Four Easy Ways to Help Save Dogs

     The majority of us feel sympathy for unwanted dogs.  The multitude of rescues and shelters tug our heartstrings with soulful pictures, horrify us with evidence of abuses, sadden us with statistics, and only occasionally can we see the "Happy Ending" for the furry creature in need.  So why do animals in need still exist if there are so many feelings of goodwill toward rescue work?  Because there are a lot of misconceptions floating about!

Photo by PawsThenPlay at Gaston County Animal Control

     I wanted to share simple things you can do to help homeless animals.  I think you may be surprised how effortless it can be!


4 Easy Ways You Can Help

1.  Next time you are at the store to buy some treats or a new toy for your fur baby, buy two and donate one to less fortunate animals.  Many stores have options on location to donate as you check out, in amounts as little as $1.  Some agencies will even take donations of gently used items (such as extra blankets for winter, or toys that your pet wouldn't touch)

2.  When you see a post online with an animal in need- share it!  It only takes mere seconds of your time.  Even though you may not be able to do anything, some one you know may be able to.

3.  If you do have some spare time, consider volunteering as a "holder" at local rescue/adoption events.  So many organizations have lots of puppies they would love to bring, but no one to hold the leashes or keep an eye on the puppy pens so must leave them at the facility or foster home, which means they are less likely to be adopted because they are not seen.

4.  Spay and/or neuter your pet.  The vast majority of animals at shelters are the results of unintentional or poorly planned breeding.  Almost every major city has low-cost spay and neuter clinics.

Foster Photo from The Greater Charlotte SPCA

     See?  No millionaire funding needed (although donations can help).  You don't need to quit your job to have enough time to help.  And you don't need to feel obligated to foster if your home situation does not allow.

     For those of you in the Charlotte NC area, I have the information to two local rescue organizations if you would like to help.  The links are provided below.  Just click on the name of the rescue, and it will take you to their website.  There are many many more, these are just the two I know people personally within the organization. :)   Anyone else who works with an organization, please feel free to add the link in a comment below so people can find you.

Greater Charlotte SPCA

Rescued Me

     Happy Training, and thank you for remembering those less fortunate than our own fur-kids!

Potty Basics: To Go or Not To Go

*** Please see below for photo credits

    Did you know some responsible breeders start potty training exercises with their pups at as early as 3 weeks of age?  By the time their dogs are sent to new loving homes, they already have grasped the basic principles of eliminating outside!

     Most of us are not so fortunate.  We arrive home with our furry bundle of joy, and have to clean up not so pleasant puddles or smelly surprises a few times before our four-footed family members learn where to "go".

     Here are a few tips to help with potty training your new (or slightly confused) companion!


~Remember the times when a dog will naturally need to eliminate: when first waking up (even from a short nap), when full of food or water, after vigorous play or exercise, and additional times depending on age and bladder size.

~ Clean for Real.   You can't smell a thing?  The stain is out of the carpet? Great, but Fido has a much more sensitive sniffer!  If you are not using an enzymatic cleanser (one that lists "enzymes" in the ingredients), you are not killing the pheromones, which are the scent markers that tell your dog that this is an appealing place to go because it has been used before.

*** Please see below for photo credits

~Know when they are full.  When is the last time your dog ate?  How about the last time they drank  water?  By having assigned feeding times, and putting the water dish where you can easily see when they drink will help you know when your dog is full, and needs to be emptied.

~Learn your dog's cues.  Almost every dog gives signals when they have to eliminate.  Some dogs discreetly sniff, some circle, some pace, some just get really anxious and jittery.  You will need to learn what your dog does so you can get them outside to where they are supposed to do it, or they will not be able to learn that is what you want.  Once the pattern of going outside to potty has started, then you can add your own cue (such as bells at the door).  If you try to add your own cue too early, you have a very good possibility of simply training your dog that the cue means going outside to play (and nothing to do with potty).

~Don't spend too long outside waiting.  Go directly to one area in your yard where you would like them to eliminate and stand quietly.  No talking to them, no playing.  You probably want to have them on a leash at first even if you have a fenced in yard, or you will have no way to keep them from turning "potty time" into "game time".  If your pup does not use the bathroom after a few minutes, it's not the end of the world.  Just go back inside and continue life as normal while watching for your dog's cues.

~REWARD!!!  As soon as they begin to eliminate, quietly praise (who likes to be shouted at while using the toilet?) and be sure to follow up that praise with a yummy treat!  After your treat, then you can have that great walk, fun game of fetch, or other rewarding activity!  Never punish for a potty mistake.  This is not only unfair to the dog (YOU were supposed to get them outside), but can set your potty training backwards- since they probably won't want to go potty in front of you again!

