What kind of dog pro do I need & how do I find one?

Finding the right type of dog professional can be a daunting task. There are so many "titles" that dog professionals use. Sadly, some are made up, some come with a little education while others come with a vast amount of education and certification. It's a huge range!

Why is this? Sadly, it's difficult to know who is who and what each person does because the dog training industry is not regulated and there are no governing bodies to qualify a person in the dog training and behavior industry. There are no degrees or formal education for a dog trainer. Anyone can become a dog trainer. There are many "schools" out there with their own type of "certification", heck I even attended one way back in 1999. However, this still isn't a green light that one should immediately say, "Oh then he must be a qualified trainer..." Sadly that may or may not hold true. The best way to find a good trainer is by referral and your own observation and interview process. I'll give you more info on this later ...

WHO IS WHO?
Professionals in the pet-behavior field fall into a few different categories (according to myself):

1. Dog Trainers
2. Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDTs)
3. Behavior Consultants (CDBCs)
4. Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist (DACVBs)
5. Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (ACAABs) & Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (CAABs)

1. Dog Trainers.
This could be anyone, and by anyone I mean anyone. So, this is the most loose category that there is. However, there are lots of trainers that are actually quite qualified in their skillset, continuing education and training abilities. But there is a huge hole where anyone could walk up to you and say "hey, I'm a dog trainer need some training for your dog?" and they could have read one book and trained 2 dogs and decided to make a career of it. So, this category can be hard to navigate through when hiring a professional.

Most box-store trainers go through a program provided by said box-store but it's minimal and doesn't give near the amount of education and training that should be required to train people and their dogs. However, some box-store trainers are totally fine for basic training classes and minimal problem behaviors if you're not looking for anything fancy or too formal. Ask the trainer about their background and where they learned to become a dog trainer. Many trainers started out as box-store trainers only to advance their training career to learn and educate themselves more and become even more skilled and knowledgable! 

There are also trainers out there that do not get any type of certification as listed in our next category but do attend seminars, join organizations that provide education and conferences (such as the Association of Professional Dog Trainers [APDT], The Pet Professional Guild [PPG] and Karen Pryor Clicker Training [which offers the ever wonderful Clicker Expo and many fabulous online resources] in order to further their skills and education. Many trainers are still wonderful trainers even without certification, although it's definitely recommended that one does aim to achieve certification at some point. 

2. Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDTs).
Not all dog trainers have any formal education, but some do further their education, as mentioned in the last paragraph above. Many are self-taught and self-educated, which may be a red flag if they do not further their education and skillsets on an on-going basis. So, the key here is how they are furthering their skills and education in their field. However, it's definitely preferable to hire someone who has chosen to educate themselves through some type of academy, program or by becoming certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers to earn their CPDT-KA status and/or their CPDT-KSA title. To learn more about these certifications for trainers, and even find a list of certified trainers, visit the CCPDT website.

Some trainers-to-be choose to go through an academy that provides individuals with the proper education and training to become a trainer. Here are some recommended training academies that provide quality training, education and how to apply these skills when training dogs and coaching people to train their dogs. Each of these academies has their own type of "certification" that the individual will receive upon testing, meeting certain criteria, and completion of their program. Each of these websites also provides a list of trainers that have graduated from their program so you may look for one in your area.

• The Academy for Dog Trainers
• CATCH Canine Trainers Academy
• The Karen Pryor Academy
• Peaceable Paws Academies
• Victoria Stilwell Academy

3. Certified Dog Behavior Consultants (CDBCs).
Many dog trainers also cross over into learning about behavior. It's pretty difficult to not know behavior to some degree if you want to be any good at training on any level, but especially if you are going to deal with more problematic behaviors in dogs. As with dog trainers, anyone can call themselves a behavior consultant and some even have titles that aren't even real titles, such as "behavioralist". So, do be wary of those!  

A behavior consultant will have a solid understanding of how to apply dog training skills, read and understand body language and design an appropriate behavior modification program to help dogs with various behavior challenges. A behavior consultant will also be able to know when it's appropriate to call in a Veterinary Behaviorist in the event a case may warrant the use of medication for the dog to be successful with the laid out behavior modification process.

