Super Subscription Sale For A Guide To Natural Dog Care & Training

As a dog owner and pet care provider, I am always on the lookout for quality information on dog behavior, training, natural and holistic pet health care etc. that I can incorporate into the lives of my own dog, the foster beagles I care for and to my furry clients when they are with me.

 I've been a fan and subscriber to Whole Dog Journal and highly recommend it. Subscribe now and receive a 38% discount off the Subscription Rate!

If you'd like to see a back issue, just notify me and I'll lend one to you.

The Dog Listener: Revolutionize Your Dog's Behavior By Learning To Speak 'Dog'

Having a busy Dog Daycare and Home Dog Boarding service and having close interaction with so many dog breeds and families of dogs, that it takes being a perpetual student and lifelong learner to be able to manage well the behavior of all dogs when they are together here.

I cannot thank God and one Dog Parent enough for gifting me with the book, 'The Dog Listener' (click image above to view contents) 

as one weekend, it basically 'saved my bacon' when boarding one particular dog who once his family left, began crouching low, growling, showing teeth and backing into a corner.

For the first time ever, I felt intimidated and a bit fearful of this dog; not only for my sake but the other dogs in residence. I realized my attitude and behavior towards this dog HAD TO CHANGE if I was to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone in it that weekend. 

I immediately picked up this book an turned to Chapter 8: Mean and Moody: Dealing With Nervous Agression.

I devoured every word and immediately set about putting it all into practice.

I kid you not: the response from that dog was immediate! He understood the dog language, the signals I was 'speaking' through my actions:

I quote from the book, page 85: 

"Nervous aggression, for all its myriad manifestations, can be conquered by 

making one fundamental change: 

REMOVING FROM THE DOG ITS STATUS OF LEADER OF ITS PACK

Now we know that when a family gets a new dog, no one goes about to establish that the new dog will be the 'pack leader', however "dogs know instinctively that there must be a leader for the pack to survive and many owners inadvertently give the dog this position by signals they give out. A dog given this role with no experience or guidance, operates in a world where they have no understanding. The aggressive behaviors/attitude is the dog's way of repelling intruders they believe might pose a threat to it's pack"

While I saw a positive immediate response from this dog, it required CONSTANT & CONSISTENT  reinforcing of all the signals for the entire weekend. Truly, this was exhausting, as I was also caring for 3 other dogs at the same time. Exhausting, yes, Rewarding: YES! Was I paid for it: NO. But that's part of what I do when it is required.

During the weekend, I was texting with the family as this was the first time they had boarded their dogs. I asked them if they would like to observe for themselves a new positive behavior from their 2 dogs. They said

 YES. 

When they arrived, I had them complete a particular behavior in front of their dogs. By being consistent in this, within 5 minutes they observed for themselves the minimization and absence of a typical behavior they would see whenever they would arrive home. I appreciated seeing the astonished look on their faces!

So, having said all this, this is what I say about Jan Fennell's book, The Dog Listener:

In my opinion, Every dog owner NEEDS this book. 

We all need to have it, read every word and apply it immediately, consistently and firmly. Dogs are excellent communicators. But they speak "DOG".

We are humans and we speak Human Language. If we truly desire to live in a loving, respectful relationship with them and they with us, we must take the responsibility to learn THEIR language, dictated to them in their DNA over centuries living in the wild.

There's my challenge; are you up to the challenge?

PS - photo above is NOT the dog I had the issue with :)

This is 'Nash', German ShortHaired Pointer

11 mos

Training You And Your Beagle To Be A Compatible Match

Doesn't the cuteness factor get all of us when a beagle looks at us with those big brown eyes and when we touch those silky, soft ears? 

Yes, I am one of those and the model here is my own adopted beagle, Bailey!

I lucked out with Bailey, adopting him at age 3 and not knowing much about his former life except that he was owned by a family who moved and couldn't take him with them; that he spent his days outdoors alone with a bark collar on and that after spending time with him, by his reactions, realized that someone had certainly threatened him or beaten him. 

I say 'lucked out' because beagles are known for their cunningness at being Houdinis or escape artists, for chewing, digging, barking and baying. 

Bailey is quite the mellow guy. He's content to go into his opened-door kennel on his own (we call it his 'man cave'), he's content to have a nap in the lanai or outside in the grass, he enjoys his Florida sunshine moments or sitting in the shade under his 'gecko tree' watching the goings-on in the street, he's not a cuddler but wants to be as near to one of his humans as possible. We are able to leave him in the house totally unattended and not have anything destroyed or chewed up. He will bark if he is startled or sees a cat or dog on his property or in the street or hears a noise in the dark. He doesn't require constant attention; he just wants at least 1 exercise time in morning and evening.

What are some of his antics?

-He will go into our walk-in closet and at random times, mess up all our shoes. We laugh at this, because when asked, he looks all-guilty and practically turns himself inside out then rolls over in submission mode.

- He has been known to 'mark his territory' inside other's homes (I was mortified!) when he's smelled other dogs there and he has also done it in a dog-friendly store.

- Sometimes within minutes of receiving a new stuffed toy, he'll pull out all the stuffing. At other times, they last for months.

- He is food, bed and toy-possessive when other dogs are present. Not so much of his own stuff but of theirs!! 

"Toy, what toy? I didn't steal anyone's toy"                                        Asleep, but not in his own bed

-When he knows we are preparing to leave the house and not take him with us, we can usually find him here: under our bed. Sometimes it is only a paw or his tail that sticks out. 

Some Beagles are high-energy, suffer separation anxiety, can destroy a house in a few minutes in your absence, will dig up your back yard, your flower garden and underneath the fence, run away any chance they get etc. These are some of the reasons beagle owners surrender their dogs to shelters. The real reason though is that they did not first sit down and count the personal cost in time and attention that having a beagle would require and to arrange to receive proper training for themselves and for their pet beagle. 

I encourage all perspective pet owners, before they allow that tug on their heartstrings to provoke them into taking a puppy or a dog home as a pet, to research that breed of dog and discover if they/their family would be a good match together. And then if they do bring that puppy/dog home, to spend the time and money for training. 

If you are having behavior issues with your beagle and have even let the thought of giving it up or away cross your mind, please reconsider and look into this course: 

Also, take time to search for a beagle meetup group in your area or an online forum so you can discuss issue with others who may be able to help resolve those issues so that you and your beagle stay a happy match!

Suggested Links:

Beagle Photo of The Day
We Love Beagles
Beagle-icious
Beagle Owner Forum
Beagle MeetUp Groups

Expert Dog Training Resources

Please view my recommended Dog Training Resources as well as Dehydrated Raw and Grain-Free Food

http://www.petexpertise.com/PawzitiveFX/

Clicker Training

Show Love For Dogs This Month

Need help with your dog?  Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan can help.  DVDs, collars books, and more!