Monthly Archives: December 2009

Alternative Training Methods for High Energy Dogs

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Our everyday lives seem to become more busy by the minute, often times this results in our four-legged friends entertaining themselves quite frequently unattended. Its our job as dog trainers to make pet owners understand that dogs are not tearing up our furniture, chewing our gutters off the house, fence fighting with the neighbors dog, lunging and nipping at the end of the leash, or simply flipping over our trashcans out of spite, aggression, or because they miss you. The common answer to that question is sheer boredom!

Dog training obedience is the first step toward gaining structure and control back into your home and lifestyle. However not every dog is satisfied with 30 minutes of training a few times a week or most often I hear the old standby ” having the dog sit or down while I have my snack on the couch and throw them a piece or two! ” Some dogs need a little more interaction and so just need a job to do. The trainers at Highland Canine Training can offer you tips and suggestions for your lifestyle so that you can get more from your dog and your obedience training.

One alternative method of releasing in energy is what we call “Tracking for Fun” with your dog. Now, not every dog or pet owner is cut out for this exercise, we would have to test your dog out during our free evaluation to make sure that both you and the dog are up to speed! Tracking is a great we to get the whole family involved and make your puppy tired. We often times get the older kids in the family to run a short track in the wooded area or the park (some even take walkie talkie’s to make it even more fun) and then the rest of the family can run behind the dog while they are tracking. It’s great exercise for everyone!

Another alternative method is agility courses. This too will require a free evaluation from our trainers to make sure you and your dog are enjoying what you do. Some of our clients go to group classes or have private lessons for agility training or you can make your own agility equipment at home. This again is a fun hobby for the entire family. Some of our more creative clients come up with neat agility courses that they have made out of things lying around the yard or garage.

We often times see pet owners who have bought or ended up with extremely drivey working dog lines in their home, which can be a recipe for disaster if you’re not careful! Protection training is often a good outlet for those high energy dogs. Many people are under the asumption that dogs that do bitework are mean and cannot be socialized or controlled. That is not the case, if your dog has ambition you could simply conduct bitework sessions as a game or sport with very little civil agitation. Dogs can understand when the bite sleeve or suit is out…we get to play. This is a great work out for the dog as well as the handler and lets not forget the decoy. If you do not have access to the equipment we would be happy to provide you with private lessons for protection work.

Herding is another great way to provide your dog with both physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Herding training is obviously not for every dog and owner, but is often a great way to burn off energy for pastoral breeds. Contrary to popular belief, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and German Shepherds do not automatically know how to instinctively herd. These and many other dogs will have some natural herding instincts, but do not know how to herd. This activity is something that must be taught and can be learned by dogs both young and old. If you are interested in herding training feel free to call or email us to set up a free herding evaluation.

Tugging can also be a great game to play with your dog to exert mental and physical stimulation. This activity does not illicit aggressive behavior! A dog that is well-rounded and balanced will often find this game both challlenging and fun. The important thing to understand with playing tug is that you always control the game.

Utilizing a backpack during a walk or run can also be a great way of burning some excess energy. Physical exercise is not always enough and we would encourage mental stimulation along with any physical activity. Adding a backpack to your routine can sometimes be enough to tire out your dog.

Dealing with Tayo’s Aggression

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Tayo, a Boston Terrier, came to us a few months back with some aggression issues that his owner needed resolved. He had bitten several people and had even sent two to the hospital for their injuries. Tayo was prone to snap at joggers, neighbors….well just about anyone that he encountered. This feisty black and white dog had become quite accustomed to biting, snapping and growling at pretty much anyone he encountered. This problem had become so serious that his owners knew that if he had another incident that he would surely be ordered euthanized by the authorities. They had been warned of his behavior before and knew that if there wasn’t some serious intervention, Tayo was soon to be in big trouble.

His owners brought him in wearing a small leather muzzle and described him as having “social anxiety”. Tayo would jump on people, fight with other dogs, bark, bite, and even run away if given the opportunity. He even barked and growled at unfamiliar objects as if he wanted to kill them.

We worked with Tayo for several days and observed his behaviors. I noticed that all that was required for him to bark and growl at someone was that they be standing, sitting or breathing. He was actually pretty indiscriminate about his displays of aggression. After some testing and observation we determined that he wasn’t very dominant, fear aggressive and did not suffer from dog aggression. His behaviors really didn’t fit well into any common dog behavior category. After a couple of days we were able to determine that he was reactive and very easily stimulated. This often caused him frustration, therefore, he would simply sink his teeth into whatever and too often, whomever was nearby.

So, we began to give Tayo plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, direction and an outlet for his frustrations and soon we saw that his behavior was improving drastically. So we continued to work perfecting his obedience commands and teaching him a little “self control”.

