Fortunately, today there are wonderful pet owners that do not euthanize a puppy just because they are deaf.  In past times when a puppy was born deaf the dog did not stand a chance on making it.  The question that always arises is, “if the dog can’t hear, How can you teach it obedience?”  With today’s technology, training a deaf dog can be achieved.

When we think of training obedience we instantly think of verbal commands, which for the most part is the method most commonly used.  So how do we train a deaf dog commands if they can’t hear?  We do it by way of hand commands and the use of an electronic collar.

Of course the e-collar has had a bad reputation for many years do to the misuse of them.  In the past couple of years they have been making a come back with positive results.  When training a deaf dog, the e-collar can make a pet owner’s life much easier and much more safe for a dog.  When training a deaf dog the method of an e-collar paired with hand commands is the preferred method to use. 

We train the dog to “sit”, “down”, “stay”, and even “place” with hand gestures, but then use the e-collar to teach the dog to recall or even get the dogs attention.  Most good brand name e-collars come with a pager button.  Instead of using the stimulation button, we can use the pager button which makes the collar vibrate without the stimulation.  Then through training we can teach the dog to either come or give his attention when it feels the vibration.

If you are the owner of a deaf dog, hopefully this will give you some hope that your dog can be trained to do obedience.  If this training method is something you might be interested in please feel free to call or e-mail, so we can set up a free evaluation and get your dog started on the right track.

Making the decision to buy a puppy is always a big family decision and should never be taken lately.  Many times a decision is made on a “knee jerk” reaction without taking the time to do the research.  First thing I always suggest is to be sure of the breed or breeds that you are interested in.  Be sure that the breed that you choose is comparable with your lifestyle.  It will save a lot of future heartache.  Whenever possible check your local shelters.  Once that decision has been made then start to do your homework.

I am not an advocate of buying puppies off the internet, but you will find good breeders through the web.  You want to be able to visit the breeder and see the parents and the living conditions.  This is normally when you can spot a puppy mill.  For those who are not aware of what a puppy mill is, or looks like, should look for some of the common signs.  Normally they will be breeders of many different breeds.  The dogs will not be well maintained and you can see this through the living conditions.  I have heard of breeders wanting to meet at a different location.  This should be a red flag to you.  Their prices will be significantly lower than other breeders.  If you are looking for the cheapest deal then maybe you are not ready to purchase a puppy.  Remember, sometimes you get what you pay for!

Reputable breeders always want their puppies to go to good homes.  They will ask many questions to be sure that you can be a loving pet owner.  They normally just don’t sell their puppy to the first person that shows them money.  They will ask such questions as; Do you have the space for a puppy? Is the whole family on board with introducing a new member to the family? Have you chosen a vet? and other relevant questions.

When visiting the breeder ask to spend time with the parents.  You want to be sure that there are no underlying issues that may arise like shyness, or any type of aggression.  If the breeder does not agree with allowing you and your family to spend time with the parents then continue looking.  This normally means they are trying to hide something. 

They should always offer a health guarantee.  Normally it will be a 1 year health guarantee.  Good breeders stand behind their program.  You should also find out who their veterinarian is so you can speak with the vet.

Very good breeders will also request that you sign a contract stating that if for any reason you decide to not keep the dog you will call them and give them the opportunity to retain the dog.

Lastly, ask for references of persons that have purchased a puppy from past litters.  This will give you some insight into the puppy and the breeder.

I hope this will help you once the decision has been made to purchase a puppy.  I know that puppies are very cute and hard to pass off once you see them, but with a little bit of homework you can save you and your family a lot future heartache.

I recently have been receiving many phone calls for protection dogs.  99% of those calling have been asking many questions and have been doing their homework.  This has made me very happy.  Anyone that is truly interested in a protection dog knows that they are not cheap, but are a great investment if you can afford one.  The one problem that I have noticed is those that can’t afford a protection dog want to buy a puppy, wait until it is full grown, then do the protection training.  Another problem I have come across is those that want to biggest, baddest dog I can get them.  I just want to write a little information to give those that have not been doing homework or don’t know where to look to be certain they choose the right protection dog.

