My Dog Won’t Let Me Pick Him Up: Try This Tip!

June 29, 2015 by Fanna Easter

How to Get Your Dog to Let You Pick Him Up

Picking Up Small Dogs — Offer a treat while picking up your dog. feelphotoart/iStock

When sharing your home with smaller dogs, you’ll eventually need to pick them up. Some dogs stand still while you’re walking toward them or wrapping your arm around their chest. Some dogs scamper way, stand still until you try again and take off again. Yes, let’s focus on the scamperers.

Stand Still for Pickup

You’ll need super yummy treats that’ll stop your dog in his tracks. I’m talking hot dogs or pieces of fresh deli meat. You need to make it worth your dog’s while, especially if he’s a professional scamperer.

Grab yummy treats, leash your dog to prevent him from moving too far way and take a seat in your chair indoors (this keeps distractions low).
More than likely, your dog will hang around you because of the treats. Have patience. Your dog will likely become distracted by something and walk away from you.
Once this happens, stand up and walk at your normal pace toward your dog while holding out a treat.
Your dog will likely walk right back to you or stand still. Bingo!
As you wrap your arm around him, click or say “yes,” and give him a treat. Remember, we’re teaching, “stand still while I pick you up.”
Place your dog back on the ground and practice four to five more times, and then end the training session.

Make Pickups Fun

Most dogs run away when being picked up because they’ve learned that pickups mean bath time, vet visits and the end of fun games. Instead, pick up (reward for good behavior) your dog for a few seconds and place him back down on the ground for a game of tug or chase, or let your dog continue sniffing and exploring outdoors. Aim for more positive associations with “pick up” than negative ones. As a general guideline, I recommend 10 positive experiences to each negative one.

Now, negative associations don’t mean punishment. If your dog has been running buck wild on 40 acres and finally decides to stand still for picking up, you better curse in a happy pitched and positive tone because your dog stopped. If you choose to punish instead, you’ve just ruined your dog’s polite pickup manners and it’ll take a long time to earn your dog’s trust again.

Better yet, instead of chasing your dog, check out tips on teaching your dog to come back to you. 🙂

Practice Outside

Once your dog happily stands still while you pick him up indoors, it’s time to practice outdoors–on leash, of course. If your dog is hesitant to allow you to pick him up, try squatting next to him instead of looming over him.

If your dog still ignores you, I recommend using better treats. If you’re holding a decadent cupcake, you better believe I’ll walk through traffic to get to you. 🙂

Treats Are Not Forever

Treats paired with a clicker help teach your dog new behaviors. Once your dog happily allows you to pick him up nine out of 10 times, it’s time to wean your dog from treats. Do know if your dog goes back to his scampering ways, it’s time to bring the goodies back out and practice some more.

VIDEO: My Dog Won’t Allow Me To Pick Him Up

https://youtu.be/iFeoU9NzIgM

The Difference Between AKC, UKC and CKC

May 22, 2015 by Fanna Easter

AKC, UKC and CKC: What’s the Difference?

By far, this is the most asked question from pet parents searching for a purebred dog or puppy in the U.S. They’re looking for a reputable place to begin their research and choose a breeder. Understand, clubs set standards for events (shows or obedience trails) and keep track of puppy registration paperwork. That’s it. Not all breed registration clubs are alike. You will be shocked.

Good Breeder Checklist

Before discussing purebred dog registration clubs, it’s extremely important to understand the difference between dog breeders. They’re not all the same. A reputable (good) breeder will:

Be a member of a national breed-specific club.
Health test all parents, grandparents and great grandparents.
Show their dogs in conformation (dog shows prove parents fit the breed standard).
Keep puppies until 8-10 weeks of age (leaving the mother earlier will cause behavior problems down the road).
Vaccinate puppies before placing (vaccinations and deworming).
Provide a contract with a lifetime guarantee for inheritable health conditions.
Provide documentation on health testing of parents, grandparents and so forth. Don’t accept verbal promises. Ask for health testing certificates.
Take back a puppy or dog regardless of the issue.
Microchip or tattoo the puppy or dog to identify before placing in a new home.
Provide constant support and information about socialization, feeding, caring for and any other questions for the puppy’s or dog’s entire life.

