The rules and expectations outlined below are designed to help you from first impression through the first few months as it usually takes around four to six weeks for a dog to really settle into his new home and for his “true colors” to show. Meaning, once he’s comfortable enough around you and your home, he may have the confidence to engage in some unwanted behavior. By implementing clear and consistent structure and sending the right message from the get-go, you’ll likely be able to avoid many problems from developing at all.

The key concepts for the first day and several weeks following are consistent and controlled structure, clear and calm communication, and predictability. Lack of structure (too much freedom), and unpredictable circumstances including confusing expectations or punishment, will result in your dog feeling anxious and unable to adjust to your home in a healthy way.

Day 1: Proper introduction to your neighborhood
When you arrive home, go immediately from the car to a walk (on-leash) around the neighborhood so he can check things out, walk off any nervous energy, and take a bathroom break. Keep the walk moving at a quick pace, but allow a few sniffing breaks. Use this time to observe your new dog’s body language and energy: is he anxious, excited, or uncertain? If he is, practice being a good leader during this time; promote calm behavior and confidence by modeling it for him with your body language and energy. You don’t need to go too far, maybe a few blocks.

Day 1: Proper introduction to your home
When you return home, leave the leash on and enter your home in a calm manner. Begin to set some basic rules about the indoor behavior expectations by having your dog wait at the door, not bolt in ahead of you. With the leash on, take him on a tour of the home. As an exercise to define the expectations for yourself as much as for your dog, when you go to each space, verbally name the space saying it out loud, then briefly describe and/or visualize the behavior that takes place in that area. For example, when you come to the living room, you might say, “This is the space where everyone relaxes and unwinds together at the end of the day.” Picture that scene for a moment in your mind. Show your dog his bed and encourage him to check it out (since he’ll need a designated place of his own if he’s to share this space with you in a relaxed manner), then move on.

If, when you go through this process of designating the spaces, you realize the space is not conducive for the dog to be able to successfully meet your behavior expectations there, make a note to address this problem. For example, if the dining room is where the family eats and the dog will be allowed to share that space during mealtimes, he’ll need his own place otherwise he’ll likely default to begging or cruising underneath the table for scraps. If that’s not behavior you want, set up the space so it invites the behavior you do want.

Day 1: Proper introduction to your yard
As part of the walk-through (still on leash), head outside (requiring a “wait” at the door first to teach the rule of not bolting out the door). Take him over to the area in the yard where you want him to do his business and encourage him to eliminate there now. Praise and reward any successful efforts and show him around the yard a bit. If there are any areas you want him to leave alone, such as a flower bed, allow him to briefly check it out then lead him away saying, “leave it,” as you go. For the first few weeks, it’s a good idea to bring your dog outside on leash every time to ensure he hits the right potty area and does not develop any bad habits right away.

When it’s time to go inside, immediately take your dog to his crate and crate him for a brief period of time (maybe 20 minutes to half an hour or until he’s in a calm state of mind). He will likely feel stressed and maybe overwhelmed by the car ride and introduction to her new home, so giving him a chance to relax and regroup at this point is a good idea. While your dog is crated, don’t fawn or fuss over him. Allow him his quiet time and some space of his own. If he dozes off for a few minutes, that’s just fine! When his time is up, calmly release him from the crate and take him outside on leash to his spot for a bathroom break immediately.

Day 1 to 120: Crates and supervision
Even if you’ve adopted an adult or senior dog, he’s still a new dog to your home. You may not know much about his history (including why he was given up in the first place) so treat him like a puppy and supervise his every move unless he’s safely crated or enclosed in an area where he cannot do damage to your property or himself. If you have a puppy (for our purposes, defined as birth to 6 months) it’s vitally important to follow this rule to successfully potty train your pup. Even if you’ve been told your dog is potty-trained, he may regress in a new environment (or he may not have really been potty-trained in the first place). Inappropriate chewing can also be a problem for both puppies and adult dogs—so crating when unsupervised ensures he doesn’t inadvertently get his teeth on something he shouldn’t!

Crate your dog when you’re unable to supervise directly so he doesn’t have an accident, and get him outdoors frequently using words like, “Let’s go outside and do business/go potty.” You should also crate your dog occasionally when you’re home and can listen for signs of distress at being confined, just like you did after the home tour. If he barks or whines, interrupt the behavior in a calm but assertive manner—do not reward the behavior by releasing him from the crate or giving him attention by trying to calm or soothe. Providing an object in her crate such as a towel or blanket that smells like his previous home, pack, or littermates may help ease the transition to your home.

Day 1 to 120: Sleeping arrangements
I know it’s tempting to allow your new dog into your bed (or your kids’ beds) to snuggle at night, especially if he seems fearful or uncertain about his new living arrangement. Please try to resist this urge! Trust me, it will be well worth it to maintain clear expectations and roles at this critical juncture when, later on, you have a calm, well-adjusted, trustworthy pet. Then he can be invited up to the bed. For the next few months, crate your dog at night in your bedroom.You may have a few nights of interrupted sleep initially as he adjusts, but it will be worth it to help him feel safe and comfortable in his crate so he can be left alone for periods of time without concern that he’ll have an accident or be destructive. Remember not to give in and let him out if he whines or barks.

Separation anxiety is a real issue and one that can be difficult to fix once it develops. It tends to be especially common among dogs purchased through rescue groups and animal shelters and understandably so as these dogs may have been abandoned or shuffled from home to home. Creating positive crate associations by crating your dog for brief periods while you’re at home and together at night while sleeping, providing him a safe chew toy, treats, or food/treat stuffed toy while he’s in the crate, and never using the crate for punishment, will help him view his crate as a positive, relaxing place rather than a lonely, scary place.

If after a few days, he’s still not accepting his crate more calmly or his behavior in the crate is extremely urgent or escalating (pawing, digging, excessive salivation or foaming, incessant barking or “crying” for long periods of time, or doing damage to the crate or himself) please contact a professional trainer experienced in dealing with separation anxiety immediately.

Day 1 to 120: Consistent routine
To help your new dog feel relaxed in your home, especially during the first few months, implement a very consistent, highly structured daily routine. This routine should include specific times for meals (no free feeding), walking/exercise, play, training and socialization, and rest/crate/separation. Everyone in the family needs to be clear on this routine, so write it down if you must! Until he’s proven to be trustworthy, there isn’t a moment of the day when he’s not participating in an activity with you, directly supervised, or crated.

Unsupervised time may provide an opportunity for him to learn to potty under your dining room table, steal food off the counter, or behave in an anxious manner. It’s far easier to closely supervise, interrupt unwanted behavior, and completely avoid behavior problems than to re-teach a dog that has taught himself unwanted behavior while left unsupervised.

Use baby gates to keep your dog contained in one area of the home or attach his leash to you to keep him nearby so you can interrupt unwanted behavior and reward good behavior in a well-timed manner.

Day 1 to 120: Consistent behavior expectations
Everyone in the family needs to be on the same page in terms of how the dog is being treated and what the dog’s rules are. If even one person decides to “fudge” the rules once in awhile, it will be much more challenging for your dog to learn your expectations and could create confusion, uncertainty, and frustration for your dog, which will likely lead to unwanted behavior. Consistent handling will help your new dog learn the rules faster and more reliably, which will ultimately help him feel more relaxed in your home. Have the entire family participate in creating the behavior expectations and write them down and post next to the daily routine.

Day 1: What to feed
You may wish to improve upon what your dog was previously eating. Good for you! Many dogs are on a poor quality, nutrient deficient diet. Often, dogs in shelter or rescue groups simply eat what has been donated to the organization. If you know what your dog previously ate, transition him to his new food gradually by mixing in a small amount of new food initially and gradually increasing the amount until you’re feeding all new food. Learn what a healthy weight is for your dog.

If your new dog is underweight, do not over-feed him in an effort to fatten him up as this will cause digestive upset. Feed the recommended daily amount splitting it up between two or three meals throughout the day and keep close track of his weight gain.

Day 1: Introducing your new dog to your other dogs
Ideally, you’ve already had a chance to see if your new dog gets along with your existing dog or pack prior to their arrival. Your goal on Day 1 is to make the introductions a “non-event,” or in text-speak, NBD.

When you bring your new dog home, take everyone out on that initial walk. Make it a pack walk and keep everyone moving forward together. Make sure you have enough people on hand to safely handle all dogs, and leashes should be loose. Dogs do not interact at first; everyone simply starts walking together. At some point during the walk, when it appears everyone has settled in and become focused on the walk, stop briefly to allow some sniffing of one another on loose leashes, then proceed on your walk. Don’t get excited or force any interactions that the dogs are not ready to have, just give them the opportunity.

This is a bonding experience for everyone. You’re looking for the dogs to be interested initially, but to quickly accept this new addition and not become fixated or overly excited. Remember, a new family member is a big change for everyone and any or all of the dogs could easily become overwhelmed and stressed, which can cause otherwise uncharacteristic behavior. Walking together helps to redirect excitement and energy to a useful task, but it’s also important to always be closely observing all the dogs’ body language and responding appropriately to keep excitement levels in check. If anyone is getting overly-excited or fixated, simply redirect their attention to the walk and keep moving. Don’t allow the excitement to stay fixated on another dog for more than a few seconds initially.

Once you’re home, assuming all went well on the walk, continue the “walk” in your yard and allow a couple of sniffing breaks. If a problem is going to arise, it’s most likely to either happen at the initial interaction on the walk or once you’re on your home turf so watch for stiff or fixated body language. If the dogs seem to be accepting one another, drop the leashes and continue to move through the yard. Keep moving and invite the dogs to move with you, but allow them to become distracted by scents or to naturally interact with one another at this point, only intervening if excitement levels are getting too high.

For the first few weeks, your dogs should only interact under direct supervision. Packs are constantly in flux, so it’s absolutely imperative during this time that you take the lead with all your dogs and reward and promote the dog that models the best behavior at any given moment, not the dog you perceive to be the “top dog.” All the dogs in your pack should be subject to the same rules and expectations (within reason for very old or very young dogs).

If during the introduction any of your dogs demonstrates any behavior that raises concern for you, seek professional help immediately before pursuing further interaction.

Day 1 to 120: Socialization to people, objects, places, and body handling
Socializing your dog to places, people, other dogs, objects, and handling will be an on-going effort for the rest of his life, but should be a primary focus during the first few weeks he’s with you as it will help you get to know him better. You want him to have positive associations and become comfortable with the people you commonly interact with (friends and family members), places you frequent (the vet, groomers), objects in your home such as the vacuum cleaner, and other dogs he will come in contact with regularly (follow the same process as introducing him to your own pack). He should also become comfortable having his body gently handled, including feet for nail trims, ears and mouth for cleaning, and tail. The key is the dog must not feel forced into a situation in which he’s uncomfortable as that will elicit a negative response (growling, trembling, urination, snapping) and a negative association.

Go slowly with these introductions and interactions, allow him to go at his own pace whenever possible and don’t physically force interactions that he’s clearly not comfortable with.

