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Lucky Dog Sports Club in Jupiter
Positive, rewards-based
dog training
May/June 2011
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That Jumping Fool!
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No! Off! Bad Dog!
Dogs like to jump up. When young puppies want attention from their mother, they must jump up to reach her. Later the puppy wants to reach their human companions so they jump up. At first this seems cute and sweet so we reward the puppy by bending over, petting, laughing, and encouraging the puppy. Now the dog is larger and it's not so cute anymore. But we have rewarded this behavior in the past and strengthened the behavior. It's time for new rules. Consistency is crucial.
Owner Coming Home
This is one of the most common times for a dog to jump up, because they are excited to see you.
Step 1. Be prepared. If you are wearing nice clothes, get a smock to put over them and either keep it at the door or in your car. Also have treats at the door or in the car. When you are ready to enter through the door, don't have things in your arms - if you've been to the grocery store, wait until the dog is under control before bringing them in!
Step 2. Open the door. If your dog jumps, step back and close the door (with the dog on the inside and you on the outside). Do this several times. Do it immediately and without comment or reaction. To make it easier for your dog to be successful, when you first enter don't look at or greet your dog. Keep it low key. You can add the verbal greeting when he understands his new default behavior of sitting for greeting.
Step 3. You come through the door and your dog doesn't jump, or better yet, he sits! Yay! Reward, reward, reward! Do this for several days until your dog has a solid sit on first entry.
Another effective method to work on jumping if you are by yourself is to leash your dog to a heavy piece of furniture, or to an eyebolt attached to the baseboard. Walk up to your dog in a calm manner; if your dog jumps up, spin around and walk 10-15 feet away. Don't say "no!" or reprimand for jumping. This method trains your dog to think and learn instead of always having to be told what to do.
After turning and walking away, pause for about 5 seconds before returning to your dog. Keep quietly repeating this tactic until (finally!) when you approach your dog he sits instead of jumping! Quickly reward and praise (or click and reward if you are using a clicker). Hint: Try not to ask for the sit. If you don't get an immediate sit, wait for a moment and allow your dog to think through the interaction. The lesson will sink in better if your dog comes up with the correct behavior instead of you always guiding him.
Dogs Jumping On Strangers on the Street
Enlist two or three helpers for a 10-minute training session. You walk the dog clockwise around the block, while the helpers walk counter-clockwise. When the dog meets the first helper and jumps up, the helper acts like he's completely offended and appalled - gasping and moving away. Then you give the "sit" command and reward with a treat when your dog sits while the helper greets him warmly and then continues on. Repeat with the various helpers until the dog sits each time a helper approaches.
Dog Jumping on Visitors
Get a helper to do the exercises described in the "Owner Coming Home" exercise. An even better idea is to invite several people over and have them take turns doing the exercises then have a party. The entrance fee to the party is making the dog behave. Just a couple of sessions can make a huge difference in your dog's jumping.
Some Other Options
1. You can teach the dog a sit-stay, or go to your mat, with the cue being the doorbell.
2. Teach the dog to bring a toy when the doorbell rings, and then have the visitor (or yourself) throw it for the dog.
3. Use your imagination about how to keep your dog from jumping.
Interested in more training articles and videos? Check them out on our website . |
| Say Hello! | |
Staying Safe and Happy (you and the dog!)
with Close Encounters of the Furry Kind !
Here's a fun, pictorial way to keep everyone comfortable when saying hello. This is especially great to share with children, but in my experience almost everyone can benefit!
Download and print a copy of this page. |
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Shaping fun behaviors
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WHY do we teach tricks? Some people think tricks are "demeaning". I don't agree. Everything we ask the dog to do is a behavior. Whether we call it a trick or an exercise or a job, hey, it's ALL tricks.
Tricks:
- Give the dog something to do when she meets new people. Having something to do makes the dog less fearful and helps her concentrate.
- Give the trainer something to teach that isn't "important". If you got
 your puppy with high dreams of a conformation Specials career, you don't really want to learn the techniques of training while working on gaiting or stacking! Make your mistakes on Sit Pretty, or Shake Hands. If YOU screw up, so what? Your dog never does a good job of shaking hands. Altogether now, AAAAWWWWWWWW.
- Help forge the relationship. Give trainer and dog (and family) something to giggle about together. I've known so many people who won't let their children interact with their big-deal competition dog. So sad. Kids AND dog are missing out! But if the kids screw up your Sit Pretty, where's the tragedy?
