To LEAD is to LOVE
January 4, 2023
Did you know that a new puppy or even an older adopted dog new to your family, bonds, blends and thrives in a family environment with clear, consistent boundaries and expectations? Your new family dog looks to his new owner for leadership and definition of his place in the PACK. You are human, but to him you are his pack and dog packs have an inherent hierarchy. Without this hierarchy, dogs will tend to seek out an equal or higher position than that of yours or your family members. This creates behavior problems. Clear training, instruction and consistency is essential in creating a happy, loving and balanced relationship between you and your dog. It takes more than love, it takes leadership.How do you achieve this? Well first, any dog should receive basic obedience training through a class or even on your own as long as you are able and willing to do the research in books or online. Then every day, the rules you set need to be consistently followed. For example, if you say “No” to the dog being on the couch, it should be “No” from everyone in the family. Teach him “Off” and stick with it. Later, once well trained and behaved, you can “invite” him up if you so desire.Do not let him INSIST on treats or beg for food at the table. Reserve treats for when you ask him to do something like “sit”, and he does it. He should be in a designated place, like a crate, a dog bed, in another room or even outside when the family is at the table. Later when trained and well behaved you can invite him to be nearer to the family at meal time, if you so desire.Do not “FREE FEED”. In other words, give him his meal and if he does not eat it within 20 minutes, pick it up until the next feeding time. The LEADER always controls the food in the pack.Be a responsible dog owner by not allowing excessive barking, jumping up on guests, soiling the neighbor’s yard or being off leash in public.Practice with your dog every day. Working with your dog gives the dog a “job” and it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you see progress. You can’t expect your dog to learn or improve without investing some time and energyThese are just a few basics to consider with the most important being training. Remember, “To lead is to Love”. A Puppy for Christmas November 10, 2023
Are you thinking about a puppy for Christmas? There is almost no cuter picture than someone receiving a puppy Christmas morning. However, there are a lot of things to consider. Unfortunately, the excitement and anticipation of that moment quickly fades as the new owners realize the reality of the new situation. That sweet little fluff ball quickly turns into the jumping, biting, barking, peeing little monster, and if you are not prepared, it can be more of a Halloween nightmare than a sweet Christmas blessing. Here are some things to consider.-Is the gift recipient ready for such a responsibility? Puppies require a huge investment of time and money. Can they do what needs to be done to have a successful outcome? Consider maturity, dedication, and physical ability.-Shelters are full of dogs 8 months to 1 year old because people get the puppy and by the time the puppy is 6-7 months old, the novelty wears off. Remember, dogs generally live 10-15 years.-Does the person have the time in their schedule for bonding and training? Dogs are pack animals, and it is essential that they have the companionship of the family.-Does the person have the desire, time, and funds to train and invest in the puppy? Training and medical costs can sometime create a financial strain for people with limited income.Do I sound negative? If so let me explain. I believe there is almost nothing beside our family that can bring as much love and companionship as a dog, but it is imperative that all things are considered when bringing a puppy into the family.Here are my suggestions:-Research the breed you are interested in getting or giving. Make sure it is a good match. A dog that is bred to work, run and is extremely high energy will not be the best choice for a sedentary owner.-Make sure you have or give the right tools, a crate, puppy pen, potty pads, toys, leash, collar, and good food.-Invest in training. A good puppy socialization course and a basic obedience course at least.-Commit to the dog being part of everyday life and a member of the family.-Consider giving books and info to the first-time dog owner.-Make sure the puppy has had a good start in life and has all the shots and medical care needed.What better gift than the gift of companionship and love? Just make sure you’ve thought it through and the person receiving is willing, able, and dedicated to the responsibility of owning a puppy. Here’s wishing you all Happy Holidays! What is a Service Dog? April 5, 2023 The fact is that many people do not know what a Service Dog is. Unfortunately, some people ignorantly or blatantly abuse the rights given under the ADA (American Disabilities Act) to Service Dog owners. There are various terms used that sound official to describe dogs used for certain purposes. Though some of these dogs provide benefits to their owners or the community, not all are “Service Dogs” and should not be confused one to the other. Here are the most common:
THERAPY DOG:—A certified Therapy Dog is one that has basic obedience and has passed certain levels of reliability and then tested and certified by recognized Therapy Dog Organizations. These dogs are used for the important purpose of bringing comfort to those in hospitals, and to children in stressful situations. They are also used in schools and other situations. THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ADA REGULATONS AS SERVICE DOGS, and are not allowed in restaurants, stores or anywhere that pet dogs are not allowed.
