Follow Me Dog Training

A quick word about…..Snakes

I don’t like snakes. I admit it. I will look at them if they are behind a nice solid wall of glass, but otherwise, really want nothing to do with them. I had a first hand experience when I lived in Kenya with a Mamba on our front porch step and since then, the appeal is just gone for me.

This week two Follow Me Dog Training LLC clients told me about a snake siting in their yard or neighborhood. News like this creeps me out, creeps me out even more when I hear they are rather long Copperhead snakes. One dog found the snake in the middle of the yard…the dog had been barking at it and the people called a pest control service to remove it. The other family found it in their back yard, these people have two dogs, they said it was about 4 foot long. So moral of the story….snakes don’t care if you have a dog in your yard. They will come on through anyway.

There are three venomous snakes in Virginia; The Northern Copperhead, Eastern Cottonmouth, and the Timber Rattlesnake. It is always a good thing to have some idea of how to identify the venomous snakes in your area….and to know to not touch them, leave them alone, keep your pets away! The Virginia Herpetological Society has a great list with pictures of all the snakes in Virginia.

Copperheads are venomous snakes, although their venom won’t kill you it will make the average person very sick, causing tissue damage and other infections. However, small animals like small dogs can sustain a fatal bite from a Copperhead. The thing that struck me (no pun intended) when I was researching this is that unlike the Rattlesnake who rattle when they give a warning, or the Cottonmouth that sit there with their mouths open as a warning, the Copperhead apparently strikes without warning when they are threatened.

“The copperhead’s initial threat display is to strike. It lashes out at an enemy as a warning. If the enemy is close enough, the fangs may penetrate the skin. However, because this is a threat display, not an attempt to kill, the snake injects little venom. A copperhead has no intention of wasting valuable venom if it can scare away the menace with a minor bite.” http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm

That seems to be why “Copperheads bite more people in most years than any other U.S. species, but they also have the mildest venom. ”

No matter how you look at it, snake bites are not fun!  So what do the experts suggest: Don’t try to touch or kill the snake. Let it go on it’s way because it doesn’t want to face you anymore then you want to face it. When you are out hiking, keep your dog with you. Yes I know it is fun to let them roam wherever if they have awesome off leash control, but they don’t see snakes often and usually make bad mistakes like sticking their nose at a snake. Call a pest removal service to take the snakes out of your yard. If your dog comes in from outside, acting sluggish, begins to swell, possibly drool…get them to the vet immediately, you may not see where the bite is on your dog! Learn what the poisonous snakes look like where you live so you can easily identify them.

The Virginia Poison Center has a great page about snake bites. http://www.poison.vcu.edu/pdfs/snake.pdf …cool information like looking at the shape of the snake’s eye to know if it is venomous, or knowing that in VA all venomous snake bites are treated with the same anti-venom so you don’t have to find the snake that bit you or your dog.

Not sure if your dog will race to you when you give that “come” command when faced with a distraction like a snake? Contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC for a free demonstration and evaluation and we will discuss how to help keep you and your dog safer.

National Dog Bite Prevention Week 18-24 May 2008

May 18-24 2008 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week!

Every dog has teeth which means that every dog has the potential to bite. Good training, solid communication, socialization, clear boundaries, education and awareness from both owner and dog are the things that prevent bites from occurring.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the United States Postal Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have set aside the third full week of May to help educate the general public on dog bite prevention.

—-Each year, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites; half of these are children. Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and about a dozen die. The rate of dog bite-related injuries is highest for children ages 5 to 9 years, and the rate decreases as children age. Almost two thirds of injuries among children ages four years and younger are to the head or neck region. Injury rates in children are significantly higher for boys than for girls.— According to the CDC.

Why are children more susceptible?

This is my niece Madeleine and her German Shepherd Dog Meiko. Notice where her head and neck are located in comparison to where Meiko’s face and teeth are….. Now for those concerned readers Meiko and Madeleine are continuously being trained and this situation was tightly monitored, my brother is just left of Madeleine out of the picture.

Dogs and children can be the best of companions. They can be life long friends and there is a possibility that nothing will ever happen when your children (or someone else’s child) interacts with your dog. But dogs have teeth and lets be realistic, they are animals and they can bite if they want to and many times children especially but also adults don’t notice the signs of an impending bite. So number 1 rule for bite prevention:

NEVER EVER LEAVE YOUR DOG AND CHILD ALONE  NO MATTER HOW TRUSTWORTHY AND WELL TRAINED YOUR DOG AND CHILD ARE!!!!!!