When we talk about puppies it basically comes down to being a crap shoot.  Just because the puppies parents have all the necessary drives to do protection work does not mean that the puppy you choose will be the right dog.  Many litters have puppies that are not born with the natural drives .  Not to say that it is not possible, but you are taking a chance.  Then if you do find the right puppy, you need to be aware of the drive development to be sure that the dog’s drive become stronger as it matures.  Many trainers can give you a story or two of perfect drive puppies that were ruined due to lack of development.  If you are not sure what I am talking about when I speak about drives, we are talking about PREY and DEFENSE drives.  I will speak about these drives in another article.

Unless you are a trainer or have some knowledge of drive development, I would suggest buying an adult dog that has had all the development done.  At least you can see the quality of dog you are purchasing.  Not to mention you will see the dog’s temperament.  This is important when you are a parent with children and have decided to buy a protection dog.  You need to keep in mind that a protection dog is a trained BITER which leads me to my next issue.

I always get a good chuckle when someone calls me and says ” I want a really big mean dog!”  And the only reason I get a chuckle is because they just don’t know what they are asking for.  Before you buy a protection dog there are several questions you should ask yourself.  You need to ask yourself  “what breed of dog do I want?”  And do some breed research before you come to a conclusion taking into account the size of the dog that you want.  You can get a 130 pound Presa Canario or a 60 pound Belgian Malinois.  Take into consideration how much property you own.  Do you live in an apartment or a house?  Then look at the different levels of protection work that you can purchase, taking into account that the more training the dog has, the more it will cost you.  If you are a famous football player with no family or you are looking for a protection dog to leave in your business when it is closed, then a really civil aggressive dog just might be what you are looking for.  But if you are a family man with children that needs a protection dog while you are at work or on a business trip then THE BIG MEAN DOG is not right for you.  This does not mean that a nice social dog will not do the job.  For an example, look at police dogs.  You see them at city functions and schools doing demos, but when it is time to get ugly they get ugly.  Many police dogs live at home with the handler and his or her family.  So just because a dog allows itself to be touched and doesn’t go crazy when someone walks by does not mean they will not bite.  They are trained to bite on command.  Personally this is the only type of dog that I would ever sell to a family.  Be aware though!!!  There are trainers out there that see only dollar signs.  They will sell you anything for a quick buck.

I hope this has cleared up and answered some questions that you might have.  If you are interested in purchasing a protection dog but are still not sure, or still have some questions, feel free to contact any one of the trainers at Highland Canine.  We will always strive to help you in any way we can.

The other day I received a call from a friend who was having problems with their 6 month old Jack Russell Terrier.  Anyone that owns a Jack Russell probably knows the words that came out of her mouth.  “This dog is crazy!!  What do I do?”  She then proceeded to tell me that when she thought about buying a dog she thought that a Jack Russell “is cute and would be a good laying around the house lazy dog.”  How wrong she was.  I then thought to myself “how many pet owners out there truly put thought into buying a dog before they buy or adopt it?”

When you purchase a vehicle you always put some thought into it.   You take into consideration what it is that you and your family need.  You consider the color, size, cost, gas mileage, among several other things.  We should do the same when choosing the right dog for us.  Lets take a look at some of the things you should consider when buying a dog.

First thing that should be considered; “is your family ready to own a dog?”  Has the family sat together and spoken about the responsibilities?  Are all the members in the family willing to participate with the dog”s needs?  I.E. walks, feeding, play time.  Can the family afford the vet bills?   It is your responsibility to maintain a healthy dog.  In almost all 50 states it is illegal to not provide your dog with medical attention.

