Why "No" is a pointless word

You can find an argument for and against every training method on the planet. Trust me, and if you don't, just google any training method you can think of. 

I've heard every argument about R+ only training and P+ only training. Sometimes they make sense and sometimes they don't. Currently, there's a blog circulating about how R+ training only could be the death of a perfectly normal dog. I completely disagree with this for many reasons. First of all, no where in R+ training does it say your dog cannot have boundaries or rules. The difference is we don't teach the boundaries with +P (E.G. shock collars, hitting, yelling no, prong collars, etc.). If an R+ trainer isn't teaching any boundaries than I think they fail at their job. Because their job is to train the dog, not allow it to run free with no rules. 

To completely explain how this should work I will start by explaining why "No" is a pointless word and actually hinders training. Let's begin with a few example scenarios.

One afternoon you decide to go into the kitchen and make yourself a sandwich. After making the sandwich you go into the living room, sit on the couch, flip on the tv and start to take a bite of your food. Suddenly, I rush into the room and shout a very forceful “No!” in your direction. You freeze, sandwich almost to your lips and stare. Now, can you tell me what you did wrong? It could be you aren't supposed to sit on the couch. Maybe you're not allowed to eat or perhaps watching TV is off limits. Maybe I'm yelling at you for the mess you left in the kitchen a few minutes earlier. Better still, maybe ALL of those things are wrong and you shouldn't be doing them. But it's doubtful that you're going to understand from my one word shout which of those things were wrong.

Let's try again, what if you were standing in the bedroom, singing, while looking out the window. I run in and shout “No!”. Which of these things are you in trouble for? Maybe you aren't allowed in the bedroom. I might consider singing bad or maybe you shouldn't be looking out the window. It could be you're not allowed to stand or shouldn't be standing on the carpet. But without more details you have no idea what to stop doing and what to do instead. So this scenario will need to happen many many more times for you to narrow down what you're being told “No” for. Because even if my “No” is timed perfectly, odds are you are doing more than one thing at a time.

Now let's put this example with a dog. I walk into the room to see my dog barking at the cat. He's standing there yipping his little brains out while the cat steadfastly ignores him. With each joyful bark he hops from the couch, to the floor, to something else. I walk into the room and yell at him. How is the dog to know whether his leaping, barking, harassing the cat or something else is the problem?

A few minutes later my yippy pup has moved to the window to bark at the mailman. Balanced on the back of the couch, staring out the window he alerts to the strange person at the door. Coming into the room and yelling could do several things. First, the dog may think I'm also yelling at the mailman (ever notice your dog getting more excited when you yell??). Or he could just be confused about what he should not be doing so he continues to act the same.

Over the course of time it's possible he may pick up from many scenarios that his barking is what he's in trouble for. In the mean time it's a very stressing experience for your dog to be yelled at or corrected without knowing for sure what the wrong behavior is. He may cower when you enter the room, but that's mostly out of confusion and him sensing your anger.

So what would be a better way of addressing the behavior? We will continue with barking as the problem behavior but other problem behaviors could be addressed similarly.

First of all, you need to step back and make sure you are addressing all of your dog's needs. Has he seen the vet lately? Is he getting adequate nutrition? Are you exercising him daily and enough for his energy level? Is he bored and needs more interactive toys? Making sure your dog is healthy, plus mentally and physically stimulated is a huge part of managing behavior. If your dog is lacking in any of these departments they will be prone to act out due to boredom, pent up energy or discomfort.

Now, what if you've checked all of that and still have a problem behavior? There's a few different approaches. One is to teach an incompatible behavior, but from my personal experience there's not much a dog can't do while barking. He can bark while sitting, standing, lying and some even do it while holding a ball!

Therefore, we need to teach the dog what we want them to do instead. Which, of course, is being silent. You can do this by simply waiting out the barking, then treating when they pause for a second (which I promise they will do!). Then add a word like “quiet,” wait for a second of silence then reward. It will take several repetitions but once your dog understands all you will need to do is say “quiet” when your dog is doing 16 different things and he will understand he needs to stop barking.

There is a huge range of things you can teach your dog to effectively communicate what you want from them. Teach your dog “off” to tell them to get off of people and furniture. Teach them “leave it” to tell them to not eat something. Train “out” so they know to leave a room when told. “Freeze or stop” to stop them from moving in a given direction. “Stay” works to keep them from getting into things as well. These cues are instructive and let your dog know what to do and what not do. Once taught they are more effective than yelling a meaningless word like “no.” It's far too general. Even if your dog learns that No means to stop barking how will they know it also means to stop jumping on Grandma, stop eating the trash, get off the couch, be quiet and get out of the nursery? Dogs do not generalize well and trying to use one word for everything compounds the problem.

