work with problems everyday... all sorts of problems, with all sorts of cause/effect relationships.  It's important that you, the owner, understand the goal of our relationship
• Coping with Guilt (1 pp)  Guilt is an inherent part of the process of learning to use a less harsh methodology, because the understanding of the use of the methodology requires that you think about what you've used in the past, and why you've used it, and also, why it's important to change.

Basics of Teaching

• Clicker Training with Cross-over Dogs  I think that there are less-than-optimum ways to start life, and some poor dogs got to experience ALOT of it.  I feel, personally, that dogs are very much like children... when their early learning is compromised, they can spend their entire lives playing "catch-up". (3 pp)
  • The Differences Between Methods  This understanding is CRITICAL in working with fear and aggressive responses in dogs!
• Why Not Use Aversives or Correction in Training?  I believe that dogs require leadership. But, I provide that leadership through teaching the dog to cooperate, rather than teaching the dog that (s)he HAS to submit. (7 pp) 
  • Why Am I So Against the Use of Force Methods?  It’s always better to take the shortest, cleanest route, whenever possible… and the shortest, cleanest route in training is in the use of positive reinforcement.
  • Non-Compliance  Lots of people simply look at a dog's noncompliance as "dominance". That's why correction training has taken such a foothold in this country... humans MUST dominate all other species. 
  • Shock Collars These collars deserve a heading of their own, simply due to the damage they cause.
  • Using Correction Positively?  It's common to hear punishing methods referred to as "positive reinforcement methods", simply because you're taught to say "good boy!" after issuing the correction, when the unwanted behavior stops.
  • Superstitious Behaviors  a behavior that has nothing to do with the intended lesson.
• Using "NO!" in Training  First, let's look at what the word "no" represents, before trying to use it for teaching: the word "no" carries with it an implied threat... because it's coupled with aversives during the learning phase. (2 pp)

Your Mindset (and How it Affects Your Relationship)

• Your Role As the Alpha Human Has someone told you that you need to teach your dog who the "boss" is?  There are ways to teach your dog, without using dominance theory! (6 pp)
• Dominance Theory Revisited   I have problems (issues, really {grin}) with the use of dominance theory... in large part because it's so often MIS-used to describe dog behavior. (4 pp)
  • The Dominance Theory Fairy Tale  It's important to understand that many trainers don't understand this paradigm any better than the average owner does!
  • The Mis-Use of Dominance Theory  I don't use dominance theory AT ALL, in explaining dog/human interactions.  And, I use it very sparingly, in explaining dog/dog interactions.
  • Dominance Theory & the "More is Better" Philosophy  In using the "scruff-shake", for example, reaching to pet the dog may have come to predict (for the dog) that he's going to get shaken -- so he goes on the offensive!
  • Dominance Theory Vs. Learning Theory  It’s safer and far more productive to use learning theory to explain behavior… and learning theory is what you’ll learn from me.
• Gaining Control Watching your dog in different situations will teach you volumes about what he's thinking, because you'll learn to be able to predict his behavior based on his body language. (4 pp)
  • Understanding the Importance of Predicting Behavior  The key to training any dog lies in understanding his language, and giving him the opportunity to understand yours.
  • The Impact of Force on Relationships  Using force will only back him into a corner emotionally, and bring about a confrontation.
  • How to Gain Control  It doesn't have to be a constant struggle between your will, and his!
• It's a Matter of Trust  Much of the work that I do is centered in working with aggressive dogs... dogs who, for one reason or another, feel threatened.  Where many trainers will attribute the dog's explosive behavior to dominance, I attribute it to the perception of threat. (10 pp)
  • Gauging Stress  When working toward building the safety history, it's important that you have a solid understanding of the situations which cause your dog stress... so, first, you'll need to understand how to *gauge* your dog's stress level.
  • Building the Safety History  We ALL have to do things that we don't WANT to do... my *personal* feeling, in trying to incorporate clicker training philosophy into all aspects of my dogs' lives, is that we can make them as stress-free as POSSIBLE, without fore-going the necessities altogether.
• Trust/Safety History in Action  The importance of how the Safety/Trust History affects the dog's ability to "take cues" from the owner/handler/trainer: this is INCREDIBLY important stuff, as the following will illustrate! (3 pp)
• Recipe for a "New" Dog  There are many reasons why you may need a recipe for building a new relationship, from scratch. (4 pp)
  • What's in a Name?  If you're bringing a strange dog into your home, and he already has a name, there may be some pretty nasty associations already tied to that name.
  • Making Assumptions  These are assumptions that I make regarding every dog that I work with, in any capacity.

