Dog Whisperer Season 4: Vol 1 Free to One Forever Home

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© courtesy Amazon

People are always asking me what I think about Cesar Millan. He's the star to the controversial, yet often popular Dog Whisperer TV Show. Airing on the National Geographic Channel on Friday nights, Cesar has won many fans among owners, and at the same time, many opponents in the dog training world.


I'm no dog trainer. Yes, I train my own dogs. I'm a DIYer at heart.  But that doesn't make me an expert on all breeds, behaviors and techniques. Over the years, I have attended traditional treat-based training classes many times. They work when the owner is diligent. I had the opportunity to try a Barkbusters class with Tanner and learned a bit about their no-treat techniques. This was all well and good fur us, yet may not have worked for a puppy. At the time, Tanner and Oliver were both beyond that first year of basic commands, and in the process of getting their coveted CGC certifications.


I also enjoy immersing myself in Cesar's calm attitude. Do I think his approach will work for everyone? Absolutely not! I do think that  most owners could learn a thing or two about their own behavior around their dogs. That's where I believe Cesar is setting a good example. 


His trademark "Ch" correction noise was met with little more than a miff by my pups, but the Barkbusters "Bah!" was ever more effective. I think each dog and owner need to continue learning and trying new methods throughout the dog's life. I found that new methods brought out a younger Xena, when during her 13th year she began to learn new skills I would never have believed possible had I not seen it for myself. I just changed the way I presented the task, and viola', Xena performed.


For what it's worth, Cesar has a lot of good philosophies and attitudes to share. If you're interested in garnering what you can from his methods, I invite you to enter to win the Season 4: Volume 1 5 DVD set. If you're not into playing the odds, click the link and you can easily order your own package for the going rate at Amazon--about $18.00 as I write this. Please note that this giveaway will run for 2 weeks. You may enter by some methods daily if you wish; however, only the 2 mandatory entries are required to qualify you for the drawing.


If you do not see the Rafflecopter entry form below, simply click on the post title to refresh and it should appear hear in seconds. Good luck!


As Cesar would say, stay calm and assertive.

Dog Training by Bark Busters: A Whole Different Concept

by Carrie Boyko

It is time for Tanner and I to return for a CGC review. Having taken the AKC's 'Canine Good Citizen' test at age 11 months, he failed the social portions as a result of his social butterfly personality. I imagine Tanner was thinking, "Aren't these people and dogs here for me to kiss?"


 What a fascinating and unexpected first impression I received when my Bark Busters instructor, Mike Shamp, explained the basic, underlying concepts used in their dog training. I find that learning new ways of doing things broadens my ability to customize how I handle my dogs. Each new experience brings something different to the mix, allowing me to better manage individual dogs, and the pack as a whole.


While I love the leadership focus of Cesar Millan, it has always been evident to me that this approach will not work for everyone. Most of us would need serious training in the skill of 'machismo', me included.


On the opposite end of that same spectrum lies the traditional treat-based, command-driven training that most U.S. trainers use. Most dogs are motivated by the treats, and we owners often find the verbal commands suit our own natural communication methods, but there are other ways. I was surprised to find that Bark Busters' approach does not put treats front and center, yet all the pups, even the young ones, got the message through body language. Simple, yet effective techniques were successful in teaching 'stand' and 'let's go' that I had not seen taught before.


Cesar Millan....meet Bark Busters. Somewhere in the middle of Cesar's dominant leadership method and the most commonly used treats and commands method, there is Bark Busters, founded in Australia in 1989. The company now trains in 10 countries, adding the U.S. to its list some 10 years ago. The U.S. Master Franchise was founded here in 2000.


The training concept used by Bark Busters reveals a different mindset. While leadership is the focus, it is balanced with an equal concentration on mimicing the communication of our canine companions. Learning their body language and ways of communicating, allows us to communicate and lead, using our dogs' own language. Herein lies the basic idea behind the Bark Busters method. I think Cesar would approve.


One interesting example that I learned during this class was that of a barking pup problem. Mike explained the cure for the dog's barking so simply. It was merely a matter of relieving the dog of the responsibility for whatever it was he was barking about. 


For instance, if your dog barks when a stranger is in the yard, he merely needs to know that you are in control of the stranger, and he will no longer feel the need to alert you or the stranger. A simple, novel concept that can change the communication between you and your dog--leadership based communication that does not require treats to be taught. Somehow I felt my inner Oprah Winfrey coming out, if only just a bit.


