Musings on training a young horse…

With the warmer temperatures and longer days, thoughts of training my young horse is foremost in my mind. As it has been awhile since the last time I trained a horse, I picked up a copy of Laurie Truskauskas’ book, Training the Two-Year-Old Colt. Vague memories resurface as I thumb through the various chapters, as it’s been roughly 20 years since I trained my mare. As I read, I am impressed with Laurie’s knowledge as well as her ability to write in a clear manner that easily conveys her training techniques.

This book will be very handy while I train my gelding. I am going to take a marker and highlight the more important points, such as “Give Consistent Aids,” “Time Your Corrections,” “Signal Lightly,” and “Treat Him Fairly.”

Reading through the chapters on longeing, saddling and bridling is an excellent refresher. Although I remember the basics, it will be handy to have this book to refer to as I am beginning to work my horse, and to establish a step-by-step plan. Hopefully, my youngster won’t be real spooky, but it’s nice to be able to read her advice on how to handle spooky horses.

There is excellent advice on training the different commands that he should know well before being ridden. I will definitely be training the “stand” command, as well as putting much more emphasis on the “whoa” command. The “whoa” command is discussed several times, from leading as a foal, longing, ground driving and, finally, riding. There is a whole chapter on mounting and dismounting which makes me feel more confident, as I am a little apprehensive of the first few mounts and dismounts. I also recognize the value of consistently kissing and clucking for the trot and lope commands, as the horse will more easily understand what you are asking when you are on his back.

I never realized that when I was working with flexing at the poll, I should have also been using my legs to drive the horse into the bit. As I skim through the first few paragraphs under the section “Riding the Colt,” I learn that while you are asking him to give to the bit, you also need to push him into the bridle with your legs so he can round his back and travel in a frame. This in turn helps him to collect, carry himself well, and be physically prepared for any move that you ask of him.

There are a lot of tidbits of excellent, useful information, as well as straight-forward training techniques that I enjoyed reading and will refer to as I begin another journey to prepare my colt to be a trusted trail mount. With Training the Two-Year-Old Colt open to whatever training step I am on, I will have a better, more confidant and enjoyable mount. As Laurie says at the end of her book, “A horse that moves willingly to wherever you want with no resentment is a pleasure to ride. Start your colts right, talk to them in a language that they can understand, and enjoy the time that you spend together.”

If you would like to read more about this wonderful book, go to Training the Two Year Old Colt.

Yeah, Obama for Getting a Dog from a Breeder!

Hearing that the new White House pet is going to come from a reputable breeder made my day! There are many reasons why this puppy is a wise choice:
1) The Obama’s wanted a dog that wouldn’t aggravate their daughter’s allergies. Had they selected a rescue dog of mixed heritage there would be less assurance of the non-allergenic coat properties. The chance of locating a young purebred Portuguese Water Dog from rescue was slim unless someone intentionally donated one for the President.
2) “Bo” has been properly socialized and trained from birth, insuring
that the White House dog will be well adapted for it’s new lifestyle.
3) Many rescue dogs are placed in rescue because of behavioral problems.
While they can be rehabilitated, it takes a lot of time and effort and, with
inexperienced new owners, those problems can resurface at a later date.
4) Responsible breeders like the one who bred this pup know about critical periods and what type of training and socialization is needed at what time period. In contrast, many rescued dogs weren’t properly handled or socialized at all as puppies.
5) Choosing a dog from known parentage gives the new owner a better idea of what their puppy’s temperament and health will be as an adult.
6) They chose a puppy on the referral of another Portuguese Water Dog fancier who has had experience with the breed—another excellent decision.
7) The puppy is young enough to adapt but old enough to have had some
basic training already, another very wise choice.

