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Frequently Asked Questions ***Favorite collars!
What age should I start training a puppy?As soon as he/she is brought into your home. Why deal with behavior problems later when you can stop them before they start.How do I get my puppy to take his/her medicine?If it is a powder, sprinkle onto some soft food. Pills are to be dropped intothe back of their throat and close his mouth and rub his throat to make him swallow, then give him a nice treat, like a piece of bologna or hot dog. If you give him a treat every time, you never know they might come to enjoy their pills. What age do you recommend I neuter my dog?6 months of age is a good time to get your pup neutered. Some dogs are done later or early. It is always a good idea to talk to your vet about neutering. Your vet will know more about your dogs health than a trainer would. So always consult them about any medical problems you run into.
What are some reasons to have my pet neutered/spayed?Neutering your pet will help keep unwanted animals from being born. There are more animals in humane societies than ever before. It will help prevent health issues from developing later in your pets life. (such as reproductive cancer) It discourages roaming and aggressive tendencies especially in young, dominant male dogs.I have heard that spaying/neutering my dog will make him fat?Myth! Keep your dog active and his weight will not increase. Dogs need exercise every day.My dog eats stools. How can I get him to stop?First of all consult your vet and make sure his diet is adequate. Do not try to correct your dog while he is eating his stool. He will just hide his little fetish from you. Keep his eliminating area clean of all feces. Pick feces up as soon as he does his business. Keep him on a leash whenever he might run across feces in public. Talk to your vet about products that you can put in his food to make his feces unpalatable to him. Over time he will stop this bad habit.What age can I put a training collar (choke) on my puppy?You will want to wait till your puppy is 16 weeks old. Chain collars may choke a puppy and affect his neck development. Please contact me for an evaluation to determine a better way to rain your dog. Choke collars are damaging to a dog's throat. Not to mention cruel and unusual correction methods. They are plenty of collars our there that are better for your dog.
What is a Gentle Leader? Halti?***Think of these collars as a horse harness: it eliminates external and internal pressure around the neck. When your dog was a pup his mother would grasp him around the muzzle and correct him by shaking it. The Gentle Leader and Halti use the same principle. Otherwise, where the nose goes the body will follow. The benefits with this collar is it helps the dog learn rather quickly and no harsh corrections.
The Good Dog Collar? ***This is a great collar that was invented by a school called Triple R Crown Academy. It is made out of plastic and I hope it will replace the prong collar soon. It works the same way as the prong by giving the dog a correction that feels like their mother grabbing them by the neck except it is not as harsh as the prong. This collar might not work so well on hairy breeds because it might not get though their hair to give a correction. What is Martingale Collar?***This is another wonderful collar. The use of Choke collars are becoming a thing of the past but we still need the control over our dogs. Martingale style collars, with chain attachment, work great at replacing old fashioned collars. What happens is that when you need to give your dog a correction it will allow you to correct but only to a point. No more over corrections or the dog being choked. The greyhounds use these collars a lot because of their tendency to slip their flat collars. It works as it gives around the whole neck, not just the front like a flat collar, which I believe can hurt their trachea. Choke Collar?This is also known as a training collar. It simulates the mother dog grasping the pup around the neck and giving him a shake. You must put it on in a shape of a "P" while facing the dog. The dog will be on your left side and every time you give a correction it releases. Always check yourself to make sure it releases whenever you give a correction. This collar I hope is on the way out.Prong Collar?This might look like a torture device but it is actually a better alternative to a choke collar. It is otherwise known as a self-correcting collar. I think the name explains it all. This simulates (more naturally I think) the mother giving her pup a correction around the neck. It is a great tool for using to teach heel on those tough headstrong walkers. This also helps prevent injuries to the neck that some dogs suffer from the choke collar. (Over-corrections) The problem with this collar is that it can be a harsh method for most dogs. Some dogs need it like hairy breeds because this is the only collar they can feel. What is Clicker Training?Clicker training is a science-based system for teaching behavior with positive reinforcement. You use a marker signal (the sound of a toy clicker) to tell the animal when it's doing the action that will pay off. The system was first widely used by dolphin trainers who needed a way to teach behavior without using physical force. In clicker training you watch for the behavior you like, mark the instant it happens with a click, and pay off with a treat. The treat may be food, a pat, praise, or anything else the learner enjoys. If the learner makes a mistake all you do is wait and let them try again. I like to use food in my training as well but I like us to use our voices, it is something that is always with us.
I am getting an older dog, what do I need?Bed, food/water bowls, a collar, leash, toys, a grooming brush, treats, praise persistence and patience. Some books to check in to are Second-hand Dog and/or The Chosen Puppy by Carol Lea Benjamin.
When I go through your training program, how much time do I need to spend on training?I will teach you how to incorporate training into your everyday life. I ask that you spend at least three 10 minute sessions with your dog everyday on the minimum. It really doesn't take hours to train your dog to be a well-mannered family member. Remember, training is a must and you must devote time to it. When you do not take the time to train your dog, then you are not going to succeed in your lessons and your dog will not benefit from the obedience he/she needs. Any dog can learn and all it takes is a little time and for you to be consistent.
What are the benefits of private lessons versus group lessons?Private Lessons-Private lessons are more expensive than group but they are beneficial in their own way. You will receive one on one training instruction. You have the convenience of scheduling appointments for your schedule. They can meet anywhere that will help you to address the behavior (park,town,beach). You also go at your pace. Individual attention from a qualified trainer sometimes helps your dog learn better. The private classes are set up to deal with your own unique situation.
Just give Kelly a call at 1-616-550-7192 to sign up for private lessons.
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