Firework Phobia

If you have a sound sensitive dog, the 4th can be a stressful day.  

The towns fireworks will come to an end in about a half hour but neighbors might be celebrating long before or after.

Most dogs have their favorite safe hiding spot whether a crate or under the desk, some the bathtub, just let them be, they know best what makes them feel safe.

Play the TV or music a little louder.

Give them some good exercise earlier in the day to tire them out a bit more, don’t forget mental games.

If they are nervous but not frantic, play some games or use some of those tricks you have already taught to keep their mind occupied and active on something else.  Those extra tasty treats are good to use at this time.

For those needy dogs that shadow and can’t be out of your sight, use this to your best advantage.  Put commands into your movements.  Tell them to come if you leave the room, sit/down when you get to where you are going and come to go back.  This gives you the opportunity to praise or treat your dog for doing commands, not for being afraid.

Frantic lap climbers should be put onto a leash and use a step down to keep them off you.  Their nails can rake and hurt very badly, causing you to push the dog away, creating more panic.

Panic runners may try to get away from the sound by running.  Be sure when putting out, they are leashed, connected to you and securely attached in a non head slip collar.  

In the house, keep screened doors unavailable to access, the same with windows.  Watch now to see if they can easily get to the windows.  Because they never have not done something does mean they never will!

Don’t pet or fondle for fear, it creates more.  Feeling badly for or babying your dog when frightened is not helping them move past or learn to deal with the fear.

Dogs seek calm.  Your calm state will help their confidence in you and find comfort for them!

A dog that is truly unable to self placate, speak to your Vet about medications to help them through this time.

Jeanne Perciaccanto

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Dog Games

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

I like using games and tricks in conjunction with sound training.

A dogs brain is not static, only engaged to follow commands: come; sit; down or stay.

The come from a fluid history of adaptability for survival.  They worked hard to ensure continuation of the species.  Hunting and protection of territory to maintain food supply was primary.  It was a simple fact of life, no food = no life!

Reproduction and care to enable pups to reach adulthood kept the pack vital.

Safety for the pups from weather and other larger/ stronger predators kept them in search for appropriate dens/ safe areas in which to raise the pups.

Basic necessities also required these areas also have suitable water supply.

They worked hard and seven days a week!

When not working, they played.  

When I watch large off leash groups interact, they play games similar to what our kids play.  Games such as: tag; chase me; hide and seek, king of the mountain; protect the fort; tug of war; fetch and keep away.

The games are based on natural drives and needed skills for survival such as:  digging, chewing, hiding precious items; climbing and challenging self-confidence or another willingness to follow suit.

These games are based on life and social interaction.  Dogs will be vocal and physically interact with each other.  Communication of growling, bumping, snapping are similar to "Mom he's touching my toys!" They learn how to play well with others by being taught by those they play with and learning to assess their interaction.

When we play games with our dogs, we need to play the games they will like.  Some dogs love fetch, others can't be bothered.  "You threw the ball, you go get it!"  Some like hide and seek, others have an "out of sight out of mind" mentality.  "You got lost, you find your way back!"

While all dogs can like all types of games, there are games more suited for certain breeds.

Hunting, field, working, sight dogs breeds like action games such as fetch because it involves sight and movement.

Terriers, designed to borrow for vermin like hide and seek and chasing moving things such as flirt toys.

Find what your dog likes and use that to build games.  Treats work nicely with most dogs, for others a ball or bumper gets their heart racing.

You can also teach close tricks like roll over, shake hands, speak or spin.

Always teach in steps and pieces.  If your goal is to turn/spin, start first with getting the dog to turn their head in the direction you want.  Then turn their head back equal to center of body.  Next build to a turn all the way towards their tail.  Follow that pattern until the dog does a complete circle.

Always be sure what you ask they can do safely and have no physical impediments such as poor hips/joints or are not so big you can't safely handle having to prevent a fall!

Dog games connect you and your dog.  Anything that creates thought and focus is a good thing!

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Best dog training collars!

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

A common question is what is the best dog training collar I should use for my dog?  

What is it you want the collar to accomplish for you?

Need to:

• stop jumping
• pulling on leash
• stealing items off the counter
• "listen to me"
• come back when I call them

Most collar questions come about after a series of attempts to get the proper or required response to stop the dog from repeating the same unwanted behaviors, "I just can't get them to stop, (fill in the blank)."

The other side of the coin may be, you have seen someone walking their dog very politely at the park wearing a specific collar and the logical conclusion is, the collar is making the dog walk so nicely!

Enter any pet store and there are whole sections of various types and designs of collars. 

One type will go around the neck, another the face and still yet the body and each designed in its own way to help dogs be controlled in some fashion and make handling the dog easier for the owners.

Most people go through a process of elimination when trying to find the right solution.  Try this collar with no results, go onto the next until the final goal is achieved.  You may start with a harness because it appears to be the most comfortable for the dog to wear, only to find that it actually makes pulling more comfortable for the dog.  

You may have tried a buckle collar only to have the dog choking itself, so the harness seemed plausible to stop the choking but find it didn't do anything for the pulling!

Next you might try an anti-pull harness and stop the pulling but not succeed at preventing jumping.

You move up the ladder from one level of corrective device to the next becoming more frustrated at the results and fearing you will be perceived by the public as being a harsh pet owner for using a collar others may vilify.

You ask friends what did they use and how did it work out for their dog?

You ask the pet store employees to recommend what would be the best for your problem?

You ask you Vet, groomer and anyone you see walking a dog calmly for suggestions to your problem.

Finally you have reached the last resort and ask a trainer.

All the gears come screeching to an abrupt halt when the trainers tells you, "No collar trains or teaches a dog to do anything!" 

Wait! What?

If collars trained the dog, we could just put them into a nice collar, stick the leash in their mouths and say, "go train yourself!"

Collars have their function in creating thought and giving dogs a guideline to assess their own behaviors and actions.  Collars help a dog find and create a point of understanding based on and compared to what they are doing in that moment.    

The balance of learning happens with the dogs' understanding of the boundaries produced by the collar, combined with the owners acceptance or reward in a precise moment of time.  Dog pulls, then stops pulling, "Good Dog!"  The dogs actions and the result of those actions is based in a thought process, "I did this and that happened!"  Thought is where training takes place.  As action happens, you mark that action you want with something to indicate, "YES!", right choice. 

While the collar facilitates the dogs knowledge of their own actions, marking the proper thought will get them to repeat that action.  Dog pulls, collar offers an understanding of what pulling offers, dog stops pulling and owner offers and understanding of what happens when not pulling.

Another way to think of this is as a gas peddle.  The peddle is used to make the car move but only when someone presses down on it.  How fast of slow the car moves depends on how the gas peddle is used.