Day 15 and beyond: Socialization to other dogs
The impulse is to cart your dog over to the dog park immediately or show off your new pup to all your friends or invite them over with their pooches for a play date right away. Remember, your dog’s world has just been turned upside down and generally speaking we want to try to keep his work as calm, predictable, and relaxed as possible to ease his transition. While many dogs with outgoing personalities, especially puppies, will be happy to meet other dogs right away, some individuals are more sensitive. Listen to your gut and if there’s a hint of doubt, wait on the doggy play dates for a couple of weeks.

At that point, you’ll have established a level of trust with your new dog and he’ll look to you for help if he’s confused or concerned rather than feel like he has to “deal with” the situation on his own. Also, you’ll be familiar with your dog’s individual quirks and signals such as what he does when he has to go potty (don’t want him messing on Aunt Clarice’s new rug), and how he looks when he’s getting tired or impatient so you know when to intervene before a play date goes sour.

In addition, there can be a very real concern with some dogs as to their level of immunity and vaccination status. If your dog came from a shelter situation, it’s never a bad idea to keep your distance from other dogs for a couple of weeks to ensure your dog isn’t carrying any disease or worm that he could transmit to another dog.

One word of caution: dogs do not become socialized by proximity to a large group of dogs such as those found at a dog park or doggy daycare. In fact, for the wrong dog, these environments can be over-stimulating, scary, or downright dangerous. The best way to conduct dog socialization is to gradually introduce him to known, stable, friendly dogs one-on-one in a relaxed, supervised, neutral setting and allow the known commodity, the stable dog, to set the tone and lead by example as much as possible with proper intervention if the situation becomes overly-stimulating or tense for either dog.

Some “artificial” boosts
These are some additional supplemental therapies that may prove helpful in easing the transition to your home and reduce anxiety in general:

• A dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) diffuser
• Pet Rescue Remedy (Bach flower remedies)
• Calming lavender essential oil
• Massage, Reiki, & Chiropractic
• Classical music

If you’ve followed the advice included here and are experiencing problems with your new dog several weeks after bringing him home or new problems arise within the first few months, contact a professional dog trainer that will come to your home and conduct individualized private training.

Unwanted behavior does not improve on its own. In fact, most often it actually becomes worse over time if proactive steps aren’t taken to counter it. The best time to address unwanted behavior is as soon as it surfaces!

Additional reading to help before and during the transition, and beyond

“The Latchkey Dog” by Jodi Andersen

“A Member of the Family” by Cesar Millan

“My Smart Puppy” by Sarah Wilson and Brian Kilcommons
Your Newly Adopted Dog lesson

“Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know” by Alexandra Horowitz

“The Nature of Animal Healing” by Marty Goldstein

“The Whole Pet Diet” by Andi Brown

This time of year our thoughts turn to colder temps and snow, gift-giving, and of course, food. Food has become more than a basic necessity; it actually plays a vital role in the emotional lives of individuals, communities, and society as a whole. There are government agencies devoted to its oversight (well, somewhat). It has different speeds: it’s either “fast food” or “slow cooked.” People’s identities are wrapped up in their food choices; they may be a vegetarian, vegan, or “flexitarian.” An individual’s food preferences often reflect their ethnic heritage or at the very least, the culture of the family in which they were raised. We are deeply emotionally entwined with our food—we turn to “comfort” food when we’re tired, bored and depressed; and eating disorders are a serious and relatively common problem in our society. 

And of course, we have a holiday that essentially celebrates (excuse me, promotes gratitude for) food! Most of us maintain a deep sense of tradition and nostalgia when it comes to our holiday favorites, lest you even think about tweaking the mashed potato recipe or substituting apple for pumpkin pie. And yet we don’t exactly extend the same thoughtfulness when it comes to our pet’s diets, often settling for the same old kibble or canned fare everyday. While our pets may not have the same emotional need or personal identification with food, they can certainly appreciate the benefits of real, whole, living food from a physical standpoint.

If you’re already feeding your dog a home-cooked or raw diet, you’ll be able to serve them a fun and festive Thanksgiving meal without too much concern for its effects on the digestive system. Over time, the body has adapted to handle a range of different textures and nutrients from a variety of living, nutrient-dense foods.

The introduction of novel foods to the dog whose body is accustomed to one type of kibble or canned food will likely cause digestive upset, ranging from a minor case of the “runs” to something more severe like Pancreatitis. It’s thought that the reason a dog can experience such a severe reaction from something as benign as food is that over time the digestive system becomes rigid and weak when not exposed to enough nutrient variety. Traditional wisdom dictates that a “fatty” meal or “table scraps” are the cause of spontaneous Pancreatitis. However, I also suspect that it has something to do with the bio-availability of the fresh food. The dog’s body is so accustomed to working at partial capacity because of a nutrient-deficient diet that when it suddenly receives a jolt of living nutrition it has a hard time ramping up and making use of all that good stuff.

All the fixings for a fantastic and festive Thanksgiving feast for Fido*:

Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is a great source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Apple: Another fall favorite; chop fine or pulse for a few seconds in the food processor—A good source of vitamin C and fiber.

Cranberries: Chop or pulse a few times in the food processor–A good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) and Vitamin K, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Ground turkey:  Cook lightly to kill any bacteria (do not over-cook) or serve raw–a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Protein.

Giblets and innards from YOUR bird (uncooked): Serve raw or dip in boiling water for 10 seconds to kill off any surface bacteria–A good source of Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Iron and Selenium.

Sweet potato: Peeled, boiled and served cubed or mashed (do not add butter, salt, sugar or any seasoning of any kind), a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Wild rice: Always over cook any grains as dogs don’t have the enzyme necessary to break them down naturally. Cook your wild rice a good 10 to 15 minutes longer than you normally would. Wild rice is a good source of protein and Manganese.

Green beans: Frozen (thawed) or fresh green beans are a great source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate and Manganese.

Assorted dried or fresh herbs: Herbs have medicinal properties for dogs as they do for people, so go ahead and add a little fresh (or dried) parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme to his meal! Just stay away from added salt, pepper, or sugar.

Nutrient profiles taken from http://nutritiondata.self.com/

*Please note that these suggestions do not constitute a nutritionally balanced diet and should not be fed in place of a nutritionally balanced diet. 

Serving Suggestions:

Approximately half the meal should be comprised of meat protein, ¼ of the meal fruits and vegetables, ¼ of the meal carbohydrates.

Daily Whole Food Feeding Amounts (approximations):

Not to feed

I must mention that onions and onion powder, grapes, and raisins should never be fed to your dog, nor should any cooked poultry bones. In addition, lay off the heavy seasoning—your dog doesn’t need copious amounts of salt to enjoy his fare!

If you’re interested in learning more about feeding a home cooked or raw food diet, I recommend the following resources:

• “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats” by Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn
• “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Dr. Karen Becker
• “The Whole Pet Diet: Eight Weeks to Great Health for Dogs and Cats” by Andi Brown
• Dog Food Advisor (website)
• Dogaware (website)

For more valuable information on how to safely and healthfully serve your dog real food, check out this informative article.

As a dog trainer that performs one-on-one in-home private lessons, I work with a client for one to two hours a week and cram as much into that time and into their brains as possible with the understanding that they put into practice what was learned in the intervening weeks between our lessons. I make myself available to answer questions or trouble-shoot, but it is ultimately up to the primary caretaker, with the support of the family, to implement the training.

Defining the Primary Caretaker

Defining the “primary caretaker” in a household requires having a frank discussion about family dynamics. If you are lucky enough to be part of a household where the domestic responsibilities (cleaning, cooking, maintenance, child and pet care) are evenly split, that’s fantastic. Clearly you and your partner have excellent communication and it will be a cinch to split the dog training duties as well. These families are few and far between. In most homes, even in our “modern” times, there is still very clear delineation about certain jobs and roles. Okay, I’ll just come out and say it: in my experience, much of the caretaking duties in the home often fall to the mom/wife (when there is one). Also, if there are dog behavior problems, they’re often more severe or prevalent with “Mom” than “Dad” as reported by my clients.

While it might seem illogical or downright cruel to ask a potentially overburdened primary caretaker to take on another responsibility, in order to obtain real-world, reliable behavior modification results this is exactly what must happen for three reasons:

1) The primary caretaker spends the most time exposed to/in proximity with the dog, although this doesn’t necessarily mean the primary caretaker is the most interactive family member with the dog.

2) The primary caretaker spends the most time with the kids if there are children.

3) The primary caretaker often spends more time at home than their partner. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are a homemaker or stay-at-home mom. In fact, many women that work 40+ hour work weeks still manage to be the primary caretaker in their homes (but that’s a whole different blog post!).

As you can see from the criteria above, by opportunity and proximity, the primary caretaker simply has the most opportunities to correct unwanted behavior and reinforce desired behavior when those instances arise.

A Story of Sabotage

The Johnson family is comprised of Mom, Dad, and two young children. They also have a 9-month old lab that doesn’t listen and pulls on walks. He also exhibits emotionally needy and sometimes pushy behavior when he wants attention. He’ll sit beside a person, lean against them, sit on their feet, stare at them, nudge them, throw his ball at them, lick, jump up, bark, maybe even “nibble” on them in an effort to get them to interact with him—to play or pet. On the surface, this seems benign enough, maybe even cute. In fact, he’s been doing it since he was a puppy. What’s really happening during these interactions is the dog is learning he can control his people with his behavior. He can get what he wants by behaving in a needy or pushy manner because it generates a response in the person. They either pet mindlessly or toss the ball, maybe even push him off in an attempt to correct the behavior, but they still engage. One of the family’s goals is to be able to walk the dog without being pulled.

In order to be able to teach the dog to walk where we want him to walk (not pulling at the end of the leash), he has to first believe that we are actually in charge of his behavior and setting the rules, not the other way around. So it becomes imperative that no one in the family (not just the person primarily responsible for the dog training) give the dog attention when he’s attempting to get it from them in the inappropriate ways mentioned above.

If Mom is the only one reinforcing the new rules and handling techniques the trainer recommended, and Dad continues to offer his attention and affection for “free” and/or on the dog’s insistence, it undermines the training process. It causes confusion for the dog about the behavior expectations and slows, derails, or totally sabotages the training.

Before You Call the Trainer

Before you call the trainer, the adults in the household need to sit down and come to consensus on some key points pertaining to the dog. Get out a pen and paper and write down your answers to these questions as you discuss them.

• What are our ultimate behavior goals and expectations for our dog?

Frame this in terms of what you want the dog to do, rather than what you do not want the dog to do. For example, instead of saying, “I don’t want him to pull on leash,” you might say, “I want him to walk at my left side on a loose-leash for our entire walk,” or “I want him to walk in a heel beside the stroller,” or “I want him to be able to walk with us off-leash so I don’t have to worry about tripping on a leash,” etc. Your picture of “good” behavior may be very different from your partner’s. You may even find that your partner doesn’t experience the same behavior problems that you do. If consensus cannot be reached on some point, favor goes to the primary caretaker for the three reasons outlined above.

• Based on our dog’s current behavior, what’s our “worst case scenario”? 

