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A big part of pet ownership is figuring out what IS important to spend money on for your pet, and what is NOT important to spend money on. Rarely is this more evident than at Christmas time. The pet stores are all full of Christmas chew bones and stuffed toys to go in your dog's new stocking... but is he going to enjoy his gifts? No companies sponsored this blog (yet?), but I want to pass along some experience I've gained after twenty years of working with tens of thousands of dogs. Forget all the marketing and fancy packaging. Here are ten things that dogs ACTUALLY want at Christmas:  $15.99 at www.chewy.com 1. KONG Bamboo Feeder Ball You really can't go wrong with the KONG brand. Their toys are incredibly well-designed and well-made, and they also donate a lot to local dog charities. Most dog owners are familiar with the little round pyramid rubber toys, but this feeder ball is the one that's most popular around my house. I put dogs' full meal inside the ball and they get to do what comes most naturally to dogs - kick the ball and sniff to find all the food that comes out. It's also dishwasher safe.  $6.49 at Hollywood Feed 2. Beef Knuckle Bone It may not look appetizing to humans, but to dogs it's irresistable! Beef knuckle bones are cooked but safe from splintering. They are very long-lasting and even small dogs love gnawing on bones the size of their head. Be sure you're getting beef knuckle bones; pork bones, chicken bones, shin bones, rib bones, kneecaps, etc. are likely to splinter and are more dangerous.  $6.29-$24.49 at www.happyhowies.com 3. Happy Howie's Meat Rolls These have been the dog trainer's secret go-to treat for years, but they're not sold in many stores, so most dog owners have never heard of them. Personally, literally every dog I've offered Happy Howie's to LOVES them and I can't say that about any other treat. They're grain free and come in three different varieties so they're good for dogs with allergies too. Pro tip: buy a large roll, invest 15 minutes to dice the whole thing and bag it in a freezer bag, and then store it in the freezer, grabbing a handful or two whenever you need it.  $18-$68 at www.boldleaddesigns.com 4. Leather Leash Professional trainers collect leashes, and if you ask any of us we probably have at least half a dozen that we like. But the go-to leash for everyday use is almost always a high-quality leather (or vegan leather) leash. A good leather leash will last through several dogs' lifetimes. Most importantly, though, leather is easy to grip and hold. The quality of leather and brahma leashes at Bold Lead Designs is the best in the industry. I recommend no thicker than 1/2" even for large dogs, as thinner leather leashes are easier to grip. Get leather conditioner too to help it soften up faster.  4-pack $24.99-$37.18 at Amazon 5. Benebone Chews Dogs love variety in their chews, and Benebone delivers that plus a great taste and texture for chewing. They may look and feel like other chews on the market, but there's something special about Benebones that dogs love. Be sure to rotate chews for your dog so that they seem special and new every time you give him one.  Boar Bristle Brush, Shedding Blade, and Undercoat Rake. 6. The Right Brush for Your Dog's Coat It can be difficult to figure out what brush is best for your dog, but here's one clue: it's probably not a slicker brush. If you can, take your dog to the pet store and try out a few different brushes to figure out what works best. If your dog is a heavy shedder with short hair, try a round shedding blade. If your dog has long hair that sheds or tangles, try an undercoat rake. If your dog has a very smooth short coat, try a boar bristle brush.  $49.99-$119.99 at Amazon 7. Calming Dog Bed Usually in dog products, the word "calming" is a gimmick. But in this case, "calming" is unusually accurate. If your dog likes curling up in a cozy blanket, she'll love this bed. Sizes run from 23" to 45" long, but it does seem to be designed mainly with small dogs in mind.  $69.95-$274.95 at Amazon 8. Orthopedic Dog Bed If the Calming Dog Bed is designed for small dogs, the Orthopedic Dog Bed is designed for the large dogs. This is perfect for older dogs who might be starting to get stiff joints and need a supportive place to lay. The PetFusion bed also features a waterproof liner and cool fabric for the dogs who love the cold weather. My 60-pound collie used this bed every day for his last six years, and in the end it still showed barely any wear.  Find on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts 9. Dog Training Podcasts Anybody can call themselves a Dog Trainer, and anybody can produce a dog training podcast. These are my favorite ones to listen to on my way to and from lessons:
 10. Dog Training Lessons
When training is done right, there's nothing that makes a dog happier, healthier, and more joyful to be around. Training not only teaches dogs a vocabulary of behaviors that make life with humans easier, but it enhances the relationship you have with your dog as well. While you're here on my website, please check out the training that I offer as well as the other blog posts. If you're interested in training but looking for something I don't offer, please read this blog to learn how to identify a reputable trainer for you and your dog: www.alabamadogacademy.com/training-blog/may-11th-2022
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Most dog owners - even ones who have never trained their own dogs - have in mind a list of behaviors that they think all dogs should know. Sit, lay down, stay, and come when called are usually at the top of that list. Leave It is another core behavior that many trainers teach; it seems important, especially for the service dogs that I train, but it’s one that I almost never teach. And for good reason. Dogs are inherently curious, and enjoy investigating everything, by touching it or grabbing it in their mouthes. But the human world is covered in things that are dangerous for dogs to touch or mouthe, or that are simply valuable to us. Leave It is often seen as a solution: trainers tell you that you should be able to say Leave It and your dog will stop doing whatever it is he was about to do. But here’s the trouble with Leave It: it doesn’t tell the dog what *to* do. “Don’t touch that” doesn’t give the dog information about what you want him to do. And it doesn’t give you a specific behavior to reward when he does successfully Leave It.