All in all, my experience with the Bark Busters approach was positive. I particularly enjoyed the passion and commitment of Mike Shamp, my instructor, who shared with me some of the many projects he has been involved in over the years. Stay tuned here for more on his latest work with Central Florida hospitals. Curious? Hope to see you soon.

Mike and Judy Shamp can be reached at Bark Busters North via email: NorthOrlando@BarkBusters.com


Be sure to drop in at 5 Minutes for Fido, where Oliver has some comments about Bark Busters and his CGC experience. His perspective is, as expected, candidly canine.

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Help protect our precious dog parks

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter    Find me at Facebook    
© copyright Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

Bookmark this on Delicious

Take Your Dog to Work Day is Friday--Need Help?

by Carrie Boyko

© Carrie Boyko 2010
My Tie is Crooked? My Bad!

Tanner is ready for "Take Your Dog to Work Day". Are you?


Recently you may have read my post on Klutz Publishing's dog-friendly office. You can find it at Dog Friendly Workplaces: Insight from an Insider. That was my sneaky set up to get your mind thinking about taking Fido to work on Friday, June 25. Of course, even I know that it has to work for the boss. That's your challenge; at my office, I have 3 dogs and we have a happy time interacting throughout the day. I love that I don't miss many of the photo opportunities or funny antics that my threesome pull off.


Poking around on the Internet, I discovered that Cesar Millan has offered some strategies for making your dog-office arrangement work out. Who better to offer assistance, right?


Cesar's article, although very brief, offers a few tips that are spot on. Like his 'no treats or food' rule. Food aggression is much easier to create when there are multiple dogs in a contained area, so keep that in mind if you decide to tackle this adventure.


Finally, Cesar's piece wraps up with photos of their office pack (there's a bunch of them) and stories from a number of the employees that describe how they deal with common problems of having multiple dogs in the office. I hope you'll read these--good stuff. If you decide to bring your pup to work, drop me a line and fill me in on your success or challenges. Any stories are helpful, so don't be shy.


More Resources? Try Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces

Cesar Millan vs. Positive Reinforcement with Treats: Must it be All or Nothing?

Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Write to Dr. Jacki, ASK THE VET

Is it me, or are all the dog trainers in the country ganging up on Cesar Millan? I really don't get it. We all know treats work. We all know leadership works.  We all know exercise helps our dogs calm down. A calmer dog is better behaved. It's really a no-brainer. Yet the banter continues.

A blend of the best of both methods has always been my most successful way to go with most of my dog training. What do you think? I'd really like to know. After you read this post, take my poll and give me some feedback. We'll see if we can get some dialogue going here.

My opinion? I use treats for training new or undeveloped behaviors. Then I wean them, or as trainers call it--fade the lure. Praise and positive reinforcement of other kinds (petting, playing or other forms of attention they enjoy) are probably my biggest reinforcers for daily activities and behaviors that I want to maintain or build on.

Now comes the tougher stuff. When Tanner developed a bit of excitement when restrained, it took more than treats to get him through that. A couple of wonderful trainers at my agility group assisted me with working him through his over-excitement upon coming into the field on-leash. Off leash, Tanner was a social butterfly. On a leash he became a barking, wildly-excited crazy man. He wanted--needed--to greet every dog in the place. It was easy for people who do not understand dog body language to think that Tanner was being aggressive, when in fact, he was trying to be social. We taught him a better way.

Success in breaking Tanner of this difficult behavior took a combination of a collar with more control for those excitable moments, and treats to reinforce correct behavior. It also took some time and experience in understanding that the behavior was not acceptable--period! That is simply not a lesson a dog can get from treats alone. He must be disciplined in some way to show him when he is "misbehaving".

If your child yells wildly at people in a grocery store, you would have to discipline the child. By this, I do not mean spank or hit; I mean a stern voice and a serious talk about proper behavior. Removal from the location sometimes is necessary. Most of us moms have had to leave a restaurant and a dinner behind when a temper tantrum made our presence unbearable for others. The child learns the lesson when he has to give up dinner, as a result. Sure, it may take a few times of this happening, but the lesson eventually gets through.

As long as the consequence matches the bad behavior, you're probably heading in the right direction. When Tanner jumped up to kiss a visitor this weekend, she appropriately turned her back on him. The behavior stopped after only a few tries. How often do your visitors know this excellent correction that involves no physical harm to either?