Collars = thought = action + owner = reward = learning! 

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Can my dog be trained?

It's a puzzle to me!

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

There is usually a tipping point which compels a dog owner to call a dog trainer!

Behaviors can range from annoying to serious but most owners will put up with one type of behavior as long as the dog doesn't cross an imaginary line and do "that" behavior found totally unacceptable.  Jumping is tolerated as annoying rather than problematic because it is not as intolerable as using their home as an outhouse! Pulling while walking may not be fun but is something that can be accommodated, however, a dog constantly barking is not permitted!

So, the dog has crossed the line drawn in the sand and is doing "it" and "it" must stop!  You have tried everything and now call a local dog trainer. You tell the trainer you don't need all that fancy stuff and just want your dog to stop doing "it!"

Dog owners love their dogs. If possible, they would want the perfect well behaved, calm and well mannered family pet.  Due to most interactive histories, many owners don't believe this possible.  Instead, out of frustration, they look to "spot" train, dealing with individual problems, rather than learning as a whole.   "It" is the problem and 'it" is what has to be solved. Dog training being viewed as an item to be selected from a menu of choices and miss the concept that all behaviors are inter-connected.

Column A.                                          Column B.                                         Column C.        

biting                                                  leash pulling                                        not listening
possessive aggression                     running away                                      chewing
growling                                             jumping on company                          barking
nipping                                               House training                                    getting into garbage  

Dog trainers see what they do as putting the pieces of a puzzle together!  The pieces are all there but have to fit together to make a whole picture.

The dog trainer will ask owners questions about the dog which lead them to developing a history of your dogs behaviors and building a full picture of what and how learning needs to take place based on how learning has already occurred.

The owners see the problem as the single entity of concern, "just stop my dog from doing "it!" but to a dog trainer, "it" is the end result of a series of unresolved issues or behaviors that caused "it" to have happen in the first place.
What or how has your dog learned and why does your dog think it is okay to do what they are doing?

How do the pieces of the puzzle need to be re-arranged and be put into place so the picture becomes crystal clear for your dog?

Your dog jumping may be part of the same behavior as going to the bathroom in the house.  Both could be demand for attention or marking space as a social/ territorial act.  Further, both behaviors could just be your dog hasn't learned what is acceptable and how they should behave in a manner they understand clearly.

Pulling on the leash is the same as barking since both are expectations of follow the leader.  All behaviors, no matter which column they come from can all be part of the dog never learning how to have self-control nor developed proper problem solving skills, leaving the dog to their own devises of how to communicate with you.

A knowledgeable and experienced dog trainer can see how the pieces of the puzzle fit into place.  Allowing the process to unfold, dog owners begin to see their dogs learn, make self-controlled choices and watch as the dog begins to understand clearly what and how they are to behave.  Give the process a chance and allow the pieces of the puzzle to come together and let your dog become a well behaved family pet because they choose to behave!


www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Training my new puppy!

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

What are the first steps you must take in training your new puppy?  

The top of the list usually include: house training, sit; no biting and walking on a leash.  These are clearly functional aspects of daily life for any well behaved dog to learn and starting with a new puppy helps to set up easier transitions through stages of development through out the first year.

Most Dog Training schools will focus their programs on these particular behaviors and include more of the "how to" commands for down, stay, come and social skills of playing well with others.

While these commands and behavior skills are pertinent to building common language between you and your dog; also giving your dog the boundaries and expectations you have and how they can meet your established goals.

All to often, what is not taught and can only be taught to young pups are the preparations they need for practical and emergency circumstances in life.  These are situations which can and do produce stress.  Stress can be learned as acceptable or left unlearned to become fearful.

Stress has become the big "NO NO!" in dog training, yet dogs are left ill prepared for dealing with stresses that do and will occur in life.

Seemingly simple things such as Vet visits, nail cutting and basic grooming can create such difficult emotional stress. 

A visit to the Vet produces such apprehension and anxiety before ever leaving the house knowing full well what will happen when you arrive.  Some dogs will need to be muzzled or sedated with use of heavy drugs just have these basic needs met.  

Groomer will refuse to take dogs that are stress biters, throw crazed hissy fits on the table or become so stressed in the crates, they become disruptive to the enter staff and are not invited back.

Cutting the dogs nails is such a battle that owners wait until the next Vet visit as a way to avoid the impending struggle.

A dog in a medical emergency will look to get away, that is nature leading a dog into flight or fight.  The fear/pain will drive them into panic.  Teaching them how to settle when stressed can and will keep your dog less likely to further injure themselves and make it possible for you to handle them safely.

There are other types of stress we cannot foresee such as natural or home disasters which no one wants to think about but do happen.  We are taught to have emergency preparedness drills for our family or an escape route for hurricanes but have you prepared for how your dog will deal with all the stress produced as a result of evacuation?  Evacuation centers that allow pets only do so with pets crated.  If you dog has not learned to be calm, relaxed and settled in a crate may get you removed from the center.

If your puppy struggles in your arms at ten weeks and 10 pounds, imagine what that puppy as a full grown adult with size, strength and capabilities that involve using teeth will produce!

Not teaching your pup to learn how to self placate and relax while being handled in a state of stress is not only unfair for future expectations, but lacks in sound training principles leaving them ill prepared for life's stresses.

There is a step by step process in teaching dogs how to settle and should be taught by someone experienced in this practice.

Your puppy training program should and must include safe and gentle handling instructions to make life's stresses easier for your dog to understand and calmly handle life as adults.

  For more information on training your puppy visit http://www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Why should I train my dog?

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training NJ

Have you wondered why my dog won't: (fill in the blank) stop barking; running; pulling on walks; counter surfing; jumping on company or destroying the house?  Too make matters worse, your neighbors dog, which has never been formally trained, is perfect!

If you have had dogs long enough, somewhere along the line you will get Lassie.  The dog who just seems to know how or what you want them to do without having to speak.  They automatically do what is right, such as; never running away or leave the yard when off leash.  Never fight with other dogs nor pull wildly the owner down the street after a stray cat.  They are calm in the house, never chewing or destroying anything left laying about.  These dogs are a gift and will spoil even the most seasoned dog person lulling them into a false sense of calm.

The next dog you have may be a wild thing!  Frantic energy, in constant motion, chewing its way from one end of the house to the other.  An open door becomes an open invitation to speed and flight wherever their paws will take them with no thought of danger or harm.  Company enter at their own risk of excessive paw-molestation until the dog settles down from fatigue!

What is unseen becomes the key.  Even your neighbors perfect dogs has learned value in what the rules of the road are.  They just have a different learning curve than your dog.

