Auseez Dog Training LLC

Coming Soon: PUPPY DAY TRAINING (for puppies 8-16 weeks)

What is Day Training?

Day Training is when we come to your house and do the training for you! We work with your puppy 2 times a week and at the end of the week we meet with you to transfer the skills the puppy has learned. This program is designed for convenience and to jumpstart your puppy’s training. Perfect for people who are working from home.

GREETINGS REVISITED

I was in a sports dog class the other day and saw an adult dog I haven't seen since it was a puppy. I remember it being very excited to greet as a puppy and it's owner trying to get it to calm down so it could greet. The owner always let the puppy greet people even though the puppy was never truly calm or greeting well (think leaping and overexcited).

This dog is now an adult who takes any opportunity to leap on people! All of the people in class were way more interesting to the dog than it's owner. The dog also does not check in with the owner for information about greeting (i.e. getting permission to greet).

This just solidifies how I feel about training puppies/dogs to be neutral to people/other dogs unless given permission to greet. It takes the pressure off of them and takes away the expectation of greeting. Then they can just go about their business without worrying about other people/dogs. They can also focus on the task at hand- in a class or being out in the world.

In addition, other people will really appreciate your dog keeping four on the floor!

Do you have a new puppy?

It's very exciting and tempting to take them out to do "all the things." But, wait. Let them acclimate to their new home. They were just removed from everything they have every known and need time to decompress and get used to their new surroundings. Start getting them used to their new house and their new routine.

When they start getting comfortable, take them out to quiet places and let them observe. Puppies do not need to greet everyone (and def not every dog) they see. Let them get used to looking and not greeting. We want to build our relationship with our new puppies first, they can meet people/dogs later (maybe).

I see so many posts about new puppies that have been drug around to many new places and met lots of people within a few days of arriving at a new home. This can be so overwhelming to them and is not the way to start socializing out right.

Remember, socializing does not have to be meeting people and dogs. It is more letting the puppy get used to the world and seeing the sights in a calm manner. Consider sitting in your car with your puppy and letting them look at things. Or go to the back of a parking lot (instead of in the store) and let them observe. Work on your bonding and connection first - it will pay off!

Here is baby Jeb who is now 14 years old.

Recently my friend and I took our dogs to a local swimming area for some water fun. We were in the off leash area, but kept our dogs on leash as we walked down the path to the river because we couldn't see ahead of us around the curves.

When we arrived at the river we saw some people and their dogs getting ready to leave. We stopped as we saw them and their dogs came running over as they said, "it's ok, they are friendly!" My friend was quick to remind them that just because their dogs were friendly didn't mean ours (or other dogs in general) were. Her dog was worried about the dogs approaching and my dog was interested. I could see that they were going to get to us before I could move him, so I was sure to loosen my leash so as not to give my dog signals that things were not ok.

As their dogs are getting to our dogs they note that their female is in season and "are our dogs male?" My dog is in intact male. I explained this and they said that their dog was at the end of her season and shouldn't be receptive.

If I was with a client and their dog, I likely would have stepped in front to block the dogs. But, because I had a dog with me, I handled it differently. I wanted to make sure my dog did not have a bad experience and that I didn't cue him that there was trouble by holding his leash tightly. Fortunately my friend took the lead (in handling the situation).

An off leash area means that your dog can be off leash. It does NOT mean that your off leash dog can just approach other dogs because, "he is friendly." These dogs were lucky that our dogs were not unfriendly because that could have gone bad very quickly with the lack of control they had over their dogs. They could not get ahold of one of their dogs even though they were only about two feet away from her.

I endeavour to be kind and friendly when out with my dogs. But, I will not put them in danger because someone else is making bad decisions. I usually say, "please recall your dog" or "please get your dog." People seem to get offended by this - that it is just ok for their dog to do whatever it wants because, "he is friendly." Unfortunately, these owners are going to learn the hard way when their dog is attacked by a dog who does not want to approached.

Things like this are going to get dogs banned from all parks. Please teach your dog a solid recall if you are going to let them off leash. Even better, keep them on a long line until their recall is solid. At the very least, get them on a leash if you hear someone coming.

Be the person who is out in the park actively training a recall- on a long line!

LEG LIFTING

I see people letting their male dogs lift their leg and p*e on all sorts of inappropriate things - posts, fences, garbage cans, bridges, mail boxes. This leaves a pool of urine for everyone to look at and smell! This is so inconsiderate and unsanitary.

