Journey of Rue: Rue is 13 weeks old now!!

RUE

Time has gotten away on me yet again , but my little Rue, is not so little anymore. ( ok she is still little ) You can now start to see the slight changes in behaviour.   That need to stay close and follow me is now replaced by a need to explore and ignore me.  I knew this day would come so we change our focus to adjust.  Before we didn't really use any sort of food rewards or treats, all that was needed was praise and a happy voice.  But now I have to up my anti.  Now my presence and happy voice isn't always enough.  We are breaking out the treats a little.  Our focus is still socialization and relationship.  I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.   Training sit, stay, down, come,or heel, can be done later.  The old saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks, does not apply.  You can always teach an old dog obedience. But  the window of socialization is closing quickly.  Socializing an old anti-social dog is WAY HARDER than training that same old dog some obedience.  SOCIALIZE, SOCIALIZE, SOCIALIZE!!! And when you think you have done enough socializing, DO MORE!   But remember socializing isn't as easy as making play dates and taking your puppy to Pet Valu to meet some people (although those are really good things to do). But you have to meet the "right" dogs and the "right " people.  You need to find some really good kids and socialize your puppy to them.  You need to find cars,trucks, buses, bikes strollers, loud noises and chaos. And when you find those things, you have to be there to guide your puppy through them.  This is where the relationship part comes in. Your goal isn't just to expose your puppy to the big scary world around them and let them sink or swim.  Your goal is to be present.  Observe your pup's behaviour, notice the fears, don't rescue, but step in for guidance when necessary.  If your pup is being a little to confident and sassy, you might have to step in when the behaviour isn't appropriate.  They need both sides of the equation. Leadership is guidance.

  So Rue, has had her vaccinations, and is now experiencing the play yard with the general play group.  She was taken out of her comfort zone of the house with only a few dogs, to a huge yard with a group of new dogs.  Her response was what would be expected: fearful and over whelmed.   As long as the dogs in the group were being fair (ie not crowding her too much ) I did not" rescue" her.

Notice Rue's tail?? A little unsure I'd say

   She tried on numerous occasions to get me to pick her up. I did not.  If dogs were to much in her face I simply asked the other dogs to back off a little. Providing leadership by letting her know that I have her back and she could trust my judgement. Within a short amount of time she was coming out more and more, approach and retreat, as she made her way to meet every dog. Before I knew it she was beginning to play.  This is not just socialization, but also relationship building. She is learning to trust my leadership skills. And this trust comes back into play in other aspects of our relationship, like obedience.   I can't stress this enough,SOLID SOCIALIZATION AND RELATIONSHIP MAKES OBEDIENCE EASIER.  We spend so much time cuddling and loving our puppies ( which is important too ) we sometimes forget about our leadership. And leadership is not just about teaching our dogs a few obedience commands.

July Puppy PACK WALK

  Rue also participated in our puppy socialization workshop in July.  Here we compacted as much socialization into a 4 hour span as we could. From puppy play to kids running around, we tried to incorporate as much "new" experiences as we could. We  even included an all ages puppy pack walk, taking advantage of some pretty awesome older dogs to help guide our puppies.  It was great fun!


We are planning another workshop in August.  If you have a puppy and are interested in a half day of puppy fun and learning feel free to contact me.

In the mean time...get out and SOCIALIZE!!!!

Journey of Rue: Weeks 1&2

Mariah and Jake showing Rue the "ropes"

