A Guide To Training A Hearing Impaired Dog

February 8, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Tips on Training a Hearing Impaired Dog

Training Deaf Dogs — whyframeshot/Adobe Stock

Regardless of age, anxiety, fearfulness or physical disabilities, all dogs are able to learn. Since every dog is an individual, pet owners should tweak their positive reinforcement training style to accommodate each dog’s needs. When training a hearing impaired dog, it’s important to follow the same principles of learning while adding a few tweaks to accommodate their hearing impairment.

Use a Tiny Penlight & Yummy Treats

Using a marker word and super yummy treats is the easiest way to teach or reinforce a dog’s behavior. However, since hearing impaired dogs are unable to hear a marker word, you need to engage their other senses, such as sight.

Replace a verbal marker with the flash of a tiny penlight. Remember, a marker provides valuable information to your dog during a dog training session. It’s like taking a picture in time and saying “yes, that’s the behavior that earned you a treat.” Using a penlight as a marker works quickly. I once taught a betta fish how to “touch” and swim through a hoop within a day using a penlight and fruit fly rewards.

When using a pen flashlight, point it on the ground right between your dog’s front feet. When a hearing impaired dog does something right, click the pen flashlight on and off. It should take less than a second. Every time you click the flashlight on/off, give your dog a super yummy treat.

Never point the light in your dog’s eyes because she can see the flash even during daylight hours—a shaded area may work best during bright sunlight. When a dog training session is complete, put dog treats and the flashlight away in a cabinet, which signals to your dog that the training session is done.

Train a Hearing Impaired Dog the “Look At Me” Cue

While sound isn’t a distraction to hearing impaired dogs, movement is. It’s important to train a hearing impaired dog to look at you when given a cue. At first, mark (using a penlight) and reward your dog every time she looks at you during a training session. Start in a low distraction area, such as inside your home, and practice 1-2 minutes each day. Once your dog learns to look at your face, it’s time to add a cue.

A hearing impaired dog will likely ignore a hand signal because she’s looking at something else, so in this case physical touch works great. During a training session, when your dog looks at you, mark and toss the earned treat a couple of feet away from you.

After your dog eats the treat, lightly touch your dog’s right shoulder and wait for your dog to “look at you.” When this happens, flash your penlight and toss the earned treat a couple of feet away. Continue touching your dog’s shoulder and waiting for your dog to look at you. Then, mark and toss a treat. Quickly, your dog will learn that a touch on her right shoulder means to look at you.

Teach Hand Signals

Dogs learn hand signals rather quickly because you use them often. Before training a hearing impaired dog polite manners, choose a hand signal for each behavior. Here are a few suggestions for hand signals:

Come: Squat down and hold arms out.
Down: Lower flattened hand (palm facing down) downward from waist.
Sit: Raise flattened hand (palm facing up) upward from waist.
Walk on loose leash: Wearing a leash is the cue not to pull.

Always Keep Hearing Impaired Dogs on Leash

Movement is very distracting, so keep a hearing impaired dog on leash at all times. If they run away, hearing impaired dogs won’t be able to hear a verbal “come” cue nor approaching cars. Keep your hearing impaired dog on leash whenever you leave your house or you’re in a yard without a fence.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Shocking a dog is cruel, and shocking a hearing impaired dog is animal abuse. [/perfectpullquote]

Stay Way From Shock Collars

There is no reason a hearing impaired dog should wear a shock collar even at the lowest setting. Shock collars hurt. Don’t believe me? Put one against your throat and have someone else press the button. Yes, it stings. Shocking a dog is cruel, and shocking a hearing impaired dog is animal abuse. Keeping a hearing impaired dog on leash and teaching her life-saving cues work better than shocking her.

What To Do If You See A Tethered Dog

February 6, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Helping Tethered Dogs

I’m visiting my family in rural south Louisiana for a few weeks. My family lives in a very affluent neighborhood, but I noticed something odd quickly upon arrival. A close neighbor had a tethered dog in her front yard. Before I could mutter a single word, my mother said, “I’ve called Animal Control and the police. There’s nothing I can do for this poor dog.” Hum, let’s see about that.

It goes without saying: Tethering dogs is cruel. Please never chain a dog. If you notice a dog tethered outside, please say something to the owner. Dogs don’t have a voice, but we do.

Check County Ordinances

With easy access to the Internet today, it’s super simple to find city (or parish in Louisiana) ordinances online. Once you’ve found your county’s ordinances and laws, browse for the chained or tethering dog section. This can usually be found within ordinances pertaining to dogs, animals or animal cruelty.