Stop thinking of behaviors as just actions of good or bad.  Think instead of behaviors as questions.  Since dogs are incapable of speaking to us, "Use your words", they speak through acts which for them are trial and error or allowance and consequence.  If they jump on you, what is your response?  Is your response constant or does it vary.  Is jumping rewarded one time with petting and another with correction?  What information is your dog left with becomes trial and error, jump again to see what your response becomes, a pat on the head or correction.  Is your reaction to their action clear or have you given them an alternative to what they are doing?  If I don't want you jumping on me, here is what I want you to do instead.

Often the more actions or question your dog asks, the more clarity they need.
Back to your neighbors dog.  What you haven't seen is how/what their dog has questioned and how the answers have been presented.

Dog Training your dog is not teaching obedience commands to have a robot.  Those commands become language and a format in being able to answer those questions your dog is asking of you.  Language which helps both you and your dog speak the on equal terms and communicate on a level playing field of how/what you need your dog to do in the long run.  "Sit" stops jumping.  "Down" produces calm.  "Come" prevents door bolting and "heel" gives you an enjoyable walk.  The words mean nothing to your dog until they put into context of position, time and expectation.

Dog Training brings you and your dog together.  Seeing them as only a series of actions (good or bad) is limiting. Seeing them as a thinking, intelligent, problem solver with capabilities which far exceed our own helps your dog live the most fulfilling life utilizing their personal talents and gifts of nature.  Your out of control "wild thing" dog may be great at scent work, or wonderful at agility or a perfect therapy dog.  Training helps you to find their magic and help you polish that diamond in the ruff into your neighbors perfect dog.

How to House Train a puppy

Jeanne Perciaccanto
Ultimate Dog Training

Tis the season for gift giving and the Christmas puppies will arrive. Whether you are young or young at heart, there is nothing like a new puppy!

Before you give the gift that keeps on giving, be prepared to ensure all goes well with your surprise.
First plan ahead on items you will need for the puppy’s new owner.
The most over looked part of the plan is how to house train the puppy once it arrives. Most think the pup will just know what to do and forget to teach the puppy the where, when and how of house training.

Let’s start first by helping a puppy learn what our expectations for them are for puppy house training.
You will need:

• A crate size suitable and expandable for growth
• A puppy collar and leash - takes a few days for pup to get accustom to wearing.
• Poop bags (ample supply) or a scooper
• Food & water bowls  **Food change can cause digestive upset so be sure to keep your puppy on the same food as the breeder until you can do a safe food change over.
• Paper towels - a lot of them
• Puppy shampoo - for crate accidents
• White vinegar or suitable enzyme based odor eliminator

Have a plan and start early. A puppy may be young but they have the mental ability to start learning from day one.
The most over looked part of house training is not just where to go potty but to help the pup develop the muscle control to “hold it” until the right time arrives, which is, when you let them out. House training has to address both sides of this coin, where to go and to be able hold it until they get out there! I come across many adult dogs who were not helped to develop this second part of the puzzle, muscle control.

Here are the basics:

• Time frame
• Limited access to house areas and unsupervised times
• Consistent feeding and out times
• Did I mention time frame!

There are three key times when your pup is in need of relieving themselves. These are:

• Waking up
• Feeding
• Play time- stimulates systems. Pups in play will start to sniff or look off in the distance, get them out!

Step one:

Every pup comes with its’ own bodily function. What goes in must come out so to speak but every pup digests food a little different from the next. Getting a handle on their normal functions is your starting point. It is normal for a puppy to poop 4 times a day, they digest food quickly. It is also normal for a pup to pee 5 times a day, tiny bladders. If you have a question about how often ( if excessive) your pup is going potty, speak with your Vet.

1- Time frame - the game is to catch the pup when it has to go and give them the chance to get it right! Spend a few days and write down every time your puppy goes no matter where (inside or outside). This gives you a starting point to understand how your puppy’s system works. How soon after eating/drinking do they normally have to go potty? This is never exact to the minute but gives you a window to work in.
This starting time frame now lets you know when puppy should be heading out the door.

Example: 6AM - pee & poop; 9 AM - pee; 12:30PM pee & poop; 4PM - pee; 7PM pee& poop; 10PM- pee

2- Start with your puppy in the crate. Pup goes from crate directly outside. So those in between times means your pup should be in the crate.
Take your puppy out on leash for 15 minutes to the same spot in the yard. Give them cue words such as “go potty”, “hurry up” and after 15 minutes, back into the house. If they have gone potty, they get free time in a regulated area to play, feed or training time. If they have not gone, they go back into the crate for 5-10 minutes, then right back out again and repeat until the puppy finally goes. This re-crating prevents the pup from just going when they come back into the house. Although not ideal, in the worst case, they go in their house (crate) not your home, which is where the puppy shampoo comes into play!
Sometimes they get so invested in sniffing and being distracted by life, they forget they have to go until back in the house away from all those distraction, then ooops, they go!
Do not stand or stay outside for extended periods of time, it will not help the puppy learn anything other than your willing to wait for-ever!
Do not play with your puppy during outside on potty runs. They must learn their first “job” is to potty upon going out before anything else happens.
Repeat this frame until the pup finally goes outside. “Good puppy” and free time. Don’t treat your pup for going potty, this causes other issues as adults. The pup will learn quickly that their reward is the free time. A simple mental connection takes place, “I get to do this, if I do that first!”

3- Puppies need to sleep for growth, so they sleep often. Start with a 30 minute free time frame and then back into the crate until the next out time on your schedule. Repeat step one.
This free time frame will increase as the puppy develops more self-control. Very soon they will be free for 45 minutes, then an hour and so on. Their safe place helps them relax and settle more easily. Never open the crate door to noisy pup! If they learn from day one that acting up in the crate gets them out, then you have taught a valuable lesson, carry on to get what we want.

4. Feed the same times each day and do not free feed. Regulating when and how much food they ingest makes it possible to regulate when they potty. Free feeding keeps their system digesting food, meaning they will always have to go at inconsistent times. Pups are usually feed three times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start your feeding patterns to match your daily schedule which allows you ample time to address out times. Example, you leave for work at 7:30AM, this means your pup should be feed around 6AM. Lunch should be around 11-12PM and dinner 4-5PM. This gives you a few evening hours for your pup to finish digesting breakfast and lunch before your bedtime.
So those are the basics. Control their free time and keep it regulated. Know your pups time frame and how/when their system functions and show them what they get for going outside.
For further help, contact www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Teaching Heel

 Jeanne Perciaccanto

   Teaching your dog to heel is probably the most complex command a dog owner has to learn.  So much so, that many trainers are no longer teaching a formal “Heel” as a command but have gone to a “loose leash” walking.