This may seem like a macabre question, but it is very helpful to consider an extreme scenario in order to appropriately frame the training conversation. It will help you determine how you’d like to train the dog (method, tools), the level to which the dog must be trained (precision and proficiency), and also the urgency or necessity for training in the first place.

If Mom’s worst case scenario is the dog becomes over-excited and bites one of the children on the face requiring a trip to urgent care and a few stitches, and Dad’s perceived worst-case scenario is that the dog steals food from the 3-year olds hand, the ability for both adults to consistently support the training over time (and not sabotage) will be compromised. Each person’s perceived consequence of not successfully training the dog are very different. The bite would be perceived as a major trauma to the child and dog, warranting any training tool or method to begin immediately. While food stealing may be a relatively minor infraction that necessitates a less urgent training timeline and could afford some room for error (read: sabotage).

[Insert “balanced” training plug here:] If you’re uncomfortable with a particular training tool or approach because of what you’ve read on the internet or been told by well-meaning family members and friends, even though you know or suspect the training would be effective in preventing your worst case scenario, it’s time to open your mind to new possibilities especially if your worst case scenario results in a person injured or traumatized, or a dog injured or euthanized.

• What will be everyone’s role in training new behavior?

You fall into one of three categories when it comes to training:

1) You’re proactively training the dog. This is the person with the leash or the remote in their hand. To get the best training results, all adults in the household (including adult children) that are of able mind and body should be able to effectively take on this role. However, the “primary caretaker” absolutely must take on this role because that’s the person that’s going to have the most opportunities to use the training, and is the person that will benefit the most from having a different relationship with the dog. If that person is Mom, even though she’s already got a lot on her plate, she needs to take on a central role in training the dog.

2) You’re neutral. These people aren’t actively rewarding or correcting the dog, they’re simply attempting to be non-factors in the process. In our story of sabotage above, being neutral might mean ignoring the behavior or getting up and walking away when the dog gets pushy with you. You are aware of the underlying issue of control playing out; you don’t actively correct, but you don’t accidentally reinforce either. Even if you participate as an active trainer in your household, there will be times when you’ll need to stand back and be neutral to allow someone else to practice asserting themselves and to not create confusion. Too many people rushing to correct the dog or reinforce expectations can be just as confusing for the dog as no one doing so.

3) You’re sabotaging the process. These people, usually unconsciously and not intentionally, do things to undermine your training. Sometimes it’s a child that doesn’t take direction well, a spouse that has difficulty changing their habits, or a parent or neighbor that doesn’t see how encouraging the dog to jump up on them a couple of times a year when they stop by for a visit is problematic. If you identify that you will likely have one or more saboteurs in your midst, you better set these people straight before you call the dog trainer. You will waste your time and money working with a professional only to have one or more family members sabotage your progress.

If the perceived saboteurs are adults (such as adult children or elderly parents that live with you), you must have a frank conversation with them. One possibility is to make them partly financially responsible for the training. It will literally make them more “invested” in the process and the outcome.

Saboteurs often come in small, cute packages. If your young children pose a potential obstacle to training the dog, you may need to set up some new routines within your household to manage the kids so they don’t have the chance to sabotage. For example, if teaching your dog to not pick things up off the ground unless he’s told is one of your goals (and this is a great expectation to set with your dog to keep him safe), you will need to manage your environment so you are able to supervise your dog when he’s around your children’s toys lying on the floor. You may need to implement a new rule that there is one designated play room so toys are contained in one area and not placed all over the home, thereby making it easier for you to supervise your dog and correct and reinforce as necessary when the opportunities arise. If toys are moved from one place to another, it is done in one designated special box. And if the toys aren’t placed back in that box (with lid) after they’re done being used, they magically disappear.

If a discussion of your family reveals more saboteurs in your ranks than trainers or neutral partners, address this before you call the professional. It is your dog trainer’s job to train the dog and teach the people. But try as they might, your trainer will most likely not be able to change your children’s or spouse’s behavior or habits in the limited amount of time they spend with you.

Additional Ideas for Motivation and Accountability

A good dog trainer should get you excited about training and keep you focused on your goals. But you may need to implement some other strategies to help keep everyone on track after the dog trainer leaves. Does your family thrive on structure, incentives, or discipline? Figuring out how to motivate and hold everyone accountable for their part in training the dog will be a challenge you may have to get creative to overcome. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

• If you and your family thrive on structure, implement an in-home “board and train.” In this scenario, you’re always prepared to turn a mistake into a learning opportunity. The dog is managed on a strict schedule. He’s either kenneled, supervised by a proactive household trainer, or being trained. This also means the saboteurs in your midst won’t be able to do any damage. In fact, you’ve designed things so they’re actually assisting you in proofing because whenever they’re around the dog you’re prepared to reinforce the training and expectations.
• Write up some basic house rules that will promote good dog behavior. Examples of rules include: “no treats or petting unless the dog sits on command first,” “make the dog wait at the door before letting him outside,” “No talking to the dog unless you’re giving a command or the dog has done a command first.” Give everyone a rubber binder to wear on their wrist. They’re to snap the binder when they catch themselves breaking one of the rules to help them change their habits.
• Post your rules on the bathroom mirror so everyone gets a daily reminder when they wake up and when they go to sleep.
• Do a variation on a “swear” jar and make people put in a quarter every time you catch them breaking one of the “rules.” You could either incent them by redistributing the wealth when the money adds up or spend it on a fun family activity that includes the dog (or if the money adds up fast, you might want to spend it on more dog training!).
• Do you have a competitive family? Does bribery work in your household? Make it a competition. You can make this as complicated or simple as you’d like. One idea is to set up a jar for each family member and slips of paper in corresponding colors for the different rules. When you catch each other following a rule, add that slip to their jar. At the end of a week, tally everything up. The family member who’s been the most consistent in following the rules gets a special prize or treat. The color-coding is also a way to track what area each person needs to work on when it comes to handling the dog. If one person consistently does well making the dog wait to go outdoors as indicated by all the blue slips of paper, but talks to the dog incessantly as indicated by a decided lack of yellow slips, you know this is an area in which you could help this person improve.
• If you have a larger or extended family living together, this idea might be fun: secretly designate a different person each day as the “Sheriff.” That person watches out for people to be following the rules with the dog. Only one other person knows who the “Sheriff” is on any given day so no one else knows when their good behavior might be being observed and mentally recorded. At dinner that night, the “Sheriff” is revealed and one person is recognized for their exceptional efforts with the dog. Maybe there’s a small prize involved, a special privilege, or maybe that person gets to secretly choose the next Sheriff.

Please comment and share the successful strategies you’ve implemented for yourself, your family, or your children to generate motivation and accountability towards a goal (whether it’s training the dog or something else), and remember, dog training is a team sport. Go Team!

It should be noted that well-qualified trainers may opt to not carry any credentials at all, relying instead on experience or the obedience titles their dogs or clients’ dogs have earned. In addition to credentialing,  some other ways you can research a prospective trainer are to do a thorough review of a trainer’s website if they have one, including watching videos, and reading their blog and any client testimonials; sign up for a free consultation (if they offer one), observe a group class if they perform them, or at the very least ask a few well-crafted questions.

Quick Guidelines

Because I truly want you to have a successful training experience for the sake of your dog and your family, I’m going to provide the best general guidelines I can filtered for different criteria, one of which might describe your needs.

These recommendations are based on my research of the three primary optional trainer credentialing organizations (APDT, NADOI, and IACP) that are profiled in more detail below and may not accurately represent individual trainers in some cases. If you’re curious as to how I arrived at these general guidelines, please be sure to review the rest of the blog post!

If you need…

…A trainer of a certain experience level that has proven expertise and/or are more interested in getting training and behavior modification results regardless of specific training tool or technique:

Best: NADOI “Certified” or “Provisional” level member; IACP “Professional” level member with an additional CDT or CDTA credential
Okay: IACP “Associate” level member (additional credential CPT, CDT, or CDTA is even better); APDT “Professional” level member (CPDT-KA) 

…A trainer particularly qualified in teaching people and/or instructing a group class:

Best: NADOI “Certified” or “Provisional” level member
Okay: APDT “Professional” level member (CPDT-KA)
*APDT does not receive the “best” rating because there is equal emphasis placed on Learning Theory and Instruction in the CCPDT test. 

…A trainer that uses only Positive Reinforcement (rewarding “good” behavior) and Negative Punishment (ignoring unwanted behavior or removing a reward), and avoids the use of tools designed to be able to provide effective Positive Punishment   or a “correction” (e.g. choke chain, prong collar, head-halter, no-pull harness, or e-collar):

Best: APDT “Professional” level member (CPDT-KA)
Okay: APDT “Full” level member

…A trainer with the ability and willingness to use a wide variety of tools, including those used to provide a correction, and the full spectrum of feedback (all four Operant Conditioning quadrants) based on what obtains the best training or behavior results:

Best: NADOI “Certified” or “Provisional” level member or IACP “Professional” level member with the CPT, CDT, or CDTA credential
Okay: IACP “Associate” level member (ideally with the CPT, CDT, or CDTA credential)

…A trainer who is able to resolve tough behavior problems like anxiety and aggression:

Best: IACP “Professional” level member with the CDTA or CPT credentials
Okay: IACP “Professional” or “Associate” level member (ideally with the CDT or CPT credentials); NADOI “Certified” or “Provisional” level member
*APDT is excluded from this category because of their explicit and implied restrictions on training tools and handling approach. For serious behavior issues that could have life or death consequences for a dog, it’s imperative to be open to all tools and approaches.

…A trainer that has the potential to get a different or better training result than has previously been achieved with your dog:

Figure out what credentials your previous trainer, instructor, or behaviorist possessed and then look for a trainer or instructor that possesses credentials from a different organization.

…A trainer that will be effective in dealing with puppy-related issues (effective socialization, crate and potty-training, chewing in dogs up to 4 months of age)

Best: IACP “Professional” or “Associate” level member (ideally with the additional CDTA, CDT, or CPT credential), NADOI member
Okay: APDT “Professional” level member (CPDT-KA)
*Though trainers differ quite a bit when it comes to training adult dogs and dogs with behavior issues, most trainers agree on most issues pertaining to puppies. At this stage, it’s a matter of deciding what type of training you wish to progress to later on with your dog, one based in balance with many tools at your disposal, or one based in limited feedback and available tools, and start with a trainer that you can potentially continue to work with later on. Which direction you choose may relate to the breed or temperament of your puppy.

Disclaimers: The recommendations above are predicated on the idea that trainers are honestly meeting the organization’s Code of Conduct and membership qualifications. Trainer credentials should only be one aspect you consider among many as you research different dog trainers.

Dog Trainer Optional Membership Organizations & Credentialing

Following, is a brief summary and a few highlights of membership guidelines, position statements, and codes of conduct.

