“What steps do I need to take to gain control of my alpha dog?”

                                                                               

          Answer: There is no such thing as an alpha dog because dogs are not wolves or pack animals, but rather scavengers. Out-of-control dogs, often misdiagnosed as alpha dogs, typically belong to owners who fail to establish house rules that provide their dog with behavioral boundaries. These same owners will sometimes deliberately or inadvertently allow the family dog to become a decision maker, opening the door for many unwanted, aberrant canine behaviors to foster and develop. 

Child/Dog Safety Tip

Parents should periodically test their dog’s ability to withstand being inappropriately handled. Pull gently but firmly on the dog’s ears, check its mouth with probing fingers, take away a treat or toy and grab a lock of fur from the dog’s neck, back or hindquarters. Do not physically hurt the dog during the exercise but make each step moderately uncomfortable because a child might not be so judicious or gentle. The objective of the exercise is to ascertain whether or not the dog can tolerate being handled roughly. If the dog shows concern, growls or attempts to snap during such an encounter then consider this a warning. Contact a canine behaviorist or trainer immediately and then determine a course of action to get your dog acclimated to being handled, especially by children. 

No More Excuses in Charlotte for Untrained Dogs.


Offering an In-Home, 90-Minute Training Session for Residents of Charlotte & Ballantyne, North Carolina area. 


Cost: $45.00


Behavioral Goals & Prevention


1. No jumping-up on guests
2. Reliable re-call (getting your dog to Come)
3. Food Counter Surfing 
4. Walking on Lead 


or create your own unique 4-part program....


please call..don't text:)

Good Morning!


Dog Training Tip for Women Who own Dogs: 


The "Come'" Command


Turn your head slightly to the left or right whenever you use the "Come" command and avoid direct eye contact with your dog. By doing so, you mimic the mother dog's behavior. She expects her puppies to follow her lead; those that do - survive, and those that don't ...........


The mother dog will stare at her puppies to make them freeze or stay where they are. This is a survival technique. A puppy unable to grasp this concept is more likely to attract the attention of a predator.


The big-box-pet-store trainers are misinformed and misguided whenever they teach their clients to stare or maintain direct eye contact with a puppy or dog during the "Come" command. Now you know better. 


Discover Something Wonderful to be Thankful for Today.
........................pause, take a breath and it will appear!

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands - you need to be able to throw something back.  
                                                                               -   Maya Angelou
Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion. - Oprah


My passion for more than 18-years has been assisting women who own dogs toward creating a positive human-canine bond that is based on compassion, respect and predictable behaviors. 
                                                                        -  Roger Alan Bernard

Today's Training Tip for Women:

The word "No" might not be your best choice to use when training a dog.  Some dogs might think their name is "NoRover":) 


The truth is: The word "No" has a long vowel sound and might actually be misinterpreted by the dog as a howl or distress signal.


Try using the words "Now " or "Enough" which give the voice a growl tonality, not unlike the growl of the mother dog. It's easy and..it works!

It was a great honor to be invited on "Charlotte Today" with hostess Colleen Odegaard. She is a gracious and wonderful person who makes all her guests feel welcomed and appreciated,

Another honor this week was talking with Ms.Julie Hill, from DogCastRadio, Surry, England. This was my first international interview and although I was nervous before the program began, Ms. Hill put me at ease - it was like talking with an old friend. We laughed and shared comments throughout our time together.

I am doing my best to teach women who own dogs that there really is a difference in how men and women acquire, interact and then train their dogs. Group training, or the one-size-fits-all method is especially insulting to women because it feeds into the pathology that "women can't do it alone" and therefore need the support and companionship of others to be successful. Your human-canine bond is unique. No other one like it exists in the entire world.

If you know of a radio/television show looking for a guest with a unique message (Women Who Own Dogs) let me know.

Hope your day is blessed with something wonderful.. & remember: It doesn't have to be grand to be wonderful!:)

Quotes for June 2, 2012


"A woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water." - Eleanor Roosevelt


"Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men." - Joseph Conrad

Dog Training Tip for Women

When taking a puppy or dog out to eliminate, don't look at, touch or talk to your pet while it is performing a natural function. Remember: Mother dog, your pet's first teacher, remains aloof when her puppies are eliminating because she must be the sentinel who guards them from danger.