How about the size of the dog?  If there is one thing that upsets me the most, it is a 120 pound Rottweiler living in a third floor apartment!  Large size dogs usually do not fair well in small living quarters.  Be sure that you choose a dog that will live comfortably with your living arrangements.  If a large dog is what you desire, but you live in an apartment, then maybe now is not the time to purchase a Great Dane.

Another very important issue that needs to be considered is the exercise or activity that a specific breed needs.  If you are a retired person with certain ailments then a working breed dog such as a German Shepherd is not the dog for you.  On the other hand if you are an avid runner then an English Bulldog would not be right for you.  This would also hold true when you consider the size of your dog in relation to where you live.  Large dogs for the most part need plenty of running room.  An apartment is not ideal for most large breed dogs.

Also take into consideration the grooming needs of a dog.  Breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers, Shih Tzu, Silky Terriers, Poodles, Chinese Crested, and other long haired breeds need a lot of attention.  Unless you are really good with maintaining the hair it will cost you to take them to a professional groomer.  Something to keep in mind.

After you have put much thought into all these considerations then the time to purchase or adopt a dog has arrived.  Now should you choose a puppy or an adult dog?  This is also important to consider.  Remember that having a puppy is like having a child.  You have to feed it, teach it manners, and house break the new puppy.  So do you have the time?  If you don’t you will be cleaning up a lot of messes and your puppy will develop behavior problems in the future. 

How about an adult dog.  There are many benefits to adopting an adult dog.  You don’t have to worry about the puppy stage.  You can see first hand the character that the dog has.  You will be aware of any behavior issues.

I always encourage going to your local shelter or rescue group before you decide to buy a dog.  There are many great puppies and adult dogs in need of a good home especially hear in the Metro Atlanta, GA area.  They normally already come neutered or spayed.  They are up on all their shots.  And it only cost you the adoption fee which is normally significantly less then purchasing a dog from a store or breeder.  Contrary to many beliefs, there are also many pure breed dogs in shelters and rescue groups.  As an added benefit, many dog training companies offer discounts to those that rescue dogs from shelters.  We at Highland Canine offer a 10% discount off of our training packages to those that adopt or rescue a dog.

I hope that this opens the eyes of potential dog owners to the importance of choosing the right dog for you.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact anyone of the trainers of Highland Canine Training LLC.

Highland Canine Training offers a tactical police leash along with a wide variety of other dog training equipment. Our tactical police leash is great for police patrol, tactical and SWAT applications. The leash comes with a quick release snap that allows for release of the dog even when there is back pressure against the snap. This allows for quick release of the patrol dog in any application. The leash is available in leather and betabiothane in a variety of sizes and colors. You can order the leash here with prices starting as low as $24.95.

Take a look at our online store for some of our available and affordable equipment.

Highland Canine Training Center recently came out with a K-9 containment video that is outstanding. It is an 11 minute video that explains to road officers and supervisors how to properly contain a fleeing suspect through a perimeter and how a tracking/trailing dog works. It is meant to be shown as roll call training.

This production outlines:
• Basic principles of scent
• What affects odor and tracking conditions
• How tracking and trailing dogs work
• Psychological profiles of fleeing suspects
• What officers should do on a perimeter
• Proper containment techniques

High Quality DVD- Approximate run time 11 minutes- this training video is a must have for every police team that wants to apprehend criminals and get the most of their K-9 teams. Available for $14.95 plus shipping and handling.

As a police K9 handler, I know first hand how frustrating it is when your fellow officers contaminate a track.  Most of the time it is due to a lack of knowledge on how a K-9 tracks a suspect.  It is our responsibility as K9 handlers to educate our fellow officers in the art of setting up a proper perimeter.  After showing this video at our roll calls at my department, I had numerous officers explain to me that they did not know how bad they were messing things up before a K-9 unit arrived on the scene.  I have also noticed that officers take more consideration to setting up a perimeter before calling for a K9 unit. 

If you are looking to educate your fellow officers on how to set up a proper perimeter and increase your tracking ratio, then this is a must have video!