Lets talk about what you can teach your children and as adults you can follow through with as well to avoid a potential dog bite.

• Teach your children to ask permission from dog owners/handlers before saying hello to their dog. Teach them to stay at a leash distance before they touch the dog and then ask if they can say hello. It doesn’t count if they are already hugging the dog while they are asking if they can pet the dog!
• Children should avoid approaching an unfamiliar dog or a stray!
• When an unfamiliar dog comes near you, stand like a tree, arms tucked under your armpits and stay still and silent. When dog stops, slowly and quietly back away from the dog and find an adult to tell about the stray. Stop and act like a tree if the dog follows.
• Don’t play with any dog, including your own unless supervised by an adult.
• When saying hello to an unfamiliar dog with their owner (after having asked permission) , avoid direct eye contact and don’t pet the head or face and tail. Also keep in mind that some dogs aren’t big fans of hugs from strangers, best to avoid it with dogs you don’t know.
• Children should avoid screaming, yelling and running away from or past unfamiliar dogs.

 Parents:

• Teach your children how to touch and interact with dogs, your kids will follow your lead. The younger the child when you start teaching them appropriate dog interaction skills, the less of a chance you will have for a bite.
• Before bringing a new dog into your house be sure your kids are comfortable with dogs…getting a dog to help your child get over their fear is never a good route for dog or child.
• Stay away from games like wrestling and tug-of war if you are in a home with children. These games teach your dog to argue with them. Your dog should never argue with your children.
• Training and socialization are key to owning a dog. Basic manners, obedience and greeting skills are essential to all dogs.

 Follow Me Dog Training LLC wants you to be aware that any dog can bite. They can bite while they are wagging their tail. Sometimes people don’t notice a warning from the dog that they are going to bite so it seems like an unexpected occasion. A nip is a bite, even if it isn’t breaking skin! It doesn’t matter what breed the dog is (blame the deed not the breed!), it doesn’t matter how old the dog is, and it doesn’t matter if “they have never done anything like this before”, the dog can still bite.

You, as dog owners, are responsible for teaching your dog to be social around all kinds of people and situations so they don’t feel the need to bite.

You, as parents need to teach your children how to interact properly with animals!

Help prevent dog bites by being educated about interactions with strange dogs. Teach your children and their friends the best way to say “hello” to your dog. Stay safe and train your dog and yourself to prevent dog bites.

Training is an important process in prevention! Teach your dog through clear communication to be a well minded and socialized member of the family! Contact us for a FREE demonstration and evaluation and find out all the cool things we can help your family teach your dog!

If your dog has issues interacting with people, chases the mailman, has bit anyone for any reason please contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC for a FREE demonstration and evaluation. We can help set realistic goals and educate you on the best course of action to prevent future bites or aggression issues.

Summer reading

I really enjoy well written and imaginatively illustrated children’s picture books. Go figure that I especially enjoy them if they are dog themed. There are some classics out there but there are also some pretty good newer books that I want to add to my collection.

One new book that I heard of today looks amazing. It is called Broadway Barks. It is written by famous stage and screen actress Bernadette Peters. The book comes with an original song written and sung by Ms Peters which I had a chance to hear on The View today (ok I don’t normally watch The View but I saw a blurb about her and the book so checked it out…give me a break!)

The book looks like a classic to me. It is about a little lost dog in NYC that follows a lady to the big stage and a warm forever home. Ms Peters wrote this book as another way of helping the adoption of shelter and rescue animals. She and actress Mary Tyler Moore have put together a yearly event in NYC called Broadway Barks . This event brings together rescue groups and shelters from all over NYC in an attempt to find homes for the homeless dogs. This book is definitely going on my personal wish list and I’ll have to grab a copy for my niece and nephew!

Here are some other great kids books I recommend….

Dear Mrs. LaRueby Mark Teague is a great book about a dog named Ike who writes letters home to his owner from the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy. Mark Teague has written two other books about Ike’s adventures but this is by far my favorite.

Bark, Georgeby Jules Feiffer is a favorite because of the illustrations! What happens when George’s mom asks him to bark? Read it to find out.