One of the best organizations to find a qualified behavior consultant for your pet dog is the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). It has a very extensive and wonderful certification program for individuals that have been training animals (they have certifications for dog, cat, horse and parrot consultants) and meet certain criteria in order to be able to be certified through their organization. The IAABC also has extensive criteria they must meet in order to show that they are able to properly consult and help pet owners with their behavior problems. The program is one of the best ones out there for becoming a CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant). You can read more about their requirements for certification and find a professional on their website here.

4. Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVBs)
An individual who holds this title is a licensed veterinarian who has completed a residency or training program in the discipline of veterinary behavioral medicine after they have completed their studies to become a licensed veterinarian. As part of this program they have studied topics including: sociobiology, psychology of learning, behavioral genetics, behavioral physiology,

psychopharmacology, ethology and behavioral endocrinology. In other words, they have to go through a lot of schooling to earn this title!

Veterinary Behaviorists (VBs) have the medical and behavioral knowledge to evaluate cases to determine if there is a medical component to explain an animal's behavior. VBs work with individual pet owners, other animal professionals, and facilities that care for animals in order to manage behavior problems and improve the well-being of animals. They evaluate and layout treatment plans for behavior modification and choose which medication would be best suited to help the specific animal in order to help with the behavior modification treatment plan they have designed.

All standards and procedures of Veterinary Behaviorists are approved by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) which is an organization within the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Professional conduct standards are set by both the AVMA and the ABVS, as are requirements for training programs. Specialists in veterinary behavioral medicine are also held accountable to local and state laws of veterinary practice.

5. Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (ACAABs) & Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (CAABs)
An individual who has one of these titles must obtain it through the Animal Behavior Society. This is the leading professional organization in North America for the study of animal behavior. These individuals have an educational background where they have earned a Bachelor of Arts and/or a Bachelor of Science degree in either biology or psychology and then gone on to earn a postgraduate doctoral degree (PhD) in Animal Behavior. These animal professionals may work in various professional fields that may or may not pertain to dog or companion animal training. They are the most highly educated professionals in this list, as their education goes far beyond dogs and training. Some fields they may be in may include: psychology, biology, zoology and/or animal science. Some Animal Behaviorists may also be licensed veterinarians who have had additional training in applied animal behavior outside of their veterinary studies and coursework.

It should be noted that these individuals are versed in animal behavior that includes a large variety of animals including companion animals as well as exotic animals and wildlife. Some Animal Behaviorists do have dedicated practices/businesses that are targeted to help companion animals with behavior challenges beyond the scope of some trainers. However, some are not equipped to work with dog owners and their dog's behavior challenges. So you'll want to "interview" one of these professionals to determine their scope of expertise and ability to help dog owners.

The requirements to become either an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist are quite rigorous. You may learn more about these requirements and the qualifications of these individuals on the Animal Behavior Society's website. 

DOG TRAINER, BEHAVIOR CONSULTANT OR BEHAVIORIST? 
So, how do you know which one is right for your situation?

Knowing which of these professionals is best for your dog and your goals is equally as confusing! How does one know?!  

If you have a puppy or dog that you just want to learn a few manners and skills a qualified trainer would be sufficient for this. A trainer should at least have continuing education on their schedule throughout the year in some way –– ask what they are doing to further their skills and education on an on-going basis. They should at least be a member of an educational organization for trainers (see last paragraph in #1 above) if they aren't certified or going through a training academy of some type. It is preferred that they have completed an academy or program with some type of certification at the very least. Again, if they aren't certified they should be able to provide you with their on-going continuing education and what they are doing to keep up with their training skills.

If your dog exhibits aggression, anxiety and/or fear-based behaviors it would be best to find a qualified Behavior Consultant or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. Although it should be noted that some certified trainers can and do work with these types of cases and can do so successfully, you'd just need to know what questions to ask when hiring one.  

You would need a Veterinary Behaviorist if medication would be warranted to help in your dog's situation. A qualified trainer, Behavior Consultant and/or Applied Animal Behaviorist would be able to tell you if they feel that you need to seek the advice of a Veterinary Behaviorist (VB). The VB would work together with your trainer, applied behaviorist and/or consultant for the best outcome for your dog. 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR & WHAT TO AVOID
You want to always find a professional that adheres to current science-based training and doesn't follow training methods that are out-dated. This includes a trainer that's training methods do not rely on the use of punishments when trying to change behavior or the old-school ideals of pack theory and dominance-based training. 
(You can read more about dominance and how it's been wildly misconstrued and misinterpreted here.)

