Puppy home – 1st 24 hours

Yesterday we brought home an 8-week old Australian Shepherd puppy. I am a firm believer that your puppy is ALWAYS learning, so make the best use of the time from the beginning. Here’s what our puppy has begun to learn in her first day home:

1. I can “potty” outside, in the woods, like the big dogs.
2. People yelp when I bite them; I guess they’re wimps and I must be careful with my teeth.
3. My crate is an alone place, but I will be okay.
4. I like the chewies I get in my crate.
5. I like getting fed by hand – those hands are sure neat when they come filled with food!
6. There are a lot of nice boys here… I met several boys of different smells and colors.
7. I can Sit.
8. I can Down.
9. I can Release (chase a treat).
10. I can Fetch.
11. I like to play with the big dogs and the Vizsla is particularly fun.
12. My new mom will protect me if I get scared by barking dogs in the backyard, or anything else.
13. I like running to my new mom. She scritches my rear so nice!
14. My mom’s slippers are off-limits, but there are tons of fun toys nearby.
15. Naptimes are necessary.

New puppies are a great joy – and a lot of work. Keep focused on the behaviors you want your adult dog to do… and don’t allow puppy “cuteness” to rule the day. Your puppy will be an adolescent in just a couple of months! How nice will it be to have great routines and boundaries in place when dealing with the ups and downs that come with becoming an adult dog! Finally – take LOTS of pictures!

National Train Your Dog Month: Free Chats and Webinars

Free Educational Resources and Chats
with Pet Training Professionals in January 2012!

The Association of Pet Dog Trainer's annual campaign in January, "National Train Your Dog Month," promotes the benefits of positive training and socialization for all pets.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of pets are turned into animal shelters because their owners couldn't find a reliable resource to help them with their pets' behavior problems. The APDT has designated the month of January as National Train Your Dog Month to bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training for all pets! January was selected as the perfect month because so many animals are adopted and brought home during the winter holidays. We hope to help families and their pets start the New Year off right with information on the behavior needs and training of their pets.

To help the public, animal shelters and others in the pet care industry, we have recorded free webinars for the public with many well-known pet training and behavior professionals. These will be available starting in January on the event website and are completely free. We have also set up a calendar of Facebook "chats" with professional training and behavior consultants throughout the month of January on a variety of topics focusing on the training and care of dogs, cats and even rabbits! Anyone with behavior and training questions can join the chats to learn more about their chosen pet. Visit the event website, www.trainyourdogmonth.com, for full schedule information, as well as fun downloadable resources on training and behavior.

The APDT believes that a better understanding of our pets' behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmonious households for humans and companion animals. Since 1993, the APDT has promoted education for dog trainers and others in the pet industry. With over 6,000 members who are willing and able to assist pet owners, the APDT is the largest professional organization for pet dog trainers in the world. We encourage anyone interested in learning more about their dogs and other pets to visit our web sites www.apdt.com and www.trainyourdogmonth.com for more information and resources.

Please join the APDT in celebrating National Train Your Dog Month!

2012 Schedule of Events - National Train Your Dog Month

Facebook "Chat with the Professionals" Schedule

To join the chats, visit the National Train Your Dog Month Facebook page at the dates and times listed below.

All about Bully Breeds! Anything You Want to Know about 'Pit Bull' Type Dogs
Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC and Katenna Jones, MSc, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA
January 2, 12 pm Eastern

Breed Discrimination Laws
Ledy Van Kavage, Esq.
January 4, 5:00 p.m. Eastern

Leash Manners
Gail Fisher
January 6, 12 p.m. Eastern

Treibball
Casey Lomonaco, KPA CTP
January 8, 7 p.m. Eastern

Adopting a Dog
Trish McMillan Loehr (ASPCA), MSc, CPDT-KA
January 9, 2 pm Eastern

Rabbit Behavior
Pam Hood
January 10, 2 p.m. Eastern

Things to Teach Your Children to be Safe around Dogs
Joan Orr
January 12, 6 p.m. Eastern

Safety around Dogs for Babies and Toddlers
Jenn Shryock, CDBC
January 12, 7 p.m. Eastern

TACT - Touch Associated Clicker Training
Emma Parsons, CABC and Julie Robitaille, CAMT, CPDT-KA
January 16, 1 p.m. Eastern

Housetraining
Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA
January 18, 6:30 p.m. Eastern

Introducing Cats and Dogs
Jacqueline Munera, CCBC
January 24, 12 p.m. Eastern

APDT CLASS:
Canine Life and Social Skills
Ann Allums, CPDT-KA
January 25, 12:00 p.m. Eastern

APDT Rally
Ann Allums, CPDT-KA & Ali Brown, MEd, CPDT-KA, CDBC
January 25, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Common Dog Behavior Problems (Barking, Digging and More)
Marjie Alonso, CDBC, CPDT-KA
Katenna Jones, MSc, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA
January 27, 4 pm Eastern

All About Cats
Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC and Katenna Jones, MSc, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA
January 30, 5 pm Eastern

Free Webinar Descriptions

Webinars are pre-recorded and available for viewing at any time for free by members and the public. Please Note: Webinars will be available in January 2012 and will remain on the site all year long. Webinars will be available at http://www.trainyourdogmonth.com/events/

