Best of the Old FernBlogs

Every Day is a Gift
Jan. 27, 2010

A good friend of mine recently lost his beloved greyhound of twelve years. She was a gentle and kind dog and I know I am a better person for having known her (even as limited as my time with her was). Only a dog lover could really understand the heartache and loss that comes from no longer having your daily companion with you.
It seems so cruel that our dog’s lifespan is short in comparison with ours. Twelve years is much too short a time to spend with someone that you love so much. Next month my dog will be nine-years-old and it seems like only yesterday when I first brought her home to share my world. I can’t help to begin to wonder just how many more years will we have together. Will it be only a couple more or maybe I’ll be lucky and have her for five more years? Either way, it will be way to short a time for my liking.

There is no time for such thoughts. Instead we must enjoy every single second that our four-legged friends are beside us. Dogs live in the moment and think nothing of the future, and what might lie ahead. They only care about what they are doing right now. And they want to enjoy this very moment in time and get everything they possible can from it. We’ve got to take their lead and do the same.

Don’t take anything for granted, especially you dog. The daily responsibilities of the human world can sometime make it difficult to realize the value of having this day with your dog (or dogs). Take a moment each day to pause and be grateful for this day, for this time with your dog. Because before you know it, it will be gone – forever.

I once had a t-shirt that read, “Life is short. Play with your dog.” I wore it until it literally fell apart because it was a great reminder to treasure every single day with my dog. I urge you all to take a moment or two each day and do something with your dog. Go for a walk, play fetch or just quietly sit together enjoying each other’s company. No matter what the day throws at you always remember that every day with your dog is a good day.


Top 5 New Years Resolutions to Make to Your Dog
Dec. 29, 2009

1. Get up a half hour earlier
…and exercise your dog. Whether you go for a walk, run, play fetch or with a toy indoors, do something with your dog first thing in the morning to help he drain some energy.
BENAFIT FOR YOUR DOG: All dogs wake up with energy and they need to release it somehow.
BENAFIT FOR YOU: If he doesn’t have an opportunity to release that energy constructively, he will do so destructively. A tired dog is a good dog - always.

2. Stay calm
Getting angry or frustrated at your dog is never productive. He doesn’t understand your words, just your unstable energy. Instead, take a deep breath and address any issues calmly.
BENAFIT FOR YOUR DOG: Energy is contagious and your calm energy can greatly affect your dog’s behavior.
BENAFIT FOR YOU: Staying calm will open the lines of communication to your dog and allow you to have more effective and enjoyable interactions with him.

3. Treat him like a dog
Dog’s are not furry humans. They have canine needs that must be taken care of in order for them to comfortably live in a human world. Treating your dog like a child only satisfies your needs, not his. Once his needs are met, then go ahead and fulfill yours by pouring on the affection.
BENAFIT FOR YOUR DOG: Once your dog has had all his canine needs taken care of, he’ll be a happy and healthy member of your family.
BENAFIT FOR YOU: After you satisfy your dogs needs, he will behave better and adapt easier to you human lifestyle.

4. Help him through his issues
If your dog has behavior problems, address them. The issues will not just go away on their own, but only get worse. So, work with him to help him become a happy well-balanced dog and get more out of your relationship with your dog.
BENAFIT FOR YOUR DOG: Behavior problems are your dog’s way of telling you something not right in his life. Once you address them he’ll live a happier, more rewarding life.
BENAFIT FOR YOU: Behavior problems are the #1 reason people give up their dogs. If you help your dog through his issues, you will ensure that you will live happily ever after together.

5. Take him for more (longer) walks
Once around the block is just not enough. The ritual of walking is very therapeutic for dogs and they crave much more than we typically give them. Try to go for at least one thirty min. walk a day and one hour walk a week.
BENAFIT FOR YOUR DOG: In addition to some exercise, the walk will stimulate of all of his senses, enriching his day and his life. It’s truly one of every dog’s favorite things to do. BENAFIT FOR YOU: The walk is a great time to strengthen your bond with your dog and share a moment away from the human world of obligations and responsibilities


Dog Whispering vs. Positive Dog Training
Dec. 11, 2009

I often get asked if I'm a dog whisperer or a positive trainer, and I'm always a little hesitant about answering due to the implications that may come along with the distinction. The dog training world seems to be divided between these two styles and ideologies of working with dogs - and dog trainers everywhere are taking sides, and want to know if you're with them, or against them.

