It is important that we educate ourselves about our dogs. And not just about a dog... but our breed of choice. Too many people are watching television and taking the advice of individuals that have made themselves experts without a degree or true experience. The observers think that what they see on television must be true! We cannot educate ourselves through hearsay or the television. Be logical, we cannot apply for a job in a law office and tell them you have been watching Judge Judy. Nor or we going to get into the coroners office after watching Dr. G. Medical Examiner. But there are people out there doing this and thinking it is alright... for real! I am not joking! I have had someone tell me that they are going to be the next female Dog Whisperer. They have never owned a dog. No, this is not a child, but a senior citizen! But they are watching Caesar! Let us be intellectual and logical about what we are doing. Get into college, work a few years with dogs. Compete with dogs. We need to seek out the True Applied Animal Behaviorist such as Dr. Patricia B. McConnell, PH.D., University of Wisconsin, Mary R. Burch, PH.D. Certified Behaviorist Analyst... research done for the U.S. Department of Education, and Jon S. Bailey, PH.D., Professor of Psychology at Florida State University, Marc Bekoff Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado. They are the real thing. These individuals have studied in accredited Universities and lived with dogs all of their lives. They did not run into Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey and conjure up a money making scheme. It has worked... You have the pied piper and a whole lot of people have been injured severely from some of these silly attempts at dog training. Have you ever seen anything about Mr. Milan’s education? He has had no formal education and just using flooding and a few other common techniques used in training. He has a well funded choreographed show. I want experts to have credentials, and a degree. My doctors, lawyers, dentist, financial advisors, have credentials. Wake up and stop thinking you can poke or shhhh a dog into control! It takes more than watching television and an attempt at training one dog to be an professional trainer. You need some on the job experience, a degree in behavioral sciences and many dogs that you have owned, trained and competed with over the years to give you what you need. There is no University of Dog! Although some are cropping up. If you are really interested in training... get involved with a pro-trainer and see how you can assist and learn from them. Internship under a professional is very important. Television is entertaining. Books are good, but you need to be able to apply what you know... not read about the easy stuff. Get started with a pro and start competing with your dogs.

    When it comes to training a dog one must consider the dogs pedigree to a great extent. Research your pedigrees if you are wanting a specific trait to be present. If you want a conformation dog, then look to the conformation breeders specifically. If you want a good hunting dog find those hunting forums to find a good breeder. Most people are interested in a dog phenotypical features. We are attracted to that certain "look". I want a dog that has all the clearances and will work! Pretty doesn’t do it for me.

    The research is still ongoing when it comes to genes vs. environmental stimulation. What one needs is a good pedigree and a good breeder. When someone breeds dogs they should be knowledgeable and not just wanting to do it for the kids or just because. These are your back yard breeders . We cannot just love dogs and find another dog and breed it. Well, it is done but it is irresponsible! But people do this and at times they may just get lucky. Breeders should be very knowledgeable in the hereditary problems that are present in their breed. They need to have the clearances for EIC, Exercised Induced Collapse, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Hip and Elbow dysphasia, CNM to name just a few. There are a whole lot of hereditary problems out there in our dogs. You must know about them and must demand that the Sire and Dam are certified free of these problems. There are foundations out there that rate or grade these dogs and give certifications of clearances. If you found a breeder that has all the clearances, now you want to know if they expose these pups to the environment. Ask them what they wish to pass on in their breeding. Is it trainability, style, desire or just good conformation? There is a huge list of criteria to understand. You want a breeder that understands the formula for breeding, the color combinations etc. You want this breeder also to provide a learning environment for your new pup. Reputable breeders have a plan and most of the litter is already promised to buyers. Some have waiting list for their dogs. I waited on a list for 6 years! Some individuals breeding dogs just keep them in a pen until they get purchased . You do not want this! You want someone actively exposing these pups to life. Taking them to the water with their mom at 5 weeks, giving them live birds and the opportunity to chase butterflies in the outdoors. Getting all their senses alive and learning! Having them around ranch animals, people, in the house, out in the fields, in buildings, riding elevators and all the noises you can expose them to. You want your dog to have good experiences early so they are not fearful to any new ones. These puppies are already learning and have all those experiences filed away in their memory compartments for later retrieval. There is very little difference in a human parent that keeps their child confined in the house and never goes out and interacts with other children or out in the outdoors. That child and that dog will have difficulties assimilating to school and other social functions. That is not to say they will not overcome them, but why not make their life easier by just giving them the interactions early on?