Ask the professional that you are interviewing the following:

1. What are your qualifications and where did you get your education from? 
   (You're looking for the qualifications & info that I provided in the above information, i.e., uses science-based methods & not outdated training or punishments to change behavior.)
2. How long have you trained dogs? How long have you trained humans to train their dogs?
   (Look for someone who has at least trained people & their dogs for a few years. This isn't a deal breaker & some green [new] trainers are good at this but it's going to depend on what your goals are or your dog's challenges encompass. For dogs with behavior needs find someone that's definitely been doing this for a minimum of 5 years, preferably longer. Ask them what their history & background is with your dog's specific behavior challenge.)
3. What methods of training do you utilize? Do you use choke chains, prong collars or electronic collars in your training? (You're looking for someone that does not use these tools! Look for a professional that is based on relationship building & utilizing rewards & does not rely on aversive tools. When training tools are needed stick to those who don't use leash corrections & corrective collars & equipment.)
4. How do you handle it when a dog makes a mistake? What about when they do something right?
   (Look for someone that concentrates on teaching dogs what to do & how to make good choices vs corrections & telling the dog what not to do. Also look for professionals that are reward-based & not afraid to adequately reward a dog using food & toys & what motivates dogs. They should also be very happy to tell the dog when it does something correct, makes the correct choice & appropriately rewards it for doing so. No professional should sound hesitant to stick with or use rewards or bash the use of those that do use rewards.)
5. What are your thoughts on dominance in dogs?
   (Stay away from professionals that follow the outdated dominance & pack theory with companion dogs. For more details on this read here.)
6. Do you have references I could speak with or email?
   (No professional should deny you speaking with current and/or past clients or even another professional in the field that could vouch for them. They should happily give you references.)
7. Can I come observe a class you teach?
   (Professionals should always allow you to watch them train by observing first. You may not be seeking out a group class, so private lessons are likely not going to allow this due to privacy issues, however a group class should always allow for observation before joining.)
8. Do you offer guarantees?
   (Stay away from those that do! Read more about the code of ethics for members of the APDT [Association of Professional Dog Trainers] that discusses why they cannot & do not offer guarantees in training here. These reasons are why any dog professional should not offer guarantees.)

Always remember that even with credentials and educational backgrounds there can be bad apples in every bunch. So, personal and professional referrals can go a long way for this reason. Use good judgment and some good gut instincts as well! Be thorough in your interview process. Any professional worth their weight in gold will be glad to provide as much information as possible about their background as well as provide references when you ask. A good professional will also know when to say "I'm not the right fit for you, please contact XYZ professional instead" and offer a referral to a more qualified professional for your needs.

Copyright© 2020. All rights reserved. 

–––––––––––––––––––––

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

Sunshine Dog Training & Behavior

sunshinedog.com 
servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

He's good with kids.

DOG GOOD WITH KIDS! –– Have you heard this said to you by others about their dog? Read it on an adoption site or at an adoption event? What does this actually mean anyway?

This is really a pretty arbitrary statement. As a professional who has turned more toward helping families with dogs after becoming a mother myself (3 kids –– girls ages 10, and twins that are 6) I now see things with dogs and kids in a different light. After becoming a mother I'm more vigilant and aware of dog body language and stress signals. I'm also more aware of what kids should and should not do around, to, or with dogs.

What I see is that most often "good with kids" means the dog hasn't actually done anything negative to a child, or that the dog is very tolerant with kids antics and behavior. This doesn't mean the dog should allow this behavior, just that for some reason it does. This is where the label comes, because the dog has a high tolerance level.