Good Dog, Carlby Alexandra Day is wonderfully illustrated and focuses on the adventures of Rottweiller Carl and the baby that he lives with. Here is why I really like the Carl books though, every Carl book has an illustration of an Irish Terrier in it somewhere. In fact, Alexandra Day wrote another favorite of mine about an Irish Terrier, Paddy’s Payday. Unfortunately it is out of print now.

Open Me… I’m a Dog!by Art Spiegelman is a really cool book. Spiegelman is a Pulitzer Prize winning author for his book Maus which is an amazing look at the Holocaust that everyone should be required to read. This dog book even has a leash! It is about a dog that was transformed into a book by a wizard…amazing illustrations.

There are tons of other fantastic children’s books but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this one:

Go, Dog. Go!by P.D. Eastman has been a classic since 1961. I love this book and often will pull it out and read it. A diversity of dogs, a little romance between a pink poodle and yellow dog, funny phrases and it makes learning prepositions alot easier; what more could you ask for in a book?

I think I’ll take Leinie and Pepper out onto the porch and read a bit. If you know of any other great dog books, let me know!

If you are interested in a FREE demonstration and evaluation, Contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC today.

A young dog named Fenway

Just recently a 6 month old German Shepherd Dog named Fenway came to stay with Follow Me Dog Training LLC . He needed to learn a bunch of things and his owners felt that the best option for them and for Fenway was to send him down to us for some training and fun.

His list of things to learn was long and sounded like the things many owners want from their dogs. He needed to learn; to walk on a leash, not to pee in the house, not to chase the cat, to be more social around kids and other animals, not to chew up the walls and furniture, to go up and down stairs, to come to the owners no matter what, to not jump on people or things, and to respond better to everyone in the house.

It seems like a long list but really all of them could be accomplished by teaching Fenway some manners, some basic obedience and to build his confidence. When he came to me, Fenway was a gangly young dog that is going to be huge and had no idea that his hind end was connected to his front end.

The first thing we did before he even had a chance to come into my house was learn how to walk nicely on a leash and a basic recall. Then he had to meet and interact with Leinie and Pepper…he did great and Leinie definitely misses running around the yard with him! Our first trip to the park was for building confidence. Fenway went over, under and through obstacles like trees, logs, benches, picnic tables and low lying chain fences. Everyday he improved, and by the end of the first week he was crashing on the front porch off leash with Leinie and Pepper snoozing the afternoon away.

He met some of the other Follow Me Dog Training LLC dogs. He helped out during lessons with Racar and Alfredo (French Bulldogs), Spenser (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), and Pudge (a cute mix of Shar Pei and something). He got to play with Lexie and Chloe and their dog pals Beth and Shea and two cats Benny and Bonnie.

He was good fun to have around and was a quick study. That made it even more fun to be able to take him all over the Richmond,VA area. He visited tons of parks and spent an afternoon at Stony Point Fashion Park.

Fenway is back with his owners and a houseful of kids and adults that were happy to see him and eager to learn how to communicate with Fenway so he no longer frustrated them. He was a champ climbing the stairs and I hear that he and the cat are doing much better! No more fear of the stairs so he can spend more time with the family. He can grow into a confident adult dog with a set of rules and a job that will keep him from making bad decisions. All they need to remember is, clear communication, help, leadership, holding him accountable, having fun and continuing to build his confidence.

Want your young dog to learn how to be an amazing adult dog? Contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC for a free demonstration and evaluation.

Check out a slide show of Fenway’s adventures with Follow Me Dog Training LLC on our MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/followmedogtraining 

Spenser

Spenser is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. A big name for a not so big dog. They are small, affectionate, loving lap dogs. “An active, graceful, well-balanced dog, very gay and free in action; Appearance: fearless and sporting in character, yet at the same time gentle and affectionate.”

Spenser fits the description perfectly. Unfortunately his idea of fearless and sporting in character is to bark and lunge at cars that drive by, people that walk near him and those evil squirrels that invade his yard. Here is the funny thing about Spenser though, he only acts this way for his owner.

His owner’s goal is to take Spenser for a walk, teach him to greet people and other animals and go in public without causing a scene. He might look cute and innocent but when Spenser decides to set off…he does it big! Follow Me Dog Training LLC has been working with Spenser for a little while and we love him. He knows all his basic obedience, he does off leash work, he is learning to be around other dogs and he loves to take long walks. But like I said, he won’t do this for his owner.

