Learn how to “Fetch the Paper” with Lose the Leash San Diego Dog Training
While most days, San Diego Dog Training consists of sit, down, or come; on a good day I get the pleasure of training a fun yet useful behavior. I was called to the rescue of a San Diego family that had tried for years to train their shepherd mix “Cocoa” how to fetch the morning paper and bring it inside.
Cocoa, a beautiful, intelligent, and well trained dog would fetch the paper but when commanded to come, would drop the paper before running towards her owners. All Cocoa needed was a different approach to training this. While training dolphins and sea lions for the Navy Marine Mammal Program, I learned that training a chain behavior in reverse is a very quick and effective technique. First, I began with Cocoa standing on the “drop zone” (location the owners wanted the paper to be left) and had her repeatedly fetch and drop the newspaper, rewarding her each time. Then I had her move slightly closer to the door, fetch the paper, and had her owners call Cocoa to the “drop zone” and command “drop” then praise her. We repeated this routine many times, each time moving closer to the gate were the paper was delivered each morning. Thus, teaching the end of the chain behavior first, and in several steps adding on until you reach the beginning of the behavior. It took Cocoa a few minutes to fully understand what her owners had tried to teach her so many times before for two key reasons. The first being that from the beginning Cocoa was only prasied for dropping the paper in the “drop zone” making this the end goal for her. Secondly, her confidence increased the closer she got to her goal, motivating her to keep the paper in her mouth until reaching the designated location.
Thanks for the fun lesson Cocoa!
Erin
The Art of Redirection – an efficient cure for the most common doggie don’ts.
San Diego Dog Training – The Art of Redirection – an efficient cure for the most common doggie don’ts.
Written by Rob Jewell
Trainer at Lose the Leash Dog Training of San Diego, CA
Working as a dog trainer in San Diego, the most common question that I am asked is usually “How do I get my dog to stop ______?” Many of the biggest challenges owners face with their “Best Friend” revolve around annoying behaviors that their dogs develop. Jumping up, leash pulling, barking, nipping and not coming when called are the some of the most common problems owners face. Feel free to substitute your dog’s own annoying behavior in the list above…We’ll soon be on the way to solving these challenging issues.
My most frequent response to a general question regarding the aforementioned behaviors is another question: “What is it that you want your dog to do instead?” Before we try to stop a challenging behavior in a certain scenario, we must first ask ourselves what it is the ideal behavior that our dog can perform. All too often we see a person’s first reaction to an unwanted behavior is to react by attempting to curb, halt, or punish the dog for “misbehaving.” STOP RIGHT THERE! Before we start ‘whispering’ (or yelling) corrections with a “cht-cht”, “aaahhtt”, or “no”, we need to analyze what’s going on. Your dog is simply acting out a role in a well rehearsed behavioral model, and one that we can take control of without the need to punish.
An example of a common “problem” we treat starts as an owner and dog are approached by a guest (or stranger), many times accompanied by another dog. The owner typically prepares the dog for the upcoming interaction by tightening up on a leash, signaling to the dog that it is now time to begin the typical drill. (Feel free to insert “halter”, “harness”, “leader”, “choker”, “chain” or other correction device in place of the word leash above.) At this point the dog now understands that the owner is appropriately prepared for the antics and may begin running, jumping, barking, pulling, growling… For most owners facing this situation, the pulling increases, yelling might ensue, and the dog and owner eventually get what they have been trained to expect from the situation. At this point we have failed to “correct” the “problem”, and are disappointed that it has all happened again…Maybe next time the owner will yell “NO” a little louder! Or, let’s take control appropriately and add a little redirection, not a correction.
Redirection involves taking the dog’s attention from a distracting stimulus and getting the dog to focus on the owner, who may then ask the dog to perform the appropriate behavior. In the example above, and in many other scenarios, getting the dog’s attention, and having it “sit” works well. Now instead of the antics, we have a dog sitting. Reinforce this behavior with tons of praise and attention, you are doing great! The dog may still feel challenged, wanting to get up, regressing to the same-old-same-old. DO NOT CORRECT, KEEP REDIRECTING! Ask the dog to sit again, and again reinforce the great behavior. Don’t get upset, don’t yell, and don’t punish…Keep asking for the most desirable behavior. Of course this may seem too easy, that’s because it takes patience and practice. The amount of attention an owner can capture from the dog is usually limited by the level of distraction, so start your practice in a neutral environment and build up more distraction. Once you have it mastered, you will never have to say no again…And your dog will love you for it!