- Dog trick training is great for calming overly energetic dogs. Your dog's energy must come out in one way or another so why not channel it into something constructive and fun like trick training?
- Dog tricks can be called on as an "alternate behavior" when your dog is doing something undesirable. For example, if your dog is barking at the door or at something through the window you could call on your "play dead" trick to redirect his/her behavior.
When teaching new tricks make it a very simple step by step process for our dogs to follow. Training sessions should be fun, short and focussed on one easy skill at a time for your dog to master. Then gradually raise your goal or expectations and take it to a slightly higher level, until you have the complete and polished trick. Then start all over again with a new trick!
Work on consistency, timely feedback, positive reinforcement and repetition to shape new tricks. There is no place for excessive force or intimidation in any dog training - especially when it comes to teaching fun dog tricks!
Some general rules to keep in mind when training any behavior:
- All dogs are different. There is no set way to teach tricks that will work for every dog on the block. It's up to you to discover what works best for your individual dog in regard to the motivation you use, length of training sessions and how quickly you progress through each new skill.
- When you start out training a new trick always keep it simple for your dog. Start out with an easy skill, in a familiar place to your dog and with no other distractions present. Then build the trick up piece by piece and add some distractions when you feel your dog is ready.
- Always provide clear, consistent and timely feedback to your dog. It's amazing how much your dog will look to you for cues and guidance. Ensure that you are relaying the right message to your dog in a timely and consistent fashion.
- Generally speaking you are better off not training tricks immediately after feeding your dog or when he/she is bursting with energy. It's ideal if your dog is in a somewhat calm state and ready to focus on the task at hand - I know, this is not easy!
- Always get the behavior (trick) you want your dog to perform first - then attach your cue or command to it not the other way around.
- No dog is too young or old for some fun trick training sessions. As long as your dog is not restricted by any health problem you can get started right now!
- Dogs don't often generalize well. What this means in the context of trick training is that if you want your dog to perform his jaw dropping "roll-over" trick wherever you go, you must teach him how to do it in all different contexts and environments.
- Some basic obedience training is helpful before you begin to teach your dog tricks. Apart from helping the trick training process, obedience training is vital for your dog's safety and well-being.
Tricks will teach your dog several fun and interesting behaviors, AND give you specific practice in all the different ways of getting behavior. Go ahead, get started!
Any trick at all. C'mon, you can do it! If the puppy pulls on her tug toy with you, put a name on it: Pull! If she bangs her dish around with her paws, put a name on it: He shoots, he scores! If you say "Where's Paul?" does she run to Paul? That's a trick. Scratch the door? Ring a bell? Put her head in the collar? You can do it! Sit and watch your dog closely. Any time she does anything at all that you want to increase in frequency, just click and treat it.
Thanks to Sue Ailsby for portions of this article.
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| No Special Training Necessary! Great for Dog-Reactive Dogs. | |
Level I: Nose Work Games
Level II: Nose Work: Intro to Odor
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. The sport of K9 Nose Work is
designed to develop your dog's natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and search, and their love of toys and food. It's a great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy.
Your dog's nose is about 100 times more sensitive than your own. A dog can detect 1 teaspoon of sugar in the water it would take to fill two Olympic sized swimming pools. Your dog is built to sniff. And what happens in your dog's brain may be even more important. It's here that dogs are able to discriminate between smells and components of smells, which can be further enhanced through training.
Level I: Nose Work Games
We take your dog's instinctual skill and teach them to use it to play games with their noses!
In Nose Work Games the dog searches for a specific scent (beginning with a favorite treat or toy). Nose Work is one of the few canine sports in which the dog teaches the human. And any dog can do it! No "formal obedience" needed! Big or little, rowdy or sedate, active or lazy - your dog will like Nose Work Games! It is a great class for dogs of all ages (12 weeks to senior), and all physical abilities.
This is a great outlet for reactive dogs - dogs who don't usually do well in a traditional obedience class because of the close proximity to other dogs. Each Nose Work search is done without any other dogs present. As long as the dog isn't aggressive toward humans (and not a resource guarder), he's probably a good candidate for Nose Work Games. There are many benefits to fun scent work: - Outlet for the drive to hunt
- Provides Mental & Physical energy burn.