I still prefer to teach “heel” as a primary part of creating a full and complete form of communication and build the deepest aspect of self control for the dog.

When your dog is on leash, you are the dogs’ only job and responsibility.  Their full attention must be focused on you whether moving or remaining still.

The leash has meaning, intent and purpose.  The mental switch in the dogs head when connected to a leash should produce a direct impact on the dogs’ demeanor and behavior.  Leash means walk here.  Leash means let the cats and squirrels go by.  Leash means follow you!  The leash means calm!

When the dog understands what their responsibility is while on leash, it then becomes easier to teach other responsible behaviors enabling your dogs to be capable of going to more places while remaining focused and calm.  The leash is an extension of you and your leadership with your dog.

Rather than seeing or using the leash as a tool for calm, we create contention and conflict with our dogs. Using the leash to hold or pull the dog back from the abyss of unwanted or expected behaviors, we fight with our dogs in a dance of pull and tug.  A dance they are ready, able and willing to participate in and one they will inevitably win!  The law of unintended consequence creates a dog that will always pull when on leash because they think they are expected to pull!

Before actually beginning the formal lessons for heel, which involves distraction training, I work first on creating calm and focus with the owner.  Building off what I call connectors, I start first in getting the dog to just follow closely and remain next to the owner when stationary. 

There are three points of reference I teach owners to understand which indicates the dogs level of focus.  These are: stand, sit and down.  I do not teach the dog to do any of these but allow the dog to come to them by processing information gained from allowance and consequence.  Dog training is teaching the dog how to make appropriate choices and develop the self-control and responsibility for those choices.

Each point of reference gives the owner an understanding of where the dogs’ mental focus is and the choices your dog is willing to make at that time, which would become, you or the distraction.

If you move a few steps back and away from your dog, does it immediately follow you?

No?  Then your dog is either waiting for you to be responsible for them by pulling on the leash or they are focused on a distraction and not you.

If you proceed forward, the dog will pull directly towards its point of focus.

Standing or remaining still should give the dog a message to remain next to you in a calm state, patiently waiting for your next move or command.  My first steps are to teach the dog to see and respond to your small movements, to follow, then to remain calmly next to you.

The mental points of reference give owners a basis for what and when to move onto the next steps.

A dog standing when they come to you is in decision.  They may sit or move away.

Sit indicates the dog has chosen you over a distraction as an indication of patience, a willingness to await your next move.  Moving away from you is obvious, the dog chose the distraction.

I have owners patiently wait to see which choice the dogs makes and to respond directly by either praising a sit or moving away if the dog leaves.  It may take a few minutes for the dogs to offer a behavior, but patience on our part is necessary.

Once the dog begins to develop patience and self - control by understanding that calm is expected, they will begin to auto sit when you stop.  As they accept your leadership, the dog will lie down next to you which is a mental state of calm.

  By allowing the dogs to choose, you help build self-control and the decision making process.  At this level, I do not give commands nor speak to the dog beyond saying “yes” or “good” to mark their choices. The dog is in complete control over the end result. 

Dogs are incredibly intelligent and we can be unbelievably confusing.  We enter into a realm of frustration babble, an assault of a nonstop barrage of sound to our dogs. I think people believe the more we speak the more the dog will understand. We need to stop trying to make training similar to the experience of a drive-thru restaurant seeking results in 30 second or less.  Giving dogs a space to think, assess and utilize natural trial and error processing, we give our dogs a greater chance of success.

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

www.ultimatedogtrainingnj.com

Sidley the Wonder Dog!

Where did the snow balls go?

By

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

Snow brings out the child in all of us.  I’m not sure if it directly relates to those coveted snow days when school would be closed or the games as kids we could only play in the snow.

Preparation was an important part of the process and getting a new Flexible Flyer sled for Christmas made the wait unbearable. Carefully waxing the running blades of the sled with Butcher Wax to be sure no sticking and the fastest run possible would happen was part of the pre-game plan.

Grabbing our sleds and meeting up with friends all heading up to the local grade school with the best hill top for a day of what seemed like the closest thing to flying we could create while still connected to the earth.  Without necessity of traffic laws, direction on how to, nor parental guidance, we had fun, got wet, slipped and fell a bunch of times and learned to use our own best judgment. 

We would try crazy things such as standing on our sleds and doing our best to remain on them flying down hill with our arms outstretched for balance with little directional control long before snowboarding was invented. 

Grabbing onto the runner of a sled in front of us to build a sled train which often resulted in a major pile up at the bottom of the hill but the last sled had a wild ride!

Building snow packed ramps to simulate flight; we often went up and over landing in a heap on the other side. We loved it! 

Play challenged us to challenge ourselves.  This taught us to work well with others to accomplish group goals of play. We got some bumps and bruises; heading home wet and cold to a cup of hot chocolate and cookies our Mothers had waiting for us after getting in warm jammies which made for wonderful end to an active day!

We learned by trial and error how to control our environment.  We tested our own boundaries and limitations based on feel and intuition for what the desired outcome would bring us. What brought us joy or what resulted in bruises became a balancing act in achieving one and not the other but we accepted the bruises as part of learning.

As a group we designed our own rules of play.  Those breaking the rules were ostracized from the group and not sought out to play again. Punishment was having no friends.  The rules were simple.  No icy snow balls in “capture the fort” and quarter was given to those who said “Uncle!” No using your sled to run into others on the hill and walking areas were sacrosanct and out of bounds from where a sled could go.  No picking on or bullying the younger kids, giving them ample room ride.  The rules worked.

When we moved from the hill to the street we learned to trust and be trusted by others with our very lives.  Heading down the top of one street, riding across a main road to continue on down the next road, we waited for and trusted those standing on the main road to say “Go” when no cars were coming.  If they were wrong, we were dead.

Being in the snow was the reward.  Whether building snow forts for the inevitable snowball fight or making snow angles and snow men on the front lawn, a snow day was always a gift from the Heavens for kids to enjoy.  Only kids could take frozen water and create a magical world out of it.  In that world of magic, we learned to find our own balance and learn future valuable life lessons.  The rules we live by today, we learned in play.

Why?

A senior dogs lament.

By Jeanne Perciaccanto

Why am I here?  Where are you now?

I am sorry! I didn’t mean to age, I just did

. 

Did you really mean it when you said you would love me forever at eight weeks of age?

Was I wrong when I sat close to you in your sadness?

Did my play upset you when I was young and strong?

Are my slowed steps and loss of hearing harmful to you now?

Why, what have I done?

I didn’t mean to live too long and be in the way.

I am sorry your plans changed, can we find a way?

I gave you all I had to give, even this very day!

Why?  I became your dog forever in every way.

I waited for you come home each evening with joy in my heart.