Lose the Leash
San Diego Dog Training
http://www.losetheleash.com
No More Dog Pulling
Hi Rob,
Just wanted you to know how much the training has meant to me and the dogs. It was well worth the training so that we can go for nice long walks on the weekends and we are all happy. I’m sure I could have ended up with a broken bone or worse from the falls of being pulled over without your great training.
We are doing great and will be back soon I hope to learn more.
Thanks again for all you have taught us.
Marilyn R.
They Can Sit, Place, and Stay
Dear Erin and Rob,
First off thank you for your time and patience.
You both have been great to work with. We witnessed almost immediate changes with our pups Chip and Coco using the training methods. Before contacting your services our pup Chip currently weighing in at over a 100 pounds and Coco close to 80 pounds were very high energy. We were concerned about keeping them in check. They loved to play rough with each other, pulled on their leashes constantly and we had no idea how to get them in a good time out.
Since using the remote collar and the training we can successfully get them to sit, place and stay there until they hear those magic words ‘free” at any time in any situation! Even when they are in the midst of playing hard. We see them much happier knowing we are in control and wanting to please us with doing the commands. We continue to use the techniques everyday and continue to be happy with their progress.
We recommend your services all the time and it feels great to hear other dog owners complement Chip and Coco on their well behaved demeanor 
Thanks!
Cat and Keir H.
Carlsbad, CA
This post brought to you by LOSE THE LEASH Dog Training Carlsbad
I Just Call “COME” & He Walks Right To Me
The program with Rob and Erin Jewell has been a blessing for Buck and I.
Since we’ve adopted him from a shelter in July of ‘05, we’ve tried two other trainers, both very knowledgeable and experienced, (the first a ‘choke chain drill instructor’, the second a positive re-inforcement ‘treat dispenser’). Unfortunately, I did not have the time and motivation to follow through with these programs consistently, so did not get the results I was looking for.
I knew that Buck needed to see me as the ‘alpha mom’, so I went back to the drawing board on the internet in search of yet another program. Buck gets daily off-leash walks at Fiesta Island (and other places) and I was concerned about his inability to ‘come’ when called, jumping on visitors when they walked through the door, and aggressive behaviors with toys and treats. Lucky for me, I stumbled onto your website, and was enthused about the training at the off-leash dog parks.
After only two lessons with Rob, (very personable and great with dogs), 10-15 minutes of daily reinforcement, Buck is a new dog.
It is such a relief to be able to walk off leash and have him ‘come’ at the end of the walk. Even in a highly stimulated environment (next to a golf course and chasing squirrels), he came right to us. Now I don’t even need the training collar, I just call, ‘come’ at the end of our walk, and he walks right to me . . amazing!
In the past, I’d actually drive along the roadside until he decided when he’d get in the car!
I highly recommend Rob and Erin Jewell and the dog training program. A dynamic team with a first-class program. Excellent for those with plenty of time on their hands, or the rest of us who work for a living!
Sincerely,
Kim W. and Buck Linda Vista (San Diego), CA
This post brought to you by LOSE THE LEASH Dog Training Linda Vista
AJ Is Always Off Leash Now
AJ is always off leash when we go out for a walk now, and I really don’t need to use the remote collar much anymore. Most of the time I just whistle and he comes running. He sticks around me when we are out and about, so I am not worried that he will take off like he used to. I think the time that we spent training with the collar made our bond much stronger, and I can tell by his behavior that he feels more secure. I should mention that AJ is a 6 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. He is a rescue dog, and I have only had him since November 2008. It is very hard to make a hunting dog stick around when you are out walking, and some hunting dogs are just escape artists. It comes with the temperament and hunting instincts of a hunting dog. The fact that he used to do this, and is not doing it anymore only after a short time speaks volumes about how effective the program is.
Sincerely,
Andreas N.
San Elijo Hills (Carlsbad), CA
This post brought to you by LOSE THE LEASH Dog Training Carlsbad
She Is Like A Different Dog
Hi Erin,
Just wanted to let you know how happy I am about the training you are doing with Kharma.
