Training a deaf dog or a dog with so called “limitations”

I was 10 years old when I decided I wanted to train Pepsi. She was a collie mix of some sort, and probably about 10 years old. Sweet and docile with a willingness to please, she also had a couple of limitations. She was in fact, blind and deaf. She was not born that way, but age had taken it’s toll on her. If I had started when I was older I might have been daunted by the thought of trying to train a 10 year old blind and deaf dog. But being 10 years old, I didn’t understand anything about that. I just knew that I loved to train dogs.

More dog park fun!

Yesterday I went to the dog park for a client. She was having problems with her small dog when at the dog park. While I stated my opinion again that I do not prefer dog parks because of the inability to control certain factors (like the other dogs owners) I went with her. According to her, the dog would snap when another dog came up. In evaluating the dog, I found that this little girl was very small, and did not really want bigger dogs noses in places they shouldn’t be. She was not aggressive, just simply requesting politeness from other dogs. This is not the point of this post however.

Leadership and dominance

I have been thinking a LOT about leadership and dominance theories in dogs lately. It seems to be one of the most hotly debating topics in the industry. You have trainers that seem to think that you are the leader of your pack if you can physically force the animal to his side, and others who are now saying that there is no such thing as dominance in a dog.

difference between dominance theory and leadership in dogs

I found this article to be interesting. There are many points I agree with, a few that I disagree with. There IS a difference between dominance theory, and leadership theory. One I agree with, the other I disagree with. I’ve spent enough time around both dogs and wolves to know what a “pack” REALLY is like in both animals. Check it out! http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf

I will have more on this topic at a later date.

pros and cons of pinch or prong collars

In our comments section we had someone asking about more training collar options, so I’ll start working on these as time allows:-)

The “pinch collar” also called the “prong collar” is a fairly controversial piece of training equipment. As with any training collar, it can be abused, or it can be used as an effective training tool.  There are trainers that will rant and rave about how the use of them says that a handler is abusive at best. There are other trainers that use them on every dog.

where to find a dog

Considering that many of the animal rights activists in our country continuously scream about the pet overpopulation problem, often times I am approached by families looking for a dog. Where should they go? Who should they trust? What happens if they buy a puppy over the internet? 

Yesterday I was training Hawk just outside the open back of my van. I heard Phoenix barking and turned around just in time to see a cute little pup (I’ll attach a pic!) jump into my van. Considering where I was and what her body condition is like, I assume some family could not afford to keep her and they dumped her at the park to become “someone else’s problem”. It’s so very unfortunate for this little girl. She is extremely thin, scared of alot of things (though she seems to like people, kids and other dogs), and she was VERY thirsty for some clean water I’m sure. She just happened to jump into the right van, I decided I will take her in, put some weight on her, foster her, and then find her the most perfect home. With a face like this what else could I do? 

 

Speagle the beagle/spaniel mix

So it wasn’t very hard for me to find a dog for a pet home. Most people just want a cute dog that fits in with their family. I would urge you to consider diligently your needs for a dog. 

I also have purchased dogs from well known and reputable breeders. I require a specific type of quality in the dogs I compete with, and I know what I’m looking for, and what pedigrees to find it in. I am kind of sick of AR activists calling me inhumane or worse for knowing what i want in a dogs pedigree and going for that. I have been involved with rescue throughout my life, often taking the time to diligently find excellent homes for a variety of dogs and dog breeds. Much of my life has been dedicated to keeping dogs in their homes in the FIRST place. I have a rescue dog in my home currently. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t ever go to a reputable breeder either. If you want to save a dog, consider the pound, or shelter. MAYBE even a reputable rescue without quite the “agenda”. If you are looking for specific qualities, research breeds that have those qualities, you may be able to find a breed rescue. If you, like me, need to know pedigrees in order to help better the breed, purchase from a reputable breeder. So what makes a reputable breeder? More on that later!

group obedience classes forming

sorry for the interruption in our normal programming but it was pointed out to me that in an advertisement I posted the link to this blog but NOT the link to my training website. Please forgive me. Feel free to look around the blog for information on a variety of topics, or sign up for my classes in Lancaster or Agua Dulce at http://btk9academy.edogtrainer.com  or visit our main website at: http://www.blazingtrailsk9academy.com  

Helping dogs live longer – controlling weight

I was on Sparkpeople.com today and while logging my fitness minutes I realized there is no such site like this for dogs. Maybe someday I’ll decide to do it, but it got me to thinking. While American’s have gained weight considerably in the last few decades, so have our dogs. They lay around the house getting fed tasty morsels from the dinner plate, and they grow pudgy. Is it really that bad?

why compete in dog sports or competitions?

In one of my training groups there has been a lot of conversation on the importance of dog competitions. It was a heated topic for discussion to say the least, but it made me do a lot of thinking. 

Some said that they find competition boring, others that it is too “political”. The competitors say it makes you a better trainer, and so the conversation went. So…I proposed that those that compete in any type of dog sport, simply state what it has done for them. Then I started to pinpoint what it has done for ME and my dogs.

More Kate and Gin – Britain’s Got Talent – border collie canine freestyle

Here is one more of Kate and Gin. As I said in my last post, this dog just makes me want to go out and do more with my dog. I have seen lots of video footage of canine freestyle and I’m always impressed. Every time I see one these it’s a lot of fun. This gal looks good, I can hardly even see any cues! Hope you enjoy!