  Understanding How to Teach
   

• Clicker Training Basics This article gives the average pet-owner an understanding of the principles of clicker training, so that they can get started quickly. (16 pp)
  • The Benefits of Clicker Training Clicker training has several benefits that we often don’t think about, actively.
  • Why This Method is Preferred  This methodology teaches the dog to problem-solve... that no behavior is wrong -- there's only behavior that's rewarded, and behavior that isn't.
  • Problems with "Crossing Over"  One of the hardest aspects of teaching with this method with a "traditionally-trained", or cross-over dog, is the teaching of the concept of offering behaviors.
  • How Does the Method Work?  When starting out, clicking the clicker is not going to mean anything to your dog... you have to give it meaning, first.
  • "Getting" the Behavior  There are benefits and problems associated with each of these methods.
  • What Motivates Your Dog?  Every dog is individual, just as every human is.
  • Refusing the Reinforcer  You clicked the behavior, and the dog refuses the reinforcer.  Does it count?
  • Clicking in Groups  Once the dog understands what the clicker means, it's quite acceptable to click in groups.
  • Why Use a Marker?  You're using a sound that is unmistakable at long distances, extremely short in duration, and very precise. It is the reward marker.
  • Getting Rid of Unwanted Behavior  You have to understand how learning occurs, in order to be effective with *any* training method.
  • Chaining & Linking  The goal of training is to get as much "bang for your buck" as possible... both from your point of view, and the dog's point of view.
  • Increasing Duration of Behavior  The clicker not only MARKS the behavior, but it ALSO **ends** the behavior... so, how do you end up with a 5-minute down-stay, if you click as soon as he downs?
  • Phasing Out the Reward  Like any other method, the clicker and rewards are TOOLS, used for teaching.
  • Reward Delivery  Learn to use a variable system of delivery, to keep him from anticipating the treat.
  • A Word About Generalizing  Dogs incorporate their environment into their learning, and that makes it difficult for them to learn efficiently.
  • When to Add the Cue  There are alot of answers to this question.
  • Stimulus Control  Stimulus control is control over the dog's response in a given circumstance.
  • More Than 1 Behavior at a Time  It's all dependent upon your imagination, your ability to keep up with your dog, and your dog's understanding
  • "Lump-sum Payments"?  Jack-pots are used to provide contrast, and this is different from the use of "lump-sum" payments.
  • Non-Food-Motivated Dogs  It's alot easier with food... because food is readily available, and because you can keep the rate of reinforcement high enough to keep the dog's interest.
  • Keeping a Journal  Using a journal allows you to see, at a glance, to more easily facilitate training.
• Classical Conditioning  Classical conditioning is particularly useful in those situations where an animal has "finely tuned" their responses in a given situation, such as aggressive responses.  (4 pp)
• Operant Conditioning Explained  Simply put, there are 2 sides to operant conditioning: reinforcement, and punishment. (3 pp)
• What Are Rewards?  Rewards can be fickle beasts... understanding this will give you what you need to work around it! (7 pp)
  • The Training Bargain  In order for the bargain to work, there has to be trust: you must trust that the dog will do as you ask, and your dog must trust that you'll carry through on your implied promises.
  • Praise, as a Training Tool, is Ineffective  Praise is considered to be a *secondary reinforcer* -- unless it's associated with really good stuff, it's just not motivating.
• Schedules of Reinforcement, and How They Affect Learning  There are lots of schedules for reinforcement, and understanding them will give you control over such variables as consistency, stimulus control, and ease of extinction. (4 pp)
• Manipulating Rewards to Provide Environmental Feedback (using Time-Outs and No Reward Markers) (10 pp)
• Training Progression (7 pp)
  • Snappiness During Treat Acceptance
  • Doggie Zen
• What is Fallout?  Everything We Teach Has Fallout Associated With It.  Everything.  No matter the method used. (3 pp)

Problems & Solutions

• What Qualifies as a Behavior Problem?  Behavior problems are simply behaviors that, as humans, we've decided that we can't tolerate. (6 pp)
  • Deter Behavior Problems Learn how obedience training Can Help to Deter Behavioral Problems!
  • Mental and Physical Stimulation  There is probably no greater defense or "cure" for behavioral problems, than mental and physical activity.
• Why the HECK is He Doing THAT?? (humor... for the most part)  You'll probably appreciate your dog's quirky behaviors after reading this. {grin} (3 pp)
• Teaching Your Dog NOT to Do Something  In keeping with using non-force methodology, there are several ways that this can be accomplished. (2 pp)