Tayo was particularly fond of trying to bite joggers and others who passed by him too quickly or closely. So after working with him for some time, I felt as though he was ready to be challenged with some “joggers”. We had several new people run, jog and pass by Tayo swiftly, all the while I was keeping his attention and focus on me. To my pleasant surprise, Tayo was able to keep his attention on me and not fixate on the people jogging by.

Tayo was not an aggressive dog at all. He was simply understimulated and needed more direction in his life. His owners had worked hard to try to rehabilitate him themselves, but they simply didn’t have the tools or the understanding of what Tayo needed.

Tayo’s owner recently sent us an update which said:

“I am so pleased with what your training has done for my dog. You really gave him a second chance at hopefully living a long life. He listens to us now and seems to actually be more content.”

-Kristen K., Baltimore, MD

Upcoming Group Classes for 2010

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Highland Canine Training will be offering group classes this Winter in Matthews, Mooresville, Statesville and Harmony, NC. We have some exciting new classes for owners who want to keep their dogs busy this winter and to avoid “cabin fever”. Check out our class dates and times below:

Group Classes in Matthews, NC
Therapy Dog Class Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Basic Obedience Class Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Agility for Fun Friday, January 29, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Rally Obedience Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.
For information on Group Classes in Matthews, email ltaylor@highlandcanine.com

Group Classes in Mooresville, NC
Agility Class Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.
Rally -Obedience Class Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.
Basic Obedience Class Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.
Therapy Dog Class Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 3:15 p.m.
For information on Group Classes in Mooresville, email ltaylor@highlandcanine.com

Group Classes in Statesville, NC
S.T.A.R Puppy Class Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Basic Obedience Class Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Advanced Obedience Class Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Basic Obedience Class Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
For information on Group Classes in Statesville, email rellis@highlandcanine.com

Group Classes in Harmony, NC
Tracking for Fun Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Introduction to Herding Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
For information on Group Classes in Harmony, email training@highlandcanine.com

Free herding evaluations will be conducted for those interested in the herding class on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 9 a.m. at our facility in Harmony, NC.

If you have any questions about our group classes or need more information, please feel free to email us or call at 704.728.9494

The Importance of Proper Canine Behavioral Analysis

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Unfortunately, dogs don’t come with an owners manual.

Often times, dog owners deal with frustrating issues and behavioral problems because they don’t have the understanding or resources to fix them. These behaviors can be as simple as jumping on people, barging out the door, pulling on the leash or chasing a cat. At times these behaviors are more serious and include; biting, fighting, nipping, guarding, fear of people, fear of dogs, dominance and territorial aggression.

Most owners will employ the help of a dog trainer to assist in rehabilitating these more serious behavior problems. At times, this behavior modification is unsuccessful and can even makes the problems worse. Lately, we have rehabilitated a number of dogs that have been seen by other trainers. We have realized that their behaviors have escalated because there was a misdiagnosis of their problem by the other trainer. Therefore, the trainer and owner have been utilizing methods of rehabilitation and treatment that conflict with the behavior problem that the dog actually has.

Proper behavior analysis is critical in order to successfully rehabilitate a problem dog. In order to decide on a plan of rehabilitation, we must first take the time to understand the root cause of the problem or problems. In order to understand the problem completely, the trainer should take the time to interview the owner(s) of the dog, ask questions about the dogs behavior and any previous incidents with the dog and then observe the dog under the same circumstances where it has displayed the problem behaviors in the past. This should only be the beginning of the evaluation. The trainer will often have to test theories about the trigger(s) for the behavior in order to accurately determine the root cause of the problem behavior.

If we are working with a dog that we have determined is fear aggressive (biting because they are fearful of something or someone), it is not acceptable to simply say the the dog is fearful and they will bite when put into a situation where they are scared. We must first dissect the problem so that we can treat it properly. For example, we may find that this particular dog is fearful and this causes them to bite. By dissecting the problem, we may find that the dog is only fearful in situations with other dogs. If we further evaluate the problem, we may learn that the dog is only fearful of large dogs that are brown. By taking the evaluation further we may often find that the dog is only fearful with males of this type.

So, our original assessment was that the dog was fearful and that the dog would display aggression when placed in fearful situations. But by taking the assessment further, we have found that the dog is fear aggressive when placed in situations with large, brown, male dogs. Our course of rehabilitation would require inclusion of training and exposure with large, brown, male dogs in order to be successful.

This example is only one of many combinations that is possible in a behavioral analysis examination. These problems can be less or more specific than the example that I listed above. What is important to understand is that we cannot successfully rehabilitate a problem or undesired behavior unless we fully understand what the problem truly is.

Once we have determined the cause of the behavior, only then can we efficiently begin to treat it. Fortunately, the majority of behavioral problems are treatable with a consistent training and rehabilitation program.