Is Tethering Dogs Legal?

Every county is different when it comes to tethering dog laws, but most counties require tethered dogs to have access to food, fresh water and shelter. Additionally, pet owners may not deny dogs access from food, water or shelter for more than 24 hours. (24 hours is a long time in Louisiana heat.) You may also find strict dog chain length requirements for your county.

My Experience

In the beginning, my family called Animal Control because this dog didn’t have shelter from Louisiana’s sweltering summer temperatures. About 24 hours after Animal Control spoke with the owner, a huge Igloo dog house was provided and the dog was tethered to a longer chain per specific county recommendations. However, this poor dog would run around in circles, shortening her chain, which restricted access to shade and water.

Well, I started taking videos and pictures every time the dog was restricted from shade and water as documentation. Apparently, the owner noticed me standing in the road taking pictures and recording her dog. Shortly after documenting, I noticed the owner started walking outdoors to unwind her dog’s chain and pour fresh water in the bowl. She knew I was watching.

Talking to the Dog’s Owner

By far, this was the hardest part. Somehow, I pulled together every bit of patience possible, walked over and knocked on the door while smiling. A middle-aged woman opened the door smiling back. After a few polite pleasantries, I expressed my concern about her dog tethered up in her yard. She explained that her German Shepherd Dog didn’t get along with her other dogs, so it was chained up. Being the dog trainer that I am, I offered her a few tips on keeping dogs separated indoors using dog crates. The owner thanked me for my advice sincerely.

Within a day or two, I noticed this young German Shepherd Dog was brought inside at night. By morning, she was chained up outside again, but at least it was a start. I will continue to educate and document for this poor dog’s sake. If you see a tethered dog, I advise you to read these tips before confronting the dog’s owner.

Be a dog’s voice because she doesn’t have one. Please.

How To Keep Multiple Dogs Calm When The Doorbell Rings

February 3, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Training Multiple Dogs to Stop Excessive Barking

A new client with three small dogs recently contacted me about excessive dog barking. She explained how her three dogs would bark insanely whenever someone rang the doorbell or knocked on the door. She’d get extremely frustrated and embarrassed when guests came over, and she just wanted her dogs calm when the doorbell rings.

When I arrived and rang the doorbell, I’m sure her neighbors three blocks away heard these dogs barking. We quickly went to work during our private consultation, and we taught each dog how to keep calm when the doorbell rings or someone knocks. Even better, my client learned how to reinforce quiet behavior.

Changing the behavior of multiple dogs may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite simple when following a few dog training tips. During our private consultation, it took 10 minutes to teach three small dogs to bark only once when the doorbell rang, and this included breaks. My client seems to be having tremendous success as well. 🙂

How to Train Multiple Dogs to Stop Barking

Choose High Value Rewards

When training multiple dogs, it’s best to use super yummy rewards. Remember, treats are a dog’s currency; it’s how he’s paid for doing a good job. Dogs love baked chicken, cheese chunks or diced up hot dogs, which can be found at any grocery store. Before a dog training session, chop treats into pea-sized bites and place inside a plastic zip bag for easy access.

Teach One Dog at a Time

It’s easiest to train one dog at a time, and then slowly add another dog into the mix. When choosing your first dog to teach, select the barkiest dog of the bunch. Usually, one dog starts the barking session and gets the others riled up—choose this feisty little one.

It’s important to focus on the barkiest dog first because it sets the other dogs up for success. Keep the other dogs in your bedroom with the door closed. If they bark while you’re training the first dog, know that it’s OK and it won’t affect their training later.

Teach Self-Control First

Grab your diced up dog training treats and get started. While standing, reward your dog for keeping all four feet on the floor or for sitting. You don’t need to cue your dog; just wait for it to happen. Reward your dog every time he chooses to stand or sit, so he quickly learns that this behavior makes hot dog pieces rain from the sky.

If your dog remains sitting and standing, which is the goal, toss his earned treat about 2-3 feet away from him. This way, he must stand up and walk away to get his earned treat. When this happens, wait for him to sit or stand next to you again, then reward. Trust me, once your dog figures out that “four feet on the floor” makes hot dogs rain from your hands, he’ll happily stand for you.

Rewarding a dog for sitting or standing teaches him self-control, rewards him for quiet behavior and teaches him how to earn treats. Once your dog can stand or sit for a few seconds, it’s time to focus on the ringing doorbell.