On the other hand, I've seen a dog labeled as "not good with kids" when the fact is that a child did something inappropriate to the dog, the dog reacted well within its rights and therefore now the dog is labeled as "not good with kids". This really comes down to a matter of education on the human side of things for both adult and child (um, and likely rescue group or shelter!)
A label of "good with kids" doesn't negate a parent's job of learning how to read dog body language, respect what that language is saying, their space and their tolerance levels. Also, the parents need to be in touch with someone who is able to appropriately able show their child(ren) what is appropriate dog-etiquette that includes the same things in child-friendly terms and interactions. Finding a Family Paws Parent Educator and/or The Family Dog private trainer will be key here. Family Paws is geared more towards expecting parents, newborns and babies up to toddler years while The Family Dog focuses on child/dog/family interactions and training for kids ages 5 years and up. Also, note I have many kid-dog resources on my website's free resources page.

I find this statement, often seen on adoptable dog sites/ads, very misleading and without further education it could be dangerous. A dog should not ever be disrespected by a child or adult just because the dog is tolerant and allows people to "do anything" to them. This does not mean, if your dog allows your child to grab it quickly, climb on it, or other behaviors like this, that you should allow your child (or anyone else's) to do this. Would you do this to a dog as an adult? Would you allow a child to do this to you as a human –– grab your hair? Hit you? Pull your clothes? Climb all over you? Then why is it ok for us to allow kids to do this just because we have a dog that's not reacting when this happens?

Dogs are sentient beings and should be respected the same way you would respect another living thing, item of someone else's and national treasures! You don't allow your kids to climb all over restaurant tables and up walls in public places, right? Then why should they be allowed do this to a dog? Just because a dog allows and tolerates this does not mean the dog is enjoying it, and more importantly that they will always tolerate it.

Dogs, like humans, do have a breaking point and this is where most "he bit my son for no reason!" comments come into play. Usually those "out of the blue" bites are not out of the blue at all. The dog had put up with a lot for a long time and finally had enough! ... or the dog had issues with personal space, the child got into the dog's personal space, the dog was uncomfortable, or something else happened that caused the dog to react negatively.

A dog that reacts negatively to being climbed on, grabbed by the face, pulled on or even hugged (most dogs do not like hugs, especially by children and strangers) are actually not labeled correctly. This should not deserve a label of "not good with kids". A more appropriate label would be "training mandatory by family dog trainer, inquire if interested in Fido to be part of your family!" Let's take this scenario: Every day after lunch you sit down, want to relax and have a little down time. I come over and sit on you. I tug your ears. I move around all over you. I try to lay in your lap. Maybe the first time you'll say "Um can you move, please?" I might then move. But what if this continued to happen every day? I'd likely be pretty accurate to assume by about the 3rd time this happened you'd either yell at me or push me off of you forcefully to give me the idea that it's really not ok with you.

Now let's do this scenario: Fido lies down comfortably on his bed in the afternoon and is relaxing. Little Susy comes over and sits on him, or lies on him or kisses him constantly. Fido might just get up and walk away the first time, or he may just lay there and do nothing, just hoping Little Susy will go away soon so he can finish his afternoon nap. Then the next day Little Susy does it again, then the next day and the next. Finally, one day Fido snaps at Little Susy when she gets her face too close to his. He's had enough. He wants to be left alone and Little Susy is just not respecting his space at all!

In the above scenarios the human one seems to make sense, right? But does the dog scenario make just as much sense? It should! Because Fido is a dog and cannot verbally tell Susy she's bothering him, after a while he'll use his voice (he could just bark loudly at her) and/or his teeth (snapping or biting) to communicate his dislike for Little Susy's antics.

The problem isn't a dog that snaps at children. The problem is that we need to know why the dog chose to do this behavior. Was the dog in the right? If we investigate the situation and find out that the child was not being respectful, then it's not a lost cause. The dog can, and likely will, be totally fine living with children. The success in this scenario will happen when the family as a whole can get a professional to come in and teach them appropriate skills to live with their dog and understand his needs and behavior.

Now, all this to say, there are in fact some dogs that are not good with children. They may react to kids for no reason or in such an aggressive manner that it isn't safe. So, this isn't to say that all dogs that snap at children will and can be ok with them. This is also why a professional must be consulted with when a family adopts any dog, regardless of the label the shelter or rescue has given it.

I personally think all families who acquire a dog at any age should hire a professional that knows how to educate every member of the family on how to live peacefully with a dog! Please do check out all the great, and free, resources on my Free Resources page on my website for books, downloadable handouts and more. ... and if you have kids and a puppy or dog, don't wait, hire a professional today that can help!