    Let us talk about having a dog and not training it or not interacting with it for long periods. I get this often. I have had dogs that have been 7 months old to 4 years old that have been put in the backyard, fed daily and that is the extent of interaction with this dog. You have people that now realize that they need to do something. It is better late than never. But certainly they now realize that earlier would have been the best choice. You have to be realistic with training an older dog. They have been self-directed and probably have a routine of bad habits. These habits may not seem bad in the canine world, but in ours... they are! So the process for an older dog takes a little bit longer to train. And many trainers will not bother with training the older dog for many reasons. First, puppies are curious and very observant of you. They are in a learning mode. They are little sponges absorbing everything in their world. Training is not physically exhausting. Second, the older dog has to be taught how to learn. Third, the dog is much larger than a pup and not as easy to manipulate into positions with food or other tactics. They require more energy. Fourth, some older dogs are more likely to bite and bite severely. Fifth, there can and are situations that the dog does not meet the expectations of the owner and a new home must be found. As an owner you must now take responsibility for the situation and move forward to make the necessary corrections. It is not always the dogs fault. It is our responsibility to do whatever it takes help this dog learn what is necessary to fit into this family or another one. The more the owner and dog learn together practicing the obedience drills the better your results. And you need to practice with your dog for it to remain good at all it has been trained to do. Practice makes near perfect and is a fun activity for you and your dog. You are a team now.

    If you have put your dog out in the yard for months without training or interacting much with you, you have a dog that is self-directed. The dog is only interested in you for food or a scratch now and then. It will be more interested in the noises and smells of the yard and not you! Another mistake people make is to leave their dogs in crates the entire day. Please put in a kennel in your yard so these dogs can urinate and defecate when needed. Holding it is not good for them. With a kennel they can have room to stretch and see the world around them. How would you like to be housed in something that you can barely stand and turn around in for 8 or more hours and hold your urine and bowel movements that long? It is not fair or appropriate to expect that from our dogs. I always ask myself how I would feel if I were my own dog. Do I provide them with enough intellectual and physical stimulation so that they have an enjoyable productive life? Am I allowing them to reach some level of their potential? Are they getting to hunt? So many dogs are just left in the yard as if they are something that goes well with the yard furniture. Dogs unattended will find something to get involved with and it may not be something you like. This is where the destruction of property begins.

    The new plan, will be to teach your dog a new routine, boundaries and rules. With older dogs there really is not a set amount of time. I have to teach your dog to learn, how to play, pay attention to me, interact with me, and other dogs. Their bad habits did not happen over night and the behavior modifications will take time. It takes as long as it takes. Some dogs and humans get it quickly, and others it takes longer. But the results can and will be there, eventually. The owner must still put forth effort and continue working with them daily after they leave me to get that behavior engrained! Remember, you can only deal with one issue or behavior at a time. Keep it simple for the dog so as not to overwhelm them too much, too soon. It would be wonderful if we could sit down and discuss a training program or syllabus with our dogs intellectually. It takes more than a poke in the neck and a sound while poking! You as the owner must be committed to getting the rest of the family involved for the sake of the dog. You have to be patient with this dog whether it is young or old. You must make time to work with your dog. You must be committed to the program and have the resources.

    You can and will have a well adjusted dog. These are the things that are required of you. You must put forth the effort to assist your dog into his new world of knowledge. You need to learn how to interact, communicate and read your dog. Dogs love to please us and they are the epitome of unconditional love. You can have a wonderful relationship that will enrich your entire family and make you very proud of your partner. There is never a better way to learn to love your dog than to be a part of this process. All of my programs will demand participation on your part. Let’s not procrastinate but begin a new challenge and journey for you and your dog.

Debra Lee
RAVE Retrievers
5467 FM 482
New Braunfels, Texas 78132
830.643.1222 Ranch & Kennels
913.620.7441 Mobile
www.raveretrievers.com