Monday, April 1, 2013

Management...How to set yourself (and your dog!) up for Success


Management is a key component in your goal of achieving a well-mannered dog.  Management, not training, can be the difference between a chewed couch, stolen food off the counters, numerous holes in the backyard and complaints from neighbors for barking.  Good management essentially means setting you and your dog up for success.  That is to say, understand that your dog is not a furry person but an animal that possesses a set of instincts which guide her behaviors.  In order to successfully communicate with your dog, it’s important to understand what these instincts are and how you can use them to your advantage.  For example, dogs are den animals that enjoy and relax in tight, enclosed places.  Being den animals, their instincts usually tell them to keep their den clean.  Crate training uses the dog’s natural instincts to help you with destructive behavior as well as housetraining.

There are four management tools which are essential to a healthy, happy and appropriate relationship between dog and owner.  These tools include crate training, tie downs, dragging leash and exercise. 

1.     Crate Training
The crate is a safe place for your dog to be when you are gone.  The length of time a dog should spend in a crate varies depending on the dog’s age and temperament.  Most dogs that are crate trained properly love their crates.  A dog’s crate is like her own bedroom where she can go to get away from everything.  Remember that for young dogs, or dogs new to a family, more space and freedom can be a catalyst to destructive behavior.  The more space a dog has, the more anxiety they feel and anxiety is a major contributor to chewing, digging and barking.  Set the crate up in a room in the house where the dog is used to spending time and put the dog in it when you leave.  Although most dogs will sleep in their crates, it’s always a good idea to give them an appropriate chewy or activity toy to keep them busy while you are gone.  If you need help getting your dog used to the crate, refer to the crate training handout. 

2.     Tie Down
A tie-down is a leash or cable that is 2 to 3 feet long and is attached to an immovable object (like a piece of furniture, or an eyebolt that is placed in the wall) and to your dog’s buckle collar.  A tie down is to be used only when someone is home and supervising the dog.  A tie-down helps teach your dog to relax.  It keeps her out of mischief and can also be a wonderful housetraining tool.  The tie down teaches your dog that she can’t be a part of every interaction that she wants to be a part of.  It teaches her self control and reminds her that freedom of territory is a privilege in your house.
Housetraining-- If you are working on housetraining, the tie down can be a “safe zone” for you.  For instance, if you think your puppy has to potty and you take her out and she doesn’t go, bring her in and put her on her tie down.  This is not a punishment, like the crate, it just restricts her space and teaches her to hold it.  After 5-10 minutes, take her out to go.  If she goes potty outside, then she’s earned free time in the house, if she doesn’t go again, take her back to the tie down and repeat. 
Settling Exercise-Although most dogs don’t like their tie down at first, they do get used to it and realize they are just stuck there and they might as well sleep or chew quietly on their toy.  The time to use the tie down is whenever you are busy at home and need to know the puppy is safe and not getting into mischief.  For instance, put your dog on a tie down while the family sits down for dinner, or when you read to the kids at night or sit down to watch a movie.  If it’s her first time on a tie down, sit with her and help her to learn that although she is stuck there, she is safe and barking, whining and mouthing won’t help. 
Use of tie down as a consequence-  Although the tie down is not usually used as a consequence, it certainly can be.  For example, if your puppy is being extremely mouthy and you’ve asked her to stop with a specific command of your choice, like “no bite,” and she continues, then take her to her tie down, clip her up and walk away.  She just lost the privilege of being with you by using you as her chew toy.  This is a better option than just putting her outside because you want her to see that you will go about your business while she is stuck there.  You also don’t want to inadvertently reinforce the behavior if she would rather be outside or if she charges outside and starts chasing birds or barking at neighbors, etc.

3.     Dragging leash- The dragging leash as a management tool is essential for those dogs who have mastered the “catch me if you can game.”  You know the game, where your dog takes off with your new leather shoe and plays keep away around the dining room table.  Well, consider this; that is the best game going as far as your dog is concerned.  So, every time she does it, she is getting reinforced for the behavior because it is so much fun!  And, any behavior that is intrinsically reinforced will continue to build.  By attaching a 6ft light nylon puppy leash to her buckle collar and having her drag it around the house, you are ready and able to catch her when she makes a bad decision.  Punishment is not necessary because the behavior will naturally extinguish if it’s not reinforced.  So, if your dog tries to goat you into chasing him, simply say “uh-uh” and step on the drag leash.  Remove the object from his mouth and go about your business.  On the flip side, it’s very important to notice and reinforce your dog when he has an appropriate toy in his mouth.  We usually forget this part!

4.     Exercise-  Exercise is your dog’s best friend. A TIRED DOG IS A WELL-BEHAVED DOG!  The importance of exercise cannot be understated!  Most young dogs need a tremendous amount of exercise.  Although a walk around the block is better than nothing, most young athletic dogs need a minimum of 45min of hard, cardio exercise per day.  You absolutely cannot expect your young lab, for instance, to be home in the yard all day and be well-mannered when you get home if he hasn’t had any exercise.


Most owners find success by implementing all four management tools, but you need to pick and choose what combination works best for your dog and your family. 