APDT  

• APDT (and by affiliation, the CCPDT) is closely tied and allied with animal behaviorists and animal behavior societies based on “behaviorist” credentials they’ll accept for automatic qualification as a Professional level member.
• APDT promotes what they call “dog friendly” training, a term which they have defined in a Position Statement to mean the use of positive reinforcement and negative punishment to effectively train dogs (presumably, absent positive punishment and negative reinforcement, the other two quadrants in the Operant Conditioning learning model). APDT mentions “numerous scientific studies” but does not specifically cite any in particular to support their position and definition.
• Interestingly (in light of their strong position about “dog friendly” training), the APDT does not state outright their support or opposition to e-collars, prong collars, or choke chains within their numerous position statements, although these tools would be used to administer positive punishment and negative reinforcement.  One might infer that they are opposed to these tools based on the position that an acceptable level of training can be attained with only positive reinforcement and negative punishment, which do not require the use of a corrective device.
• The certifying body for APDT Professional membership (CPDT-KA credential) is the CCPDT. Their 250-question multiple-choice test weighs subject matter as follows: Instruction Skills 32%, Learning Theory 32%, Ethology 20%, Equipment 7%, Animal Husbandry 6%, Business Practices and Ethics 3%. This gives good insight into the emphasis the CCPDT, and by extension the APDT, place on different  areas of the body of dog trainer knowledge. For example, we can see that demonstrating an understanding of  learning theory (32% of test questions) is far more important than demonstrating an understanding of how to effectively identify and use different pieces of training equipment (7% of test questions), further demonstrating how closely allied the APDT is with the field of animal behaviorism as opposed to animal training.

NADOI

• NADOI places an emphasis on dog obedience instructors, meaning the professional has shown to be able to teach people effectively, in addition to demonstrating proficiency as a dog trainer. (APDT also emphasizes “instruction” as evidenced per the CCPDT exam. However, NADOI’s standards are more stringent than APDT’s.)
• NADOI is the only organization that is exclusive to dog trainers/instructors, and that requires a minimum level of expertise for their lowest level membership (Provisional). The other organizations will take a person’s money without requiring proof of any expertise at their entry level membership option. NADOI is also the least-expensive group to be affiliated with.
• NADOI states that they endorse the expertise of the trainer based on their ability to achieve positive training results, regardless of tool or method. “NADOI is strongly opposed to cruel or unnecessarily harsh training methods. It is, however, the position of NADOI that the humaneness of equipment and training methods is dependent upon the skill and knowledge of individual trainers and that limitation or restriction regarding the use of certain equipment or training methods is detrimental to the purpose of and goal of NADOI.”

IACP

• IACP generally positions themselves as a group that is open and accepting of all approaches and tools, stating “The IACP advocates the education of canine professionals and the public in the correct, humane use of all training tools.”
• IACP and APDT mix up dog trainers with other dog professionals such as pet product suppliers, groomers, etc. However, IACP is the only organization that allows non dog-trainers to attain its highest membership level, which could be misleading to a consumer.

Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)

Membership Qualifications Overview

*APDT “Code of Professional Conduct and Mission”
** Link to CPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) test instructions
APDT Position Statements

Full member logo (Associate members use an “Associate” logo) Note the designation "Full" to identify the individual's membership level

Professional member logo (+ “CPDT-KA” credential after name)  Note the designation "Professional" to identify the individual's membership level.

National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI)

Membership Qualifications Overview

* Link to the entrance exam
**NADOI Standards of Conduct and Code of Ethics
NADOI Position Statements

All members may use the NADOI logo, but provisional members must indicate they are “provisional” level.

International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)

Membership Qualifications Overview

* Link to “Code of Conduct”
**Certified Dog Trainer requirements
IACP Position Statements

Associate Member Logo (optionally + “CDT” or “CDTA”) Note the designation "Associate" to identify the individual's membership level.

Professional Member Logo (optionally + “CDT” or “CDTA”) Note the designation "Professional" to identify the individual's member level.

Dog Trainer Schools

Dog trainer schools are another form of optional credentialing.

National K-9 School for Dog Trainers (Columbus, OH) issues the credential “CPT” (Certified Professional Trainer): The National K-9 School for Dog Trainers is granted the authority to issue professional certification by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.

Triple Crown Academy (Austin, TX) issues the credentials “CTS” (Canine Training Specialist) or “CTBS” (Canine Training & Behavior Specialist) Triple Crown Academy for Professional Dog Trainers, Inc. is a licensed school, approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Veterans Education Section, Austin, Texas.

Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers (Fairfield, CA) does not issue certification.

That’s My Dog E-cademy (Dubuque, IA) does not issue certification.

Animal Behavior College (online correspondence course) issues the credential “ABC” (Animal Behavior College)

The article states that the kennel initially attributed the death to heart failure due to an enlarged heart, but after the owner pursued legal action, they performed an autopsy and discovered the swollen throat.  Court papers filed by the dog’s owner against the facility state, “Defendants ignored obvious signs of Cowboy’s distress, allowing Cowboy to continue barking for days without proper care or intervention, until his severely swollen throat suffocated him and caused his death.”

I don’t think anyone deliberately and maliciously caused Cowboy’s death. In fact, barking dogs are pretty much par for the course at boarding facilities. As soon as the door to that kennel opens, the chorus kicks up. Kennels are, by their nature, a somewhat strange and stressful place for dogs that are used to having more freedom and being in a home environment. So is your dog barking himself to death at the kennel something you need to be worried about? Not if you’ve mentally prepared your dog to be able to handler a higher stress environment, and you board him at a facility that meets his needs.

How to find a boarding facility that’s right for you

First off, be honest with yourself about your dog’s behavior and emotional stability (or lack thereof). Some dogs have no issues to speak of and are relatively “bullet-proof.” These dogs whom nothing fazes will probably be alright just about anywhere, from the sparse accommodations at the vet’s office to a high-end luxury facility. Cost or convenience may be the determining factors in your final decision. Other dogs are extremely sensitive and don’t deal well with change, or may even lash out aggressively when subjected to a new environment or routine. For these dogs, you need to be more selective about their physical environment, but also the experience level and expertise of staff, their willingness and ability to proactively communicate with you, and their comfort level and access to medication or other management tools should they be necessary to manage your dog’s behavior.

Your decision on where to house your sensitive dog while you’re away could be crucial in determining whether his experience is traumatizing or relatively relaxing. In Cowboy’s case, unfortunately, the consequences of selecting a facility that did not meet his behavioral needs may have contributed to his death. As the article states, Cowboy was in good physical health when he entered the facility. The kind of excessive and violent barking Cowboy would have been engaged in to ultimately cause suffocation would be due to being anxious, lonely, severely agitated, or frustrated about his situation, and there was no mention as to his emotional or behavioral health upon entering the boarding facility.

Fix the problem if you can

If your dog exhibits anxiety, fear, or aggression towards other dogs, people, or in certain situations such as when separated from you, confined, or in new and novel places, seek the help of a professional dog trainer experienced in working on these types of issues prior to exposing him to a situation that will cause him stress that he’s unequipped to handle. Note that behavior change may take four to six months or possibly longer. So if you wish to fix the problem by increasing your dog’s threshold for anxiety or frustration, and teaching him how to self-regulate and cope with feelings of stress, instead of just avoiding it or managing it, you’ll have to plan ahead.

Different types of boarding facilities

Individual boarding facilities vary greatly but generally fall under one of these four categories

The kennel attached to a vet hospital: Usually pretty basic in its accommodations or amenities, this is simply an additional service veterinarians offer because, well…they can. They already have the facilities and can provide an additional value and service to their existing clientele. Kennels are either runs or cages, dogs are let outside individually to potty a few times a day or walked around a potty yard for a few minutes until they eliminate, they’re fed two meals per day and administered any necessary medication. If your dog LIKES your vet, this may be a good option since it’s familiar. However, many dogs already have negative feelings about the vet’s office, so having him board there for an extended period of time may actually add to his stress.

An example of "basic" kennel accommodations. Image from www.highmarkkennel.com

The kennel attached to a dog daycare facility: This often consists of kennel runs that are a part of the daycare facility. In an open format, dogs are never confined. The upside of this is that in an open format, there’s usually at least one staff member on duty around the clock and it may be a nice option for a dog that doesn’t deal well with confinement. If your dog is already accustomed to the staff and daycare location and he likes it, boarding there may be relatively easy and stress free. When boarding at a daycare facility, it’s presumed your dog is going to play, socialize, and interact with the other dogs during the day.

The kennel attached to a dog training facility: These are generally sparse accommodations, similar to the vet setup. In these scenarios, the focus is on training rather than providing a luxurious experience for the dog. The benefit of a situation like this is that ongoing nuisance behavior, such as barking, likely won’t be tolerated, and your dog will be regularly cared for by (presumably) a highly qualified dog behavior and training professional. A “board and train” provides a dog with a lot of mental stimulation so he doesn’t have the time to get bored or the energy with which to engage in unwanted behavior.

The private (sometimes up-scale) boarding facility: Facilities whose primary focus is on providing boarding accommodations will range from relatively simple to all-out luxurious. There may be private suites instead of kennel runs, 24/7 outdoor access via private outdoor runs, real beds, flat-screen TVs, swimming pools, grooming/spa treatments, personal trainers for exercise, 24/7 webcam viewing so you can always see what your dog is doing, and anything else they can think of. These facilities can typically do a pretty good job of keeping your dog mentally and physically stimulated, and monitoring their behavior and wellbeing since that’s the primary focus of their business. However, you will pay for it!

An example of more luxurious kennel accommodations. Image from www.thepalmspetresort.com

In addition to these standard options, many businesses offer pet care services either in your home or theirs, meaning your dog never has to step foot in an unfamiliar kennel environment if you don’t want him to.  Having a combination pet and house-sitter may be a smart option if going away for an extended period of time and/or you have multiple pets for which the boarding costs and logistics might become burdensome.

So, you’ve determined what type of facility you think will bring your dog the least amount of stress—and it’s not always the most posh accommodations. It might be different than what works for your neighbor, and it may not be the closest facility to your home. In fact, simply basing her decision on perceived convenience rather than what was most appropriate for her specific dog may have been a pitfall Moore accidentally stumbled into. Both Moore and her mother were boarding their dogs at the same place, suggesting that perhaps convenience played a large part in the selection of that facility.

After some initial online research, you’ll want to visit the facilities in person and take a tour. You won’t probably be able to bring your dog along unless you have proof of her being current on all required vaccinations. In any case, make sure you ask ahead of time.

Visit the candidates and ask some questions

When you visit the facility, actively observe your surroundings and ask questions, such as:

• How much and what kind of training does staff receive? For example, are they certified in pet first aid and CPR? Are there any trainers on staff that have knowledge of behavior problems?
• On average, how much hands-on experience does your staff have with dogs?
• Is the facility staffed 24 hours a day?
• How will I be notified in case there is an emergency involving my dog? (phone, email, text)
• How often are dogs let outside and/or checked up on?
• Do you take any special measures to manage dogs that bark excessively? How do I know my dog will get adequate rest/down time?
• Do you have a veterinarian in-house? Where will my dog be taken in case of a medical emergency?
• Will my dog be interacting with other dogs while here or are dogs kept apart?
• Approximately how many staff members will my dog interact with during her/his stay? (The fewer the better for sensitive dogs)
• How often are the kennel runs cleaned? (Ideally, everyday)
• Is the number of dogs you’re seeing in front of you average or is it an uncommonly slow or busy day? When are their peak busy times? (And will you be needing their services during these times as well. If so, consider if additional dogs, staff, and general chaos will be okay for your dog.)
• What certifications or accreditations does the facility hold? Be sure to do a little research into the certifying body to find out what is necessary to qualify. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of paying a membership fee.