Rescuing dogs is admirable, and certainly needed. But thinking that a rescue dog is the only or always the best choice is absurd. For example, I recently spoke with a trainer who told me this: “In the past I worked mostly with young puppies who came from purebred breeders, and my classes focused on training basic manners and obedience. There were few serious behavior problems, and most of the dogs graduated into well behaved pets, some of whom went on to compete in obedience or other events. Today most of my clients have rescue dogs, and most of the dogs have serious behavior problems. I have had to completely change my class curriculum and find new ways to handle problem dogs. Instead of teaching obedience and manners, my beginning classes now have to deal with overcoming aggression, excessive shyness, inability to control the dog, housebreaking and bonding problems.”
Yes, purebred dogs from breeders have problems, too, but the incidence is less because breeders know how to socialize, they start bonding and training way before weaning age, most pups are raised in the house where they have a great deal of exposure to various people, surfaces, sights and sounds before going to a new home. It is not true that most breeders raise puppies in a barn or kennel and never touch them. Most serious breeders of purebred dogs handle their puppies from day one, and they know how to handle them and what to expose them to at what ages.
There is a science to raising well adjusted puppies. And the puppies are loved, they get premium feed, the right vitamins and minerals, they are kept clean and parasite free. Pups that end up in rescue may have had no medical care, only the cheapest of food, and no or almost no handling. They were probably taken in off the street, or from a puppy mill where the dogs were seized by authorities.
If you want to give one of these puppies or dogs a home, more power to you. But be prepared to spend time and money overcoming health and behavioral problems, do not go to a rescue expecting even a purebred dog pup to grow up looking or acting typical of a well bred, well socialized specimen of the breed. They may forever have issues; they may be of such poor quality they won’t look like a purebred even if they are; they may end up with serious health problems that result from improper care or poor breeding. Neither is it true that crossbred have fewer health problems. Instead of inheriting the genetic problems from one breed, they may carry genetic defects from two or more lines. They may have structural or conformation problems resulting in unsoundness that comes from crossing two very different types of dogs. Purebreds were developed over centuries and the defective dogs culled from the line. Today we cross pug nosed dogs with long nosed poodles, or dachshunds with hounds. The tremendous difference in type, structure, and purpose can create major structural problems.
I’m well aware that purebred dogs and purebred dog breeders have their problems and issues, too. But the trend to go overboard and try to make people think that the only way to get a pet is to “rescue” one is pure bunk and comes straight from the animal rights movement, which really intends that no one should be allowed to own a pet at all. Think about that seriously, dog lovers!

Handling the Livestock Guarding Puppy

Livestock guarding dogs today often serve a dual purpose as family dog or all purpose farm dog as well as the guardian of sheep, goats, ducks, emus, llamas, or other small livestock. Most guarding dog breeds originated in Europe where they were used to protect sheep from predators like wolves, coyotes or wild cats.
According to Orysia Dawydiak and David Sims, co-authors of LIVESTOCK PROTECTION DOGS: SELECTION, CARE AND TRAINING, “It was previously believed that pups should not be touched at all lest they bond to the humans and not to the stock. In fact, such dogs can be dangerous if they cannot be handled.” Instead, they advocate developing a relationship with your pup as soon as you bring him home. “Equally as important as the physical comforts of your pup are his emotional needs.” They begin handling puppies with a series of “sensitivity training” exercises which include things like touching the puppy all over, rolling her on her side and praising when she relaxes, putting a finger in her mouth, or lifting her carefully off the ground. They also teach basic manners and take the puppy for car rides.
Rather than placing the puppy in with the stock where he could be injured, they advocate placing him in a pen adjacent to the livestock they will eventually be expected to protect. Provide shelter, toys, food and water and plenty of space for exercise. The advantage to this is that neither the puppy nor the livestock can be injured. Whenever you are doing chores or working near the livestock, let the puppy out so you can supervise him and also protect him from aggressive stock. Puppies that bite or run at the stock must be disciplined immediately, “Be reasonable with the amount of force used to stop bad behavior, but do stop it.”
Dawdiak and Sims explain in detail their cautious, gradual method of transitioning the puppy to be left with the livestock, and how to handle his interactions with the human family at the same time. The puppy must learn to like you and look forward to your visits, but he must eventually bond to the livestock.
Once that happens, you can move on to boundary training, introducing the puppy to other working dogs on the farm, and continued socialization.
Indeed the entire spectrum of choosing, owning, caring for and training a livestock protection dog is covered in the book. The authors discuss the pros, cons and characteristics of many different guarding breeds, helping the reader to better understand the breed they have or make a the right choice with their first dog. Once you have the dog they cover diet, health concerns, behavioral problems and training.
For example, I didn’t know that some guardians will try to protect a new baby lamb from it’s mother, or that bored guarding dogs sometimes “escape” and go wandering where they don’t belong. Perhaps one of the most interesting chapters in the book is “Special Considerations for Unusual Livestock,” which deals with using dogs to protect poultry, ratites, llamas and alpacas. Llamas are very unique in that they are actually used by some sheep and goat farmers to guard their stock. Certain neutered male llamas can be quite aggressive towards strange canines. Due to their size, llamas are not considered as vulnerable as sheep or goats, however there are predators that even the toughest llama cannot deter. These include cougars, grizzlies, wolves and even a determined pack of coyotes. “Coyotes have been known to draw the guard animal away from the flock so the rest of the pack can attack from behind. In areas where tough predators abound, llamas still need canine protection.”
If you are worried about the safety of your livestock or considering whether you should get a guard dog, this book will help you make the decision. If you already have a guarding breed and want to learn more, this book will steer you over the bumps. It really is a “must have” for anyone interest in a working guard dog or anyone who breeds and sells these breeds for working. Livestock Protection Dogs: Selection, Care and Training is available from Alpine Publications, 800-777-7257.

