Pet Charmer, LLC | Pet Services in Little Rock

Weekly Wednesday #20: Proper forms of Correction

Dog owners can fuss, yell, put our dogs in time out, or use physical correction but are these methods the most effective to get the behavior you want from your canine?

Human psychology does not apply to correcting canine nuisance behaviors.  Improving our knowledge of natural dog behaviors can lessen miscommunication between dog and owner.

Forms of Natural Canine Correction:

Body Blocking

Body Language

Biting

Noises/Sounds

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Forms of Human Correction:

Prison

Death

Fighting/Hitting

Spanking

Time out

Yelling/Screaming

Conversation/Pow-wow

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Here are a few training tips that will help us administer the proper forms of correction to our canine at the proper time.

1. Correction MUST be Immediate. Giving correction after the nuisance behavior is ineffective.  Dogs live in the moment, they will be confused as to which behavior you do not like if the timing of the correction is late.

2. Beware of your intensity! Too harsh of a correction can cause your canine to distrust or fear you.  Make sure the form correction fits the crime.

3. Correct only once with a COMMAND - "Sit", "Quiet", "Down", "Off"... (be sure it is a command that your canine understands) then follow up with praise for obeying your command. No is not a command!

Pet Charmer uses positive reinforcement techniques learned through the training philosophy of Animal Behavior College (ABC).  http://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/training_philosophy.asp

Positive Reinforcement encourages repeated good/positive behavior.  During times of correction, Pet Charmer uses body movement, vocal sounds "no reward marker" (Eh-Eh), hand clap, finger snap, voice control and known commands to snap the canine out of his/her current behavior.  The canine is then able to refocus and perform the correct behavior.

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Always hoping to gather information that assist our training knowledge!

Happy Training!

Pet Charmer

Weekly Wednesday #14 Choosing the Proper Gear - Part I - Leash Edition

Imagine a runner not having the appropriate shoes or a cyclist not having the best tire for the type of terrain.  Participating in any sport or activity with improper gear equals safety issues.  Dog walking and dog training are no different.  To safely walk and train your canine, the proper leash is needed.  

Leads, leashes, retractable leashes, long line leashes and hands-free or waist leashes have different uses and are all available in different styles, lengths, widths, and types.

Leashes typically have a loop handle on one end and a clasp (metal) on the other end which attaches to the harness or collar.  

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Leads, similar to leashes have a loop handle on one end and a non-slip loop on the other end.  I find that leads give the handler better control.  

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It's interesting, the width and size of the leash greatly depends on the size of the dog.  Example: A 100 pound dog would rule your walk or training session with a 1-inch wide leash.

Retractable leashes.... let me just go ahead and get this out... I hate them.  They are horrible and I will not endorse the use of them for walking or training.  Many will disagree for retractable leashes are most comfortable to them.  NEVER should you use a retractable leash with a slip, martingale, or pinch collar because these collars are designed to give instant correction for pulling.  Retractable leashes can make a loud noise and can frighten your dog.  This style of leash should not be used on strong, habitual pullers.

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Long line leashes are about 10-50 feet long.  This style of leash is best used during recall training. The long line gives the dog the illusion that he is making the decision.  Since there is a potential for the line to get tangled on the hind legs, always supervise your dog when using long lines.

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The hands-free or waist leash is not one that I have used, but I am curious about it and will soon check it out.  I do understand from research that it allows the trainer to safely work with the dog from a distance and can be an excellent choice if you have issues juggling training tools and the leash.  

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I beseech you to do your research as you look for the proper leash for training or walking your dog.  The right equipment matters! 

Happy Training!

Weekly Wednesday #13 Massages are not just for humans....

Do you enjoy and see the benefits of receiving a massage?  How do you feel afterwards?  Just speaking on the subject makes me want to book my next massage...

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I strongly believe in the power of the human touch.  But why would it be needed for our animals?  Well, living in this stressful, domesticated human world our animals take on our stress and inactivity.  In the wild, they hunt, engage in social grooming and play; through this they stay toned and fit.

 Massage takes the human touch to the next level.

Animal Massage goes back to the Egyptian cave paintings and the Renaissance paintings.  Get this, according to http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/409/Animal-massage

 "A full body massage was recommended for dogs and horses by Flavius Arrianus, a philosopher and administrator under the reign of Roam Emperor Hadrian.  He stated it would "knit and strengthen the limbs...make the hair soft and its hue glossy...and cleanse the impurities of the skin""

Through massage toxins are released, muscle mask is relaxed, stress is released, metabolism is increased, intestinal activity is increased, pain decreases, and the emotional bond increases... and you know strengthening the emotional bond is what Pet Charmer is about!

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We at Pet Charmer believe that animal massage adds to the existing skills of dog trainers and pet sitters.  Pet massage is a continued education course that will soon be FULLY added to Pet Charmer services.


Happy Tails and Merry Jingle Bells,
Pet Charmer