While at the facility, notice if dogs generally seem to look healthy and not overly-stressed (keeping in mind that a kennel environment is inherently stressful on many dogs). How many staff members are around (hopefully, several). Are staff clean and professional in appearance, and are they behaving in a friendly manner towards the dogs or are they stressed and irritated?

Does the facility look and smell clean and well-maintained? It doesn’t have to be new to be clean, well-ventilated, and not overly crowded or noisy. Does it reek of bleach or harsh cleaning chemicals (you can bet it’s irritating the dogs’ noses more than yours). Are they playing music and if so, does it add to the chaos or create a more relaxed environment? Note if there’s any effort being made to reduce noise like fabric or carpeting on walls or ceilings.

If you’ve done all your due diligence and feel comfortable about a particular facility, do a single overnight trial run to see if the place agrees with your dog. Explain to them that you really want and need an honest assessment about your dog’s behavior (no sugar-coating please!), so you can make an informed decision regarding a future extended stay. The trial run means you’ll be home in case your dog experiences any problems and you need to come pick them up early. I suspect had Moore gone through a thorough process of making an informed selection based on her dog’s temperament and behavioral needs, researched and visited different facilities, and done a short trial run, she may have realized her dog wasn’t a good fit for the environment she was planning to place him into, and the tragedy may have been avoided.

Short-term solutions

A short-term or short notice solution may be appropriate in some situations. We’re talking about management tools to help a dog feel and/or behave in a calmer manner.

• Anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication. This will generally have to be started several weeks before being kenneled in order to be effective.
• A high-quality electronic bark collar. Modern technology and high end models respond to the bark emitted from the dog wearing the collar, not the barks of nearby dogs. In a kennel environment, it will be important to use a model with “bark recognition” technology. If a dog truly can bark himself to death, I would argue that an electronic bark collar should be seriously considered as it is a far more humane alternative to death.
• DAPP diffuser or familiar blanket or bedding from home.

As a final option, more and more hotels and tourist destinations endeavor to be pet-friendly by accommodating dogs. Depending on the type of trip or vacation you’re taking, it may be possible to bring your dog with you and that may be a good solution for many people who just can’t stand the thought of leaving their pooch behind!

Links for additional resources

To locate local (Minneapolis and St. Paul area) dog boarding and daycare facilities, please visit Sidewalk Dog.

One alternative to sending your dog to a boarding facility or having someone stay in your home.

Check out this site for all kinds of care-taking services, including pet sitting.

If you have such a story to share, or are even just of the same opinion that the ability to use this tool shouldn’t be taken away, please go to this Facebook page, like it, and share an account if you have one. The website that seems to be a driving force behind this ban is banshockcollars.ca. If you go to that last link, you’ll notice there’s a letter published from an anonymous source, “Ms. S.” from California. Please take a moment to read the content of her letter, followed by my open-letter response, below:

Alert to All Shock Collar Users

This is a very disturbing & sad report sent to us by a new supporter . She wants her story posted so no one else will ever have to experience a tragedy like this.

I hope this gets information out there that prevents the same tragedy for someone else with multiple dogs and gets these things banned. I have had complaints about barking from a previous neighbor and because I rent and foster dogs, I didn’t want to possibly lose my place to live or my dogs. I had tried several ways of deterring the barking but nothing seemed to work for long. The shock collar was the last resort to solving the problem and seemed to be working. I only put it on the one dog when I have to leave and take it off as soon as I get home. I haven’t seen any issues with the collar or her behavior so figured the problem was solved, as best as it could be.

Last week I was just finishing up at work when my neighbor called and said that she had heard a dog fight in my house and that I needed to get home as soon as possible. I was about 20 minutes away, so hurried home as fast as I could. When I pulled up, two of my neighbors said they heard a fight and screaming and the one neighbor said she went in the house and broke it up and covered up the one dog. Thank goodness I don’t lock my doors.

When I walked in three of the little dogs were outside and my dog wearing the collar was inside along with the injured dog and a foster I was caring for. Blood covered the whole floor and the bottom cupboard cabinets. There was a carpet askew and covered in blood and my injured dog was laying in a pool of blood on the doggie bed and whimpering. I tried to look at her injuries but she screamed, so I just covered her with another blanket and got her to the vet as soon as I could.

Without going into the grisly details, the vet said it was the worst injuries he’d ever seen. He did surgery and thought she was going to survive, but she succumbed to her injuries by the second night and passed away.

In assessing her injuries, I could tell it was the dog wearing the collar because she is the biggest one I have and she was covered in blood when I walked in. This is a dog that was best buddies with the dog she killed. After cleaning up the mess and assessing her slight injuries, I figure that the dog that was killed, my alpha Italian Greyhound, gave a warning to another dog and the bigger female that was wearing the collar, she is the peace keeper, probably tried to intervene and got shocked when she growled. This probably triggered her becoming aggressive toward her buddy and with the growling and barking only increased the shock and escalated the fight to having fatal consequences.

I work with dogs and am not a fan of pinch collars or ecollar training, but was desperate to get the barking issue under control. I have since started crating the dogs while I am gone. Had I known the risks to my babies, I never would have used the shock collar. Even when talking to the pet store employees about my options, the risk of a shock collar never came up. I went down there yesterday and talked to them and they never were told that during the recent training they had from the manufacturer.

Now I have lost my precious Ruka and Joy doesn’t understand what she did. The pack is hurting and my ability to foster dogs is under question. This was such a senseless tragedy. I hope somehow my story helps. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Ms. S, California, USA

My response, an open letter to “Ms. S., California, USA” (7-01-11)

Dear Ms. S.,

Preemptively, let me say that I’m sorry for your loss, but I fervently disagree with your summary that (and I’m paraphrasing) “the shock collar did it.” I am going to be as kind and diplomatic as I can be, as I recognize you’ve endured a significant trauma and loss of a precious pet. However, in reading the anonymous letter that you wanted to be posted to the “banshockcollarsca” site, I see that a few other problems likely contributed to the tragedy you endured, and the hard truth is that you were directly in control of this outcome from start to finish and are solely responsible for what happened in your home on that day.

First of all, I need to respectfully point out that you weren’t there to see what actually happened first-hand. It seems that you’re guessing that the e-collar activated at some point and this was a catalyst for a fight.

Certainly you must be absolutely sure that this was the case in order to call on the sympathy of the general public and an outright ban on this product. How do you know for certain that the collar activated in the first place or what the circumstances surrounding the fight were? The fact is that you were 20 minutes away; you weren’t there. You’re making very serious allegations about a tool based on assumptions that have absolutely no way of being verified. Besides that, you’re presenting your story under the cloak of anonymity as you signed your letter with only an initial and a location in the United States. So how can anyone be sure that you experienced this incident as described? It wouldn’t be the first time a person working for an organization wrote a letter anonymously to attempt to promote a political agenda.

Why is your identity and the accuracy of your story important? Well, you’re using this story  to support the elimination of the freedom and rights of a segment of the population, including dog owners, trainers, and electronic training device manufacturers. Taking away rights is not something to be treated lightly, and certainly not anonymously.  Besides personal rights, we’re talking about an impact to the economy. According to Radio Systems Corporation industry research from 2007, US pet owners purchased more than 2 MILLION remote training devices, pet containment systems, and bark collars in 2006. And unit sales of electronic training devices are projected to reach 5 MILLION annually by 2014 according to the same research. The e-collars I typically use for training retail at $225 (and no, you can’t buy them at your local pet product store), with many devices being more expensive and some being less expensive. But let’s just use that number to calculate the impact if we banned electronic training devices. At 5 million units you’re looking at $1,125,000,000 impact to the economy. So if your letter has the potential to affect that kind of economic depression, I expect there to be a name attached.

Let’s assume you’re a real, live person and not someone working for an animal rights group, and take your story at face value. I need to get back to a very serious charge I made at the outset of this letter, that you, Ms. S, are solely responsible for the horrific events that took place at your home on that day. It’s a serious charge that I need to back up, but this is going to be difficult to hear.  Based on the statement that you “only put it on the one dog when I have to leave and take it off as soon as I get home,”  I’m going to make an assumption of my own, that you didn’t do any actual training with the bark collar and your dog. That you didn’t introduce the collar to the dog when he was alone so he could experience the sensation  of the stim and learn that it wasn’t associated with your other dogs. Based on what you wrote, I’m assuming you did NOT do your due-diligence as a responsible dog owner. Rather, it sounds like you simply went down to your local pet product store and took the training and product advice from a store clerk.

There’s more to understanding how to safely and effectively use an e-collar, including the risks associated with MIS-USE, than simply asking the kid at the pet product store. Respectfully I’d tell you, you did not do your due diligence. Do not blame your dog’s death on a tool that you had the responsibility to learn how to use properly first. How can I say that to Ms. S., an anonymous letter writer that we’re assuming is a real person in California, USA, who has just lost her pet dog and as a result of this tragedy is supporting an e-collar ban in Canada, which will have no direct impact on her unless she is planning to move there?

Well, the fact of the matter is that e-collars are used safely and effectively to proactively train and manage dog behavior problems of (according to the previously mentioned numbers) the dogs in somewhere between 2 million and 5 million households across the US every day—and that’s just the US. Let’s assume an extraordinarily and completely unrealistically high number of those users were dissatisfied with their electronic training devices and experienced something along the lines of Ms. S’s tragedy. For ease of mathematics, we’ll say half. That still leaves between 1 and 2.5 million happy electronic device using households across the US.

E-collar trainers such as myself can attest to these happy users. We work with them every day. In fact, e-collars have indeed SAVED lives…saved the lives of dogs that were otherwise condemned to die based on a difficult behavior problem that the owner, for whatever reason, had been unable to fix with other tools or methods. Many people use the e-collar as a “tool of last resort,” as Ms. S states she did, and when these owners are properly educated on the use of the tool, ideally instructed by a professional, their results are the polar opposite of what Ms. S experienced. They experience a better-behaved dog that is reliable at home and in public. In fact, you can go to I love my e-collar and so does my dog to read stories and testimonies from happy e-collar users.

Another reason I feel this tragedy rests squarely on Ms. S’s shoulders is that it would seem there were at least 6 dogs, at least three of whom were “small dogs” based on this passage of the letter: “When I walked in three of the little dogs were outside and my dog wearing the collar was inside along with the injured dog and a foster I was caring for.”  (The precise details regarding the number of dogs, sizes, breeds, and sexes involved in the story are a bit murky.) While I don’t know you or your pack, it’s concerning to me that you had 6 dogs in an unlocked home or apartment, all free-roaming and mingling without supervision.

