Respect

Happy 4th of July

The Art and Science of Dog Training

Callie is a high drive young Dobie. She's a sweet girl who loves  attention. Unfortunately she has learned many bad behaviors that were both intentionally and unintentially reinforced.  Both she and her owner are learning new ways to interact. Her owner is very invested in her training. With consistant training she will be a real superstar when she matures.

How to help your pet through the Summer heat

       A little caring attention to your pet’s needs can keep 

them safe and happy through the hotter 

Summer months.

The summer months can be uncomfortable—even dangerous—for pets and people. Follow some simple tips to keep your favorite pal healthy in the Summer heat.

Practice basic summer safety
Never leave your pets in a
parked car! Not even for a minute. Not even with the car running an air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees.

Watch the humidity  
Humidity can make already high temperatures worse. Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly. If your dog’s temperature reaches 104 degrees, they are in danger of heatstroke and organ failure.

Don’t rely on a fan 

Fans don’t necessarily cool a pets feet and that is where they primarily sweat.
 
Provide ample shade and water

Any time your pet is outside, make sure he or she has protection from heat and sun

and plenty of fresh, cold water. Shade trees and tarps can help. A doghouse does not provide relief from heat—in fact, it makes it worse.

Cool your pet inside and out   

Always provide water, whether your pets are inside or out with you.

Watch for signs of heatstroke

Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness. Older animals, and those with short muzzles are particularly susceptible to heatstroke.

How to treat a pet suffering from heatstroke

Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck, and chest or run cool (not cold) water over her. Let her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take her directly to a veterinarian.

Flea and Tick Season is here                 

Be on the lookout and check your pets for ticks in addition to checking them for fleas. As

early as early May, we were seeing signs of an increase in fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and

other pests for your pets, due to a mild winter and soggy spring.

Who is ruling the roost?

Driving home after a day of training I thought about the dogs I had seen. Two were little fear aggressive terriers that had bitten houseguests. Another bigger dog was leash reactive, lunging and barking at dogs, cats, squirrels, or anything else that moved. Needless to say his owners had no control over him when he saw something in the house through the window or outside. The fourth dog just didn’t listen. She helped herself to whatever she desired; couch pillow, loaf of bread on the counter, $100 shoes. Didn’t matter, whatever struck her fancy at the moment was hers. Or so she thought. All four of these dogs lead their owners when walked, charging ahead and acting as if the person on the other end of the leash didn’t exist.

These owners are good people who love their dogs. All have one thing in common. Their dogs rule the roost. They love their dogs unconditionally, allowing them full run of the house and provide no structure or rules of behavior. Nothing is earned and the dogs do not have to work for anything. Affection is given indiscriminately and frequently. The dogs see their people as soft and weak and are making their own decisions because no one is doing it for them.  What these dogs need is guidance and less unconditional affection. I asked all of them to do one thing this week besides the individualized homework I had assigned. I asked them to withhold affection for the week and to ignore the dog when they are not training, feeding or taking bathroom breaks. No belly rubs, no baby talk, no cuddling. The dog stays off furniture. Just for one week. I suspect that the dogs will begin to learn to stop taking their owners for granted and will become a bit more attentive to them. 

How we live with our dog 

determines the dog 

we ultimately get

Training Vent

I believe training dogs is as much an art as it is a science. To deny this is to deny the uniqueness of the dogs we work with. There is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ method of training. The more we understand what motivates an individual dog’s behavior the more apt we are to achieve success. Relying on more than one tool in our training toolbox is key when addressing the various temperaments and behaviors of the dogs we are training.  For some dogs, focusing on the behavior will also change the motivating emotional component for the better, for others, dealing solely with the emotional component will cause a positive behavior change, and for still others, dealing with both the emotive and the behavioral will lead to a successful outcome. Do food rewards work in training? Absolutely when teaching and rewarding new behaviors. Do aversives play a role in training? Absolutely, with most dogs all of the time and with some dogs some of the time. If someone tells you otherwise, rest assured that they are not doing right by the dog. All dogs need to learn what is acceptable and what behavior simply won’t be tolerated. The point is to have enough tools on hand to gage what is working and what is not, and to have the knowledge and skill to switch gears when necessary without letting rigid ideologies get in the way of doing right for the dog and his owner.