• Housetrained (or Not) Many rescue people and shelters list their dogs as "house trained"... find out what that means, exactly, and how it can doom your relationship to failure! (6 pp)
• Barking There are lots of reasons why dogs bark, ranging from communication, to boredom, to fear, to name a few.  Learn how to quiet your dog, humanely! (5 pp)
• Teaching NOT to Jump Dogs don't understand that humans don't like being jumped on, so they don't know that we think that's inappropriate. (4 pp)
• Chewing Destructive chewing can result when your dog is bored, anxious, hasn't received enough mental or physical stimulation, has a sore tooth or other dental problem, or is teething.  Recognition of the causes will help you to affect a change! (3 pp)
• Counter-Surfing  Counter-surfing is what's called a "self-reinforcing behavior" -- but ONLY if it's rewarded. (2 pp)
• Attention-Seeking Behaviors Your dog will perform whatever behavior he happens to come up with, that works... he won't continue to look for a "less obnoxious" way to get the same results. {grin} (7 pp)
• Nipping & Mouthing  Owners of rescued dogs often have "mouthing" problems with their dogs... with many breeds (like Saints and Rotties), this is breed-specific. (4 pp)
• Eating Poop There is no documented research that supports any of the reasons touted by experts on coprophagia.  And, some of the "cures", such as using meat tenderizer in the dog's food, can be harmful!  Learn ways to prevent access, without hurting your dog! (2 pp)