Copyright© 2019. All rights reserved. 

–––––––––––––––––––––

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

Sunshine Dog Training & Behavior

sunshinedog.com 
servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

Priorities.

Hello dedicated dog owners! I wanted to send this update for all my past, current and possible wanna-be clients. I'm going to be taking fewer in-home training clients starting in July and wean down to only a select number as I'm able to do so. I'm not quitting or anything like that just not going to be working as much and at times I may take weeks off at a time.

I will no longer be boarding any dogs in my home for boarding or training. This will start immediately. This one may be one of the hardest ones for me to give up because I know finding a good place to board your pets is hard and I also love doing this service for my clients. However, it's also a lot of work, especially when you are doing it from your home with your own dogs and family involved too!

I will be doing more online training! I'm hoping to focus more on online training webinars and even online consultations and one-on-one training. So, please consider this as an option. If you have a case that would involve more than can be helped via online training I'll refer you to someone who can help you out with your specific situation.

Being a mom to young kids and being very involved in their extracurricular activities and such is making me realize I need to be with my kids more. They'll be out of the house before I know it and I want to be fully immersed with them while I can be! I currently head my 6 year-old twins' Girl Scout troop and that's pretty time-consuming ... but I really, really love doing it! So, I'm going to be doing more Girl Scout stuff and other things with my kids and hubby.

Thank you so much for understanding and please feel free to contact me if you really need some in-home services. As I said, I'm not quitting, just cutting back. I will not leave anyone stranded or left behind!

Please do follow my Facebook page for online training updates and upcoming webinars, or contact me via email to set up some online training. I will be updating my website soon to reflect all these changes and ways to sign up for new services that I'll be offering. So stay tuned for that.

Copyright© 2019. All rights reserved. 

–––––––––––––––––––––

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

Sunshine Dog Training & Behavior

sunshinedog.com 
servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

Dogs & Kids: Assume they aren't listening ...

Assume the worst. Assume they know nothing. Assume they do not absorb anything. ... I'm of course talking about the kids! I had a recent picture I posted on my Facebook timeline of my refrigerator which adorns many things but one of them is a set of kid and dog posters. I leave these up, they are laminated and stay there at all times. I do this because kids should never be given as much credit as "oh they know they shouldn't do that ... or they know they should do this ..."

When you work with kids and dogs you need to assume that your child needs to be reminded, molded and trained daily just like your dog does. Just because you showed your child, or told them, once that pulling Fido's tail isn't nice doesn't mean they will think about this each and every time they come near a dog.

It's really important that kids are reminded often and given opportunities to practice what they have been previously taught. I have 3 kids –– a 10 year old and a set of 6 year old twins. The 10 year old is definitely getting better about having to be reminded and having to practice as much education on dog behavior and body language than my 6 year olds. However, that's because I've been doing this with her for a long time. 

I'm a Certified Dog Trainer, a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator and a trainer with The Family dog. However, this doesn't exempt me from teaching and training my kids all the time on dog behavior and body language. 

Download on my website

Each dog we encounter is a learning opportunity. I will stop and say "what does that dog seem to be feeling?" "What body language can you identify?" "Do you think he wants to be approached or left alone?" It's so important that parents understand that dogs are sentient beings and can change from one minute to the next just like children ... and adults! This means we need to always be aware of what a dog is "saying" or trying to "say" with its body language and actions. This is how we make Dog Aware Generations –– generations of kids that learn how to always read a dog and stop and think before acting. This will almost always ensure safety and a pleasurable experience for both dog and child. 

So be sure you are practicing educating your children on canine body language and what their actions may mean. But don't stop at one lesson. Use dogs you see or are around as learning opportunities, use your own dog as a learning tool. Go over pictures of dogs and their body language. Do this as often as you can. Learning is on-going!

I have several resources on my website for kid and dog education and training. One of my favorites is the poster above for kids that is from stopthe77.com and The Family Dog.

Copyright© 2019. All rights reserved. 

–––––––––––––––––––––

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

Sunshine Dog Training & Behavior

sunshinedog.com 
servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

I'm a professional dog trainer & I don't walk my dogs.