So what is missing? Why won’t Spenser listen in public to his owner? What makes him think he needs to fight all the cars that pass by? Honestly I am not sure but I can make a pretty good guess that the emotional energy, trust and understanding that is between Spenser and his owner is missing a key ingredient. Spenser’s owner and I have chatted about this extensively. At the beginning of each lesson I ask how the week went and usually get a response of no walks, he’s barking at the neighbors but is the perfect dog inside and listens and doesn’t have any problems. Then we go for a long 30 minute walk and Spenser is an angel!

Dogs read us like books. They read our body language. They know when we are nervous or stressed. They know what to do to make us excited or frustrated. Often they know something is going on before we’ll admit it out loud. We often don’t give them enough credit for what is going on around them. It is up to us to be confident, forget the past (our dog’s already have), to lead our dogs and not accept behavior that doesn’t work for us.

Spenser is a great dog with a lot of talent and fun. He loves to chase a ball, will cuddle and snooze with you and is cute as the dickens! Sometimes when we don’t have a connection with our dog over certain things…like Spenser acting crazy on his walks just for his owners… it helps to step back from the frustration and remember all the amazing things are dogs do give us. If all we think about are the bad habits and what we “know” he’ll do when faced with a certain situation how can we remember the good things they do? If we don’t let it all go and not be embarrassed or let our dog upset us the dog is going to know and work toward what you have practiced with him, an unbalanced relationship.

I honestly don’t know why Spenser won’t listen to his owner on walks. He is great when I am there, or even fifty feet away! I don’t have a magical aura or special dog training pixie dust that makes the dogs listen when I am near. I have some ideas why Spenser doesn’t listen to his owner and his owner is definitely working at making it better. This is one case where it shows no matter how much information Follow Me Dog Training LLC  gives, alot of times it boils down to the relationship between dog and owner that needs to be worked on. I can clear up the communication, talk about leadership and help with the obedience commands, but I can’t change the energy between dog and owner. That is up to the owner to make the big step to figure out why Spenser won’t work for her on a walk.

I encourage everyone when they are frustrated by their dogs to spend some time remembering the stuff you have taught them and the good things they can do. Take a step back and reevaluate and have fun with your dog.

Contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC for a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog!

A word about animal rights…

If dogs are a large part of your life and you are concerned for their continued welfare and our ability to continue having them in our life, read on….

I’m not interested in making my blog a political statement. But far to often I hear of people that have animals, love animals, want to help animals and still support groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Doris Day Animal League and The Humane Society of the United States(HSUS). Heck up until I put my foot down with my parents and said “Don’t contribute to the HSUS if you are at all interested in my future as a dog trainer or your life with a dog!”; my parents would send off a check thinking it was the right thing to do. My own cousin was wearing a PETA shirt and she owns a dog and two therapy pigs and is a vegetarian….all of those are good by me except for the t-shirt part! I am certainly not here to tell you where to send contributions, just to open eyes for a moment.

I say rescue a dog, help you LOCAL animal shelter or LOCAL humane society, support good breeders, but also be aware of what is going on in the world of animal politics, especially if you have a pet and want your children’s children to know what it is like to have a dog!

For more information about what is really happening with things like breed specific Legislation, dangerous dog laws, how your money may not be helping animals when you contribute to the HSUS and PETA and other “Animal Right’s” issues, check out some of these resources and make your own decision about the  welfare of animals. I have also listed some other groups that you can support that you will know where the money is going…..

http://www.dogpolitics.com/            http://www.adoa.org/index.cfm      http://www.petakillsanimals.com/         http://www.naiaonline.org/  http://www.akc.org/news/sections/legislative_alerts.cfm   http://www.caninepac.org/           http://www.dogpro.org/    http://www.ussportsmen.org/index.cfm    http://www.petpac.net/    http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/136

Here is an article just recently published concerning the smart move by the retailer Meijer to not promote the HSUS!!!!

Animal Rights Group Dupes Donors Into Believing It Takes Care of Animals

(Columbus) - When regional retailer, Meijer, received pressure from sportsmen to sever ties with the animal rights extremists in the Humane Society of the Unites States (HSUS), some questioned why the U.S.
Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) acted to oppose the partnership.”Most people simply don’t know that the HSUS is actually an animal rights organization that is opposed to any use of animals for the benefit of humans,” said USSA president and CEO Bud Pidgeon. “The public deserves to know the hidden agenda behind this is to deceive them.”On April 24, 2008, HSUS, the world’s largest animal rights organization, announced a partnership with Meijer, a regional discount retail chain to raise $5,000 for the organization’s fund to address the purported problem of abandoned pets as a result of the national home foreclosure crisis. The USSA, a national organization founded to protect the rights of sportsmen, responded with an alert asking hunters to contact the retailer to protest the partnership. Meijer quickly responded by canceling the arrangement. Since that time, some animal welfare activists have questioned why USSA would oppose a partnership alleged to benefit pets.