Profound Behavior Problems

• Socializing the Rescued Dog  Lack of socialization causes fear responses in older puppies and dogs, leading to shyness, yappiness, and downright aggressive behavior. (3 pp)
• "Growl" Classes: the New Rage & Danger! a new type of class has been created for those "special needs" dogs: dogs are often disruptive in regular classes. 
• Teaching Redirection teaching the animal to perform a different behavior, as a means of obtaining reinforcement: a replacement behavior. (4 pp)
• My Experiences with Aggression in My Dogs  I think that anyone who deals with an aggressive display from the family dog needs to feel that others have dealt with (and been successful in dealing with) the same. (6 pp)
• Aggressive Displays Understanding why dogs aggress, and why aggression is a difficult problem to address, will help you to make the decision of whether or not to work with your aggressive dog. (4 pp)
• Aggression Diagnostics  By determining the *function* of the behavior, you're better able to make a determination, first, on whether the behavior actually constitutes aggression, and second, on how to proceed in management and behavior modification protocols. (5 pp)
  • Preventing Aggression  Here are ways to help ensure that you will never have to deal with an aggressive dog in the first place -- if you have chosen the dog as a pup, from a reputable breeder -- and the breeder, in his wisdom, has done his job.
• Growling  Many breeds are vocal, and communicate through many variations of growling... and, for the most part, what they're communicating is NOT aggression. (3 pp)
• Placing Your Aggressive Dog In Rescue Aggression isn't an issue that should be dealt with through a rescue group: it's a problem that is very work-intensive, because aggression is a *habit*. (8 pp)
  • Gauging a Dog's Propensity for Biting n gauging a dog's "propensity to bite", you have to list TRIGGERS, and then gauge the propensity for those triggers to occur *simultaneously*.
• Fearful Behavior Animals are pre-programmed with a "fight/flight" response. If something is scary to them, they'll first try the "flight" avenue -- if, however, there is nowhere to run, or they've been pushed past their limits, then the only way to escape is to fight. (9 pp)
  • Using Sedatives in Fearful Situations!  Sedatives will block learned behaviors like bite inhibition, and also diminish the dog's learning capability -- sedatives ARE NOT to be used as part of the behavior modification protocol, for this reason.
  • "Reinforcing" Fears by Consoling the Dog?  What I've seen in my own dogs isn't so much a *reinforcement* of their fear (St. Bernards are *notoriously* fearful of thunder).
  • Startle Reflexes  These sorts of problems are the most dangerous (as with prey aggression, though not QUITE as serious), simply *because* the dog has no control.
• Fear Protocols (Samples)
(8 pp)
• Resource Guarding  Resources are things of value. Toys, chewies, coveted resting-spots, food, people -- these are all resources.  (3 pp)
• Resource-Guarding Protocols (Sample)
(6 pp)
• Territorial Aggression  Territorial aggression is tied up in a dog's prey drive -- wanting to chase. It can also begin as a fear response (the dog finds out that when he barks, the feared object moves away. (3 pp)
• Greeting Humans  Being able to greet humans appropriately and calmly is one of those behaviors that seem to apply circular logic: he has to be calm in order to greet, but he has to greet in order to calm down. {grin} (9 pp)
• Re-directed Aggression  Redirected aggression is when the dog becomes heightened over something (another dog, items like those listed above, etc.), but then directs the aggression at whatever's closest to them. (4 pp)
• Aggression Involving Children
When aggression is directed at children, there are special considerations... I feel it's my responsibility to first make sure that every owner understands the ramifications involved in considering working with a dog that's aggressive toward children. (2 pp)
• Dominance?  There are many people who feel that every basic instinct dogs have is centered around their wanting to dominate their people -- I am not one of those people... in fact, I don't believe that dogs relate to humans through "dominance" at all. (3 pp)
• Dog-to-Dog Aggression  Aggression between dogs can have many causes: fear (lack of proper socialization with other dogs), bullying behavior, resource-guarding, and territorial protection. (7 pp)
• Greeting Dogs  If your dog isn't well-socialized, allowing him contact with other well-socialized dogs will help to bridge the gap in his dog-dog etiquette and language skills... but, it's not absolutely necessary that an adult dog have lots of doggie friends. (2 pp)
• Rudeness in Dogs  Cis has a l-o-o-o-ong fuse with the boys, and gives many warnings before saying "That's IT -- I've had ENOUGH!" (3 pp)
• When Dogs Fight  There is nothing scarier than having 2 or more dogs in your home who can't get along, especially big ones. (8 pp)
• Bullies & Victims
Bullies are insecure individuals who molest the other dogs, puffing themselves up, snarling and snapping, to cow the other dogs. (5 pp)
• Separation Anxiety some separation anxiety is a result of training... re-training can be a critical part of recovery. (5 pp)
• Tactile Sensitivity (Touching)  Upon initial assessment, I found that Zoe could not tolerate handling of any sort from the shoulders back, including back, flank, belly, legs, feet, or tail... this was especially true where I was concerned. (5 pp)
• Submissive Urination this is NOT Housetraining!  Submissive urination is an appeasement gesture... it's intended by the dog to show that he's afraid, and to circumvent punishment.  Learn how to successfully teach your dog that these gestures aren't necessary.
(2 pp)
• Sound Sensitivity This is an outline of the various techniques that I tried and discarded, in my search for techniques that helped Cis. (6 pp)
• Cis: My Experiences With Sound Sensitivity My dog, Cis, suffers from a horrendous sound sensitivity that took us over a year to overcome.  We still run into problems occasionally, but the techniques I used to desensitize her to the worst situations are very helpful to us, still. (5 pp)
• Desensitization for Vetting A veterinarian who is willing to to follow your lead in making things more stress-free for your dog is a Godsend -- finding such a professional is one of those life-changing events! (6 pp)
• The Vet-Rack Because of the work I do, I've found it necessary to provide owners and veterinarians with a way to facilitate the vet procedures with as little fanfare, stress, and risk of injury as possible. (3 pp)
• Afraid of the Vet  One of my dogs is terrified of the vet, and I get alot of questions about how I deal with this. (3 pp)
• Problems at the Vet (7 pp)

Management

• Management Techniques Management techniques are simply ways of coping with situations until a change in behavior can be affected. (3 pp)
• Kids and the Rescued Dog  There are some very simple rules to follow, when your dog is part of a dog/kid household (2 pp)
• Stationary boards Stationary boards are used to confine your dog to an area, so that you can work with him easily. (2 pp)
• Crate Training Used properly, and taught properly, many dogs come to love their crate.  A crate can keep your dog (and your belongings) safe, give your dog a place to retreat to when he's tired or feeling overwhelmed. (3 pp)
• Muzzled for Safety  If one of my dogs would bloat or get hit by a car, I don't want the emergency vet worrying about the size of their teeth, rather than working on my dog. (3 pp)
• Confining Your Dog
  • Underground Fencing Underground fencing is typically marketed as a safe, cheap alternative to physical barrier fencing.  My personal feeling is that it's safer NOT to fence the yard at all, than to use underground fencing.
  • Teaching the Dog to Stay in His Yard WITHOUT a Boundary  You can't teach a dog (or any other organism) NOT to seek out reinforcement.
  • Building Doggie Doors (for under $20!)  Includes instructions and drawing!
  • Proper Kenneling My dogs aren't allowed access to the yard, when they're not supervised... but this can be a pretty inconvenient concept, if the whole purpose of fencing your yard is to allow the dog to go to the bathroom while you're away from home.
• Using The Vet-Rack  Sometimes it's necessary to do things to our animals that aren't pleasant, and that we don't have time to desensitize them for...