   My little Rue is now 9 weeks old.  (Where does the time go???)   She is scheduled to get her 2nd set of vaccinations on July 3.  We are without a doubt in that critical period of socialization.  This is the best time to get the most out of introducing our dogs to just about anything.  But we are told to avoid dogs and places where dogs frequent, until the pup's immunity is ready to handle it.  Now luckily for me here we have some amazing  dogs that Rue has already met. I know the health and status of these dogs so she already has a great start.  First of all she has my Mariah.  For those who don't know Mariah, she is my right hand girl. She has raised many pups of her own and is a pretty balanced dog.  She is patient and kind but can be firm when needed.  I think Rue is attracted to her maternal nature. She also has Jake.  Jake is our 13/14 year old Aussie we took in a few years ago and the reason for my new found love of this breed. Jake is not as kind and patient with her.  In fact Jake is crabby and snappy at her. We do have to watch him with her as he has "put her in her place a few times"  That is not a bad thing by the way. It is part of canine 102.  She does have to learn when to leave dogs alone. Jake is doing a good job at that.  But she does gain what I call "Aussie" experience from  him.  Quite often, you will see her "following him" around.  She almost mimics his behaviours of fetch and play and I am even seeing some glints of herding coming through.  He is  so focused on "working" that he doesn't even seem to notice his little shadow following and studying his every move.

   So what have we been doing the first two weeks?   Well we have been working on routine. Week 1 we focused on: crate training.   Crate training is and always has been my best friend. Crate training when done properly can be a life time tool, long after housebreaking has been completed.  My 13 year old beagle still uses his crate.  Many times people will ask me, "when can I get rid of the crate?" I never understood that.  Why get rid of something that has so many benefits?   But for some, I guess they still view it as mean to keep the dog  confined. As I mentioned if done properly this tool can be a lifetime tool.  Crates can be a safe place, a place where the dog goes to have his/her space. It is also a great tool to prevent separation anxiety, because teaching your dog to be away from you is just as crucial as socializing.    When my kids were young the crates were used  to keep them safe from dogs. Toddlers and dogs don't mix. But as my kids got older and more respectful of the dogs the crate stayed as a safe place for the dogs to hide when the kids craziness was to much.  My kids were then taught to never bother the dog in the crate. Under no circumstance were they to touch or talk or even look into the crate.  The crate became a sense of security and familiarity to the dog.  And that is a wonderfully powerful thing especially if you like to travel with your dog.  Now if I go anywhere, my dog always has his/her home away from home. Hotel rooms, cottages, or visiting a friend, no matter where I am my dog has his/her place and immediately relaxes in it.   How do we accomplish this.  Well it isn't really about training. It is more about setting up for success.  First thing I like to tell people is to make sure they have the right mind set about the crate.  If you feel bad for the dog, the dog will feel bad about the crate. Simple truth.   And really what is there to feel bad about?  A new puppy, even an adult dog that is new to your home doesn't want to have (and shouldn't have ) the responsibility of the WHOLE HOUSE on his/her shoulders.  Its a lot to expect them to manage all that space.   I start off with as little space as possible and it grows as the pup grows.  Always remember to never put a highly energized dog in a crate. You want to make sure your pup has done all its business and is good and tired before putting them in the crate. You want the pup to associate calm state of mind when being in the crate. And of course we never make a big deal when we take the pup out of the crate. It is a simple hello and out the door for a bathroom break and walk.

Rue walking with the kids

 Week 2 we worked on some basic follow me stuff.  Now this is the best time to work on walking with you and  " follow me" as the puppy is naturally going to "want" to follow you.  This time is fleeting and will be gone before you know it, so make sure you take advantage of it.  Soon your puppy will want to start to explore and sniff and play and inevitably start to ignore you cause something over there smells way better than what ever you have to offer up...and  then you've miss it.  So right now I have a puppy that LOVES to follow me around. She does it with almost a smile on her face.  There are lots of great "check ins" and "look at me's" that she is volunteering up, so I don't want to let these training opportunities pass me by.  We make lots of great games out of follow me. Chasing , running catching up only to take off again.   Add some rewards like toys and treats and praise and you have a pup that thinks you are the best play friend ever!!  And of course I add a couple of dogs to an off leash walk and I have my own little mini pack following me everywhere.





  We haven't started with much leash work but I have introduced the collar and will let her drag a very light line on some of the walks so she gets use to the sensation.   She still scratches at the new collar but is getting use to it.

