Hello Everyone
Where I am, the weather is beautiful and the dog that I am working with loves to fixate on items he is interested in. This includes, dogs, bikes, kids, and skateboards. To him, these items are associated with having fun, but in his new role, they are to be ignored, and this is a very hard transition to make. One thing that didn't happen for him, is a casual walk in the park. Most dogs you see walking in the park are used to these items and they are more of an every day thing that is to be ignored. For this dog, the only time he really had fun and bonding time was interacting with these items. With the nice weather, it has been the perfect time to just take off the vest and work on walking in a park.
A well travelled walking park not only helps your dog start to ignore the activities around him but also the smells. Getting used to walking past places where other dogs marked, can be a big challenge, especially for males who want to be in on the marking chain. Working on keeping their head up, not pulling to go smell something or see something and staying at heal, makes a casual walk in the park into a training session.
My motto for all of this is just keep walking. This doesn't necessarily mean walking in a straight line, you can move backwards, change direction or even your speed, but the moment the dog is distracted, you need to do something to get their attention back. This will help assure them, that whatever got their attention is not worth it because you may do something unexpected and their focus needs to be on you.
When people start out training a puppy as a service dog, it is like they start to focus on the "public access" part of it. Inside a mall or department store, there are less smells that they are interested in and learning discipline around food in the home helps when going to a restaurant and a supermarket. What these dogs then lack is social interactions and learning how to behave appropriately outside with all the activities going on around them. Why people are so eager to just start taking a puppy out in public has never made sense to me, when learning to ignore and behave around items that get them excited makes the transition into public a lot easier. Taking a puppy into pet stores to do some training also has a lot of the same effects, getting used to listening and obeying commands surrounded by treats, toys, other animals, and dog smells. Rushing into getting a vest and pushing a puppy into public means less focus on this aspect. Teaching them inside a mall and applying it in a park setting is a lot harder than teaching them in a park and applying it to a mall setting.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
Service Dog: How does age affect training
Hello Everyone
Last night I got to thinking about the dog I am training and how old he is. Generally when you tell someone your dogs age, you give an estimate. Turns out, I was about 6 months off what I was telling people. When you say your dogs age, like kids, there is a certain set of behaviours that they should exhibit. We do not expect a 5 year old to know how to have a rational conversation, behave appropriately in public all the time or solve complex problems. However, we can assume that they are still trying to figure it out as their minds grow, what are the consequences and benefits of how they act, why are things the way they are (generally by asking why) and how do I communicate in a way that adults will understand me.
When gauging whether a dog has what it takes to be a service dog, we have to first take into account their age. I always laugh when people say that puppy behaviour lasts until they are 8 to 10 mo. This is in stark contrast to many pet foods that say feed puppy food until they are 2. Turns out the puppy food manufacturers are closer to the truth. People hate it when you compare raising a dog with raising a child, in my experience it is kind of the same, except in fast forward. The behaviours that parents have to handle for 2-3 years, dog moms only have to deal with for 3-6 months. Take in mind, just like children, as a puppy grows it goes through those same stages, baby, toddler, child, adolescent, teenager and finally an adult. This whole process takes 2-3 years and just like children, if you do not raise and train them right, they can turn into terrible adults.
The same reason that dogs are re-homed/surrendered is also part of the reason that dogs fail out of being a service dog. Dogs that mature faster and catch on faster are easier to work with, their is less time and money into teaching them what to do and for people trying to train their own dog, there may be a limit to what you are able to do and how much you are able to handle. Don't get me wrong, there are some innate behaviours that are not due to age, but general temperament, and usually these behaviours continue through all the phases of puppyhood or come as random tendencies that the dog displays without warning or cause, it is these that it is important to document and analyze the situation around.
The dog I am working with is going to be 2.5 in April. For many people this is an adult dog and they should "get it". Sorry to burst that bubble but for many breeds like Labs and Newfoundlanders (more social driven dogs) this is their teenage years and like a general teenager they question the rules, get upset and cranky, try and find ways around things and sometimes can not control their impulses. The things to watch at this stage is whether or not this behaviour continues past 3 in which case means it may not be worth it. The dog I am working with now can be restless/impatient and even though he is friendly with dogs, when the leash goes on and we come across another dog, he can be a jerk because he knows that with the leash on he can just do what he wants and go say hi. When I compare the frustrating behaviours I am working with now, and at times that make me want to give up, I remember a Lab that I trained, who is amazing at her job, but was just a terror to work with at this age. Pushing through these stages and staying consistent with the training makes a huge difference in the end. It is when you stop and give up that the dog realizes the behaviour is okay and you may be stuck with some of those behaviours going forward, the dog never living up to their potential of being a service dog.
Last night I got to thinking about the dog I am training and how old he is. Generally when you tell someone your dogs age, you give an estimate. Turns out, I was about 6 months off what I was telling people. When you say your dogs age, like kids, there is a certain set of behaviours that they should exhibit. We do not expect a 5 year old to know how to have a rational conversation, behave appropriately in public all the time or solve complex problems. However, we can assume that they are still trying to figure it out as their minds grow, what are the consequences and benefits of how they act, why are things the way they are (generally by asking why) and how do I communicate in a way that adults will understand me.
