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Charlie's owner wrote:
Kylee Stewart reviewed My Bark Avenue Academy — 5 star
Well ladies and gentlemen. I could not think of someone better then My Bark Academy. I am currently in training with my two dogs and have been for about 6 weeks. Let me start off with I have a severely aggressive Chihuahua who previous trainers told me to euthanize, who is now so tolerant and getting use to new situations. I also have "Charlie" a young puppy who is leash trained, house training, respectful. All of these things are thanks to My Bark Academy. I work in the veterinary field. I have tried trainers, clicker training, you name it! But now, after suffering 6 years of having a terrible dog, just 6 weeks of training at My Bark Academy my dog can enjoy life ! He is now much calmer, much better on walks, much better with dogs. I would recommend My Bark Academy to every single person that I know. Thank you for saving my relationship. Thank you for saving my sanity. Thank you for saving my dog.
Charlie's owner wrote:
Kylee Stewart reviewed My Bark Avenue Academy — 5 star
Well ladies and gentlemen. I could not think of someone better then My Bark Academy. I am currently in training with my two dogs and have been for about 6 weeks. Let me start off with I have a severely aggressive Chihuahua who previous trainers told me to euthanize, who is now so tolerant and getting use to new situations. I also have "Charlie" a young puppy who is leash trained, house training, respectful. All of these things are thanks to My Bark Academy. I work in the veterinary field. I have tried trainers, clicker training, you name it! But now, after suffering 6 years of having a terrible dog, just 6 weeks of training at My Bark Academy my dog can enjoy life ! He is now much calmer, much better on walks, much better with dogs. I would recommend My Bark Academy to every single person that I know. Thank you for saving my relationship. Thank you for saving my sanity. Thank you for saving my dog.
September 2017
This is what "Charlie's" week was like at "Puppy Boot Camp"!
How to discipline your puppy if they have an accident in the house.
Every puppy owner wants their puppy to never have an accident in the house but because they are learning to hold their bladders and can't wait, sometimes accidents WILL happen. When they do have an accident this is how I deal with it, whether caught in the act or after the fact. First of all I pick the puppy up and carry them directly to the spot and put their nose over it, NEVER IN IT... they can smell the scent that is all you want to reinforce is the scent. Then with the puppy still in my arms I start saying very loudly and sternly " NO, NO, " then I release the puppy and stand over them still speaking the word, NO or sometime the word word Bad. It is important that you don't hit your puppy, strong scolding and following your puppy until they stop and roll over will cause your puppy to go into a submissive position and that is all you want. You literally want your puppy to acknowledge that you are the boss and what you say goes. I only say the word NO when it is a behaviour that I NEVER want to happen again like peeing on the carpet, chewing a shoe etc. I don't use the word "NO" at any other time. Too many people say "NO" for everything so it loses its impact when it needs to reflect something very important that you don't want your puppy doing again. I also only keep this up for less than 30 seconds or so then I scoop the puppy in my arms and immediately take them outside and ask them to "go pee". The moment we go outside it is over, we go back to like it never happened. I call it " a new day ". When we go back inside even if I still have to clean up a mess, my body language and voice go back to normal. Now if the puppy does return to sniff that same spot then I will reinforce the word "NO" and add "Leave it" which means to ignore something. I want the puppy to associate the smell with something that is bad and that they need to stay away from it. So many people have said to me "you can't scold a puppy for something you didn't see them do". I think that is ridiculous. Even if your puppy has peed an hour ago and you walk into the room you can usually tell by their body language that they did something wrong. They remember they did it and can still smell they did it, so ignoring it just adds to the confusion in their minds that only fresh pee is wrong stale pee is OK?? All accidents are "NO"!
How to deal with Jealousy when you have more than one dog
Jealousy can be a very big problem when you have more than one dog in your home or you bring in a new puppy.
How to "Claim a room" in your home
Today I am going to teach "Charlie" an eight week old Mastiff puppy not to go into a certain room in my apt. I am going to show you how to use spacial pressure to do that. The great news is you can decide to make any room permanently off limits or just for that moment. But if it is permanently then you must reinforce this every time until the puppy is old enough to be allowed in. People think it is confusing to them to be allowed to do something one minute but not the next but that isn't true. Dogs' live in the moment and don't care about what they did yesterday only what happens today.
When you do this training, there are a couple of things to remember. One I use the word "go" and physically move toward the puppy using spacial pressure with my body or even my hand or both. Remember you are not touching the puppy this is just using your energy to move the pup. If the puppy is just thinking about moving forward by taking a step I then make a "sound" to cause the puppy to stop moving forward. But is important that when the puppy stops or backs up to where you want them that you back up showing the puppy that as long as the puppy remains in that place you are pleased with them. If you want this training to work you MUST keep this up until the puppy loses interest or submits by either sitting or laying down.
