We spend much of our time earning what is necessary for survival; food, shelter and clothing and if we’re lucky, the little extras. We go to work and perform our daily duties and in return earn a paycheck  to pay for the necessities. Thinking and problem solving  at work exercises our minds and by the end of the day, has proved to be tiring. Take for instance, being in a meeting for a day; while physical exertion does not play a part in the equation, by the end of the day we can be just as exhausted from thinking.

Why not have our dogs working and thinking for their food? There are several ways to have your dog earn their own paycheck; one of the ways are interactive, food dispensing toys, they are great ways to feed your dog as they have to think about what gets them the food and can entertain them for hours. A proven sturdy favorite in my household is the Tug-A-Jug. The bottom of the toy unscrews which allows you to easily load it with food at mealtime and then the game begins. The dogs quickly figure out which end the food comes from but the most challenging part is how to manipulate the rope toy to dispense the food. This has kept my dogs busy for hours, which is an added bonus after a long day of work.

There are also some good choices for the dog that looses interest easily; such as the Twist and Treat. What makes this toy unique is that you can control the level of difficulty by adjusting the size of the gap in which the food is dispensed. It can also accommodate dry food or treats and even peanut butter.

Many dogs need more mental stimulation than is being provided on a daily basis, and it is equally as important as physical exercise.  So whether you are having a short training session before mealtime, or using interactive toys, or doing something else, having your dog work at meal time may be your missing link!

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I’m sure we can all recall the first day of a new job, walking in the door for the first time, butterflies in tow.  We start out knowing what the title is and a vague description of what the position entails.  In most cases, there is a training program intact to educate the new employee on how things are run and the protocols that need to be followed to make the work place more efficient. There is often a superior to whom we directly interact with and receive guidance.

After a few days or weeks, we know the rules and have much of the information needed to perform our new job. We then begin to feel more comfortable and confident in our position and know what is expected of us. We may have questions along the way but know exactly where to go for the answers that we seek; our superior in charge. The guessing game is over and the nervous butterflies go away.  It is at that time we can begin to to thrive in our new environment in which we spend most of our time.

Now, imagine starting that same new job that did not have a training program in place; there is little to no supervision and no rules to abide by.  We would be left to guess what our responsibilities are on a daily basis with no one to help guide us  and educate us on our new position. We may be reprimanded for taking the wrong course of action,  all the while never being taught what it is that we were to do in the first place. The workplace would be one big guessing game of never really knowing what exactly the job responsibilities are and how to perform them properly and efficiently.

How can we as humans begin to thrive in that type of environment? How can we learn in an environment  such as this, when we go to work everyday worried and nervous that we will do something wrong yet never really getting the answers we need to make it right, when will the butterflies go away? How would we ever gain the ability to feel confident and comfortable in that type of environment and flourish in the workplace? How can we expect our dogs to?

Imagine living the rest of your life like the first day at a new job.  If you can relate to this, consider checking out a professional dog trainer in Austin or your area.

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Fear is a normal emotion that engages dogs to respond to what they perceive as a threat.  Some of these things can be certain people, other dogs, unusual looking items, as well as many other normal things in their lives. So why are dogs afraid of certain people and things?  Below are just a few reasons…

Re-enforcement of fearful behavior: As mentioned in another post, What Exactly is a Reward All About, affection and attention in the canine world are forms of reward just as food is. When we visit dogs who have fear issues and watch very closely what is going on, the fearful response is often being rewarded by praise.  Of course the owners of these dogs are not trying to intentionally make their dogs more fearful, by we have to remember to that dogs need Training Through the Dog’s Mentality, not ours.  Knowing what to do when your dog is showing signs of fear is crucial so that you do not reward the behavior.

Lack of Exposure: In most cases, you only get one chance to expose and socialize your puppy.  We say this all the time, “You can teach your dog to come and stay at any time, but you can’t go back in time and socialize your puppy.” This is where the socialization process comes in and should be started well before the age of about 17 weeks. The more places, people, and other well socialized dogs you can expose your dog to the better.  Many dog to dog aggression issues are based in fear due to improper socialization or a bad experience and in turn they become defensive or learn an inappropriate behavior.

Underlying Medical Conditions: If you have a middle aged dog who is just showing signs of increase fearful or aggressive behaviors, underlying medical conditions may be happening.  Hyperthyroidism, neck and back discomfort, joint issues, are just a few potential causes of fearful behavior in dogs.  Make sure you consult with your vet if nothing else, just to rule some of these things out.

Whatever the cause of your dog’s fears, make sure that you are doing something to help better the situation.  If you are not sure what you are looking at or how to rehab your dog, contact a professional dog trainer for help.

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Since everyone has last seen Hank, he has been working very hard and learning a lot of new skills.  He continues to make a lot of progress each day, and we are very pleased with how Hank is progressing in our dog training program.  Here is Hank’s latest video.

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Here is a short video review we put together highlighting the Jawz frisbees, and the Jawz disc dog training video, which is currently on sale in our Proshop. Enjoy the video.

Click here to check out the small Jawz discs and regular sized Jawz disc.  Also, dont forget that the disc dog training dvd combo sets are on sale for the next few weeks.  Check out the regular sized training combo, as well as the pup disc combo pack. Just remember to enter “disccombo” during check out to save 10% on the training dvds.

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Here is Hank’s latest training video, enjoy!

As you can see, Hank is doing such a great job.  He also seems to have a small cult following of clients and subscribers from all over the county.  Every body loves Hank!

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Hank has been working very hard over the past few days, and he is doing great.  Several emails and client requests have come in asking about Hank’s next video!  As requested, here is Hank!

Check back soon for more of Hank’s adventures in dog training with Unleashed Unlimited.

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Hank is a lab puppy that is going to be staying with us while we teach him some obedience and manners.  Hank just started his training with us yesterday, take a look at some of the things he is learning.

Check back soon for more of Hank’s adventures in dog training with Unleashed Unlimited.

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Here is a short video highlighting some of the St. Patrick’s Day inspired Dublin Dog Collars.

For a link to all of the on sale Dublin Dog Collars, please click here.

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This morning we went on our monthly hike at Walnut Creek here in Austin.  As a dog trainer I get a lot of satisfaction in my job, and today was no exception.  It is great to see these dogs running, swimming, getting muddy, and tired out – you know, things that dogs should be doing!  Click here for a full photo recap of the trail class.

All of this was possible because our clients had total control over their dogs, resulting in more fun and freedom.  If you are not having as much fun with your dogs as we are, contact an Austin Dog Trainer and START HAVING FUN WITH YOUR DOG!

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