Calming A Hyper Dog With A Thundershirt

October 6, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Thundershirt for Hyper Dogs — I need a Thundershirt!

Thundershirt for Dogs

Does your dog have tons of energy? You know what I mean: he bounces off the walls and sometimes off you too! Well, we recommend a product that can calm your hyper dog. Meet the Thundershirt.

Thundershirts for Excited Dogs, Really?

Yes! While Thundershirts for dogs do a great job at calming dogs afraid of storms, they’re fabulous for easily excited or hyper dogs as well. When wrapped correctly, Thundershirts press on acupressure points, which promotes calmness and soothes excited dogs. Think of a swaddled baby when crying. If you swaddle him correctly, it’s very soothing and he usually stops crying and falls asleep.

Of course, Thundershirts for dogs shouldn’t replace daily walks, food puzzles and family interactions. They’re simply a tool that teaches your dog how to calm himself down. It’s fun when adrenaline is pushing through your body, so it’s pretty important to teach our dogs how to bring themselves down and self-soothe.

WATCH: Thundershirt for Dogs

Teaching Your Dog to Wear a Thundershirt

Give your dog yummy treats as he sniffs the Thundershirt.
As you’re putting on the shirt, give him a finger full of peanut butter, as you know it takes awhile for dogs to remove peanut butter from the roof of their mouths.
Give your dog a yummy food stuffed toy when he’s wearing his Thundershirt, so he learns Thundershirt equals yummy food toy.
Follow the fitting instructions correctly. You don’t want it too loose or too tight.

If You’re New to Thundershirts

There seems to be many opinions about the effectiveness of Thundershirts for dogs. As a professional dog trainer of 22 years, they work. As with anything, they must:

Be introduced to the dog positively, so he enjoys wearing them
Fit properly

Now, nothing works 100% for all dogs, but in my classes, we have an 80% success rate with Thundershirts. Once your dog understands the process, you can keep the Thundershirt around for stressful events, such as traveling, visiting the vet, guests visiting or moving to a new home.

Lastly, I wish they made Thundershirts for people. I’d buy one!

What are your thoughts on Thundershirts for dogs? Comment in the section below!

Kong Wobbler

October 2, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Games for Dogs

Does your dog or puppy have a ton of energy? First, this is totally normal. Second, learn how to burn some of that extra energy using games for dogs. I highly recommend a Kong Wobbler!

How does it work?

Kong Wobbler has a weighted bottom and it moves similar to a Weeble Wobble. When pushed, it bounces back forward. Your dog pushes, nudges and paws at the Wobbler and rewarded when food is dispensed!

Which game should I choose for my dog?

There are a ton of games and food puzzles, and I’ve tried 90% of them. After all the setting up and testing, my dogs really like the Kong Wobbler. It’s super easy to use. I like the ease of refilling and cleaning. 🙂

Before starting, set your dog up for success and make it easy for him to earn the kibble.

Fill the Wobbler.
Drop a few kibble pieces next to the Wobbler.
Move the Wobbler around so your dog watches kibble or treats fall out the opening.

Always supervise your dog when he’s playing with the Wobbler. As you can see in the video, my Rottie has tried to chew the top. I recommend feeding your dog’s morning and evening meals using the Wobbler. Also, the plastic does not scratch wooden floors nor is it excessively noisy, which is a huge plus.

Which size Kong Wobbler should you choose?

I recommend the larger Kong Wobbler for dogs over 30 pounds, and the smaller version for dogs under 30 pounds. When in doubt, choose a larger size, as small dogs are powerful chewers (hint hint, terriers!). Now, a tiny Chihuahua or Yorkie will not have the strength to push a large Wobbler around. They are pretty heavy and we certainly don’t want to accidentally squish a tiny dog. 🙂

VIDEO: Kong Wobbler

It’s your turn. Does your dog love his Kong Wobbler? Comment in the section below. I want to hear from you. 🙂

Top 5 Tips for Training Rescue Dogs

October 1, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Five Things You Need to Know About Rescuing a Dog

These five professional dog trainer tips are important when you bring home a rescue dog as you’ll need to incorporate them into your daily routine quickly. This way your rescue dog learns polite behaviors immediately. Plus, spending time with your new dog will build a strong bond of trust so start training now.

Enroll in a Dog Training Class

Completing a dog training class within two weeks of adoption will build a bond between you and your rescue dog. Your new pooch will learn polite manners while earning luscious treats, which means they will love you even more!
Choose a dog trainer that uses positive reinforcement. This means no yelling, pushing, yanking or pulling your puppy around. During classes, choose treats your dog loves!

Reward Good Behavior

When your rescue dog behaves as expected reward him with treats. Positive rewards are a great way to reinforce the desired behavior of your dog. Rewards can include a game of tug or snuggle time. It’s a great idea to keep a bowl of treats nearby for quick rewards. You can reward your rescue dog for things, such as: going potty outside, laying quietly at your feet, not barking, sitting when putting on his leash and coming when called.

Crate Training

This is your rescue dog’s sanctuary. He is safe and can relax so make it fun and rewarding to be in his crate. Feed your dog meals in his crate and provide special food stuffed toys for him to enjoy while he relaxes in his crate.

Come When Called

Teach your rescue dog that it’s fun to come back to you! While a rescue dog may have learned this behavior, it’s vital he learns to come back to you specifically. He’s still adjusting to his new home.
Use the ER Recall: Stand still, squat down and say “Puppy Puppy Puppy” using a high-pitched sound. Dogs really respond to high-pitched rapid repeating sounds. Have a party when your dog returns to you. Give him 5 treats and do the Happy Dance (always make it a big deal). You need to be much more interesting than the squirrel outside.