 This combination of exercise and play with subtle training is helping to create life strategies for her  Now I am fortunate enough to have lots of really good dogs in my life for Rue to learn from which is making my job easier for sure. Together we are working to create a well balanced and social dog. Next week we will start to social to more dogs, and people and new settings and environments.

Journey of Rue

Day 1

  On June 14, my husband and I picked up my newest pack member, a 7 week old Australian Shepard puppy we fondly named Rue.   Now for any of you who know me you might be asking "7 weeks?  isn't' that a little early Tracy??" and my answer is... yes it is.  I am a big believer that  more is more when it comes to puppies.  The longer they stay with their mother and siblings the better.  Those first weeks, well that is canine 101. Everything they need to know about being a dog is learned in those precious weeks.  And if your new puppy is your only dog, I would definitely ask the breeder to keep them a little longer to get the most of this precious education.  Sometimes circumstances don't work out that way and if you have to bring home a puppy early, it just means you will have to be even more diligent when it comes to socializing your new pack member. Here at Beyond Obedience our puppy would have many opportunities to meet and socialize with lots of dogs so I made an exception to my rule.   Our first meeting with the breeder was a very positive one.  The property was gorgeous and well maintained, and the puppies all had beautiful and clean  enclosures with an outdoor view of the river ( breath taking!!!)
We were of course introduced to to the parents of our new puppy and all of the litter mates as well.  All of the puppies rushed to the edge of the enclosure showing great curiosity and interest in meeting us.  No puppy seemed shy or withdrawn.   After saying hello to the crew, our new puppy was removed from the litter and put down on the ground and asked to follow us (with her mom of course ) to the garden where we were going to talk with the breeder.  Of course ones first response to seeing such a cute puppy would be to pick them up and carry the puppy but as hard as it was to refrain from grabbing and cuddling that cute little face, I know the importance of what this breeder was trying to accomplish. This first meeting with us was critical.  It sets the tone for the transition for this puppy.  And this is probably one of the hardest transitions, from dog pack to human pack.  This is not the time for love and affection.  This time was to help the puppy understand that I was going to be taking over the role of its mother.  And contrary to what our instincts tell us which would be to hold and cuddle and soothe, instead I need to prove to her that I have what it takes to take over this important role.  Her mother provides her with security and guidance, and affection comes after all the needs are taken care of.  You see, this walk to the garden, was the first walk with me.  It was the first time she was asked to follow me and of course it made sense to her because her mom came with us.  Once we reached the garden and sat down for a chat the puppy was again left on the ground to play with her mom but also check us out on her own time.  Given the opportunity to smell us and take in who we are without us forcing ourselves on her is very powerful for a pup (and dog for that matter, it shows respect)
    Our chat with the breeder was an hour long.  Here she explained everything she had done with this litter and I was so impressed with her dedication to behaviour and making sure her pups had the very best start in life.   Through emails back and forth prior to this meeting we had told her what we intended to call the puppy.  She than started using her name when she worked with the litter.  She demonstrated all the commands that the puppy already knew as a result of her dedication.  Sure enough our puppy, not only knew her name but came when she was called.  She had already started working on follow me and go pee pee commands.   She told us that she gave a "DO DO" command and bed time and all the puppies knew (with the help of the adult dogs in the kennel I am sure) to be quiet. And although the puppies were not kept in crates she did whole heartedly recommend the use of one.  She then gave us all the vaccination records and the rest of the deworming pills with a schedule of when they were to be taken and the guarantee for continued support for the life of the puppy.    When it was time to leave  there was no sad good byes, our puppy was tired from all the playing in the sunshine while we chatted, so we got in the car and made our way home.

Not A"'FurBaby"

  So at the risk of upsetting some of you I decided to go a head and post this blog because I believe the message is important... VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!!!!