I watched and protected as you slept.

I was proud to call you mine on those dark and stormy nights.

If I bring you the ball one more time will you take me home again?

You were all I have, what more can I give?

Why am I here?  Where are you now?

Why?

The heart can truly break!

by Jeanne Perciaccanto

This past week I was faced with the most difficult and devastating aspect of dog ownership, to terminate the end of a precious friend’s life. 

There is a distinct separation between the brain and the heart. 

I could see her decline. I knew she was sick and the sudden onset of an aggressive form of lymphoma would take her quickly. I had her to Vet twice in a few days before the final visit and her ultimate end.  

My heart fought against the inevitable.

As her life begun to decline, I could still see sparks of who my friend had always been still shine through.  More from her undeniable will to be for me, then anything I did for her.

Her desire to be with me increased.  She never left my side in the house.  Each time I had to leave, she stood at the door in anticipation of going for a car ride.

I began taking her to classes I teach, but when the distance of the walk through the building became more difficult for her, she was willing to wait in the car. I can only believe being there was more satisfying than being home.  I would see her sitting up in the back seat alert for my return as her life’s’ role had always been my guardian and guide.

The torment leading up to her demise was unbearable.  This was not the first time I had to face this decision, as all dogs come to this end all too quickly.  This time was more difficult to face than others for me, she had that special something.

She of course knew she was sick but I pray to she had no knowledge that her feeling ill was nothing more than a feeling, yet, I think dogs seem to have a better insight on death than we seem to be capable of understanding.

As the disease rapidly progressed, I could see there was something more going on with her than the lymphoma.  Her body shape seemed to slowly change. Her breathing became more labored at times and seemed to abate to normal at other times.  My brain analyzed what I saw but my heart was feeling the pain of acceptance.

As dog owners, we are forced to walk a fine line, our decisions always final.  We guess.  Is she capable of more or incapable continuing?  Is she struggling for me as I struggled within myself?  I watched for signs to make things seem normal and that I still had time together and mine to still love her.  She still told the cat to back off her food.  She told me to fill the water bowl.  She still loved her petting and back scratches and of course to take her favorite car rides.  Does her life still offer satisfaction in her older days or is it just a struggle to keep me happy?

The day I had to let her go, I was watching her as she slept on the floor.  Her chest exaggerated to expand more.  Her belly had become more distended over night and felt like it was becoming mushy.  I had realized what I was seeing over the past few days was her going into congestive heart failure.  This was confirmed when she was weighed and had gained back the 6 pounds she lost in two days without food intake to support this gain.  I knew it was her filling with fluids.  The decision was no longer mine to make.  Life had run its inevitable course and nature reached its final conclusion, it was time.

She was willing to go for that last car ride. She was willing to enter the Vet’s office for her last visit and accept her favorite treats.  She even willing got onto the lift table with a simple command of place, the best dog to the end.  She willingly and bravely accepted the shot to sedate her, gently falling asleep in my arms for one last time.  She willingly accepted her end with the grace and fortitude in which she lived it.

I, on the other hand, was and still am a blubbering mess.  My heart is broken at the loss of such a wonderful girl who touched so many lives with her playful spirit.  The best working dog who did whatever asked of her and more.  A pal I could go and play with or curl up on couch with on cold nights.

She gracefully left a life which had given its final all and I am left with a void in my life and a broken heart that feels like it will never heal.

She lived 14 years.  She was accidentally rescued from a shelter at 2 years old by a friend who was there to pick up another dog.  Not able to pass up that sweet face, my friend inquired about this little girl.  This was the day she scheduled to be put down, classified an unattainable dog they said but she showed them all in the end.

She ran probably a thousand miles in play.  She touched a thousand hearts with her skill and playful spirit.  She trained thousands of dogs in class as my training assistant.  She probably had a thousand car rides.  She left this life having lived it a thousand ways every day.

Sleep well my love until we meet again!

Stop dog abuse!

by

Jeanne Perciaccanto

While doing research for an educational program, I came upon a series of stories and pictures about dogs that stood and still stand guard over their owners who have passed on.

We all remember this iconic picture of a fallen hero and the dedicated love of his dog.

The loyalty and dedicated theses dogs freely give as devotion in life does not seem to end once the physical connection ceases to exist.

We know our dogs willingly give their lives and confront dangers to keep us safe.  Dogs in service with the military and police forge head first to willingly take the bullet.  Search and rescue dogs courageously enter unstable and dangerous rubble with a driven desire to search for life buried beneath.  Stories from war are filled with the heroism and tireless bravery dogs performed to assist our soldiers in the heat of battle. 

The stories of dogs that stand guard over their deceased owners is the most telling aspect to the true nature of dog and man.  There are no visible ties, no received rewards, no safety nor comfort for them in their final role as that of loyal companion.

Our dogs appear to have made a silent pact with us.  “I will forever be your dog!”  They ask little to nothing in return for their devotion.  Food, water and some meaningful time is not a fair exchange for a life offered or forfeit of their lives for our safety.  This indelible bond is neither tangible nor substantive.  It exists because dogs exist. 

Our history of dogs indicates humans domesticated dogs for our needs in service and work.  I suspect we were the domesticated ones as dogs chose to assist us in our struggle to survive. 

However, we have cheated our dogs and broken that bond showing ourselves unworthy of the honor and dignity they bestow upon us every day.   Thousands of years spent breeding dogs for our purpose to now tell them they are not allowed to be what we have created.

Patiently they await our enlightenment as their daily lives become certain boredom.  Calmly they accept our ignorance as to who and what they truly are, in anticipation of the day when they can run free and are once again a part of the nature born in them. Virtuously they allow the same mistakes to play out in town after town as “no dogs allowed” signs mark their inevitable demise making their world smaller each day.

The most egregious indignity of all is the allowance of their mass slaughter.  We use the word humane to appease the inhumanity of our actions.  We offer no solution other than finger pointing and blame as these most devoted creatures slips from a life committed to the safety and protection of those whose final act is betrayal. “ I will forever be your dog” becomes “I am sorry for not being enough of what you wanted of me!” 

We give up when they never do.  We create the problem and when the dog becomes what we have created, we kill them out of laziness and single minded ideology.

No longer are we connected to the husbandry that created dog as mans’ best friend but rather forced to slip quietly into the world of politically correct nonsense void of any singular reference to the actual workings of the dogs’ mind.

We use words like welfare and rights as a badge of honor.  Words which have become synonymous with the death and destruction of a animal dedicated to our well-being.  Laws implemented to blindly destroy a dog for how it looks rear its ugly head.  Legal entanglements designed to steal dogs from their homes and render untimely deaths under the guise of compassion shows us for what we really are, ignorant of the value of the life we designed.  We have become dishonest with our own needs as dog owners.  No longer are dogs seen as a natural being but rather a mindless child incapable of anything other than tricks and costume modeling.

