Mannerly Mutts Making Dog and Owner Dreams Come True in York Maine - Blog

Have you decided you want a dog or puppy? Now what? Day 18 of the Pandemic and we are starting to approach the bunny slope of dog training.

3/28/2020

Baby B or Our Boris

Some of you already have a dog or puppy that you would like to be working with. I hope that I have some readers that have not yet selected their dog or puppy. This is truly the beginning of where you would ideally like to start. As with life, things very rarely go as we expect. However, we can try to stack the odds in our favor. It is not a perfect science by any means.

We have done a fair number of articles in the past on considerations when selecting your new dog or your additional dog that is new to a pack. Here are the links to those articles below:

So you have decided you want a dog? This is a listing of the many things to think about before selecting you new best canine companion.

3/27/2020

K is for Kipper

I have loved animals since childhood. In my adult life, I enjoy my time spent with dogs. I love doing things with them that they love doing. My motivation comes from a place that wants to provide my dogs with the most enjoyment possible. I am the rare person that has not, in fact, met the dog she wouldn't like. Professional dog trainers told me that when I worked enough dogs, I would find some that I did not like (dogs that is). This has not happened, though I will admit to liking some dogs less than others. This usually just has to do with more time spent with a dog/owner team over another. I like them all, and I appreciate them all. I like the ones who are bomb proof to the most behaviorally challenged dogs that I have had the pleasure of meeting.

Many people want the dog to fill up a spot of incompleteness in their lives. People may feel their child needs a companion or responsibility. Some people think that getting a dog will make them exercise more, as those dusty machines in the corner have not motivated them to do. For some a dog is a replacement for children they can't have or adult children that have left. Sometimes people think too much about what they dog will do for them, and do not consider what must be done for the dog OR the spirit in which care should be done.

Start on the bunny slope of dog training or Pandemic Day 17 what else do you have to do?

3/26/2020

Baby Fergus is your bunny slope model for today.

In the past (before I knew how to train my dogs and before I even had an inkling of dog training), down hill skiing on vacation was the most relaxing thing for me. This was true even though I was a $hit skier, and had to take lessons every time to improve myself. I feel like it is the same reason that training dogs (and just hanging with them too) relaxes me. FIRST of all you have a goal to reach. SECOND to reach the goal you need skills and a plan to obtain those skills and THIRD if you don't concentrate on that, you are going to fall off the mountain! 😂 Okay, maybe it is just that you don't get down the mountain the way you wanted OR you get hurt on the way there (by your own self).

So the first time I went skiing with my husband on vacation, I took for granted that you put on the skis and magically down the mountain you went. I mean I had skated when I was thirteen, right? Thankfully, we did have a ski instructor who came with us (and somehow ignored all the obvious signs that I had no idea what I was doing----which included riding up in sub zero weather holding onto my gloves instead of having them on---sliding backwards on my skis before getting onto the lift). Long story short, we got down several hours later, by the instructor (from the top of the mountain mind you), skiing backwards while I held onto his ski poles in front of him. Clearly mad skills HE had and strength. I needed to start on the bunny hill first, and then the advanced bunny hill, and so on before you even think of starting at the top of the mountain.

Pandemic Day 17's dog training tip: Bring you and your dog to the bunny slopes first. More of that soon, since I have some time on my hands.

Follow Mannerly Mutts Dog Training's Facebook page for tips on how to handle the bunny slope.

House Training Tips

3/9/2020

Our Shana was once an 8 week old baby, as pictured.

I get a fair number of calls a year for house training advice. I give out a lot of tips for free.

Here are a list of tips that I give to owners that are seeking to housebreak their dog:

Puppies NEED to go out more often than adults. Some can sleep through the night, and others can't. Some will need to go out about every two hours at first.
When first bringing home a puppy, crate training and tethering when your attention can not be on them are great solutions. Let puppy or dog inside for loose play only after they have done number one and two as expected when first entering your home (and in their outside area obviously).

Write down the times of any "accidents" and add those times to your schedule of when you let your dog or puppy out, until a reliable pattern develops.
After an accident, immediately bring your puppy or dog outside.

Shana Training Log 1/20/2020 to 2/29/2020

3/1/2020

Shana training at the local High School one Spring.