If someone doesn’t meet the above requirements, keep looking and don’t let price spook you. If you forgo health tested parents, you’ll end up paying for it down the road with health problems. I see it every day.

American Kennel Club (AKC)

In my opinion, this is the best place to start your research, but tread carefully, as all is not what it seems. AKC registration doesn’t guarantee a mentally and physically sound puppy or dog. It just means the sire (father) and dam (mother) are AKC registered. Paperwork is meaningless unless a breeder is committed to bettering her breed by following the above requirements.

National Breed Clubs – Start Here

AKC is the mother ship of breed-specific parent clubs so, basically, each breed-specific club is its own entity. National breed clubs are the heartbeat of any puppy registration kennel club. It ensures healthy and sound dogs.

As an example, American Rottweiler Club (ARC) sets the national breed standard (describing how the ideal Rottweiler should behave and look like) with experienced Rottweiler breeders and club members. Now, ARC reports to AKC, which keeps track and enforces breed standards through dog shows and so forth. While it seems completed, it really isn’t and it’s a good thing seasoned Rottie owners make these decisions. Think of these experts as the boots on the ground for a specific breed.

Click here and search for your breed of dog, then click “more” and learn more about the breed, such as breed standard and breed club. Now, click on “National Breed Club” to locate and interview breeders listed. These are the good folks. 🙂

But Don’t Be Fooled

Many pet owners fall into the black hole of “AKC’s Online Breeder Classifieds” on AKC’s website so click carefully and don’t be swooned by glamorous promises or wording. If you’re browsing through it now, notice how many breeders skip over or leave sections of the Breeder’s Profile blank? Yup, do not buy puppies or dogs from these folks.

United Kennel Club (UKC)

The United Kennel Club is a good place to search too. They are larger and recognize more breeds than AKC, however, they’re not as popular. UKC does a nice job hosting events (e.g. dog shows, obedience trails and so forth) since they focus on conformation and working titles.

National Parent Clubs – Start Here

Just like AKC, they have parent clubs, which create breed standards, which is the perfect place to locate a reputable breeder. Just don’t forget to follow the above guidelines.

Click here to locate a national breed club and learn more about your chosen breed. When browsing on the breed club’s website, search for breeders, begin locating and interview them. These are the good folks, but they must offer the above guidelines.

Don’t Be Fooled

When searching under “Dog Finder” and “Breeder List,” be careful of false promises and fancy wording. Now, each classified lists services, event participation and health screenings, which is a good thing, but ask for documentation before exchanging money.

Continental Kennel Club (CKC)

Continental Kennel Club is a newer puppy registration club, which registers all dogs regardless if pure or mixed breed. Don’t get this club confused with Canadian Kennel Club, also known as CKC. They are totally different. CKC is a tough place to narrow down reputable breeders–it’s equivalent to finding a teeny tiny needle in 20 acres of piled up hay.

No Quality Control

AKC and UKC have field personnel inspecting breeders unannounced to ensure registered dogs are indeed purebred and kept in clean and sanitary environments. CKC does not offer this type of quality control so it’s bad luck on your puppy’s heritage (which helps with health issues later in life) and temperament.

No National Parent Clubs

No national parent club means there aren’t experienced members (breeders) to create a breed standard (which ensures Rottweilers look like Rottweilers) or identify or require health testing–yikes! Also, no breed standard means no temperament requirements, which as a dog trainer, scares me to death. Anyone can breed anything he wants. There are no restrictions.

Classified Ads

There are lots of pictures and promises of beauty, wonderful temperament, no health issues in their line (every bloodline has health issues!), limited health guarantee (um, they should have a contract for life) and cheap prices–very alluring for a novice pet owner. Don’t forget, a reputable breeder will follow the above guidelines so you better lace up your running shoes. This is a difficult place to find a good breeder.

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Importance of Canine Health Testing

May 18, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Health Testing Dogs

Yes, It’s That Important

That’s it, I’m taking a stand. I’m tired of seeing dogs affected with crippling and life-shortening inheritable diseases that can be prevented by health testing parents of puppies. I’m also tired of hearing some dog breeders say, “I don’t health test because I don’t have diseases in my lines.” Bologna!

I’ll explain why dog health testing is so important. Official forms are considered acceptable proof that a dog was health tested and had passed.

