Are Choke and Pinch Collars Cruel?

I don’t think so.  When used properly they are very effective training tools that do not hurt the dog - I swear!  Actually, I wanted to see how a Pinch Collar felt, so today I put one on.  I pulled pretty hard on it, and even though I am making a silly face, I promise it didn’t hurt.  It created an even pressure around my neck.  It did not feel like it was biting or cutting into my skin.  Obviously, my neck is built much differently than a dog’s.  I don’t have the extra skin, muscle and fur that a dog has.  I'm making the assumption a dog's neck is sturdier than mine; therefore, a strong dog wouldn’t be phased by the amount of pressure I used on myself, and could easily tolerate a fair amount more.  

Personally, I think Choke and Pinch collars are great tools for the strong and the strong willed dogs that have figured out the trick of a "Training Harness" or a "Head Collar."  Some dogs will learn how to anticipate and brace themselves against the Harness or Head Collar so they are able to avoid the pull redirection function (see my post re: Loose Leash Walking for more info).  These strong dogs can effectively pull themselves in the direction they want in spite of the use of a Training Collar or Head Collar.  Want to give a Choke or Pinch Collar a try?  Make sure to follow these rules:

1)      This is a training tool only – NOT an everyday collar.  Do NOT leave this collar on your dog unless you are actively training your dog.  You could severely injure or even KILL your dog if left on unsupervised and the collar catches on something. 

2)      Make sure you are using the Choke or Pinch Collar properly.  If you have any doubt, please seek help from a trainer because you can injure your dog.  

Choke and Pinch collars work through the use of a quick “constriction/release” of the collar which is called a “correction.”  Some trainers say this constriction around the neck simulates the correction given by the mother dog to her pups when they are too rowdy or out of line.  Folks in the “Corrective Training” camp believe this type of training method is superior to “Positive Reinforcement” because it is closer to what actually occurs in nature.  

To properly use these types of collars you will need to have a fair amount of play in the collar (the collar should be loose) so it can easily slide to constrict and then release.  99% of the time the collar should be LOOSE (a correction takes less 1 second).  It is done by making a quick, firm pull on the leash to create the constriction, then immediately release.  Do NOT keep your dog in a semi-permanent choked state.  If you find you are keeping your dog in a semi-permanent choked state, stop this type of training.  You are doing it wrong.  Get some professional help.   Finally, make sure your corrections are well timed.  

If Choke and Pinch collars still make you uncomfortable, or if your dog doesn’t react well to them, then my advice is you should try something else.  There are other training options available to you.  In my upcoming post about “Loose Leash Walking” I discuss some of these alternative training tools and how to use them.

Re-Homing Doodles

I want to help keep Labradoodles out of San Diego shelters.  Please use my website as a resource for the homeless or soon to be homeless doodles.   

Do you have to depart with your beloved doodle?   Please send me an email.  I will post your dog's picture on my website and maybe I can put you in touch with someone who is looking to adopt.  Please note - I will not SELL your dog for you.  This is a last resort and alternative to taking your pup to a shelter.  This is not for profit.  

Are you looking for a free to low cost doodle?  Send me an email and maybe I can put you in touch with someone who can't keep theirs.

I will do my best to keep this blog topic updated with available dogs and the number of people looking. 

 

Current Potential Homes:

I do have one gentleman looking for an older Labradoodle - male or female.  

Current Available Dogs:

I volunteer as a dog handler at San Diego County Animal Services.  When I see a doodle or a doodle blend, I will post their picture in this blog.  

Want to Foster?  Let me know.

Goal:  Hopefully, within the next year we will get a facility large enough to house a couple fosters.  We will keep you posted!

Why are Labradoodles so Awesome?

1)      Labradoodles are derived from 2 awesome breeds.

For 21 years the Labrador Retriever has been America’s favorite dog and for good reason.  I have grown up with labs and know firsthand how easy they are to love.   They have a lot of active drive and practical purpose as a working companion (gun dog), yet are calm and obedient if trained properly.  Their loyalty and friendly temperament makes them outstanding pets. 

Poodles are another great breed.  These dogs have a lovely temperament!  However, what makes this breed really stand out is its intelligence.  The Poodle is tied neck and neck with the Border Collie for the title, "smartest dog breed" (except you don’t have to deal with those pesky herding instincts).  Finally, the cherry on top is the Poodle's "no-shed" coat.

2)      First generation Labradoodles are the product an awesome phenomenon called “Hybrid Vigor.”