Live Right with Your Dog

Hyperarousal is a sign of stress

Stress is the cause of many unwanted behaviors. A calm body is a calm mind. If your dog often displays these signs of hyperarousal help him learn to calm down by teaching a few simple exercises to alleviate his stress.

I promise your dog will thank you.

..."most dogs die because of what they do. If you can stop the unacceptable behavior, they live. Whether they have been taught to roll over or fetch has no bearing in their survival. It’s what they do that kills them, not what they don’t know how to do." - Gary Wilkes

 I read this piece by Gary Wilkes today and thought it was important enough to share. Most dogs are brought to shelters and then die there because of what they do. Teaching them what not to do is what most owners want and what many dogs need to learn quickly and efficently. I would love nothing more than to throw treats at dogs all day long, but as that old song goes, 'sometimes love ain't enough'.

Gary Wilkes' Real Clicker Training

Adherence to a flawed ideology resembles nothing so much as abject stupidity…GW

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The Assumption of Imagined Harm

Posted on March 13, 2014

In the war over ethical training techniques there is a boogeyman – imagined harm. Trainers that pander to exclusively “positive” methods use this boogeyman to suppress logical and open discussion of the topic. That is because their perspective has no rational basis and cannot become paramount unless they suppress logical criticism. Their primary tool is to propose that any use of aversive control is dangerous and will lead to some imagined harm. That is obviously an irrational statement. A leash and collar inhibits free movement and compels the dog to hold an arbitrary distance from the handler. Not only is this not automatically harmful, all trainers, vets, shelter workers and pet owners use leashes and collars – even the anti-punishment ideologues. This begs the question of why someone would propose a wide-sweeping claim that the most casual observation contradicts. The answer may surprise you. They do this because it allows them to create the fantasy that they are ethically superior while silencing anyone who would question their statements. i.e. The anti-punishers promote imagined harm in order to win the argument.

An Example: False dichotomies

The tools for creating imagined harm are often removing any real-world context and creating arbitrary and unrealistic dichotomies. Here’s an example from the ASPCA’s webs pages on training.

“Some training methods use punishment, like leash corrections and scolding, to discourage dogs from doing everything except what you want them to do. Other methods cut right to the chase and focus on teaching dogs what you do want them to do. While both tactics can work, the latter is usually the more effective approach, and it’s also much more enjoyable for you and your dog.”

The first sentence is a prime example of removal of context and a false dichotomy. They have created a straw man who uses only punishment, all the time. The two types of punishment they offer are leash corrections and scolding – relatively mild forms of punishment. If leash corrections and scolding are somehow harmful then all dogs in the US have been harmed because they wear collars and inevitably hit the end of a leash, if only by accident. This leads to several obvious questions. Why would using such moderate punishments automatically imply that one uses only punishment? (The stress on the neck from veterinary technicians and shelter workers attempting to subdue fractious dogs often exceeds anything that a trainer would do, even our imagined “all punishment” trainer.) Why would leash corrections and scolding be able to stop every behavior other than acceptable behaviors? If they are capable of that power and all dogs experience these things (apparently to no purpose) why wouldn’t a rational person use scolding and leash corrections as a part of their training protocol? If the unacceptable behaviors stop, why would they straw man continue to punish the dog?

