training

As exciting as getting a new puppy is, it is also a scary proposition. A puppy means you will now be responsible for a creature that can’t communicate its needs in words but has all the emotions. If you are not scared to get a puppy for the first time, then perhaps you are not ready for one yet.

As a new puppy owner, you need to understand that you are now a parent. You need to make sure they remain physically and mentally healthy and never experience any kind of abuse or trauma in your care. Fortunately for you, there are some amazing books out there that teach you everything you need to be taught as a new puppy owner. We’ve picked some great ones for you. Here are some of the best books for new dog owners:

Don’t Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor 

Buy on Amazon

The days of punishments are over, but few people seem to know that. New dog owners are usually eager to train their dogs but when the doggo slips, they can’t help but resort to punishments. This book by the trainer Karen Pryor emphasizes positive reinforcement and guides the dog owners on the right ways to do it. Not just that, this book convinces many dog owners to change their methods by proving that positive reinforcement is much more effective in behavior modification.

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B. McConnell 

Buy on Amazon

As a new dog owner, it will boggle your mind to see your pup immediately fall in love with the one dog or form instant hate with another or to see one of your dogs love the hugs and the snuggles while the other one is hating it. Another confusing process is when two dogs respond differently to the same training. These questions and many more are answered in this book as McConnell takes us inside the mind of our canine friends and helps us understand them better. The cherry on top? She does it hilariously, so you’re guaranteed to have a good read.

The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete

Buy on Amazon

This book is for people who’ve never taken care of another being their entire lives and are now suddenly responsible for a cute little puppy. The text in this book is like an old and experienced friend who’s there to guide you every step of the way. This book almost makes puppy rearing looks quite easy. Stick with the teachings of this book and train your puppy accordingly, and we assure you, you won’t go wrong. I must mention that the Monks of the New Skete are renowned in the dog world for their 30 years of experience in all things canine.

Much like raising a child, pet parenting is an on-going learning process. However, we suggest reading these books first and then heading out to bring a new furry member into your home and life to cultivate a healthy relationship and raise a happy pet from the very beginning.

Would you like to find out how you can make your dog one of the best-trained dogs in the neighborhood? Click here to schedule a FREE Discovery Call

 

The Everyday Noises in Your Household Could Cause Your Dog Anxiety—Here’s Why

A loud clap of thunder during a storm can not only frighten you in the middle of the night but your beloved dog could also be shaken up. That’s not all that can scare your pet or cause them stress, though: Even noises made in your household on a day-to-day basis can cause your pet anxiety. A new study by researchers out of the University of California-Davis, published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, found that everything from the vacuum cleaner to the microwave sounds can make them nervous.

The team noted that high-frequency, intermittent sounds that come from the tools and appliances you use on a regular basis are likely to make your dog more anxious than low-frequency, continuous ones. “We know that there are a lot of dogs that have noise sensitivities, but we underestimate their fearfulness to noise we consider normal because many dog owners can’t read body language,” said Emma Grigg, lead author and a research associate and lecturer at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, in a university release.

 

Curious about how you can tell if your dog is feeling nervous? The study authors note that cringing, trembling, or running away are common. More understated signs are when your pet pants, licks their lips, turns their head away from the sharp sounds, stiffens their body, turns their ears back, or lowers their head below their shoulders. Out of the 386 dog owners they surveyed and 62 video recordings they studied, researchers noted that most pet parents confused their dog’s anxiety with playfulness. “There is a mismatch between owners’ perceptions of the fearfulness and the amount of fearful behavior actually present. Some react with amusement rather than concern,” Grigg shared. “We hope this study gets people to think about the sources of sound that might be causing their dog stress, so they can take steps to minimize their dog’s exposure to it.”

 

The noise frequencies dogs experience are different than humans, so the researchers say to be mindful on what they could hear. They also recommend paying attention to the little things, like making sure batteries are changed in smoke detectors, so they won’t beep, and removing them from areas that have loud, harsh sounds. “Dogs use body language much more than vocalizing and we need to be aware of that,” Grigg added. “We feed them, house them, love them and we have a caretaker obligation to respond better to their anxiety.”

Would you like to find out how you can make your dog one of the best-trained dogs in the neighborhood? Click here to schedule a FREE Discovery Call

Did you know that New Research Says Dogs Can Tell When You’re Being Intentional with Them?

The canines would sit or lie down when humans purposefully withheld a reward. Yep, the dogs of the world would revolt if they didn’t get their way? It’s scientifically proven. Let’s find out why.