ESA—EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL: These dogs require no training. A person with a clinically diagnosed condition that requires comfort and companionship from their pet can request a letter from their physician stating that the dog is needed by the patient. The FHA does protect these owners rights to housing . In other words, a person with a legitimate ESA cannot be turned away from renting/buying a place that would normally not allow pets. ESA's are not included in the ADA laws. They are not allowed in restaurants, stores, offices etc.
SERVICE DOG: There are many kinds of Service Dogs, dogs trained for sight work, PTSD, seizure, and many more. These dogs are often specially bred for particular qualities that make them good candidates for a particular type of work. Then, they have many hours, days, months and even years of specific training. This training is very intensive and expensive. The costs and types of training varies from several thousand up to several tens of thousands. Persons with a disability that have a dog trained to do a specific task or tasks are protected by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) to have access to public facilities. Handlers are responsible for the behavior of thier service dogs in public entities, such as stores, restaurants and hotels. It is essential as a responsible dog owner to understand and respect the differences between Service Dogs and our beloved pets and make sure we adhere to the laws that protect the valuable services that specially trained dogs provide. Positive Training MethodsMarch 30, 2023 There are many different types of Dog Training techniques. Each trainer uses the ones that adhere most closely to their own philosophy and work the best for them. Each dog is different and not all techniques work for every dog. Therefore, a good trainer will try to adjust the training style to the dog and that particular dogs needs. In my training world, the use of positive techniques are at the forefront. For example, when a puppy does something wrong….say, biting my hand too hard, instead of scolding the puppy biting, I would distract with a toy and when the puppy plays and bites the toy (instead of my hand) he will get a reward. The reward may be as simple as a verbal praise or more direct such as a treat reward. Nonetheless, capturing the behavior we WANT versus scolding or punishing the behavior we DO NOT WANT, is the philosophy that I have found most helpful. Here are some of the reasons we use positive training techniques: *Dogs learn faster than being trained by punitive methods!Lets face it, we all work better, when the reward is greater, when there is something in it for us. *Dogs are more motivated and engaged when learning.A dog that is actually using his mind, is a happier dog. A handler who engages the dog with a happy voice and eye contact while teaching, realizes success and focuses more on the positive than the negative. * It creates a healthy relationship between you and your dog.Training a dog using fear techniques and punitive methods only drives a wedge and distrust between you and your dog. *Your dog will bond with you and trust you more.The time training in a positive manner is time well spent. The bond strengthens and the desire to continue training increases. *It can be confidence building, especially for nervous dogs.Every task, trick or skill the dog learns and is positively rewarded gives him confidence in himself and his handler. *It helps your dog understand exactly what you want from them.Sometimes dogs are misunderstood, because we are not clear in what we are training. When we use positive training, the dogs understand exactly what it takes to be rewarded and repeat those behaviors. It’s really very simple. *It is less stressful for the owner too, rewarding behavior rather than having to be harsh feels better.Have you ever gotten after or scolded your dog out of frustration and then felt terrible afterwards? It happens, we’re human. The exact opposite is true when we are able to cue the dog and he successfully performs the request, we can reward and praise him, thus giving us a happy feeling. *Your dog can learn to love things they used to fear or dislike.With repeated positive experiences, even situations they once feared can be turned around with the right kind of training. *If you get it wrong with positive training you are generally not going to make the situation worse.This is a great statement. Positively praising and rewarding your dog, will very rarely create a bad situation in training. Be aware however that you are not unknowingly rewarding behavior that you do not want. Why is Dog Training Important? January 2023 Many people may believe that it isn’t that important to have any formal training lessons or classes for their new dog. The truth is that our shelters are unfortunately filled with dogs with unwanted behaviors or were surrendered for perceived behavior issues. Much of the time, the problem lies in a misunderstanding of what is expected between dog and owner. The owner expects that with some guidance, general good manners should develop somewhat naturally. The dog on the other hand expects a certain set of boundaries, consistency, expectations, leadership, companionship and pack mentality. The