I’ve wanted to say this out loud for so long, so I’ll say it again … I don’t walk my dogs and I’m a professional dog trainer. Oh sure I have walked my dogs –– gone on hikes, in public places, at events, at [training] classes … but regular, daily exercise such as walks down my street –– nope. My dogs don’t get those types of walks. 

This blog post may compliment my blog post from quite a while back titled “Stop walking your dog.” If you’ve not read that you should read it when you have a moment, it’s lengthy but full of lots of great information and resources.

So, back to the topic of this post—My dogs and their lack of getting daily walks. Yeah. I know I must be a lazy dog owner right? … or maybe just a terrible dog owner—gasp! My dogs must be sad and fat, right? Actually, my dogs are quite the opposite of either of those. In the past 15 years I’ve had 5 personal dogs –– a Great Dane, a Labrador Retriever, a Jack Russell Terrier, an Australian Shepherd and a Beagle.  None of them receive(d) regular daily walks. (I currently have the Aussie and the Beagle as the others have passed.)

Each of my dogs has (had) a fulfilled life because they are (were) mentally engaged far more than the average dog. They have (had) a lovely balance of, I’d say about 90% mental exercise and 10% physical exercise. Well, my Great Dane had only about 1% physical exercise, his choice completely of course! That guy adorned a couch far better than any throw blanket ever could! Alas, I digress . . .

Let's get something straight first — exercising your dog is not wrong and it is definitely beneficial to your dog. Hey, every living creature needs to get physically active in some way, including humans, right?! So, I'm not advocating for people to never exercise their dogs. I'm simply stating that exercise isn't the "fix" that so many dog owners have been led to believe it is. This includes behavior problems as well as weight problems. Yup. That's a whole other topic in itself (weight problems in healthy dogs). So, I'll save that for a different blog post.

The issue with most dogs today is that they are not mentally stimulated properly and/or enough. Yet, is has been drilled into dog owners’ heads that physical exercise will fix all the things!  In fact, I find this to be such a myth it’s becoming a problem in the sense that people are trying to exercise their dogs to fix behavior issues and missing the boat completely. Of course, this isn’t by a fault of the owner. I get it. It’s been so ingrained in people’s minds that “an exercised dog is a tired dog and a tired dog is a good dog” that dog owners are attempting to achieve this, mostly with minimal success.

What I see most of today in the dogs I work with are stressed dogs, dogs riddled with anxiety, dogs with lack of boundaries and training, and dogs not set up to have their brains enriched in the way that they should. Please don't read this as me stating that dogs aren't being cared for properly. I'm simply stating what I see a lot of. Most, if not all of it, is by no fault of the dog's owner. People don't know what they don't know –– this is why I write this blog!

I see people who want to put forth all the time and energy to exercise their dogs. So much so that they almost have a resistance to setting up enrichment and would rather get out and walk or run their dogs. For some I know that it's the dog owner who sees it as a way for them to get out and exercise, and that's totally fine. It really is. Again, there is nothing wrong with exercising your dog or yourself! Obviously exercise is in fact important.

But what I often see are humans who are walking their dogs because they think if they don't they are a bad dog owner, or the dog won't be fulfilled, or the dog's behavior issues will be worse or, or, or ... The guilt of not walking their dog forces them to do it. I see a lot of dog owners who would quite honestly rather not walk their dog. So if that's you, then this is directed at you. You don't have to do it. 

Let's also discuss dogs that do worse when walked. Yup those are out there too! There are dogs who stress more on walks than lying at home in their comfy bed. Some dogs are anxious or nervous or reactive to all the things. These dogs do not do well on walks and walks are not benefitting them in any way. They are actually likely increasing the stress and anxiety and making things far worse. These dogs do not need walks. (Note: You should hire a trainer to help if your dog has any of these issues, they deserve to live without stress or anxiety, even if it's just "a little bit".)

If you find solace in it or feel like it's something you really have to do and you have a dog suited for walking, by all means do it! Also, I'm not stating you shouldn't walk your dog ever. 