The second sentence leads us to a variation on the false premise of the first sentence. This suggests that teaching the dog what to do is the more direct means of achieving a trained dog. What is completely missing is an understanding that reinforcement and punishment have opposite effects. One effect decreases behavior and one increases behavior. If the goal is to stop the dog from jumping on guests, positive reinforcement does not “cut to the chase.” It delays the solution by using the wrong tool. This is only logical. Punishment stops or reduces behavior immediately and positive reinforcement, by definition, cannot stop anything. EG: “Cut to the chase” means skipping the extraneous scenes of a western movie to get to the action – meaning the important part of the movie.

The important part of a behavior procedure is to get to the solution in a timely fashion. If you delay the solution by using the wrong tool you leave the animal in jeopardy. Pet owners do not have forever or always to solve problems like jumping up on kids or destroying furniture. They need solutions that occur rapidly, safely and without complex procedures that barely blunt the dog’s behavior. So, no, there is no logical evidence that teaching dogs what to do is at all more effective. On the contrary – most dogs die because of what they do. If you can stop the unacceptable behavior, they live. Whether they have been taught to roll over or fetch has no bearing in their survival. It’s what they do that kills them, not what they don’t know how to do. Promoting the concept that we just need to teach them new behaviors completely ignores the context. As for positive methods being more enjoyable for you and your dog, consider what it’s like to constantly have to use treats to bribe an animal into obedience – and still having it fail routinely when a more powerful motivation intrudes – like a cat running quickly through the yard. The “positive’ methodology promotes a process that is pleasant to do, but leaves consequences that are far from pleasant and may be lethal. That possible result is conveniently removed from the context.

Exaggeration – The Number 1 Tool

Another common tool of the anti-punishment ideologue is to exaggerate wildly and assume that any use of aversive control causes horrible “side effects.” They never talk about intended, beneficial primary effects like saving a dog’s life by applying a controlled, temporary procedure that includes unpleasantness but insures a long life. For instance, this is an inert, menthol inhaler. It

looks a bit like a lipstick tube. I recently used one to stop a 90 pound Chesapeake from jumping and knocking down a four year old little boy. When the dog jumped up, I put the inhaler to his nose. I repeated it until I couldn’t get him to jump up – clearly a punishment procedure. Then I gave the inhaler to the little boy – who chased the dog around unsuccessfully for a couple of days and then gave up the game. The result was a dog that was cautious about running willy-nilly through the house or jumping on the child. Ask yourself how this use of punishment could result in the following “side effects.” Again from the ASPCA…

“Alternatively, you could grab your dog’s leash and jerk her to the ground every time she jumps up to greet people, and you’d most likely get the same effect in the end—no more jumping up. But consider the possible fallout:

• Your dog might decide that people are scary since she gets hurt whenever she tries to greet them—and she might try to drive them away by growling or barking the next time they approach.
• Your dog might decide that YOU are scary since you hurt her whenever she tries to greet people.”

As you can see, the author exaggerated and described an imagined, specific procedure when the topic was supposed to be about the general behavioral effect called punishment. To make sure that the scenario would be horrific to the average pet owner, she included the words “jerk” “hurt” and “scary” to imply pain, damage, fear and suffering. (Again, jerking a dog by the neck is a standard practice in shelters – including the ASPCA shelter in Manhattan.) There are several reasons why this is ludicrous and dishonest. By scientific definition the presentation of a stimulus that causes a behavior to stop is “positive punishment.” Therefore, by definition, I plainly punished the Chesapeake. However, nothing I did hurt the dog. The dog wasn’t even wearing a leash. There was no harmful fallout. The dog was not frightened by any aspect of the training. The only emotional reaction you could use would be “caution.” Why doesn’t the SPCA offer a caution about specific dangers of specific procedures rather than lumping all punishment into the category of abuse? My use of the Vicks inhaler benefited the dog, the child and the dog’s owner. How can this use of punishment cause harm? Of course, it can’t. To get you to obey them, the ASPCA has to scare you. That creates an ironic hypocrisy – the ASPCA claims that scaring a dog is abusive but scaring people to force compliance with their ideology is not.  