   I am going to come out and say it!!  I dislike the term "FUR BABY"  in reference to our dogs.  There I said it.  Now don't get me wrong. I understand why people use it.  It is a term of endearment.  You want the world to know how much you love your dog. Trust me I get it. I  get it because  love my dogs too!  But recently while doing my Seminar entitled It's Not About The Dog!: A Better Understanding of Your Dog's Behaviour, I had someone question my relationship with my dogs.  The question came up because not all of my dogs sleep every night in my house.  They don't all sleep in my room, or on my bed. Most spend their evenings in our facility.  Now my dogs are often rotated in the house to keep up with their "in house " manners. But for the most part, they spend their time in the facility.  Now this is not a punishment in my dogs eyes.  The facility means play groups and pack walks, and fun filled days doing dog things. There is still lots of hands on human attention out there because who's kidding who, I spend more time in the facility than I do my own house.  But for some reason the thought of the dogs spending their evenings in a facility makes people sad.  I usually get a "awe" and the sad face from people when I tell them. And then I get questions like: "Don't you want them in your house with you?"  "Aren't they part of your family?"  and of course "how can you do that to your furbabies?"

    Now this is just my opinion so you can take it or leave it.  The reason these kinds of questions and that term furbaby gets to me is because it humanizes the dog.   And for me, I believe to humanize the dog is a HUGE step down for the dog.

I love and respect my dogs... AS DOGS. Not furry little people. DOGS.
Dogs are brilliant and wonderful.  And everything we love about them: their unconditional love, their loyalty,  their joy, their bliss, their play, their unique ability to live in the now, to not be motivated by complex human emotions like greed and jealousy, hatred or racism,  their truth and honesty. Everything that we love about them is because we struggle to find those qualities in people. And even in ourselves.  So no, I don't think of them a my furbabies.  I respect them, and love them as they are.  Because we as humans are FLAWED.  They are not.  
My love comes out of a place of honour.   I am truly honoured and humbled every day by their presence.  Humbled that they allow me into their world,  not only be a part of their pack, but that  they trust me to be their guide through Humansville.  I don't want to humanize them, in fact  I strive to be more like them.

Now all that being said, does that mean I never have dogs in our house, or on the couch or in my bed???

Of course I do.  After all we are a pack.  

 So I encourage you to  honour your dog. Embrace your pack. Live in the now.  

  

Ford VS Lincoln: A Tale of 2 Enemies

The following is a true story. I t is a story of two dogs. One Doberman named Lincoln and a Shepard named Ford.  Both neutered males, both with a hatred for the other. But sometimes, with a little patience and a lot of time and understanding...

Meet Ford:  a young and playful guy, Ford has his friends and can be the life of the party . But when Ford doesn't like someone...Watch out!















And Lincoln:  He is considered a mature male who in his younger years had his fair share of tiffs with some other dogs but has since mellowed out.  

Now Ford and Lincoln have never been buddies. On pack walks they have their share of choice words and snapping,  Through fences and suite doors they will let each other know about their apparent dislike.



Well I am happy to say that today March 8 2013 we finally got the two boys in the same play yard together. The result.... DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!












They completely ignored each other!!! YES!!!!

And that is a huge thing.  You see you should not  expect your dog to love EVERY dog they meet.  It is kind of unreasonable when you think about it.  I mean come on, we as humans don't like every person we meet so why should our dogs. But it is not unreasonable to ask that the dogs be able to exist in the same space, without fighting and reacting.  Today we accomplished just that.  BRAVO FORD AND LINCOLN!!!!

If you are having social problems with your dog and would like more information about how to deal with it  Check out the upcoming Seminar entitled "Its not about the DOG!!! : A Better Understanding to Your Dogs Behaviour!

Mar 23 2013 From 12pm -3pm
At Tails and Trails Country Pet Resort
2977 Stonecrest Rd
Dunrobin
613-832-0008

It's Not About the Dog: A Better Understanding of Your Dog's Behaviour

ITS NOT ABOUT THE DOG!!!!

