FernDog Podcast: Dog Training & Behavior Tips and Advice

Everyone knows about the age old rivalry between cats and dogs and we are usually not surprised when dogs want to chase cats and other small furry animals. Some dogs, however, can live very happily with cats and other little critters without an issue. So why are some dog’s cool with other animals while others revel in the hunt? Well, it all comes down to prey drive – some dogs have it and some dogs don’t. In this episode we’ll talk about prey drive so that you can understand when you can work to lesson it and when instinct is just too strong and management is your only option. In this episode  1:30  Happy Birthday Hayley! 2:40  How Hayley shaped my life 5:18  What breeds typically have the highest prey drive 7:00  Nature vs. nurture 7:24  How to tell if your dog has a high prey drive 8:00  Testing a dog with cats 10:00  Helping your dog get along with your cat 11:47  Claws help 12:42  Setting the stage for dogs and cats to get along 14:12  How to help your dog not to fixate 15:04  Making other stuff more interesting 16:16  Let the cat initiate interaction 17:46  Safety first 18:38  Socializing the dog and cat together early 19:21  Understanding when it’s not going to work 20:31  Dogs and squirrels 21:24  How to work with dogs and squirrels

In this episode we’re going to talk about all those dogs who get a little grumpy about being touched. Whether it’s their ears, back feet, tail or being picked up, for whatever reason they just don’t like it and can get a bit nasty about it. The key is to change the dog’s perception of the event to make them tolerate (and sometimes even like) the handling. You need to do this in just the right way or you risk making the problem worse. I’ll go over exactly how you can work with your dog so that you can happily handle him without worrying about getting some teeth marks on your hands. In this episode 1:18  My first online class was a success! 2:57  Why your dog doesn’t like being touched 5:20  The Plan 7:16  Dog’s that don’t like their collar grabbed 8:15  Hand shy dogs 12:20  Dogs that don’t like being brushed 15:22  How to work with dogs that don’t like be disturbed 17:50  Dogs that don’t like being picked up Links My online Basic Obedience and Manners Class

Lack of socialization is an epidemic and one of biggest causes of behavioral issues in adult dogs, and most people have no idea how to properly socialize their new puppies. Combine that with the multitude of misinformation online and from some trusted professionals it’s no surprise that there is so much confusion as to what is the best and safest way to socialize. Socialization should start early and is very time sensitive. In this episode you’ll find out exactly where those pups should be socialized and how every dog’s plan for socialization differs. In this episode you’ll learn: * When is the right time to begin socialization * What exactly do we need to be exposing puppies to * How long should socialization continue * The myths of puppy socialization Links: Operation Socialization Socialization Myths Behavioral Vaccinations for Your Puppy Expert interviews on Socialization

Winter can be a long and cold season. With temperatures dipping there are lots of concerns and considerations you need to be aware of with your dog. Although some breeds are able to tolerate the extreme cold because they’re really bred for that, not all breeds can endure it. To keep your pets happy during this season, they will need a little more special attention. What you need to think about and what you do will depend upon the type of dog you have. With a little thought and preparation both you and your dog can get through the Winter season in style. In this podcast I talk about the things you can do to keep your dog healthy and happy during the winter. In this episode 1:40  FernDog Rescue Foundation milestone 2:09  Free webinar 3:12  Winter concerns for dogs 3:40  Understand how the cold affects your individual dog 6:12  Bundle up 8:04  Snow every step 9:50  Salt 12:07  Dogs love heat 13:02  The activity level 13:45  Interactive toys 16:13  Group class 16:40  Dry skin 20:16  Listener Question: Resource control between two dogs 22:43  Listener Question: Extreme anxiety in the car Links Free Puppy Webinar Pet Safe Ice Melt

Happy new year everyone! This is the time of year where we all reflect on what we’ve done and plan for the year ahead. We vow to stop some things, while make resolutions to start up some new habits. Just about everyone does this with our personal and professional lives, however we seldom include our dogs in our new goal setting. Well, I think it’s time we started making some promises to our furry best friends and make 2015 your best year with your dog. So for the first podcast for the year I’ll talk about the 10 New Years resolutions you can make with your dog. In this episode 1:29  My personal resolutions 3:20  Your resolutions with your dog 4:25  Go to new places 6:16  Exercise more 9:14  Stop taking your dog’s diet for granted 11:20  Tell your dog when he’s good more often 14:13  Always keep in mind that your dog is a dog 17:42  Learn 1 new thing 18:52  Practice more 20:40  Give more stimulation 22:58  Take time to assess how your dog is doing (and make changes accordingly) 24:32  Share info with others Links The Great Dog Adventure Club My first ever dog training online course