- Builds relationship between handler and dog
- Confidence builder for the dog
- It's Fun to watch the amazing scenting abilities of your dog!
Level II: Nose Work: Intro to Odor
The dog is taught to search for a unique and precise odor (birch to begin) rather than just food. The dog learns to search for this odor and to ignore any other scents. The dog will learn to search in all kinds of environments for his primary reward, building strength in the search and having fun all the while. When odor is introduced, the dog has built confidence in searching and will have the endurance and desire to problem-solve because the hunting skill will have been built previously in Nose Work Games. In Intro to Odor the hides are made more challenging and additional environments and objects are added including an exterior vehicle search.
Prerequisite for Intro to Odor: Nose Work Games or a similar class or working seminar elsewhere.
These are each 6-week classes. You must bring a crate to participate in this class. (If you need to acclimate your dog to a crate, please request a helpful handout.) Level I: Nose Work Games begins Monday, June 6th at 6:15 p.m. Level II: Intro to Odor begins Monday, June 6th at 7:30 p.m. Instructor: Cheryl Vanvoorhies
More Information
Register
Can your pooch become a super-sniffer?
Click here to watch a fun video showing dogs in a Level II type class.
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Is the glass half full?
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Dogs Showing Separation-Related Behavior Exhibit a 'Pessimistic Mood'
ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2010) - Many dogs become distressed when left home alone, and they show it by barking, destroying things, or toileting indoors. Now, a new study reported in the October 12th issue of Current Biology, suggests that this kind of separation anxiety occurs most often in dogs that also show "pessimistic"-like behavior.
"We know that people's emotional states affect their judgments; happy people are more likely to judge an ambiguous situation positively," said Mike Mendl of the University of Bristol. "Now it seems that this may also apply to dogs; dogs that behaved anxiously when left alone also tended to judge ambiguous events negatively. Their anxious behavior may reflect an underlying negative emotional state."
 The new findings also raise the possibility that some dogs may be more prone to responding anxiously when left alone than others, and that this is related to their general mood. That's important because "separation-related behavior is common in dogs, so predicting which dogs may develop this, and treating them appropriately, is very important for ensuring good dog welfare," Mendl said.
In order to study decision making in [the tested] dogs, the researchers trained them to expect that when a bowl was placed at one location in a room (the "positive" position), it would contain food, but when placed at another location (the "negative" position), it would be empty. They then placed the bowl in ambiguous locations in between the positive and negative positions. Dogs that ran quickly to those ambiguous locations, as if expecting the positive food reward, were classed as making relatively "optimistic" decisions. Dogs that didn't approach the bowl as if they were expecting a food reward were judged to be "pessimistic."
An analysis of the two sets of behavioral data found that dogs that made more "pessimistic" judgments about whether they would find a food bowl empty or full also expressed more separation-related behaviors.
Dog owners should take note. "Some owners think that dogs showing anxious behaviors in response to separation are fine and do not seek treatment for their pets," Mendl says, noting that he and his colleagues have validated treatments for dealing with these types of behaviors in past work. "This study suggests that at least some dogs showing separation-related behaviors may have underlying negative emotional states, and owners are encouraged to seek treatment to enhance the welfare of their dogs."
To read the entire article, click here.
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A Must For Any Pet Lover
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Pet CPR/First Aid Class
When you take this important class, veterinarian Dr. David Cox will teach  you many important skills that could help save the life of your pet in an emergency. You will practice cardiopulmonary resuscitation and check the pulse on a life-like CPR dog mannequin and learn to apply first aid techniques to pets who are ill or injured until professional veterinarian help can be obtained. This class is for human participants only! Reserve your spot today! Click Here to Learn More
Class Date: Friday, June 17, 2011
Class Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Jumping for Joy! Sign Up Today.
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Agility Fun Run plus BARBECUE!
This is a great opportunity to practice your agility in a different atmosphere and have some
FUN with your dog. There will be two courses to challenge all levels. Do all or part of the course and practice important handling skills, whether you are at the novice level or higher. Toys and treats are allowed. NO harsh methods will be accepted. Bring your chairs, crates and water bowl for your dog (we have a hose and water fountain). Please only flat buckle collars.
LAST FUN RUN OF THE SEASON! Register now for a spot!