Had Tanner been jumping with the intention to bite or attack (yeah, right!! Submissive Tanner?), my discipline would have been entirely different--on his side until he completely relaxed in her presence. That is how I know he is submissive to my visitor. Nothing cruel about it; it simply helps the dog understand what's what.

Enough about behavioral issues; let's touch on Cesar's biggest bandwagon--exercise. The foundation of his soapbox is lots of exercise. He lists this as his number 1 most important technique. Why do you suppose that is?

If you own a dog, you may already know that an under-exercised dog is likely to develop anxieties, hyperactivity, aggressions and other issues. Just like humans, exercise burns off stress that would normally create bad behaviors. My primary strategy with my dogs is to get them plenty of exercise. We use walks, bike rides, fetch games, swimming, and dog park visits. With two daily exercise sessions, my high-energy dogs are able to be calm, happy housemates that I can enjoy and expect relatively good behavior from--most of the time.

I'll skip Cesar's other strategies for this post. I'll also save my opinion on how successful his techniques are for most dog owners. Check back later for more on that topic. For now, just let me know your opinion on training and behavioral corrections. You can comment and/or take the poll above. I'll consider both as I compile your thoughts for a later post. Go on now: get those tongues wagging!

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter

Find me at Facebook

Camping with Your Dogs: Part III--Strategies for Happy Pups and Happy Families at the Campground

Find us at Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

(c) photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2009

Alan and Tanner Lead the Way

Before you read this post, you may wish to check out Part I and Part II, to get the story and my tips in the order they were intended.

Never before sleeping in such tight quarters with hubby and 3 dogs, our first night had me a bit on edge. The gang had enjoyed a nice walk around the town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and another at the campground. Nothing like some vigorous exercise to make for a tired and hungry dog that will be ready to rest after a good meal.


Dinner was put off till later than usual, due to our delayed arrival and subsequent set up of the RV. While both of us are experienced campers, we are inexperienced at RV life. We quickly learned that tent and VW buses don’t transfer all of the same lessons. Fortunately, we quickly and smoothly made all the hookups for the RV.


With the hookup complete, our son arrived with a delicious barbeque dinner, Southern sweet tea, and homemade brownies (Yes! My son made them). My organic eating vow went down the toilet for that night.


The pups were happy to be served their well-earned dinner and take a final walk before bedtime. Since darkness had descended we had to deny their plead to explore, but morning brought light to a beautiful campground and an enjoyable exploration of the lakefront.


Darkness helped, but eliminating their visibility sent the message: sleep time is here. By closing all the privacy curtains, the dogs had little outdoor stimuli that had had been present when we first arrived around dusk.


Exhausted, we were all asleep within minutes of settling on our best-suited sleeping locations. We offered Xena a spot hat mimicked her favorite bedtime spot at home. Tanner spent the night on the comfy, child-sized bed. He wisely knew he might be stepped on if he slept on the floor.


Oliver’s crate was placed in the bed with the door open, and he spent most of the night inside of it. He did snuggle up to me in the wee hours when the chill was more noticeable, but returned to the crate each time I adjusted my position. Weighing in at about 9 lbs., he knew he better steer clear when there was a possibility of getting rolled over on.

I’ll wrap this up quickly now. Before our return home, we enjoyed:

1. a lakeside hike where we saw a family of ducks enjoying a swim with mom
2. a visit to Barker Field, an off-leash park in Richmond, Virginia, that features a pile of finely ground mulch for digging, climbing and jumping, as just a few of the fun activities. Imagine a dirt pile and a group of boys—same concept!
3. a 2 hour hike around the beautiful, historic Richmond area called The Fan. This city certainly knows how to do parks. Florida needs to take some lessons from them.
4. a beautiful nature trail hike through the woods at Pocahontas State Park, south of Richmond, was the highlight for all of us. A gorgeous, cool day for hiking through the woods in fully shaded, heavily treed areas is a winter night’s dream for a Floridian. For us, winter is defined as January 1-February 15….maybe. 
5. Miscellaneous short walks around campgrounds and the towns we visited made for a nice exploration for all, particularly the dogs, who enjoyed the smorgasbord of new sights and smells.

So, what's my message? I'm guess I'm pulling a Cesar Millan again. There is nothing like exercise to assure a calm, happy dog, and it seems to have had the same effect on me and hubby. Great stuff!

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter

Find me at Facebook

Camping with the Dogs, Part II

Find us at Facebook                                                                     Follow us on Twitter

(c) photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Xena Hustles to Catch Up

to Tanner and Oliver on a Hike

If you’re just joining me for Part II of this series, you might find better continuity if you read Go Camp with the dogs: Part I.