When you do this training, there are a couple of things to remember. One I use the word "go" and physically move toward the puppy using spacial pressure with my body or even my hand or both. Remember you are not touching the puppy this is just using your energy to move the pup. If the puppy is just thinking about moving forward by taking a step I then make a "sound" to cause the puppy to stop moving forward. But is important that when the puppy stops or backs up to where you want them that you back up showing the puppy that as long as the puppy remains in that place you are pleased with them. If you want this training to work you MUST keep this up until the puppy loses interest or submits by either sitting or laying down.
Teaching your puppy or dog not to whine or scratch at a closed door.
Here is a another puppy training video. This time I am teaching "Charlie" the eight week old Mastiff puppy how to not cry, whine or scratch at a closed door. It is important when teaching any new behaviour that you keep repeating it over and over with different distractions to reinforce what you are trying to teach them. So later today I will do this again but I will put something that has a strong smell on the carpet in my room to attract her so she will want to sniff or paw at the closed door. Then I will reinforce the command. Once a minute or so has passed with her not coming to the door I will then open the door and go to her and pet her for doing so well. Remember your attention is the reward I rarely use food as a reward that way food or treats is reserved for very "special" training.
Teaching a young puppy not to run out the front door
by using the command "GO"
It has only been a hour or so since I taught "Charlie" the word "Go" now I am using the same word and spacial pressure at the front door. You should NEVER allow your dog to race out your front door. This prevents your dog running away or getting hit by a car.
How to teach a very young puppy to heel on your left side
Most people find teaching their dog to "Heel" very difficult and almost impossible with a very young puppy. So I decided to video myself teaching "Charlie" to "Heel" beside me. I have Charlie for a few day to "crate train" her for her owner and while she is here I am going to work on her obedience training as well.
When you teach a very young dog to heel the most important thing is to have no tension on the leash when the puppy is by your left leg. Also keep any leash movements at collar height or less. It will require lots of bending on your part but in the end it will all be worth it.
When you teach a very young dog to heel the most important thing is to have no tension on the leash when the puppy is by your left leg. Also keep any leash movements at collar height or less. It will require lots of bending on your part but in the end it will all be worth it.
Housebreaking your puppy on command.
Every puppy will have accidents when they are first learning how to go outside. But hopefully this video will help make it a bit easier. First of all you need to take your puppy outside immediately after eating, drinking, or waking up. Carry them to the spot you want them to go. Do not walk around, you want your puppy bored so they remember what their body is telling them they need to do. It is like us if we have to go and get distracted we forget about it until we are relaxed again. Also I say the same word for all body functions and keep repeating it until the puppy stops walking around or sits for a bit. My dog is nine years old now and goes on command within minutes of saying the words " go pee ". It is also important that any "training" you do needs to happen right after your puppy has gone to the bathroom so they are not distracted by having to pee when you are working on a new command or behaviour.
Using the word "Stop" to prevent barking
When you know your puppy doesn't need to go out to the bathroom but wants your attention by barking either when they are in a crate or loose I use the word "Stop". That literally means to cease all barking now. I say it very firmly and will wait for a second or two to see if the puppy or dog is going to do it. If they don't I will keep saying "stop" pausing every few seconds until they settle down and quietly submit.
Teaching your puppy to "Come"
When you are teaching the "Come" command to a puppy or dog you must stand in one place and don't move until the "Free" command is given and you are finished with the exercise.
I start by "tapping" my finger on the floor in between my feet so as to direct the puppy to that location. I call their name and say " pup pup" along with the tapping then add the word "Come" and repeat this over and over until the puppy is directly in front of me. When you do this you want the puppy to literally come so close that they are rubbing against your legs but are still directly in front or you, not behind or beside, but in front. You also don't want them jumping up on you if they do gently push them into a sit or down position. If they lay down in front that is ok but ideally you want them sitting and staying there until you give the word "Free" which means that they are released to go and play again. The other thing you want to do is move around their collar and touch them all over without them moving backwards or shying away. If they start to move away gently pull them close and continue patting them reassuring them that you are very happy that they are there. Again the reward is you praising and touching them, it is not about food or treats.
I start by "tapping" my finger on the floor in between my feet so as to direct the puppy to that location. I call their name and say " pup pup" along with the tapping then add the word "Come" and repeat this over and over until the puppy is directly in front of me. When you do this you want the puppy to literally come so close that they are rubbing against your legs but are still directly in front or you, not behind or beside, but in front. You also don't want them jumping up on you if they do gently push them into a sit or down position. If they lay down in front that is ok but ideally you want them sitting and staying there until you give the word "Free" which means that they are released to go and play again. The other thing you want to do is move around their collar and touch them all over without them moving backwards or shying away. If they start to move away gently pull them close and continue patting them reassuring them that you are very happy that they are there. Again the reward is you praising and touching them, it is not about food or treats.