Guess what? You don't have to walk your dog and some dogs will actually appreciate not going on a walk. You can stop walking your dog if it’s stressing you out and/or if it’s stressing your dog out. Stop if it’s not helping the issues you thought it would help. Stop if you dread it. Just stop if you just don’t feel like doing it that day, or every day. Just don’t. And don't feel guilty about it. It's going to be alright! You can make up for it in so many other ways. I promise!

WHAT YOU CAN DO INSTEAD OF DAILY WALKS

1. Train your dog in some capacity. Maintain the training. Do it regularly, not just one class here or there, or an in-home program and then nothing after that. A trained dog is a good dog, even better than a tired dog ... because a trained dog is a tired dog!

2. Take your dog camping or hiking as you see fit (if it suits you, your dog's temperament, and/or your schedule). I know that hiking is exercise but it's not a daily walk in your 'hood. This is actually a great form of enrichment for dogs that would be suited for this. (Note that not all dogs are well-suited for camping, also hiking should follow rules & other things. Good info for hiking with your dog here.)

3. Play with your dog. Tug? Ball? Fetch? Play with your dog is great, even better if you incorporate some impulse control exercises (drop, wait, go get it, sit, etc.) in with the play.

4. Provide mental enrichment & stimulation (see my blog post on this) This is your golden goose right here, and there are soooo many ways you can enrich your dog. My blog post explains many different ways to do this.

5. Work on relaxation exercises. Teach your dog to chill. (Great read on this here.) Many dogs that are amped up or energetic need more downtime not more exercise. I actually go into great detail in another blog post I wrote on this. You can read it here.

6. Let your dog sleep. Most dogs don't get enough sleep, just like humans! Did you know that dogs should sleep 16-20 hours a day, depending on age?! Interesting read on sleep in dogs here.

So, see - you're not a bad owner if you don't walk your dog regularly. There are tons of ways to meet your dog's needs. But, again, if you do enjoy walking daily or weekly with your dog by all means do that. Just note that adding in some of the above things to your dog's exercise routine will have increasingly great outcomes for your dog's mental and behavioral health!

Need help with some of the suggestions in this blog? Hire a professional to guide you in training and any other aspect of these things!  Read my blog here on how to find the properly qualified professional for you and your dog!

This blog post was updated on December 27, 2021.

Copyright© 2021. All rights reserved. 

–––––––––––––––––––––

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

Sunshine Dog Training & Behavior

sunshinedog.com

servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas

She'll get used to it ...

Have you ever had a dog that was a bit scared of something and  you thought perhaps if she just "gets used to it" she'll figure out it's ok? I see a lot of the mindset that if a dog is scared (or just unsure) of something that all they need is more exposure to that something in order to "get used to it". Unfortunately it doesn't work like that.

Let me use the example of a dog not too keen on riding in the car. Maybe it's not even crippling fear but just a bit of stress in the car. So, you think, I'll just take her in the car more so she'll get used to it. That will get my dog to understand that the car isn't so bad, right? I mean nothing bad happens in the car. So she'll just get used to it if I take her in the car all the time, right? Well, actually this won't get her used to the car.

Here is the thing with stress and/or fear –– it doesn't just go away on its own or over time by forcing the dog to be in the situations and/or around the things that scare them or make them nervous. There is actually a term in psychology for this "technique"–– it's called flooding. You will find some dog trainers that use flooding as a training tool, and they will swear that "it works". Here is why some dogs appear to be getting past their fear or stress –– flooding causes dogs to shut down or present what is called "learned helplessness". This means the dog realizes it has no other choice but to just sit through the situation as it cannot escape so it just does nothing. However, while doing nothing they are mentally panicking, some a lot some just enough to make it uncomfortable. Either way, they are not coping, and they are definitely not "getting used to it". They are praying for the moment they can get away or go back to a place that's safe for them. They are also not moving past their previous viewpoint on the very thing you were attempting to get them "used to".

