Make a List and Check It Twice - the Keep Fido Safe During the Holiday List

The holidays are a very busy time with new foods, decorations and plants entering your house. Unfortunately, in the excitement, we can quickly forget about Fido and his safety. Here are some tips that might come in handy.

1. Keep track of your pets. Guests may leave a door or gate open allowing for accidental escapes or that unattended turkey on the counter could quickly become Fido's dinner These situations can usually be avoided by assigning one family member to be responsible for Fido. This way family members don't incorrectly assume someone else is watching the dog.
2. Keep your dog on leash if he has not yet learned to remain calm in exciting situations.
3. Plan in advance. Have food stuffed toys or chew bones ready to entertain your pet on a moment's notice. Also, have a safe quiet guest free area prepared for your dog - this way you aren't lugging crates around at the last minute.
4. Not all pets are comfortable with a houseful of people. If your dog seems stressed or nervous do not hesitate to crate them in a safe place with a good chew toy. (Dog Blog: Talking without saying a word - Shy and Anxious dogs.)
5. Do not allow children to hug, kiss, or overwhelm your pet. If you cannot supervise children/dog interactions crate your dog for every one's safety.

These are just a few tips to keep you on track. Remember that preplanning is the best way to avoid accidents/conflicts. So, while you are making that shopping list make a keep Fido safe list and all should go well. Also, click here to review the ASPCA's Poison Safe Home list. While you are there, be sure to order your Free Pet Safety Package.

Have any safety tips of your own to share? Feel free to let us know.

Have a safe Holiday Season!

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Personable Pets Dog Training
www.personablepets.com
Providing Dog Training Services for Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas including: Stilwell, Lenexa, Olathe, Paola, Bucyrus, Leawood, Shawnee, Osawatomie and Spring Hill.
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Dog Safety is a Family Affair

Personable Pets Dog Training hosted their 1st Annual Dog Safety Fair on Oct 11th. We hosted this event for one reason - to help people (kids and adults alike) stay safer around dogs.

Most dog bites can be prevented and education seems to be the key. Also, don't think that dog safety is just for people that own dogs. It is estimated that there are 53 million dogs living in America, meaning approximately one out of every three households is home to a dog. So, even if you don’t own a dog, you and your children will most likely come into contact with other people’s dogs on a regular basis.

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The first step to dog safety is to realize you can never undo a dog bite. You should stop, think and evaluate before you decide to interact with a dog. Do you speak 'dog'? Can you tell if a dog is relaxed, anxious or threatening? Most people cannot. Dogs communicate almost entirely with body language so if you cannot interpret their signals you should not try to interact with them. To better understand dog body language visit Doggone Safe or purchase the Dogs, Cats & Kids dvd.

The second step to dog safety is to realize dogs are NOT humans with fur. They are a completely different species with their own definition of acceptable behavior. If you impose acceptable human actions on dogs you run the risk of being bitten. You should never hug, kiss, wrestle, poke, startle, stare at, surprise or hit a dog.

Unfortunately, parent's often let their kids hug and kiss the family dog assuming they will know better than to try the same with strange dogs. This is dangerous for two reasons. First, most kids learn how to interact with dogs in the home and they usually try to exercise those same behaviors on strange dogs. I often have to stop young kids in public who try to hug my dog. The parents usually offer an embarrassed grin as they explain the child is allowed to hug the family dog. For most kids dogs are dogs and if they are allowed to treat familiar dogs a certain way they will often duplicate those actions on strange dogs. Second, most kids are bitten by dogs they know - not strange dogs. So while parents need to be vigilant about teaching their kids how to act around strange dogs they need to be just as vigilant (if not more) implementing household dog safety rules. And these rules should extend to dogs that kids interact with on a regular basis including the neighbor's dog, Aunt Suzie's dog and Grandpa's dog. (please note, kids should never be allowed to hug or kiss dogs - even their own dogs!!!)

Household dog safety rules should include the following. Children should never interact with a dog when he is sleeping, eating, chewing, scared, playing with a toy, sick, frightened, resting or crated. Children should never be allowed to lay on, crawl on, hug or kiss dogs. Kids should never play chase or tug games with dogs. Most importantly, young children should NEVER have unsupervised access to the family dog. These are just a few dog safety tips. Visit Doggone Safe or the CDC for additional ideas.

So as you can see, teaching kids how to interact with strange dogs is important but teaching kids how to remain safe around familiar dogs is just as important. Make dog safety a family affair! Look for a dog safety presentation in your area or contact a local dog trainer for guidance. The sooner your family learns to speak 'dog' the better!!

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Personable Pets Dog Training
http://www.personablepets.com/
Providing Dog Training Services for Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas including: Stilwell, Lenexa, Olathe, Paola, Bucyrus, Leawood, Shawnee, Osawatomie and Spring Hill.
Follow us on Facebook

Join us at the 1st Annual Dog Safety Fair

According to the CDC, 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year.