The Washington DC-based HSUS, raised $100 million dollars according to its 2006 IRS filing. Despite a name that seems tailor made to animal shelters, HSUS is in fact an animal rights organization. Its main function is to change laws that permit Americans to gain any benefit from animals. It advocates for restrictions on livestock farmers, bans on life-saving medical research performed on animals and opposes zoos, circuses and rodeos. Of course HSUS also opposes hunting. The HSUS does not operate or represent the local dog and cat shelters that exist across the United States.

“With a name like the Humane Society of the United States, it’s easy to see why some people believe that there is a connection between it and local animal shelters, which struggle every year to make ends meet,” explained Pidgeon. “HSUS spends the bulk of its money on making contributions to politicians, lobbying, lawyers and expensive 30-second advertisements to promote voter issues aimed at banning various uses of animals.”

The Humane Society uses campaigns, such as the Meijer campaign, as a public relations tool to help it raise its $100 million dollar war chest for its animal rights crusade. Evidence of this is contained within its leadership.
Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the organization, is the former executive director of the Fund for Animals, which was the nation’s leading anti-hunting group.
Upon accepting the executive job at HSUS, Pacelle announced a merger with the Fund for Animals and quickly hired its most ardent hunting opponents as his top management staff.

The HSUS then swallowed several anti-livestock organizations, hiring their leadership as well. Its takeover of the Doris Day Animal League has given it access to Hollywood dollars, previously the home turf of the radical People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Unlike PETA, however, Pacelle and HSUS are not interested in making a large public relations spectacle using naked models or making outrageous statements comparing the Holocaust to the slaughter of chickens. Instead, HSUS has launched a series of campaigns that put it in a positive light with animal lovers in general.

Such was the case in 2005, when HSUS created a fund to aid animals stranded as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Later, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office launched an investigation of HSUS when allegations surfaced that the money never made it to the pets in need.

In 2007 it launched a campaign to address the issue of so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog rescue shelters in the state.

“Taking advantage of the American people’s love for their pets, HSUS is able to deceive donors and the public into believing that the organization is in the mainstream of American values,” said Pidgeon. “It is this mainstream image that allows HSUS to raise its 100 million dollar budget to take our hunting and fishing rights away. At the same time, by deceiving animal lovers, HSUS robs financially strapped dog and cat shelters of critical funds needed to actually look after abandoned and abused pets.”

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance recommends that people who want to help real animal shelters give to their local shelter organizations.

“Some animal rights groups masquerade as pet shelters, so donating to a local organization gives the contributor the opportunity to determine how their funds will actually be spent,” said Pidgeon.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website http://www.ussportsmen.org

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, There is a possibility it won’t sit well with some people. That is ok, because people in the animal world need to take note about the things they support. I love my dogs, the dogs I work with and the dogs I know. I wouldn’t want my future relatives to not know the joy of having a dog or cat or any animal in their home.

Follow Me Dog Training LLC does not support BSL, we do support all breeds and heartily agree that we should “Blame the deed not the Breed!” We do not support Mandatory Spay Neuter laws(for many reasons that won’t be listed because it would take too long), we do suggest spaying and neutering your dog when you want to, not because you have to or you will loose your dog or have to pay a high fee for breaking the law! We do not support laws that banish the use of any tools for dog training purposes, we do support education and using a tool that is right for owner and dog! We do not support dog fighting of any kind,  we do support tough penalties for those that breed for, train for, house and spectate any kind of dog fighting! Follow Me Dog Training LLC  does not support groups like HSUS, PETA and the Doris Day League, we do support our local animal shelters, rescue organizations and researched  breeders because they can make a difference in giving animals their forever homes.

Above all Follow Me Dog Training LLC supports training your dog no matter how old, what breed they are, what crazy personalities they have, because a well behaved dog makes a big impression on everyone. Contact us for a FREE demonstration and evaluation and we’ll help lead you to success.

