Sit Spot Click comes to Portland!

Hello Portland! We made it! Sit Spot Click is now in the Portland area! Can't wait to help you and your furry friends!

Therapeutic oils to the rescue!

Sometimes it can be very frustrating when you are trying to help your dog calm down and you can't even get one click in, that is where Therapeutic oils come in.  I use the DoTerra oils, which are the highest and purest degree of oils, to help your dog calm down to the point where you can start working with them. You never want to push your dog too fast or put him in a situation where he is in over his head.  If, however, you are just in your yard or would like to go on a small walk, and your dog is still struggling, this can be your make or break. This link will take you to my store,where you can shop yourself, or get an idea of what I offer. http://www.doterra.myvoffice.com/click/

(the best place,that I have found, to rub the oils on your dog are the ears or paws)

 Not only can the oils be applied to your dog, but if you are stressed or need a little help staying calm as well (you dog does pick up on your stress so it would do you good to look into some for yourself) feel free to try a bottle of some on you.  All the oils come with a 100% money back guarantee and are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade quality.  I have seen it make remarkable difference in my life, as well as my pets.  I use the "Serenity" blend fo my animals (diluted in coconut oil) and the On Guard, Balance  & Aroma Touch for me and my family.  I am all for modern medicine, it has saved my life many times, but if I can use these oils first and prevent having to take medicine (which I hate having to do) then I like to try it first.  I have not needed any headache medicine since I have started using the DoTerra Peppermint oils, it has taken away all of my headaches that I have had within 15 minutes or less.  I started getting a cold and took the On Guard blend, my runny eye cleared up and my nose was no longer stuffy, plus I had what felt like a shot of energy that I hadn't felt in 3 days, all within about 30-60 minutes.  My kids have all started sleeping the whole night through again (they had all been waking up 2-3 times a night), and I can feel the immediate calm settle over me after taking the Serenity or Aroma Touch.  I could go on for quite a while, believe me, the only thing that has got me more excited than this really is the clicker and the positive reinforcement work that I have been doing with the dogs.  So take a look at what they have, give one a try on yourself, or ask me how to use it on your dog  and watch the magic unfold! Remember it is all 100% guaranteed, so you are safe giving it a try.

Here is a chart on dog reflexology for those who might be interested in it.

Potty training with a doorbell

Here we have taught Ruby to push a doorbell, that has been placed on the floor, to let her family know she needs to go potty outside. We started last week with the button on the door and she had a hard time hitting the button, the button was then moved to the floor and a piece of flannel added to help her hit her mark, and wala! Yesterday (6 days after starting) she hit the button and went outside to potty. First we clicked her for touching the button, next we clicked her for making it ring, then she was clicked when the bell rang (after she pushed it) and was treated outside. The next step was to have her ring the bell every time the went to go potty outside, there she was clicked and treated for pushing the button, then again for going potty outside.
(the background noise is just one of the kids playing with something, not a clicker, it didn't sound as much like a clicker, while filming, as it does in in the clip)

Ruby Learning "Leave it"

Ruby is a spunky, smart little Yorkie that I have been training. We are on week 5 today, "Leave it" This is on average what happens when you set out to teach your dog to ignore something. I like to use a high value treat when teaching this on because they want it much more than their other treats, so when you get them to ignore a high value treat, other things are a bit easier. This video picks up about 10- 15 minutes into the training, so you see me make a few mistakes (everyone does ever now and then so don't feel bad when you do) by letting her get a lick off the spoon without me clicking her before (they should not be able to get a taste of whatever you use (I like to use a can of Max wet dog food) until they have demonstrated that they can ignore it for a second, then get clicked for it, then they can have a lick of the yummy treat that is on the spoon. A few reasons why I like using the Nutro Max wet dog food here, 1. I can't remember any dog who has turned their nose up at it, in fact most dogs will easily ignore any other treat I have used if this can of dog food is also available, 2. the dogs can smell it very easily (and love the smell), 3. it is easy to use a tiny bit (like I do for Ruby) or a whole spoonful, and 4. it is nutritionally balanced and good for your dog. You can use little bits of cheese or hot dogs, or a cooked piece of chicken. but I have found that the Max wet dog food to be the best balance overall (and I have had dogs turn their noses up at the use of hot dogs). This is just the first step, after you have taught your dog to ignore some really yummy food in front of it's nose, move on to placing some on the ground and walk you dog close enough to smell it and try to get it, but far enough away that no matter how hard your dog tries, they won't be able to accidently get some (and reinforce the bad behavior). Start to use this command whenever you need or want your dog to ignore something, another dog, a cat across the street, your plate of food on your coffee table (but beware some dogs will still try to get food left on the table if you are out of the room, as that behavior is self rewarding).