My worries about the trip revolved primarily around the dogs—3 of them. I know, I was pushing the line. Choosing the smallest RV, we certainly compromised on square footage. Contrarily, we were blessed with 3 beds, giving everyone a cushy place to crash, which made up for the small floor area.



The dogs spent the days before our departure doing 4 things—walking biking, playing at dog parks and a visit to their favorite social spot: Bow Wow Resort, a doggie daycare where they can “Hang with the Rough Crowd”, as the motto states. To put it lightly, there were fatiqued—right where I wanted them for an all-day road trip. It turned out to be a blessing when our 9 hour drive turned into a 12 hour wild goose chase. My Google Maps printouts had taken us to our destination in a very roundabout way.


Determined to have the dogs get through the trip well-behaved and happy, my primary strategy was to assure they got plenty of exercise while at our destinations, to compensate for 2 long days of seemingly boring driving. While boring may be what I perceived, driving up I-95 through flat, non-descript landscape, Cesar Millan tells us that exploring with their pack leader is a primal activity that dogs find fulfilling, even if we see it as boring.

Now, nearly home from our adventure, I can say this strategy seems to have had the desired effect. The pups are snoozing peacefully in their respective beds, having enjoyed a Busy Bone, when their energy level peaked during a rest-stop break for all to use the facilities. The grass apparently had many exciting smells and the dogs thought it would have been fun to explore a bit longer.


Bribery with Busy Bones did the trick and all are asleep now, after spending a good half hour digging the stuffing out of the interior of the baked beef bones, with marrow hollowed out. You can find my ideas for preparing these at the Busy Bones links above.



Join me shortly in Part III, when I will share camping strategies for happy families and happy pups.  One last thing…If you haven’t read our ASK THE VET post from earlier this week, you’ll find some traveling tips from Dr. Jacki at this post. These would be good to bank for your next vacation with the dogs.


If you have questions or comments for me or Dr. Jacki, we’d love to hear from you. You can send questions to either of us at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com .  Happy travels.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter

Find me at Facebook

Do Dogs Experience Peer Pressure?

Follow us on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

(c) copyright Carrie Boyko 2009

Midas

This Dog Park Buddy Shows
 No Signs of Peer Pressure

Today's visit to the dog park brought up a question in my mind. I've never heard this discussed by Cesar Millan or any other dog expert, so I'm tossing YOU a bone. What do you think about this: Do dogs experience peer pressure?

When Tanner peed with his leg up today, right in front of a large group of dogs, I had to wonder out loud if this had something to do with the pack mentality and peer pressure. You see, Tanner was "raised" by an older, female Retriever mix. Xena, my almost 13 year old girl taught Tanner by example, to pee by squatting.

Tanner has always squatted like a girl. Now, after 2 years of dog parking, he has begun to occasionally show off his manhood by using the boy's method, i.e. one leg up.

I find this fascinating and have to assume the he does this at the dog park because the gang is "watching." After all, he doesn't do it that way at home. NEVER!

This curious development begs a question. Should I discourage Tanner from lifting his leg? It appears to be a male habit among most dogs. Tanner has not learned the art of "marking", so I'm thinking he just wants to behave like one of the guys, when the guys are around. Any thoughts? 

So, here's your chance to test out my comment link at the bottom of the post. I'd love to hear from you. Perhaps I should make this a poll.  Hmmm....good idea. Check the sidebar.


Finally, Join me Friday for our first post from our new ASK THE VET columnist, Dr. Jacki. If you have questions for Dr. Jacki, we would love to hear from you. Send your questions to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com/ .

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter

Find me at Facebook

Dog Whisperer to Launch Magazine

Find All Things Dog Blog on Facebook

This is BIG news for dog lovers. Up until now, Cesar Millan's show, The Dog Whisperer, has been available only to cable viewers and those of us willing to shell out the kibble worth a set of DVDs. Yes, I'll admit, I own them all, or all that are currently available. That's mostly because I don't get cable that provides the Dog Whisperer show to me.

My kids say we're cheap, but the truth is we watch little TV. Better to live our lives than to watch others live their fake ones. Did I say "Get a Life?" Absolutely not. It's your decision.

Getting back to Cesar. He's launching a new magazine as of this month. Have you seen it at the news stand yet? I can't wait. I'm hopeful to catch a few tidbits on topics that always seem to elude me. His insight is amazing and invaluable to those of us willing to give it a chance.