Sunday afternoon snooze time

Everyonce in awhile at Follow Me Dog Training LLC we get to slow down and take a break. This past Sunday was one of those days. It was a georgous spring day, beautiful blue skys, the smell of fresh cut grass and a slight breeze covering the 80 degree weather. (eat your heart out my midwestern friends!)

So after a day of working and playing and cutting the grass, Leinie, Pepper, our freind Fenway and I sat out on the porch. I was reading and chatting with friends and the three beasties were snoring…literally. I don’t think there is anything more peaceful then watching a dog sleep. So I wanted to share their peace and calmness with everyone.

If you would like to be able to sit on your porch and enjoy the spring days with your dog being calm at your feet, contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC for a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog.

Teddy, the knife wielding terrier

 Here sits Teddy “in place”. A few months ago if you had told my daughter and I that Teddy would obey any command we would have laughed. Teddy was a much loved pup but he was aggressive - don’t be fooled by his cute face.  He would growl and nip when he didn’t get his way. Renée likes the story about Teddy grabbing a knife out of the dishwasher and running through the house with it. In other words, we had no control of Teddy - he was in charge.Finally, it was either, Teddy would behave or he would have to go - that’s when we called Renée. It was a life changing decision for us and Teddy. Even though he bite Renée on the first visit, he  turned into a nice family member once we signed up for lessons and learned that “we could be in charge of a 10 pound dog” (smile) Thanks Renée -Teddy is now a happier dog and we are much happier owners.  

Karen

Teddy is a cool little dog. He is a Silky terrier. Teddy is a whole lot of attitude in a little body. Cute as any dog could be but man, he drew me in with his cuteness and took a couple of potshots at me when I first met him. He was a real challenge to work with but lucky for Follow Me Dog Training LLC Teddy’s owners were willing to do whatever they needed to to bring the dog out in Teddy and manage the little demon that had taken over their house.  By teaching him some manners, attention to command, an easy non-confrontational way to communicate, and that there was a better way to receive attention, Teddy blossomed into a dog that by lesson 6 I was down on the floor playing tug and sending him to his place with.

We also had to teach Teddy’s owners how to not be taken advantage of by a 10lbs dog! The place command was an important command….now Teddy could be told not to get on the furniture but still have a comfy place to chill out.

He also learned how to drop things and to not get into the dishwasher!! I still laugh when I think of Teddy hopping into the dishwasher, grabbing a steak knife and running around the house….not safe for anyone! It reminds me of this cool video of Canine Freestyle.  Check out this Dog Dancing Horror Show!  That Border Collie could be Teddy!

Teddy and his owners were great students and I look forward to seeing Teddy continue to improve. It is amazing what clear communication between dog and owner can do for a relationship. If you are interested in a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog, contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC today. We work with dogs of all sizes and personalities. If you are making a decision of whether or not to keep your dog, as Teddy’s owners were, call or email today and Follow Me Dog Training LLC will sit down and realistically talk about your goals for your dog and help you manage the situation you are having!

“Call Your Dog!!!”

Let’s pretend for a moment that you are in the park with your 3 year old child and they are running towards the pond because they see cute little ducks and baby geese swimming around and waddling on the shore.

Someone at the shoreline calls out to you…the proud parent about 30-40 feet away… “Call your son/daughter those ducks are decoys and there is a large alligator in this pond” What would you do? Would you:

1. Call out to the person on the shoreline “It’s ok, my son/daughter watches the Crocodile Hunter and she’s friendly to all animals and reptiles”
2. Call out to your child “Stop! Come back here now!” Then follow through by moving toward your child and making them move away from the ducks.
3. You completely freak out and start yelling and screaming for your child as they walk closer and closer to the pond and the poor person at the shoreline has to help you wrangle your child to safety.
4. Watched all this from afar as this happens to someone else and their child because you read and obeyed the rules of the park stating that your child should be supervised and with you at all times.

Follow Me Dog Training LLC trains dogs and their owners all over the Richmond, Virginia area. Our training emphasises off leash control of your dog in any environment….in home, in your yard or were it is legal to have your dog off leash. I love to be able to take Leinie places; to let him run, chase a ball and interact with the environment…..but I know that he is 100% reliable with his obedience and I keep in mind local leash laws when I am out with him because I want to continue to take advantage of all the great parks and trails around the area. Do some research, there are fewer and fewer places for dog owners to take their dogs…on or off leash. I hate to not be able to go to a park or city because my dog isn’t allowed. And I won’t even get started today on the Breed Specific Legislation that is spreading like a plague across the United States.

