DOG WHISPERER?
June 29, 2009
I think it would be embarrassing to call myself an animal behaviorist/dog trainer or “Dog Whisperer“ if occasionally I was getting bitten by dogs or allowing my client’s dogs to get into fights. With my experience working with aggressive dogs, you can get better results by taking a more patient approach. This may not make good T.V. but in the 28 years as a dog trainer, I thought the name of the game was NOT to get bitten. Professionally I don’t think I’ve ever been bitten by one of my client’s dogs, nor have I ever gotten one of my dog training client’s dogs in a dog fight. I call it being smarter than the dog. Other than proper technique and knowledge to rehabilitate aggressive dogs and avoid being bitten, I carry a note book binder to my dog training appointments, it has a few teeth marks on it instead of my arm. I also was extremely lucky and never got bit by the many police dogs I trained. In the past when people found out what I did for a living they would say, “Wow, you must have a lot of patience.“ Now they ask, “what do you think of that guy on T.V.?”
SHORTENING A DOG’S LIFE
June 26, 2009
Part 1. For many years I’ve questioned the veterinarian immunization schedule for dogs because I believe immunizations can negatively affect a dog’s immune system. I’m not a veterinarian but I’ve learned a lot about the subject in my 28 years as a dog trainer. I have read many articles on the subject. There are also many dog owners who feel the same as I. Vaccinating a dog is similar to vaccinating a child. Antibodies are produced and protect against a virus, so why aren’t children required to get small pox or polio shots annually? If a dog has enough antibodies for a particular virus, why do they need another shot? They don’t.
In our human world, drugs over-prescribed by professionals can have a negative effect on our systems, sometimes resulting in death. This has happened to famous people like Keith Ledger, Marilyn Monroe and sadly now (possibly) Michael Jackson whom I’ve personally had a conversation with and believe what the media did to him was barbaric. His ex-wife Debbi Rowe was a friend and client. My condolences go out to the family.
Up until the year 2001, veterinarians were prescribing that dogs get immunized once a year with DHLP-P (Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza). Sometimes a Coronavirus shot was added depending on location. U.C. Davis, a leading school of veterinary medicine recommended changing the annual requirement for shots to every 3 years. It took a few years before most veterinarians followed this new recommendation, why? Money! Unfortunately there are still many veterinarians who recommend inoculations once a year.
Part 2 click here: Shortning a life part 2
Nutrition Tips
June 24, 2009
Dog’s don’t know how to cook, so a RAW diet is best, giving your dog the important nutrition they require. Fresh chicken parts, meaty bones or mince meat along with veggies. A high quality dry kibble or canned food can be added to stretch those dollars.
To find a great dog food, visit one of the smaller pet shops or specialty food shops are the best. These shops usually carry a wide range of the more healthier dog food like Raw, Natural, Holistic and Organic. The shop owner’s are full of information and are happy to share their knowledge with pet owners.
When buying dog food, keep in mind, a dog needs to eat more poor quality food than higher quality food to maintain caloric and nutritional needs. Also the better quality of food that goes in, the less that will come out.
There are some ingredients on a label you want to avoid. Corn, soy, bone-meal, (anything) by-products, chemical preservatives and wheat.
A really good food will have meat as it’s first ingredient.
SIMON AUDITIONING FOR A DOG FOOD COMMERCIAL
FUNNY VIDEO
June 23, 2009
No, it’s not a dog that I trained.
DO YOU LIKE FREE…
June 23, 2009
Holy dumpster diving Batman!
I’m hearing that a big pet supply company in the U.S. is throwing out brand new pet products and has been doing so for months. Items like dog beds, cat beds, cat food, dog food, dog and cat toys, just about everything. I of course can’t mention the name of the store, but if your smart enough you’ll figure it out. I’d love to hear from you and what you found. Good Luck!
THE TRAINING MAGIC PILL
June 16, 2009
People are increasingly busy these days and don’t have the time to train their dog. What people don’t know is teaching a dog doesn’t take up a lot of time and it can easily be incorporated into the time you spend with them. For years I’ve recommended to my clients to do between 1-2 minute training sessions.
When I trained animal actors, sometimes the director wanted the dog to do things they weren’t trained to do. I would have very little time or only a few days to teach the new complex behaviors. I found that sessions kept under 2 minutes and doing 3-5 sessions per day is better than the 15 to 20 minute twice a day sessions prescribed by many trainers. On a weekly basis I will be posting training tips and “how to” videos that will teach you the techniques that I use and recommend.
Malibu Dog Training is the home of the 1 minute training session. There is no magic pill , but the whole training prescription just got a little easier to swallow.
To see what a 1-2 minute session might look like, click on the link below
How to teach the “Sit Command” watch?v=0d5Yiz8ryM8
IT’S WHAT’S AROUND THE CORNER
June 16, 2009
With a sense of smell, hundreds, even thousands of times more powerful
than ours, where dogs can see (metaphorically) what’s around a corner,
what’s buried underground or where a rabbit is hiding hundreds of
yards away in a tall, grassy fields. Plus with vision that is
especially keen to movement, it a wonder why dogs pay any attention to
us. This is especially pertinent to know when trying to teach your dog
something. We are competing with a dogs powerful sense of smell, their
predatory nature, their innate breed instincts, their highly social
needs etc. Many people try group classes to teach their dogs, or they
try to teach their dogs around distractions. Group classes are not the
best place for beginner dogs or their owners to learn, contrary what
owners think, so, no-one ends up learning or learning enough to make a
lasting difference. A dog should learn around little or no
distraction, before practicing what they’ve learned around bigger
distractions. Do not wait and try to teach a dog when they’re
misbehaving, practice how you want them to behave in familiar places,
like in or around your home. At first, practice on pavement (asphalt)
v.s. grass; you wont have their attention because of all the smells or
other associations to grass, like playing and going to the bathroom.
If you thought your dog was stubborn or could not learn, now you
should know it was just “what’s around the corner”.
There are ways to win your dogs attention back, hire your local -dog
friendly- instructor to find out how.
Be patient, It takes time and practice for dogs to learn and listen in all environment, surfaces and situations.