Let me try to put this in perspective. Let's say you are afraid of spiders and I put you in a room full of spiders. The spiders are in a huge enclosed tank, at the other end of the room. They cannot get to you. But you cannot leave. You have to sit there for an hour and try to just "see" that it's not so bad, I mean after all they are in a tank and across the room ––right?! However, likely you will begin to try coping mechanisms. This is a physiological response that the body does. This is whether you are a human or an animal. You go into survival mode. You'll probably be staring intently at that tank full of spiders. You probably will start talking to yourself, trying to calm yourself –– "see, they can't get to you, see they aren't so bad." You may start breathing techniques. You will probably talk to yourself some more. You will probably look over at the tank every 2 seconds. You will probably start to possibly think of worst case scenarios. What if they get out? What if the lid isn't on tight enough? What if someone forgets about you? . . . You will be hyper-focused on the spiders. You will be counting down until you can get the heck out of there. But what you won't do is walk out of the room and say "well that was great, now I'm not afraid of spiders! Thanks for that awesome session of flooding!"


I recall, probably 10 years ago, I was teaching a group class and a client in the class asked about how to help her dog "get used to people" because she's shy and timid around new people. One client that was in the class thought she'd give her two cents and she stated, "we just took ours on the Katy Trail all the time and she finally got used to people." For those not local, the Katy Trail is a very, very, very busy jogging and walking path that goes around a busy part of the huge city of Dallas. It has joggers, bikers, roller bladers, skaters, strollers and tons of dogs! It's seriously packed with people and dogs. It's too much for most dogs let alone a dog afraid of people! What likely happened to the client's dog that says "she finally got used to people" was that she continued to take her dog on the trail and the dog just tolerated it because it had no other choice. When a dog is in a state of learned helplessness they look compliant because they do nothing. It could appear to the untrained eye to be "obedient" (ugh I hate that word!) It looks like blind obedience but it's just a dog choosing to do nothing because it has zero options. This would apply here because on the trail all dogs are on a leash. A dog on a leash that's forced into a situation where it's not comfortable isn't going to do much of anything as it has no choices.

On another side of that some people could argue, "so what's wrong with the dog just getting by and doing nothing?" Why is this "learned helplessness" so bad? Sounds like they don't do anything bad so, meh. Why not?!  But here is the thing, mentally your dog isn't ok. They haven't learned to be ok, they've learned that they have no choice. I don't know about you but I like to have a dog that is actually ok with the thing or situation that makes them nervous, uneasy or anxious. I don't want to just put a band-aid on my wound if it's never going heal. Why can't I do something to make the wound disappear completely?!

So how does one know if a dog is exhibiting learned helplessness, being shut down, or truly "used to" something? Great question! A dog that is not truly ok in a situation will show signs of stress. Now, the kicker here is that you gotta be a real Dog Decoder (by they way that's actually a dog body language app, go download that now, here!) with body language. This is where dogs will often show super subtle signs of stress so you'll need to be a great detective here. Things such as whale eye, licking their lips, tail tucked (or lowered heavily), head averted, eyes averted away, paw lift, eyes blinking, eyes squinting, panting out of context, heavy shedding, moist paw pads and even just sitting there staring and frozen (with a few of these others signals likely to be occuring at the same time.)

Now, remember reading stress signals takes you looking at the whole dog and really understanding what you're looking at.

Dogs that are "used to" or ok with something will show loose body, ears, eyes, mid-line tail wagging that's loose, often eliciting interactions and exploring things on their own without showing signs of fear or uncertainty. They will not just sit frozen. They will also listen to you when you ask for something most likely while the unsure dog –– or flooded dog –– will often seem to ignore you when you ask something of it.

Here is the thing with science and psychology –– you can train a dog to be comfortable with things and situations by choice. You can do it the right way. You can do it so that with the proper training your dog will actually like going on that car ride that previously made her nervous. You can teach your dog that previously thought men were scary that they aren't so bad, and actually could even be good! Your dog will make their own choices and even moreover –– your dog will be confident as a dog and mentally balanced. That's the dog I want! How about you?

If you have a dog with any kind of fear, anxiety, stress or phobia please contact a positive-based trainer that understands how to properly use classical, counter conditioning and desensitization to modify behavior. You also need to have any anxious dog visit a licensed veterinarian that is well educated in behavioral medicine before implementing a training plan. Some dogs do require medication to aide in the process. This is on a case by case basis but no one should brush off the power of medicine when owning a fearful and/or anxious dog.

Need help finding a qualified professional near you? Hit me up in the comments!

Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

sunshinedog.com

servicing Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas & surrounding cities