CNN Article on Scent Lineups

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I recently saw an article which raised questions about scent line-ups conducted by police dogs. This article was brought to my attention by a friend who had some questions about the article and video that they saw, based on the fact that they encounter these line-ups in their work. Below is the video of the actual lineup that was conducted and later proven to be faulty. Later, in this article, I want to discuss how, in my opinion these line-ups can be improved to better serve law enforcement.

What to Do in Case of a Dog Fight

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If you have never seen a dog fight, consider yourself lucky. It is amazing how two otherwise gentle, family pets can explode into raging fury in the blink of an eye. In many cases, there are warning signs, and it is better to be attuned to these cues and prevent escalation of aggression than it is to have to break up a fight. If you walk your dog along a regular route, become familiar with other neighborhood dogs, and if you see any aggressive behavior from either your dog or another dog, it is best to avoid the situation altogether. While you can to a large extent control your dog’s behavior, you can’t predict how another dog will react, so it might be prudent to cross the road, or choose a new route altogether.

However, sometimes a situation unfolds right in front of your eyes before you have a chance to redirect it, and the next thing you know you have a ringside seat to a dog fight. A dog’s teeth are to be respected. They can shred skin and muscle in mere seconds. And if your dog is one of the dogs in the fight, your first instinct is to jump in and save him.

This is a great way to get yourself hurt as well. You are no match for two angry dogs and their teeth. If you pull your dog back while the other dog is still attacking, you are putting your dog at a huge disadvantage. So, it is a good idea to understand what to do in this situation before it ever happens, and with a little luck you will never need to use it.

3 Things to NEVER Do when Breaking Up a Dog Fight
Here are three things that you should NEVER do to break up a dog fight.

Scream – Loud chaotic noise just elevates the energy in an already out of control situation.

Use Your Hands – Trying to stop two fighting dogs by putting yourself, or any part of you, in between them does not stop the fight. It just gets you hurt.

Only Call Off One Dog – There are two dogs fighting. Never pull your dog out of a fight if someone is not pulling the other dog out at the same time. You are just making your dog defenseless, and the other dog can have a free shot at him.

3 Things to ALWAYS Do when Breaking Up a Dog Fight

Now here three things that may HELP break up a dog fight.

Training – If your dog obeys your come, sit, stay command, you may be able to avoid the confrontation altogether. Also, if you can tell your dog to sit and stay during a fight, it means you only have to manage the aggressive behavior of one dog rather than two.

Startle – A loud, piercing noise, a blast of compressed air or a good dousing with water may redirect the dogs’ attention just long enough to pull them apart.

Separate – To separate fighting dogs one person needs to take each dog by the back legs and drag them backwards in a circle. Walking in a circle will put them off balance and they’ll have to think about staying on their feet, rather than their argument. Keep dragging and turning until the dog has calmed down, or you risk him turning and biting you. Get the two dogs far away from each other before releasing your hold and checking for damage.

When checking over your dog for bite wounds, they may not appear large on the outside, but what looks innocent on the outside can mask extensive internal muscle damage. Generally if your dog has any wounds a trip to the vet is prudent, and at the very least you will probably want to administer antibiotics to avoid the onset of infection. He may feel a lot better if he has some pain relief at the same time.

If you are feeling anxious about going for walks after the attack, take a big breath and relax, because your dog will sense that, and feel nervous himself. If your dog is fearful after the attack, use positive reinforcement to redirect his attention and encourage him to come out with you, and again interact with other dogs. Soon enough, the dog fight will be a dim memory, and going for a walk will once again be a treat for both of you.

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Drug Dog in Buenos Aires

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Recently, we provided a narcotics detection dog to the Policia Seguridad Vial in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I had the opportunity to travel to Argentina to instruct the handler training for Chief Guillermos Rios, the new handler for the dog. The trip was made possible by the 911Fund out of New York, NY.

The dog, a Labrador Retriever, named Jett has been working in Buenos Aires for about three weeks now. He is the first drug detection dog in Buenos Aires and the only one used by the Federal police in Argentina. Jett will work in the Zarate region of Buenos Aires to assist in the drug interdiction efforts in the northern area of Buenos Aires. This area, which borders Brasil and the Missiones area of Argentina contains prime routes for drug traffickers.

Drug Dog in Buenos Aires Argentina

Drug Dog in Buenos Aires Argentina

The trip was a great experience and I had the opportunity to meet alot of great people during my stay in Argentina. Chief Rios and Jett bonded quickly and made a great team. During our handler school and training we had an opportunity to work the dog doing bus and truck interdiction in the field. The dog and handler performed well and this team will undoubtedly be an asset to the drug interdiction efforts in Argentina. Good luck to Chief Rios and K-9 Jett!