Engage in Daily Mental Stimulation

This is just as important as physical exercise.

Walk your rescue dog on leash for 30 minutes per day. Allow him plenty of sniffing opportunities. This is equivalent to reading his Facebook page. By sniffing, he is reading “posts” and may answer “posts” back. The more often you take your dog for a walk, the less likely he is to have an accident in the house.
Feed your dog meals using interactive toys. Pour his kibble into a food dispensing toy so that he needs to push or paw the toy to dispense his food — it’s like solving puzzles. Meals times are 20 minutes long instead of 30 seconds, and your dog will be tired afterwards.

Bark back. I want to hear back from you! How have these tips helped your rescue dog acclimate to your household?

READ ALSO: Adopting a Rescue Dog

Best Dog Books for Fearful Dogs

October 1, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Best Books to Help Your Fearful Dog

Fearful Dog Training Book — ArenaCreative/Deposit Photos

Fearful dogs are usually reactive. They bark, lunge, run away from dogs and people, and live in a constant state of anxiety. If your dog is fearful, I recommend:

Enrolling your dog in a Relaxed Rover training class.
Reading dog training books focused on fearful dogs.

Dog training classes like the Relaxed Rover class is generally limited to five enrollees for each class. These dog training classes are focused on decreasing your dog’s fear and anxiety. By building confidence and teaching your dog how to calm himself, you’ll make your dog less fearful.

RELATED: How to Train Fearful Dogs

Every dog in class is reactive, so the dog owners are in the same boat as you. By the end of a five- to six-week course, your dog will learn how to look at other dogs without reacting and be much more relaxed. You’ll also learn how to deal with approaching dogs during walks and so much more.

Below, I’ve recommended a few books that can help your fearful dog. They’re straight to the point, easy to read, very effective and they echo skills learned in the Relaxed Rover class environment. While these books will certainly move you in the right direction, I still recommend a session with a dog trainer. All dogs are different, so these book recommendations may need to be tweaked a bit.

Best Reactive Dog Training Book

“Feisty Fido – Help for the Leash Reactive Dog, 2nd Edition”
by Patricia McConnell and Karen London

This dog training book shows you how to complete an ER U-turn when other dogs approach. It also teaches you skills to move away quickly while keeping your dog calm. This is a booklet so it’s super easy to read, but packed full of great tips.

Best Book for Fearful Dogs

Both books target fearful dogs that are afraid of many things. Usually, these dogs will shrink away, react to loud sounds or live in general anxiety. Now, most fearful dogs will react to other dogs so I do recommend reading “Feisty Fido” by Dr. McConnell listed above as well.

“Cautious Canine – How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears, 2nd Edition”
by Patricia McConnell

“Cautious Canine” is a quick read booklet packed with invaluable information on how to manage and deal with your dog’s fear. There are also excellent tips on conquering their fear. A must-read book. 🙂

“Help for Your Fearful Dog – A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears ”
by Nicole Wilde

“Help for Your Fearful Dog” by Nicole Wilde is a step-by-step guide, as mentioned in the title, for people who need specific steps to complete. Wilde also explains what causes your dog to be fearful in greater detail than “Cautious Canine.”

I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on these recommended dog training books?

READ ALSO: How to Train Fearful Dogs

3 Dog Obedience Training Styles

September 29, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Different Dog Trainers

Let’s chat about three different dog trainers and their preferred dog obedience training styles. I will include my training style too and, I will admit, I feel a bit intimidated comparing my training style to both of these pioneers in dog training. So, here it goes!

Dog Trainer: Karen Pryor

Karen was instrumental in educating the dog obedience world about clicker training, as she was a dolphin trainer. Not only did Karen Pryor bring clicker training to the masses, she was also the driving force behind scientific research on training new behaviors. Clicker training means to mark a behavior with a click. The click means two things: I like what you did and you earned a treat. Karen does not use food to lure a dog into a behavior. She is more hands-off and will shape (reward small steps toward a final behavior like teaching a dog to walk politely on leash) and capture (click and treat when a finished behavior is offered like a dog laying down). The absence of a click means the dog did not perform the behavior correctly. Dogs quickly learn to work for the click.

Dog Trainer: Zak George

Zak George has taken social media by storm with his dog training videos on YouTube. Also, Zak has starred on SuperFetch, which airs on Animal Planet and CBBC’s “Who Let the Dogs Out.” He shows no signs of stopping, appearing on numerous prime time TV shows, getting the message out that positive reinforcement dog training methods work! His energy is fabulous, and his videos are on point so pop in and watch his YouTube channel at Zak George’s Dog Training Evolution!

Dog Trainer: Fanna Easter

About 90% of the time, while teaching classes, I recommend a clicker to mark behaviors, as dogs learn so fast using this method. I do use lures mostly when instructing pet parents how to teach their dogs to lie down as a first step to loose leash walking or when a dog becomes confused. When training my dogs, I use a clicker 99.9% of the time. When teaching people how to train their dogs, I find people will move and fiddle around when they become stressed so I recommend food lures to redirect their nervous energy. Having a dog follow a food lure will redirect the dog (decreasing the dog’s stress) while providing a moving outlet, decreasing the pet owner’s stress — a win-win! Once the fiddling around stress has successfully stopped, we go back to using the clicker.

Tell us about your dog obedience training style in the comment section below!

READ ALSO: Dog Obedience Training