No, his techniques don't work for everyone. You must make a concerted and consistent effort to be a pack leader 24/7. That means you're always in charge and you let your dog make zero decisions for himself. This is clearly not doable for everyone. I get it.

But if you're open minded to absorbing what you can, this may be your ticket. Order your bi-monthly (that's every 2 months) subscription from this Cesars Way Amazon link to the Dog Whisperer Magazine and you're off to the dog training 101. You can do it right here, right now and be done with it.

Opinions? Thoughts? Comments? Rants? Raves? Hit that link at the bottom of the post and sound off!

One last thing. Don't forget to join me for the big introduction on Friday. Our new staff veterinarian, Dr. Jacki, will be introduced, with her first post to be coming soon thereafter. We're very proud to have this new addition and hope to see you here to learn more. For now, be thinking of questions you'd like to ask, and email them to us at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com .

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter

Find me at Facebook

Preparing to Let Go...When it's Your Dog's Time

originally published August 2, 2009

This is a tough topic to write about, particularly because I know I'll be dealing with this soon myself. At 12 1/2, Xena is pushing 90 human years, has liver cancer, and is showing minor signs of vision and hearing difficulty. After writing the post on dog proofing, I realized that I have recently begun to dog proof for Xena, but in a different way.

At her age, chewing on household items and barking at the doorbell are no longer even a consideration. She's content to enjoy long naps, short walks, dog park visits and time in the sunny outdoors.

So why am I "old dog proofing?", you may ask. Because with diminishing eyesight, I have noticed that Xena often stops before approaching an area where there is a step down or a step up and ponders its exact location. It is apparent to me that she can no longer see it clearly. I often encourage her through these areas, rather than watching her nervously consider her options. When I offer her food dish, I have to tap my fingers on it to get her attention in the right location. She used to come running as soon as she heard the lid come off of the food bin. That's how significant the change is.

Outdoors, she has begun to stand at our Invisible fence line and stare into the distance for long periods. I suspect this is because she smells good things and can only enjoy them at a distance. Her nose has shown no signs of diminished ability. But her sight is failing her and she probably does not see things across the street as easily.

Cesar Millan says that a dog's nose is his strongest sense; Xena is definitely walking proof that her nose is still in charge. When my animal-loving daughter found a baby bird on the ground this weekend, Xena was the first to discover the fallen fowl when it entered the house in a shoebox lined with papers. As quickly as my daughter could run to the closest pet store for baby bird formula, Xena had already managed to knock the box off a shelf onto the floor. Fortunately, the little fella (?) wasn't hurt and Xena did nothing more than enjoy a good sniff. In euphoric doggie heaven, she examined the little 1-ounce fledgling with her highly experienced nose, knowing full well she had found a bird--the instinctual goal of every Retriever.

Despite this momentary energy, Xena does show signs of slowing down. We have abandoned biking with her, to protect her aging joints, although she happily shows no signs of arthritis or hip displasia. When she wants to , she can put up quite a "fight" with Tanner in their wrestling matches. Surprisingly, she is often the instigator. It does my heart good to see her in a play bow at this age.

Nevertheless, it is on my mind. I sometimes find myself thinking about how I will handle her passing and giving thanks that I have her two housemates to keep my spirits up when the time comes. Mental preparation is really all I can do. I find it morbid to consider a grave site or her cremation, even though I know what the answer will be. At Organic Journey Online, I recently pondered and then wrote about this very subject; I suppose Xena's age is more on my mind than I would like to admit. Rather, I prefer to envision her frolicking at the dog park with her first BFF, Deke, who moved away, but is always a memory that my family shares.

Let me end this post with a short, uplifting story about Deke and Xena's first meeting. Deke, a 9 month old Rottweiler, lived a few houses away. Just after adopting Xena, she and I were sitting in the grass of my front yard, as we saw Deke walking toward us down the street. From this distance, Deke appeared much smaller. Xena's 13 week old energy and lack of experience took over, as she took off running toward this prospective playmate. As Xena approached close enough to realize the error of her ways, she slammed on her brakes and made a quick 180 degree turn, high-tailing it back to my lap, where she buried her head, hoping to find safety.

Candy, Deke's owner, walked over to introduce herself, while Xena snuggled close, anxiously awaiting her sentence for childish assertion. Instead, Deke reached in to sniff her and dropped to the ground in an obvious effort to invite her to get acquainted. Xena needed no encouragement as she stumbled off my lap and began to explore her new friend's many interesting smells. He enjoyed the attention and she learned a lot that day about how not to approach a large dog. The two unlikely buddies became fast friends and enjoyed many playful encounters while we remained neighbors.

