Tampilkan postingan dengan label or. Tampilkan semua postingan

Selasa, 03 Mei 2016

How To Train a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys

Training a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys can be very frustrating at times, especially if you want to use positive reinforcement training. If you are set on using reward based training, check out my post Motivating a Non-Treat or Toy Motivated Dog

There are some dogs that just dont respond to food or toy based training. Such as the dogs mentioned in the comments of the post linked above.

Youre here because your dog doesnt like either food or toys. In fact, you have a hard time seeing anything your dog does like! You see reward based training everywhere, and every time you ask What do I do if my dog doesnt like food or toys you either get no answer, or you get answers just to get you to go away and ask somebody else.

My answer is, try a different Method! Its Okay if you dont train using food or toys.

Now, lets go over the other methods available to you.

How To Train a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys : Praise and Correction

In this method, you dont use food or toys. You simply use petting and praise as a reward for doing the right thing. You always have these with you and its really easy to do! Dog doesnt like food? No problem!

To teach your dog what you want, you first show them what you want by getting them to do the behavior a few times. (Im not going to go into detail on how to do this, the link to the system below will show you exactly how to implement this training method. It works very well and is very fast.) Once you know the dog knows what you want, then you add in corrections when they dont do it on the first time you say.

If you would like more information on this system, check out the website to watch videos, read testimonials, and read more about it. See the website Here

I have this system myself and have used it on many dogs. Ive gotten very good results every time, and it does happen as fast as they say it does.

Get the Large Dog System here.

How To Train a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys : Remote Collar Training

Our next method available to us if you have a dog that doesnt like food or toys, is Remote Collar Training. When used correctly, these do not hurt the dog and should not be used to hurt your dog. If youre hurting your dog or you see someone else using one of these and they are hurting their dog, you are Using It Wrong!

Remote collars can be an extremely useful tool in training, if you choose this method, please go to someone who knows how to properly use one and can teach you how. The best people Ive found that use Remote collar training is Sit Means Sit dog training. This company does amazing things, and no Im not affiliated with them in any way. I do not get paid to recommend them. Ive seen their You Tube Channel and have really liked what Ive seen. I highly recommend watching as many of their videos as you can so you can get an idea of whats possible with them. They have trainers all over the place, so be sure to see if there is one close by to you.

Here is a video of one of their off leash classes, it might give you an idea of what you can expect.

Sit Means Sit Dog training will let you use food or toys if you want to or if your dog responds to them, but they are not required.

How To Train a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys : Natural Training

Natural training is using communication your dog understands and use on themselves. No corrective collars, no food or toys. I have honestly not experimented a lot with this type of training but would like to learn more on it. I found this nice website that is all about it, you can see it at Pam Shaw Canine Consultant. He has a DVD available and I think Im going to order it myself and see what its all about.

I am sure there is more available on the internet about him and on Natural Dog Training. Do a search for it and see what you can find.

To sum this all up, if you have a Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Toys then throw out the reward based training and try something else! It is Okay! Dont let others make you feel bad because you dont use food or toys with your dog. The important thing is finding something that Works!

I would also like to point out, all of these methods are great even if your dog does like food or toys, but maybe you would like to try a different method.

Food or Toys are great to use during training if your dog finds them rewarding! However, dont get frustrated if your dog has no interest in either. There are plenty of other methods out there that dont use food or toys. I hope I helped you find some that will work for you.

Happy Training!

Image Credits:
Dobie Pic: Pato_Garza @ Flickr

Amy @ Talented K9
talentedk9@yahoo.com
www.talentedk9.com

Rabu, 20 April 2016

A room with a view what do dogs want

Putting the woof in tweet! (source)

Hi Julie,

Wow! Thanks for sharing the amazing fun tweet-week we had posting for @realscientists on Twitter. It was great to engage with so many people about so many areas of dog (and other animal!) behaviour and research. And poo. So many questions about dog poo! Some things can be relied upon in life; it’s good to know people are always curious about dog poo.

If you want to revisit any of those posts or links we exchanged as part of the Real Scientists project, check out the amazing collection of our tweets, compiled via Storify by the fabulous Sarah, genius behind Science for Life . 365.