things the owner expects in relationship to what the dog expects often collide and with detrimental consequences. People tend to humanize our canine companions, but dogs are dogs, not people. In a good obedience class or with a good trainer, the education of what the dog is looking for in a leader, should be painstakingly pounded into the psyche of the new owners. Love, affection, food and a home are not enough for the future to be compatible.An obedience class, though basic, gives the new dog owners a set of expectations, guidelines and a game plan. The exercises are simple, “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “heel’ and “come”. Why are these important? Because each of these commands teaches the owner how to be a leader, it teaches the dog to listen to the leader. They teach the pair consistency, follow through, consequence and reward. When a dog owner sees the dog respond to the above, by successfully performing the simple commands like “stay”, it creates a confidence, motivation and desire continue further. As the dog learns what is expected and that there is a positive reward, he too develops confidence, motivation and desire to listen and respond. It’s a WIN WIN situation.The classes offered through various organizations public or private are only the beginning, however. It is essential for dog owners to go into a class situation knowing that the training is a long-term venture and that the tips and philosophies learned in the class MUST be continued and worked on daily throughout the dog’s life. The time spent in the obedience class and each practice session at home is time well spent bonding and exercising the dog’s body and mind as well as the owners. I had a student at one time that had severe back pain. She was concerned that she may not be able to do the exercises that are required, walking, bending etc. To the contrary, the commitment to the dog training got her out every day, walking, going up and down stairs and actually helped to build the muscles that had been weak in her back. She credits her little Pomeranian and the training she did, with helping to lessen her pain and improve her health!If you are a new dog or puppy owner, I urge you to consider training. It is a good experience for both of you and will set the foundation for what will hopefully be a long lasting, loving relationship. Jann Watts, Legacy Dog Training 928-223-9660 www.legacydogtraining.com
Did you know that a new puppy or even an older adopted dog new to your family, bonds, blends and thrives in a family environment with clear, consistent boundaries and expectations? Your new family dog looks to his new owner for leadership and definition of his place in the PACK. You are human, but to him you are his pack and dog packs have an inherent hierarchy. Without this hierarchy, dogs will tend to seek out an equal or higher position than that of yours or your family members. This creates behavior problems. Clear training, instruction and consistency is essential in creating a happy, loving and balanced relationship between you and your dog. It takes more than love, it takes leadership.How do you achieve this? Well first, any dog should receive basic obedience training through a class or even on your own as long as you are able and willing to do the research in books or online. Then every day, the rules you set need to be consistently followed. For example, if you say “No” to the dog being on the couch, it should be “No” from everyone in the family. Teach him “Off” and stick with it. Later, once well trained and behaved, you can “invite” him up if you so desire.Do not let him INSIST on treats or beg for food at the table. Reserve treats for when you ask him to do something like “sit”, and he does it. He should be in a designated place, like a crate, a dog bed, in another room or even outside when the family is at the table. Later when trained and well behaved you can invite him to be nearer to the family at meal time, if you so desire.Do not “FREE FEED”. In other words, give him his meal and if he does not eat it within 20 minutes, pick it up until the next feeding time. The LEADER always controls the food in the pack.Be a responsible dog owner by not allowing excessive barking, jumping up on guests, soiling the neighbor’s yard or being off leash in public.Practice with your dog every day. Working with your dog gives the dog a “job” and it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you see progress. You can’t expect your dog to learn or improve without investing some time and energyThese are just a few basics to consider with the most important being training. Remember, “To lead is to Love”. A Puppy for Christmas November 10, 2023
