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#PottyOutside

August 4, 2020

Winning the Lottery

Whether you got your dog from a breeder, SPCA, dog rescue, or if they just randomly showed up on your front porch you both benefit from the relationship.

I’d like to flip the script on the term “rescue” dog.

Lots of my clients have rescue dogs. Sometimes you learn the dog's history and other times you don’t. Some situations were absolutely horrifying.

It is totally in our human nature to feel bad for the dog. The stories I could tell you. I have seen some truly awful things – not just in rescue situations but with breeders as well.

Dogs definitely have residual behaviors from past experience. Left alone for hours, not socialized, not potty trained, or worse.

The good news is dogs pretty much live in the moment. This is where we’ve got to change our mindset as owners! These dogs are to be loved, not pitied. They need to experience the world, not stay sheltered.

We must treat our dogs as if they won the lottery – as if they are the luckiest dogs in the whole world. Because they are.

The bad behaviors can be managed. You can teach your dog anything you set your mind to.

Don’t “feel bad” for your dog, coddle them, or give up on them!

Consider your dogs past experience, but know that today is a new day. It will take time, but all you need to do is train. A top reason dogs are returned to the breeder or shelter is lack of training. Dogs do not speak English. It is our job to teach them.

  • Non-Stop Barking. Dogs who like to bark need to be given time that is appropriate for barking. I teach my barking dogs to speak. When we are in the backyard, field, or the beach I encourage them to speak. When we are home and they are barking at the 500th squirrel, I let them bark for a moment and then tell them quiet. Training them to understand what speak and quiet means will keep both of you happy.
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  • Eliminating Indoors.
    Until I know for sure a new dog in my house knows what #pottyoutside means I assume they haven’t learned. I do not like cleaning up pee and poop. If you aren’t expecting it, it’s all the more frustrating. I put them on a leash and watch them like a hawk. If I can’t watch them I put them in a crate. That’s a 2 sentence explanation – if you’d like more I have a Free Potty Training Workshop online.)
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  • Crate Aversion: The crate is your best friend in training. But what if your dog hates the crate or has never been in one? The most vital thing is to make the crate a safe, positive place. Start by providing meals in the crate. Teach them to do a down-stay in the crate with lots of yummy treats. Give the crate a cool name and get an excited voice and animated body when it’s time for your dog to go in.

Dogs are the absolute best. They are capable of so many amazing things. They offer us comfort, unconditional love, they can be trained to tell you when you were sick, they can be trained to offer stability, they can be trained to detect dangerous things, they make us laugh, and they fill our hearts with joy.

You can fix bad dog behaviors. It just takes time, patience, and a whole lot of repetition.

Remember, you and your dog BOTH won the lottery when you found each other.

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. ( Check out my easy, 30-minute Potty Training workshop.)

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Filed Under: #doggoals, #PottyOutside, Great Dog

July 27, 2020

5 Day Potty Challenge!

OK, when this whole stay at home order went down I got really relaxed.

I had not had time off in ages. I was very excited to sleep in and do nothing. I taught myself a new craft. I stayed up late watching Netflix.

I let my dog's obedience slip.

It has, in fact, been a glorious time.

But now as I get back to work, it's becoming clear how lax I've been with the dog rules.

Our normal morning routine is first thing all four of my dogs go out and #PottyOutside within 5 minutes.

Lately, my 12-year-old Doxie has been wandering the yard, sniffing everything, and getting lost in his own thoughts. (Well, I don’t know if that last one is true but it sure seems that way to me.)

This has been going on for about two weeks and my anxiety level is rising. As all of us do, I have a million things that have to get done in the morning.

My dawdling dachshund is getting my days started off on the wrong paw.

I'm going to start back at step 1 of #pottyoutside and I'm going to share it with you.

I am going to issue a challenge live on Facebook tonight at 7pm EST.

Over the next five mornings, I'll take Jack out on a leash and kindly make him pee and poop within five minutes. I also want this for your dog, my friend – learn along with Jack!

I have had hundreds of dogs come to my house and stay for training. At first, very few of them immediately go outside in the morning and pee and poop. The change that takes place amazes even me. The ease it brings into the dog-parents' lives is so exciting!

The first order of business, always, when you go outside in the morning is to pee and poop.

Join me live tonight on Facebook at 7pm EST to hear the plan. Have all your mofo questions ready! I'll be back each day at 7 to share Jack relearning #PottyOutside.

(If you are late to the party, don't worry – I'll be posting a sequence of all the videos on facebook when the challenge ends. )

(Psssst. I'm also holding a Free Potty Training Workshop .)

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. ( Check out my easy, 30-minute Potty Training workshop.)

Did you like this? Please share it!

Filed Under: #PottyOutside, Great Dog, Training

July 14, 2020

Does Your Doggo Need a Drink?

OMG. It. Is. So. Freaking. HOT!

I’ll tell you a little secret about me, I absolutely love it hot. I mostly work outside and this is my favorite time of the year. Don’t get me wrong, I do love to go home to my air-conditioned house but summer is where it’s at.

Hydration is key during the summer months. Your Mofo is no different.

What can I do to keep my dog well hydrated?

🐾 Get Up Early. I get up early and do most of my dog walking and hard-core exercising (like fetch or agility training) during the cooler morning air.

🐾 Keep Water on Hand! At least one of my mofos goes to work with me each day. I always travel with plenty of water for myself and my dogs. I went so far as to get one of those fancy stainless steel gallon water jugs for my Mofos so they could drink cool water all day.

🐾 Eat at the Right Time. I exercise my dogs way before I feed them breakfast. I wait till everybody has stopped panting and their respiration has returned to normal before I feed them.

🐾Cereal for Everyone! I add water to my mofos kibble when it’s really hot outside. This ensures they get enough water to stay hydrated. Think of it like breakfast cereal for your dogs.

🐾Don't forget the Potty. With all this extra liquid, your mofo is going to need to #pottyoutside! Expect it about 15-20 minutes after you feed them their cereal. I am easily distracted with all of the things that I have to get done so I set a timer on my phone. (If you are having any trouble with #pottyoutside put your dog in a crate so they gain control by holding it. Again be sure to set a timer so you don’t forget your mofo. Sign up for my free Free Potty Training Workshop to learn more.)

How do I know My Dog is Getting Enough Water?

Simple signs of dehydration include:

  • Dry nose
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Dry or sticky gums
  • Loss of skin elasticity

My favorite way to test for dehydration is the skin test. Grab the scruff of your dog's neck and pull it up. Then let it go. Phritz is a little slow to bounce back. He could use a drink!

  • Quick Bounce Back. All Good! Your dog is not dehydrated.
  • Slow to Return to Normal. Your dog is dehydrated. Provide water right away.
  • Nape Does a Triangle and is very slow to go back to normal. Provide water right away. Consider taking your dog to the vet for fluids because are very dehydrated. Better safe than sorry.
There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. ( Check out my easy, 30-minute Potty Training workshop.)

Did you like this? Please share it!

Filed Under: #PottyOutside, Safety

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