Most professionals, and even the average dog owner, would agree this is a potential problem waiting to happen. I am going to step out on a limb and guess, if we’re being absolutely honest, that there had been some disagreements between dogs in your household in the past, possibly minor skirmishes that needed to be broken up. And maybe this didn’t seem like such a big deal to you at the time. I am not questioning your good intentions in fostering and attempting to care for dogs, but I am seriously questioning your judgment in allowing this many dogs all together unsupervised for what I assume to be an extended period of time (maybe between 4 and 8 hours since you were at work) behind unlocked doors, and throwing an e-collar into the mix without preemptive training with the dog to help him understand the sensation and how to turn off the collar.

This would be tantamount to me not taking driver’s education courses, purchasing a Toyota Camry without knowing how to safely operate it much less what the rules of the road were, driving it into a tree, then blaming Toyota for my accident and writing an anonymous letter calling for the ban of all dangerous Toyota Camrys! Sounds ridiculous, no?

While I place 100% responsibility on Ms. S from California for the death of her dog because of mismanagement of her pack and misuse of a powerful training device, I also acknowledge that it would have been better if she hadn’t been able to go down to her local pet supply store and purchase and use this tool on the advice of a sales clerk. Most people would recognize the potential to use the tool incorrectly with significant consequences, and that they might mitigate their risk by involving a professional in the process. But clearly this wasn’t Ms. S’s line of thinking—and there are a lot of Ms. S’s out there.

Unfortunately, trying to regulate an individual’s lack of common sense, accountability, or intelligence by banning a tool that has been shown time and time again to HELP dogs overcome behavior problems and become well-adjusted, obedient, and mannerly based on the case studies and results obtained by dog trainers that successfully utilize this tool is not a very good way to ensure that intelligence or common sense will rule the day.

These same people that we wish would have never gotten it into their head to try to use the tool without professional help in the first place will find another way to put their dogs at risk—perhaps by affixing a head halter to the dog and allowing it to run full-throttle to the end of s 20-foot flexi lead, hit the end at maximum velocity, and have its neck snapped back, thereby slipping a disk. Or maybe over-feeding the dog or allowing it to chew on a plastic water bottle until it’s broken into pieces, ingests the sharp pieces, and requires emergency surgery to have the pieces removed before they tear up the dog’s intestines. There are so many ways that a person who doesn’t know what they’re doing in training and managing their dog can either emotionally or physically damage a dog. To blame one tool and call for its complete ban simply doesn’t wash.

Every e-collar trainer I know will tell you that Ms. S missed out on an important training opportunity with her dog and could tell you how she could have done things differently to get a much different result. It would begin with advising the owner to purchase a higher quality collar that wasn’t activated by anything EXCEPT the sound of the wearer’s bark, proceed with the owner investing some time to teach the dog what the e-collar meant and how to turn it off by stopping barking, and would also involve managing the dogs’ whereabouts while the owner was away so as not to allow the potential for a fight to happen in the first place. And every e-collar trainer I know acknowledges that it’s people like Ms. S that besmirch the e-collar’s reputation and place it in jeopardy of being banned outright.

E-collar users would be open to talking about regulating the tool to some degree—but when you place the tool in the cross-hairs of an outright ban and use stories such as Ms. S’s to support such extreme action, it simply makes no logical sense and actually poses a risk to many dogs and their owners that have realized the benefits of the e-collar in the happy tail and wide grin of a dog running safely and freely off-leash, or being able to be calm and comfortable in a crate they initially found to be anxiety-inducing, or the relief in the voice of an owner that is now able to keep their companion when they had thought they might have to give her up due to a difficult behavior issue such as aggression.

How about instead of going right for the ban, we have an open dialogue about the e-collar as a training tool, both the negatives AND the positives, and try to come up with a way to promote the positive aspects of the tool and mitigate the negatives or consequences of improper use?

I do hope Ms. S. reads this response as I feel it’s important for her to be aware of how her actions directly impacted the events of that day, rather than being allowed to pass off blame on a training tool. That’s why I couldn’t let this account stand without responding–because at no point does she acknowledge that she had some responsibility in this matter, rather, she makes assumptions and guesses at what actually happened. Passing off blame is an epidemic in our society, especially where kids and pets are concerned–seems like it’s always someone ELSE’S fault when things go wrong, and there’s simply no place for it when it comes to responsible dog ownership. If Ms. S. is not made aware of how the consequences of HER actions impacted her dogs that day, I have very real concerns for the dogs that remain in her care.

–Sarah Smith

• It’s formatted as a step by step process. Many well-intentioned pet owners who want to make a diet change for their pet don’t know where to start and can become easily overwhelmed by what seems like an insurmountable and intimidating amount of information and guidelines. Brown actually walks you through it one week at a time and keeps you on track.
• There are forms included that prompt you to do a physical evaluation of your pet at different points during the process so you can see the improvements, and also determine if further adjustments need to be made. Evaluation is something that should be done whenever a journey towards any goal is undertaken, and that’s an important component that I’ve never seen addressed in any other title.
• The information is accessible, actionable, and focused. As opposed to the reference manuals, such as Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (which should also be in every pet owner’s library!), the information is specifically geared for the task at-hand: eight weeks to better health. She mixes in testimonial stories throughout to keep you engaged and motivated. But the information is well-organized and brief. It’s designed to be USED, so you aren’t bogged down with a bunch of details that, while interesting or applicable, won’t get you to the stated goal of better health in eight weeks.

The eight weeks cover the following nutritional and health topics:

1. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
2. Making your pet’s meals at home, from scratch
3. Making your pet’s treats/providing healthy treats and meal “toppers” or bribes
4. Providing “green” food supplementation
5. B-vitamins and making a vitamin/mineral supplement
6. Vitamin C
7. Healthy teeth and bones, and glucosamine & chondroitin
8. Grooming, safe and natural flea & tick prevention

If you are a person who has decided you no longer wish to feed a commercial or prepared pet food, this book will be invaluable in helping you feel confident about feeding a balanced and appropriate diet for your dog or cat. Many of the books I’ve read seem to over-simplify home feeding, saying you essentially only have to feed the dog what you yourself are eating (minus the onions, grapes, and spices, of course), which leaves one wondering if they really are providing complete nutrition, or if they aren’t possibly “missing something” along the way. After all, we’ve all heard it from our vets and the pet food manufacturers that it’s darn near impossible to provide adequate nutrition unless you’re feeding from a bag and not doing so is a risky endeavor. Despite the knowledgeable pet owner’s understanding of the profit margin that fuels this claim, fear is a powerful thing!

Other books seem to over-complicate the issue, providing intimidating, albeit completely balanced recipes with ingredients that the average person may not have ever heard of, much less know where or how to acquire. These types of books also create doubt in the average pet owner’s mind about whether or not they can really home cook safely and effectively—and unfortunately, many people end up throwing in the towel and going back to the commercial diet because they’re scared they’ll “screw it up.” Brown splits the difference in her book and, I think, strikes an achievable balance for most average pet owners.

Recipes for a vitamin/mineral mix uses 5 ingredients, and the EFA oil recipe includes 6 ingredients, all of which can be purchased at a local Whole Foods Market or co-op, or GNC/health foods store. It took me about 10 minutes to create the EFA oil blend—actually took longer to clean the food processor afterwards than it did to make the stuff! Making the vitamin/mineral mix was even easier—simply measuring out and combining all the dry ingredients in a container, about 5 minutes total. There are a couple of different “stew” recipes, and that’s the core of the 8-week plan, making your pet’s actual food at home. The primary recipe, “Spot’s Chicken Stew,” includes 12 real-food ingredients (vegetables, meat, herbs), all of which can be purchased at your local grocery store, except perhaps the kelp powder.

Gourmet fare: Vitamin C, spirulina, vitamin/mineral mix, castile soap (for bathing), EFA oil blend, and raw ground chicken

I’d previously done one-pot home cooking for my dogs and since switched to raw feeding because it really was incredibly time-consuming to cook and store food for two 65-pound dogs. Brown makes the home-cooking as simple and effortless as possible with her one-pot “stews,” however, I don’t plan on going back to home cooking at this point. Even so, the information has still been invaluable as I’m incorporating the supplementation: EFAs, B-vitamins, green foods, glucosamine & chondroitin, and vitamin C, into my pets’ raw diet. Brown touches on raw feeding in her book, not being a proponent but also not discouraging the practice.

Besides the nutritional advice, Brown advocates for better mental health for our pets by encouraging play. She asks that you play with your dog or cat at least 10 minutes per day, interacting in healthy, brain-building ways, and ways that are physically challenging and provide a cardiovascular workout, especially for those overweight pets. That’s great advice. One thing I might add to this, as a trainer, is obedience training to mentally stimulate and tire out a dog and build the relationship between dog and owner.

I regularly advise my clients that have dogs with behavior problems to improve their pets’ diet as I believe diet can contribute to problems like hyperactivity and anxiety. Part of the overall behavior solution is to make sure the dog physically feels healthy as the state of physical wellbeing has a direct impact on his emotional or mental state. Taking Brown’s play advice a step further, once your dog is in great physical condition; not suffering from joint pain from being overweight, irritated by persistent itchy skin, or feeling sluggish or over-excited due to poor-quality ingredients or preservatives from commercial pet food, it’s a great time to really hone his good manners.

His mind will be primed to think and be focused, so teach him manners like walking well on leash, coming when called, and greeting people and other dogs appropriately to name a few. Getting and keeping his manners in check will insure he’s welcome to accompany you on your travels and adventures, which will further provide healthy mental stimulation, keep him fit, and strengthen your bond and relationship even more. And obedience training that emphasizes focus, responsiveness, and self-control really provide a mental workout that will burn calories and also build the relationship between the two of you, just like home-cooking, massage, and the play activities that are recommended in the book.

Check out The Whole Pet Diet on Facebook.

Almost all dogs are born “good.” They’re blank slates, lumps of clay waiting to be formed. Behavior problems usually appear a little later in life. Behavior problems in dogs are symptomatic of some stress or instability within the dog, the home, the relationship between dog and family, possibly even a physical pain or discomfort the dog is experiencing. The dog is acting out that instability in the form of a behavior problem: barking at other dogs, fence-fighting, peeing in the house, separation anxiety, etc.

Conversely, a dog without an observed behavior problem is not necessarily a well-trained or even completely happy, well-balanced dog. It simply means he is not overly-sensitive to the stress in his life, or is not reacting to that stress in a way his owners recognize as a problem. For example, being bored in the backyard causes stress. Many dogs alleviate this stress by digging holes or chewing sticks while left unattended for long periods of time. Many owners may not recognize this is happening at all, or since they don’t view this behavior as problematic for them, they may not view it as problematic for the dog and intervene.

If left unaddressed, in some dogs the behavior escalates as the stress persists. The stress can go on to become fence fighting, territorial aggression, or the dog might just learn to hop the fence and run away. At that point, the behavior usually presents a problem for the owner or it’s severe enough that they recognize it and are prompted to take action.

The trained dog vs. the (incidentally) “good” dog

There’s a really big difference between a dog that’s trained to listen and respond to his owner and a dog that incidentally makes pretty good behavior choices when left to his own devices most of the time. The trained dog will do a behavior when told and be able to respond appropriately given new or stressful circumstances because he is looking to the owner for direction about what he should be doing. He’s reliable. He has given up control over making these decisions and in doing so, he’s also free of the responsibility of making decisions that he doesn’t have the mental capacity to make. He trusts his owner to provide the necessary guidance so he can do the right thing.