Ask any pet owner and they’ll tell you that their dogs are members of the family, and new research says that our pups understand us far more than we might realize. According to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, your dog can actually determine if you are doing something purposefully or by mistake. Listen to the episode, The Dogs Might Revolt! On dog works radio.com

Researchers call this instinct “Theory of Mind” but previously thought that only humans could channel this notion. Now, with recent findings, a team of scientists found out that dogs can do the same thing.

To discover this, the scientists out of Germany studied 51 dogs in different conditions to see how they would react when people intentionally or unintentionally refrained from giving them a treat, also known as unable versus unwilling paradigm. The conditions included dogs and people separated by a clear barrier as the human held a treat. Humans took the treat back through a gap in the barrier and kept the treat for themselves in the “unwilling” condition. On the other hand, the “unable” condition included humans dropping the treat when attempting to give it to the dog and not being able to fit the treat through the gap at all.

“If dogs are indeed able to ascribe intention-in-action to humans,” Dr. Juliane Bräuer from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, said in a university release. “We would expect them to show different reactions in the unwilling condition compared to the two unable conditions. As it turns out, this is exactly what we observed.”

As a result, the study showed how much time dogs would wait until they tried to get to the treat. When they didn’t think the human wanted to give the treat to them in the “unwilling” condition, the dogs would wait longer by sitting or lying down to imply that they were trying to satisfy their owner in order to get the treat after all. Further, the scientists noticed that the dogs would stop wagging their tails when people would intentionally not give them a treat. “The dogs in our study clearly behaved differently depending on whether the actions of a human experimenter were intentional or unintentional,” says Britta Schünemann, first author of the study. “This suggests that dogs may indeed be able to identify humans’ intention-in-action,” adds Hannes Rakoczy from the University of Göttingen. More behavioral research will also help confirm their findings overall. “Nevertheless, the findings present important initial evidence that dogs may have at least one aspect of Theory of Mind: The capacity to recognize intention-in-action,” researchers conclude.

Would you like to find out how you can make your dog one of the best-trained dogs in the neighborhood? Click here to schedule a FREE Discovery Call

We love our pets, but we don’t always understand why they do the things they do. Take licking, for example. While you may not understand your dog’s desire to lick couch cushions and carpeting, there’s actually scientific evidence that says pups lick just about everything for habitual reasons. What’s more, our dogs lick our faces to show affection (or because they like the way we taste). But what does it mean when our dogs become our second shadows? If you’ve ever noticed that your four-legged friend follows you from room to room, we’re here to demystify this behavior.

Guys, I must brag a little. Did you know that this week marks 15 years in business serving our clients and their dogs in Denver and Alaska with Dog Works Training Company? That is a long time and a lot of dogs! My husband and business partner, Robert got his start training dogs professionally in 1994 and it was just about 15 years ago when I quit my job as a paralegal for a medium-sized corporate law firm in Denver and jumped in with both feet into the business with Robert. Over all these years we probably have trained a couple thousand dogs of almost every size and breed imaginable.

What does that mean? Well, we know our stuff and we love to share our knowledge with our clients that those interested in dogs around the world. Our business and this podcast have been a passion, a journey, and a wonderful experience that we hope to continue until we are too old to hold a leash!

Now…On today’s podcast episode we are talking about Velcro dogs. Do you have one of those? There is science behind it, you know. We are going to dive into the topic of why your dog always wants to stick by you. And if you stick around, I will have some bonus tips on what to do for your dog as you get ready to return to work after all this time and, just in time for Halloween…should you feed pumpkin to your dog? Let’s get started…

Imprinting 

According to Jane MacMurchy, animal specialist and coordinator from Animal Charity of Ohio, there are a couple of reasons why your dog is following you, and the first is imprinting. Canines are pack animals, and we, as their owners, are part of their pack—historically speaking, this symbiotic relationship dates back to when wolves were domesticated by mankind anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. Today, young puppies up to six months of age can imprint on their owners and learn to read social cues as they would their birth mother; in evolution over time, they have even developed “puppy eyes” to convey their emotions with you.

Positive Reinforcement 

In a household of multiple people, there’s a good chance your dog will become fixated on one person in particular. Oftentimes, it’s the primary caregiver who provides meals, plays tug-of-war or a game of fetch, or even hands out delicious treats. This is another reason your dog might stay close to your side: positive reinforcement.