Although Cesar Millan would have me to believe that dogs do not live in the past, I sometimes hope that Xena remembers her romps with Deke. Those were great times and there is nothing better than fun with friends. That's exactly how I feel about Xena, by BFF.

Helping Your Big Dog Adapt to Playing Safely with a New Puppy

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Oliver and Tanner Get Acquainted

Let's start with some stats here. These photos are about 15-16 months old. Tanner, the Golden Retriever is 47 pounds in this picture, and still somewhat of a puppy himself at 1-1/2. His new housemate is Oliver, a Papillon. Oliver arrived still a bit under the weather, so we waited to take pictures until he perked up. We adopted him when he arrived sick at a pet store. Lucky us; he is a great little fella.

Oliver was 3.2 pounds when we brought him home. That size difference between the two pups could have spelled disaster, but we were careful about the introduction and initial days of getting acquainted. This is what I will chronicle here. Using Cesar Millan's philosophy for bringing a new dog into your pack, I first began with a long, migrating walk.

Tanner, Oliver, Xena, Toni and I all walked for about a half hour. We had to carry Oliver a good share of the way, given his still weakened condition. But I think he still got the message that he was migrating to a new place with a pack leader.

While Toni held Xena, and then Tanner, I held Oliver up to sniff their behinds. Sounds a little off-color, huh? Well, that's how dogs give a friendly greeting, according to Cesar Millan. It also establishes dominance. In this case, with a new puppy coming into the pack, we wanted to assure that the two older dogs did not feel dominant over the puppy. This will help to assure their gentleness and his safety.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how smoothly all this would go, but I was ready with baby gates and separate rooms, if needed. We were committed to bringing this little fella home, by my daughter's agreement to take him. You know how that goes.

When we arrived back at the house after our migrating walk, I made sure that all humans went inside first, establishing them as the pack leaders. I then lead Tanner to a dog bed, where I placed him in a DOWN position, and asked him to stay. Tanner is very good at STAY.

I placed Oliver near him and allowed them both to sniff and come close to each other's muzzle. When Tanner began to use a paw, I touched the paw, and said firmly, "No Paw." When Tanner used his snout to play, I said "Good Boy, Tanner!" He learned fast. A few minutes of snout playtime and Oliver was beat. Off to bed for him.

© copyright 2008 Carrie Boyko

Oliver and Tanner

He quickly snuggled into his crate, which we placed in an area of our family room/kitchen where he could see everyone. He slept for quite a while after that first playtime with Tanner.

Similar exercises continued for a while, mostly with Tanner. He was a quick study. Xena was not terribly interested in the feisty little boy, Oliver, at first. She found his energy level to be overwhelming. No aggression...she simply chose to ignore him. At 12 1/2, she's earned the right to ignore a rambunctious child, if she likes. Her tolerance of Oliver has continued well, without any concerns for his safety. She is pleasant and easy going, for such a lot of mileage on her odometer.

As time went on, Tanner and Oliver began to fall asleep together, after playful displays on the couch or floor. I caught a few of these on camera:

© photo copyright 2008 Carrie Boyko

Oliver and Tanner Crashed

© photo copyright 2008 Carrie Boyko

Oliver and Tanner Sleep Quietly Together

Within a few days, Tanner was Oliver's favorite playground obstacle. Oliver crawled all over Tanner, and enjoyed litter mate-style play like chewing on Tanner's ears and tail. Tanner didn't mind a bit. Actually, I believe he was enjoying all the attention he was getting from this new boarder.

© photo copyright 2008 Carrie Boyko

Oliver Climbs on Top of Tanner

Best of all, Tanner still remembers to be gentle and careful with Oliver. Rarely does he get too rough. If anything, Oliver may abuse his privilege of being the small one occasionally, but Tanner doesn't seem to mind. They're great buddies.

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2008

Oliver and Tanner Continue to Play Nicely



© photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2008

Oliver Shares His Toys with Tanner

Teaching the boys to share their toys went smoothly also, but we'll leave that topic for another day. Just remember, all toys belong to the Pack Leader, and you'll be good to go. This Cesar Millan approach worked for me also.