When gauging whether a dog has what it takes to be a service dog, we have to first take into account their age. I always laugh when people say that puppy behaviour lasts until they are 8 to 10 mo. This is in stark contrast to many pet foods that say feed puppy food until they are 2. Turns out the puppy food manufacturers are closer to the truth. People hate it when you compare raising a dog with raising a child, in my experience it is kind of the same, except in fast forward. The behaviours that parents have to handle for 2-3 years, dog moms only have to deal with for 3-6 months. Take in mind, just like children, as a puppy grows it goes through those same stages, baby, toddler, child, adolescent, teenager and finally an adult. This whole process takes 2-3 years and just like children, if you do not raise and train them right, they can turn into terrible adults.
The same reason that dogs are re-homed/surrendered is also part of the reason that dogs fail out of being a service dog. Dogs that mature faster and catch on faster are easier to work with, their is less time and money into teaching them what to do and for people trying to train their own dog, there may be a limit to what you are able to do and how much you are able to handle. Don't get me wrong, there are some innate behaviours that are not due to age, but general temperament, and usually these behaviours continue through all the phases of puppyhood or come as random tendencies that the dog displays without warning or cause, it is these that it is important to document and analyze the situation around.
The dog I am working with is going to be 2.5 in April. For many people this is an adult dog and they should "get it". Sorry to burst that bubble but for many breeds like Labs and Newfoundlanders (more social driven dogs) this is their teenage years and like a general teenager they question the rules, get upset and cranky, try and find ways around things and sometimes can not control their impulses. The things to watch at this stage is whether or not this behaviour continues past 3 in which case means it may not be worth it. The dog I am working with now can be restless/impatient and even though he is friendly with dogs, when the leash goes on and we come across another dog, he can be a jerk because he knows that with the leash on he can just do what he wants and go say hi. When I compare the frustrating behaviours I am working with now, and at times that make me want to give up, I remember a Lab that I trained, who is amazing at her job, but was just a terror to work with at this age. Pushing through these stages and staying consistent with the training makes a huge difference in the end. It is when you stop and give up that the dog realizes the behaviour is okay and you may be stuck with some of those behaviours going forward, the dog never living up to their potential of being a service dog.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Service Dog: Looking at your needs
A few days ago I received a phone call from someone trying to understand my process for choosing whether or not a dog is appropriate for a person. Like I talked about in my last Blog, my application asks for details on their life. This is because it is going to tell me the energy level of the person, what type of household I am looking at putting a dog into, as well as, how experienced the person is with a dog.
The next thing you need to ask yourself is, what are my needs? Don't just ask yourself this, ask the others around you. I have friends that are writing lists, what do I struggle with and what does/can my dog do to help me. The other thing is, don't just rely upon your own assessment of yourself, others see things that you may miss or one behaviour you thing is an issue, actually may be completely normal or tied to something else that the dog can help with. Sitting down with the family and having a candid discussion about their concerns and needs goes a long way to create harmony in the family, you never want to receive a dog to help you, only to have your home life fall apart due to the dog.
Looking into different breeds, look at what their natural tendencies are. Going against their instinct is never wise. Some breeds are natural at picking up and bringing items, this is especially helpful if you have mobility or balance issues. Some breeds, even though they can retrieve, have genetic or physical characteristics that make bracing on them an issue, drastically reducing the life of the dog, like a Shepard. Always talk to your vet about what breeds you are considering and always have your dog/puppy physically assessed to ensure it is even a task that they can do.
Last time I talked about some dogs not being the norm when it comes to natural behaviours, this can also happen when choosing a breed that has the correct tendencies but not looking at the individual dog. Each dog is also an individual, just because you get a retriever, doesn't necessarily mean it will retrieve. Never go into choosing a dog blindly, and looking at puppies, try and match some of their natural behaviours with what you can work with and grow into what is going to help you. Getting a trainer involved will also help you not only choose the correct temperament but also assess the puppies behaviour in order to determine if they have the skills necessary.
The next thing you need to ask yourself is, what are my needs? Don't just ask yourself this, ask the others around you. I have friends that are writing lists, what do I struggle with and what does/can my dog do to help me. The other thing is, don't just rely upon your own assessment of yourself, others see things that you may miss or one behaviour you thing is an issue, actually may be completely normal or tied to something else that the dog can help with. Sitting down with the family and having a candid discussion about their concerns and needs goes a long way to create harmony in the family, you never want to receive a dog to help you, only to have your home life fall apart due to the dog.
Looking into different breeds, look at what their natural tendencies are. Going against their instinct is never wise. Some breeds are natural at picking up and bringing items, this is especially helpful if you have mobility or balance issues. Some breeds, even though they can retrieve, have genetic or physical characteristics that make bracing on them an issue, drastically reducing the life of the dog, like a Shepard. Always talk to your vet about what breeds you are considering and always have your dog/puppy physically assessed to ensure it is even a task that they can do.