Conversely, when you’re relying on the untrained dog to make the correct decision and exercise his best judgment, you’re leaving a lot up to chance and in a confusing, stressful situation most dogs make the wrong decision. Instead of your dog relying on you, you’re relying on your dog and that’s a lot of responsibility to bear when you’re a dog with the mental capacity of a 2 to 3 year old human child (at best). When he makes the wrong decision, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad dog. He’s just an uninformed, untrained, potentially stressed dog.

You may find that when you do step in to help your dog make a better “decision” (the dog is barking out the window, peeing on the rug, or diving after a piece of food that your toddler dropped on the floor), to finally provide that necessary direction, he may not think it’s necessary for him to listen. After all, he’s been making the decisions on his own up until this point! Not a bad dog, just unclear about who’s running the show because no one bothered to teach him.

Example of stress and behavior problems: New baby

Many people report a change in their dog’s behavior when a new baby comes home. Often, the behavior change is negative. The uninformed, untrained, but incidentally “good” dog may act out his stress over the new baby by regressing in his potty training, becoming more “needy” of his owners’ attention, being more reactive to other situations that previously didn’t bother him like the mailman or thunderstorms, or possibly by reacting towards the child in a fearful or uncertain manner. Up until this point, the dog and owner have relied on good luck, management of the dog and environment, or denial and avoidance about the existence of a problem to keep any unwanted behavior in check.

Obviously it will be difficult for the owners to manage the situation with a new baby forever–this is when a lot of dogs suddenly find themselves spending more time in their kennel or the backyard. Often, the owner is surprised by a new behavior problem developing in their otherwise “good” dog. They may feel sorry for the dog and become more indulgent, which can exacerbate a behavior problem—positively reinforcing the unwanted behavior. Or they may get mad at the dog and feel resentful toward him—possibly thinking something is severely wrong since their previously well-behaved, good-natured dog suddenly went “bad.” They may punish him or banish him from the home altogether, but never really take the time to clearly communicate to him their expectations given this new set of circumstances that are causing him stress.

To train or not to train—there is no question!

Think of this as the choice between going to the doctor for a preventative cancer screening as opposed to going to the emergency room with severe physical symptoms of an advanced disease. Not much of a choice, really. Prevention is always easier and preferred, with a better success rate at treatment and cure.

The developing behavior problem is usually mild at first, and the mistake many owners make is not thinking it’s a big deal or that it will go away on its own, especially since the dog is normally such a “good” dog most of the time, so they turn a blind eye to something seemingly minor. However, the problem usually doesn’t go away (because usually whatever stress is causing the problem isn’t going away either), and the problem actually intensifies over time.

A few things to keep in mind especially when training your otherwise “good” dog:

• Your 2 + year old dog has been making his own decisions without your input for quite some time now. It will take some time and repetition to convince him the relationship dynamics are shifting and he will need to adopt a new way of life in which your input is critical to any decisions being made. It may not take as long to teach him the new dynamic as it did for him to learn the old one, but it will not happen overnight. A balanced obedience training approach helps accomplish this objective in a safe, controlled manner. It’s never a good idea to use intimidation to get your dog’s compliance–but he should also be motivated to work for YOU, and not just for the treat you have in your hand.
• Introduce new expectations gradually. If you were previously extremely lax, don’t suddenly become a drill sergeant over every little detail as he is likely to feel uncertain about drastically changing rules and expectations. A good place to start is something as basic as not pulling on the leash when walking together, or waiting to be invited through the back door instead of pushing his way out the moment the door is cracked.
• Most of these otherwise “good” dogs respond well to training initially, enjoying the novelty and interaction with the owner. But after awhile, when it becomes clear it isn’t just a game but an ongoing expectation, they will put on the brakes or try to solicit play in an effort to opt out. Do not back away from the training or your expectations at this critical time, but maintain consistency. Do not allow reactive, stubborn, distracting, or rebellious behavior to dissuade you.
• Some dogs may “act out” in other ways, engaging in behaviors they hadn’t previously—like digging in the backyard, possibly even “talking back” to you by barking or grumbling when you try to reinforce a rule or expectation. Assuming you are training in a consistent, responsible manner, they are most likely testing the new boundaries and attempting to regain control in a situation in which they feel like they’re losing it. Again, it’s important to stay the course and keep calmly reinforcing your expectations. If you back down at this point, the dog has learned that if they are pushy or persistent enough, you’ll cave and they can be in control again.
• As always, it’s extremely wise to get the help of a professional trainer. Beginning training with your dog and giving up part-way through the process may be more detrimental to your relationship with your dog than never embarking on the journey in the first place. If you’re going to train your dog, set several concrete behavior goals and make a commitment to see them through and finish the job. A good trainer will help you stay on course and motivated throughout the process!

1. Vet Check: Spring is the time when many of us get our “reminder” postcards from the vet, and we dutifully make an appointment to get the necessary annual checkup before flea, tick, and mosquito season sets in. In addition, find out:

• If your vet recommends your dog lose weight, find out what a safe rate of weight loss is for your dog and how much they should lose to reach their ideal weight. You can compare your dog to an online Body Condition Scoring Chart.
• Let your vet know you’ll be increasing your dog’s activity level this spring and summer, and find out if there are any special considerations for your dog’s breed, age, or fitness level. For example, owners of Boxers, Pugs, and other brachycephalic breeds need to be on the lookout for over-heating.

2. Make Sure You’re Ready for Exercise: If you’ve been couch-bound all winter and aren’t sure about your own fitness level, schedule an exam with your doctor and make sure you’re healthy enough for exercise.

3. Nutritional Overhaul: It may also be time to re-think what’s going into your dog’s dinner bowl and how much, especially if your vet indicates Fido is packing on a few too many pounds. If your dog is going to be more active this spring, he will need adequate nutrition to help him make the physical adjustment. “Junky” pet food that contains low quality ingredients and fillers will cause your dog to need to eat more in order to get enough usable vitamins, minerals, protein, and fat. It may also make your dog feel bloated and lethargic.

When considering a pet food switch, especially for weight loss, steer clear of diet pet food and instead look for a higher quality product that has more usable nutrition so you can feed less of it. Our friends at Canine Crossing in Ham Lake, MN can help you find a food your dog will LOVE and will promote optimal health.

4. Enlist the Help of a Professional Dog Trainer: Whether your dog is out of practice, or was never taught in the first place, in order to maintain any sort of fitness program he’ll need to be able to walk or run with you on leash comfortably. If getting out with your dog is a frustrating or embarrassing experience, it’s unlikely you’ll feel motivated to continue. Good leash behavior means he’s never pulling, does not bark or over-react to other dogs or people, doesn’t get in others’ space uninvited (even if he’s the most friendly dog in the world), and doesn’t stop to sniff or mark at every hydrant and corner.

He listens closely and responds to your instructions promptly, and blocks out distractions that may vie for his attention. If this sounds like some dream dog and not your dog, get thee to a dog trainer post-haste! Teaching your dog the “rules of the road” is important for both of your safety, as well as for the other people and dogs you’re sharing the space with. Taking a few weeks at the outset to teach your dog the rules and expectations will pay off big down the line, so make the relatively small investment in time and money up front. In the words of many of my past clients that are now enjoying walks with their dogs, you’ll be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?!”

5. Get Equipped (Buy Stuff): You and your dog need the appropriate workout and walking gear. That means a pair of supportive athletic or running shoes and comfortable clothing for you. If you’ll be running at night, you need to equip your dog and yourself with reflective gear and/or lights in order to be visible. And if you’ll be going for longer outings in the heat, you may need to carry a fuel belt or strap a backpack on your dog to carry water.

Your dog needs appropriate leash walking or training gear as well—a reputable dog trainer can help you select appropriate equipment to either train your dog (highly recommended!) or at least manage unwanted behavior (better than nothing!). A few pointers to get you started:

• Avoid extendable flexi-leads. Instead, use a 5 to 6 foot leather or nylon leash. When walking or jogging your dog, he should be right next to you or slightly ahead at all times, not ranging far out behind, in front of, or to your side where he may interfere with others or get distracted from the task at-hand.
• Body harnesses tend to promote pulling so unless he’s running in front of a sled, they should be avoided. Head halters should also be avoided as they can cause neck and eye injuries especially if the gear isn’t fitted properly or your dog is a strong puller. If your dog hits the end of his leash and his head is jerked to the side at full-speed, he’s at a greater risk for a neck or back injury.
• Training tools such as training and prong collars, and e-collars may be helpful in training your dog not to pull and teaching proper walking behavior, but should be used only under a trainer’s guidance.
• Some helpful on-leash commands for your dog to learn include heel with an automatic sit and built-in stay (when you stop at the corner or to scoop poop), slow down/”whoa” (i.e., when running over ice or an uneven surface), and “switch sides” (meaning your dog passes behind you to your other side, i.e. to allow you to more easily pass another person or dog).

6. Learn the Rules of the Road: If you’re new to working out or being out in public with your dog, there are a few things the rest of us want you to know:

• Walk or run on the right-hand side of the sidewalk and if it’s a heavily-populated walkway, enforce a heel or keep your dog close to you. Don’t allow him to roam or lag in the event he wanders into someone else’s path.
• If there are no sidewalks and you must use the street, walk or jog on the side of the road towards on-coming traffic so you can see what’s approaching and drivers can see you better. It’s generally advised that you walk your dog on your left side in these situations, putting yourself between him and the vehicles.
• When approaching others from behind on walkways, give plenty of space and call out your presence, saying, “Dog on your left” or “passing on your left” as you approach. Alerting people to your presence, especially if one or both of you has a dog, is both polite and a good safety practice.
• Anytime, but especially if you’re exercising in a busy area like on a popular walking trail, or during a busy time of day, don’t wear headphones or allow yourself to be distracted by your phone. If you have to make a call or text, pull 10 to 15 feet off the pathway so you and your dog don’t become a roadblock for others. Head phones will make it difficult for you to hear if a jogger or biker is approaching you from behind and it’s particularly important to be aware of your surroundings when you’re out with your dog so you can react appropriately to keep both of you (and everyone else) safe.
• You will clean up your dog’s mess. This is the responsibility of every dog owner. In order to keep the space we share nice for everyone, you must clean up after your own dog when they poop. If toting poop for the rest of your walk doesn’t appeal, either use a doggy backpack and have your pooch tote his own poop, or plan your route through a park where you can dispose of the bag in a trash can.

7. Update Your Pet’s ID or Mircrochip: Getting out with your dog more often means it’s a good time to ensure your dog is sporting accurate identification. Make sure your pet’s ID tag and/or microchip contains the correct contact information in the event he becomes lost.

8. Take a Pet First Aid Class: Learn to recognize the symptoms of dehydration, shock, and heat-related illnesses, and how to provide emergency care in the event your dog suffers one of these conditions during or after a workout. The Red Cross offers these classes, as do private businesses.