Socialization with your dog is something you should be continually doing throughout your dog’s life. However, there can be limitations or restrictions in socializing your dogs and one of those is the dog’s interaction in group settings. Understanding what the dogs are doing and how they feel about the activity is important for both safety and enjoyment. Listen to this interview with the well respected dog trainer, Sue Sternberg and find out the do’s, dont’s, and guidelines in dog group interactions. In this episode 2:35  Thanks for the iTunes reviews! Please leave a review if you still haven’t 4:35  Interview with Sue Sternberg 5:42  The group dog dynamics 6:14  The good, the bad, the ugly of getting dogs together 6:23  The climate in the dog world 14:36  An ideal playgroup 20:25  Red alert behaviors 28:23  How to get the red alert behavior resources 30:04  Dogs or dog breeds that shouldn’t be in dog parks 34:15  The best way to break up a dog fight in a dog park 38:20  What to do if your dog has been attacked and there’s been an altercation, is there a way to re-introduce him to a multi-group setting? 42:25  What’s the best way to start a dog-dog play program at a shelter that doesn’t have one in the past? 44:54  Dog park assistant 50:04  Where to find Sue Sternberg Links Review us on iTunes Sue on Facebook Great Dog Productions Out and About with Your Dog (kindle) Dog Park Assistant iPhone app

The first thing that you need to determine when you have a problem behavior with your dog is whether the situation calls for treatment or management. It’s a very important distinction that many people get wrong and one that causes much frustration. In this episode I teach you the difference between treatment and management and show you when you should use each depending upon your situation. In this episode 1:02  My first ever online basic obedience and manners class 2:17  Treatment vs. Management 2:39  What is treatment? 2:44  What is management? 7:43  Can you do the amount of repetitions needed? 8:59  Can you control the environment? 10:12  Do you have consistency with everybody involved? 11:15  Do you have the desire to do the work? 13:02  Treat one thing but manage the rest 14:46  Understand when a situation is for treatment or management 15:18  Client success story Links My first ever dog training online course

In life, we learn a lot of things from different places, different people we meet, different circumstances and different experiences we go through. Having Hayley in my life has taught me many things. She’s now 14 years old and I really treasure all the time that I have her. We train our dogs in order to have better lives with them but did you know that our dogs can teach us as well. In this podcast, I want to share with you some of the life lessons I learned from my dog, Hayley. In this episode 1:46  How you can learn from your dog 2:00  Turning 45 3:35  My first ever online basic obedience and manners class 6:30  Every moment is worth celebrating 8:57  Love equals time 10:22  Don’t over think 11:38  Don’t judge 13:23  Be friendly 14:40  The simple things 17:24  Embrace change 20:09  Repetition will shape behavior 21:36  Grow old gracefully 23:04  You are never too old to be playful Links My first ever dog training online course

Do you think it’s possible to read your dog’s mind? Now some may that it’s not really necessary. I’ve seen people who look like they can read their dog’s mind or at least read the dog’s behavior, especially when the dog has been with them for a while. I believe understanding your dog is essential in order to have a great relationship with your dog . As I often say, in getting a dog, training him will be lifelong. If you are able to understand your dog better, you’ll also be able to train him better. The key to understanding your dog is to try to think like how he thinks and see things from his point of view. I want everyone to really “get” their furry best friends, so in this episode I talk about how you can better understand your dog by trying to see things from his perspective. Hope you find this helpful. In this episode 0:27  Your dog’s view point of the world   1:47  Walking 5:20  Your dog’s sense of smell 8:43  Greeting people 13:42  Basic obedience 14:51  Your dog’s lifestyle 16:53  The concept of leadership 21:28  Voice message from podcast listener Sharon 22:26  What to do with a resource guarding dog? Links Dealing with Resource Guarding Dogs Get my gear guide

One of the things I have observed in working with dogs as a trainer is that small dogs are treated more like babies compare to big dogs. Most people think that dogs are so cute and cuddly that many deal with small dogs like toys or stuff toys. This is very true especially with their owners. Yes, dogs are really like children in the home and may look like cuddly stuff toys but they shouldn’t be babied too much because that can result to multiple behavior problems. Due to the size of small dogs and to their pleasing appearance, people have the tendency to overlook bad behaviors. As I always say, in getting a dog, training is lifelong and small dogs are no exceptions. Training is a must whether you have a big or small dog. To help you train your small dogs better, you need to understand more about the issues in having one and in training it and that is what I discussed in this podcast. In this episode 1:10  The Dog Rescue Handbook 3:09  Seminar for rescue people 4:05  Small dogs 5:13  Does size matter? 9:34  The dog’s needs 10:32  Four on the floor 11:16  Inadvertently rewarding behaviors 12:45  Posture and body language 13:49  Size does matter 15:26  Crowds 15:56  Walking 19:03  Feeding 20:03  Appropriate treats 22:04  Dog staring at you when she wants something 23:33 Rewarding a calm state of mind for a dog that’s very excited 25:02  Yawning Links Buy The Dog Rescue Hand book Donate to the Ferndog Rescue Foundation and get The Dog Rescue Handbook for a penny Seminar for rescue people