Training your dog to recall/come on command is undoubtedly the most important command you can teach.  For some reason it is one of the most difficult for pet owners to do.  When I meet a client for the first time and ask what they are specifically looking for, they all say the same thing “my dog to come when called.”  Then when I ask them to explain what it is that they have been doing, I start to cringe!  Only because I know that the first thing I need to do is undo everything they have done which usually begins with choosing a new word to use as the command. 

Through their efforts in attempting to train their dog they unintentionally CORRUPT the come command.  When I say corrupt, I mean that the dog owner uses the word so much without results that the meaning is completely lost to the dog.  So the first thing I do is change the command.  If they were using “COME” then I change it to “HERE” or vice-versa.

One other common thing I have seen is punishing the dog when they come.  Pet owners will become upset when their dogs don’t listen, but then when the dog finally comes, instead of praising, they punish the dog.  They punish by spanking or by yelling “NO”.  What are they teaching?  They are teaching the dog that every time their owner says “come” it means that they are in trouble, so what is the dog going to do?  He is going to run the other way so he does not have to endure punishment.  If you have been doing this with your dog then stop.  Try this instead!  Whenever your dog comes you need to make it the greatest thing your dog has ever done.  Give him treats and plenty of love.  You will condition your k9 to understand that “come” means good things.  You will see a great change with your dog obeying you.

Now I can sit here and type a whole book on how to teach the come command and the many different methods, but I am not going to do that.  I will write about some basic techniques that work with most dogs.  One of the most important things is finding that one thing that motivates your dog.  It can be food or a favorite toy.  It can be just love and praise.  There are dogs out there that live for attention.  Use it to your advantage.  As I always iterate in my blog articles, “take baby steps”.  Don’t start with your dog in the front yard where there is a busy road and kids playing.  Don’t try to make him come from a football field away.  And don’t get mad if he/she does not come right away.  Be patient!

I like to start by teaching the dog to come inside the owners home.  They are comfortable and there are very few distractions.  The first few times I like the dog to watch me with their reward in my hand.  I start to take a few steps back and say the dog’s name along with the command. “FIDO COME!”  While the dog is moving towards me I reassure the dog the whole time by saying “good boy”.  I then reward the dog and give lots of praise. I only do this a few times. I then move out to possibly the pet owners backyard. They are still in their own environment, but with added distractions from the outside world.  If the distractions prove to be to much then attach a long leash/line, so that you can reel the dog into you.  The dog is learning to work through some minor distractions and through the long line you are also training that recalling is not an option for the dog.

Another method you can try is by getting someone else in the family that the dog likes and make it a recall game.  You do this by having yourself and someone else stand some distance apart.  Make sure that both of you have enough treats/reward.  Then one person calls the dog to them.  When the dog recalls, treat and praise.  Then have the other person do the same thing.  The dog will be going back and forth and in the process learn the recall command.

Now, I am always asked the same question.  “What if my dog just does not pay attention when I call him” or “my dog just flat out ignores me.”  This is when I recommend keeping a long leash/line to your dog.  First and foremost you do not want your dog to run to far away and get hurt.  Secondly, you want to be able to reinforce the command by reeling your dog into you.  The recall command can mean the difference between life and death with your dog, so I train the dog to understand that the desire to recall is not an option.

As training progresses you want to train your dog to recall when they are not paying attention to you.  We all know that 99% of the time that we need to recall our dog is when they are not paying attention and about to get into trouble.  Practice with many different distractions and in many different environments, so when the time arises that you need your 4 legged friend to come back to you there will be no hesitation.

As always feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns and I will assist you in any way possible.