--Friday, June 3rd. Begins at 5:30 p.m. First run at 6:30 p.m. Running big to little. BARBECUE: The June Fun Run is the last one of the season. There is no charge for this event! We are going to have a cook out to express our thanks for attending during the year. We are limiting this Fun Run to the first 25 dogs who are signed up to run. You do not need to run a dog in order to attend! If you have attended any Fun Run or agility class in the last year then please come. If you would like to share an appetizer or dessert, please let me know. We will be providing burgers, hot dogs, drinks, fixings and condiments. RSVP the number in your party attending the barbecue please.
CRATING: Indoors in climate-controlled comfort (or outdoors if you prefer). EXPERIENCE: All levels (Novice class students and up if training at Lucky Dog) are welcome to practice this nested course (novice/open and excellent). After everyone runs the first course we will reverse it and run again after walking the new course. The lighting and footing are great. Toys and treats are welcome and encouraged to reward your dog.
FEE: FREE. REGISTRATION: To sign up, click here and email us: your name, and your pet's name, breed, jump height, and level (novice/open or excellent). You must sign up in advance. |
Class Schedule - Obedience, Puppy, Reactive, and Agility Classes.
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SUMMARY OF UPCOMING CLASSES:
Obedience, Agility, Reactive, Rally and Puppy Classes
For detailed info, descriptions, fees, instructors, and to register, click on the More Info link or go to our Schedule Page. Interested in a class you do not see listed? Please let us know. If there is enough interest we will organize one. Know you want to take a class? Sign up early before your are closed out of a filled class!
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Reactive Dog Class: Help for Your Feisty Fido
Begins Wednesday, June 1, 2011
There is currently two spots left in the 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. class. The 6 p.m. class is full for working spots but there is room to audit.
Got a feisty Fido when it comes to certain interactions? Do you feel lost or embarrassed when your dog barks, growls, lunges or generally becomes difficult to control around other dogs or people? This class is about your dog learning relaxation and trust and overcoming fear and anxiety. We understand your problems and we are here to help! Find out more.
This class is taught by expert Dr. Lisa Radosta, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
Sign Up
............................................................................................... Focus Foundation
Obedience, Attention, Focus, and Impulse Control
-- everything you've
always wanted for your dog!
Focus Foundation is also the prerequisite for Intro to Agility and it's a great class before Rally.
This popular 6-week class fills quickly so sign up today!
Taught by Mindy Cox, B.S., CPDT-KA
Next Class: Tuesday, June 14th at at 6:15 p.m. ...............................................................................................
Ideal Puppy I & Ideal Puppy II
This is an important socialization and training class for puppies 9 to 20 weeks of age. Don't miss out on these important behavioral milestones that will help your pup grow into a more confident, well-adjusted dog. Your dog will only be a puppy once!
Ideal Puppy I and II are each 4 weeks long for a full and wonderful
8 weeks of learning and play. Sign up for 8 weeks and save.
UPCOMING CLASS:
Session D from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Ideal Puppy I begins Thursday, May 19, 2011.
(Ends June 9th)
Ideal Puppy II begins Thursday, June 16, 2011.
(Ends Juuly 7th)
Next up after the May 19th class: June 16th at 7:15 p.m. Instructor: Stacey Curcio
Sign Up...............................................................................................
Puppy Agility Fun!
Take advantage of your puppy's natural curiosity and abundant energy to introduce him or her to the fun sport of agility! This 6-week class will focus on some fundamentals of agility using puppy games that will utilize targeting, wobble boards, focus and basic obedience skills. Puppies will be introduced to sights, sounds, and techniques that are helpful toward building confidence without stress on baby joints. Clickers, treats and toys will be used for focus motivators. Class will help build your puppy's confidence and strengthen your bond and partnership. The goal is to create a dog that is engaged, focused and motivated as well as one that is confident, well socialized, and eager to offer behaviors and learn.
Instructor: Cynthia Kean, AKC agility judge and top agility handler More Info Sign Up ............................................................................................... Nose Work Level I: Nose Work Games Monday, June 6th from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Level II: Intro to Odor Monday, June 6th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. See complete description above in this issue or go to the website. More Info Sign Up ...............................................................................................
Private Instruction and Consultations
We are available to do private agility and obedience training as well as behavior consultations on a variety of issues.
Please contact us for more information.
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More classes are being scheduled.If you don't see the one you want, please email.
THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT CLASS DATES AND TIMES.
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Just for Fun!
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Hope you find these chuckle-worthy. Enjoy!