How I made 6 dog beds/crate mats for $.50!

Now, I can't guarantee everyone can make them for this cheap. But if you do the same as me you can still make them much cheaper then what a normal dog bed costs. The first thing I did was scout local thrift stores for a cheap comforter. You can also check garage sales or see if friends/family have any they want to get rid of. The comforter I bought was marked $.99 but happened to be one of the half priced items for the day. I was VERY excited about this find! 

Now the first thing I did was to use safety pins to mark my lines after measuring the comforter for the sizes I wanted. I needed two that matched crates I had and then the others were various sizes. 

As you can see here there are two lines of pins. This was is because the comforter is really large and having a guide on each side made it much easier to make a straight line (Honestly though, your dogs won't care about a straight line. It's more for you.)

Also, try to make sure the pins go all the way through like the above photo. This is because comforters have two separate pieces of material plus a filling. The pins going all the way through will help hold everything in place so there's less chance of bunching. 

As you can see, Stormy and Monyah were ready for their beds! They slept on the part of the comforter I had draped across the chair while I worked on the beds. 

After I sewed the first line I then sewed a second parallel to it. The reason I did this was because I didn't want the fill to come out when I cut the sections. If you wanted to add fill you would have to leave one side open. 

The above is what it looks like after you cut between the sewn lines. I worked from one end of the comforter to slowly shrink it and make it easier to work with. 

The girls already staking their claim on the first two beds I finished. 

A tip for working with something this large is to roll the sides to fit through your machine after you have marked your lines. As you can see my machine isn't really made for large project but I made it work. 

As you can see I was able to make several sizes that would work for a large dog as well. 

I love the versatility of this project! I did not do anything to conceal the edges but you could easily fold them over and sew them or add a cute trim. Comforters come in many colors so you can find one to suit any decor. As mentioned before you can also add extra padding inside them to make them fluffier. I wanted some of these for crates so I didn't want them extremely padded.

Heart

Heart was born on Christmas Eve. She's very high energy and very smart. 

 Being Goofy!

Stormy

If you've ever fell in love with a breed of dog you know how hard it is to live without that breed. I grew up with poodles and and had always had one till about 6yrs ago. Having a poodle in my life was something I sorely missed. So by chance I happened to get this sweet girl! 

This is Stormy! My little poodle Princess! She's as sweet as she looks and has been attached to my hip since she met me. She's also a 5yr old retired champion. 

How to choose a groomer

It's not always easy finding the perfect groomer for your furbaby. Unlike hairstylists for people, groomers are so much more than just people who make your dog look pretty. Groomers often are the first to discover developing health issues. They do things like clean out ears and anal glands, remove mats and dirt to prevent health problems. It's often said that groomers are closer to their clients and are rated of higher importance to them than their veterinarian! Wow, that's an honor!

So what should you look for when selecting this very important person for your furbaby?

First of all, you should know that their is no official licensing for groomers. I tend to not see this as an issue because human hairstylists ARE heavily licensed, yet I have been cut and burned by different stylists and received many a poor haircut! To me the licensing does very little. However, there are many ways to help ensure you find a good groomer.

Here are some questions to ask:

1. Is your business insured?

Whether the groomer works from their home or a store front they should carry insurance. The last thing you want is something to happen to your furbaby and be stuck holding the bill for the incident. As a professional I pride myself on being able to cover anything that could possibly happen to a dog in my care. Even though I'm cautious, we do work with sharp objects and live animals so the possibility of an accident is always there.

2. Are you or your staff CPR & first aid certified?

Again, your pet's health is of utmost importance. Knowing your groomer has been trained to handle medical emergencies is vital. It's especially important if your dog is elderly or has known medical conditions. I feel every groomer should have this training.

3. Do you have an emergency preparedness plan?

It might seem overkill, but if a natural disaster hit what would happen to your dog? Would it be relocated? Where to? How would you contact them? Are you comfortable with this plan?

4. How do you deal with behavioral issues?

This is a personal preference question. But even if your dog has always been good you should ask. Dogs have bad days too, they may have injured a foot or developing arthritis. Some people are comfortable with their dog being muzzled or restrained certain ways and others are not. Know ahead of time what will be done if your dog decides to be a little ornery. Then you can decide if that is the type of groomer you want to use.

5. How soon can they get you in?

This may seem a strange thing to ask for an interview. But I prefer to do business with people that are booked up! It shows they have lots of steady clients. If every time you call they can get you in now or tomorrow, I hesitate. Why do they have so much room? Do customers try once and never return? Are they squeezing too many in? My exception is new businesses and an occasional quick opening that could be a last minute cancellation.