Some positive trainers will yell and scream at you if you dare utter the c-word (Cesar, that is), saying that the techniques are barbaric and inhumane. Meanwhile there are whisperers out there who will look down upon anyone who uses treats as the main tool for canine behavior modification, seeing it merely as a bribe. Both sides seem to be making a lot of noise trying so hard to discredit the other. It reminds me of two political parties running smear campaigns.

For me, I have a hard time answering the question of positive trainer or dog whisperer. If I say that I'm not a positive trainer, does that mean I'm a negative trainer? If I'm not a dog whisperer, can I only alter behavior and train a dog using treats alone?

The reality is, I don't really land on either side. I believe that there are good points and bad points to each methodology, and that no side is really absolutely correct. Why do we have to pick sides anyway? I am a firm believer of having an open mind and learning from everyone. Every dog and person is different and the more tools you have, the better.

So to answer the question of am I a dog whisperer or positive trainer, I would say I'm the best of both. Call me a hybrid . . . or a mutt.


Beware the Retractable Leash
Nov. 27, 2009

I recently was asked to attend an outdoor Halloween pet parade where I was seated at a table answering questions on dog behavior. During my few hours there I watched all kinds of dogs and people go by as they enjoyed the day. The one thing that made me cringe and laugh repeatedly was the use of the retractable flexi-leash that so many dog owners use. I watch in amusement as owners walked by with their dogs 10 to 15 feet ahead of them, zigzagging back in fourth and becoming entangled in all the other flexi-leashed pooches there.

There is no worse tool for leash walking than the retractable leash. The farther your dog is away from you, the less control you have and the worse your communication with your dog becomes. Once your dog is that far away from you, you are no longer even in the same pack and surely not on the same walk together. The walk can be a great bonding exercise for you in and your dog, but only if you are doing it together, as a team.

Next time you're out for a walk with a friend or family member, walk single file, 10 feet apart, and try to have a conversation. I think you'll soon realize how hampered your communication abilities are. So keep those leashes short and work on your leash walking skills to get the most out of the time you spend with your furry best friends when out on a walk


Don’t Be Stingy on Praise
Nov. 10, 2009

Nobody has the perfect dog and you will always be teaching your dog how to coexist with us humans for pretty much the life of your dog. In the day to day world of living with our dogs we sometimes get caught up on all the corrections and that we forget about all the good stuff our dogs do. We are all too quick to point out when our pooches make a mistake and sometimes lose sight of the fact that our dogs are good most of the time.

Try not to get so wrapped up in working on all your dog’s trouble areas that you forget to tell him when he's behaving good. Whether he's lying nicely at your feet or walking calmly beside you while you cruise the neighborhood, let him know. Your dog needs to know when he's making the right choices, just as much (if not more) than he needs to be told about his blunders.

If you think about it your dog is good most of the time. Even those of you who have a real terror can admit that in the grand scheme of things your poochy pal is good more than he's bad. So, tell him. During the course of your day, make sure you spit out "good boy" much more than you scream "bad dog!" Give Fido the credit he deserves and come to grips with the fact that despite what the neighbors say, you have a good dog.


Taking the Time
Oct. 27, 2009

I was recently working with a client who has a very dog aggressive pit bull. We started working with the dog at a distance away from other dogs where he showed interest, but was not lunging like crazy. We worked to get him into a calm state of mind, with a relaxed leash at that distance. Then we moved closer and did the same thing. Little by little we moved him closer and closer, always taking the time to get him into a calm state of mind, with a relaxed leash before we advanced. After about an hour we had him walking with a small pack of dogs.

Now, he's by no means ready for the dog park, but that's some real good progress in only 60 minutes. The thing to remember is that if you can't control your dog at a distance from whatever it is that triggers him, you will never be able to do it up close. Be patient and make sure you are changing your dog's state of mind before moving in. We need to show him another way to exist around what normally makes him act aggressively. This can only be done at the dog's pace, not ours, so allow the necessary time to show your dog a new state of mind and behavior.

I met my client with the pit bull about a month or so later to work on it again and this time it took about 5 minutes to have the dogs walking together. My client obviously did a lot of homework to get him to this point, but wow, what a difference. You have to resist the temptation to rush things or go too fast, too soon. As always, training takes time but great results are possible.