Are you thinking about a puppy for Christmas? There is almost no cuter picture than someone receiving a puppy Christmas morning. However, there are a lot of things to consider. Unfortunately, the excitement and anticipation of that moment quickly fades as the new owners realize the reality of the new situation. That sweet little fluff ball quickly turns into the jumping, biting, barking, peeing little monster, and if you are not prepared, it can be more of a Halloween nightmare than a sweet Christmas blessing. Here are some things to consider.-Is the gift recipient ready for such a responsibility? Puppies require a huge investment of time and money. Can they do what needs to be done to have a successful outcome? Consider maturity, dedication, and physical ability.-Shelters are full of dogs 8 months to 1 year old because people get the puppy and by the time the puppy is 6-7 months old, the novelty wears off. Remember, dogs generally live 10-15 years.-Does the person have the time in their schedule for bonding and training? Dogs are pack animals, and it is essential that they have the companionship of the family.-Does the person have the desire, time, and funds to train and invest in the puppy? Training and medical costs can sometime create a financial strain for people with limited income.Do I sound negative? If so let me explain. I believe there is almost nothing beside our family that can bring as much love and companionship as a dog, but it is imperative that all things are considered when bringing a puppy into the family.Here are my suggestions:-Research the breed you are interested in getting or giving. Make sure it is a good match. A dog that is bred to work, run and is extremely high energy will not be the best choice for a sedentary owner.-Make sure you have or give the right tools, a crate, puppy pen, potty pads, toys, leash, collar, and good food.-Invest in training. A good puppy socialization course and a basic obedience course at least.-Commit to the dog being part of everyday life and a member of the family.-Consider giving books and info to the first-time dog owner.-Make sure the puppy has had a good start in life and has all the shots and medical care needed.What better gift than the gift of companionship and love? Just make sure you’ve thought it through and the person receiving is willing, able, and dedicated to the responsibility of owning a puppy. Here’s wishing you all Happy Holidays! What is a Service Dog? April 5, 2023 The fact is that many people do not know what a Service Dog is. Unfortunately, some people ignorantly or blatantly abuse the rights given under the ADA (American Disabilities Act) to Service Dog owners. There are various terms used that sound official to describe dogs used for certain purposes. Though some of these dogs provide benefits to their owners or the community, not all are “Service Dogs” and should not be confused one to the other. Here are the most common:
THERAPY DOG:—A certified Therapy Dog is one that has basic obedience and has passed certain levels of reliability and then tested and certified by recognized Therapy Dog Organizations. These dogs are used for the important purpose of bringing comfort to those in hospitals, and to children in stressful situations. They are also used in schools and other situations. THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ADA REGULATONS AS SERVICE DOGS, and are not allowed in restaurants, stores or anywhere that pet dogs are not allowed.
ESA—EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL: These dogs require no training. A person with a clinically diagnosed condition that requires comfort and companionship from their pet can request a letter from their physician stating that the dog is needed by the patient. The FHA does protect these owners rights to housing . In other words, a person with a legitimate ESA cannot be turned away from renting/buying a place that would normally not allow pets. ESA's are not included in the ADA laws. They are not allowed in restaurants, stores, offices etc.
SERVICE DOG: There are many kinds of Service Dogs, dogs trained for sight work, PTSD, seizure, and many more. These dogs are often specially bred for particular qualities that make them good candidates for a particular type of work. Then, they have many hours, days, months and even years of specific training. This training is very intensive and expensive. The costs and types of training varies from several thousand up to several tens of thousands. Persons with a disability that have a dog trained to do a specific task or tasks are protected by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) to have access to public facilities. Handlers are responsible for the behavior of thier service dogs in public entities, such as stores, restaurants and hotels. It is essential as a responsible dog owner to understand and respect the differences between Service Dogs and our beloved pets and make sure we adhere to the laws that protect the valuable services that specially trained dogs provide. Positive Training MethodsMarch 30, 2023 There are many different types of Dog Training techniques. Each trainer uses the ones that adhere most closely to their own philosophy and work the best for them. Each dog is different and not all techniques work for every dog. Therefore, a good trainer will try to adjust the training style to the dog and that particular dogs needs. In my training world, the use of positive techniques are at the forefront. For example, when a puppy does something wrong….say, biting my hand too hard, instead of scolding the puppy biting, I would distract with a toy and when the puppy plays and bites the toy (instead of my hand) he will get a reward. The reward may be as simple as a verbal praise or more direct such as a treat reward. Nonetheless, capturing the behavior we WANT versus scolding or punishing the behavior we DO NOT