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No You Can’t Pet My Dog

No, You Can’t Pet My Dog

Terie Hansen 

Question… Do you let random strangers come up to you or your child, get into your personal space and touch you, your child? No, of course you don’t. Why? Because you don’t know them, becauseno you can't pet my dog it would be uncomfortable, because it would make you feel nervous, anxious or even scared. Because it’s just plain weird.

Well, it’s no different for your dog. Having someone they don’t know approach them and come into their personal space, make direct eye contact, touch them, talk to them etc… makes most dogs uncomfortable. You just don’t realize it because you don’t recognize subtle cues your dog exhibits to show their discomfort. Cues such as turning their head away, looking away, yawning, exposing their belly or licking their lips are just a few of the cues they display. Furthermore, just because a dog is wagging its tail doesn’t mean it’s happy. Dogs wag their tails for many reasons, even right before they attack.

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How to Train a Dog to Be Balanced

 To HAVE what others don’t, you’ve got to DO what others won’t.
how to train a dog

These words are as true for dog training as they are for anything else. How to train a dog
Many people say they want a well trained dog but not as many are willing to do what it takes to achieve that.
It’s easy to share love and affection. It’s not as easy to share structure and discipline.
But these things in combination are the things that yield a well-balanced dog.
Too much affection and freedom create anxiety and nervousness. Which often leads to a reactive even aggressive dog.
Implementing a level of structure, leadership and boundaries will create a relaxed, well adjusted dog. Teaching your dog how to remain calm in any and all situations goes a long way in creating a well balanced dog. Socializing your dog to different situations, environments, people, places, things while teaching your dog to just exist, not get excited by the newness.
Exercise, training, down time in their crate are all a part of the process. And it IS a process.
You must also redefine what love is.
True love is giving your dog what they NEED not just what feels good to you the human.
Love your dog by training your dog.
There are no shortcuts. You must put in the time and effort. But what you and your dog will gain in the process is a bond like no other as well as the ability to take your dog anywhere. Which enriches both your life and theirs!
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Get Your Dog Walking In Following Mode

Get Your Dog Walking In Following Mode by using these techniques. 

I get so many calls from people that have dogs that are reactive on the leash when they are walking them. dog walking reactive dog

Reactive towards people, dogs, bicycles, cars, motorcycles, kids, skateboards, squirrels, cats and the list goes on. Teaching your dog how to walk properly on a leash in the “following mode” (heel position, their nose should be no further up than your heel) is very important. It puts your dog at ease and helps them to be more relaxed while you share leadership by leading the way!

Start with your dog walking in your driveway. Doing driveway drills up and down your driveway. [Read more…]

How to Train a Dog – Dog Training When Life Happens

How to Train a Dog – Dog Training When Life Happens

Terie Hansen

 

You’ve been consistently training your dog, things are going well and then life happens. Whether your dog is the friendly, exuberant, overexcited type or the reactive, growly, lunging, and possibly biting type, life will throw you a curve ball now and again and you are best to be prepared. How to train a dog when life happens…

dog training stop dog jumpingA friend or family member visits, and although you’ve asked them to ignore your easily excitable dog, (who is, clearly one acknowledgement away from losing it) your friend reaches toward your dog, speaking in a high pitched voice, encourages your dog’s excitement and allows him to jump all over them. Your attempts to corral your dog are followed by, ”Oh, I don’t mind! I’dog training in publicm a dog lover.” from your friend.

At a local pet or home improvement store, while working on your dog’s public access skills, a stranger approaches, outstretched hand, swooping in to pet your dog without so much as asking permission.

reactive dog training on a leashWhile walking your dog, an off-leash dog approaches seemingly out of nowhere and a fight ensues.

Your puppy, who you’ve been training diligently, spends a week with Grandma because of work travel. Upon returning home, it’s as if you never trained him at all.

These are all things that can happen through no fault of yours. Your best defense? Think ahead for scenarios that could come up while training with your dog and be prepared. how to train a dog.

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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…]

Helping Your Fearful Dog Gain Confidence

Living In Fear, Helping Your Fearful Dog Gain Confidence

Living a life filled with fear or anxiety is no fun for humans or dogs. In fact, it is a terrible way to live. Feelings of anxiety, nervousness fearful dog hidesand fear flood the body with toxic chemicals and can shorten a lifespan. Helping your fearful dog gain confidence can be as simple as introducing exercise into their routine, implementing basic obedience skills, coping skills and using something pleasurable (food or toys) to change the way your dog feels about the fearful object or environment.

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6 Potty Training Tips for Puppies and Adult Dogs

6 Potty Training Tips for Puppies and Adult Dogspotty training tips for puppies and dogs

I receive many calls regarding potty training both for puppies and adult dogs. With the holiday season there will be many more calls as puppies and dogs are high on the Christmas wish list.

Most people know that a puppy must be potty trained. When adopting an adult dog, you may think that they should already be potty trained. However, if the dog is being adopted from a shelter

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Immunization vs Socialization

When Is It Safe to Socialize My Puppy: Immunization vs Socialization

As a new puppy owner, you may have been told by your Puppies playing socializationveterinarian, read on the web or heard from other dog owners that you should not socialize your puppy until they have been fully vaccinated. That socialization can wait.

If you heed this advice you will be missing a critical developmental period. Doing so can result in negative behavior issues as they [Read more…]

Ticks, 2017 Worst Summer on Record for People and Pets

2017 Worst Summer on Record for Ticks

As reported by Nancy Hinkle, a veterinary entomologist at the University of Georgia’s Department of Entomology, “We’re seeing tick on dogticks in greater numbers than we have seen in the last decade.”

With shorter, milder winters and longer, warmer summers the tick population grows. The black legged tick, also known as the “deer tick” is common in Georgia and can live longer than you might expect. During its lifespan of 2-3 years it only needs to feed three times! Contrary to popular belief, the tick spends most of its time in the leaf litter, underbrush or on grasses and plants. NOT on a host. [Read more…]

4 Simple Tips to Sharpen Your Dog’s Basic Commands

4 Simple Tips to Sharpen Your Dog’s Basic Commands

It’s easy to have your dog become really good at performing the basic commands of sit, down, stay & come when called. Working these basic commands into their daily routine ensures that when you actually need them to perform one of these skills, your dog will be very good at it. This can be a lifesaver!

Think about it… if I taught you a new skill but you only had to use it once in a while, you would most likely not be very good at it. However, if you used that new skill every day then you would be quite excellent at it and could perform it whenever you needed to. It’s the same for dogs! [Read more…]