Do you remember where you were 8 years ago as the planes struck the twin towers.  I do!  I stayed up until 3am last night watching the videos and interviews of people that lived through that horrific day.  As I layed there and listened to some of the stories there was one that really caught my attention.  It was a man speaking about the fact that he was trapped under a pile of rubble.  He gave an erie explanation of how dark and quiet it was and how he thought he was going to die.  Then as the news channel started showing pictures of the aftermath when the towers collapsed all I could think of was how difficult it would be to work a search and rescue dog in that mess.  Also how many K9 teams out there are really ready to work in that environment.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, there are people out there that want to hurt Americans.  There have been several terrorist attacks against our country over the past couple decades.  Are you ready as a K9 handler?  Be it cadaver, live find, or explosives K-9.  If we are ever attacked again will your dog be ready for the challenge?  These are questions that we need to keep in mind when we train.  Don’t become complacent with your training.  Always try to challenge your dog and build his/her stamina.  When there are people in need of help we do not have time to take long rests.

A speaker last night stated something that touched me as an American.  He stated “what makes Americans great is that when there is a building on fire we do not run away from it, but we run into it to save lives!!”  How true that is!

Please train hard!  God forbid we ever have another attack like 9.11, but if we ever are we need to be ready for the call.  God bless all those that lost their lives on that day as well as their families.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

In part 1, I hope I was able to assist many dog owners on how to train your dog to feel comfortable with being touched and handled. That was just the beginning of getting your dog started. Now lets talk about some of the more common problems that I have personally seen.

Brushing a dog’s hair is definitely not one of the more serious problems, but none the less a common one. All though not very hard to condition, I still meet pet owners that have a problem with this. The biggest problems I see is that dog owners are not using the correct style brush/comb for their specific dog and they attempt to “force the issue.” Imagine if your significant other came over to you, held you down, and began forcefully brushing your hair. You would not be happy! Same holds true for a dog. First thing to do is to buy the correct brush/comb for your dog’s specific style hair. The best time to start to condition your dog to being brushed/combed is when it is a puppy, but if you have an adult dog just follow the same principle. Start out slowly! Brush your dog’s hair for approx. a minute or two, while feeding him/her a treat, give good soft praise, and quit. You can do this one or two time a day slowly increasing the brush time. Before you know it, you will pull out the brush and your pet will jump into your arms.

When brushing your dog’s teeth follow some what of the same method.  After reading part 1 and 2, you have hopefully caught on to the method I am trying to relay.  TAKE IT SLOW AND BE PATIENT!  THIS IS BASIC CONDITIONING.  Try using a dog flavored tooth paste.  Petsmart and other pet supply stores sell these types of products.  My personal Yorkie loves chicken flavor.  Put it on the brush and just let them lick it off.  Don’t brush his teeth yet.  Be patient and don’t push it.  You do not want this to be a negative experience.  You will be chasing your dog around the house or yard for months if he has a negative experience.  Once he is ok with licking it, then brush his/her teeth for a second and stop.  Slowly build your brush time.

The dreaded NAIL CLIPPING!!  This is usually the biggest problem of them all.  Dogs will start to pull away, growl, and even try to bite you.  This is why it is so important that, if at all possible, start your dog with nail clippings as a puppy.  But if it was not possible, or you purchased or rescued an adult dog, hope is not lost.  This is not the only method out there, but I have found that it works for me.

Know that when your dog observes you walk up to him with a big silver metal object (clippers) in your hand, he is going to be apprehensive to you.  So walk up to him, or call him to you, with a big silver metal object in your left hand and a big piece of juicy chicken (or whatever treat they like) in your right hand.  You are making it a positive experience.  When they come to you then give them the treat and praise him.  Do that a couple of times.  Then do the same thing except this time you will start to depress the clippers making that horrible, scary sound that your dog doesn’t like.  After a couple of times when your dog hears that big scary sound he will think “TREAT”.  Now move on to actually clipping the nails.  If you do not have any knowledge on proper nail clipping then get assistance the first couple of times.  Cutting the quick of a dog’s nail can be painful for them hence making it a negative experience.  Once you have learned the proper method, start by clipping a couple of nails at a time.  Then move on to a whole foot.  Then 2 feet.  So on and so on.

