Are you the leader of your pack?

 Who is the leader in your house?

According to Ron Berman, in many homes, the pack leaders are the dogs, and not their human family member.  Ron is a Certified Forensic Consultant, and one of the most knowledgeable experienced experts in the evaluation and investigation of canine aggression in the US. He has personally trained more than 10,000 dogs in his 33 years as a behavioral consultant.  Ron really has seen it all, he has testified  in more than 250 cases as an expert in canine behavior, and temperament, bite wound evaluation and animal cruelty cases. His mission is to help pet owners notice the warning signs in their dog's behavior and to get help immediately.

Knowing the warning signs of aggressive behaviour is the first step in knowing what to do and what to avoid. Ron Berman was my guest on PAWsitive Radio, All Things Pets! and he offered some important information for pet families to learn how to recognize aggressive behavior in dogs, and how to deal with this behavior, and how to protect your pet.

Ron explained that there are five signs or levels of aggression that owners must pay attention to and deal with immediately : 

1) Growling (this is the lowest level, and if the dog is looking at you and growling, that is a sign of aggression).
2) Snarling and growling (where dog is showing his teeth)
3) Lunging and snarling
4) Snapping (tired to bite but the dog missed)
5) Biting

When pet owners notice these behaviours, Ron suggests they seek a recommendation from their vet for a qualified and respected behaviourist who will do an evaluation of the dog in the family home, then work with the family to effectively lead the dog (instead of the other way around). It is important that pet owners know that there can be serious repercussions of dog aggression. Ron has seen this in the courtroom in terms of legal cases but has also seen the aftermath of injury caused by dog bites. Ron's tips help keep our pets and family members safe, and enjoying the healthy and respectful animal human bond. 

Listen to Rons tips and suggestions here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2013/01/23/guest-ron-berman

Ron reminded listeners not to put their hands in the middle of a dog fight. The typical reaction is to put their hands on the dog to separate them, however, this often results in people being bitten. Understanding the warning signs, working with professionals to train your dog (and the family) will go a long way in building trust in your dog, helping your dog be safe, and enjoying a healthy animal human bond.

The more aware pet owners are the better able they are to help their pet be centered and relaxed.  A centered and relaxed dog is a happy dog.

You can visit Ron at: Website:  http://www.dogbite-expert.com

Helping your dog with thunder storms

This is a great quote about animals....."Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to." by Alfred A. Montapert

Our dog Toby, a Chessie who lived life big, created wonderful memories and who inspired PAWsitive energy wherever he went. 

I love being a radio host and talking to pet experts, authors and pet lovers.  On PAWsitive Radio I talked about the great stories I hear from other pet owners about their dog and pets, other people's pets and lessons they have learned from pets.  I shared a few lessons I learned from our dog Toby.... Patience! Persistence! Consistency! and Trust.  I also had the opportunity to learn from dog trainer and expert
Georgina Bradley. 

Georgina, is an entrepreneur, certified professional dog trainer, owner of DogStars Training Academy. 30 years of animal experience and passion to everything she does. She has worked with animals in the film industry, supplying dogs to events like the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and was a SPCA dog assessment officer. She worked with the animals as the trainer on the movies 101 Dalmatians, and Homeward Bound II. She uses positive reinforcement training and encourages the dogs to think and the humans to understand how dogs communicate, which builds a strong relationship and trust between the two. www.DogStars.ca


The most typical training issues are: leash training, aggression, pulling on leash, jumping up, biting, and house training puppies. Georgina shared some tips that pet owners and pet parents can implement right away.

1) Social your pet with other animals (walking in public, dog parks, attending obedience training, agility classes, dog sports, etc.)

2) Positive Reinforcement techniques: believe in what your dog can do. Help your pet build confidence. Don’t play on or reinforce their anxiety. Smile, your dog understands your non verbal communication. Praise the right behaviours immediately. Find something other than treats that motivates the dog (e.g. a special word, a toy, etc)

3) Watch what you transfer down the leash. If you are nervous, you transfer that down the leash. I loved this tip because it reminds us as pet owners/pet parents to be so aware of what we are giving off to our pets.  When I discovered not play into our dog Toby's fear of thunder, his response changed dramatically. I used to reassure him "Toby, everything's fine." or "It's ok Toby" or similar comments, and keep petting or cuddling him. When I discovered that I was transferring fear instead of reassurance I was really quite surprised. But not nearly as surprised when the trainer suggested that during the next thunder storm I resist my need to reassure Toby, and play his favorite game instead.  As soon as the first thunder clap hit, I grabbed Toby's Kong and said "Let's Play, Toby! Get your Kong" and I tossed it a few feet away. As he grabbed the Kong another thunder clap roared through the house. I smiled and laughed (still resisting my urge to simply reassure him) and said "bring it here Toby". Tail wagging he happily returned the Kong. We did this a number of times then I said "Lay down on your matt." which he did. The next thunder clap alarmed him and he got and paced and again.... I resisted the need to reassure him and gently moved his kong around on the floor with my foot. His anxiety was noticeably reduced.  This training was wonderful for Toby, and for me.

To listen to the radio show with Georgina, visit: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2012/02/25/guest-georgina-bradley

Please feel free to share this link, and listen to the other archived radio shows at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/

We discovered when we took our dog Toby for training and obedience classes that the training is not just for the dog.... it is for the humans as well. My guest on my PAWsitive Radio-All Things Pets Radio Show, Gordon Fontaine, reiterated this exact thought.




Gordon established Zen Dog Training to pursue his passion for helping people create healthier, happier relationships with their dogs. He’s a Certified Dog Trainer with a certificate in Training and Counseling from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. You can learn about Gordon at: www.zendogtrainingonline.com and you can listen to the interview at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2012/06/30/guest-gordon-fontaine

Christopher and Toby at K9 Awareness Centre.  Doggie Treadmills, squeeky toys, dos and treats, and look how well behaved Toby is.  PAWsitive Reinforcement training at it's best. 

Gordon explained positive reinforcement training as identifying the behavior you like and rewarding this behavior through connectedness/touch, attention or treats. And when your dog displayed unwanted behaviors, you interrupt the behavior or break the connection (e.g. eye contact and attention) with the dog to demonstrate this is not the desired behavior. I know with our dog Toby, that if we caught him in the middle of an undesired behavior and turned our back towards him, it did not take long for him to figure out this is something he should not repeat. We used the word Exxxxcellent when Toby was a good dog, the word was different than “good boy” and Gordon suggested that you choose a word that you don’t normally use so that it really stands out for your dog as positive reinforcement.



The most common behaviours that Gordon and his team deal with are: barking, play biting, mouthing, jumping up, and house training. Do any of these sound familiar? Gordon offers great tips on the radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2012/06/30/guest-gordon-fontaine
 and on his website, he has a number of videos available.



PAWsitive reinforcement training does work, and is worth the investment of time, energy and love. It not only improves the bond between you and your four legged friend, it builds trust and consistency in expectations.



Toby and Chris out for a walk, the Easywalk Harness worked great. No leash strain.



You can also access the archived radio show interviews with great guests such as Bruce Littlefield, Kyra Sundance, Laura Petrolina, Lynn Molnar, Laura Marlowe, Susan Sutcliffe, Kerri Lake, Georgina Bradley, Craig Haverstick and more at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond

 Also, don't forget to press the "Follow" button right below Toby's smiling face, that way you will get alerted to upcoming shows.

Find out about Toby's Books at http://www.ontobysterms.com/