Flying Colors Canine Academy

Your Most Versatile Command

FlyingColors — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:09:25 +0000

The most important command for a dog to know is definitely “come.” It can literally mean the difference between life or death.

Buddy Places on a landscaping rock

However, I have to say that the most versatile command is “place.” From practical applications to tricks, there are simply so many ways to use “place!” “Place” simply means “keep all four feet on that until I tell you otherwise.” Let’s take a look at a few ways it can be used…

Grooming: Keep your dog stationary while brushing, bathing, or wiping dirty paws

Vet Office: Have an easy way to tell your dog to jump up onto the exam table or scale

Visitors: Prevent your dog from sniffing, jumping on, or otherwise harassing your guests

Quiet Time: Instead of a crate, use “place” to enforce a calm, quiet time

Kona practices Place on a skateboard

Meal Time: A great way to prevent begging, table-surfing, and other annoying behavior while the humans are eating

Sidelines: Teach you dog to chill on the sidelines while kids are playing outside with a ball or inside with a puzzle

Travel: Make travelling easier by having your dog “place” on a towel in the boat, car, or train

Photo Ops: Cute photo opportunities when your dog “places” on a log, large rock, statue, or other unusual item

Parlor Tricks: Impress your friends by teaching your dog to “place” on a skateboard, baby stroller, large ball, or other creative object

If your dog already knows “place,” I hope this gives you some new ideas on implementing it. If your dog hasn’t learned “place,” I hope this gives you incentive to start the process. Happy training!

Proofing: The Next Level of Reliability

FlyingColors — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:26:46 +0000

Cassie holds a sit around distractions

Once your dog knows the basics of sit, down, heel, place, and come, it’s time to up the ante! The time has come to proof those behaviors; you need to gradually increase the expectations you have for your dog. If you only practice “come” in your back yard, there is a slim chance Roxy will come if she gets loose at the park. Proofing teaches your dog that your commands apply everywhere and in every situation.

While I was attending National K9, one of our instructors told us the following true story to impress the importance of proofing (names have been changed):

While Seth, trainer extraordinaire, was driving down a six-lane highway his car broke down. He was able to pull into the grassy, middle median. Seth’s German Shepherd was in the backseat. Seth could see a gas station, but would have to run across three lanes of traffic to reach it. (Mind you, this is before the invention of cell phones.) He didn’t want to leave his dog in the car for fear that the vehicle would be rear-ended while Seth was calling for help. But taking the dog across the road didn’t seem safe, either. So he placed his German Shepherd in a “down-stay” in the middle of the grassy median and made his way to the gas station. Sure enough, while on the pay phone Seth saw a car hit his disabled vehicle. The Shepherd flinched at the crash but quickly put his elbows back down and patiently awaited Seth’s return.

Yes, this story is a bit silly. Had it been me, I would have taken the dog with me to the gas station. I’m not even sure of the story’s authenticity. However, it is a great parable to impress the importance to proof for ALL situations.

At Flying Colors we talk a lot about the Three D’s: distance (the space between you and your dog), distraction (noises, people, objects, smells, etc.), and duration (length of time). Working gradually on one level of difficulty at a time is the best way to set your dog up for success. If your dog can hold “place” while you’re 5 feet away, gradually work your way up to 40 feet. I don’t recommend putting three lanes of highway traffic between you. But, hey, you never know what situations life will find to test your training!

How Important is Dog-Dog Play?

Clarice — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:19 +0000

At Flying Colors we often see dogs who are “dog reactive.” Basically, that’s a term to describe the dog who growls, barks, snarls, or makes other unfriendly overtures towards their fellow canines. During the evaluation, we try to understand the owner’s goals. Truthfully, that dog reactive pooch (let’s call him Max) may NEVER play nicely with other dogs. However, it IS a realistic goal to teach Max to stop acting out while on walks, riding in the car, or staring out the living room window.

Is it really such a big deal that Max will never play off leash with other dogs? I have to say NO. It’s true that if your dog happens to be friendly that doggie play dates, doggie daycare, and romps at the dog park can be great fun and fantastic exercise. But if Max is dog reactive (or maybe even dog aggressive), is his quality of life really impaired by his inability to play with other dogs? Obviously, he prefers the company of his humans. So walk him, play with him, and teach him tricks. You are capable of filling his social, mental, and physical needs without the aid of a dog pack.

The fact of the matter is some dogs are Dogs In Need Of Space (DINOS). They can be taught to be calm while in the vicinity of other dogs, as long as those other dogs do not invade the DINOS’ personal space. In fact, my dog Seeker is one such dog. I socialized the heck out of him as a puppy. Seeker loved his playtime at Happy Dogs Daycare and came to work with me every day. He was around 1.5 years old when he decided that he had no need for other dogs. Because of his training and socialization, he is NOT dog reactive. But he has no interest in dog-dog play. So, as a responsible owner I carefully consider the situations that I put Seeker into… and I continue to play, exercise, and train him daily. I dare say, he has a happy, fulfilled life.