Modar Dog Training

Shall we move along to the second installment of our Lists of things to expose puppies to? :-) Different species! Other dogs (big dogs, small dogs, black dogs, white dogs, piebald tan dogs, fuzzy dogs, dogs with ears that stick up, dogs with no tail, barking dogs, stationary dogs, purebreds, mixed breeds, etc.)... Cats Pocket pets (hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, parakeets, etc.) Livestock (horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, etc.) Wildlife (squirrels, possibly deer, wild turkeys, etc.) REMEMBER the most important thing about exposure (aka socialization), is keeping the puppy within their comfort zone! This should always take place in a safe, structured environment to prevent scary/traumatic experiences that can have lasting effects. They need not play/interact with the other dogs/animals, it just needs to be a positive, pleasant experience! After the first 4 months, anything you do is considered training, conditioning or behavior modification, as the early critical exposure window only lasts until 12 or 16 weeks of age!

Ethology is the study of animals in their natural environment. The natural environment for domestic dogs is with humans!! :-) So don't feel bad if your pup doesn't have lots of doggy friends, *you* can be his or her best friend and provide a wonderful quality life!!! <3

Harness vs Collar An increasing number of pet owners today, seem to be under the assumption that harnesses are the best equipment choice for walking dogs. Many seem to think dogs necks are delicate and collars will somehow hurt them. Unless you have a toy breed with a collapsing trachea, a flat buckle, clip or martingale collar is a perfectly safe training tool! A harness is a *tool,* a collar is a *tool,* what matters is TRAINING... and unfortunately, anything can be misused..., abused and cause harm in the wrong hands!! Most breeds are bred not to be body sensitive. Their necks and chests are muscular. Body harnesses were originally designed to make pulling *comfortable!* Think sled dog, guide dog, search and rescue, tracking... Just yesterday I witnessed a young woman walking a medium sized mixed breed dog on a body harness. When the dog decided it wanted to go a different direction, it stopped, then started PULLING the woman the opposite direction. The dog was literally dragging the woman behind it, she had no control over the dog. Soon she gave in and started jogging behind the dog. What was missing from this scenario? Training!!! It doesn't matter what equipment you are using (although in this case the harness definitely appeared to be a more dangerous choice!), your dog needs to be *trained* how to walk nicely on leash! When making equipment choices, please consider the size of your dog (can he drag you?!? My little 60 lb. Malamute can weight pull well over 1,000 lbs!) and understand that dogs can back/slip out of many harnesses, as well as collars! Some of the front clip no-pull harnesses restrict natural shoulder movement and could cause injury. If you are set on wanting a body harness to walk your dog, three brands of general purpose harnesses that I like/use are: Balance, Kurgo and Ruffwear. Please be sure to find out how to use positive reinforcement training to teach your dog to walk nicely on leash. If you want a working harness for pulling, outfitters like Nordkyn have quality equipment. See more

If you have a puppy under 4 months of age, the most important thing you can do for that puppy is expose them to everything you want them to be comfortable with as an adult! The key is for this exposure (aka socialization) to happen in a *safe, structured* environment to prevent traumatic events that can have lasting effects!! I thought I would start sharing lists of things to expose puppies to... my first topic will be humans! Please understand these are in no way intended t...o be complete lists, just suggestions to give you ideas. People of ALL descriptions (young, old, tall, short, heavy, different ethnicities, etc.) People with canes, walkers, crutches, a limp, glasses, hats, halloween masks, covid masks, eye patch, different clothing styles, etc. Loud people, non-verbal people, those who may have different aromas on them (alcohol, etc.) Hopefully this gives you some idea of the work ahead!! Never allow strangers to stare at (eye contact is threatening) or grab your pup! If your pup is a bit timid, ask people not to move towards them, face them straight on, or reach out at/over them! While feeding/playing in the presence of strangers is great, If you have a timid pup, I do *not* suggest letting strangers feed them! This puts the pup in a position where they are much closer to the "scary stimuli" than they would normally be comfortable with and if the food suddenly runs out, things can turn bad very quickly.

No! There are lots of "no's" in a puppy's world, but many trainers seldom (if ever) use the word no! No does not give your dog any information on *what* it is they are doing wrong, nor does it tell them what you'd rather they be doing instead! Try focusing on all behaviors you like and *prevent* unwanted behaviors through better management. The first step in eliminating any unwanted behavior is to prevent continued rehearsal.... Behaviors that continue or increase are being reinforced, a certain amount of reinforcement comes simply from the completion of a behavior, which is why management is so important. If you do catch your dog doing something you don't like: interrupt and redirect to a more acceptable behavior... turn it into something *positive* to reward! Tell your dog what you *want* rather than what you don't want. maryswinyer.wixsite.com/modardogtraining See more

Licking I have a dog who grooms himself like a cat. He causes no damage/self-harm, so it's not a problem. I've also had dogs that licked to the point of causing lick granulomas or hot spots. There are many reasons dogs lick themselves, including pain, allergies, boredom, compulsive disorders, nausea... Studies have shown that licking releases endorphins in animals' brains that make them feel calmer and more relaxed.... You can give your pet an outlet for licking by smearing peanut butter, cream cheese, mashed banana, plain yogurt, pure canned pumpkin, canned dog food, pureed foods, Kong paste, etc. on a textured plastic cutting board, silicone ice cube trays, candy molds, etc. See more

Does your dog lunge/bark at other dogs, people, bikes or cars? STOP scolding and teach an alternate behavior that you can reward! DON'T wait for your dog to react, engage him *before* he reacts!!... Practice makes perfect, so give your pup lots of opportunities to rehearse watching you, rather than reacting to triggers! :-) https://marketplace.akc.org//modar-dog-training-and-behavi

Training isn't just for "problem" dogs! Positive reinforcement training methods are enriching, stimulate the mind and enhance your relationship!! :-) <3 maryswinyer.wixsite.com/modardogtraining

https://thebark.com/content/dog-moms-and-mothers-day

May Mix and Match Special: Choose up to 8 training videos and handouts/articles for $50! *Includes one month of email support for questions, trouble-shooting and complimentary video review/feedback! Email me for a list of options, more than a dozen videos and articles/handouts to choose from! PayPal or personal check accepted. https://maryswinyer.wixsite.com/modardogtraining/philosophy

Food Trained Dogs Learn Faster and Retain More! The secret is learning how to use the food as a *reward* rather than lure/bribe. If your trainer tells you differently, seek out a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who competes with their own dogs and understands how to use the food!