The single greatest source of animal abuse is from those politicians and organizations who most promote humane treatment of dogs by implementing laws whose main intent is putting more dogs into the raging holocaust.

Politicians fearing lawsuits against the town enact laws limiting the very outlets that help reduce dog problems.  They disregard common sense approaches for fear of liabilities such as recommending dog training as part of the licensing agreement.  Certainly kill the dog rather train it!  The institution of laws to stop training or training tools that actual produces result and replace with it what makes us emotionally feel good even if the dogs’ life is in the balance. 

As a plea bargain, towns build dog parks too small to accommodate the number of dogs attending, turning most into local fight arenas accompanied by clueless owners void of any idea of how read dog behavior or body language beyond what they learn on the internet or from a book. 

For thousands of years our dogs have brought solace, comfort, assistance and practical help into our daily lives.  They have watched over our young, our food stores, our flocks and our homes only to reach a point in history where their very existence has become so very fragile.  Our greatest form of compassion towards mans’ best friend is to proclaim the humane way in which we resolve our own incompetence through the mass slaughter of an animal whose sole purpose has been to protect and defend us.

Jeanne Perciaccanto Ultimate Dog Training www/ultimatedogtraining.com

Remote collar

This is a testimonial letter from a client about the use of the remote collar and benefits in just a few sessions.

Dear Jean;

I'm just writing this letter to let you know that you have been an enormous help in the training of our Australian Shepherd, Doc. As you know, when we brought him to you he was very nervous and distractible (even though he had been in obedience training classes before) and would not listen to our commands when he became distracted or anxious.

I have to admit that when I first heard about your techniques I was a little hesitant because I was not crazy about the idea of using a "shock collar". But the person who referred me to you had gotten such good results (you may recall it was a dog who constantly would attack people) with her dog that I decided to follow through.

I was very happy when I found out that you really didn't use the shock collar as punishment; but rather as a way of reinforcing verbal commands. The level you used was way below what I could even feel and yet he responded beautifully.

I have to tell you that as a New Jersey license psychologist as well as a professor of psychology for 32 years, I was impressed with your level of understanding both the nature of the breed and the pack mentality of dogs in general, as well as an advanced knowledge of the principles of psychological conditioning. I have always taught my students that reinforcements do not work unless they are applied immediately and the use of your collar greatly facilitates this process.

So, even after just three sessions, we seem to have a new dog. He is much calmer and responds more easily to every command we make. We look forward to working with you on other difficulties that Doc has been having which is socializing with new dogs and strangers.

Thank you so much for all your help!

With Regards,

Neil J Lavender, PhD

Why won't my dog listen to me?

I had a training appointment several towns over.  I had asked the owner for specific directions.  Once I was off the main roads, my directions became unclear and incomplete.  The forth right turn was actually the sixth left.  The name of road changed once I crossed an intersection, a point of necessity they failed to give me.  I back tracked a few times and where they said they were, well, they weren't.  An hour later and 6 phone calls with no answer, I finally found the house.  The owner apologized and admitted to not really knowing the road names.  Yes, I now have a GPS!

 

Over the past 30 years as a professional dog trainer, I have had many conversations with dog owners and infinitely more with dogs.

I find dog owners to be good people seeking to live in harmony and calm with the dogs they love dearly.  I also find that our dogs are looking for the same thing from us.

Rarely is the perfect dog seemingly never in need of training found.  You know the ones' I speak of, the dog that appears to needs little or no training, seems to understand every word you say, is devoted and completely focused on your every need.  You know, the dog other people have had the good fortune of getting instead of you!

These ideal pets never seem to experience the normal puppy stages of teething, chewing, barking, jumping and have manged to house train themselves according to some unwritten code of conduct.

As many of you, I have never found one of these dogs either.  Whether adult or puppy, all my dogs have needed to be taught and learn what I need them to do to live with me and maintain my sanity.

What I have found is most of the dogs who are dedicated problem dogs are also very smart, creative problem solvers and can be trained very nicely with clear and consistent information that helps the dog find balance in their behaviors.

Dogs are not born bad, they are born as well, dogs.
What makes it possible for dogs to live within our social structure and become our companions, sport and service dogs is unique to dogs alone.
No other animal lives with nor does for us the same way a dog can.
They speak a language we as humans are just beginning to understand more fully, yet for over 15,000 years, dogs have been not only a working partner but a loving companion.  Somehow, without benefit of modern day behavioral studies into how dogs think and learn, we as humans and dogs have managed to live together in a successful and productive partnership.

Dogs are honest.  They tell you everything they will do or become, we just have to learn to listen, observe and be willing to teach what they will need to live with us as a companion.
Their learning is series of building blocks.  If they can do A, then B will surely follow as the next step. If you call your dog and they don't come right away and you go to get them, then "Come" now means don't move forward but stay still, someone will come and get you.  Lets go to step B.  When you call and the dog steps away to see if you will follow, then "Come" means move away.  Step C becomes chase and finally the command to "Come" mean run away really fast.
You dog has been listening to you!

We are confusing and conflicted with speech, manner and expectations.
Just as with getting or giving directions, we become unclear and confusing.  We may know exactly what we mean but have difficulty in expressing it in such a way to make it clear for others to follow and understand.

How many different ways do we say "sit" having the same expectation but a variety of meanings in both language and manner for our dogs.  "Sit down," "Sit there," "Sit, sit, sit!"

Our dogs are listening very closely to what we say.
If they are not doing what you want, then many you are not saying it clearly enough for them to understand,

Angels of Light

Angels of Light

Be my Angel of Light
My dog, my life.

Open the wondrous mystery of nature for me through your eyes.
Let me see the world a new in your first puppy steps.
Keep me centered firmly in play.
Help me understand the transitions of youth and age.
Honor me with your grace in those days of slower steps.
Privilege me in your composure on that final day.

Be my Angel of Light as I follow your foot steps in the years to come.

In honor of all the personal, rescue and clients dogs who have entered and touch my heart with their light.
Jeanne Perciaccanto

The Learning Curve

The Leaning Curve

When someone calls to have their dog trained, they do so by first telling me what behaviors they seek to stop. Then, they tell me all the things the dog does well.
This a normal response. Owners don’t want people think their dog is bad, just that there are a few things that need to be cleared up to make living with them a pleasure.

Typically, the jumping, barking, biting, pulling, running away or not coming when called
are the main “BAD” things owners seek to stop.
The good things usually are the dog is house trained, very loving, isn’t destructive, good with the kids or doesn’t do one of the afore mentioned “bad” things.
So it would seem that when the dog is bad, it really bad and when good, really good!

