Ride Along

    The ice had all melted away, leaving muddy puddles and miniature streams covering the fields by my house.  The solid sheet of sleet that had frozen on my back stoop was twice as slick.  Grace and I slowly slid down the two steps as carefully as we could to the brick patio which had slightly more traction.   We made our way safely to the car, which was nice and toasty thanks to a sweet husband who started it a few minutes earlier.

     The roads were clear thankfully.  Sunlight glittered off of the millions of drops of dissolving icicles plopping merrily from the trees and power lines.  I actually think ice is prettier than snow, it makes things so shiny... until it melts!  I was glad I remembered my sunglasses, but took them off when we drove under the awning at the drive through.

     Grace had made herself comfortable for our trip.  The pups have two towels in the back that always begin the journey neatly spread to cover the back seat.  We pretend that this will protect the seats from getting covered with dog hair.  Brutus likes to use his front feet to flip the towels into a wad that he will circle, circle, circle on top of until it feels "right" for him to nestle down onto.  Grace just kind of flops gracelessly in a "whoomph".

     At each drive through window, she likes to pop her head up and put her nose just behind my left ear.  Perhaps she likes to get a whiff of the voices coming from the windows.  It could also be that she enjoys the varied reactions of the people who see her.  Places we stop by frequently know her and Brutus by name, and greet them more enthusiastically than they do me.  I am not offended- my dogs ARE pretty awesome!

     Finally, the errands are done.  We turn towards home.  I notice a business parking lot that is mostly empty.  That will do just fine for today.  I pull in cautiously, since it doesn't appear to have been salted.  It is important that there is no salt down as it could irritate puppy paws!  I park and pull out a collar and leash.

     Grace sits quietly while I fuss with the collar and leash, switching twice as I changed my mind.  I decided on the "string things"- my thinnest lead and collar.  They are so light they can simulate being off leash, without having to actually have her off lead (leash laws).  I call her out with me and we practice a few heeling patterns.  I tighten up my turns using the foot pattern that was shown to me by a seasoned exhibitor.   Grace plays a statue on command through three different positions of "stay".  Recalls are not perfect, but that is what practice is for!

     Nine minutes later, and we are back in the car.  The heat coming out of the vents is still nice and toasty.  A short while later we are home and cuddling by the fire.

     I try to bring my dogs with me whenever I can.  A training session does not have to be long to be beneficial, and any chance to bond more with my pups, I gladly take!

Quick Tips: Troubleshooting "Sit" with a lure

One of the first commands a dog is expected to learn is "Sit".

If your dog is motivated by food, it makes it much easier to get the repetitive motions necessary for muscle memory. Never forget that the dog follows it's nose- this means that where your food is, the dog is.

If the lure is too high the dog will rise up to meet your hand.

To clarify, a common problem is a dog jumping up when the handler is asking for a sit. Look carefully at where the hand is. If the hand is holding the treat too high, the dog thinks it should hop up and get higher to get the reward.

If the dog is too far away from you, check to see how far away your hand is from your body. If you see you are extending it out to the dog, you are working too hard! Bring your hand closer to your body, this brings the dog closer to you.



The lure needs to be almost directly above smaller dog's heads to get the head facing straight up. When the nose goes straight up perpendicular to the floor, the bottom has to lower to accommodate the position. The label "Sit" needs to be stated clearly, one time, when the dog is IN THE CORRECT POSITION. After you have labeled and fed a treat for the position, move a few paces in any direction to begin again.


You will need to repeat this exercise several times before you begin asking your dog to do it on command. As tempting as it may be, do not verbally encourage your dog to perform. If too many words are used, the dog will not associate the correct word with the command.

The reward needs to be given in a timely fashion, along with plenty of verbal praise! Keep your practice sessions short and sweet, and always end on a good note.

Happy training!

*More training tips will be available through our new website soon at www.pawsthenplay.com

War Dogs

*All photos are courtesy of Corporal Jesse Makela*

     I was expecting an average conversation to gather material for my blog.  I got mentally thrown into a different world. 