Finally, “the visit.”  Some owners think that a dog just doesn’t know that they are at the vet or groomer.  How wrong you are!  Dogs do have the ability of sight and can remember through scent.  Trust me when I say that your dog knows where he is when he starts to recognize those odors that you only smell at vet offices.  So again, make it a positive experience.  Start by taking your dog to the vet or groomers office, but not for an “actual” visit.  Just take them for a “social” visit.  Meaning they are not going to have anything done.  Walk them around and visit with the employees.  Let them be loved, praised, and treated by those that work there.  Maybe do a little bit of obedience with a lot of praise and treats.  Then leave.  I promise you that the employees at the vet and groomers are not going to mind.  The vet and groomer employees that I deal with here in Metro Atlanta never mind when I show up for a social visit.  You are working towards calming your dog down and making their jobs easier.  When it is time for an “actual visit” bring treats.  Keep your dog preoccupied as the vet or groomer works on him.

Hopefully, some of these tricks and tips that I have wrote about in part 1 and 2 will help.  This is a process of basic conditioning through positive experiences.  Keep these two things in mind and your dog will never see a visit to the groomer or vet as a stressful, bad thing.

Please feel free to post or e-mail me with any questions or concerns.  We at Highland Canine will always strive to assist you in any manner that we can.

How many times have you seen someone dragging their dog by the collar through the doorway of the groomer or vets office!  Maybe you have had to deal with this problem yourself with one of your own dogs.  If you are the person witnessing it, you might get a little chuckle inside, or you might say “AAAWWW, poor dog!”  As a trainer and a Police K-9 handler, I have seen this problem many times.  For the pet owner it is a very stressful and embarrassing time.  For the Groomer or Vet it only makes their job ten times harder.  So how do you train your dog to relax in these situations?  I am going to explain a couple of tips and tricks that might help those who are dealing with this sort of problem.  Not to say that these methods are full proof and work on every dog, but hopefully can make some good dog owner’s life a little easier.

If we think about what groomers and vets do with our pets, we come to the conclusion that there is a lot of “HANDS ON” work.  Taking that into consideration; we can agree that we need to get our pets, first and foremost, comfortable with being touched.  Not only being touched in the normal areas such as the head and back, but being touched on the belly, legs, ears, nose, eyes, paws, and having their mouths opened.  This can easily be accomplished if we take our time and make it a completely positive experience.

We also need to keep in mind the energy that we are emmitting as well.  If you are stressed out or nervous because of the way your dog reacts then you are already behind the curve.  Your dog is going to feed off of your emotions, so it is important that you stay calm and relaxed.  It is also a good idea to tire your dog out by taking him on a long walk, or playing fetch.  You can also conduct this training when it is his feeding time.  He will be hungry and more receptive to the treats.

So when you begin with your new puppy or adult dog you want to make being touched or handled a positive, wonderful thing.  One of the best ways of doing this is by treating and praising the dog every time you touch him in a specific area.  One big mistake that I have seen in the past is when an owner is giving praise they do it in a rambunxious way.  This just throws the dog into over-drive which makes the dog want to jump and play.  It’s ok to do this with certain training scenarios, but when you are working on keeping your dog calm and relaxed, I would not take the crazy, loud praise route. 

It is important that you take baby steps.  Touch the head and ears, then treat and give a good, calm, relaxing praise.  You want to condition your dog to stay calm.  Then move to other areas and repeat. 

When you get to the mouth area you really want to take it a step at a time.  Start by just touching the mouth, then treat and praise.  Then lift up his lips to expose the gums, treat and praise.  Touch the teeth, treat and praise.  So on and so on, until you get to the point that you can open their mouth completely.  The vet only needs to look at the teeth and mouth for a few seconds, so don’t push it.

This method is a good way of getting your dog accustomed to being touched and handled. In part 2, I will talk about how to make your dog feel comfortable with getting its hair combed, teeth brushed, nails clipped, and just making the visit to the vet or groomer a “HAPPY VISIT.”