This week, they have an astrophysicist/cosmologist who studies exploding stars and dark energy tweeting – so interesting! He has a beagle named Bagel who has learned to open doors on everything – the house, the fridge, the microwave – he’s keeping himself and everyone following on Twitter entertained!

Over recent weeks I have been talking to working dog industry groups and visiting a variety of kennel facilities as part of my ongoing work with the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. It’s been great being back around the wagging tails and eager faces of working dogs again. Seeing a wide range of kennel facilities has been fantastic and has given me some good motivation to complete my PhD research in the area of kennelled working dogs.

(source)

Kennel facilities (including shelter, boarding/breeding and working dog kennel contexts) are often built to house as many individuals as they can in the space available and to be easily cleaned (usually via chemical wash down and hosing) in order to maintain a hygienic environment. This has historically resulted in spaces formed in concrete and metal that we (as people) readily perceive as barren and sterile.

(source)

Modern facilities are often built with different materials, and can seem more pleasing to our eye, but I wonder if they’re actually any different in meeting dogs’ behavioural needs? It’s been interesting while visiting the recent facilities to consider the dogs’ experience of living in them.

One point of difference that I noted was that some facilities offer the dog/s a view.

Others didn’t.

(source)

This view might be limited to the dog opposite their kennel run, or fairly open to many other dogs, people, surrounding scenery, traffic, animals, etc. especially in areas where dogs have a choice to be in- or outside. The limited research in this area suggests that in situations where dogs are housed singly and have the opportunity to view other dogs, they take it.

I find it interesting that human studies have illustrated positive effects of proximity to windows with a view in hospital and workplace environments: improved recovery times and reduced job stress. A review paper by Taylor and Mills (see below) suggests that sensory overstimulation may occur in kennel environments, so what does that mean when we consider what provision should be made for dogs to see outside of their kennel?

Someone thinks its important, with a fence porthole having been launched for pet dogs a few years ago. So is this marketing to the dogs needs or the peoples perceptions? Dogs certainly seem to actively seek out visual information about the world around them.

I understand that offering a room with a view is just one part of the whole sensory experience of dogs housed in kennel facilities - but maybe its a really important one. Especially for dogs housed in kennel facilities for extended periods of training or during their entire work life.

Perhaps we can discuss some of the other elements of the kennel environment in coming weeks. What do you think dogs want?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, as ever.
Have a great weekend,

Mia

Jumat, 15 April 2016

Keeping Your Dog Safe on Evening or Early Morning Walks

By Suzanne Alicie

We love hearing from our readers. Mary M. recently gave us a great topic to address to help you keep your dog safe when walking in low-light situations, such as evenings and early mornings. As you know by reading some of our other Responsible Pet Ownership posts, we’re all about finding ways to help you keep your pets safe, healthy and happy.

Do you walk your dog early in the morning as the sun is coming up or late in the evening when dusk makes dangerous shadows? Believe it or not, wearing reflective clothing yourself is not enough to protect your dog. Driving at this time of morning or evening is dangerous, and no matter how careful a driver may be there is always a chance of them not seeing your dog. Yes, I know that the side of the road is supposed to be a safe area for walking your dog, but accidents happen. People look away from the road and veer off the side, or shadows can make it difficult to discern where the edge of the road is, not to mention making it hard to see a person or dog in the gloom.

Reflective Equipment

Besides having some sort of reflective clothing on yourself, you should also make sure your dog has a reflective safety vest, reflective leash and collar. Glow in the dark items are also helpful in the event that headlights don’t hit you. Making you and your dog visible even in very low light is important for keeping you both safe. There is no such thing as too much reflective safety gear when it comes to keeping your dog safe.

Watch Where You Walk

If at all possible, alter your routine to walk during these dangerous times on a bike path or nature trail rather than along the road. If you have to walk beside the road, keep your dog on the side away from the road and always make sure you have full control of where he goes. Follow pedestrian traffic rules by walking facing oncoming traffic. You don’t want anyone to drive up behind you and strike you or your dog.

These are simple solutions for when you are walking your dog in low light situations, but what if he gets loose and takes off in the same kind of lighting? You won’t be able to see him any better than someone driving a car, and you chasing him may cause him to run out in front of a car.