A Bit About Health Testing

If someone says his breeding lines are free of inheritable disease, he’s lying. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. People will lie to make money. Plus, dogs are so stoic and resilient. They seldom show diseases unless it’s really bad. The only way to know if a dog is free from an inheritable disease is to test for it. If a dog is not health tested, assume a dog has an inheritable disease. It’s that common among dogs.

The only way to know if a dog is free from inheritable diseases is by testing for them.

Why Health Test Dogs?

Just like people, dogs contain genes that turn on or off specific traits. If a dog is not health tested and carries inheritable disease genes, there’s a chance greater than 50 percent these genes will be passed onto your puppy (using a Punnett Square). If both parents are not health tested, there’s a 75% or higher chance–this is scary stuff.

By health testing parents, grandparents and great grandparents, you’re decreasing the likelihood of your puppy developing preventable diseases. And trust me, inheritable diseases are ugly. It can cripple puppies and young dogs, and significantly shorten their lives. Now, there is a slight chance puppies can develop diseases even if parents are health tested, but it’s usually a mild case and can be managed without expensive surgeries.

Inheritable Diseases are Common

I’ve seen young dogs (under a year old) die of cardiac arrest while playing in the yard. Dogs lose one or both eyes due to an inheritable eye disease. Dogs can even bleed out and die within hours due to inheritable blood disorders. Yes, folks, it’s that serious. I’m not exaggerating one bit. If you don’t believe me, join a few Facebook groups of dog owners supporting each other through $5,000 surgeries and, worse yet, loss of a beloved dog, which could have been prevented.

To find a list of inheritable disease testing requirements for your specific breed, check out OFA’s database.

Ask for Documentation–Don’t Trust Verbal Promises

If a dog is free of an inheritable disease, Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) can verify by issuing a registration number and certificate stating the outcome. Each certificate has the dog’s registered name, owner’s name, microchip or tattoo number and additional information about the dog. If a dog fails, OFA will still issue paperwork stating the dog didn’t pass and is affected with inheritable disease.

Better yet, view a dog’s OFA health testing results here. All you need is the dog’s registered name and search from there. Don’t trust verbal promises. Ask for documentation from the breeder. They can email you copies of OFA certificates for both parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Check documents closely. Now, some unethical breeders play nasty games by showing you dog OFA certificates. However, these dogs are not the parents of your puppy. Yes, it happens more than you can imagine. These folks know how to deceive informed pet parents. The only way you can ensure this doesn’t happen is by locating a reputable breeder using recommended guidelines and ask for references from past puppy buyers.

What is Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA)?

OFA is a non-profit organization, which sets standards and perimeters for health testing dogs. They collect and share testing results in an effort to decrease inheritable diseases in dogs. Yes, they are the authority for canine health testing and dogs are only considered free of these diseases if they’ve met OFA standards.

Local veterinarians complete most exams and fluid collections. However, vets must ensure these samples meet or exceed standards provided by OFA. If so, a vet signs and mails official OFA documents, then a registration number and certificate are issued. Local vets, on the other hand, capture X-rays and send films to OFA, which are evaluated by orthopedic specialists to determine presence of disease.

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Dog Barks When People Approach Crate

April 10, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Dog Barking in Crate

This can be scary for both people and dogs. As with any dog behavior, the more it’s practiced, the stronger it becomes so let’s teach your dog that quiet behavior and guests bring goodies!

How to Keep a Dog Quiet in Her Crate

Provide a Food Stuffed Toy

Give your dog something else to do in her crate. Provide a food stuffed toy when someone arrives at your door. When the doorbell rings, which usually produces a barking explosion, give her a stuffed toy, then answer the door. By pairing a yummy treat with guests arriving, she’ll learn guests mean cream cheese stuffed toys!

Put Up Visual Barriers

If your dog is afraid of people, provide visual barriers along three sides of her crate. Blocking your dog’s view will usually stop barking. If dog barking in crate continues, try placing your dog’s crate in a room further away from the front door and living room, and play soft music to drown out voices. Don’t forget to give her a food stuffed toy to keep her busy.

Dogs bark for many reasons. Most are excited and others are nervous so determine the reasons why your dog barks. Check out this offensive aggression article for suggestions. If your dog is scared and she can’t get away, she’ll do what it takes to scare someone away.