And we wonder why dogs are not welcome in public places!

DO NOT LET YOUR DOG DO THIS - IT'S DISGUSTING! It is very possible to train your dog not to do this (rather teach them what to do instead). A command of "not there" works well once thoroughly trained. There is absolutely no excuse for letting your dog do this. Please realize that it only takes one dog doing this sort of thing to ruin it for all dogs.

In a world where we are trying to build goodwill for dogs and dogs out in public this is just a disaster.

IMAGINE

Imagine only living in one environment (backyard/house) and never leaving. When your humans are home they have minimal contact with you. No one teaches you how to behave in either of these places. So you bark, bark, bark and try to "protect" your environment - it's all you really have to do all day.

This is not a life for a dog. They are social creatures who crave interaction and connection. These are the dogs in my neighborhood. And while it's very annoying to hear all the barking, it's also very sad. This is desperate barking that screams, "I am bored, unfulfilled and have no idea how to behave."

Please do not get a dog if this will be their life. They are not yard ornaments!

KENNEL TRAINING

I am a proponent of kennel training. My dogs have an outside kennel for when I'm not home (weather permitting). It is a secure place for them and they can relax and rest. They stand by my back door and wait for me to tell them they can go to the kennel- or they put themselves in there and wait.

Last night I was gardening and Jeb chose to hang out in the kennel (I always leave the door open when I'm home).

Dogs need a place to themselves that is away from us. Otherwise they are always attending to what we are doing and don't completely relax.

It takes some time to set up expectations for being in a kennel - i.e, being quiet, non reactive, non destructive, etc. It's worth the time investment imo. I have been fortunate that my other dogs have helped train (by being a good example) my younger dogs how to behave in a kennel.

Consider kennel or crate training so your dog can rest, relax and recharge away from you. It's so good for them!

RESEARCH THE BREED!

Do you know what your dog was originally bred to do? Their original purpose? Is it pulling a sled for many miles? Is it moving stock 25 miles a day? Is it working with the police or military? Is it killing vermin?

I have had quite a few people contact me recently requesting help with rehoming their dogs. The reason for rehoming (with a few exceptions) is that they are not/cannot meet the needs of their dogs. While I am happy to share resources, this could be avoided by doing research up front. I would be happier to share resources about specific breeds/mixes and what they need to be fulfilled.

Working/herding/sporting dogs are not going to thrive being locked up 8 hours a day and getting a 15 min walk per day. They will be bored and destructive. They will find an outlet for all that energy and it will not be good! As my first breeder said to me about her working Australian Shepherds, "they are not yard ornaments."

Every day I hear dogs in my neighborhood barking from stress/boredom. I hear the pattern to their barking and know that their needs are not being met. Dogs that are fulfilled do not generally bark like that.

It's worth the time up front to research breeds and find what will fit best in your household. A good breeder will be honest about their breed and what kind of home would be best. Many shelters will also be able to advise you about certain breeds and specific dogs at their shelter.

It's interesting, people notice a dog that is jumping around, straining on the leash and/or trying to meet all the people and dogs. What they don't notice is the quiet dog walking through the crowd by it's owners side minding it's own business. Or an owner actively training their dog.

Why is this? Out of control dogs are really ruining public perception of dogs imo. Keep training your dog and creating a dog who is a joy to have in public!

Here is Joe minding his own business in old downtown Albany.

LET THEM LOOK (thoughts on environmental triggers)

Many people train the concept of engage/disengage with reactive dogs. The dog learns to check back in with the handler and to disengage with what is bothering them.

This is a good concept overall, but it doesn't really let the dog look until he has dismissed what is bothering him. He is looking quickly and then looking back to the owner for a reward.

If the dog is too close to something that is bothering him he will likely get "stuck" and not be able to look away. Or he will do some quick look backs for food rewards.

A slightly different way to work on this is to add enough distance that the dog can voluntarily look back after "dismissing" what is bothering him. I just keep adding distance until the dog can look and dismiss. If he is looking for a really long time, he is too close to a trigger. When the dog looks away, I quietly reward with my voice and food rewards (often a food scatter on the ground). I want the dog to be able to look away because they are no longer bothered, not just because they get a food reward.

I also like to add some language to this. So, I usually say something like, "I see it, it's fine." It all goes back to teaching the dog that the owner will handle whatever comes up and will keep the dog safe.