So which is it?
Is the dog good or bad?

Actually, they are neither!

I never look at a dog as being good or bad.
I see them a series of learned behaviors.

Anything a dog does was learned in some manner.
What they learn may not be what the owner hopes they will learn, but in the learning curve; the owner has given credence to what the dog ultimately does.

You call your dog! Easy enough to understand what the end result should be, the dog comes to you!
But in the learning curve, you may have called your dog, it didn’t come, so you went to them.
At some point your dog also learns were the end of you arm is and how to stay just outside of your reach to not be caught.
Now the game is a foot as they say.
“Come” now means, run away as fast as you can and what was a simple command morphs into a game of catch me - catch me.
They are having fun running around and think you must be as well, since you keep playing along by chasing them!

The intended course of action was to teach the dog to come but the learning curve became run away.
Your dog isn’t being a bad dog, rather, a very smart dog since they learned exactly what you taught them!

When your dog pulls on a leash, a cause and effect reaction sets in. They pull away from you, you pull them back and they in turn pull away.
Some people compensate for this by keeping the leash short, holding the dog next to them. The dog hasn’t learned not pull but when to pull.
The dog doesn’t have any idea where they should be walking because they continually rely upon leash pressure to indicate action.
The learning curve is, I will pull until you indicate doing something else by your pulling me.
If the leash were taken completely out of the picture, where would your dog end up?
All dogs should learn to walk as thought there is no leash connected to them.

Training is not about correction but about a teaching process that informs the dog of the full context and positional placement of each command.
If the learning curve is clear, simple and concise, the end result will be a well trained dog.

Jeanne Perciaccanto has been a professional dog trainer for 30 years. She has training and behavioral article translated into over 10 languages around the world. Ultimate Dog Training
Offers obedience-behavioral-social dog services.
www.ultimatedogtraining.com

Comparative Learning

Comparative Learning
by
Jeanne Perciaccanto
Ultimate Dog Training
www.ultimatedogtraining.com


Why or in some case despite all obstacles, does a dog learn?

How is it, one dog can go through multiple training sessions and never learn to sit, yet take the same dog to a different trainer and the dog is sitting and staying quickly?
Is the dog different or the training different?
Are the trainers more in tune with the dog or do the owners see the training process differently?

I believe the answer lays between all worlds.

Watching dogs in large off leash social groups for years, I had the opportunity to observe how they learn from and teach each other.

First, dogs live in the world of allowance and consequence.
This sounds very simplistic which it is not.
There are many levels of conversational and corrective body language that dogs use with each other. Here are just a few behaviors you might see for both expressions of language.

Conversational language of course would be things such as: play posture; vocalization; seeking chase; invitation with toys; calming signals and ignoring or walking away from as a sort of talk to the paw comment.
Corrective language would be actions such as: eye set; tail carriage; growling; raised lip or showing front teeth; alpha roll ( yes they do); biting; snapping and nipping; chase away; pawing; climbing on and draping head over neck. They would also use ignoring and walking away to correct.
Most interaction are a combination of both. A dog unsure of another dogs’ intentions may rely on calming signals or play language to assess the full intent and potential behavior.
Basically they seek some form of a response without being fully direct or perceived confrontational.
These languages are comparative learning which produces self control.
Watch a pup who was corrected for trying to take a bone away from another dog. The corrected dog learns to give a wide berth the next time that particular dog is eating a bone.
They are not being made to leave them alone, self control is keeping them from going back and trying to take the bone.


Second, puppies learn through trial and error.
They test and explore their own personal limitations and boundaries both physically and emotionally. They do this by simply doing. In this process they learn how to achieve all their basic survival and life saving skills, along with social boundaries and pack structure.
They also learn how to get what they want and need from other pack members which includes us.
A example of trial and error would be paws up. A puppy puts its paws up on us and we pick them up. They repeat this a few times and have learned how to get picked up.
Puppies nervous in a play group may vocalize from fear of the unknown and find each time the are vocal, it draws the other dogs attention on to them but being quiet the dogs stay away. So in trial and error, the nervous dogs learn how to control their environment by being silent. Self control over vocalization is taking place.


So what is Comparative Learning and how do we need to use it?
Dogs assess everything they do by comparing. I do this and that happens. I put my paws up on another dog and get growled at. I bark in another dogs face and get chased away.
I pick up a toy and run, the others dogs follow and chase me.
They do and a response happens directly to their behavior.
They climb onto an unstable surface a fall off, they learn to test the surface the next time.

We cannot make our dogs do anything they do not want to do.
You can use as many treats or correct the dog as many times and the end result will be the same. Dogs will only do what is in their best interest.
We have seen in so many situations when a dog refuses a treat because the value of the distraction is higher. So treats are not the answer.
We have also seen dogs, despite leashes and collars, will still drag the owner down the street when the distraction value is high enough. Leashes and collars are not the answer.

So neither food nor equipment trains a dog.
But owners are ever hopeful to use and rely on either to get their dog to listen to them.
Makes you think our dogs are smarter than we are!

Training if done right, allows the dog an opportunity to assess and compare behaviors. The dog is the one choosing to sit and stay, we do not make them do so nor can we.

Comparative learning is when the dogs is able to determine the best course of action for themselves in any circumstance.
It is taught in the smallest part of the learning curve by marking thought not action.
This requires the trainer/handler to be able to read the dogs thought process and see where and when the marking needs to take place.
Is it an eye glance, a leg movement, a body lean or any number of indicators to what the dog may be is thinking.
Marking behaviors is a skilled technique and all to often done improperly for the dog to learn clearly.
If you mark the wrong moment, you may in fact teach the dog do something you don’t want. They need to clearly understand exactly what they did in that moment that they were rewarded for.
The same is true with correction. If the correction is poorly timed, you will end up marking the wrong part of the thought process.
Heel is taught first by getting the dog to just look at you.
Stay by getting the dog to become emotionally calm.
Come by teaching the dog what being next to means first.

They have to find the value in what they do through comparison.
Dogs are reward first via marking thought as it progresses closer to what will eventually become the final desired action. Correction is later used to help the dog further define a more exact moment in behavior.
Since dogs teach with correction, dogs learn when correction is used appropriately in defining thought.

Comparative learning teaches our dogs to develop self control which is the end result for all training.
The dog must be able to ascertain the appropriateness of what they are doing.
In learning to self control, our dogs create a fuller life as true companions.

One lucky boy!

I received the best Christmas present this year.
It wasn't wrapped in a decorative package with bows.
It came in the form of a phone call from a dog owner on Christmas Eve.