Bad Habits are What Puppy Behaviors Become

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Oliver and Tanner

Watch Alan Eat Patiently,

But They Don't Beg

Think back to when your dog was a tiny puppy--the day your brought him home. Everything, virtually every behavior he exhibited brought joy and laughter. Even when he peed on the floor the first time, you probably laughed, rather than scolding him.

We're only human, and most of us have a tough time disciplining a "newborn". Puppies are no different. We coddle them; we make excuses for them; we give them affection when they're naughty by saying, in that adorable grandmotherly voice, "You naughty puppy, you!" Meanwhile, we're shaking our finger at him and he's thinking it is playtime.

I'm as guilty as most dog owners who have given more affection than discipline. But I am learning. With each new dog comes a few new lessons that sink in, even if too late.

After two large dogs, I finally understand that I should have taught them not to jump up immediately when they were first brought home. Now that Tanner is 2 1/2, I cannot seem to break him of this bad habit. Sure, it was cute when he was 10 weeks old. But now, when he wants to give personal kisses to visitors, he has no problem putting his paws on their shoulders and looking them straight in the eye.

I've talked to lots of trainers. Each have their own methods. Some of their ideas have worked temporarily. The problem is that I cannot instruct a strange visitor to lift their knee or shake a can of pennies or turn their back and ignore him. I really need Cesar to visit and help me to work Tanner through this, but I know that this is not a significant enough issue to get him here. Bummer!

I suppose I will have to make a deal with a friend to be my helper for a couple of hours. I'll help her practice with her dog issues, and she can do the same for me. It may be my only solution.

Today my mother was telling me about her concerns with Jacque's playful biting. Her skin is thin, and his biting is still quite uncomfortable. That's when it hit me that we should have worked with him on this right from the start. Although it is never too late, it is going to be a longer road now that Jacque has learned to love the game of chewing on mom's hands. Perhaps she will be my helper, and then I can assist her with Jacque's hand chewing issues. It's a lightbulb moment.

Preventing Food Aggression

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Food Aggression Starts when

Your Dog Thinks She Owns the Food

I guess this is one of those days when I'm going to get all Cesar Millan on you. You may laugh, but he's got the food thing down. Teaching your dog that the food belongs to you, right from the start, will assure that you will never have a snarling match when you take a table scrap or dog bowl away from your dog.

I may not be an expert, but if my 3 dogs could talk, they would tell you that I own the food. I started with adding my scent to their bowls by rubbing my body oil (from my forehead) onto the outside of the bowl. Then, when I place their food in the bowl, I handle it with my bare hands, making sure my scent is mixed in well.

Asking my dogs to sit or down and then STAY, I place the food in front of them and tell them to leave it. The length of this exercise depends on the age and experience of the dog. Oliver, the youngest, is not quite as patient, yet can still manage 2 minutes when hungry enough. They all know that if they make a move toward the food, the dish goes up on top of the refrigerator. Nothing is worse than that!
When given permission to break their stay with my "All done" command, they understand that they may get up, but still wait and watch for the final grant. Permission to eat comes when I say Take it. Tanner is still tentative about this. He likes a tap on the shoulder, sort of a "go ahead" before he takes it. He will drool all over the floor until I give permission. What a good boy he is.

If I reach for the bowl, he backs up and sits again. When done eating, he remains in his spot until his housemates have finished eating, at which time I probably break the rules. I give him permission to Do the Dishes. He licks out the other bowls, followed by Oliver. Sometimes they do the dishes together. I am still able to take those dishes, though, even when they are still licking. The understanding here is that I am the pack leader, which means I own the food. I like it that way, and they respect it. That is the most important part. No arguments over treats, meals or bones--ever.

Want to know more? This guy is the master. Start with Season I and work your way through.

Tanner is back in the pool at Organic Journey Online, where Woofing Wednesday continues to be a popular post each week. As usual, he is up to his favorite pool game: fetch. Stop in and have a look around. You can subscribe easily, just by typing in your email address at the top right.

Helping Your Dog and Cat Come to Terms

In addition to three lively dogs, I also have a cat, Patches. She's a feisty little girl who was adopted as a playmate for Xena, when Xena was just a pup. They played tag, napped together and have continued to be buddies, even in their advancing age.

Patches is not quite so happy to have Tanner and Oliver around, but we are making progress. Just as Cesar would tell you, bringing two animals together requires a calm human and calm animals. I am beginning to notice that after our runs, biking sessions and dog park visits, when Oliver and Tanner are more calm, Patches is much more willing to spend time near them. She is learning that they can be agreeable housemates, at least when they are well-exercised.