I won’t put you to sleep with a complex, at length, discussion of genetics and Hybrid Vigor, so please keep in mind this is a very simplified explanation. 

As you know, pure bred dogs can suffer from genetic health issues that are usually breed specific (hip dysplasia, Canine Dwarfism, etc.)  This is because pure bred dogs have a high level of relatedness, and a low level of genetic variation.  This creates an environment ripe for the expression of bad recessive genes (bad traits like hip dysplasia).  However, when you cross two different breeds that have different problems, it opens the gene pool back up and hides the bad recessive traits under the dominant good genes from the other breed.  This is the phenomenon of Hybrid Vigor.  The longer that these breeds have been isolated in their own genetic pool, and the greater the genetic differences between the two breeds, the stronger the resulting Hybrid Vigor will be.  This creates a dog with fewer problems.  Hybrid dogs live longer, go to the vet less, are more fertile, and are more mentally stable. 

Basically, you start with really two awesome breeds and combine them.  The resulting progeny will have fewer health problems and better temperament than either of the starting breeds.  Plus, in the specific case of the Labradoodle, you might even luck out and get expression of those no-shed genes.  

Keep in mind that if a health issue is shared by both breeds, Hybrid Vigor will not help eliminate that problem (i.e. hip dysplasia).  That is why it is always important to make sure the proper health testing has been done!  

Barking at the doorbell, Jumping on people - Common Front Door Dog Training Issues

Does your dog freak when someone knocks on the door, rings your doorbell, or god forbid your mailman tries to deliver your mail?  Well don’t despair, the best day of the year to work on stopping this is coming up.  Halloween is an ideal time for you to work with your dog on how to greet strangers properly.  Say NO to chaos, crazy barking, and jumping up!

Keep in mind these undesirable behaviors could be a side effect of not enough exercise.  Most dogs don’t get enough exercise and mental stimulation, which can result in frantic, hyper, and neurotic behavior.  If you are in doubt, remember a tired dog is a good dog – get out there and take Fido for a walk.   If exercise doesn’t do the trick here are some other training suggestions to try out.

Problem:  Dog barks and acts crazy when door bell rings or someone knocks. 

Positive Reinforcement Methods:
1)      (Desensitization) Put your dog on her training lead.  Position a friend at the door and ask him to ring the bell or knock 10 times at 20-second intervals.  Tell your friend to come through a different door when he’s done.  Each time the bell rings or the person knocks, call and redirect your dog away from the door.  Practice these setups twice a day until your dog tones down her reaction.

2)      (Redirect) It helps if you are able to see the stimulus that sets your dog off first.  The idea here is you will want to redirect your dog’s attention and it is easier if you haven’t waited until full freak out.  This is why Halloween is great.  You know kids are coming by and you can be ready for it.  Keep an eye on that front window.  Before your dog even notices someone approaching, try to get your dog to sit and focus on you (use a high value treat).  Have a friend or family member be ready to answer the door.   If your dog continues to bark and act out, then next time try moving a little further away from the door until you find a spot that your dog is able to focus – this might be the next room.  Keep practicing and slowly move in closer towards the door as your dog is able to.  Trust me, this will take some time, but practice makes perfect.

Corrective Training Alternatives:
1)      If your dog is real neurotic and the above methods aren’t working well you can add in a corrective training technique.  If your dog is barking, tell your dog “Quiet” in a low, but firm voice – do not yell.  Then give your pup a 1 – 2 second opportunity to comply and stop barking.  If your dog doesn’t stop, then spray your dog in the face with a mist of water.   Your dog will be startled into silence.  Make sure to praise your dog and say “good quiet.”  If your dog starts to bark again – repeat the process.   When she gets it right make sure to give lots of praise.

Please make sure you use a MIST of water (as opposed to a stream) and please don’t use Binaca, vinegar, or mouthwash.  That's not cool - it's cruel!  Spraying these types of products on your dog is not safe.  Also make sure you never lose your cool and yell.  Yelling only brings additional high energy to the situation and your dog may think you are barking along with her.

2)      If you have a training collar on your dog, you can do the same process as described above with the spray bottle.  Give the command “Quiet,” wait 1-2 seconds and if she hasn’t stopped barking give a proper correction using the training collar.  If your dog is still acting crazy, guide your dog further away from the door and repeat the process.  With practice, and as your dog is able to control herself, move slowly back closer to the door.   Remember to give lots of praise when she gets it right so your dog learns what the right behavior.

Problem:  Dog jumps up and acts wild when guests walk in the front door.