6. What do you do for continuing education?

Grooming and pet care is an ever changing thing, just like the rest of the world. And no one can know everything. If a groomer ever makes it sound like they don't need to learn, don't walk but RUN away! There are many types of continued education including books, videos, seminars, conventions, private lessons with top groomers, Master certification and competing. These are all important especially seminars and conventions because they teach all of the above that I have mentioned. They cover cpr, first aid, insurance, emergency preparedness, skin and coat conditions, signs & symptoms of medical conditions and so much more!

7. Do you have experience with my breed and do you have photos of the work you've done on said breed or similar?

Your dog doesn't need to be a show dog to have the breed look. If you're unsure of what your breed should look like then Google it. The best reference is show dogs, keeping in mind that unless your dog came from a show kennel the look won't be exact. But a good groomer can get close if you're willing to brush the hair and maintain it. If they cannot get close they should be able to explain why, such as your dogs coat lays differently, etc. Asking to see photos of other dogs of your breed they've groomed can also give you an idea of what they can do. This also goes for Asian fusion or creative if that's what you're looking for.

8. Is not a question but rather a warning. As with most things, you get what you pay for. If you choose a groomer solely based on price you probably won't get a very good service(there are exceptions but they are rare). A cheap groomer is rarely able to afford insurance, cpr & first aid lessons, seminars and educational material, good quality products and many other things a good groomer should have. None of these things come cheap  (just look up the price of grooming shears!), so groomers should be charging a price to make sure they can provide the quality you and your pet deserve.

So tell me, what questions do you ask your groomer?

Setting The Grooming Scene

It has come to my attention that there is a serious lack of knowledge about positive reinforcement and force free training among groomers. As groomers we feel pressured to make wiggling animals look good in a small amount of time. Due to these time constraints there is often little to no time set aside to train the animals in our care how to properly behave during the grooming process. Many groomers will instead resort to yelling or forceful restraint. Neither of these actions teaches the dog what behavior we want from them or give them a positive experience.

Many of these behavioral issues can be prevented by putting in extra effort with training at the beginning of your relationship with your client and their pet. Which means further down the road you will save time, energy and your blood pressure because the dog will be well behaved for his grooms. To help you I will be covering several aspects of grooming and training in the next several blogs.

We will start with setting the scene! Most groomers, including myself, get into a habit of just going to work. We often fail to see what our client, both two legged and four legged, see when entering our salon. This goes for mobiles as well. I try to start by thinking about the perception of my four-legged client, because it’s his reaction that will setup how he behaves for the groom. When you walk into your grooming space try to consider some of the following; how does it smell? How does it sound? How does it make you feel? How do dogs react when walking into your salon? As well as anything else you think a four-legged client might notice.

Smell is important because dogs have a better sense of smell than humans. If dogs smell anal glands, urine and similar odors they may become instantly frightened. This is because when dogs are afraid they may express their glands or pee. If the dog walking into your salon is engulfed with those smells it will assume your salon is a scary place! Make sure to clean these bodily fluids with an enzymatic cleaner made specifically for those odors and rinse tubs regularly with vinegar. Air purifiers and deodorizers will help with this as well.

What do you hear when you are in your salon? Are there dogs barking or crying? People griping? Squeaky washers or beeping electronics? Once again, dogs have extremely sensitive hearing. Any high pitched or loud noises can cause a dog to be nervous or it could hurt their ears. Find a way to fix or muffle any noises like that. When drying dogs put cotton in their ears or use a Happy Hoodie to muffle the noise.

Another big issue can be barking dogs. Dogs bark for many reasons, but most commonly in the salon they are nervous, bored or lonely. While these dogs are stressed themselves they are causing everyone else, dogs and humans alike, to become agitated. The most common method of trying to quiet the dog is putting a towel over the kennel or express grooming (grooming straight through). Neither of these is creating a positive environment for the dog or encouraging them to enjoy their visit. If putting a towel over the kennel quiets the dog I would encourage walking by and popping a treat into the kennel to reward this behavior.  You can also, after a few minutes of quiet, take them out for a cuddle. This is training the dog to see being quiet as rewarding and gives them positive associations with being in the grooming salon.If a towel doesn't work then try keeping a portable crate next to your grooming table with a soft bed inside. Some dogs are not used to being kenneled and alone. So letting them be with you often helps them to calm down. When the dog settles into the bed drop some treats into the crate near his face. Then ignore him. Make him think that relaxing makes treats fall from the sky!

There are two more options to try if none of the previous training methods helped. If you have a receptionist she can hold and cuddle the dog till the owner arrives. You can also try tethering the dog near your table and dropping treats for quiet behavior. But keep a VERY close eye on tethered dogs because they can escape very quickly.