     Corporal Jesse Makela would like to consider himself an "Average Joe".  His job just happens to involve being overseas for months at a time, training fierce canines and marines to handle them, and leading other troops into combat zones.  I say, not so average!

     Ready for some acronyms?  Here we go! 

     Cpl. Makela does MP dog work. (Military Police)

     He also trains PPDs. (Personal Protection Dogs)

     Belgian Malinois and occasionally Labrador Retrievers are trained and certified PEDs and PNDs (Patrol Explosive Dog, Patrol Narcotics Dogs)   Many dogs are certified in more than one specialty.

     That should be enough letters to start us out! On to the good stuff.    

     Even though Cpl. Makela exudes a "Laissez-faire" attitude, his work should not be taken lightly!  The intensity of the occupation blew my civilian mind.  One of the first things he flippantly mentioned after detailing the basic obedience patterns, was that "It's not IF a bite happens, it's WHEN."  Cpl. Makela himself has been bitten several times in the course of training PPDs and considers it part of what he does. 

      Choosing handlers is an incredibly selective process.  A Marine cannot just sign up and be trained.  Cpl. Makela looks for a balanced, confident person who has the genuine desire to learn the skills necessary for assignment.  Integrity is vital as well.  The handler will be matched with a dog that best compliments their personality.

     Once a team has been matched, they have 90 days to certify.  The team must be practiced in combat situations. Practice scenarios are designed to build endurance, introduce the dog to explosives and gunfire.  Tracking is considered a basic skill that all working dogs must be capable of. 

     Even though the Searchdog Handlers may be deployed as a group, each pair (handler and dog team) must be able to function independently.  They may be assigned to completely different areas locally, in combat zones.  The teams move in front of a patrol.  The detection of any explosives in the area saves countless lives of the soldiers following. 

     The huge contribution of these Military Dogs is not only their heroic searches.  They are their soldier's best friend.  They are constant companions.  When a handler lays down to sleep, his (or HER, there are only about 4 women handlers out of approximately 80) dog is by his side. 

Cpl Makela and his working dog Rocky

     If you would like to learn more about the four legged Heroes serving our country, please visit the War Dog Association site.

Busy Dogs!

     A big part of what makes our furry companions so lovable is their playfulness!  However, at times their energy can seem inexhaustible!  A recurring question I have encountered as a professional trainer is "What dog toy can I get that will last longer?"  This question is usually accompanied by a list of destroyed  items and hyperactivity.
   
     The sad truth is that NO TOY IS INDESTRUCTIBLE!  Now, I will attempt to soften that blow.  There are active steps owners can take to teach their dogs how to enjoy the toys and not be destructive.  The first step is understanding that ALL toys are designed to be interactive to a certain extent.  They are designed to be used with a human at least watching over.  Some toys make it obvious how to interact: ropes are tug toys, balls are to be fetched, etc.  Other toys are designed to be challenging for the dog: puzzles that require them to move or manipulate the structure to earn rewards.  None of the toys I have seen are designed to withstand a dog just laying down and chewing on them.

     Dogs chew not because they want to annoy you, but because it feels good.  It releases endorphins (feel good chemicals) in the body.  It is a natural behavior that burns energy and helps to relax the dog.  The next step is to provide your dog with items that they are allowed to chew.

     At my house, I use raw knuckle bones and shanks (NOT the basted ones with the gooey flavor painted on them).  Some of my students also use these bones, or for lighter chewers nylon, flavored bones, or heavy duty rubber chews.  Choosing objects such as old shoes, old socks, or discarded baby toys are not good choices for several reasons.  There are small, sharp or indigestible pieces on some shoes or baby toys, and socks (and other fabrics) ingested sometimes must be surgically removed to save the life of the animal.  From a behavioral perspective, the dog is gaining the idea that it is okay to chew on a human's shoes, socks and toys.  Even when choosing correct items for chewing, the owner needs to be aware of how quickly the objects are getting worn down, and take them away from the dog when small enough to present a choking hazard.

     In short, it is unrealistic to expect a dog to understand the first time a toy is placed in front of them that some are for chewing, and some are for playing.  Every dog learns a bit differently.  If you have a question on this topic relating to your own dog, please feel free to contact me!