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Upcoming Events
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Around Town
Pet Palooza!
Harmony Animal Hospital
Sunday, May 15th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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11:30am
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Healing Arts discussion
(Therapeutic laser and acupuncture) Dr. John Clines
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Noon
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Musical Chairs for Dogs & their People
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12:30pm
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Jupiter Police K-9 Demo
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1:00 pm
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No-Jumping Demo by certified dog trainer Mindy Cox (demo includes training dogs from the audience)
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1:30pm
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Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Demo
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2:00pm
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Fearful Behavior talk (including the reactive dog) with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lisa Radosta
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2:30pm
| Pet CPR demonstration - Dr. David Cox |
Ongoing throughout the event:
- Games and contests for your kids and your dog. Win prizes!
- Bounce house and face painting.
- Food. Yum!
- Silent auction with great items!
- Learn how to get the jump on fleas and how to prevent a silent killer, heartworms.
- Worried about the cost of a calamitous illness in your pet? Find out more about insurance to protect your pet.
- Cat not using the litter box? Dog freaks out during storms? Ask your behavior or training question.
- Learn how a dental cleaning can keep your pet healthier, and how it can be done without anesthesia!
- Painful pet? Recovering from surgery? Find out about deep tissue therapeutic laser and acupuncture.
- Loosen tight muscles and improve tone, help with pain and improve health. - Learn about K9 Therapeutic massage.
- Pet-related issue or concern on your mind? Ask a vet!
- Take a tour of the hospital.
Note: Please bring only dogs friendly to people and other dogs. No retractable leashes please.
For more information click here.
Harmony Animal Hospital is located at 1401 W. Indiantown Rd, Jupiter, just 1.5 miles east of I-95 (or 1 mile west of Military trail) on the north side of the road.
Have an event you'd like to share that is pet related? Please email us with the information. We will try to include it in our next newsletter.
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Contact Information:
Mindy Cox, Training Director
Phone: 561-427-6700
Fax: 561-748-3699
Any suggestions or comments? Please email. I value your feedback. |
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FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you have an at-a-glance way to see classes and events? A: You betcha! Our class calendar will give you the schedule at a glance. If you are a Lucky Dog member organizing your practice times, you can now tell if a class is inside or outside. It is color coded by type of class (such as agility, obedience, puppy). The first class will have START to indicate the beginning. Q: How do I register for a class or event?
A: Find the class you want on the Schedule page. For events, go to the Events page.
Click the Register button or link and fill out the secure online registration form. Or you can call 561-427-6700 and I will sign you up over the phone.
Payment can be cash, check, or credit card.
The fastest way to sign up, especially if you want to secure your spot in a popular class is to use the secure online registration form. You can also mail your form (very slow!), drop it off in our secure drop box to the left of our front door, fax it to 561-748-3699, or you can sign up by phone. Go to our Contact page to find all this info (or find the info in this newsletter in the above right column.
Q: What training philosophy do you use? A: We only use positive, reward-based, dog-friendly training methods at Lucky Dog. No jerking, pulling, ear pinching or other aversive methods are used. We introduce the training clicker into many of the classes so your dog has a quicker and clearer understanding of what you are teaching. Q: Do I need a club membership to take a class?
A: No. Becoming a club member and taking a class are two separate things. But as a member you have access to Lucky Dog and can practice whenever you want (when there is no class scheduled).The cost of membership does not include any class fees. Q: What are Lucky Dog's hours? A: At this time there are no regular hours when you can drop by, but if you'd like a tour just give us a call and we are happy to accommodate you. Someone is always there when a class or event is scheduled. Q: Do you only do group classes or can I schedule a private lesson? A: We are happy to schedule a private lesson at Lucky Dog. We offer obedience and agility private lessons.
Q: Is there certification for dog trainers?
A: Thanks for asking. Yes, trainers can be certified through the CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) which is an organization respected throughout the world for maintaining high standards for certification, knowledge base, and continuing education requirements for dog trainers. Mindy Cox, Training Director at Lucky Dog is certified (CPDT-KA). Click here for more information.
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My goal is to make this monthly newsletter as useful and interesting to you as possible. Which sections do you like the best? Articles? Class info? News of local events? Human interest information? What else would you like to see covered? And if you like it, please pass it along to a friend.
Sincerely, Mindy Cox, B.S., CPDT-KATraining Director |
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