Have Someone Ring the Doorbell

Ask a friend to step outside and ring the doorbell. Usually, a very barky dog will bark a couple of times, then suddenly remember that standing or sitting quietly makes treats appear. The moment your dog stops barking, say “yes” and reward him by tossing a treat by your feet. Continue having your friend ring the doorbell a few more times and reward your quiet dog.

Tossing food next to your feet teaches your dog to stay or return back to you, which prevents him from running up to the front door. If your dog continues to bark, say his name, which will likely cause him to stop barking. When this happens, say “yes” and reward. Take a short break before introducing the second dog.

Now, Train Two Dogs

Once your first dog learns to bark once or twice at the doorbell, then sits or stands quietly, it’s time to introduce your second dog. Walk over and let the second dog out for a dog training session. Usually, the second dog will come running down the hallway, because she’s excited to participate in the fun.

Reward both dogs for sitting or standing still next to you. When giving out treats, prevent your dogs from fighting over treats by extending your hand out and placing the treat in the dog’s mouth that earned it. Then, reward the dog that offers the sit or stand behavior first, and wait for the other dog to figure it out.

When training two dogs together, it’s amazing how fast the second dog learns when watching the first dog. Once both dogs will stand or sit next to you for a few minutes, it’s time to practice with the doorbell.

Ask a friend to step outside and ring the doorbell again. As the doorbell rings, your second dog will likely look over at the first dog, bark a couple of times, then choose to stop barking just like your first dog. When this happens, reward both dogs for being quiet. Continue to practice and reward both dogs for choosing to remain quiet. After 1-2 minutes, take a short break before adding the last dog into the dog training session.

Train All Three Dogs

Now that two dogs have learned to stand or sit quietly when the doorbell rings, your last dog will quickly pick up this dog behavior. Ask a friend to step outside again and ring the doorbell. The moment each dog chooses to be quiet, say “yes” and reward. Practice a few more times, then end the session.

Practice Several Times Per Week

In the beginning, practice 1-2 minutes per day. During the first week, you’ll notice a huge decrease in dogs barking at the doorbell. After the first week, keep practicing 3-4 times per week with dog training sessions lasting 1-2 minutes. Use high value treats or bits of your dog’s kibble during mealtime. Practice reminds each dog how to keep calm when the doorbell rings regardless if it’s visiting guests or the FedEx guy.

Soon, you’ll happily show off your dogs’ polite doorbell skills to guests. 🙂

What You Need To Know About HOA Pet Restrictions

January 30, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Homeowners’ Association Rules and Regulations

HOA Pet Restrictions

Recently, we were house hunting in a state saturated with homeowner associations (HOA). It seemed every neighborhood had some type of strict HOA rule. This was our first HOA experience, and we were a bit nervous because we share our home with a Rottweiler and Bull Terrier.

As many pet owners are aware, these dog breeds are usually restricted by insurance companies, HOAs, hotels and so forth. When searching for a home, we were very leery and cautious of HOA pet restrictions. Thankfully, we finally found a great home with no dog breed restrictions listed in their HOA laws. However, not all homeowners’ association rules and regulations are alike. Before locking in your new home, follow these tips to ensure your dog is allowed.

A Savvy Realtor is Your Best Friend

By far, this was our ace in the hole! We found an amazing realtor who showed Rottweilers, so she was fully aware of breed-specific regulations. When narrowing down our home search, and before we even stepped into a home, our realtor contacted each home’s homeowners’ association.

Most realtors are well versed in homeowners’ association laws, so they can quickly detect an issue for you. Ask your realtor to contact each HOA to verify breed restriction laws beforehand. Trust me, it’s not worth falling in love with a home when your dog isn’t allowed. When searching for a dog savvy realtor, ask the local kennel club or dog trainers for recommendations.

Many HOAs Restrict By Weight

Several states have finally realized that breed-specific legislation doesn’t decrease dog bites, so they removed breed-specific laws. Arizona recently overturned breed restrictions, but HOAs still found a way to discriminate dog breeds.

Some HOAs enforce pet weight limits (usually under 20 pounds), which keeps large dogs out of the neighborhood. Even though specific dog breeds aren’t listed in the homeowners’ association rules and regulations, read the pet policy carefully for pet weight restrictions.

HOA Bylaws

Once you’ve selected a home, ask your realtor for a copy of the HOA bylaws. Read through each paragraph carefully, focusing on pet restrictions. Many HOAs limit the number of dogs per home and, of course, mandate leash laws (which is a good thing).

When in doubt, contact an HOA representative before making an offer on the home. Note the name of the HOA rep plus the date and time of your conversation.

