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Introducing the New Dog, What’s the Rush?

What’s the Rush?

Terie Hansen

As the saying goes “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”. The same applies when introducing a new dog/puppy to your current dog(s). My best advice? Go slowly through the process. And it IS a process. Let’s face it, it could go either way if you just put them together to see what happens. Which is what most people do. It could turn out just fine in the short term, but in the long run it could be building towards a fight.

Taking it slowly means, for the first few days to a week just allowing the dogs to exist around each other. Not interacting and certainly not playing. Have a separate crate/area where, at least the new dog is confined for sleeping, meals and down time (preferably for several weeks) and when you need a break from supervising/working your dogs. Walk the dogs together (preferably you and another person each with a dog). Having the dogs hold a command such as place or down around one another. Having them on leashes that are tied to doors so that they can’t make contact. Working each dog through obedience commands while the other looks on.

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Flirt Pole Fun, How to Engage Your Terrier

Flirt Pole Fun, How to Engage your Terrier Breed. Terriers love to chase. It is an instinct that runs strong in the breed.

A flirt pole is a great way to allow your Terrier to engage that instinct in aFLIRT POLE positive manner.

It’s also a great way to reinforce impulse control and other commands such as sit, down and out.

Have your dog sit or down. Then just before you engage the toy, release them from command “break” and off they go! Go a few rounds letting them [Read more…]

Are You Happy with GEO or Do You Want More? Good Enough Obedience

GEO or Good Enough Obedience is what many owners experience with their dogs. Does this sound familiar? You put your dog in a down and they stay there for a few minutes maybe longer. ThenGood enough obedience they begin to scratch, stretch, sniff, reach for a toy etc. You don’t do anything because technically they are still in the down. Then they begin to creep ever so slightly but still you are okay with that because they haven’t gotten up. Now we are in the GEO zone. If you’re happy with that, okay. But remember this, the small stuff matters! What you don’t disagree with, you are agreeing with. And if you are agreeing with less than true obedience, you’ll get more of the same. [Read more…]

When In Doubt, Dogs Work It Out… To Their Advantage

When In Doubt, Dogs Work It Out…To Their Advantage.

Dog’s don’t live in a vacuum. They are constantly learning about their environment and about us. They are watching and decipheringdogs work it out place command dog training what they think we are trying to communicate to them, even though we may be unaware that we even ARE communicating to them! When unclear about what we are saying to them (and let’s face it, we usually use WAY more words than we need) they “listen” to our body language and tone of voice. Cues, cues and more cues! Your body language (cues) may be incongruous with your verbal commands (or even unintentional) causing your dog to be confused as to what behavior you prefer. When this happens, they shape their world to their best advantage. In other words, they will resort to whatever suits them. When in doubt, dogs work it out… to their advantage. [Read more…]

Want a Well Trained Dog? Talk Less, Do More

The Secret to a Well Trained Dog. Talk Less, Do More

We all want a well trained dog, and we all talk to our dogs, don’t we? I know I do! However, when Well Trained Doggiving my dog a command, I typically only use one word (the command). I may also call her name first to get her attention if she is not looking at me, but I pause in between her name and the command until she is looking at me. Want that well trained dog?

When just beginning the training process with clients I notice that [Read more…]