This week (not unlike any other time I frequent local parks) I had two separate incidents where I had to yell out “Call your Dog!” Both times I was at a local park that had signs up stating that dogs were allowed (Thank you!) but that they needed to be leashed. Follow Me Dog Training LLC strongly believes that yes, your dog needs exercise, but that exercise by a controlled walk  (on leash) with your dog next to or slightly behind you is more advantageous for dog and owner. Why? Because a controlled walk with the dog holding place puts the owner in charge and keeps the dog continuously thinking of staying with the owner. Your dog burns mental energy having to stay with you, at your pace. They get more physical exercise because they are easier to walk. Be the leader…ask your dog to follow you rather then letting them run out away from you and possibly get into trouble.

So incident #1 happened with myself, a German Shepherd Dog named Fenway, our friend Rachel and her dog Lexi. We had just been passed by a rather large man with his rather large American Pit Bull Terrier…on a leash..pulling on a Flexi lead, but still on a leash and enjoying a walk! We were chatting and wishing away the rain when from up ahead two Yorki’s came busting around the corner, no owner in site. They were silent but on a mission to come right up to Fenway and Lexi. I yelled out “Call your Dogs!” and Rachel and I put our dogs into a sit command. And then we heard the screaming from the owner, who had to have been at least 25 feet away, as she turned the corner and saw her sweet innocent little dogs running up to two (under control) big dogs. She yelled at her dogs: “Come, you know better then that, what were you thinking, come here now, oh my God, come here, don’t you look all mad at me, I told you to come” The lady didn’t look at us or say anything to us, just chased her dogs away from us (still off leash) and continued her walk. Rachel and I were flabbergasted and I believe I made a comment to the extent of “I hope she didn’t let those two do that to that big Pit Bull we just passed.” And Rachel said “I hope she reads the side of your car and writes down your info!”

Incident #2 happened just today as I took Fenway for a walk at a less secluded park. We needed the distraction of people and children and disc golf, and it is a popular park to walk your dog in. I can honestly say though, even though it is clearly stated to have your dog on leash, an off leash dog runs up into my dogs’ face every time I am at this park. Yes it is posted…Keep your dog on leash, and clean up after them.  Fenway was doing some confidence building exercises, working on his place command and walking nicely in a heel with me. I would drop his leash and work on some close recalls and movement away from him and he did fantastic.

We traveled up a hill, watching the lunch crowd pick out spots to eat and a black lab mix comes racing down the hill. We stop and I look for what might possibly be this dog’s owner. Not even seeing anyone with a leash in their hand I generally yelled out “Call your Dog!” and this guy crests the top of the hill and yells out “He’s friendly” and saunters down the hill starting to call his dog. Well his “friendly” dog was posturing and starting to get into Fenway’s face, not at all listening to the calls of his owner. Thumbs up for Fenway who is a pretty cool young dog and said hello and acted a bit submissive. The guy passed us by, said hello to me and called his dog away from Fenway and kept letting him run loose.

Admittedly I should have said something in both these instances, however, concentrating on the dog I was with, praising him for not taking offense to a rude dog getting right into his face, and watching for the off leash dogs to come back prevented me from stopping either the guy or the lady. Here are some of the things I would like to say though:

• Just because you believe your dog is friendly doesn’t mean the one they are rudely running up to is.
• If you call your dog and he essentially give you the paw and doesn’t come, don’t have your dog off leash where there are big distractions.
• Teach your dog to Come to you the first time you call, no matter what is around, that way if your dog goes toward an iffy situation you know they will be safe.
• “Call your dog!” isn’t another way of saying “Is your dog friendly?”
• Local leash laws exist for a reason, in order for the average pet owner to continue to own dogs and take them with us wherever we go, we need to follow some of these laws.

I know today won’t be the last time I yell out “Call your Dog!” I do hope that if you are walking anywhere and someone yells this in your direction that you have the foresight to call your dog to you so they don’t get mixed up in something they probably shouldn’t. the “Come” command is one of the first commands we teach at Follow Me Dog Training LLC because we know how important it is.

If you are interested in making your dog’s recall more rock solid, would like your dog to walk nicely next to you through the park and would like to broaden your dog’s horizon with obedience and confidence building, contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC today for a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog.