Obedience Lessons

These are interesting and fun. Each client is different and takes on board the various lessons, instructions etc. differently. Some just get it, others, well it takes a bit longer.

I have many mums at home who want to know how to handle the dog better. The dogs grow up and become stronger and smarter. Families really struggle to then get control of their new puppy or adolescent dog, especially the bigger breeds.

So my job is to make mums out there stronger and more confident in handling their dogs. It works really well, so many people want to learn and really commit to what I teach them. I visit them regularly, usually weekly with updates and more to learn and always give them homework…..I can soon tell if they haven’t been practicing!!!

Dogs don’t lie! He he….. their body language and the way they relate to their owners soon tells me if they have been practicing or not.

Its important even just 10 minutes a day to train and be consistent and repetitive. I teach my mums out there to train when they are in a good mood and not too tired. Most of all always finish on a positive. Even if this is just a simple ‘look’.

It always makes the clients feel better when they finish on a positive, as they can get quite frustrated and unhappy if they are failing at a few things or the dog is playing up…..however finishing on a high makes such a difference.

I always tell my clients to be patient and persistent with their doggies….! That’s very hard as they play up, they jump around, they nip and play around, they steal personal items, they do everything wrong, especially when they are young and puppy like.

Most of my dogs I work with for obedience are anywhere from 4.5 months of age upwards to about 2.5 years.

The hardest part of the obedience lessons is keeping the humans under control and focused, not so much the dogs!

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Puppy schools

Puppy schools
Looking to take your puppy to puppy school? Read the following and make sure your local puppy school is doing the following –
It is held in a very clean and controlled environment, not outside. Your puppy can get very sick if they are allowed to be at a place whereby there is a risk of catching something untoward...parvo virus, etc can kill your dog.
Your puppy needs to have had its first vaccination, however its not essential that they be fully vaccinated....this is the case if the above step is adhered to...so its held in a clean and controlled environment.
Make sure the person running puppy school understands some dog behaviour, you do not want to turn up to puppy school, only to find they are not going to be able to answer simple questions like ‘why does my dog jump up?’, ‘how do I fix digging?’, why does my dog not come to me when called?’. These are key questions that need to be answered there and then by puppy school....they are key to you understanding your puppy.
Make sure the puppy school covers basic obedience – so at a young age, we can’t expect too much from our pups, however a basic sit, drop, come, shake paw and walking on lead are key to getting you started off on the right foot.
Make sure the puppy school covers toilet training, grooming, feeding, teething, these again are key subjects that you will need to know as a new puppy owner.
Make sure the puppy school instructor monitors every puppy carefully, when they are running around off lead and that they cater for boisterous and demanding down to shy and nervous pups. You as a new owner, need to be comfortable that nothing is going to happen to your puppy, such as an injury.
Make sure, most of all that your instructor is passionate about dogs, dog behaviour, training, your kids being involved and not just there because they feel they have to be. You are there to have fun, learn lots and most of all get your puppy the best experience at that crucial imprinting age.
Choosing the right puppy school is hard and don’t just go for the cheapest puppy school. The saying is correct, you do get what you pay for.

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Q&A: Puppy Training

Question - We want to know more about puppy training. Our new Border Collie gets a bit excited when he sees us come in of an afternoon - and he sometimes wets himself - it doesnt matter where he is (inside or outside the house!). Also - he's got great personality and was doing well with the basic commands (sit, drop) but we cannot get him to stay, and these days he just gives up altogether and shows no interest in the training...he's about 14 weeks or so now...and such an adorable little guy but just very naughty at times, hence why we need puppy training!! We're trying to keep him stimulated - games, taking him for walks etc. But for some reason he finds it all a bit boring now - even when we use treats as rewards!

Answer - When your puppy is this young, don't expect too much out of your dog with the puppy training. Just be patient and perservere with your training. I know you have the smartest breed! (thats the last report we read last week!) At this age, you can't expect your dog to be wonderdog.

With puppy training, do it slowly, simply and consistently, use treats, but over time wean your dog off treat training. You want your dog to listen to you with puppy training and respect you so that your dog wants to please you.

Once your dog is fully vaccinated, get your dog into level 1 obedience classes, then level 2, etc. agility training etc etc. All of these levels are after the initial puppy training. All of this puppy training and more will stimulate your dogs mind and tire your dog mentally.

Remember, it can be very draining for dogs. Ten minutes of puppy training for your dog is like a human studying for 2 hours.

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Funny video clip of skateboard dog

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David Graham and ABC Australian Story visit MNK9

David Graham “Farmer Dave” from Big Brother and Dancing with the Stars fame and the ABC “Australian Story” spent the day at MNK9 filming for a future episode.

It was an great pleasure to meet David he is a real gentleman and a very talented dog trainer with  extensive dog training knowledge.

David is an ambassador for both the RSPCA and Animal Welfare League and has spent over 20 years training working dogs in the outback.

It was a big day with David covering Search and Rescue dogs, Narcotic detection, Explosive detection and Security Patrol dogs.

To see our big day at mnk9 make sure you watch the fantastic award winning ABC show “Australian Story”

David is working on a very exciting project at the moment and we wish him all the luck and success.

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Dog Training Tips – Keep Your Dog Off The Furniture

<< Tale of Mo 7: Dog training tips , Border Collie Rescue  crate training dog >>

The point of the exercise here isn’t simply to keep your dog off the furniture at all times. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your pal being on the couch if you invite him. If he jumps up without an invite make him get down right away.

The problem is that dogs tend to take ownership of anything they can freely use. The first time he jumps up or picks up a something he hasn’t played with before, he’ll probably be quite nervous. However, if he doesn’t get into trouble for the behaviour the new object gets added to the inventory of things that belong to the dog. Guess what, dogs tend to protect their stuff and that opens a whole can of worms. He may not defend it from everybody and especially not from you, if you have established yourself as alpha. It will start with defending it from other animals or small children and escalate from there.

Of course, another issue is that couches and such are pricey pieces of gear and dogs are hard on them. Their claws do real damage even if they aren’t rampaging around. Some dogs are worse for this than others. Westies especially like to bounce up on the back of the couch or leap from chair to chair. Not good.

One thing that can really cause damage in short order is letting a dog take cookies or toys up with them. The next thing that happens is that he stashes a treasure in between the cushions so he can find it later. Then when he comes back for it he has to dig it out. That can cause real damage in short order and it can be a real heart-breaker when you buy a new piece.

If you want him to be able to join you, designate a single chair or sofa and put a blanket on it. After a couple of repetitions of being chased off everything except his chair he’ll have gotten the idea, and the blanket will pick up his scent which will add to his comfort.

Apart from that his place should be on the floor. Get a nice cushion or a good dog bed so he’ll be comfortable. The point isn’t to be mean and there’s no reason why the dog has to be on a hard floor, especially when he gets older. The purpose of all this is to keep you in a dominant role where the dog is concerned.

Dogs need clear boundaries on their behavior. They look to the Alpha to supply those boundaries. Things that seem arbitrary to us are just normal for the dog. If you don’t establish clear expectations the dog will feel insecure and start establishing his own rules.

So, if you value your sanity and your furniture, keep the dog on the floor. It makes a real difference.

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Do you think certain breeds are more dangerous?

There are so many different breeds out there, its hard to know what to choose to suit your family situation, your commitment to exercising the dog, stimulating its mind, keeping from boredom setting in, the size of your location, yard, courtyard, apartment, acreage. What your budget allows food wise, training wise, equipment wise. Everything needs to be taken into account when looking at purchasing your new member of the family of the canine type!

There are certain breeds out there who are more dangerous than others, however this comes to personal opinion and also the upbringing, genetics, training, diet, medical issues of the dog.

I had a client today ask me if Rottweilers were a really dangerous breed, I said no I don't believe so, they are actually a very placid breed, however depending on what they have been exposed to and also what has been allowed to come out of them behaviour wise will affect their overall behaviour and how they treat visitors, strangers, people or dogs on the street.

Did you put your dog through puppy school? Was your dog exposed to many different stimulus from a very early age? Did you continue repetitive training in a positive way? Was dog to dog aggression allowed to manifest? Was human challenging or aggression allowed to happen and continue? Was the dog introduced to children early on? Was food taken off them in a positive way to teach the dog who pack leader is?

Various options and exposures are important in a dogs life, especially up to about 18 months of age.

Don't just assume a certain breed is more dangerous than others, EVERY dog has the ability to bite and have aggression, they have 42 weapons in their mouth and they have sharp claws, even puppy teeth and claws are very sharp and hurt human skin, especially young kids, babies and the elderly.

Really research a breed before taking a dog on. Talk to your vet about what they recommend as well and be realistic about how much effort and time you can put into your dog and its quality of life with your family.

Once you do your research you will be more prepared to handle the dogs needs and keep any unwanted behaviours at bay.

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Multi National K9 Explosives Detection Dogs.

Multi-National K9 (MNK9) is proudly supplying fully trained Explosives Detection Dogs (EDD) to clients both here in Australia and overseas.

The dogs pictured with Gary are two MNK9 trained dogs currently deployed operationally in Australia.

All EDDs complete a minimum three month scent detection program on an extensive range of odours, combined with a comprehensive canine handler training course.  Once completed, a thorough verification and testing process is undertaken before certifying them as operational EDD teams.

Both these dogs and their handlers are working very well as EDD teams but no one expected how soon one of them would get an operational find.

In their first week of deployment, one of these dogs was conducting an operational search when a positive indication was made.  The indication was on a staging crew’s travel case. Without going into the operational procedures when the dog makes a find, it turned out that the case had previously been used to store small explosive charges used for pyrotechnics. Great job team!

Tags:cancer detection dogs,dogs,explosives,k9

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How to stop dog barking?

Do you want to stop dog barking? It's very hard to fix and it can take time and understanding as to why your dog is barking. Barking can be for many reasons but when of the most obvious ones is stress and anxiety and attention seeking wrapped together all ...in one.

Fix these issues and you will stop dog barking. A shock collar will simply stress your dog more, we understand you need a quick fix, but its a band-aid fix and won't actually get to the bottom of why your dog is barking.

One technique we learnt a long time ago to stop barking but don't always use is to scare the dog with metallic noise whenever the dog barks. Numerous articles on the internet will suggest that dogs don't like metallic noises, like a tin with coins or screws in it. This won't always work if you don't introduce it the right way to the dog either. We've had many clients who have already tried this to stop dog barking with no avail and others that tried it and it worked beautifully.

When your dog is barking for attention seeking, you need to ignore your dog but start off doing it in stages, not straight away. Don't try to ignore them for 1 hour or more to stop dog barking. Start with just 2 minutes, get a distraction like a squeaky toy and then get your dogs attention without actually physically going to your dog to squeak it and then reward your dog quickly when he/she is quiet, even for a split second. Remember you must praise your dog within 3-6 seconds of the good behaviour occuring and correct your dog within 3-6 seconds of the bad behaviour occuring.

Please don't EVER HIT OR SMACK YOUR DOG in order to stop dog barking - IT DOESNT WORK and will teach your dog YOU ARE A BOSS, NOT A LEADER. Very important you realise this, your dog will not understand what it has done wrong, except that you are angry and the dog will want to get away from you without really knowing why.

Barking is a very hard problem to fix, and if you have continued problems, we suggest you invest in a canine behaviour specialist to come to your home and work through all the issues your dog is having. Once you get to the root of the problems, you will stop dog barking!

Keep in touch with us with how you go in your quest to stop dog barking, but please don't use a shock collar; most of the time they don't work, stress your dog out more AND vets end up seeing holes in dogs throats where the dog will just keep barking regardless. Be VERY careful using these collars.

Woof! We hope this helps stop dog barking and gets you to understand that your dog has some issues that need to be addressed and once you do this the right way, your dog will actually be very happy and relaxed in life.

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Dog Parks

Dog parks - great places but there can be lots of issues between dogs and also between humans in dog parks!

One of my ex clients has a beautiful little boy, a Westie, and he has been classified as menacing because there was a scuffle in a dog park and him along with a few other dogs 'ganged up' on another dog and now the council is involved.

What owners have to realise is that dogs will be dogs, dogs do this type of thing, what owners have to do is MANAGE their dog as best as they can.  If their dog can't be in a dog park situation, then manage it and don't take the dog to those places.  Instead, either take them elsewhere to play and run around or simply take them out walking or running instead...play ball in another park, play tug of war, teach them or practise obedience.

Not all dogs will get on with all dogs......just like us humans, not all humans get on together either!

You dont have a bad dog just because he/she wont do well in a dog park.

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Great Danes

Great Danes are very majestic dogs and extremely loving, however they can also be very nervous and uncertain in a situation. Ive seen many a Great Dane puppy come through puppy school and they are shy, nervous, uncertain, lacking confidence don't know how to behave in situations.

Over the weekend, we met many people who have Great Danes and really care for them and understand the breed. Great Dane rescue groups are trying very hard to rehabilitate and rehome this wonderful breed. Great Danes need the understanding and leadership involved with owning this breed.

Great Danes can be pushy, dominant, aggressive just like any other breed and with their size people can get very scared of them. Children can get pushed around easily too because of their size.

If you are thinking about getting a Great Dane, make sure you really understand the work involved with having this majestic breed and understand their needs. Great Danes will be your most loyal companion.

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Koala Detection Dogs for Southeast NSW

 This is an exciting program to work on, below is Mr.James M. Shields PhD explaining his aims on the program, if you can help in any way please contact Mr. Shields. I hope to have operational Koala detection dogs in the region in early 2011.  

There is a large and growing body of work showing that dogs can be useful for locating rare or cryptic wildlife. In Southeast NSW, the koala is rare and hard to find – which makes it difficult to protect and conserve them.  Using dogs, we can locate koala scent trails which are quite extensive due to the need for koalas to move between feed trees.*

I would like to use my knowledge of forest fauna – acquired over 32 years of research and wildlife management in the southeast forests of NSW – to develop detection dogs into a useful tool for conservation.  I tested the koala-dog concept as a wildlife manager in Eden.  A trial to use dogs for survey work was carried out from 1996 to 1998 by ForestsNSW.  Although the dogs showed some aptitude for finding koala scats, the trial did not proceed to the field level and was never repeated.  When I contacted Gary Jackson and Multi National K9 Kennels, he remembered the first trial, and volunteered to help immediately if it was for conservation!  Not only did he remember the program, he remembered the trainer – who called him for advice – AND the name and breed of the dog involved (Milo, Germans Shorthair).

Since my retirement from ForestsNSW in 2008, I have acquired a dog and proceeded with a training program based on my experience as a dog handler.  I learned obedience, field and show training where I grew up, in Reading Kansas USA.   Back then dogs, known as (rac)coon hounds, were used there to “tree” raccoons, which are similar to koalas in that they move about on the ground, but usually live in trees.  Since then dogs have been used to find lynx in Canada, bats in the Middle East and now Quolls in north Queensland.  Why not here for koalas, quolls, and wildlife threats like the feral cat?   … … …

My first efforts at training my ¾ Lab ¼ Border Collie Oscar have been rewarding – he is trained for field work and obedience, and can locate objects on command.  The next step will be professional level training as a detection dog – I have told Oscar he will be going to Queensland University with Professor Jackson soon.

There are other species in southeast NSW which are or may be rare, but which are currently difficult to survey.  These include the Spotted-tail Quoll, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Long-footed Potoroo and Smokey Mouse.

Successful management also looks at threats to wildlife, as Gary and Multinational kennels have done with the cane toad and the red slider in Queensland.  In southeast NSW, we have organised and run eradication programs for introduced species, particularly the Indian Myna, which has yet to establish a population in the Bega Valley Shire – we are the only local government area on the coast between Port Douglas and Melbourne which does NOT have this pest species.  Detection dogs could be useful for locating roosts and nests.

Feral cats have been implicated in the decline and low population numbers of the Smokey Mouse.  Cat eradication at key sites could be enhanced through the use of dogs.

It would be wonderful to establish a program where detection dogs can be used to help threatened species here.  With a little professional help, we may be on our way by 2011.  If you are interested in helping or participating, please contact us – Oscar is also looking for an appropriate mate (or so he tells me).  Thanks for your interest, Jim Shields

 James M. Shields PhD

Local Environmental Solutions

7 High Crescent

Tura Beach NSW

Australia +61 (0)2 6495 0165   Mobile 0417 732 071    Fax (0)26495 0269

Tags:detection,dog,dogs,james,koala,phd,photos,shields,wildlife

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