Puppies Archives - The Persuaded Pooch - St. Louis Dog Training

Containing Your Dog May Be the Key to Calmer Behavior

Sarah — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:40:00 +0000

Do you have a dog won’t listen and won’t pay attention? Is your dog too hyper? Does your dog know exactly what to do but is just plain stubborn? I hear these complaints all too often from clients. After a little investigating and digging a little deeper into the dog’s daily routine, the issue becomes clear. Your dog’s lifestyle is more like a permanent trip to the doggie equivalent of Disney World. In other words, the dog has too many options on how to entertain themselves, so much so that they never are able to settle down and focus. Oftentimes, these dogs are given full roam of the house at a very early age. This is like turning a child loose in a gigantic, over-stimulating theme park. So many places to run, so many places to hide… so many ways to get into trouble, too! This “all access” approach often ... Read More

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Get That Dog a Job

Sarah — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 12:49:00 +0000

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard in class and in private client lessons, “We had a dog previously and he was perfect, but this dog/puppy we have now is different!” Really? Is the new dog that different, or are they maybe just forgetting what life was like with an adolescent dog in the house because it was so long ago? Are they just reminiscing about the late years of their dog’s life where their dog laid around quietly and calmly most of the day and, finally after several months or years of chaos, there was peace and joy in the home? Truly, there may be lots of differences in dogs depending on breed characteristics, exercise requirements, differences in personality and energy levels. However, there is always the underlying biological fact that a dog is, indeed, still a dog. A little bit about dogs… Dogs are self-fulfilling. Dogs ... Read More

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To Click or Not to Click?

Sarah — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:34:00 +0000

If you have ever looked into group classes or dog training, you may have come across the term “clicker training,” without really knowing much about it. Clicker training is a small, handheld tool that is used by many positive trainers to mark a dog’s correct behavior at the exact moment that it happens, and then follow it up with a reward or reinforcement, like a small treat. Clicker training can be an extraordinary method for teaching your dog (or other pets for that matter) both obedience exercises, as well as amazing tricks. I have to admit that I was quite dismissive of clicker training for a time, but only because I didn’t understand the proper technique and learning principles. Some of the most basic concepts of clicker training are: Being rewarded for a behavior causes an increase in that behavior. A lack of a reward, or removal of a reward, ... Read More

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So You’re Thinking About Getting a Dog

Sarah — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:36:00 +0000

It’s summer. The kids are out of school, the weather is nice, there’s a certain welcome laziness in the air. All of a sudden, you stop mid-porch swing and think to yourself… “This is nice. We should get a dog.” And just like you should finish the other half of that swing, you should finish the other half of that thought before someone gets hurt! In all seriousness, getting a new dog is a wonderful idea (rescuing a new dog is an even better idea), but only for some people and in certain situations. There are many things to consider before getting a dog, whether from a breeder, a shelter or a rescue group. Here are a few things to think about before you hop on the Internet or over to the closest shelter to find your next dog: Consider why you want a new dog – Is it for the ... Read More

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Why You Should Invest the Extra 20 Bucks: Collars and Harnesses

Sarah — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Halters and collars and gentle leaders, oh my! There are so many positive training equipment options out there right now, it can make your head spin, and the selection grows each and every day. The enhanced selection that you can now find in big box pet stores and online stores alike is a very positive thing… and a positive step in the right direction towards exposing dog owners to less aversive equipment options, and thus less aversive training methods. But I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but we’re sort of in a recession. (Okay, not technically, but we all feel like we’re broke… so there.) And some of the recommended items of dog training and management equipment, like Freedom harnesses and Sense-ation harnesses, can sometimes be expensive, not to mention the amount of money that could be spent on training treats can rack up at an accelerated rate. ... Read More

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Ten Things To Consider Before Getting a New Dog

Sarah — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:36:00 +0000

What’s better than surprising your family with the warm, silky-soft fuzz of a brand new puppy, or even the irresistible friendly wet snoot of a new adult dog? Nothing… nothing is more exciting than getting a new dog! With the holidays approaching, it’s not uncommon for pet-lovers to bring home a new puppy as a gift for their loved ones. Before you do, however, please read this article about some of the considerations of holiday pet-giving. If you are still interested in getting a puppy or dog for the holidays, read on… Getting your first dog, or a new dog, is an extremely emotional journey. Owning a dog for the long haul (10+ years) can be even more emotional – and sometimes not the good kind of emotions – if not handled properly, or if you’re not prepared for dog ownership. It’s worth mentioning, first and foremost, that everyone in ... Read More

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Functional Cues: Palm Targeting and “Here”

Sarah — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:18:00 +0000

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since my last post. It’s been pretty busy, so I wanted to leave everyone with something that is quick, yet useful. Nothing is quicker to teach your dog, or more versatile of an exercise, than nose targeting. If you haven’t already taught your dog to nose target, great, it’s time to get started! In this video, the wonderful and creative Emily Larlham asks the dog to target her index and middle fingers with the use of the word “Touch.” This is a very common way to teach targeting and extremely useful, when trying to guide your dog via pointing. However, another common method of teaching targeting is to have the dog touch his nose to the palm of your hand. I love to teach targeting this way for many reasons. Think of the inside of your hand as a magnet, and your dog’s nose ... Read More

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The Puppy Point-of-View

Sarah — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:58:00 +0000

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