The Tagg GPS tracker makes it easy to locate and leash your dog. The lightweight GPS band transmits to an app on your Smartphone showing you where your dog is at all times. It makes rounding up a loose doggie much easier than simply walking the streets shaking a container of CANIDAE Pure Heaven treats and hoping your dog tires of his adventure and comes to you without disaster.

To learn more about other ways to keep your dog safe, check out these posts:

Summer Safety for Dogs

Traveling With Your Dog

Is Your Yard Safe for Your Dog

What to Do if a Snake Bites Your Pet

Eight Things Every Pet Owner Needs to Know

Photos by Takashi Hososhima

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

Rabu, 13 April 2016

Which is Smarter Cats or Dogs

By Linda Cole

Intelligence in dogs can be subjective because of the different jobs they were bred to do. The Bloodhound ranks at the bottom of the intelligence list, but that doesnt mean hes dumb. When it comes to finding a scent and following it, theres no other breed that can top the tracking ability of the Bloodhound. Dogs and cats have different innate skills that set them apart from each other, too. According to scientists, there is a difference in their level of intelligence. But does that mean one species is really smarter than the other?

Im not a fan of labels, like smartest or dumbest, to describe animals or people. Everyone is good at something, and we develop needed skills that allow us to be successful. A science whiz can carefully analyze statistics from a study, but may freeze in fear when presenting it to a group of peers. A chef can create an exquisite meal that melts in your mouth, but cant fix the broken freezer in his kitchen. Cats and dogs use smarts they were born with as well as learned intelligence to process information they need to survive.

Cats do have smaller brains than dogs, but a smaller brain doesnt necessarily translate into being “not as smart.” If youve ever watched a cat stalking a mouse, you see a disciplined and patient hunter that knows the exact moment to attack. The cat may not realize the mouse is food, but instinctively understands the process required to be an efficient hunter. A dog is more apt to race around chasing the poor mouse until it collapses from exhaustion.

The danger to cats is when people believe felines are such good hunters that they can take care of themselves. Kittens that were never taught by their mother to hunt, kill and eat are capable of catching prey, but wont learn an important life lesson of survival. Lost cats have to learn that lesson on their own if they are going to survive.

Neurons are a type of cell in the body that transmits information. Cats have 300 million neurons and dogs have 160 million, which means felines have the ability to process information much better than dogs. Many people dont give cats fair credit when it comes to intelligence. They are solitary creatures by nature, but aloofness has nothing to do with being smart. Their attitude is “whats in it for me,” and a desire to please is permanently on the back burner. Although with the right motivation, cats are just as capable of learning commands and tricks as dogs. Some cats will jump through hoops for their FELIDAE TidNips™ treats and some learn how to run an agility course – the kitty version. Felines also know how to manipulate their owner to get what they want. They are, after all, experts in the art of training us!

The brains of dogs have grown steadily over the years, but theres been no change in the feline brain since they were domesticated 8,000 years ago. However, the reason a dogs brain has increased in size is because the more social an animal is, the bigger the brain size. Plus, larger animals need a bigger brain to process sensory information because of the body size. Canines have been bred to do different jobs that help us. Because they are social, they have a willingness to please and can be taught different skills that benefit mankind. We are still discovering new ways dogs can assist us.

Dogs listen to our words, and learn what certain ones mean. Canines are also experts at reading body language, listening to our tone of voice, and knowing what kind of mood were in just by looking at our face (called Left Gaze Bias). They know if we are being fair or if another dog gets more treats, and they respond to our emotions. Cats know when the one they love is upset and needs some tender loving purrs to make things better.

Both species can problem solve and learn just by watching one another. Over the years, Ive had cats and dogs who learned on their own how to open doors. One of my cats enjoyed watching TV and figured out how to turn it on. When I got home, he would be sitting on the floor right in front of the screen. A cats curiosity may get them into trouble now and then, but their cautious and inquisitive nature is a sign of their intelligence.

When it comes to which one is smarter, both dogs and cats have the right amount of intelligence to do what they do best: bond with their human companions and give us unconditional love that lasts a lifetime.

Top photo by Pete Markham

Bottom photo by Jason McDowell

Kamis, 24 Maret 2016

How to Love Your Dog Believe It or Not!