Do not give a puppy a treat for eliminating.  Mother dog doesn't do it and therefore neither should you.. It can also cause other problems that I will be addressing in a further blog: House training 101.

Part 3:  It’s Your Dog Too!  …how women inadvertently become the family dog’s caretaker.

          Time restraints, household duties, childcare, employment concerns, and hectic schedules, among other concerns, have placed many women in a constant crisis mode. Never in human history is so much being expected of them. In many homes across America even relatively simple tasks such as feeding or taking the dog for a walk are often contingent upon a woman’s schedule and availability.

          Whether single or married, many women can expect little to no assistance in the care of the dog from male family members or friends. Men are often unwilling to participate in teaching a puppy house training directives (cleaning fecal matter or urine), attend canine obedience classes, offer financial support if needed (especially after a divorce), and volunteer to occasionally take the dog for a walk and provide a woman time to rest or complete other errands. Although men may appear at times complacent or insensitive, the fact is, many of them have nurturing issues and are often unable to recognize or relate to a woman’s needs. Evolutionary patterns of male-centered thinking and perception allows them to assume the female species was designed for reproduction, motherhood and for the benefit and convenience of men. It is only natural for some men to assume that all care and nurturing tasks regarding the family dog should also be delegated to women.

          Socioeconomic conditions are redefining sexual roles. Due to structural changes in both the family and workplace, women today are confronting unique financial and physical challenges. Women are now entering many professional fields that were the exclusive domain of men (woman now outnumber men in veterinary degrees awarded annually). But they are still unfairly expected to continue orchestrating the needs of their household (shopping, cooking, laundry, cleaning) and adhere to personal family schedules (doctors' appointments, carpooling, PTA), as well as organizing social or holiday celebrations. 

June 1, 2012

Training Tip for Women

First: Purchase a training leash that is at least 8-feet long. Do not use a retractable leash. Place several knots in the leash. Measure about 5 inches from the clip-on near the dog's collar, then make three or four knots at 5 to 6 inch intervals.

Next time your dog acts-up in public, e.g., barking, jumping-up, pulling, simply step on the leash placing your foot (both feet for bigger dogs and stand in a fighter/boxer stance so your center of gravity is nearer your mid-section)) in between one of the knots, but leaving the dog comfortable enough to either sit or stand. The knot will catch on the underside of your foot and keep the dog from pulling. Turn away from the dog while still standing on the leash and ignore what has caught his attention. With a firm voice, and only once, tell him "Now" or "Enough". These words give women's voices a natural growl, not unlike the mother dog. Try to avoid using the word "No" because the dog may think you are howling:) Do not look at, touch or talk to your dog until the object of his attention has left. Step off of the leash and then proceed with your walk.

Too many women reprimand or talk to their dog while the dog is acting unruly. The dog misinterprets the woman's attention and verbal actions as a form of participation. You are actually barking with your dog!

Part 3: It's Your Dog Too!  How women become the sole caretaker of the family dog

 Women were designed by nature to give birth and therefore are natural caretakers and providers.

What possible harm can come from allowing a woman to provide most, if not all, of the dog’s needs?

“Regardless of the species, when parenting, one must be very careful not to cross the line from caretaker to servant. Dogs everywhere are beginning to let us know through their misbehavior that far too many of us humans are acting like attendants rather than masters.” – Jodi Andersen, The Latchkey Dog, HarperCollins Publishers, 2002, ISBN: 0062736663

Many men consider the family dog a house item and therefore assume all dog care duties would be under a woman’s jurisdiction. Ever notice the disproportionate number of women who are more likely than men to bring a dog to a veterinarian, groomer, day-care or kennel appointment?

“On average, women perform two to three times as much housework as do men … In general, women have felt obligated to perform housework, and men have assumed that domestic work is primarily the responsibility of mothers, wives, daughters and low-paid female housekeepers.” – Scott Coltraine, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, California

          Some men are reluctant to assist in the care of the dog because they fear it might be misconstrued by their mates as interfering, critical or a negative comment on her nurturing ability.                                                        

“When a women innocently offers her husband a suggestion for doing something differently, or gives him information she feels will be helpful, or asks for something she wants more of, he doesn’t hear what she actually says. He hears “You’re bad. You’re wrong. You made a mistake. You aren’t good enough.” – Barbara De Angelis Ph.D. Secrets about Men Every Woman Should Know, Dell Publishing, 1990, ISBN: 0-440-20841-6