The power of a JOB

I always say that dogs are like children. Well, I have a toddler of my own, who has just about the same attention span, mentality, energy, and comprehension level of most dogs. Everything is instant gratification with him, and if you don't correct in the moment, it has passed and so has the opportunity for a lesson. He is also brilliant (like most dogs), and if I don't give him things to keep his brain occupied, he will find things to do; things that are most often not desired behaviors (like dogs). At the risk of sounding like a broken record, every day he does something new that inspires me to help people better understand their dogs.  There are many topics I would like to cover relating children to dogs, but for today we will focus on the power of a "job".

Dogs are pack animals. They thrive on social order, and unless you own a wolf-hybrid, your dog wants to receive instructions from his pack leader (hopefully you!).  Giving your dog a job will fulfill many of his needs: it will allow him to burn off excess mental energy, it will give him a sense of purpose, and it will teach him the proper reaction to a situation. All of these things will give you a happier, well balanced pet, and will help reduce some of the boredom destruction that takes place when you're away.

But what is a good job for a dog to do? Many of you reading this are envisioning your dog putting your laundry in the washer, getting you a beer from the fridge, and then returning the empty can to the recycling bin. Mind you, my dog CAN do all of those things (I'll post video later!), but, that level of training isn't required to give your dog a job. Often times people get frustrated with their pets because they do so well in class, but at home, they seem to lose all of their training! What they're missing is practical training. Sure, it's nice to leash the dog up, get out the treat bag, and do training for 15 minutes, but what about the rest of the day? My challenge to you, my reader, is to find practical jobs your dog can do through out the day. Some common examples are:
- Performing a sit stay during the commercials of your favorite show
- On one street of your walk, ask your dog to sit or down at each driveway you pass
- Teach your dog the "your bed" command, and ask him to hold it for the duration of dinner time
- Ask your dog to perform 2 "sits" and 3 "downs" before handing him his dinner bowl
- When you're playing ball with your dog, ask him to do a different trick each time before you throw the ball. This can be really fun if your dog has a whole repertoire of tricks; if he only knows sit and down, just alternate!

Once you start integrating training in your everyday life, training becomes something that is expected. You will notice your dogs becoming more consistent with their listening skills, and you will definitely notice your dog more exhausted. Especially for those of you who find you can take your dog on a jog, return home, and they're ready to go again! If you start tapping into their mental energy stores vs just their physical energy, you will notice a much happier, less stressed pooch. 

Got an idea for a job? Leave it in the comments section below! Happy Training!

Dog Days of Summer!

It's hot, dogs are being dumped left and right, and shelters don't have the funds to save everyone. So, Dog House Training Academy put on a little fundraiser to help raise awareness and to raise some money for our favorite rescues, White German Shepherd Dog Rescue and Home Fur Good.

Our event started at 5pm on Saturday, August 20th, and by 5:02, the place was packed! We had tons of doggie treats, and various doggie items donated to the cause; we had an overflowing table of human goodies, and a pool in the back for everyone to cool off in. Our raffle table was stocked with everything from free training to an IPod to baskets full of beauty products! Nancy from WGSDR took our Pet Luau photos, and everyone had on their model faces! Check out the Luau Pictures!  By 8pm, the sun was down, and all the doggies had gone home.  We ended our evening raising over $350 for charity! The rescues had donation bins at their tables as well and pulled in several hundred on their own. All in all, I'd say it was a good evening. :)

Best features:  all the new faces I was able to meet, getting a visit from Axel, it didn't smell TOO much like wet dog lol, and I didn't get bit or peed on the entire evening! Note: when you're a dog trainer, you appreciate the little things in life :)

Thanks everyone for making this event possible!

For more candid photos of the event, click here.

Welcome to The Dog House

Hey there, Leah here. I'm starting this blog to give myself a little more freedom. I have a ridiculous amount of dog-knowledge stored in my head, and I'd love to share it with everyone. Unfortunately time restraints usually force me to give the shortest "here's how to fix ____ problem" answer, but I'd love to help the public figure out why. Dogs are not complex, they have a willingness to work (if you teach them), and they are brilliant and have a potential many people do not expect. Once you figure out how their minds work, you can understand the communication barrier that separates man and dog, and learn how to cross it, ending the frustration.

That being said, I hate lectures. I'd love for this blog to become almost a forum, with open communication encouraged. You have questions, and I have answers. I'd like to make this a place to recommend training exercises, new dog treat recipes, my favorite products, and anything else dog-related.  So please, give me some inspiration, and no, I will not accept the dog-ate-my homework excuse ;)

PS My goal in the next year is to write a book, so I'm dabbling in the blogging world. Dog training is best done in a hands-on type medium, so I'm curious to find out what people would be interested in reading. So in advance, thank you for being my guinea pigs. :) Check me out on the web!