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Xena's Playmate, Patches

First thing in the morning is another thing entirely. Patches wants nothing more than to be fed her breakfast, and she is quite vocal about that. I have to work hard to maintain my calm leadership with her in the morning. The message is supposed to be, "You will get to eat when I choose." She is coming around--slowly.

So cat and dogs are beginning to live together without taking as much notice of one another and I am glad to see it. Patches' playful days seem to have been left behind, but she still enjoys cuddling up near her beloved Xena. Do you think she remembers their tag games?

If you're missing my pup photos, you can visit my other blog, Organic Journey Online, today or any other Wednesday (Woofing Wednesday!) to see my canine family. Today's post includes a photo of Oliver with my mom and her organic orchids. Congratulations, Mom! You're going green.

Disciplining Your Dog Through Feeding

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Oliver, Xena and Tanner Await

Permission to Eat

Today's post is a requested topic, and one that can be a very good disciplinary tool. What your dog learns from waiting permission to eat is more than it would appear. The myriad lessons include:

• You own the food, the dish, the home
• You are in charge
• You decide when the food is shared
• You choose the place a dog eats
• You establish behavior rules for eating among the pack
• You discipline members of the pack who do not behave properly
• You reward members who are the calmest and most patient
• The dog learns to trust that you WILL feed him eventually, if he exhibits good manners
• You decide who is given permission to eat first, second, etc. based on behavior
• You are a calm and patient teacher for your pack

And all of this leads to the ultimate lesson:

YOU ARE THE PACK LEADER

This must always be your goal, in order to maintain the peaceful, happy home you desire.
People who have seen my dogs being fed have often asked how I taught them to wait patiently, eat only when given permission and eat only their own food, without aggression. I'm no Dog Whisperer, but I guess I am a visual learner. I have all the Dog Whisperer DVDs that are out, and have read Cesar Millan's books. Although my dogs all went through advanced training with traditional methods (sit, stay, down, come, off, drop it, take it, etc.), I have found that combining Cesar's energy techniques with the more traditional methods has made for a good blend. Here's how I taught my pack to eat with good manners:

1. The dogs each learned the sit-stay or down-stay command at an early age and have continued to practice this every day at mealtimes.
2. Adding the Leave It command, when your dog is in a Sit-Stay or Down-Stay is as easy as placing your hand over the food bowl (or other item) for a second or two (at first) and then removing your hand when the dog is holding his stay. This is his reward--food for Stay.
3. At each meal this is practiced until you can gradually build up to 10 seconds, and then the hand is no longer needed over the bowl. Maintain a confident stance facing your dog, engaging his eye contact with yours while he performs Leave it. Build up his time gradually.
4. Any change in body language or a move toward the food is your signal to move forward toward the dog reminding him firmly, yet calmly, to Leave It.
5. Soon, with continued practice, including with treats or favorite toys periodically throughout the day, your dog will not need much more than loose supervision. I once forgot about Tanner waiting permission to eat and found him nearly a half hour later, sitting in a puddle of drool. Poor fella! He is soooo good at Leave It!
6. If you have one well-trained dog and bring a puppy or other new dog into the house, try training him within view of the other dog. It is always good to have an example to follow, as long as the example is a good one. Oliver quickly picked up good meal time manners from his older house mates, merely by following their lead.

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Permission Granted

Bringing your pack together to eat:

1. When each of your dogs has a solid understanding of the skills above, you can bring 2 of the calmest, most patient ones together to eat near one another.
2. This is again a time for heightened supervision, as their mere presence may change the dynamics.
3. Your confident stance facing the dogs will help them to understand that you continue to lead this exercise and they are expected to perform as usual. Keep up any hand signals that you normally use, to give further input on the expected behavior.
4. Be sure to reward your dogs for good performance with a simple word of praise or a pat on the head. Keep the praise calm to continue this energy throughout the next step of getting everyone outside for their post-meal "business."

I'll leave you on that note with a simple commercial for Friday's post. I'll be tackling boredom busters for dogs who spend several hours a day in their crates, or simply at home alone. Join me for a few ideas, and feel free to comment with yours. I would love to hear from you at the comment link below, or just email me at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com.

And one final note. Today, at Organic Journey Online, I am presenting a great idea, borrowed from Carmen at Agility class. She makes recycled tug toys with her old clothes, and they are wonderful. With Carmen's permission, I made some and wrote about them there. Feel free to follow the link and check it out. Free Tug Toys!