MARCH 13th IS DECLARED K9 VETERANS DAY BY GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA!

Dogs have served in wars since Biblical times. Early artifacts and cave drawings show dogs straining on leashes for an attack or joined in battle. Attilla the Hun used Molosser type dogs, as well as the Talbot, in his campaigns. Frederick the Great and Napoleon used dogs as messengers and sentries. The Spanish used dogs against the Indians of Mexico and Peru. Throughout history, dogs have been used as warriors, sentries, messengers, guards, draft dogs, ambulance dogs and mascots. More recently, they have served as scouts, patrol, explosive detectors and search and rescue. All of these dogs have served selflessly, and deserve the recognition of their loyalty and bravery.

In an interview with Joe White on Marcie Davis’ Working Like Dogs podcast, available at www.petliferadio.com, White talks about his introduction to war dogs when he was serving in Vietnam. He became a handler of a scout dog, Ebony, a black German Shepherd, and served in the 101st ABN. 47th Scout Dogs in the Army. White believes that the military dogs deserve the same recognition that Veterans do, as they have also served to protect this country, and bled and died beside their fellow soldiers. In 2008 Mayor Peyton of Jacksonville, FL, declared March 13th K9 Veterans Day. This date was chosen as it is the day the K9 Corps was officially started by the government during WWII, specifically on March 13, 1942. This is in recognition of all of the military dogs, as well as the dogs that are now being used for the war on terror within our own borders. This year, Florida Governor Charlie Crist has proclaimed March 13th K9 Veterans Day. Dogs such as Customs Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs, Border Patrol Dogs, Police Dogs, Secret Service Dogs, and many more will be included in the recognition.

History of the Iditarod, The Last Great Race

            Every March, sled dog racers and fans alike head to Alaska for the Iditarod race, begun in 1973 in recognition of the 1925 diphtheria serum run. From Anchorage to Nome, this race covers over 1100 miles of harsh, frozen land ranging from mountain passes, thick forests and vast tundra, and tests the endurance of each driver and their dogs. Mushers come from all walks of life, from artists, attorneys, carpenters, fishermen, and guidance counselors, and from many countries, including Canada, Norway, France and Switzerland, all to experience the “last great race.” Each has their own reason for competing, whether for the personal challenge, the connection with the past, or simply for the adventure. Each too, has their own story of why they are there, competing not only against the weather and terrain, but also with themselves.