Think that your dog likes hugs and kisses? Well if he is like most dogs, then he does not enjoy this type of human affection. Children want to show love to dogs by giving hugs and kisses, because this how they show affection to people they love. Hugs are not a natural form of canine interaction to show affection. To show your dog that you love him, learn to give him the things that he really does like and teach your kids to do the same.

Most dog bites are to children, by the family dog or another dog known to the child. Hugs and kisses are a major cause of facial bites to children. Doggone Safe offers suggestions for safe ways to love your dog that the dog will appreciate.

Children (and adults too) often want to show love to dogs the way we show love to each other, through hugs and kisses. Dogs do not naturally understand this, or even enjoy it. Hugs and face-to-face contact can be very threatening to dogs. The dog may tolerate this for a while, but at some point may bite or snap to protect himself once he has exhausted all his means of more subtle warning. Some dogs do enjoy a hug from a special person, if it is on their terms and done with some extra scratching on the chest. Few, if any dogs enjoy hugs the way young children do this, which is to clasp around the neck and hang on. Parents, teach your children to avoid face-to-face contact with any dog (even their own dog) and to show love to the dog in ways other than hugging and kissing.

Doggone Safe offers the following suggestions for Valentine’s Day about how to love your dog in a way that the dog will appreciate.

Touch Your Dog

Invite your dog to come to you for attention. If your dog turns away or moves away, respect his wishes and leave him alone. Many dogs like to be near you, but not necessarily to be touched.
Scratch your dog on the side of the neck or on his chest.
Avoid hugs and kisses. People enjoy this, but most dogs don’t like hugs and kisses. They might tolerate it, but few actually enjoy it.
Invite your dog to sit with you while your read or watch TV. Let him lean on you or put his head on your lap on his terms.
Some dogs enjoy a scratch behind the ears. Most dogs don’t enjoy hands coming down on the top of their heads.
Pet your dog and then stop. If he tries to get you continue then you will know he likes it.

Play With Your Dog

Play games like fetch and hide and seek that do not involve chasing or rough play.
Take your dog for lots of walks.

Understand Your Dog

Learn to read dog body language so that you can understand what your dog is trying to tell you.
A happy dog pants and wags his tail loosely. He may wag all over.
An anxious dog might show a half moon of white in his eye or he may lick his lips or yawn. He may turn his head away or walk away. He wants to be left alone.
A dog that suddenly goes stiff and still is very dangerous and might be ready to bite.
A dog with his mouth closed and ears forward and/or with his tail held high is busy thinking about something and does not want to be bothered.

Reward Your Dog

Look for things your dog does right and give him a treat or praise, petting or play. Never hit or yell at your dog.
Give your dog a stuffed Kong or Chewber or other long lasting chew treat to enjoy while he lies on a mat or in a crate.

Visit our site to download this information as a handout

Read a previous blog post for more about why dogs dont like hugs and kisses

Sabtu, 19 Maret 2016

Motivating the Non Treat or Toy Motivated Dog

Today we covered how to motivate your dog in our article "Motivating Your Dog" however we didnt cover just how to motivate that dog, that doesnt like treats or toys. Here I hope to help you with just that.

There are a lot of dogs out there who do not like treats or toys. Ive seen a lot of them. Using clickers and positive reinforcement, you need something that will motivate your dog. Dogs who dont like treats or toys puts a little bit of a damper on training.

First of all, lets start with the non-treat motivated dog. Ask yourself a few questions first to be sure you actually do have a non-food motivated dog.

Do you free-feed your dog? (Have food down at all times for them?)
Do you feed your dog, then try training them with more food?
What type of treats are you using?

If you answer yes to the first 2 questions or either one of them, this could be your problem. Instead of free-feeding or feeding your dog then training, portion out the dogs food and use his food during the training. Make him work for his kibble. It is healthier for him this way too.

If you answered no to either of those, and youve tried portioning out his food and still no results, ask yourself, what type of treats are you using. Try a variety of things! Cheese, hot dogs, chicken, beef, turkey, what ever you can think of! Make sure its not toxic for the dog though, such as Grapes or chocolate. If your dog still is not interested what so ever, then I believe you can accurately say you have a non-treat motivated dog.