*** Please see below for photo credits

~Minimize opportunity for accidents.  If your dog is still having accidents, WATCH THEM.  If you cannot keep your eyes on them, they need to be in a safe place, such as a crate, or puppy safe room or pen.

~If you are having trouble with one particular area (they always "Oops" in the same spot), after you have properly cleaned it with an enzymatic cleanser, feed them there for several days.  It is unnatural for an animal to want to eliminate where it habitually eats (do you know anyone with a toilet on their dining room table?).



     These are just a few basics.  If you would like help setting specific goals for your puppy or dog, please feel free to contact me.

     Happy training!



*** All photos used in this entry are courtesy of the Greater Charlotte SPCA.  Please feel free to check out their website!   www.charlotteSPCA.org 

Back to Basics: Luring, Catching and Shaping

     Every dog needs a solid foundation to understand what it is that humans want it to do.  All too often, I see how basic skill sets are glossed over.  The process of learning is rushed to achieve an end result that is not as consistent because of the lack of understanding on the human side of the leash.  By fully understanding not only how to train for a specific command, but why it works, a handler can strengthen their own handling skills and improve the communication overall with their dog.  This paves the way for future successful learning, which we know happens throughout entire lifetimes.

Grace, Brutus and Riley

     Three of the most basic training methods in the positive reinforcement category (and every dog should start in this quadrant of Operant Conditioning) are Luring, Catching, and Shaping.  If you have taught your dog any basic commands (such as "sit", "down" or "come") you have had to use at least one of these!  If your timing is consistent with the reward, your dog can perform the behaviors.

     Luring is exactly what it sounds like.  You are presenting a tasty (and hopefully healthy) reward and using it to guide the dog to where you would like them to be, or where you would like the body to be (such as bringing the food above the nose for "sit").  When the dog is in the correct place/position, the treat and praise are earned!  Seems simple, yes?  It can be, if it is repeated often enough for the dog to associate the correct result- otherwise, the dog has simply learned to follow food held in your hands (which is also a helpful skill, but not always the desired result).  If your handling skills are not fully developed, you may have difficulty getting your dog to the correct position consistently.  Practice makes perfect, but this is one instance where there is a definite advantage to having an experienced handler to help you.

     Catching a behavior is solely dependent on the handler's attention and timing.  Any behavior your pet performs naturally can become a command using this method, if you can "catch" and reward them doing it often enough.  I always train for a default "Down" in my dogs.  When I do not tell them to do anything, I would prefer for them to lie down and relax.  To train for this, every time I see them lying down, I give a treat (in my case, it is kibble, but they think of their food as treats), name the behavior, and praise.  When Brutus was young and we were just beginning with the "Default Down", as he began to understand the behavior I was rewarding, he would follow me from room to room and lie down and pretend to sleep to get a piece of food.  Now it is less obvious (he no longer collapses in front of my feet), but he still will lie quietly inside until I tell him otherwise (he is now 7 and 1/2 years old)

     Shaping is considered the most difficult by some because it requires more patience.  To shape a behavior is to reward something that is close to what you want, and then gradually change when you are rewarding to encourage different elements in the behavior originally rewarded for.  Often, luring and catching are used while shaping a behavior.  An example would be to teach your dog "Paw" or "High Five", you may initially reward for the dog just having the paw in the air and allowing you to touch the foot, but you gradually make the dog put the paw in/on your hand by withholding the reward for slightly longer periods of time.

     For the last two methods (Catching and Shaping) many people use a "Clicker".  A clicker is a small box with a thin sheet of metal that makes a soft popping noise (or click) when pressed.  I personally choose to use my voice.  Not only is it one less thing to hold, but I can change the tone, volume or emphasis in my word of praise to really communicate how happy I am to the dog I am working with.

     The clip above is me with a rescue dog "Peanut", who did very very learning the basics!  I used catching to teach the "sit", and added a hand signal.  The "Down" is still being learned, and I lured to get him in the position.  And lastly, I was shaping the "Wait" command to add more distance away from him.

     The most common pitfall I see students struggle with is thinking they are "done" teaching a command too soon.  After a few repetitions, the human adds another command or two.  The next day, another few commands.  The handler is so excited that they fail to realize they are still having to lure entirely, and the dog is probably mixing the commands up and randomly guessing what position may hold a reward each time.  If the foundation of your training experience with your pup consists of almost constant confusion on the dog's part, it makes more forward progress much less likely.

     Please take time to build a solid foundation with your fur-friend!  For additional help, leave a comment and I would be glad to assist you.

     Happy Training!