Teaching how to walk calmly through a doorway using "Wait" and "Through" commands
I am teaching Charlie to "Wait" or pause without moving ahead even when a door is wide open and then to calmly walk "Through" the doorway with my permission. To do this you have to stop and calm your puppy before you open the door then turn and face the puppy claiming the doorway using spacial pressure. Then turn and face the puppy using the leash to reinforce the "Wait" command so they don't move forward toward the open the door. The goal is for your puppy to sit and quietly "Wait" on a loose leash until you give the second command, "Through". "Through" means that they are allowed to walk in a nice calm way through the open door with your permission. Your puppy should be under control with a loose leash while they do this. They should never run ahead or pull you in any way in or out the door. They should "Wait" calmly first and only when they are completely calm and relaxed do you invite them "Through" the doorway.
Working on food aggression
Overall Charlie the eight week old Mastiff puppy that has come here for a one week intensive "Puppy Boot Camp" is doing really well but I have noticed something troubling with her behaviour concerning food. Since she was just getting used to me in the first day or two I decided not to work on it until today. A couple of days ago I noticed by her body language and change in behavior that she is on the verge of being very food aggressive. This is probably due to her coming from a large litter where she had to push and shove everyone out of her way in order to get her fair share. So she probably had to fight to get every bite of food. The problem is left unchecked this can lead to a very serious aggression problem and even cause severe bites if someone attempts to move the bowl or touch her food. The reason Charlie is at my one week "Puppy Boot Camp" is because her owner has a young baby and felt overwhelmed with training her. So it is even more important with children around that a dog NEVER guards their food, bowl or toys.
When you watch this video you can see that this training will be ongoing and does not get fixed in one session from now on every time I feed Charlie we will do some "Leave It" commands or me just moving my hand in the food bowl. I will keep this training up until I feel that she no longer is fixated, pushing or guarding any food treats or toys that she has. She must willingly submit and move away if I want anything she has. This is something that every dog needs to be able to do. Guarding is one of the leading causes of a family dog biting and it is ALWAYS the dog that loses in the end when they are given away, or euthanized.
When you watch this video you can see that this training will be ongoing and does not get fixed in one session from now on every time I feed Charlie we will do some "Leave It" commands or me just moving my hand in the food bowl. I will keep this training up until I feel that she no longer is fixated, pushing or guarding any food treats or toys that she has. She must willingly submit and move away if I want anything she has. This is something that every dog needs to be able to do. Guarding is one of the leading causes of a family dog biting and it is ALWAYS the dog that loses in the end when they are given away, or euthanized.
Crate Training
It is OK to use your crate at various times during the day as a safe place for your puppy to play, sleep or even as a time out. Many owners think that the crate is mean or some kind of punishment. The crate is a place of safety for your puppy when you can't watch or monitor what they are doing. Having a puppy means you MUST watch them at all time to make sure they are not chewing on something that is dangerous or having an accident somewhere. Lots of times during the day you will find that you can't observe your puppy so when that happens put them in the crate so you know they are safe and not getting into trouble. When they are in the crate they should only bark when it is time to go outside. Barking for attention is not allowed and I use the "Stop" command as soon as I hear just one bark. It is easier to stop a puppy when they are first starting to bark rather once they have been doing it for a while. The other thing is that the puppy is not allowed to claw at the door or bite the crate while they are in it. If these behaviours are left unchecked they can become compulsive and lead to separation anxiety which is very difficult to break once your dog is showing signs.
Teaching your puppy not to jump up using the "Off" command
"Off" is a command I use when I want my dog to put their front paws on the floor. Anytime my dog jumps up I use the "off" command. I use this if they jump up on a person, put their front feet on the couch, a table, another dog, or anytime I want all four paws on the ground I say "off". I also look for opportunities to reinforce this command so they can practice it. It is not about finding ways that your dog will fail, but rather ways to get them to succeed and when they do that is when you can reward with lots of praise and affection.
Teaching your puppy to ignore something by using "Leave It"
The command "Leave It" just means to ignore something that your puppy might be interested in. It does not mean that the puppy can never touch that object again nor does it mean they have to run away from it. All you want your puppy to do is ignore something, either by moving away from it, or just turning their head to they are no longer looking at it.
"Leave It" part 2 ...You are the pack Leader and need to intervene when needed
When you have two or more dogs it is important not let one get so frustrated that they feel they have to defend themselves. Since you are the pack leader you should always be there to intervene to keep the peace especially when a puppy is playing roughly with an adult dog. The adult should never feel that in order for the puppy to leave them alone that they either have to hide or bite to defend themselves. As the leader you need to be vigilant and always there to referee if need be. That includes with children as well. Children should always respect the dog and the dog also needs to respect the children. Both are vulnerable and need the leaders guidance to how to behave with each other and the family.
Trading?? Is it a good idea?
If your puppy is chewing something they shouldn't should you "trade them" for something that is Ok for them to chew? I believe that when you trade you are actually encouraging your puppy to go and get things that they know they shouldn't have in order to get something better offered to them. Instead I would rather teach my puppy not to touch things they shouldn't by using the "Leave it" command and if they need to chew, without using any trading show them a safe spot where they can enjoy their toys.