            Historian Dorothy Page and Joe Redington Sr. worked together to organize the first race in 1967. The Iditarod started as a short, 50 mile race along the Iditarod trail to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the purchase of Alaska from Russia. The first year, an Eskimo from Teller, AK,  Isaac Okleaskik, won. There was insufficient snow to hold a race in 1968, but the second race, held in 1969, was won by George Attla, an Athabascan Indian. Page suggested expanding the race from 50 to 500 miles, from Wasilla to the historic ghost town of Iditarod, but Redington and other friends pointed out that there was nothing for the racers to race to. Why not race from Anchorage to Nome, more than 1,000 miles away? This would give racers a place to race to, and also commemorate the 1925 diphtheria run.

            Redington was also worried about the decline of sled dog use in favor of snow machines and worried that sled dogs would become obsolete. The goal of establishing the Iditarod Sled Dog Race was to encourage sled dog use and to preserve the dog’s role in the history of Alaska. Although many at the time did not see a purpose or need for the Last Great Race, with Redington’s promise of a $50,000 waiting in Nome, thirty-four teams left Anchorage to run a trail no one had used in forty-eight years. Of the twenty-two teams that finished the race that year, Richard Wilmarth finished triumphantly in 20 days, 49 minutes and 41 seconds.

            As stated in Mary H. Hood’s book, A Fan’s Guide to the Iditarod, “In 1992, at age seventy-four, Redington completed his eighteenth Iditarod and announced he planned to pursue other interests. Since then, Redington has led groups of tourists who mush along the trail behind the last of the competitors. Dorothy Page came to the end of her trail in 1989, having seen her local centennial celebration blossom into an international sporting event. Appropriately, her funeral procession was led by dog team. The first running of the Iditarod in 1973 was dedicated to the memory of Leonhard Seppala; the 1990 Iditarod was dedicated to its founding mother, Dorothy Page. In 1991, the spirit of the Iditarod Award, honoring a person who demonstrated the ideals of the Iditarod and whose life and guiding philosophy to preserve that spirit for future generations, was presented to Joe Redington, Sr. Now celebrating its third decade, the Last Great Race is testimonial to the spirit of these “impractical” dreamers.”

            The late Bill Vaudrin, 1975 Iditarod finisher and author of Racing Alaskan Sled Dogs, said that “The Iditarod appeals to everything in me. There’s some parts you’ll never lose about waking up in your sled in the morning hundreds of miles out on the trail, with eight to ten of your favorite dogs staked out around you in the snow for company; rousing yourself up to start a fire, and passing your eyes over all the incredible country stretched out to the horizon in every direction…maybe you pick out a pale green mountain in the distance, and warm your insides with the assurance that before you camp again, you’ll be on the other side of it looking back.”

            All of this and more can be found in Mary H. Hood’s very informative book, A Fan’s Guide to the Iditarod.

           

           

 

 

 

 

African canines provide insight into history of the dog in civilization

 

If you are interested in the history and development of man’s relationship to dog, you cannot overlook the importance of dogs originated or developed on the continent of Africa. This vast continent, home to so many varieties of wildlife, is also host to numerous wild and domestic dogs. Most dog fanciers are familiar with the Basenji and the Pharaoh Hound, but did you know that the Maltese and the Bichon Frisé also have a history in Africa? Or that South Africa is home to numerous pariah dogs such as the Zulu Sicha, the i-Twina, and the I-Bakhu; to hounds such as the Rhodesian Ridgeback, the Tesem, the Sloughi, and many others. From Mesopotamia and the Canary Islands came mastiff types, the Presa Canario, and the massive Boerboel. Author Sian Hall writes about these and more in her encyclopedic work, Dogs of Africa (Alpine Publications, 2003). The book offers a unique perspective to anyone interested in African history and lore, in the development and domestication of canids, in dog behavior, or the role of dogs in society.

“When I began to research this book,” writes Hall, “I realized that to date no comprehensive study had ever been made of the dog in Africa: his origins, his significance, the part that he plays in culture and everyday life.  . . . So interlocked is the history of man, dog and land that they cannot be separated.” Africa, with it’s diversity of climates from desert to rain forest to snow-capped mountains, is host to a number of distinct types of indigenous dogs recognized as different in form and function.