Play the Toll Game

If your dog is overly excited when guests come over, play the toll game. Dogs can’t bark when eating treats–well 99 percent of them can’t. 🙂 So your dog learns to be quiet and anticipates your guests walking over and giving treats.

Give your guest a small bowl of tiny yummy treats.
Ask your guest to walk past your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside. Ask him to repeat three or four times.
Now, raise your criteria. Ask your guest to stand near your dog’s crate and toss a treat inside when your dog stops barking. Practice for one minute, then give your guest and dog a break. Pop into another room and enjoy your guest.
Before your guest leaves, ask him to pay the toll again. 🙂

If your dog becomes too excited and explodes into barking, ask your guest to leave the room. Once your dog is quiet again, your guest can pop in and give your dog a handful of treats. Don’t forget to practice with several different guests. I usually ask each guest to spend two or three minutes playing the toll game upon arrival.

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Teaching Your Dog the “Go to Place” Cue

March 4, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Training a Dog “Place”

When teaching dogs a “place” cue, you’re teaching them to place or target their bodies onto an object, such as a mat. There are so many uses for “place.” Here are just a couple of them:

Lying on a mat teaches young dogs how to settle down.
Great place for your dog to relax during family meals or when guests visit.

How to Teach a Dog “Place” Cue

You’ll need lots of tiny and yummy treats plus a clicker. If your dog is new to clicker training, I suggest attaching a six-foot leash to his collar. This keeps him with you until he learns the meaning of a clicker.

Choose a non-skid and comfy mat that hasn’t been used before as you’ll pick it up after each training session. The reason you pick up the mat after each training session is to ensure your dog is not practicing when you’re not around to reward his behavior. Good mats include yoga mats, bathroom rugs and small area rugs. About two-thirds of your dog’s body should fit on the mat.

Once “place” is on cue, meaning your dog will walk over and stand on the mat when given the cue, then you can transfer it to his bed.

Step 1: Teaching a Dog to Walk Over to Mat

Goals: 1) Dog walks toward the mat. 2) Dog places one foot on the mat.

Place mat in front of your feet and stand still. Look down at the mat and say nothing. Refrain from pointing at the mat. We want your dog or puppy to think here.
More than likely, your dog will either sit or stare at you, as he’s learned sitting usually works for treats. Don’t say anything. Just wait for your dog to touch the mat with one foot.
As his foot touches the mat, click and reset your dog.
After the training session, pick up the mat and store in a shelf.
Continue to click and treat for one foot touching the mat, and practice short sessions (five times in a row) for one to two days.

Goal: Dog places two feet on the mat.

Place mat on the ground in front of your feet.
Now wait for your dog to touch two feet on the mat. This means wait a second or two as your dog places both feet on the mat, then click and treat.
Reset and try again.
Practice short sessions (five times in a row) for one to two days.
Don’t forget to pick up the mat after each session.

Step Two: Keep Feet on Mat Longer

Goal: Dog keeps paws on mat longer (duration aka time).

Place mat down in front of your feet.
Once your dog touches the mat with his feet, wait one second before clicking and treating. To keep track of one second, say “one Mississippi” to yourself–that’s one second.
Reset and try again.
After five sessions, pick up the mat and practice again later. Continue to practice for a day or two.

Step Three: Add “Place” Cue

Goal: Dog walks over and puts feet on mat when given “place” cue.

As you drop mat down in front of your feet, say “place.”
Click and treat when he touches his one or two paws on the mat. Since you’re adding a cue, don’t worry about duration. This will come later.
The moment your dog turns back and looks at you, say “place.” You’re pairing the word “place” with “walk over and touch mat” behavior so make sure he’s looking at you and not distracted by looking for fallen treats. You want his full attention before saying the cue.
Keep practicing. You may notice after a few successful attempts, he may sit in front of the mat instead of touching it. He’s trying different things out. 🙂 Wait for him to touch the mat with his paw. It may take a one or two seconds, but it’s worth it. He’s thinking!
Pick up the mat.
Keep sessions short and practice for a few days.
Move to the last step once your dog will walk over and stand on mat when given “place” cue.

Last Step: Transfer “Place” Cue to Bed

As you’re placing your dog’s bed down in front of your feet, say “place.”
Practice several times using his bed in place of the mat.

READ ALSO: Keep Dog Training Sessions Short

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