Manners Training

• What’s the Difference Between Manners and Obedience Commands?
 Manners Commands are the "please's" and "thank you's" of the canine/human relationship. (4 pp)
• Teaching Bite Inhibition  should be taught as a gesture of love for the animal -- not through force!  (4 pp)
  • Dog-Dog Bite Inhibition  The problem in gauging bite inhibition is that it's taught when the dog is relatively calm... but you have to test it when the dog is pissed off -- that's the TRUE indicator.
• "Leave it!
" This command is used to give you control in situations when your dog is way too interested in another dog, or something icky. (2 pp)
• "Off!"
If your dog jumps up on people, or dogs (humping), or furniture, this one allows you to control it. (2 pp)
• "Out!" Or "Give!
" It's a great command to use if your dog guards toys or chewies, it's used in retrieving, and it's used in tug-of-war and other games, as well. This is called a release command. (2 pp)
• "Speak" and "No Speak
" This is best taught when the dog is barking for reasons other than gaining attention. (2 pp)
• Teach Your Dog to Like Grooming
All facets of your dog's grooming should be made to be a relaxing, pleasurable experience for him -- it's a bonding process. (4 pp)
• Teaching "Settle"
This command gives you the power to make your dog "chill out", if he's racing through the house, or nervous at the Vet's, or you want to trim his nails. (2 pp)
• "Wait!" This differs from the "stay" command in that the dog can wait in any position it wants to: the command is not "position dependent" -- and yes, dogs can differentiate between the two. (2 pp)

Companion Obedience Training

• The Need for Obedience Training So what's the big deal, anyway? (4 pp)
  • My Thoughts on Obedience Classes  Formal, traditional-style obedience classes have very few benefits, in my opinion.
  • Generalizing Behaviors  Dogs incorporate their environment into their learning.
  • Training for Attention  Before you can effectively train your dog, you need to make sure his attention is focused on you.
• Choosing a Training Collar Head collars are all the rage with dogs who pull on-lead.  Find out what you need to know in order to teach your dog to accept the head collar, so that you can take him anywhere you want to, without pulling -- and without hurting him! (6 pp)
  • What's a Head Collar?  A head collar is like a horse's bridle, without the bit.
  • Notes on Head Collars  Types, differences, use.
  • Fitting the Head Collar  Proper fit is everything, with these collars.
  • Teaching Your Dog to Accept the Headcollar  Some people only try to use it when they need to do crappy stuff to their dogs, like take him to the vet's -- and, of course, the dog associates this with the collar, and fights it.
• Teaching Obedience Commands A very simple "how-to".  (10 pp)
  • A Word About Language  Train your dog with this in mind: the average shelter or Rescue worker should be able to give a simple command, and your dog respond in a positive manner.
  • How Obedience Training Helps  the Average, Everyday Dog
  • Companion Vs. Competition Obedience  Competition obedience has its place, but I teach companion obedience.
  • Teaching the Commands
  • Loose Leash Work with Large Dogs  Working with large (and VERY large {grin} dogs -- and trying to maintain some sort of semblance of control -- can be a special consideration.
• Comparison of Group/Private Training The real issue of cost and effectiveness rests with the overall results of the service... and, whether or not you'll be satisfied with those results will rest in whether or not you've done your homework prior to even starting training. (5 pp)
• "Growl" Classes: the New Rage & Danger! a new type of class has been created for those "special needs" dogs: dogs are often disruptive in regular classes.
• Lesson Plan: 6-12 Weeks instructions to make the following more easily attainable: (2 pp)
  • Lesson Plan: 1st Lesson (2 pp)
  • Lesson Plan: 2nd Lesson (2 pp)
  • Lesson Plan: 3rd Lesson (2 pp)
  • Lesson Plan: 4th Lesson (2 pp)
  • Lesson Plan: 5th Lesson (2 pp)
• Off-leash Work?  My opinions. (2 pp)