Sit Means Sit Hawaii Newsletter
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February 2010
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Dear Dog Lovers, ,
Welcome to our SIt Means Sit Hawaii Newsletter.
Like each of you, we love our dogs and only want the best for them. With
that in mind, our mission is to continually provide you with
educational reminders in the form of short articles and videos. We
hope you enjoy the content.
Whether your dog is a seasoned graduate or just getting started, the
corner stone for attention is refined in the "Place" command. If you
are looking to raise the bar, simply change the picture a bit and do
your place work out in public and around distractions. For those just
getting started, simply move to the front yard or even in the
drive way. Doing this, changes the picture for the dog and challenges
them at a whole new level.
Happy Training and Aloha,
Scott
Scott Sanchez
President
Sit Means Sit Hawaii
Vice President Research & Development
Sit Means Sit Franchise Inc.
  
As seen on Animal Planet, The Outdoor Channel, EPSN
Please call us with your questions 283-DOGS
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Keeping It Neutral By Leonard Letoto
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One of the hardest concepts for any of us to grasp is that our Sit
Means Sit collar is a "neutral" training aid. What this means is we
de-emphasize the presence of the SMS collar to the dog while still
utilizing it during training. But why is this so important?
The goal of most dog obedience programs is to build the relationship
with your dog to the point where training aids are no longer needed.
Eventually, your dog will respond to your commands (verbal or
otherwise) because of the bond that was created through the progression
of the training exercises performed in conjunction with the trainer's
communication aid of choice. These aids need to be looked at as only a
part of the training regimen; the aids are not the regimen. To use an
analogy:
When I was first learning how to ride a bicycle,
I rode one that had training wheels. During the learning process,
however, the training wheels were never really emphasized. The
principles that were stressed to me were safety, balance, turning and
the rules of the road. As a result, when the training wheels were
removed, I barely noticed that they were gone as I rode around enjoying
my new found mobility. In my mind, they had never been a large factor
in learning to ride so I never gave it a second thought when they
weren't there anymore. Now imagine if my father had made a big deal of
the fact that the bicycle on which I was learning had training wheels.
I'd probably look for them every time I got on the bicycle and I might
have been too scared to ride without them.
Now take this
same thought process and apply it to training our dogs with the SMS
collar and its role in the learning process. If we make a big fuss
about putting on the collar and purposely display the remote to the dog
every time we use it, we would be setting ourselves up (along with our
dogs) to fall into a trap. With the press of a button we are able to
communicate with the dog at both short and long range distances. The
delivery of this communication does not require overt gesturing with
the remote or your body. I've personally witnessed a few incidents in
which the remote was pointed at the dog much like one points the remote
control at the television when changing channels. Doing this presents a visual picture that is more
complicated , unnecessary and can be detrimental to the training
process and its results.
 
INCORRECT CORRECT
When used properly, the SMS
collar teaches the dog to listen to the owner by increasing the dog's
focus on its owner's commands, not the tap or presence of the SMS
collar. When the SMS collar is implemented correctly, in concert with
keeping the training exercises at the forefront, you will find that the
SMS collar blends into the foundation of your relationship with your
dog. Additionally, we always emphasize the value of repetition to our
clients and advocate using the SMS Collar consistently for a period of
12 weeks. This volume of repetition behind you allows the language of
our Sit Means Sit program to solidify in a way that produces
comprehension of your commands in almost any situation. The outcome is
a happy, obedient dog that listens to you anywhere, anytime!
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Brushing Your Dog's Teeth By Rhonda Sanchez
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Regular brushing of your dog's teeth can reduce the
accumulation of plaque and development of tartar, reducing the risk of
periodontal disease and keep your dogs breath nice and fresh. Once
your dog becomes accustomed to having its teeth brushed, we recommend brushing every five-six weeks.
 If your dog is uncomfortable with you sticking objects in its mouth, start with your finger. Dab your finger in some peanut butter so it associates this as being a pleasant experience. When you are ready to introduce brushing, we use real lime juice as the "cleaning agent."
Approach your dog from the
side, not face to face. Kneel next to larger dogs. With a small dog ,
set it on your lap with its face away from you and its hind end against
your stomach. Reassure and praise your dog before, during and after
the brushing. Go slow and gradually build up to brushing all the teeth
and gums.
Brushings should consist of gentle short, up and down
motions in small, circular patterns. We begin at the back and work forward, brushing the upper and lower, inner
and outer surfaces of the teeth. Pick a time when you and your dog are relaxed to begin this gentle process of cleaning your dog's teeth. Happy Brushings!!
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K-9 Valentine
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Cienna & Rico Suave Bubba & Henry
Love comes in all shapes & sizes! Best Buds!
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SIT MEANS SIT RECOMMENDS:
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  STEADFAST CANINE is more than a vitamin/mineral product, a joint
health product, or a bone health product; it is a complete Structural
Support System designed to support and maintain normal health,
performance, and longevity of ALL components of your dog's framework -
including joints, bones, and other connective tissues. Each of these
components may be impacted over time due to athletic performance,
environmental conditions and aging. While many canine health products
may be useful in addressing one component of your dog's framework, STEADFAST CANINE takes a unique and multi-faceted approach in supporting your dog's entire structural system. Click here for more information
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Trainer's Quick Tip: The Feeding Ritual
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Dogs thrive with structured routines. We aim to have a balance of structure, exercise and fun from the moment we wake up with our dogs, until we put them to bed.
Our morning feeding ritual includes a bit of structured game play, (meaning we control the game and intensity) exercise and obedience work just before meal time. We have a total of a fifteen minute feeding ritual. We start by letting the dogs out and engaging in controlled playtime for about 45 seconds to a minute with a toy such as a tug. We then move them straight outside to do their business. Next we send them onto the treadmill for 8-10 minutes of easy walking at a pace between 2.7 and 3.4 miles per hour, depending on the dog. With this completed and their food bowls ready, we do 3-5 simple obedience skills with each dog and then feed them.
This little ritual has proven over time to be calming and fun for all for of us. It is important to mix the toys and games up, as well as the obedience skills and the location of these activities. Doing this always presents a different picture to the dog and challenges the level of comprehension. While they might snap into a left side heel position with the food bowl in your left hand, they might be confused when you tell them to heel and hold the food bowl in your right hand. It's all part of the fun of learning. Click here for a short video Off Leash Treadmill Fun
If you need any assistance, please call us right away so we can be of immediate help 283-3647 (DOGS)
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Sit Means Sit Hawaii Testimonials
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"It instilled confidence in both me and my dog."
"I no longer have to raise my voice or yell at them to get them to do something"
"The other dogs kept coming by us and THANK GOD FOR SMS I had enough
confidence in the training to keep my dogs close to me and safe. That
is when I truly BELIEVED in the SIT MEANS SIT TRAINING as it totally
worked for all of us in a moment of uncertainty. So with this said,
our lifestyle with dogs is wonderful"
"I am actually learning how to effectively communicate with my little animal."
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Photo Or Video Of The Month
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Lexi and Hazel showing their personalities Sandy and Kaito getting creative with "Place" work
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Bonus Program
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REFER FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO Sit Means Sit Hawaii
When you refer friends and famiy members who purchase a Sit Means Sit program, you will receive $25.00.
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