Shelter Dogs: Good Choice or Bad? - Trish King, CPDT-KA, CDBC

Got C.L.A.S.S.? Canine Life and Social Skills for Pet Owners - Ann Allums, CPDT-KA

Housetraining Basics - Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA

How to Become a Professional Dog Trainer - Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC

Loose Leash Walking - Gail Fisher

It Takes Two: Successful Cat and Dog Interactions - Jacqueline Munera, CCBC

Litter Box and Scratching - Katenna Jones, MSc, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA

Dog Safety: What to Teach Your Kids - Joan Orr, MSc

Setting Dog and Baby Up for Success! - Jenn Shryock, CDBC

Separation Anxiety in Dogs - Melissa Bain, DVM, DACVB, MS

Treibball - Casey Lomonaco, KPA CTP

* * * * *

Located in Greenville, SC, the APDT is a professional educational organization of trainers who are committed to becoming better trainers through using positive, dog friendly methods based on sound scientific principles. With over 6,000 members worldwide, the APDT strives to provide professional dog trainers with a respected and concerted voice. The APDT promotes caring relationships between dogs and people and works to increase public awareness of dog-friendly training techniques. For more information, visit the APDT Web site at www.apdt.com. To unsubscribe from future APDT Media Releases, please let us know. Sent by The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, 101 North Main Street, Suite 610, Greenville, SC 29601.

New Group Training Classes coming in January!
Please Register soon- classes are filling up!

Sensible Puppy Start – January 4th at 6:15pm – MRAH
Essential training for new puppies and their people! Work on Potty Training, Socialization, Soft-Mouth, Self-Control, Etiquette, Exam training and Enrichment. -This 6-week class is for puppies 8 weeks to 4mos. at Michigan Road Animal Hospital on 96th Street. (Limit 8 puppies)- $149

Sensible Puppy Skills – January 4th at 7:30pm – MRAH
Loved Puppy Start and want to further your puppy’s manners? This class is open to all puppies under one year who have completed Puppy Start. We will work intensively on Come, Stay, Leash Manners and Polite Greetings! (Limit 6 puppies) - $99

Family Dog Manners 1 – January 10th at 7pm – Wigglebutt
This small group class is for dogs 5 months and up who want a group experience working on basic obedience around distractions. Fundamentals of dog training, problem solutions and manners work will be covered in 6 consecutive weeks at Wigglebutt Dog House dog day care on Moller Road just south of 86th Street. (Limit 8 dogs) - $149.


REGISTRATION FORMS HERE: http://sensiblek9.com/forms.html
Please complete the form and email to Catherine to hold your spot in class. Payment due first night of class.

Puppy Tips

Mmmm! There is nothing like new puppy breath! Get off to a Sensible Start with your puppy and follow these recommendations I make at every new puppy consult:

Prevent “Accidents”. Keep puppy leashed (and hold the leash!) while indoors unless under an adult’s direct supervision. Observe puppy for signals that unwanted behavior is imminent and redirect the puppy into a desired behavior or location for that behavior. In other words, don’t let the puppy piddle there; take him outside, quick! Or, don’t let the puppy chew the child’s toy; give him a puppy toy instead!

Reward Outdoor Elimination. Puppies feel relief whether they eliminate indoors or out. Increase the value of going potty outside by accompanying the puppy outdoors and feeding at least 3 pieces of kibble – right there – immediately when puppy is finished.

Hand-feed Puppies for Good Behavior. Why waste all that opportunity by placing food in a bowl? Puppies can earn food by going potty outside, sitting, laying down, having their feet wiped, trading for toys, coming when called any anything else you want!

Meal-times. When potty training puppies, it’s very helpful to know when the intake is happening. Whether using a bowl or hand-feeding, keeping the food available only during a specific window of time helps owners to know when output is likely to occur!

Never Force a Puppy. Forcing a puppy into position can create aggression. Instead, teach a puppy to yield space, get off furniture or lie down using a food lure at first. Once the pup understands what is wanted, other rewards may be used.

1-Foot Per Year of Age. That’s how much freedom children should have with a puppy. Children under 10 years of age should never be out of a parent’s sight with the puppy. Pre-schoolers should be within an arm’s reach at all times to prevent undesirable behavior from the puppy and unwanted fear or pain caused by the children, which often can result in an increase of aggression from an older puppy.

Spread the word: Read Your Dog! The most important skill you can learn is to read your puppy’s body language. We constantly teach how to interpret signals in the Sensible Start Puppy Class. Another good source: http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/50/Canine-Body-Language.aspx

“Dominance” and “Alpha Wolf” Are Out-dated Concepts. Veterinary behaviorists and top dog trainers agree that dogs know they are dogs and dogs know we are people. Dogs do what pays off for them; they aren’t skulking around the house planning to overthrow the hierarchy. Please read the AVSAB Position Statement: http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf and find out how to train your puppy, not frighten him into submission.

I am thrilled to be planning 2012 puppy classes at Michigan Road Animal Hospital! We will soon post information with dates and times for the classes to be held. If you have any questions about canine behavior or training, please don’t hesitate to contact me. (Email is best!)