But most dog bites can be prevented!!

It is estimated that there are 53 million dogs living in America, meaning approximately one out of every three households is home to a dog. So, even if you don’t own a dog, you and your children will most likely come into contact with other people’s dogs on a regular basis. Attend the Dog Safety Fair to learn ways to stay safer around both unfamiliar and household dogs.

This free interactive fair is designed for kids 4+ years of age and adults of all ages. Spin the Wheel of Dog Talk or take on the challenging Which One Can I Pet? Cubes as you learn more about dog body language and common safety tips.

Personable Pets 1st Annual Dog Training Fair

When: Sunday, Oct 11th
1-4 pm

Where: Tails R Waggin
6976 W. 152nd Terrace
Overland Park, KS

Contact 913-212-8007 for additional info

We can accommodate groups of 10 with advance coordination!!

This is a human only event - please leave your pets at home!

Join Personable Pets on Facebook for additional event info!!

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer
Personable Pets Dog Training
http://www.personablepets.com/
Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas including: Stilwell, Lenexa, Olathe, Paola, Bucyrus, Leawood, Shawnee, Osawatomie and Spring Hill.

Talking Without Saying a Word - Shy and Anxious Dogs

As we discussed in our first Talking Without Saying a Word blog - humans are a very verbal species. Although we pay attention to body language and facial expressions - we tend to fall back on verbal communication the majority of the time. And in case you haven't noticed, dogs do not speak English! The majority of their communication is through body language and we tend to miss these signals because we are too busy - you guessed it - TALKING!!

This ignorance of dog talk is most evident when we are interacting with a shy or nervous dog. Although humans tend to notice when dogs appear anxious, we often overlook the fact that they are trying to get away from us. Or even if we notice their escape attempts we assume we know better and we continue to approach them assuming we can convince them that there is no reason to be afraid.

Watch the video below and notice the way Gigi avoids Sandy. Keep in mind that Gigi is NOT deaf - she is just ignoring Sandy both physically and verbally.

In this clip Gigi is avoiding her owner. Watch the first time her owner tries to pet her, Gigi backs up to escape. The second time, however, Gigi is not able to escape but does it appear to you that she is enjoying the interaction?

So why is it so important to understand and respect the signals that anxious dogs provide? Two reasons. First, if a dog is afraid or anxious around humans, your continued approaches or unwelcome interactions can further reinforce their fear - making them even more afraid of humans. Second, and most important, if an anxious dog feels trapped or threatened he could bite.

Keep in mind, it is easy to spot anxious signals when someone points them out on video or when you are watching someone else interact with a dog. But often, when we are the ones interacting with the dog, we get caught up in the moment and completely overlook the obvious. So pay attention when you are interacting with a dog. Are they just our of your reach? Maybe this is intentional so you cannot physically touch them. Did they not hear you when you called their name? Maybe they did hear you and they are just avoiding you. Was it a coincidence that they walked behind their owner just as you approached? Maybe they are actually hiding from you.

So, be nice and be careful out there. If it appears that a dog is avoiding you they probably are. It would be best in these situations to just leave the area or room or just ignore the dog and let them initiate contact if and when they are ready.

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Personable Pets Dog Training, http://www.personablepets.com/, Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas

Talking Without Saying a Word - Dog to Dog Communication

Dogs have been human companions forever. But even with this long history of companionship, the relationship has been pretty one sided. Although we have made great strides in dog nutrition, healthcare and training - the same cannot be said for understanding or even noticing dog communications, whether it is dog to human or dog to dog communication.

I don't think we intentionally ignore what dogs are saying - we're just not bilingual! Humans are a very verbal species. Although we pay attention to body language and facial expressions - we tend to fall back on verbal communication the majority of the time. And in case you haven't noticed, dogs do not speak English! The majority of their communication is through body language and we tend to miss these signals because we are too busy - you guessed it - TALKING!!

Now, if you are sitting there saying "Whatever, I always know what my dog is saying" keep reading, please.

My business partner Karla and I got together recently to film some footage for an upcoming dog safety presentation. We consider ourselves dog savvy and we are both pretty good at picking up on dog communication signals so I was pretty shocked when I saw the footage below and realized just what we missed while we were - you guessed it - TALKING!!!

Let's see if you can do any better than we did. Watch the clip below and take note of what you see.





So what did you see? Two excited dogs trying to interact with Karla? Karla ignoring the pushy black dog’s behavior? Did you see anything else?

Here is what I noticed when I replayed the clip.

1. Karla is interacting with the yellow lab (Sadie) until the black dog (Olive) successfully gets between the two.
2. Karla diverts her attention so she doesn't reward the black dog's pushy behavior.
3. The black dog continues to place her body between the lab and Karla so that she has Karla all to herself.
4. Eventually the black dog freezes up (her tail stops moving) as she stares the lab down. Notice that when the lab backs away you can see the black dog's face staring directly at her.
5. The lab gives up and ultimately leaves the room, I assume, to avoid conflict.

