It’s that time of year to fly for the holidays to visit friends, family or that perfect holiday vacation spot. For some of us, the need to see family and friends outweighs the stress of flying. And for some of us, the need to take the dog is a huge motivation. Some folks are fearful enough that they have sought the help of their family physician and obtained a letter that they do, indeed, need an emotional support dog which is almost always the family pet.
So, you thought this week’s article would be about dog training? Well, in essence it is, but I am sharing with you a personal experience to help reveal what it’s all about. This past weekend, my favorite little character, Kalidor and I traveled to Hamilton, Montana to perform before an AKC judge the AKC Tracking Dog test to earn his certification that will allow him to compete in AKC tracking performance events.
Most of we dog owners love to walk our dogs. We are so blessed to have some of the most magnificent places to walk our dogs that are post cards in every turn along the path! We love the time we spend with our dogs and this special place we call home! Taking our dogs with us also bring some special responsibilities.
We would all agree that the dog lovers in this community are dedicated and extraordinary! Having lived here for 37 years and raised over 25 puppies of my own or service dog puppies, I have seen a lot of changes. Once upon a time, people only had one dog. And, not everyone had a dog. Now, everyone seems to have at least one dog or MORE!
Absolutely! Although, I refuse to tell anyone that their dog cannot be trained. What makes a dog untrainable? Free access to furniture, sleeping areas that belong to others, food, height, affection, and any resources the dog has claimed as his own. Notice the key words here are FREE ACCESS. When a dog has free access anytime to the things that are important to him, then he will no longer have any respect for his owner or others including people and other dogs. He will have no interest in learning or working.
This past week, I had a very disturbing incident happen to my puppy, Cloud and me in the Ketchum Town Square. I have avoided taking Cloud to Ketchum to work on distractions with his obedience training because it was so busy and hot all summer. This week seemed perfect, since it quiet before our holiday visitors come. As a puppy, too many folks at one time could be overwhelming for Cloud.
Today, with the adoption of so many mixed breeds, it is my opinion that knowing the dog’s background, or ancestry is an important part of understanding their behaviors. Some behaviors are hard-wired for most breeds. What we may think is aggression, fear, etc., may in fact be related to the breed of the dog. When we hold all dogs to a standard of behavior, as an example the Golden Retriever, we get ourselves into trouble. Not all dogs behave like Goldens or Labradors with friendly, outgoing and confident behavior.
I hear, “OH! Your dog is SO GORGEOUS! I just HAVE to pet her!”, as the over exuberant stranger leans over to hug or pet a working service dog sitting perfectly next to their partner. The stories I can tell you about being in public with a service dog in training! As a trainer of such amazing creatures, one of the biggest issues for a service dog is to learn to ignore people. Why? Because service dogs MUST keep their focus on their partner. No, service dogs should not be social with the public. In a moment of excitement in anticipation of getting a treat or petting from someone new, that service dog might very well put their partner in danger.
Many of us have been blessed with living with an incredibly smart puppy or dog. Usually, smart is aligned with the description of precocious, devious, and actually sometimes dumb! The brilliant puppy can be a challenge to live with or a nightmare depending on how you approach it. But, the most important thing is to take puppies for who they are, give them things to keep their dazzling minds busy and nurtured, but also keeping them safe.
This time of year finds us traveling everywhere to visit family and friends. Bringing your dog along is many times a part of the plan. There are several things you can do to make the traveling easier for your dog. Above all, don’t get stressed about it yourself. When you are stressed, your dog will think there is something wrong and be stressed as well.
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