Last time I talked about some dogs not being the norm when it comes to natural behaviours, this can also happen when choosing a breed that has the correct tendencies but not looking at the individual dog. Each dog is also an individual, just because you get a retriever, doesn't necessarily mean it will retrieve. Never go into choosing a dog blindly, and looking at puppies, try and match some of their natural behaviours with what you can work with and grow into what is going to help you. Getting a trainer involved will also help you not only choose the correct temperament but also assess the puppies behaviour in order to determine if they have the skills necessary.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Service Dog: Choosing a Breed
The first question people ask me is; how do I choose the dog? This is the first question anybody asks themselves when getting a dog, even a family pet. Choosing any dog should not be done because you like the way that they look, or because your family has always had that type of dog, or because you know people with that dog and they are great. I know many people who have given up pets because this is the criteria they used for picking a dog, this is also how I have received dogs myself. Many times it has nothing to do with the dogs potential, but the inability of the dog to suite the family situation that it was put into.
Take a deep look at your lifestyle. What do you do for fun? how energetic are you? what activities do you want to do with the dog? how much time can you actively spend training? what kind of space do I have available for the dog to live in?
Different breeds do have different traits and even though you may know a great Boarder Collie that has the correct temperament and fits into a household exactly like yours, that doesn't mean that every Boarder Collie will display these traits and have these needs. Choosing a herding dog as a service dog, or even a pet, comes with many challenges, however if you do not have the right household, space, time and energy to fulfill the natural needs of a dog like this, then training becomes a lot harder, longer and the dog may end up suffering in trying to go against some of it's natural instincts. If you are determined to stick with a breed that typically would not fit into your lifestyle, like having an apartment and wanting an Australian Shepard, look at older dogs and see if you can find one that is lower energy and has a temperament that matches your needs and ensures that you can fulfill theirs.
As puppies age and mature, they go through phases, sometimes growing into breed traits that they didn't have as a puppy and sometimes growing out of them. As a very little puppy, I had never heard my dog bark and he stuck to me like glue. Thought it was something I did not have to worry about. Barking and running are two traits of his breed, but felt like I would not have that issue. At about 8 months old, he decided barking was his new favorite hobby, and that the world was a big place that he just had to see. Because these traits were indicative of the breed, they were very big challenges to overcome and things that I work on to this day, but I have the time, energy, space and knowledge to adequately work with his behaviors, and give him an outlet, otherwise he could have become highly destructive.
Take a deep look at your lifestyle. What do you do for fun? how energetic are you? what activities do you want to do with the dog? how much time can you actively spend training? what kind of space do I have available for the dog to live in?
Different breeds do have different traits and even though you may know a great Boarder Collie that has the correct temperament and fits into a household exactly like yours, that doesn't mean that every Boarder Collie will display these traits and have these needs. Choosing a herding dog as a service dog, or even a pet, comes with many challenges, however if you do not have the right household, space, time and energy to fulfill the natural needs of a dog like this, then training becomes a lot harder, longer and the dog may end up suffering in trying to go against some of it's natural instincts. If you are determined to stick with a breed that typically would not fit into your lifestyle, like having an apartment and wanting an Australian Shepard, look at older dogs and see if you can find one that is lower energy and has a temperament that matches your needs and ensures that you can fulfill theirs.
As puppies age and mature, they go through phases, sometimes growing into breed traits that they didn't have as a puppy and sometimes growing out of them. As a very little puppy, I had never heard my dog bark and he stuck to me like glue. Thought it was something I did not have to worry about. Barking and running are two traits of his breed, but felt like I would not have that issue. At about 8 months old, he decided barking was his new favorite hobby, and that the world was a big place that he just had to see. Because these traits were indicative of the breed, they were very big challenges to overcome and things that I work on to this day, but I have the time, energy, space and knowledge to adequately work with his behaviors, and give him an outlet, otherwise he could have become highly destructive.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Getting Assistance to Train Your Own Dog
Hello Everyone
I am starting this blog in order to talk about training your own dog and some of the pitfalls and successes that can come out of it. For the past five years, I have been training service dogs and have been contacted by many people who have run into issues. Getting a trained dog is expensive and many times there is no funding, many people view training their own dog as more affordable. However, the one thing that they do not take into account is that there is a 75% chance a dog will fail, and this is with professional trainers, the odds of a dog failing out increases significantly with self trained dogs, not just due to incorrect training, but also people just giving up on them or working them past their limits. Consulting and working with a trainer will provide good training techniques, assist in knowledge about dog behaviour and provide feedback on whether training should continue.
I am starting this blog in order to talk about training your own dog and some of the pitfalls and successes that can come out of it. For the past five years, I have been training service dogs and have been contacted by many people who have run into issues. Getting a trained dog is expensive and many times there is no funding, many people view training their own dog as more affordable. However, the one thing that they do not take into account is that there is a 75% chance a dog will fail, and this is with professional trainers, the odds of a dog failing out increases significantly with self trained dogs, not just due to incorrect training, but also people just giving up on them or working them past their limits. Consulting and working with a trainer will provide good training techniques, assist in knowledge about dog behaviour and provide feedback on whether training should continue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)