Now lets look at the non-toy motivated dog. If your dog is food motivated, but not toy motivated, you can use the food to train your pet to like toys by clicker training. You can also spike interest in toys by getting interactive toys you can put food into. Getting a dog to like toys is all about building the dogs prey drive. A good way to start this is with a simple rag on a rope. Twitch it around, pretend your playing with a cat. This will help spark a lot of dogs interest in toys, building on that prey drive that is already built into the dog. You can use a rag on a rope, or a simple long toy or tug on the end of the rope. I like attaching the rope to a long stick to get more action of the toy at the end.

For an example of what Im talking about, I found this video. You might watch with volume down low as the pups are very excited and barking a lot. They are training these pups for schutzhund work so they are holding them back from the toy to further build their prey drive. You dont have to hold your dog back when doing this.

As you can see, this builds a lot of excitement in most dogs. I have a German Shepherd that has never been interested in toys, yet when I bring out this toy, shes always been nuts about it! Give it a try and see what happens. It might not work for all dogs, but its still worth a try.

So, if you really do have a non-treat and non-toy motivated dog, you have to get creative! What does motivate your dog? What makes your dog happy? Perhaps it is simple praise and petting, perhaps its brushing with their favorite brush, maybe its being allowed up on the couch or bed. Do they like playing with other dogs? Sniffing in the bushes? Going on a walk? You can use all of these as rewards, simply have your dog do what you want first, click or say YES! and let them go do what they want to do, or invite them on the couch (if they are allowed).

A few examples here. Praise and petting is great because you can take that everywhere you go. Brushing, you can have your dog sit, click, and brush for a few seconds, then have your dog do something else to earn more brushing. Have your dog sit or down before you invite them on the couch or bed. Have your dog sit, down or walk on a loose leash before being released to go play with the other dogs, sniffing the bushes or going on a walk. Walks are great because you can use simple movement as the reward to anything you want your dog to do.

So, a non-treat and non-toy motivated dog is not impossible to train using positive reinforcement. Yes it makes it harder and you have to get creative, but it is still doable!

The book Click for Joy! is great for answering questions such as these. Its a whole book based on frequently asked questions by real people all about clicker training. If you have questions, this is the book for you. The author does a wonderful job of answering each question in great detail.

The book Clicking With Your Dog has a list of treat ideas, along with treats not to use because they are toxic. A great list to have. It has great ideas on how to train your dog while going about your daily business, even if you are watching TV or on the computer, it shows you how to train your dog while doing so. This book not only has tricks that are useful such as putting toys away or helping with laundry, but also basic obedience; sit, down, loose leash walking, stay and more. Also has teaching your dog to retrieve using clicker training. A great read and I cant recommend it enough.

I hope I gave you some ideas on how to go about training your hard to motivate dog! Get out there and train your dog!

Check out part 2 on How To Train A Dog That Doesnt Like Food or Treats

Dont forget to check out our Squidoo pages that you can find over on your right!

Jumat, 18 Maret 2016

Dog Bite Prevention in San Diego

By Kay Thompson BSN RN, CPEN, CPDT-KA

We hear the same story way too often at Rady Children’s Emergency Department here in San Diego. “Our dog has never bitten anyone. The kids and the dog play nicely together all the time. Then today, out of the blue, he bit him.” As we prepare for the plastic surgeon to arrive and repair these tiny faces, we often wonder, “Why do we see so many dog bites?” As a trauma nurse and a dog trainer, I decided a few years ago that I wanted to find out more about dog bites. My hunch was that people can prevent nearly all of them. I am now certain that this is the case. The way we can prevent dog bites is by educating the entire community.

In 2009, I was honored to be the recipient of a generous injury prevention grant from The San Diego Chapter of the Emergency Nurse’s Association. I didn’t know where to begin, but I knew I would need some help from experts in dog bite prevention. That is when I found Doggone Safe. Together, we have created a complete educational program. It is suited for providing dog bite prevention education to all ages. Products available include colorful brochures, postcards, and a poster that gives a quick lesson in dog body language and explains that “Dogs Don’t Bite Out of the Blue.” Click here to view and order these.