This about a 6 year old Greyhound who lost his right front leg to cancer.
He is doing well from the surgery and has full mobility. He loves to run and play with his house mate but he lost more than his leg, he lost his confidence particularly on stairs.
He learned to adapt to everything else in life but his adaptive process, using his back legs to propel him up into the van, was not functional to use on stairs.
This boy is lucky however, he has owners who were dedicated to helping him live a full life once again.

The problem they were facing was the home they would be moving to has stairs and many of them.
Two levels of stairs to get into the house and a flight to the upper living level inside the home.
The current home had no stairs. The owners realizing a potential problem tried to use a neighbors front steps in an attempted to get him doing stairs using treats before the move but to no avail.

He was scarred and lacked in the self confidence to balance and support his body while moving his legs independently required to go up steps.

My goal was to help him re-learn balance and trust in his own abilities to adapt once more this time to stairs.

None of this would have worked had the owners not been dedicated to helping their dog past his fears.

We started slowly. The first was to get him walking and stepping on something different and foreign to him.
I placed a small, collapsible A-frame flat on the ground. Flat and low but had just a little bit of movement when stepped onto. At first I used treats to try and lure him forward, no go for the treats.
So we adapted and just had the owner walk him to the board and limit his options of being able to move around and away from it or to just jump over by completely avoiding the board.

We built one movement forward at a time. One foot, then another until finally standing and choosing to get on and off by his own design.

We built the degree of difficulty slowly by changing the level and angle for him to step onto and walk up. The goal was to build confidence, self control, balance and to use his legs independently while maintaining support.

Then we limited his options to keep him from seeking to jump over or away from and praised him wildly for making a move forward.
Each forward progress was met with lots of praise. After a repetition of behavior, he was rewarded with play time.

In between our session, his owner found stairs for him to climb. First big wide steps that would allow for stopping and balancing between steps. He starting with just a few step, increasing to as many as twelve steps up and down.

We ended our first hurdle by accomplishing an achievement past fear. The big fellow had made a self discovery by starting to trust himself and his owner to keep him safe.

We continued to increase the degree of difficulty by changing the angle, level and surfaces for him to step onto, up and over.

Once he accomplished the first stages of getting up and onto a surface, we repeated this a few times and at some point confidence set in he did it by himself.

Our last session we took him to a friends house who had eight steps up the front of her house but built in the typical size, narrow and steep.
He didn't like them at first and refused to try. We limited his options and the owner went up the stairs with him one at a time holding onto his vest handle and I handled the back end to keep him from rolling backwards.
He made it to the top and we cheered.
Down he went and after two more tries, he was heading up and down the stairs on is own as proud as could be!

We talked about the possibility of altering and adapting the outside stairs up to the new house by either making them wider or adding another landing or two. The builder was able to come up with some variations and we hit on something that would work well.

I got my best Christmas present when the owner called me Christmas Eve to tell me his boy is walking up and down not only the outside steps but the more difficult inside stairs on his own.
The owner said he was sitting and having a cup of coffee in the morning was greeted by his big fellow standing next to him in the kitchen on the second floor. He came up the stairs all by himself!

This is one lucky boy! His owners never gave up on hoping for his having the best life possible. Nor did they chose to get rid of him because he didn't fit their lifestyle needs.

Dog Food for Training

Dog owners are becoming more savvy!
Owners are seeking ways to connect with their dogs in training classes, group meet ups, social pack walks and taking their dogs to the dog park for some off leash fun!
Yet many are unaware that what they feed their dogs daily effects how well their dogs’ will train, behave, learn and develop self control.

The Brain is the engine that runs the body but what fuels the Brain?
Sugar!
The brain runs on glucose (sugar) but it is not able to store its own reserve of glucose, so the Brain must be fed to keep you awake and alert!

Think of the times you have grabbed for candy, caffeine or cookies to off set the sluggishness of late afternoon mental fatigue. Your brain is calling for energy and your body knows it needs glucose, so the body drives you towards sugar.
Simple sugar in cookies and candy offers the fastest source of glucose but it only gives you a short jump start for that necessary brain power.
Continual use of simple sugars has your Brain cycling through running highs and lows during the day.
A nutritional way to stem these cycles is to properly eat complex carbohydrates with your meals.

What does glucose really do?
Our bodies require glucose to maximize all the cellular energy our bodies need to keep functioning effectively. The catalyst for the control and metabolism of glucose is the pancreas which produces insulin. Insulin maintains blood sugar levels entering the muscles and brain cells. Poor pancreatic function lessens how glucose is used properly by the body.
Low sugar levels, Hypoglycemia, can cause lethargy, impaired mental function, and irritability, weakness and becoming easily stressed or confused.
Too much simple sugar intake throws the pancreases into over drive which over time limits its ability to properly control sugar intake as it should.
High sugar levels can lead to Diabetes.

What happens when extra sugar isn't needed for energy?
Glucose is there for energy but when not needed for immediate use, it is stored as glycogen until the body demands energy.
An over weight and obese dog is eating too much simple sugar which becomes stored fat. Fat is glucose which has been converted into glycogen.
The reserve of glycogen is kept until needed for energy. If sugar is continually put into the diet, the glycogen is never used and the body continues to store the additional glucose. Glycogen is not only stored under the skin but also stored around internal organs such as the liver.

Sugar comes in two forms, simple and complex.
Simple sugar is broken down, digested and used very quickly and requires more to sustain energy needs. It contains little to no nutritional value.
Simple sugars would come from sugar, fructose, wheat, corn, honey, to name a few.

Complex carbohydrates have nutrient value and breaks down by digesting more slowly. Digesting more slowly gives the body longer access to valuable glucose, giving the muscles and brain energy resources as needed to maintain focus and activity.
Sources of complex carbohydrates would be oats, barley, legumes, and whole wheat.

Our dogs can’t ask for a cup or coffee or tell you they are fatigued, or do they?

Are there certain times of day your dog seems to have high or low energy, mental focus and attention? How long before or after feeding do these behaviors start?

Are you having difficulty training your dog or they just don’t seem to get it no matter how many repetitions or varied ways you try and teach?
Does your dog mentally wander or no longer focuses on known commands?
Is your once stable dog becoming cranky?
Have a normally dog friendly dog not interested in or seem bothered by or snaps at dogs they normally enjoy playing with?

If you have a normally well balanced dog that seems to have highs and lows in behavior, attention and activity, they may be having blood sugar rise and drops through out the day. Do they train better in the morning or evening, before or after eating?

Food for thought, you may look into changing their food to change their behavior.
Visit www.dogfoodplus.com for information on behavior and food.




Jeanne Perciaccanto is a Dog trainer with over 25 years professional experience. She also holds Science and Health degrees.