Positive Reinforcement Methods:
1)      Pick an area by the door to send your pup to when company arrives. Secure a leash to the area and place a favorite ball, toy, or treat there. When the bell rings, station/secure your puppy as you instruct “Go to your place.” Then answer the door. Instruct your company to ignore the pup while greeting you. Wait until your puppy is calm and quiet to introduce her, even if it takes an hour.

2)      Make sure your dog is on a leash when you open the door. Before you open the door, step on the leash right by your pups foot (careful to not step on your pup).  Your puppy will still attempt to jump up, but will be unable to because the shorten leash will prevent him.  Make sure to instruct everyone to ignore the pup.  Once the puppy has calmed down – give calm praise.

3)      No leash in sight…no problem.  Instruct your guests (or maybe it is you) to have calm, quiet energy.  When the dog jumps up – there can be no (human) squealing - simply turn your back on her.  Don’t talk to her, do not acknowledge or even look at her until she has calmed down.  It is key the instant she calms down, even slightly, you give calm praise (no squeaking or high pitched noises as that will elevate the energy level back to crazy town).  Similar to children, dogs will take negative attention over no attention.  You have to provide a timely reward (praise or treat) for good behavior.  Otherwise, I am sure your pooch will find other ways to get your attention!

Corrective Training Alternatives:
1)      If your dog is real neurotic and the above methods aren’t working well you can try a corrective training spray bottle technique.  Keep a water spray bottle by the door.  When your dog jumps up, spray a mist of water in your dog’s face and sternly say “No.” Turn away and continue to ignore.  If your pooch jumps again repeat the process as necessary.  Make sure to stay quiet, calm and ignore your dog until he is relaxed.  Once he has calmed down make sure to give timely praise. 

Corrective Training vs. Positive Reinforcement Training – Which is Better?

There is a lot of heated debate about this subject.  Trainers from both camps feel very passionately that their school of thought is the ONLY acceptable way.  In a nutshell trainers in the “Corrective Training” camp believe positive reinforcement training is not effective.  Specifically, they believe once the food is taken away the dog will not perform the task OR even if the food is given every single time the dog will become less stimulated and the response will be inconsistent at best.  On the other hand, the “Positive Reinforcement” camp argues corrective training is archaic while using fear, pain, and force to achieve compliance.

                                                        WHERE DO I STAND?

Personally, I don’t have a one size fits all outlook on dog training.  I believe there are lots of effective and humane techniques to train animals.  With all of these great tools, I think it would be silly to limit yourself to only half the tools in the tool box.  No two dogs are the same, so a method that works great with one dog might not work well with another.  Also, owners are different.  We all have different training goals, timelines, and comfort levels.  I am firm believer in doing what works best for you and what you are comfortable with.  I will always try to provide several methods for achieving the desired behavior.  With respect to “corrective” training methods, I will only recommend the methods I am comfortable with.  None of the corrective training techniques I recommend involve pain, force or fear.

WHAT TRAINING METHOD SHOULD I USE?

If you are dealing with an abused or an aggressive dog you should consult personally with a trainer before implementing any training program.
 

Positive Reinforcement (PR)  When training puppies and teaching new behaviors (old or young dogs) you should only use PR techniques.  PR is the fastest and most fun way to teach your pup (or old dog) new skills.  Many trainers use PR techniques exclusively and achieve wonderful consistent results.  If your dog is able to reach a satisfactorily level of consistency just using PR, then I recommend you stick with PR training approaches.  Lucky you! Corrections are not necessary.  If you aren’t getting the type of results you want but are NOT comfortable with correction training then you should also stick to PR training.  It takes longer, but usually with hard work and consistency you can achieve the same results as corrective training.

Corrective Training (CT)  When dealing with confident, rambunctious, and often times young dogs, PR might not be enough.  One common reason for this is the payoff of the undesired behavior is greater than the reinforcer (i.e. chasing the neighbors cat is more appealing than a piece of chicken).  I find CT techniques very useful in achieving consistent obedience skills, as well as, an effective means to stopping undesired behaviors.  There are many humane corrections that act as a guide to the dog for acceptable behavior.   
To me it is very clear when it is time to give a correction.  Here is how to tell:  There is a point where you know with certainty that your dog understands the command (i.e. you have already used PR techniques to successfully teach the command).  You give the command, you see the command register with your dog, and your dog chooses to disregard the command.  You can almost see the gears moving in your dogs head…”Do I really want to stop barking at the door?” “Do I really want to sit?”  What is going on is your dog is weighing whether the payoff of the undesired behavior is greater than the potential of getting a reinforcer (affection or treat).  This process happens in a flash, and as you know, if you don’t have a treat handy often times the continued barking or the other undesired behavior will win out over compliance with the command.  CT is a great tool for these types of situations.  For me, this is when I might set up the training a little bit with a CT technique.