All Dogs Are Individuals

I wish I could tattoo this article on my forehead so that I could get this message out more quickly.  I have seen so many dogs who defy their "breed traits".  My first dog was a husky (and thought I don't recommend this breed as a first time breed for everyone) for me he was an excellent dog who was very social, got along great with my cats (who we got when he was 3 years old, not a puppy), and had a really good recall (95% of the time), and who I had trained as a therapy dog.

This article says all I have been trying to tell people for years! I just wish I could get law makers and those who are to full of fear to understand.

http://animalfarmfoundation.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/all-dogs-are-individuals/

All Dogs Are Individuals

Posted on November 29, 2012 

All dogs are individuals. You’ve heard us say this again and again. It is the core principle of the work we do here at Animal Farm Foundation to secure equal treatment and opportunity for “pit bull” dogs. But what does it really mean?

All dogs are individuals means: We owe it to all dogs to see them for who they really are, free of prejudice, stereotypes, and assumptions that are based on a known pedigree, a breed label guess, physical appearance, or their past history.

Every dog is an individual with a distinct set of needs and behaviors that are determined by a wide variety of factors: genetics, breeding, socialization, training, management, and environment.

The only way we can accurately determine what a dog needs are is to look at the individual dog in front us for the answers.

In other words, we can’t judge a book by its cover (even if that cover looks like other ones we’ve seen before)!

photo courtesy of melissa lipani

What’s the opposite of all dogs are individuals? It’s assuming that dogs that look alike or have the same breed label, will act alike or have the same needs.

Does “all dogs are individuals” apply to pure bred dogs? Yes. Dogs are not identical twins, even when they are the same breed.  Pure bred dogs do not share identical DNA and like all dogs, their personal experiences (training, socialization, and environment) all influence and contribute to who they are. Breed and genetics are one piece of the puzzle, not the whole thing.

In this video, Dr. Kristopher Irizarry, a geneticist, discusses the genetic basis for why dogs that look alike do not necessarily act alike.

Further, even pure bred dogs that are born of the same litter and raised in the same house can have different personalities.  They are individuals first, genetics second.

Are you saying that breed traits don’t exist? No, it simply means that every dog is an individual FIRST. In order to fairly and accurately evaluate a dog, we must look at the dog in front of us as an individual first. An individual dog may or may not conform to breed traits. Breed related traits are not guaranteed. If a dog does conform to breed traits, that does not mean a dog isn’t an individual! Breed characteristics may contribute to a dog’s individuality, but they are not the whole story.

Does “all dogs are individuals” only apply to dogs labeled “pit bulls”? No. Every dog is an individual, no matter what size, shape, age, breed or breed mix they may be.

Here are some examples:

• A professional dog trainer assess her pure bred Akita as an individual, rather than relying only on breed standards that suggest he will be dog-dog aggressive. By looking at her dog as an individual first, breed second, she recognizes he is very dog social. She does the same for her Pug and discovers her short nosed, flat faced dog is great at scent tracking.

• Many Greyhound rescues choose to see their dogs as individuals. It is often assumed that ex-racing Greyhounds cannot live with cats or small animals, due to their breed’s prey drive. Rather than relying on breed standards, rescues evaluate the dogs individually. By looking at them as individuals first, breed and past history second, these rescues acknowledge that dogs that look alike do not necessarily need the same things. This opens the potential adopter pool much wider by removing blanket policies (no cats, no small dogs) and replaces them with individual matchmaking.