9. Start Slowly and Build Gradually: Depending on yours and your dog’s fitness levels, you may need to start out very slowly and gradually build up your workout duration and intensity. Like us, our dogs can become sore or injured if pushed into an overly rigorous workout routine too quickly. Unlike most of us, a dog’s loyalty and “need to please” may keep him going long after he SHOULD have stopped. Many dogs don’t self-moderate well. If your dog is older, or quite over-weight or has been inactive for a long time, start with a 15-minute moderately paced walk around the block. Later on, as your dog adjusts to the increased activity, you can increase the amount of time and add in some periods of light jogging.

If you have a younger, more active or energetic dog, it’s still advised that you start out on a shorter or slower outing than your dog may appear to be able to handle. Err on the side of caution when introducing your dog to exercise.

10. Set Goals and Milestones: Fitness and training goals and milestones will help you stay motivated. There are a growing number of dog-friendly running and walking events taking place each summer, as well as year-round dog fitness events such as agility, weight pulling, dock diving, and fly ball, that test a dog’s (and owner’s) physical fitness, strength, or endurance. Set small goals along the way and track your progress in a training log so you can see how far you’ve both come. There are fancy online training logs that provide stats and motivation, or you can go the old Mead notebook route. Either way, it’s important to see how far you’ve come so you can celebrate your success and stay on track.

Happy trails and happy tails!

Finally, if you need help getting your dog out for exercise or wish to train them to walk politely on-leash, contact us and find out about our dog training, running (or walking) services in the Twin Cities Metro area.

Do you really need a puppy?

For one reason or another, some people place a lot of importance on raising a dog from a young age and automatically plan to get a puppy. I sort of understand it; however, there’s this tendency to romanticize the experience and not really consider all the extra work, stress, and frustration a puppy can create! If you find it rewarding and will happily take on the extra work of taking the puppy outside every two hours to potty, constantly supervising them so they aren’t getting into trouble, cleaning up messes, and possibly sacrificing a favorite pair of shoes, then a puppy is just your speed. If you’d like to skip this hassle and still enjoy the benefits of a young dog, get an adolescent dog (around 6 months to a year) that’s mostly past the puppy behaviors like chewing, play biting, and house-training. It will only take a few weeks for most dogs to learn your routine and rules.

It’s not necessary to raise a dog from puppyhood for them to form a deep bond with you and be a devoted lifelong companion. There are usually a lot of dogs available for adoption in this “adolescent” category. These are the dogs that were once owned by people who thought they needed a puppy, and dumped them once they lost their puppy looks and started to require more exercise and training.

Ban the Breed Books

Okay, look in the breed books if you really want, just don’t treat the breed book like a dog catalogue that’s trying to sell you a dog. While the breed books can help you identify a Boxer from a Bulldog, be wary of falling into the trap of personally identifying with a specific breed based on the description in a breed book. Just because a breed is described as “high energy and intelligent,” owning said dog does not necessarily validate that YOU are high energy or intelligent, nor does it increase the amount of energy or intelligence you possess. Now that sports car you’ve had your eye on is a whole different story!

If a trait is mentioned in the breed book, there may be no easy “off” button so you better be prepared to deal with it under the worst of circumstances, including when you’re tired, sick, busy, or when the weather is inclement.

You don’t need a purebred dog…really

Unless you’re planning to breed, want to seriously compete with your dog in AKC-sanctioned events, or are actually using the dog for the job for which it has been bred (e.g., you live on a farm and will use it to herd), there is no need to buy a purebred dog. Now don’t get me wrong—I’ve met many wonderful purebred dogs and their owners. I’m not anti-purebred. But I’ve seen a lot of people underestimate the intense drive of many purebred dogs. If you’ve never had a purebred dog, especially one with a working background, you may not have a clear understanding of what it means to have a dog with DRIVE. This is a dog that can go from 0 to 100 in a second, a dog that regularly needs a daily “job” to do to engage their mind and instincts, a dog that needs a way to drain their energy otherwise it will build up and make them feel anxious and uncomfortable, which can then be the cause of other behavior problems.

In mixed-breed dogs, both the physical breed traits (including potential health problems) and the drive and intensity of behaviors associated with the breed, are watered down. That means that while your Lab/Aussie may still have a lot of energy and intensity, her behavior can also be more easily redirected or simply turned “off” (via obedience training) if necessary, while your purebred Australian Shepherd may actually need to exercise his deeply ingrained instinct and engage his herding drive in order to relieve his energy.

But if you DO think you need a purebred dog…

If you are dead-set on a purebred dog, why do you want one? For most people, it often comes down to “appearances,” the way the dog looks and the perception other people will have of them if they have that type of dog. You prefer the feeling you get when you think about walking a German Shepherd down the street to the feeling you get when you think about a Pomeranian. I get it. One of the beautiful things about dogs is that they are so varied in appearance, and that is never more true than in mixed breed dogs.

If a purebred dog is what you need, find a reputable breeder you can visit and get some first-hand information about what it’s really like to live with that dog 24/7, including what the training and exercise commitment entails. Don’t rely on the recommendation of a buddy with that breed. Just because a Boxer is a great fit for your co-worker and she raves about her dog’s positive qualities, doesn’t mean it automatically translates into a great fit for you. An expert immersed in the breed will be able to help you realistically assess if this breed is a good fit for your personality and lifestyle.

You don’t need a dog for protection

Some people specifically purchase intimidating-looking dogs for the singular purpose of appearing to be tough or with the intention of using the dog for personal protection. Breeds targeted for such purposes usually include rottweilers, pit bulls, and mastiffs to name a few. The average person should never buy or adopt a dog for any other purpose and goal than to be a well socialized, reliable family pet. If you honestly believe you need a dog for personal protection or intimidation, please speak to an experienced trainer first. A trainer can explain how to responsibly train a dog for personal protection as opposed to simply creating a dangerous dog, in addition to explaining your liability. Wanting to own a dog for protection or intimidation is not a good enough reason to get a dog. If this is you, I’d encourage you to take a self defense class and install a home security system instead.

Consider the individual

All this talk about purebred or mixed breed dogs leaves the individual dog out in the cold. The reality is that while breed traits have some influence over the dog’s energy level and behavior tendencies, the individual dog’s genetics (passed on from the mother and father), the environment in which the dog was raised, and the dog’s early life experiences also play a big role. Within one litter you will find dogs with discernibly different personalities and energy levels.

While a dog’s breed can be informative on some generalities, it doesn’t tell the whole story about an individual dog. Whatever specific dog or puppy you’re considering has to be assessed primarily as the individual that he is. You’re not buying “Golden Retrievers,” you’re adopting “Rex” who happens to be a Golden Retriever, or a Beagle, or a Spaniel or whatever.

In most cases, you’ll be more successful at finding the right match for you if you list behavior and personality traits you desire: patient with children, likes to play fetch, tolerates cuddling, athletic, doesn’t require regular exercise, etc. and then go seek out the individual dog that matches those traits rather than starting by selecting a breed and working your way to the individual dog.

You don’t need a smart dog…really

Some of the sweetest, nicest, trainable dogs I’ve ever met have been the canine equivalent of a blockhead. In the dog world, when we talk about “intelligence” we’re often referring to the dog’s desire and ability to observe and manipulate a situation to their benefit. “Intelligent” dogs typically keep their owners’ on their toes, testing the limits. “Intelligence” does not necessarily translate into “easy to train.” If you’re planning to get a “smart” dog, plan to spend some serious time on obedience training; you will need to engage your dog frequently and consistently to keep them using their mind for “good” rather than “evil!” Otherwise, you may find your dog is so smart, they’re training you!

If you’re truly looking for a highly trainable dog, find one that wags his entire body when you smile at him. This is a dog that’s dialed in to humans, eager to please and is highly responsive to your attention and affection. This dog will be a dream to train.

It’s okay to be a couch potato

I applaud optimism. It’s a very positive trait. But when it comes to selecting a dog for you or your family, you’ve got to drop the “new years resolution” mentality and be realistic about three important factors: your activity levels, financial situation and time availability.

Don’t get a high energy dog with the intention that the dog will motivate you to get more exercise. When in doubt, err on the lower energy side of things. Most medium-energy dogs can be motivated to be active enough for what most people want or need. Meaning, while a Husky might be a more obvious distance running companion, a Golden Retriever will do just fine for what most normal people want, and will likely still be manageable on the off-chance that you can’t get out for a jog one day, while the Husky will require that physical release regularly.

Owning a dog comes with a price…literally

Don’t underestimate the expense of owning a dog. Assuming you’re buying a good quality food and are keeping up your dog’s veterinary care, you’re looking at a minimum of $500 to $800 per year for one lab-sized dog.

Additional expenses can start to mount if:

• You have a puppy
• Your dog develops any health problems such as allergies (becoming more common)
• Your dog experiences an unforeseen injury
• Your dog requires regular grooming (Poodles etc.)
• You have to board your dog while you’re out of town
• You plan to have multiple dogs
• You want or need to do obedience training (highly recommended!)
• Your dog (hopefully) lives to a ripe old age as they will likely require more veterinary care

Make sure you have enough wiggle room in your checking account to provide the basics for your dog, a quality food and veterinary care, and something in reserve in the event of an unforeseen expense.

Owning a dog comes with a price…figuratively

Your time is worth something and your dog needs some of it in a meaningful way everyday. Dogs are extremely social, interactive animals. Dropping some kibble in the dish twice a day just won’t cut it. If you simply can’t fit some quality time into your schedule every day to go for a walk, play in the backyard, or spend a little time teaching a command or trick, a dog may not be a good fit at the moment.

[Steps onto soapbox.] Ahem. What you cannot do is get a dog and close it up in a crate for 10 hours a day, or relegate it to the backyard all day/night, and expect it to be a socially well-adjusted or well-mannered family companion at your convenience. [Gets down off of soapbox.]

If you’re looking for a companion that is lower maintenance and less expensive, God’s solution for you is the domestic cat. I say that in all seriousness (that’s why I got down off of the soapbox first). Cats typically require less time and financial commitment from their owners. They can be great companions when we need them, and typically aren’t any worse for the wear if you feel like going out for happy hour after work one day or don’t have the energy to exercise them because you were up with a sick child all night.

In conclusion

My most successful training clients have been people who were already spending enough time with their dog each day and had very realistic expectations for their pet; they just had to learn how to make that time more meaningful by communicating effectively.

Unfortunately, I’ve also come across a few situations in which the owners were unable to provide the basic necessities, including spending the necessary time and being active with their dog. Or their expectations for their dog’s behavior were unrealistic; short of a brain transplant, no amount of training can make a Cattle Dog into a Lab. Exercising sound judgment and discipline while you’re going through the process of selecting a dog, including not allowing your emotions to override reason, can help you avoid difficult and frustrating problems down the line.

The most heart-breaking decision I’ve seen people struggle with is when they come to the conclusion that they just can’t make it work and they start to consider the prospect of giving up their dog. Deciding not to bring a dog into your life up front is easy compared to the feelings of defeat, guilt, and sadness of having to give up a dog that you’ve formed a bond with because you’ve finally come to the conclusion that you’re just not the right match for one another.