It is ok to let dogs really look at the environment. We are often very quick to try to get them to pay attention to us. True engagement will happen when a dog is able to look around, acclimate and feel safe in a new environment. There is much more to this - a subject for another post. :-)

NOT AT HOME

How we set up our dogs when we are not home to supervise can make or break our training. When working on barking and reactivity to sights/sounds we want to keep our dogs from practicing barking or charging at windows when we are not at home. If a dog is prone to looking out windows and barking then it is advisable to block access to the windows.

This can be done by having the dog in a crate or by blocking off access to windows with a barrier. I generally don't advise that dogs be loose in the house until their skills are in place. This means they are non destructive and do not bark. Dogs get good at what they practice, so we only want them practicing behaviors/skills that we want to continue. If we are working on reducing reactive behaviors and the dog is practicing reactive behaviors when the owner is not home it will be a struggle to move forward with training. Every part of a dog's life is connected.

When transitioning to being loose in the house, I often suggest blocking off areas to create good habits. If feels better leaving your dog at home when you know he is set up for success!

Yes!

If you asked 100 dog owners if they'd do anything for their dog, I'm sure they'd all say yes.

However, rehoming rates, pet obesity, and dogs being dumped and surrendered is at an all-time high, so the math isn't adding up.

Doing anything for your dog really means:

Researching the right dog breed for you and your family.

Finding a reputable trainer to set your dog up for success.

Getting up early to walk your dog, especially when it's hot out.

Feeding your dog a well-balanced diet and not over feeding them.

Setting boundaries, guidelines, and discipline for your dog. Not just the "easy" and "fun" stuff.

Getting a dog walker or doggie daycare if you're working long hours.

Finding a way to make it work for your pet rather than discarding them at the first sign of struggle.

Doing things your dog may not like even though it's for their benefit. Such as: nail trims, crate training, walking nicely on a leash, and settling down when asked.

Shout out to all the dog owners that go above in beyond for their dogs. I've been fortunate to have some amazing clients because they are willing to put in the work and do what's best for their dog. They talk the talk and walk the walk.

So which kind of owner are you?

Eating part of dinner in a box.😊

Happy Independence Day! Keep your dogs safe.♡♡

BE STILL AND CHILL

Learning to be tied up is a good skill for dogs to learn. It helps them learn to chill and be still while observing the environment. It gives us the opportunity to reinforce quiet and observant behavior. I don't mind if dogs move around a little bit while tied as long as they are calm.

I was helping my Mom with yard work and planting and realized what a good opportunity this would be for my young dog, Joe. He is a very visual dog and any opportunity for him to calmly observe in a new environment is good for him.

When dogs are first learning/practicing this, I give food rewards intermittently as well as verbal reassurance. As they get better at it and understand the expectation (to quietly observe), I just use verbal praise and reassurance. I also start with some distance from any activity/movement when they are first learning this.

So, think of times when you can practice this while also getting some work done. :-)

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A BIG ISSUE – Today our breed expert Carol Price revisits the subject of how you can identify and maintain a most healthy weight in your dog.

TOO FAT, TOO THIN OR JUST RIGHT?
How to know if your dog is the right weight

One of the more heartening sights for me on this page is the number of followers who send us pictures of their active, healthy BCs who are all of an ideal weight. For being the right weight will not only preserve your dog’s active life for so much longer, it will also spare them so many more unpleasant health issues in older age.

It is also vital for working or competition dogs to maintain the right weight to minimise the risk of injury or excess strain on the heart and joints.

Obesity in dogs, in general, is now becoming as massive a problem as it is in people. Similarly it makes them more vulnerable to so many other illnesses or conditions, ranging from diabetes and arthritis to heart problems and a number of cancers. And seeing as we totally control everything a dog eats, it is also completely avoidable.

WHAT IS AN IDEAL WEIGHT FOR YOUR DOG?
What your dog weighs, on the scales, is not always the best indication of how healthy or ‘right’ their weight is, as collies can come in so many different sizes and body builds. A far better guide can be seen in our illustration, where we look at these key things:

1. WAIST. Does your dog have an immediately obvious ‘waist’ when you look down on them from above? If so, this usually signifies a healthy weight. Similarly, when you run your hands LIGHTLY down their sides, you should EASILY feel their ribs underneath without pressing harder. If your dog looks ‘squarer’ from above, without a more obvious waist and you cannot easily feel their ribs for fat, or without having to press quite hard, the chances are they are pretty overweight. Your dog’s ribs, however, should not actually be sticking out, which could indicate they are UNDERWEIGHT instead.