Unfortunately, there is a tendency for western enthusiasts of indigenous breeds to jumble a number of similar types of dog under one umbrella, such as the ‘Africanis,’ or indigenous South African dog. Hall disagrees. “What a pity to trivialize another people’s heritage. Rather let us honor their time-tested development of these types and preserve them for the fascinating creatures that they are without imposing our own western classification systems upon them. Let us not obliterate what took thousands and hundreds of years to create.  . . . And so,” she writes, “take another look at your African breed—a hard look.  . . . Appreciate his unique traits and his ability to survive.” She cites examples such as South African Ridgebacks may only drink at night after having eaten, and the Boerboel is one of the few Mastiffs able to withstand high temperatures. African dogs have endured through harsh natural and human selection. Their gene pool has much to offer, and indigenous dogs have much to teach about canine behavior.

Dogs of Africa contains 386 pages of detailed research and descriptive photos that chronicle the history, origins, development, characteristics and temperament of both common and rare African breeds. It also offers a completely fascinating “insider’s” look at the relationship of a people to their land, their culture, and the role of dogs in their society.

A professor of anthropology, Sian Hall was born in Kitwe, Zambia, and grew up in Africa. She has had a life-long interest in the little known African dog breeds and has initiated projects, written articles and helped develop television and educational programs about them.

            More information can be found at Dogs of Africa.  

Teaching Your Horse to Be Light

Have you ever seen a horse that responds to light, almost invisible aids? Do you wonder how you can train your horse to respond that way? The secret to teaching a horse to respond to a light aid is to apply the aids in the following sequence: First, ask him to obey a given cue; then give him a chance to obey. If he doesn’t respond, tell him that he must obey the cue by using a slightly stronger aid. If he still doesn’t respond, enforce the cue by using a stronger method. Your horse must learn that he must obey your cues when you ask him to obey. Yet, by asking in this sequence—ask, tell, enforce—you allow your horse the chance to respond to the light, asking aid to avoid the harsher telling or enforcing aid. Remember that the aids are signals to the horse—a way to ask him to respond. For example, a horse does not stop because you pull on the reins; he stops because you let go of the reins when he does stop. Therefore, you reward him for stopping.

You must be sure that your horse obeys an aid after you ask him, or he will learn that he does not have to obey any of your aids. Yet, if you “tell” a horse to respond before you “ask” him, he will never have the opportunity to learn that he could have avoided the harsher cue simply by responding to the lighter one.

For a horse to learn, you must apply your aids consistently, in the same way, every time that you ask. You must expect to get results. Even a small step in the right direction is acceptable, because it means that the horse is trying to understand what you are asking and he is trying to please you.

For example, when you initially start a colt under saddle, the colt has no way of knowing that a squeeze from your legs means to walk or jog or lope. He has had no prior experience to prepare him for this. Therefore, when you ride a colt for the first time, you must teach him the aids—that when you use your legs in a certain way, you are asking him to walk, jog, or lope.

To teach him to respond to the cue to walk, first squeeze lightly with both legs. If he does not walk, then bump him with both legs. As soon as he begins to walk, immediately stop bumping him to reward him for walking. After you have done this a few times, the colt will walk when he feels the squeeze from your legs to avoid being bumped by your legs. You have shown him that it is more comfortable to walk from a squeeze than to get bumped. You have shown him that you will reward him—the bumping stops—for walking and obeying your aid. You have shown him that he can avoid the bumping by responding to your light “asking” aid—the squeeze.

If a colt does not walk from the “telling” aid—the bump—you would use a crop or bat and increase the severity of your leg cues to enforce the cue. The young horse thinks, “If she squeezes and I do not walk, she bumps me until I do walk. (Boy, is that uncomfortable and annoying!) Once I walk (as she asks), she stops bumping me and sits quietly. I think I’ll try to walk the next time from the light squeeze so she won’t bump me with her legs or tap my rump with the crop.”

This same sequence of ask, tell, and enforce is used on an older horse to teach him to respond to a light request. Make it uncomfortable for him to be wrong and comfortable for him to be right. Reward him for his good behavior by sitting quietly on his back. Once you ask for something, you are committed to getting it!