(ok maybe it is a little )

Beyond Obedience and Tails and Trails Country Pet Resort: is please to offer a 3 hour seminar to answer some of your canine behaviour questions!!! Topics to be discussed include:

• AGGRESSION: what is it? How can we prevent it? and what to do if we have it?
• FEAR: why is it such a common problem and how to deal with it.
•  SOCIAL AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: prevention is more than just a puppy class or obedience class

• LEADERSHIP: It more than just dominance. and maybe not what you think.

• DOMINANCE AND SUBMISSION: we are going to delve into the myths and truths about these common dog buzz words. Whats it all about?

This  informative, dynamic eye opening seminar will include hands on demonstrations with helper dogs as well as  time for question and answer.  If you have questions about your dogs behaviour, but where to afraid to ask, now is the time to take charge.

Seminar Date: Saturday Mar 23 from 12:00pm-3pm

Where: Tails and Trails Country Pet Resort 

2977 Stonecrest Rd Dunrobin

Cost:$30.00

For more information or to reserve your spot contact:info@tailsandtrails.ca or tracyfranken@gmail.com

Please note:Space is limited so please email or call in advance

What's in Store For Beyond Obedience in 2013

  Well 2012 was a great year!  We had loads of fun with Pack Walks and demonstrations, the Diversity Festival in Renfrew and meeting new people in Pet Valu both in Renfrew and in Arnprior.  Mariah and I were busy as always visiting peoples homes, and meeting some really cool dogs  with some in home consultations.  We of course had a super busy and fantastic summer, packed full of boarders and daycare guests. In the fall we were proud to offer a unique approach to puppy class and socialization.  We socialized the puppies to not only other puppies, but other dogs, kids, grooming techniques, feeding times and handling in general.  We got to meet some really awesome puppies and have a lot of fun.  We ended our season with a float in the Arnprior Santa Claus Parade , and an amazing Christmas season.  So what's in store for 2013???

  Well first things first, PACK WALKS WILL RETURN!!!!  I know I know, I am as disappointed as everyone else by the huge postponement of the pack walk.  I was injured at the end of the summer and diagnosed with Achilles Tendonopathy.  I was hoping to take only a month off but the ankle had other plans. I am currently still in physiotherapy and still working on strengthening that ankle.  But with all the crazy winter weather I would not want people walking on the property right now due to slippery conditions so we will start up pack walks in April. The focus of the Pack Walk is on leash communication.  Your on leash relationship with your dog is different than your off leash relationship. You need to work on both. Pack walks help you do just that!

  We will be offering another PUPPY CLASS for beginner puppy. Again focusing on socialization.  This is a unique class where we will expose the puppies to other dogs, puppies, kids, bikes, strollers, and end in a puppy pack walk. Remember what Ian Dunbar said.  A dog that has not been properly socialized is far more dangerous than a wild animal. Socialization before 16-20wks of age is critical and will help shape your future dogs behaviour.   Puppy Classes will begin in May/June 2013

New this year I will be offering  3 hour and half day SEMINARS!!!   These will be small groups of people invited to join me in an entertaining and informative gathering to learn more about their dogs behaviour. IT will include  demonstrations some hands on demonstrations  and of course end with a question and answer period.  The first Seminar offered this year will be held at TAIL AND TRAILS COUNTRY PET RESORT  in Dunrobin  On MARCH 23rd from 12pm to 3 pm.
 The title of this seminar is  "It's Not About the Dog: A Better Understanding of your Dogs Behaviour. 

The cost of this Seminar is only $30.00 and you can register in Advance by emailing  info@tailsandtrails.ca
More information about this seminar and others to be announced later!!! :)

  As always  Beyond Obedience is dedicated to providing your dog with a positive boarding ,grooming and daycare experience.  We look forward to seeing you and your dog throughout the year!!!! Happy New Year!

BEYOND OBEDIENCE

It's where your dog wants to be