No context, no analysis of results:
When you read this stuff you will find that there is never a discussion of the full context of the need for behavioral control. 7-8 out of ten dogs in this country will not see their first birthday. Shelters see about 20% of the overall walking-dead and kill 80% of the ones they get. The reason most dogs are taken to shelters is because they do things that families and individuals cannot live with. If the behaviors can be stopped, they live, if not, not.

In the example of the dog being jerked to stop it from jumping, who cares about that if the behavior disappears? (Before you jump to conclusions, all vet hospitals, shelters and boarding kennels use “slip lead” collars that constrict the neck when tightened. Poll any dozen vets and ask if they have ever seen a neck injury they can attribute to a choke chain or other slip collar. I did about a year ago just to make sure my information was correct. Of a dozen vets, two ER vets, none of them had ever treated a dog for a neck injury from a collar of any kind. ) While the description is loaded with exaggerated dangers it doesn’t tell you the likely result of the dog doesn’t stop jumping on people – death. If it was proven that jerking a dog by the neck would prevent it from getting killed, would you refuse to do it? (The ASPCA pretends that teaching an alternate behavior will end the jumping, but that is simply nonsense. Teaching you French doesn’t stop you from speaking English. Meaning, positive reinforcement cannot stop behaviors. At best it adds to the dog’s repertoire. The old behavior may be less likely to happen but it isn’t blocked from returning. Research by Ivan Pavlov confirms reality – old car thieves may go straight, but if they ever need to steal a car again, they still know how to do it. That means that if you can get a dog to sit instead of jumping the dog will likely return to jumping when he stops getting treats for sitting. In almost all cases, that does not save the dog’s life.)

To retain their pets and have a happy home, dog owners need to stop unacceptable behaviors once and for all. They cannot spend a fortune and many hours of each day controlling their dog. Most of the behaviors that need stopping are innocuous but deadly. Like walking too close to a rattle snake. The actual behavior is innocuous but the result can be catastrophic. Regularly knocking down a small child is no different. (Oddly, anti-punishment people do not oppose using electric shock collars to teach dogs to avoid rattle snakes but would never countenance using the same collar to teach a dog to not knock down children – even though the outcome for the dog is identical but the odds of dying from a rattle snake are miniscule by comparison.) This selective acceptance of punishment is mindless and hypocritical…but, then, their world-view is mindless and hypocritical. They claim to love animals – yet attack methods that could save lives. That harm isn’t imagined – it’s plain to see and smell at a landfill near you.

Why won’t my dog stop barking?

A dog that barks incessantly is a real nightmare for its owners. This type of barking isn’t done to annoy you, though it is annoying, but is your dog’s way of trying to communicate a message to you. Understanding the message is the key to stopping this unwanted behavior.

 

There are generally 4 reasons why a dog barks continuously. They are boredom, fear, confusion and belligerence.  These are triggers that all owners can learn to recognize. Once you understand why the barking is occurring it becomes easier to eliminate it.

 

Is your dog bored? Is he getting enough long walks with time to sniff and explore?  Have you taught him to play fetch or tug, with rules to learn and adhere to? Often we leave our dog home alone for 9 or more hours while we work. We return home tired and stressed, let them out in the yard to do their business and because we are tired from a day of working, we expect them to lie quietly at our side in the evening before we retire to bed. From your dog’s perspective, he has done nothing but experience the same boring routine for hours, days and even weeks on end. The old adage “a tired dog is a good dog” is true. Mental and physical stimulation along with structure and routine are key for a well-balanced dog.

 

Does your dog bark at the vacuum? How about at other dogs when out for a walk? Could be he is afraid. He will benefit, (and so will you!), from a program of desensitization and counter-conditioning to help him overcome his fears. You don’t know what that means? Give us a call. We’d be glad to help.

