features Archives - Best Pets Dog Training

Why Puppy Kindergarten is vital for your dog

Do you have a puppy between eight weeks and three months old? Then there’s not a minute to lose: enroll your new friend in Puppy Kindergarten!

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recently released a position statement recommending puppy socialization classes for puppies three months of age and younger. This recommendation is an exciting acknowledgment of what dog trainers and behaviorists have known for years — the first three months of a puppy’s life are too critical to ignore.

“Enrolling in puppy classes prior to three months of age can be an excellent means of improving training, strengthening the human-animal bond, and socializing puppies in an environment where risk of illness can be minimized,” according to the report. “Puppy socialization classes can offer a safe and organized means of socializing puppies and more quickly improve their responsiveness to commands.”

Our puppy classes cover basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stay, come when called; address issues such as chewing, jumping up, mouthing and pulling on leash; and also provide a supervised, controlled environment for continued socialization with other puppies and introductions to new people.

Enroll today and take the first step in a lifetime of enrichment for your puppy. To download your copy of the AVSAB report, click here.

Is your dog ready for group classes?

By Sarah Filipiak

Dogs must be safe and feel safe around people and other dogs before they are ready to learn obedience and basic manners.

Review the categories below to see which best describes your dog:

READY – Is safe with all people and dogs.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – Is safe with all people, but requires caution around other dogs (snarling, snapping, growling or lunging at other dogs).

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – Snarling, snapping, growling or lunging at people or other dogs.

If your dog falls into the “needs improvement” category, he or she would benefit from [intlink id=”4″ type=”page”]in-home training[/intlink] before enrolling in group classes. Only dogs in the “ready” category may enroll in Agility, Basic Manners or Puppy Kindergarten class.

Should you comfort a scared dog?

By Sarah Filipiak

There’s a terrific discussion about thunderstorm phobia, body language and the issue of whether fear can be reinforced over on Patricia McConnell’s excellent blog.

The oft-given advice to ignore a dog who’s feeling fearful may not be correct. But, like most emotions, fear and its resulting behavior can be complex to address from a behavioral standpoint.

Read for yourself and see what you think — Dr. McConnell promises to write more on the topic, and several folks are offering good advice for thunderstorm phobia in the meantime.
photo credit: broxtronix

The 15-minute feeding schedule

By Sarah Filipiak

What is the 15-minute feeding schedule?

It’s the simplest way to alter the way your dog interacts with you, with the least effort on your part.

If your dog is already on the 15-minute feeding schedule, pat yourself on the back, go grab some kibble and a clicker, and get to work on Charging The Clicker. If your dog turns up his nose at the idea of dinner as a reward, the 15-minute feeding schedule will work wonders.

What to do:
1. Check with your vet about feeding requirements. Most dogs will survive on the low end of the bag of kibble’s feeding recommendations with no ill effects, but if in doubt, ask your veterinarian. If you’re feeding substantially more than the low end suggestion, and your vet says it’s OK, cut back to the recommended amount over a period of days.
2. Pick up your dog’s food bowl. The days of filling the bowl in the morning and leaving it out all day are over. (“But he likes to eat overnight/while I’m gone/etc.!” Exactly… your dog is determining the food’s value, not you.)
3. Set a timer… for 15 minutes! (Or 20, if you’re feeling guilty.) Then, set out the normal portion for that meal. Whatever is still there after 15 minutes is picked up and returned to the bag. Do NOT save the uneaten portion for the next meal. The regular portion is set out at the next meal.

That’s it! Your dog may not eat at first, but soon he’ll realize there’s an expiration date on the food bowl, and it’s determined by YOU.

Soon you’ll see a happy, engaged response when you reach for the food bag, indicating that your dog views his kibble as a valuable resource. And once you control the resources, you can control the dog.

photo credit: mrdorkesq

Why Puppy Kindergarten is vital for your dog

Should you comfort a scared dog?

The 15-minute feeding schedule

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