Follow Me Dog Training

Taking care of our troops

“Military Working Dogs are a unique, nonhuman, person type weapons system. Its an awesome weapon system I fully appreciate, and we have to have their capabilities in the theatre.” -Lt Col. (Dr.) Henderson, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group Dentist.

Why would a human dentist, sent overseas to take care of our human troops be talking about Military Working Dogs?

Just recently, Henderson worked closely with Army vets at an air base in Southwest Asia to perform a root canal on MWD Kitti, so she could be deployed to Afghanistan without delay. With help from a human dentists this Belgian Malinois was able to stay overseas and protect our troops rather then return to Lackland Airforce Base for a tooth pull and recuperation. The root canal was a success and MWD Kitt woke up with a couple silver fillings and is back doing her job.

Army Captain (Dr. ) Williams of the 218 MD had this to say about the surgery “”It’s always good to get the dogs back on their feet, chasing bad guys and sniffing out bombs, and that’s what we do here,”  

MWD Kitt and handler Senior Airman Belward are assigned to the 822nd Security Forces Squadron.

Check out pictures and the full article at the United States Air Force website.

Leinie supports our Troops!

Follow Me Dog Training LLC   thinks that our U.S. Military Working Dogs are amazing and is so thankful for the services they provide to keep our troops safe, both home and abroad!

Dog’s on the bed

Leinie waits patiently for his invite onto the bed.

When I meet new prospective clients I always ask them what they think about their dog being on furniture. Some people give me a resounding “no”, a few will say the dog is allowed “only” on one couch or chair, and others will sheepishly tell me their dog sleeps with them. I make a note and go on with my evaluation, knowing I may have to come back to the subject after I have learned more about their relationship with their dog.

Follow Me Dog Training LLC is all about clear communication, understanding what your goals for your dog are, letting your dog understand how to trust and work with you, and then leading you to success with those goals in mind. So a well balanced dog, that knows what the house rules are, is able to have more privileges then those that challenge and frustrate their owners. To me, the bed is a privilege.

The bed in particular can be an important resource to your dog. You as their owner spend at least 7-8 hours there. You are at your most comfortable and relaxed and your dog knows how important that space is. If your dog takes control of that space, you loose out on more then just a little sleep. Have you heard any stories, or even experienced yourself the dog that sleeps in the bed with one owner and when they or maybe their partner gets out of bed, the dog won’t let them back in? Or have you heard about the one where kids have been pushed out of their bed by the family dog, so the kids go sleep on the couch? Or what about this one, I turned over in my sleep and touched my dog and the dog bit me for no reason. All of these are true and I have heard all of them first hand at one time or another.

Leinie and Pepper are both allowed to sleep with me. We all have an understanding of who is in charge and  for them, jumping into bed with me is not their given right, it is something they have earned, and they don’t always earn that right. By the way, it is ok if you have multiple dogs that they all have different rules regarding furniture. It won’t hurt their feelings, only establish you as a strong leader instead. So what are some things to take into consideration if you want your dog to sleep with you?

• The dog is only allowed on the bed with an invitation.
• The dog must get off the bed when told to do so.
• The dog isn’t allowed on the bed without a person there as well.
• No toys allowed on the bed! The bed is not a play area, so even if you are reading or watching tv, no toys for the dog, they need to be sleeping or on the floor entertaining themselves.
• If they start moving around, making noise or wanting to play, they are told to get off the bed.
• If they have been sick in any way that day…sorry no bed for them, safer on the floor or in a crate!
• Wait until your dog is at least 1 year old, and completely housebroken.
• Expect your shedding dog to leave fur on the sheets and blankets, it happens! (I brush Leinie out before bed when he is blowing his coat)
• Your dog must be free of other behavior problems

I always keep a warm comfy dog bed on the floor next to my bed, should one of the dogs (normally Pepper) not want to sleep with me, and that is fine. It isn’t unusual for me to peek into the bedroom while I am brushing my teeth and see Leinie standing by the side of the bed, chin on the bed, eyes closed waiting to hop up and go to sleep.

hurry up, I'm tired!

What if your dog sleeps with you and has some other kind of behavior problem; like barking at people, running away, growling over his food or toys, has too much energy, won’t walk with you on a leash, plays with the kids by chasing them down and grabbing their clothing or ankles, or has an aggression problem? With these dogs it is imperative to re-evaluate your rules on furniture. Follow Me Dog Training LLC will be the first to tell you that in these circumstances, the dog should be in a crate or on the floor at night when you are not supervising them. Let your dog then earn their right to come back on the bed with you through good behavior and nice manners. Do keep in mind that some dogs, never earn that privledge, and that is ok!

Bed time!

Dogs and their friends!

We should all aspire to be good friends to eachother like Bella and Tara!

Contact Follow Me Dog Training LLC to find out how to form a friendship with your dog. We start out with a free evaluation and do in-home private lessons with you and your dog. Training owners and their dogs all over the Richmond, Virginia area.