 

There are dog’s that bark out of a sense of confusion. They see something they are unsure of. Is it friendly, is it going to do harm?  He may simply not know how to react. It is our job to take the lead and show him by being calm and in control the proper way to behave. Praise calm behavior and interrupt the unwanted behavior as soon as it begins, (or better yet, as soon as you sense a change in your dog’s demeanor indicating he is about to erupt).

 

Then there are those demanding dogs that bark because they feel entitled to more of your attention or a share of your food. We call them spoiled! They are use to getting what they want and have no tolerance for “no”. Often owners of this type of barker give in, if only to quiet them, creating a vicious circle by reinforcing the very behavior they want to stop. It’s never too late to start teaching your dog self-control as well as letting him know his behavior will not be tolerated.

 

There is no overnight fix for constant barking, but with consistency and the help of a trainer, nuisance barking can be stopped. In as much as you find it annoying it is most unhealthy for your dog’s well being. For his state of mind, and for yours, it is worth the time, effort and expense to show him a better, healthier way to live.

A few truths I've learned... By Sean O'shea

-Leading dogs makes them happier, more secure, less stressed, better behaved, more fun, happier.
-Correcting bad behavior is the way to change bad behavior. Make bad behavior uncomfortable and good behavior comfortable.
-Redirecting and offering alternatives doesn't stop bad behavior. It only does what it says.
-Sharing consequences for poor choices is your job and responsibility, whether you enjoy it or not.
-Positive reinforcement is awesome for teaching what you want, not so awesome for teaching what you don't.
-99% of dog issues come from permissiveness, allowance, softness, doting.
-People treat dogs like glass. They're hearty, robust creatures. Their minds and bodies are more resilient than we give them credit for.
-E-collars and prong collars, although terribly named, are typically the most effective and easiest tools on the dog.
-E-collars and prong collars, although terribly named, are typically the most effective and easiest tools on the owner.
-Dogs, like kids, will resist structure, leadership, and guidance. And just like kids, they'll either thrive because of them or suffer in their absence.

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Happy Cinco de Mayo

Should I Call a Dog Trainer?

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There are many reasons people give up their dogs. First and foremost it is because of seemingly out of control behavior issues. Issues ranging from destructive chewing, house soiling, uncontrollable barking, jumping, lunging and growling at other dogs to more dangerous behaviors including food guarding, biting and fighting with another dog in the home. The reasons are varied and I could go on and on adding to the list. What matters in the end is that if that dog’s behavior doesn’t change he will end up either re-homed if he is lucky, or more often than not, he will end up in a shelter where he has a good chance of dying.

 I know you love your dog and I know you have reached your limit.  You have poured through training books trying to make sense out of the often conflicting advise you are told. You have listened to your friends, your relatives and the so-called dog experts in your neighborhood or local dog park. But still, the bad behaviors persist, or worse, they become more pronounced. So now you have a choice to make, either get rid of the dog or bite the bullet and seek professional help.

 How I wish you had called me early on, before the bad habits had taken hold. It is so much easier to instill good habits than it is to break bad ones.  If there is one piece of advise I could give to new dog owners it would be this: Don’t wait until your dog’s behavior is out of control or dangerous before you seek professional help. The sooner a problem is dealt with, the easier the fix.  If you’ve never had a dog before, or never had ‘that type’ of dog before, call a trainer. Call us when your 12-week-old puppy can’t play with you without biting. Call us when your puppy is a bundle of energy that seems to never subside. Pay attention to his behavior. If you see behaviors that make you uncomfortable give us a call.  Don’t wait until the choice is between a trainer and a shelter.  There is help out there. It is up to you to ask for it.

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Perfect Bliss

 Who could ask for anything more!

Clicker Training Gone Wrong

This was posted on Facebook. I wish I could remember who created it to give him/her proper credit

Choosing The Dog That Is Right For You

Published on The Bark (http://thebark.com)

Home > Choosing The Dog Who’s Right For You.