**The bottom line is both ways can work.  At the end of the day, you should pick what works best for you and your pooch. 

Tips for preparing your house and your dog for Halloween

Are you ready for Halloween?  Here are some tips to make sure Halloween with your dog is a happy one!

1)      Keep those treats away from Fido.  Make sure those candy treats are stored safely away… in a cupboard.  Often times a bowl on the counter doesn’t cut it.  I know it is unthinkable, but when you are not looking your pooch might jump up and help himself.  As we know chocolate, xylitol (a sugar substitute),  and other ingredients commonly in candy are poisonous to dogs.

2)      Pet proof the decorations - To dogs and puppies, Halloween decorations are easily confused as a new chew toy.  Make sure that your dog doesn’t have access to jack-o-lanterns and other decorations that if digested could end up in a trip to the emergency room.

3)      Dressed for Success (and Safety) Doggy Halloween costumes may be cute, but make sure they are also safe and comfortable.  Also never leave your dog in a costume unsupervised as the costume may snag or tangle your pooch up.

4)      Greeting trick or treaters – On Halloween you will probably open your door at least a couple dozen times. This is a prime time for your dog to escape.  Make sure you keep this in mind and take the necessary precautions to keep your dog secure.


**Take advantage of the unique training opportunity Halloween provides.   The constant wave of visitors provides an optimal training environment for reinforcing how your pup should greet strangers at the door.   Make sure you are prepared and have your training tools ready (i.e. dog treats, training collar, maybe even a squirt bottle of water).   Remember you want to anticipate and stop/refocus bad behavior at the first indication.  For additional information about training methods used to get your dog to calm down at the door, please see my post regarding   “Front Door Training Tips”.

"Just a Dog"

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

“Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.  I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a human.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”
author unknown

Meet Cougar

She was the “Game Changer” for me.  I got Cougar from Top Dog Retrievers up in Red Bluff, CA (www.topdogretreivers.com) as a gift from the owners (lifelong besties).  I had been wanting a dog for a while but had to wait until I had a stable living situation (i.e. finished college).  Cougar has as dominant and independent a personality as a dog can get -  However, she is also very smart.  Training her has been and continues to be a fun challenge.



This last year we have taken it to the next level and started agility training.  It is super rewarding to bring dog/human communication to higher levels through advance training.

My relationship with Cougar is the 1st of 3 factors that sparked my career shift.  The second was watching the success, and happiness of my friends Toby and Caleb Anderson as they grew their business “Top Dog Retrievers” from the ground up.  The third was the constant pressure from my boyfriend to pursue something that I am passionate about.

My Background

From lawyer to dog trainer/dog breeder…? I know it’s not the most obvious career path.  However, if we played “what doesn’t fit” with my life choices, you would see that law school and the legal career was the deviation.  Originally, from Mt. Shasta, California, I was raised in a place where yards aren’t fenced in and kids go barefoot.  Growing up we had a Yorkshire terrier kennel, 2 large mixed breed dogs, several different cats, and 3 horses - animals were an integral part of my life.  When it was time for college my goal was to become a marine biologist.  I wanted to train the dolphins and swim with the killer whales at Sea World.  Apparently, lots of people thought working with the dolphins seemed like a good idea, so about mid way through my degree, I  changed my major from marine bio to general biology.

I am going to blame it on young love, but this is where the wheels fell off the bus.  You see, my college bf was planning on attending law school.  While helping him research schools and areas of law, I realized there is a legal market for someone with a science background in the IP field.  Graduation was coming up fast and not wanting to break up/move apart, on a whim I applied to law school.  Long story short, he didn’t apply, but I did.  I got accepted, graduated law school, passed the bar, and 7 years of practicing law later, here we are.

What do I want to do with the REST OF MY LIFE?!?!

After passing the bar and practicing law, I knew pretty much immediately that I didn’t want to be an attorney.  Although making that determination was easy enough, figuring out what I really wanted to do was not.  My education provided me with some options.  I have a biology degree and a law degree so there are several careers paths I could go down.  I knew I didn’t want to be holed up in an office and I didn’t want go back to school.  When it finally came to me, it felt great!  Working with the dogs was the first (and only) option that I truly felt excited about on all levels.  My hope is that my blog will be a chronicle of this career transition, as well as, a space for me to share the cool stuff I learn!