Use the same exact cues and the same exact sequence of cues for the same exact responses, every time. A horse will easily understand a cue and this sequence of ask, tell, enforce, if it is repeated consistently, enough times, and if you use the same exact cue to mean the same exact thing, every time. Horses learn through repetition. Talk to your horse in the same language so that he can understand what you are asking him to do. If I spoke to you in English on one day, Lithuanian on the second day, and Chinese on the third, how much would you understand? Your horse often feels the same way. If every movement that you make on your horse’s back means the same thing every time, imagine how quickly he will learn.

(Excerpted from Western Training Beyond the Basics by Laurie Truskauskas Knott)

Positive Dog Training Reinforcements

As you begin training, it is important that you understand how to use food and other types of reinforcers properly. If you are knowledgeable about these things from the start, you won’t have to go back and redo exercises later, and you will actually avoid problems. A little more time spent early on will save you a ton of time later. Remember that food should be a reward, not a bribe or a lure.

(If you use only food to train, then your dog will only work for food—and let me tell you that is very annoying! If you use many different types of reinforcers from the get-go, your dog will be a more enthusiastic and happy camper.)

One problem that many people have when training their dog is that when they give the dog a treat, the dog looses all focus on the trainer for a few seconds or steps before returning his attention back to the trainer.

The solution to this problem is to be more unpredictable. You are most likely too predictable in how you reinforce and what you are seeing here is called “scalloping.” That means you are probably clicking (if using a clicker) and feeding at the same number of steps or seconds, and feeding the same number of treats each time (many people get stuck on only feeding the same old one treat each time) and not using other types of reinforcers. To correct this, become more unpredictable in how and when you reinforce. Vary each exercise so that it is fun and does not become routine and boring. If you make the whole process fun for your dog, you will find it enjoyable yourself. There are a million things you can use to reward your dog. Be creative, be different each time and try to stay out of a rut. Here are some possible reinforcers other than food:

• Petting softly
• Petting roughly (if your dog enjoys this)
• Letting your dog sniff the treat (no eating!)
• Playing tug (always let him win)
• Tossing a toy
• Running around and encouraging him to chase you (“tag, your it!” game)
• Letting your dog play with a doggie pal
• Teasing him with a toy (no playing!)
• Clapping and cheering
• Letting him sniff the ground
• Tossing the treats up in the air while making silly noises
• Having your dog do some favorite pet tricks
• Giving him water (to drink)
• Letting him play in water
• Tossing grass and snow in the air

You don’t have to stop there—whatever floats your dog’s boat can be used. You can set up your sessions ahead of time; decide what reinforcers you will use and how often you will reward your dog. Be sure to change the list for each training session to keep it fresh and fun for both of you.

Be inventive and impulsive! Your dog will work harder for fewer and more varied reinforcers. When he has done something amazingly well—a perfectly straight sit, super heel, phenomenal disregard of the chattering squirrel that just ran by—go wild and give him a big jackpot. If you are working on a behavior that has been hard for him and “the light comes on and someone is now home,” by all means heavily reward that as well. Even the easier behaviors should once in a while reap a reinforcement bonanza. Remember, your dog is working with you, not because he must, but because you are making it valuable for him. He doesn’t care about the ribbons or titles; he cares about having fun.

(Excerpted sections from Click Your Way to Rally Obedience, by Pamela S. Dennison)

The Most Essential Obedience Command

The way to a well mannered adult dog begins when he is a puppy. Many of the bad habits that adult dogs have start early in the dog’s life and are frequently misinterpreted as cute puppy antics. To have a dog that is welcome in today’s society, proper training must take place as soon as possible to avoid the dog becoming a nuisance or a dangerous adult. If the puppy is taught in the beginning to respect and respond to the owner, he will continue to do so throughout his adult life. By teaching the young dog basic, simple commands like “no,” “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “off” and “leave it,” most annoying behaviors can be avoided by a quick word.