She is like a different dog! I took her to Kahoots pet store yesterday and all the staff there have seen a huge difference in her. The best part was having her within 5 feet of another dog and she didn’t even care.
Bring some of your business cards for me to take there and they will put you in their book of referrals.
Also, feel free to use me as a referral for future clients.
Thanks so much!
Faith
Halloween Safety Tips For San Diego Dogs and Dog Owners
Halloween Safety Tips for Pet Owners (taken from the Partnership for Animal Welfare website www.paw-rescue.org)
Dog Tip: Halloween Safety Tips for Pet Owners
Halloween can be a frightening time for family dogs. Each Halloween, veterinarians nationwide see pet injuries that could have been avoided. Here are some ways we can protect pets:
* Walk your dog before trick-or-treaters start their visits. Keep a firm grip on the leash; many dogs are frightened by people in costumes.
* Find a secure place in your home to keep your dogs, especially if you’re giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. Many dogs get loose when the door opens, and the presence of little (and big) costumed people often scares animals, increasing the chance dogs will run away or get hit by cars.
* Make sure your dog is wearing an up-to-date I.D. tag.
* Place a dog gate in front of your front door to block access in case someone accidentally lets your pet out of the place where he’s confined. Many dogs will run after trick-or-treaters.
* If your dog has any aggressive tendencies, fear of loud noises, or a habit of excessive barking, place him in a quiet room as far away from your front door as possible at least a half-hour before trick-or-treaters arrive.
* Consider crating your pet, which can make him feel more secure and reduce chances of accidental escapes. Provide chew toys, a favorite blanket, a piece of clothing with your scent on it, or whatever comforts the animal. Play soft music or a recording of soothing sounds.
* If you want to have your dog near the door to greet visitors, keep him on leash. Pets can become very stressed by holiday activities and unwelcome interruptions in routine. A nervous dog might feel threatened and growl, lunge or bite.
* Keep dogs indoors. It’s a bad idea to leave dogs out in the yard; in addition to the parade of holiday celebrants frightening and agitating them, there have been reports of taunting, poisonings and pet thefts. Plus they’re likely to bark and howl at the constant flow of treat or treaters.
* As for cats, as the ASPCA and other organizations advise, keep cats indoors at all times.
* Do not leave dogs in cars.
* Keep dogs out of the candy bowl. Dispose of candy wrappers before your pets get to them, since the wrappers can cause choking or intestinal obstruction. Make sure the dogs can’t get into the trash. Note: Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause nerve damage and even death in dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more concentrated it is — and the smaller the lethal dose.
* Explain to everyone in your home (including kids) how dangerous treats are to pets. Take young childrenUs candy supply and put it somewhere out of reach of pets. Caution children about leaving candy wrappers on the floor.
* Make sure pets can’t reach candles, jack-o-lanterns, decorations or ornaments.
* Halloween costumes can annoy animals and pose safety and health hazards…so think twice before dressing up the dog. Make sure the dog can breathe, see and hear, and that the costume is flame retardant. Remove any small or dangling accessories that could be chewed and swallowed. Avoid rubber bands, which can cut off the animal’s circulation or, if accidentally left on, can burrow and cut into the animal’s skin.
* If the animal is very high-strung, consult your vet about tranquilizing for the night.
* When walking dogs during or after Halloween, watch carefully for what they might pick up and choke on. Bits of candy and wrappers abound on sidewalks and streets after holidays.
* If you notice these symptoms of chocolate poisoning, go to your vet or an emergency vet right away because your pet’s life may be in danger:
Excessive drooling
Excessive urination
Pupil dilation
Rapid heartbeat
Vomiting and diarrhea
Hyperactivity
Muscle tremors and seizures
Coma
If Your Dog Eats Chocolate:
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_EatChocolate.php
First Aid Kit and Guidance:
Keep a pet First Aid Kit in your home and car. Take the one you keep in your car with you on trips with your pet. This webpage lists items to include:
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FirstAid.php
CPR and Mouth-to-Snout Resuscitation:
Print these life-saving brochures to have on hand!
http://members.aol.com/henryhbk/acpr.html
http://www.rescuecritters.com/cpr.html
When traveling, you can find a nearby veterinarian using AAHA’s Animal Hospital Locator:
http://www.healthypet.com/hospital_search.aspx