For the past three years, I have focused my energy on educating San Diego area nurses, doctors, and paramedics about dog bite prevention. I have had the opportunity to give my lecture entitled “Who Let the Dog Bite?” to audiences throughout Southern California. This year, I will have the opportunity to take this education nationwide. I will be presently during Dog Bite Prevention Week at CFED West, which is a national education conference for paramedics and firefighters. In September, I’m thrilled to be speaking at The Emergency Nurse’s Association National Conference here in San Diego.

Thank you Doggone Safe for your wonderful partnership! I’m very proud of the progress we have made and the strides we have taken to bring Dog Bite Prevention to the forefront of injury prevention.

Sabtu, 12 Maret 2016

Fireworks not fun for everyone or every dog

(source)

Hi Julie,

I hope you have had a lovely Christmas, we certainly did! The sun has been shining and we’ve enjoyed seeing our friends and family over the past few days.

I’ve got my eye on New Year’s Eve now that Christmas has passed, but not because I’m planning a big night out. It’s all to do with fireworks.

My two dogs demonstrate very different reactions to fireworks. One used to default into a shaking ball and tuck herself away into a corner somewhere (usually under my desk or next to my bed).

(source)

The other prefers to charge around, barking at the sky as though the sound is an intruder and will continue racing and barking until the noise stops. I’m sure that in his mind, he is convinced that he (once again) successfully saved us ALL by scaring off the weird sky-noises. To his credit – it works every time. Bark long enough and the noises do go away!

(source)

Over the years, we’ve developed strategies to help them both cope better with less anxiety and fear in these situations. Most of the time, these strategies work (or maybe they are just going deaf as they get older?!).

However, lots of dogs have a really rough time on New Year’s Eve.

(source)

When I worked in a shelter, it was by far our busiest 24 hour period of the entire year. One year, we had more dogs enter the shelter than we physically had room to kennel (on average, we had 5-10 dogs admitted per day; on NYE, we could receive 100+!). They would end up in offices and leashed to anchor points in various locations. It was also a peak period for the associated vet clinic in treating emergencies, generally dogs hit by cars. Other dogs needed injured paws treated after running panicked along rough roads. Fortunately most dogs we reclaimed by their owners, but sadly, some were not so lucky and never made it home again.

(source)

Research conducted by the University of Bristol (UK) in 2005, showed that nearly half of the owners surveyed reported their dogs were frightened of loud noises. Of these dogs, fireworks were reported (in 83% of dogs) to cause fearful behaviours more than any other loud noise (e.g. thunderstorms). These figures are consistent with a later study conducted in New Zealand, published in 2010.

(source)

What behavioural signs indicate fear in dogs?

Trembling/Shaking
Barking/Howling
Hiding
Destructive behaviour
Seeking out people
Scratch door/Escape
Toilet/defecate

Interestingly, This study suggested a link between the time of year dogs were born and fearful behaviour to loud noises (i.e. if they were likely to have heard fireworks when puppies, they were reportedly less likely to show a fearful response).

Most owners of dogs exhibiting fear behaviour to loud noises report they were unaware that professional help (from animal behaviourists or their vet) was available to assist in helping their dog, or had not pursued such help.

Several types of treatment have been researched with various levels of success reported:

homeopathic remedies (was not shown to be significantly effective);
dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) (has been shown to help);
desensitisation/counter-conditioning CDs (has been shown to help); and
vet-only dispensed medication, such as clomipramine (has been shown to help)

Some of these treatments can be used in conjunction with each other.

I couldnt find any research about the success of ear muffs! (source)

If you have any friends facing their first New Year’s Eve with a new pet dog, it might be worth warning them that their dog might be one of the many that are sensitive to loud noises like fireworks.

(source)

The RSPCA and ASPCA have some extremely helpful resources and tips to help dogs cope better.

RSPCA Victoria also have a great set of information that gives advice based on whether you will be home or not - its even available in a handy printout.

Tell your friends!

I dont mind fireworks, but Im keeping very conscious of the fact my dogs dont.
Wishing you a fabulous close to 2012 and and exciting start to 2013!

Mia

(source)

Dog Training Tips

Pages

Selasa, 03 Mei 2016