2. THE ‘TUCK UP’. Dogs of an ideal weight should also have a pronounced ‘tuck up’ where their underbelly tapers up, at an angle, neatly into the groin area (again see illustration). If the underbelly sags down instead, or you cannot see this same slanted angle of ‘tuck up’ your dog is likely to be overweight (though do note some health conditions can also cause swelling of the belly in dogs – covered a bit later).

3. PELVIC BONES. If you put your hand on top of your dog’s ‘bottom’ or hip area, in dogs of ideal weight you should just feel the top of the pelvic bones under the skin. If you cannot easily feel them your dog may be overweight. If they are actually sticking out, your dog may be underweight.

In longer coated dogs you may need to rely more on ‘feel’ than sight to tell if they are the right weight, or look at them when wet. And if in any doubt you can also ask your vet for their opinion.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG IS OVERWEIGHT
If your dog is overweight, the most important thing to do is accept it. As too often owners tend to go into denial about it, instead, or say their dog “doesn’t eat that much” when the evidence right in front of them is that if this were true they would not have an overweight dog. Or they may say ‘the vet says my dog is fine’ when this may not actually be true, or the vet is struggling to be more honest with them, or may genuinely not be aware of what a healthy size or weight should actually be in a particular breed.

What they really mean is that they do not want to have to change what they are doing, and start giving their dog a lot less food and more exercise, and thus if they keep denyng their dog is overweight they do not have to do this. When I would argue that truly caring about a dog is always about putting their optimum health and best interests first, as opposed to your own need to keep doing what is most comfortable for you.

As many vets will be aware, the food or ‘weight’ issue in dogs can also sometimes be very emotionally complex for owners, as they may continually confuse the constant over-indulging of their dog with extra treats, snacks, leftovers etc. with ‘love’. However, it is worth remembering that dogs can get used to eating – or expecting – less food just as easily as they get used to eating more. So with overweight dogs, you just have to stick to a plan of more restricted food intake for them until the former happens, and not think they have to be fed every time they look at you or ‘seem hungry’. Giving them more exercise or stimulation of other kinds will also help stop them being more continually food
orientated.

STEADY GAINS
Weight usually creeps up steadily on dogs for the same reason it does on people – too many extra treats or snacks, as just mentioned, or portions of food that do not match your dog’s daily exercise levels. Some dogs are also more prone to weight gain than others. But the more overweight your dog gets, the more exercise becomes progressively harder work for them, and takes an ever greater toll on their heart and joints.

You should begin by cutting out all extra snacks, treats and food leftovers and then additionally cutting their daily food portions back by about a quarter to a third, so the reduction is less drastic. If you want to give them treats things like carrot sticks, or lower calorie treats made of fish skin, can be substituted. You want to aim for slow and steadier weight loss over time. Vets can also really help these days with weight loss plans and special diets if required.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG IS UNDERWEIGHT
People can be so used to seeing overweight dogs in society today – and thinking this ‘normal’ – that very often what they may think is an underweight dog is actually one of perfect weight. Again, if you are not sure check our illustration, or with your vet.

Collies who have been subjected to great trauma or stress – like rescue dogs – can lose weight very rapidly, as can dogs with more super-high metabolisms. Often when the stress element is removed from any dog’s life, their weight will return to normal. However some collies will always be harder to keep weight on than others, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are not also healthy.

MORE RAPID WEIGHT GAIN OR LOSS
If your dog has suddenly gained or lost weight more rapidly, or over a shorter period of time, then a vet check up is strongly recommended. As conditions like Hypothyroidism or Cushing’s Disease can make dogs gain weight or give them a more ‘pot bellied’ appearance. Other conditions can lead to more dramatic weight loss, so it is always worth ruling these out first.

Generally, it is worth weighing your dog(s) more regularly, like every two or three months, to ensure they are maintaining a more stable, healthy weight. It will also give you a chance to act sooner, rather than later, if they need to lose or gain a bit more weight, or if their weight change is a first sign of something else not going right with their health.

Finally, if you had an overweight dog, and stuck to your goal of making them slimmer, you will not believe the difference it can make to their overall health and wellbeing. They may become so much more active and happy, and appear so much younger – and it can genuinely add years to their active lives. So if anyone among you has just gone through doing this for their dog, we salute you.
All text © Carol Price/Collieology 2024