• Small dogs are individuals too. Just as we do not condone stereotyping “pit bull” dogs, we do not condone the stereotyping of small dogs. To be clear: it does nothing for “pit bull” dogs when we speak negatively of small dogs, such as Chihuahuas.  It undermines ALL dogs when we allow stereotypes and prejudicial thinking to be perpetuated.  Chihuahuas are individuals first, breed and size second. For example, Chihuahuas are competing (and winning) in agility trials, despite stereotypes that they are difficult to train. Watch this video of a 15 year old boy and his Chihuahua earning their agility title. And meet this senior citizen (yes, all people are individuals too) who, using a walker, competes with her pack of small dogs.

 

Why does this matter? In order to understand why “all dogs are individuals” is so important, we must take the near and far view.

In terms of everyday families, recognizing your dog as an individual means that you will get to know the dog in front you, rather than assuming that because they look like another dog or are labeled a certain way, they will act the same or need the same things. By looking at the dog in front of you and seeing them as an individual first (breed, past history, etc. second), you will be able to set them up for a successful family life by tailoring a training, management, and care routine to their specific needs.

In the big picture, recognizing dogs as individuals means putting an end to blanket polices that are based on stereotypes, generalizations, and false information.

For shelters and rescues this might mean that, rather than relying on a blanket policy that prohibits all Greyhounds from being placed in homes with cats or Akitas with other dogs, they will get to know Greyhounds and Akitas as individuals and then match them with appropriate homes. Some may need a feline or canine-free home, others will not. By evaluating them as individuals, it opens up the pool of potential adopters and more lives are saved.

For politicians and law makers, this means putting an end to laws passed on the flawed idea that you can determine how a dog will act based on how they look or their breed label. So, rather than instituting bans on “dangerous dog breeds”, they will instead focus on creating and enforcing responsible pet ownership laws that hold ALL owners equally accountable for their individual dogs, thereby creating truly safe communities. Dogs will be labeled “dangerous” based on their actions or behavior, not based on breed label or physical appearance.  Dogs will no longer be persecuted based on stereotypes.

Treating all dogs as individuals means that we let go of biased thinking, recognizing each dog for who they really are, not who we assume they are based on looks, labels, or past experiences. In doing so, we set all dogs free of the baggage and consequences caused by our assumptions, prejudices, and discrimination.

http://animalfarmfoundation.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/all-dogs-are-individuals/

All 4 on the floor!

Here is a clip on how to teach your dog not to jump on you. The reason they do this is because they are trying to greet you in a happy fashion in their own language.  When other dogs greet each other (if they know each other already) one will often times lick the lips of the other.  In their world this is polite. Well your lips are so much farther away than most dogs, so in order to get to them they have to jump! The only problem is that we don't find it as polite as they do. (one thing to notice in this clip is that even though I highly recommend teaching only one dog at a time in this clip I have multiple dogs that are offering polite behavior and I am clicking and treating each of them and they are all well mannered. ) These two, by the way are well known for jumping on me and others (which is why I was working with them)
http://youtu.be/zJSuaq35nZg

I'm Thankful for....

I love this quote! In almost every class I have I make sure I stress the point of it being ok to talk to your dog in a happy voice or a use your silly tone.  You make feel silly to do so in front of others, but really when you stop and think about it, what do you really think when you see someone else talking to their dog?  Do you think to yourself  "What an idiot " Or do you see and either not think twice about it, or think "oh what a good dog owner", or "what a lucky dog." I bet you pick one of the three last ones, because no matter what anyone else tells you, deep down you know believe this.

Don't be afraid to talk to them, they really do understand, maybe not always exactly word for word what you mean, but they understand your meaning.

I am thankful for my dog who has helped teach me patience, and a lot of new tricks! I am also very thankful for my family who has allowed me the time and energy to learn the new tricks ;o)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE, from us here at Sit Spot Click!