The command “sit” should be one of the first commands for a puppy to learn. With this command, you can prevent him from jumping on you, your guests or your furniture. It also comes in handy when you walk through a door, get in the car, or feed. The “sit” is easily taught. With a treat in hand, stand in front of or beside your puppy. (It may be easier and less intimidating to kneel.) As his attention focuses on the treat, say “sit” and bring the treat back over his head, parallel to the floor. As the pup follows the treat, his rear end should go down. You can help him by using your other hand and tucking him into a sit. Tell him “good sit” in a happy voice, and give him the treat. Release with “ok” and play with him. Repeat three or four times, making it fun and up-beat. Avoid repeating the command, as then it becomes useless. Say it once, and show him what you want. Praise him when he sits, but do not allow the praise to be the release. Give him an “okay!” for a release. Also, take advantage of times when he sits on his own, praising him and telling him “good sit” whenever you see him sitting.

Use the sit command throughout the day. Before you pet him, place him in a sit. This helps to prevent jumping on someone for attention. When you let him out to go potty, have him sit beside you before you open the door. Encourage him to wait and not bolt. Have him sit before you put his food bowl down, giving him a piece of food from the bowl when he sits. If you are traveling in the car, have him sit before allowing him in. When trained in this way, he won’t jump in without being invited. If you can instill in him early in the training to pause and sit before going in or out, then he will be more easily managed as an adult.

During your daily routine, find times when it is easy for your dog to sit—while you are watching tv, talking on the phone, cooking, washing dishes, etc. Don’t expect him to sit for long, but if you can repeat the exercise throughout the day, and not only during a training session, he will more quickly understand the command. Use it especially for practical purposes, where it makes sense for the puppy to sit. On a walk out to the mailbox, have the puppy sit while you retrieve your mail. If someone comes up to talk with you, have him sit. Before crossing a street, have him sit.

With patience and consistency, you will be on your way to a well-mannered dog. Remember to keep the lessons short, positive and fun!

National Assistance Dog Week

Next week, August 10-16, 2008, has been officially designated as National Assistance Dog Week to honor the more than 20,000 dogs that assist people with disabilities. While most people are familiar with guide dogs, many are not aware that there are three other types of assistance dogs. There are also hearing dogs, service dogs, and seizure/medical alert/support dogs. Each type is specially trained to fulfill a need for the individual that the dog will be assisting once they are placed with a partner.

Guide dogs assist those with limited vision maneuver safely, while hearing dogs are trained to make physical contact with their partner and lead them to the sound if their partner has a loss of hearing. They can also be trained to alert their partner if someone is calling or speaking to them. Service dogs are trained to assist those with limited mobility or other disabilities other than vision or hearing. They provide support for their owner to physically lean on them, open doors and drawers, pick up and carry objects, turn on and off lights, pull wheelchairs, open elevators and other numerous tasks that are difficult for the partner to accomplish. Seizure and medical alert/support dogs are specifically trained to support their partner when they have a seizure by summoning help, providing emotional and physical support, and keeping them safe. Some dogs can sense and alert their partner when they are about to have a seizure or other medical problem, giving the partner time to plan their actions before the onset of the attack.

With assistance dogs by their side, those with disabilities are able to attend college, drive, work, and live on their own. As Marcie Davis states in her book Working Like Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook, “All of a sudden the impossible seems possible, and things you thought were out of your reach literally and figuratively are now obtainable. Virtually every area in your personal and professional life can be expanded and explored, including your vocation, travel opportunities, housing options, and transportation….Whatever you dreamed of accomplishing can be realized with the assistance of a service dog.” After bringing her first assistance dog into her life, she gained the confidence and ability to be more independent, obtained her own vehicle, and is now the president and owner of a business which specializes in public health and human service solutions.

To learn more about assistance dogs, visit the Delta Society website at http://www.deltasociety.org/. You may also visit the Assistance Dog International site at http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/, and the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners at http://www.iaadp.org/. Also, more information about these amazing canines—their work, training, laws governing their use, and where and how to apply for a service dog—can be found in Working Like Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook by Marcie Davis and Melissa Bunnell.