Blog – Page 24 – Positive Puppy Dog Training

Call the Cops!

Fran Jewell

Today, I was working with a client dog in downtown Ketchum, when two young ladies and two dogs, one a German Shepherd, were walking through the Town Square and down Second. Both dogs were off leash. What is amazing to me is that, with my pretty experienced background in German Shepherds and knowledge of their prey drive, that anyone would walk a shepherd downtown without a leash. In one instant and squirrel could appear across the street and engage that dog’s prey drive pushing him to run across the street into the path of an oncoming car and be killed.

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Bringing Another Dog Into Your Household

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

There are a few things I think of when I decide to bring a new dog into the household. Only YOU can answer these questions. Remember that on the other end, during their elder years, if dogs are close together in age, they may die close together which can be VERY difficult on you. I like to put about 3 years between dogs. Although I had two dogs that were 6 years apart and they died on the same day! It was horrible. Even the best laid plans don’t always work.

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Bringing new dogs into your home

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

I think many times we bring dogs into our homes thinking if we just put them together, they will get along just fine. Sometimes this can be true. Other times, this can be a disaster, especially if either dogs is a herding dog or herding dog mix.

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“Balance” in All Things Dog

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

These days, if you do an internet search about dog training, you will find extremes from one end of the spectrum to the other. I read an article the other day that talked about “the state of your dog’s mind” in how it relates to the dog responding to a simple command like “sit.” It was encouraging that we consider what the dog was feeling before we ask a dog to do something.

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Backyard Paradise

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

As our love for dogs and these incredible natural surroundings grow, so does the pressure on our dogs and the environment. Sadly, many popular places where we walk our dogs are becoming filled with trash – dog trash, as in poop. The risk of disease comes along with that, especially for younger puppies. Pressure mounts on our dogs in terms of having to deal with other dogs that are true bullies. Bullies are dogs that disrespect another dog’s personal space by rushing up to them, barking and flagging with a stiff tail. The owners gleefully yell, “He’s friendly!” when other dogs know in an instant this is not friendly behavior, but intimidation.

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Are Dogs More AggressiveThan They Were 20 Years Ago?

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

This is an incredibly sensitive subject for so many. In general, I think the dog-owning public does not want to even talk about dog aggression. This summer, I received more dog bites in my business than I have in the past 20 years all together. Thankfully, none of the bites required medical attention. Now, I find myself asking the question, “What is going on?” Is it because I see more people and dogs than I ever have? Or is it for other reasons? Am I doing something differently? I have considered this long and hard. Here are some of my observations.

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How to Play Appropriately with a Puppy

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

Most of us are so enamored with a new puppy that we get on the floor, roll around, play rough house, among a myriad of other things when trying to bond with our new family member. What is critical to remember is that what we teach our dogs as a puppy is what they will do when they mature. I hear excuses all the time that the mouthing and biting is, “soft” and just because they are a puppy, “It’s okay.” NO! It is NOT!

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The Popularity of Dog Anthropomorphism

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

Just what is anthropomorphism? It is humanizing dogs. The media and pet suppliers, the dog training community and dog care specialist have begun to refer to dogs as “fur babies”, or “fur children”. Not a day goes by that we don’t see dogs in clothes that make them look like little children. I posted a photo on the Positive Puppy FaceBook page that had a Weimaraner with painted toenails and a bracelet on her leg. A Weimeraner is a hunting dog with huge energy and the need to run, and hunt.

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“My Dog is an Alpha Dog”

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

Quite honestly, dog “pack” behaviors and “social rank” have become a politically incorrect topic to even discuss. There are many people that believe that dogs are no longer “pack animals” because of domestication. Dogs DO understand “social rank”. ALL mammals understand social rank, meaning that there are those higher in social rank than others. Our human gut reaction is to discredit social rank because we want our dogs to be equals or more human like.

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After the Bite

Fran Jewell

Weekly Sun A-Ε

I am called so many times being asked to help a family save their dog once it has bitten. There are so many things that go into making a decision about how to handle a dog that has bitten, and there is no easy solution. What I think, however, is very rarely addressed are the liability issues involved once a dog bites.

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