WANT, is the philosophy that I have found most helpful. Here are some of the reasons we use positive training techniques: *Dogs learn faster than being trained by punitive methods!Lets face it, we all work better, when the reward is greater, when there is something in it for us. *Dogs are more motivated and engaged when learning.A dog that is actually using his mind, is a happier dog. A handler who engages the dog with a happy voice and eye contact while teaching, realizes success and focuses more on the positive than the negative. * It creates a healthy relationship between you and your dog.Training a dog using fear techniques and punitive methods only drives a wedge and distrust between you and your dog. *Your dog will bond with you and trust you more.The time training in a positive manner is time well spent. The bond strengthens and the desire to continue training increases. *It can be confidence building, especially for nervous dogs.Every task, trick or skill the dog learns and is positively rewarded gives him confidence in himself and his handler. *It helps your dog understand exactly what you want from them.Sometimes dogs are misunderstood, because we are not clear in what we are training. When we use positive training, the dogs understand exactly what it takes to be rewarded and repeat those behaviors. It’s really very simple. *It is less stressful for the owner too, rewarding behavior rather than having to be harsh feels better.Have you ever gotten after or scolded your dog out of frustration and then felt terrible afterwards? It happens, we’re human. The exact opposite is true when we are able to cue the dog and he successfully performs the request, we can reward and praise him, thus giving us a happy feeling. *Your dog can learn to love things they used to fear or dislike.With repeated positive experiences, even situations they once feared can be turned around with the right kind of training. *If you get it wrong with positive training you are generally not going to make the situation worse.This is a great statement. Positively praising and rewarding your dog, will very rarely create a bad situation in training. Be aware however that you are not unknowingly rewarding behavior that you do not want. Why is Dog Training Important? January 2023 Many people may believe that it isn’t that important to have any formal training lessons or classes for their new dog. The truth is that our shelters are unfortunately filled with dogs with unwanted behaviors or were surrendered for perceived behavior issues. Much of the time, the problem lies in a misunderstanding of what is expected between dog and owner. The owner expects that with some guidance, general good manners should develop somewhat naturally. The dog on the other hand expects a certain set of boundaries, consistency, expectations, leadership, companionship and pack mentality. The things the owner expects in relationship to what the dog expects often collide and with detrimental consequences. People tend to humanize our canine companions, but dogs are dogs, not people. In a good obedience class or with a good trainer, the education of what the dog is looking for in a leader, should be painstakingly pounded into the psyche of the new owners. Love, affection, food and a home are not enough for the future to be compatible.An obedience class, though basic, gives the new dog owners a set of expectations, guidelines and a game plan. The exercises are simple, “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “heel’ and “come”. Why are these important? Because each of these commands teaches the owner how to be a leader, it teaches the dog to listen to the leader. They teach the pair consistency, follow through, consequence and reward. When a dog owner sees the dog respond to the above, by successfully performing the simple commands like “stay”, it creates a confidence, motivation and desire continue further. As the dog learns what is expected and that there is a positive reward, he too develops confidence, motivation and desire to listen and respond. It’s a WIN WIN situation.The classes offered through various organizations public or private are only the beginning, however. It is essential for dog owners to go into a class situation knowing that the training is a long-term venture and that the tips and philosophies learned in the class MUST be continued and worked on daily throughout the dog’s life. The time spent in the obedience class and each practice session at home is time well spent bonding and exercising the dog’s body and mind as well as the owners. I had a student at one time that had severe back pain. She was concerned that she may not be able to do the exercises that are required, walking, bending etc. To the contrary, the commitment to the dog training got her out every day, walking, going up and down stairs and actually helped to build the muscles that had been weak in her back. She credits her little Pomeranian and the training she did, with helping to lessen her pain and improve her health!If you are a new dog or puppy owner, I urge you to consider training. It is a good experience for both of you and will set the foundation for what will hopefully be a long lasting, loving relationship. Jann Watts, Legacy Dog Training 928-223-9660 www.legacydogtraining.com