Happy Training!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Back to School for Fido


"Dewey the Big Hairy Dog" may not be ready for summer to end but Back to School is in full swing at Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center.  It’s not only the kids of El Dorado Hills and Folsom that are wearing their new digs and heading back to the classroom.  The dogs are also sporting their new collars and ready to dive into a new group obedience class @ Unleashed.  Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center has added a number of new class dates and times to accommodate the increased demand and to give clients an opportunity to get one more class in before the Holiday Season sneaks up.

Back to School Supply List
1.              lots of small, soft treats
2.              a sporty new treat pouch for Mom or Dad
3.              a positive attitude
4.              a friend to take class with

Go to unleashdogtraining.com to see our most updated class schedule and register online

Monday, April 30, 2012

Unleashed and Togs for Dogs Join Forces!!


Unleashed is now offering group dog training classes at Togs For Dogs Pet Supply Store in El Dorado Hills.  Eddie and Dina are so generous to open their wonderful new store to owners seeking better-behaved companions.  Unleashed and Togs share a vision whereby owners can bring their dogs along with them and be proud of the way they behave.   

Unleashed teaches beginning and advanced classes at Togs for Dogs on Tuesday mornings.  Feel free to stop by to check it out or you can register online.

I love teaching at Togs because it provides real-life distractions and experiences.  Where else can you train your dog in a fenced-in dog park, or practice your down-stays on the patio while you have a cup of coffee??  Such a neat twist to our existing array of classes already being offered at Unleashed. 

For those of you who have taken classes at Togs, what did you think of the experience??  Feel free to comment…

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Pitbulls: Are they just misunderstood?


I have a special place in my heart for Pit Bulls.  After years of working in a shelter environment, I understand the dilemma surrounding a very unique breed of dog.   Pits are certainly not for everyone and unfortunately a small percentage of bad owners have helped to create a breed bias that is not totally unfounded. 

As with most breeds, there are good representations of the breed and bad ones.  Not all Pits are good dogs who have just had a “rough go of it.”  Some of them are temperamentally unsafe, just like some Golden Retrievers are temperamentally unsafe.  For the purposes of this discussion, we will assume we are talking about a typically nice Pit Bull.  Here are a few things that owners need to be aware of:

Need Leadership:  Pit Bulls are smart and strong willed.  They need structure, guidance and obedience training.  The more leadership they have, the happier and calmer they will be. 

High Prey Drive:  Pit Bulls are Terriers and as with all terriers, they are bred to be very predatory.    High prey drive is not something you can “train out of dog.”  You can cover it up with training, but it will always be there.  Many Pits are very safe around their own small animals, cats, etc.  But are not safe around other small animals.

Social:  Pit Bulls are very social dogs.  Contrary to what many people think, Pits usually love people!  These dogs were bred for fighting other animals AND bred to be very friendly with people.  Most Pits are very dog social and friendly when they are young but then some of them can become more aggressive as they get older.  It’s really an arousal issue for Pits.  Owners need to know how to recognize this spike in arousal during play and have enough control of it to redirect the dog.  This comes back to leadership and training.

The bottom line with understanding and owning a Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix is recognizing the breed specific characteristics and it’s possible limitations.  Be realistic about setting the dog (and you) up for success.  If you are a Pit Bull owner, it’s your responsibility to create an ambassador for the breed in order to educate and change the public’s perception. 

What do you think?  Have you personally had experience with this breed?  If you are not a Pit Bull owner, what do you think of the breed?  

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

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Group Dog Training Classes –Are they good for me and my dog?

Group classes seem to be a little difficult to find in the El Dorado Hills/Folsom area. Many trainers and or veterinarians do not recommend group classes as an effective solution for training. Why is that? Well, it’s most likely because it’s hard to find good group classes and it’s hard to teach good group classes! 


Effective dog obedience classes are a wonderful, affordable way to train your dog. Group classes range from 4-6 weeks long and are designed to teach you how to train your dog. Unleashed offers beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. If done well, group classes provide a positive, well-managed environment for your family and your dog. If done poorly, group classes can be over-crowded and can contribute to anxiety and over-arousal in dogs. Unleashed Dog Training & Behavior Center creates a positive learning environment that focuses on a small, well-managed group of dogs and owners. Dogs and owners feel safe and comfortable throughout the class.

The cost of group dog training classes can range from $100-175 for the whole session. This cost is in great contrast to private lessons which can range anywhere from $150-$300 per hour. In addition to being more affordable, group classes can provide an opportunity for much needed socialization and a “support group” for owners with new dogs. Mandy Kennedy, owner of Unleashed Dog Training, has taught successful group classes for over 15 years and teaches now in El Dorado Hills/ Folsom area.

So, don't wait until after the Holidays to improve those manners! Check out our upcoming classes....only a couple left in 2011!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Unleashed Dog Owners Hit the Trails last night

Thank you to all our Trail Manners Students! What a perfect night to hit the trails of Serrano and work on our distance commands, off-leash recall and manners on the trails. The Trail Manners Workshop is offered just few times of year but it is essential for those outdoor dog owners of El Dorado Hills and Folsom. We love the opportunity to have places our dogs can be off leash, but we know that good manners and control is not only important for our dog's safety, it's important because we don't want to lose the privilege of having places we can go and have our dogs off leash.

Next week we hit the single track!

For more information about our Trail Manners Workshop, visit our website at Unleashed Dog Training

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