Thoughts of a Professional Dog Trainer - All Comments

re: Use Kongs to cure dog boredom

marc — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:38:21 GMT

My terrier destroyed one and swallowed a piece of a Kong ! 2200.00$TO operate and get it out !!! Not industructable

re: Dog training tip - what does your dog's name mean to him?

Luisa Lapus-Tiong — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:10:09 GMT

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Recent Faves Tagged With "socialization" : MyNetFaves

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re: How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?

kathy — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:09:13 GMT

I live in a townhouse and I'm trying to pick the right puppy for my family. We have had labs and love them but I don't feel that the environment, no room to openly run, is best for the dog. I would prefer a larger dog but I need a breed that is not as energetic...Unfortuneately I'm at work during the day... Would a rottweiler work? Any other suggestions?

re: How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?

halie — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:23:20 GMT

Does a australian sheperd dog nead a lot of excess?

re: Looking for a dog trainer? Do your homework.

Jeff Millman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:37:32 GMT

Hi Christine,

Great tips! Of course I am prejudice towards Academy Grads, being a graduate myself. . . . Thanks for your comments and for reading my blog.

re: Looking for a dog trainer? Do your homework.

Christine Hibbard — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:57:41 GMT

Thank you for pointing out that the dog training profession is unregulated in the US. Despite the preponderance of scientific evidence that proves dogs do not learn effectively using force, fear, and pain, uneducated people calling themselves dog trainers are torturing dogs in the name of "training" in every city in America. You wisely suggest to owners the importance of asking for references before hiring a trainer. I agree and would add that word of mouth referrals from people that you know can be a wonderful source of information about the experience they had with a trainer.

I thought I'd suggest some additional resources for your readers who are looking for a dog trainer in all parts of the US. Where you begin your search for a dog trainer can have a huge impact on whether they have the education and experience to serve your needs. In addition to word of mouth referrals from people you know, try the following resources when beginning your search for a dog trainer:

SFSPCA: The SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers is the most well respected school in America turning out effective and humane trainers in most major markets in the US. To find a graduate of this program go to: www.sfspca.org/.../referral.shtml

IAABC: The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants certifies dog behavior consultants based on their scientific knowledge of animal learning theory and work experience. Find a qualified professional by going to: www.iaabc.org/.../CLoc_HOME.html

APDT: The Association of Pet Dog Trainers is a certifying body, but they accept memberships from all trainers regardless of their methods. This means that you will find shock collar trainers in this database as well as positive reinforcement trainers. As Jeff points out, buyer beware: apdt.com/.../default.aspx

re: Can doggie daycare cause dog aggression and behavior problems?

Jeff Millman — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:28:55 GMT

JW, thanks for your comments. You have said all the right things as regards to ensuring that dogs get proper care when they are at your facility. If every daycare owner was as knowledgeable as you, there would be much less problems and more options for quality care. Keep up the great work, and thanks for visiting my site.

re: Can doggie daycare cause dog aggression and behavior problems?

JW — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:09:56 GMT

As the owner/operator of a dog daycare facility, I agree for the most part with the comments Jeff made. There is a tremendous disparity in the quality of service provided among the many different dog daycare facilities, many of whom place the well-being of your dog first. Unfortunately there are some that will always let their profit margins dictate their procedures and policies. The first thing that needs to happen is a thorough behavioral screening of all potential client dogs. Not all dogs belong in daycare, and not all dogs want to be in daycare. We see far too many anxious or unsocialized adult dogs for whom the owners feel daycare will provide some sort of solution or "fix". Second, daycare needs to be structured, with play times, toy & treat regiments. Dogs do require rest, and that varies for all dogs. We have seen attempts to have rest times that entail crating the dogs, but this usually results in a room full of barking dogs. Third, there needs to be a proper number of handlers, and they should be trained in the basics of canine communication and aggression as well as First Aid. It's important to reinforce good behavior and not allow bad habits to develope. For years the norm was to place 50-60 dogs in a room with one person watching from the side, completely uninvolved with the dogs. And while the quality of daycare facilities has increased markedly the past few years, there are still those who cut corners in the pursuit of profits. We regularly recommend non-daycare services to dog owners for many reasons, and the bottom line is we feel a tremendous responsibility to the dogs and their owners and to maintain open communication as to how their dog enjoys its time in daycare.

The important thing to remember is, every dog is different. What works well for one won't necessarily hold true for another.

re: Train your dog to walk next to a stroller

rottielover — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:50:36 GMT

hi, i had to train a 5yr old lab mix to stroller walk, i didn't see your blog, but its basically how i went about it.

re: Tips for crate training your dog. Number one, get over the guilt

Jeff Millman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:04:27 GMT

You should definitely crate train him. I am a huge proponent of using crates for dogs of all ages. Don't worry about crating your older dog, however. Whether your puppy is in a crate, on a leash or behind a baby gate, he needs to learn patience no matter what the other dog is doing. I talk about all of these topics in my videos at http://www.watchandtrain.com

re: Great Pyrenees packs attacking tourists in the alps

Jeff Millman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:01:47 GMT

Hi Ed,

All dogs have the potential for being aggressive. The dogs in the Alps were not socialized properly for one and probably became more aggressive over time. By no means do I think all Great Pyrenees are aggressive. Your dog sounds wonderful!

re: How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?

Pug — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:28:17 GMT

I have a 1 year old pug and he needs a lot of exercise. We live in a mild climate so he doesn’t tend to suffer from shortness of breath when he’s walking. He gets 30 mins in the morning, 30 mins at lunchtime and at least 1 hour every evening. I NEVER would have thought when we got him that he’d need 2 hours exercise a day! We were expecting that 30 mins a day would be enough for him! It just goes to show you that you can’t always rely on going by breed when choosing the right dog for you. We’re lucky that we like walking him and are prepared to put in the work. He’s worth it though 

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re: How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need?

Jeff Millman — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:17:29 GMT

Suggestions that I would check out:

Border Terrier (might not be good with cats)

Yorkie Poo

Cavapoo's are great

Yorkie

Any dog can have the traits that you mention. You need to properly socialize and train your dog. Invest the time in now and it will pay off. Join my community and ask more questions there if you have them.