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By

Karen B. London [3]

, PhD

Whether you’re searching for your first best friend or the next one, choosing a dog to welcome into your home and heart takes some thought. The right decision is the difference between an uneasy relationship and a match made in heaven. Many people choose a dog without much reflection, and honestly, a lot of the time, things work out fine. Sometimes, though, a combination of unfortunate choices and bad luck leads to trouble. Whether it’s an incompatibility issue or serious behavior problems, a mismatch can sure get in the way of a loving relationship and the companionship we seek from dogs. Thoughtful consideration about the kind of dog who best suits your lifestyle will help you avoid some common mistakes: Getting a long-haired-needs-to-be-brushed-every-day dog if you never bother to comb your own hair. Adopting a committed barker if you live in an apartment. Picking an athletic dog because nothing else has made your dream of leaving your couch-potato ways behind come true. Since some traits are more common in certain breeds than others, choosing by breed can be a good place to start. There are exceptions, but few will argue that a Dachshund is as good a backpacking companion as a Labrador Retriever, for example, or that a Sheltie and a Greyhound are equally likely to bark excessively. Many people, including me, have a particular fondness for mixed-breed dogs, but if you know you want a dog to work sheep or some other highly specific task, choosing a purebred who has been bred to perform certain behaviors has advantages. Regardless of your personal preferences, however, a purebred dog isn’t guaranteed to have a good temperament or good health, or be compatible with you. (Mixed-breeds come without this guarantee as well.) It’s also common to focus on the type of dog and fail to give enough consideration to the individual dog, even though that factor is so critical to everyone’s future happiness. This stage of the selection process requires careful thought as well. Remember that what is most likely to make you happy is the dog’s behavior, not the dog’s looks. That sounds obvious, but it’s often forgotten when you meet a dog who is so eye-catching that your heart melts, followed by your brain. I know it’s hard to resist, but don’t let beauty trump good sense. Appearances can lead you astray in other ways. It’s unwise to pick a dog because he looks like one you used to love. That brown spot shaped like a crescent moon right above his tail is not the trait that made your angel dog from childhood an angel. Ditto for the color of his eyes, the tendency for one ear to be up and the other down, or his endearingly comical leggy proportions. The best predictor of a dog’s behavior is the parents’ behavior. This information is not always available, but if it is, pay attention! If someone tells you that you can’t meet the father because he’s aggressive, don’t even consider a puppy from a litter he sired. The mother’s behavior is just as critical, so if it’s possible to know anything about her or to meet her, take note of her actions. Ask what she (and the sire) would do if a child took her toy, or if she met a strange dog on the street, or if a strange man went in for a hug, and pay attention to the answers. Whether you are adopting a puppy, an adolescent or an adult, never ignore the most important predictor of a dog’s behavior, which is the behavior of the dog’s parents. Information on parentage can be hard to come by, especially for adolescents and adults, but always ask about it. You may be surprised to find out that some specifics are known. And while I think it’s prudent to consider temperament tests or other behavioral assessments, I wouldn’t accept them as gospel. A recent study of the value of such tests performed in shelters found that of the many things they measured, only fear and friendliness had any predictive value once the dog was placed in a home (Mornement et al. 2014). Clearly, temperament tests don’t come through on their promises to tell us all we want to know about dogs before adopting them (Hekman 2014). Still, we can’t pretend they’re pointless, either. Surely it’s better to do some sort of evaluation rather than play eenie-meenie-miney-mo, or choose the dog you think is better looking than the others. It bodes well when a dog solicits play or responds to your attempts to play. A playful dog in a strange situation with an unfamiliar person has not been shut down by fear or stress, and that’s good. There are plenty of scared, stressed dogs who make wonderful pets and are loved beyond measure, but let’s face it, dogs who don’t chronically suffer from either of these negative emotions have advantages. One study showed that dogs who responded rather than ignored people’s attempts to play with them were more likely to be adopted (Protopopova and Wynne 2014). This suggests that playfulness already influences adoption, whether