Now, how does your salon make you feel? Is it cluttered and messy? Do you feel stressed and overcrowded? If you can’t objectively look at your salon then ask a trusted friend to give you their impression. The feeling when you first walk into your salon is how you will feel all day. It can also be how your client feels and anything they feel will transfer down the leash to their best friend. If the client sees a dirty smelly salon then they will feel nervous and uncomfortable about leaving Rover with you. So while creating the ideal environment for pets you will also be creating a calming experience for the owner.  If the owner walks in to a quiet, nice smelling, clean salon they will feel safer about leaving their baby. This will make their pet feel more comfortable as well.

Once your client walks in and has a moment to absorb the atmosphere try to greet them by name and with a smile. Your greeting to dog and owner is very important. My greeting is always a Hello to the owner then my attention straight to the dog. How you greet the dog will depend on their behavior when you see them. Are they wagging their tail calmly? Jumping around like a wound up spring? Hiding behind mom? Scrambling for the door?If the dog is hyper then try to greet calmly. If you encourage the excitement they may continue this through the groom or possibly pee out of excitement. Pet them gently while talking in a soothing voice.

For a calm dog wagging its tail you must judge how quickly the tail is wagging. A slow deliberate wag is often a sign of aggression or caution. Try to let the dog approach you. Sit on the floor while calmly talking to the dog and saying its name. With the owner’s permission throw some treats near the dog’s feet. If he won’t eat them this can be a sign that he’s anxious. Spend several minutes coaxing the dog to you. If he still won’t approach have the owner step outside to see if his behavior changes. If it does not change then take this client on cautiously and be prepared for misbehavior. Now, if the dog’s tail was wagging rapidly then this is normally a sign of friendliness.

A dog hiding behind its mom should be approached in a similar way to the aggressive dog. I find “baby talking” will often make nervous dogs feel more open to you since their owners probably do it at home. By letting the dog approach you while showing her how amazing you are (treats, baby talk and possibly cuddles!) she will feel like it was her choice. If you simply snatch the dog away from its owner it will be more likely to be afraid of you. After all, would you feel safe if you were kidnapped??

If the dog is open and friendly make sure to give it lots of attention. This is behavior we want to encourage! What you are doing with these steps is building a relationship with the dog. Have you noticed how a dog will run from someone it doesn't know but will forgive its owner time and again for mishaps? We want to begin establishing that close relationship with our four-legged client. Your first appointment is the best time for this. After the dog approaches you can continue the affection while you discuss services with the owner. This gives you several more minutes of bonding time before you have to take them away from the owner.
Be aware that even though the dog may be bonding to you it’s first priority will still, most likely, be the owner. So if they start to get stressed about the owner leaving, then temporarily distract the dog till the owner disappears. Give them another minute of cuddles then take them to the kennel area.  

How you put the dog in the kennel is also important. If the dog will be on a bottom kennel say “kennel” as you lead them in with a treat or coaxing. If they still won’t go in try sitting on or near the entrance then coaxing them inside. I have even crawled into a kennel with double doors to lead the dog in because they felt safer following me. If the dog still refuses to enter the kennel you may have to try tethering or leaving them with the receptionist. But before you leave the kennel try putting some treats in the entrance for them to eat (assuming they are eating the treats and you have owner permission). That way they have a positive association with the kennel before leaving it. We want to eventually work them into wanting to be in the kennel. For dogs placed in the kennels higher up make sure to give them treats and pet them before leaving. 

Aruakai

During Christmas 2013, we found a kitten under my Mom's house. 

His very first picture!

There might as well have been a sign on him that said he was mine because I have always been a sucker for orange male kittens. And tell me you wouldn't have been a sucker for that face too! 

It took a while for him to figure out we weren't big scary monsters out to eat him. But once he did we couldn't keep him away!

His first big catch! (not real, but don't tell him)

Aruakai's name, as far as we know, is completely made up. My teenage brother came up with the name and pronounced it Ah-roo-ah-k-i.

His second car ride. Does this count as back seat driving?

Aruakai discovering Venom.

As you can see Aruakai has no fear. He befriends all of our animals. Each day he takes time to visit everyone in the home. He particularly loves Reno, Vota and the guinea pigs. Reno and him spend many hours wrestling and chasing each other. Aruakai loves to play with Reno's long hair!

This is Aruakai at approximately 3 1/2 months old. He's getting so big! His eyes have now changed from blue to a green orange color.

He loves to be cuddled and has one of the loudest purrs I have ever heard. I love him to pieces and I'm so glad we got to take him home!

Please check back as I will be updating this later with more photos as he grows. :)