I have a lot of updating to Shana's training log. Unfortunately, it is going to be both random and incomplete, as I have not bee so disciplined lately. However, I have been training at least six out of every seven days, even if I did not notate what they were. I am seeing a pattern that I want to employ, but I haven't really started adhering to it yet. I am going to try for a more focused plan in March 2020. In the meantime here is what has (incompletely) happened with Shana (I log onto my google calendar, and then transfer to here):

Sit on The Dog, an Important Self Chill and Behavioral Exercise

2/25/2020

Exercise: Sit on The Dog (do not confuse with the down exercise later on)
Equipment needed: Metal Training Collar (for puppies a flat collar will due but be sure they can't slip their head out if it's too loose), 6' leather lead, chair for handler to sit on that they aren't too worried about (IE an antique chair would not be a good idea, especially for a dog that might try to chew something other than their toy while you aren't watching, but a good metal folding chair will do), silence which means no verbal commands, praise, or corrections. Also no conversations of any sort with your dog.

February 12th, 2020

2/12/2020

Here are my basic rules for times to train a puppy below the age of six months;

Puppy must be well rested. This provides an excellent opportunity for crate training practice.
Puppy must be feeling healthy. Do not train that day if they are not feeling well. It will nit be a productive session, and it is more important for them to feel healthy.
I train with at least one of their meals. Sometimes though, they are not hungry. So I need them motivated by simething during that time, which is usually food or toys.
You need to train the puppy for most things in short sessions of 5 to 10 minutes. Always stop before the puppy looks flat or uninterested.

If a puppy looks healthy and motivated but not hungry, this is one way I play train. This puppy happens to be very motivated by fetch. Experiment with your puppy to find things that are motivating to them. In the video session, we are advancing the "out" command. This puppy, Daisy, is also pretty low key and mellow, so Cujo.and Bandit were invited along to make it more exciting for her.

Luna Learning to Walk on Leash Amid Distractions Week 2 Day 6

1/20/2020

Teaching dogs to cooperate with us on leash in distractions takes time, patience, and small steps. Walking down a city street or a quiet street comfortably with your dog takes a few steps.

In Week 1 with Luna, we started this process inside in our our dog room. The environment (outside in this case) makes it a lot more distracting. Of course her friends playing inside and outside start the distractions. When we were starting heel training with Luna, her daycare friends were mainly asleep or in a down. So the other distraction in this video, is her friends playing of course.

The video to the left is week 2. We also took Luna down the dirt roads on week 2 as well. Flags and people with phones talking in their own yards were enough of a distraction on week 2.

Shana Training Blog Week 2 in 2020

1/19/2020

Monday 1/13/2020:

(2 hours) Half hour place (30 minutes in a row) when Lucy came in other side for daycare. Did not have ecollar or leash on her. It is apparently more challenging for her when her nemesis is in the house. Next Monday, I am going to start her with 15 minute places while Lucy is on the other side in the dog room (and Shana always knows she is here when she comes).
(15 minutes) Tug used for letting out to the bathroom and training in living room while Lucy in mudroom. Comes came in a crooked or like a fuss, and sits did turn into downs sometimes. No real reaction to Lucy except at the end running up to confirm she was there (no barking et). Electronic collar on, no barking at Lucy when she went out but she was hesitant to do her business---I had to send her back out four or five times before she would go (Lucy safely in room behind sliding glass door of course)
(15 minutes) Tug toy used (to go past and ignore before playing) fuss, come, touch, place, and out before bed.

Shana Weekly Training to 1/12/2020

1/13/2020

Monday 1/6/2020:

(27 minutes) Down stays 3 minutes each and accomplished 4 in a row (inside ecollar on but not used daycare here after vacation.and Lucy part of that daycare)--'missed 4th on first of them when she was in upstairs foyer
(20 minutes)Fetching laundry----haven't done it in a couple of weeks so much barking in the beginning but doing well harder at the end and especially bringing Robert's into his room with Ziggy barking
(15 minutes) 10 minute down completed while we were eating dinner in the kitchen and also after Shana had barked at Ziggy for barking at her
(15 minutes) Tug toy training in bedroom fuss come out stay hold--- only a couple mistakes with the out and one time tried to leave the stay early to get the tug