we consciously attend to it or not. I’m favorably impressed by dogs who are comfortable being touched. Enjoying petting and seeking close physical contact are great signs, but not deal breakers if dogs aren’t immediately into it. When they’re in a strange environment, it’s natural for them to want to sniff around and explore a bit. However, while an instant desire for petting is not essential, later on, once they’ve calmed down, it’s a reasonable expectation. Speaking of calming down, I pay a lot of attention to whether or not a dog is capable of doing so, and how long it takes. I have no problem with dogs who get excited. Perhaps they’ve been in a kennel for a long time and are short on exercise and social contact. Naturally, they are thrilled to greet you and run around a new place. Still, a dog who shows no signs of getting over that initial arousal and excitement within a few minutes may struggle with self-control in a lot of situations, and that’s not ideal in a pet dog. Whether the dog leans toward being playful or toward wanting physical contact, it’s smart to choose a dog who engages with you. Exactly how they do that and what appeals to you personally are both matters of individual choice, but it’s important that they express an interest. Otherwise, you may be swimming upstream in trying to build a strong relationship and to train the dog. I also like to evaluate a dog’s trainability by observing how quickly he learns a new behavior and how interested he is in the process. Teaching a dog to sit or lie down, to leave a piece of food on the ground, or to touch a target stick are a few great options for assessing trainability. A dog who can be trained demonstrates focus and attention, and an interest in you or in food (or perhaps both). It’s promising when a dog recovers quickly from being startled by a loud noise, such as a book dropped on the floor. If a dog gets scared and hides for hours, that’s a problem. What you’re looking for is a dog who, though startled, takes only a moment to return to his normal emotional state. It indicates an ability to regulate his emotions and deal with the many little shocks that life brings. Although there are a lot of things to do in order to choose a dog who is a good match for you, you also need to know what not to do: Don’t pick a dog out of pity; it’s not the best way to start a relationship. Remember, you are giving a home to one dog no matter which dog you choose, so choose the one you really want. Don’t rush into it or acquire a dog on impulse. It makes things harder on everyone if you bring a dog home when you are not ready emotionally, financially or logistically. Don’t buy from a pet store or any place that gets dogs from puppy mills. If you do, you are supporting a system that harms dogs. When there is no demand for dogs from these places, dogs will no longer be bred for them or mistreated in them. If you are planning on welcoming a puppy rather than an adolescent or adult dog, there are a couple of extra “don’ts” to consider: Don’t pick the puppy who is off by himself in the corner while the others tumble around together. That “lone wolf” sort of puppy may be endearing and pull at your heart, but he is not exhibiting normal social behavior. The dog who does not interact will be less likely to build strong connections with you or with other dogs, and far more likely to have serious behavior problems that will distress you and your family down the road. Similarly, resist the temptation to pick the puppy who is running over everyone and showing no self-control or respect for boundaries. Such “mack truck” puppies are likely to be that way throughout life, and it’s not a trait that’s fun to live with. Lack of impulse control can make training, relationships and daily life challenging beyond description. There are many, many dogs out there—in shelters and rescue groups (including breed rescue), and from responsible breeders—who could be a great friend as well as a family member you can’t imagine life without. May your search lead you to one who will become your true love!

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References
Hekman, J. 2014. Testing the Tests. The Bark 79: 47–50.
Mornement, K.M. and G.J. Coleman et al. 2014. Development of the behavioural assessment for re-homing K9’s (B.A.R.K.) protocol. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 151: 75–83.
Protopopova, A. and C.D.L. Wynne. 2014. Adopter-dog interactions at the shelter: Behavioral and contextual predictors of adoption. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 157: 109–116.

Karen B. London, PhD, is a Bark columnist and a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of serious behavior problems in the domestic dog.

Photo by Darin J Snyder

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Source URL (retrieved on 7/18/2015): http://thebark.com/content/choosing-dog-whos-right-you?page=show

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