Say “Sit” - the dog puts his tushie on the ground - we tell him “good boy” You and your dog will be most successful with training when you follow this formula, as you and the dog both communicate clearly about what you want and what he can do to make you happy. But if we apply this formula to Leave It: Say “Leave It” - the dog *stops* - is that good enough? Leave It expects the absence of a behavior. And the absence of a behavior can’t easily be rewarded. And here’s another thing: Let’s say you’ve trained Leave It and your dog knows what to do when you say Leave It. He knows that if he does the right behavior he will get a reward: attention from you, praise, petting, maybe even a treat. Well, dogs are smart and can figure out that if they want a reward, all they have to do is make you say Leave It. And how do they make you say Leave It? By doing the thing you don’t want them to do in the first place.
What’s the alternative? Don’t reward when he obeys your Leave It cue? Guess how long he’ll continue obeying your Leave It cue if you stop praising him for doing so? Instead of training Leave It, there are a couple of better options:
Leave It can work for some dogs in some situations. But if you’ve been frustrated about your dog not obeying when you say “Leave It,” maybe it’s time to look at other training options. As always, feel free to contact Elizabeth at any of Alabama Dog Academy’s social media platforms, or click the Contact button below! Imagine you’re a child, and a grownup has done something very bad to you. You’re hurt, you’re confused, you’re scared. Then you’re taken to an office where you know you’re going to have to bring up the awful memories again. The grownups at the office are all nice, but you still don’t want to be there.
But for a lot of dog owners, it’s difficult to think about your dog being away from you for any period of time. Board and Train is definitely worth it for certain dogs, to improve their quality of life and the quality of their families’ lives; but is it right for YOUR dog?
No doubt you’ve seen drama on social media about disreputable dog trainers. These posts beg the question: How do you find a good dog trainer? How do you know that the trainer has your and your dogs’ best interests in mind and will give you the best training advice? The fact is, dog training is a completely unregulated business. Literally anyone can print out business cards and make an Instagram page and call themselves a professional dog trainer. There is no required licensing, certifications, or accreditations; there are stricter requirements for dog boarding kennels and breeders than there are for dog trainers. The industry is completely dependent on the “Buyer Beware” philosophy. Here are some traits that are important in a good dog trainer:
I Can't Feed my dog People Food!As a trainer who encourages using treats to train dogs, I often hear that dog owners think they shouldn’t feed “people food” to their dogs. Let’s talk about some of the common misconceptions:
Every few years......a new reality show about dog training pops up on TV. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with these shows. On one hand, watching a show about training helps people think more about working with their own dogs; but on the other hand, training can look very different on TV than it is in real life, and people end up with unrealistic expectations of what it’s like to train their dog.
After watching at least one episode of probably every dog training reality show that’s been aired, here are a few take-aways I hope you keep in mind as you’re watching these shows:  For kids and teachers, the end of the year is quickly approaching! Soon enough they will get out of school and a much-needed summer break from learning.
But for me, the school year is just beginning! It’s time for Continuing Education!  My tank setup For me, this New Year brings… a new pet!
I recently bought myself a fish tank for a new little betta fish! As it happens, getting an actual FISH is more complicated than it seems. |
AuthorElizabeth Morgan specializes in training service dogs as the trainer and owner of Alabama Dog Academy. Archives
December 2024
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