Read and read again before making an offer on your home. 🙂

Pet Tutor: The Dog Treat Dispenser You Wish You Had

January 25, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Pet Tutor Dog Treat Dispenser Review

Technology continues to advance within the pet industry at lightning fast speed. Several new pet-friendly apps, dog monitor camera systems and remote training devices will positively change dog training forever.

At the top of the technology heap is Smart Animal Training Systems’ Pet Tutor. The dog treat dispenser is a shining star beaming with endless pet training and enrichment opportunities for dogs. With Pet Tutor’s technology, endless options and a savvy dog trainer, this tool has the power to replace shock collars. The only limitation to the product is a dog trainer or pet owner’s imagination.

What is a Pet Tutor?

Pet Tutor is a computerized dog treat dispenser programmed with different dispensing settings, which can be controlled through a smart remote or mobile app. Pet Tutor’s tube is made of stainless steel and lexan, which is a clear and super strong polycarbonate. Lexan is so strong that it’s considered bullet resistant, and used in safety glasses.

In addition, this blue cylindrical device is mobile. You can place it on the ground, mount it to a crate or hang it from a wall with a 3M removable hook.

Setting Up Pet Tutor

Pet Tutor sets up easily, dispenses dog treats soundlessly, and offers endless mental enrichment ideas and training possibilities for your dog. It only takes a couple of seconds to set up the treat dispensing function. If you’re using the training system’s more advanced settings, such as installing a Bluetooth app, setup can take 5-6 minutes.

Dispenses All Types of Treats!

Another huge bonus is Pet Tutor will dispense different types of high value treats. Smart Animal Training Systems has a patented treat dispensing design that prevents training treats from jamming, so any type of treat can be used. Think kibble, chopped up hot dogs, diced string cheese, etc. Some animal trainers use chopped up carrots to teach horses to stand still during grooming while others are dispensing birdseed when teaching birds new behaviors.

Pet Tutor Creator

Wes Anderson created Pet Tutor as a fun game that infuses and combines positive reinforcement training principles and mental stimulation. In the past, Wes worked as an electrical engineer and statistician. He studied neuroscience with a focus on Alzheimer’s research. Recently, Wes decided to focus on another passion and became a dog trainer. Using his extensive knowledge, he designed and created Pet Tutor and committed himself to offering the latest updates as technology advances.

How Will Pet Tutor Help My Dog?

Pet Tutor is a game changer in the animal behavior world. This dog training tool can slow down fast eating dogs, offers different forms of mental stimulation and teaches a dog that barking doesn’t pay. Yes, this dog treat dispenser will certainly help dogs.

Slow Fast Eating Dogs

For fast eating dogs, Pet Tutor will slow down meals by dispensing one kibble at a time. Instead of inhaling food within seconds, dogs may take up to 20 minutes eating their meals, depending on your chosen setting. All you have to do is go on the Pet Tutor smartphone app and change the setting to dispense treats over a period of time and voila! With a few taps, you’ve maximized your dog’s mealtime.

Provide Super Powered Mental Enrichment

Take mealtimes up a notch by teaching a dog to walk over and touch a Kong Wobbler. The dog learns that touching a Kong Wobbler, that’s sitting on the ground, will dispense a treat from the device. Simply place a smartphone that has the Pet Tutor app, or remote, inside a plastic Kong Wobbler to get started!

Stop Dog Barking

Pet Tutor’s technology will dispense treats while a pet owner is away or out of sight. Using a smart remote or app, pet owners can reward dogs for quiet behavior from another room or even online. When away, you can use the training system to reward your dog’s quiet behavior for you. Dogs quickly learn that quiet behavior pays well and barking becomes a thing of the past.

Help Dogs With Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety in dogs is much more than excessive barking; it’s a very serious issue. In short, dogs with separation anxiety panic when they’re left alone, which can result in them seriously harming themselves. The training system can certainly help with separation anxiety, but it requires the expertise of a professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist for best results.

Smart Animal Training Systems is committed to evolving its products as new pet technology is discovered. Pet Tutor offers remote rewards through a smartphone or tablet. Pet owners can check in on their dogs using Pet Tutor’s tablet or smartphone app. Additionally, pet owners can instantly dispense treats to reward good behavior remotely.

While many dog camera systems offer this option, there’s a slight delay between pressing the treat dispense button on a smartphone and the treat being dispensed. When changing dog behavior, timing and speed is essential.

https://youtu.be/Jrlrj62-GMY