Tips to Avoid Having a Velcro Dog Click To Tweet

Traits of the Breed 

There is a tendency for certain dogs to over-attach to their owners, particularly those categorized in the working or herding groups; this includes the Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, or Shetland Sheepdog, among others. Herding groups were bred to work side-by-side with their humans, so it’s in your pup’s DNA to stay by your side.

“Velcro” Attachment as Separation Anxiety 

As more and more dogs have grown accustomed to their owners being home due to the pandemic, a newfound clinginess may be due to the interruption in their daily routine. When your dog is suddenly following you everywhere, this can be a sign of boredom or anxiety. Think about it: If the highlight of your dog’s day is watching you walk around the house, it’s time for some mental stimulation for your pet. After all, watching your sweep the floor gets old, fast.

“We always recommend activities for your dog that can allow them to safely exercise their minds,” says MacMurchy. “We recommend activities like frozen Kongs, snuffle mats, or puzzle toys.” Mentally stimulating activities such as these can alleviate boredom and decrease anxiety in your dog. Furthermore, MacMurchy says to dedicate a consistent amount of time to bond with your dog. This can be a simple ear rub, walk, or a game of fetch done so sporadically throughout the day spent at home.

However, if you notice an uptick in your pet’s anxiety and they are following you in a nervous manner, our expert suggests veterinarian to get to the root of the problem.

If you ask a lot of our clients about crate training their dogs a lot of them will say,

I had always thought that crates were cruel.

This is absolutely not true. One of the most important things that dog owners should learn is that crates are not cruel when used properly, and in fact can be a great tool for the average pet owner. Proper, positive crate training can provide benefits for both you and your dog.

Here Are the Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Crate Train Your Dog

1. Provide a Safe Space

Dogs have a natural ‘denning’ instinct and crates can provide a haven for your dog when he is feeling stressed or tired and needs some downtime. Children especially, must be taught that when the dog is in his crate, whether by his own choice or by yours, that he is out of bounds for them and must be left alone.

2. Help With House Training

Crates are great for house training. Dogs and puppies don’t like a soiled bed, so a properly sized crate is very useful to assist you in teaching him bladder and bowel control.

3. Household Safety

Having your dog resting comfortably in his crate while you are not able to supervise him is a bonus. Maybe you are cooking dinner or working on renovations where your pup could cause safety issues just by being underfoot. Having him tucked safely away will give you peace of mind.

4. Safer Travel

Car travel in a crate is far safer for both of you than having him loose in the car.

5. Easier Vet Visits

If your dog ever needs to stay overnight at the vet’s, he will be far less stressed when he is confined in the cage or run if he has already been crate trained.

6. Damage Limitation

Have you seen those ‘dog shaming’ videos on the net, where the pet parent comes home to find his furniture in a shambles? Funny though they are, those disasters could have been avoided if the dog had been left in his crate with a bone or toy to chew on, instead of destroying the designer couch.

7. Evacuation

Finally, if you ever have to evacuate your home in case of a disaster or emergency, heaven forbid, having a crate trained dog is so much easier for all concerned. Whether you keep your dog with you, or he has to be handed over to carers, your pup will be better off in his own crate. He’ll be more relaxed with his own blankets and toys with your scent on them, than one who is unfamiliar with a crate and therefore experiences undue stress.

Misuse of Crates

Crates can also be misused and have a negative influence on your dog. Here are some uses to avoid:

• It is very important to remember not to use a crate as punishment for your dog. His crate should be his haven. I have often found my dogs resting in their crates of their own accord with the door wide open.
• While crates can be used for teaching your dog the house rules, it is NOT okay to use the crate as a crutch because of lack of training. Your dog wants to be with YOU, not spending his life in a crate, so be diligent about your training regime early on.
• Never leave your dog in his crate for too long, especially puppies who have limited bladder control. If you must crate your dog while you are at work, it is important that he gets a potty break after about four hours (less for puppies). So you can look into having a friend, neighbour or pet sitter come in and let him out to relieve himself and stretch his legs, or look into a good doggy daycare. If you are leaving him crated at home, it is absolutely essential that you make sure he gets plenty of exercise and playtime when you are around.

Common sense should be your guide when it comes to crate training. Good, positive associations will help your pup love his crate for the rest of his life.

Starting now, any dog that is enrolled to come to camp here at Alaska Dog Works will be required to be crate trained. If your dog is unable to stay in their crate at night or exhibits high anxiety during the day we will have no choice but to have you come and pick up your dog and we will resume your class with lessons.