I have zoomed in on the action in the clip below so watch it and see if you agree with my assessment.





The clip below is a close-up so you can see the stare down as the lab moves.




So in the few seconds that Karla and I are busy talking and laughing the black dog has successfully communicated to the lab that Karla is off limits - and we missed the entire conversation!! Now, had Karla and I been paying more attention to the dogs, and less attention to trying to get some great footage, we would have realized what was going on and probably interrupted the behavior. But the reality is, no matter how well we understand dog communications, we cannot watch our dogs 100% of the time in every situation so we are going to miss a lot of the action.

Why is this important? Think about it. If the yellow lab had barked or tried to correct the pushy black dogs behavior we would probably have assumed the yellow lab was the aggressor and behaving inappropriately, when in reality, she was the victim and just trying to stand up for herself.

So, the next time your dog appears to be the aggressor in a situation, and before you punish them, you might want to take a step back and decide whether or not you "heard" the entire conversation.

Happy Training....

Content, pictures and videos ©Personable Pets Dog Training

Wait - one of the Personable Pets Super 6 House Manners Dog Training cues

One common complaint from dog owners is the out of control behavior their dog's offer at feeding time. Rushing out doorways is a close second and racing up and down the stairs usually comes in third. These are very common complaints because all dogs seem to act on impulse. And it is this exuberance for life - 'Hey, open door!! Run!, Cool! She is going to feed me, Yes! Yes! Yes! - that gets them in trouble in our world.

But there is a simple fix to these issues - teach your dog to Wait. It is as simple as that. Patience is a virtue. If you don't reward pushy and/or excited behavior then your dog won't offer it. Honest!

For example, if your dog jumps for the food bowl before you can place it on the ground, teach him to Wait until you free him. Try this next time you feed him. Ask him to Wait as you go to lower the bowl. The moment he moves toward the bowl raise it back up. The moment he backs off the bowl start to lower it again. Keep repeating the up/down motion of the bowl until you get it to the ground and then immediately tell him to Free (go eat).

At first you should free your dog the moment the bowl touches the ground but delay your free cue with every repetition so that he doesn't think food on the ground = free. Timing is important in this scenario so he understands every time he moves forward the bowl goes away and every time he backs off the bowl is lowered. Also, other than the initial Wait command, try to remain silent during this exercise. No need to scream or yell - let your bowl do the talking for you.

I have attached a quick video clip of Monkey learning to Wait for her food bowl. Notice that I am not talking (you can hear the birds chirping) and that I am raising/lowering the bowl every time Monkey moves. Also, Monkey eventually sits while Waiting but that was not something I asked her to do. I simply wanted her to Wait - sitting or standing I didn't care.

Of course, Waiting for the food bowl is only one application of Wait. It is also a good idea to teach your dog to Wait before coming out of the crate, coming in or going out of the house and before entering or exiting the car.

Please realize that your dog will only be as consistent as you are. So the sooner you get into the habit of asking for a Wait in all these scenarios the sooner it will become a habit for your dog!

1 of Personable Pets Super 6 House Manners Cues down and 5 to go. Happy training!

Content, pictures and videos ©Personable Pets Dog Training

Personable Pets Super 6 House Manners Cues

Bringing a new dog home can be very exciting. From watching him investigate his new surrounding's to introducing him to family and friends, life is fun with a new furry friend. Unfortunately, in their excitement, new dog owners often overlook minor inappropriate behaviors assuming they can address them later or that they will just magically go away. Then, about 1-2 months into the relationship, the new dog owner realizes that these minor behaviors have now become major issues and they decide it is time to train the dog.

Well, guess what! Whether they realize it or not, they have been training their dog since the moment they brought him home. It is true! Every time you interact with your dog you are training him. Every time someone else interacts with your dog they are training him. Every time your dogs barks at you for attention and you tell him to be quiet - guess what? You just rewarded his barking with your attention so he will most likely try it again. Every time you let your dog pull you down the street on walks you are training him to pull on the leash. Every time your dog jumps for attention and you pet him - you got it - you just rewarded his jumping so he will most likely jump for attention again. Every time your dog....well, you get the idea.

So, what is a new dog owner to do? It's obvious! Start training your dog from the moment they enter the house. Don't panic! It isn't as hard as it sounds. I frequently foster rescue dogs and I start training the 'Personable Pets Super 6 Household Cues' from day one. The 'Super 6' includes sit, wait, come, walk on a leash, leave it and 4 on the floor. Although there are many more cues they you and your dog should learn - the 'Super 6' is an excellent start to a manageable household. Over the next couple of months I will review the 'Super 6' cues including how, why and when to use, so be sure to check back for updates!!

Content, pictures and videos ©Personable Pets Dog Training